busman's holiday

On New Year's Day I had the rare pleasure of crafting with my dad and brother. My dad wanted to remake the hobby horse that was well loved and then forgotten for a few decades in a northwest basement. He and my brother engineered the stuffing and stick part while I made the face and mane. It was great to give my dad, the retired doctor, professional advice,"use the end of a wooden spoon to really shove the stuffing into the sock..."And everyone was really impressed by my new take on the horse's mane. The original was a blue sort of pompom toupee.

Franklin and his cousin Martin were ready to gallup around the house on it, but unfortunately for them,Baba and PapaPrice's house was not ready for toddler's wielding heavy sticks twice their height.

So we just took some awkward family photos and called it a successful holiday.

If it's any indication of the year to come,I think moth and squirrel is going to have it's best year ever!

piece of craft

So proud to have a little shout out in The Stranger this week. It is especially awesome because one of the most frequent comments I receive is that my animals are like Ugly Dolls. And although I appreciate what people mean by this,I like to think that my individually crafted critters made from recycled fibers are a little bit more special than the now mass produced Uglies.
The only two places to buy my whales and other recycled goodies this season are The Holiday Handmade Bazaar at THe Mill in downtown Bellingham and the Lucky Dumpster in Edison.
Thanks Seattle for a fantastic weekend at the Urban Craft Uprising. And thanks Stranger for continuing to support and promote all that is freaky fabulous fresh and local

Urban Craft Uprising this Weekend!

super huggable animals sewn from reclaimed luxury knits, stuffed with renewable corn fiber.

I've finished a handfull of kid's vests and hats hats hats.
new patchwork and silk bound scarves. classic hats for folks.

After finishing the Farmer's Market for the season I took an adventure (is it truly a vacation if you travel with a toddler?)to Albuquerque.Soaking up the sun,love and culture, I do feel refreshed and inspired.We spent time at the zoo, botanical gardens, the marigold (day of the dead)parade and the International Folk Art Museum. All great places to think about stuffed animals and hats, craft and community.I am home and ready for the holiday push. Including this lovely afternoon we have planned for next saturday at the temple bar...

behind the scenes (chicken vest preview)

here are a few outtakes from last week's photo session. I am so thankful we had Mira visiting to help out when the moment was just right(post nap, well fed, not too hot outside.)I can't imagine scheduling this sort of thing with professional photographers and stylists,only to have that be a grumpy no nap morning or a shy afternoon or a declaring independence tearful fit kind of week for the child. Getting Franklin to wear the outfit took a little encouraging:"See baby, just like mama's hat! no no no don't pull it down over your eyes...If you wear this vest, I'll blow bubbles for you!" But once he was dressed, his miniature male model just made that back deck his catwalk. Mira took photos, I blew the promised bubbles, he forgot he was wearing a ridiculous chicken vest and just ran around like he always does with cars and watering cans and hula hoops and lawnmowers. Then at one point he just stopped playing with his usual objects, stood with his back against the white door to the laundry room and waited for me to take a photo. Uncanny. It turned out to be the best photo from the session for the UCU application.