Happy Memorial Day!

To all who may travel this weekend (in spite of the HUGE price of gas), may your trip be safe and fun. And to those smart enough to stay home (not me, I'm afraid), have a relaxing weekend without worry, hassle, or care!

My summer resolution is to be more present on my blog, so.... let's hope I can rest & brainstorm blog ideas enough this weekend to keep me going!

Sadly blog-absent

Yes, that's been me lately. Sadly absent from my blog. It feels lonely. You feel abandoned. I'm sorry.

I don't know what's happened. I began the year with very good intentions to blog at least two times per week. Somehow I've gotten so caught up in life and work and schedules that I just never seem to find my way here to blog.

Or when I do, I just can't think of what to blog about. I need to work on this. Until I figure it out, here are a few pictures of my booth from Old Dover Days this past Saturday. All morning and for the first part of the afternoon, the weather was very not-conducive to shopping and browsing. As a matter of fact, it was gross and chilly. At least, until about 2pm when the sun finally came out and warmed things up a bit. Then it was a much happier place to be. :)

Old Dover Days

Just a quick note today about my first show of the season. I was just accepted into the crafts portion of Old Dover Days, a celebration of the city of Dover on May 3rd (next Saturday). Hope you can come out for all the festivities (and to shop at my booth, of course!).

I will have my Smileville Bears, some summery wreaths & door decor, jewelry by Dawn (my sister), soft and comfy blankets, fabric book covers, and more! Also will be debuting my smiley/frowny coasters.

I've been up to...

finishing several projects. Yippee. You know how much I like finishing (NOT!). But... the closer I get to my first show of the year (right now the one at the VA Hospital on June 6th), the more I have been thinking "I need to finish some of the items I have started."

So here are some pics (as most are still works in progress):

several fabric and knitted blankets

a slew of paperback book covers in various fabrics

a herd (??) of bears --- Smileville Bears, that is --- preparing to be stuffed and assembled

Smiley Coasters -- an update

Well, after several attempts, I realized that the idea for a set of four "emoticon" coasters really wouldn't work.

I successfully made a frowny coaster, but the "mad" one didn't look mad, and I couldn't get my head around how to crochet a "surprised" face when the entire coaster is done in the round..... I'm not even sure I can explain why it didn't work. Suffice to say the attempts have been frogged and re-created into more smilies and frownies!

I did list several sets of the coasters today on my Etsy site. They will be available in sets of 4 coasters -- your choice either all 4 smiley, or 2 smiley & 2 frowny.

Earth Hour

The environment has always been a concern of mine. I have recycled in every place I've lived (in college I used to take long walks and collect all the cans I found and bring them to the recycling center). When I visit the shore in NJ, or the beaches in DE, I get really sad because the water isn't quite the blue it should be. And one of my first decisions as I opened Smile Creations Crafts was that I would re-use packaging and boxes when shipping purchases to my customers. Recently, thanks to a program called Just Faith, I have renewed my commitment to preserving the earth and leaving as small a carbon footprint as possible. And that renewed commitment brings me to Earth Hour.

March 29th (next Saturday) from 8-9pm is Earth Hour .....

What is "Earth Hour?"
(taken from the event page) "Earth Hour, run by WWF, the conservation organisation, is a global climate change initiative which calls on individuals and businesses around the world, to turn off their lights for one hour on Saturday March 29 2008 between 8 pm and 9pm.
The aim of the campaign is to express that individual action on a mass scale can help change our planet for the better.
The event itself will clearly demonstrate in participating cities, the connection between energy usage and climate change, showing that we as broader community can address the biggest threat our planet has ever faced."

Earth Hour began in Australia last year; this year it is a truly global event with over 9,000 businesses and 130,000 individuals worldwide signed up to participate. I signed up, and I hope you'll consider doing the same. Turning off our lights for an hour is a small price to pay to try to preserve our world for our childrens' children.....

