TastyLinks™ Sunday!

Crafty Cabaret Cruise Logo Copyright Brini Maxwell 2009

What ho, what hey...it’s TastyLinks™ day!

I simply can't bring myself to refer to Linky Love Showers today, it's been grey, gloomy and rainy here for so long I'm about to start building an Ark. It's either that or my blog posts are going to get their Goth on.

I survived my appearance at AC Moore yesterday mostly unscathed. These things are almost always a little awkward. It’s not like I’m a household name...so people treat me like the sample lady at the grocery store with a platter full of tasty Spamwiches. They give me funny looks as they make a wide arc around my demo table...or they accidentally look me in the eye and nervously say, “Hello” and scurry away.

My family couldn’t join me, so it was just little ol' me all alone at a small bridge table near the exit and the front registers. There wasn’t any signage on the table, and more than a few folks thought I was just someone who worked there (who opted to wear a ginormous plastic necklace, platform shoes and a floor length dress to work that day.)

People kept asking me things like, “Where are the popsicle sticks?”

“Uh...I dunno...I don’t actually work here, I’m here signing my new books. I’m doing some metal and bead wire wrapping demonstrations if you’d like to learn about that.”

“Oh...huh...okay....”

Awkward silence...followed by backing away slowly...looking frantically around for an actual employee.

A few little kids came over to see what I was doing, but their parents quickly pulled them away after giving me funny looks. I did manage to get one person to converse with me at length. I personally escorted her to the bead area to find all of the tools and products she needed to get started making jewelry. I should get a sales commission. Catherine, it was delightful meeting you. May you enjoy making jewelry for years to come.

At least the 3 hours of driving were scenic...if soggy.

Ah well...one day people will know who I am and be excited to meet me.

No, really.

And while I continue to indulge in my delusions...here’s this week’s round up from the Crafty Bloggers Gang:

About Family Crafts What is in your craft cupboard? What craft supplies can you not live without? Has there been a craft item that you purchased thinking it was the greatest invention of all time and then never used?

Aileen's Musings Aileen needs your help! She's created another whimsical character in her curalicious series and needs a saying or quote to go with her! Post your quote or saying and enter to win a curvalicious coffee cup!

Alexa Westerfield a.k.a. Swelldesigner Create fun and graphic letter & number decoupage jars in a flash!

Cathie Filian Recycle old jeans and fabric scraps into a quilted 4th of July Table Runner in under 2 hours!

Craftside-A behind-the-scenes peek at a crafty world This week at Craftside there is Jenn Mason's episode of Look, Learn & Create where she shows us how to make a fun matchbook card and dyed plastic tube necklace, a window-screen art journal tutorial from the new book Re-bound and a mini journal with a recycled scrapbook paper catalog, a discussion of rule breaking in logo design and a recipe for roasted chickpeas.

Crafty Princess Diaries Cat Domination at Jewelry Bench! “Where oh where can I work on jewelry?” Tammy asks.

CraftyPod Take a handful of buttons and some craft wire and make charming button monograms to wear as jewelry.

Cross Stitch at About.com Dinosaurs rule in the Land of the Lost and they also rule at About.com Cross Stitch. There are three of them stalking through Connie's latest free pattern collection.

Mixed Media Artist Here's a way to combine planning with serendipity when you paint fabrics!

Naughty Secretary Club Think all the marketing at a craft show is already taken care of for the vendors? Think again. Jen shares some marketing tips.

Stefanie Girard's Sweater Surgery Another of Stefanie's Happy Bunnies-This one created using the help of the cool book: Stray Sock Sewing

The Artful Crafter What new mom would not be delighted with this precious keepsake pendant? Eileen gives you step-by-step instructions for making it using polymer clay and decal paper.

The Impatient Crafter Madge went on a bead buying trip to NYC! Get the scoop!

The Not Very Miraculous Miracle Suit and the AC Moore Event

With The Fantabulous Robin Beam at AC Moore

Hi Gang!

Two more days until we leave for Jamaica and I am SO looking forward to it. I really need a tropical getaway to refresh and refocus. We're all counting the minutes here at the Potter Homestead. Got our house and animal sitter lined up, clothes picked out to pack, gallons of 50 plus sunscreen for our fair skin and hats...ya gotta have hats! After the AC Moore event on Saturday we zipped over to Macy's to pick up a bathing suit for moi. I had ordered a few from Newport News last week and paid for expedited shipping, only to discover that they'd neglected to let me know two of the suits were on back order. Hullo. So I cancelled them and did some online research. Macy's seemed to have a decent selection.

Avalon is my style advisor so she bravely joined me in the dressing room for a parade of ill fitting and highly unflattering swimsuits. I hope that one day she recovers from the experience. Good LORD what is it with the people who make bathing suits?! I think they're sadists. If you can't rock a bikini, you don't have a lot of options. I like a swimdress, but give me a little cleavage action and make the skirt long enough to cover my arse! If it was worth revealing, I'd rock a bikini! Let me accentuate the positive! Show me some retro fabulosity that has colorful and lively fabrications and all of those little details that divert the eye from things we don't wish to hilight! I've decided that I need to design a line of bathing suits and resort wear for real women, meaning the majority of us who aren't built like 14 year old boys with huge boobs. Just because we aren't a size 2 doesn't mean we want to look frumpy. Seriously, I think that's a gold mine!

But I digress...

I tried on a 'Miracle Suit.' The only miracle is that I managed to get it on and get it back off again without a large shoehorn or a team of mules. It got stuck half way over my tushie and I was seriously worried we might have to have it surgically removed. We were laughing so hard we both collapsed on the dressing room floor while I flailed about like a beached sea elephant! I finally managed to get it on and looked like a very lumpy sausage stuffed into a tiny casing! Thankfully the retro 40s style shirred 'vamp maillot' Jantzen suit fit like a glove and shoved the lumps into a delightful hourglass shape. Huzzah! I plan to bedazzle it, because it was only available in black and it needs a little pizazz. This is why I love being crafty, I can trick out any fashion item in a flash. Break out the hot fix crystals and the sew on stones and call me Esther Williams!

I had a great time with the AC Moore folks and everyone who made the earrings seemed really pleased. They were easy to make and they looked quite fetching, so it was a win-win. Most folks aren't going to sit down for too long, so I made it a short attention span concept. My bestest buddy Ms. Robin Beam came to support me, which was super sweet of her. I just adore Ms. Robin!

I'm finishing up some samples for a new book query and fine tuning the concept so I can hopefully get it off in the mail before we go along with a couple of magazine projects that are due. Then we're off to Jamaica to unwind for a few days. No worries, mon.

xoxo
Madge