Sunday, October 28, 2012

Go Huskers!


It's Shameless Commerce Tuesday, and today I'm featuring a new listing.  This red and white chevron oven mitt  just happens to be in Nebraska Huskers color.  Every game day, Nebraskans are decked out in red and white as a "sea of red" enters Memorial Stadium, and the rest of the State watches on TV or listens on the radio.

The oven mitt is made of Riley Blake's chevrons fabric, with remix red and white polka dots for the lining, binding and hanging loop.  Fun for holiday baking, or give as a Christmas gift.

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower
http://www.facebook.com/pasqueflower


Saturday, October 27, 2012

Treasury Thanks - A Terrific Trio

It's that time again.  Time to thank the curators who featured items from my Etsy shop in the treasuries.

First up was Judy's beautiful study in brown and blue -- Sky Meets the Earth.  Judy's shop JNOriginals, features beautifully crafted crocheted items, like this wonderful felted needle keeper. ( I need to send Santa a hint. )



And Bonnie Sernesky from BonniesSew Crazy featured my poppies on teal oven mitts in her treasury, Holiday Shopping.  Bonnie is also a sewist (a kindred spirit).  I love these little fleece infant hats -perfect for cooler weather and SO cute!!


Last, but certainly not least, is Kimberley's delightful little boy treasury, What A Dapper Young Man.  Kimberley's shop, TapadhLeibhCards, features beautiful fine art photography note cards, like this beautiful piece:


On that serene note, I'll sign off....


TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower
http://www.facebook.com/pasqueflower

Craft Fair Redux

Last Saturday started at zero dark thirty.  Before the chickens were up.  It was REALLY dark.  And chilly.

The trusty Taurus and I drove to Faith Lutheran Church & School for the annual Fall Arts & Crafts Fair.  The Taurus was a bit intimidated by all the vans, SUVs and cargo trailers already in the parking lot when we arrived, but it didn't phase me --- much.

At check-in I was informed I was assigned to booth 13:


Trying not to be superstitious, I proceeded to set up my little booth.  This is my third year at this show.  The first year my "booth" was in an entryway.  The second year I was in the cafeteria quite a ways from the main event, but hungry people who followed the smell of fresh-brewed coffee and church lady pies found me.  This year, however,not only was I in the "main event" area -- I was on a corner!  Prime craft show real estate, despite the unlucky number.


My vendor neighbor across the aisle was Holly Adams of Baby Bee Bonnets.  She crochets the most ADORABLE little hats!!  You can see closeups of the cuteness on her Facebook page.  But, alas, my youngest granddaughter is in 3rd grade.  No baby or toddler hats in my immediate future.  I did, however, grab a 3-pack of her pretty handmade dishcloths as a Christmas stocking stuffer.


Holly had the cutest PINK metal side table.  It made me think of my blogging buddies Edi (whose favorite color is pink) and Traci (who transforms cast off furniture into colorful statement pieces).


It was my best craft show to date.  The weather was great.  The crowds were steady (except for a late afternoon lull---to be expected on a Husker home football Saturday).  And my gross sales were more than double what I made at this show last Fall.  Ka-Ching!  The only down side is a temporary drop in Etsy inventory (below my goal of 100 listings) as I hustle to replace sold items with new inventory.  It will be pedal to the metal this week (sewing machine pedal, that is).

On balance, though, 13 turned out to be a pretty lucky number!

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower
http://www.facebook.com/pasqueflower
http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com



Tuesday, October 23, 2012

That's My Girl! ... and George McGovern



I will not use my blog as a political platform.

However, I do reserve the right to publicly brag on my kids occasionally.  This is one of those occasions.
My daughter, Allison LaFave, age 25, Harvard Class of 2010, wrote this article for PolicyMic as a tribute to the late Senator George McGovern.

Just in case the PolicyMic linky didn't work, here's the URL: http://www.policymic.com/articles/17227/george-mcgovern-remembering-the-politician-who-won-south-dakotans-over-by-a-landslide  (It really is a well-written article.)

South Dakota, during most of my lifetime, had a political identity crisis.  For years we elected Senator Karl Mundt (ultra-conservative) AND Senator George McGovern (ultra-liberal), with voters obviously crossing party lines to keep them both in office.  Why?  Because we TRUSTED both men to do the right thing for South Dakota, even though they were on totally opposite ends of the political spectrum.

Alas, that was a bygone era.

Allison, IPOY! (I'm proud of you!)

