Feature Friday - I need your features!!!

I've been running around like a chicken with my head cut off the last few days, because I'm going on vacation - a week from tomorrow! I can hardly believe it, because it's been about a year since my last vacation! This time, I'm headed on a cruise through the Panama Canal; and my husband and I somehow snagged a table for two at dinner! Score! I'm so excited, but I also need a little help!

So, I need your features and recommendations for Acapulco and Huatulco, Mexico and Puntarenas, Costa Rica. We'll be stopping in a couple more ports than that, but we have some shore excursions planned already - how does a helicopter tour of Aruba sound? Pretty good, you say? Yes, yes.

Obviously then, it's not my first cruise; but it will be my first time in those 3 ports, so I need some help figuring out what to do and eat in those places. Give me a good one, and I might even have to repay the favor and send you a little somthing special... (hey, a little incentive isn't bad, is it? Hehehe.)

Feature Friday - Planet June Amigurumi

I might be biased, because June's a very good friend of mine... but I just can't help but include her blog & store in my Feature Friday posts. She's a very talented crafter who makes things out of lots of different materials (a crafter after my own heart!) But, her main focus is crochet patterns done in a certain style, called amigurumi.

Aren't these guinea pigs adorable?!!!

There's lots of people who make amigurumi, but I'll tell you why June's patterns are different. First off - some are in fuzzy/fizzy yarn which lends such a wonderful finished effect. Not many people tackle this kind of novelty yarn - especially in crochet! Secondly, her instructions are clear and concise, with lots of pictures (which is my preferred learning method.) And, the range! She's published so many patterns, and she's only been crocheting since 2003! I find that pretty inspiring and amazing, and I hope you do, too!!!

Please do go check out her pattern store, she's just updated with these Halloween themed cuties! She has such a wide range of animal patterns available, though - there's enough there to please anybody I'd bet!

My favorite is the Polar Bear, they're so endangered and special - they may be gone in as little as 60 years! (I have to say a very close second goes to AmiDog Shiba Inu. June was sweet enough to make me one to match my Shiba Inu, Ginger. Trust me, having a cute little dog that doesn't poop or talk back, is awesome! Hehehe.) She has many more breed styles as well, though.

*All images are copyright June Gilbank, and used only with her permission.

Feature Friday - EmilyMe

I first saw this fabric over at True Up (a great fabric & sewing blog!) I knew I wanted it, but I wanted to decide what to make with it before I bought any - so I knew just how much to purchase! That's always tricky when you fall in love with a fabric. For whatever it's worth, I like a quantity of 3 yds. It's enough to make a knee length skirt (even with some pre-shrinking with cotton,) and plenty of Home dec items, and I guess that's what I enjoy sewing the most.

Rachel was very good about communicating with me, even though we're a half a world away - literally! She's 12 hours ahead of me, so I thought her communication was better than most, considering her time zone! She quickly gave me a private listing for my 3 yds, but I had to wait while it was in transit to me! It was a hard wait, because I really love this print! Check out the selvedge - it's in Thai, and I think it's so beautiful.

It actually came a bit quicker than I expected, for as far as it was coming from! That's always a good thing, though. I haven't made all of my design decisions about my skirt yet, so I think I'll sew a muslin first; this fabric is just too limited to play around with, design wise. There's only 20 yds of it anywhere, and less than 5yds available through EmilyMe on Etsy. I don't want to cut something wrong, and then hate myself for it! Hahaha!

I also received a package of buttons with my order, and aren't they pretty? I know I'll have to save them for something really special, they're chunky, shiny and awesome! I love getting freebies with my Etsy orders, and I really liked sending them out, back when I was selling. Do you guys like getting a little something extra when you buy handmade? Is it an expectation, or a hope?

If you missed the link above, here's her shop!

Feature Friday - what is it?

I didn't really explain my new Feature Friday post last week, I just dove right in! So, I'll take a minute to explain what I'd like to accomplish with this new series. A while ago, I used to spotlight bloggers and Etsy sellers that I found inspiring and awesome, but it was tough to keep up with it every week, as I was doing them separately.

So, I thought I'd take the idea and tweak it a bit to fit my current thoughts and inspiration. So, every Friday I'll be featuring sellers or products, projects, sites or tutorials that I really like, and that you need to check out! Hehe... Some, I may have featured previously, but they're still in business and making things (go you guys, years of selling is tough!)

They'll probably run the gamut as far as what kinds of crafts, so all you multi-crafters out there like me will (hopefully) get a lot out of them! I love feedback, so comment or email me with your thoughts or reccomendations - I'd love to hear them! Also, if you'd like to be featured here, please email me. I'm a little sensitive to people pitching their site/products in my comment fields - thanks for understanding!

Feature Friday - Pearl & Marmalade

Way back when, I posted about my first purchase from Pearl & Marmalade. I knew I'd be buying from them again, I just didn't have any clue it would take me so long!

I absolutely love their letterpress designs, and am so happy to finally have a set of their Honey Bees for myself. Actually, they're probably for you guys, because I love using letterpress notecards in swap and care packages! Haha! I think the color combination with yellow and grey is so current right now; it's not one I'd normally go for - but I love them. They feel trendy, but not overly so. I think the design elements balance the yellow & grey perfectly.

I also picked up a couple gift cards for someone special, but I won't share those until they've arrived! :P