maker's market holla-day bazaar in traverse city

The last show of the season! There were some groovy things at the show, and I traded a few things for christmas gifts. Before packing up, I shopping in my own booth for christmas gifts for family and friends. Now I'm clearing out embellished onesies and trying to reduce my total inventory before the end of the year! An empty suitcase is good inspiration for more sewing and new stuff!

Also, looking at these photos, I realize that the table with my sign should be right where my chair is sitting, so I've learned something. I know it helps to take booth photos before the show starts and now I just need to keep making it happen, so I can catch these things early and make changes, since every show set-up varies just a little. Thankfully, one of the organizers went out of her way to get me a clothing rack, since I left half of mine at home (about a hour away!). Now that's going above and beyond! Thanks Jenn!

cardinal sweater coat with elfin hood (long and pointy with tassel) still available! 12mo $80

lucky star pink coat with elfin hood 4T $80

advent garden

What a gorgeous festival! It was early in the season and so magical. The angel came out and lit the center candle while we sang christmas carols. Then each of the children took an apple with a beeswax candle to light and place on the spiral. I'm so thankful for the wonderful people in my community!

o christmas tree

merry christmas and happy new year!
there's a great blog about the 12 holy nights that I've been working with and enjoying.

sweet potato fries

I've been trying to replicate a recipe I thought I remembered. Finally, I looked in my recipe box and found the scrap on paper on which I had the recipe scribbled. Why didn't I think of that sooner? At any rate, you can see that they are quite tasty and irresistable!

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

Preheat oven to 500.
Slice sweet potatoes into 1/3" slices and again into fries.
Toss in a few tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper.
Spread in single layer on baking pan.
Place near bottom of oven.
Bake 15 min.
Turn and bake 10 more min.

Enjoy!

Holiday Bazaar at Oakland Steiner School

While I'm still not sure how I humanly did this show while I was as sick as I was, but I did it, fever and all. Sales were marginal, except for the shining light that is my friend's mom. She shopped for her two granddaughters and made my trip worthwhile. Amazingly, the innkeeper at the Wren's Nest, where I stayed, traded my night's stay for a jacket! It was quite a trip.

This was the coolest activity I saw there - jump rope winding! For five dollars, you could wind a jump rope out of yarn. Had I felt better, I might have tried to get in on this kid's activity so I could learn to do it. They were hefty, usable jump ropes, about an inch thick. Maybe someday little f and I will make a trip, just for the fun of it.

recycled chicken coop at ware farm

Now these chickens know how to live in style! Our very inventive farmer friends had an old trailer and needed a place for the chickens to live. The geese live on the back side. Brilliant recycling! We had a fun time visiting and making a snowman.

recycled christmas card project - part 2

Putting the pieces together for the recycled card, using some sparkly paper I found in stash in my studio... Originally I had planned to use watercolors that Fyn and I were going to paint, but that didn't happen this year. Maybe next year...

recycled wool stocking class at grow benzie sewing studio

It was a fun afternoon of creativity! We worked on some wooly stockings and enjoyed hanging out together. All the babes stayed home with the papas. Wonderful!

a really big bag for all kinds of things

While I always carry bags, I found myself in need of one colossal tote that could hold all my other bags, so I could arrive with one bag in hand. Little f seems to think it's so I can carry him!

Need one? I'll be selling them this weekend at the Holla-day Bazaar at the Inside Out Gallery in Traverse City. Can't make it? Let me know and I'll post some on my etsy site.

remembering the lantern walk

We made our lanterns really early this year, at Michelamas instead of Martinmas, but it worked out great, b/c they were ready to go when we needed them. We had a bonfire and walked around a large field, stopping midway to hear the story of St. Martin and how he tore his red cape in two to share it. We sang songs, including our favorite, Glimmer, Lantern, Glimmer. Little f's favorite line is "wander tripping little gnome". We did a little of that, and ended up back at the bonfire. It was so magical!

recycled towel bib

"I might be wearing a bib, but I'm still super cool in my shades!"

I love that he's wearing his recycled wool sweater and a hat from a friend that used to be green (I dyed it brown).

In my studio - a new Bernina sewing machine!

Look at it, all sleek, black and shiny! Lucky that my table was made with room for three (really? all for me?) machines! I'm so thankful for a husband that just nods when I explain how I went to take one machine in for service - the backstitch on my Huskystar is sticky and the zig zag a bit loose - that I came home with a brand new sewing machine. Blame it on the great service at CS Sewing in TC, if you want. This is the machine I am test driving for the community sewing studio. Wouldn't a whole room full of them look super sleek?

what I wore sunday - recycled wool sweater hoodie

It started with one cable knit crew neck sweater and one boiled wool zippered cardigan and became a sweet hoodie with a pointy elf hood. Neither one is felted. I took the body of the sweater to make the hat, using the bottom band for the hood opening. It folds back nicely, so I'm thinking of putting together a tutorial for you. It's on my ever-growing to-do list.

The skirt is new, a wrap skirt from Yana Dee, that I picked up at the Holiday Art Market this weekend. Underneath is another wrap skirt in a soft hand-dyed cotton to keep me warm! And the hat is one that I made from a tutorial in CRAFT magazine. Here's an earlier post with all the details.

Fyn's sporting a little recycled wool elf hat too, made from a felted wool sweater. He need his sunglasses, it was so sunny today!

Holiday Art Market review - Boneshaker Bags

Did you know that a bike used to be called a boneshaker? Joan was working hard next to me, selling her bike bags. They strap onto your handlebars instead of a basket. She does some cool embroidery too. Check out her shop for more bags and backpacks!

Holiday Art Market review - part 2

Boys' shirts with wood grain accents range from 6 months to 5T.

Men's shirts are made from two old shirts to make one groovy new one!

All but one of these recycled sweater coats sold! I'll be making a few more for the next show in Rochester Hills at the Oakland Steiner School.

Holiday Art Market review - part 1

A good and faithful customer, Amanda has several bags and uses them all the time. She came with one on her arm, packed full and still holding up pretty well. Shopping local is her mantra, whether for her family or the restaurant, Stella.

A fellow artist sporting her wares - a recycled wool scarf of roses. I'm dreaming of mine in cashmere. Red or pink?

a package from starlitnest.etsy.com!

What wonderful goodies! People often ask me where I get my fabric. A bigger question is when am I not looking for or buying fabric in my thrifting adventures? But this was just the new inspiration that I needed to get me going again! Here's a sampling of the gorgeous fabrics that came in my scrap pack from starlitnest. She was great about handling my many requests and meeting my needs. Thank you very much!

Ohh, I have SO many ideas! what to do first?