Potato Sacks

A friend is having a Halloween Party on Saturday. She has organized what she is calling "Halloween Backyard Olympics".

Awesome!

Included in these events is a Potato Sack Race. Of course, real potato sacks just won't cut it. So Sarah hunted up some old bed sheets and asked me if I could sew them into sacks.

Of course!

I folded the sheets end to end and sewed up one side and across the bottom...leaving the top open for people (not potatoes). I left a very large seam allowance (two inches!), then added a top stitch for reinforcement. That should hold up through several jumps and hops.

Just to be sure they "fit", I asked Chris to jump in for me. Clearly, the sacks are 'One Size Fits All'.

That dark lump on the left, is Fender, our retired racing greyhound. There was no way he was moving out of the shot.

It didn't take long to make four sacks, especially when it didn't really matter what they look like, given they'll look pretty rough by the end of the games.

All that matters is that everyone has fun! Have a great time, guys. Happy Halloween!

Buying Spree

We recently made a road trip to Washington, D.C.  My husband made sure that a visit to Joann Fabrics was included in our itinerary. Yeah, I know...I'm spoiled.

A while ago, I was surfing the Net and stumbled upon a pattern for a cute star ornament that uses different fabrics to create a country patchwork look. So I picked up some Christmas-themed fabric.

When I'm done making stars, I'm going Mod Podge the leftover pieces onto Styrofoam balls to make tree ornaments.

I also found some sweet patterns for tooth fairy pillows:

I especially like the animal prints and daisy-like flowers.

Of course, I couldn't walk out without getting several yards of tote fabric. Aren't these fabulous?!

Today, I spent the day with my cousin, Sue.

We have a routine when we get together. Sue lives in Barrie and I live in Ajax. Newmarket is the mid-point for us. So we meet in Newmarket about once a month.

Our routine includes a visit to Fabricland. Sue is awesome to shop with. She carries the bolts of fabric, oohs and aahs over the colours and patterns, gives me her honest opinion and then debriefs with me afterwards.

We picked out some tote fabric today:

Of course, remnants from tote and placemat fabric are used for bookmarks.

So...I'll be spending the next couple of weeks cutting everything up. Then several weeks after that sewing it all together. I can't wait to get started!

Holiday Sales for 2012

Our line-up of shows for this year's holiday season is finalized. We only have three this year. I say 'only' because we turned down a few others. Not because we don't want to participate in them, but because we have other commitments.

Elderly in-laws are taking precedence right now, but we still want to squeeze in a few shows.

Unfortunately, we won't be at the Vaughan Willard School this year. Instead, we decided to attend a different show that day. We'll be at O'Neill Collegiate on November 5. 

Of course, we can't miss the Hungarian Culture Club. After all, we need our cabbage roll fix! We'll be in Oshawa for that on November 17.

And last, but definitely not least, is the Durham Region Crafter's Community sale on December 15. As you know, this is a craft show that I organize with my partner in crime crafting, Shandell Conboy (from Dellzines). 

We hope to see you at one of these shows this season!

Afghan Project...continued

Yeah. I know. It's taking forever.

Last February (LAST February!), I started this thing. If you think it's taking forever, just imagine how I feel.

It's not like I don't have other things on my agenda. I run a small business, I work a ridiculous amount of overtime at my paying job, I'm writing a novel, I co-run a crafter's organization, I help care for ageing in-laws, I try to visit family who live five hours away.

I'm missing something in there. Oh. Right. And sometimes I sleep. I have chronic insomnia, so it's not often, but once in a while I get some shut-eye.

And despite all that, I'm in a good space right now. The cogs of each of my many wheels seem to be clicking in place at this moment in time and I'm going to allow myself to enjoy it.

So I've been hooking. Get your mind out of the gutter. This is what I mean:

Slowly but surely, I've been stockpiling my squares:

And this is where I'm at:

That's sixty-three and one-half squares. There's a wee bit of yarn left on the ball at the front and behind that, there are two more balls (under the pile of squares on the right).

I may run out.  It's unlikely I'll find the same dye lot, so I think I'll choose a solid-coloured yarn in one of the complimenting colours and make filler squares. It'll be like laying out a quilt.

Oh! A quilt...hmmm...I haven't made one a while...

See my problem?

Our North Office

I recently visited Urban Contessa's Northern Ontario Office in Sudbury, Ontario for our quarterly meeting. That sounds very official, but really I went to visit my mom and Aunt Cecile, who are UC's jewellery designers.

Creations by Lynn and Cecile are in high demand. They are called, several times a week, to create one-of-a-kind pieces or for a personal consultation to view their current inventory.

Their design studio makes me weep with envy. Their bead inventory rivals many stores I have visited. Not to mention, it's organized to a fault.

Work-in-progress is on the table ready for completion.

Across the hall, in a spare room, are two banquet tables covered with necklaces, earrings and bracelets. Lynn and Cecile welcome customers by appointment who shop at leisure.

The inventory changes regularly and there's always something new. It changes so often, in fact, I simply can't keep up with pictures on our site. But the locals know the women by name (and sight) and know where to reach them. These women are busier now that they are retired.

The jewellery division of Urban Contessa wasn't flourishing in Toronto (everyone makes jewellery here), but in Sudbury, Lynn and Cecile, I am pleased to say, are household names.

Ajax-by-the-Lake Marketplace

Well...to say the craft show was a bust is mild.  The rain came down in buckets and no one wants to stick around for an outdoor craft sale--even if it's under a giant tent.

Despite that, I'm not disappointed. After all, the City of Ajax doesn't charge a fee for the table, so it's not like I was out-of-pocket. Sadly, there were many vendors who simply didn't show up. Personally, I think that's unprofessional, not to mention, rude.

The people who organize craft shows put a lot of effort into it. As a vendor, you have committed to attend, have committed to sell your wares at a booth, and have committed to participate in a group event. Your absence is noticeable by virtue of the empty table in the middle of the event. It's like real estate: your home reflects on the rest of the neighbourhood.

Rather than leave empty tables, the organizers opted to take them away. I'm not sure if this was better, as it left empty spaces, but I suppose it's less obvious than an empty table.

As the table next to me was being folded up, the vendor behind me stepped up asked them if they could leave it and allow me to spread out. "You can spread out, can't you?" she said to me.

"Of course!"

They left the table, and I spread out:

This is double my original size. Needless to say, I was a little cramped before.

Despite the poor turn-out and disappointing sales, I'll go back next year, if I'm invited. It's not the City's fault that Mother Nature was cranky today. I still had a good time: I met some lovely people, chatted with old friends and found some new vendors for The DRCC.

All in all, it was a good day!

Totes for Ajax by the Lake Craft Show

I have a craft show this weekend. We were invited back to participate in Celebrate Ajax by the Lake and we're thrilled!

It's fun for everyone in the family, so if you happen to be in the area, bring the kiddies with you.

I spent the weekend cutting and sewing. I made a few tote bags:

Isn't the beach one at the top the coolest?! If it doesn't sell, I'm keeping it and taking it with me on my next beach vacation. Shhh...don't tell anyone...I'm going to put it at the bottom of the pile so no one sees it.

I also cut and sewed together what seems like thousands of placemats. I know I should finish them today, but my back hurts from sitting at the sewing machine too long. I really should get a better chair.

So, over the course of the week, I'll snip the corners, turn them right-side-out, press, then top-stitch. I have enough tooth fairy pillows for Saturday, but I'll need more bookmarks. Friday will be dedicated to sewing bookmarks. Hmm...I need to buy elastic, and perhaps more thread, and maybe some...

I should probably get a pencil and some paper...