Crafts N'At is Saturday!

Stalk me this Saturday at the Pittsburgh Craft Collective's Crafts N'At. "N'At" is Pittsburghese for "and that." So come by from 10 - 6 at the Union Project on N. Negley. Baby Lemon will be home with the grammas so it will just be me and the Lemon Loot.

I have some new polka dot romper guys that I made special just for this show. They are awesome.

More info here. I have to say that this logo is, by far, my favorite of any of the craft shows I've ever done. It's so cool.

I'm in booth 19, at the end of the row that will be facing you when you walk in.

Handmade Mart

We headed out to Silver Spring, MD (next to DC) for the first ever Handmade Mart. It was one of the best craft shows I've ever been to. When we got there volunteers helped us unload the van and some other people helped us set up the tent. There were bagels and some fruit for us too.

All of the tents were set up along one side of the street down at our end. I was surprised at the amount of traffic. It was really crowded! But because the street was so wide, it didn't seem bad --everyone had room to walk and for most of the day, we were in the shade. We were across from a noodle shop so lunch was amazing. Perfect weather, great music, frozen icy stuff, yay!

The rompers I made in May were a big hit at the Squidfire's show so I added some new designs and people again really seemed to like them. I have two of the designs photographed so I'll add them to the shop this week.


As you can see, they are really comfortable for both romping when you're supposed to be sleeping, and for a short snooze:


We decided to only bring one table to make room for the pack n play.

I put the beans in front of the table in one of our laundry baskets and that worked well. We used both clothing racks so there was plenty of room for all the goods too.

The yetis hung from the back wall of the tent and they were almost all gone by the end of the day. My friend is printing up some more of these and I'll have them soon.

Squidfire's May show (yes, May)

Better late than never, huh?

There have been some major computer issues here in Lemonland. Finally, the new computer is loaded with programs and files and several hundred pictures that have been molding in folders and on the camera.

The Squidfire's show was amazing. As usual, Baltimorians are super nice and very friendly. We had a great spot with a nice patch of grass behind the tent so we could chill with the little one in the shade.

We shared a spot with Kim of Shortees/Smartee Pants. We had so much fun. It was really nice to hang out with a fellow crafter and mom all day. Her son is just two months older than Baby Lemon so I got the scoop on what's coming next (one nap, beastly teeth, walking...). Kim makes amazing clothes from recycled t-shirts.

The best part of the day was a visit from one of our biggest fans:
She is the daughter of Sweet Pepita, a really amazing crafter.

Thanks to everyone who came to the show! The new rompers were a big hit so I made more for the Handmade Mart. Now that we're technologically stable again, I'll get some photos of the new stuff and add it to the Etsy shop.

Squidfire's Spring Art Mart

Find us on the park side of the street!

Team Lemon will be sharing our tent with Shortees who makes some pretty awesome stuff out of recycled t-shirts. See the previous post for a preview of the newest Lemon Cadet loot.

More info on the Squidfire's site.

BOGO

I'm having a huge sale in my shop for the next week. I'm in the middle of a huge life change (no, I'm way too young for menopause). I'm just rethinking a few things around here so I decided to have a sale. Plus one of my YetiLovesSeamonster peeps, Tiddlywinks, was having a sale and I had a lot of fun choosing a bunny for Zadie so I thought it would be a good idea.

So it's Buy any item in the shop and Get One free. That's right. As much as I hate that acronym, I'm using it now.

So just buy what you want but don't pay. Wait for me to send you a revised invoice and pay then.

And no, this is not in response to the CPSIA CPSC craziness (I'm sure that will all get worked out). It's just me.

And no, I'm not doing any custom orders right now. (Unless you are JessT or the other yeti lover who I will not name -- yours are both almost done, I swear).

Oh, and Anda is sending me some things from a consignment shop in Brooklyn that was only open for like a week so I might have a couple of sizes in a few items not listed so ask.

A yeti premiere

Check out my little interview on the Crafty Bastards blog. I just finished up all the new yeti ringer onesies and plush and you can read more about them over there. The plush is amazing. I'm super happy with how they turned out. They're a bit bigger than Zadie's head and extremely soft.

The ringer onesies also turned out better than I expected. They come in tan, pink and blue and they all have chocolate piping. I have 3 - 6, 6 - 12, and 12 - 18 months. Now that I have a wee one of my own, I feel that these onesies run slightly small (or maybe I just have an enormous child). The fit is similar to Old Navy stuff or American Apparel.

Here's the extra dilly-o, G: I'm having a sale at the show where you can get both the plush and the onesie for $40. Also pair a romper or ringer tee with a bean plush and get them both for either $36 or $42 depending on the size of the bean.

If there's something in the Etsy shop that you want and you don't want to pay shipping, you can buy it online and pay for it then (I'll refund your shipping when you come to collect the goods) OR pay me at the show. As you know, many of my items are one of a kind or have limited sizes available so this is the best way to get what you want before everyone else does. Just make sure you let me know your plans via the "message to seller" box during checkout. Also do this before midnight Friday or I won't know what you're talking about by the time we get to D.C.

New goods.

