tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21881609569534211352024-03-12T23:07:35.589-04:00pikelet workshopAustralia + Canada
Beautiful Australian Design Handmade in CanadaPikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.comBlogger336125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-88184971445299297292016-01-10T10:34:00.002-05:002016-01-10T10:34:12.020-05:00It's Going To Be A Big One!<br />
Well. 2015 is done and dusted and I'm starting to remember to write the correct date on cheques so we must be well and truly into 2016 now.<br />
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I spent a good part of the Holiday Season working on a wholesale order for an awesome client. It was a big order (100 dolls!) so I had to really push myself to get it finished on time. But I did and even when I was working all hours of the day and night to get it finished I was happy. How could I not be?! It's always fun to sew and always wonderful when people are paying me for my work.<br />
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The order is shipped and I've tidied my not-very-messy-really-studio. It's time to make plans. This gorgeous felt is going to feature heavily in some new decor items I have planned. I can't wait to get started on this project...<br />
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I have a lot of new products on the way in 2016. There will be new sewing kits, my first doll pattern should be released and there will be a lot of new and fun decor items for you and your kiddos. The <a href="https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/pikeletworkshop?ref=hdr_shop_menu" target="_blank"><span style="color: #cc0000;">store</span></a> will also slowly morph from ready-to-ship to custom order items. There will still be the occasional buy-now piece but they will be rare as I focus in on making personalised goodies for individual clients.<br />
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I aim to attend a few select craft shows throughout the year and will also be teaching PA Day camps and summer camp classes for the kids. Look out for some adult classes, they should finally emerge in 2016 too!<br />
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I am starting the ball rolling with a custom doll. Elvis in his white jumpsuit! So exciting. I really love these challenges. I am so looking forward to making up this hunka-hunka-burning-love!<br />
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If you would like to place a custom order simply email me jen@pikeletworkshop.com and we can have a chat about it. By Spring I should have a working model in my store so you can order a doll and add-ons to make the ordering process smoother.<br />
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Are you ready for 2016? I am. I look forward to another year of stitching and teaching and surrounding myself with crafty people - big and small.<br />
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Happy New Year!<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-13516369846783031172015-12-10T10:16:00.001-05:002015-12-10T10:25:21.357-05:00Last Show of 2015!Well, it's almost time for Christmas.<br />
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And if you're currently living in Toronto you would be mistaken for believing it is still October. The weather is crazy warm and there is no sign of snow. My Poppet actually teared up this morning when I told her Santa wasn't bringing any snow this year. I may have gotten a little misty-eyed myself...<br />
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This Saturday I have my last show of the year. It is run by the Toronto Etsy Street Team (I've recently been made a captain, yay!) and we are very excited to be putting on an intimate show. We even have Santa visiting for an hour. Santa!! Full details about the show can be found <a href="http://torontoetsystreetteam.blogspot.ca/p/christmas-marketplace.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a> on the blog.<br />
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I have made up some very special One-of-a-Kind ornaments just for the show. There is a very limited quantity available so come early if you want to nab one (or two). And the first 50 customers receive and awesome bag of swag as well!!<br />
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The Team and I are meeting up tonight to stuff those swag bags full of goodness. I plan on taking some Fairy Bread and Honey Joys to introduce them to Australian sugary treats. Exciting!<br />
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Any excuse to eat that stuff really. Nom nom nom...<br />
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I have just finished another beautiful custom doll. She has a full outfit like the other Sweetheart Dolls and my customer plans to order another outfit for her in the spring. Did you know you could do that? you can order anything, I am fully embracing the custom order whirlwind after Christmas. I even had an Elvis doll on order, white jumpsuit and all!! So if you would like a special doll or character just pop me an email. Let's chat!<br />
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My last pieces of news are the ones I'm most excited about at the moment.<br />
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I've been featured in the Canadian Family Gift Guide for this Christmas <a href="http://www.canadianfamily.ca/kids/baby/gifts-for-new-parents/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a> AND the Babiekins Magazine Editor's Picks <a href="http://babiekinsmag.com/issues/issue-17/#/page/1" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>. Both publications are ones I've been following as a parent so I feel very blessed to be included in their guides.<br />
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As you know I released my sewing kits and they are doing very well (thank you muchly!). The next step was to release a sewing pattern and I've finally done it. If you would like to purchase a PDF e-pattern of ALL THREE of my Christmas Holiday Pals you can do so <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/259864614/christmas-ornament-pattern-diy-ornaments?ref=shop_home_feat_4" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a> or <a href="http://www.craftsy.com/pattern/sewing/home-decor/christmas-ornament-sewing-pattern/180001" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>. (Oh yes, that is a Craftsy link. I am finally getting on that bandwagon as well!)<br />
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Back to work. I have a multitude of kits to prep for the show this weekend and my sewing machine is calling. Have an awesome week!<br />
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<br />Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-5767142640368058732015-11-23T09:40:00.003-05:002015-11-23T09:40:50.734-05:00Overcoming Hurdles and Making New Things...Hello.<br />
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Many customers have been asking if I will be attending the One of A Kind Show next week to hawk my wares. The answer is no, so if you're planning on visiting me there to purchase something you might want to send me an email or pm instead.<br />
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The major reason for hitting pause on big craft shows is that I needed to schedule time to launch a new product. When I'm making and making and making I find that I end up dreaming far too much and I don't move forward with those dreams. There's nothing worse than stagnation for a creative small business person and I was starting to feel a lack of drive in the Fall.<br />
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So, decision made - no big shows, I got down to the business of designing my new product at last.<br />
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Sewing kits! Double yay and a very big happy dance... <br />
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For at least five years I have wanted to make sewing and DIY kits. I love using them, I love looking at them and I love seeing them spark something creative in other people. New skills, new crafty goodness. Why on earth am I not making them myself?<br />
