Friday, September 30, 2011

We're Off to the Market!

Today is going to be a flurry of activity as Jeremy and I work on getting things finished and packed for The Horseshoe Fall Market. I've already checked several things off my list, so I'm hoping the rest of the day goes as smoothly.


We've had a fantastic season with the Horseshoe Craft & Flea Market and I'm really excited for tomorrow's show. Several of our good friends will be at the show as well, so come by and say hello to {anne franklin designs}, Donna Diddit, Hot Butter, La Samara Studios,  & Olde Crone's Bewitching Bath Soap, just to mention a few. It's going to be a fun day filled with amazing handmade & vintage finds by some extraordinary artists & vendors.




Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Horseshoe Craft & Flea Fall Market


This week we're making final preparations for the Fall Horseshoe Craft & Flea Market. We'll have all the favorites, some brand new items, and even a few things for the holidays. We're looking forward for a fun day filled with friends, local handmade goodies, & unique vintage finds.

Monday, September 12, 2011

It's Time for Craftstravaganza

Craftstravaganza is back for the third and final show of the 2011 season! Please join us for a fun filled day of handmade accessories, gifts, jewelry, and other surprises!
For more info please visit the Craftstravaganza website.

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Heat Has Melted My Brain

When I was in college I worked for a large real estate company. The president of the company would have an all hands staff meeting every month where he would address the usual items like marketing and sales, but he would also address subjects that affected sales, but weren't necessarily sales related. One of my favorites was the topic he would bring up each year beginning in May..."Hot weather makes people crazy."

I personally heard that talk six times, and while we are experiencing one of the hottest summers we've had in this country I hope that Mr. Real Estate President is still giving that talk.

He would stand in front of a room full of serious real estate professionals (all wearing suits of course) and talk about cutting everyone a little bit of slack. "It is hot outside," he would say, "people are cranky and want cold beers and air conditioning. They don't want to think about serious business, they want to be swimming."

I was thinking about that yesterday when I was uncomfortably warm and very short of temper. I was agitated and uninterested in anything except being somewhere with a/c. It was an excellent opportunity to consider my reactions to the people around me, both people I know and the strangers I encounter throughout my day.

So today, when I go out into the world I'm going to take the words of Mr. Real Estate President with me and remember that I should cut people some slack, because it's hot outside and hot weather makes people crazy.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Lucky You at the Horseshoe


We're going to be super busy in the studio this week as we make final preparations to return for the Summer edition of the Horseshoe Craft & Flea Market! We love the Horseshoe and we're looking forward to seeing you there on Saturday! 

Thursday, July 28, 2011

The Studio Wasn't the Only Move



We had a fantastic time at Craftstravaganza this weekend. Our second event of the season was a complete success...which got us thinking...

The goal of Craftstravaganza was to provide a quality show for vendors by providing a show that was well organized and to provide a quality show for our guests by offering an exciting selection of handmade goods in a quaint and personal setting. It has become apparent to everyone involved that we are certainly on that path, and because of that Jeremy and I made the decision to keep that momentum and move the Craftstravaganza content from the Siouxsiequeue's website, blog, and Facebook pages to an Internet home of its own!

Beginning today Craftstravaganza has its own room at craftstravaganza.indiemade.com and a shiny new Facebook page too! The new site features all the information you could want about Craftstravaganza! A blog, photo galleries, events calendar, vendor information, the whole enchilada!

Everyone here at Siouxsiequeue's is excited about the new sites and we hope you drop by to check them out soon.

Saturday, July 23, 2011

Happy Craftstravaganza!

Today's the big day! See you at Stash later this morning for all kinds of handmade goodies!


Monday, July 18, 2011

Craftstravaganza Featured Vendor: Creative Blessings


live in Falcon, CO with my husband and our 4 children.  I have been sewing for nearly 30 years, & have a passion for designing new and unique inspirations.  You will not find any two like items; there is something different about everything I make.  I love sharing my God given talent with others.
 

Wednesday, July 13, 2011

We've Moved!


With the exception of one piece of furniture that is too big for me to lift by myself, the Siouxsiequeue's studio is officially moved into to our new location! I've even managed to get some work done in the new space this week. We're super excited to be starting a new leg of the Siouxsiequeue's journey. So excited in fact, that I feel the need to celebrate with a sale. From now through Friday, July 15th enter code "MOVINGSALE" at check out to receive 20% off your order from our Etsy shop.

Monday, July 11, 2011

Craftstravaganza Featured Vendor: La Samara Studios

With our second Craftstravaganza event right around the corner we wanted to introduce our featured vendors. Today we're going to start with our friends at La Samara Studios. 


 My childhood spirit sought quiet beauty…the unfurling of the fern leaf, or watching a vine delicately seek a nearby limb. Although individual sprigs of life…we are inherently connected and need each other. The name Samara speaks of the winged seedling that floats along the wind to start life anew. I am eternally enchanted with Victorian gardens, artisanal ironwork, songbirds, fossils, and the plethora of gemstones that inspire my jewelry design that is then lovingly wrought with my little olive hued hands.
 Materials I adore…
 Drusy*Garnet*Emerald*Amber*Tibetan Quartz*

We're so excited to welcome La Samara Studios to Craftstravaganza and we're really looking forward to the show! Don't forget to visit our Facebook page and website for more Craftstravaganza updates and information.

Tuesday, July 5, 2011

July at Siouxsiequeue's

We've got a ton of stuff going on right now. As you have seen here on the blog, in our newsletter, and on our Facebook page, we're moving the studio; and everything is in total chaos. Actually, it isn't that bad, but we've been doing show prep, packing, and organizing the next installment of Craftstravaganza during the move. I didn't think we had that much stuff, but 10,000 boxes later....

