bagged + tagged

A little update today on the mini wooden tags that I was busy cutting a couple of weeks ago... I thought I wouldn't see the light... there was that much wood! Took me awhile to figure out how to package them all, but I decided to bundle them into packages of 12 in clear little cello sleeves... that way, you can still see the different wood grains and assorted colors... ooooh... ahhhhh. Also made some green and blue stickers to dress up the packaging a little too. Sets are now available in my etsy shop for only $5! Made from scrap and off-cuts of veneer, it's a perfect way to go green when packaging your holiday gifts!

ps. last day today for my big anniversary sale!!! Check out the deals here.

too early to start decorating?

So I am tempted to start decorating our place for the holidays, but part of me thinks it's still a wee bit early. One of the things I want to get soon are those branches with the little red berries one them (the inedible poisonous ones... I think they call them sparkle berries??)... I keep passing them by when I walk by the florist, and they look too good to pass up. Hmmmm.. maybe I can phase in the decorating slowly over the month... keep the tree at bay for a few more weeks. Anyone start decorating yet?

ps. don't forget to come and visit me at the Toque Art + Craft Fair tonight and Saturday! See details here.

extra, extra, read all about it

First off... a Happy Thanksgiving to everyone in the US! Gobble Gobble!

Ok, so some press news today.... even though it is on the very bottom right hand corner of the entire article... and you do have to scroll down a whole lot to get to it... alas, one of my items has made it into an Etsy Storque article... woohoo! This is my first time in Storque! Check out the article here.

The way I found about it was through Heart·o·matic (I'm sure most of you have heard of it and use it already)... but if you haven't check it out. With Heart·o·matic, you can type in your etsy store's name and the site will bring up all these stats on your shop, including whether any of your items have recently been featured on different areas of etsy (like the front page). It's a bit addicting like google analytics, but perhaps only if your are into geeky stats like me! :)

Also, some additional exciting press news... the Cabin + Cub Desk Calendar has been featured in Australia's Style Collective (loving the site, btw) in their feature of Etsy 2010 calendars.... check out the article here.

ps. don't forget to come and visit me at Toque this Friday and Saturday! See details here.

to toronto and back

Last Thursday, we flew half way across the country to Hamilton and Toronto, Ontario... my sister was getting her masters degree in physiotherapy, so we made the trek to watch her take her walk during the ceremonies. Anyhoo, some pics to share... although not many, since sadly our little camera experienced a bit of a tumble off of the tripod on our first night there. Managed to get a similar camera, once in Toronto, so there are a few pics...

Here is the shot of the CN Tower... we didn't get a chance to make it up this time, so that will have to wait until another trip.
We stayed in the Queen Street West neighborhood, which is the art and design area of the city... lots of cool little shops, restaurants and bars. While I was in the hotel room one night, Roger went to the corner store down the street to grab a snack. He came back to tell me saw George Stroumboulopoulos (from CBC's The Hour... one of my fave shows) standing in line in front of a bar.. and by the time he passed by on the way back, George was gone. Argh! I missed him! (I will meet you one day, George!)
This is a shot of downtown near the corner of Yonge and Dundas... lots of people, hustle and bustle, and bright lights. Oooooh... Ahhhhh....
Again, same corner, but thought I would throw this in to add some holiday spirit.
We stayed at the Gladstone Hotel, which was super cute... each room has a different artist-designed room. Ours was called E-Le-Men-Tal... these pics are from their website, since they are better than the ones we took. Wish out trip wasn't so short, and I wish I had some more pics to share... but perhaps all the good reason to visit again!

what is a toque?

If you happen to be in Vancouver this Friday and Saturday, come and visit me at Toque, Western Front Society's annual fund-raising craft fair! Both the husband (Crooked Walker) and I, with fellow Hob Snobs Craft Collective ladies (Track and Field Designs and The Beautiful Project) will be there with 18 other artists and designers! Come by Friday if you like sipping wine and snacking whilst shopping.... er, and come back Saturday to do more sober shopping that you may have forgotten to do while sipping and socializing from the night before!

Also, if you happen not to be Canadian, and are wondering, "what the heck does Toque mean anyway?"... well, I am here to enlighten you. Pronounced like the number "2" with an added hard "k" or "c" sound at the end (two-k), it's a common name we use up here for a knitted winter hat. Since we wear them quite a bit up here in the winter days, it gets a bit wordy trying to always say "knitted winter hat" all the time. So next time you are about to say, "knitted stocking cap" or "ski hat" or "winter hat"... throw in a little Canadiana and call it a Toque.

