happy holidays!

To all of my lovely blog readers, customers, friends, and family, thank you for a wonderful year. This has been a big year for this blog and my little business, and I truly appreciate all of the support I've received. I'll be back in 2011 with more projects to share, but until then, I wish all of you a very happy new year!

merry mart

Here are a few pictures of my table at the start of Merry Mart, my very first craft show, a few weekends ago.  I was super nervous about the event, and stayed up very late the night before sewing, but I wound up having a blast.

I met lots of new people and saw some old friends, learned how to work my new Square reader (it's amazing!), sold lots of napkins and pins, and left feeling very inspired and ready to create new things. 

Christmas presents are currently taking over my worktable, as is a cross-stitch piece for an upcoming show at Assemble Gallery in Seattle (this is the last piece I did for them), and I promise to share pictures of everything with you in the coming weeks. 

merry mart this sunday!

This Sunday, I'll have a table set up at Merry Mart---my very first craft show! I'll have lots of new embroidered napkins, cross-stitch pinback buttons, pincushions, and cross-stitch wall hangings. The event runs from 11:00 am to 6:00 pm at the Creative Alliance at the Patterson in Baltimore and will include lots of handmade goods, food, free gift wrapping, and card making for kids. If you're in the area, please stop by and say hello!

salty oat banner

Sneak peek of the banner for my table at Merry Mart, coming up on December 5 in Baltimore.

gallery of gifts

New embroidered lunch napkins, backed with Japanese fabric.

This Friday, Gallery of Gifts, a craft show and sale at the Library Arts Center in Newport, New Hampshire, opens. The show features lots of talented crafters (including my mom!) and I'm super excited to have a few of my own things included in the mix.

I've been experimenting with how to finish off the back of my hoop pieces, and I'm super happy with this latest incarnation!

 Cross-stitch snowflake pinback buttons--a new design!

The show runs through December 18, and if you're in the area, I hope you'll stop by the show and support a great arts space.

knit candy corn

Knitting pattern by Mochimochi Land. Image source: Craft.

I realize Halloween has come and gone--and I don't even really like candy corn--but these are too cute to pass up. I can't knit (except for squares, of course), so would someone be kind enough to knit up some of these adorable candy corns for me?

christmas wish list

In case you were wondering (you were, right?), here's what's topping my Christmas wish list this year:

 

Many Mountains Stitchable Tote Bag by Sublime Stitching

Made in France: Cross-Stitch and Embroidery in Red, White, and Blue

Zipper Purse by Made by Hank

sashiko throw pillow

Inspired by this post on The Purl Bee earlier this year, I decided to try my hand at sashiko (Japanese embroidery). I purchased my supplies (sashiko kit, needles, cotton thread, and leather thimble) from KimonoMomo on Etsy and got started stitching. I did most of the stitching during our trip to Seattle last March---including while on the plane---and I turned the finished piece into a pillow a few weeks ago. 

The lovely graphic patterns used in sashiko are my favorite part, and I've used them in the past---like on this cross-stitch travel mug---without even realizing it.

cross-stitch goods for the wondercraft

A package of new Salty Oat goodies is currently on its way to The WonderCraft, just in time for the holiday season and EtsyAustin's November Craft Riot. 

The package includes cross-stitch wall pieces, cross-stitch pincushions, and cross-stitch pinback buttons!

If you haven't already, be sure to stop by The WonderCraft's shiny Airstream trailer and take a gander at all of the awesome, locally made things they stock; they're open every Friday and Saturday.

screen-printed fabric by small talk

Two weekends ago, I had a chance to run through my very first Crafty Bastards Arts + Crafts Fair (I was on my way to work, so I couldn't stay long). While there, I picked up a swatch of screen printed fabric by Small Talk, a studio based in Baltimore. 

I still haven't decided what to do with my panel, though a pillow is on the top of my list.

