Mermaid Tail Blankets

Raise your hand if you've ever wanted to be a mermaid.  I know I did when I was little, and both my girls wish it non-stop during the summer when we are at the pool. 


But, since we all know that's not going to happen, the next best thing might just be your very own mermaid blanket. 

My girls saw it in a picture and would not stop asking me to make them.  I'm so happy with the way they turned out.  Extra thick and super soft. 

Plus, the color combination are endless, so really, you could be any mermaid you ever dreamed of.

So tell me I'm not alone.  Who else out there ever dreamed of being a mermaid?




Linking to:
Savvy Southern Style, My Girlish Whims, DIY Dreamer, DIY By Design, 
Artsy Fartsy Mama, Imparting Grace, Up To Date Interiors
Saving 4 Six

Etsy Shop Officially Open

I've spent the past week setting up Etsy listings, formatting pictures and everything else that comes along with starting and Etsy shop.  I am happy to say that it is finally up and running!


You can visit me at www.imayarner.etsy.com or by clicking any of the links in my side bar. The side bar is updated every time I list a new item so make sure to check back often!

It's been so much fun to see the shop listings start to grow and I made my first sale last week!  To celebrate you can use the code BLOG2016 for 15% off your purchase.  And as always, feel free to contact me of you would like a custom order.

Setting Up Etsy

I've been working hard trying to get ready to finally open my Etsy shop.  I had some pictures taken a few weeks ago and I love how they turned out! I've got one more craft fair next weekend and then I hope to open my shop sometime in April.

 

Little Golden Book Journals

I'm always looking for craft fair ideas I can use for spring or summer shows.  My newest Little  Golden Book Journals are perfect!  It's a quick little project that gets a ton of oohs and aahs. 

I cut the spine off the book, and cut the covers and pages so they would all be the same size. 

I started with the first page of the book and mixed a few blank pages in between every book page so the entire story in incorporated into the journal.

I used my Cinch binding machine to punch holes and attached the wires.  The entire books ended up being close to 100 pages.

I was able to find 9 books in good condition at a local thrift store and made all of them in just a few days.

Such a fun and easy project that my girls just love.  I know there will be many more books floating around our house.

Linking to:
Keeping It Simple, Skip to My Lou, The Girl Creative, Dwellings
DIY Showoff, The Dedicated House, Coastal Charm
Elizabeth & Co., Sugar Bee Crafts,

2015 Upcoming Craft Shows

Craft fair season is just around the corner.  Stop by and visit me at any of these shows this year:

October 3 - Bella Vista High School Craft Fair in Fair Oaks, CA

October 4 - Lodi Street Fair near the corner of Church and W Pine Streets

November 20 & 21 - 36th Annual Plumgrove Boutique in Sacramento, CA

December 5 - Maidu Craft Fair (click the link & scroll to the bottom - I'll be in the reception hall)

December 12 - Benicia Holiday Market & Parade (On First Street between D & H)



Updated Adirondack Chairs

We've been working hard trying to get the backyard done so the girls can finally play outside this summer.  One thing that has been an eyesore are our Adirondack chairs.

I go the first one almost 10 years ago, and then a second one a few years later.  The colors never quite matched and they have really started looking old and worn.

I tried to find a color that was close to the original paint color so I wouldn't have to paint more than one or two coats.  I used Annie Sloan chalk paint and mixed equal parts Louis Blue and Florence. 

They only needed one coat and it took me about a day to paint both chairs.  I rubbed them with steel wool to create the smooth soft finish like wax usually does.  I couldn't use wax because sitting out in the sun all summer would cause the wax to melt.

Here is a look at the before and after:

What a huge difference a little paint can make.  I don't know why, but it still amazes me.

I finally have a place to sit outside and drink my morning coffee.  I could not be happier.

