Port City Market: Success!

Welp, Port City Market was a success for both Greta and me! We both made a bit of money, but more importantly we sent our lovable creations out into the world via our satisfied customers. I think we'll definitely do it again in the future, and we'll be better prepared for the perils of outdoor marketing. Huzzah! Greta took pictures, but she's being a little tardy getting them to me. In the mean time, enjoy these little bags which are still available from Felt Up Goods.

Since I posted an ongoing update of how this bric-a-brac bag was turning out, here's the finished product. I wanted whimsical flower-esque things on the trees, so I needle felted white orbs on there. I like it.

This is a change purse with a little strawberry guy on it. He reminds me of a healthier version of Meatwad from Aqua Teen Hunger Force with that one tooth. He makes me laugh.

Making Fruitful Progress

I'm still in the very early stages of my felting fetish, so there is a lot of soft, fuzzy trial and error going on. I was attempting to make a set of produce magnets, but this strawberry didn't turn out quite as imagined. He knows exactly how adorable he isn't. But then his self deprecation turns around and makes him cute again. Awr.

This more successful project-in-progress was the first bag I started felting. I set it aside because I felt the birds were a bit overused as a graphic image. I then added hand sewn details and I love the way it draws the eye to the branches instead of the birds. I foresee a lot more combining of needle felting with hand sewn goodies in my felting future.

In conclusion, some great news: Greta at I are the Featured Crafters at this weekend's Port City Market. Huzzah! Come out to the market Saturday at Main St. and Palafox from 9 am-1 pm before the Mardi Gras parade!

Bric-a-Bractopus Bag

Meet this charcoal and turquoise treasure: the Bric-a-Bractopus Bag.

I gave the Squid Bric-a-Brac Bag to my sister for her birthday, so I wanted to make a replacement to try to sell at Port City Market this weekend, where Greta and I will be slinging our handmade crafts to zealous buyers before the Mardi Gras Parade. We are quite excited.

I really like sea creatures, so that will undoubtedly be a running theme in my felting. I also like kitties, dinosaurs, mustaches and food.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Change Purse

This Squid Bric-a-brac Bag can be anything from a makeup bag to a fashion forward pencil case. It is also my first foray into the world of zipper sewing. This exciting development is further displyed in the Baby Octopus On-The-Go and the Change 'Stache change purses, which are pictured here with a delightful felt breakfast.

This dashing fellow is Kitty Puppet Prototype. He is pictured here with a banana to illustrate his range of motion and gripping/holding abilities. Most people assume he's a pirate because he has an eye patch. If you saw an old man on the street with an eye patch, would you assume he was a pirate? I think not. Kitty Puppet Prototype is no different. He just only has one eye.

Lunch Hour

These are some lunches I've made. I leave the office in the middle of the day and go to my empty house. Once there, I prepare what's known as a "Meal for One." This one included mixed rotini tossed with olive oil, steamed broccoli and snap peas, fake chicken and parmesan. I had a cupcake for dessert.

I became very inspired by sandwiches the week this masterpiece was created. I call it "Princess Emily" because it is jam packed with scrumptious and surprising ingredients.

And here they all are. Princess Emily: deconstructed.

This is a beautiful "Frankenmeal," a meal made from random leftovers and kitchen odds and ends. I whipped up some scratch pico de gallo with spicy aji paste and threw it on cheesy scrambled eggs, which I set atop a nest of wilted spinach and tortilla chips. Then I added some avocado sun beams. I call it "Sol Huevos," or Sun Eggs.

A Melodramatic High School Freshman Learns the Blanket Stitch

The more softies I make, the more I find myself in need of organizational techniques to help with the explosion of tiny tools and instruments necessary for this craft. How better to keep my pins and needles at the ready than by using them to craft a custom pin cushion!

This design arose from my fascination with internal organs and probably the fact that I've been revisiting seasons one and two of Nip/Tuck while I craft. It is also my first attempt at the blanket stitch. I painstakingly needle-felted the design of the heart, but these pictures lose the delicate shading on the valves.

After putting the final stitch in this overstuffed cushion, I was sure of my roaring success. Then I happily stabbed all my pins in and noticed it's a little...emo. Consider this the cliche tortured poetry of the arts and crafts world.