Ms Exile in Paradise

What, Exactly, is Plan B....?

2012-02-06T07:47:00.000-08:00

For those of you who live in the States, land of inummerable choices, sometimes so many that it gets confusing, this story may not have much traction..but once again, an American corporation has bought up a Canadian chain of stores and, rather than continuing the brand, is imposing theirs on us..
The stores where I consistently bought my yarn (most of it) were much further away now that I moved to the Island I live on, but, at least, there were two within an hour of where I am...
They will be replaced by Target stores, and Targets do not sell yarn.
I find this beyond depressing, since it is getting increasingly expensive to create hats and sell them and still make a bit of money..now my best source for affordable but still good quality yarn is drying up...
True, there are 'boutique' yarn stores not too far away, but they are much more expensive, and have less variety..
The "Michael's" that are here (but far away) have very little yarn, and I won't shop at MalWart under any circumstances...what is a girl to do?
I guess this is what is known as progress...

Some Newer Baby and Toddler Hats

2012-01-16T15:42:00.000-08:00

Here are some of my latest "kids' lids" to be sold in my new Etsy shop..trying to upload a few every day until I have as many as possible listed...of course, I always seem to sell them at my Saturday Market when listed, but since I will only go to my Market about twice a month until mid-March, they will hopefully be available for online purchase for a little while longer.
Cheers!

ArtFire Cash Grab Exposed...and Dealt With...

2012-01-12T10:01:00.000-08:00

This is a somewhat cleaned-up version of a comment I posted on PussDaddy's blog, discussing the recent negative billing scam at ArtFire, and my subsequent departure from that site..
For those of my readers who are still ArtFire buyers or sellers, it is extremely important to keep yourself informed through the Fora there..otherwise you get these nasty little surprises dropped on you, complete with raging AF hags who swear at you and insult you for having an opinion..all anonymous,of course, so their is no payback for them.
Consequently I am now back at Etsy under the name hatwitch...although my banner still says mizdarlin, my shop url is hatwitch.etsy.com. or something.
Information passed on to those who need it...

..I was choked to learn about this little ArtFire scheme in ETSY Forums, that's right, knew nothing until there was a discussion posted in Etsy about it, which I recently rejoined..
Went over to the AF fora, was ignored, so decided not worth $6 a month for NO SALES..as bad as it got on the big E, it was nevah that bad..funny, too, 'cuz that was the first time I went to the Etsy Forums since I rejoined..talk about pertinent info...what angered the most was the fact that it was gonna be a negatively applied charge..that is, if you were a so-called Pro at a fixed rate and didn't want to pay for the add-on cash grab (for that is what it is) there would be a message appearing to buyers telling them that they had to trust you to do the right thing, that you weren't part of the Ass-surance program..what kind of happy horseshit is that?
Did Tony in his infinite wisdom think that the implied threat would motivate his sellers to pay "protection" money in the form of this surcharge..Think Again!
So, now an AF refugee, and have to say, a happy one..I can 'not sell' anything on Etsy for alot less money than on AF...and it definitely has more viewers.

Is it Just Me?

2012-01-06T13:03:00.000-08:00

I feel antsy, as if waiting for something to happen that is overdue, but can't imagine what that could be..
I have been decidedly un-creative until very recently, when I got a custom order from an old acquaintance out of the blue..nice.
The so-called "holidays" always makes me a bit grumpy, and melancholy, although have to say that in some respects I love Christmas..just not the incessant, badly played seasonal music, or the terrible pressure to feel as if you were the perfect guest, host, or present-giver, always ecstatic with everything..I mean, come on, I'm sure there is a reason that the family dysfunction jokes are so prevalent at this time of year..
My earliest memories of childhood are oddly ambiguous..in the mid-to-late 50's, huge family get-togethers in a hot steamy house (in Southern California, it's never really Winter) and my poor harassed stepmother pushing her wavy bangs back from her forehead, while trying to get a massive feast together, with little or no help.
My father, and all the other men, hanging around in the living room, crowding the big sofa, watching the tube or yakking loudly, laughing often, and intimidating us kids into staying in our rooms until suppertime.
Daddy and I were the only ones who liked dark meat, so he got the legs and I got half of a thigh..between the dressing, gravy, and cranberry sauce (the berry-in kind, although we always had both) I would stuff myself senseless..always somehow squeezing in a slice of pumpkin pie, addicted as I was to it (still am..)
When you come from a divorced situation, you are sometimes "in luck" at Christmastime..both sides generally feel like they have to compensate in some way..and with 4 sets of grandparents in some cases, the presents can flow..but as the Rolling Stones once sang: "..you were over-spoiled with a thousand toys but still you cried all night.."
I did not know then why all of it was too much, but it was..lots of expectations put on the little people to be ecstatically happy and grateful, no matter what..it was good manners..
This Christmas, in my new place, I had no tree for the first time in years, and turned down an offer to attend Christmas dinner with my new, sweet, well-meaning landlord. Or to come up for a drink afterwards. This time of year is too fraught with memories to feel like a third thumb at
someone else's celebration..
If you decide in kindness to offer hospitality to someone you know will be alone next season and they turn you down, please understand that it isn't you...

Just Stopped By....

2011-12-20T16:55:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd drop in to wish anyone still soldiering on a very Happy Holiday season..
stay warm, stay friendly, and eat and drink your little faces off, because that is what all this great food and drink is for, to enjoy while we can...
I'm doing my last outdoor market of the year on Christmas Eve..can you believe it? But they are predicting very mild-ish weather (for the end of December) and who knows..there might still be some procrastinators out there desperate for a gorgeous homemade hat or scarf, right?
At any rate, being single, it sure beats staying at home and playing on the 'puter...
See you all next year, with a brave new world and a better attitude, hopefully...

See Ya..

2011-10-03T13:24:00.000-07:00

I am going to give up blogging for awhile, if not permanently, for several reasons..
The first is that I'm really busy with making stuff for my online shops and my weekly market..don't know why I bother with the online, they sure don't sell there, whereas I sell hats every weekend here on my little Island..weird, that..
The second reason is that I feel as though I'm wasting my time..In two years the same three or four people have done what little commenting has been done on my site, and not much, at that. Don't get me wrong, I've "met" some nice folks and had some good emails back and forth with a few, but when you write and you get just a few readers and virtually no comments in many of my posts, it seems rather unfulfilling to continue.
The only time I ever have more than one or two comments (or none) is when I've had giveaways..to be expected I guess, but it is rather disappointing, all the same.
I'll miss certain folks (and you know who you are) but right now I just feel like I'm (proverbially) spittin' in the wind...

Everybody Wants What Won't Work For Them..Even Me (Inspired By Bunny)

2011-09-19T13:09:00.000-07:00

The Fall Market at Duncan (my weekly Saturday Farmers' and Crafters' Market that is) is in full force, and I've put the jewelry away until Spring, concentrating strictly on hats and scarves, in keeping with the weather..
A woman came rushing into my booth, first thing, and told me that she had been searching for me, since I wasn't in the spot I was last time (they move me around all the time) and that she was surprised I was there, because it was 'raining' (just spittin' a little, I don't come if it's heavy rain) and immediately bought a hat for her baby son who she said had a huge head, although I told her it would probably be too small.
She came back, son and 11 year old daughter in tow, and told me, sure enough, the hat was too small, didn't ask if she could exchange it, assumed she could (of course she could, still, would have been nice to have been asked) and then fussed over everything else that did fit him, finally settling on something, and trying a bunch of hats on her daughter who really wanted a bunny hat (didn't have one her size) while Mom thought she should be getting into something less childish...
I wondered at that, is 11 now considered no longer to be a year in childhood? So many parents complaining about their children growing up too fast, but what do I know?
All kinds of teenage females love animal hats, it's a 'thing' and has been trendy for a few years..I tried to explain this to Mom, who finally let her daughter settle on an adult sized bear hat, which I can't keep in stock..
Then Mom turned to me and said that she had no more money, and told her daughter that if I still had the hat next week, she'd get it then..
I have a feeling that this Mom will be returning to my booth next week, and have her son's exchanged hat in tow, because it won't be "quite right".
Well it sure beats the other little girl, her Grandma distracted in the booth next to mine, who was carefully picking her nose, scrutinizing it, then trying to grab my hats....
But then, these are the joys of selling what you make, yourself.
I don't mind, really, it's sort of part of the entertainment to explain their children to these often bewildered parents, and I'm childless...
As I was packing up to leave, two (count 'em, two) young dads came by, seperately, just a few moments apart, looking at the hats, picking up everything sort of randomly, saying nothing, and finally I asked "What gender and how old?" They were each so relieved, I pointed them in the right direction and within two minutes both had bought a hat, almost grateful that I hadn't needed an explanation beyond my two questions..I love it when men shop my booth, they don't waste a lot of time second-guessing themselves and just want to get the right 'something,' pay, and get out as quickly as possible..
I had another Mom come in with three little girls in tow, first one tried on a hat, after asking politely if it was okay (that almost never happens, especially with kids) and then the second daughter wanted to try one on too, so I picked one that would fit her, and the baby, one of the most beautiful, sweet little girls I've ever seen, about two years old, was tugging on her Mom's skirt and looking at me beseechingly, saying nothing, so I asked Mom if I could put a hat on the little one, I did and showed her what she looked like in a mirror, she gave me the greatest smile, took off the hat, handed it to me, and as they left each one said "thank you" unbidden by Mom...No purchases, didn't care....
And, not for the first time, I realized that these lovely, polite, well-mannered children would have been a great asset in my life.

Random Thopughts, Burps, and Lamentations for Autumn..

2011-09-13T12:26:00.000-07:00

Can't help but notice that I am close to the oldest person I blog with...in the sense of who reads my blogs and responds, and those whom I read.
I used to be the youngest person around, but my height and looks made folks assume I was much older, so I teneded to get away with a lot of things, that, in retrospect, may have done me not much good. But I wouldn't have it any other way; our experiences, good and bad, make us who we are...
Thinking about a blog I always read - and my friend was writing, as she has before, about the shock and sadness inherent in Empty Nest Syndrome..As a childless person who had to pretty much run away from home to escape my 'family', I find it oddly reassuring that there are parents out there who care in a positive, and not a possessive way, that their nestlings are flapping their wings and ready to fly, perhaps not completely away, but further afield.
As Autumn comes sauntering along, I often take stock of what I'm up to and where I seem to be going...the Canadian economy certainly hasn't suffered the same way the Yanks' has, yet it affects us in things like food prices and a lack of tourism numbers like the past years, which, of course, directly affects my weekly Market business.
At the same time, Autumn means that folks will start seriously considering keeping warm in the future months, not to mention holiday prezzies, so, it seems to balance out.
Just because I spent an exhausting, frustrating morning trying to photograph all the new stuff I've been making for the upcoming season, I am going to inflict on my reading public pictures of hats and scarves I haven't even listed...this will motivate me to get them listed, in case someone actually likes something I've made enough to buy it...
Enjoy this beautifully-coloured transition period, before Winter sets in with any seriousness..kick a few piles of leaves and think of me...

ComeNGetsy for Christmas? Please Pass the Crow...

2011-08-23T11:47:00.000-07:00

I know, yes, yes, after all my whining and complaining, I really am considering going to Etsy again, at least for the next four months...
I have been on ArtFire now for almost a year, paying a very low monthly fee ($5.95) but haven't made a sale since last November...
I realize that the bulk of my items are seasonal (although they seem to sell in the summer as well as in the winter at my weekly Markets).
Still I can always remember, despite my annoyance with much of Etsy's methodology, that I always sold more there than at ArtFire, and with Christmas coming, why not list for four months and see what comes of it?
I have been getting into pointless discussions with other AF sellers in their Forums about the lack of sales...always, two kinds of posters, (me and everyone there who is a cheerleader for AF) but I realize it's a waste of time..
I refuse to Tweet, I can't even figure out how to create a working Facebook kiosk, much less waste my time fruitlessly trying to promote my site, when I need to be making the stuff to sell on my site.
So will probably go back there at least for the Fall and pre-holiday season..may I have some mayo and relish with that crow, please?

Although It's Far Too Warm...

2011-08-13T08:51:00.000-07:00

Although it's far too warm for this summer vampire (I hate hot weather, don't really wake up till late afternoon, do very little outdoor selling, etc.) it is time to start thinking about Christmas Markets..
I know, I know, you'd rather have root canal than think about the 'holiday' right now, but for those of us who attempt to add to our ltttle nest egg through making and selling stuff, the time has come, as the walrus said, to speak of many things...
A friend and I have been busy plotting our strategies together (somewhat)..we'll be doing two fairs on the Island, not 'together' but at the same time, and I also, of course, will be at the Duncan Farmer's Market every Saturday that our rainy weather permits. I've signed up for two pretty major fairs (at least in these parts, they're major)..one called Christmas Chaos, also in the city of Duncan, but a biggie on the Central Island, and another in the suburban area near our capital city, Victoria, also a biggie, located at the Saanich Fairgrounds, on that little penninsula of land to the South.
Many markets in this area are completely ridiculous regarding costs..several are between $700-$1,000 and things here economically aren't much better than anywhere else..yet they do get vendors, who apparently make great swathes of cash..
I disapprove, and won't participate, not only for obvious reasons (I'd need a big bank loan to finace such an expensive three days) but also because these fairs charge admission...I personally, don't get it - why pay money to spend money? Guess that's just me....
So, we'll see you (or not) at Christmas Chaos, Nov 12th & 13th, or at the Saanich Fairground on Nov. 26th and 27th...
Or, of course, any given Saturday, at the Duncan Farmer's Market...from this September to mid-December..
And to all a good-night....

Chemainus Artisans in the Dark...er...Park

2011-08-01T09:37:00.000-07:00

Had a spot at the "Artisans in the Park", an annual Chemainus 'event' that saw a total of 16, instead of about 60 artisans show up, and not many more folks to come by and view, and hopefully, buy...
As per many events these days, it was a disappointment regarding sales figures, but as always, there were enough bright spots to make it worthwhile..
In the photos below I encountered very talented people who had something unique to offer..and please forgive the photos, it's very difficult to take them in the bright sun, and with most vendors trying to hide themselves away in the shade...
The photographer, Tony, is also an accomplished carpenter, and agreed to build some display shelves for me..he actually understood what I wanted, something that hasn't happened in discussions with other carpenters..
There was a wonderful First Nations carver, proudly holding up a piece he was still working on, and selling the pieces on the table in front of him, beautiful examples of local British Columbia traditional work.
These amazing metal sculptures on view were, in my mind, the best stuff at the show, with recycled bits of silverware, old tea party and flower-arranging silverplate, copper, and otherwise, remanufactured into amazing fantasy creatures worthy of any sculptor..wish I had done better, would have probably succumbed and bought a piece from the seller...just wonderful!
Also the first time in many years that I also showed my paintings..and I got a good response to all my work, which is always gratifying..
As always, met some nice people and who knows what the future holds?