After many a sneak peek and a bunch of hints, it's time for the grand unveiling. I listed the first of the new line this afternoon and I have to say I absolutely love it.

The seersucker fabric was wonderful to work with; it's just such good quality. I also love the new blanks. They're a brand called Rabbit Skins and the cotton is nice and sturdy and won't shrink much at all.

There are 4 different rompers: aqua with a reproduction quilt fabric, lime green with a coral/orange seersucker, yellow with a green seersucker and bright orange stitching for amazing contrast, hot pink with the popular bird bean flannel (that gorgeous cherry blossom print) and two ringer tees. One is an aqua with pink trim and pink seersucker while the other is orange with blue trim and a blue seersucker. Most of these are unisex -- something I try to always have since so many people buy my items for baby shower gifts.

I'll be carrying the rompers in 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months. The ringer tees are sizes 2 and 4 for toddlers. I'll be happy to do custom orders for larger sizes but as usual, the sizes and colors are going to vary depending on what I can get.

I plan to list one in my Etsy shop each day this week. For now, check out my flickr for more photos.

I think we can do it.

So this weekend we did our first craft show with Baby Lemon. The little model slept soundly in the car the whole way there, while we were unloading, and while we were setting up. She only woke up when I took her to the Odyssey to eat because I was getting worried. (She probably would have been fine but I'm a new mom...).


The event was a total success. The weather was not. It was incredibly hot and humid until it poured. Luckily, we were mostly packed up so only a couple of the bins got a bit wet. We've got the tent out of the bag and drying in the basement.


As always, the Pittsburgh shoppers were awesome. This was my third show up there and everyone is super supportive and nice. I was hoping to see some of the people who stopped by at Handmade Arcade but the cloudy skies kept a lot of people away.


I made a lot of changes to the whole setup. While reviewing pictures of last year's events, I decided that it was all just too busy. There was too much going on. I made bright lemon shapes and used black sticker letters in different fonts easy-to-read items and pricing. I also made a couple of sale signs. I really like the way they turned out.


Because of the weather, I couldn't use my tall displays. The shirts or onesies just act like sails and are so hard to control. I will definitely be using them again when it's not so windy. I think the look is really important to my tables.

I also decided not to use the yellow baskets with the lemons and cadet plushies. I thought maybe they were a bit distracting but now I think the display is looking a little bland so maybe they'll make a comeback -- or maybe the tall displays are all I need. We'll have to wait until next time to see.


Baby Lemon is generally very cooperative during the day. She was pretty easy this time (thanks to tinted windows and the awesome event coordinators who let me use their offices to feed her later in the afternoon). I've applied to a couple of shows that aren't too far away and have plans to apply for several more to take advantage of my maternity leave. I think we're just going to keep taking it one day at a time.

There are a few more pictures with notes in my flickr.

Coming Soon...

I bought these fabrics when I was in New York City for the Bust Craftacular. I was anticipating my Spring line. My Spring line has become my Summer collection. So anyway...

As soon as I get finished with this big freelance job I do twice a year, the sewing will commence. These seersucker fabrics are from a really cool shop I found in the garment district. They are super high quality men's suit fabrics and I have been loving having them in my life. I'm keeping my blank onesies a secret until they're finished. I'm super excited about them.

This weekend I plan to go through all my stock and clean up the Etsy shop. I'll add back in some of my custom hand-stitched pieces and that pile of yeti shirts I've been going on and on about. I have a few long-sleeved onesies that are ready to go and some bean dolls as well.

I expect to make some bean dolls to match the new fabrics so that when The Lemons go to shows this Summer and Fall, we'll be able to offer discounts when someone buys a set.

The best part of all of this is that Baby Lemon will be modeling the new designs (as soon as she fattens up enough to fit into them).

Coming Home

So we will be bringing our baby home sometime in the next two weeks. That seems pretty crazy to me. I got into a sewing frenzy this weekend spurred on by my whiny post about everyone else's productivity and the fact that I wasn't about to let my kid wear someone else's work home from the hospital.


So I took this cute little striped romper that I bought at Old Navy during their big January sale and put this really big bun bun on it. This fabric is from a fat quarter that I bought at a quilt shop in Carrboro, NC almost 10 years ago. I really like mixing patterns but don't do it much with the Lemon Cadet stuff because people seem to like to play it safe -- especially when they're buying gifts.

I'm sure this outfit will be too big but I love it anyway.

DogBoneArt for Baby Lemon

printed baby collection
Originally uploaded by dogboneart

I haven't bought much baby gear on Etsy yet. I feel like I should wait for some reason. But when I saw that robot there in the middle by DogBoneArt, I had to have it. I was so sad that she didn't have it in my size. But since I have lots of blanks (and blanks I can't use because of flaws) and Laura wanted some Lemon Cadet, we did a trade.

I can't wait to get these in the mail!

Lemon Cadet Sighting...

Check out the Trendy Tots blog. They featured Dolores, one of my very favorite designs as part of their Fresh Finds. I don't have many hot pink onesies left and I haven't been able to find anymore wholesale so she may be discontinued soon. Such sadness.

Trendy Tots is a really amazing blog. They highlight all kinds of cute, indie products. What an honor!