Besides the move, we're also getting ready for Craftstravaganza! We've got 10 exciting vendors joining us for the July show. Check back here for sneak peeks of the show and of  course our Featured Vendors!

And if moving and planning a show weren't enough we decided to have a fundraiser too! Last summer our book club, Epic Lit, held a fund raiser to benefit the local food bank. Last year's sale was so successful we decided to do it again! This year we're raising funds for Kids Need to Read, a children's literacy program co-founded by Nathan Fillion (of "Castle" and "Firefly" fame). Siouxsiequeue's & Stash are sponsoring the event and if you would like information on donating money, time, baked goods, or if you are interested in being a sponsor please email me at siouxsiequeue@me.com

Monday, June 27, 2011

Moving on up...

There has been so much going on around the studio lately. In the last few weeks we ran the "Three Shows in Three Weeks" marathon, hosted Craftstravaganza, started planning another Craftstravaganza event, taught some classes, and now we're working on moving!

That's right, I said moving! Beginning in July the Siouxsiequeue's studio will be moving out of our house and into a new studio space! Jeremy and I have been running Siouxsiequeue's out of our home studio since we first started in 2006. I have really enjoyed working at home, but I think everyone is going to enjoy reclaiming the house from Siouxsiequeue's.

Siouxsiequeue's has grown a lot since we first started, but especially in the last two years. We've started doing more shows, our Etsy shop has been thriving, and we've been fortunate enough to find homes with some amazing retailers here in the Denver area.

I'm so excited to be moving into a new workspace, and I'm looking forward to seeing where Siouxsiequeue's goes from here.

Sunday, June 5, 2011

All Quiet on the Blogger Front

We had so many posts leading up to Craftstravagnaza I thought I'd take a little blog break, too much of a good thing and all that...

Since Craftstravaganza was a great success and we're already planning a second event for July. To see photos from our May event or to apply to be a vendor for our July event please stop by the Siouxsiequeue's website.

We've been busy around the shop as we've been preparing for the next round of shows, working on some top secret projects, and taking field trips. We're expecting to post some new listings in our Etsy shop this week, and I'll be visiting both Stash and The Mac Spa to update the Siouxsiequeue's displays, but in the mean time you can get a peek at one of our new collections over at our Facebook page.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Craftstravaganza Vendors & Friends Part 3

With only hours to go I would be remiss if I didn't introduce our friend Megan of The Peacock Bead Shop. 

Raised by a family of Magpies, and having honed her shiny-finding skills as the Manager of Beadlush in Charlotte, NC, Megan Savors has amassed an impressive array of treasures over the years. When she moved to Denver in 2007, she used her procured baubles to create limited edition and one of a kind jewelry and accessories for other magpies. Two years of fervent creation left barely a dent in her hoard....something had to be done. The Peacock Shop began in March 2009 as an Etsy store meant to be an outlet for Megan to share her collection of pretty things with the world. Over the next year, it grew from a desk in her bead room, to a seasonal kiosk, to its first shop front location, then a larger storefront, where it's becoming well-known for its unusual selection, and inspiring surroundings.

Thursday, May 19, 2011

More from the Craftstravaganza front

 Can you believe that Craftstravaganza is day after tomorrow! All of our planning is finally coming together, and today we're featuring Mountain Mud Babies, a local Castle Rock artist.

I am a mother of a six year old boy, an art teacher, an artist, a potter, an avid gardener and a big time animal lover.
Last year, with the help of my wonderful husband, I finally got around to setting up my home studio. It's almost complete with kilns, lots of light, storage and two pottery wheels and a slab roller. Now, thoughts of making things with clay consumes me. If I'm not working with clay, I'm reading about working with clay or doing sketches of future projects.
All of my work is one of a kind Art Pottery and is lovingly hand made by me from start to finish. Each piece that I make truly is one of my "Mud Babies". A name I borrowed from my favorite famous potter, George Ohr.

Monday, May 16, 2011

5 Days and Counting...

We've got 5 days before Craftstravaganza kicks off the 2011 season! I'm really glad we're back for a second season, and I'm really looking forward to this first show. We have some really amazing vendors, like Lexisworks, who is bringing stunning original works of art, art prints and handmade greeting cards to the Craftstravaganza stage.
    
Art has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Growing up my mom was always coming up with new art projects for us to complete at home. This translated into a degree in Graphic Design when I attended college. Since then, I have traveled abroad, working in a cupcake shop in London, and visiting Scotland, Amsterdam, Paris, Italy and Spain. I currently live in Denver, CO.
I love to surround myself with items that inspire me. My studio has become a storehouse for scraps of paper I could not bear to part with-there might be a use for them in a future collage or design project. I have an obsession with collecting anything made of paper or covered in typography that catches my eye. My right brain’s creativity is balanced by my left brain’s attention to detail, desire for organization and ability to produce work for deadlines. Above all, I take pride in a job well done, and enjoy finding creative solutions to problems.

 

Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Craftstravaganza Vendors & Friends

Today we'd like to present another wonderful Craftstravaganza vendor, Creative Blessings.

Creative Blessings features lovingly crafted quilts & patch work gifts. The Creative Blessings blog showcases items for sale as well as inspiration for quilters. Each quilt or gift is completely unique to provide a one of a kind treasure.

We're so happy to be back at Stash for this season's Craftstravaganza events. Crystal and the rest of the gang at Stash have been really supportive of our endeavor and have been outstanding friends. 