Some Jewelry

2011-07-26T12:15:00.000-07:00

I went on a wild spending spree (for me, that is) and bought a bunch of new beads..here's some of my newer jewelry items.
I have a real love for skulls - probably because I grew up in Los Angeles and was exposed from a very early age to decorative skeletons and such for Day of the Dead and Cinco de Mayo - Mexican holidays that seemed to blend Catholicism and native belefs into a potpurri of interesting and colourful images.
I also love turquoise- the colour, that is..always have...
I think that also must be a leftover of Southern California..lots of swimming pools in my past life.
Enjoy!

Home is the Sailor, Home From the Sea...

2011-07-19T15:24:00.000-07:00

Don't know if anyone has noticed, but I have a real penchant for being near or on the water- preferably salt water, but fresh will do..
I decided to play with this idea a bit in my children's hats, and have made a few that live under, or spend a good deal of their time in, water...and thought I'd share'em as a group with you...enjoy!
I present an octopus, a blackfish (local name for an orca, or killer whale, who is really a dophin) and a starfish..and for those of you who, like me, love traveling on land and sea, a little duckie, complete with a ducktail!

The Big One! Chemainus Annual Street Market!!

2011-07-05T12:33:00.000-07:00

There is just a slight bit of irony in that title, because this is such a four horse little town (that's right, there are four (count 'em) horses downtown (all three blocks of it) pulling tourists around in wagons; I'm breathless with their laziness, but guess most of them don't know where to go anyhow..
And, every year in the brutal heat, Chemainus rents out 10X10 spaces up and down the main drag and people come from miles around to shop it and sell there...kind of like that giant 3 State one in the US, but much smaller..much, much smaller..
Still, everyone says it's a great sale, so looking forward to it..instead of having a yard or garage sale I'll share a space with a friend and get rid of a bunch of stuff...
Have to make room for more stuff, right?

Twitter? Twaddle!!!

2011-06-29T10:15:00.000-07:00

Tthere is nothing like Googling our names, or business name(s) to find out just how bizarre the online world can really be...
Apparently, I have a Twitter account with ten followers..no tweets as yet, which isn't terribly surprising since I do not now, nor have ever had, a cell phone, never mind a twitter account..what's going on?
Tried to find some way to get 'into' the twitter site to inform then that in fact I was not a participant in this silliness, and didn't want to have my name(s) attached to an account that was not mine..there is no account at all, and never has been...
Auuuuugggghhhh!!! The parrot is well and truly dead!
If you want, or are masochistic enough to need, an exercise in futility, just try, I dare you, to contact Twitter without actually having a cell phone to Tweet them! It's impossible...
Now my business name domain (mizdarlin.com) is coprighted, and so is the Domain name itself, so find it beyond irritating that someone (?) can simply say I have this or that when in fact I do not..
But wait! Perhaps the fact that I have gone to sites like HuffPost where they have tweets as responses to news stories, and might possibly comment on the tweets, without realizing it...could that be it?
Wish I knew how to deal with this...someone could say they were me and post anything, and I would really, really hate that...
*Sigh*
Now what was I crocheting before being so rudely interupted....?

My Earring Give-Away Winner drumroll, please

2011-06-27T11:20:00.000-07:00

Okay, the PO will be back in business by the end of this week, so I decided to pick, and announce, the winner of my Earring Give-Away, to give that lucky person a chance to email me their details, and of course, the earrings they want..
Thanks to all of you who entered, and for your patience..of course, I know you were all just on pins and needles waiting for the time that I could announce our winner...
Well, Miz Bunny, it's you...for those of you who don't Follow her blog (it's funny and poignant and so 'normal' for an old hermitess (sp?) like me!) Here's a link:
http://bunnymissbrenner.blogspot.com/2011/06/im-offslightly.html
Bunny, contact me and let me know what you want and your particulars!
Cheers!♥

Waiting, Hopefully Not For Godot...

2011-06-20T11:37:00.000-07:00

I have been remiss in posting here, but that's because I'm waiting..
Waiting for the Post Office lockout to be over, waiting to be able to finally draw a name for my give-away, waiting to open up my online shop again on ArtFire...and waiting for a decent day selling at Farmer's Markets, just to have something to be happy, and blog-chatty, about.
Problem is, it's been dreary here for everyone, and the weather is matching up wih the economy in general.
No one I'm talking to who also vends at these Markets is doing well - seems like hard times are catching up with us, and, when you have a mostly seasonal range, it is doubly hard.
But, thankfully, babies are born in every season, no matter what the weather is doing, and they truly have been the only thing selling - not babies per se, baby hats - ...not in great numbers, but at least they are keeping the groceries in the cupboard..
So thought I'd share with you what I did yesterday, since I was a bit astonished at myself..the crochet hook went into overdrive, for some reason, and the pictures around this posting are what happened after that...
a new-style ladybug hat to replace another one I sold last Saturday, and an idea from a potential customer.
She is a photographer, and was asking if I could do cocoons..I never had, but they're just a step away from a really long slouchy tube, so I said sure...and she said she'd send some "examples" of what she is looking for. I'm really not interested in copying someone else's work, plus, she says she wants a really plain, basic brown..not the most interesting thing to make for this colour junkie..well, haven't heard from her (that's normal) but it got me thinking about cocoons..so I made this little pea-in-a-pod coccon and cap..it's really newborn-sized, and my 'model' is more like a 4-6 month old, but you get the idea..
What do you think?

Front Page of ArtFire? Why, Yes....

2011-06-16T09:47:00.000-07:00

Of course it's nice when a collection makes the FP on any site, but the irony here is that it's my first front page on ArtFire, and the Collection contains nothing of mine...
The funniest part about it (if you have a twisted sense of humour, and, yes, thanks, I definitely do) even if it had contained a piece from my studio, and someone, say, fell in love with it, wouldn't matter...our Post Office is locked out in a labour dispute *sigh*
I'll just have to accept the fact that it is nice to be acknowledged..apparently it's been FB'ed and Tweeted already *sigh*

The Giveaway...yes it is still on...

2011-06-11T18:48:00.000-07:00

If anyone new to my blog comes over due to the kindness of some of my fellow bloggers advertising it...there's a postal strike gong on here in Canada, so until it's over please feel free to enter the giveaway, by commenting, tweeting, FB'ing, Following, whatever, extra chances for anymire than simply commenting, although of course, that is fine too..
I'll let prospective winners know when the strike is over...and then I'll draw!
Thanks....

A Saga of Epic Disaster....

2011-06-03T08:35:00.000-07:00

Hello. dear Readers!
Last Wednesday was my first time at the Chemainus Street Market, and quite an experience was has by all..
Personally, had a literal river running through my booth, as an out-of-nowhere flash flood decided to leave us a deposit, a big one, and soaked customers went flying off back to tourist buses, every seller ran to their vehicles to grab the supposedly unnecessary canopy walls to protect their goods...and I sold absolutely nothing that day...
Despite the epic weather and lack of sales, I met some nice people and it's always interesting to start at a new location; gonna try not to let myself get too discouraged.
In the pics I've included, you can see the unique pottery of Pogie, a man with a lot of charm and blarney who is a retired art teacher..I think his things are like no one else's, and I'm a big fan of the original..
The Holdens were selling next to me at the last Saturday Duncan Market, and here they are at Chemainus, too, with their fragrant (but not overpoweringly so) milled soaps and lotions..very pretty, and very reasonable, and milled soap lasts forever..
Maggie..what can I say, in another, wealthier lifetime I would love for this woman to tailor-make my clothes for me. You should see the delight on peoples`faces when they first arrive at her booth..
I`ve saved Bill, (looking down to make sure I get the full effect of his printed apron,) standing amidst the colourful flowers and produce of Providence Farm..I`ve blogged about the Farm before. Last year, I did a Christmas Fair at their pretty chapel building, in the middle of acreage and horse paddocks..they are a wonderful organization..but trust Bill to not be looking into the camera..
Well, off to the Duncan Market tomorrow, better weather, and hopefully some sales..
Canada Post began rotating strikes at Midnight last night (Thursday) so the giveaway will have to wait...

Back in the Saddle, Again...

2011-05-30T08:21:00.000-07:00

Mostly unpacked, mostly moved in, naturally a few blips, like a bunch of disasters in picture-hanging for the living room, but eventually I'll redo it all...*sigh*
Tis the season for craft fairs, farmer's markets and street sales, etc. now that the good weather keeps pretending it's almost here to stay...
I actually got my plant material, manure dirt and etc. organized yeasterday...still a bit cold at night, so maybe will put plastic over my tomato plant in the hopes that it survives...don't know what is goin' on this year, but i know many others are going through weird weather too...and compared to tornadoes, flooding etc. a little bit of evening cold weather is hardly worth complaining about..not that that ever stops me..
I have registered for several different sales for the season, and will (hopefully, weather dependant) be selling two different farmer's markets..my "usual" one on Saturdays in Duncan, and one on Wednesdays here in Chemainus..
I am limited in what i can sell in Chemainus, so we'll see how many tourists want to buy crocheted hats in summer...you never know...
Just went looking for some online imagers of Chemainus Market that I could share with you...there are none that I could find, so I guess I'll be taking some myself in the coming weeks..
Wish me luck, online sales aren't exactly on fire either...
http://www.chemainus.bc.ca/news/wednesday-market/

Jusrt a quick note..the post office here may be going on strike, will know by the end of the first week or so in June..gonna hold off on the giveaway since I won't be able to send anything until it is resolved...stay tuned....

This sure isn't going well...

2011-05-20T12:21:00.000-07:00

I guess that a pair of earrings isn't eough of a draw for more than 4 people to enter my give-away..*sigh*..
Guess I'll give it a bit more time...

Almost 10,000 Pageviews..Just Another Give-Away

2011-05-14T12:41:00.000-07:00

Now for some of you with your thousands of Followers, this might seem to be not a big deal..I even had a couple of OCD types who clicked on this blog so often as to render my once-loved visitor's page redundant..guess they loved seeing 'their' clicks recorded as zillions of visits from the same city, but i knew it couldn't be valid, and it skewed the results, so sadly, I got shut of it..I kind of miss it, it was fun when someone from some exotic, faraway place, from New Caledonia to Nebraska, would have a new blip by their home..not quite the same as traveling, I know, but still, fun..
Milestones are just that, milestones, whatever they may represent..so guess it's time for another give-away..
Instead of a hat I was thinking that some custom earrings might not go amiss, since it is Spring, and thoughts of bejewelling ourselves once we stop covering up come to mind..
So, the winner of the give-away will be able to choose from any pair of earrings shown in my ArtFire studio, or alternatively, if you hate all of them, tell me what you'd like and I'll make you some...
Unlike many of the so called give-aways in blogland that are only limited to one's own area, I believe that the world is my oyster, therefore, anyone from any country anywhere on the planet can enter..
The usual stuff applies, I guess...one comment here equals an entry..and if you FB or Tweet, an additional entry - I'll have to trust you all on that, since I dont' do either, but I know that others find this concept
useful, so just let me know, and I'll give you another entry for each of those activities...
I'd appreciate anyone who wants to become a new Follower doing so, but if you are the lurking type, it isn't necessary..do a bit of 'lurking' myself at some blogs and websites..
That's it, have fun with it, and when I've passed the 11,000 mark on my country widget, I'll stop the contest..
The draw will be very scientific...little bits of paper with your names scratched on them, crunched up and put in a container of suitable size, then, one drawn out! Thanks in advance for entering....♥

Drudgemaster Chronicles...

2011-05-02T12:37:00.000-07:00

Well, I'm all moved in (but not, of course, all unpacked).
Just ran out the door for some staple groceries - parmesano reggiano, extra virgin olive oil (love that oxymoron) some Worchestershire Sauce (Wooster sauce) and something else i'm having trouble recalling...oh, yeah, coconut oil, in the 'creme' form, which I use to tart up my oatmeal, along with some bluebrries, once or twice a week for brekkie (helpful household hint-buy it at the grocery store instead of the 'health' food store- half the price, 'healthier' for yer budget, kids!)...and I also voted (Canadian Federal Election)....
So trying to fit a two-bedroom, crowded apartment into a much smaller one bed with a bit of a closet/den type space...being a bit of a hoarder, it has very recently come to my attention that I need to have a yard sale, and fast!
Glad to be here, though, and if any of you feel like it, Google "Chemainus, BC, Canada" and have a look at our main claim to fame...go ahead, it's painless and kinda cool..we have busloads of tourists driving through looking at 'em all the time..what, you say?
Aha! like I said, Google "Chemainus" and discover for yourself...
Meantime, while you are distracted with all that, I'll sneak away and try and create order out of the chaos that is my new home...wish me luck.

Oh, the humanity!! 'Tis Moving Day Approaching!

2011-04-26T07:19:00.001-07:00

Okay, everything will be ignored except moving until, oh, around May 5th or so..
Hope all is well with all of you- talk to you later!
Cheers...

Happy Easter Long Weekend To Everyone!

2011-04-22T12:39:00.000-07:00

My little stall-sign avi (above) in her Easter bonnet, is here to wish you all a great holiday time..lots ogf chocolate and lots of good weather to
(finally!) enjoy the Spring..

Has Spring Indeed Sprung?

2011-04-15T08:29:00.000-07:00

Yesterday while moving some stuff into my new place (just down the road apiece from my old place) it was cloudy and gray, but very cold, suddenly, and the wind really picked up, so, with an open-backed pickup truck ,decided that it was enough for today.
On the way home it started snowing and raining, that nice sleety stuff that we all dread..and I wondered, what is going on with the weather this year? Happened to glance up at the mountains, and sure enough, they all looked as if dusted with icing sugar..brrrr!!!
A fellow blogger in Omaha, Nebraska described the weather there-it was us, to a 'T'..hmmm...
And here I am, showcasing a new ArtFire Collection that celebrates one of my favourite fruits, the luscious and lovely strawberry, fabulously flavourful and healthy, too! As if it were already Summer, or something.
Well, enjoy the Collection and browsing my new strawberry jewelry- fell in love with these little charms and bought a bunch of them..more in my AF studio!
And, wherever you are, enjoy the weather at your place - at least for five minutes, until it changes completely, like here...

