Busy time

I usually don't sew all day every day. I'm more of a project or two here and there kind of sewer. Getting into this craft fair has changed that big time! I'm starting to feel like I could probably install zippers in my sleep.

I took a little break to snap some picture of what I've been up to lately.

Wallets galore!







These are all scrappy. There's more of them too! Laura helped big time by going through my scraps and making piles of fun stuff that looked great together.

I've also been making pouches big time.





I'm really digging patchy pouches.



Ruffled wristlet!

Ok, so the deal is that I'm trying very hard to stock up for the show, which means that I'm not updating my shop so much. However, I'd love for any of my dear readers to get their hands on some Hot Butter if there's something you see here or on my flickr page that you have to have or give to someone.

I'll be back to share more of what I've been up to soon. Happy Friday friends!

Secret note to giveaway winners

Just wanted to say that my giveaway winners are not responding to my post here or my emails. I'm giving them to the end of the week to contact me. So Kaye and Jenny, email me by the end of the week or I'll redraw!

Super Cool Halloween Fiesta

Thought I'd share a couple pictures from the fiesta.



My breast friend Laura and myself.



Melissa the mombie and Brad who went by "Harry Slaughter" or, my personal favorite "Scary Potter."



Heather the cat and Ryan the gangster.



Fambly shot!



The grub! I was fully expecting drunk people to want to eat those candy coated spider delicacies later in the evening, and I WAS WRONG. Note to self: Not everyone loves the candy like I do!



Thank heavens for Melissa, who ate the ultimate candy corn cupcake!

I was lucky enough to score this mullet at the Humane Society thrift store for $2.50. Her name is Beverly, which becomes the name of anyone wearing her. She looks great on everyone, but Felix wins the prize for Best Beverly look.



Second place goes to Jeffrey, who lovingly wore Beverly all night.



In other news, I've been sewing my pants off to get ready for the craft fair. I'll try to get some pictures taken so I can share!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

Sorry I didn't get around to picking winners yesterday, but it's more fun to win stuff on Halloween anyway, right?!?

So our winner for the apron is...

Number Three- Jenny777 who said:
Well, I'm pretty fond of tacos of the taco bell variety. See, without a pretty apron, I'm useless in the kitchen. It's very sad, I swear.

I guess she can always wear her fancy new vintage apron to go through the drive through. It'll keep her lap clean!

And the winner of the cosmetics case is...
Number 17.

Kaye said...

Knock Knock!
Who's There?
Anita.
Anita Who?
I Anita bath, how bout you?

I have an Aunt Anita and when my son was Felix size, he would always say Aunt Anita bath. Just couldn't say Anita by itself. Love your story and your fabric.

That's a great joke for sure!

I got a comment last night saying that Hot Butter! was featured on Zakka Life. How cool is that?!?

Ok, I'm off to cook and clean for Ashley and Chainsaw's super cool Halloween fiesta. Pictures tomorrow! Congrats winners!

Captain's Log: Snow day number three

We are currently wrapping up (I hope) a freak early winter storm (even though it is not winter). Check this out:



It's totally crazy. Don't worry, we have plenty of hot chocolate and alcoholic additives. I am also happy to have my breast friend Laura here to hang out under blankets on the couch. I need to get a picture of her poodle Butter in the snow. He dives in and swims around, which results in the abominable snow poodle look!

Exciting news time!

I got accepted into the Fancy Tiger Holiday Handmade craft fair this year. I have to admit that I'm a little proud of myself for getting in. I'll definitely be showing my blog friends all kinds of new prizes I'm working on for the fair. I'd love it if my Denver friends stop by to say hi in December.

Don't forget to get in on the giveaways while there's still time! I'll be drawing winners tomorrow.

My new bag and a new giveaway

Felix and I saw a link to Canon paper crafts (ok, I saw it and showed it to him!), and we just HAD to make this guy:



Of course, a three year old isn't much help when it comes to cutting/folding/gluing small pieces of paper, so we had to print off the vampire mask to entertain him while I did the hard work. Also, special thanks to Chainsaw for making dinner while I did this. You know you have a good guy when you out of the blue ask him to make dinner so you can make a paper skeleton, and he says yes.

Felix has dubbed him a "zombie skeleton," and we have named him Rupert.

I also decided to get busy with my Enchino yesterday afternoon. Say hello to my new purse, if you please.



I didn't want to use a big piece of it, but I did want a lion for sure! This ended up being a big mix of materials. I used linen, cotton, buttons from my collection, and magic, of course. While making this I realized that I've never really sat down and made something knowing it was for me. Everything that's MINE that I've made is something I randomly decided to keep.



The back has some big slip pockets.



Pardon my not yet disappeared disappearing marker line.

Felix shows here that it also makes a pretty cool beard. Not sure if I'd want a lion in my beard, but I won't be using it as a beard personally.



Next giveaway business time.