Monday, May 9, 2011

On your mark....Get set...Go!

On Saturday morning when we arrived at the Horseshoe Craft & Flea Market we started running a three week long craft show marathon. First we had Horseshoe, (which was so much fun!), this weekend we're going to be at the Castle Rock Ducky Derby, and the following weekend we'll be at our own Craftstravaganza

Speaking of Craftstravaganza, check out another one of our awesome local vendors, ADWoodcraft!

Are you looking for custom furniture at affordable prices that will last? Then you've found
the right place! ADWoodcraft specializes in custom furniture for the patio, mud room, game room, or any other room in your home. All of the items are made to order, with the highest quality materials and finished with paints and stains. 

We're really excited for Craftstravaganza and we're looking forward to seeing everyone at the show!

Tuesday, May 3, 2011

4 Days to Go...


I can't wait!!!!! The Spring edition of The Horseshoe Craft & Flea Market is on Saturday and Jeremy and I will spend the next few days tying up the last little bit of work before the show. We're going to have some new items for this show, they aren't even listed in our Etsy shop yet!

Speaking of our Etsy shop we're going to be making some changes to our shipping procedures and costs. As you know, most of the items for sale in our Etsy shop are ready to ship, and have been leaving the studio via USPS Priority Mail the next business day. While this process has worked out well for everyone so far, the recent increase in orders and shows has changed the work flow in the studio. Beginning this week all Etsy orders will ship on the next Friday; for example any orders received today would leave our studio on Friday, May 6. Jeremy and I are sure this new system will allow Siouxsiequeue's to provide an even higher standard of customer service. We will still use USPS Priority Mail as our primary source for shipping, but expedited shipping is available upon request. 

In addition to our countdown to Horseshoe we are also wrapping up the final details for Craftstravaganza. We'll be at Find Your Stash on Saturday, May 21 with a great collection of local artists, such as {anne franklin designs}!

{anne franklin designs} started with a little bit of down time and a lot of creativity! 
Striving to create affordable, one of a kind items for birthdays, hostess gifts, teacher gifts or simply a way to say “I’m thinking of you," Franklin hand crafts her products with upcycled and vintage items. 
A Denver mom of three girls, Anne has also spent time as an elementary educator, has grown a small business into multiple units and is excited to launch {anne franklin designs}! 

We're really looking forward to the show and we'll be featuring all the Craftstravaganza vendors here on our blog in the days leading up to our event! In the meantime, don't forget to come see us at Horseshoe this weekend and the Castle Rock Ducky Derby next weekend.

Friday, April 29, 2011

Horseshoe Here We Come!


We're a week away from the Spring Horseshoe Craft & Flea Market and the Siouxsiequeue's gang has been hard at work preparing for the big day. We're looking forward to seeing everyone next Saturday, and who knows, we might even have some special guests and a surprise or two in our booth. 

Also, don't forget that Horseshoe is the first show in our mad dash of three shows in three weeks! We'll be at the Castle Rock Ducky Derby on the 14th, and our very own Craftstravaganza will be on the 21st, but we'll have more info on that next week.

Sunday, April 24, 2011

Remember the time I met Chewbacca?

 Last weekend Siouxsiequeue's went to Starfest, and we completely rocked it! As you may remember, we finalized the details for this show at the 11th hour, and I am neither the most graceful nor gracious person when I'm under the gun. I had stress related dreams every night leading up to the show as well as the entire time we were at the show. My personal favorite was a dream where Jeremy and I were already at the show and a friend of ours walked by the Siouxsiequeue's booth with his wife, looked me right in the eyes and told me not to forget tasks I'd not yet completed and items I'd not yet packed in real life. Very helpful, but friend in the dream neglected to share any winning lotto numbers or the secrets of life, the universe, and everything.

So Jeremy and I scrambled, packed, and made frantic arrangements until it was showtime. We arrived at the venue to find that our booth was immediately inside the front door, which was completely amazing, and with enough time to avoid a frantic setup. We had two tables that formed a nice corner space and while we would have liked a bit more room we still had a great spot. The show was scheduled for Friday evening, all day Saturday, and all day Sunday, and I have to admit, most of the weekend was a complete blur.

We saw a lot of old friends and met so many new friends, we couldn't have asked for a better time. Nicole came on Saturday armed with peanut butter sandwiches and enough satsumas in her bag to make Terri Lynn proud.

After Nicole arrived at the show Jeremy took over the booth so I could have a break, do some shopping and visit the Peter Mayhew (Chewbacca) autograph line. Nicole graciously agreed to photograph the meeting for me, but as we know, no good deed goes unpunished. I had a total fan girl break down while we were standing in line, shaking and laughing, and totally losing the ability to intervene to save my friend while she was being trapped by an over zealous, though well meaning fan.

Then it was our turn in line. Mr. Mayhew was very nice and allowed Nicole to take several photos, which is not usual practice at this particular show. He signed the photo I had purchased especially for the occasion, shook my hand, accepted a gift that we'd brought for him, and even suggested that we all look at the photos Nicole took before I left, just to make sure that they turned out. It was a fan moment made in heaven and increased the fondness and good feelings I already had toward the Star Wars franchise.

We tried to hang out and little on Saturday night after the vendors room had closed, but after a full day and a half of working we all had a difficult time staying awake. At least until the Battlestar Galactica fans threw a raging party in the hotel room across the hall from us. Those kids really know how to have a good time, and if we hadn't been so exhausted I'd have gone over and had a drink with them.

