new shipping envelopes

*

i ran out of the smaller, padded envelopes. since my time for errands is limited these days, i didn't want to waste it on shopping for boring supplies. i'd much rather squeeze in a short trip to a thrift shop!

i've long wanted to create envelopes out of something i would recycle anyway. i tried magazine pages a few months back, but they looked sloppy. the other night i was walking around thebelfry, looking for something that would suit, when i spotted paper bags from the grocery store.

now don't get on me for wasting trees, please. i use cloth bags (heck, i make cloth bags!), i just don't always remember to bring them. so when i do bring home my shopping in paper bags, i reuse the bags.

i try to find uses that take the place of something i would have to buy - that way i eliminate the cost, & waste of another something. in the past i've used them for gift tags & wrapping paper (before i began using cloth bags & metal tins for prezzies), & made many hobbity sketch pads.

back to the envelopes: so i put the sets of shakespeare people into their cloth bags, wrapped them in (previously used) tissue - hahaha not tissue for blowing noses, for wrapping! - then measured the packets. i added 1.5 inches around, & cut out 2 pieces of bag for each set.

from there it was over to sewlie: a zigzag stitch on 3 sides, slide in a packet, & zigzag the whole shebang closed. because my market has fun designs on their bags, i slapped an address label onto each.

the first two:



i love them!

this isn't a permanent answer to my envelope quandary. after all, i am still working on remembering to bring my cloth bags to the market. for now though? i have the most fabulous envelopes that ever there were :)

for fellow bizzie owners: what to you re-purpose? let's share ideas, so we can get closer to a greener way of doing things!

~peace.

crowns & drawing kits

my hope is to get a bunch of birthday crowns, & drawing kits completed (& in theshop) by the next weeks' end. they've been high on my to-do list for quite some time. of course that would be the same list my house-cleaning chores are on, so, yeah.



the crowns are half-done at least. with the exception of the blue, this bunch is made from darker hues of wool felt. they aren't colors i'm drawn to, but they were included with the stack of lighter felt i was given. seems a shame to not use them.

doesn't the blue one look a tad where-the-wild-things-are? these little starry buttons are adorable - they came from a jacket thehobbit wore when he was teeny. i get such a kick out of reusing things.



as for the drawing kits, i have enough fabric to make a dozen, but i don't know that i have enough time to complete that many. wee elflings do greatly reduce a mama's free time. still, a few is better than none :)

i've long wanted to stock theshop with these kits. the thing is, every time i've made a batch,
they have sold before i could list them. there's no show on the books, so no danger they'll be snatched up.

you can see what they'll look like here. with different buttons though, as i use ones i've saved from thrifted clothing. that was the only kit that ever made it into theshop.

the colored pencils come from my beloved japanese dollar store. they don't always carry them, so i buy them out when they do. i'd love to find this brand in bulk, so i can decrease the packaging waste. until then i'll continue cutting-up the thin boxes for thehobbit's atc (artist trading cards).

keep your fingers crossed that i find the time to get all the to-dos, to-done.

~peace.

waldorf winter faire aught nine

my assistant/bebe & hobbit wrangler/carrier of heavy items/eye candy had to work a tournament saturday, so i was left to do the show without his hoped-for help. manlyman has never helped at a show before, but i wasn't sure i could do it with a squirmy bebe on my hip.

not only did i manage, but i braved the rain to do so! ok, i didn't stay the whole day, but that was the fault of a clothing mishap, not my freaking.

i think what made the day possible (besides the support of my fellow dragonflies) was the elimination of as many stresses as possible. such as bringing my lightweight small table, in lieu of my heavier behemoth. the wisest choice i made was to bring only the barest of stock, & all things for which i didn't need shelves or other cumbersome display. when i realized i had to go home, i was able to quickly pile it all into one bin.

my tiny table in all it's wrinkled glory:



for having a small number of things for sale, & only being there a short time, it was a pretty darn good day. & now i'm off to go holiday shopping with my earnings :-)

~peace.

shop update!!!!

hurry! get to my shop & buy my wares before someone else does! here are a few new items:

mini market bag

corduroy market bag

chocolate brown pouch of colored pencils

mini mushroom set

there's much more newly listed, & more on the way! had the temperature not dropped to the 50s well below freezing, thehobbit & i would still be outside, snapping photos & humming xmas ditties. well not literally right now, i mean it's dark now. you know what i mean.

free shipping (to the usa only. sorry) until the end of the year. happy shopping!

