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

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

Bought: A Pin Cushion in a Flower Pot

I am completely enamoured by new arrival at work:



Yes, it is a pincushion in a flowerpot! It's called Pincushion Posy and made by Freehand Embellished Apparel (sadly, I cannot find a website or etsy shop for this person). It's made from recycled pantyhose and wool and decorated with buttons, beads, and pearly stick pins. Oh, and embroidery scissors (which I've been meaning to buy).

Since I picked up an unexpected shift yesterday morning and I need scissors anyway, I bought it before anyone else has a chance to do so. I had my pick of the bunch and I think it took me a half hour to decide which one I liked best.

It's a delightful little creation. Prettier than the standard tomato pincushion and a stylish alternative to the arms of my chairs. Even Mr. P was excited by it (but then, anything to keep pins and needles and scissors out of the furniture).

Posted byHello Pineapples! on Sunday, September 28, 2008 1 comments  

filed under: bought, good ideas, love me

Retail Therapy: Pineapples at Love, Me

I've been hanging out at Love, Me Boutique lately, picking up some working hours here and there. I really love the store. It's the sort of place where I'd work for free if I won the lottery. My last bunch of monkeys sold out (hooray!) and I've been trying to keep on top of the monkey supply and demand chain.

About two weeks ago, I was excited to see that some had sold, but then realized that sadly I forgot to take a picture. It was made out of some fantastic bright coloured socks (pinks and oranges) that I really loved. I am horrible at taking pictures of my work. I finish something, declare it done and walk away.

The same thing almost happened for a few other monkeys that are/were available, but I've been snapping pics as I shut down the store (hooray for camera phone):





I fell in love with the socks that made the monkey on the left. I found them while visiting my parents and knew that those socks would make a pretty spiffy monkey. The monkey on the right is made of what I like to call "pre-loved socks". That means I (or someone I know) used to wear the socks and they've been washed within an inch of their life (and any holes are conveniently covered).

Anyway, here are some other shots (apologies for any poor quality photos - low light + camera phone = kind of crappy photo):



Along with the two monkeys is Clem, the Sock Experiment. He's been "adopted" and is off to make new friends in his new home. Also in this photo: fable quilt (hanging up), dujoo onesies, uptown tub soap, cabin and cub wooden kids' bank, bobs and lolo DVD.

Here's a monkey I had a lot of fun making:



He is embellished with some fun times bedazzling studs. He also has pearly button eyes. I feel this gives him a bit of White Stripes-ishness. I think his studded cuffs and earring make him a bit of a bad-ass.



And finally, a pink monkey that was a pain in the ass to make. It's the sock that I melted:



The monkey did recover from the melted legs, but the result was substantially shorter legs than planned. But then, I like to think that their imperfections is what gives them character.

So that's it for now. If you're in Halifax, be sure to stop by the store. It really is lovely and full of awesome things that are all handmade by awesome artists and artisans.

Posted byHello Pineapples! on Thursday, July 24, 2008 0 comments  

filed under: arts and crafts, love me, loveme, plush, sock monkeys

Home again and Workshop postponed

Well, it's taken a few days to get back at this. The last few days in Palm Springs were busy with last minute shopping, hanging out with the parents,and the dreaded packing. I had to borrow a suitcase and my two pieces of luggage each weighed in at 49.5 lbs. Anyway, I've survived my "red eye" flight and the jet-lag. Since getting home, I've spent most of my time sleeping and complaining about the cold and the damp. Happily, today is giving me some much needed sunshine (I think I was in sunshine withdrawal yesterday). I think the worst bit about my travels was losing my wee embroidery scissors in Toronto. I incorrectly assumed that if I was allowed scissors at LAX security, I'd be allowed to have them when I cleared customs. Apparently not. I was given the option of checking a carry on in order to keep my scissors, but they were cheap and I wasn't about to line up again. So there's a tip for anyone traveling with crafts: itty bitty scissors are allowed on flights in the States, but not on Canadian flights. Before Thursday morning, I would have thought it was the other way around, considering security in American airports make me take my shoes off and Canadian security doesn't always do this.

I opened up my Google Reader today to discover that my time away has meant that not only was I not posting in my blog, but that since I wasn't reading blogs, I had 1000+ blog entries unread! That's a bit unmanageable, so there's been a lot of clicking "mark all as read" for various blogs. Although, I'm still trying to read a few of my favourite craft blogs. If only to give me some inspiration (perhaps some motivation) to get some crafting done.

I got good news/bad news last night from Love, Me: the Sock Monkey workshop that was supposed to take place today was cancelled, but, two different people were interested in having the workshop on another day with at least five of their friends. So while today's was cancelled, it's going to be replaced with two! Not a bad deal. And more good news: when I stopped by this morning, I found out that three monkeys have sold! Yay! Time to put down my embroidery and pick up the socks. It's pretty exciting to think that people are wandering in off the street and liking my monkeys so much that they buy them. It's a little weird to think of that. Weird because I still find it odd that people buy something that I've made. Up until the past year or so, my crafts were for me or for friends/family, never for sale. I think I can get used to it though.

Posted byHello Pineapples! on Saturday, May 03, 2008 0 comments  

filed under: crafting while traveling, love me, sock monkeys

I'm for sale!

hooray monkeys!

My monkeys are now on sale at Love, Me Boutique! I brought them by yesterday afternoon. I've been meaning to get monkeys there for some time, but life, school, procrastination, all got in the way. I'll still try to sell some on etsy, but it's really neat to think of my monkeys sitting on a shelf in a store, just waiting for someone to buy them. Sort of like Corduroy the bear, but with monkeys.

If you're local and you haven't been to Love, Me yet, then you really should get over there. It's pretty fantastic. It's on Birmingham St., just past Chintzy's fabrics and Woozles bookstore. (If you're anything like me, you need the 'landmarks'...I never know the street names, but I know where all the stores are. I feel awful when tourists stop me for directions. I end up looking like the dumbest local ever).

I have a sneaky feeling that if I do sell some monkeys, I will probably spend a chunk of it there. There are a number of pretty things there that I have my eye on.

Posted byHello Pineapples! on Wednesday, April 02, 2008 0 comments  

filed under: love me, sock monkeys