By the time Sunday rolled around Jeremy and I were completely exhausted. Neither of us had slept very much going in to this, and not at all once we were there, but we managed to get up and prepare for another day. Jesse had volunteered to help me out on Sunday because Jeremy had to go pick up Eric from Camp Grandma and the doggies from the kennel.

Sunday was much quieter than the previous days and afforded us the opportunity to really visit with customers as well as some of the other convention guests. Mark Sheppard from Battlestar Galactica and Firefly made a visit to our booth as well as LeVar Burton of Star Trek: The Next Generation and Reading Rainbow fame. Both gentlemen admired several pieces and were really nice to visit with. My fan quotient was still pretty high, but no visible shaking could be seen. I hope.

We left for the show on Friday with a trunk full of merchandise and returned with less than half of that on Sunday evening. I can't help but think on how things will be after a whole year to prepare and plan for this show, and in fact, I booked next year before we even left on Sunday evening. I can't wait!

So at the end of everything we found out what we can do on short notice, how many days we can go without sleep without cracking, who our friends are, and that we cannot stay on the same floor of the hotel as the BSG fans, even though we still love them.

P.S. You can see more of our photos from Starfest over at our Facebook page.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

What?

Today is Tuesday, which makes it blog day here. I was all set to write about all of the preparations we've been making for the Horseshoe Craft & Flea Market, and how it's our first show and only 25 days away, but then my phone rang...

I'd applied to be a vendor at Starfest last fall, but due to, well, I don't actually know what it was due to but I'd thought that show fell apart and we moved on. They called me this evening to finalize things before the show, on Friday. Yes, this Friday. April 15th Friday. Three days from now. Friday.

Needless to say, I'm freaking out.

So come see us at Starfest this weekend, get your geek on and I'll be back with a real update next week.

Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Whoosh!

That was the sound of the weeks before our first show flying by...There's just about a month before the Spring edition of the Horseshoe Craft & Flea Market and I can't wait! We'll be returning to the market as a Featured Vendor & we're so happy to announce that we've partnered with folks at Horseshoe to do a blog give away this week. Jeremy & I took a moment over the weekend to start staging the tent & displays for the market. We've made some new displays, bought some new things, and re-purposed a few items so I really wanted to lay everything out and get a feel for how things are going to go up, especially since we tend to have pre-dawn set-up times. I think the new displays are shaping up really well, I posted a picture of part of the display over at our Facebook page.
Speaking of our Facebook page, last Friday we welcomed our 100th friend! In celebration of another incredible milestone we did a prize drawing. Five of our lovely friends won bracelets & pendants as a "thank you" for all of their support and encouragement! Congratulations to our winners, and everyone stay tuned for more surprises!
We're also in the middle of the application process for Craftstravaganza! We've had a ton of talented artists submit applications for our event, and we're so excited for the show. There's still time to submit an application, please visit our website for the application & for more information on the show.
Don't forget to join me this week for the Pesapallo Vest class over at Stash. This super cute cabled vest is knit in a great summer yarn and I can't wait to get started. This two part class begins on Wednesday, April 6th. Please visit the Stash website or call the shop at 303-660-YARN (9276) for more information or to register.
Last, but certainly not least, we've been working on a ton of new things for the market season as well as our Etsy shop. These bags are just a couple of the newest items, and I've been posting photos on our Facebook page, so keep checking in. So as usual, we've been totally swamped with work, preparations, and plans, but I wouldn't want it any other way.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

I told you someone would ride a unicycle

This week I was writing the April newsletter and I told the subscribers that if our blog hit 600 views someone would probably ride a unicycle. This morning we hit 605 views, so here's Jeremy riding a unicycle while wearing his "Adventure Time" hat. Enjoy!

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Siouxsiequeue's & Stash Present: Craftstravaganza!

Craftstravaganza is back!
Join Siouxsiequeue's & Find Your Stash for the second season of Craftstravaganza. Set beneath the shade tree of a charming house, Craftstravaganza vendors will offer an assortment of handmade products made by local artisans. Our first fair of the season will be held Saturday, May 21, 2011 from 10 am - 3 pm at Find Your Stash in Castle Rock.

Call for Vendors!
Are you interested in participating in Craftstravaganza? We will be accepting applications for vendors March 15 - April 8, 2011. For consideration please complete the application form. Please visit our website or email us at craftstravaganza@me.com for more information.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

And Then We Were Swamped...

I can't believe how busy we've been lately, both around the studio and around the house. We're gearing up for shows, promoting our own show, supporting Eric's sudden dream of basketball stardom, caring for over-dramatic doggies, and wishing our Dads a Happy Birthday.

I'm going to start with the last part first. Yesterday was my Dad's birthday, it was also Jeremy's Dad's birthday. How weird is that? Well, I guess it isn't that weird because yesterday Jeremy was telling me that in a group of 57 people there is a 99% chance that two of them will have the same birth date. These stats came from Wikipedia, so take it as you will. Anyway, I really want to wish the Dads a very Happy Birthday. Jeremy and I wouldn't be the same without you, and Siouxsiequeue's wouldn't be the same without you. As I said in the March newsletter, thank you for your support, the use of your power tools, and for driving across Colorado to come see us at markets and shows.

Besides birthdays we are experiencing Eric's very sudden interest in athletics this week. Jeremy and I are not very athletic and Eric has never really expressed any interest in participating in sports. So color us surprised when he comes home from school one afternoon and announces that he wants to play basketball at school. I don't even know the rules of the game, but we bought him the gear he needed, filled in the forms, and most importantly, wrote out the check. His team has had two games so far and they are getting trounced. It has been merciless, this week they lost 23 to 7, but the kids look like they are having a good time and I guess at the end of the day that is what is most important. And maybe a little defense. Go Bears!