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Fear. Plain and simple. Fear of trying something new. Fear of learning new computer skills to create the instructions and packaging. Fear fear fear.<br />
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Computers are a major stumbling block in my life. I am not a naturally techie person. I don't find apple products intuitive and the thought of learning coding makes me want to run screaming for the hills. I knew I would need illustrator to really make a go of these sewing instructions. So I put it off.<br />
For FIVE years!!<br />
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It finally occurred to me that I could launch the product without it being perfect. I could ask for help (who knew?!) with illustrator and I should really just get over it and start. So I did. I enlisted the help of an incredible friend with more graphic design know-how in her pinky finger than I have ever had and we got to work.<br />
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But my goodness, even with her skills and my newfound determination there is an enormous amount of work involved in creating a sewing kit. I already had the pattern drafted as I'd been selling these decorations myself in the past. But then I had to write the instructions. They had to MAKE SENSE!<br />
My brain felt like it was inwardly collapsing, I kid you not. I again put off drawing up the instructions and got started sourcing materials instead. The easy part, the fun part. I found the embroidery floss and the needles, and the beautiful craft felt locally. You can find my felt supplier <a href="http://www.thefeltstore.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>.<br />
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Packaging was trickier, it felt so risky ordering hundreds of boxes and stickers. What if I hate them?? What if nobody buys them??<br />
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Happily they turned out just fine and I'm really pleased with the results.<br />
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I could put it off no longer. I had to finally sit down and draft the instructions and draw the illustrations to go with them. I can't tell you how many issues I have with my own drawings.<br />
Big thanks to my Year 9 art teacher who told me I couldn't draw. Ugh.<br />
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In a few short hours it was all done, naturally. Nowhere near the nightmare I thought it would be. Then I passed it over to my wonderful pal who started loading everything into illustrator and putting a template together. She really is brilliant, and there were an insane amount of hours involved in reaching the final product. I still don't umderstand how she did it all, and I do intend to learn how to use the program myself eventually but thank goodness she was able to take over at this point. I was done. I would most certainly have stopped and put sewing kits off for another five years. And wouldn't that be ridiculous? I mean, look how darn adorable they are!!<br />
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So, without further ado. You may now purchase my sweet little sewing kits and make some crafty goodness of your own this Holiday season. Please follow the link<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/pikeletworkshop?ref=hdr_shop_menu" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"> here</span></a> to my Etsy store to purchase.<br />
International buyers, your cutoff date for shipping is December 1 so there's still time!<br />
<br />And please please please send me photos of your finished decorations, or tag me on Instagram @pikeletworkshop as I really love seeing them brought to life with other hands.<br />
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I am also interested in feedback regarding the instructions as this is something I will be making more of in the coming months. Expect to see Valentine's kits and Easter goodies. Yay!!!<br />
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Cheers to jumping over those hurdles at last and realising they aren't as big as we think they are...<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-11534588596144265392015-10-26T09:59:00.000-04:002015-10-26T09:59:06.768-04:00Introducing the Sweetheart Dolls.<br />
Hello everyone!<br />
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I would like to introduce my newest line of dolls. They are very special and I've taken a lot of time with the design process to get them just right.<br />
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I like to call them Sweethearts because they have a felt heart stitched onto their chests which they wear with pride.<br />
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My own Poppet and I were chatting one day about feelings and how awful it is to bottle them up, which led me to thinking about how nice it would be if your child's special keepsake doll could remind them to stay true to their heart. I'm hopeful that these little felt hearts will lead to all sorts of lovely conversations with your children about embracing their own feelings and being proud of their hearts too.<br />
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And so, without further ado, here are the first two dolls.<br />
<br />First off, we have Esther.<br />
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She is a handmade ballerina doll. You can purchase her <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/253422078/handmade-esther-doll-heirloom-doll-cloth?ref=shop_home_active_2" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">here</span></a>.<br /><br />Ever the optimist, she loves to dance and watch old Astaire and Garland movies (who doesn't?!)<br />
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she isn't daydreaming about being a prima ballerina Esther might be
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<br /><br />She is trying to learn to crochet but prefers starting projects to finishing them.<br />Esther will cherish your secrets and happily share her dreams with you.<br />
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And I haven't forgotten the boys. Here is Jake.<br />
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He is a handmade Sailor doll. You can purchase him <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/253320695/handmade-jake-sailor-doll-sailor-doll?ref=shop_home_active_1" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">here</span></a>.<br /><br />Jake is a jolly fellow who always sees
the glass half full. As a sailor-in-training his glass is half full of
apple cider rather than rum. But he has a sweet tooth so that's just
fine with him.<br />
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<br /><br />Jake loves to explore and sail the seven seas. He
has an adventurous spirit and a tendency to get into mischief. This
includes running off to get yet another tattoo. The latest one is for
his "Mom", which makes it awfully hard to stay cross with him for long.<br />
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<br />Jake's hobbies include munching on beef jerky and learning to tie all those tricky knots a sailor needs to know.<br />
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Both dolls are One of a Kind and have removable clothes for imaginative play. I'm sure they will share many fun adventures with their new owners once adopted!<br />
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I hope you love these new dolls as much as I do. I am moving my business into new territories and will soon be offering sewing kits and patterns, as well as lovely bespoke custom dolls. The new year is looking very exciting.<br />
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Though, truth be told, I am also feeling very nervous about it all. I hope you will embrace my Poppets and products as you have always done in the past.<br />
