Hitting the Road and Giveaway News

We are getting ready to make our annual trip to my sister's house in California for Thanksgiving. I absolutely can't wait. I can hear my brother in law's mashed potatoes calling my name already.

I probably won't get to update my blog while I'm gone so I wanted to let you all know about two rad things. The first is the craziest giveaway I have ever participated in. No joke, folks. Laura of Laura Winslow Photography is hosting a giveaway with some of my favorite crafty peeps. Winner takes all 50+ prizes valued at over $2,000!!! Yes, you read that right...over $2,000. For a sneak peek of what's being offered, click here. Included in the crazy huge prize package is a gift certificate to my shop. Laura will start the giveaway this upcoming Monday, the 29th. Keep an eye on her blog for details on entering.

I'm also super excited to be giving away another gift certificate to my shop over at The TomKat Studio But shhh...it's a secret for now. Giveaway starts sometime this Friday.

I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving surrounded by loved ones and lots of mashed potatoes. Be safe.

2010 Crafeteria

I am so excited to share that Finley and Oliver will be participating in the 2010 Crafeteria this year. Crafeteria has been deemed the "Best Indie Craft Fair" by the Phoenix New Times and I am thrilled to have been accepted.

Mark your calendars for December 3rd and come on down to experience amazing live music, super tasty sweets, and some serious handmade goodness.

2nd Annual Tour de Coops

When the idea of being chicken owners was just bouncing around in our heads last year, we had the opportunity to attend the 1st Annual Tour de Coops in the greater Phoenix area. The Tour de Coops is a self-guided tour of the valley's coolest chicken setups. (Kind of like one of those holiday home tours but way cooler).

We had an amazing time touring the different chicken set ups at different homes throughout the valley and talking with the owners. It was after attending the tour that we decided raising urban poultry was definitely in our future and set off with plans for our own coop filled with baby chicks (you can read all about the beginning of our chicken adventure here).

A couple of months ago, the Phoenix Permaculture Guild put out a "call for coops" to be on this year's tour. We were all over that and quickly submitted our detailed application. Once they looked over our application, they sent someone over to check out our coop to ensure that it was seriously cool (and it totally is). They agreed and this year our cool little coop (as well as our chickens, gardens, trees, etc.) will be on display for this year's tour. You all know how much I like to talk about my chickens and now I get to do it for an entire day - with a captive audience! Absolute heaven for me.

If you are in the Phoenix area and have any sort of interest in urban poultry or even urban gardening, I highly recommend this tour. It's a blast and a great way to connect with like minded people.

2nd Annual Tour de Coops

December 4th, 2010

10am - 3pm

Visit www.tourdecoops.org for more details and ticket information

A Halloween Recap

I am telling you, this past month was crazy. Seriously, crazy. Between keeping up with orders and craft shows, Finley busting up his mouth and getting stitches, school, Halloween hoopla, and our regular toddler madness, I am beat!! In the midst of the chaos, we had an amazing Halloween with the family complete with an eyeball toss, donkey pinata, and ghostie treasure hunt.

As most of you know, Finley insisted on being a purple Mini Cooper.

He's been waiting weeks for the chance to wear this costume and "drive" down the street. But when the time came, he decided he'd rather tow it than wear it. 

Oliver was going to be a ghost and we made a cool little costume out of cheese cloth (thanks to one of my commenters for the suggestion!). Sadly, we couldn't keep the eye holes lined up with his actual eyes and had to ditch the ghost at the last minute. Fortunately, we had Finley's old puppy dog costume on hand and Oliver makes a ridiculously cute puppy.

The day was so perfect that my little guys actually got along and sat for some cutie brotherly pictures. (A major rarity.)

I love Halloween but I'm glad it's over. I'm looking forward to moving on and preparing for Thanksgiving and Christmas.

Two Big Shopping Events {PHX locals}

I have been totally MIA from my blog for a while and I apologize for that. This is my busy season and I am sewing my little fingers off keeping up with orders and building up my Finley and Oliver stock for these two amazing events.  If you are in the metro Phoenix area, mark your calendars! You can get a head start on your holiday shopping and say hi to me while you do.

Believe Boutique

at Cornerstone in Chandler

November 5th and 6th

Click here for details

Hissyfits Hullabaloo

at Hissyfits in Phoenix

November 7th

Click here for details

I will be back to my regularly scheduled blogging soon! I have a lot to tell you all between Finley's 2nd ER visit in a month, some fun chicken news, and all of the Halloween hoopla.

My New Online Obsession: Terrain

I came across a short little blurb on Terrain while reading the Phoenix New Times last night. How on earth I missed this amazing site for so long is beyond me. Leave it to the folks behind Anthropologie to come up with another store that is equally amazing and just as dangerous to my pocketbook. 

Terrain carries handmade, vintage, and all kinds of cool things for the house and garden. These are just a few of the many things I'm swooning over.

How rad are these chalkboard garden markers? Definitely going on my wish list.

Or this adorable egg beater tea towel? (Screen printed by hand)

I am in love with this deer wall sconce but it's out of my budget right now. 

If you have some time to burn, hop on over to Terrain and let me know what you think. But I'm warning you, the store is amazing and will likely become your new obsession too.

A Black and White Halloween

I love Halloween. Seriously love it. I think my favorite part about it is all the fun decor. This year I thought it would be cool to decorate our living and dining room in black and white. Kind of spooky yet classy at the same time. 

I used my Cricut Expression and the Mini Monsters cartridge to cut out these fun shapes for our white frames. 

For our dining table, we used a ton of black candle holders, taper candles, faux crows and white pumpkins. 

And of course, we had to have some little ghosties flying around. 

Halloween has been on my mind so much lately, and we've done so much to prepare that I can't believe it's still 2 1/2 weeks away!