A Weird Day at the Market in the Square

2011-04-03T09:50:00.000-07:00

Granted, yesterday wasn't my first day back outside, maybe my third or fourth, but the weather was so strange that it seems the average shopper thought better of it and stayed home..
It started out gray and chilly, but here on the West Coast of Canada we dress for that, this time of year, and a very grim Spring made us wary of throwing on the shorts and sandals just yet...
Later it was cloudy, windy, with the odd peek of the sun, lasting maybe five minutes, maybe less..and then it got downright epic.
The fun started- hail, and plenty of it, impossible, in an open canopy, to dodge or protect against it..what had already been a not so great day, financially, got worse by the minute, as everything was soaked..remember, I sell crocheted stuff, and it sucks up moisture in the air like a thirsty sponge, and rain and hail don't help either..great for keeping you warm and mostly dry, but...
I am currently sitting here surrounded by hats, on every available surface, that had to dry out overnight..just one of the many joys and sorrows of outdoor selling.
Because I sell alone, I can't always wander around and see what's going on, but it was slow yesterday, so took a few pictures to bring to you so you can get a sense of the people who create things to sell..a bit too early for the farmers to be here with their vast bins of produce, but i will produce more images as the season progresses..happy creating!
The first image is a side view of my little booth, no point in boring you with details of that. The next is Danusia and her wild mushroom booth - we are kinda famous here for having a wide variety of wild and edible mushrooms on this Coast- and she picks, dries and sells these in a dizzying variety.. the next is a booth of the woman who makes beautiful dyed silk scarves..and if you look to the left, you can see, besides their smiling faces (Mum and daughter) little whales and some other toys- so cute!
On to the main stage, where musicians, some good, some loud, regale us at every Market Saturday..then the woodworker behind me, whose little 'stove' would have made my heart sing as a child..love his stuff..
More later, as the season and the variety progresses.

..I've Found a New Place to Dwell..

2011-04-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

Finally, I'm in packin' and leavin' mode..
Found a wonderful new place to live, on level ground so won't have so much trouble carrying stuff up and down stairs, walking the equivalent of a block with heavy laundry, and back and forth several times a day with my Market set-up on Saturdays...hooray!!
Now I need to stop all that second-handing, junking and garage-sailing for awhile and start planning one of my own..I probably have an entire roomful of stuff I could easily live without right now, and I have to figure out how to 'get tough' with myself..
May not be a TV reality show-worthy hoarder, but my 'stuff' increases exponentially with the amount of room I have, and since my new place, at least inside, is somewhat smaller, have to get rid of lots of great stuff...well, thought it was great stuff at the time!
Have to figure out what to do with all my crafting stuff in my new place..I could use one of those people who stop by and show you great ideas for storage- of course, it would have to be Oprah paying for it, too...
So all of you who blog about your wonderful finds at estate sales, flea markets, and yard and garage sales, too. spare a kind thought for me..I'll have to live vicariously through you until I'm settled in my new place..wonder if I will have to go through withdrawal symptoms... :(

Got Them Ol' Display Head Blues, Again...

2011-03-25T10:21:00.000-07:00

One of the joys and frustrations of attempting to sell your wares is trying to find a way of displaying them that isnt too acrylic-polished, or too boho...which is more what I'm like, but have to figure out how to appeal to a wide range of buyers, both online and in person at my weekly market..
Due to the lack of anything affordable, I'm currently using styrofoam heads that I papier mache over with tissue of various colours and patterns, and they look great..
When it comes to jewelry, though, things can be tougher..
My earring stands are old 'decor' type items that just happen to have areas to hang lots of earrings..they are both variations on the theme of birdcages, the tops lift so I can store the wee organza bags I use to sell or ship them in, and both have a bird on top as a finial, so don't have to feel guilty about using birdcages..I know, I know, so call me neurotic, can't stand the thought of locking up a bird in a cage...
No, my problem, so far, has been affordability in regards to two items...bracelet displays and a child's display head for hats..
I have a small ceramic head I use for pictures, but not only is it not entirely satisfactory as a model, but I can't bring it with me to the outdoor market..ceramic, doncha know..
I did search eBay this morning, and if I wanted to spend almost $500 I could have a lovely one..but I don't..
I tried 'cutting' down a woman's styrofoam head..an unmitigated disaster..
So now I am relegated to using a large styrofoam ball, papier-mached to an old candle holder as a child's hat display..still unfinished in the image above this..
If anyone out there in blogland knows where I could get an actual child's display head, preferably some sort of plastic or vinyl (shipping costs for plaster, cement, etc. are only for lottery winners) used is fine, even if it needs a bit of work..especially all you garage sailors or flea market afficianados..I surely would appreciate it!
Now I know they are out there, but where?

Check out my Sale Pieces...

2011-03-17T19:59:00.000-07:00

Here's my Collection of some of the hats and neckwarmers currently on sale in my ArtFire studio-the ones marked "Sale" are all going to be discounted by $5 each when purchased..just put "miz5" in the coupon or message area and I'll refund the $5 through Paypal..if you buy more than one item, just add X2 or whatever the number is, and you'll get a $5 refund for each item purchased.
Starting outside at my Farmer's Market this Saturday, and the discount applies there, too, so make sure and get your order in as soon as possible..

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS KIT - LIST OF BASICS

2011-03-12T17:13:00.000-08:00

Considering what has just happened in both New Zealand and Japan, thought I'd repost this (taken from another blog-I'll post it at the end if you want to read the whole thing) and hopefully give some of my readers the incentive, at the very least, to get a basic emergency kit together for you and your families..
It certainly seems more critical than ever, now, to be prepared..

Flashlight (crank or shake)
- Multitool with seatbelt cutter and window breaker
- Maps of your city, surrounding areas, state map
- Compass
- Flares
- Ice scraper
- Gas can
- Blankets and/or space blankets and/or lightweight sleeping bags
- Large container(s) of water or large pack of individual bottles
- Tool kit
- Shovel (small collapsible works)
- Backpack containing:
- Metal or Nalgene waterbottle
- Rope or paracord
- Duct tape
- Wet wipes/baby wipes
- Lightweight, high-energy food (tuna pouches, granola bars, trail mix, peanut butter)
- Teabags, instant coffee, Gatorade powder, etc.
- Hand sanitizer
- Chemical "hand warmers"
- Spare clothing (socks, underwear, a pair of sneakers if you wear dress shoes a lot)
- Fire-making tools (lighter, matches, magnesium block, etc.)
- Metal cup (for boiling water

http://www.artfire.com/users/nevermaille/blog/the-importance-of-preparedness

Outdoor Farmer's And Crafter's Market Re-Opening...

2011-03-08T19:42:00.000-08:00

Despite the fact that it's still chilly and the weather is, to put it generously, serendipitous in this stretch of the woods, my Saturday Market is reopening the Saturday after next, and I couldn't be happier..
I've decided to put a bunch of my older stock on sale (hats, scarves, etc.) so watch this blog in the coming days and I will start posting pictures and prices of sale items... these items will be on sale online as well as in person at the Market, same deal applies to prices that shipping to the US and Canada will be included in the sale price..
The pictures currently posted are not sale items, but just my newest creations..
I'll probably start marking down the hats online in the coming week, so after March 13th, you can check online and see if the one you coveted is on sale.
Custom work and regular prices will continue as well.

Being Creative in Bad Weather

2011-02-25T10:05:00.000-08:00

We were just gifted with a freak snowstorm lasting a couple of days and for dessert we were given an icy Arctic outflow that, although the skies are crystal clear now, lends a fierceness to the air you breathe...
About the only advantage to this sort of stuff is that I seem to get an awful lot done when I absolutely can't go anywhere..
Made lots of new jewelry and a couple of hats, which I'll show here, but the thing that I like the most was a little photo I took this morning during breakfast. It's a beautiful sunrise reflected in the next door neighbors' patio window.
I've often nticed this over breakfast, but most of the time I'm too sleepy to get up and get the camera..not today!
This shot was taken across my houseplants, who live on my dining room table..and it's kind of a neat effect to have the plants inside, taking a picture of a reflection outside, and all of it through glass, too.
My hanging art glass things are in there, too, and I'm quite pleased with the way it turned out..tell me what you think?

This ridiculous Weather...

2011-02-18T10:37:00.000-08:00

Forget everything you thought you knew for certain about Canadian weather...even if you live in Canada..this time of year, you need a scorecard!
Amidst dire warnings of snow (possibly) or heavy rain (probably) one cannot plan a darn thing more than two hours in advance..and, the weather reports are almost always wrong!
Every time I think it's the right sort of weather to give up on hats and scarves and start getting my jewelry supplies in, sure enough, Murphy's Law (poor ol' Murphy, scapegoat for the universe!)kicks in, and the weather goes into a deep chill...or not..worse than someone who changes their outfit twelve times, never happy with whatever they have on (..guilty!)
Today it was supposed to snow for awhile, and then rain..although it was a bit chilly this a.m., of course neither 'event' happened, and I can only hope, now, that it at least stays cool for a bit, so I don't have to dig out my Spring stuff, yet again, only to have to pack it up and put it away...
Not a huge bummer, when considering world events, I know..but it's my bummer, and I embrace it, fully.

I Wish Every Day Could Be Like Yesterday!

2011-02-14T09:45:00.000-08:00

After a remarkably unsuccessful day trying to sell old jewelry and whatnots at my local Flea Market, (where we probably had 40 'customers' come in during a horribly heavy rain day,) I was sore and exhausted on Sunday morning when I woke up...miserable in fact...
But something kicked in, and suddenly I started making things madly, and two bracelets and a necklace, one wild and crazy hat later, I sat back and thought, "Where did all that come from?"
I can remember that conventional wisdom in the last two centuries was that artists had to starve and be miserable to be creative, and if Van Gogh or Beethoven are any example, you could understand where such a theory came from...but was that it? Certainly no one looking at me would ever assume starvation...
Really, when happy and healthy, I want to go somewhere and find some social or artistic stimulation, often as an impetus for creative challenges, later; but maybe I've been going about it all wrong...perhaps aching misery and depression are truly the answer.
It's been theorized before that the baby boomer generation was the direct result of all the horror and death experienced by the world during WW2, an almost reflexive affirmation of life...that could be part of it too..affirming creativity in the face of the world seemingly standing firm against you, at least temporarily.
Whatever the root causes of this little burst of creative energy, I'm grateful for it, because sell or don't sell, I can feel a tremendous satisfaction in knowing that nothing has discouraged the 'process' of creating out of my system.

Little Green Bits Popping Up..

2011-02-10T09:53:00.000-08:00

It seems way too soon, but even I have things sprouting in my balcony garden of pots..tulips, the garlic chives I thought were well and truly done for this winter..and some things I'm not sure of..lots of birds hang out at my little birdbath, so considering that they transport a plethora of seeds in their droppings, anything could happen..
I always look forward to this serendipitous new crop, whatever it may be..
Creating a little 'crop' of my own, as I need to have a good booth-full of jewelry for the Spring and Summer Markets..here's a couple of my new things, a bracelet and a neckace..

GiveAway at PaperLavish!

2011-02-07T09:39:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to tell you about a Valentine's Giveaway at PaperLavish..go to the blog below and comment..good luck!

PaperLavish.blogspot.com

A Sweet Little Mystery...

2011-02-04T08:35:00.000-08:00

Here are some photos of two little dolls I've purchased at a thrift shop, and a flea market, respectively..
The first has the most amazing costume, with some mysterious items in her headress, and beautiful hand embroidered apron, as well as layers of sewn lace, rick-rack, and other embroidered ribbon..I'm showing lots of views of her in the hope that someone out there in the Interwebs will know where she's from..
Because of her hand-embroidered apron, which looks very much like some other handmade things I have from Hungary, I'm just wondering if that is where she is from...an old Magyar doll from the 40's or 50's???
The second one has her original tag, so I know a bit about her origins..
The company name is Happy Dolls..and the little heart-shaped tag says 'Made in England'..she is hard plastic, so I don't think she was made any later than the 1970's, but I am no doll expert..just wondering if anyone out there knows about these type of dolls..
I tried to capture a photograph of what her tag says, but if it's unreadable, here it is:
"I am a little Welsh girl and my name is Bronwen
I love music, and sing at our National Elsteddfod. My costume is made from genuine Welsh Flannel from Welsh Mills."
She also has a number at the top of her tag, T.78
When I tried to find her on the 'Net, I only found another doll, with the same tag number, but she looked totally different, so must be another version..this company seems to have produced many "International" style of dolls. When I was young (back in the Jurassic Age) such dolls were popular, but I never remember seeing one like this..
I found her interesting for several reasons, not just her "genuine" textiles, which really are quite interesting, but also the position of her stance..although her arms move, her legs do not, and they remind me of nothing so much as a Gaelic dancing pose, such as "Riverdance", if you know what I mean..
Also, her dark hair and olive-toned complexion (with painted blue eyes!) are a real departure from the blonde haired types of images you often see, and, after all, Katharine Zeta-Jones, a great dark haired beauty, is from Wales..
So, this is my little mystery for today..I think I've gone as far as I can to figure out these little women, and must throw myself on the mercy of the Web..if anyone knows anything, would you please share?

I Do Feel Guilty..sorta...

2011-01-26T09:28:00.000-08:00

Haven't posted in over a week..long time for me, but, really..not much to add to the general creativity going on here in bloggerland..
I am more or less trying to gear myself up to start making jewelry for Spring..and a bit to sell at my weekly (currently indoor) Farmer's Market, but made still another hat instead..well, needed a child-sized one to replace some I sold..
Do you ever get that maker's version of writer's block? Drives me nuts.. keep sitting around, thinking about what I should be doing, but all I end up doing is crocheting..maybe it's guilt-crochet, don't know..other times when I should be crocheting (the Fall) I am obsessed with making jewelry..wish I could control it..
Also, January doldrums are here, full force..I really need some good news, hysterically funny stories..something to wake me up..any suggestions?
(Keep it clean...)

My Guilt is Semi-Assuaged- Part 2...
Read the above, got disgusted with myself and decided to force myself to the jewelry table..
6 pairs of earrings later, here's a couple of the latest ones below...
Too much like work (;oD

DO Try This At Home...

