squid on squid tree bombing

I'm not entirely sure what started my current obsession with squid (or pretty much any tentacled beasty) - but they're just so cool.  Add that to my love of crafty goodness and behold! One amazing yarn bomb:

(source)

Why yes that is a big plushy knit squid hanging out on a squid-like yarn bombed tree! I think I will need to get my crochet hook out pretty darn soon to make my own little squid pal (even though these are knit) and see what I can come up with. In the mean time this will have to do. What is your favourite tentacled being?

Update!

Hooray! At long last I finally got around to listing some of my previously unavailable illustrated goods in my Etsy shop! I've been sitting on these yarn themed gems since the end of the summer and am so pleased to get them photographed and posted. Buttons are truly one of the hardest things I've ever tried to take pictures of, and with the limited natural light of winters in rainy Victoria it only makes things extra challenging. Luckily Fraser was kind enough to make me my own light box and with a little lamp rearranging in our living room (and photoshop) I've got images for them:


What do you think? The pins actually look much nicer (and crisper) in real life but it is so hard to get the right balance with their super shiny surfaces. I am quite pleased with how they turned out in the long run - and I even listed my new knitting and crochet cat themed pocket mirrors too. I went with pictures of me holding the mirrors for their front image in the shop since they seemed to turn out the best and have that added "handmade" quality since you get a glimpse of the hands that made them:


Ahaha. That crochet MC Hammer mirror is totally my favourite (even though I haven't managed to sell any yet). I also took the opportunity to take some pics of my deluxe scientist magnet set I designed quite a while ago:


Yup, you can really show off your science geekiness now with the extended set of magnets (that now include new additions Rosalind Franklin and Sir Isaac Newton). Yay! But we're not finished there - I also snapped shots of my veggie pins too! Hooray for productivity and etsy listings!


Yipee! I feel so accomplished for listing so many new items in the shop and even though it ate up my entire Saturday (yes, it was that time consuming) I think it was worth it. Now to wait and see if any of them sell! What do you think? Which is your favourite of my newly listed designs?

Knitting vs. Crochet - a yarn battle in kitty pocket mirror form

Have you been enjoying the week of yarn themed illustrations I've been sharing? We started off with some anthropomorphic yarn balls, followed by my fav wool producing animals, and then some playful yarn loving kitties! Today's reveal is a little bit different since these drawings are my first ever straight to pocket mirror designs. I really wanted to make a few more detailed kitties that didn't have to go with a badge set, so I figured mirrors was the next best thing! Plus pocket mirrors are ultra handy to carry around for all your self-viewing needs! Hurrah! I made two yarn and cat illustrations to sit on either side of the knitting verses crochet never ending battle! Okay, so in actuality crafters are usually peace loving women who don't actually hold any violent thoughts about other forms of wool crafts, but I prefer to exaggerate the divide a smidge... so let's get on with the reveal!

For all those knitters out we have the ultra talented orange kitty:


Not into needles? Maybe you hook (and M.C. Hammer) lovers will get a kick out of this design instead:

Hehe! I saw this saying on Pinterest a few weeks ago and couldn't wait to turn it into my own kitty themed version! I'm sure M.C Hammer has always dreamed of seeing himself in cat form ever since he sang "Too legit to quit", but maybe that's just me. Doesn't everyone dream about themselves in feline form? What do you think of the designs?

My third yarn-y set of buttons revealed!

We've made it to day three of showing you my new button designs so today I'm revealing my third and final button set for Caroline's new yarn shop this fall. What do yarn lovers, crafters, and pretty much everyone on the internet have in common you may wonder? Why a love for kitties! No? You disagree - just check out these yarn playing cuties:


Ahaha. Fraser and Jim thought I was doing a comic story about a kitty playing (and then killing but still playing with) his yarn ball, but I think the variety of colour and kitty types makes for a much more pleasing button set. I do have a soft spot for that dead yarn ball though - cat's are crazy about playing with dead things don't you think? Well maybe one day they will cure cat allergies and Fraser and I will be able to get our own yarn lovin' kitten...but for now these buttons will have to do.