Linking To:

Silver Pennies, Two Crochet Hooks, The Foley Fam, The Chicken Chick, House of Hipsters

Keeping It Simple, Skip to My Lou, The Girl Creative, Thrifty Décor Chick

Miss Mustard Seed



Murphys Craft Fair

I had such a great day in Murphys last weekend.  It's one of my favorite places so it was really exciting to do a craft show there.

The weather was perfect and I never could have imagined there would be so many people there!  It was so crowded, you could hardly walk down the street.  I'm sure they were mostly there for the green beer and wine tasting, but they still did some shopping.

I was very happy with how much I sold considering it's starting to warm up and I sell mostly winter items.  It was a success.

For some reason I was really nervous leading up to the show.  Partly because the weather was warming up, partly because I decided last minute to do this show and partly because I did a new booth set up.

Here is a picture of my new scarf wall.  Love, love, love the way it turned out.  So many people walked into my booth just to look at the scarves.  And I sold some!

On the other side of the tent is my hat wall.  I've used it several times and it always draws people in. But, I think I'm going to make some new walls for the hats just like the scarves.  I want everything to look the same and a little more professional.

  And one more of the tables.

I'm already ready for another show.  I don't know if I can wait until fall!

Murphys Irish Day Festival

Stop by and visit me at the Irish Day Festival

Saturday March 21, 2015

10:00 to 5:00 p.m.

Near the corner of Sheep Ranch Road and Main Street in Murphys, CA

Etsy Pictures

I keep telling myself that I'll get my hats listed on Etsy.  I'm working on it, but it's quite a job.  I've made the hats and now I need some pictures.  I took the girls to the UC Davis Arboretum and we just started walking around taking pictures.  I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing when it comes to photography.  But I think I managed a few good ones.

Some were posed and some were totally spontaneous.  Like this one.  One of my favorites.

 

There must have been a bird in the tree and they both looked at the same time. 

 

Madison got so serious as the day went on.  Looking for the best spots running around testing out different logs and trees and benches.  I think she had more fun than I did.

 

 

 

Sidney did not enjoy it so much, but I got a few good ones of her.

 





Linking to:

Moogly

Project Life Week 2

I'm loving the 5th & Frolic kit I'm using this year.   The colors are perfect.  Lots of pinks, which is what we love most in our house.

I spent Sunday afternoon with Madison.  Just the two of us and we had such a good time.  She was so excited to drink hot chocolate from Starbucks.  She wanted everyone to think it was coffee.

I love that she saw the brick at one of our stops and wanted to take a picture of our feet on it.  She's starting to think just like me.

A Little Yarner

Someone here learned to knit this weekend and she was so excited.  I was totally blown away by how fast she picked it up. 

Every free moment she had was spent sitting next to me making her "scarf."  She's already making a list of everyone she wants to invite over so I can teach them how to knit.

Project Life: Week 1

It's no surprise that I LOVE Project Life.  I've been scrapbooking in this format since 2010 and I have no plans to change anytime soon.

I did fall behind last year when I decided to start doing craft fairs.  Everything was put on the back burner so I could make enough product to fill my booth.

I knew this year I needed to start slowly.  I bought the 5th & Frolic kit from Michaels and I'm working on keeping it simple until I get back into the scrapbooking routine again.

Here is a my layout for week 1.

I added a few stickers, some digital quotes and called it done.

The thing that holds me back the most, is trying to fancy-it-up too much.  I need to remember to just get the pictures printed, write down the things I want to remember, and get everything into the slots.

The New Year

I hope everyone had a great holiday.  Mine was a bit frantic with all the craft fairs I did, but we managed to spend a couple days in Arnold for the first few days of the year.  It is one of my favorite places to go.

We spent an afternoon at Big Trees State Park and it was amazing.  

The girls were not prepared for how cold it was, especially after playing in the snow with just leggings and tennis shoes.  It was all good and fun for the first half of our hike.  Then the crying started.  The second half wasn't fun for any of us.

At least I got a few good pictures before we left.

