Hello? Anyone out there still?

{Some of the Stuff that I am Making & Selling}

Hi.  It's me, Holly.  I'm still alive and making toys--just not blogging (says Professor Snape: Obviously.)  Well, who knows, maybe this next year will entail a return to blogging again--I do miss this space and this community and those of you who visited. Life has just gotten, well, busy and complicated.  Here's the deal...

I left my corporate job this past summer--or really, my department was restructured away.  Been unemployed now since June--and I am trying to work out what is next for me--and what I mean is, what I really want to be when I grow up.  It definitely involves this--designing and creating toys and other fun stuff.   It makes me so happy to do this--really, it is effortless and my mind just hums with ideas for new things to create at every hour of the day and night.  So, I am making more right now, putting lots in my Etsy shop, working on a proposal for a book of my designs...and trying to figure out how I can still contribute enough to the family bank account.  Damn money, always getting in the way of being who you are meant to be...

{Mangy Gators: Made from Recycled and Felted Wool Sweaters}

Anyway, here I am today.  Maybe I'll try to come back again next week and post something and ease back into it slowly because even as I am typing this I am getting a bit teary because it just feels good to be here.  I missed this place where I could always be who I have always been.

Alright then--so, I do want to share with whomever is still out there, that I am going to be at the No Coast Craft O'Rama at the Midtown Global Exchange in Minneapolis again this weekend:
Friday, Dec 2 from 3-8:00pm
Saturday, Dec 3 from 9-5:00pm

{Bitty Bebe with Fold Down Purse Bed}

For those not familiar, the No Coast sale is an annual holiday sale with over 100 artists and craftspeople hawking their amazing, cool, beautiful stuff.  This is not your mama's craft sale--it has a fantastic indie vibe going on.  You can learn more about it here:  No Coast Craft O'Rama

Personally, I have made so friggin much for this sale--I am not sure how I will even manage to display it all.  I have over 10 new designs I am introducing at the sale, and many, many old faves.  You can check out some of these new designs and the old faves in the photos here--or in my Etsy shop if you want more info or might like to do a little shopping-- but I have not had a chance to photograph and post all of it yet because I have been up to my nose in designing and making...

{Velveteen Underground Fox Plushie Made from  Recycled Wool Tweed Suit Jacket & Men's Shirts}

If you are one of the people who use Facebook (my own relationship is very on again/off again), I did launch a Beeper Bébé page a few weeks ago--find that here:  Beeper Bébé on Facebook

{Play Day Lego Accessories--Made from Reclaimed Lego Bits}

I guess I just want to say, if you're still stopping in, receiving this blog feed, or just coming past because you found me via Pinterest or something like that, thanks for visiting.  I hope we will see each other again--if not here, maybe even in person at the No Coast Craft O'Rama this weekend.

In My Shop: Bunnies and Funny Faces

Some mooshiness and a bit of felt fun has arrived in my little shop.  You can find a rainbow's worth of Mooshy Belly Bunnies here, and a short stack of my creative felt play books here.  

Wish you could make your own?  Well, you can, my crafty friend...

Find the tutorials for both over here.  

Buy it or make it yourself--the choice is yours.

(What's that?  You just want to sit on your arse and watch an entire season of Sherlock?  Well, go on then--grab a remote and settle in.  I am all about giving my readers just what they want...want me to grab you a whiskey with ginger ale too?)

In My Shop: Play Day Accessories

Remember those LEGO jewelry valentines I made way back when?  Well, I decided to turn those into an offering in my Etsy shop--Play Day Accessories.  I have rings, necklaces and bracelets in a slew of colors, all for the LEGO enthusiast in your life.  These are accessories that designed to be kept, worn and played with over and over as they are imagined and re-imagined on a whim--whether to coordinate with today's outfit or just to reflect a happy mood .  These pieces provide instant entertainment while riding on the school bus, waiting out science class, or during too-long visits with the rellies.  

 LEGO + jewelry = accessory playtime.

How many rings/bracelets/necklaces do you know of that invite fun, creativity and versatility in one package?  

You can find them right here.  

In My Shop: Buttloads of Stuff

Hi.  It's me.  Remember me?  I have been quietly lurking about here at home, shirking my blog, but happily sewing lots of toys and stuff.  It's been nice to make some stuff again.  I even have some tutorials in mind...maybe I will manage to get something out here before Christmas?  It has been hard to make my way back here, but picking up needle and thread again has felt good.  And as you can see, I have been picking it up A LOT.

So, there is a bunch of stuff in my Etsy shop.  If you are interested or care or whatever.   Oodles of ipod monster cozies, recycled crayons galore, a whole nursery full of matchbox monsters (I got to tell you that I am SO tired of changing nappies...), a fresh batch of babies on a stick, and even my much-sought-after-but-rarely-made plush alphabet magnets (act now because it could be another 2 years before I make more)...plus even more.  I know. I got a little crazy but it was good.  

You can find all you see above and more in my shop--right here.   

Happy holiday shopping.

Make Something Spring-ish

Need some spring-ish projects?  How about 15 of them using an assortment of techniques, from embroidery to sewing to paper craft to making scented play dough?  Just wanted to drop in and remind you about my Spring Variations project set I put together last year.  It contains several projects perfect for whipping up a little something last minute but handmade for Easter--as well as other projects that would be just peachy for May Day or other spring-y events.  All the projects you see in the first photo are contained in this project set--so, yes, if you like my funny bunnies made from recycled sweaters, or those scented jelly bean bags--this project set contains the patterns and instructions for making both of those (and lots more).  You can find the project set here, in my Etsy shop. 