2011-01-16T12:58:00.000-08:00

I was attending the opening day of one of my local flea markets, strictly as a potential customer, and my favourite Tarot card reader/organic dry dog food maker was there..yes, it is an interesting combination of careers, but her little bags of doggie treats are proving quite popular...and I know, from personal experience, that she's a good card reader, too..
We were talking about local Farmer's Markets (she reads cards at mine) and selling venues, etc., when she mentioned something that I just had to share. Don't know if you all are aware of this, or if it's done in your area/State/Province/County/Country or not, but until today I was totally unaware.
I live on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada, as many of you know..it's the central part of the Island, called Cowichan, where I live, and sell in-online, of course, and the location of my weekly Duncan Farmer's Market.
My friend is sending me to the Cowichan Tourist Bureau, because they like to promote local businesses, especially colourful ones that tourists would enjoy, and the promos are FREE!!! Free..that is a biggie..they go to trade shows and give out your cards to those attending from the cruise industry, bus tours, travel agents, etc. etc. And my friend is sending tiny little doggie bag samples..
Pretty hard for me to afford that, but figured I could give them a couple of hats to display..also, they have a roll of 500 free stickers to use on your goods that say "Cowichan Made"..too cool!
This kind of literally International publicity would be impossible for me to afford in real life..but who needs reality when the Tourist Bureau is able and willing?
So, think about this for your own businesses - even online businesses that are locally owned and operated, are of great interest to most Tourism agencies..I think it's a fabulous idea, and hope some of you out there can benefit from it, too.

How to Measure For My Hats

2011-01-11T11:24:00.000-08:00

Hello! Welcome to the blog for my ArtFire studio..mizdarlin's hats and jewelry...which I thought I'd post here too..
Because I sometimes have problems with buyers and sizing, I thought I'd explain a bit about how to know if a hat will work for you, or whoever the hat is going to.
I have provided, as an example, a medium sized brown earflap hat..
This hat measures in at 23" (58 cm) at the opening, which is what I call the area at the very bottom of the hat body, before the earflap braids...
In this particular case, the 23" is also identified as "before stretching", which means that it can and will stretch comfortably within a 1" range.
If you are have a 22" head circumference, don't worry, this hatwon't be too big, but I wouldn't go any smaller.
Now of course, the question is, where and how do you measure?
Use a soft cloth tape if available, or a piece of string that you can measure afterwards, and, starting at mid-forhead, measure around your head going across your ears, not behind them, and finish again at mid-forehead, snug but not tight, ...this will give you a general idea of your 'size'.
The reason I do not use typical hat size measurements, e.g., 6 1/2, 7 5/8, etc. is because they don't have meaning in stretching hats..
The average adult female has a head from 19" to 22"..if you are someone who can walk into any store and try on a "one size fits all" hat and it fits, or is even too big, you fall into this range..and most of my hats are labeled as Small (19"-20") in this range, or Medium (21"-23").
Children's 'sizes' can be problematical..believe it or not, most kids from about 2 years old have heads only 4" to 6" smaller than an adult, around..
So, when I list the measurements for a child's hat, a newborn comes in at around 12", 3 months to 6 months is 14", and from one year onward, I usually list from 14" to 16" and up..many girls, for instance, from 3 or 4 years are wearing 19" hats..(please remember that these are "averages", and most of the hats have 'give' within a one inch range.)
It is a difficult question to sometimes find the exact size in the exact hat, I know, which is why I do custom work..if you love a hat that is the wrong size, let me know, and chances are that I can do a version just for you at the same price.

Can Spring Be Far Behind? 'Fraid so...

2011-01-09T11:33:00.000-08:00

It began last night..quietly, too quietly..and,
as I shut off all the lights and prepared for bed,
just glanced outside briefly, and there it was....GAAAAAHHHHH!
Snow, yes I said snow...
the beautiful but silent whitestuff that would ruin
any plans for the next few days..
snow...
*Sigh* so, posting some pretty pictures taken on my balcony
at about 5:30 am this morning...
Now, guess I'm forced to do all the stuff
I normally have no problem ignoring
or procrastinating about..
you know, laundry, stuff like that?
Have a good one!

One of the Many Things I Like About ArtFire..

2011-01-05T11:06:00.000-08:00

Currently, there are so many discussions, re defining "handmade," all over the Web; the word "original" and the term OOAK (one of a kind) are being tossed around like precious things, and, of course, to those who make and sell their own original designs, they are not only valuable terms, but meaningful in that they are a way to rationalize the costs of handmade, versus mass-produced..
I have to admit that on a retail level, I have had, thankfully, just a few of the types of experiences that are not only cringe-worthy, but test your patience and desire to keep going.
I've had various asides, spoken as if in triumph at the revelation, "I can buy those at Walmart for a lot cheaper!", or "Well, I'm just looking for ideas, I knit too" (I crochet)....go and create your own ideas..imitation is not, in fact, the sincerest form of flattery, it's actually theft!
My favourites (not!) are the ones who beg me to "hold" an item, without any sort of deposit, of course, and either don't return at all or try to get the price lowered if they bother to show up again, an hour later, because they saw something else cheaper in another seller's stall..I always tell them that they should definitely buy the cheaper item, and they are often stunned and insulted that I refuse to lower my price..can you imagine anyone going into any retail store and trying to pull that one?
But those who don't 'get it' are doomed to repeat these minor outrages.
When selling online, enough noise has been made that the resellers have jumped on the bandwagon, offering 'crafts' or clothing or even electronics at fire sale prices..and they do make sales..
However, in the process they tend to cheapen the entire site, creating one of those eBay-type situations we who do create our own work have managed to avoid 'til now..
If you are someone, like me, who tries their damnedest to buy local produce and locally made goods whenever possible or available, well and good..you get this.
If you indulge in both local, handmade and store-bought goods (like me too) out of necessity, you might wonder what all the fuss is about..
eBay exists for this sort of thing..go there, buy whatever you want at whatever price you desire to pay..the difference is that eBay charges a great deal for the privilge of doing so, and most handmade sites have a cheap or limited "free" studio offer..and the resellers jump at it, and ignoring the site rules, do their blitz selling of stuff until they are caught and shut down, then they just reopen, different name, same old same old, etc.
I'm explaining all this because ArtFire has taken the step of actually creating a discussion around this issue and attempting to intelligently come to grips with it, without shooting themselves in the foot in the process..
"Flagging" is a way to let Admin know that a store is not obeying the TOU's (terms of use), but of course this has been abused terribly by competitors of successful businesses, who try to trip up their rivals by flagging their items, so what is the answer?
It's a tough one, and the fact that ArtFire is willing to look it in the eye and attempt to deal with it is proof positive to me that they are sincere in wanting to change it..just another reason I'm so glad I 'emigrated' over from Etsy, which did nothing, communicated zero, and where staff generally behaved like cross nannies who were incapable or uninterested, not actually dealing with anything.. when they responded at all, which was very rarely.
At ArtFire, they are engaged, and quick to respond..and that is all anyone can ask..

Just a bit of a Trip Down Memory Lane..

2011-01-04T11:48:00.000-08:00

...Although I abandoned my Piggie Tuesdays, since no one else was participating, have to share this little Xmas care package I received from my first online friend, who just seemed to know what would appeal..so, not starting up Piggie Tuesday as a regular 'feature', unless I get a bunch of positive response to do so *ahem!* but coun't resist showing you these..

If Anyone was Wondering..

2011-01-03T08:46:00.000-08:00

I recently deleted all my items from my three Etsy shops; an act that was overdue, since i had almost no sales in the two years i was there, and since last March, almost no views..
I've gone to ArtFire-made several sales in the three months since joining, get tons of views and have joined an all-Canadian Guild there, rather like but not as limited as the Teams on ComeNGetsy...
No major snark in the Forums, just good solid information, if you need it, and , oh my, the tools! I pay a flat rate of $5.95 per month, no sales fees, no "relisting" fees, no getting two-dimed to death just trying to get noticed..and Admin there is friendly, helpful, and jumps in right away if a discussion on a subject is something that they can clarify...got to say, it's like night and day at AF as oppposed to E...happy I made the change!

2010-12-31T11:36:00.000-08:00

Bunny- this one is for you..and remember folks, it's the Year of the Rabbit in 2011..and this little kitty is jumpin' on the bandwagon early...

Collections I Have Published on ArtFire.com

2010-12-30T10:41:00.000-08:00

Collections I Have Published on ArtFire.com

How About a Reverse Grinch This Season?

2010-12-21T15:59:00.000-08:00

I spent this moning dropping off a few hats to a Women's Centre, for them to sell in their retail store as a fundraiser, in Duncan, the neighboring town where I sell at the Farmer's Market on Saturdays..
This was, for all intents and purposes, my Christmas presents to be given this year..
I thought I'd share my own Christmas experience for 2010 with my readers, since all of the blogs I read are full of wonderful decorations in the home, ideas about Christmas crafts, recipes, stories about kids, grandkids and families, etc. etc...In other words, the usual..
But I'm different..a single, childless early retiree sneaking up on what is referred to as her senior years, but frankly, psychologically kicking and scratching all the way, like a wet cat in a wringer, and I have to say that it gets to be a bit daunting for those of us who have no families or even friends in their new home towns to share the holiday season with..
Do not think that I am complaining, or giving anyone a hard time for their traditional Christmas feasting and partying..I'm not..the choices I had to make to live here were conscious ones, and I don't regret moving here for a second, but remember the name of my blog...
All I'm trying to say is, for those of you who have insanely busy lives, crowded with people that you love or at least like (or are related to, and have to pretend a fondness you don't feel) that there are many of us out here in the world who don't, by choice or chance, have the same experience of the holidays..
If you could find it in your heart to cut these folks some slack (and I'm betting you all know at least one) it would be a lovely gesture to include them, that is, if they aren't like me and generally turn down such offers, but I'm a tough old nut at Christmas..I know that many people would love the chance to feel part of something..it would add little or no cost to your celebration, but would be a wonderful present to someone who might otherwise be sitting in front of the tube with a beer and a microwave burrito..think about it.
And to all of you who read this blog, whether it's a turkey, ham, tamales or whatever your own 'feast' and party entails (or not) I would like to wish you all the very best of the Season, and an even better New Year to come!

In the Rain Forest, No One Can Hear You Scream...

2010-12-15T09:35:00.000-08:00

Just kidding...sorta. I am a constant subservient victim to the weather forecast- I have Environment Canada's widget on my Home Page, I watch two different newscasts (with totally different weather reports about 50% of the time, both often wrong) and every online newspaper I glance at daily (quite a few, actually) again have their own educated but wildly differing opinions about the weather..
This is usually only critical to farmers and skiers, but for those of us who attempt to sell weekly, outdoors, the ever-changing weather of the Northwest Temperate Rainforest can make me intemperate at a moment's notice..
This week, my entire apartment has been draped in hats, in a canopy top that is 10'X10', 11'X11' bug curtains that go around the sides of my tent and marginally protect from showers, but not heavy rain, and all of them needing to be dried out following the disaster that happened last Saturday, about half-way through the Market, when a perfectly acceptable cold but clear day turned into Noah's flood..
The thing about yarn is that it absorbs moisture from the air, so even if, technically, it doesn't actually get wet, or rained on, there is still a bit of the wet stuff trapped within it's folds, so each and every hat on display had to be left 'out' in my fortunately overly dry apartment until all traces of dampness were excised..
This Saturday, our last outdoor Market until March of 2011, the weather has been predicted to be, from Monday to today (Wednesday, Dec 15) by turns rainy, sunny, windy, and now showery..and I have to reserve a spot three days ahead..not really doing anything but guessing what the weather will be doing..hoping against hope that, whatever the prognostication, they will either be very wrong in the case of rain, or very right in the case of clear and possible even sunny (the forecast for Friday, of course!)
The ancient Romans gazed upon the entrails of birds, or you can cast coins and avail yourself of the I Ching, but even the Farmer's Almanac is strangely silent on long term guessing games for my locale..
A fortune teller with her crystal ball or Tarot cards would probably be just as accurate..
Fingers crossed...

Taking a Moment to Consider..

2010-12-10T14:17:00.000-08:00

As the craft fair season winds down, and I'm back outside for my Farmer's Market for 2 more Saturdays, I have noticed an odd thing..I keep selling camouflage patterned hats and scarves..
I try to consider that this is nothing new, and like animal prints, camo has been trendy for a few years..but never so much with women as now..
I've illustrated this posting with my 'tools', and two types of camo yarn, as well as some finished pieces, available from my Artfire shop or at my Farmer's Market on Saturdays, but I would like to spare at least a thought for what camo represents..in reality.
This season, as so many before it, my country and other countries are at war; now I really hate everything about war, but with just as much passion, I support the women and men who go and serve in our Forces..
This year, let's make it stylish to think about our troops, and hope against hope that we bring them all back, alive and well..
Now that would be a Christmas present worth having...

Stealing Christmas Ideas From bunny of "I'm Just Sayin"...

2010-12-06T16:33:00.000-08:00

http://bunnymissbrenner.blogspot.com/2010/12/my-wish-list.html

Here are my wishes, in no particular order..in case anyone was out there wracking their brains trying to figure out what to get me, the woman who lives in Paradise..see the photos above..and don't bother wrapping..I'll be glad to receive that gift any way that I can get it..so if you wanna be my secret Santa or whatever, pretty please...

The Last Craft Fair of 2010..

2010-12-01T06:56:00.000-08:00

Well, at least, my last craft fair, as far as participation goes..
This fair, or market, is at Providence Farm, another wonderful organization here on Vancouver Island..not only do they have locums from all over the country, learning about market gardening, but they help those who need it most..
Providence Farm also has therapeutic horseback riding, and sells their produce at my Saturday Farmer's Market..the two pictures above, and the one at the right, are all from their website...
I really appreciate the fact that so many of the craft fairs I participate in are benefit events for organizations that give back without being preachy, or demanding anythng of those they help..
Saturday is supposed to be (dare I post this?) sunny and clear! After the early winter weather we've been experiencing, it would certainly be nice not to have to struggle down the highway in pelting rain or chilly fog, dodging black ice for 20 miles...
So if you are in the neighborhood, stop by and say hi..

Holiday Presents to Myself...

2010-11-26T12:20:00.000-08:00

I said in a previous blog entry that I would share my few purchases from that semi-disasterous first craft fair- and here are the first ones..
the woman who created these used tiny bits of stained glass the way most people use tiles in mosaics-glued to a piece of glass, then grouted when complete! With such a beautiful result, each approx.5X7 inches.....When I first saw them I was surpised they were framed, with backing cardboard and easel-type stands-it seemed to me that you would want the light to pass through them-so that's what I did with mine-removed the backing stuff, and, though I tried to remove them from the frames , it couldn't really be done without damaging the edges, so for now, they'll stay framed until I can arrange to have them redone or find the wherewithal to do it myself- my idea was to frame them in thin black metal, one on each side of a centerpiece of clear glass (patterned) with hanging eyes at the top, so it could be suspended by clear strong fishline in a window..but till then, I can see them this way, more or less through my wildly blossoming Christmas cactus..another picture of which I included, just because.

