New Monster Monday: Mayday Finds

This week's New Monster Monday doesn't have monsters made by me, but features items I got this weekend at Mayday Underground!

First is a monster "ornament" from Erin Makes Stuff.  She actually knits all her monsters herself.  Her booth has a sign that says "We're not socks and we never were!"  My knitting skills are limited to the knit stitch (I don't even know how to purl!) so I am really impressed with the stuff she makes!  I especially like the square beads she uses to make the teeth.

I like squishing his face and messing with his lips to make him happy or sad!

I also got this cool little turquoise octopus from Peaches Products.  I traded her a Bunny Nubbin and a Ninja Nubbin for it. (yay for artist trades!) 

 I added them to the collection of small plushies in my craft room. (from left to right: (top) blue Mini Monster from EcoLeftz, Owl Nubbin, Octopus and Owl from Peaches Products. (bottom) Nubbin, Monster Ornament from Erin Makes Stuff, Finger Puppets I won in a blog giveaway from Happycloud Thunderhead.

I have my own Owl and Nubbin because I can't find that particular color of fleece anymore...and, you know, I am allowed to keep my own work sometimes, right? ;)

It provides a happy little corner of inspiration while I'm sewing!

What's-On-My-Work-Table Wednesday: Superhero Nubbins

  Here's a glimpse of what I'm working on today as I get ready for Mayday Underground... (My "work table" today is actually my lap, since I am working on hand-sewing today).

I just came up with a new "special-edition Nubbin"...Superhero Nubbins!...another solution for those who find hearts "too girly" for their little boys.  Right now, I have them in blue and red (blue with red mask or red with blue mask) with a yellow star.  I may start doing more colors eventually.  

They will be available for the first time ever this Saturday at Mayday Underground.  Next week, I will make them available to order from my Etsy shop.

Upcoming: Mayday Underground! Spring 2012

Sorry I haven't been blogging a lot lately.  I went to visit my grandma a few weeks ago and then got sick for a week when I came back.  Since I've gotten better, I've caught up on housework and then been sewing and getting ready for this spring's installment of Mayday Underground...one of my largest (and most favorite!) craft shows of the year! 

I'm taking a break from stuffing and sewing a slew of Nubbins to write this blog post, since Mayday Underground is THIS Saturday!

Their very first show was on May Day (May 1st) in 2010.  (hence the title of "Mayday") Since then, they've gone biannual and added a fall show in November.  For the spring show, they try to have it on a Saturday as close to May 1st as possible...which turned out to be April 28th this year.  Check out the Mayday Underground blog at http://maydayunderground.wordpress.com/

  Hope to see you there!

Treasury Tuesday: Color Monster + Mayday Extravaganza!

Here are some treasuries I was featured in this week!

Color Monster

Mayday Extravaganza!

* Don't forget, KiraArts will have a table at Mayday Underground this Saturday, April 28th, 10am-4pm. (The Village Gate: 274 North Goodman Street, Rochester, NY)

RNEST Monthly Challenge: April (How Does Your Garden Grow?)

The voting has started for the April edition of the RNEST Monthly Challenge!  

The theme is "How Does Your Garden Grow?" Since rabbits are known for raiding vegetable gardens, I made this Bunny Nubbin as my entry. (another garden reference is the flowers in the fabric print of the inner ears).

The voting starts today and ends in a week (April 12th)!  Please take a second and go vote for me! Just go to the RNEST blog and click your choice in the poll at the top right-hand corner of the blog (no registration is required!).   Thanks!

What's-On-My-Work-Table Wednesday: Otter Nubbin & Rabbit

I'm trying to start a new weekly blog post..."What's On My Worktable Wednesday"...inspired by some posts by my friend Vickie of In My Head Studios.

I recently received a request from a customer for a custom "Otter Nubbin" for her soon-to-be-born granddaughter, who has been nicknamed "otter" due to her initials being "O.D.R."

I just finished it up today and I'm very satisfied with how it turned out! (the customer is too!) I was worried that  it would end up looking like a teddy bear instead of an otter, but the long tail, longer body, and wide smile made it look very otter-like.  If  you look at photos of otters, they have a  short, wide face...hence the wide smile. (I also tried to draw inspiration from Jim Henson's "Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas"... because, y'know, I'm a Muppet geek!)
The most work intensive part of it for me was embroidering the initials onto the heart...

Next on the worktable, a rabbit done in my "Woodland Creatures" series style...

I just need to sew up the head and attach the arms and I'll be done!