Red Tail Days

My first outdoor show! My crafty friend and owl lover Casey of Peach Products invited me and my father-in-law Dick, of Three Oak Enhancements to a craft show at Red Tail Days at Braddock's Bay this year. The event held during Red Tail Hawk migration is a great way to learn about these amazing raptors.
I got to use the new canopy tent I purchased, and the new rustic display that my friend Brian helped me make. I thought they worked and looked wonderful, and I could hang all my best stamps from them! Dick got to display all his amazing wildlife photography around the outside. We really had a great time talking to all the nature lovers.
I was able to get some carving done during the slow times. I have lots of birds carved now too, so be sure to check out my shop at Etsy to see some of the cool bird stamps I carved.
Oh yeah, I got to meet the Incredible Hawk too! HA!

RNEST Profile: The Quilted House

Over the next several weeks I want to profile a few of the members of the Rochester NY Etsy Street Team. As a member of this team, I have to say that the quality of craftspeople in this group is pretty impressive. These creative people are worth seeking out on their etsy shops, blogs, craft shows, facebook, twitter, and where ever else you can find them!

Today I want to feature The Quilted House, owned and sewn by Michelle.

Now when I think of quilts, I immediately think of some big old garish patterned blanket on grandma's bed. Well....not at the Quilted House! The patterns are hi and the colors are bright. Take a look.

Greeting cards made of quilt blocks.

A tic-toe-boards. ------------------------>

<--------------Bags.

Bookmarks. ---------------------->

I guess you could say this is not your grandma's quilting shop!

To learn more about Michelle check her blog called While the Cat's Away.

Way to go Michelle! We love your work!

Next Show: Braddock's Bay Red-Tail Days

Jackbear Stamps will be among a select group of artisans set up at Braddock's Bay Red-Tail Days on August 22nd.

I'll have lots of bird and nature stamps on hand for purchase. Dick Beery of 3 Oaks Enhancements and his amazing nature photography will be joining my tent.

There will be lots of activities for kids, a silent auction of prizes donated by the craft vendors will be held to benefit BBRR, and lots of chances to see live birds in migration, and rehabilitated birds on hand.

If you are not familiar with Braddock Bay:

Braddock Bay is a migration "hot spot", located on Lake Ontario just west of Rochester, New York. Millions of birds migrate through the area every spring as they head north to their breeding grounds. The hawk counts conducted at Braddock Bay number in the thousands with the highest recorded count of 140,000 raptors in 1996.

Braddock Bay Raptor Research (BBRR) has been in existence since 1986 working towards preserving the areas natural resources by focusing research and educational activities on the spectacular raptor migration.

Hope to see you there!

Meme 4 U!

I think one of the funniest things about the 2000's is the "text" abbreviations. I mean we all say them now...LOL, OMG, etc. Some of the stuff that has come off the internet as viral messages and memes has been funny stuff. I wonder if this is going to be one of those pop things that defines the decade.

Anyway, in our high tech society I think it is funny to take the "text" off our computer screens, and put it back on good old paper. So I took a few of those "text" and "meme" phrases and put them into rubber. These stamps are available on my Etsy Shop.

Don't know one of these?
Here are the links:
O RLY? : http://www.hjo3.net/orly/
FML : http://www.fmylife.com/
FAIL Blog: http://failblog.org/

Ornithology is for the Birds!

The monthly challenge for the Mad Scientists of Etsy for the month of May was Ornithology. I was super excited for this theme because anyone who knows me knows that I am a birder. That is like a bird watcher on crystal meth. Birders like to count birds. Birders like to compete in birding competitions. Birders like to go to birding festivals. Birders like to post their sightings online. I am one of these crazy people.

So I was excited to participate in this challenge and join two of my hobbies, hand carving rubber stamps, and birding. So I should confess, it wasn't a "challenge" because I had a good backlog of bird stamps I had carved for the Shreve Migration Sensation this past March, so I have a good number of bird stamps done, and some more I will be posting to my etsy shop in the coming weeks. It's not cheating, it's more like being prepared ahead of time. Right?

Anyway, ornithology is not just for scientists anymore. There is lots of "citizen science" going on, like Project Feederwatch, and The Christmas Bird Count. Many familiar birds are now in decline, and organizations like the Audubon and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology are leading the way in helping to preserve our important birding areas.

So celebrate the birds with me and the Mad Scientists with some great items from amazing artisans.