Details:

Friday, November 27, 6-9pm

Saturday, November 28, 11am -5pm

Western Front

East 8th Avenue, Vancouver, BC

www.front.bc.ca

and the award goes to...

Today is the day! The random draw was made this morning out of the tacky golden trophy cup, by my hubby, for this month's giveaway winner. Ah-hem, ah-hem... and the winner of the $20 Cabin + Cub gift certificate is... drum roll please..... and the award goes to.... ah-hem, ah-hem.... just unfolding the name now (the suspense is killing you right?... ok, the winner is...

... secret cake! Secret Cake's fave item from the shop is the Girl With Balloons limited edition print! Congrats to you! Hooray!

Thanks again to everyone who entered the November giveaway... it was really exciting... over 80 entries! Yay! But, don't worry if you didn't win... there will be yet another giveaway in December... so stay tuned!

collage: captain, there is something wrong with this map

Whenever Roger and I travel, I usually am, by default, the "map" person. Whether it be on a road trip in the US, or getting around winding back streets in Saigon... for some reason the map and I seem to get along a wee bit better. And yes, I guess I am a bit old school... I love paper maps... but perhaps, I will eventually have to upgrade to becoming a GPS handler soon. We'll be heading on a short trip this weekend (location to be unveiled next week!)... so my next post will be the giveaway draw this Monday!

ps. don't forget to enter the giveaway to win a $20 Cabin + Cub gift certificate... last day to enter is Sunday!

sleeping with socks

It is official... we have turned on the heat in our apartment and are flicking on the gas fireplace almost every night and morning. I am now sleeping with socks on. Just when I was getting used to the mild autumn days... it's time to break out the scarves and mittens. Unfortunately, or fortunately (depending on your opinion of the white stuff) it has yet to snow here... only crazy deluges of rain and high winds (this is Vancouver for you). There was a short glimmer of sun and sliver of blue sky this morning... it's now gone. Rain, rain, go away.

ps. don't forget to enter my giveaway to win a $20 Cabin + Cub gift certificate... last day to enter is Sunday!

stick me number 4 - collaborative sticker book

The other week, I was delightfully asked to contribute to Yael Frankel's Stick Me Number 4 - a collaborative sticker book of illustrations and photos from a handful of artists... how exciting! You can see my contribution in the middle of the bottom photo (they are stickers of some of my wooden collages). The sticker book also features work from Art and Ghosts, Erin Ellis, earthdogOz, Things by bubbo-tubbo, milkylane, elloh, and Knitalatte. The book is now for sale in her cute etsy shop yaelfran... so do check it out... it would make the perfect stocking stuffer!

Also, thanks to Belinda for including my desk calendar on her saturday shopping post on gretchenmist, and thanks to ImagineMDD for including my collage on her Squidoo article.

ps. don't forget to enter the giveaway to win a $20 Cabin + Cub gift certificate!!!

november giveaway! - win a $20 gift certificate

Time sure flies... it is already mid November, which means it's time for this month's giveaway! Hooray! And what is the fabulous prize this month you ask? One lucky winner will win a $20 Cabin + Cub gift certificate (redeemable on my online etsy shop, or, if you happen to be in Vancouver redeemable at any upcoming craft event I will be at). Perfect prize to get some of those holiday gifts, or perhaps get a gift for yourself (yah, you know you want to).

Enter to win by posting a comment telling me one of your favorite items from my etsy shop (you can visit it here).... and if you are indecisive like me, go ahead and list more than one. I'll make a random draw from the golden trophy cup on Monday, November 23rd. Please remember to include some contact info (etsy shop, blog, website, or e.mail address) and please only one entry per person. Good luck and be sure to check back next Monday to see if you won!

tag me

Two more craft shows coming up, and production continues. Every year, I try to make a few seasonal items for the festive holiday fairs. This year, I am making blank wooden mini gift tags! I have been a cutting machine these past few days... there are wooden bits everywhere in our living room... but I think it's all been worth it. Here is a sneak peak at the tags... I still have to figure out packaging, so will update about that soon. I think I might put some up in the etsy shop next week too, so stay tuned!

ps. Thanks to Andrea of Got Craft for doing a feature on me! Check it out here. And thanks to Jody for featuring one of my collages on her blog The Little Prints, too... see the post here.

fiery day

So I am a bit late with the post today... woke up to no power. Turns out there was a huge fire a couple of blocks away from our place early this morning that destroyed five small businesses... including one of my fave diners, Slickety Jim's Chat N' Chew... yikes! Ironically, our condo building's fire alarms are being tested today... so I get the pleasure of hearing sporadic piercing alarms while I work... oh goody. So, I think today is a good day to have a pretty pic to look at... something relaxing and pretty to counter today's chaos and noise.

i love mitten

A conversation a few years ago between a coworker and I, as I was surfing on ebay:

Coworker: I see you are on ebay... you sure can find some crazy stuff on there

Me: Yeah... it's great

Coworker: Did you buy anything?

