super-squeeze me...

 Oh these two.

So much sweetness and chub' can barely be contained by one chair anymore.

As you can see, sister Azriel has been perfecting her strangle-hug over these past 10 months of having a brother around the nest.

Azriel took this shot of her brother - on the left - pretty slick, eh?

 The big Hud'.

Handsome Hudson.

He loves helping with the Christmas decor.. by attempting to eat the bells off our homemade stockings.. or the low hanging tree ornaments.. or any other tiny choke hazard he can find.

He loves peek-a-boo,

saying "Da-daaaa",

and lunging around the floor at any particle worth eating.

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Sporting a lil' kerchief/bib I made... and the 'deer' painted shirt I passed on from his sis.

Paint-splotch jeans from Sears.

Cute Moccasins from Old Navy.

Azriel is giddy as a Christmas elf lately.

She loves decorating,

singing,

dancing,

crafting.

Most of her sentences end with - "that's a good idea, don't you think??"

Most of them start with - "I wanna see Grandma/Grandpa"

"I wanna a snack"

"I want to watch sumpthing".

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Azi wears random bits of gifted/thrifted threads.

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(I just love the excuse to link up with lovely Morgan from Small Style once and a while.

But, as you can see, I care a hill o' beans about fashion and name brands.

We're happy to thrift threads.

Grateful to be gifted the others.

I actually don't give a hooot what anybody's kids are wearing as far as the labels, I just love seeing the sweeties I've come to know keep growing into such fun individuals!)

Plenty more Christmassy cuteness n' craftings coming your way here friends,

stay tuned...

Still aglow,

Mel ;o)

still steeping...

 Here we are, half-way through the Advent calendar - Christmas is 13 days away lovelies!!

I'm still steeping my way through the Scriptures (my tea/Bible calendar).

Having this simple prompt to stop and reflect has been very helpful for me.

Quiet times of meditation are so revitalising...

 ...especially when 'quiet times' are so rare for mamas.

Azriel and I do our morning readings together often... which usually ends with her asking me to pray that God would let her see her Grandparents (ha!).

These lil' cups of Joy are also proving to be servings of:

faith

hope

love

peace.

brewing and believing,

Mel ;o)

Tips n' Tricks (getting your craft show on):

You better steep a tea - or brew some java - for this post, friends.

What follows is a slide show of peeks from that craft show I was in (with advice and anecdotes about how to be part of your own craft show)!

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It seems this lil' nest has inspired many of you to create, or start blogs, or start entering craft shows.. all of which delights/humbles me.

To encourage you forward in your creative pursuits, I now share my own subjective advice on the matter of 'how-to' market your wares:

1. Your product/packaging:

 Once you've discovered the creations you love making... it's time to wrap those babies up and get them ready to show to the world.

The thing that sets 'handmade' apart from so much of retail is the personal touch of creative packaging.  It could be a flaming poop... but if it's wrapped all pretty.. people want it!  

Now this doesn't mean you need to laboriously cover every.single.item at your table in fancy finery... but show the effort with a few key pieces.

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In my example: those wrist-warmers were SOLD OUT again this year...  and it may have helped that I took the time to paint gold strips across brown cardstock paper, wrap it with natural wool, and hang a business logo/label from each with a turquoise deer/bird decal on top.

I used a similar approach to wrapping my cozy neck cuff.cowls too.

Packaging assumes you have created a 'brand'.  I think every artisan/crafter who wants to put themselves out there, needs to have a 'calling card'.  Create your own name/logo/business card before jumping into a show.  (This doesn't mean you have to immediately create a stellar business franchise with all the bells and whistles... just get a basic set up going by which people can contact you).

2. You're packed and ready to show:
 So now that your product is tagged and tucked away for the show... lets talk about 'what to pack'.
I love using old suitcases for the dual purpose of transport/display of my creations. They are the perfect container with a built-in 'backdrop' for showing off your wares in a funky way.

I then have a bin crammed full of packaging/set-up supplies: business cards. labels. tape. pens. wool/twine. paper. gift bags/tissue paper. scissors. nails. jewellery pliers. calculator. etc!  (Just try to think of every 'tool' you may have used during your creating process/packaging stage... in case you need to do a quick fix during the craft show).

