Back in the Swing of Things

Can handmade art/crafts be profitable these days?

In this depressed economy I find most of my art/craft only sells "on sale". My prices are good and I try to have things at all price points. Lots of lookers, lots of good comments, few sales. Tis also true of other vendors this season.

So what makes you buy at an Art Walk or an Art Fair? 

I'd love to hear your comments. Be brutally honest, please.

Finally Friday

Where has this week gone? Just flew by. I spent yesterday knitting a rasta hat for a Christmas gift. I am enclosing the link to  to Tail Spinner's pattern.

Here are the few changes I made:

1) I forgot and did a  K2P2 rib. Don't think it made any difference.
2) I worked to end of Row 45 before I decided it was big enough.
3) At the end, when I had to switch to double points for the crown, I had to use the #5mm/#8US, as I didn't have a small enough #10.5US circular.
4) The ribbing was a bit big so I single crocheted a long cord which was then run every two stitches (K2P2) along the inner edge of the ribbing. The cute bow feminizes the hat and will serve to help keep it on her head if it is too big.

Otherwise I used the pattern as is with Lion Brand Homespun yarn in color 404 Lagoon.


http://www.tail-spinner.com/Mango-Moon_Rasta_Hat.pdf

The left side with bow about eyebrow height.

The right side.

Detail of cord around ribbing. You can't even see it. Just looks like a bow was placed there. 

I am very happy with the outcome of this project and I hope the recipient likes it too.

Wow! It's Wednesday

Once in a while something extra special flies by your eyes. That's what just happened as I was looking at a blog that a blogger friend had posted on FaceBook.


It's called 'The Toy Society Christmas Drop.' People all around the world make toys and secretly hide them in easy to find places with a tag that says "Take me home. I'm yours." How cool is that. Here's a link to their blog so you can read all about them.

thetoysociety.blogspot.com/p/christmas-drop.html

This is the best Christmas present I've had so far. Now I'm thinking what can I make all year long so I can do a drop next Christmas too. Hmmmm...

You Gotta See This...

In an earlier blog (April 14, 2010) I showed pictures of a red/white Waldo sweater I knit for my brother to give as an office gift to a co-worker who was about to go on maternity leave. Here are pictures of the actual baby in the sweater and hat; bootees too small now. Enjoy!

Here are  a couple other great creative blogs


: 
and



kittycatsandairplanes.blogspot.com/2010/11/holiday-gift-ideas.html

Monday Magic

Red nose! Blue fingers! Gulfpole! What's this??


Tonight in Gulfport (alias Gulfpole) the town Christmas tree was lit in typical small town fashion. Not to think that I'm going to bash this custom! I walked nearly a mile in coooold weather just to go see it. The Pre-K sang but were unused to microphones and laughed and giggled and yelled into them while the teacher was trying to get everything ready. Priceless! An after-school group sang a jazzy version of "Run, Run Rudolph" and did pantomime to it. Nice job! The mayor spoke. A lady led the community singing of "Jingle Bell Rock" and "Here Comes Santa Claus" which she pitched so high no one else could hit the high notes. We all sang "Jingle Bells" to welcome in Santa who arrived in the fire truck with lights and sirens blazing.

It doesn't get any better than this. 

=^.^=

Finally Friday

Just finished sewing and decorating the cutest little jeans purse, for a young girl who is just starting to carry purses. This is a custom piece which I thoroughly enjoyed doing, collaborating with her grandmother all the way through. It's about 9" x 7" just big enough to still be sweet.

 

 The lining is two small hankies sewn together to make a pocket, then hand stitched around the top. 

                                          

 There was just enough hankie left to hem along the

one side and tie to the back belt loop in a bow.

Sweetness , don't you think?

The back pockets are functional as are the ones in front. This pair of baby jeans is about a 1 yr old size.

                                                               

Here are a couple of detail shots: 

Left front pocket. She has a black cat and the flowers

are from the lining material. A bit of glitter around the

cat. 

 The pink teardrop beads are upcycled from an old necklace. Some beads are clear and some are not.

They are so delicate and add a bit of femininity.                                                                                  

                                                                                   

Hope you enjoy, Pussyfoots =^.^=

Technorati Challenge

I have to enclose the following code:   K5D2FADRFBAD  so Technorati can verify that this account is mine. Please be patient.

