Busy Bee

Colleen and I are heading to the gift show this weekend and it just hit me that when we come back it'll be February!

Me thinks it's time for a Valentine's display.

I dug out a book of coloured cardstock from my mess of supplies in the shop and got to work on perhaps the easiest little craft project EVER.

Scissors, stapler, paper and tada!

I call them "insta-hearts".

Or I do now anyway.

And, since I don't go anywhere without a needle and thread (that might be a lie actually) I strung them up and hung them about the store.

Over the front table...

...and in the window.

Cute huh?

You should come see them. Here.

I've been pretty productive this past week.

I launched the Blackbird online shopping website: www.blackbirdshop.ca

as well as our new Creative Workshop venture that I talked about a few posts ago.

We decided that the burlap wreath workshop would be our first and, in just 3 days our class sold out!

Why I didn't think of this sooner I DO NOT KNOW!

After it sold out Col and I kind of went in to panic mode.

You know, not having sourced all the necessary supplies or, say, having made one ourselves to see if we could even do it in the 3 hours we allotted for the course.

Colleen tends to worry about these things a little more than I do.

Which is probably why we make a good team.

We did eventually find the materials we needed. Kelly from Textile Traditions kindly provided the burlap. Which we upcycled from the bags some of her bolts of fabric are shipped in.

I spent the better part of Clementine's nap getting started on it, and finished it last night (save for a few finishing touches).

Yes, all within 3 hours I'm happy to say.

I think it looks pretty darned special.

I kind of want to make more. I get addicted like that.

With different colours and textured fabric...and buttons! Ugh. I will have to bring buttons to the class so our students can go hog wild!

I was planning on selling this in the store after the workshop, but I may have to keep it.

Also, Colleen and I are finally making serious progress on our little Handmade Nest project.

We've coined our pacifier clips "Cliptomaniac Pacifier Clips".

Another thing we share in common is our affinity for funky packaging.

I got these little watchmakers tins at Lee Valley Tools (the perfect place to find great "dad gifts" by the way).

Brad was at a work function last night so I had lots of crafting time on my hands.

I moved the little kitchen table into the tv room and got to making more of these:

Baby hair clip sets.

I can't stop making these for some reason.

Clemmie now officially has a hair clip for every outfit. And some that don't match a single thing in her closet.

We were at a wedding this weekend and I even made one especially to match.

It's insanely large and dorkalicious.

You'll notice she's also sporting a pacifier clip.

My little product tester.

Brad, of course, HAD to match his girl again.

In his defense, he did change his outfit to match me at the reception later in the evening.

What a fashionista that boy is.

That's it for now I suppose.

Again, if you're not already on the shop's email list, and you'd like to know about upcoming workshops, click here to join our mailing list.

I'll keep you in the loop.

xo Em