Knitting, knitting, and more knitting

I've been working on some new ornaments. Signed up for my first fair. And found a game that I just had to buy because the character was a knit sackboy! I know that sounds kinda strange, but it really is fun and I'm not much of a gamer.

The ornaments, so far as just little sweaters, snowflakes and wreaths. Working on some stockings and mittens as well. Got lots of new things done and working on, but wanting to do more. With the fair coming up, not sure how much to list and how much to wait till after the fair to list. It's all just new to me. I'm excited and now realizing that I have to figure out the best way to showcase my work as well as making sure I have enough to sell! Wish me luck! I leave you with a pic of some ornaments. Christmas is coming!

Mailing Day

So I've got a few packages to go out today. A blanket for a new baby.

A shawl for my mom.

And some fruits for a few little girls.

Yay! Happy Dance!

So awhile ago I got my first order for wholesale. Which means I'll know be selling at a boutique in TN. Funnily enough since I live in CA. But I know a wonderful lady who helped me with the connection. (Thanks Kristina!) It's exciting to think that my purses will be out there in an actual B&M! Berry purse world domination is possible! Baby steps :)

Here's what she's getting, 4 berries, 1 pumpkin, 1 apple, 1 pear, 1 mum. I loved the "winter berry" as my hubby and I called it and will have to make more. It was fun to fill the order since I got to work on a few new ideas. Kinda funny when you think in crochet! Anyhow, I did make some extra berries and will work up the others once I get more yarn (yay my stash is depleting enough that I have a reason to buy more).

If you'd like a purse, just let me know! There's usually stock in my etsy shop, and I do enjoy the challenge of new custom orders.

Which are your favorite fruits and veggies?

Time for hats

So I pulled out what I've made and took some new pics yesterday. Gonna start listing out the hats I have. Was fun to look back through them. Makes me want to pick up my knitting needles and figure out some more fun hats! Here's a sneak peak of what's to come.

Yes that is a hat with hearts on my sons head, but he really wanted his pic taken and I'd already done the blue toned hat!

Oh and one hat is crocheted, but whatcha gonna do when you enjoy both forms? Share them both!

Rockets Red Glare!

My Homefront Team Challenge piece! There are so many amazing ones to choose from. You can see them here until the Homefront site has the official start of the challenge, July 1st.

Custom Order

So finished up my custom order notebook cover and berry purse. It's a gift for the crazy gals friend (I can call her crazy, but she's really just always busy and on the go with two shops to work on!) and her friend loves the colors brown and pink. Rather than making a berry with those two colors mixed together only, there'd look like bad spots on it(unless it had another color thrown in so it was a novelty neopolitan berry) did it chocolate covered instead. Whatcha think?

And I love the way the notebook cover turned out. Did one that I wasn't as impressed with. It's a great little bit of yarn, but not quite right. Gonna make a purse out of it instead. Just another thing on the to-do list!

If you're interested in your own choco berry purse or notebook cover, let me know!

Care for some grapes?

So when I made my first berry purse, the blackberry one, it was supposed to be grapes :) Now it turned out great for a basic berry shape but I didn't know the right stitch to make my grapes. Thanks to MooseThreads and her adorable sweaters, (you'll have to click the link to see them. She has a great blog too) I saw what I needed. I still don't remember the name of the stitch, but a variation of it worked well to make those little round mounds of grapes clustered together.

My daughter has since asked for red grapes, so I may make her some. First, we're going to make a new library bag to take with us tomorrow. Got all the iron stuff and some puff paint to make a bag fit for a little girl to carry around her books.

How 'bout dis apple?

It's finished! Soon to be posted to the store. I really like the way the strap came out. Makes me want to make a non-fruity purse that is a bit more grownup. Although I do like the contrast to such a strap and a fun apple at the bottom. All in all, a fun order to fulfill.

Lemon Drop

So it was requested awhile back that I try to make a lemon purse. Kristina from 1MaddieandMe asked that I make her one to remind her that whey life gives you lemons, make lemonade! Finished it this weekend and she's since picked up her purchase. Thought I'd show a pic of it.

Next request is an apple. Should be fairly straight forward. But a fun fruit to try to recreate as well! If you have any other fruits or shapes you'd like, let me know!

Berry's around the world...

Hoping for total domination. Well maybe not domination, but an invasion :) I've sold all the berrys available at my shop! Of course, I'm working on some more since I do so love the little berrys. And it seems so do you! Anyone who'd like one can contact me or check out what's coming in the shop. Here's the ones that have found new homes for now.

Funny to look at the pics... can you tell which were with a lightgbox?

What's in a name

My first post I talked a little about myself and the name for my shop. It's funny, it identifies you in everything you do on etsy.com. It is you and you are your brand. I was chatting with a fellow Homefront Etsian the other day, and she kept calling me by the name May. Which only makes sense, since that is the first part of my shop name. Of course, it isn't my name at all.

So I told her how the name MayRae came to be. It's nothing too flashy, but I do dearly love it. May was the middle name of my great-grandmother (who knit). Rae is the middle name of my mother (who crochets and taught me). Together, they are MayRae (Mary, if said quickly and with a silly little accent like the priest in The Princess Bride awesome movie!) which is the first name of my grandmother (who crocheted and taught my mom) and my MIL's middle name (who knits and taught me). I love how it encompasses the generations in my family and how we can all connect through a simple thing such as the love of a craft.

I'd love to tell you about the names of other Etsians and how they came to be. If any of you would like to share your thought process, please comment here or send me a conversation on etsy.com. It's interesting what creates our alternate identities!