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://www.pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower
http://www.facebook.com/pasqueflower





Wordless Wednesday - My Cat Tux


Monday, October 22, 2012

Deck the Walker


It's Shameless Commerce Tuesday, and today I decided to share a recent custom order.  My customer wanted a holiday-themed walker bag for her elderly mother who is in assisted living.  She chose a traditional looking red and green Christmas fabric with a bit of a metallic sparkle.  The bag is lined with hunter green broadcloth and features 5 outer pockets and a large inner pocket.  I hope she gets lots of Christmas cards and treats to fill all those pockets.

I'd previously made a seashell-themed walker bag and a teapot-themed walker bag for her mom.  She got lots of positive attention from residents and staff who admired her unique bags.

Elderly relatives are often hard to buy for.  They sometimes don't have much space, and activities are limited.  A walker bag is a thoughtful and practical gift.

To view walker bags in my Etsy shop, Pasque Flower Creations, visit the Bags, Totes and Walker Bags section.

Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower
http://www.facebook.com/pasqueflower
http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com




Sunday, October 21, 2012

Fab Five - Treasury Thanks

This post extends an official "Thank You" to the curators of five fabulous treasuries who featured items from my Etsy shop, Pasque Flower Creations, during the past week.

My Baby Boomer teammate, Bonnie Serensky of BonniesSewCrazy, featured my pillow cover in her treasury, Sunday Morning Gift Guide.   Bonnie is a fellow fabric lover.  I just loved this cute cupcake apron, perfect for holiday baking with grandkids:



Sukran of LilaRoseJewel (Istanbul, Turkey) created a beautiful treasury, Tree, Eagle, Orange, Blue . . .
Need a little bling in your life?  Maybe a trendy LONG necklace?  This beautiful pearl cluster necklace from Sukran's shop may be just what you're looking for.  It would also make a lovely holiday gift:


DaMora of MyTangledThread featured my Halloween bunting in her Halloween-themed treasury, Boo Baby.  DaMora makes beuatiful crocheted gifts and accessories, like this lovely gray hat with red lining:


Eugenie of MulberryWhisper (Uzbekistan) featured my accent pillow cover in her lovely treasury, Quiet Baltic Sun.  Eugenie works magic with silk.  I just love this silk Ikat tunic.  Perfect for a day to evening look.


Valeria Shapiro of Shely Jewellery featured my navy chevron oven mitt in her navy blue themed treasury, Navy Time.  Valeria's jewelry epitomizes simple elegance.  This beautiful bracelet caught my eye:


And there you have it!  I continue to be inspired and amazed by the incredible talent in the worldwide arts and crafts marketplace that is Etsy.   Thank you all!

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower
http://www.facebook.com/pasqueflower
http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

Sunday, October 14, 2012

Nine, Nine, You're So Fine! Treasury Thanks

This week I had the great good fortune to have items from my Etsy shop, Pasque Flower Creations, featured in 9 treasuries.  So I'm sending out a big THANK YOU to all the talented curators who created those treasuries!

Kathy from tapestry316 featured my Fall table runner in her wonderful seasonal treasury, Cool Crisp Mornings and Crunchy Leaves Falling - Welcome to Fall!   Kathy loves horses.  I just love this buckskin.  It reminds me of Dale Evans' horse Buttermilk (I'm old enough to remember Roy Rogers) and my granddaughter Madeline's buckskin pony, Lucy:



Sandy from SanmarnaStyle and the Baby Boomers Team featured my Halloween bunting in her fun treasury, Fall and Halloween.   Sandy makes wonderful fabric items, like this Shake, Rattle & Roll kitchen towel. How fun is that.  Definitely Boomer friendly.  Perfect for holiday baking.



Inita Jansauska from Initasworks also featured my Halloween bunting in her treasury Happy Halloween!
Inita is from Latvia, EU.  She works with many fibers - -kinit, crochet, and fabric items.  I especially love her capes, legwarmers and fingerless gloves, like these beautiful black fingerless gloves:


Amy Hernandez of cayennepeppybags featured my navy chevron oven mitt in her clever treasury, Navy Yvan.  Amy makes fabulous bags, like this great gray everyday bag.  Love that oversized button trim!


Cheryl Cooper from MagiesMentions featured my Fall pillow cover in her beautiful treasury, Fall Treasures.  Cheryl makes adorable hand crocheted items like this sweet little baby girl outfit.  Wouldn't that be a perfect baby shower gift?



Miriam Schulman of SchulmanArt featured my cloth napkins in her treasury, Rhapsody on Green@Schulmanart.  Miriam is a watercolor artist who uses vibrant colors.  I love this floral landscape:


Amy Braswell of PaperFinchDesign featured my bright flatware on white oven mitts in her fun and colorful treasury, Funhouse.  Amy's shop features home décor, invitations and note cards.  And she's offering 20% off during the month of October because it is Amy’s birthday month.  How cool is that?!  I just loved this kitchen wall art grouping.  Wouldn't that be cute in a breakfast nook (if I had one):


Mila Storow of Storow featured my brown and white chevron oven mitt in her treasury, November Trends - White and Brown.  Mila is from Italy, and she handcrafts beautiful felted wool accessories, like these pretty violet slippers:

 Her shop photos are to die for!  

