In the Workroom Recap : Week 235

Hi guys!

Another week has passed for Needlings which means lots of sewing and other workroom related activites!  Let's see - last week ended with a craft show so this week begun with sending some goodies off to Nice Things Handmade in Philly!



I boxed them up and sent them on their merry way. According to Canada Post tracking they should have made it there and on the shelves for any Philadelphia folks!

Being that I said goodbye to my little Owl Mama supply and have another show coming up at the end of the month in Westdale, I thought I would get to work on another big batch of Owl Mamas which I'm still going at.




I took a break to do a little Dormouse doodle! Alice in Wonderland is one of my favourites. Perhaps I will get around to more character doodles sometime...


Back to owls!

A little lap-work. 



Before doing another doodle...


PJs and sheep inspired by my sleepy week as the roof is being reshingled and those boys get up there pounding away a little early for my self-employed self. I've had some very early mornings this week! Reminds me of my days of getting up in the wee hours of the morning at the bookstore I used to work at...



Finished faces! It's very rewarding to finish all that hand sewing in one fell swoop.


Another doodle! She might be my favourite yet. I would like her dress and orange tights. And orange kitten for that matter.

Then back to work on owls!



I will continue on these guys while finishing up some other tidbits of Needlings business work in to next week.
I also stopped by Fabricland in Hamilton today for their members sale as I was running out of a few things! Perfect timing, Fabricland!



It's Mother's Day tomorrow so I will of course be spending it with my beloved Mom (and bro)! I hope everyone has a lovely one!



See you next week!

Waterdown Spring Artisan and Craft Show Recap

On Saturday I had my first craft show in five months at the Waterdown legion for the Spring Artisan and Craft Show.  Waterdown is only a short drive away and after I heard that my mom, The Nature of Mary Jane, would be participating with her knits, I of course said "yes" right away when the organizers, Jen and Nick of Prouse Pottery & Soap Co., were kind enough to invite me!

I really love doing shows, so although I have taken a few months off shows to focus on restocking the 15 stores that carry Needlings, I had a nice day hanging out with family and meeting new vendors and seeing some familiar faces too. I like feeling like I have some coworkers for the day and of course seeing positive reactions to my work in person is pretty awesome.





And of course, my table neighbour/mom's table of knits!




We had lots of fun! It made me more excited about upcoming shows this summer and was a happy break from sewing for the day!



                   

I was also, of course, happy to have an excuse to wear my new favourite Old Navy dress!

All in all a really nice craft show day! I can't wait to share with you more exciting big events for Needlings this year including but not limited to: FanExpo,Supercrawl, and Locke Street Festival.

Every year now I feel more and more at home in Southern Ontario and I have a lot of these awesome events and Needlings to thank for it.

In the Workroom Recap : Week 234

Hi guys!

This week was a busy one as I had my first craft show of the year on Saturday.  My last one was in December! My longest stretch between shows since starting in 2007! As I concentrate more on stocking the retailers that carry Needlings, I've had to cut back on shows a bit. Luckily I had the week to stock my table and work out some display issues that will hopefully cut out some work before shows later this year!

Oh, that was boring! Sorry! So, blah, blah, blah, I had to make some Needlings to fill the Needlings table!

I started with Owl Mamas, of course!





Finished! Then I was on to some Littles!  

I wasn't sure how much time I had so I decided on sticking with some Minou Kitties, Little Robots, and some Happy Ninjas!



Then faces!





And finished!

Next I stared at my stock and thought, "Is that enough to fill an eight foot table?" After deciding that I wasn't entirely sure and also wanting to work out a new Spring set up to include a few framed prints, I did a test set up for my own peace of mind!



I used to do these test set-ups before a lot of shows when I first started but I haven't for a couple years now! It helped me set up in the morning without too much decision-making needed before I could wake up a bit and get some tea or coffee or both. Not really a morning person!

I thought it was looking pretty full but I was in need of some new signage.



I'm always surprised how long these kinds of things take! But I was happy with the results - some price signs and two new Needlings table signs including a banner than I am pleased to say worked out how I wanted on the first try instead of having to recut things or reprint anything! Although the "l" is upside down... We can't all be perfect, friends. Especially not at midnight on the night before a show.

I spent Friday evening packing everything up and getting ready to get everything in the car and head out to Waterdown early Saturday morning!  I'll do a separate post for the show but that ends the workroom recap for the week!

Lots of things planned for week 235 including packing up a box of goodies for Nice Things Handmade, a store in Philadelphia, and on to more owls for more store restocks! It's neverending and I couldn't be gladder about that!

See you soon!