I was luckily enough to go to the Thrashing Bee in Sturgis, SD last summer. They have a super old steam tractor parade, which Felix liked. They had some flea market type areas, where I scored a couple hand made aprons. I'm assuming they're vintage, but I'm no pro. I can tell for sure that they were hand made and that someone put a ton of work into them.

I love full aprons on account of I'm a messy cooker/baker, so I thought I'd pass this lovely half apron onto one of you!



Check out this chicken scratch (that's what this is called, right?):



Somebody put a lot of love into this apron for sure!

It can be yours for the low price of a one comment. I liked your knock knock jokes yesterday- let's do favorite dinners today. What's your favorite thing to eat for dinner? I need ideas people!

Also, feel free to earn an extra comment by checking out my etsy shop, coming back here, and tell me what you like best.

An additional entry can be earned by telling your friends. If you know people who dig a beautiful apron, let them know (facebook, twitter, top secret apron lovers group).

As usual, leave a comment for each entry to make my life easier. Don't forget to sign up for yesterday's giveaway here. I forgot to set an end date. I'm thinking next Friday.

Have a great weekend!

Long story followed by a giveaway

Happy 100 posts day!

I accidentally on purpose bought the most expensive fabric I've ever bought yesterday. I don't feel one ounce guilty about it because it has to have balance out with all the thrifty sewing I've been doing lately. I'm getting ahead of myself. Step into my time machine. Did you put your seat belt on? Good! We're not going far.

So the Chainsaw is away from home for a few days. He usually works from home, but some guys from his company are in Denver for a few days. They requested that he stay there with them to get more work done.

City driving scares the crap out of me. I'm from South Dakota. I remember when driving in Rapid City scared me, and now it's nothing compared to driving through Denver. I can do it, and I will, but my heart rate goes up to like 503, I have white knuckles, and I'm super terrified that someone is going to rear end me.

I didn't want to be without a car for several days, so Felix and I went with Chainsaw to drop him off in the big city. I decided that if I was already going to be getting my pants scared off, I might as well try to check out the Fancy Tiger. I've always wanted to go.

Of course, it was 9:45 am and they don't open until 11 am. Felix and I checked out a kind of fancy looking Goodwill. I found not one item for my Halloween costume, but scored some snow boots for Felix and new (to me) jeans for myself. Everything else on this street (except the sex shop) appeared to be closed. It was snowing and cold. I was in the city, and damn if I wasn't going to walk through the doors of Fancy Tiger before I admitted city defeat.

I was desperately wishing for a coffee shop or at least somewhere warm, when I looked up and saw a sign that said coffee. The front of the building looked like a bar. I open the door a crack and see a man standing BEHIND A BAR. I'm pretty sure it's a bar, ok? I ask if Felix and I can come in. I have got to get this kid to a bathroom before he states he needs one, and we're cold. Bathroom mission accomplished. Felix of course decides we need to sit AT THE BAR. Not in a comfy booth, but on a stool where we might make small talk about skeletons and glowing lights in the bar for 30 minutes with the bartender. I guess this joint doubles as a coffee shop in the morning or something. Felix did not want to leave the bar to go to the Fancy Tiger at 11, but I talked him into it.

I walk into Fancy Tiger, which is a super small joint. However, the stuff it has room for is awesome. They have fancy threads, sashiko floss, craft books, and the coolest, nicest fabrics. And that's just on the sewing side. The other side was dedicated to yarn and it's best friends knit and crochet.

I think I made 4 or 5 laps around the store just looking at fabric, thinking I probably wouldn't buy any. THEN IT HAPPENED. I saw some Enchino, which I've always thought looked so cool on the internet. It's $18/yard price tag effectively kept me from ever considering owning a piece of the glory for myself. Then I did something I should have never done: I touched it. It felt amazing. I left with half a yard.



It's sitting on the table looking at me, begging me to touch it. I think I may end up playing hard to get. I might iron it in a bit, and then it's going to have to wait around for me to call and see if it wants to get together with my creative energy.

Ok, that was a pretty long story. In summary, I took Felix to hang out a bar and got my grubby hams on some Enchino.

If you stuck through the whole story you will now be rewarded with my 100 post giveaway.

Pardon the flash, but Felix wanted to show you his "reluctant to give this to you" face.



Aww!



So what it is exactly? I'm calling it a cosmetics case. I'm not going to lie- it's kind of a prototype. There are a few messy parts here and there, but it's pretty cute.

Want to win this for yourself? Here are the ways you can enter:

1. Comment here (preferably with a hilarious knock knock joke).
2. Subscribe/follow my blog. (if you are already a subscribed, that counts!)
3. Tell your friends- twitter, facebook, blog, whatever!

Please leave a separate comment for each entry. I know it's a pain, but it makes my life easier.

Also, keep checking back. I have a couple more things I'd like to bestow upon you! I have a purse or two that need new homes and a gift certificate to my shop is not out of the question.

Good luck!