Wow! It's Wednesday

I'm scurrying to get a few new things ready for Art Walk on Friday. Art Walk is a twice-a-month art show here in Gulfport FL. Vendors set up between the street and the sidewalk all along Beach Boulevard from 6 PM to 10 PM the first Friday and the third Saturday. It's an awesome gathering of artists, art lovers, diners, tourists, locals, and kids and dogs. Little blue lights strung in all the trees along the boulevard give it a festive feel.

It seems like this Friday crept up too fast; I thought I had one more week. I'm thinking sweatshirts will sell well this week as it is quite chilly here for the rest of the week. Two white, one gray, one red, and one pink. Two have holly decorations, on has a snow scene, one has a string of tree lights and the pink one is getting painted tomorrow.

Art Walk here I come.

Pussyfoots =^.^=

 my display table

new display racks

another view

   







                           

Where have I been?

I can't believe it's been so long since I posted. Let's see---May was a drizzler of a month; 25+ days of rain and coolish weather. I decided then and there to relocate to the USA - Florida to be exact. Once that decision was made, lots of details had to be taken care of. My good friend Silvia helped me with paperwork and contract cancellation, etc. I had to give 3 months notice to everyone to avoid penalties. OK, that done I then had to sort through 5 years accumulation to give away or throw away.

In the middle of the summer, I had company for two weeks. I worked hard before and after but relaxed and enjoyed the time they were there. Did a lot of visiting and eating out. It was the only two weeks of hot weather we had. Just after the company left it turned cool and rainy. Not every day but...

August was really busy. It was like tilting a line of dominoes. One thing right after another. It had to be this way so that I could still cook and have a place to sleep. All went well and then on Aug 30 three different agencies came and took it all away. I spent the next 3 nights with Silvia and on Sept 2, she and her husband took me to Frankfurt to board the plane.

I stayed with my brother for 5 weeks until I could find an apartment. Now I live in the middle of the Art District in Gulfport Florida. I can show my art twice a month or more. It is a fun, touristy area with a great Senior Center. I can be as busy as I want, there are so many interesting things to do.

Now I'm caught up and can get back to posting about creating.

Where Is Waldo?? Remember him...

Do you remember the "Where's Waldo?" books? I sort of do. They are newer than my kids read and way older than my g'kids read. This past week, though, I got involved with Waldo in a curious sort of way. My brother from the states wanted me to knit a baby sweater like the one Waldo wears. A strange request you might say.  It seems there's a woman in his office who has been nicknamed 'Waldo' and who is pregnant. He thought it would be a fun idea to gift her a 'Waldo' baby sweater and hat 'a la Waldo.' There was plenty of time but the idea got my creative juices going and I started to work. It's all done now; about 3 weeks after the initial request.

                                                                  Remember now?



Now comes the baby look-alike:


 

                                                       

                       This is about a 3-6 month size, with snaps on the left shoulder for easy on and off.

The hat would go easily over a grapefruit. There are no ear-flaps as this is going to a southern state.


And now the really cute things. I have no idea what kind of socks Waldo wears but I had to go with the stripes. See below.

  
                                                     Aren't they cute?  Just like mom and dad's.


Since these are gifts they will not be listed in my Etsy store. I prefer to do custom knitting anyway. So if you have need of a baby layette, baby sweater, bootees, or whatever for a baby, I can knit it. I will design something especially for you based on your ideas. Then I'll send you a drawing. When you approve it and we agree on a price, I'll begin. The above project took 3 weeks from the time I was asked until the finish.  It can be shorter or longer depending on the design. Pricing is also flexible. International shipping at about $8-10. You would pay only the exact shipping amount. (Within Europe, a bit less.)

Please let me know if I can design and knit something for you. Not just baby clothes. I knit personal items also. You tell me your idea and I'll tell you whether or not I can knit it.

Contact me at: purring42@yahoo.com.

