Give a Little Giggle

Even though I love going to craft fairs, I find them a little stressful.  Especially at the Butterdome where there is hardly any parking.  Last year at the Christmas craft sale, I thought I'd never see my car again because I had to park so far away.  So this year I took public transit which was a smoother commute. I then walked around the venue looking for a booth to "speak to me" and I found one that did. Literally.

The vendor, Paul, was sitting in a chair with a puppet who gave me a greeting.  I stopped right away to see what this booth was all about.  Catherine and her husband Paul have been making and selling puppets for ten years.  On their business card, it says, "Spreading Joy Around the World, One Giggle at a Time."  That is exactly what they are all about.  The colourful puppets come in two sizes, child and adult.  These puppets would be perfect for teachers, entertainers, photographers, or any profession where you'd need to grab a child's attention.  They would also be a great addition to any toy box.

Catherine said I could take a picture with any puppet I wanted.  I chose this grey fuzzy one because he had just been brushed.  She said it looked like the puppet was whispering a secret to me.

If you would like one of these delightful furry creatures as one of your own, Check out the Give a Little Giggle website at www.givealittlegiggle.com.

Terre Ferme Pottery

When I walked onto the floor of the Butterdome craft sale, the first thing I saw was the well lit booth of Terre Ferme Pottery.

I was attracted to this booth because I have been knitting for over 10 years and have always wanted a knitting bowl.  There they were sitting in the light saying, "You know you've wanted me for at least 4 years.  Time to buy me."  I loved the designs and colours of the bowls as well.

This is my purchased bowl with my project inside secured by the knitting needle through the holes on its side.  That is my favorite feature of the bowl.  I used to use a normal kitchen bowl for the yarn of my projects but this is even better.

The booth also had beautiful plates, bowls and mugs for purchase as well.  Then I met the artist's husband who said that his wife Kentia was on a break, but she would be back soon so I could speak with her.  I purchased my bowl and promised to stop by again soon, which I did.  Kentia was as warm and friendly as her husband. They are from St. Albert.  She said that she only started making pottery four years ago and it changed her life.  Her inspiration is the beauty that is around her in western Canada and from her travels.  I can relate as I love Alberta as well.

Kentia is not currently selling pottery from her website or on her etsy shop, but I would still check it out the site as people have posted pictures of their purchases.  www.terrefermepottery.etsy.com 

She also has instructions on her website on where to purchase her art in person.  www.terrefermepottery.com  Or check her out on Instagram @terrefermepottery.

Glass Earth Inc.

When I was at the Women's Expo, I was so excited when I saw the Glass Earth Inc. booth. I love Terrariums because they bring the nature and whimsy of the outdoors right into your home.  Plus with the right care, they will last a lot longer than just a vase of flowers.

There are many different designs to choose from.  From hanging terrariums to pyramids or cylinder vases.  And then there are plant designs that defy the dome and thrive in pots to create a mystery fairy land.  You might even see a hobbit or two.

Not only are these terrariums for sale but Glass Earth Inc. also offers workshops at The Collective in St. Albert.  You can find the dates of the workshops on their website www.glassearthinc.com.
If the dates and times don't suit you or the workshops are all sold out, not a problem.  They are always adding new workshop dates to the site.  You could also book a private workshop with four people or more as a birthday party, bridal shower or just an afternoon with the besties.  Contact Cynthia at glassearth@outlook.com or 780-298-1489.

I haven't participated in a workshop yet because of my schedule but this is at the top of my to do list and I'll be writing a blog of my experience.
Any one with me?

C2 Boutiques - SLO Fashion Handbags

So let's say you're a Mom going to California with her family on an airplane and don't have a lot of space for packing.  You have your regular Mom purse that holds Johnny's ipod, Lindsay's book, Kevin's DS, and snacks for the toddler.  Of course, the juice and the snacks spill in the purse which is impossible to clean properly. Stress level is at a 5.

Then in California, you're at the beach and have to buy a beach tote because you had no room to pack one and then sand gets in your tote. The kids are crying because they have sand in their devices and you've tracked sand into the hotel room.  Stress has risen to a 8.  After that lovely outing, your husband wants to take you out for a fancy dinner and all you have is your stained purse or a sandy beach tote.  Stress is through the roof!  Why couldn't there be a handbag that works for every occasion and was kid proof?


That's where SLO handbags make their dramatic entrance,

I have never seen a bag like this before.  First, you start with a durable rubber like shell which can be easily cleaned.  Then you pick an insert from many designs and colours.  After that comes the handles which also come in different colours.  The lining is held in place to the shell by the handles.  If you want to change the lining or clean it, just take the handles off, put in a new insert, and reattach the handles.  Or instead of a lining there are cuffs that you can put on the shell as in the picture above.  There or so many different style and colours to choose from!

So let's try this again and give the stressed out Mom a SLO bag.  She now has three bags in one.

The shell and the liner can be cleaned after the spill.  Not a problem.  She then uses the shell of the bag as a beach tote and again it can be cleaned easily of sand.  Lastly, she adds a cute cuff to the shell for a night on the town and no one is the wiser. 

What can a SLO bag do for you?

For more information go to www.slofashion.ca

Alumination Canada

This past Saturday I went to the Edmonton Spring Women's Show At the Expo Centre at Northlands.  There were many vendors and I found a few diamonds in the rough that I would like to share with you.

ALUMINATION CANADA

I met with Derryk Lenz from Alumination Canada.  His products are very unique and I've never seen anything like them before.

This team of 7 creates various products out of aluminum with machines that are used in the oilfields but these machines haven't seen them.  In instead they see a team armed with the knowledge from their work in the oilfields to create these exceptional items using quality and precision.

These candle holders slide into each other to create countless individual designs and only limited by your imagination.  Using a process called outgraving, unique designs are created on top of the holders and vary from each other.

The items in the background of the picture are called Alumicool.  They are sleeves for your beer or soda that you use as a coaster.  Don't worry about bumping your can because the design of sleeve works as a suction cup to hold the drink in place.  They are also insulated so they keep your drink cool as well.   

The cards on the table are called man cards.  I was a little confused when I first saw them but they are bottle cap openers that you keep in your wallet.  

 The products are also engraved with a maple leaf on the bottom.  They can also create custom engraving at your request.

To see more or to order these exclusive items visit their website at www.aluminationcanada.com. They have a lot more to see on their website. You won't be disappointed.