News from the homefront: Mr. Lemon has been hard at work fulfilling my insane nesting desires. He replaced the kitchen countertops with the coolest laminate (if that's what it's even called...). Today he finished fixing all the cracks in my new studio (his old office) and we might even see some paint on the walls by the weekend. When that's all finished, the nursery challenge will begin.

I have pictures of the kitchen to share and a special vegan cheese ball recipe. I expect to have some time next week!

Neglected but not forgotten...

It's been a crazy time around here for Lemon Cadet. Since Crafty Bastards, there's been a lot of catching up, taking new photos of the goods, and filling custom orders.

I have 5 bean dolls to add to the shop and a few new shirts. The sizes are mostly for toddlers but include some super thick awesome quality sweatshirts (even a couple of hoodies, size 4). Please forgive me. I love you.

Handmade Arcade is also coming very soon. And as promised, we'll have something new. I'm thinking yeti. I'm thinking plush.

It's time for Crafty Bastards

I know you've been wondering why it's so quiet around here. I've been super busy making stuff for Crafty Bastards. It's this weekend! Sunday, Sept. 30 from 10 - 5 at the Marie Reed Learning Center on 18th and Wyoming in the Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, D.C.


They sent us all interview questions for their site. My interview is up right now on the blog.

What's new for Lemon Cadet: a whole bunch of bean softies in lots of different fabrics, of course those fabulous yeti tees I wrote about here, and finally, some long-sleeved t-shirts and onesies perfect for Fall and Winter.

Find directions and all the info you'll need to stalk me on their website. I'll be in spot 28 right next to Ms. Tina Seamonster.

I hope to see those of you within a reasonable driving/walking distance sometime on Sunday. It's not just all shopping. They've got some great entertainment planned, some cool crafting workshops, and food.

The Yetis have invaded!!!

Finally, after weeks and months of drawing and revising and drafting and revising again, I have finished the Yeti drawing.

I'm really happy with the way the little beast turned out. And despite some harrassment from the Vets at my friend Dorsey's print shop, The Locker Room, here in Morgantown, I DO NOT think it looks a boy in a chicken suit.

I'm thinking of putting them on the shirts like this:


I ordered mostly toddler and kids sizes in black, cardinal, kelly, and jade. I also ordered a few ladies shirts (Bella brand) in chocolate. The yeti will be white. I can't wait to premiere them!

Craftiest Bastard of the Week Again!

The Washington City Paper has once again featured Lemon Cadet as the Craftiest Bastard of the Week!


This time one of my yeti onesies made the cut. That's Ryan. He's a custom order onesie.

Oh no! Pat Pat!

Every time I get a custom order to do one of my little guys on a different size, I'll print out the picture of the original item and cut it out to use as a pattern. Such was the case with Pat Pat (above).

So I used old Pat Pat to make a new Pat Pat and left the pattern on the living room floor and went to bed (because it was late and I was tired).

When I got up the next morning, that was all that was left of Pat Pat. The cats had found a new toy. Where is Pat Pat's arm? Is Pat Pat in pain from the bites? We may never know.

R.I.P. Pat Pat pattern.

The beans are famous!

After struggling for months on what to make for promo items, I developed the bean stickers (that you all know and love so well). They are little bean guys made out of felt, run through the xyron sticker maker, cut out, and then finally stuck to a postcard with a nice big glob of purple gluestick.

I love the little beans and have grown fond of making them. My friend Sandi has become a good felt bean cutter while my mother in law has gotten quite proficient in helping glue them onto the cards (she makes cards that she sells in her Etsy shop so she came well-trained).

Thanks to Tina Seamonster for giving them a little nod in her piece for the Washington City Paper Crafty Blog. That one there on her cell phone is looking a bit nappy. Time for an upgrade!

Heading to Brooklyn

The Lemon Cadet bus is once again hitting the road. Find us Saturday, August 11 at the Brooklyn Indie Market in the Carroll Gardens/Cobble Hill neighborhood next to the Eckerd Drug at Carroll Park on the corner of Smith and Union Streets. Find a map and directions here. I got the above photo from the Brooklyn Indie Market's photostream on flickr. They have a nice catalog of photos from previous weekends. I chose that photo because I love the banner and the cute kid. It's hard to see but all the action is happening inside the tent. There are also cool looking kiosks on the other side.

As with every market or craft show, there's something new. Finally, the Yeti Brooches are finished and all packaged up!!! There are three different colors: orange, turquoise, and pink. Also there will be a smaller bean doll available in two differnt patterns: a gorgeous vintage inspired quilt fabric and that hip retro floral print you've seen in the beans.

The market's hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Please stop by.

The Moo stickers have arrived!

My fabulous Moo stickers were in the mailbox yesterday when I got home from work. They came packaged in a sleek white envelope.

The are so amazing. I'm surprised at the great print quality. I thought they'd be more like those sticker sheets you get out of the photo machines but they're really beautiful.


After snapping some pics of Groucho lounging and striking poses with the stickers, I started working on my business cards. I've been working on a new design so instead of getting rid of the old cards, I gave them a Moo makeover with my stickers. Much better!