Spring Shopping Spree

 Well it's time for the first major shopping spree of Spring. If you need a special shopping bag to put those purchases in, you've come to the right place. Just relisted the Poppy Collection natural cotton shopping bag. 18" x 40". Washable in cool water; should be air dried; can be ironed. Rolls up small enough to store in your purse. Click here to find this bag: www.pussyfoots.etsy.com

This interesting bag is the same bag as above. BUT... in the middle there is room for a name, a slogan, a poem, your own personalization. You can make this bag really special for a unique graduation or bridal shower gift. You pick the occasion, you tell me what to put in the middle, you have a one-of-a-kind gift or personal shopping bag. Click here to see this bag in my Etsy shop:  www.pussyfoots.etsy.com


While you are there, browse around the other parts of  P*U*S*S*Y*F*O*O*T*S  to see what you can find.

Thank you for stopping by. Hope you had a good time.

Relistings today

Hey, I just found a couple items to relist in my Etsy store:

a large tulip shopping bag
a fanny pack with poppies and
a folding backpack
                                                                                       
You can get the full descriptions at: www.pussyfoots.etsy.com.

If you just love really large and roomy shopping bags, then the large tulip shopping bag was made just for you. It measures 45 x 50cm (18" x 20"). It holds everything. Yet it rolls up quite small and fits in your purse, just ready to go shopping.

If big bags aren't your thing then consider the fanny pack (hip bag) decorated with the popular poppies motif. It fits around your waist with a comfortable webbed band and has a roomy pouch of 10x20cm (4"x8"). Take a look. You'll like it.

Just let me say that the folding backpack is a wonderful invention. You can carry it in your hand as a pouch with a roomy pocket and a wrist strap or you can unzip it and have a medium sized backpack in which to store all your purchases. Very convenient. For sure a conversation starter. And to top it off, a really cute cat stares right back at you.


All items are hand-painted on natural cotton or natural cotton canvas. They are washable on low temp.

Shipping in one or two days and takes about 10 days to the US.

Stop on by and have a look. I bet you'll see something you'll like.

P*U*S*S*Y*F*O*O*T*S Craft Project #1 - Corner Bookmark

CORNER BOOKMARK

Materials needed:

construction paper, any color, scraps work too
old envelope
markers or watercolors, crayons
decorative stamps (optional)
stamp pad (optional)
glue
scissors
your favorite decorations

                                                                                                  CORNER BOOKMARKS


 DIRECTIONS:

 

                                                                                                                                





Pix #1.  On an old envelope, in a corner that doesn't have
printing,  measure 8, 9, or 10 cm (3-4") from a corner(1)
along a side and then along the other side(2). Connect the
two dots making a triangle. Cut on the dotted line.(3)







                                                                                                                                  

Pix #2. Carefully open the corner of the envelope (1a) to use
as a pattern (2) or use the corner as is (1) adding
decorations to it.




                                                                                                                               

Pix #3 and 4. Transfer your design or pattern to the front of the triangle of the opened bookmark. Paint and decorate it to your heart's content.

                               

                                                                                                  




Pix #5 and 6.   Fold the decorated bookmark into a triangle and glue the overlapping pieces together. Hold for a bit or slide under a book for a few minutes. That's it. You're  done!!                                                                      

                                                                             










                                                

Getting Ready to Create or Just pussyfootin' around

 My Studio

Today, just thinking about what to blog about as I was getting my little studio ready to start painting and crafting again. And it occurred to me that you might think you have to have a whole room to work in. Alas, if I used a whole room, I wouldn't have any room left. I have carved out of a corner a little space for a summer garden fold-up table. It measures 62 x 115 cm. (Sorry I can't tell you in inches as I do not have a yardstick only a meter stick.) I found a plastic tablecloth that fits nicely. That's it! That's my studio.

When I work I want to know exactly where everything is so I have an established place on the table for brushes, paint, tools, etc. Not everyone is like this. When I am working, I don't want to stop and look for some needed item.Supplies not being used are kept in various drawers and cubby holes in the apartment.  

So think of where you might create a small 'studio' for yourself. It doesn't have to be permanent. My table is cleared for holidays and used, with an elegant tablecloth, for family dinners. It is also folded and taken with me to Art Shows. Part of developing and using creativity is working with what you have, but in new ways.

Purring or Meowing

Spent a lot of time working on my blog. I have been back and forth between Etsy and the blog trying to get a slide show embedded. I have the strip for the slide show but it doesn't slide. Yet!!  That was a meowing time, aaarrrgh! Total frustration.  I guess my computer skills will improve out of necessity.

