hello pineapples

Halifax Crafters Spring Fling Recap

It was another busy weekend with the Halifax Crafters. The show looked great. It just keeps getting better.

I think I've learned my lesson the hard way: your weekend will be so much better if you actually get some sleep. I pulled an all-nighter on Friday and was exhausted on Saturday. On the upside - I had to stand at my table (which I prefer to do anyway), because whenever I tried to sit, I'd fall asleep. Oops.

Despite being exhausted, it was a good weekend. I like getting to hang out with the awesome Crafters and it's always fun to get to know the person at the table next to you - because otherwise, I find myself drawing a blank when I see them without their work in front of them. A roundup of my awesome show neighbours over the years: Robyn Stephens of Shibang, Colleen MacIsaac of Little Foible, Anne Pryde, Roisin Fagan of Bespoke Uprising. This show I chatted Amanda Fullerton of Big Day and Hillary Webb.

The best part of the weekend was seeing a little customer hanging out with her new sock cat. Seriously, if she had been my only customer, I would have been happy. It's always nice to sell things, but it's even nicer to see someone really loving the toy you've created. She danced with him and tied him around her neck and her waist. I was in complete glee watching her and her sock cat. It was also great when people would stop by and say, "I bought one for my son/daughter/friend/etc and they love it". One woman told me that her son's monkey was named Pineapple. Awesome! Another told me that one of my favourite creatures still hangs out in her car.

I fear that the weird and nasty weather on Sunday (snow? what?) may have kept shoppers away. My leftover monkeys, a bunny, and a last minute socktopus (started Saturday night, after my nap, and finished at the show on Sunday) are headed over to Love, Me Boutique tomorrow.

Posted byHello Pineapples! on Monday, April 19, 2010 0 comments  

filed under: craft fair, halifax crafters, love me

Handmade Nation

Um, how excited am I about this screening at AFF:



That's right. Handmade Nation at Park Lane on Sept. 24. I am so there. With crafts in hand. Maybe even my Sublime Stitching Handmade Nation pattern. Love, Me has plans to make it extra DIY special.

And speaking of craftiness and DIY: deadline for applications to the Crafters' December market are due on Friday. Email halifaxcrafters @ gmail.com with 'application request' in the Subject to get an application. It's December 5 & 6 at the Olympic Community Centre, which I predict will not only be huge, but awesome.

Now, I need to get to bed. It's late and I've got The Other Blog to attend to first thing in the a.m. and a boring book to finish before it becomes overdue at the library.

Posted byHello Pineapples! on Wednesday, September 16, 2009 0 comments  

filed under: arts and crafts, craft fair, craft in film

Art Harvest recap

A few pictures from my table at the Crafters' Art Harvest. Man oh man. Do I ever suck at taking pictures of my work. I was hoping to use some for my application to the December market, but that's unlikely to happen.













It was a long weekend, but a good one. I'm really looking forward to the next one. Hopefully this time I'll get started on preparation more than a week ahead of time.

On another note, if you've ever "adopted" one of my monkeys, I'd love to hear about where they are now. Like this much loved monkey living in PEI:



You might notice that the eyes look a little weird. Here's a closeup:



That was an emergency eye surgery. The monkey originally had button eyes when sent up to my friends before their baby was born. When I saw the monkey over Labour Day weekend, the monkey was sans eyes and I was worried that stuffing would come out at some point (had holes where the buttons were). So those eyes were embroidered on...since they were covering holes, the embroidered eyes aren't exactly as neat as I'd like. I don't think they wee one who loves the monkey cares. She was just as happy when it didn't have eyes.

Posted byHello Pineapples! on Sunday, September 13, 2009 0 comments  

filed under: craft fair, paintings, sock monkeys

This is why I'm not good at delegating

The husband meant well and I appreciated the effort (it was late, he hates messy things like glue), but this is what happened to some of the tags for the sale:



glued together. oops. I'd be better off if I didn't leave it until the night before.

Posted byHello Pineapples! on Saturday, September 12, 2009 0 comments  

filed under: craft fair, craft mishaps

Crafters' Art Harvest

Hey there Crafters' visitors (and readers who've pretty much given up on this blog)! It's Crafters' time again!



I was really scrambling to be ready this time - houseguests, head colds and road trips meant I didn't get much done during the week. I think it all came together though. Not as many monkeys as I'd like, but there it is. (although, I took pictures of my table this time! I always forget my camera).

One of the things I really love about the Crafters' shows is getting to meet other crafters. Since I usually share a table with someone, it's a great chance to get a good look their work and talk to them about what they do. During the spring show, I got to meet Robyn of Shibang Designs. Her bags are fantastic.

Today I got to meet Colleen MacIsaac of Little Foible, whose cards I've long admired at Love, Me. It was really awesome to get to watch her paint and sketch while we were at the table. She has a One Minute Film that will be screened at this year's Atlantic Film Fest.

