piddleloop.com

stuff and things weekend edition

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Just stopping in to let you know a few things before we get to the schafer family tour of rocks and renegade and other photo entries.
Just wanted to let y’all know that thanks to nat and his web genius, after breaking the website successfully several times, i’m updating all my software and stuff. So i now have a MAILING LIST for fans of our etsy shop. So if you want to sign up to know when we’ll be updating and which fabrics either look near the top of my blog on the left where it says blog, store, contact, MAILING LIST...click that and sign up. Or go here for the lazy. Do me a favor and spread the word, i know we’ve always been spradic in updating, but this will really help you to know the down-low. So please feel free to take advatage of that.
Next up some pictures to assure you that i haven’t given up on knitting. The monkey sock was too tight for my liking and was frogged in Utah. I didn’t bring other sock needles on the plane. I did start a chevron scarf.



that’s two skeins of socks that rock midweight in lucy and froofraw.



I’m not so sure how i feel about this scarf. I sort of like the way it’s coming out. Not so sure i like spending hours and hours and basically the rest of my life knitting this. This is one slow moving scarf. How in tarnation did the masses do this knit?
I also am tackling this ginormous stack of 70 project pouches. For stock for etsy and for Yarncon in october.

Edited: now mind you those are the insides of the pouches you see. to find out the outsides perhaps you should sign up on the mailing list? muwahahahahaha




I did some commissioned sewing for Aija’s little contest.
i made 3 sets of tissue holders and key fobs that matched.




I hope the people who get them like them, i think they turned out quite colorful and cute. I forgot how much i enjoy making those key fobs. Not only are they useful but fun to sew. I’m toying around with taking some knitting skulls scraps and making some key fobs for the shop what do you think?
next up how about a few pictures nat takes of me making weird faces? i’m very very unphotogenic. I also seem to give him the don’t take my picture face a lot. So here’s evidence


and


playing with simon friday


we went to a performance of the midnight circus on the park across the street from nat. They were raising money for a new playlot. Nat got a new camera for his b-day. A fancy schmancy Canon Rebel XTI SLR. So all these photos are taken by him with his fancy-pants new camera.
these guys were warming up, they were a jump rope team and they were pretty cool



a woman walking a tightrope in pointe shoes



woman hanging from a long piece of fabric



girl with a million hoops



girl hanging from hoop way up high



me playing with nat’s lens while being camera girl holding them while he switches out



this guy was funny, i think he was a clown of sorts. He was like a super hero who made great faces and climbed chairs


ok so that was some of my weekend. A lot of sewing, watching the Bears lose tot he Lions and we checked out the movie Once. I highly recomment this little movie if you have a chance to see it. So worth the money.

Posted by Jennifer on 09/30 at 02:45 PM ♥ Comments (11)

Las Vegas Nevada

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I have a thing for chewing on mints. And i can eat a box of mentos in about 4 min. I straped them in on the plane and i think nat took this picture cause he laughed.
Hey Jen how would you describe your vacation?



yes. we arrive in vegas on sept 9th and eery day it’s 100 degress or more, for the whole week. The weather man kept talking about a big cool down, which was going to be 98 degrees. intresting.
Anyways...Vegas.



We came we saw we sweat.



I took pictures of type and gogo girls in type



Vegas pretty much looks like this:



Building is everywhere. Vegas has now pushed away from the “family trend” fromt he late 90’s and early 2000 years and is now in “luxary” mode. All they are building is tons of residential living and posh living EVERYWHERE. Who would want to live here?

Answer:



my grandma. She and grandpa moved out here over 30 years ago. (note the shirt she is wearing, it was 102 according tot he temp gauge that day) we lost grandpa but she refuses to move anywhere close to us. So my dad decided to fly us all out before he retires next year. He’s so nice. I took this of him and mom at the bellagio one morning.



And my dad took this outside of the bellagio, you can see it is like 1 pm, high noon and we are trying not to burst into flame



Nat took this one of zander on the strip



i had mom take this of nat and i at the bellagio



We stayed for some of the trip at the Sahara and this was right outside



I played just a little and channeled grandpa since he was always lucky. I picked a dime slot that was really REALLY loud and overly dramatic sounding. I won $54 off two bucks. not bad thanks grandpa.