Happy Thanksgiving to All my American Friends!♥!♥

2010-11-24T09:59:00.000-08:00

Although some memories fade over time, the Thanksgivings of my childhood, in the 50's in Southern California, remain..the confusion of a house overheated with bodies and an all-day oven, and the glorious food that came magically to our tables..some of it not so appreciated at the time (still hate yams with marshmallows!) but most of it rarely-experienced treats in a semmingly never ending feast that had me groaning in pain afterwards, from eating so much, falling asleep on big pillows on the rug in the living room, while watching TV with the men..
My father and I used to have a mock 'fight' about who got the thigh (there were, after all, two) and, since most of those present wanted white meat, we had our fill of the dark...

Were turkeys more massive then? They seemed as big as me, but then, I was small..
All I could really think about was the pumpkin pie..loved it then, and still addicted to it in the winter months...

Hope all your memories of Thanksgiving past are as good, and that all your Thanksgivings will be as wonderful as mine were, then...

Cough Sniff It's a Winter Wonderland...sorta...

2010-11-20T08:32:00.000-08:00

Here I sit, with the most miserable cold/whatever I think I've had in five years..if you look at the pictures, you can see what has happened literally overnight..pretty, yes?
Problem is, my craft fair #2 is today, and I can neither drive in this foot-deep, uncleared stuff than I can load and unload my truck and mingle with people in a hot and airless hall while sniffling and couging my little heart out..in other words, craft fair #2, like craft fair #1, isn't much to write home (or blog) about this year...
I might have attempted it if I wasn't so sick, but no point in spreading these foul germs as well as forced holiday cheer..not that I can see a whole bunch of people risking their lives, driving on our often treacherous highway, to come here and shop...
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times..
Guess I'll just sit, snuggled under a big quilt, and watch the seagulls wheeling and diving through the snowy air....could be worse.....

The Party's Over...

2010-11-15T09:13:00.000-08:00

Although the news isn't great, I still had an interesting time at my three day craft fair..and have some pics to share, although their quality is less than desirable....the first is of my table..I brought way too much and it showed..have to come up with a better plan..but then I was actually planning on selling lots,and that didn't hapen due to the extremely low attendance at this fair..location, location, location is not just a boring ol' cliche..it's unfortunately too true..as we painfully learned..
The second picture is from our oldest crafter's table..he is 84 and still does this beautiful glasswork..he sat on a sofa next to his table with his partner, Lenae, and they held hands and whispered to each other, so very sweet...she and I had a great conversation about being ex-Yanks, and since she grew up on a farm in Kanasas I teased her and called her Dorothy...
The next picture is my pal Amanda's table, and she's wearing one of my cloches..she's going to become my first (and only) live model..love her "look" in my hats..
The last picture is what I thought was the absolute best item for a small child at the fair..a stuffed furry bunny rabbit with it's own Cowichan sweater..Cowichan sweaters are knit in patterns that the First Nations people of this area have been famous for for many decades..I live in the Cowichan Valley, so we are all intrinsically tied together..
I am going to do a blog on this subject soon, because the Cowichan people have wonderful visual arts to share with the world..they deserve a wider audience.
Next blog I'll feature what I bought at the fair..little enough, since I didn't have much disposable income with very little business..but that's something that craft fair attendees have to deal with occaisionally..

And for my First Event...

2010-11-08T12:14:00.000-08:00

Pictured to the right of this note is the poster, for my first craft fair of the season..a benefit for the "Cowichan Women Against Violence"
Last year's fair was the first, and a wonderful time was had by all..this year we've moved to a larger venue.so if you are in the neighborhood, looking for fabulous homemade gifts and prefer spending your money to suport those who can use your assistance, please come by...
Looking forward to seeing you there!

Busier Than a Cat Covering Poop On a Marble Floor!

2010-11-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

Pardon me for the vivid metaphor, but crocheting like mad for my Saturday Market and my two craft fairs for this month, one of them a three day affair...
Meanwhile, can't seem to keep these baby bearcub hats in stock..thought I'd share them with you..
My customers find them perfect for baby gifts for showers, or holiday gifts for those already born, and needing some coziness in the chillier season..
These are two I have just listed in my Artfire shop, and I'm making more..I also do custom ones for people who have their own ideas..let me know if I can do something for you, as a personal gift to your loved ones..

The Vagaries of Online Selling..

2010-10-27T09:23:00.000-07:00

I know that many of my readers sell/and/or buy online and I wish they would talk more about it, but they don't..
In shopping sites like ComeandGetsy or Artfire, there is much deliberation in the Forums, by sellers, about specific problems or experiences, but very little that isn't emotionally-based about what I consider the most important question..is there any point in continuing?
Many fellow Makers that I speak to at my Farmer's Market are astounded that I even bother to try and sell online- they all have the same things to say..that they either tried but got nowhere, that there is no reason to bother because there are too many people trying to do the same thing online, the stuff they make won't "sell" online (I know that one well) or they find it too daunting to even make an attempt, as they don't feel computer-savvy enough to give it a try...
I used to argue with them, and tell them how much easier it was than they suspected (not being terribly tech-savvy myself, I was a noob authority) or point out, as so many in the Forums do, that they have to be patient and not expect instant gratification..that semi-terminal affliction that many of us suffer with...
We are all programmed for this..too much TV overstimulation as children, is my theory..since when did the delicious experience of waiting for a good thing to come to pass become so toxic?
I still love anticipation as much as the next dreamer, but find that I am getting impatient for sales online-I admit it..
After trying to be patient for a couple of years, I am realizing that economic recovery isn't the only reason for many of us selling little, if at all, online..
An odd thing happened earlier this month..I finally made an online sale..the first since last March..but the problem was, even with the Paypal receipt verifying payment, couldn't figure out what sold..or where!
When the e-mail from the site arrived, I was doubly astounded to realize that the sale was from a site I'd completely forgotten that I'd set up shop in..and had ignored ever since I did so-many, many months before..so many in fact, I had to go there and try and remember doing any of it.
It was of course, one of those free for a limited number of items, and pay as you go..
I recently re-signed up with Artfire, because of their $6 a month 'deal'..permanent, no fees for sales etc...I had been away from that site seemingly forever, but since nothing at all was happening with Etsy, despite 'buying' spots in sections and relisting to death, the
Artfire deal seemed a whole bunch more rational..
Recently Etsy castigated me by e-mail for calling some other posters "cupcakes"..didn't realize that the Tea Party had taken over, but remembering that Etsy has completely lost track of it's original intent, and seems to be turning into eBay by the day, I am not surprised..just done..
After the holidays, or when my listings expire, whichever comes first (no point in shutting down while my money is already spent and not recovered) I'm leaving ComeandGetsy for good as a seller..and I'm not the Lone
Ranger..
By the way, 2 weeks after I re-upped with ArtFire, I made a sale there..
go figure...

It's That Time of Year Again!

2010-10-18T08:58:00.000-07:00

I'm very excited to be planning out my holiday craft fairs..what about you? This year I have three, one on the 12th,13th and 14th of November.. a benefit for the Women Against Violence and Transition House organization. I did their first one last year and it was a wonderful event..met many vendors who have since become my 'pals', and who also sell at the outdoor Duncan's Farmer's Market.
Then, on the 20th, I am signed up for the Ladysmith Olde Fashioned Christmas Fair, which is supposed to be a good one, and handy- a few blocks down the street..especially nice if we have snowy weather-which we might this year...
My last fair is at a wonderful place called Providence Farm, which I think I can provide a link to- it's a beautiful working farm that provides jobs and assistance for those who are challenged or troubled, and they have onsite counselors and management from the neighborhood, as well as locums who come from all over Canada to learn their agricultural techniques..they sell produce, flowers and eggs at the farmgate, as well as being fellow vendors at The Duncan Farmer's Market..this one, too, is supposed to be well attended, and is in early December, perfect for all those last minute shoppers....
I do love selling outdoors, but in the season, there is something about a cosy little fair and the wonderful friendly energy a bunch of happy poeple, buying, and selling, can generate..it can be magic.
I'll still be selling outdoors, too- we go til Dec 18th-then restart indoors for the months of Jan-Feb...then back outside in March, and a New Year begins.
Are any of you selling at a holiday fair, or planning on attending? It's a great place to find seasonal gifts as well as something wonderful for yourself, and knowing that you are buying from the person who created the item feels good too- no middleman, and supporting individuals in my community is something that I always do-as well as selling, I often end up spending far too much at these fairs-but enjoy every minute of it!

http://www.providence.bc.ca/craftfair.html

and here is the link for the CWAV craft fair:

http://cwav.viviti.com/

No More Facebook Tabs!

2010-10-15T10:38:00.000-07:00

The only way I could deal with promoting on Facebook was with the tabs at the top of my page..where a reader could look or not, as they chose..
I tried having a strictly promotional page, but it drove me crazy-nothing but hype, hype, hype all day long, and it certainly didn't drive any traffic my way (to my shops online).
Now Artfire has informed sellers that as of Nov. 3rd, no more tabs..so that you will have to eliminate your "personal" page and open what is referred to as a 'business' page, where all your friends are expected to come and "like" you to re-sign up on your page...I cannot imagine anything more dreadful...I won't do it..
Most of my friends are just that, my friends...who wants to continuously spam their friends?
*Sigh* So that's the end of Facebook as an online tool..and the real downer is that it's 'illegal' for you to have more than one page..if they catch you, they flame you...
So much for the social network as a 'tool' for selling your work..right up there with Etsy for effectiveness....

The Wages of Guilt..more Random Rants

2010-10-08T07:51:00.000-07:00

I admit that I'm feeling more than a bit guilty about neglecting my blogging duties; normally, I have to control myself and not go on and on here, but lately, the frustration with life's little zingers has temporarily got me down..
This weekend there is a wind and rain warning, so no Farmer's Market for me..
I do love selling outside, but the weather can play havoc with your capnopy, your stuff, and your temper..not to mention the fact that almost no one comes out for the Market in bad weather. It's doubly frustrating because my hats are seasonal, to say the least, and I only have a four month window to make any sort of sales...and the weather takes away a good half of those...and summer? Well, some jewelry, but really, can't take the heat and it gets very, very hot here, believe it or not (and doesn't snow much, usually - there, all your illusions about icy Canada shattered once and for all!)
So I'm left with a 'free' weekend, and that means I need to straighten stuff out around here, maybe take some stuff to the flea market..yes, my name is Wendi, and I'm a stuffaholic..
Every few months, I get brutal and wander around my place, picking out the stuff I know I can, and should, live without, and take it to whatever swap meet or flea market is going on..luckily we have a few, though usually I'm a customer, not a seller..
I usually try to go to sell there alone, because it keeps me from wandering around, finding things to buy...what is that about, some bizarre need to acquire stuff? True, I use most of it either for my home or to improve my selling space at the market, but...it really does get out of hand, sometimes..sound familiar?
I'd like to at least wish for fair weather and wonderful finds for my readers, since I cannot hope for either...♥

My Visitors...

2010-09-27T08:38:00.000-07:00

"My father always promised us
That we would live in France
We'd go boating on the Seine
And I would learn to dance..."
-Judy Collins, "My Father"

Although I have never done any travelling outside of North America, it certainly isn't because of a lack of desire..I always wanted to travel, most especially to the UK and Europe, and as I got older my fantasies broadened to include vast swathes of Asia, and Ankor Wat as well as the jungle temples in Bali beckoned...alas, none of it was to be..
But at least now I get to travel vicariously through other bloggers, and my little sideboard gadgets for viewing my readers..
It's amazing, and delightful to me, that I have blog visitors from Ho Chi Minh City, Istanbul and Norway, all in the same week..
Not to neglect to mention all the places in the US that I've never been, from Nebraska to New York...
I would like to say hello, and thanks, to all of you, who put a big smile on my face each morning when I look to see who has visited (although I do wish you would comment more, even if it's just to say hello!)~ welcome to my scribbling, and please come back again!

Thrift Store Find and Holiday Cheer...

2010-09-22T15:21:00.000-07:00

Today I'm going to combine my nicest find of the week with what I've been up to, which is applying for holiday fairs...
Some of you do the Thrift Store thing, some tag sales, garage sales or all three..
I pretty much confine myself to thrift stores, since all the good sales are on Saturdays, when I am usually at my Farmer's Market, or it's raining, in which case, it all gets cancelled...
Today thought I'd claim bragging rights on this little dolly daybed frame- well, that is what I am assuming it is..as you can see from the picture it is as wide as a door (27 inches), and about 29 inches high..the filmy curtains are all attached to the ruffled canopy, and the whole thing can be removed, or left tied open as here..
Now those of you who have been paying attention know that I am single and childless, so what is this lovely item's purpose...at first I thought about using it as a plant stand..then realized if I make a little "mattress" for it, it will be perfect for a baby hat display..right now, I have them stacked in a big basket, but it makes them hard to see, so this will be perfect for spreading them out, and it is very cute!
What did I pay for it..well, let's see, the white enamel finish is perfect on it, and believe it or not it all folds up flat (perfect for setting up/taking down at a craft fair!)..oh, it was, um....$2.50!
I'm on the books for three holiday fairs, so we'll see what else is going on, but I think that is more than enough, along with my Saturday weekly Market...really, I can't understand how anyone gets bored with retirement, I'm crazy busy!
Any good finds lately?

Good morning sniffle It's Piggie Tuesday! cough

2010-09-21T08:04:00.000-07:00

(You'll have to excuse me, I'm in the midst of a really persistent cold, the first one I've had in a couple of years..)

Today I'm featuring a lovely little handcarved piggie..it's about 3-4 inches high, and 4 inches long..probably from Asia somewhere, since it has decidedly un-piggy like eyes and expression..but still nice, with it's rough-cut finish and hand-polished glow..hope I captured it a little in the photo..remember, if you have any piggies to share, or recipes, or piggie adventures to tell, please, don't be shy!

It's Holiday Fair Application Time..yippee?