Oh! And just because this is my final button set, this is not the end of the yarn themed illustrations! Stay tuned for my two special "just for pocket mirror" designs I'll show you tomorrow! OoO! So exciting! What do you think of my yarn ball kitties?

Let the yarn-y desings continue!

The week continues to truck along and I am here to continue revealing my new yarn themed illustrations! What's next for the three pinback button cuteness? How about my most favourite wool producing mammals - a sheep, a cashmere goat, and an alpaca!


Aren't they sweet? The sheep is pretty much just an illustrated version of my sheep brooch I made for a Mad Scientists of Etsy challenge a few months back. The other two I have been experimenting with in my sketchbook and am pretty happy with what came out! I especially like the little fluff of fur on the goat's beard and alpaca's head. Aww! Have you ever gone to a fall fair? Aren't you happy these ungulate friends don't smell at all like the llama and alpaca barn does? If you haven't had the pleasure of smelling hot humid confined spaces with loads of animals - trust me, you're not missing out on much.

So what do you think? Who's your favourite wool producing animal? Have you seen that book on crafting with cat fur? (this post reminded me of that...it is so weird). Any guesses on what my third and final yarn themed button set is that I'll reveal tomorrow? No? Guess you'll have to wait and see...

A yarn ball friend hello!

Another week has gone by and boy have I been busy! Not only am I amidst preparing for my move in a few weeks (eep, that soon?) but I've also been a busy little bee working on my new illustrations for Caroline's yarn shop! Last week I showed you my first completed design (the red waving hello yarn ball) and I figured this week I could show you the rest of the gang! As you may know, I sell my button and magnets in sets of three so let's greet red yarn ball's other crafty friends, blue snip and needle ball and purple knitting ball:


Oh don't they make a great trio!? I really like the light and dark contrast for the yarn texture and (of course) the muted jewel tones! Let's not forget those wide set eye smiles too! So much fun! Not into knitting? Not to worry - you can get the yarn ball cuties as a crochet themed set instead:


Hooray! Pinback button fun for all yarn crafters! So what do you think? Which is your favourite? Would you rather get a knit set of a crochet one? Just wait until you see the other two button sets I've come up with! OooO I'm excited!

And since it's Monday, let's not forget this weeks winner of my "thanks for reading and commenting on my blog" giveaway! This week is Gillian from Craftzilla! Give me a shout and I'll send your celebratory badge in the mail! Yay! One more week to go with the freebies so keep on being awesome and reading and maybe you will be the lucky winner next week! Happy Monday! Anyone want to come over and help me pack?

A very yarn-y hello to you!

Why hello Monday! A new week has begun (well...unless you count Sunday as the first day of the week...but that seems odd to me...) and I finally have something new to share with you! After a wonderful early bday celebration of a yoga workshop, yummy lunch, and amazing pressies with Lindsay yesterday, I had a productive evening of drawing, photoshopping, and Beatles singing! As I mentioned a few days back, I've been working on new yarn themed illustrated goods for my crafty friend Caroline's new wool shop she's opening up this September and I am just loving how they are turning out. Take a peek at my first finished design:


Hello little red yarn ball! Nice to see you! I've got three new button sets in the works and two new "specifically for pocket mirrors" designs that I've painstakingly hand drawn, scanned, and am in the process of colouring and touching up on the computer. If I find some extra time one of these days, I'd love to share with you my creative process for making buttons from start to finish, but with a busy month of appointments, packing, turning 27 (ack), and moving (double ack) that may need to wait until the fall. In the meantime I'd love to know what you think about my yarn ball salutation drawing! The background colour may change once the other button designs are completed, but I am enjoying the pink and red yarn combo. What do you think?

Oh and let's not forget to announce this week's winner of my "thanks for being awesome and reading and commenting on my blog" mini giveaway! Congrats to long time reader Amanda of Ulixis Crafts who will receive one of my pins in the mail as soon as she sends me her address! Woo hoo! Only a few more weeks of celebratory pins left to give out so keep being amazing and reading and maybe you will be rewarded too! Hooray!