~peace.

the keys to my shop

ok, i'm finally excited about the holidays. would you just look what santa is putting in my teeny one's very first yet to be sewn stocking!

image :: property of mama made it

i found them at this etsy shop. take a look around her shop, she has some great stuff - after you've lingered here awhile, that is :-)

lately i've been discovering all sorts of etsy shops that thrill me. do you have a favorite? leave it in the comments, so we all can see!

***

speaking of etsy shops - i'm in the middle of tweaking mine . today, if the sun stays, i'm going to reshoot a few things already in theshop, shoot pics of a giant stack of new items, upload the said giant stack, & the reshot items.

in the past i was happy to have my little corner shop on etsy, but i focused more energy on my in-person sales. there's nothing like watching people fondle your wares, ya know? hmm, that sounded delightfully naughty ;-)

as much as i love doing craft shows, i think it's time to make my etsy shop the focus. hence the afore mentioned tweaking. wish me luck!

~peace.

i don't want to shock you...

i actually put a smattering of new things in my shop!


you didn't hurt yourself when you fainted; did you?

woohoo, lookie me getting things done. i'm still in my jams with unbrushed hair, but it's not as though you can see me. wait! can you see me? maybe i should at least put on clean jams - just in case.

~peace.

royal proclamations

i've no time for a proper post today, but did want to let you know a few things:

* theshop is closed for the next month. i'm wretched at multi-tasking; no way can i manage theshop & care for a shiny, new bebe. i'll let you know when things are up & running again.

* i've a new comments image over there <--- created by the very talented cathe holden. she has a fun blog - please visit her at justsomethingimade.blogspot.com (my hotlink is still not working).

* we're nearing the end of the pregnancy, so don't fret if i suddenly disappear. i'll be back as soon as i'm able. i may even break my no photos with faces rule to share the newest member of the belfry with you.

hmm i could have sworn there was more to tell you. most likely it shall come to me in the middle of the night. i'll give you a ring if it does. ok? ;-)

~peace.

morning & afternoon

after a morning of homeschooling projects, & studio decluttering; we spent the afternoon creating. it felt wonderful to get things checked off the pesky to-do list.

i got most of the birthday crowns embroidered &/or beaded. then; whilst looking for something in my sewing cabinet; i came across a few labels. this enabled me to finish the pencil pouches that i'd begun the other day. woohoo!

thehobbit didn't want to be left out of the creating part of the day, so i dug out the kit purchased on our last thrifting expedition. other than my hands to steady things occasionally, he completed this project all on his own.

it's meant to hold tools, but he's decided it should be used as a remote-caddy instead. i'm not the least bit embarrassed to say that it will definitely get more use from us watching television, than from us using tools.

i hope your day was as productive & creative! may i nap now?

~peace.

kats in the nest

the nesting stage has begun. i haven't yet gotten to the point where i'm constantly cleaning, but i can see it coming.

already instead of thinking i really should xyz, i'm just doing it. that's a big tip-off for me, because; as queen of all procrastinators; i generally give something a lot of thought before getting to it.



to-do lists have been made, & things are getting to-done. theshop's list was the first seeing action. in the past week i've chosen the items i want to put in theshop, & to sell at winter faire, gone through fabric bins, & cut out a stack of birthday crown bodies.

most difficult for me is staying realistic in what i can get to before thebebe comes. with only 2.5 months left, i don't want to waste time sewing anything that isn't usually a good seller. that means no new products, & nothing iffy. blah.

another to-do list on which i've been focusing has to do with thebelfry. as i mentioned above, i'm not yet in the cleaning stage of things, but i have begun tackling the chaos that is our home.

inspired by an episode of oprah, thehobbit suggested we each get rid of half our belongings. he pointed out that after the challenge of living with less, all the people on the show were happier, & enjoyed each other more.

how could i say no to that? happier & enjoying my menfolk more? sign me up! so we'll be spending all of monday filling giant bags with things we don't need, & rarely (sometimes never) use.

a certain someone (who is not me, nor the person who suggested this challenge) is going to find this very difficult. manlyman loves his stuff. he has a hard time parting with his belongings, & has not yet met a freebie that he could say no to. my hope is that seeing his little guy going at it with such passion will infect & inspire him.

that's all the time for chatting i have today - i'm off to sketch designs to embroider on the birthday crowns. have a lovely weekend please!