P.S. Thank you, Seaside Siblings, for the lovely mention!

sewing kit

With a new job (at a fabric store!), a quilting class, and crafty preparations for the upcoming holiday season underway, things are busy, busy, busy in the studio. I promise to share lots of projects with you in the coming weeks, including some exciting Salty Oat news. In the meantime, if you're in need of some sewing encouragement, check out this adorable sewing kit which supports a great cause.

P.S. If you're in Austin this weekend, be sure to stop by the opening of the brand-new Visual Arts Center on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin. The weekend events promise to be spectacular!

cross-stitch furniture

Back when we first moved into our new apartment, my husband and I took a trip to Ikea (many trips, actually) to pick out some new seating so that we'd have something other than the wood floor to sit on while we waited for the movers to arrive. 

We wound up picking up an armchair and an ottoman covered in--wait for it--cross-stitch flowers! Though it's nearly impossible to photograph, the fabric is pretty amazing and its fun to incorporate more embroidery into our decor.

stitchable stationery

I have a confession to make: I'm addicted to stitchable stationery. Last week, I visited the Renwick Gallery (the Smithsonian's craft museum) with my mom and aunt who were in town for the weekend. I picked up a package of Sublime Stitching's Stitchable Stationery in the museum's gift shop, and for the past day, I have been furiously stitching away. 

I love the look of floss on paper, and I'm excited to come up with a few stationery designs of my own. In the meantime, I'll be sending these cards to my pen pals and including them in birthday packages.

etsy treasuries

Recently, I've had the pleasure of being included in a number of Etsy treasuries. Here are a few of my favorites:

Nautical Notions by SheepishKnitCrochet

Fabric Wall Art. Cr... merriweatherco... $26	printable ephemera ... EverythingNew $2.95	ROXANNE Ring with V... hiyapapaya $12
Navy and White Stri... fanciness $32	Silver Hatteras Sna... FavreBijoux $180	Soft Teal In the Ga... EasyBaby $38
Nautical Fabric Flo... No144 $15	A life on the ocean... claireyhairey $25	Navy Blue Cross-Sti... saltyoat $5
Vintage Swimsuit flyinghorsevin... $18	Sterling Silver and... one9designs $50	Wall Decal Vinyl Wa... luxeloft $20
Three Primary Color... withaflourish $15	Necklace Pendant Vi... kcompliment $14	Ahoy There Aqua Sho... WhiteRabbit7 $22

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites. 

Color Lines by merriweathercouncil

Sparkle - 4 x 6 Fin... jessicatorres $20	William the Cross-S... saltyoat $35	Sofi and the fish, ... holli $35
Fallen antique silv... DelicacyJ $24	FIONA Ring with Vin... hiyapapaya $12	9 Turquoise Guinea ... curiousnook $4.75
Green Love Chain Ne... FUDUMUDU $49	Detailed Sterling S... taniacavenecia $20	Dreaming, fine art ... InmostLight $21
Linen pincushion -... namolio $14.5	Sailboats in the Mo... AliciaBock $35	Rain Drop Necklace TheAngryWeathe... $45
Fine art photograph... moonthroughfog $15	Caribbean - 7 piece... PartyPoms $30	Set of Three vintag... littleveggievi... $22

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Round Color by zime

Cutting Board - Han... grayworksdesig... $52	Fabric Wall Art. Cr... merriweatherco... $22	Fabric Flower Shoe ... No144 $28
linen rose kagikagi $10	s a l e Colorful Wo... fanciness $5	Coral Pink Flower -... mohenz $12
I-Pokie dotie butto... BoutiqueButton... $5.8	Red Cross-Stitch He... saltyoat $5	Red Shells and Crys... waterwaif $14
SUNSHINE Ring with ... hiyapapaya $12	Jawbreaker amypryorfinear... $1495	Yellow Star - Fine ... DovieMoon $15
Lemons IV - 8 x 8 F... jessicatorres $25	Red Kaleidoscope Ad... smafactory $15	Hand-cut Baroque cu... onefinestache $20

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.