inspiration / aspiration

today marks a creative milestone for friend and fellow blogger, tina seamonster. this is her five year blog-iversary. five years of filling the web with her wise writings and super cool craft. that makes her a standout on the scene, a brave pioneer in the burgeoning world of handmade. people like teasea, who decided to boldly go where no crafter had gone before, opened up a world of opportunities on the world wide web and beyond. now there are so many resources for fledgling crafters it can almost be overwhelming.

here's how she commemorated the day, with a fitting post that harkens back to her humble beginnings:

this chickadee is quickly coming up on the one year mark as a blogger and participant in the handmade movement. that short time period has brought with it many changes, challenges and encouraging signs. many thanks to those, like tina seamonster, who lead the way and leave the footprints for others to follow. seamonsters have pretty big footprints. who knew that they even had feet?

loco lunes!

as promised, here's the piece that takes the cake...the teacake that is.

another million dollar find for less than $5, as monday was some super special (loco lunes!) where housewares were 75% off! most other items could be had for a healthy 25% discount. the little short and stout teapot spells out its name quite plain, with the "a" acting as the handle. same goes for the handle on the cups. they say "tea" and "cup" depending on the hand that you prefer to sip your boiled leaves with. who wants to come over for a cuppa?

reunited and it feels so good

bernie is back and better than ever! lint free and lubed up, she's ready to flex her presser foot and zig-zag her way through a colossal column of cottons. time to get prepping for the handmade arcade in november. if there's a chance, bernie might also be digging her feed dogs into a few special projects. but where oh where to begin? maybe amid this monstrous mountain amassed on the road home from the sewing machine hospital.

be sure to stay tuned, as the best find of the day is yet to come. the pic of the pick of the litter will post as soon as the lovely autumn light cooperates with the camera lens.

solo flight

saturday the 11th was the final ballston arts + craft market of the year! the first show of the 2008 season was a rainy day in may...the last, a bright and brisk october afternoon. for the very first time, this chickadee set up shop all alone as craft partner and (almost) constant companion dandelion blu was off celebrating her anniversary. it was hard to imagine the space and the day without her. but with the help of lovely neighbors, a special seamonster and shoppers it flew by and was a most delightful way to spend a saturday.




many thanks to kristina bilonick, the awesome organizer of this year's ballston arts + craft market. kristina is stepping down as market mama to pursue some other fantastic opportunities. she'll definitely be missed on the square but she's sure to be seen around on the scene.

sea of squares

oh boy! you know what baby births mean around here, a chance to whip up something special for the special delivery. friends of the chickadee (identity withheld for secret prezzie purposes) have just welcomed a beautiful bundle of joy. the perfect opportunity to put those crochet skills to the test and come up with something cuddly for the cutie-pie. this pattern from lion brand seemed just right.

photo courtesy of lion brand. click the pic for the pattern.

it calls for a yarn from their organic line, nature's choice, which has a soft, pillow-like loft and touchable texture. wouldn't this just be what the blanket doctor ordered for an adorable little infant? doesn't it look like a breeze to whip up? that was the initial thought until the crochet commenced. after getting through one full skein and tying together about thirty squares, it became clear that this might be a tall order to complete in a timely fashion for the tiny tot. count 'em up, that's 143 squares up there!

so it looks like this chickadee will be swimming in a sea of squares for quite some time. at least it is a lovely, tranquil blue sea that's a great place for a nap.

pardon me

this chickadee is off on a field trip today. so here's a little treat to entertain and amuse:

from the sassy gals of mason-dixon knitting

new label!

check them out:

three rivers, one chickadee

the vendor list is up for handmade arcade in pittsburgh! looks like there will be something for everyone at the hunt armory in november. see for yourself by browsing through the vendor gallery on the handmade arcade website and then visit their flickr page for some more shots of handmade goodness. this chickadee will be there with pal dandelion blu and several members of the b.e.s.t. group from baltimore (click here for a look at that group or visit their webpage).

and while we're talking craft shows, don't forget about the last ballston arts + craft market of the season, this saturday october 11th!

fantastic friday finds

after dropping bernie off for her week in rehab, this chickadee took advantage of being in the 'burbs and hit a few thrift spots. the results of the rummage were great and should yield some super projects in the near future. good thing that bernie is getting a once over, she's going to need to break out of the gates and go for the gold in the very near future. here's the haul:

bye bye bernie

time to take advantage of a break in the action to get bernie the beautiful bernette 65 in for preventative maintenance. a quick check-up to ensure that all of her screws are tightened and her moving parts are in order for the tough times ahead. the holiday season is on the horizon and bernie will need to be in tip-top shape to tackle all that this chickadee has planned.

friends bid adieu to bernie

before she packed up this morning, there was just enough time to put the finishing touches on a pair of prezzies. you might remember the paisley pincushion's scalloped apron pattern from a previous post. here it is again, whipped up in contrasting calico cottons.

until we meet again, bernie my friend. and chin up, old girl. you'll be back faster than you can say "bobbin." good thing you aren't afraid of needles...