Joan of All Things Tangled featured my colorful cats zipper pouch in her cat-themed treasury (are you ready for this?), Feline Groovy.  I just love the dog sweaters Joan has in her shop, like this stars and stripes pet sweater.  Your pooch will look so patriotic for Election Day, Veteran's Day, the 4th of July, or any patriotic holiday.


And there you have it  -- nine nifty treasuries!  Thanks, again!  And have a great week.

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower
http://www.facebook.com/pasqueflower

Saturday, October 6, 2012

Treasury Thanks - 10 Terrific Treasuries

THANKS !

This post recognizes the talented curators of 10 terrific treasuries which included items from my Etsy shop, Pasque Flower Creations, over the past week.

Maria Makovera of Moda Makovera featured my aqua chevron oven mitts in her beautiful treasury Aqua.
Maria designs beautiful fabric, silk and leather flowers and sinamay fascinators, like the beautiful violet silk flower fascinator:


Margaret of Splendid Little Stars featured my fall table runner in her seasonal treasury, When the Frost Is on the Punkin.  Margaret makes hand dyed clothing and accessories, like this lovely silk velvet scrunchie:


Patty Harrington of Fern Hollow Finds, a Baby Boomer Team member, featured  my Halloween bunting in her treasury In With October.  Patty is a fellow fabric lover who makes handmade housewares and accessories.  I just love this infinity scarf in sage green:


Another sewing buddy, Bonnie Serensky of BonniesSewCrazy, featured my zoo animals baby bib in her treasury, A Bouquet of Oranges.  Bonnie makes handmade women's and children's accessories, like this classy insulated lunch bag:


Tawny of JadeyGirlDesigns featured my Fall foliage pillow cover in her beautiful treasury, A Glance at Autumn Romance.  Tawny's shop is a delightful mix of shabby chic and vintage.  Don't you just love this luxury shabby chic dog or cat bed for a very pampered pet?

Ilona Busch of NonoLuna featured my Halloween bunting in her whimsical Halloween-themed treasury, A Friendly Boo.  Ilona is from Ontario, Canada. Her shop features beaded bracelets, antique scarflettes and alpaca yarn creations, like this gorgeous aubergine alpaca yarn short scarf.


Ginger Simpson of Miss Magpie's Shoppe curated a delightful treasury, Serendipity .....  Ginger's shop specializes in beautiful vintage china and "bits and bobs to make your home a cozy nest."  This beautiful hand-painted Bavarian plate reminds me of my Grandma Pheba Larson, who loved pretty dishes:



Sari Yehimovich from Tel Aviv, Israel, featured my green and white chevron oven mitts in her treasury, Green Fall.  Sari is a fashion designer.  This sleeveless wrapping top in cobalt blue makes a beautiful and bold fashion statement:


Joan of All Things Tangled featured my Halloween bunting in her frightfully fun treasury, Spooky Time.  Joan is a knitter with a shop full of incredible handcrafted knit items.  Who could resist this cute orangepuppy sweater?  Your puppy could dress up for Halloween, too!


Hilla Lande's treasury, Especially for You, truly is a 10.  Hilla is from Tel Aviv, Israel, and her shop is HLcollection.  Hilla designs and crafts beautiful gold and silver statement jewelry, like this stunning shell necklace:


And now, as The Count from Sesame Street would say, "TEN!  Ten terrific treasuries!  Ha.Ha.Ha.Ha."

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower
http://www.facebook.com/pasqueflower
http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.com

Wednesday, October 3, 2012

Go Irish!


It's Shameless Commerce Tuesday (a day late), and today I'm featuring a new listing.  This reversible green and white 100% cotton baby bib features 1/2" chevrons by Riley Blake, with a coordinating polka dot print on the reverse side.  The bib closure is a capped metal snap -- no Velcro to catch in baby's fine hair.  The bib was made using a Mod Tods pattern:  http://www.etsy.com/shop/modtods.

The luck of the Irish will be with baby on St. Patrick's Day, or when watching Notre Dame football with Daddy.

Click the link to view the shop listing for my Green and White Chevron Baby Bib.

TTFN
LeAnn aka pasqueflower
http://pasqueflowerponderings.blogspot.comt
http://www.etsy.com/shop/pasqueflower
http://www.facebook.com/pasqueflower