~peace

** all photos in this post were taken by thehobbit. excuse the fuzziness, as they were shot through a screened window. **

BLOGGER! STOP STEALING THE SPACES BETWEEN MY PARAGRAPHS! PLEASE!

back in the saddle,

figuratively speaking - because let's face it; i don't know that there is a horse strong enough to handle my current tweedledeeness.

i had been wanting to start sewing for theshop, as well as for december's winter faire; but either life would get in the way, or i'd find some excuse to not.




you know, sometimes life not only gets out of the way, it takes your excuses with it. first i received a custom order, then we got pestilence, & i had to cancel a field trip. i was being forced off my lazy arse, & given the exact day in which to saddle-up. all in one week!

the request was for a drink sling in 10yo boy fabrics. well i knew i couldn't go by what my 11yo boy liked; because i doubt she meant fancy, with a top hat if possible; so i asked her for more information about her son.

it took a lot of searching through my bins, but i think her blue, & red, & cowboy lovin', horseback ridin' boy will like his new sling. what do you think? (as usual, all negative comments will be ignored completely.)

~peace.

have no fear...

... i did not burst into flames, nor was i dragged into the chasms of hell by demons who fly about, searching for mamas suffering from the blahs, & therefore acting nastily.

thehobbit's pizza of love was delicious, as was the giant bowl of soy ice cream with which i followed it. i ended the night early, by snuggling up to manlyman on the couch, & promptly falling asleep. sometimes only sleeping within the strong arms of the man who loves you can make things right again. that, & soy ice cream.


because i fell asleep so early, i wasn't able to sleep much the remainder of the night. this left me with a teensy headache, & a feeling of all-over grogginess. still!!! it is definitely not the blahs, so i'm fine with it.

***

today we're off to one of my most favorite local places, with two of our most favorite people. if you clicked on the first hotlink, the museum of which i speak is the villa. to spend the afternoon strolling through quiet halls, breathing in the beauty of the ancient world - it just doesn't get much better than that.

***

the above photos are a peek at sets of magnets i'm making. they're made of wooden hearts, the sides stained, & the tops decoupaged with words of love. more on these another time. i'm off to get ready for the day. i hope yours is lovely.

~peace.

show & tell

i thought i'd show you a few things i'm working on. this square of linen will be stitched onto something for theshop:

this dinky creature is for one of my swaps:

***

& would you look at this?! i did not create this amazing piece, but i love it so much that i just had to share!

it is done in paper, inside a matchbox! a swap partner sent it to me, & it arrived yesterday. i thought i took a better photo of it, but the shadows look more dark here. the patience it must have taken to create all those teeny furnishings out of paper. i haven't that much patience i can assure you.

that's all from me today. i slept poorly last night, so am beyond sleepy today. i've not the energy for anything more strenuous than sitting in a sunny window. i hope the remainder of your weekend is lovely.

~peace.

show & tell

i'm sorry to make you wait so long for photos - it's been a long, & tiring week. so, as i said in my previous post, the show was a huge success.

here are some market bags, & drink slings. the blue patterned sling is now available in theshop.

we were a bit crowded for space this show, but the crowds didn't seem put off by the jumble.

the mini mushroom sets, & the pixie knitting kits sold better than i'd hoped!

all but 2 of the lunch kits sold, which thrilled me to no end. can you guess who was the first to go?

there was a freezing wind that lasted all day, but it didn't keep the people away, & everyone was in good spirits. happy sellers & happy customers can make almost any weather tolerable. i'm not yet warm though. i may never be.

thank you to all the wonderful customers & visitors, & most especially to my fellow dragonflies!

~peace.

shop update

hiya. no time for a proper chat today, but i did want to let you know that i've listed 2 lunch kits in theshop. there are more in the works, so check back if you don't see a style that suits you or your shorty.

the flower on this sweet lunch kit was made from a wool sweater, a big button, & squiggly stitching on the machine. if you want to see the containers that come with it, look here.

let me know what you think of the test bags - ooohs & aaahs only please ;-)

~peace.

mushrooms & skullies

i thought i'd share a few projects i'm readying for this saturday's winter faire.




these teeny mushrooms are currently my favorite thing to create. painting on the dots is so meditative. each set of 3 comes with a small cloth bag. for the show, i had to package them in plastic so the mushrooms could be seen. for the shop, they'll just come in their cloth bag; without the wasteful plastic. there is a larger mushroom that will be included in future sets.

this guy is 1 of a few i'll be trying at winter faire. each small tote has a set of 3 stainless steel food containers, & plenty of room for a water bottle, & more food containers. i've wanted to create lunch kits for quite some time, just never found the time. hahaha! not that i have time right now, but nothing says week of the show like giving yourself more work!

that's all for today. please come visit me this saturday - the information is up there on the right. bring the whole family; waldorf winter faires are great fun!

