a few new critters...

My efforts in packing aren't going so well....instead I seem to be diverting my attention to all things octopi. I have made about 10 since last week! I'm also trying out a bigger, more huggable size that turned out really great. I made my first owl in a long time, which is funny since that is essentially what fattycakes started with. I love how it turned out and I think I will add it my list of critter inventory. Here are just a few pictures of the new critters. Things seem crazier and more hectic than ever with all that is going on and I am just trying to hold on for the ride. I am so ready for the relief of closing on the house. I know I will feel a ton better when that is done with (then the fun can start.....decorating!)

This Week...

So far this week I am super pumped about two things....this new robot I'm working on.And these baby watermelons that are growing up a storm! They are so cute!

This is going to be the first felt-bot with "treads" instead of legs (Jeff has been asking for treads on the robots for a while now...). I think he might be funnier with no arms, but we'll see how the treads turn out first. Jeff calls the robots robo-nuggets in this stage which I think is hilarious.

A few more garden veggies are on their way to ripening too!

Back to Craftin'....

This weekend Jeff and I spent some time hitting up our favorite local thrift stores. We mostly end up coming away with books and I usually purchase some fabric or printed sheets to use for stuffies. We have been on the hunt lately for great mid-century modern home books and furniture books. We found two great ones yesterday, the first is Sunset's Planning Your New Home from 1967. The second is in conjunction with the Parsons School of Design and is called More Furniture in 24 Hours from 1978. I also picked up The Complete Book of Sewing from 1972...which you can imagine, has some great pictures! We also stopped by the Varsity on Jimmy Carter for lunch which made my day!

After we got home, I broke out all the crafting supplies and started whipping up these tiny plush logs. I'm not sure why I hadn't thought to make tiny versions to go with the big stumps. They turned out so cute and squishy! I really am completely enamored with tiny things!

I.C.E. was a hit!

Jeffo and Lerv manning the booth.

We had a great time yesterday at the Indie Craft Experience! fattycakes got tons of positive feedback and people are loving the cacti and poop pins....my top sellers of the day! We exceeded my goal for the day and all in all it was a wonderful first craft fair. A very special thanks to Shannon and Christy of I.C.E. for organizing such a fantastic event! Thanks to everyone who came by the fattycakes booth and especially those who took home a friend! I truly appreciate your business! And...last but not least a super thanks to my lovely husband Jeff and brother Lervis for manning the booth and being my hype men (your giant felt clock pendants are on their way)! I couldn't have done it without you guys!

Check the shop soon for all the great felties that were left....they need homes too!

Octopi, Oh My....

I altered my octopus pattern a bit this weekend and started making the tentacles a bit shorter, and the head more bulbous. I think I like the way they turned out. Very cutesy, less creepy (but I do like mild creepiness)! I think these are really cute for kids since the safety eyes are in there good. With the prompting of Jeff, I started making more robots. This one turned out really well, but the robots seem to take a lot out of me as far as all the different parts I have to sew together. They are definitely one of those things that I need a break from after making one. We also bit the bullet and purchased a faux e-z up 10' X10' tent today for I.C.E.. We thought we knew someone that had one to borrow, but that fell through, so I looked into renting one. It was at least $75 to rent and we bought this one brand new for $82. It was between a blue and khaki roof color, and we went for the khaki since I was worried about a possible blue tint happening inside the tent. I need to start working on my banner as well. I bought a canvas drop cloth to use and I want to use cut out, mismatched, fabric letters on it with a possible painted on faux wood grain. Jeff has also promised to help on this project after he is done with all his fun coloring!

Where do the weekends go? There is just not enough time for all I want to make and do! Oh, and the countdown is on til our Jekyll Island vacation!!!

10 days and counting.....

Busy Busy Bee...

Things have been a bit hectic around here for the last few days. I took a break from some of my craft time this weekend to help my husband with yard work and planting our veggie container garden. In the meantime, I did finish all these little bird pins which means I think I am done making all my smalls and can move on to bigs (robots!). I did manage to squeeze in making this new bird too!

Silly Birds

I have been wanting to make a new stuffie to join my other gaggle of critters (robots, octopus, whales, tree stumps, toast) so I made these two bird stuffies last night. They look a bit silly, but I actually really like them. I already make a small pin version, so why not blow them up to a bigger huggable size! I think the red one turned out especially nice!

Robots!

I finished carving my robot linoleum block this weekend and wanted to try him out, so I printed up these cards. They are all hand printed (I love hand printing....it makes me feel really connected to the materials and reminds me of college when I had unlimited access to a print shop....I should have lived there). I also printed some robots onto a linen canvas to frame for prints. I think they would be so cute in a kid's room (or my room for that matter!) I also prototyped the cards I will be making to pin my toast pins and poop pins to for the craft show.

Toast Army

Ever since I found out that I got into the craft show I've been a one-woman sweat shop on my lunch break and in the evenings. It's been fun and I'm producing a good bit of stuffs. I started small with making tons of these toast pins so that I will have something affordable for everyone to be able to buy. I'm also planning to make lots o' stuffies, robots, cactus, poop pins, cactus prints, work aprons, and possibly bags. I'm still so excited.....but I have lots to do to prepare. In the mean time I will let the toast revolution take over.....

The garden grows....

Yep, more cacti this weekend! These are all new ones that I made this weekend. I can't stop! I also stumbled onto a new friend for my cast of felt critters.....Toast Buddy! I love how plump and toasty he is! I will definately be making more of him!

I am also experimenting with sewing a "fattycakes" label into my new work. I really am liking the way it looks. It is just simple twill tape that I stamped with dye-based inks. I prefer my d.i.y. version far better than the ones I looked into buying. Plus, those were expensive and not as fun!

Felt Cactus Garden

I have fallen in love with making these felt cacti. Perhaps it is because they are completely irreverent and useless, but they sure do look cute! I started making really tiny ones to satisfy my need for all things tiny, but last weekend I made these big guys and I really liked how they turned out. I love "planting" them in real terra cotta pots! I want to make a ton of them and have them all lined up on a shelf (as if I had space for that...) Hysterical.