Please use this link (my personal Earth Hour page) to learn more and sign up. When you sign up, you'll get a page, too, to forward to your friends and colleagues and track the impact that you, as an individual, can have.

Smiling coasters and a new retail opportunity

I have created something totally new... A smiling coaster! Recently I wanted to make something for a friend of mine... something that would make her smile even when her day was rotten. And so I picked up a crochet hook and a skein each of yellow and black cotton, and created a smiley!

Thing was, her smiley turned out a little big (kinda a smiley on steroids). Now that I had calculated out the pattern stitches, I wanted something a little easier to fit on a desk... so I shrunk the smiley just a tad, and now I have a smiley, perfectly sized for a coffee mug or glass of iced tea... (this pic, by the way, is a VERY good example of why you should never take important pics with a cell phone!)

Bad pic aside, I will be adding some of these happy little circles of absorbency to my Etsy site soon (just need a day or two to make some more and take better pics), so stay tuned. Also, my mom suggested that I expand my smiley idea to make an "emotional" set of coasters... four coasters, each with a different expression. The variations may take a bit longer to figure out, but I'm working on it. I think we'll have angry, surprised, and sad to the happy smiley, but who knows? Once I'm happy with the emotional lot, I'll post their pics here, too.

And before I say goodnight, an FYI (that explains the other half of my subject line for today) --- The coasters will make their first "show" debut in June at the Veteran's Administration Hospital in Elsmere, DE. The VA Hospital has set aside a space on the second floor (outside the canteen) where selected vendors can sell their goods. I have been working with the manager for a while now, and just today got confirmation of 5 selling dates (I'm going to try to add more later). As of now, I will set up "shop" at the VA Hospital on the following dates: June 6, October 23 and 24, November 5, and December 18.

It's official....

Stitches with Style, our LYS here in Newark, DE, will be hosting festivities for WWKIP Day! Hope to see lots of you there again this year, and to meet new faces, too!! The fun starts at 10:30am and lasts til 4pm.

Yay!! Thanks Linda!

All you knitters and crocheters, mark your calendars!

Remember World Wide Knit in Public Day from last year? Remember, fellow Newark Delawareans, how much fun it was to gather at Stitches with Style and share projects with friends (and make new friends!), and then to converge on McGlynn's for lunch?

Well, mark your calendars because WWKIP Day is back! And.... the updated website states clearly that WWKIP Day is always the second Saturday in June. So June 14th it is (who's bringing the cake, my birthday is the very next day!?).

My calendar is marked; luckily I am not applying to any craft shows for that weekend so I'll be where ever the party is! Stay tuned; as details (such as whether Stitches will host again this year) become available, I will share them here.

Another show confirmed!

The schedule is growing.... I just received notification today that I've been accepted into Art on the Green, an annual show organized by the New Castle Hundred Lions Club. I will be selling knit toys and wearables, as well as pinecone wreaths (both general and season-specific).

Details:
Location: Battery Park, New Castle, DE
Date/Time: September 27th (it's a Saturday) from 10-5pm. (The rain date is October 4th since it's an all-outdoor show.)
Booth Assignment: I'll be booth # B19.

In other news, I have been hit by the sewing bug. That's right, except for some special-order items (which I will keep knitting until they're completed and delivered), I'm setting aside the knitting needles for awhile to give my sewing machine some love! I think this mood shift was brought on by a spending day with my sister last week, with fabric and notions spread through the house, altering clothing that we no longer wear into fun and funky pieces we WILL wear!

At any rate, keep an eye out, because I've got a couple of cute "quilted" blankets nearly done (that should be appearing on my web site soon), as well as more paperback book covers in new fabrics, and perhaps some new placemat sets for spring......

First craft show scheduled

Happy news for Friday.... I got a phone call from the DuPont Country Club, confirming my space in their annual fall craft fair!

The fair is on Oct 5th, in the DuPont Country Club on Rockland Road. Five-six rooms of the club are used for the fair (it's a big show with lots of vendor variety); I was lucky enough to secure a spot in the Crystal Ballroom and Terrace (the largest room). Look for me in one of the wall spaces.

