This is the view of one of my favorite shelf displays: my parents’ Canon AE-1 (that I have been borrowing without remorse for a few years now) along with two old Kodak color handbooks.

These handbooks were printed in 1963 and 1956! I found them at a rummage sale and couldn’t pass them up because they’re both beautiful and fascinating. I’ve never developed color film because the process involves many more caustic chemicals than developing black & white film, but I still love poring through these guides.

The Canon AE-1 is my trusted film companion. It’s older than me but it produces lovely pictures, and you can’t beat the click, whirr, and wind of real film. It’s getting ready to go back to school with me for another photography class this semester!

Plus, if you’re a Canon AE-1 fan as well, I’ve just added some more of my AE-1 Gocco prints to my etsy shop…

And of course, don’t forget about today’s fabric giveaway! And congratulations to Karin, the winner of yesterday’s fabrics!

This photo is part of oh so lovely’s 30 Day Photo Challenge. Today is Day 17: On the Shelf.

on the shelf: canon ae-1 & vintage kodak guides is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog

Here is the result of all my scheming and assembly line work: the brand new, re-imagined Plush Narwhals 2.0!

The little guys are made from the softest gray fleece in the world. I don’t know what it is about heather gray, but it even looks softer than all the other fleece colors. I love working with it, and I love how the little guys are coming out.

But my favorite part of the new narwhals, by far, is the striped tusk. Could it be any cuter? I’m in doubt.

Redesigning the narwhals has been a fun process for me. They’ve been the same for so long, and I was never quite thrilled with them, because I didn’t feel they conveyed my personality. As a maker of things, I like my things to reflect who I am… and the tan & cream just wasn’t doing it for me. I think they’re cute, yes, but I knew that they could be better. And that was the hardest hurdle to get over – why change your best-selling product? Why risk ruining a good thing? But I finally took the challenge, and now I feel I’ve perfected the stuffed narwhal, and it makes me very happy.

I know I built up a lot of suspense, and I apologize for not having this be a completely earth-shattering new creation :) But I think they’re pretty cute! And I’m excited to make lots of them now.

narwhals 2.0! is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog

It took me a very long time for me to find a shopping cart solution. There are hundreds out there – plenty of free ones, that would certainly give me as much grief as the anti-zen cart; and plenty of very, very pricey ones. Needless to say, I can’t shell out 100 bucks a month for my shopping cart software.

But after all the work I had to do to keep up with Zencart, I knew some monthly fee would be worth the effort saved. I had gotten so fed up with the lengthy process of adding products that I just stopped adding new products at all. Not cool! The setup was a nightmare for SEO. The folder hierarchy was ridiculous, and I had a whole notebook full of tips for myself on finding the right file (did i mention that tons of files have the same name?). It was unbelievably frustrating. So now, we’re trying out BigCartel.

It was created as an affordable solution for small indie businesses struggling to make their way in the world. Hey, that’s me! We’ll see how it goes. I can’t be picky at this point. I’m paying a small monthly fee, but it’s better than my previous battles. I’ve sacrificed a great deal in customizability – but before, I stopped doing that anyway. The support is in need of a few more hands, and there are some desired features that are “in the works” and have been for quite some time, but so far I’m happy with it. It’s pretty. It’s easier. I can’t complain.

What you should do now is head over to the brand new Fluffyland! There are some brand new products, and I will be adding more in the next few weeks! And update your bookmarks… the shop is now located at http://shop.fluffyland.com.

What do you think?

(and by the way – use coupon code GRANDOPENING for 15% through the end of April!)

a beautiful change is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog

If you’re in the Cleveland area, stop by and visit me at Crafty Goodness tomorrow!

The event will be held from 10-3 at:
Parma Elks Hall
2250 Snow Road
Parma, OH

wish me luck!

crafty goodness! is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog

Stop over to Samantha Snap, my little shop for selling photographs and camera prints! These prints are all photos that have, at some time or another, been featured on my blog. Samantha Snap is all about cameras because cameras make me happy. Take a look!

SALE at samantha snap! is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog

The orange camera printed moleskines that I hinted at ages ago have been listed in Samantha Snap, my etsy shop! They’re a limited edition of 5, so if you want one you’d better snag it quick!

But for you, my dear blog readers, I’m offering an extra special chance for you to win your own camera printed Moleskine. This one I accidentally sent through the Gocco in the opposite direction of all the others… it’s a really awesome print on an absolutely amazing notebook, it’s just facing the other way!

I can’t explain how much I love these notebooks. They’re exactly the right size for musings and doodles and inspirations, and the paper is great quality with lines at just the right height for little thoughts. Plain, they’re perfect… put an orange camera on top and they’re even better than that!

For your chance to win this orange camera printed Moleskine, simply comment on this post before October! (so by 11:59 p.m. EST on Thursday, September 30… where did September go?)

Now I’m off for a cloudy day full of narwhal sewing! It doesn’t get much better than watching the first clouds of fall from my sewing seat…

Comments are closed! I will be announcing a winner shortly from those who commented before midnight EST.

moleskine giveaway! is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog

and, there are actually some pictures listed at samantha snap! more to come in a few days, too.

le shoppe is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog

new routines, new schedules, new faces, new books… trying to wrap my head around 2010 and the start of spring semester. in the meantime, order a whale!

settling in is a post from: Fluffyland Craft & Sewing Blog