Also on the home front we have Cymru (pronounced Kimree). We have two Welsh Corgis and Cymru is the youngest. When we adopted her she had some health issues and we have struggled with the results of that her whole life. She has to have filtered water, a special diet, and periodic steroid shots, but we love her anyway. This week, after we'd already been for a routine vet visit, she had a serious flair up of her condition. There was blood, there was panic, and of course it happened during dinner. Jeremy rushed her off to the vet only to find out that our dear sweet Cymru, who has nothing to do all day but nap on cushions, go for walks, and play with toys, is stressed out. She is not ill, and the vet suspects that she never really has been, she is just stressed. If Cymru has a stressful life, what hope do the rest of us have? So Cymru the Drama Puppy has been getting a pro-biotic supplement, extra naps, extra toys, and extra walks to help her reduce her stress...I wonder if that would work for me...

And as busy as things have been at home they have been even busier in the studio...

We've been working like crazy as we make preparations for the first Horseshoe Craft & Flea Market of the season. We've been making jewelry, sewing, and putting the finishing touches on the new display pieces. It is pretty comical to see things around her as we get closer to a market day. There is stuff all around the house as we start staging the display, packing, and put the final touches on things. It's not at all uncommon to walk into our living room this time of year and see the tables full of merchandise, trunks, and totes. I always feel like we're never going to be ready for the next show, and somehow we always manage to pull it off.

We're not just gearing up for Horseshoe in May, but also the return of our own Craftstravaganza! We're partnering with Stash again this season and we're really looking forward to having the opportunity to work with our friends and fellow artisans to offer an assortment of locally handmade crafts in a charming outdoor fair.  Please visit the Craftstravaganza page on our site for more information.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Return to the Horseshoe

We got a very exciting email yesterday morning from The Horseshoe Craft & Flea Market, and I'm very happy to say that we've booked the whole season with them! The first market will be Saturday, May 6th 9:00 am - 4:00 pm at 46th and Tennyson. We did Horseshoe last fall and had a terrific time so I was especially happy to hear from them yesterday. Preparations are in full swing, we've been crafting items for sale and revamping the display. We've been building, painting, and soon the tent frame will go up in the garage as Jeremy and I start staging the display. 

In other news from the studio, we put a few St. Patrick's Day items in our Etsy shop this morning, the March newsletter is going out today, and the March class schedule is up at Stash. Speaking of Stash, they've got some really cute fabrics in their Etsy shop so go check it out!

As for things around the house, my Malaria seems to have subsided and I'm on the mend, and Eric is bouncing back from his "Alexander" day. He's been doing a good job of avoiding the kids who were giving him a bad time and he even joined the basketball team. I'm very proud of him for making the choice to try again because a lot of kids would have been defeated by the negative experience. Now Jeremy and I need to learn about basketball, because we've got no idea. Go Bears!

This week we've been ill, relieved, proud, optimistic, resilient, and covered in paint. I can't wait to see what happens next week   

Friday, February 25, 2011

It Could Be Malaria...

I'm sick, again. Everyone around me has someone at home who has recently had bronchitis and or strep throat. I don't know that I necessarily have anything more serious than the crud, but I'm a baby and a hypochondriac. So in my own mind I have the worst case of whatever this is since humans discovered we could suffer from whatever this is. It may be Malaria, you never know. cough cough.

I spent most of this week at Stash seeking project advice, loitering, spreading germs, and I even managed to squeeze in a bit of work. I spend a lot of time there anyway, but this week I was especially unmotivated in my own work it just seemed like the shop was the best place to be. After all, if I'm not going to do my own work the best thing would be to interrupt other people's work right? Crystal talked me through my first intarsia knitting project while I was loitering and underfoot. It's a wonderful argyle cardigan from the new Stitch 'n Bitch book and I only had to rip it out 5 or 6 times (so far). I've finished the back and the left front side and will resume working on the right front side in the event that I don't perish from the evil awful plague from which I currently suffer. cough cough.

As usual I claim that I was unmotivated and unproductive in the studio this week, but that isn't really the case. Last weekend Jeremy's parents were gracious enough to assist us with some projects I wanted to do for this year's market displays. We bought some pretty molding at the hardware store, re-purposed an old mirror and now I have a custom mirror and some sweet frames to hang the earrings from. Next weekend we're going to do some faux painting treatments on a piece of pegboard and dress up my tablecloths with a custom border. My sister Christina gave me a really neat table top display for Christmas and that piece is what spurred on the need to revamp the tent. I'm really excited about the changes we're making and I'm really looking forward to finishing all of these little projects so I can start working on the layout. We usually set up the tables in the living room a few times before a show just to get an idea of how I'm going to set things up the day of, but this time we'll have some things that hang from the tent frame and our shiny sign from Airship Printing  so I think I'll have to work in the garage. Unless I die from Malaria. cough cough.

The displays aren't the only new addition to the studio though. You may have noticed that we recently started a fund raising campaign to help us upgrade our point of sale system. We've been using a duplicate sales book for years, and while it does the job it is cumbersome, slow, and inconvenient to our customers. Our campaign wasn't really progressing the way I'd hoped and we were starting to think that we just weren't going to reach this goal when we had a lovely surprise. We had a private donation very generously provided Siouxsiequeue's with the new POS system. This market season we'll be able to process credit card transactions and provide email or text receipts for our customers. The new process is quick and less wasteful than paper sales books. So thank you, You Know Who, this is one project that wouldn't have happened without you and Jeremy and I are especially grateful.