Relisted the Bamboo/Yin Yang cosmetic bag.  28 x 18 cm (11" x 7"), natural cotton canvas;  zippered top, washable.  Just click on any picture to the right or on the link itself to go to the shop.

Visit often and by the way, thanks for visiting today.

When creativity takes a powder...

It's been a long dry spell here. Productivity/creativity has been at a minimum for several months. My source for Art Shows and Exhibitions no longer exists. It has put me in a slump. As much as the online shop is wonderful, so is live exhibiting. I really enjoy meeting the public and showing my creations. For several months now I have been thinking about new sources for exhibiting here in Heilbronn, Germany.

So now it's almost Spring. Time for a new start. Since I will be renewing my visa in the next few days, I will ask my advisor how to get a Gewerbeschein (license) to set up a little exhibition table downtown in the Fußgängerzone (pedestrian walkway) when there are also other things going on that bring more people in to town. Getting things done here, in the bureaucracy, is like playing chess or jumping through hoops. It can be done but it takes perseverance. So off to the Rathaus tomorrow.

New Beginnings or Purring again

After five years, it is time to blog again. This time with a different slant. After a bit of catching up from then til now on this site and some redecorating, it will be devoted to creative arts. Mine and others. There is a lot to learn  and it will take a bit of time but it will happen. Come back again to see what new things have been added. And, by the way, thanks for visiting this site.

Where to start

It's hard to know where to start. I have never seen such a complex set of issues to be sorted out as Lebanese politics. And even if they get sorted out, and even if the opposition wins a majority in the upcoming elections, and even if the already elected Syrian-backed security people resign, there's no guarantee that the next government won't be just as corrupt in its own way and the pro-Syrian one is now. What a sorry state of affairs!

It explains a lot about Lebanese citizenry and why they act as they do. It's hard to get things done here. There is no sense of expediency. I have been told that there is no word in the Arabic language for "anticipation" which explains why nothing gets done until it becomes an emergency. For instance, I have a ceiling fan in my room that is hanging by the electric wires. For four weeks I have filed a Maintenance Report to get it fixed. Fan doesn't work either which is a good thing as it would really vibrate and perhaps fall. The first week I was told that after it was hot the fan would be fixed. The second week I was told that an electrician was coming on Wednesday. The third week there was astonishment that it still didn't work. Well the electricity part worked but the fan still wasn't attached to the ceiling properly creating an even greater hazard. The fourth week, this week, the shoulders were just shrugged, accompanied with, "Oh, well!" My solution will be to move the desks so that if the whole thing comes crashing down it won't kill some kid. Too bad! It was really warm this week but so windy we couldn't open the windows as everything would blow out the door. Could have used the fan, but the electricity to it doesn't work again anyway.

I am working out the logistics for my move to Cairo next year. Word on the street is that it is very difficult to get books through customs without an Import License for heaven's sake! So I will be lugging all my books again to Germany at the end of the month, our spring break, and leaving them there until I get to Cairo and scope the situation out for myself. I am told that books will get pages ripped out, a form of Muslim censorship. Remember the people there are Arabs too, so I don't expect much in the way of accurate information on shipping. My clothes and what few household things I still own will be shipped by DHL after I get there and name a ship date. They will be picked up here and sent. Then I can expect to spend a day in customs just clearing everything.

The payoff for all this is a nice big fat tax-free raise, free furnished housing, free transportation to and from school and so I have also heard, free internet. The Arab kids are a joy to teach after the street smart snots in American schools. It has been great fun to teach here in Lebanon and I expect that the kids in Egypt will be great also. This is a private school with an American curriculum. About 65% of the faculty is American, yeah! Class size is under 20. I think this will be a self-contained classroom again. Thankfully I won't have 44 students as this year. (Just imagine reading 44 essays a couple times a week!!! YIKES!)

I will be living in a Cairo suburb called Heliopolis with somewhat cleaner air than downtown or in Maadi the other living choice. The school is brand new, K-12 on one campus, state-of-the art, air conditioned. I am glad I won't be living on campus for the next two years. (It has been quite confining to live here in Lebanon behind locked gates 24/7. The guards know when we come and go and there is virtually no privacy. We are at the mercy of students who frequent the campus on Sat's for "extra schoo"l for the Brevet test given this summer.) Later I will post my address but I am guessing that mail will be a problem there.