~peace.

pixies are knitters too

this is a project i've been working on for ages. i'm sure it would have taken less time had i a) not kept forgetting about it, & 2) been a better knitter. by now neither of those things should surprise you about me.

dear reader i give you (drum roll if you please) pixie knitting kits!


your eyes do not deceive you, those needles are made from toothpicks. should you want to make a set for yourself you'll need:

2 toothpicks, sanded
2 beads
1 skein of embroidery floss
glue

after you have sanded the toothpicks as smooth as can be, glue a bead to one point of each. i recommend making sure the point will fit inside the bead snugly before gluing. be gentle though, because you don't want to break the tips.

whilst they dry, roll your floss into a ball. you can wind it onto one of those little floss things, but i think it looks cute in a ball. more knittish, if you will.

that's all there is to it. once the beads have dried, cast on, & get going!

those of you who don't want to make your own, i'll have some in the shop soon. email me if you want to buy one before you see it listed (whatever color you fancy.)

thanks to my dragonflies for convincing me to make them for others, not just to torture myself!

ok, back to work i go - pixies are pushy bosses.

double feature picture show

kats in the belfry is featured all day today (4th december) in the toys category!!! visit etsy, then choose toys from the drop-down menu, & you'll see me! right now it's showing one of my crowns. if you click on the picture, it opens a larger view, plus a peek at other items featured.

yes i know - my geek is showing. sorry, things like this make me giggley.

why are you still here? go shopping! don't forget to tell me i sent you.

~peace.

day :: 25

so i now know the secrets to a successful shop opening! i'll wait whilst you get paper & a pen... ok ready?

1 - make sure you don't have any mailers, boxes, or things of that sort on hand.
2 - don't read any of the how-to articles on etsy (other than pimp my shop.)
3 - open your shop when you are at your busiest - a major holiday perhaps.
4 - before opening your shop (& this quite possibly may be the most important bit) rip your studio apart, & do not put it back together. not only will you be unable to find things you need, but you are sure to hurt yourself many, many times a day.

if you do all of the above, you are sure to have a fabulous opening to your etsy shop! no need to thank me, i feel it my duty to share it with the rest of you.


i have to thank my dragonfly artisans for all their help the last few days. they answered my many desperately frantic emails & phone calls; giving sound advice, & pretty much telling me what to do.

***

are you ready for my big news? i didn't want to tell you until money had changed hands - didn't want to jinx it. a woman ordered an assortment of my birthday crowns to sell in her boutique! i wasn't sure i wanted to at first, but after exchanging a few emails with her, i decided to accept her offer. she also purchased one of the shakespeare people to give added interest to the beautiful little houses she's selling.

see you tomorrow!

~peace.

day :: 24

ok i lied - the shop will not be fully stocked tonight. we had a wild family day, & i am worn to an absolute nub.

i promise to list a few things in the shop each day though, so stop looking at me like that.

***

my dear one & only reader....

i

made

my

first

etsy

sale!!!!!

that's right woohoo! not only that, but... well i cannot yet tell you, but it is big. big big.

ok i'm done with the giant letters. & i'm off to have a warm cup of tea. have a fantastic night!

~peace.

day :: 7

i've been up to my eyeballs in hand-work this week. if i'm not stitching together dinky gnomies or mini mushrooms, i am embroidering birthday crowns.

as i stitch curving letters, or fanciful designs on the crowns, i think about the children who will one day wear them to blow out their birthday candles, or play make-believe.

when i was a child i loved dressing up, & losing myself in my imagination more than anything. i would have adored a wool crown that i could wear all the time. i had crowns & tiaras aplenty; that i did wear as regular headgear; but plastic & metal are not nearly as cozy.

this one was a custom order for a little girl. she's not into fancy things, so i kept the embroidery simple. i'm not particularly fond of bright colors, but i think the magenta, & funky yellow look interesting together. the reverse is magenta wool, but i don't recall if i left it plain, or added french knots to the tips.

the crowns i'm working on now have more detail, & some have beads incorporated into the design. once they are sewn to their backings, i'll take photos to share.

time for me to get off my arse, & get ready for the day. we've got to read a chapter before we leave for hogwarts.
~peace.