Miss Carly

If you don't know her already, meet Miss Carly Goss, weaver of fine cloths, singer of ancient tunes, hoola-hoop maiden, and now teacher of the next generation...Carly of "Carlybird Weaves" started assisting summer camp classes with me this week at the Rec. Center (pictured here in the apron I forced her to wear to protect her pretty clothes...painting an oh so patriotic masterpiece) and I couldn't be happier!

Just last week Carly was a featured artisan on a great website HANDMADENEWS.ORG click here to read the article and check out the site! We've know each other since college days and are now fellow craft mafiosos and co-workers, and can't help but tooting each other's horns every once in a while! If you are not familiar with Carly's work, you should also check out her website and shop! She weaves the most beautiful fabrics from string and looms-the old fashion way-and makes many into contemporary pieces of what I call fiber jewerly; cuffs and scarfs/scarfletts. They are just lovely, and I happen to be the proud owner of one!

If I ever open up a Cotton Monster studio/sweatshop, I would want to have Carly there with a giant 16 shaft loom, shuttling back and forth right along side my sewing machine! Workhorses unite!

Home again...

Just made it home from my 10 days in San Francisco, and aside from a wicked sunburn (overcast skies, who knew) my trip was amazing. My gal Gertie and I spent much of our time this way (lounging in grassy parks), wandering through the city, thrift shopping, eating burritos and generally relaxing. We spent the weekend in the redwoods, canoed, barbecued, got more sunburnt, and wine tasted. I love this lady and her whole town with a passion. I'm sure by day 10 she was tired of me pointing at giant succulents in peoples yards and saying "Can you believe how AMAZING that is?" Yes, she knows.  She gets to see it everyday! I just couldn't keep it in. I'll be posting more pics on flickr after some much needed studio clean up time!

Cotton Monsters ordered while I was away will ship out today!

A few things to note!

*Today on "The Signal" a fantastic radio program on Balitmore's own WYPR radio station 88.1 fm myself and members of the Charm City Craft Mafia were interviewed for a interview/sound collage of sorts! It airs at noon and 7pm today here in Baltimore, or listen to it HERE anytime!

*Also, to note, The Charm City Craft Mafia will be hosting Pile of Craft art/craft fair once again next Saturday June 20th from 10am-5pm at 2640 St. Paul street in Baltimore...unfortunatley it falls right in the middle of my monster vacation, so though Cotton Monster won't be there...everyone else will! Go, shop, support the local!

*AND, at 8pm tonight our free shipping offer (within the US) on little monsters, pentapods, jellies and watchful eyes expires! So act now!

Little Shop Update and some with FREE US shipping for a limited time only* see below for details!

A handful of brand new monsters were just put up for sale in our Etsy Shop!

AND because the impending heat makes us all a little crazy, for a Limited Time ONLY (RIGHT NOW thru 8pm this Friday June 12th) I will be offering FREE Priority Mail Shipping for the SMALL variety of Monsters and Eyeballs (i.e. Little Monsters, Pentapods, Jellies, and Watchful Eyes ONLY) being shipped WITHIN the UNITED STATES ONLY!!

The Shop is already set up for free US shipping on the above mentioned SMALL monsters, so go ahead and order as normal through Etsy! (Please note, I CANNOT offer free shipping on Big Monsters or Bottomfeeders or ANY shipments going outside of the US at this time. Sorry!)

Friday night, shipping prices will go back to normal ($5-6) for the small varieties of Cotton Monsters, so act now if you want to save!

Just uploaded some pictures taken this week onto my Flickr page; an art project inspired by summer in the city, a birthday monster, robots made with kids at an after-school program, a bottomfeeder, a rock show, and more.  The rain this week has been making me move in slow motion, but I can feel a productive weekend coming on!

Today I'm finishing up a few big monsters that will go up in the shop hopefully in the next couple of days!

HANDMADE MART in Silver Spring, MD SUNDAY!

Give a Cotton Monster or eyeball a squeeze at this Sunday's Handmade Mart in Downtown Silver Spring, MD.  I'll be working the Charm City Craft Mafia booth along with Carly Bird Weaves and HMV designs! If you're in the MD/DC area, come say hi! 

More info, vendor list, and Q&A's on their Blog HERE

Long weekend

Ahhhh....long weekend: a new hair cut in the sunny backyard, that clean new baby head smell, one pound of pasta salad consumed, a dip in some cool water, a dance party, a puppet show, a mini bon-fire.  I felt guilty even taking the day off today, as I've been a little less then productive this past week, but all that intro to summer fun was exhausting. Its hard to stay focused when the weather is oh so lovely, so i'll be hoping for rain this week! More pics of my weekend (which happen to be all of the cutest baby on earth, my nephew) here!