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I wouldn't be here without you.<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-59577029852827710962015-10-14T08:40:00.001-04:002015-10-14T08:40:35.623-04:00Christmas Countdown. Order up!<br />
Not to disturb you, but there's only 71 days until Christmas. <a href="http://www.xmasclock.com/" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">Here</span></a> is the clock to prove it!<br />
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So, whilst that may not be an issue per se, it does mean you'll need to get your skates on if you want to give the gift of handmade for Christmas.<br />
Remember that us handmakers do not have a little troop of elves to help us prepare your orders. If only!<br />
Poppet is able to help me with stickers and wrap and the like but I'm still not ready to pass the scissors over just yet. So, for now, it's just little old me.<br />
<br />I have some adorable Christmas decorations up in the <a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/251210025/felt-christmas-decorations-handmade-xmas?ref=shop_home_feat_1" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;">shop</span></a> which are available to order.<br />
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Now is the perfect time to put in an order for your tree. You can even select the colours to suit your Christmas decor. So click on the<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/251210025/felt-christmas-decorations-handmade-xmas?ref=shop_home_feat_1" target="_blank"><span style="color: red;"> link</span></a> and order up.<br />
<br />Christmas is coming...<br />
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I would also be delighted to work on a custom order for you and yours this Holiday season. Just send me an email or a convo or whatever. Let's chat!<br />
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Enjoy the rest of your week...<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-71320786954814917692015-09-12T11:31:00.002-04:002015-09-12T11:37:29.622-04:00Full Steam AheadHello there!<br />
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It seems fitting that I return to blog on the first day of cooler weather in Toronto. I honestly don't think my brain functions properly in the heat. And it has been particularly hot and humid for the past week or so.<br />
18 degrees today and drizzle. My kind of weather.<br />
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So, what's happening?<br />
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I spent most of the summer teaching in the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pikeletclubhouse" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;">Clubhouse</span></a>. We made little animals, some hoop art and pompoms and a bit of summer knitting. I have really loved these crafty workshops and I believe the kids did too. I had many repeat offenders through the summer which I think is a good sign. When they're keen to come back you know you're doing something right!<br />
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You might recall that I did a little teaching last summer and we were neatly crammed into my then Workshop, the dining room. You can read more about that<a href="http://pikeletworkshop.blogspot.ca/2014/09/hellooooo.html" target="_blank"><span style="color: purple;"> here</span></a>. It has been a revelation to work in the basement. More kids can fit comfortably and and really spread out. I have tables set up but we most often gravitate to sitting around the coffee table on the floor. My poor old bones aren't quite used to that so the kids laugh at the old lady noises I make when I stand up again.<br />
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It's also been a nice haven from that heat. My own Poppet enjoyed camp with me for the first week but I think she struggled with it after that. Sharing her Mother's time and focus was frustrating and she obviously didn't want to sew all day every day. Maybe we're not related! But she pulled it together recently and took one of my patterns and redesigned it to create this little monster. All pretty much while my back was turned. <br />
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Maybe there's hope for her yet!<br />
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School has returned, and she's started Grade 5 very happily which is a huge relief. That means I can get serious about my sewing workload so that's exactly what I've been doing. The workshop has resumed it's function as my workspace (thought I may start running some after school sessions once the school year is running smoothly) and I have made a list of the sewing which needs to be done. It's a bit of a daunting list, so I refrain from looking at it too often. But I am happy to say that I have enlisted the help of a friend who will do some cutting and stitching for me to help boost productivity. Hooray!<br />
Here is a photo of the workshop taken today.<br />
Start as you mean to go on. I am ever the neat freak, it's a bit ridiculous really...<br />
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My Poppet and I had some fun last weekend doing a photo shoot with my toys. I've been meaning to work on some more lifestyle shots for a while now, so it's great to have started. I'll share some of the outtakes with you today and then you'll see the rest pop up from time to time. We had a blast!<br />
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The busy season is ahead and I have so much to share with you. Expect to see lots of lovely new products and fun ideas in the coming months. I have craft shows aplenty to attend and have very big plans for Pikelet Workshop in the new year. Stay very tuned. In fact, why not sign up for my newsletter? There's a link on the left-hand side of this post. I don't think you'll want to miss out on the news.<br />
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It will also be nice to exercise those blogging skills again. It's been a while...<br />
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<br />Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-18152718017683931562014-11-03T09:52:00.001-05:002014-11-03T09:52:37.622-05:00Basement GoodnessHi there<br />
I just wanted to share some pics of my workshop. It's mostly finished, just a little more furniture to add (a comfy sofa and some more storage) and some art which I'm sure I'll accumulate over time.<br />
We sealed the floor with a specky product and discovered that we actually quite like the colour and texture of it so it's staying for the time being.<br />
Just to remind you of the basement's progress, here are some before shots when we bought the house...<br />
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Poky and dirty and sad. Oh my!<br />
And then we knocked it down and started over...<br />
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And now, here it all is. Six months on and it's now my happy space...<br />
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Not a bad place to spend some time really. Poppet often has her bath down here at night time too, which gives me a little more stitching time. It's a lovely warm and cosy space, which is not bad considering the dungeon it was before.<br />
This week I start hosting some friends for a regular boozy, crafty night. Because booze and craft go together like peanut butter and jelly. Right?!<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-32285028740684054662014-10-27T10:18:00.000-04:002014-10-27T10:18:14.934-04:00Make Merry with Maker MailI am very privileged to have been selected to be part of a wonderful bit of gift giving this season.<br />
It's called Maker Mail and this is how it works...<br />
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Simply sign up for either the letter or package mail (I'm in the package category) or both. Then you, or your chosen recipient will receive all sorts of surprise handmade goodies from various artisans.<br />
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Each delivery comes straight from the maker with a handwritten note. Isn't that delightful?<br />
