I live up in the outskirts of the Chicago Burbs... much closer to Wisconsin than the city. It isn't an area known for being a mecca of handmade goods, but I was thrilled to recently find out about a little shop just 15 minutes from home (through a mama in my local mom's group) that offers a bunch of tie-dyed clothing, hand-stitched upcycled tee pillows, glass marble magnets and push-pins, upcycled wool bags and fingerless gloves made from sweaters, hemp jewelry, and so on. How wonderful to find a kindred spirit so close to home in this cool little shop.

I neglected to get the owner's name, but we did talk dyeing for awhile and a little about thrifting too (there's a little room in the back of vintage and thrifted goods, which is also right up my alley). They don't have an online presence at all yet, but if you happen to be up in the McHenry, Illinois area, be sure to check the shop out. It's called Peace Offerings and is located on Main Street in downtown McHenry, between Route 31 and Crystal Lake Road just a block south of Route 120.

Next time I go back I should ask if I could take some pictures to share.

it's stocking day at http://hyenacart.com/LilyPadLanding/ this afternoon at 3pm. i squeaked out a few skeins of yarn... one inspired by wine (i had a glass while dyeing after all) and one by fiery fall colors. my camera is not picking up the variety of tone in the second one but this is the best shot i got of the 100 i must have taken on every background imaginable. sometimes you just have to see it in person. *sigh*

anyway, enjoy some pictures! first up is "A Little Wine" on licorice twist, then "Fall For Me" on merino/nylon fingering, and finally a grid of many of the lovely items we have stocking or already instock at lily pad landing.

my next stocking is coming up on tuesday at fresh. our theme is elation. inspiration struck a little late for me on this one, but things are in the works. watch for a possible newborn remix, a new design, and some others in sizes and colors people might have been looking for.


no pictures to share yet but i'll try to get some up tomorrow. maybe. if i'm not too busy scrambling to get listings done still.

on the horizon is a lily pad landing stocking on thursday and continuing work on the yarn lovers unite order. busy times, especially since i need to pack all my dyes and pots away for the weekend for hosting the kiddos' joint family birthday party with 20-some people on sunday. my kitchen is going to look naked without dye jars, bins and pots on every flat surface. the zen will only last a few days before it all gets pulled back out and looks all cluttered in here again.

also watch for a charity listing for a YPS/color Heartfeet tee on the Family Pendragon cart on HC, and a few things might pop up at etsy in the next few weeks. Plus I have a set up nice fall napkins offered as part of a giveaway (pictured above) that will be on the Etsy HC Street Team blog within the next few days, as well as a few things planned for K and F Shops' anniversary stocking later this month. :)