I'm all set for tomorrow's Craftacular!  

Now?  Off to Walgreens to buy more Polaroid film.

First!  My French 60s/70s pop radio show is tonight, live at 7 pm CST and it can be listened to locally at 91.7 fm or streamed online at wsum.org!  C'est une émission très cool!

So far today, I woke up early this morning to drive Adam to his, well, drop-off point for his 10 day Wyoming bug collecting extravaganza.  After an hour more of rest I trudged to my new volunteer position at a language acquisition lab which is about a 45 minute walk along the lake shore which I really enjoy.  Anyway, at the docks where they keep the sail boats I heard the tiniest little piping / quacking ever and with my camera in my pocket I took some family portraits.

My internet is being a rump, so real quick, here's a sneak peek of one of my new crafts that I've been perfecting and getting ready for the Craftacular, as well as the shop, very soon.  So, here you go, little sweetie book plates!

Dyed + vacant button spaces filled with tender brass buttons.  Note my "new" family heirloom watch necklace....

10 cents each -- not sure what they'll be used for yet.  Reading, maybe.

Three kinds of spray painted envelopes.

Little sewing kits containing wooden spooled thread, foldable fabric scissors, needles, safety pins, thimble, spare vintage buttons, a swatch of corduroy for patching and some lace trim for emergencies.

So good,  and best at 7 minutes til the end.

if you liked this, try part two.

Here's some photos of the booth from yesterday's Craft Saturday in Des Moines.  Although traffic was slow, and purchases low (oh poetry), I still had a wonderful time and met some really nice people.

Highlights included 3 cups of iced coffee, the display-related epiphany that I could physically stitch my embroidered houses to the table cloth, and a lady asking me what my "theme" was.  Or is.  Which still leaves me fumbling for an answer...

Thanks for coming with me mom!

After the fair we headed home, but going the wrong direction.  We went about 150 miles North before we realized we were seeing signs for St. Paul, Minnesota...

With a slight detour we made it home pretty late, around 10 (5 hours in the car vs. 2ish), but we still were able to go to Michael's so I wasn't phased.

Here are a few photos of the new funny bunnies (also called "t-rex" bunnies at the show yesterday, which I thought was adorably appropriate but maybe a bit too ferocious so we'll just keep it a nickname for now).

I think they look like group mug shots.  How sweet.

Everything is packed up after a trial-run of table set-up.  I also stitched up these new bunnies I've been dreaming of -- I'll take photos tomorrow when I set them up.  They are so ooo oooh cute.

I'll probably be a bit occupied tomorrow after all this craft fair nonsense -- but I'll post photos of the fair and give a complete review of how it goes as soon as I can.

xoxo

One of each up in the shop now...

Lots of last minute details getting taken care of, tonight I'm going to be working on putting the set-up together and memorized since we're leaving so early tomorrow to get there by 9 for set-up!

Here are a few other items I've been working on...
Little Stinker Sachets and these ABC prints of class clown popsicle sticks with clown faces and each comes with a different joke from this joke book copyrighted in the 60's.  So cute.

The Q is my favorite!  I'll be putting these up in the shop after the craft fairs with the remaining letters of the alphabet but contact me if you're interested in a particular letter now and I can pull it out and save it for you.

ALSO I snapped some photos of my final design for dolls.  There are the big sisters (with button-closed capes and tutus) :

And little brother Theodore chimney sweeps (with vintage button-closed felt scarves) :

Many more dolls (each an original) will be put in the shop within the next two weeks after these crazy craft fairs have come to a close.

Have a good day!  It's lovely outside....

I'll admit I started the day very late, again.

I did however do plenty of hand sewing.  I painted this new sign to display at my booth for upcoming craft fairs... and I went to Goodwill. 

To start with the sign.  It's painted on 1/2 a table runner -- I cut it in half and I plan on using the other identical side as embellishment on this denim jumper I bought today.  The flowers are gray stemmed and composed of TONS of little golden French knots.  Whoever made this is my embroidery role model.....  I sloppily stenciled and painted the name on it, but I think it looks good that way.  Yea?

And hey, did you note my beaded Goodwill footwear in the photo above? I LOVE them.

I also scored an adorable apron (well, two actually), and numerous amounts of clothing... but the most amazing find was this adorable little organ that is completely, wonderfully functional!

I was really looking forward to putting out some sort of music / talk compilation of my own this summer -- well mostly I was looking forward to doing the cover art.  But now I have a feeling that with this little dude around I'll start putting tunes together sooner than later.

That is.... if I ever finish making wholesale croissant orders.  Ho hum.

LOTS TO DO!  Change money for the fair, display materials, and plenty more sewing.  Wish me luck.

(ps it's 2 am Friday morning right now and I'm watching luminous air make-up airbrush informercials -- I CANNOT imagine anyone doing this at home, it's... well actually here, you can watch for yourself.  If you want to.)

Check it out here!

Update includes these five wooden spool ornaments...

a copy of each of the six new fingerprint prints...

and a set of these fingerprint character greeting cards.

Today I did it -- I woke up before 9 am and STAYED up.

Which means a lot was done, and needed to be done, and still needs to be done in prep for the Craft Saturday fair this coming Saturday in Des Moines, Iowa... which is going to be wonderful.  I have lots of new things besides my plush, including these houses (which would make the greatest neighborhoods when hung together), aaand :

Finger-print prints + card sets
"big sister" dolls
Charlie the chimney sweep dolls
Golden boy sachets for drawers
and... lots more, you know.

I'll be slowly but surely adding more things to the etsy shop, I promise!

Sam and I met up and went to the park today, which although was a bit windy / chilly -- was great and I don' t know why I don't go there every day... I guess I would if my sewing machine was cordless.  Dang.

Tomorrow I head back to Iowa to do more prep and check on the flood damage to Iowa City -- then Des Moines on Saturday with my mom! 

Have a good evening!