So, if you're seeking a little something different for someone you love or just feel like treating yourself, sign up!<br />
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<a href="http://ohmyhandmade.com/makermail/" target="_blank">Here</a> is the link. Parcels will be posted on November 19. I best get back to my sewing machine!<br />
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What a wonderful way to make merry this season. Be quick, Maker Mail numbers are limited.<br />
Thank you to my<a href="http://ohmyhandmade.com/2014/omhg/makermail-movement/" target="_blank"> Oh My Handmade Goodness</a> buddies for inviting me along.<br />
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Enjoy...<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-20682390535941247092014-10-02T09:57:00.001-04:002014-10-02T10:10:14.147-04:00The Month That Was...Well, September is done and dusted.<br />
Truth be told, I feel a little worse for wear but I can only blame myself.<br />
As you may recall from last year (if you've been around that long) September is chockers full of film festival outings and comedians. We saw a couple of films, most notably David Cronenberg's "Maps To The Stars" and Josh Lawson's "The Little Death" which starred on my buddies from university. Immediately after the film festival was done we started attending the comedy festival. So much fun and Paul F Thompkins was the highlight for me.<br />
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But the fatigue was compounded by the fact that I decided to take the plunge and attend my first Canadian craft show. It was the Pop-up show run by our local street team (group of Etsians based in Toronto who organise events and get-togethers) but was a nation-wide event as well.<br />
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Well, I spent exactly one month preparing and sewing virtually round the clock and that proved to be exactly the right amount of preparation required. I didn't sell out but I sold an awful lot and it was certainly worthwhile on that front. I met some lovely customers, though it was way too busy for general chitchat as a rule. The Etsy team did a brilliant job marketing the event which meant people lined up for an hour before to get in and it was consistently mental until closing time at 4pm. I'm hoping they'll consider a two-day event next year if it runs again to give people a chance to shop in a calmer environment. Just look at the crowd!<br />
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Poppet spent the day with me, she was so excited to be a part of it. She didn't whine, took only a few small breaks to eat and read a comic, but otherwise smiled at customers and wrapped their purchases. She was pretty darn good at that. I look forward to doing shows with her again some time.<br />
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This week I'm catching up on chores and errands and trying to find my equilibrium again. I'm considering signing up for an enormous local show in the spring so need to spend some time calculating whether that will be worth it. And I figure the cats need some attention as they've harrassed me constantly while I worked...<br />
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Don't forget you can order Poppets for Xmas<a href="https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/pikeletworkshop?ref=hdr_shop_menu" target="_blank"> here</a> at my Etsy store. I will need your order by the end of October to have it out in time.<br />
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More soon...<br />
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<br />Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-77312479416469161922014-09-17T09:14:00.002-04:002014-09-17T09:14:34.174-04:00HelloooooGosh, I haven't done a post since August!<br />
To say I've been busy is an understatement but I thought I'd write a quick update to assuage my guilt for the lack of posts.<br />
The school holidays ended with one last summer camp at my place. Some girls came over to make whatever they felt like. Mostly, they decided to upcycle old clothes into little pouches and bags. It was a lot of fun!<br />
I'm still waiting for our basement to be finished (husband is working very hard down there) so I can formally move the workshop in and start teaching in a more formal fashion.<br />
Here are some shots from the camp...<br />
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Notice the cats refused to be left out of the action!<br />
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Poppet has started a new school and I'm delighted to report that she loves it. It feels very much like a fresh start for her and I'm hopeful that this pattern will continue. She also jumps on the yellow school bus each morning without a moment's hesitation. I'm very proud of her new-found confidence.<br />
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I am super busy preparing for the Made In Canada Etsy show next weekend. Who knows how much stock I'll need...<br />
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So I'll just keep sewing right up until the last minute and hope for the best. I think I'll be fine, but there's still quite a bit to do so I'll sign off now.<br />
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Hope you're having a lovely week. Fall is arriving which always makes me smile...<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-69331594958572528882014-08-18T18:10:00.000-04:002014-08-18T18:13:34.664-04:00Taking The TimeWe've been so busy.<br />
Renovating, working, playing. Summer is passing us by and the temperatures are cooling off already.<br />
Winter is coming...<br />
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I had a good reminder to slow down today when I rushed outside for some basil at lunchtime.<br />
Perched amongst the herbs was the most delicious caterpillar. I wondered if it was a Monarch but it's not.<br />
He's quite beautiful nonetheless...<br />
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Apparently it is a Black Swallowtail Caterpillar. More can be read about that<a href="http://kimsmithdesigns.wordpress.com/2011/07/16/no-that-is-not-a-monarch-caterpillar-on-your-parsley-plant/" target="_blank"> here</a>. Apparently he is the state butterfly of Oklahoma. A long way from home...<br />
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A lovely reminder from nature to savor every moment.<br />
I shall take the time to watch this little fella and remember to spend more time out in my garden while it's still green and luscious.<br />
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Although I don't have much parsley left, thanks to our caterpillar! <br />
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<br />Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-89098656623813077152014-08-15T08:13:00.000-04:002014-08-15T08:13:04.681-04:00Garage TLCIf you recall from my early house-related posts we have a cute but very old garage.<br />
It's squished in between a power line and the next door garage so only fits one car but has an adorable extension which is great for storage (think bikes when it's snowing outside!). <br />As I sit at my breakfast counter right now I look out the window directly at the garage. So cute, like our own cottage in the city, but oh so dilapidated and in need of much TLC.<br />
Our builder came last week with his team to FINISH up. Yes, finish up. I can't believe how far we've come since April. Quite the whirlwind really, and we should be sick to death of painting but it's so great to have our own home again that we seem to continue to be inspired. That, and the fact that winter is coming, keeps us on track.<br />
Here is how the garage looked when we bought the place...<br />
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Cute! But with a very old roof which let all the water in (the right-hand extension had an ice rink for a floor), a dangerously wobbly chimney and lots of cracked or broken window panes.<br />
Then the ice melted and we could see our yard better...<br />