Me: Yeah.. I just ordered a DVD

Coworker: Oh, which one?

Me: You probably haven't heard of it...

Coworker: I'm sure I have... I'm a movie geek... what is it?

Me: It's a DVD of 1960s Russian stop motion animation for children by Roman Kachanov

Coworker: {Dead Silence and blank stare}

I had to get the DVD... it has one of my all time favorite animation shorts on it... Mitten (or Варежка in Russian). About a little girl who's winter mitten magically transforms into a knitted puppy, the 1967 Roman Kachanov 10 minute stop motion piece will warm your heart (good for the little kiddies too, since there is no dialogue). Take a break and watch it here... it will make you smile.

new desk calendar!

Remember that new mystery product I was talking about, and had yet to unveil... well it's here! New to the etsy shop is the Cabin + Cub 2010 desk calendar. Now you can celebrate your year with twelve months of collage images to brighten your day! Each calendar comes with twelve individual cards (one for each month) and a reusable wooden mini easel stand. Be the envy of your office mates and coworkers, and make your desk a happy place.

ps. don't forget to check out the big sale!

good things happen in threes!

It has officially been three years since I opened the Cabin + Cub etsy shop and to celebrate I am having a big anniversary sale to celebrate!!! Ok, this is not one of those annoying sales where you only save, like 10% off either... I am offering huge savings just in time for the holidays!

· Buy any two same sized limited edition prints and get a third same sized limited edition print free!

· Buy any two small woodburned panels and get a third same sized panel of your choice free!

· Notebooks and tote bags 50% off!

Perfect time to start your holiday shopping (or personal shopping), I don't judge, heehee...  the sale ends November 30th... so stop on by my etsy shop and check out the sale!

global warming?

So to my shock and awe... as everything green on our balcony is dying a slow autumn death... there is actually one plant that seems to be on its own clock... is this global warming? I actually have blooming flowers!... and believe it or not, these are from last easter! Believe me... this is an amazing leap for my attempt at a green thumb (things on our balcony have a 50/50 chance out here). Oh no, I hope they didn't hear that... oh, I hope I didn't jinx them... please don't die, please don't die little flowery friends!

share some candy

Exciting news today... Cabin + Cub has been featured in Share Some Candy's exclusive gocco feature! Come and read the q &a with 13 gocco designers and artists (including yours truly, eh-hem, eh-hem) and also enter 13 separate giveaways to win some gocco printed goodies for yourself! I have contributed two lovely printed notebooks to the giveaway, so stop on by and comment on my interview page to enter (giveaway ends midnight, December 31st)... read my full q&a here.

stepping up production

I can't believe it's already November! I swear the time in between Halloween and the winter holidays seems to go in warp speed every year. Two more craft shows coming up for the holiday season, so it's time to jump into production again. I have been working on some more mini cards these last couple of evenings... so thought I would share the progress so far. Hopefully these will be as popular as last year's fairs, or I am going to be sending everyone I know and their families these little notes every day for the next year.

Also, I have a new product up my sleeve, but am keeping it a surprise... but I will share with you very soon! (wooooooo the mystery, the suspense is killing you isn't it!)

autumn berry trees

I love the falling leaves of autumn... and lately I have been noticing more and more trees that have beautiful bright autumn berries... so pretty! On a nature walk over the weekend, we managed to snap pics of three different berry-types in varying shades of red, orange and pink. I really want some to have in the house, but am trying to resist the urge of clamoring up a tree with a small saw... so I think I may have to visit the local florist today to see if they have any pre-cut ones.

ravishing beasts

As an answer to what we did this Halloween weekend: we went to the Museum of Vancouver to check out their new exhibit Ravishing Beasts - an extensive collection of taxidermy from the 1890s to 1950, followed by a screening of Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho... a great combo indeed! Seeing all the life-sized stuffed animals was a bit creepy, but pretty interesting, since it gave everyone a sense of scale of some of these large beasts. And the bonus was, I finally got to see Psycho in its entirety (yes, I must have been one of the last few on earth who hadn't seen it)... and it was great!... love how the taxidermy theme ran through the whole night.... spooky!