Nat losing his money



i found this picture of mom when she was little at grandma’s



So that is part one. Part two will be the schafer family tour of rocks. exciting huh? bet you can’t wait.

Posted by Jennifer on 09/25 at 10:40 PM ♥ Comments (18)

a handmade friday edition

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Ok so i have some of everything for you. Some handmade stuff from etsy and some from renegade to share with you. The best of both worlds! yay!
But first briefly, i bet you are all wondering what exactly stayed in vegas (for those who live abroad there’s an advertising slogan for vegas..what happens in vegas..stays in vegas)
the answer would be BAD BREATH!! Yay! I bought this tin of mints and a mug (stays at nat’s) and yes i do like stuff with my name on it.



I’m glad y’all like my pictures of type, i didn’t know anyone else finds them intresting other than me or say..nat. so thanks for the compliments on them. There will be plenty of vegas, type, and our tour of rocks mext week.
in the meantime i’ve got some etsy stuff for you.
Nell over at Chicken Knits has a shop called Brown Bag Soaps. And you should go buy some of the Somali Rose clay soap. It is THAT good folks. She warned me it would turn me away from that liquid soap/shower puff and cause a revolution in my shower...i should have known cause she was right. She’s also been cooking up some new soaps to be for sale after they cure!



You know i like cheap jewelry that i can afford but looks intresting too. So i hit up Simply Modern With pieces weighing in at $6 you can’t go wrong. I got two.





she even signs the back of them


they are small and really cute and you can’t beat the price and quality.
Next i got some GO CHICAGO BEARS sock yarn from Yarn Magnet She’s been dying up yarn in several teams colors and i think she’s got a good marketing idea. love it. (go bears beat dallas sunday!)



Next i am very happy to announce a new stitch marker person! Y’all who order from us know i like to promote etsy stitchmarker makers. Well. look what came.


Meet amanda. She is the daughter of kimberly from dragonlady designs. She is 14 and already making up some crafty items. I bought several of her halloween themed markers for our upcoming project bags with all the skulls (and she has RIP markers how approriate for knitters!). Even though these are a bit heavier as markers i think the craftwomanship that went intot hem is superb. And don’t you want to support a 14yr old?? go check her out!




ok now for some stuff i bought at Renegade Craft Fair Chicago.
My favorite HANDS DOWN this year went to THE POST CARD MACHINE. now i didn’t find a website for her yet. BUT i did find this you tube video link of what the machine did. It was a brilliant idea, hard to get people “into it” but nat and i totally got into it. The machine talked to us and even sympathized with me at one moment. We picked machine’s choice and got these two nice cards (seriously watch the video folks she’s in a box made to look like a vending machine and she talked to people it was GREAT!)



Next i was very very happy to see my FAVORITE letterpress studio that was missing at flatstock this year was represented at renegade. YeeHaw Industries! I basically made my major purchases there and only bought 2 more things. i was set.
So if any of you have read this blog for some time you’d know i’m a type nerd and i love luchas. I collect letter pressed luchas if at all possible. check out my two newest cards to hang on my wall.


I’m also a notebook junkie. I bought a few of these off their website and gave them away, got a new one!


mmmmm look at that letterpress you can FEEL it mmmmmm



and bought this shirt fromt hem as well SCORE!


next stop the t-shirtproject. y’all know how much i love dogs. yep another shirt.


and last purchase...was from SEIBEI this guys drawings made me laugh. Also someone stole 2600$ from them on sunday and it breaks my heart. to know people were just stealing from vendors. The booth next to ours said a few items of hers were taken late afternoon sunday and SEIBEI said when they were breaking down someone just stole their cash box. But anyways check it out:


it’s on navy blue..sun makes it dark. i LOVE this shirt. And i love etsy. they were there!




i bought nat a etsy zine and i got this stuff. Nat got me a little pink and brown hand stitched dog, i don’t know the vendor cause it’s at nat’s apt.


i also wore one of my sister’s creations all day and want to keep this pretty bracelet. the giant shell is quite pretty on yer wrist and made with help so it’s green too!


ok now go check some of these sellers and sites out and get yourself some good handmade stuff too...and AND WATCH THAT POSTCARD MACHINE LINK VIDEO! I’ll be back next week with a whole slew of vegas photos, and our tour of rocks. have a good weekend!

