Santa's sweatshop

This year I've decided to do a number of craft shows. So I'm working away at creating stock, including the sort of Christmas ornaments which might prove popular this time of year. Which is ironically Sisyphean when people come and buy the ornaments as I try and make them, but on the other hand, that is the point, isn't it? So, let me share the new ornaments still in my possession:









I'll need to go buy some more ribbon! You can catch this Cabinet of Curiosities for your tree, at the Wandering Winter Craft show, this weekend at Magic Pony! I'm excited about the venue. If you're around you should come by and check it out, either Saturday November 24 or Sunday November 25, 11 am to 5 pm.

Natural History Ornaments

I've been making more ornaments for your wunderkammer.

Chipmunks

As ornaments:





As handheld stuffies:





They're taking over.

more ornaments!

Today I bring you a really logical series: Rabbit, Garlic, Rhinoceros, Zebras.
Hmmmmm....



I'd better make some more rhinos. That one sold immediately.

more block printed ornaments

We had a mini photo shoot yesterday. All photos by RJH.








Apart from the matrioshka (Russian nesting dolls), I like to think of this as the 'Natural History Collection'. We've got microorganisms, fungi, insects, mammals and crystals. I plan more moons and mammals, and maybe, a bumblebee or two. You can find them all here.

Snowflakes

I thought I'd make some snowflake ornaments.

I hope this pretty thing helps me face my dreaded teleconference *shudder* today. Wish me luck!

MEGA handmade giveaway!

Check out this spectacular giveaway by the lovely rikrak! The incredibly generous gift pack (valued at over $450 US) of handmade items in red and silver, includes my moon ornament. There are many easy ways to play, for a chance to win. You can even enter by simply post a link to your favorite minouette item on her blog. Check her blog for all the details.

mad scientist ornaments

There is a treasury of Mad Scientist ornaments here. You can vote for your favorite Mad Scientist ornament here, including my Natural History Ornaments.

Garlic and spice

I've made another "Natural History" ornament. I had no plants (only fungi), but now I have a garlic bulb - which serves double duty as my entry to the Trans-Canada Etsy Team challenge for November: SPICE. I think of the textured cream fabric on the reverse as echoing the lines in garlic paper. Part of me wants to print this block on paper I make from hand with garlic skins, but more of me would like to preserve my sanity. I've made enough paper by hand to know what a monumental task that would be. Despite its papery texture, garlic skins are low on fibres, and brittle.

The Trans-Canada Etsy Team has a great give-away planned... I'll let you know when it begins. My fellow TCET member, the charming rikrak does a lot of give-aways on her blog. Soon there will be one involving a secret thing from a minouette place. Follow her blog or watch for a mention here. I'll let you know when there is a chance at free minouette loot.

The second interview for the Toronto Etsy Street Team will be with me. Check the blog tomorrow to find out what I had to say. I find this interview process interesting - like a means to learn something about myself.

mmmmmushrooms

The mushrooms are popular! See, people do want poisonous mushrooms as xmas ornaments. :) So I made a new set.



reqbat has mushrooms on the brain too. She's been drawing them on ephemera (mainly older books).
It seems apt that the first set of both fly agaric ornaments is headed her way. ;) The second set is shown here.

I want to carve more mushrooms, but I am lacking in good reference material. I had a mushroom guidebook, but I gave it to my mother when she took up hiking in a big way. This is all I need: another excuse to go to bookstores. I watched a bit of a timely documentary last night, on the French CBC about mushrooms in Québec. The mushroom expert had the most extravagent, backwoods Québecois accent - the sort of thing which stops Frenchmen in the tracks, too dumbfounded even to mock. Though he was clearly quite the mushroom scholar.

Natural History

Ah, yes, what we have all been waiting for... a way to combine our raging obsession with the wunderkammer, the Cabinet of Curiosity, with... the holidays. In fact, Natural History is rather hip, for home decor.

The Mad Scientists of Etsy challenge for October is to re-invent the ornament in the light of science. So, this is what I've been up to:




This collection of ornaments ranges from the microscopic radiolarian (inspired by the 19th century German naturalist and artist Ernst Haeckel) to the Moon in scale. Mammals are represented by their largest member: the blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus). The insect class is represented by the mighty traveller, the Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus). The fungi are represented by the pretty, but poisonous fly agaric (Amanita muscaria).



Cause who doesn't want poisonous mushrooms on their tree? Bwhahahaha!