2010-09-16T09:13:00.000-07:00

There is nothing so frustrating in the world as a volunteer who isn't interested in volunteering..
Last year, I had so much trouble just getting volunteer 'organizers' to respond to me by e-mail that I was literally tearing my hair out..why is it that small town benefit-type fairs, which are mostly all I can afford, are run by people who are at best, disinterested, and at worst, totally incompetent? And, when I had the temerity to try and volunteer myself and all my experience with fairs (30+ years) I was rather bluntly refused..
Last year was one disaster after another, and the only way, seemingly, I could get into most of the ones I was trying for, was by phoning the 'co-ordinator' (and I use the term very, very loosely) and enduring several minutes, in one case running to half an hour, of what bitches everyone else on the committee is, and how they have to turn away dozens of people not in the 'catchment' area (shades of enrolling children in school) and how they can 'squeeze' me in, no, we can't let you pay by credit card, or personal cheque, you have to drive the 45 miles to where I am (at home!) and drop off the application and money..oh, okay, send the application and you can pay on the day of the craft fair..and that one in particular turned into a financial disater as well.
It was my first year, and of course, in trying a bit of everything, I found out what worked, and what didn't..and most of them didn't..
I had two fairs that were expensive to enter, and they had almost no visitors, and I sold literally nothing..
Thank goodness for my Duncan Farmer's Market..which now even has a Facebook Page, so getting very sophisticated around these parts..
At this juncture, think I'll stick to the tried and true two or three fairs, plus the Duncan Market, and leave the others to those in their own darn 'catchment', thank you very much....
Anyone out there in blogland have any holiday craft fair stories, wonderful or otherwise?

Hello There!! It's Piggie Tuesday!! (sort of...)

2010-09-13T18:29:00.000-07:00

Okay, technically a hedgehog is a rodent, not a pig, but they are called hedgehogs, and they are extremely cute, and my collection does contain a few of these token members of the porker family..
This is my most interesting one. It's a cast iron hedgehog doorstop that once had a brass finish, but it's worn off- can't remember where I picked this up, but it was long ago...at least 5-10 years, anyway..
Just to show you that it is in fact a working doorstop, I've put up two views of the wee beastie..in case you were suspicious about it's utility, and thought it purely ornamental...

Got Those Basement Suite Blues...Again...

2010-09-08T11:10:00.000-07:00

For my US readers, who may not quite 'get' what basement suite means-it's as common here as an attic apartment might be in the States..
Because it rains lots here, all houses are built tall, so that if Noah suddenly shows up again, there will hopefully be something left that is dry and salvageable..
Of course, this leaves big ol' basements, and many homeowners turn them into suites, or apartments to rent out as 'mortgage helpers'..
That's were I come in..
I hate apartment buildings, having to put up with the repulsive stench of stale cigarette smoke from everyone else's apartments, and wafting in open windows when they are out on their balconies, listening to everyone else's awful, loud conversations and fighting, kids wailing, drunks howling, the unpleasant stench of trapped cooking odours garbage trucks right outside your bedroom window scaring the stuffing out of you at 7 in the morning...but- no pets, no way, no how..and no gardening, as well as your life being at the mercy of a landlady/lord whose personal tics might be less than desirable...is he availing him/herself of a passkey when you are out, even though it's totally illegal? Etc....And all this in a very nice apartment building! On the plus side, of course,there is my glorious ocean and island view, which (almost) makes the rest worthwhile...
So I am looking, so far in vain, for a nice little cabin, cottage or basement suite, and considering the prices currently charged for rent on this Island, there are, apparently, a surplus of lottery winners who rent and don't buy...because they are the only ones who could handle most rents here.
*Sigh* Please, wish me luck as I really need to be on the ground floor, and feel grounded, again..

Catching the Brass Ring: It's Piggie Tuesday!!

2010-09-07T07:58:00.000-07:00

Happy Tuesday- a mild but rainy one here..and this is my offering for the day..had to take the photo outside in a chair, due to the dark weather..
This 'brass' pig is, in actuality, about 15" long and about 5" high..he would sit majestically next to my fireplace if I had one...and his 'brass ring' is his tail, which is how I lift him from the floor-he's heavy!
I got him for way too much money, at a store in Vancouver called Wonderbucks..and it is a wonder..I did a whole bunch of buying there when I still lived in that city, so my brass pig is a souvenir of those days..
like all extravagant purchases, I shouldn't have, but could not resist..besides, I make up for it with all my fabulous thrift and garage sale finds, right?
At least that's what I tell myself...

Autumn and a Return...

2010-09-01T07:36:00.000-07:00

Yesterday marks the first day of real rain all summer - and the lack of singing birds at 4 in the morning, or the hint of chill for my morning view on the balcony, looking out at a fog-tinted sea...The screaming yet oddly welcome blue jay who always appears in early September..the cooler nights and shorter days...
Can the trees, slowly dropping their leaves with infinite seductiveness, be far behind?
It's time for me to gather up all my hats and neckwarmers, and head out to, or should I say back to, the Farmer's Market once again..
Crafting as a business venture has it's own set of weird realities, almost as if the act of creation is in direct opposition to the act of selling..or bartering, as sometimes happens...
I am rather affable with the public, enjoy being outdoors, discussing my creations, and rarely get the kind of nasty critiquing so common with paintings at an exhibit..the competitiveness is confined to a certain extent, so the aspects of trying to earn your way are not so onerous as, say, a factory job, when you are the factory..but it is difficult to keep changing 'hats' (pardon me, please) from creator to salesperson and try and maintain an emotional distance from my work.
I do have 'favourites', and others that I sell with relief, because they make me uncomfortable for whatever reason...I meant them to turn out differently, or the colours weren't quite right..my issues, of course, the hats sell as well as any others..as I always tell reluctant women who say they "look terrible" in hats- you just haven't found 'your' hat yet...
And I will never find mine, thankfully..perfection is an ideal, and not strictly a possibility, and since all my hats are one of a kind, I can never get bored, or obsessed with just one.
As summer turns inevitably to Autumn, I wish you all happy creating, and for those of you that sell your work, a good season...

Good Morning!! It's Piggie Tuesday...

2010-08-31T07:58:00.000-07:00

Today I decided to share my one and only bought-as-a-collectible, my official, still in the box "Olivia" porcelain tea set, opened for the first time today...but just to take a picture for your amusement.

Isn't it wonderful..and Olivia is such a great character...it's interesting to me that, since George Orwell wrote "Animal Farm", most pigs in literature and entertainment (Wilbur in "Charlotte's Web", Babe, Olivia) are heroes, or at least sympathetic creatures, as opposed to villains..
Enjoy, and I'd love to have you participate by sending photos of your own piggies, if you only would...♥

2010-08-25T09:40:00.000-07:00

Manuela, from the blog "The Pleasures of Homemaking"..you know the one with the drool-inducing pictures-just asked what we the readers did to motivate ourselves to clean our homes..
Which got me to thinking..is there any motivation sufficiently tempting to induce me to clean? Certainly not simply the presence of, say, dust..although I do have asthma, and it helps if you dust a whole bunch, like daily (tears of laughter- insert here). I hate the fact that I foolishly bought an animal-print-and black bordered rug for my living room, because the black looks bad even after I vacuum it.., and the hardwood floors in my place, as pretty as they looked when I first moved in, are a real challenge..you don't want to spend alot of time on them..hence the plethora of rugs everywhere..and of course, 15 minutes after you run the dustmop around the rugs to capture the dust from the floor, the rugs look like you never vacuumed in the 16 months that you've been here.. I never could understand why so many people hated hardwood floors, until now..they look good-for about 5 minutes..then you just have to keep your view on the pictures you've hung..that is really what they are for..art to keep you from looking down and getting depressed all over again.
Speaking of art, even my living room wall looks messy..I tend to hang a bunch of things closely together-for effect, and to keep wall damage to a minimum (a renter's lament).
In my fantasies, I have won a lottery or made a huge sale on Etsy or Cargoh, whatever comes first, and suddenly I am wealthy enough to contribute to the economy by hiring someone to 'help' me clean...
Well, that and the ability to travel til it's all spent..but then, when you are traveling, someone else does the cleaning-up...

Piggie Tuesday ...Again!

2010-08-24T12:42:00.000-07:00

Ths week's little porker is a tiny flying pig I bought at a holiday craft fair last year.
It's ceramic, has gold wings, all handpainted, and I'm particularly fond of it's tail, which you can just get a glimpse of in the picture..it's abut 2 inches by 2 inches...a cutie, yes?
Haven't had any "Piggie Tuesday" joiners yet, but I live in hope..pictures, statues, recipes (wicked, I know, but so scrumptious!)
Please, don't be shy!

Show 'N Tell..What I Found While De-flea-ing the Sale..

2010-08-23T08:05:00.000-07:00

I did fairly well at the Garage Sale this Saturday, making a good dent in selling my also-rans..
And kept the buying to a bare minimum (honest!) All I was tempted by was that beautiful wood oval frame, with perfect glass and backing; and a much-needed mixer, this one with a stand and bowl, and they came to a grand total of $2.50..(see above)
No, the real damage happened, as it often does, when I drove out to Cedar Road to the Sunday Flea Market...
On the way there, I saw garage sale signs pointing up to an amazing old two story outbuilding, all gray and weathered, the way proper old barnwood should be..inside in the dim light, one sweet older lady selling her handmade goods and a few bits and bobs..and a wonderful old, slowly-being- restored 1934 Ford truck..a beauty!
I drive a little Ford Ranger, which I love, so it was great to see it's ancestor resting in that place that was close to it's age...
From her I purchased that wonderful wicker stool/table, sturdy enough to hold my immense weight, and wonderful for either seating or as a table..
for the princely sum of $5...
As for the Cedar Road Fleafest..a bit disappointing..all I got there was a wonderful little front porch rug, a miniature version of a Persian rose pattern, and an artfully practical two-tiered basket with a lid and handle, in beautiful woven and laquered straw, with lovely fish carvings running down the handles...the rug was $1, and the basket $2...
so, for the entire weekend, I spent the terrific sum of $10..
Not too shabby...but rather chic...

The Great Canadian Sell-Off.....or, gettin rid of some stuff..

2010-08-20T14:51:00.000-07:00

Since I really want to move farther down-Island, and will probably never find a place as large as the one I'm in, I decided to stop my pack-rat ways, gather up that which I know other pack-rats crave, and do my first flea market in close to 35 years...yep, it's been that long .. since I sold at one, not bought at one..an outdoor one, that is..
I have sold at indoor type collectible sales, etc. But this is gonna be an old Fashioned Garage Sale (as they ar calling it, strangely, no garages involved), an adjunct to the annual "Show and Shine" here in Ladysmith, where the only main street is shut down to traffic and lots of people show up, from all over Vancouver Island and the Mainland, as well as (I've heard) people from the States, probably Washington...
And no, I am not buying anything (unless of coure, it's practically free, something I can't possibly live without, etc!)
I'm also going alone, so that is really the best strategy to keep me from wandering around, looking for bargains..
If I end up cheating and buying anything, I'll share next week!
To all of you garage sailing this weekend, good luck, and if you are in the neighborhood, well c'mon, down!

Cargoh mizdarlin Shop Up and Running....

2010-08-17T17:25:00.000-07:00

For better or worse, and can't see how it could be any worse-referring to online sales-my new Cargoh shop now has it's own new banner and is up and running.
Set up by a couple of Canadians just across the pond from me, I'm expecting no immediate miracles, but hoping that since it is an adjudicated site that many of the problems with Etsy will not occur here..time will tell if we develop any kind of an audience, but right now just happy to let things unfold...come and have a look at Cargoh when you have a chance..new music too!

It's Too Damn' Hot and Sales are Cold...another Series of Random Rants..Part 4(?) or more...

2010-08-15T10:36:00.000-07:00

This just in... after the rather painful culling at the Cargoh site (of sellers that didn't 'fit' into their aesthetic, which they describe as urban edgy-indie... sorta) those of us who survived can breathe a collective sigh of relief..although, have to say, I have never seen so much vitriol in my life as was directed to admin on that site, due to their decision to start the adjudication process immediately, which was a radical departure from the original statement of welcome..and so many of these sellers are too complacent at Etsy..where these days, anything goes...
We are all getting a bit tired of working so hard for little or no return online; but I figured, what the heck, it's free and you only pay a fee when you sell-so other than product, no cost to me..unlike Etsy, where those little 20 cent increments can add up very quickly, and surprisingly, to real money..and, at least for me, no return..
I don't like eBay much, and Etsy seems to be headed that way, so another venue made sense..and i prefer adjudication...at craft markets and online..I don't want to even try to compete with the Third World financially, and people are willing to pay a premium for quality and originality..the problem is hooking up with that finite group.
The weather here has been just unbearable..having recently gone through my second major chunk of skin cancer removal, the last thing i want to do is go out there and get some more..been watering my little balcony garden at night, just to give the plants time to recover, but they aren't doing so well, except the tomatoes, which love the heat..the lettuces are unfortunately Lilliputian...and the parsley looks like a grizzled old man, gray-green and fuzzy in all the wrong places, stooped and grumpy..it recovers, it stoops, it recovers, it stoops..*sigh* container gardening during a heatwave is really a masochistic pursuit.
I think the whole world is going through some kind of pestilential problem-floods, fires, quakes, heatwaves, droughts..I guess these days, that geography really is destiny for many.
Hope all of you are surviving this in style..

Hugs and Kisses, and Interpretations Thereof...

2010-08-11T16:38:00.000-07:00

Last winter, my pal Dana, a great jeweler in her own right, was preceding herself through doorways, and having to stretch her little tees over an increasingly large mound in front, aka, a big ol' baby bump..
In due course, Brodick was born (I'm callin' him Brody for short) and I saw his teensy self at one of my Saturday Markets..proudly ensconsed in Mom's arms..
Dana apologized to me because he wasn't wearing the little hat I'd made for him..she could have fit the entire baby in the hat at that point..
Now, a few months have passed and Dana sent a photo of sweet Brody in his new hat, so I'm gonna share it with you!
By way of explanation, it's a Kiss hat, no, not the rock group, the candy..and because I didn't want any nasty letters from a certain chocolate company whose name begins with an H, I stamped kissing lips on the white 'paper' twist at the top.. look up...♥

IT'S PIGGIE TUESDAY!!!!! (Yes, again...)

