In the Workroom Recap : Week 283

My week started with packing up some orders and sending out some goodies with special cards.

I want to eventually get around to drawing all the one of a kind dolls I've made so when I say goodbye to them I have something to remember them by! Plus it's just fun for me, ok guys?

After those few jobs were out of the way I got down to biz on my application for the Christmas One of a Kind show. Yep, applying again! We'll have to see if I get in again of course but they have my requests anyway. I didn't have it in me to fill out the paperwork during the week of the Spring show but it's all out of the way now.



So exciting!

The next little thing I worked on was a little Thumbelina for the Plush TeamFairytale Challenge. I was a little late on getting her finished but I had to go with the late-coming inspiration anyway. I have plans on making a half-size option of my big art dolls so I thought this extra little one would be good practice. Plus I always loved the Thumbelina story.



She's now available in the Plush Team etsy shop for purchase, where you can read a little bit about my connection to the story and see a few more pictures of her.





She's little! And she has a little polka dot flower to lounge in. It's funny how being given an assignment of sorts helps me think of some new things I end up liking and wanting to make more of.  

The rest of the week was spent on some cell phone sleeves that will be added to a big bunch of goodies I'll be sending off to White Rabbit in Iowa City.



I'll be working on boring paperwork things like taxes next week but will hopefully have a few things to show you by the end of it.

See you then!

In the Workroom Recap : Week 282

Back in the workroom! We'll go ahead and skip week 281 which was spent mostly at the One of a Kind Show with a few days of scrambling beforehand to get things together and ready for the studio/car/convention hall transition. 

But that's all behind us now! I will admit that I had a pretty slow week after the craziness of five 13-15 hour days in a row but I still managed to get some orders out and get my own space back in order after it was sufficiently torn apart before, during, and after One of a Kind! So not completely behind us but almost there!

After a couple days of relaxing recovery time which involved lots of kitty and puppy cuddles and movie watching, I got to work on a little robot order!



Notice the close up shot to cut out the disarray all around...

I don't make these big robots as much as the little ones but custom orders for them are fun for me. I got to thinking about big robots with bowties so that might be a thing at some point...

Next, I packaged up some more orders and decided that new doll owners will get special little sketches. I plan on doing some more illustrations of my girls in the future, mostly because I think it's fun and because I get a little sad when they find new homes and leave me forever.




And then a day of reorganizing and rehanging! I really should have taken a before picture since no one ever believes my desk is messy but I swear it was!! 




Ah, much better! I still have a big ol' stack of felt scraps that has yet to be dealt with but everything else, for the most part, is back in order.

Which is good because I have a couple store restocks to get to work on in the coming weeks! First up is a big batch of goodies for White Rabbit in Iowa City which shouldn't take me too long to finish up hopefully!
Table space helps!

Well, that's it for the week! I'll see you after the next one, friends!

One of a Kind Spring Show and Sale 2013

After months of build up and preparation, the five days of the One of a Kind Show finally came and went last week/end. It's so hard to include everything that happened because it seemed like every day was packed with visits and exciting events but I will do my best!

We set up the night before the show started at the Direct Energy Centre in Toronto. Made some quick changes to my display when I saw the space in person finally but I was happy with it in the end!




This was by far the biggest show I've ever done and being a part of the new Etsy section was a big honour! I think all the customers were just as excited as we were because our little packed section was packed with people the whole week! 



It was a busy busy week of driving in to and back from the city every day but the customers and visits from my super supportive and wonderful friends and family helped keep me going!



I'll have to do a separate post of my outfits for the show! I always have fun trying to match my booth so five days of it in a row was fun for me. I'm also currently working out the details to start making the custom Needlings illustration skirts I make for myself available for purchase so watch out for those in the future!

My dolls had their own little fashionable moment when they were asked to be a part of the kids' fashion show on the weekend!




Pretty much the cutest thing I've ever seen! The little (human) ones did an amazing job and it was fun to scoot away from my booth for a little bit to check out the show.
I wouldn't have been able to do it without the help of my amazing mom who helped me throughout the entire show. Every day! I can't even say how much I appreciate her and everything she does for me. And my family and friends too - who visited me, took care of my puppy, and generally made me lucky I know so many amazing people! I won't post all their photos here but if you hop over toInstagram you can see all the photos I took throughout the show including some of my lovely visitors.




