Renegade Craft Fair

The Craft Fair actually took place last week-end. I am just now getting around to posting about it. It was the second year it has come to Austin. Last year there were 150 vendors, and this year it was up to 200. That is a lot of booths to visit, let me tell you! A lot of walking. With that many vendors, there is a lot of repetition, unfortunately. After the first 20 or so Jewelry booths, and at least that many clothing booths, my eyes kind of glazed over. So there were a few known vendors that I missed seeing that I would have stopped by if I'd known they were there. Almost every vendor that I talked to had Etsy stores. So I wonder..how does someone stand out in a sea of like items? How does anyone sell their truly unusual things when there are so many shops to wade through. I hear this about Etsy a lot. I haven't shopped much there or tried to sell there either, so don't know all the ins and outs of it.

Outside

Inside overview


I took very few photos because I was moving at a fast pace. This is one really cute booth that I saw, and actually went back to. This was a very sweet lady, she had some lovely handmade books and journals. The way she had her booth set up was simple, but really impressed me. It was PAPER...so you know I was already smitten. She had strung cord back and forth across the booth and hung the small books, flowers and paper bundles from the cord. Very clever and festive looking. In the back of the booth she had an installation that was really interesting. She had sewn tea bag papers together, a LOT of tea bag papers, and I thought it was just gorgeous. She also had her collages mounted directly on the kraft colored background. They were pieced and stitched and really lovely. Check out her website. http://millionsofpeoplehappy.blogspot.com/ Sorry, I do not know how to make a clickable link here or I would. She has links to all her shops and you can see her work much better. Thanks Michelle, for being so sweet to us and so enjoyable to talk with.



Here is Michelle climbing up on a stool to take down one of the bundles I bought.


Had to shoot this...her color scheme was just what I am loving so much right now. Orange photo box, turquoise table cover, and soft chartreuse shoes. And her sweater and trim on her dress also. So cute.


Well, I must describe these paper bundles to you. She had taken all her leftover scraps from all her various projects and stitched them into these bundles. I'd not seen this before and thought it was so clever. Some of them reminded me of bird nests, others kind of like pinecones. There were folded pieces of paper, thin strips, some fabric (book tape I think) and the paper that is left when you punch shapes. I am not doing these justice in my description I know.


I hung them on my twig tree where I hang various garlands and other paper tid-bits throughout the year. It's difficult for me to get a photo of my tree that I am happy with, hopefully you get the idea.


Bundle close-ups. Photos are clickable to enlarge.

My Pal Pyewacket

This is Pyewacket. He lives next door, but he likes to hang out over here. Last night I opened the curtain to go out back and he was snoozing on the patio table. He lazily looked at me for a few moments, then put his head down and went back to sleep. I closed the door to take this photo through the glass, so he wouldn't take off too soon.



Sometimes he likes to lay or sit in the bed of chives,as he did a few days ago.


I am allergic to cats, which is why I don't have one of my own. So when he comes over for a visit, especially if he comes in the house, I have to take a Benadryl. I usually go outside and sit on the porch with him, because a few times he has run in, and directly upstairs. Then I have a hard time coaxing him down and back OUTSIDE. I used to think it was a good idea to have him around, to keep the squirrels off the birdfeeder. Well, the squirrels seem to be running rampant, and the other day I saw one really huge one jump down from the fence and chase Pyewacket across the yard! This morning I looked out and saw 5 squirrels in the one oak tree. I don't mind one or two...but when they all jump on the roof and run across it together it sounds like they are in the attic. Must investigate this recent squirrel population explosion in the neighborhood.

Do Ducks Eat Pancakes?

Or should they? Here I am talking about BREAKFAST again! Yesterday the Hubster and I went out early in the morning to do some errands, and decided we should grab something to eat to give us strength. He has started going to Mimi's, which has really decadent, French, New Orleans style fare. It is a chain restaurant, which I am not usually fond of, but the few times I have been there it has been pretty tasty. One should only eat there in the a.m. if they decide to expend their entire caloric intake for the day! Which I certainly think I did. Lemon poppy seed pancakes were yummy. Hub had French toast. Of course this was all accompanied with the eggs, maple syrup and BACON! We have had our bacon and syrup limit for the month I think.

Hubby went to the car before I did because he had a phone call to make. When I came out front, this is what I saw. I watched him stroll slowly from the corner for awhile before I decided to get out the camera.


He's getting closer now, just waddling along.

Making eye contact, I'm getting nervous.


As I run and jump in the car, two men who had been watching this unfold, said, "Be careful, that duck attacked me the other day". So when I fall into the car, laughing like crazy, Hub finally looks up and asked what was so funny. About that time a few folks were gathering to come into the restaurant, but ducky was blocking the door by then. Two employees came out the side door, one holding a plate of food. She gently "led" the duck back down the sidewalk and around the corner. I guess this is an almost daily ritual at this place. One of the other bystanders said this is a Muscovy duck and a few of them live behind the restaurant.



We went on about our way, and laughed about the duck the rest of the day. We walked a lot through the Domain, so might have burned off half of the calories we consumed. One can only hope.

Sunday Evening... 95 degrees

Mother's Day Sunday. I cooked, we watched CBS Sunday Morning, went out to get a newspaper, called both our Mothers.
I made up this recipe for a savory bread pudding. It has bread, milk, and eggs, of course. I added some Italian herbs, and the best thing...lots of BACON. For an experiment, it turned out pretty well. It was a one dish meal, and very filling. Next time I will add some cheese, but only had cheddar on hand and that didn't appeal to me today. I'm thinking some Gruyere next time.


It got way too hot too early for me so I stayed in. With coffee, and a few chocolates and a big pile of books and magazines. Fine way to spend a Sunday afternoon as far as I'm concerned.




Hubby? He went golfing. The heat doesn't bother him. We did have a high of 97 today. Tonight a light salad and maybe a movie. A nice relaxing week-end. Oh, of course the hubby played golf yesterday as well and I went shopping with a friend for a few new art supplies. Now I just need to use some of those supplies this week.

My Engine is Stalled

Shuffling along in the rut the past few weeks. I guess I am starting the summer blues a little earlier this year. I usually get into a slump after coming home from the Pacific N.W. every year. This time it coincides with the issues of family AND the hotter temperatures. Ugh... We have already had temps in the 90's. This week we got a cool front though and it's been in the high 80's for a few days. I have been working on some spring cleaning, and getting rid of a lot of stuff, as well as trying to make my "cave" comfortable for spending the hot days inside and getting some artwork done. Consequently, when sorting and cleaning, it gets worse before it gets better. No matter how many times I fill the trashcan and the recycle bin, there seems to be more. Too much saving of everything that I think has those endless "possibilities". Oh I think I am also cranky because I haven't done a bit of artwork in several weeks.

Hubby had to basically drag me out of the house yesterday to go for a Cinco de Mayo lunch.

I really tried shuffling these photos so the ones of me wouldn't be so large...but Picasa wouldn't have it so I gave up. The top goofy photo of me with a pot above my head... On the front porch before we left, I was showing hubby a copper wok that I was going to use to plant some succulents in, and of course he had the camera ready. The food at this particular Mexican place is the best. The greens on my salad were really fresh, and they use an entire half of avocado. Hubby had Gorditas..I think. See the phone..working lunch seems to be the norm for him these days. For dessert we shared the huge empanada with Frangelica sauce. Then I came home and had a Siesta! I had saved half my salad so I COULD have dessert. I ate the rest for dinner.