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You can see that the old tin siding had peeling off paint, which turned out to be near impossible to remove. In the end we paid the builder to spend a day stripping it with his high-power water thingy, and then he primed it too. Well worth the money so we could get on with it.<br />
But I'm getting ahead of myself. Our next trick was to replace the entire roof and remove the chimney. I got to work on my Portuguese as the roofer spoke very little English. But he was lovely and they did the whole thing in record time.<br />
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Last weekend we spent all of it painting and priming and learning how to repair old glazing (still a work in progress!) and the garage is starting to resemble it's future gorgeous self...<br />
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Can you believe it's the same building?!<br />
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There's still an awful lot of painting, filling and re-glazing to be done but now I can look at the window and smile instead of shuddering at the thought of such a big project. We'll do some work on those windows tomorrow and next weekend we'll prime all the gutters and give them a fresh coat of paint.<br />
The interior of the garage is a ridiculously big job but we are chipping away at it slowly.<br />
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But at least it doesn't smell of mould and raccoon anymore. The roofers evicted our 'tenants' from inside the roof cavity and they don't seem to have found their way back in so far. We have to keep an eye on the roof for any torn up asphalt as raccoons are very strong and have clever fingers!<br />
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Summer is fading already (only top temps of 24 predicted in the coming weeks) and school starts back in a fortnight. Poppet is attending a brand new school this year and we have great hopes for that, but she'll also be getting the yellow school bus there and back again and Mummy is particularly nervous about that!<br />
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My market prep is into full swing now so I will leave Mr Poppet to continue the good garage work outside.<br />
More photos soon, I realise I haven't taken enough lately to capture this 'phase' of the renos...<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-91029180695475089052014-08-12T20:44:00.003-04:002014-08-12T20:44:59.604-04:00My First Canadian ShowI am happy to announce that I've been accepted into my first Canadian craft show.<br />
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For various reasons, mostly caused by relocating and renovating (but also a reasonable dose of procrastination/gutlessness) it has taken me three years to pluck up the courage/time/energy to apply to one.<br />
There are some awesome shows in Toronto but many of them span days, if not weeks and I just can't fathom how I would ever make enough stock for such an event. Other shows don't seem to fit my brand, and others still have never replied to my enquiries. Naughty. That is one of my big pet peeves!<br />
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Recently a new event popped up in my feed and I decided to take the plunge.<br />
It's run by the Etsy Street Team in Toronto, and is co-ordinating with teams all over Canada for a nation-wide one day event. Fits me and my Poppets down to the ground.<br />
The organisers seemed to agree and gave me a spot.<br />
Yippee!<br />
<br />Here are some shots of my preparations for the event. It's been four years since my last market day and I have to restock my packaging and marketing materials, as well as upgrade my phone and get one of those clever gadgets which accepts credit cards with said phone. The list seems endless but I'm doing my best to churn through it amidst the summer holidays. (Oh yes, we're still renovating as well!)<br />
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My own Poppet is underfoot almost constantly so I have to plan work hours around her schedule of movies, swimming and ice cream. Not such a bad way to live but I'm very much aware that September 27 will arrive with a bang and I need to feel prepared.<br />
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Some of these Poppets will head to a local store as soon as I can finish them, and the rest will be part of the stockpile of cute little things I'm hoping to finish in time for the show.<br />
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If you're interested in knowing more about it, here's a<a href="https://www.etsy.com/ca/madeincanada" target="_blank"> link</a>.<br />
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The countdown is on. Thank goodness school starts back in a few weeks so I can really get some work done. This is the sort of distraction I contend with on an hourly basis....<br />
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Cute and crazy, just the way I like her. But 'distraction' really is an understatement...<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-8527479843048136582014-08-07T08:39:00.001-04:002014-08-07T08:39:32.959-04:00Cottage LifeCottaging is a big deal in Ontario.<br />
You only need to spend one winter here to understand why. Locals will do anything to chase the sun and follow it's warmth until it fades once more, so their kids stay up until the wee hours and they get away to the 'cottage' as much as possible.<br />
We didn't think we'd manage a break of any sort this summer, seeing as we've almost finished renovating and bought two kittens.<br />
A last minute text message changed all that and before we knew it we were heading out to a friend's cottage for a few days.<br />
Bliss, bliss and then some more bliss...<br />
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Early morning canoe rides, swimming all day, celebrating cheese o'clock and toasting marshmallows before bed. We haven't unplugged like this in years and it was just what the doctor ordered.<br />
I've never seen so many chipmunks in one place...<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-46283009726435460022014-07-21T10:00:00.001-04:002014-07-21T10:00:40.018-04:00My First Sewing CampWhat a wonderful week we had last week.<br />
I'm testing out my teaching skills on my kid's friends for summer camp sewing lessons and it's been going really well so far. The basement workshop is still under construction so we set up the dining room as a classroom and it was just big enough.<br />
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Poppet and her friend spent a week with me, designing a cloud pillow (dubbed the 'sleepover pillow' during class, which gives me more ideas for classes) and learning to use the sewing machine. Yikes!<br />
On the first day they sketched out their design and cut the fabric for the project. They decided to make little felt characters which attach to the pillows with velcro. So we worked on handsewing, embroidery and a little bit of stuffing.<br />
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Next it was time for the machine.<br />
It was with some trepidation that I decided to teach them machine sewing. Poppet has been at me for a while now to learn (she wants to iron as well, God help me) and it turned out that this was the best environment in which to do it. She concentrated and was very focused because it was a classroom setting so it was much easier to get down to business.<br />
We started off watching some fun videos. This one shows how a machine actually works, not sure I really understood this myself before watching it. You can click over to watch it<a href="http://imgur.com/r/pics/fpu82" target="_blank"> here</a>. Pretty cool, huh?<br />
And then we had a look on Youtube for vintage sewing machines in use and found Norma. We loved Norma, with her hilarious Aussie accent.<br />
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Next I downloaded and printed off some great sewing cards for the girls to work on. You can find the ones I used <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/178173728982839022/" target="_blank">here</a>. We started off with no thread so they could just work on 'driving' and get their pedal speed perfected. That was pretty funny. Both girls squealed with shock the first time they revved up the machine, but they soon got used to it. The next step was to 'sew' a straight line on paper, still without thread. They worked on a little zigzag using this method too.<br />