Posted by Jennifer on 09/21 at 11:06 AM ♥ Comments (11)

Just a quick note

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Hi. we’re back. And we survived.



We went to Vegas for 4 days then drove to Utah for the Schafer family tour of rocks. Then drove back to Vegas.

Took some more pictures of type




Til saturday night. Flew back to Chicago, got in at 9:30pm. Woke up at 8am to go sell crafts at Renegade Craft Fair, then drove back to indiana. And i want to fall into a heap of exhaustion.
Renegade was a success! Thanks to anyone who stopped by. Allison, Lynne, Lynne’s daughter...and others...it was a pleasure!

Now i wanted to show you a fabric score my sister and i are very happy we pulled off. Check out the michael miller knitting pirates in pinka nd black. Skulls with knitting needle crossbones and stitches for eyes and mouth.




and these sewing skulls with button eyes and stitches for notions bags!


We were also accepted to yarncon on October 13th. So come say hi if you’re in town. Now i’m sorting thru a lot of stuff i promise pictures.
But most likely next week. I plan to do an etsy friday. see you then!

Edited: someone please put me out of my misery. I had the tv ont his morning while running around the house and VH-1 was on and I now have FERGIE’s Big Girls don’t cry song STUCK IN ME HEAD.ugh. out OUT DAMN SONG (doesn’t work as well as out damn spot!)

Posted by Jennifer on 09/19 at 09:48 PM ♥ Comments (20)

Gratitude

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I just don’t have an etsy friday for y’all today, I’m sorry. I"ve been saving for vacation...which is almost here. Thanks for the podcast tips. I’ve loaded up on some different ones so i think i should be entertained on the long plane rides there and back.

I wanted to take a minute out to show some gratitude.

I am grateful for all of you who have taken the time to write Wendy and I to say how much you liked something you bought from our shop. I know it’s something to kind of dismiss, but we really do
enjoy that. I also enjoy when some of you show me your blogs. And we are grateful for each and every compliment we’ve received.

I’m thankful for our little etsy shop. I’ve been able to meet some people who are rock stars int he knitting world…

Such as Susan. Check out her blog. The things she’s knit are staggering and amazing. I even had an order from Ravelry’s own creator Jessica.

I am overjoyed when people like rohanknitter posts pictures of her farm goats. I love goats. I lvoe it when i see them. I am overjoyed when Judith posted pictures of a Bear! Apparently she see’s bears onwalks. This i find amusing because i am total city folk and i think a bear would scare me to death! I becaome so happy when errs posts pictures of her gaggle of dogs, and stacey shows the puppies.
And Dixie with her family and zoo. I even sneek peeks of Callie over on flicker all the time. Also Carol with Arrow! Arrow is such a cutie!

I love my morning little chats via etsy with Cairi Not only does she have pretty yarn, but she makes me laugh and i love to have our mini chats. I also like my mini chats via email with Robyn. I love seeing her and sean in those mirror shots. I loved meeting Jennifer and her mom. They are great and funny people. And I am thankful for each little mini chat i’ve had with Aija. I know she is very busy, but every chat with her i feel is special. I find a lot of her pictures inspiring.

So thanks guys for cheering me up randomly through out the summer and for really making us feel special when you like something of ours. I just wanted to give some of y’all proper thank you’s!

Ok so i have no etsy friday. I gave thanks to a whole slew of you. And if yer still with me here...i’ll just end with some shots of some of the little stuff we’ve made for each craft fair we do.
some tissue holders







Wendy makes these fun button bracelets from buttons from flea markets and hemp (maybe some of them will be in the etsy shop after renegade!)

Thanks for all the fun this week. Have a good one while we’re in Sin City!

Posted by Jennifer on 09/07 at 12:13 PM ♥ Comments (12)

stuff and things or alternatley titled one of Jen’s patented big ass photo posts

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Wow the weekend was fun..there were ponys around. Don’t ask.