2010-08-10T08:13:00.000-07:00

Hello there..
Today my offering is a bit odd (not that piggies are 'odd' per se, but...)
This is a copper/brass sculpture cut from flat stock and mounted on a bit of a stand..don't know who made it (initials R.C. on the base) but I saw it one day in a gourmet ktchen type store where I was shopping with a friend, and ranted and raved about how much I loved it..of course, got it as a gift from her at Christmas..I like it's rusty patina and the crudeness of the welded feet..I think perhaps it's supposed to be a bit of a bookend, but I just admire it ..maybe someday I'll use it for my cookbooks or something..in the mean time, here it is in all it's piggie glory..enjoy! Anyone have any piggies to share? Send 'em in and I'll post them...

Oh! Yeah! It's Cargoh!

2010-08-04T11:09:00.000-07:00

Just found and joined a new site for indie creators etc, called Cargoh..have to say that, so far, it's magic..
I have never seen my (extremely mediocre) photos pop like they do on that site, and I am, in three short days, experiencing 3 times the views on my items that I do on Etsy..really attractive, and Admin is very hands-on and responsive.
They state their mandate is to keep it strictly handmade and sold by the maker..and they will be taking steps to see that there are no issues, such as those to which Etsy seems indifferent ..(resellers)
I love the philosphy of Cargoh, since they insist that they are not just another e-commerce site, but a social network for artists and creative types -lots of music there too!-so that suits me-I wold rather discuss art, techniques and ideas, than have the constant barrage of whining and snarkiness that the Forums on other sites have degenerated into..
Yes, early days, but this site holds some promise..you 'creative types might wanna check it out..

http://www.cargoh.com/

Piggie Tuesday!!!! August 3 '10

2010-08-03T09:40:00.000-07:00

Greetings all..Piggie Tuesday features one of my newer faves, a lovely large porcelain pig I bought, new, at a nursery in Downtown Vancouver..
I was there for practical things, peat and soil and plants, but the minute I saw this darlin' I squealed like a piggie myself, grabbed her up and set her on the counter, next to the actual garden stuff...
Don't know how well you can see the detail of this sweetie..she has a lovely crazed glaze that makes her look very old, but she isn't..and, she was made in Vietnam!
I actually kept her out in my garden for a couple of years, bringing her inside for the Winter.. when I still had a garden- but she's been inside ever since..
The shot with my hand is to show you her size...

Mars, Other Galaxies, and Creation Myths

2010-07-27T07:10:00.000-07:00

Two things happened yesterday that had a strange synchronicity..if that word means anything..
Don't know about you, but not only am I a bit of a closet space geek, but get the Discovery News blog and read it daily..two things related and far-fetched came to my attention, and got me musing about creativity and the human brain..
It was announced (in major newspapers too) that the discovery of many Earth-like planets in several galaxies meant that the chances for other life forms "out there" was greatly enhanced.
Last night, I watched what may have been a rerun (new to me) about the possiblility (nope, probability) of Earth "seeding" Mars to create an Earth-like atmosphere that, it is theorized, probably existed several billion years ago..
I won't bore you with the details..it was a one hour program..but it got me wondering..
Could we, on Mars, be repeating what may have happened here billions of years ago?
There are so many creation myths in different cultures that involve gods coming from the skies to bring this or that benefit, always with the promise to return...sound familiar?
Thinking about literally re-creating an Earth, where before, there was only desolation and lifeless cold seems so, ummmm, old school, in the face of the 'new' discovery of multi-earth-like planets and yet, Mars is very close, and would make a great practice site for us, like a Victory garden where we can avoid all our historical mistakes and create a kind of Martian version of Paradise..
Makes ya wonder...

My "new" Etsy Shop..hats4moppets..

2010-07-24T07:18:00.000-07:00

I always felt that my baby hats were a bit overlooked, in amongst the adult hats..a bit chaotic and a bit too 'rummage sale', so I decided to open a new shop just for the wee hats I make, also all OOAK (one of a kind) and, as usual, I'll be doing custom work as well..
I'm not currently vending at my Saturday Farmer's Market; it's a great time for buying veggies..hats, not so much, but the baby hats always seem to sell-they are such a great shower gift, and babies are born all year long..
Come the Autumn season, I also get buyers who want a hat colour-co-ordinated with winter coats for children, so, back to the Market in late August.
Meanwhile I am making and listing, making and listing..and hoping for the best.
If you have the time or inclination, drop by! The new widget is just to the right...

Piggie Tuesday..a Stained Glass Pair O' Porkers

2010-07-20T12:07:00.000-07:00

Today, for Piggie Tuesday, I'm showing off a stained glass assemblage made for me by my stepfather, Jim. I guess he was in his mid-80's when he made this, and he sent it from California, and, like all the pieces of stained glass he made for me, it arrived perfectly intact..astounding, really..
That curved line you can see running through it is actually a clear fishing line, when I used to hang it up..but I like it low in the windowsill of my little dining area, so that I can appreciate it as I'm having breakfast.

Technology and Advertising: Craftselling in the Age of the Machine...

2010-07-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

I'm a bit annoyed, but resigned to, this need for every site you want to look at finding it nessessary to charge you for the privilege, or at least rob you of your privacy, by demanding that you answer deeply personal questions just to register for a pre-shrunk newspaper experience..aren't the ads, plentiful and extrememly distracting, enough revenue for these people...*sigh*?

I can remember, in the pre-cable TV days, we could get about 13 channels..and anything 'new' that came on was readily available, not to mention that new-fangled FM Radio, courageously and outrageously playing whatever they wanted, almost like, but not quite the same as, the Pirate stations offshore in the UK...then came Public Broadcasting, that was a wonderful thing, you saw the sort of programming not usually favoured by the commercial networks, and to pay for it there would be "telethons" where viewers would voluntarily send in 'subscriptions', a small and reasonable amount of money that almost everyone could afford..in return, you got a monthly Guide..
Suddenly, there was Cable..cheap and the best part-no commercials! Wow! Who could resist? Well, I could..unless I moved into a place with free cable, I wasn't in a position to pay for it..
Then suddenly, there was very expensive cable, with over 600 possible stations..a friend of mine (back in the late 1980's) had it, and once, on a visit to his place, I went through several hundred stations to see 'what was on', assuming that it would be a fabulous experience since it cost him $60 a month (a huge sum for TV, back then)..there was nothing on, at least, nothing that I wanted to watch..I didn't stop chuckling for days when I thought about it..
I've always been a bit of a tree hugger, some call it a Luddite, not trusting technology, always arguing my folksy philosophy, that I got along without it up to that point, why did I need it?

No 8 track, no reel-to-reel (anyone under 50 reading this is is going "Wha...?) and it took me, I think, 9 years to accept the fact that I needed an answering machine...which I still think is mostly pointless, (except to encourage telemarketers to use up all the available 9 minutes of space to try and sell you something you don't want...)
Enter the computer age, late 80's for me, at the end of my University career..I was still in the library, tapping away on an IBM Selectric (was there ever a finer typewriter?) while the cool kids were in the Sciences Lab, doing their papers on the computer, and downloading them to floppy discs (bear with my ancient musings, kids!)and...the profs preferred it!
I actually lost grade points for turning in a paper, er.. paper.
Although I got an introduction to computers through various courses I took, or temporary jobs I had, I was terrified of it, a common-enough discomfort in those days..we alway fear what we don't understand..
When I finally decided to buy one of the damn things, I guess it was about 2007, I knew that things had deteriorated to the point where there were ads all over the place online, but figured I could ignore them..and have a wonderful experience acquiring knowledge by the simple expedient of turning on my $40 a month Internet connection, armchair learning and traveling all day or night, whenever, no closures here, folks, open 24/7!

Guess, like any other technology, the ads are here to stay - now they flash and have awful sound effects, screaming, look at me, look at me..I have made a silent pact with myself to never buy anything advertised in such an offensive manner..
I hear that Rupert Murdoch, who just can't seem to get rich enough to satisfy himself, is going to charge for all his online papers, and so far, it ain't working out too well..and advertisers are fleeing, too, since there is no audience for their screaming me-me ads...I've been chuckling for a few days now..
Yes, I too sell online (if you can call no sales since March, selling) but the difference is that people come to shopping sites for that purpose..I don't advertise to attract people to my shops, except for the 'minis' on my blog sides..but it makes me wonder, if I'm doing a very small version of what the corporate ads are doing on every imaginable site, how effective are they-has business dropped off for them too?
Am I inadvertently adding to the problem with my pie-in-the-sky notions of handmade as a desirable and desired commodity? It's enough to make me rub two sticks together, make a campfire, and overeat...as for cell phones? Don't you even ask...

Bacon, a Love Story, or..If You Can't Beat 'Em, Fire Up the Fryin' Pan...

2010-07-15T09:23:00.000-07:00

Yesterday afternoon, I got a little bit depressed about the fact that my Piggie Tuesday entry engendered not one comment, and very few views, so as a protest (well...not really..just for the sheer fun of it) I decided, for once in my life, to do what the 'cool kids' are doing, or at least my own geeky version of cool kids, and add to that fabulous panoply of smoky goodness that seems to be reproducing itself daily..that's right, bacon!

So herewith is my so-far one and only, unique contribution to that genre, a hat that is the very vision of one of my favourite sandwiches, served open faced and warm, just for your delectation...look up!!

Flight of The Corn Godess..Yep, Piggie Tuesday!!!

2010-07-13T06:42:00.000-07:00

This is a little acrylic painting I did about 20 years ago...I think..it's just lost in the mists of time, folks; been so long since I've done any drawing or painting, that to be honest, just can't remember..
It's very small, acrylic on canvas board, about 5"X7"..and a dollar store frame, back in the day when dollar stores sold actual carved wood and gilt frames..
I have a 'thing' about flying pigs..made my first one back in 1974, a papier-mache statue I wish I still had, with monarch butterfly wings.
This one has a pretentious title, because I was trying, a little bit, to spoof the overwrought vapours of art critics and the artists who fall prey to the nonsense spewed these days..art is for everyone, and should sometimes be playful, as well as serious..hence the "Godess" of corn...

Hope you enjoy her...

Shout-Out to Celebrate Odd Etsy!

2010-07-11T11:58:00.000-07:00

This is a great blog for the most part..no snark or laughing at people, or sarcastic running commentary from the blogger (hate that!) like Regretsy, just some good weirdness and geekiness..I enjoy it as a break from all the sweetness and light...sometimes ya just need a zombie or two, or a bacon rasher necklace, to cheer you up!

I also love to be someone's first customer..it's thrilling for them and for me! And I picked Creepy Stuff as my seller..

http://www.etsy.com/shop/CREEPYSTUFF

I kind of collect art dolls..but strictly strange ones, and this one is definitely strange..I'll post it when I get it..this may not be to your taste, but check out the blog anyhow..
I also submitted her shop as a possibility to Celebrate Odd Etsy!, the blog that posts on these various "unique" stores..this is a very democratic blog, as much as submitted shops can be..
We are free to comment, check them out, find them offensive (I have done all three) but I like the idea that there is an alternative to Etsy Front Page beige stick-figure model minimalism..
For somethng different, go check out Celebrate Odd Etsy!

It's Like a Heat Wave...Disjointed Ramblings #3 or #4, depending...

2010-07-07T08:46:00.000-07:00

I know I'm speaking to the (mostly) converted when I say that, already, at 8:30a.m., it is hot, very hot, here..and due to get hotter..
For those of you who are still under the misaprehension that anything north of the 49th parallel is continuously snowbound, all I can say is..as if..

Last week, I missed the first week of the Ladysmith Night Market because of rain..thought I'd wait til this week..ha ha..not only am I hopeless in hot weather, but customers, even at night, tend not to show up..too damn hot, know what I mean? I might go anyway, depending..
To say that sales online are slow would be to commit fraud...they are nonexistent..*sigh* but that, of course, does nothing to quench the thirst to create, and so I will keep playing with my yarn and beads on the off chance that something fabulous will sneak up on me in the near future.
Hope that your fans are running smoothly, and you have a way to cool off that works for you...

PIGGY TUESDAY!!!

2010-07-06T07:12:00.000-07:00

It's that time again, and my contribution to the general piggie population is a newly created hat; hope you enjoy it..haven't listed it yet, but I will now that my readers have viewed it..
It's made from mostly cotton yarn, with a bit of acrylic thrown in, and it would fit a baby from about 6 months up to one or two years, depending of course on the size of that little one's head..I did make it generous so that those of us born with larger noggins get a break, too!

Tales From The Ladysmith Night Market ....

2010-06-30T07:08:00.001-07:00

Has an eerie ring to it, doesn't it?
I wish...nope, it isn't the title of a long-lost Ray Bradbury novel, but the start of our annual Thursday Night Farmer's Market..and hopefully (the glass is always half-full around here, dear readers!)this year's model will be better than last...

I have been trying for a week now, ever since I received actual proof that it was happening, in the form of a four-page supplement in our local little paaper, to apply..finally got someone to email the application and ran out of ink in the printer..wrote it out, by hand, and sent messages to 2 of the 3 people in charge (all volunteers, of course) and still, on the day before, have not heard back..am I in?
One of the issues with these Markets is they are run by volunteers, and as such, you have no idea when or if anyone can answer a simple question..no call for vendors is issued, no callback from someone who knows you are interested, none of that..you just have to chase your proverbial tail and hope that when you show up, someone has had the foresight to 'pencil you in'...
So we'll have to be patient and see what surprises await tomorrow afternoon...
The Market hours are from 4pm to 8pm- great hours up here in the Great White North, where it stays light til around 9:30pm-I will chronicle my misadventures here for your delectation, that is, if I have any...

Don't Know Much About..

2010-06-29T08:00:00.000-07:00

I have to admit to feeling a bit envious of some bloggers' beautiful homes and gardens..when you are relegated to an apartment (admittedly with a lovely view, but..) and in your mind you are an avid gardener and home re-decorator, it can be frustrating to have nothing to offer ...
But of course, all of us have sometihing to offer, and I realized from browsing around that many people talk about, or post pics of, things they collect..well, I have a rather extensive collection myself, and know from being in situations where I'm 'fighting' for a piece with someone else who wants it (it hasn't come to fisticuffs, yet..) that I'm not the only one..
So for the first time here, and hopefully I will try to remember for next week, I declare this to be "Piggy Tuesday"...now, you don't have to have a collection yourself to participate..a picture, a figurine, even a fabulous pork recipe for all us non-vegetarians to ooh and ahh over would be fine..I know of one certain piggy fan who has already expressed a willingness to participate, so here is my first 'entry'..
An interesting little half of a salt and pepper set, with the gold-foil company logo still plastered on the butt..I found it at a thrift store for a quarter, and doesn't this little porker have an expression of insouciance about it's jowly face?