A Trip to Guelph

Guelph, Ontario is home of the University of Guelph (and other things) and happens to be an adorable little city about 45 minutes away from where I live.

It had been awhile since I made a visit to this place since becoming acquainted with it only a little over a year ago (a story involving a Guelphian ex-boyfriend) but I became quite attached to it quickly and have been looking for a reason to make a visit.

On Saturday, I found one!  My friends Rovena and Dave of Handmades by Rovena were doing a craft show in the beautiful Old Quebec Mall so my mom and I took a trip out to see them and check things out!
Here they are at Rovena's beautiful table of cards and other paper goodies.



It is the least "mall-like" mall I have ever seen - which is a good thing! Ah, Guelph, you charm me so.

It was lovely to see them, pick up a card and chat a bit.  Then my daytrip partner (my moms) and I set off on a little walk around the downtown so I could take some pictures and oogle at things in cute shops. I almost bought some shoes and then an owl wearing a monocle but decided against both and continued phototaking and window shopping. Regretting both decisions only slightly.





Spent a good amount of time in Mocando Books - an amazingly charming used book shop packed with books that I've visited before but this time found a couple hidden owls. As if the sheer amount of books wasn't a big enough sell. I may have ended up a toy maker but I am an English major booknerd at heart forever. When books are stacked so high I can hardly get at them, I know I'm in the right place.








I may have gone a little crazy with book pictures. But don't you feel like you've been there now! I had to document it. 



It was a perfect sunny but chilly day! I really do love Guelph. I won't stay away so long next time.

And here's my outfit of the day:

                    

Lots of old favourites.  All in all, a really nice day! I hope you had one too!

In the Workroom Recap : Week 234

Another week over! I couldn't believe it was time for another workroom recap!

But it is and so it was.

This week was a busy one and being now that my first show of the year is a week from today, I'm looking at another busy one ahead!

I started the week out with another doodle.



A lot more plans have been developing in my head for these silly things but in the meantime I've been having fun picking up my pencil whenever something pops in there.

The plan was to drop off a batch of goodies at our new retailer, Little Bird in Hamilton, on Thursday so I had to keep working away on a batch of Owl Mamas.  But I did take a little break from them to ship out a couple Little Owlings to a customer in Norway. I wish I could take the trip with them! Except in some sort of seat or chair rather than inside an envelope. They don't seem to mind though.





After I finished that up and then finished stuffing all my Owl Mamas, I started work on a little batch of Little Robots to bring down to the new shop!



While I try to keep my work area pretty neat and professional. I will admit that sometimes I find a comfier chair, put my feet up, and sew in my pjs. Just think of all the personal handmade care that goes in to sewing all these little faces... Those big box toy stores don't have anything on Needlings. Right? Right!



Back to the worktable and no more worse for the wear!



Better, in fact.

OK! So I brought all these down to Little Bird as you may have seen in my last post and after some excitement and conversation, I worked on a few kitties to add to their stock when someone asked if they could get one there. 




So now they're there! (their)

                                        
                                              
Then a whale and a fancy fox doodle for good measure. I like a whale and a fox. And a capelet.

So that's it for this week! I am staring at my worktable starting to figure out my schedule for what to make next in order for me to have a full table at my first craft show of the year on the 5th. Lots to do!

I hope to see some of you there!

          

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Mid-Week Update with OotD

Hello friends!

I thought I would stop in today to let you know some of the goings on around here before the usual workroom recap!

First off, I am excited to announce Needlings will be carried in our 15th retail location, a great locally owned Hamilton shop, Little Bird.  I stopped in today to drop off some Owl Mamas and Little Robots and meet the owner, Jodi, and her cute little bird* too!

*actually a human baby boy.


(Photo courtesy of Little Bird)

I'll have to stop by again soon to get some photos of everything in action. I'm very excited to have Needlings in a great little Hamilton store!

I also received news that some other lovely shopowners, Stephen and Melanie, of Dots & Loops in Lunenburg, Nova Scotia, are featured in the Nova Scotia Tourism "Doers and Dreamers" Guide. And they're holding a Needlings Owl Mama! Needless to say, I popped on over to the Nova Scotia tourism website to get myself a copy.

I'm so happy for them that their store of under one year old is being recognized for how amazing it is! They do a great job! (Plus, aren't they cute?) 


(Photo courtesy of Dots & Loops)

And for good measure, here's a mid-week Outfit of the Day of what I wore today on this rainy chilly Spring day!


                    

Sweater: Thrifted Handmade Wool
Top: Old Navy
(My favourite) Skirt: Asos
Shoes: Rocketdog

See you soon!  ♥