So as usual it was an eventful week, Malaria, loitering, new equipment, new displays, and a sincere appreciation for the way people can surprise us. I hope your week was just as interesting and full of surprises.

Suzanne

Thursday, February 17, 2011

Alexander's Revenge

We've had a tough week this week, and it's been especially difficult for the kiddo. Alexander's terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day doesn't hold a candle to what Eric's been through this week. Some of the "in crowd" kids took one of his shoes after gym class the other day, he turned in the wrong homework, had a surprise quiz, and was laughed out of a school sponsored Manga club because the other boys didn't like his choices of reading material. Everyone has bad days, and being a middle schooler is always a difficult time, but I feel like he took more than his share of lumps this week. It is especially irritating because the school is in the throws of an anti-bullying campaign.

I also feel like I'm not really helping him. My first reaction is to call the school, but Eric won't give me the names of the boys who are giving him a bad time. I think he is probably worried that they'll bother him even more if they get in trouble. Jeremy and I keep trying to tell him that this is a difficult time for everyone, but I remember feeling so awkward at that age, I don't think that we'll be able to convince him of that until he's 25. I'm also a very over protective mom, so part of me wants to go over to the school and talk to those kids myself, but that would probably be the nail in Eric's social coffin.

I wish that there was some way we could convince him that being popular in school doesn't mean anything in the whole rest of your life, that people who are mean are usually insecure about something, and that all of this emotion, angst, and awkwardness will pass but every time I try I just hear my mom's voice trying to tell me the same things, and I remember how I didn't believe her anymore than Eric's going to believe us.

So this morning, as Eric was leaving for school I gave him a hug. I told him that being popular in school doesn't mean anything in the whole rest of your life. I told him that the people who have been mean to him are probably having some kind of situation of their own and lashing out is the way they are trying to deal with it. I told him that being a teenager is a short time in life and it will pass and I told him that we love him, because I  think that's really the only thing we can do right now.

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Good Thing I Already Own a Taun Taun

I feel like the extreme cold temperatures we've had the last two weeks have taken away my motivation to work. Every time I look out the window and see the piles of snow or look at the weather app on my phone I just want to get my Taun Taun sleeping bag and put on a movie. I am not overly fond of the cold or all the negative side effects that accompany it. Jeremy, Eric, and I conduct an unreasonable amount of static electricity so the cold dry air has turned the house and the studio into a giant defibrillator. We are walking through the house in such a way that would cause The Ministry of Silly Walks to be proud and every light switch inspires a moment of terror. I gave myself such a shock last night my hand was all tingly for a moment.

There is an upside to all of this static filled lethargy, I've gotten a lot of knitting and knitting related organizing done. I finished a wash cloth and a nifty hanging dish towel from "Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines", and we broke down and bought some shelves to contain the yarn stash.  It's starting to look like Stash at my house with the yarn tucked away in cubbies, the books, and the projects in various states of completion, but at least it's all in one place now and not spread across every horizontal surface in the house and studio.

I did get some actual work done this week. In preparation for the the impending craft fair season we've been really focused on building up the standing inventory. I've been making bracelets, earrings, and pendants as fast as my little hands will go. We've also had a surprising response to the knitting needle tool rolls, so there's also been a lot of sewing in the studio.We're still waiting to hear back from some of the early show applications. We still have two weeks or so before I expect to hear from anyone, but the anticipation is driving me a little batty. Those of you who follow along regularly know how patient I am (read: not at all), so you can guess how much fun I am to be around right now.

So I'm cold, unmotivated, full of static, anxious, and impatient...wanna come hang out with me? Probably not, but stay warm, watch the ice, and I'll see you next week.

Tuesday, February 1, 2011

Jeremy Says it is Negative Room Temperature Today

It is currently -9 degrees Fahrenheit here. -9 degrees, and that is one of the warmer temperatures we've had today. I used to work for a man who, when it would get really cold outside, would say "Now it's just rude out there". I think though, that we have passed rude, we passed rude a ways back. I don't know what is worse than rude, but that's what is happening right now. Worse than rude. And it's only going to get worse, the news said that they are expecting it to be or feel like -20. It is actually warmer in Antarctica than in Colorado right now, that doesn't happen very often.

It's supposed to be even colder tomorrow, but I'm going to brave the arctic temperatures to head over to Stash tomorrow for the Pillowcase & Anatomy of a Sock classes. There are still a few spaces left for both classes, please call the store at 303-660-YARN to register.

The upside is that it's too cold to go outside, so I've gotten a lot of work done the last few days. As you know We have been working to bump up our inventory for the upcoming craft fair season. We've applied to the Horseshoe Craft and Flea Market again this season. The application deadline isn't until the 14th, so we won't know the outcome for a few weeks, please keep your fingers crossed! There's another *HUGE* event we've applied for last week, but I'm nervous about it and a little bit afraid that talking about it will jinx it, so again, fingers crossed.

I haven't finished any personal project this week, it's been all about the Siouxsiequeue's inventory, blog, Facebook page, and newsletter. I did start a new embroidery project and I'm teaching myself to crochet Granny Squares, because clearly there wasn't enough to do over the weekend.

I hope that you all manage to stay warm, avoid frost bite, and have a fantastic week!

Suzanne

Friday, January 28, 2011

What's New at Siouxsiequeue's




After all the time I spent sitting hospital duty the last few days we're back to work in the studio and we have a lot of stuff to share!