3. Displaying your creations:
 This is always a challenge for me.  Getting all my gear to sit pretty for the show.  This specific craft fair provides a table for each vendor... the trick is maximizing that space (and any other square inch I can find nearby.. hence, the above chair/wall/bar inclusion!).

Create a theme to guide your decor.  Pick backdrops/colours/containers that all tie in with your overall appearance.  You don't want these elements to distract people from your actual product - so make sure they play a supporting role.

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In my case, I stick with the palette/theme of my blog here:  everything is turquoise/browns and lace/doily themes.  (If you look at the above picture.. you can probably spot how these elements repeat themselves throughout my display).

Focus on layers and levels of your display table.  You'll want to group your creations into contained areas to avoid a 'helter-skelter' appearance of 'hey, I just chucked all this stuff across my table.. wanna buy something?'.   
Where there's order there's clarity.
An organised space is easy on the customer's eyes.  If 'less is more'... one can nicely arrange their 'more' to appear as less!  

Choose versatile display boards for your creations.  This allows your product to be flexible, you can hang it if a wall is provided, or prop them up on tables.  
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As you saw (up above), the first day of the craft fair had me using these boards in completely different set-ups than how they were used for the second day (seen here).
Having a fabric frame is great for displaying jewellery... you can push the pins through the fabric to hang them all.

To sum up this section:  displaying your creations is all about the aesthetic arrangement that makes the best impact on the viewer.  Practise setting up your table at home if you need to.
Look up online how other craft venues display their booths... there's countless examples of gorgeous arrangements out there to inspire you.

4. Show me the money!
Ok, no.. don't really.  You want to have your cash box securely tucked behind your display area.  I use a tackle box.  Yep.  It's good for what I want it to do: separate my coins/bills, hold my extra business cards, gift bags, pens, calculator. etc. 
It goes without saying that you should send a business card home with every customer, right? 
Yes, that.  
I also stamped a feather on my brown paper gift bags... as a final touch.
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Speaking of money - I almost forgot: make sure to clearly mark the prices on all your items!
Not every vendor does this... but I think most people are more likely to buy something when they see what the price is (vs. the 'embarrassment' of asking the price and then having to decline the purchase).  It's a pet-peeve of mine to have to repeatedly ask a vendor "how much is this".. "and this".. "oh, and this??".
So for my sake, price yer dang wares already!  Ha.

... I think that hopefully covers the basics (?)... oh, but one more thing:

Snapped by my sweet pal Rae of Blackbird Studio

5. The smiles are free:
 Some of us are outgoing/extroverts.... some of us are withdrawn/introverts... and heck, some of us (like moi) are a confused mash-up of both!  Regardless, no matter who you are, if you're going to run a craft table that expects to attract human souls... show a little kindness.  It's called a smile.  A simple "Hello, how are you?"  "Let me know if I can answer any questions"  "How old is your baby.. can I squish 'em?!" .... that kind of deal.

I've been to a number of craft shows... and often as I see the vendor brooding in the backdrop I wonder ("sheeesh, would it kill you to smile?").  I know some people just own a serious face (despite feeling content/happy/elated)... I even married that guy.  But I think it goes far to show people you're glad to have them at your table. So, grab a mirror and practise! ;o)

Hmmmm, ok, I think that's my two-cents-worth gone and spent.

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I hope some of these points were helpful to any of you creative souls!

Do any other vendors out there want to share their input?

I'd love to hear feedback - even from a 'customers' viewpoint - about what you think makes for a winning craft table.

Thanks for enduring this massive post today lovelies.

Creatively yours,

Mel ;o)

craft-tastic:

 Hello tweet-hearts!

Well, we did it ~ the weekend whirlwind of craft show goodness was a total success!

I love, love, being a part of the Focus Fair, it's such a great (diverse) group of artisans.

Over a dozen of us all crammed into a cozy coffee shop.

 Speaking of crammed.. yes, I managed to get my wares all piled on to one table.

Thankfully there was wall space to use too!

(More pictures to come... if you aren't sick of all this 'craft talk' yet?!)

From our nest to yours.

Thank you.

To all the locals who came out and supported handmade.