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It's a great way to get started, as the pressure of tangles isn't there. They could really focus on control.<br />
Next day we threaded the machine and did a little more work on paper before they stitched some lines on some fabric. Both girls declared the fabric much easier to work with and were so proud of their stitching.<br />
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Overnight I basted their pillows together (they weren't ready for sewing with pins just yet, it was a bit of a whirlwind introduction to machine sewing due to time constraints) so they could get onto the machine straight away and get stitching. They simply had to follow my basting line with the machine and I have to say they both did a pretty darn good job of that. Unpicking the basting stitch, however, left a pretty sour taste in both their mouths but we made the time pass with some joking around and minecraft talk.<br />
We stuffed the pillows and the girls learned ladder stitch to close it all up. They were very excited as they watched their stitches disappear like magic. Their work done there was much dancing and singing in celebration. The decision to use minky fabric on the reverse of the pillows turned out to be a great one, they feel amazing and are lovely to cuddle.<br />
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I love teaching and am really excited to get my real classes set up in the Fall. Once the basement is done I will invest in another sewing machine and start teaching a variety of classes to people of all sizes. It's very much a work in progress but I think it might just work out all right. I'll have to learn not to bark "fingers!" and "slow down!" quite so loudly though, new kids might find that a little intimidating...<br />
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If you want some ideas for your own teaching projects, or just need some tutorial inspiration to learn new things you should check out my<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pikeletworkshop/teach/" target="_blank"> "Teach" Pinterest board</a>. So much crafty goodness.<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-44128822523015433752014-07-11T07:59:00.000-04:002014-07-11T07:59:02.006-04:00This Kitchen is Making Me ThirstyWell, it's finished.<br />
We might have a mountain of painting to do, but the kitchen itself is complete. And what a kitchen!<br />
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If you fancy reminiscing click over<a href="http://pikeletworkshop.blogspot.ca/2014/06/kitchen-tastic.html" target="_blank"> here</a> for photos of the space before our renovation. <br />
Having never renovated before, I had no idea how incredible it would be to work in a kitchen of my own design. The colours warm my heart, certainly, but it's the layout and bench space which is the real treasure.<br />
Our kitchen installer 'found' five extra inches of bench space when he was here, as one of our plumbing bulkheads had shrunk since we'd measured. This extra space is being put to good use making pizza dough and I'm determined to return to my pasta-making days of old in the coming weeks.<br />
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We had a party for Canada Day a few weeks ago and it was lovely to be preparing food and chatting with friends as they sat at our kitchen counter. So much room!<br />
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Husband and I are returning to our cocktail-loving ways of last winter, and we started by making this amazing sangria for the party.<br />
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Poppet helped prepare all the ingredients, so glad the thought of tasting it made her pull a face. You can find the sangria recipe <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pin/178173728982760769/" target="_blank">here</a>, though we multiplied it by six to fill our gorgeous 'vat' (a house-warming present from a friend who knows me too well).<br />
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In fact, she is quickly becoming my sous-chef, and I'm determined to push her cooking skills over the coming weeks. She is enjoying her new-found kitchen confidence and I'm thrilled that she can finally stack and unload a dishwasher properly. The kitchen can be a lonely place, but our new space is so inclusive and airy.<br />
I can potter away and still be a part of the action.<br />
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The action, for the time being, is the World Cup. It's been fun not having to miss a game because I'm making dinner.<br />
Husband has been painting like a mad-man, for which I'm truly grateful. I lost my painting mojo about the time I painted the stairwell ceiling and it's yet to return. For now, he's spending his weekends on basement ceilings and skirting boards. He even started on our black front and back doors. There's no stopping him, and that's just fine with me.<br />
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I am busy getting my workspace set up in the sunroom (until the basement is finished) so I can teach camp next week and start working on some stock. It's been hard to find the time or desire to do so with my lovely kitchen calling to me with it's evil siren song, but I'm getting there.<br />
Meanwhile, there's always cocktails. If you'd like some inspiration in that regard just click over<a href="http://www.pinterest.com/pikeletworkshop/drinky-poos/" target="_blank"> here </a>to my Drinky Poos Pinterest board which is full of them.<br />
I think the honey rum fizz looks rather dandy...<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-32648489967014373562014-07-02T10:38:00.002-04:002014-07-02T10:38:59.095-04:00Knit ClubThe school year is over (hooray!) and our long hot summer has begun.<br />
We've celebrated Canada Day (Eh!) and got the air conditioners working and are slowly starting to unwind.<br />
I didn't how realise how tightly strung I've been until I stopped, there was just too much on my to-do list over the past few months.<br />
Renovating aside, one of the biggest projects I've been working on was the knitting club at Poppet's school.<br />
It was a wonderful experience and even though the commitment on my part was large I found it inspiring and satisfying in equal measure. The kids worked so hard to make such lovely presents.<br />
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Here are some photos of the kids at work...<br />
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All up we finished three big blankets of knitted squares, and the senior girls also finished some quilted blankets as part of their own sewing club.<br />
We donated them to the Redwood Shelter who work in the neighbourhood to support women and children who are escaping domestic abuse. It was so lovely to present the blankets to their representative.<br />
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She said it was like receiving hand made hugs from all of the children.<br />
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If you're interested in exploring the Redwood's work or making a donation you can find them<a href="http://www.theredwood.com/" target="_blank"> here</a>.<br />
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I gave up every Friday lunchtime for this project, and many late nights at the end to finish those blankets.<br />
I walked home on a cloud each Friday afternoon after our knitting sessions, I found it gave my own life such richness. It was one the best uses of my time over the previous year, real charitable work is something I recommend you find time to do with your own children, even if you can only take on a small project.<br />
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It's so much more meaningful than sponsoring a couple of laps around the oval.<br />