In My Shop: Funny Bunnies

3 lovely cashmere funny bunnies, all awaiting adoption into good families who will not judge them for being ear-challenged.  Did I mention they are made almost entirely with recycled materials?

You can find them here, in my little Etsy shop.

In My Shop: Jelly Bean Bags & Vintage Button Barrettes

Check it out, baby: more stuff in my shop.  A few sets of jelly-bean-scented jelly bean bags, done up all tidy in an appliqued draw-string bag, and some new Cute as a Button barrette sets (made with all vintage buttons).  Have a look--but, really, only if you care.  

In My Shop: Mooshy Belly Bunnies

There are a rainbow array of little mooshy belly bunnies in my shop.  These bunnies are made from recycled stripey t-shirts.  They also have sweet mooshy bellies--no, not morbidly mooshy--just mooshy enough that they make for good cuddling, but can still fit easily into an easter basket.  Find them hopping around here.  

(Psssst: want some mooshiness you can make all on your own?  Head on over this way and find my FREE mooshy bunny tutorial...)

In My Shop: Plush Alphabet Magnet Set

It only took a couple of years, but I have finally made some more of my plush alphabet magnet sets.  All the letters of the alphabet done up in a lovely rainbow array of colors, just waiting to be stuck to the door of your fridge, lined up into simple but popular pre-school words, like "cat", "dog" or "superman."  

If you have a hankering for some colorful but soft A-Z, you can find them in my Etsy shop, right here.

And if you have the motivation, inspiration and a sewing machine, you can always make your own with my plush alphabet tutorial, right here (just in case you never noticed it there before).

In My Shop: Nature Explorer Bag and Child's Sewing Kit

I have just put my one and only Nature Explorer Bag, fully outfitted with explorer supplies, as well as my one and only Child's Sewing Kit--also fully tricked out with all manner of sewing supplies--in my Etsy shop.  You can find the Explorer Bag here, and the Sewing Kit here.

Of course, if you have the time and inclination, you could make your own of either of these--check out the tutorials for them over here.  

In My Shop: Counting Bean Bags and Recycled Crayons

 There are a few sets of counting bean bags plus some bags of recycled crayons in various guises in my shop .  Find the bean bags here and the crayons here.  What are you waiting for?  Go.  Quickly, before they are all gone forever and ever. 

(...and I hope you are having a lovely thanksgiving weekend too...)

In My Shop: Stuff For Babies--and a Story about Sleepy Bears

I have a fresh out-of-the-oven batch of Babies on a Stick.  No, they do not contain actual babies--just rattles--so if you work for child protective services you can relax already.  You can buy one for yourself here.

  I also cooked up a few Chow Bebe bibs which are made with 100% recycled towels on the backsides.  You can buy those right here.  

I whipped up a side of Sleepy Bears  too.  These are one of my favorite newer designs--made from organic all cotton fleece it has a lovely dreamy feel perfect for snuggling.  I happen to especially love this design because it was inspired by a plushie I had as a child--actually, it belonged to my older brother first and then it became part of my plushie menagerie later on.  We always called him Sleeper.

  Last year I unearthed him in my childhood toy chest and was just charmed by his sweetness (and look how threadbare he is--those are patches of love).  His fur is a little curly and very soft--which inspired me to start with that organic cotton fleece when I began to cook up some of my own Sleeper designs.  It took several iterations before I finally settled on the design you see here.   While they are different, they are both simple, sweet and perfectly sized for cuddling by a child.  I can only hope my Sleepy Bears will be as cherished as Sleeper was by my brother and me.  (by the way, Sleeper has since reverted to living with my big brother, where he sleeps next to his bed--or so my brother's wife reports...just goes to show that love for a plushie can be eternal)

You can get your own Sleepy Bear here.

In My Shop: Stripey iPod Monster Cozies

A dozen stripey iPod monster cozies are in my shop.  Yep, right now.  I think they might be having a party, in fact.  That's what happens when you leave them alone together--mischief, kool-aid keg stands, hysterical giggling, finger biting--oh, and gobbling up iPods (iPhones, iPods--they aren't picky--although the littlest one does have a taste for the Nano).  Actually, iPod gobbling is sort of their job (when not moonlighting as models for Kathreen's Crafternoon book series).  If asked, they would probably tell you they were made of burrs, dirt and moldy fur--but really, it's just recycled wool sweaters that have been felted.  Go have a look at them if you must.  You can find them all here.

In My Shop: Cute as a Button Barrettes and Hairpins

I just made a whole buttload of my Cute as a Button hairpins and barrette sets.  That's right--a buttload (okay, 11 sets if you need to get exacting about what precisely amounts to a buttload).  They are all made with vintage buttons (which I suppose is why I made so many--I could sort through and play with my collection of vintage buttons endlessly--and incidently, I also used to do this with my mom's tin of buttons when I was a wee lass--and have since caught Beeper doing it with my tins of buttons--clearly, a genetic thing...).  If you want some for yourself--find them in my Etsy shop, here.