In the Workroom Recap : Week 267

I'm here, guys! A few days late and all Christmassed out but ready to share week 267 with you. The days fly by this time of year with all the Christmas excitement going on but I didn't forget for long!

At the beginning of the week, I first got to work on a restock for Homespun in Indiana starting with a batch of phone sleeves. I'm happy they are selling so fast there so I won't complain about how many I've made recently!



I worked on some other things during the week like this little one-eyed kitty for someone who has a real missing eyed kitty of her own...



These cards and tags for wrapping up Christmas gifts and holiday orders...





And in addition to working on regular last minute holiday orders - I whipped up a new Christmas skirt for myself amidst family get togethers and Christmas goings-on.





I was pretty happy with how it turned out and even managed to finish those cell sleeves for Homespun!



I'll be spending the rest of the week finishing up a few more things for the Homespun restock in the workroom and doing a few more holiday hang-outs. This time of year is my favourite. No matter what is going on, I always find it a little easier to stay positive with the holiday cheer thing going on. I'm always happy to spend time with my family but it's always extra nice around Christmas time. This year was no different as far as that goes!

I hope you all enjoyed your Christmas or whatever holiday you do or don't celebrate this time of year! I am forever thankful for all of you who keep me busy filling orders and stocking up shops this time of year and all year round. Thank you so much! Holiday hugs all around!

See you on the weekend for the last post of 2012! 
!!

O Tannenbaum

Or "Oh Christmas Tree," if you like. One of my favourite parts of the season, going back to various tree farm visits where my brother and I would run around trying to find the tallest, chubbiest, best tree which my mom or dad would then cut down (because the choose a pre-cut one was never as exciting), I've always loved having a real tree in the house for the month.  It's a bit weird I think still, cutting down a tree and putting it up inside, but it smells nice and the family pets always seem to like it too.

This year, after a day off from Needlings sewing to make myself a new sort-of-gingerbread-man's-girlfriend skirt, I headed over to Bennett's Apple Farm in Ancaster and while we didn't cut it down ourselves, we did pick the chubbiest, best one/the one in front and brought it home to cover it in years of handmade ornament making and collecting - in addition to some old favourites, not before picking up some goodies and cider inside of course. Callie the pup enjoyed herself too/chased small prey then freaked out in the car.













I think we got a good one, don't you think?



Callie is totally in to it.

In the Workroom Recap : Week 266

This week started with a little visit in to check out the amazing craft show in Toronto known as "City of Craft." Hopefully I will get around to doing a post on it in future days/weeks because it was great inspiring fun.

I was happy to come home and get back to work, first sewing a new skirt for myself and next, getting around to bringing some goodies down to Little Bird on Locke St, a great little local shop.

Lots of small things all stocked up! After some holiday fun for myself involving the Christmas tree and other family times, I buckled down to finished filling a few orders and getting to work on applications for shows next year! Paperwork is maybe the most work-y part of any job but I managed to get through it and even get around to taking a few photos for said applications!

I suppose I slacked on taking workshop photos this week. Part of me worries Christmas gifts will be revealed so let's keep a few secrets for the next couple weeks just in case! So the workroom posts might be a bit more sparse than usual.

I feel extra lucky to do this job when someone buys a Needling for a loved one for the holidays. I could get really sappy about it sometime but I'll spare you all that and just say thank you if you are one of these lovely customers, this time of year and year 'round!

I hope to have lots of exciting things to show you in future weeks. Hope you are all having a lovely December!

In the Workroom Recap : Week 265

Back again! December is flying by, isn't it? 

We had a blast at Crafternoon Delight on Saturday and ended the 2012 show schedule happily in the company of some of my favourite Hamilton crafters. It feels like it has been relatively non-stop for shows since the summer so it is a bit bittersweet being able to take a breath and focus on the other elements of Needlings running. 

Last week started with a custom order for a tablet sleeve which is a large version of my owl cell sleeves.



Looks familiar but it's nice to see yet another use for this owl o' mine! I hope it's future owner (who will apparently be receiving it as a gift) will love it!



The worktable was a little messier than usual while I packed up some orders and took inventory of everything I had to bring to the show at the end of the week.

We were lucky enough to be able to head down to the Crafternoon Delight pop-up shop location downtown Hamilton on Friday night which allowed us to set up early (and sleep in the next morning). I'm a big fan of sleeping in, you guys. 