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We are all so time poor but the lessons to be learned from completing such a big project are so valuable.<br />
The kids were so thrilled to see their work as part of a blanket, and they listened intently to the representative from the shelter as she spoke of the babies in their care and how touched the mothers would be by these gifts. I think it will stay with them and inspire their own desire to help the community. <br />
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Poppet starts a new school in September and I hope to start something up there eventually. Will have to wait and see how things sit.<br />
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Meanwhile let's enjoy the summer!<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-42665673489547355162014-06-18T06:58:00.001-04:002014-06-18T06:58:23.223-04:00Kitchen-tasticWell, the kitchen is on the home stretch at last.<br />
Here's a little reminder of what it looked like when we bought the house...<br />
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And then there was this dark little cavern next to it...<br />
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Yesterday the kitchen counters were installed and the hole cut for the sink. What a transformation!<br />
I was concerned because we chose the "chipper chicken" laminate (and am glad we did because we were able to find the money to re-roof the garage) and after the installer left I felt a bit sad about that.<br />
But once I put all our fabulous colourful things on the counter the room just popped.<br />
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We are thrilled.<br />
So, what remains on the to-do list?<br />
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The electrician needs to install the pendant light, the plumber needs to hook up the sink/taps and the dishwasher (tonight, yay!) and the tiler needs to finish the backsplash.<br />
<br />Then we need to paint it all! It's going to be white so that won't exactly transform the space but it will clean it up. So exciting. Breakfast at our new counter is lovely, Poppet enjoys swivelling from her snacks to the Brady Bunch (obsessed!) and back again. No food on the couch can actually be enforced!<br />
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This week radiators are being re-connected, plumbers and roofers are coming and I'm trying to find time between cleaning and painting to sort out my workspace and find my fabric.<br />
Custom orders start again soon, just email me at jen@pikeletworkshop.com to find out more!<br />
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Have a great weekend. We will be playing with kitties...<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-23044427240532358612014-06-17T11:12:00.003-04:002014-06-17T11:12:50.781-04:00Pets<br />
We're having the garage roof replaced, it was virtually see-through from above.<br />
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The roofer tells me he evacuated our raccoon when he started work this morning, so it's a good thing we have other pet plans in place.<br />
Our electrician has been fostering a pregnant cat, and the timing was perfect for us to take the two little kittens of his hands. They will be joining us next week. Here are the photos he sent through.<br />
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Poppet is over the moon with excitement!<br />
Frankly, so am I. It's been three long years without a pet and we are more than ready for a cuddle.<br />
Gotta go check on the roofers, as they'll be finishing up early today to watch Brazil play in the World Cup. Lucky I speak enough Portuguese to harangue them in their own language...<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-28888534900007453782014-06-10T13:05:00.003-04:002014-06-10T13:05:41.194-04:00You Know You Live In Little Portugal When...You open the front door on a Saturday morning only to find that your street is closed and being used as a staging ground for the Portuguese Day Parade floats.<br />
After we picked our jaws up from off the ground we went for a walk to take a look...<br />
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And back home again. I have to say it was a great way to experience a parade.<br />
Ah Toronto, you never really know what will happen next...<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-59424564620859164652014-06-03T06:55:00.000-04:002014-06-03T06:55:24.318-04:00Mostly Unpacked and Completely ShatteredHello<br />
Here are some photo updates of our space. Lots of things are half-completed, either because the contractor can't get hold of a plumber for love nor money (we currently have one little sink functioning in the upstairs bathroom) or because we have to paint, paint, paint,<br />
But it's lovely and little things make me smile throughout the day.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qVScHrIIpBI/U42otlMWp5I/AAAAAAAAs-w/zyO-m0B2Dxo/s1600/002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qVScHrIIpBI/U42otlMWp5I/AAAAAAAAs-w/zyO-m0B2Dxo/s1600/002.JPG" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">lovely big pantry!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">no countertops for another fortnight</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">some ikea desktops are giving us somewhere to put the toaster</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gQ1NSoXCFJU/U42ouW_AcnI/AAAAAAAAs-4/xTw7YaoNciI/s1600/014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gQ1NSoXCFJU/U42ouW_AcnI/AAAAAAAAs-4/xTw7YaoNciI/s1600/014.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">the living room </td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">using the sunroom for an office until the basement is done</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sbngeP--uUM/U42ov2mGr2I/AAAAAAAAs_Q/ZeH4YRlZpYs/s1600/018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sbngeP--uUM/U42ov2mGr2I/AAAAAAAAs_Q/ZeH4YRlZpYs/s1600/018.JPG" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">new tiled entry, but so much to paint!</td></tr>
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And once the contractors have left we'll get some cats.<br />
Home sweet home!<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-78025285144612947802014-05-30T07:36:00.002-04:002014-05-30T07:36:59.881-04:00No More SleepsWe are moving house today!<br />
By hook or by crook we will live in that house and I think there's nothing like a client around all the time to motivate a builder to finish.<br />
So we have a kitchen but no countertop (or sink or dishwasher or oven) for another two weeks. At least the fridge and microwave should be hooked up today.<br />
And apparently the hot water will be on by midday.<br />
I spent the day there yesterday cleaning the pantry and carving out some liveable space amongst the rubble and filth. It's really very exciting, I don't much care if it's finished or not.<br />
Here are the shots of how it looked earlier in the week...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Playroom (used to be a kitchen!)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basement bathroom</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LiZ_xbpV60g/U4hsc73IGHI/AAAAAAAAs2w/amU-LE5kXgU/s1600/008+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LiZ_xbpV60g/U4hsc73IGHI/AAAAAAAAs2w/amU-LE5kXgU/s1600/008+(2).JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basement with appliances</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lFAmd6Hy3lc/U4hsd8KplcI/AAAAAAAAs28/k_6ywkTlKJM/s1600/010+(2).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lFAmd6Hy3lc/U4hsd8KplcI/AAAAAAAAs28/k_6ywkTlKJM/s1600/010+(2).JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cabinet installer finishing up</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cGVRAfI9-TU/U4hseUurhvI/AAAAAAAAs3M/EWOulZQ8eIA/s1600/019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cGVRAfI9-TU/U4hseUurhvI/AAAAAAAAs3M/EWOulZQ8eIA/s1600/019.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The view from the kitchen</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rw0Io51pBN4/U4hseg_gmWI/AAAAAAAAs3E/PAnBhICNoC4/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rw0Io51pBN4/U4hseg_gmWI/AAAAAAAAs3E/PAnBhICNoC4/s1600/025.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Prepping our bedroom to be rid of that baby blue paint!</td></tr>