The show was pretty amazing and my little table was packed with goodies; front, back, side - everywhere! I'm excited to do One of a Kind again in the future and move everything around again! My trunk worked perfectly, too, which made me pretty happy!



On Saturday morning, I was happy to hear that my little ladies had been featured in Toronto Life as one of the top 15 picks from the One of a Kind Show! One of the vendors told me in the morning and then I heard the same thing from customers throughout the day which was exciting! I was happy that a few of them found new homes and shed a tear or two when they head off with their new owners.



And it seemed as quickly as it started, we were packing up and heading out!



All gone! Well, a lot of it! 

Thank you again to everyone who came to visit and if you missed me this year, don't worry! I'll be back again!

In the Workroom Recap : Week 280

Four more days until the One of a Kind Show starts on Wednesday! Three days until set up day in Toronto for me! Luckily everything is pretty ready to go with the exception of a few tagging/packaging things and other little nitpicky organization stuff involved in getting ready for a five day show.

I started this week, though, finishing up the doll I started at the end of last week.





Patience P. Parliament is up in the shop for now but will be coming along with me to the show. Same goes for the next doll I worked on this week, Effie E. Easterwood.







In addition to the dolls, I finished up a few more Owl Mama Crossbody Bags.



So there are lots of new things all ready for the new Etsy section at the One of a Kind Show this week! If anyone is planning on attending, I'll be in the "L" aisle with 39 other artists new to the show. Don't forget to say hello!

I'll be in Toronto for the week but back after the show for an update so there will be a hold on the workroom update for next weekend.
See you after the Easter holiday weekend, friends!

In the Workroom Recap : Week 279

Countdown to One of a Kind Show: 10 days away! 

It was another speedy week but I got tons done which is good!

I started with printing, cutting and framing lots of illustrations/doodlings for the show.



Then, since I was in printing mode, I got my shopping bags ready for the show! These are little jobs I've been meaning to get around to and am happy to have had the push to get them done. Plus it was nice to have a little mini break from sewing work.

A really mini one though since then I was back to finishing up this big batch of little owls!



I did a quick table test next:


I already have a few changes in mind but it's pretty much ready to go! But there's still more to sew!

I worked on a few foxes next.





Then another doll!






Then I finally got around to drawing up my new tags for my art dolls! I'm really happy with how they turned out and now have a nice little pile of tagged dolls.





And I will be starting this next week off with making another one to add to the group!



Well, wish me luck with the last week before the show! See you next weekend!

In the Workroom Recap : Week 278

Hey guys! Only two weeks until the One of a Kind Show! I promise I'll stop talking about it once it's over but until then - I am all OOAK all the time!

I've been slowly chipping away at the to-do list and getting excited to get the show started. It doesn't feel quite yet like Spring is close and show season is starting but I think a couple more weeks and a little less slush on the ground will help.

This week started with finishing up the Owl Baby pins.



And getting the last coat on to the display trunk as I waited for the lining to arrive in the mail.



I was also pretty excited to see the photos One of a Kind took of my dolls and even more excited to find them on the press release for the new Etsy section.




"Distinctly different" is a pretty awesome compliment I think! I hope to finish another doll or two before the show but we'll see!

But first I have to finish stocking up on everything else! I finished stuffing the Owl Mamas and started on a batch of kitties!



After the paint on the trunk was all dried, I finally figured out a way to hang the dolls in it. 



Then the lining arrived! Best mail day!



I was a bit nervous to cut in to it but after finishing up the kitties...I cut the lining pieces and finished the trunk finally!





Finished! This was my first sort of furniture refinishing project and I'm really happy with how it turned out! Having to get together a new show display with a deadline was just the motivation I needed to do it. 

Then I got to work on a big stack of little owls which I will be finishing up this week!



I will see you next week with hopefully a bunch more finished work! Bye for now, friends!