craft market prep post

I have ONE WEEK to get all my craft market stuff done!!! Well, six days, in actuality! And one of those days is a band day so it's otherwise fully booked for me. So I have been really working my butt off on my mitts. Just been in a total crochet stupor. I thought I would post some things I've made for posterity. Although I can't get decent pics for the life of me. It's too overcast and I just don't have the chutpzah to set up my filming lights. Please know these look so cute in real life/decent lighting conditions!!!

Pictured above: I made some cute freakin' teddy bear mitts! I used this pattern from Raji's Craft Hobby for the bear base and added a simple circle of 12 dc on top, embroidered lightly with a nose. I had mini pony beads on hand and was able to fish out some black beads for eyes. And as if that wasn't enough, I added bow ties (just chain stitches). I have enough black beads left over that I could make a couple more pairs of these if I have the time.

Here's a series of apple mitts! I got the pattern for the apple appliques from Raffmusa Designs, and used the apple portion of their apple granny square for the halved apples. I kind of like these because they're not entirely matchy-matchy. I decided to put different things on either glove.

Strawberry mitts! I already had several strawberries on hand from when I crocheted some last year. (This design is also from Raffamusa Designs.) It's funny because I'll make these strawberries in any color other than red... But I'm trying to have at least a few mitts with classic red strawberries on 'em.

In all I have about 60 pairs of mitts in this sort of plain tube style, some totally plain, some with just a little ruffle stitch added around the top, some embellished. (I have some with bows and hearts on them but ran out of light totally so the pics didn't turn out. Maybe next post?) I also have several pairs of flower-inspired mitts that need cuffs crocheted on, so I have the next couple of days to get those done. I am pretty much running out of time to make the vine/flower charging cords I intended to make, but that's fully fine. I don't really care. I just have been having a really great time making mitts. And if I'm not having fun, what's the point?

I'm not sure whether I'll have time to post more before the market itself, but I'll definitely try to get some pics of my table!

Wish me luck!

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lofty ambitions part 2

Well, I question myself, I truly do, because I have decided to do the holiday craft fair again this year. This is an annual market put on by my mother's church, where artisans and crafters and the like can sell their wares. It's been going on for such a long time that I recall going several times as a child and looking around at all the tables full of various things! I participated in 2022 and again in 2023, but sat out in 2024. However, I had been intending to participate in 2024, so I had made some stuff for it in advance. Lots of crochet mitts, and of course, I have plenty of rainbow-shaped pillows on hand.

As I mentioned, my little sister has recently moved out of state. She always shared a table with my mother, both of them being fine artists in addition to crafty gals. This left my mother to table by herself, which is honestly pretty demanding a task. Not only are you interacting with people who have questions for you and want to chit-chat about this-n-that, but you have to do the checkout process (math, ugh!!!) and also, if the customer so desires, pack things up into gift bags. So I told her, "I'll help you. I'll bring those things I meant to sell last year and help out with all that."

So, I have been pouring my limited free time (the time not sapped by band stuff) into crocheting and market prep. I already had plenty of things either totally finished or 90% finished or 50% finished, so I have been working on finishing WIPs.

I have several pairs of these tulip-inspired mitts to crochet a cuff onto. In terms of the other mitts I want to applique or decorate about half of them, and leave the other half pretty plain. I want to add bows made with my french knitter, some strawberry and heart appliques I have crocheted, and maybe other stuff too.

As you can see, I have quite the pile already.

I have a couple of rainbow pillows where I have completed the fronts and backs but just not sewn them together or stuffed them, so I'll finish those. I am going to make a few vine/flower charging cords because those are pretty fun for me, and I'll see if those sell. And I'd like to make two or three of a different style of mitts, if I can find a pattern I like but also doesn't kill my wrists. More complicated mitts tend to be labors of love.

In years past I've sold beaded rings and bracelets, and one year it sold a ton and the next year it didn't sell much at all! Since I'm not super into doing that right now, I probably won't even take any of my leftover stuff to sell.

I am definitely filling my plate overly full. And to be honest, I am incredibly, incredibly sick to my stomach at the idea of having to check people out at my table without the help of my younger sister. I'm terrible at math and also terrible at personal interactions, haha. But I'll try not to think about any of that at all until December, at least.

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lofty ambitions part 1

So I know I said that I felt like doing some more doll-dressing, but what I actually ended up doing is taking off all my dolls' clothes. All twenty-one Neos are standing around nakedly in my room this past week.

I did this because:

• I wanted a blank slate for all the girls. Some of them have been wearing the same 'fits for a really long time (over a year) because I liked them, and I just realized all of a sudden, "I'm never going to want to change some of these outfits, but I should anyway."
• I wanted to see every single pair of shoes I have, specifically!
• I wanted to see if I had proper storage, still. All my dolls being totally undressed is a thing that never happens, really, but I wanted to see the state of my storage options. I need to change some of what I'm doing; boxes are overflowing as it is.
• I wanted to see if all my girls had underwear. A couple don't! I don't strictly think they need panties. Some things fit better without that layer in the way, taking up valuable space. But I also irrationally don't want any of them to feel less loved because they don't have undies. Hahaha.
• Just really want to do Blythey stuff right now. I want to do dressups I've never done before. Revisit my doll wardrobe and find pieces I've never used (I have many, haha) and use them, finally. Maybe even declutter??

I kind of had fun grouping my girls somewhat, as I put them all back where I keep them (atop my desk and on a ladder shelf). All the blondies and peachies. The gingers. The sandies/brunettes. I love seeing new (old) girls like Olive betwixt Fey and Zasha. I love seeing Lamb and Holland side by side -- those curly girlies. It's inspiring me. And the utter hilarity of Klara and Tiphanie sitting on the same bench when they have scads of hair that fells them so easily...

So, I'm going to have to dress all these girls again, when I hardly have the time to even do so right now! Because I am trying to do a lot of stuff right now. So as ridiculous as that sounds: Dressing all these gals again officially falls under the heading of Lofty Ambitions. I'll post about another Lofty Ambition I am undertaking quite soon. I feel insane for trying to load more onto my plate these days, when I have sort of bitten off more than I can chew already.

Finally -- and this has nothing to do with any of the rest of this post -- I did some light Halloweening with some cat ears and makeup for a family party. My mom took this pic of me and my nephew, who has grown so much lately. He is fifteen months old, a big boy who has started walking and can say "hello," "bye-bye," "kitty," and "night-night," and I have been treasuring time with him especially of late because he and his parents are moving a few states away in just a few days time. So this is just an addendum of a memory, for my own enjoyment.

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