Nat and I went to my sister’s house. Wendy is the silent science geek member of our sewing team
Sunday Sept 2 2007 Nat & Jen



I just remembered i started photography back in 1986 in high school. My high school had a nice darkroom and had photo I-IV. My 35mm always had an extra frame so i always shot my feet, and whoever else was int he frame at the time. I still do this without thinking to this day.
I got to spend some time with my two favorite boys.
Nat & Zander





There was some grilling, water balloons, the water slide (thankfully we were inside) and by the way a whole bunch of 5-8 yr olds thought it was great to douse my sister witht he water ballons. That should teach her to give them a box full of water balloons from now on. When i came out from the house i found Zander had drug someone into the bounce house


Nat has some short stumpy little legs, but in this house he can stand up and feel tall! (and frown at me)


Later we hooked up the wii and had some wii fun. I remain the undefeated boxing champion. Altho someone’s 3 yr old almost kicked my ass.


Even nat’s trying really hard, but zander beat him each time


So Monday i just did some more sewing. I failed to mention in that last production post that was a pile of 30 (!) travel cases. 30 in one week. oh yes. Anyways i’ve shown you the hounds many times..how about the other fuzzy creature who likes to sleep enar the sewing machine?


I try to sew and i see this peering at me

And nat and i got the bright idea monday to turn some of his drawings


into plush animals meet my unamed stuffies (as i like to call them)



I think his name is Armando!
He also makes for a nice alligator gun



we also made a kitty



Don’t be suprised if you see these guys in later incarnations turn up in the etsy shop...i’m going to teach nat how to sew them up.
And for those of you who didn’t know we make pouches based on nat’s drawings and paintings..bet you didn’t know we have Mr Horse, sheep and SAD whales (if you click the link you will see the original Mr. Horse painting by nathaniel)



we’ve also got happy whales and kitties



and don’t forget Mr. Piggy (it’s his year you know!) and another sheep

i’ve got to tag and label all our stuff and pack it up. We leave for Vegas (hi grandma) this sunday and return a week later only to sell crafts the very next day.



So now what podcasts should i download for the plane ride to vegas on sunday?

Posted by Jennifer on 09/04 at 02:16 PM ♥ Comments (17)

Production Line

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The internets has been a little wonky (along with the landline) in these parts as of the past two days. So thanks to those posters yesterday who posted a gaggle of mastiff’s and oodles of puppies. I spent an hour and 1/2 on youtube watching basset hound/puppy videos. I can now say i feel a lot better. Thanks to everyone who felt the need to vent with me.

for your viewing enjoyment please check out all the sewing i did last week. Basset hound for scale, or merely she is wondering where the heck her bed went it was there a minute ago.

Posted by Jennifer on 08/29 at 02:05 PM ♥ Comments (13)

Dear…

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Edited to add: there’s even more musings about dogs and dog pictures over at Erika’s blog. She’s still kinda new to the blog thing so give her a look see and check out mr. fuzzy pants. Plus she does etsy fridays!

Dear Michael Vic,

I really don’t care much now what you have to say. You are a man. You are a man who little kids look up to because you play a major sport, and you play it well enough for millions of dollars of endormensts to come your way. Perhaps you should have thought of this when you repeatedly denied having anything to do with the dog figthing/gambling ring, UNTIL 3 witnesses came forward to testify against you. You are not a man. You are a coward who gained nothing in the end from ruining animals lives and by making money from it. You always get what you put out there, Mr. Vic and i think the universe is trying to tell you something.

xoxox
jen

I really wish having to sit thru all the media PR crap with Michael Vic would just go away. If i see him trying to clean up his “image” one more time today i’m shoving a #2 DPN in my eye.
On a happier note:

Dear Oreo Cakesters,

Why oh why must you come TWO in a package and not individually wrapped? Ugh.
xoxoxo
jen

In the meantime to lighten the mood just go over and look at all the puppies over on Stacey’s blog On the needles. Everything will be better if you just keep looking at the puppies.

Posted by Jennifer on 08/28 at 06:51 AM ♥ Comments (11)

Etsy Friday and Other Stuffs and Things

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We’ve been getting pummeled over and over with some scarey storms. Meaning tornado siren type storms. I don’t know if any of it has made national news but chicago is a mess after yesterday’s afternoon storm hit, and we got it TWICE as if trees crushing cars wasn’t enough, we needed more. All is ok here.  I have for you all some more pictures of the hummingbirds and some wildlife fromt he backyard. Apparently they all ove to come out when it’s raining. First my camera does this weird mirco burst thing. I can’t figure it out, but i took one yesterday of the hummingbird. It is very weird, it shows allt he frames together and i can’t figure out how to break it. it’s large though.



