Suddenly, it is mid-October and time for an October Update. We’ve had our first frost, and it is looking and feeling like autumn.
Despite having lots of projects and books lined up for spooky season, it’s half-way through the month and I haven’t done anything spooky except collect stacks of ingredients for projects, and work on a blanket for someone who I don’t personally know but is facing a grave illness and could use a hug.
I am on skein 7, and with the ruffled border it should take 8 total so I am closing in on the end. It is Red Heart Soft Baby Steps, and I’m using an L hook. I will need to put together Halloween bags for the staff members, and I should get another spooky book or two before the end of October.
I have a number of projects waiting for the holidays including some soap-making, crochet washcloths to go with the soap, and simmer pot kits. I made a few Christmas bracelets and some Detroit Lions bracelets, which are up on my Feral Cat Crafts Etsy. I have a Detroit Tigers bracelet set up and ready to go as well. I love making the beaded bracelets, though they aren’t selling well.
Holy cats, I’ve missed so many updates! As of yesterday, it is now officially autumn, so here is my autumn update covering what I did over the summer and what I have coming up.
Crafts
In my last update, July 7, I was working on items for the August Mutt Market. Mom broke her wrist and was in a brace for the market, and she didn’t get to work on all of the stuff she wanted to. Here’s my market prep video, and my market recap video. I did well with some things (a few purse charms, key rings, Blind Date with Books, and lip gloss key rings, making a total of $200. Other things, like all of the Halloween bracelet stacks, didn’t do well at all. I’ve got them up on my Etsy, and they still aren’t selling.
Honestly, if none of the Halloween stuff goes, I’ll break down the sets and give them in the staff member Halloween gift bags next month. I love making bracelets in general, and Halloween stuff in particular. I’m not sure why they aren’t selling. If you’re interested in Feral Cat Crafts, and whatever I’m doing with craft projects, the Facebook page for FCC is here.
Family
In July, Mom and I drove down to Bowling Green to see Aunt Suzie, Gail, and Sydney. I had such a great time! Love them so much. We were also fortunate to have a few coffee sessions with Cyn and Evan. And my monthly video calls with Amy and Kat bring so much joy. Bob and I worked on various small projects around the home, but really just enjoyed spending time together. It was a great summer.
Mom and I went on the annual Leila Arboretum Society Battle Creek Garden Tour again this year, and had an AMAZING time. You can see the video of the garden tour here. It gave me so many ideas, as well as recharging my soul. I used some of the inspiration to remake an old garden bed (photo of before and after, above). I made a full video as well, in case you want to see how it went. This summer was hot enough, but more than that, it was SO HUMID. The heat index was regularly over 100° and I felt like I was melting every minute. June and July were overly wet, and August was overly dry. The vegetable garden reflected the weirdness of weather, but the flower beds looked fantastic.
Zines and New Projects
I have been selling a good number of zines on my Etsy, and over the weekend I completed another one. It’s painted in gouache with added photos and hand lettering. I dropped it off at the printer, and should have it back this week and maybe get it up on Etsy over the next weekend. This one is about Halloween costumes, past and present.
My latest project is a new Etsy, separate from Feral Cat Crafts, called Whiskers & Words Book Club. Mostly, it’s a print on demand (POD) attempt, but there are some things like stickers and book marks. I’ll also make some bracelets (that probably won’t sell) and maybe have some Blind Date with Books or other items up there, too. The Facebook for Whiskers & Words is here, and I share all kinds of book things as well as doing my promotion for the Etsy shop.
I have a few October craft projects planned, and will hopefully get some YouTube videos up for those, too. It often seems like I’m managing quite a lot online, with multiple Instagrams, Facebook pages, and YouTubes. Any time you look for advice on why stuff on Etsy isn’t selling, it’s because you need to post more on your social media! I’m managing so many different things now, I probably need Chat GPT to put together a schedule for me. It sure would be nice to see some responses from what I’m putting together, at least. Is it all just going out into the nothing of the universe?
Suddenly, it’s the end of May. The month went super fast, as happens this time of year. Why doesn’t February or March go so quickly? Anyhow, the Whisker Mixer is over. My Blind Date with a Book basket (above) was really successful and went well over value. I’ve kept quite busy, working on items for the Mutt Market booth. I had three different varieties of bookmarks created, including this one:
I’ve been making purse charms of all varieties:
Charm bracelets and necklaces:
And key chain wristlets of several varieties, including silicone beads and the sewn ones I made last year:
I know, I know. The sewn ones didn’t sell last year. Maybe they will this year? I will be making matching airpod case pouches to go along with them. I also have plans to make larger, quilted pouches. I have yet to start any of those sewing projects as I’ve been busy with beads and charms. My plan is to get these up on Etsy, and maybe sell some before the Mutt Market. I’m back to watching tons of market and studio vlog videos on YouTube which always makes me think I could be successful, except the only thing I’ve been successful at selling are zines.
Speaking of, I did teach a zine class to four middle school students at the Marshall District Library this month. Those kids were so energetic and cute, and you know how I feel about kids in general. I’ve never seen anyone so happy about using old magazines for collage.
Morris came back to us. He was adopted out nine years ago. It’s an unfortunate situation.