I will be selling knit toys (pumpkins, bears, and snowpeople), knit clothing (scarves, hats, gloves, shawls), and some seasonal pinecone door wreaths.

Thanks for making my day!

Wow, what an honor! I woke up this morning and was reading my fav blogs, and found that ReluctantMango has nominated me for the "You Make My Day" award!!! Talk about making my day....!!! It puts a smile on my face to know that my musings, ramblings, and ideas are things that someone else looks forward to reading. Thanks, Mango!

For anyone who hasn't yet seen a blog tagged with this award, it's given to blogs that bring you happiness, inspiration, and generally keep you coming back to read more, and more, and more. The recipient's only task is to pass along the good vibes by selecting blogs that make his or her day.

Before I list my "You Make My Day" award winners, I want to say that the blogs I have listed in my "I read, I recommend" section are the ones I always look forward to reading. Some have already been awarded the "You Make My Day" award by other bloggers, and all of them have earned my blog love! Here are five more blogs I check frequently.... thanks to all of them for making my day!!

SouleMama - She just has a way about her that soothes me whenever I'm upset, grounds me in reality, but a reality full of love and sunshine. I especially love the way she shares her children, and finds fun ways to involve and stimulate them creatively.
The Daily Coyote - Amazing pictures and stories about a coyote living with a woman in Wyoming.
The Wooster Collective - Funky street art from around the globe.
The Heathen Housewife - She's been knitting a huge incredible blankie for a year and a half (she just finished it), and documenting it's progress every "Blankie Friday." I'm inspired to begin a project this large (and actually see it through to completion!)
CraftLeftovers - A variety of neat crafty patterns and ideas -- good to get the creative juices flowing.

Show Schedule 2008

Well, it's that time of year, and I'm starting to apply to art and craft shows in the tri-state area. Based on last year's show successes, I'm focusing on the summer/fall months. Which means once taxes are done (ick!) and my show applications are in, my focus will be on building up inventory to get me through the season.

Of course, as soon as I know which shows I've been accepted into, I'll post them in my show schedule on the right. Hope you'll plan to come out to one, or several, and say hello!

What's the number one reason I love knitting so much??

There is never a bad time to knit (well, except church services and parent/teacher conferences... there have been many discussions among knitters on this topic)!

But there really is no other hobby that seems quite so productive (yes handheld video games are portable, but you can't wear them when you complete a level), that can go quite so many places. I learned to knit because I had a long train commute to work -- it was perfect! Once I learned to knit, I simply chose projects that required only one ball of yarn at a time and used short needles to avoid poking the commuter next to me. Many knitters keep a sock project on hand especially for waiting in line at the post office (not much is smaller than a sock project). I keep one in my car so that when construction brings traffic to a halt, everyone around me is cursing in their cars while I calmly knit away on my current project.

Not only is it portable, but knitting is also a form of meditation. Choosing a simple, repetitive pattern can be like repeating a soothing mantra, while choosing something more complicated can refocus all your attention on the task at hand and force your mind to release whatever has been causing it to jump around through hoops.

Knitting offers a wide range of flexibility as well. If you like a challenge, there are many many stitches, techniques, and pattern types that you can try out. If you like to be productive and don't feel like struggling, there are plenty of beautiful items that can be knit using only the most basic knit/purl stitches.

Best of all, I find that knitters (and crocheters; I do both and am not prejudiced against either one!) are some of the nicest people in the world! I had a stranger on the train offer to help me when I was struggling to make an i-cord for the first time, and never until I knit was I able to walk into a group of people and instantly join the conversation. Knitters love to share... share yarn, stories, projects, successes.... you know you've found a knitter when someone comes up to you and touches your hand-knit scarf and comments on the fiber, or colors, or incredible workmanship.