Thank you.

For all the kind feedback, orders and online encouragements... I'm humbled.

Special thanks to my family,  (the parents said baby Hudson was an 'angel' (phew!))...

and to my guy Ben and gal Azriel... enduring a house full of craftings this past month.

Thank you.

I will clean the house (nothing like a thorough 'guilt' cleansing!) and clear away all the crafting piles (er...other than the Christmas gifts to make now).

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Today - we're setting up the Christmas tree - wheeee!

Creatively yours,

Mel ;o)

mama's boy.

 This is the post where I'm all sentimental and trying not to be.

I've never been a hugely emotional person (granted, I probably seemed like a Vulcan before the heart-mushing experience of having children).

All that to say.. there's a lump in my throat right now.

Here I am, on the eve of this Craft show weekend.

My suitcases are crammed full of crafty goodness... I'm excited.

This is my first I-bounced-back-from-having-babies-craft-show, so that's something.

It's kind of a big deal (you may recall my past artist vs. mama struggles).

But now, the thought of being away from this guy is tearing me up a bit.

I know our daughter will be fine (celebrating an early Christmas with Ben's relatives)... but the 'big Hud' the "Hud Huderson" the "big fat Hudsy"... well, he's a mama's boy.

Or, I'm a boy's mama (?).

We're kind of crazy about each other.

If you're a parent, you'll probably 'get me' on this.

This is the first day I'll be away from my 'baby' (10 mos) boy.

Other than needing that surgery when he was a newborn... I've always been here for him.

Tomorrow he's spending the day with my kind parents.

Don't worry, I've written them a encyclopedia of tips and tricks for Hudson's schedule.. (because, you know... it's not like they have had 3 kids of their own.. ever).

I'm sure the day will be a merry blur, and I'm excited to share about it next week!

I just keep feeling bittersweet about not having my boy near.

(The temptation to bring him along in a baby carrier did present itself... but my spine screamed in terror of heaving his 26lbs around a crowded craft table!)

 Tomorrow night will be extra-snuggle time with the family!

Hope to see y'all at the Focus Fair tomorrow... I may need a hug!  (They're FREE).

Mushy mama,

mel ;o)

peek-a-HOO!

 Allllllllrighty folks - here it is - the final sneak peek of handmade goodies flying the Nest!

I'm starting to pack up the suitcases for this weekend's Focus Fair (it's hilarious how most of us crafters show up with all our vintage suitcases in tow!).

So here's my latest hooty-full creation:

 Hand-painted owl pocket-pillows.

 This limited collection features a 'secret' pocket on the back to stash away lil' treasures.

(Fabric pockets come in a delicate bonny blue floral - or chocolate/smoke blue chevron pattern - atop a turquoise vinyl).

I love these cutie hoots.

*Though, truth be told, they almost got cut from the 'to-do' list.  Call me a rebel, but have you noticed that owls are everywhere lately?  I didn't want to look like just another person trying to sell 'em... but then I thought: 'Anyone who knows me already knows that I've loved owls for a long time - and they're always part of my craft shows in some form or other.'

So here they are, and I'm happy about it!

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Oh yes, and these wee hoots will be back this year too:

Soft owl plushies in a cheery Christmas cherry tone!

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In other tweet news... I received a beautiful handmade gift from around the world last week!

All these goodies came from a kindred-crafter, blog reader, caring Kiwi named Ann.

 (Annie B Homemade)!

She knew I loved owls... and embroidered this gorgeous journal cover!

She also made the adorable half-eaten gingerbreadman ornament, and gifted the Kiwi plushie from another crafter - as gifts for our kids.  What a sweetheart!

Thanks lovely!

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Well there's the hoo's hoo of recent goodness around this nest, I'll spare you any further puns and sign off for today!

Owl always love you,

er.... I mean...

Creatively yours,

Mel ;o)

that glow...

 They say that a pregnant woman has a special 'glow' about her.

(Yet, the only blush I remember was from hurling my brains out during those nine months).

You just feel huge, bloated, sore, and tired by the end... no magical fairy dust or glowing elements that I recall.

But these two.

Well, they are my glow.

Shining in sweetness,

Mel ;o)