For starters our zipper pouches and totes are featured listings on Etsy today. We'll also be listing more tote bags and knitting needle cases in the next day or so, we've got a new circular needle case that got a great reception at Stash last week.

Speaking of Stash, Crystal's got the new class schedule up and there are a lot of great classes on the calendar for February. I'm really looking forward to be heading up Anatomy of a Sock again and we've added two new sewing classes: a pillowcase and Amy's Lotus Brick Path Quilt. Both of the sewing classes are great projects for beginners! Please email Stash or call 303-660-YARN to register for classes.

As if that wasn't exciting enough, we've also recently teamed up with our friends at the Horseshoe Craft and Flea Market as a blog sponsor. We had a great time at the market last fall and we're really looking forward to their 2011 season!

I didn't share an Etsy find on Tuesday because I didn't think it really fit with the rest of the post, but have no fear Dear Friends, I have a great shop for you today. The Craftorium of TMissPink offers charming and quirky scrabble tile bracelets themed after classic horror movie monsters, David Lynch characters, and a personal fave, The Big Lebowski. I'm  the proud owner of the Famous Monsters bracelet and am eagerly awaiting the arrival of my shiny new Twin Peaks bracelet. We were lucky enough to do a few shows with TMissPink last season and we're looking forward to seeing her on the circuit again this season.

Finally, I have been looking around the living room at all of the knitting supplies, yarn, books, and projects in various stages of completion and I've decided I need to be more accountable for my personal projects. This decision has led to a new blog feature, "What Did Suzanne Finish This Week?". This week I finished a pair of stripey fingerless gloves. I used a Merino/Cashmere blend in a neutral color scheme; oatmeal, navy, white, gray, & black. I made them for Jeremy because it's been really cold in his office lately. I'm pleased with the way the gloves turned out, and Jeremy really loves them, so that makes me happy. It also feels great to have one more project crossed off the list.

So I think that's everything for now, I said we'd been busy. I hope everyone has a great weekend!

See you next week,
Suzanne

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Now I Have a Stomach Ache....

Due to the fact that one of our friends is seriously ill I have spent 3 of the last 5 days at the hospital. Due to the fact that I have spent 3 of the last 5 days at the hospital I have extraordinarily dry skin and a stomach ache. I believe that my stomach ache is equal parts worry for my friend and the result of eating foods that primarily originate from vending machines.  I have also discovered that having full bars on my cell phone does not mean that anyone is going to be able to hear me when I call and that I can't work the doors on the bathroom stalls. I locked myself in three times...

We learned a lot of things while pacing/roaming the hospital halls this weekend. For example, being scheduled for surgery at a particular time doesn't mean anything. The nurses and doctors will tell you that you have been scheduled for 5:00 pm but what they really mean is that they will come collect you at some point in time, but that time will *NOT* be 5:00 pm. We learned that even though the doctor/surgeon may tell you that it is okay if you spend the night with your invalid friend the night nurse will immediately veto that plan and send you home well after midnight. Don't mess with the nurses! We also learned that a person who has lost 3 units of blood can still make Stargate Atlantis references, and I personally learned that they serve delicious juice in the blood bank (orange tangerine if you were wondering).

I don't mean to downplay the seriousness of the situation, but making jokes about it helps me cope. I'm what I like to call a "fixer". I need to take control of and lead difficult situations, I need to resolve problems, negotiate solutions, I need to fix things and make them better. Being a fixer runs in families. My Dad is a fixer too. When I called my folks to let them know what was going on with my friend my Dad's answer was to offer me money intended to purchase yet more vending machine foods and to tell me that I could sleep in their spare room (which I did and it was comfy). So being unable to fix things I paced, tried to knit, asked endless questions of the medical staff, constantly phoned and texted people with updates, obsessively made the bed each time my friend got out of it, and was just generally a nuisance. I'm sure the nurses will be glad to see us all go.

So today my friend is doing better, she'll be recovering from surgery the rest of this week, and I'm hoping she'll have a clean bill of health from the doctor. The rest of us will resume our normal lives, our work, and caring for our families with this week's exploits at the hospital fading into our memories. The only souvenirs of our visit will be the plastic jug my friend has been sipping water from, the odd bits of change that were returned from the vending machines, and our stomach aches.

Suzanne

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

I Don't Just Tempt Fate, I Lure Her in With Chocolate

I have pink hair, and I know this is kind of an odd way to begin a blog, but stay with me. Since my hair is not naturally pink I periodically apply copious amounts of Manic Panic's Hot Hot Pink dye to my hair and for some reason, while my head was covered in a medium meant to stain, I decided to work on a sewing project. Not just any sewing project either, I decided to work on a sample for a class we're having at Stash in February. Yeah, not really the best idea I ever had, but the funny thing is that I worked on this project for nearly half an hour before the folly of my decision really occurred to me. I leaned into my sewing machine to look at some stitches and when I sat back there was a *BRIGHT* pink streak on my machine. I started having visions of a low level black hole opening up or some freak blip of gravity that would cause my Amy Butler quilt top to fly at my dye soaked head, causing the irrevocable destruction of said quilt top. Jeremy was great about not laughing right at me as I tried to explain my spontaneous black hole theory and thankfully there was no dye on my project. That also seemed like the best possible moment to put down the sewing and go rinse my hair. Lapse in judgment and poor timing aside, but the quilt top and my hair turned out great! We're going to be doing Amy's Lotus Brick Path Quilt at Stash beginning February 16. You can register by calling 303-660-YARN (9276). I'll also be teaching Anatomy of a Sock and a super cute (and quick!) pillow case class this February. There are going to be a ton of other great classes so don't forget

to check out the Stash website for more info or to register.

