November Fairs.

This weekend was filled with craft and nostalgia fairs, and holiday bazaars. It is definitely November. We ran into many old friends, some who were selling their wares and others who were there to look, and we met many new people who were more than eager to share their stories with us. I even got an offer for a quilting lesson! The special finds and great deals are always fun, but the kind words shared along the way really make the day for me.

I had seen little spice canisters exactly like this only smaller at Linens 'n Things, for $4.99 each. These were $2 for the set, brand new. They were orginally $3 a piece, but the kind lady selling them kept lowering the price without prompting. She was happy to be rid of them. Plus another pile of sweet linens!

A couple Pyrex dishes. I have been coveting the blue snowflake pattern since I saw it on a friend's flickr photostream, so I was glad to find this one. They need a good wash, but are in otherwise perfect condition.

A husband and wife team were selling these little pop-out Dutch cards. I couldn't resist. How cute are they?

I can't decide if I want to frame these or send them off to some very special friends.

The rest of the weekend was spent knitting the scarf that won't end! I have been working on this for a very, very long time, but I have had some wonderful company along the way. Can you spy the little fuzzy ones? One day soon this scarf will be finished, and just in time for the cold weather!

Yoga Dog.

It is very difficult to get through a morning Yoga session in this house. Lola felt she should be included. She walked right onto my mat, plopped herself down, and promptly fell asleep. I guess that's what I get for placing my mat in the warm morning sun.

If you're interested in Hatha Yoga, this book is wonderful and very informative. It may be a little too scientific for most, but I enjoy studying Physiology so it's right up my alley.

The Eggling.

I got one of these little egglings two months ago. The ceramic egg comes packaged in a cute little box, and is already filled with soil and seeds. You just crack it open, water, and wait...and wait, and wait, and wait. Then you wait some more. After nearly a month of waiting, and obsessively checking my egg each day, I didn't think anything was going to grow besides weird stains (which I think are from the terracotta pan + water) on the outside of the shell. Then one morning I awoke to find this..

Cool!

Then this happened.

Things really started growing!

Now not so much. Hopefully one day soon these will actually look like cacti. I wonder how long it takes a cactus to get prickly!

I've been told that other varities of egglings grow much quicker, so if you're impatient like me, you might want to stick to the herbs, wild strawberries, or maybe a pretty flower.

Pink Polka-Dot Tote.

These are just so much fun to make! Who can resist a sweet pink polka-dot tote bag with a pretty vintage doily on the front? Well, besides people who don't like pink, polka-dots, or doilies.

This fabric comes from good-ness, and it is my very favourite fabric. It's a linen blend, so it feels wonderful, and it's double-sided. One side has sweet little polka-dots, and the other is gingham. I also have this fabric in grey, and I made a tote for myself out of it. I've gotten so many compliments on that bag!

This bag is lined in a cream, pink, blue, and purple floral cotton fabric. I considered leaving it unlined and having the gingham show on the inside, but the lining makes it a bit more sturdy. Plus, I have a thing for lining. It's like a little secret only you, and those you let peek inside your bag, know about. You can be carrying around a clean-lined, sophisticated bag that has a wild fabric on the inside, and nobody would know! Who knows what's inside grandma's brown tweed purse? For all we know she could have a wild flame print going on in there. It adds a touch of fun and mystery to any old bag.

The doily is one of the vintage ones I picked up at the Bazaar on the weekend. I think it fits this bag perfectly.

Available in my shop.

Michael's Train.

It can be hard to find toys made of natural materials for an affordable price. Going by the less is more theory, which I subscribe to, you will still save money in the long run buying fewer better quality, more costly toys. These toys tend to last, and some of the more open ended ones can be used by the same child for years and years. Sometimes it's still nice to find a bargain, and often it's just a matter of knowing where to look. Local craft fairs are a great place to start.

This past weekend I visited a craft fair and struck up a conversation with a lovely older man who crafts wooden toys, mostly vehicles. He sells them at small craft fairs, and donates some to local schools.

I love all the little details on this train of his. There are wheel covers on all the cars, and little sliding doors on one of them.

It's a little more delicate than a train designed for a toddler, but it's sturdy enough for an older child. This one is going to a little boy in Vancouver.

I also picked up a couple wooden cars for $2 a piece. These will be put to good use in a classroom.

Apple Wood.

Wood from Jer's apple tree. Sawed, scrubbed, and soaked, and ready to go.

First it's boiled to remove any lingering bacteria.

Then it's baked in the oven to dry. Careful not to burn.

Last it's drilled and stored, and made into toys for two little chinchillas. The coloured wood chews were bought in bulk on ebay.

A few hours work is definitely preferable to paying $3.99 for five little apple sticks at the pet supply store. I used to buy much of my chinchilla supplies from Ontario Chinchillas . Their selection was wonderful, I had no worries about chinchilla-safe products, and I like to support local businesses where I can. Unfortunately, their store has disbanded. This was the first time I've prepared wood for my chinchillas, but I'm planning to make it a yearly event. Hopefully this supply will last the year!

The tree it all came from (an older picture, of course).

Bazaar Days.

With November 1st comes the start of the Christmas Bazaar season. I am lucky to live in a city with so many Churches and Community Centres who put on these events. There are many great things to be found, both new and old. Tables upon tables of knitted sweaters and hats, beautiful handmade crafts, crafting supplies, and various previously owned items waiting for a new home.

This is just a small selection of my haul for the day. My best find - a bag full of old buttons, beads, thread spools, embroidery floss, needles, snaps, and various other sewing notions, for 25 cents. Can you believe it? There was even something called panty-hose sealer, which is that little match-book like thing you see there. Another great find was the stack of old sewing, knitting, and crochet patterns for a dollar.

A few doilies that would be perfect for tote bags, and some wooden embroidery hoops that feel much better on my hands than my current selection.

As we were leaving some ladies opened a big box full of linen tea towels with the old Simpsons and Eatons tags still on! They do not make them like this anymore.

Adorable coasters with wee wooden folk. These are just too cute for words! There is writing on the bottom that is very hard to make out. A little internet snooping has led me to believe these are made in Italy.

There is much more I haven't shared here, all for around $20. There are so many more Bazaars I want to hit this season, hopefully before the antique dealers get to them (there are some dishes I've been searching for that always seem to get snatched up right away). I cannot wait to start crafting with my new supplies!