His endgame is underneath this post..

Dateline: Vancouver..Adventures in Crocheting..The Third Installment..

2010-06-21T15:53:00.000-07:00

I decided I needed to make myself a hat one day in 1995..
I was attending what was referred to at the time as a Christmas Craft Fair (*clutch pearls* *shudder*), and there were some young girls with some nice - looking knit caps in a slouch design. I tried on the largest they had, but it was like a skull cap on me..they bravely smiled and said, "Oh, that looks nice" but we all knew it wasn't true..it was supposed to 'slouch,' and it didn't.
I was embarrassed, once again, by the massive size of my noggin..and they were glum..no sale..

Okay, some background...
It has been one of my many unfortunate physical drawbacks, this gigantic head of mine, present since, apparently, birth. One of my mother's stories about me is that when he delivered me, the eminent Dr. Baldwin told her I had the largest head he'd ever seen on any newborn baby..
As I grew older, poor Mom tried in vain to find a sunbonnet for me, or just anything, but it wasn't gonna happen..little Miss Wendi had a head that would be the envy of any egotist you could name..
Mom used to threaten, when I sassed her, to "put you back where you came from"; as i got older, I never failed to point out that that it would hurt her more than it hurt me.

As I grew older, of course I harbored secret lusts for hats of all types..a nice fedora like Edward G. Robinson, a cowgirl hat like Dale Evans, or a jaunty, fabulous cloche like Ingrid Bergman always seemed to wear in every film noir..but it was not to be..every hat I tried on was too small..even in men's hat stores, the biggest hats they had were too small..*sigh* it's not easy being me..

I decided, after that Christmas Fair, that I was going to try my hand at a slouchy cap..the only problem was, I didn't know how to knit, and since I'm left-handed (what else would a giant-headed woman be?) never found anyone to teach me..
I finally got some yarn, and just played and played til I figured it out..and then, one day, found the yarn that would change my life forever..
Melodramatic? You bet! Still, it's true, because I walked into this wee yarn and sewing shop on 4th Ave in Vancouver, BC one day in 1996, and found a faux fur-ish ombre'd brown yarn that looked like an unraveled teddy bear..I bought it, made a great slouch hat for myself with it, and every time I wore it that winter, people would ooh and aah over it..and ask where I got it, and try and buy my creation right off my head..I used to entertain myself by letting them try it on, and laugh when the brim would drop over their eyes..
And, that is how I got started making my crocheted hats.

WhooHoo!!! Winner Announced!!!

2010-06-18T07:12:00.000-07:00

*Drumroll* And the winner of the Hat giveaway is...Karen, from Graphics Fairy!!
Congrats to Karen, and I have to say that after all the free images I've 'lifted' from her in the past, it's a bit of payback..
Thanks to everyone who entered..
Karen, please get hold of me to discuss your prize!

Yippee!!! We're There!

2010-06-17T17:12:00.000-07:00

Well maybe not the ragingly busy comments section I had hoped for, but that's okay, it gives all of you who did leave comments or post on your blog better odds..and thanks for participating!
I'll announce the winner tomorrow..and, whoever you are, please send an e-mail and let me know yours, so we can discuss the hat you've won..
Until tomorrow then!

Giveaway!!! My First!!! Big Whoop!!!

2010-06-14T10:10:00.000-07:00

I was trying to think of a reason to celebrate the coming summer, when my sales traditionally are almost nonexistent, but the weather is great, so who cares! Right? Well, maybe not...

Whatever, I noticed that I am closing in on 5,000 page views..lol..now, most of you have giveaways for various reasons other than page views, but since I can't exactly celebrate my 5,000th Follower (not that the 14 who are there aren't fabulous, gorgeous, talented, wonderful people) so I decided that, when my 5,000th view comes up (or as soon thereafter that I turn on my computer for the day) I will have a draw, and anyone who leaves a comment after this is eligible..if you mention this giveaway on your blog and link back to it, you'll get a second chance at the giveaway. You are not required to become a Follower, just to comment...although I'd love it if you decided to...
What will the prize be? How about a custom hat..you pick one from my vast selection, or send your colour preferences and measurements and I'll make one for you, or the child of your choice..you can look through the array of moving hats from my Etsy mini, go right to Etsy itself, or make up an idea of your own..it's that wide-open!

I get the feeling, quite strongly, that there is still another OCD person, this time from Nanaimo, the closest city to me, who drives the numbers up on my counter, since they seem to 'view' my blog several times every day...it used to be a 'viewer' from Aldergrove, a small town on the Mainland, which I blogged about..that 'reader' plugged in at least ten times a day..so I would guess that without these enthusiastic extra 'views' my numbers would be a whole bunch lower, but I'm gonna do this anyway..so..carry on, folks..don't know how long it will take to reach 5,000 views, but please only enter once, or twice if you blog (remember to include the link)
Thanks in advance to all of you who have been actually reading my blog, and entertaining me with yours...good luck!

Because I Haven't Mentioned it Before...Cautionary Tale #2

2010-06-08T10:18:00.000-07:00

I was wondering what to write about for this week, and realized the old adage about 'write what you know' is always the best plan to follow..
I am a skin cancer survivor- now, for the second time...
I grew up in Southern California, and yes, all those cliches are true, we lived at the beach in the summer, during the week went everyday, all day, and I was almost black by the time school rolled around..me, blonde-red hair, freckles..I see you mentally cringing out there..and you're right to flinch, you know what's coming..

This was late 50's, early 60's, and aside from a cute puppy de-pantsing a tanned little girl on billboards (can you imagine that ad now?) and big letters saying "Tan, Don't Burn, Use Coppertone", there wasn't a whole lot of info out there, about skin cancer, or aging early, or any of it. The fad when I was a teen was to take baby oil, add iodine (for its' staining properties) and slather yourself with it..that's right, oil..and yes, it made us literally fry..but hey, we were tan!
Being a chubby teen and a bit of a nerdy type at school(not that 'nerd' as a term of derision even existed, all you had to say was "smart kids" to see lips curl with scorn), I was thrilled to have something the cool kids had-a beach tan..we even used to wear jewelry for a few days to contrast the area around it..sort of tan tattooing..
Years (let's face it, eons) later I am paying the price..and you will too, and your children even more so, because the sky is full of unseen hazards, barely understood, that barely existed in my day- a terminally disappearing ozone layer, and thus our protection from infra-red, among them..The fact that some scientists report a 'healing' happening is great..how many centuries will that take?
I thought really seriously about removing the bandages from my arm today (I had still another chunk of myself cut out yesterday), and taking photos of the ugly mess that is the stitched-up removal site, and using a bit of tough love to get people shocked into being sensible about spending time in the sun, but I know it won't work on those who are addicted to the tan thing..I get it, been there, done that, got the surgical scars to show for it, the one on my face is particularly attractive....this one was a melanoma, far more serious than the more common basal cell carcinoma that I used to have cut out routinely..although it's called a 'low-grade' melanoma, I can't get past the 'm' word and feel casual about this one; to tell the truth, I feel like whatever I do now is too little, too late..

Please tell your children, no, insist on slathering them with sunscreen, if they are spending the day in the sun..and if your teens sneer at the thought, I'm sure there are lots of horrifying images on line to help to convince them..just don't say I didn't warn you..wish someone had warned me..

A Bead Freak's Lament...

2010-05-31T17:16:00.000-07:00

I really hope someday to be
The crafter that I want to see
Take on the world with nothing more
Than pearls and wood, shells from the shore
Some abalone, glistening bright
A few Czech crystals, sparkling light
Lampwork bead or two, three or four
a bit of chain, jump rings and more
Perhaps some lucite flowers-bliss!
Or gold and silver earwires, this
Would all be lovely fantasy
If I were anyone but me
Cuz certain as the sun will rise
I'll almost finish, and then - surprise!
The last damn bead I cannot find
And once again I'm in a bind
The last bead order, sent away
Did not include this one I need TODAY.....

*sigh*

Wha's Up with Etsy?

2010-05-23T14:28:00.000-07:00

I was asked, or let's say it was suggested, that I might want to blog about my Etsy issues, and they are legion...

Guess this is as close as I'll get to an out-and-out rant...

After having a wonderful, successful day at my Saturday Farmer's Market, I have to say that the least exciting part of my afternoon was coming home and dutifully checking (in vain, as always) to see if there were any orders from any of my shops...
I have a free shop on CraftIsArt, a (marginally) paid shop on Zibbet, and my original, and second shop, on Esty.
Some readers may have heard of Zibbet; I doubt if many have heard of CraftIsArt. As for Etsy, if that name is unfamiliar to you, you not only don't have a shop there, you aren't looking at my blog sides, where I have moving minis of my crocheted hats and neckwarmers shop, mizdarlin, and tidybaubles, my jewelry shop...as well as badges and links that connect to some of my other spots for sales and custom orders, like the Duncan Farmer's Market..now I realize that the whole world can't be rushing to Vancouver Island and dropping by, but it really is astounding how many out-of-towners do...not to mention Americans traveling, Europeans doing the Canadian tourist thing, even busfuls of Asian people come through this little Market, the largest on the Island..and arguably the most successful. We currently have nearly 100 vendors, and that includes farmers, gardeners, egg sellers, bakers, candymakers and of course crafters..

I would really appreciate someone, anyone, telling me why my little tiny corner of the Universe is so darned easy-going and successful, and I can't buy a thrill on Etsy..Which has, supposedly, hundreds of thousands of buyers and sellers...
I get almost no views anymore, and certainly no sales since early March. Many others are rowing madly in the same lifeboat, but we are all sinking fast...maybe I expected too much, but I was finally starting to sell regularly (for me) and feeling hopeful about the possibility of supplementing my meagre pension with a few dollars a month, by selling some things that I loved making.
Etsy certainly has disabused me of that notion, yet no one from their Administration Department can explain why this is happening..they won't even acknowledge that it happened, and continues this way..
I'e heard various rumours, and several theories are proposed in the Etsy Forum re this unwanted and unwelcome phenomenon..but who knows? Most of these rumours are of the we-pissed-off Google variety- don't know if it's true, but if Google no longer 'crawls' our listings then that makes a huge difference in whether or not we are seen by potential buyers...this is why I have other shops...if you google my shop name, mizdarlin, (same at all my venues, it's called branding) then there are quite a number of entries, but if you go by what i make, what used to appear on the first page of Google search for say a cloche hat with a flower, or a newsie cap, now appears nowhere...

I don't see the point of listing and renewing on Etsy, which really adds up financially, all the while knowing that it is futile to keep acting the same way and expecting a different outcome.

Until things change at Etsy, I hearby declare a personal boycott that anyone is welcome to join...no more listing of new items or relisting of items unless and until Etsy straightens this mess out, because frankly, I'm getting better views on my runty little flash-in-the-pan sites than I am at Etsy, and selling my creations directly works...so what's the point...

Etsy is, oh, I don't know, so last month....

Ms Exile in Paradise

What, Exactly, is Plan B....?

Some Newer Baby and Toddler Hats

ArtFire Cash Grab Exposed...and Dealt With...

Is it Just Me?

Just Stopped By....

See Ya..

Everybody Wants What Won't Work For Them..Even Me (Inspired By Bunny)

Random Thopughts, Burps, and Lamentations for Autumn..

ComeNGetsy for Christmas? Please Pass the Crow...

Although It's Far Too Warm...

Chemainus Artisans in the Dark...er...Park

Some Jewelry

Home is the Sailor, Home From the Sea...

The Big One! Chemainus Annual Street Market!!

Twitter? Twaddle!!!

My Earring Give-Away Winner *drumroll, please*

Waiting, Hopefully Not For Godot...

Front Page of ArtFire? Why, Yes....

The Giveaway...yes it is still on...

A Saga of Epic Disaster....

Back in the Saddle, Again...

This sure isn't going well...

Almost 10,000 Pageviews..Just Another Give-Away

Drudgemaster Chronicles...

Oh, the humanity!! 'Tis Moving Day Approaching!

Happy Easter Long Weekend To Everyone!

Has Spring Indeed Sprung?

A Weird Day at the Market in the Square

..I've Found a New Place to Dwell..

Got Them Ol' Display Head Blues, Again...

Check out my Sale Pieces...

EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS KIT - LIST OF BASICS

Outdoor Farmer's And Crafter's Market Re-Opening...

Being Creative in Bad Weather

This ridiculous Weather...

I Wish Every Day Could Be Like Yesterday!

Little Green Bits Popping Up..

GiveAway at PaperLavish!

A Sweet Little Mystery...

I Do Feel Guilty..sorta...

DO Try This At Home...

How to Measure For My Hats

Can Spring Be Far Behind? 'Fraid so...

One of the Many Things I Like About ArtFire..

Just a bit of a Trip Down Memory Lane..

If Anyone was Wondering..

Collections I Have Published on ArtFire.com

How About a Reverse Grinch This Season?

In the Rain Forest, No One Can Hear You Scream...

Taking a Moment to Consider..

Stealing Christmas Ideas From bunny of "I'm Just Sayin"...

The Last Craft Fair of 2010..

Holiday Presents to Myself...

Happy Thanksgiving to All my American Friends!♥!♥

*Cough* *Sniff* It's a Winter Wonderland...sorta...

The Party's Over...

And for my First Event...

Busier Than a Cat Covering Poop On a Marble Floor!

The Vagaries of Online Selling..

It's That Time of Year Again!

No More Facebook Tabs!

The Wages of Guilt..more Random Rants

My Visitors...

Thrift Store Find and Holiday Cheer...

Good morning *sniffle* It's Piggie Tuesday! *cough*

It's Holiday Fair Application Time..yippee?

Hello There!! It's Piggie Tuesday!! (sort of...)

Got Those Basement Suite Blues...Again...

Catching the Brass Ring: It's Piggie Tuesday!!

Autumn and a Return...

Good Morning!! It's Piggie Tuesday...

Piggie Tuesday ...Again!

Show 'N Tell..What I Found While De-flea-ing the Sale..

The Great Canadian Sell-Off.....or, gettin rid of some stuff..

Cargoh mizdarlin Shop Up and Running....

It's Too Damn' Hot and Sales are Cold...another Series of Random Rants..Part 4(?) or more...

Hugs and Kisses, and Interpretations Thereof...

IT'S PIGGIE TUESDAY!!!!! (Yes, again...)

Oh! Yeah! It's Cargoh!

My Earring Give-Away Winner drumroll, please

Cough Sniff It's a Winter Wonderland...sorta...

Good morning sniffle It's Piggie Tuesday! cough