Tempting fate with hair dye aside, we've been really busy around the studio lately. Our knitting needle roll has been a surprising best seller, we've been filling out craft fair applications (with and without cold medicine), boosting inventory, and there has been a mad dash to complete an all inclusive sample case.

As if that didn't keep us busy enough we're starting to talk about dates for our very own Craftstravaganza! Keep an eye on our website for our call for vendors and other Craftstravaganza info. We've met so many great artists and crafters at shows and on Etsy that I can't wait to see who will join us this season!

I'm also really excited to tell you that our friend Megan has recently expanded her bead shop The Peacock Shop! Her grand re-opening is today, Tuesday, January 18, so if you are around the Denver area please stop by and congratulate Megan on her success, if you are not in the metro area check out her Etsy shops The Peacock Shop and Gypsy Beads.

Finally, don't forget to check out our latest Etsy Treasury. We selected beautiful knitting, crochet, handbags, jewelry and more in lovely and romantic shades of purple. What more could you want?

Have a great week everyone!
xo
Suzanne

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Oh don't mind me....

...it's just the cold medicine talking.

I've got the crud this week. Headache, check. Sore throat, check. Irritability, (why the hell are you asking so many questions?!), check. I'm not so ill that I'm stuck in bed, but the symptoms are present enough to make getting through regular daily tasks difficult. Plus the blue cold liquid that I've been taking makes me feel weird. Really, really weird. o_O

So now I'm full of cold medicine and I'm using tools and filling in craft fair application forms, awesome. I haven't written in anything strange or embarrassing (so far), but the whole task has been somewhat difficult through the haze of blue cold liquid. I guess most tasks are made more difficult by the blue cold liquid...oh, and have no fear, I've been safely parked on my sofa since the onset of the crud. Not driving around full of cold medicine, not sharing my germs with strangers.

There's nothing like involuntary downtime to make one think about how much work there is and how that work is not getting done. As I stumble through applications I start to think about the number of pieces that need to be made (all styles and colors),  how I've only got two hands, and that it doesn't matter that things won't start until at least May I will never ever ever be ready in time (I will, it's just the meds talking). Then I start to wonder things like will I be able to convince/beg/bribe any of my friends and family to help, will a roast chicken do it or are they going to start wanting cash money soon. That is the point where I become so overwhelmed by things that are not actually going to fall apart if I spend a few days resting and recuperating, that I give up completely and have no other choice but to put Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Buffy is fun and not too taxing on the brain, the perfect show when one is unable to focus.

Cold medicine related freak outs aside, I got some really good work done before the onset of the crud. Siouxsiequeue's had a super busy holiday season and I've spent the last week restocking our regular selections.

I also managed to finish my first personal project of the new year! They are these super cute tennis socks, I used to call them "bunny socks" when I was a kid because the pom pom on the back looked like a bunny tail. The name of the yarn escapes me now, but it is lovely cheerful shades of yellow, pink, and green, but it was the perfect yarn to use while snowbound and under the weather. These are the socks we're making in the "Anatomy of a Sock" class at Stash, and would be a great first sock project. I just need to add the bunny tails and they are all set.


Speaking of knitting, every knitter needs a great tote for their yarn stash or to take their projects on the go. I'm particularly fond of these totes by my friend Renee at Airship Printing. Make sure to check them out and get one or two dozen, in the mean time I'm going to succumb to my cold medicine haze.

See you next week, where hopefully I'll be over my crud and less full of N*Q****(we love you, you giant Q).

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Etsy Showcase Listing


Our Joel Dewberry Modern Meadow knitting needle case/tool roll is a showcase listing on Etsy today. We have additional colors and prints available. We also have stitch markers, zippered pouches for your notions, and project totes. Don't forget that we *LOVE* custom orders, so don't hesitate to ask.

Tuesday, January 4, 2011

New Year's Resolutions & All of That

There's something about the start of a new year, it brings about the desire for change, the want to do better, the need to be a better blogger....

I know I talk about my inability to update the blog regularly, but I feel that this is my Achilles heel. So in the spirit of the new year I've resolved to blog more regularly, not talk about my failure at blogging anymore, and to send our monthly newsletter on a monthly basis. If you want to receive our newsletter but you're not already on our mailing list you can sign up here. We've also recently updated our website. We've got a new host, a new look, a link to our Etsy shop, and a shiny new Events calendar. If you haven't been by the new site please take a moment to check it out.

We have also been updating our Etsy shop since we got back from Christmas vacation. We've been adding more favorites and we're working on some great new projects. Look for new totes in various sizes, zipper pouches in great new fabrics, and fun pillowcases.

We'll also feature many of the new sewing projects in our display at Stash in Castle Rock.

Speaking of Stash I'm excited to say that I'll be teaching a great class called "Anatomy of a Sock" beginning Wednesday, January 5th. This will be a two part class where we'll cover all the in's and out's of knitting socks. Please call 303-660-YARN for more details or to register. I love knitting socks so I am really excited for the chance to teach this class. There are lots of great sock yarns at Stash, but if you're too far away to join us you can find some amazing sock yarn at Apothecary Yarns on Etsy.

So I think we're off to a good start this year. I'm back on the blog and the newsletter, we're getting the shop back in shape and adding some great new items, and I'll be teaching and knitting at Stash.

We hope that everyone had a fantastic holiday season with friends and family, and that you, Dear Friends, are looking forward to this shiny bright new year as much as we are.

See you next week!
Suzanne