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And there you have it.<br />
I'm at our apartment today packing the last things and cleaning the cupboards and then we're outta here!<br />
Will take some shots at the end of the weekend to share with y'all.<br />
If you have any great BBQ recipe links please hit me with them in the comments section. We'll be relying on that sucker for weeks to come!<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-66909764258785660782014-05-24T06:55:00.000-04:002014-05-24T06:55:22.904-04:00Almost Ready...We move house in a week! Gulp.<br />
The contractor has been busy finishing up trim and floors and the like, and we spent last weekend painting Poppet's room.<br />
The playroom and her room are ready so we are going to spend this weekend sorting her stuff and unpacking it there. Remember that this room had a kitchen in it once? It's quite the transformation!<br />
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She chose a minty green for her room, hard to get a decent picture of it yet with only the bulb hanging from the ceiling. The electrician is coming in today to hang ceiling fixtures which will help.<br />
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Here are some other shots of the almost readiness...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l1thYz1DmU8/U4B5cV976nI/AAAAAAAAs1k/Q3HE31n-vXI/s1600/013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-l1thYz1DmU8/U4B5cV976nI/AAAAAAAAs1k/Q3HE31n-vXI/s1600/013.JPG" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stripped and all the cracks filled, more painting for us!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q3xOC3X51Rk/U4B5ceFWYFI/AAAAAAAAs2Q/dGBc7Y8UueQ/s1600/016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q3xOC3X51Rk/U4B5ceFWYFI/AAAAAAAAs2Q/dGBc7Y8UueQ/s1600/016.JPG" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nice to see the builders' stuff being moved out!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L9TTzKH7E-s/U4B5cf02c3I/AAAAAAAAs1g/4NISOc_kIb0/s1600/017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L9TTzKH7E-s/U4B5cf02c3I/AAAAAAAAs1g/4NISOc_kIb0/s1600/017.JPG" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Handrail!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sR0A9ovwnX8/U4B5dLDhaoI/AAAAAAAAs10/p6uMUvRKZ-U/s1600/021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sR0A9ovwnX8/U4B5dLDhaoI/AAAAAAAAs10/p6uMUvRKZ-U/s1600/021.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basement coming together, ready for the laundry appliances.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-co8YqdYnkBE/U4B5dunfpZI/AAAAAAAAs14/lVYHTkGWIkE/s1600/022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-co8YqdYnkBE/U4B5dunfpZI/AAAAAAAAs14/lVYHTkGWIkE/s1600/022.JPG" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Basement bathroom</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kIKBdDZB4HA/U4B5d4sxmmI/AAAAAAAAs18/Z9CwvRwmqHk/s1600/025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kIKBdDZB4HA/U4B5d4sxmmI/AAAAAAAAs18/Z9CwvRwmqHk/s1600/025.JPG" height="400" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Builder found a kitchen door for us in his 'stash'. I love how wonky it is.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XFeNuS465LY/U4B5ec6_vsI/AAAAAAAAs2I/woaC-C-RCPM/s1600/028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XFeNuS465LY/U4B5ec6_vsI/AAAAAAAAs2I/woaC-C-RCPM/s1600/028.JPG" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ready for the kitchen!</td></tr>
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Unfortunately there's been a plumber hiccup so we have no water for a few more days. This means we are lugging buckets of water to the house so we can fill the cistern and flush the toilet!<br />
Who cares, it's so gorgeous I just want to spend all my time there.<br />
<br />Which reminds me, time to fill some buckets and pack the car for another trip over...<br />
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Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-38247407489921420122014-05-21T08:40:00.001-04:002014-05-21T08:46:27.418-04:00And The Winner Is...A big thanks to everyone for persevering with trying to comment on blogger and facebook for this competition. Blogger has been behaving badly, I am considering disciplinary action!<br />
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Congratulations to Alicia (who succeeded on facebook but not here on the blog) who is the winner of the Mermaid Poppet.<br />
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I'm working hard on project ideas for summer camp before I have to pack everything away for the big move in ten days. This is the hoop self-portrait I've come up with. Today it's all about cloud pillows...<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QO-RB9TigKU/U3yeXpJufzI/AAAAAAAAs04/6jTMTJOiSA8/s1600/hoop2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QO-RB9TigKU/U3yeXpJufzI/AAAAAAAAs04/6jTMTJOiSA8/s1600/hoop2.JPG" height="341" width="400" /></a></div>
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For those of you who didn't win (sniff) I've decided you can nap a preferential spot in line for a custom order if you fancy. Just email me at jen@pikeletworkshop.com if you'd like to discuss an order. Thank you!<br />
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So much going on, my head is truly spinning...<br />
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<br />Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2188160956953421135.post-42461713535919099432014-05-14T10:57:00.001-04:002014-05-14T10:57:27.495-04:00Happy Poppet-Day!Amongst the renovation madness I've somehow remembered that Pikelet Workshop is having a birthday.<br />
Four years of Poppets is certainly something to celebrate and you know what that means...<br />
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Oh yes indeedy, it's a giveaway!<br />
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Here's some Happy Dance inspiration for you...<br />
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I'm so excited to still be making Poppets for so many of you wonderful loyal customers and equally excited every time a new name pops up in my inbox asking to place an order! And this year I'll be embarking on so many new projects, not least of which is the teaching. I am really looking forward to it, so thought I'd ask you guys to chime in about the craft you've been aching to try. Tell me more, give me some ideas!<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aBwOx1mfAZM/U3ODRTjHpaI/AAAAAAAAs0g/dQrMQ2sPM6I/s1600/PurpleMermaid.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aBwOx1mfAZM/U3ODRTjHpaI/AAAAAAAAs0g/dQrMQ2sPM6I/s1600/PurpleMermaid.JPG" height="350" width="400" /></a></div>
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I am going to give this beautiful Mermaid Poppet to one of you lucky kids (big or small) who comments on this blog post. Simply answer one (or both) of the following questions...<br />
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<li>What craft you've always wanted to learn, if only you had the time/money/motivation/patience?</li>
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<li>Would you like to purchase Poppet patterns to make yourself or do you prefer ordering them directly from me? </li>
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I'll pull a name out of the Random.Org hat in a week's time and announce it right here on the blog.<br />
Postage will be covered by me. Yay!<br />
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Best of luck! And don't forget to include your email address so I can contact you if you win!!!<br />
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<br />Pikelet Workshophttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02912373990622722868noreply@blogger.com31