Seriously, the North Street Church is just chock-a-block full of awesome when the Crafters are there.

If you were thinking of buying a monkey, but not this weekend, you can always check out Love, Me Boutique on Birmingham St. They usually have a couple in stock. If you're thinking that you could probably just make one on your own with an old pair of socks, well, you totally can. I can also teach you. Watch the Love, Me events page for a schedule of crafty workshops this fall.




You can also contact me by email: crafty [at] hellopineapples [dot] com. If you're from out of town, we can arrange something via Etsy.

In the meantime, I will continue to be a horrible craft blogger, as I've gotten stupidly busy with the Other Blog (Fashionable People, Questionable Things) and I'll be writing for You Know You Love Fashion (which launches on Monday!) during season three of Gossip Girl. YKYLF is all about the fashion on Gossip Girl (the good, the bad, and the downright ugly - I'm looking at you Vanessa).

Now, I need to eat my dinner before my cat steals it. Hope to see you at the North Street Church tomorrow!

Posted byHello Pineapples! on Saturday, September 12, 2009 0 comments  

filed under: awesome crafters, craft fair, love me

Crafters & internet finds

I went to my first Halifax Crafters organizing meeting yesterday. The ball is getting rolling for both the September and December shows. Very exciting. I've got a floor of little canvases that I'm painting. They'll probably be in the September show. I've also had some ideas for monkey accessories, but those will stay under my hat for the time being.

So, two internet things to share today. For starters, on topic with Crafters, I thought I'd share the website of Shibang designs. Roby/Shibang shared a table with me at the spring show & I found myself admiring her bags and pouches. She makes some really lovely stuff. Check it out:



That's one of her pencil cases, which are available in her etsy store.

Off topic from the Halifax Crafters is this inspiring internet find:



What? Seriously? Yes, seriously. That is a fabric "cootie catcher" & all the letters/numbers/fortunes are embroidered. How much awesome is that? It's made by the very talented Penny Nickels. I believe she sells it on her etsy site.

Posted byHello Pineapples! on Monday, June 15, 2009 1 comments  

filed under: craft fair

Halifax Crafters Spring Sale

oof. I've been Worst Blogger Ever. well, Worst Craft Blogger. I've been working on fashion blog with a friend for the past month. It's super fun, but no excuse for ignoring this blog.



This weekend is the Halifax Crafters Spring Sale. Love these sales. So much creativity and awesomeness under one roof. The North Street Church is bursting at the seams with handmade goodness. Lots of people were out yesterday, despite the crappy weather. I'm hoping for another good day today. Although I'm trying to think of a different display for today. I wasn't feeling yesterday's display.

Speaking of today's sale, I should go get ready and get out the door.

Posted byHello Pineapples! on Sunday, May 03, 2009 2 comments  

filed under: craft fair, sock monkeys

Friday Panic: So much to do, so little time

AUGH!

I'm covered in paint and surrounded by monkeys, but not quite ready for the Halifax Crafters Holiday Handmade Market - which is tomorrow! Not acutally letting you see the corner of my living room that has been carpet bombed by craft, this is the scene Chez Pineapples:

15 monkeys:


(I'm kind of hoping I'll manage one or two more by tomorrow morning).

Some paintings:





(fyi: I'm no artist. I taught myself to paint, so I like to think of myself as a "folk artist". Like Maud Lewis, only sillier).

and signs that refuse to work out:



I've used all the white foam board I own and I'm not sure how to remedy this. It will probably involve a last minute trip to Loomis and Toles (I know, it's Deserres, but I just can't shake the old name).

And there are still tags to make, bags to figure out, possibly ironing the hankies to add to the collection, a float to be gotten,and a cat to kittysit (which requires getting house keys). I think I may send husband to feed kitty tonight and I'll just head over the the house to stay overnight tomorrow (it's in the same neighbourhood as the craft fair - quite convenient).

I think I'll take a nap and then face this mess with a clearer head.

Posted byHello Pineapples! on Friday, December 05, 2008 1 comments  

filed under: craft fair, sock monkeys, work in progress

Monkeys at the Khyber

Craft Fair at the Khyber today. It wasn't the big Christmas craft fair, but a part of FemFest. Business was slow and my sales were all friends. ah well. A sale is a sale. There was some other awesome stuff there and I wish I had pictures and links for them, but I sort of sucked at that. I think I was too cold to think of it. No idea what was up, but the bar area of the Khyber was frakking cold! We were all in there with coats and hats on.

But the Monkeys had a good time.



There is supposed to be another craft fair at the Khyber in two weeks or something. I'm not sure how to get involved with it. It's the same weekend as the birthday party for le husband, so the timing may not work out anyway. Regardless, I'm going to get my Etsy account back up and put the monkeys for sale online.

Posted byHello Pineapples! on Sunday, November 25, 2007 0 comments  

filed under: arts and crafts, craft fair, khyber, monkeys