Cock a Doodle Who???

 

November brings with it many wonderful things.... leftover halloween candy, the sidewalks strewn with autumn's color palette in leaves, and of course RIOT ROOSTER INDIE CRAFT FAIR!!!!

oh how i look forward to this weekend the whole year, no other craft fair in roanoke has the same energy or sense of community and i'm so thankful to be a part of it again this year.

the hours are the same as last year:
Friday, November 16th, 5-9pm
Saturday, November 17th, 9-5pm

i wish i didn't have to miss the Grandin Village Children's Holiday Parade which is also on Saturday morning but i know my boys will be there, marching down Grandin and waving to all our friends and neighbors. if you see them, cheer them on for me!

copy/pasta from the Riot Rooster facebook page:

Riot Rooster unites local crafters and makers of handmade items, gadgets, foods, commodities, experiences, etc.

Description:
RIOT ROOSTER is an Independent Craft Fair in Roanoke, VA.
NIGHTMARKET! FRI NOV 16, 5-9PM and ALL DAY! SAT NOV 17, 9-5pm

NO ADMISSION FEE, Family Friendly, Fun

Handmade, Upcycled, Recycled, Odd and Useful Gifts made for YOU by local crafters located at The h2o Heater, 813 5th Street SW 24016 in the historic Old Southwest Neighborhood.

-Red Rooster Coffee Roasters: Organic and Fair Trade Coffee
-Tasting by Foggy Ridge Cider
-Hyperbolic Crochet Coral Reef Project, you can learn to crochet and contribute to this collaborative exhibit.

featuring also:

funky upcycled wool hats, jackets, vests, sweaters from folkthreads . sock eye guys . adorable felties . surly girl bicycle inspired geekery . letterpress . handmade tutus . elegant green design . philosophy inc . root and bloom jewelry . hand built purses and bags . YUM spice blends . renegade printmakers LIVE on site screen printing . the quirky forest . handmade chocolates and fun surprises...

like wearing a rainbow around my neck

that's how i describe my new necklace. it's soft and colorful, all of my favorite shades and seems to match at least half my wardrobe. made from baby cash-merino wool, it's not only luxurious but also pretty and versatile. it can be worn long or doubled (as shown in photo) and is the perfect accessory for Spring :)


i really love the simplicity of the design and how light it feels against my skin. if i'm gonna wear a chain around my throat it may as well be one made from YARN!

plus it matches my favorite set of felt bracelets!
...and then i realized i can wear it as a pretty headband too, crazy!

now, of course i had to make some more of these as well as some in different colors and yarn blends and they are listed on my  Etsy Shop.

Mushrooms & Beehives

so, i know it's cliche to say that you get inspired by nature, but sometimes you just can't get past the literal truth of it. this past week i've been deep in the Quirky Forest, exploring some of my favorite natural themes and celebrating the simple shapes that i find so beautiful and funky.

mushrooms!

they make me want to dance around amidst the trees and invite

some crazy little forest friends to come out and play. can also be hung on your holiday tree to bring some creativity to your favorite indoor greenery :)





beehives!





what a sweet way to keep long hair up and out of the way
without the icky "hat head syndrome" that you get
with most winter hats. also good for those with dreads.



the Funky Beehive can also be worn as a cowl around the
neck. it stretches up high enough to cover your
mouth and nose on chilly winter mornings too!

fun and funky felt rings

oh felt, in your lovely hues and soft texture, how i do love you...

so, i've been collecting 100% wool felt for a few yrs. bits and pieces have been used in many different projects but i had quite the stash peeking out of a bin in the studio, waiting for just the right project to come along. imagine my excitement then when i came across the cutest pattern for flower rings in issue #3 of Mollie Makes magazine!

here's a couple of pictures of the rings i made in the last 2 days:




i've been experimenting with the pattern, changing the length of the center strips and design of the outer layers, tweaking it slightly for a few different looks. a couple of examples:




all together, i've made an even dozen so far but have a feeling that these might become addictive to make :)