Newest Foster Friends

Most of my customers are aware that I donate a percentage of my sales to the Oshkosh Area Humane Society, but I don't often speak about my foster pets on the blog, so I thought I'd take the time to share some information about my girls: Muffin and Mable.

I've worked with many small mammals at the shelter and I've fostered a few that I didn't think I could give up, but I've never been this in love. I've had the girls for about a month now, and it's been an amazing experience to watch them blossom into the companion animals they were always meant to be. When I first got them they were very nippy. I was feeling pretty sarcastic when I gave Muffin her name. I didn't think she would ever stop biting, spinning around aggressively or fluffing up her fur in disgust when I would try to pick her up.

Now Muffin never displays aggressive behavior and is really becoming quite loving. Mable was friendly from the moment she arrived, but now that I have been handling her and playing with her each day she is becoming very bonded to me. She loves riding around on my shoulder, nibbling and licking my ears affectionately, and snuggling up to me under the blankets when we're watching TV.

I truly do want the girls to find a home soon so they won't have to travel from place to place anymore, but it's going to be very hard to give them up. The girls were surrendered, living at the shelter for awhile, adopted, and returned. This is their fourth home; I'm hoping the fifth one will be the last. I just keep telling myself that the girls need to go so I can foster another animal I'll fall in love with, but it's hard to think about the future when the present is so joyful.

If you are interested in learning more about the girls or if you know someone that could give the a good home, here is their listing on Petango.

The Essence of Etsy

I just found this fabulous video that rekindled my desire to design and make new things.

OshCon 2009

I haven't been publishing updates as often as I'd like, but this doesn't mean I haven't been busy sewing and selling catnip toys! Last weekend I was an exhibitor at OshCon for the first time. OshCon is a tabletop board game convention held right here in my hometown: Oshkosh, Wisconsin. I have attended previously as a gamer, but this year was my first year as a vendor.

There was a great turnout this year, as you can see:

An intense battle of War of the Ring. I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to be responsible for defending the free peoples from the shadow forces on a Saturday.

My table was located in the "artist" room, previously referred to as the "gaming widows" room.

Here are some of the colors available for miniature painting. This brought a lot of people into the room which was great for sales.

Some people hard at work painting their minis.

I never noticed this until Adam start photographing my catnip toy adventures, but I seem to always sew with my mouth open.

Here I am sewing at my booth. I had a "make-your-own catnip toy" thing going on, hence the huge pile of felt. People seemed more interested in buying a toy that was already made than creating their own, though. Every time I sewed a Cthulhu catnip toy I sold it, so I was sewing them all day long.

Our friend Phil Krause hard at work selling some books... or cheering about something.

Photos courtesy of Adam Bartlett.

Knock Knocking is having a wreath giveaway!

I have been obsessed with these wreaths. Every few weeks I check back to see if a new wreath yarn wreath has been added. Well now you and I have a chance to win one of these beauties! Please enter the contest knockknocking is having on her blog to try your luck!