Making friends at the Creativ Festival this weekend

Percy, the pentagon snow person, is getting ready for his close up this weekend

This weekend, I will be back at the Creativ Festival in Toronto. I will be demonstrating how to make things from hexagons and pentagons on Saturday afternoon at A Needle Pulling Thread's booth.
I might also do some shopping...as if there was any doubt.
Included in my bag of tricks will be this little snow person, created from three different sizes of stuffed balls, which were created by joining pentagons together.
I love doing these English Paper Piecing projects because once I have cut out the cardboard pieces, and trimmed the fabric to match, I can take them along where ever I go.
This particular snow person came together over a weekend at the cottage. It was weird making a snow person while sitting by the lake when the temperature was a balmy 26 degrees, but that's how I roll.
In other exciting news, my copy of Homemade and Happy, the latest Tilda book, is currently winging its way to me from the UK.
Wish me luck this weekend!
I will try to remember to post some photos of the booth, and whatever leaps into my handcrafted shopping bag.

New Russian dolls join my collection

Look! It is a sewing dolly!

Yesterday, I arrived in the town where I work way too early to go to the office.
Fortunately, it is right beside a Value Village.
Hmmm, time on my hands and a thrift store?
Yes!
I spotted the Russian doll as soon as I got through the door. These dolls have appealed to me ever since I was young kid. I remember visiting the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto and seeing a display of beautiful Russian Nesting Dolls at the Arts and Crafts Building.
I was hooked by the colours and the beautiful faces.
Over the years, I have collected them when I see them. Often, they have cracked with age, or the sets are incomplete. I don't really care. I won't buy a badly cracked one, but it doesn't bother me if the set is missing a doll or two.
When I spied her, I thought the lady had become separated from her set. But, she was so lovely, I decided to buy her. She was $2. Score!
In the very next aisle, I found the tea mug.
This is why I love to haunt thrift stores. It is the true serendipity of it all. My little visit cost me $6, and yes, I arrived at work on time.
After I got home from work, I carefully removed the stickers. Why are the stickers always in such weird and wacky places?
In order to remove the sticker residue, I rubbed a little olive oil over the back of the Russian doll. I noticed there was a tiny gap in the base. I pulled the doll apart to find two little thread spools. In the centre of the spools, there is a place to store needles. Cute, clever, and destined to be for me.
Tonight, Sandra, Amanda and I are getting together to do some chatting and some sewing. Okay, mostly chatting, and I have made Rice Krispie Squares. So, we'll see how much sewing actually goes on.
I hope you are having a great day, and that the weekend ahead is filled with happy surprises and large doses of serendipity.