who rocks the house? the owls rock the house

please welcome our new addition, the cuter than pie sweet little baby owl tote!

measuring 16" x 12", this bag can hold a lot of feathers! there are six complementary pockets (three outside and three in)...one with a zip. the fabric is cotton dobby so it has great texture and stability. it was so much fun to work with that i didn't know when to stop. the consequence is an adorable snap pouch that can nest comfortably in any pocket it choses.

this bag is not available for sale. it was a special order made especially for someone very special. everyone can be special! email me with your custom design inquiries.

thischickadee@gmail.com

profile: dandelion blu!

this is second in a series of profiles of the artisans that will be at the holiday trunk show december 9th in baltimore.

dandelion blu has achieved great success in a short period of time. most recently, her jewelry design has been recognized by representatives from the american craft council and american craft magazine! (click here to see the article) she is the brains behind this event and the creative genius behind these beautiful pieces of flair:

honestly, this is some beautiful stuff. it looks great in the photographs but you should come see it in person. dandelion blu has some of the most unique and creative jewelry design out there. check out her blog for news from the world of indie crafts or shop for one of a kind creations at her etsy store.

who? who?

what? what are you working on today? you ask... well, take a look.

one day soon these little owls will be nesting under someone's arm...

fantastic fall tote!

all of the squirrels rejoice as autumn decides to stick around a little longer this year! happily, there has been a transition to winter and we've been able to soak up the autumnal hues just a little while longer. this tote is a celebration of those colors and the crisp feeling of fall. squirrels and humans alike have plenty of room for their stash in this comfortable 14" x 12" parcel, decked out inside with three complementary pockets and a special mini-pouch for treasures picked up along the path.

check out the pouch in action. this one has a specially designed closure.

get up close and personal at the holiday trunk show december 9th!

profile: cara ober!

this is the first in a series of profiles of the artisans that will be at the holiday trunk show december 9th in baltimore.

cara ober is my friend from grade one. this is enough success for most people, but cara has also distinguished herself in the art world. she's an amazing painter who exhibits her work to great acclaim all over the country. you can check out what she is up to by visiting her eponymously named blog, caraober.blogspot.com. even though she is world wide live, she manages to keep it real in her city of residence -- baltimore, maryland. there, cara shares her knowledge in the classrooms of several local colleges and keeps inquiring minds in the know about the charm city art scene with her second blog-baby, bmore art. and if all of this isn't enough, cara is co-curator (along with dana reifler) of the new baltimore art gallery paperwork.

you can check out her works on paper at the trunk show december 9th. here's a teaser:

green bay baby

my cousin sarah writes a blog called bringing up baby bilingual, a site she started to share the experience of teaching her one year old nephew to speak french. she's also expecting her own bilingual-to-be bundle of joy in january. her mother and my father hail from the great state of wisconsin. (her parents live in green bay, about five solid baseball throws from lambeau field) that makes us and any of our progeny packer fans. to welcome her baby boy, her petite croissant, i knit some packer pride into this ensemble.

clockwise from top left:

• baby blanket knit with sierra quattro yarn (find it @ helloknitty)
• detail of blanket
• bucky bundles up in hat and bib atop blanket
• hat and bib set

fabric friends

sometimes you happen upon a fabric that sings to you a sweet little song. such is the case with this darling cut of cotton delight.

i've had this for such a long time and have been hesitant to make the slightest snip because i like it so much. i couldn't think of a project worthy of its greatness. but to everything there is a season...and when these autumnal hues met a corresponding stripe, well, turn turn turn went the wheels in my head.

stay tuned to find out what happens next!

vive la difference!

happy thanksgiving
eat your veggies

lovely little librarian

i harbor dreams of one day becoming a librarian. until then, i content myself with lazy visits to the local library, emptying and refilling my tote with glee. this pretty baby would be a great companion for a romp through the dewey decimal system. she's 12" x 14" which means that there is ample room for everything from fiction to non, periodicals to photocopies. pockets on the front mean that writing utensils are always well organized and easy to find. and there is a special treat! a 5" x 6" wallet to hold your library card and reading list that can nestle in the front pocket or reside around your wrist.

check her out at the trunk show december 9th.

secret agent tote

mild mannered and outwardly unassuming, this tote harbors a special surprise...

a row of pockets on the outside provide plenty of options to stash your goodies. the larger, middle pocket is sealed with a kiss of velcro. in between it and the twin side pockets lie matching skinny pockets in a contrast fabric. these pockets are perfect for pens and pencils or knitting needles and crochet hooks, whatever strikes your fancy. the interior is lined with the same contrast fabric and the 13" x 17" proportions make for a roomy carriage. the surprise is the attached 5" x 5" wallet that is equally at home floating about the interior or resting in the central pocket.

it is no secret that you can meet this secret agent at the trunk show december 9th!

orpheus album tote

this 14" x 15" beauty is named after orpheus records in arlington (not club orpheus you baltimore rave kids). it is the perfect size to transport your albums around town and boasts four pockets to hold your smaller bits. this tote is reversible to suit your mood or better match your outfit. contrast stitching, reinforced handles, and velcro closures are just some of the on-board features that will get you one step closer to being the coolest kid on the block.

the orpheus is available for purchase and will be appearing at the trunk show in baltimore december 9th!

pencil it in!

(don't worry, i will remind about this festival as the date approaches)

along with fantastic wares from fabulous vendors, there will be snacks and spirits to get you in the holiday mood. between now and december 9th, i'll be creating and posting new items that will be available at the show. i will also preview the work of the other artisans.

bring some friends! tell your acquaintances! inform family members! communicate with your community! we look forward to seeing you there.

back from gramma's ... back to work

my gramma's house is one of my favorite places in the world. it is full of magic and memories...and so much inspiration. every room is a showcase for her handmade treasures. even the closets overflow with the beautiful things that she has made. at 91, she is still creating (and impossible to keep up with).

shhh...the camera is sleeping

as predicted, today we are back to seasonally appropriate weather. thanks to the plummeting temperature productivity is up! unfortunately, the camera is down for the count. the battery is all tuckered out. it is recharging now and preparing for a trip to western pennsylvania where, 24 hours from now, i'll be relaxing at my gramma's with a cold iron city.

enjoy the weekend and check back on monday for a look at some new bags. to quell some of the anticipation and excitement, here is an action shot from earlier today:

it's a beautiful day in the neighborhood

it is 66 degrees and sometimes sunny on this delightful mid-november afternoon. as a consequence, there is a work stoppage in effect at chickadee central. we expect this to continue until the weather returns to its usual pattern of cold, rain, and general unpleasantness...which will probably be a little bit later on in the evening, definitely tomorrow.

tonight!

action shot! (13 november 2007)

a new bag coming soon...

getting down to business

as much as i try to ignore them, there are business matters to attend to here at this chickadee's global headquarters. this place is over-run with fabrics, yarns, needles and threads but a bit light on the brass tacks. thankfully, the supply closet did include some blank business card templates. with a little creative manipulation of microsoft works and ms paint, i managed to coax these babies out of the old dot-matrix.

two designs, tons of color combinations, hours of copy/paste enjoyment

patchwork placemats: take 2

fresh from the sewing machine, here's a look at the latest placemat line-up.

like their friends in the previous set, these 12" x 16" lovelies are backed with denim and ready for a dining table near you!