Friday, May 15, 2015

Baby Brights, a new book by Kathleen McCafferty!

I'm so excited!  Last year, an editor, Kathleen McCafferty, from Lark Publishing contacted me about including my Gillyweeds Top Down Soaker pattern in her upcoming book, Baby Brights.



Of course, I jumped at the chance!

Here it is.  Available now, on Amazon!  Please check it out, there are 29 other amazing patterns in this book, and it's adorable!  I can't wait to receive my copy!




Monday, February 16, 2015

The Gillyweeds Crochet Bib pattern is available again!

I had this pattern posted on my Etsy shop, but had to take it down due to hard drive issues.  Well, it's back!

Just purchase the listing, and you can download the PDF pattern directly to your mobile device, or computer, and crochet away!

Here are a few pictures...this is such an easy, quick pattern, and is a blank slate!  Cross-stitch a design on it, add an applique, crochet a flower or other embellishment, add buttons, you can do anything to dress this up.  I plan to add some free cross-stitch/intarsia type crochet designs on the blog, soon.  I made an owl bib for my son, and loved how it turned out.




Monday, October 20, 2014

Craft Show Displays

Yep, it's craft show season.

I have done two so far, and have two more to go for the Fall.  I may try to do a few over the winter, and in the Spring, but this year is the first year I have done more than two, and it's so  much work!  But always fun.

Here is the set up for my last show.  The black back drop is from the booth next to me, and it hindered my visibility a little, though I angled my table so that I could still catch everyone turning the corner.  As you can see, I only had an eight foot table, and a shelf unit.  The space was 8'x8', so I angled the table, and put the shelf unit in the "corner" so that people could pass through and get out of the aisle while still seeing everything.




The shelf unit is one that you can change the configuration of, so I made it into a tall (around 5 foot) unit, and used it to hang scarves.  Each scarf had it's own hanger, and I had a hand mirror on top for trying them on.  Unfortunately, the next table over was also selling infinity scarves, for half my price, and they had way more than I did, so they sold a ton, and I didn't sell any.  C'est la vie.


On the left corner of the table, is my shoe rack.  On top are my crocheted hair elastics, and the bottom has clothespins to hold the hats.  Each tier spins, so everything can be seen.  It's a heavy bugger, though, and a pain to move around.  I still love it, though, and use it every show.




Remember the wire shelf unit?  I took two of the "shelves" and zip tied them together, and used it as a backdrop of sorts for my hair clips.  I put up the ones I liked the most, and laid the rest out in baskets.  Easy, and I think it looks good!



I dabble in paper items, because they are my favorite things to make, but I have a two year old, and I can't get anything out while he is awake, so I get very little time to work on them.  Someday...

These are bookmarks, mini notebooks and mini sticky notes, a basket of cup cozies, biz cards, and my lovey blankets are just piled on the table.  I got some new baskets and I plan to display the blankets on the sides of the shelf unit and the book marks in baskets, so I will hopefully have a less crowded and nicer looking table for the next show.


I hope to get through this year's two shows, and revamp my offerings for next year.  I need to focus on either crochet or paper.  I hope that my little one helps me make up my mind by staying out of my stuff so I can go all paper, but who knows?  I do like craft shopping when there is a lot to look at, at lots of different price points. 

I try to have some $1, $5, $10-$12 and $15-$20 items at every show.  There are always those people with only a few dollars left looking for stocking stuffers (bookmarks, keychains, mini notebooks) and those looking for a gift for mom or for themselves (scarves), and the baby hats...well, who doesn't know someone who either just had a baby or is due any day, now?

What are your favorite display ideas?  I would love to hear from you!  More importantly, be sure to stop out to St. Wenceslaus Catholic church on Saturday, October 25th, from 9-4.  On the corner of 156th and Pacific!  See you there!