Now that I knit, I find it difficult to comprehend someone not wanting to knit! :) Once you learn (lucky you--- I have a beginner's class starting on March 12th that you could take!), you have an ultimately-portable, productive, and varied hobby. There is always something new to learn, and there are dozens upon dozens of books, magazines, web sites, and yarn stores with patterns and resources and smiling faces ready to help you with your next project.

Happy Valentine's Day!

I hope that you take time to celebrate with someone special today... hug a friend, call your mom, take some serious play time with your kids, snuggle with your partner. Make sure the people closest to your heart know how important they are in your life.

I wish you and all the important people in your life a great Valentine's Day!

PS... if you're one of those who feels that Valentine's Day is just a "Hallmark holiday," I found you a link to the legend of St. Valentine.

Well-traveled bears living in Smileville....

Well, the rumors are true. There are bears from far and wide traveling to live in Smileville!

Mac and Lani hail from distant places in the western US. These two adorable bears have become fast friends as they share their exotic experiences, and their nostalgia for friends back home.

Mac, a deep blue bear, sports a winter white scarf all year round. It reminds him of the cold Alaskan days, living in a land covered in snow year-round. Until he moved to Smileville, he never jumped in the ocean without feeling very very cold! Now he swims as much as his Momma and Poppa bear will let him, in the lake at Smileville.



Lani, whose "fur" is a turquoise blue with hints of yellow, misses the warm sunny days in Hawaii. Her lei of white flowers was given to her by friends before she left the oceanic island paradise. She misses Hawaii, but is a very adventurous bear and is enjoying all her new experiences in Smileville. She was very excited when a few weeks ago she got to see (and taste) her first snow!

Both these bears would love to go home with a new forever-friend. If you'd like Mac, Lani, or one of their new-found friends at Bear Bash to come home with you or someone special, visit the Smileville Bear section of my website, or send me a bear request via email.

Beginner's Knitting Class

Here's a flyer for the beginner's knitting class I'll be offering. beginning March 12th. Please read the flyer for all pertinent information.

Class size is limited so that I can concentrate on every single person, so sign up now!!

If you have your own group of 5 or more people, contact me about the possibility of scheduling a special class for your group.


PS -- To see the flyer in detail, simply click on it; it will open a larger version in a new window.

Thank you

Just wanted to say thank you to the people who went back and took my knitting class survey. I got great feedback and some additional ideas that I'm working to incorporate into my plan.

Congrats also to Jen who was randomly chosen from among the respondents to receive the 15% off coupon to Smile Creations Crafts!

I've decided to schedule the first knitting class for sometime early in March. I'll be designing a flyer (with my Mom's help -- she's great at that stuff!) and will post it here next week at the latest.

Anyone ever used a light box?

Recently another small craft business owner shared that she had purchased a light box, and that it has made taking photographs of her work infinitely easier. I've read a few articles on the topic in some art/craft magazines, but I'm still a little skeptical.

I'll admit it, the photographing of my work is the part that I HATE the MOST! My problem is that despite spending time to set up the shots, getting them as well and evenly lit as possible, and taking multiple shots, I end up needing several hours with PhotoShop to get them really clear and sharp. And what's worse is that good photographs are a must to selling online and successfully applying to craft fairs.

I've read that light boxes are good for eliminating shadows and that they help keep the light even on all parts of the object. So does that mean that if I invest in and use one, I won't have to spend hours at my PC fiddling with the photographs? I'd love to know if others have had the same troubles that I have, and if a light box helped.

Join me in welcoming my sister to the 21st century

That's right, my baby sister just joined the blogosphere! She has started a blog for her photography business, Innovative Photography.

dawn elizabeth (my sis) is based in southern NJ, but has traveled as far as Curacao (an island in the Carribbean) and NY for photo shoots. She and her associate, Dennis, shoot weddings, portraits, senior portraits, and more. Her on-location portraits (photos taken in a setting of your choice, rather than in a studio) are fantastic!

Every so often she lets me model for her (always fun!) as she tests out new lighting or posing ideas. Here are some samples of her work, starring me!