Kids' Dress-Up Clothes

Through the years I have loved watching my children dress-up in costumes and "try on" different characters, personalities, and abilities with the addition of a hat, a sparkly scarf, or discarded old shoes. Imagination knows no bounds and really blossoms with a trunk full of clothes and accessories.

Here are a few photos of some of the children's costumes I have for sale. FYI, there is nothing handmade about the "Asian Princess" or "Tea Party" costume. The Princess costume consists of an authentic Vietnamese au dai, sequined slippers and fan, while the Tea Party is a feather boa with party hat (I glued on flowers - very DIY), and ceramic tea set. The Cowboy/Cowgirl (available in pink, brown or black) has a felt sheriff's vest which I made and is sold with a very nice cowboy hat and bandana which I did not. The Chef outfit has a handmade apron and matching hairband (boyish aprons have bib and chef's hat) and comes with a wooden spoon and potholder (no makey). The "Superhero" outfit comes with black or pink cape, mask, and power cuff all handmade. The superhero comes in a black/red thunderbolt combo, or a pink "flower power" or "love heart" combo. Please email me if you need further details. The prices for all the costumes are $25 except for the Asian Princess which is $30. I also sell the sequined slippers separately for $15. Many sizes are available. These outfits make wonderful and unique presents for birthdays...

Here Comes The Bride

Annie and I have been felting fiends, preparing for next weekend's Wed By Hand. We are really excited about our beautiful needle felted bride and groom dolls that we have created. Couples can have their likeness replicated in 100% wool - felted with care, best wishes, and attention to detail. All we need is a photo of the happy couple in their wedding finery and we can take it from there.

In addition, we will be promoting a variety of felting workshops for the wedding party, bridal party, friends and family. Workshops will focus on making thoughtful and meaningful gifts for the couple. Possibilities include "The Wishing Wreath" or "Love Heart Garland," or perhaps it's time to get the gang together to felt-up all the wedding favours (key chains, magnets, pins...).Think: all your best girls, the moms, sisters, and aunties...coming together for an evening of laughter and creative expression to celebrate your upcoming nuptials. Or perhaps the couple, the bridesmaids and the groomsmen choose a get together to create the centrepiece for the head table or a felted doll of each of themselves for place settings. The ideas are endless and the emphasis always on celebrating the couple with love and laughter and creating a very fun evening for all those dear to the couple's hearts.

Annie has been working on the groom and he is a stunner. Hopefully she can send me a picture of the handsome devil soon and I can post. I have a good feeling about these two. LOVE.

rehash: Alive and Kicking

Who sung that song? I used to love it... I still love it. Was it Tears for Fears?

After much contemplation I have officially named my unofficial business: rehash. I hope you all like it. If you don't, don't tell me.

It's so official that I even have a bunting for it!! I made this bunting using the individual letter flags that can be removed, moved, or added to with other individual letter flags. The letters are pinned to the band with ribbon-covered clothes pins. Perhaps a photo will explain better...?

All you bunting lovers out there now have the option of not buying individual buntings for family members, seasons, holidays, mantras. You can simply buy the individual letters you require and change the word/name as needed. These will be in my etsy shop soon. As soon as I have one. Love.

Put 'er in 5th. Tomorrow.

Life has returned to "normal." Kids are back and we have fallen into our usual routine once again. Feels good.

And when I look back at the past three weeks and think of the work that I got done and the accomplishments I made, I think... what the hell did you do for three weeks girl? I know I'm being a bit hard on myself and quite possibly the fact that I did spend alot of time sleeping in and reading and daydreaming and puttering was exactly what I needed to do. At least that is what I am telling myself so that I don't tell myself, "you're a lazy cow."

But check out my pretty picture.

This is a big stack of felt triangles that I have cut for bunting. Although I am still making my cotton custom-order bunting, I thought it was high time to use up this heap of felt I have collected. The idea behind this line will be customized bunting that you can buy by the letter. The felt line will be interchangeable so that you can move the letters around to create different words (as long as you have the letters you need). Does this make sense? Stay tuned, by the end of the week I will have some samples completed and you will see my vision!!

Good news. Annie and I have been accepted at the upcoming Wed By Hand show on February 6th. We have three weeks to get our act together!!! So the next three weeks will be a bit of madness but we are very excited to be involved and looking forward to it. As we actually create items, I will post them. That doesn't mean we haven't done anything yet, no m'am. That doesn't mean THAT.

Low Gear

Sam making caterpillars.

Hmm. It's been awhile. I haven't felt the pull of the blog in a good week but then again I haven't been feeling particularly motivated to do much at all. Methinks I have a bit of the winter blahs going on. Zero motivation and all I want to do is hunker down inside out of the cold and grey. Anyone else feeling it?

Part of the problem (not that it really has been a problem - I really do like hunkering down and keeping movement minimal), is that I am missing my kiddos. I have had them just two nights over the past two weeks and I know that is taking its toll as well. I have appreciated the time in my head to do some thinking and planning and dreaming. It has been wonderful in alot of ways but I'm over it now. I want my babes home.

Last night I went to my friend Annie's who held a guardian doll feltmaking workshop in her wonderful space. It was alot of fun and I do so love to create and use my hands to transform materials into beautiful objects. Annie is a wonderful teacher and a gifted felter so it's always a joy to learn some new techniques and approaches. And I think it's a wonderful thing to learn amongst others in a workshop setting - everyone's interpretation is so different, their vision so personal, and their skills so inspiring. Looking around the room and seeing everyone's dolls in all their different shapes and embellishments was really exciting. Annie has just posted her new workshops for February, check them out. So. Much. Fun. Here's my doll. I'm really happy with her and I think Sam will like her as well.

How I want to live 2011

* fuck fear 2
Originally uploaded by * whimsical views

Anybody seen my phone?

I am missing my kids.

It is amazing what you have time for when you are are not responsible for children.

Even if most of what I am accomplishing is in my head, it's good. Plans are hatching, business ventures percolating, dreams solidifying.

Very excited that Annie and I have finally set a date for the first "workermade: the handmakers' collective" meeting. And it is this Wednesday. We haven't given people very much notice but it was a definite case of now or never as the next month or so is pretty packed. The idea behind holding these meetings is to create a supportive community for handicrafters who are pursuing their craft as a business. We see it as a forum to share our personal handicraft journeys, expertise, and frustrations; a nurturing environment to ask questions, take steps and venture forward in our pursuit of what we want to achieve. I look forward to hearing what everyone wants out of such meetings - I think we can accomplish alot and that these meetings can become a very beneficial resource if that is the will of the people!!

Here is my go at a logo. Refer to second sentence of this blog. If I had Adobe Illustrator, I could actually do a logo rather than a PDF and save it in this ridiculous format which requires an hour to upload to blogger because I don't know what I'm doing. (I'm not that pissed tho, refer to second sentence of this blog).

Annie has just listed some awesome workshops this month on her blog. The kids and I are signed up for the family and felting workshop and I am doing the wet felting workshop as well. Looking forward to it. If you haven't done one of Annie's workshops or met Annie yet, you are missing out on a wonderful experience. So, go sign up!

And here's a little something I dream about doing one day...sooner than later. Love.