I'm also working on a few goals for the new year.  Most importantly, I'm working on getting my Etsy shop up and running!  Hopefully in the next month or so, it will be ready to go.

Batman and Robin Hats

It's always a little scary for me when someone orders something I've never made before.  I always have a little fear that it just won't look right and it won't be what they expect.

But, I'm so happy with they way these two hats turned out.

I used felt to cut out the logos and sewed them right onto the hat.

They are now on the way to Germany for Christmas.  I hope those two boys are happy with their new hats.

Linking to:

Elizabeth & Co., Savvy Southern Style, Someday Crafts

A Bowl Full of Lemons, 

Poinsettia Yarn Wreath

I'm finishing up projects for the next craft show coming up this weekend.  I will be participating in the Plumgrove Boutique in Sacramento.  This is the 35th year and we are so excited!

Here is one of the new items I'm selling this weekend.

I love the way it turned out!  It keeps reminding me that Christmas is just around the corner!

If you are in the Sacramento area this Friday and Saturday make sure you stop by and start your holiday shopping.  We have a huge variety of items and lots of door prizes!

Linking to:
Savvy Southern Style, Someday Crafts, We Are That Family
A Bowl Full of Lemons, Coastal Charm, Sugar Bee Crafts
Imparting Grace, A Delightsome Life

Lodi Street Faire

Stop by and visit me at the Lodi Street Faire

Sunday October 5, 2014

8:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Near the corner of Church St and W. Pine Street in Lodi, CA

I will be selling:

Hats

Scarves

Cork Pumpkins and Trees

Ornaments

Succulents

Wreaths

Growth Charts

Wooden Tea Light Holders

Cork Ornaments

Are you ready for Christmas?  I'm always ready.  I just love the way everything looks and feels with all the Christmas decorations out and displayed.

I have been making cork ornaments for several years now, but for some reason, I've never shared them.  It's one of my favorite gifts to give around the holidays when you need something small.

I have candy canes, trees and wreaths.

The trees are definitely my favorite.

I will be selling my ornaments at the Lodi Street Faire on October 5.

Linking to:
Imparting Grace, A Delightsome Life, Artsy-Fartsy Mama
What's Cooking Love?, Katherine's Corner, Living Well Spending Less
A Handful of Everything,

Halloween Book Wreath

Another project done for the Lodi Street Faire.  It's getting close now, just two weeks away!

I love my fall book wreath, so I decided to change it up a bit and add a little something for Halloween.

The edges are inked just slightly with black ink and the spiders are glued on top with hot glue.

My girls love it because the spiders are creepy, but not too creepy because they are "girly glitter spiders."

Linking to:
The Shabby Nest, Imparting Grace, The Pin Junkie
Diary of a Real Housewife, 

Mason Jar Succulents

Three weeks to go before the Lodi Street Faire and I'm finally starting to cross things off my list.  This weekend I got all my mason jars painted with Annie Sloan Chalk Paint, sanded and the succulents planted.  I love the way the turned out!

Here's to hoping I don't kill them before October 5!

Linking to:
Between Naps on the Porch,  DIY Showoff, Keeping It Simple
The Girl Creative, A Bowl Full of Lemons, Coastal Charm
Elizabeth & Co., Sugar Bee Crafts, 

Craft Booth

The Lodi Street Fair is one month away.  I swear, my to do list is getting longer instead of shorter like I had hoped.  

But, I did get a big item checked off the list this weekend.  I was able to do a practice set up.  I was able to see what I wanted to make more of, what I have plenty of, etc.  There are still a few things I need to get, like an extra table cloth and finished "walls" for the tent instead of a sheet, but I was surprised at how much I already had done.

I know a lot of people set up their tent on the day of the event without a test run, but that definitely would not have worked for me.  Even though it took an entire afternoon, it was definitely worth it.

I'm happy with the way everything turned out.  I especially love all the baby hats hanging on the side wall.  

What do you think?  Would you stop by and do some shopping?