But seeing as how it was pretty quiet for us on Friday night...



Obviously we're dealing with a bunch of morning people!



One last show to document the table display for the year - we'll see what sorts of changes lie ahead for 2013.



I was happy to wear my Needlings owl print outfit again and spend the day with lovely people behind yet another craft table.






Another happy craft week/day!
This week will be spend filling orders and tidying up the workroom and any other things I can fit in to 7 days.

See you soon!

Two Holiday Shows, One Weekend

Yep, two fun holiday craft shows in Hamilton! Two of my favourite shows of the year, even.  I have done Merryberry Market in Westdale and Makers' Market on James St. North for 4 years now I think and they have become a big part of my own holiday season. It really doesn't feel like Christmas until we've had a bit of snow, and I've done these two shows. Happy to say, both of those things happened this weekend! We had so much snow on Friday in fact that the usual 20 minute drive to Westdale on city streets took about 1 full hour. Of course it has all been rained away but I'm hoping for a least a little white on the ground for the 25th.

Anyway, so we had Merryberry Market first which is a cute little show and fundraiser for Westdale Children's School. Only a small amount of vendors and lots of sweet little kids running around and playing Christmas songs.









So much holiday fun! These people are all some of the nicest people I've come across in Hamilton. A really nice warm night to end a snowy day. These are the kinds of shows that make me feel extra lucky I have the coolest job ever.

So we packed up and went home just to head downtown the next morning to the beautiful Christ's Church Cathedral on James St. North in Hamilton to set up for the Holiday Makers' Market show.



We were there and ready to go early so I got a few photos of some of the other vendors setting up in this beautiful space. I almost don't realize just how amazing it is until I look back at the pictures. 





There are these lovely green light covers in the church that give all the photos a sort of greenish glow but it really was a fun day. It was busy for most of the day and I was happy to spend the day talking to familiar customers and new ones as well as some of my favourite crafty vendor friends.



Lisa of Nerdbiskit, one of my loveliest friends, was only a table away. Check out those aprons. And hot beverages. It was a great day but a little coffee/tea pep never hurt anyone! Unless you spill it I guess. Anyway, it worked for me!



See? That's one happy Needlings' maker.

Thank you to everyone who came out to these shows to spend their hard earned money locally supporting local artists and crafters. I wouldn't be able to do this without you. If I could hug you all I would!

I hope to see some of you at our last show of the year this Saturday, Crafternoon Delight, at Dundurn and Aberdeen, 11am-4pm.

Thanks for stopping by, friends! See you soon!

In the Workroom Recap : Week 264

Hey guys! Forgive me for being a bit late with last week's recap. Needlings had two holiday shows that were great fun over the weekend so I rewarded myself with a day off afterwards to hang out and nap and give my holiday hands a rest.

I spent last week filling orders and finishing up a few more goodies to fill up the craft show tables I shared with my favourite knitter (and mom).

Happy to say I'm in need of a little restock this week to stock up the table again for the last show of the year coming up this Saturday in Hamilton.

I'm excited to spend the day craft show-ing it up with crafty friends and family one last time in 2012. I'll do a seperate post to tell you all about the shows over the weekend and I will see you next week after Crafternoon Delight for another update!

Love!

In the Workroom Recap : Week 263

Hello everyone! Another busy week over and another busy week ahead!

I finished up some Owl Cell Phone Sleeves to go along with a big batch of Needlings that were sent off to White Rabbit in Iowa City and now I'm busy getting ready for the last three craft shows of the year!



Lisa of Nerdbiskit came over for another sewing night to work on her taco pillows while I finished up the box for White Rabbit.



As you can see in the background there, Callie the pup was just as happy as I was to have some couch company.



After I packed up the box, I got to work on even more Owl Mamas for the craft shows coming up.



Some new colours in there all ready for their holiday shows! I'll be spending this week hopefully finishing up some Littles of various sorts, cell phone sleeves, and other goodies.

If you are local to the Hamilton area, I would love to see your shining face at one or both of these great markets. I have done both for about four years and they really help get me in to the holiday mood. Any opportunity to shop without entering a mall is great in my books.





It's a Holiday Friday night/Saturday morning craft show marathon! See you there! (or right back here for next week's recap)