Overall, May was more cold that average, with three days well below average. Mom and I did the greenhouses on the 21st and planted the cemeteries on the 23rd as Memorial Day was early this year, on the 26th. I planted our gardens on Memorial Day, and I’m crossing my fingers that we don’t get another frost as this upcoming few days are cold and rainy again.
Holy cats, all of January has passed. Time for a February update. It has been a busy start to the year. I’ve kicked up my exercise routine, made significant changes to my eating, been reading and working on various projects. The weather has been rough for me. January was mostly below-average temperatures, including some single-digit highs. February is also expected to have mostly below-average temperatures. It is wearing on my soul, as often happens. I have seen flocks of robins here and there, and I suspect they aren’t enjoying it any more than I am.
Zines
So far in 2025, I’ve sold three zines on Etsy. I created the 2024 Year in Review zine (Detroit Lions had a great year, zine illustration above). I also made a fast mini-zine, Alternative Things to Celebrate in February Other Than Valentine’s Day that I included in my pen pal letters. I’m working on a mini zine on haikus, and I started the full zine about the World Health Organization. The Year in Review was professionally printed, and I will do the same for the W.H.O. zine.
One of the zine purchases was a lovely person who purchased my Cats mini zine and a sticker for her mom for Valentine’s Day. I wanted to do up a really nice package, so I made a little mini-journal as well:
If you would like to help me pay for my printing costs and receive a zine in the mail, check out my Etsy store here. All purchases get a few fun bonuses added. Maybe you’ll get some stickers, or a bonus zine, or an original Artist Trading Card!
Artist Trading Cards (ATCs)
You may recall in the past that I used to make and trade Artist Trading Cards, or ATCs. Or you might remember that I often make altered playing cards collage-style as a stress relief tool, and I even made a zine called Collage for Motivation (available on my Etsy store!). I am in an ATC group on Reddit and one on Facebook, and a few folks asked for trades so I sent out a few including these two (of three) from the series called My Blue Heart. The third one went in the Valentine’s Etsy order.
Valentine’s Projects
Speaking of Valentine’s Day, I always put together small packages of items for my staff members. I had been seeing these keychain charm lip balms on social media and on Etsy, and I decided to make some. It’s really fiddly work that requires good manual dexterity and good eyesight. I don’t have either of those things these days, so there’s a fair amount of frustration and swearing in the creation. I think they are cute, though. I hope the staff members like them.
Reading
Finally, the February update for reading. I’ve listened to two of the Murderbot series audio books by Martha Wells. They are sci-fi and really short, like four-hour listens. I love them! They were recommended to me by a pen pal and I recommend them as well. I also picked up Shadows in the Ward by one of my pen pals, Katherine Anderson. It is a super fast and fun spooky read.
Misc. Thoughts
January again was a rough month. We had lots of anticipation as to what would happen after the inauguration, and the results have been even worse than I could have expected. Each day reading the news is a new horror. We are living in some weird timeline, a Star-Trek mirror universe. It is not good. So for the end of this February update, I encourage you to take time to take care of yourself and feed your soul. Just like on Twin Peaks (Twin Peaks Day is February 24), each day give yourself a present. Don’t plan it. Don’t wait for it. Just let it happen.
So, the Mutt Market tomorrow. Lots of rain, lots of wind, some storms. Unhappy vendors asking us to push the event back a few weeks. However, it will go tomorrow, rain or shine but it will be rain and a lot of rain and everything is wet and smells like wet dog. Vendors are allowed to cancel or attend, their choice. Mom and I will have our booth there. I’ll have zippered pouches:
Quilted bookmarks:
Pins, zines, stickers, and last year’s crochet items. I don’t think the pins will sell and I wouldn’t buy one either. The canvas totes with the hearts just didn’t work in the end. I had a small selection of t-shirts with DTF transfers but I didn’t get those done. One of the stickers won’t arrive until Monday.
This summer has burned me out. I didn’t take the time for myself because everyone else needed time. And after 16 years, I believe I’m fully settled in compassion fatigue. I hope that after this event, I can manage to squirrel myself away for the autumn and take care of myself. I have some sewing projects I want to work on and enjoy, just for myself. I’ll put up the stuff that didn’t sell at the market on Etsy, as well as the stuff I didn’t finish. And maybe some of the new projects, like this quilted bag:
I have a big crochet update! I sold my first two items on Etsy! The boxes are all put together and include some stickers and individual packs of gummy bears. I hope I’ve done a nice enough job on the wrapping, and I get positive reviews. I’m quite nervous!
I’ve been working on some rude dish towels, too. I ordered the printed towels off Etsy and have been crocheting toppers on them so they hang on the stove. I think it’s a good mix of old fashioned and rude. They are Christmas gifts for some coworkers who don’t mind profanity or other nastiness.
I’m really looking forward to getting the last of the gift projects done so I can get back to making some scarves for Etsy. I have so much yarn! I’m well behind on everything and starting to stress a little. I have all of my holiday greeting cards addressed, but writing them out is taking forever as I can only do a few on the weekends. I’m also well behind on the cards and letters at work, although I am caught up with Momo the Cat’s cards. I still have to put together all of the staff gifts and stuff for home as well. At least I should have the last of my packages mailed today and the ones for out of state have already been delivered.
Are you feeling the stress of the season? How do you cope with deadlines and still enjoying yourself?
Obsessed with mid-century motels? Also really enjoy cats and crocheting? Welcome!
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