More news as it happens.

Waiting for the other shoe to drop

It's been a long few weeks. It seems as if there is a stalemate now. Each side is entrenched in its own propaganda and agenda. Neither seems willing to move. While it is true that the Syrian troops are moving East. They aren't going east enough to satisfy most Lebanese. They aren't going across the border for the most part. And the president is still a Syrian puppet.

Finally the Lebanese have come out of the closet, so to speak, and are standing up publically to voice their opinions about Syria. This rebirth of democracy, I've been told it is a rebirth and not a birth, is really difficult. The opposition party has a stated list of demands that they want enacted before they will come to the table for talks. The pro-Syrian President E. Lahoud has, I believe, returned the demands. Heels are being dug in. Now with the second car bombing who knows.

One person here has said this is the way to get division going in the country. He may be right. That could be the way to war. Let's hope not. Some idiot kids in the street right by my window just shot of a round of firecrackers, just as I typed the word war. Man, I jumped a mile.

Then there's the question of Hizbollah. Here it is more like an armed political party. Many MPs are from the Hizbollah. Seems like there could be a way for Hizbollah and the Lebanese army to merge, thus making Hizbollah seem more legitimate in international eyes. I know America has a hard-on about Hizbollah. But living here under the Syrial control and the threat of Israeli invasion gives new meaning to protection. Yes, Hizbollah has acted with Syrians. Now they will have to choose - Syrian control or become truly Lebanese (as they are by birth).

It's a little more tense now than for the first four weeks after Hariri's murder. It's a wonder there hasn't been more violence. Humdallah! Thank God!

Next weekend is the Christian Easter here, too, and we will have Fri/Mon off school. We've worked 2 Sat. now to make up part of the 7 lost days. Two more to go in April. While I enjoy vacation, and the weather is nice, I would prefer to work and make up the other days. But no one asked me. I will go to Beirut for a few of the days and come back up to Aley on Easter. Monday, if the weather is nice, maybe I'll go to the beach. I'll have to schedule a driver and they don't like taking us around on days off.

Don't Believe Everything You Read and See on TV

This has been a time of great turmoil for the people of Lebanon. You probably know from tv that there have been nightly demonstrations by the opposition party, mostly young people demonstrating. It was thought to be a good thing when the government resigned but as of yet there is no interim government. The pro-Syrian president, Emile Lahoud, refused to resign and has continued to refuse to resign. He is the one who has gone to Syria today to talk with Syrian President Assad about withdrawal of Syrian forces from Lebanon. Let's see. How can we add two and two and get four with these two, one in the hip pocket of the other. My papers say that troop withdrawal will begin today. I'll believe it when I see it. There are Syrian troops all around the outskirts of Aley. I rarely see them unless I am out for a walk.

Tomorrow there is to be a pro-Syrian demonstration in Beirut. In a democracy, as we know it, all sides get to say their piece. Lebanon has been under the thumb of Syria so long, they don't remember how to be a democracy. There is the threat of violence now. The opposition doesn't want to hear what the pro-Syrians have to say. My guess is that the opposite is true too.

The Lebanese, while wanting Syria to get out, also need to maintain working relations with them. It's sort of like when your relatives come for a visit and don't know when to go home. Syria has been here about 30 years. They were needed at the time but now it's time for them to go home. Just as with your relatives, you'll still talk to them and maintain a relationship; so, too, Lebanon needs to be on good footing with Syria to protect their peace and do business. It's sticky.

It's also very complicated, on both sides. Then there's Israel to the south. Syria is still at war with them. They like the access through the south of Lebanon. And it goes on and on.

Because of all the days we've missed school due to this political upheaval and 3 days to snow (well, not Michigan's idea of snow), we now have to make up 5 of the 7 days. YUCK!!!!! So this week we work on Teacher Appreciation Day usually a fun holiday full of presents and flowers for the teachers, plus the day off. AND we work on Saturday this week and next and the first two Sat of April. Bummer!!!
Boo! Hiss!