Then i snapped two more that i thought were intresting cause i swear they are so fast my camera can’t even snap them in freeze frame





Then this little guy comes out





That’s allt he wildlife we’ve got int he backyard, now on to some etsy love. I’m sorry i didn’t get to it last friday but we had nasty storms last week that knocked the wind (and rain) out of my posting for that day. So to make up here you go:

Nathaniel got me two presents. I will get the second one this weekend...let’s hope it’s shiney and something from etsy! This was my first gift he gave me. Something from my favorites. A necklace from Local Library.



I really like her patches too. Lauren gave me one awhile back. I still need to sew it to something.
Next up is something goofy that i had hearted forever. Pop can jewelry. By Vintage Nouveau.



She sent along a little zipper pull/cell phone charm thing too



I know it’s corny, but i ♥ Dr. Pepper what can i say?

Next , it’s not esty, but handmade cuteness that kills. Amy from good to be girl, posted these up one day and i was like quick draw mcgraw.



So check her blog out and you can find some good stuff too

Now on to some esty love that will be going to all of you, well any of you who order from us that is.  I put up twonew project pouches and two new travel cases. We are so close to selling our 300th items. So special goodies will go to the person who buys them.

Now When you order from us we always attach a stitch marker to your bag. I’ve got a new shop to pimp to y’all. (her moo cards)



Cairi’s shop Middle Earth Yarns



These markers come all the way from the UK. And i think they are fun and will go great with some of those skull and tattoo fabrics. I am very happy to show off her cute markers to everyone. She also included a few yarn samples so make sure you checkout her yarns too!

Speaking of yarn. Nikki of Mamma Blue asked me if i’d send her cards.


SHe sent me some samples to send to y’all. She made me squee cause she sent piddleloop colors! (someday i will find a piddleloop colorway and it should look like this)





And look at her cards they are so CUTE.


I’m eyeing her shop for a colorway i thought was super pretty, so i hope i catch it! Now if we don’t get washed away i’ll be back next week. In the meantime this weekend i’m building an ark in addition to all the sewing i have to do. Have a good weekend everyone and please practice some handmade love and check out these etsy people!

Posted by Jennifer on 08/24 at 08:06 AM ♥ Comments (7)

A little of this and a little of that (big ass picture post ahead)

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Mostly WET and SOGGY. The weather has been a little nuts around here. Some really scarey storms came thru last week and the county had been declared a disaster area. Uprooted trees were everywhere. It has just continued to rain and rain and rain here. I’ve been up to a lot of stuff as usual around these parts. Let me show you.

First I want to thank Hannah & Joff. They don’t have a blog, but she lives in the UK and she knits up a storm. Her and I did a english tea swap on our own a while back. She up and sends me another gift.
I forgot the sushi bandaids in this picture! Yarn! A notebook! Oolong Tea! a cd of Joffs band!


can you see my favorite part of this package? Joff (her fabulous boyfriend who used to live in chiago) drew me my VERY OWN LUCY DOG on this notebook!!!!! SQUEEEE!


thank you hannah and joff! This whole little package was so very sweet of you. And i just love the time you took Joff to draw a Basset hound even though i know they are shaped like barrels and aren’t easy to draw. THANK YOU!

Next, we rode our bikes on saturday IN THE RAIN


5 miles down the lakeshore to the bend in the lake just before the oak street beach


to watch some of the Chicago Air and Water show...now what is this you say?


my camera didn’t want to focus on it, no wonder they say it disappears on radar! It’s the oddly square or bat-signalesque Stealth Bomber. This thing was impressive as it flew toward you it was so flat my camera wouldn’t focus. neato


then we caught the Thunderbirds, who this year had not one but TWO WOMEN PILOTS. go girls.


they were so fast by the time i’d see them they were gone and hard to shoot


So this week i’m busting a sewing groove for Renegade Craft Fair see


We also made this for our neighbor who just got back from Memphis for the 30th anniversary of the king’s death


I hope she’ll like it!
And last but not least more things that fly…
I’ve been stalking three of these little guys


they make me tired just watching them eat

Edited: to add one more picture of the little guys

Posted by Jennifer on 08/21 at 09:46 AM ♥ Comments (15)