Teddy in the Snow

Well last night we on the East Coast got hammered by snow. So I have been snug as a bug in a rug crocheting up a storm. I crocheted this little teddy who looked so cold I decided he needed a sweater. You can make your own sweater toting bear by getting the pattern here.

Was it snowing in your neck of the woods? We only got about a foot of snow in Baltimore. How much did you get?

Do any of you sell prints of your work online? I live in the USA so I use Imagekind and they really produce gorgeous prints and prints on canvas. The problem is if people in Europe order them because then the postage is high. So I decided to open a UK based print on demand shop and am now over at Redbubble so that peeps in Europe can get cheap postage when buying my prints. Check out my shop! Let me know if you have used Redbubble and whether you think its a great company.

I'm also joining in with the Hookin on Hump Day Blog Hop:

It's a Crafty Business

this link

How exciting! Saturday was my first time selling my stuff at a crafts fair! I took all my little amigurumis with me. The fair took place at a school and the kids were enraptured by all my little creatures and they sold like hot cakes. The owls were especially popular with the budgies a close second.

In the end all the animals sold out so I will start crocheting a bunch for next year. I got several custom orders and would love to do more in the future. My crochet hook is for hire so if you need a particular animal made, a Christmas stocking, or anything else just email me emmakcontact[at]yahoo.com

One of my owls twit-ta-wooing on my Christmas treee

I wonder whether owls will be in next year or some other animal!? No matter, I will just crochet a whole range of the critters. Owls are super-easy to crochet and you can use this free pattern as a starting point and then let your imagination run wild with a range of colors - great for using up scraps of wool.

I was also showing off my portfolio for the pet portraits and everyone was really impressed. It was a bit exhausting but it was really fun to talk to people and get feedback on my art. I suppose I am not really that reclusive but when you are working on your art you are in your own little creative world. So it was smashing to get some positive feedback.

And if you need any last minute prints of my art check out my store at Redbubble. Just click on this link to see prints from $24.

If you sell your art or crafts at crafts fairs tell me about your experiences. Is it worth it? 

Linking up with #AllAboutYou Pin Party
 

Happy Easter from the Chattering Duck and Friends

It's been a long snowy winter with plenty of time to get clickety-clackety with my crochet needles. And just in time for Easter I've finished three little friends. A mummy rabbit and her son plus a duck who looks like he just won't shut up [get pattern at Amirugumi to Go]

Happy Easter! Have a good one and don't eat too many Easter eggs!

Are you going away for Easter? Not me, I'm having a Staycation.

Holiday Crafting for Animal Lovers

The summers are absolutely boiling in Baltimore, which is why I get all excited when Fall rolls around, the air cools down, and I can cook up a big batch of pumpkin soup and start sitting by the fire crocheting animals. Firstly, for Halloween I created the unscariest witch on earth - Hello Kitty looking cute as a button (The Hello Kitty Witch Pattern can be downloaded over at Armina's blog).

Next I got myself all in a tizzy thinking about Christmas, snow and icicles and hot chocolate, and crocheted Mr and Mrs Mouse. As soon as I'd finished I fell madly in love with them. Next I photographed them in a pile of packing peanuts in front of a mini tree and they behaved impeccably.

They say you should never work with children or animals and they are so right.

My daughter insisted that our guinea Peanut would be great as part of this festive photo session but, well, let's just put it this way: Peanut would not be a winner of America's Next Top Model. As soon as she was put down she scurried under my carefully constucted pile of packing peanuts, scattering them a foot in the air and sending Mr and Mrs Mouse flying. Next she started eating the packing peanuts. In the end we hid a grape underneath the fake snow so she nibbled on that while she posed. The results are adorable and so worth it, don't you think, Tyra Banks?

Mr and Mrs Mouse pattern for download here.

What are you working on at the moment?

Linking up with the Christmas Holiday Linky Party. So come and join in the fun: