Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe Blog

TEMPORARY SHOPPE CLOSURE

2010-11-03T15:28:00.000-07:00

Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe will be closed for a few days while I'm out of town!

The Shoppe will be closed from Friday November 5th until Tuesday November 9th.

I'll get back to knitting cunning Jayne hats once I get back though, so have no worries! :) Thursday November 4th will be my last day for shipping, so I won't be listing any more hats until I get back. I hope this doesn't inconvenience anyone!

I likely won't be able to check my email or convos until I get back either, so please note that there may be a delay in response while I'm away.

And once I'm back next week the Christmas Rush can begin! ;) So hold onto your orders until then, you've still got lots of time!

Keep flyin!

Love,

Ma Cobb

(angela)

Back to blogging...

2010-10-21T04:48:00.000-07:00

Ni Hao folks,

So sorry that I haven't blogged in AGES! I'm a terrible blogger! But that's only because I've been so busy knitting up Jayne hats just for you! ;)

I think the Halloween rush has finally died down some, so bring on the Christmas orders, and get them in nice and early so you don't have to worry about paying for express shipping!

Also, if I don't happen to have any hats listed in the shoppe when you go to order, please keep checking back, as I'm re-listing often. It's been difficult keeping up with orders, so I've had to limit my listing just because I want to be able to know that I can knit everything that's been sold in a timely manner. Think of it like only biting off as much as you can chew... only with hats and knitting....

Anyway, I'll definitely be listing and knitting more around the weekends, so check back then!

Keep flyin' my Browncoat friends,
angela aka Ma Cobb
fadingendlessly.etsy.com

Holiday Season Suggested Shipping Dates

2009-11-17T13:32:00.000-08:00

The holidays are approaching. I can hear Santa's sleigh bells already!

Yes folks, as much as you would like to deny it (personally I live in denial), it's that time of year again! The one where Santa boards his big red Sleigh, and packs it full of toys for all the good little girls and boys. This also coincides with the time of year where I stand in line at the Post Office everyday, my arms full of presents for all the good little Browncoats... Coincidence? Wait, am I saying that I'm some kind of Santa Claus?? I'm not really a fan of beards (unless you count Wheezy Waiter...).

Anyway, I digress. It is time for me to announce the Annual Holiday Season Suggested Shipping Dates. These are the last dates that your package should be shipped if you want to get it in time for Dec 25th.

US: Thursday Dec 10th

CANADA: Friday Dec 18th

INTERNATIONAL: Tuesday December 1st

Now these are just suggested dates. Canada Post isn't making any guarantees about anything, and neither am I! ;) There is probably a little bit of lee-way in these dates, but please do remember that mailing items around the holidays usually takes a bit longer than normal, so the more wiggle-room the better. :) That means order early if you want your items in time for Christmas.

Stay shiny!

Love,

Ma Cobb

Cunning Hand-Knit Cowl from Ma Cobb

2009-11-17T12:53:00.000-08:00

So my first real post in forever is going to be about one of the very fine new items available at Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe, and that is my Jayne-inspired cowl!

Cowls have been very popular on etsy this season, so I figured my little guy would be an excellent addition to the mix. And then what do you know, I've been featured in another gift guide on etsy! Well, I was pleased as punch when I noticed that, so I just had to share with anyone and everyone! Take a gander at all the pretties available:

Anyway, while I'm at it I might as well give you all the little features of my darling new cowl! It's made from an uber-chunky, super-soft wool/acrylic blend, and the colours (as well as the yarn) are a little bit different than my regular acrylic Jayne hat. These are super rich and delightfully soft. Perfect for nuzzling against your chin and neck!

I was so happily surprised to find my little guy nestled in with all the other fantastic items that can be found in the gift guides. It really is gratifying to be honoured like that. It's even great just to know that you must be doing something right... ;)
So with a wink and a nudge, I will leave you to this fabulous fall afternoon.

Take care, and stay shiny!
Love,
Ma Cobb

Busy little beavers...

2009-11-14T21:57:00.000-08:00

Well it was a very busy Halloween season here at Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe. I think there must have been quite a few Jaynes out there trick-or-treating this year... or perhaps it'd be more Jayne-like to be intimidatin' and steal candy from the trick-or-treaters... Whatever the case may be, the Jaynes were out in full force this year, which meant for a very busy October, and thus my lack of blogging.

Another thing keepin me busy this past month has been the launch of my brand new site with a new design! Now you can find me at MaCobbsHatShoppe.com. Take a perusal and let me know what you think. :)

I've also launched a few new products on etsy! I plan to go into more detail in future blogs, but I've added a few new rubber stamp designs, as well as a new Jayne-inspired cowl. Most notably, I've also added a few new button sets designed by fellow Browncoat Elizabeth! Check out the very fine designs in my shoppe here. More details and posts to come.

Also look forward to my ever popular "Christmas shipping deadlines" post in the next few days. Looks like you'll be hearing a lot from me in the next little bit. We must make up for lost time. ;)

Stay shiny,
Love,
Ma Cobb
fadingendlessly.etsy.com

New Rubber Stamps!

2009-09-15T15:15:00.000-07:00

Ni hao all!

Well, I've been a bit tardy with my updates, but that's only because I'm working on many new pretties for the Shoppe. I'm hoping to have a whole bunch of new button sets up before October, but until then I have added a couple of new rubber stamps to the shoppe:

Blue Sun Rubber Stamp

And here is my Allied Postal Service rubber stamp.

Along with some shiny new buttons, I will also have a couple other rubber stamp designs in shoppe shortly, I'm just waitin' for my order to come in. ;)

So stay tuned folks, and stay shiny!

Love,

Ma Cobb

Ma Cobb at Toronto's FanExpo! August 28-30 2009

2009-08-24T05:58:00.000-07:00

Howdy folks,

Just wanted to make a quick update to let folks know that this coming weekend from August 28th to 30th is the Toronto FanExpo, and I will most definitely be there! So if anyone attending would like to purchase any of my fine goods without having to pay for shipping, please send me a wave at fadingendlessly[at]gmail[dot]com so we can coordinate a time and place to make the exchange. ;)

Stay shiny, and see you at the con!
Love,
Ma Cobb

August/September Free Give-Away brought to you by Firefly Cargo Bay!

2009-08-12T18:56:00.001-07:00

Ni Hao all,

I have some very pretty pretties for the August/September free give-away! They come from the secret stash at Firefly Cargo Bay. So secret that she doesn't even have them in her inventory yet, so you're getting an exclusive look at some of her new pretty pretties! Earthgirl was kind enough to share some with me, so here they are: fabulous 2 1/2 inch shiny buttons! So fabulous that they dwarf my tiny little 1 inch buttons! There are four different themes to choose from, and a few designs of each:

Three Firefly/Serenity designs:

Three Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog designs:

Three Dr Who designs:

Two Buffy The Vampire Slayer Designs:

So here's how you can bring one of these beauties home:

Just purchase something (anything) from my etsy shoppe, and as you're checking out please indicate in the notes to seller section your top three favourite Firefly Cargo Bay button designs. I will send you your #1 choice (unless it's sold out, then I'll send you your #2 choice etc). These are in limited quantity, so once they're gone, they're gone! So order quick to ensure you get your #1 button choice! If none of your top three choices are left I will send you a surprise button! :)

Thanks to Ms Earthgirl of Firefly Cargo Bay for the lovely give-aways!

Love,

Ma Cobb

fadingendlessly.etsy.com

Firefly Themed Treasury on etsy.com

2009-08-08T06:16:00.000-07:00

There's a fabulous new Browncoat themed treasury on etsy.com, and my buttons have been featured:

Please go ahead and check out the treasury and all the shiny items within! Support other browncoats on etsy.com. :) It will expire on Aug 9 at 10pm so be sure to see all the wares before then.

Stay shiny,

Ma Cobb

fadingendlessly.etsy.com

Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe is Open Once Again!

2009-08-06T05:37:00.000-07:00

Ni Hao all!

Just wanted to make a quick post to inform the masses that Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe is back from holiday, all caught up, and filling orders once again! I actually re-opened the shoppe last week, but I'm just finally getting back into the swing of things. So come on by and check out my wares: fadingendlessly.etsy.com.

I will be announcing the August/September free give-away in the next few days, so keep an eye on the blog to get the secret code to win some brand new goodies from Firefly Cargo Bay!

That's all for now folks, catch you on the next wave.
Stay shiny,
Love,
Ma Cobb
fadingendlessly.etsy.com

Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe featured in the Geekery Gift Guide on Etsy.com!

2009-07-06T05:36:00.001-07:00

Wow! It seems as though the item that was featured on the etsy front page yesterday has been featured in the geekery gift guide today! Fantastic! Here's the mini:

And you can check out other fabulous items in the Geekery gift guides here.

What a great start to a Monday morning!

Stay shiny!
Love,
Ma Cobb

Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe Going On Vacation July 14th-28th!!!

2009-07-05T19:42:00.000-07:00

Ni hao all!

One more important thing that I wanted to blog about today and that is that Ma Cobb is going on vacation!! I will be going out of town for two weeks in July! Therefore I will be temporarily closing down Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe from July 14th-28th.

So what does that mean? That means that my last day for shipping is going to be Monday July 13th, so if you REALLY REALLY REALLY need a Jayne hat or some buttons, I encourage you to order within the next week, or over next weekend at the VERY LATEST!

The shoppe will be re-opened again probably around July 29th (or whenever I recover ;) ). And you will be free to order once more. :)

I'm really hoping that this won't inconvenience anyone! This will be my first significant time "away" from my shoppe since I started selling, so I'm really looking forward to some R&R! I have a feeling I won't know what to do with myself without a pair of knitting needles in my hands, but I'm sure I'll manage. ;)

Stay shiny all,
Love,
angela aka Ma Cobb

Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe featured on Etsy Frontpage... and other news

2009-07-05T06:57:00.000-07:00

I woke up this fine Sunday morning and one of my brand new button listings had 134 views! I guess it was featured as an alternate on the front page of etsy early this morning! Yay! This is my second etsy front page feature, so it is still very exciting for me! You can see the collection of lovelies here, thanks to craftcult:

Just lovely!

And I suppose I should take this opportunity to probably mention that I do have a few shiny new listings in my shoppe, including the above featured listing! I've got two new CUSTOMIZABLE button packs in my shoppe! There's a six-button set, and a ten-button set. I've had so many requests for mixed and matched combinations of buttons that I figured it was probably a good idea to make it a little easier on people and just make a mix and match listiing. Rest assured, I've still got all character-themed button sets in my shoppe, but now those who want different combinations of buttons also have options. So if you were thinking that you perhaps wanted a Wash button as well as a Jayne button, and a few Kaylee buttons there's a customizable listing just for you! :)

Along with the custom button packs, I've also listed two customizable MAGNET sets for those who don't really wear buttons, but still would like to have a few Serenifly accessories for the fridge, or for the filing cabinet at work. There's a six-magnet pack and a ten-magnet pack. So if you wanted that set of Jayne buttons made into magnets the six-magnet pack is the listing for you. Or maybe you wanted a few Frak magnets, and couple Dollhouse magnets, and a few Serenifly magnets. Well then, the ten-magnet set is probably what you're looking for! So many options!

Alrighty, I should probably get back to knitting now. It's been awhile since I've blogged, so I'll probably be back shortly with more news. June was a very busy month for me (thus the sparse blogging) with the CSTS screening in Toronto and a couple of other wholesale orders that I was working on. I do have a few other tidbits of news that I'd like to share, but I'll save them for a later post. So stay tuned. :)

Stay shiny,

Love,

Ma Cobb

Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe going to Can't Stop the Serenity!

2009-06-18T05:08:00.000-07:00

Ni hao all,

Just wanted to remind everyone of this weekend's Can't Stop the Serenity screening in Toronto! I am So Very Excited! :) Me and my hats and my buttons will be there, so this is the time to let me know if you want me to bring anything extra special just for you (and save yourself some shipping!).

This also means that I will likely be away from the cortex for most of the weekend (from Friday till Sunday), but rest assured that any orders recieved from Thursday to Sunday will be promptly shipped on Monday. So technically today (Wednesday) is the last day to order anything that will be shipped out this week (tomorrow). So get your orders in now, while the getting is good.

And if you're not in the Toronto area check out cantstoptheserenity.com for a Serenity screening near you! All proceeds go to charity, so it is always a good cause, as well as a good time. Equality Now thanks you! And those of us that work really hard to put these Screenings together thank you as well! :)

Until next week! Remember: you can't stop the signal!
Stay shiny,
Love,
Ma Cobb

Can't Stop The Serenity Toronto 2009

2009-06-12T16:59:00.000-07:00

The Toronto screening of Serenity is almost upon us! Next Saturday (June 20th) 12:30 at the Bloor Cinema! Shindig to follow at the Pauper's pub. Be there or be square-shaped! I'm so excited! Great prizes, great auction items, great free stuff, great people, but best of all great FILM! More details can be found here: torontoserenity.blogspot.com

Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe will totally be there, so if there's anyone attending who'd like to save on shipping please let me know! Send me a quick email at fadingendlessly[at]gmail[dot]com, or a convo on etsy and I'll be happy to oblige! I'll also be bringing a couple extra Jayne hats with me, for those who don't win the hats that are up for auction. ;) Or if you don't email me ahead of time, you can find me pretty easily at the event: I'll be the girl in the Jayne hat... Okay, maybe there'll be a few girls in Jayne hats, but I will also have a volunteer badge that says "Ma Cobb" on it, so you can't miss me!

Again, SO excited! See y'all there!
Stay shiny!
Love,
Ma Cobb

June Free Give-Away is brought to you by Wonderflonium (do not bounce)

2009-06-01T18:07:00.000-07:00

Well I might actually be on time for this month's free give-away!

June's free give-away is brought to you by Dr Horrible and Captain Hammer... and all the fabulous quotes from the online sensation that is Dr Horrible's Sing Along Blog! This give-away is in honour of the Toronto Can't Stop the Serenity Screening! We're screening Dr Horrible in Toronto this coming weekend (June 6th check here for more details), and Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe's Dr Horrible buttons will be there!

Dr Horrible Six Button Quote set:

Captain Hammer Six Button Quote Set:

Dr Horrible Sing-Along Blog Six Button Mixed Quote Set:

And even if you're not in the Toronto area, you can get a couple Dr Horrible buttons FREE with this month's give-away! All you need is the free code word: WONDERFLONIUM!

Just purchase something (anything) from my Etsy shoppe, and as you're checking out choose two (2) of your favourite quotes from the above Dr Horrible quote sets in my shoppe and enter them into the notes to seller (along with the free code word) as you're checking out on fadingendlessly.etsy.com. I will then send them to you with your purchase! FREE! Easy as pie!

So come on by Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe and get your free Doc Horrible buttons! Offer is only for the month of June, so get 'em while they're hot! :)

Stay shiny,
Love,
Ma Cobb

Toronto's Can't Stop The Serenity Screening only four weeks away!

2009-05-24T19:16:00.000-07:00

Just a little reminder that Can't Stop the Serenity screenings are happening all over the world, and most of them in about a month's time. This includes Toronto's screeing on June 20th at 12:30 at the Bloor Cinema. More info can be found at torontoserenity.blogspot.com.

And here's a great little vid to get you in the mood:

Come one, come all to see Serenity once more on the big screen this June!
Stay shiny,
Love,
Ma Cobb

This Haiku is Problematic...

2009-05-14T06:02:00.000-07:00

I get a weekly newsletter from ThinkGeek.com and I just had to share this week's Haiku with the rest of the 'verse. They have a weekly Haiku contest, and the winning entry just happens to be about one of my favourite crewmembers!

The latest ThinkGeek Techie Haiku Winner is: Taylor from Montgomery, Alambama!
We lovingly title it

"This Haiku Is Problematic"

Use the Force, Malcolm
Gorram reavers on our tail!
Oops, wrong universe.

Enjoy!
Love,
Ma Cobb

May Free Give-Away is Brought to you By...

2009-05-06T04:47:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay, the May free give-away is a bit tardy, I'll admit, but here it is all the same, so enjoy!

This month's give-away is brought to you by Zoe, Simon, Inara and Book! Yep that's right! The newest Quotes button sets in my shoppe will be part of the free give-away this month! Take a look-see at all the pretties that are available:

Zoe:

Simon:

Inara:

Book:

More images of these button sets can be found in the listings in my Shoppe: fadingendlessly.etsy.com

Here are the details: All you have to do is purchase something (anything) from my Etsy shoppe! Choose your three (3) favourite quotes from the above quote sets in my shoppe and enter them into the notes to seller as you're checking out on fadingendlessly.etsy.com, and I will send them to you with your purchase! Easy as lyin'! ;)

These sets include such favourite quotes as:

The special Hell

Space Hooker

This must be what going mad feels like

We live in a spaceship dear

Too much hair!

It`s okay to leave them to die...

..... and so many more! Check them out!

Stay shiny,

Love,

Ma Cobb

Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog showing in TORONTO!

2009-05-06T04:20:00.000-07:00

Wanna see Doc Horrible on the big-screen and sing-along with other Horrible fans? If you're in Toronto or the GTA then you're in for some fun! From the organizers of this year's Can't Stop The Serenity event in Toronto comes:

Dr Horrible's Sing-Along Blog!!

Here are the details straight from the horse's mouth at torontoserenity.blogspot.com. All are welcome:

Dr Horrible's Sing-along Blog: The Internet Sensation is coming to Toronto on June 6, 2009

Toronto's Can't Stop The Serenity is showing Dr. Horrible on the big screen as part of our CSTS events.

Where: North York Central Library Auditorium
When: June 6, 2009. Doors open at 7:00
Why: To raise awareness of Equality Now and to sing along
How much: Only $5.00. All proceeds go to Equality Now.
Bring your Family, Bring Your Friends, Bring Your Voices. We're sorry. No Freeze rays allowed.

I've been featured in a Treasury...

2009-04-27T14:20:00.000-07:00

Fantabulous! My Wash Quote Button Set has been featured in a treasury on Etsy!! What exciting news! Please go and click and post to bump it up. :) Here it is:

http://www.etsy.com/treasury_list.php?room_id=54976

But it won't be around for long. ;)

Thanks so much to GlazedOver.etsy.com for including me! :)

A Quick Note on Shipping this Weekend

2009-04-25T06:40:00.000-07:00

Ma Cobb will be visiting the core planets this weekend (April 25th & 26th) and will be away from the cortex, so responses to convos and emails may be a bit delayed. But rest assured that all orders recieved will still be shipped promptly on Monday. Thank you for your patience! :)

Stay shiny,
Love,
Ma Cobb

FRAK! Battlestar Galactica Six Button Set added to Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe

2009-04-22T06:07:00.000-07:00

Yep folks! We've got Battlestar Galactica buttons up in the Shoppe! Coinciding with the DVD release of the pilot episode of Caprica this week (it's in stores now, so what are you waiting for?). Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe has got a set of six buttons featuring some favourite BSG quips: So say we all, Good hunting, Fraking toaster, I am the final Cylon, I ♥ BSG, and everyone's favourite swear word: FRAK!

Plus every BSG six-button set comes with a shiny surprise BSG mystery button! Find out the mystery by ordering now. ;)

Here are the buttons in all their shiny glory:

And as always, if you have any other BSG button suggestions that you don't see here, please send me an email fadingendlessly[at]gmail[dot]com, or a convo on etsy, and we'll see about getting you just the button you're looking for. Just please be gentle with me, as I'm about a season-and-a-half behind on my BSG viewing (ie no spoilers please. Although you know I want to be spoiled! ;) ).

Stay shiny all, and good hunting! ;)

Love,

Ma Cobb

New Quotes Buttons are here!

2009-04-18T09:54:00.000-07:00

The new Quotes buttons have been added to my shoppe: fadingendlessly.etsy.com

Zoe:

Simon:

Inara:

Book:

And the winners of the Quotes Contest have been sent their winnings! Thanks again to all who participated, and stay close to the cortex for more opportunities to win big! :)

Stay shiny,

Love,

Ma Cobb

And The Winners Are...

2009-04-10T08:16:00.000-07:00

Howdy Folks,

The Quotes Contest was a complete success! I recieved a lot of fabulous entries, and now it is time to announce the winners as promised. And the five lucky winners are:

David B.
Melinda E.
Sue M.
Karen P.
Bob V.

Congratulations! The above winners will be recieving their winning quote suggestions in the mail shortly, so keep a eye on the post!

Also, over the course of the next few days I will be rolling out the new Quote Button Sets for Inara, Book, Simon & Zoe, so keep your eyes peeled on Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe! Here's a little preview of the final products for your viewing pleasure:

Thanks again to everyone who participated in my little Quotes Contest! It was of great help to me, and I enjoy getting my products out there to those that are interested! This will definitely be something that I will try again in the future! I'm thinking maybe some Buffy Quotes sets and Angel Quotes sets... any other suggestions would be greatly appreciated! :)

Thanks again all,

You Can't Stop The Signal!

Love,

Ma Cobb

April Free Give-Away Is Brought To You By...

2009-04-03T03:43:00.000-07:00

So before I step away from the Cortex for the weekend I wanted to send out a broadwave and announce the monthly free give-away for April.

This month's give away is brought to you by... Kaylee, Jayne, Wash, River, Mal and Firefly/Serenity. Or more specifically this month's give-away is brought to you by the new quotes buttons in my shoppe! All you have to do is purchase something (anything) from my Etsy shoppe! Choose your three (3) favourite quotes from the above quote sets in my shoppe and enter them into the notes to seller as you're checking out on fadingendlessly.etsy.com, and I will send them to you with your purchase! Easy as lyin'! ;)

Hopefully this little give-away will tide you over in anticipation of the release of the rest of my quotes button packs (Simon, Inara, Book & Zoe), which should be released sometime next week, along with the announcement of the winners of the Quotes Contest!

And just a reminder that I will be away for this weekend (Apr 3-5th), so your free buttons will likely be shipped on Monday or Tuesday of next week.

Keep flyin,
Love,
Ma Cobb

Ma Cobb away from the Cortex for the weekend

2009-04-02T05:08:00.000-07:00

Just a quick note regarding shipping this weekend:

Ma Cobb is going to be away from the cortex for the weekend (April 3rd-5th), so I may not get a chance to respond to all convos/emails during this time. Orders will still be taken however, and they will be shipped out in a timely manner either on Monday or Tuesday. Thanks so much for your patience! :) Things will get back to normal next week.

Also, a moment of silence in memory of Andy Hallett (aka "Lorne" from Angel), who passed away this past Sunday. He was 33.

Quotes Contest Success!

2009-04-01T05:26:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to thank everyone for their submissions to my little Quotes Contest! It was a complete success, and I received many fantastic quote suggestions for Book, Inara, Simon and Zoe! I will be announcing the winners soon, and sending out buttons to those lucky few!

The new buttons will be revealed shortly as well, once I've finished putting the final little tweaks in the designs. So stay glued to the cortex ladies and gents. :)

Stay shiny,
Love,
Ma Cobb

New Button Sets And A Quotes Contest! Win Free Buttons!

2009-03-19T14:07:00.001-07:00

I posted some new button packs in the ol' shoppe this week: character quote packs! So far I've got:

Mal:

Wash:

Jayne:

Kaylee:

River:

And Firefly/Serenity:
I'm quite proud of these new little guys!

I'm also working on sets for the rest of the characters (Simon, Inara, Book and Zoe), but it's taking me a bit more time. Perhaps because these characters don't get quite as many good little one-line zingers? Every time I try to rack my brain to come up with good quotes for Simon or Inara, I only seem to remember another line from Mal or River (which probably means I'll be making up more quote packs for Mal and River, tee hee)... Anyway, I'll be working on the rest of the characters in the next week or so, and should be posting their sets soon. :)

In the mean-time if you would like to help me out, there might be a shiny button in it for you! Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe is having a little Quotes Contest! If you have any good quote suggestions or ideas for Simon, Inara Book or Zoe, here's what you need to do to win:

Email your quote suggestions to me at fadingendlessly[at]gmail[dot]com and be sure to put "Quotes Contest" in the subject-line. If your quote suggestion is deemed worthy enough to become a shiny little button in my shoppe, then I will send you that very same little shiny button (or buttons, if you suggest one or more amazing quotes)! :) Here's the info that I'll need from you

1. Any and all quotes by (or about) Simon, Inara, Book or Zoe. These quotes can be from either Firefly or Serenity (or both ;)). Quotes should be about MAXIMUM 15 words long (think of how much I can squish onto a tiny little 1" button). Less is more. :)

2. Your name and address, so if you win, I can send you your button prize(s). :)

Winners will be announced on my blog, to receive all the glory and bragging rights!

Any other questions, just let me know. I look forward any and all suggestions!

Stay shiny,

Love,

Ma Cobb

March Free Give-Away is late...

2009-03-10T05:59:00.000-07:00

Hey folks,

I've been working on a few new buttons here at Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe, but unfortunately they're taking a bit longer to perfect than I would have hoped. I was going to debut them as a give-away this month, and then put them in my shoppe in April, but my time-line has gone a little bit askew. Anyway, this is all just to explain why the March Free Give-Away hasn't been revealed yet. So I think I'm going to extend the popular February Give-Away for March, and then reveal the new buttons next month. :)

So then, for the March Give-Away, just take a look at all the shiny pics from the February Give-Away. Choose three (3) of your favourite Big Damn Heroes, and write their names in the "Message to Seller" section when you're checking out at fadingendlessly.etsy.com. That's all you've got to do to get three free BDH buttons! Easy peasy!

Hope this is enough to tide over the masses until next month when I debut an all-new set of Serenifly buttons! Cross your fingers that the wait is worth it! ;)

Stay shiny,

Love,

Ma Cobb

A Few More Happy Campers

2009-02-14T08:17:00.001-08:00

Howdy folks! Todays customer appreciation pics come from another couple of happy campers:

First up is this cunning shot from ChainOfCommand, who's showing of his shiny hat in Firefly's cargo bay. Very cunning indeed. ;)

And this little lovely comes from SekhmetsTreasure (a fellow etsian, check out her shop here) and her hubby! "A man walks down the street in that hat, people know he's not afraid of anything." ;)

Thank you all!

More Cunning Browncoats in Very Fine Hats

2009-02-03T05:56:00.001-08:00

Today's customer appreciation photos come from two very cunning Browncoats:

Here is a very happy Robert.

And Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe got a "thumbs UP" from Butterguy.

Thank you both! :)

February Free Give-Away is Brought to you by the Big Damn Heroes!

2009-02-02T19:43:00.000-08:00

Okay folks the February free give-away is here! This month's give-away is three Big Damn Hero buttons! You get to choose between: Mal, Zoe, Wash, Jayne, Kaylee, Book, Inara, Simon, River, or the Fruity Oaty Girl! It's going to be difficult to just pick three!!

Take a look at the pretties:

Some of the BDH's have a couple different button designs, so whichever character you choose the button may not be precisely as shown. Aren't surprises fun?

The fine Print:

Okay, so here's how you can get three (3) of the above BDHs for FREE! All you have to do is purchase something (anything) from my fadingendlessly.etsy.com shoppe. When you check out just add the phrase "Ain't We Just" in the notes to seller section, and then list the three crew members that you would like (choose between Mal, Zoe, Wash, Jayne, Kaylee, Book, Inara, Simon, River, or the Fruity Oaty Girl).

Yes indeed it is really just that easy! You could be sporting three of the BDHs on your bag, or your jacket, or your Jayne hat RIGHT NOW! You know the code, and you know what you need to do! Any questions just send me a wave at fadingendlessly[!at!]gmail[dot]com.

The finer print:

These babies will only be offered as a free give-away with purchase (due to copyright-infringement grey-ish areas), so you won't be able to purchase these in my shoppe in the future. These are a blog give-away only, so get 'em while the gettin' is good! Stick a thorn in the paws of those Fox and Universal Alliance purplebellies! Just, y'know, don't tell 'em we're doin' it. ;)

See you in the world,

angela aka Ma Cobb

February Free Give-Away is Late!

2009-02-02T07:18:00.000-08:00

Just a brief update to apologize for the lateness of the February free give-away code! I will be posting details later this afternoon. But I'm sure that the wait will be worth it, as I've got some pretties this month! So please stay tuned to the cortex!

Love,
Ma Cobb

Another Appreciative Customer

2009-01-27T05:05:00.000-08:00

This fantastic customer appreciation pic comes from user emmaregina1. She sent in this very shiny snapshot of her husband wearing the hat:

Hee! Have I mentioned how much I love seeing Browncoats of the world sporting one of my pretties? I loves it I do. ;) Thank you to Janiene and Gerald!

New Star Wars Tote Bags at Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe!

2009-01-26T06:18:00.001-08:00

Happy Chinese New Year to those who celebrate!!

I've listed some brand-spankin'-new tote bags in my shoppe: Star Wars Return Of The Jedi totes!

This is the R2D2/C3P0 tote (the good guys tote):
On the back you find a desert scene with a few different ships and the word Jedi:

This is the Darth Vadar tote (the bad guys tote):

And on the opposite side you've got the desert scene with some ships, and the good guys in the bottom right corner: Princess Leia, Chewbacca, Han Solo and Luke Skywalker:

These totes were made from re-purposed vintage Return of the Jedi twin sheet sets! The fabric was barely used, and has been washed and then interfaced for durability. More details about these particular totes can be found at Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe!

I'll be listing a couple more Return of the Jedi totes in the future, as well as a few other new tote designs made from re-purposed kitchy vintage sheet sets. So stay tuned! :)

Letter to Ma Cobb from Jayne

2009-01-24T08:59:00.000-08:00

Ma Cobb received a very interesting wave from a very fine Browncoat this week, and I thought it might be of interest to other Browncoats, so here it is folks:

"Dear Ma,

Thank you much for my new hat. The rest of the crew is very jalus and wish they had a mom like you who loved them. Little Kaylee likes it, and Wash said it makes people know I am brave when they see me wear it. I think it is cunning the way you made it and it will keep my hed warm in my travels.

I am sorry sis is not feeling good. She has been sickly since she came down with that case of the cold robbies. My job is sometimes dangerus but its that nutcase girl on bord who really scares me.

Love your son,
Jayne"

Just wanted to thank Bob for this fantastic in-character letter to Ma. I love it! :)

More Customer Appreciation Pictures

2009-01-16T06:51:00.000-08:00

No new news, just wanted to pop in and show off a couple of customer appreciation photos that I've received lately. Have I mentioned how much I love seeing Browncoats wearing Jayne hats? I loves it a lot, I do! So if you're a constant reader, and you own one of my hats, and you just happen to have a snapshot of it lying around, be sure to send it on my way! :)

This one is from Molly! A very cunning hat, and her own matching scarf. I also like her tee (tee hee!).

This one is from gqbriggs! Very cunning indeed! He left me some super-fantastic feedback for me on Etsy, along with this photo!

This one makes me giggle! This is actually my aunt trying on a hat that I was sending out west to BC for one of my cousins. And that is indeed me standing behind her. Ha ha, I am strangely hat-less! ;)

Alrighty, I'm off! Don't forget about the January free-give away code (find a link to the post on the right)! These buttons are going fast fast fast! I'm thinking that I will have to post some up in my shoppe once January is over. But for now they are free free free! Get 'em while the gettin' is good! :)

New X-Files Buttons & 400 hats!

2009-01-09T09:53:00.000-08:00

Another day, another post! Wow, look at me go! ;)

I just wanted to pop by to post pics of the newest addition to my shoppe! They're not exactly in the theme of Firefly/Serenity, but they've definitely got the geek vibe that I've been trying to nurture in my shoppe (you know, if I had more time to make and post all the ideas that I've got rollin' 'round my noggin).

These ones actually started out as a birthday gift for a good friend/Uber X-Files fan. They turned out so nice that I thought others might appreciate them. So here they are in all their glory:

9 Buttons for 9 fantastic seasons of The X-Files! Containing fan-favourite cryptic phrases such as: all lies lead to the truth, believe the lie, the truth is out there, trust no one, I want to believe, everything dies, tempus fugit, deceive inveigle obfuscate (my personal favourite!), and deny knowledge.

I shot them against the cover of my brand-spankin' new X-Files: I Want To Believe DVD, which looks pretty awesome (imho). I really like their simplicity and the fact that other people who know and enjoy The X-Files will definitely get it, and those who don't get it might just be intrigued enough to ask about it. And just as a little incentive, all X-Files button purchases from Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe will come with a couple extra little X-Filey goodies. :) So enjoy!

I've been meaning to add these for awhile, but the holiday rush kinda left me short on time. As prepared as I tried to be I still only just managed to stay on top of things. But it was definitely a good lesson to learn and I will for sure be waaaay more prepared for the season next year!

It's kinda funny: I had my little "300th hat" celebration back in November sometime (I believe the actual order date of #300 was November 4th). And then I was so busy that I barely noticed my "400th hat" milestone passing me by! On December 17th I received my 400th hat order! Woot! Currently I am well into the 400's and going strong! So yeah, if you were wondering why I was absent from blogging during the holidays, it was because since the beginning of November I've knit, oh, about 140 hats! Wow! It is endlessly fascinating to me that a cancelled TV show from years back is still finding followers loyal enough to purchase a slightly odd-looking (but still very cunning) hat. But I loves it, I do! :) So thank you to you all for making my little shoppe a success, and for giving me my best year EVER! Thankee-sai!

It's a new year and a new January Free Give-Away!

2009-01-08T19:12:00.000-08:00

Well folks, it's 2009! Happy New Year! Wowsers! I've been so busy with holiday orders that it's been a while since I've had the time to update, but here I am! I know I'm a little bit late, but I wanted to make sure that I got the code out for the January FREE GIVE-AWAY!

The December Firefly Cargo Bay give-away was a huge success! I've still got a few temporary tattoos left, so for a limited time all orders will still come with one of the four designs. As well, for this January if you add the code "Hero of Canton" in the notes to seller section when you check out on my etsy shoppe you will get a random selection of three of these five never-before-seen buttons:

These are my "ode to Jayne's hat" series of buttons. They all contain a Jayne hat, on various backgrounds with the phrases:

"sweetest hat ever""pretty cunning dontcha think?" "Big Damn Hero" "browncoat" and

"not afraid of anything."

I've had the designs kicking around for awhile, but I haven't been selling them as of yet. I suppose that their popularity as the January free-give away will probably determine whether or not I'll start selling them on etsy. So please let me know what you think: fadingendlessly[at]gmail.com! Would you buy these? As a set, or just individually? Which design is your favourite? I'm really curious to know.

Alright, that's all for me for now, but I've got loads of news to spread so keep a look out in the next couple weeks!

Stay shiny,

Love,

Ma Cobb

Limited Shipping Days during Christmas Week

2008-12-20T17:02:00.000-08:00

Just a quick note to let everyone know that the suggested mailing dates for the 2008 holiday season have passed (except for orders within Ontario Canada, you've still got till Monday Dec 22nd).

Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe will only be shipping on Monday Dec 22nd and Tuesday Dec 23rd of next week, and then we're going on holiday, so get your orders in by Monday. :) All orders placed between Dec 24th-28th will be shipped on Monday December 29th.

Thanks to everyone who has ordered, and Happy Holidays! :)

Last Weekend for Holiday Shoppers

2008-12-07T06:55:00.000-08:00

Get your Christmas gifts while you can!

Just a quick reminder that this is the last weekend to order your Jayne hat or buttons in order to receive them in time for the holidays! Of course, my fellow Canadians still have a couple extra days left. ;)

I will still be knitting and taking orders, so no worries to those of you ordering non-holiday items.

December Give-Away brought to you by Firefly Cargo Bay

2008-11-30T20:10:00.000-08:00

Gorramit! I was so busy knitting all weekend that I almost forgot to announce the December Give-Away! This month's give-away is very special indeed as it is a small sampling one of the very fine products that you will find when you visit Firefly Cargo Bay. Yessir, Earthgirl has many fine items hiding in the little nooks and crannies of http://www.fireflycargobay.com/, but one of my very favourites is her collection of temporary tattoos:

There are four fabulous designs perfect for any Browncoat: Blue Sun, Serenity, The Fruity Oaty girls, and the Independent Patch. And for the month of December you can get a set of all four tattoo designs with any purchase from Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe! Just enter the code "Firefly Cargo Bay" in the notes to seller when checking out and you can take home these shiny tatts:

Perfect for wearing with your Jayne hat, or with some of my very fine Browncoat Buttons!

And of course you need to see all the other shiny wares that Earthgirl has in her Cargo Bay! I don't think a finer collection of 'verse wares have ever been together in one place at the same time! Independent flags, black-market beagles, Badger hats, Kaylee-esque parasols, terrifying space monkies.... this stash has got it all! And if you hurry you can get it all in time for the holidays for that special Browncoat on your Christmas list!

Much love, and stay shiny,

Ma Cobb

Customer Appreciation Pictures! Shiny!

2008-11-27T04:57:00.000-08:00

One of the things that I absolutely love about etsy.com is their feedback system. The first great thing about it is that it's completely optional, which is awesome cuz there's no pressure (although I do leave feedback for each and everyone of my buyers, regardless if I get feedback back. That's just common courtesy, in my opinion).

But the best thing about etsy feedback is: customer appreciation pictures! Another optional yet awesome feature which has allowed me to take a little glimpse of my happy hats on happy heads. Here are few little gems that made their way to me. Thanks to LordGorthaur, Kontxesi, and XBettieMacheteX.

Oh so shiny. ;)

Well that's all from me for now. Stay tuned later this week to find out about December's Give-away! Wait, is this week almost over already? Gorrammit!

Reminder For Christmas Holiday Shipping Dates

2008-11-23T11:08:00.000-08:00

There are only a couple weeks left to order Jayne hats and buttons so that they will ship in time for the holidays, and I just thought I'd pop in and put up a little reminder about these dates. These are suggested mailing dates, and with occassional customs hold-ups for orders going outside of Canada, it's important to order early if you want guaranteed delivery for your Holiday gift-giving. So here they are:

Expedited within Canada: Dec 12th-22nd (depends on location, if you're in a remote community, or outside of Ontario, err on the side of caution)
Airmail to the USA: Dec 9th
Airmail to the UK & Europe: Dec 8th
Airmail to Australia: Dec 8th
Airmail to Everywhere else: Dec 1st-8th (depending on your country)

With that said, of course I will still be knitting and shipping Jayne hats after these dates, so if you're not worried about getting them in time for the holidays, then just ignore my frantic worrying. ;)

Jayne Hat Review at DrFaulken's Very Fine Blog

2008-11-21T04:35:00.000-08:00

A nice little surprise awaited Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe this week! Earlier in the week I got a message from a Browncoat to let me know that he had gotten his hat, and that he loved it! But that's not all! He also sent me a link to his blog where he had done an in-depth review of the experience of opening his Very Fine Package. And now I present it for all to read at DrFaulken's Very Fine Blog! A very big thanks to DrFaulken for the kind words!And I must follow that up with another happy Browncoat in his Very Fine Hat. This one sent to me by greg of blindpigpress.etsy.com a fellow Etsian! Check out his shiny buttons and prints!

Thanks to greg for letting me borrow this one! :) I love to see happy Browncoats in Jayne hats!

The hats have been flying right out of my hands this past week, and I think there will be a couple more crazy weeks of Christmas shoppers before it gets to be too late to ship in time for the holidays. I'm trying to take it all in stride. Despite being the busiest that I have ever been, I am having quite a good time running around like a crazy person. My local postal workers have come accustomed to seeing me everyday at the post office, and they all know what is in my little boxes and envelopes. I am "the hat girl". Heehee. Nothin' wrong with that. :)

Milestones

2008-11-14T20:33:00.000-08:00

Howdy friends of Ma Cobb,

Things have been bustling around here! I'm fair certain that the Christmas shopping season is in full-swing here on the cortex... or at least at my little shoppe. I'm not nearly as prepared as I wanted to be, but I think that's only because I have underestimated just how busy things can get. But I am wholly enjoying the busy-ness (business? lol). And I'm not frantic... yet. Also: I am so grateful for early Christmas shoppers! Thank you all!

So a couple of little milestones happened this week. First of all I wore out my first pair of knitting needles! Well, okay, it's not like they're completely worn down to the nubs or anything, but they got a couple little cracks and started splitting a bit and kept catching the yarn, kind of like a hang-nail. My diy patch-job with pink nailpolish really wasn't cutting it, so I decided that with 300+ Jayne hats under their belts, it was probably time to retire my much-loved needles.

Which brings me to my second milestone: 300 Jayne hats! Yes folks, that's right! I have passed the 300 mark! There are over 300 Browncoats walking around in the world wearing one of my cunning knit Jayne hats! Well maybe they're not wearing them right this minute, but... you get my point. The number isn't completely accurate, as I didn't start keeping track until sometime in 2005 when I started selling them (at that point I had already knit a good little number for friends and local Browncoats).

Anyway, I thought that was an interesting tidbit, for those who like to keep track. It's funny, but 300 seems simultaneously like soooo many, and yet not that many at all. Is that weird? I've been doing this for awhile now, and yet I can't even imagine what all those hats would look like if, say, they all got together to hang out, or something... But then again, maybe my sleepiness is making my brain-pan a little whimsical. So perhaps I will turn in for the evening.

See you in the world,
Love,
Ma Cobb

Suggested Mailing Dates for the 2008 Holiday Season

2008-11-11T05:18:00.000-08:00

Well, despite the lack of updates, I thought it was probably a good idea to let everyone know that I am back from my little weekend away, and finally just starting to catch-up from my weekend without knitting. It was indeed a nice little break, but I got back feeling a bit panicked as this past week was hectic with keeping up with orders (of the Jayne hat and button variety). But I gave myself a bit of time this weekend and I'm pretty much all caught up now(or ahead of the game, in some cases), so let the Christmas Orders begin... or continue, as the case may be. :) Thankfully there are quite a lot of on-the-ball Browncoats out there who have already started their Christmas shopping. Despite not being much of an advance-Christmas-gift-buyer myself, I do salute those that are staying ahead of the game. It makes things quite a lot easier for me, and all of us who make hand-made items perfect for gift-giving.

Speaking of Christmas, I've been meaning to post the Suggested Mailing dates for the 2008 holiday season. Unfortunately Canada Post is being a bit cagey, and they're not posting the dates for packages that are being sent to the US via Small Packet Air, which of course is my main shipping method. They're also not giving dates for Expedited within Canada (my second most frequent shipping method). This is so frustrating! Sometimes I just don't understand Canada Post. And going to the Post Office every day, I've heard much the same thing from my Postal Workers! Anyway, the following are the best guesses that we could come up with:

Expedited within Canada: Dec 12th-22nd (depending on location, if you're in a remote community, or not in Southwestern Ontario, err on the side of caution)
Airmail to the US: Dec 8th-9th
Airmail to the UK & Europe: Dec 8th
Airmail to Australia: Dec 8th
Airmail to Everywhere else: Dec 1st-8th (depending on your country)

As I've stated, these are just our best guesses, and should make it on time. I suggest ordering early in order to guarantee your package gets to you before the holidays. If you miss these dates, or it's close and you want it guaranteed to reach you on time, these quicker (and more expensive methods) are also an option. Just email or write a note to me while checking out and I can upgrade you and send you a paypal invoice for the extra shipping:

Xpresspost to the US: Dec 15th (approx. $20 for shipping depending on location)
Xpresspost within Canada: Dec 22nd (approx. $20 for shipping depending on location)
Xpresspost to Europe, Australia, & Everywhere Else: Dec 12th (approx $32-$55, depending on location! Quite pricey!)

So, there's good news in there, and there's bad news. I wish that I could control the Post, but sadly I am just a little Jayne-hat-knitter, and I can only bend to the whim of Canada Post. Please let me know if you have any questions whatsoever, and I'll do my best to answer them (or find out from my trusty Postal Workers).

Stay shiny, and order early!!
Love,
Ma Cobb

Ma Cobb away from the Cortex for the weekend

2008-11-01T06:55:00.000-07:00

I just added this to my shoppe announcement on etsy.com but just thought I should mention it here as well:

:::Please note: Nov 1st-Nov 2nd 2008 Ma Cobb will be going on a little trip to visit her boy Jayne on Serenity and will be away from the Cortex! Any convos/emails or orders received probably won't be responded to until Monday November 3rd. Rest assured that all orders placed over the weekend will still be shipped promptly on Monday as usual:::

Anyone cashing in on November's free give-away will still be able to do so over the weekend. I will confirm all orders, and respond to all convos on Monday, once I get back to the world.

Thank you all for your patience! :)

November Give-Away!!

2008-10-29T19:45:00.000-07:00

Howdy Ma Cobb fans!

Time has been moving swiftly along, hasn't it? I cannot believe that October is almost over! But that's good news for fans of Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe, because with November comes my very first Monthly Give-Away Offer!!!

That's right folks, for the month of November all purchases from Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe will be eligible for a free Mini Browncoat Button Pack! All you have to do is enter the coupon code "I'll be in my bunk" in the note to seller when you are checking out at Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe on Etsy.com and I will send you a pack of three random Browncoat Buttons (see my shoppe for examples of my very fine Browncoat buttons)!

Yep, it is really that easy to get some free Browncoaty-goodness! The only stipulation is that this coupon is only valid for orders from my shoppe at Etsy.com.

So go ahead, and get ready to order in November and receive free stuff! This give-away begins in T minus 3 days. :)

A Quick Break To Bring You These Messages...

2008-10-22T16:50:00.000-07:00

Well, I've had very little blogging time on account of having to keep my fingers busy knitting, but I thought I'd pop by with a little insight into my life these days, and here it is, in one word: BUSY!

So here are a few pictures of hats that have been claimed by their future owners! They are all ready to ship out and go live new and exciting little lives with their new and shiny owners! If you look closely you can tell how happy they are to be the chosen ones (wait... wrong show)! You can even tell through the cardboardy boxes that they're in.

The other two little hats sitting there were very jealous of their brothers and sisters, who got to be nestled in straw and sent with love through the Alliance Postal Service. But fear not for those lonely two who got left behind. They too have found happy homes, and are now on their way to their new owners as well!

And with that, I must get knitting. :)

Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe on Twitter!!

2008-10-18T08:07:00.000-07:00

Ni hao Ma Cobb fans!

Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe has decided to join the world of twitter! You can find Ma Cobb at http://twitter.com/MaCobbsHatShop. Yay! Isn't new technology fun? Hehe, I feel so old! Please come find me, as I don't have any 'friends' yet, and I want to know what you're doing! :)

See you on twitter!
Stay shiny,
Love,
Ma Cobb

Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe Blog on Whedonesque!

2008-10-15T07:23:00.000-07:00

Ack! Did my SQUEEE!!!! wake you up this morning?? I woke up early this morning to find my blog linked on Whedonesque.com! Whedonesque is like the Geek-Mecca to me! So I am totally in nirvana right now! All thanks to Magie and James Marsters! Yay!

Now someone tell me how the heck I'm going to get through work today without just floating right out of my little cubicle? Hee! :)

Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe Blog! Monthly give-aways coming soon!

2008-10-13T17:00:00.001-07:00

Just a quick update to let you know (in case you didn't already) that Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe BLOG is now LIVE! Here it is! ;) I have updated and linked to all my various haunts (MySpace, FaceBook, Geocities, Etsy...), and so the blog is on its way to becoming a grown up blog! Yay!

I plan to update semi-regularly, and I think that once I get everything figured out I'm going to start a monthly contest to win fun prizes and products from Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe! So be sure and stay tuned to the updates and you can have a chance at winning some of my very fine pretties!!

Thanks, and stay shiny!
Love,
Ma Cobb
(aka angela)

"Spike" at Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe

2008-10-12T15:12:00.000-07:00

One of the absolute coolest things that has happened here at Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe occured over this past summer. A friend of mine (Magie) is a huge James Marsters afficionado. She's met him several times at different conventions over the years, and she was planning to see him again at Atlanta's Dragon*Con in August. She decided that she wanted to commission a Jayne hat to give to him for his birthday, so I knit one up special just for him.... and here is the result. One of the MOST awesome pics that Magie could have sent me is this one of James Marsters in one of my Jayne hats.

Pretty cunning, dontcha think? ;)

Love Letter To One Of My Favourite Geniuses

2008-10-10T07:34:00.000-07:00

Dear Bryan Fuller:

Please don't ever stop being so awesome.

Love,
Ma Cobb

Ma Cobb to the Rescue!

2008-10-07T14:40:00.000-07:00

I had this whole elaborate tale to tell about how frustrated I get when sellers won't ship to Canada, or when they completely overcharge for shipping to Canada (or my favourite excuse: when sellers don't want to have to go to the PO to ship International First Class packages! That's my biggest pet peeve! I go to the Post Office just about everyday! You don't see me complaining! Grr!). But alas, I don't want to dwell on snarkyness and frustration on this fine Tuesday afternoon. So I'll move on to something a little bit more fun!

I went to one of my favourite conventions this summer: Fan Expo in Toronto, and besides seeing some very awesome special guests (Renee O'Connor, Kristy Swanson, Brent Spiner, Edward James Olmos (from afar) and The Fonze! to name a few), I also came across this little booth that was making Super Hero Cards.

So I present to you: Ma Cobb: Super Hero!
So, okay this one I wasn't very prepared for, so it's not my favourite. Although I guess I'm somewhat "known" as a Jayne hat Knitter in the TO area, well... it doesn't exactly go with the theme now, does it? Plus the girl made me wear this creepy mask which wasn't very Ma-Cobb-esque. So I went back with a friend later on in the weekend and I got this one done up:

This one's a bit more flattering, in my opinion, and I like that my power is that I "knit VERY fast". Hee hee. If you knew how many Jayne hats I've knit in the past month alone, you'd probably start to wonder if maybe I'm not specially gifted somehow. I'm waiting for Heroes to introduce a character with my ability. But alas, perhaps knitting is a bit too mundane for prime-time television. It might come in handy though, if your name is Ma Cobb...

Original Jayne Hat on Ebay-- Ends Today!

2008-10-04T07:09:00.000-07:00

So the Jayne hat auction on Ebay ends today in about 5 hours! It's still only at $1775usd and that seems ridiculously low to me at this point in the auction. Man, if I only had a few thousand credits to spare I would so be there. Sadly, I do not. But I still wants it!

Oh well, I will have to make do with my reproduction. Which I've been told is as good as the real thing. Except perhaps for the fact that Adam Baldwin hasn't ever touched the reproductions. But he has touched me.... so maybe if you do the 6 degrees of separation thing... ;)

Beyond the status quo

2008-09-30T15:57:00.000-07:00

It's funny: just when you start hoping things will pick up, they do, and then you start hoping that things will settle down. Or maybe it's just a case of never being satisfied with the status quo? Perhaps.

Mostly I've been busy shipping hats, which involves the very fun "trip to the post office." It seems like in the past month every time I stop by the post office after work there's a line. All summer long it was like a ghost-town, but now it's starting to pick up. It makes me wonder if people are getting ready for xmas already. And that scares me a bit, cuz I know I said I like to be prepared, but I feel like I'm falling behind already. Like I should have dozens of hats knit up and waiting for the rush that is sure to come. Maybe I'm being paranoid (it's entirely possible).

So I decided that I need to step up my hat-production. Which sadly, sigh, means more TV watching (Pushing Daisies starts tonight! I can't wait! But I guess I've already missed Chuck. Oh well). 'Tis the season, as they say. So if you need me, I'll be on the couch, staring at the boob-tube, anticipating xmas.

The Original Jayne Hat!

2008-09-28T12:14:00.000-07:00

Oh, I almost forgot about this! A friend of mine sent me this link a few days ago. Adam Baldwin (with help from the California Browncoats) is auctioning off the original screen-worn Jayne hat! Like, the actual hat that was worn on-screen on Firefly! Man would I LOVE to have that thing! I wish that I was wealthy and not po'!

The auction currently sits at just over $1,500, which seems paltry to me (not that I could even afford that much), but it still has 6 days to go and I'm sure there will be tonnes of last minute sniping on this one! So yeah, if anyone has a couple extra thousand credits to spare, this is what I want for my birthday. Or it can even be a combo Xmas/birthday present. I'm flexible!

Anyway, all kidding aside, the hat is being auctioned off for a good cause, and all proceeds will go to the Marine Corps - Law Enforcement Foundation, Adam Baldwin's charity of choice. So yes, if you have the money, please bid! But just promise me that if you win, you will let me touch it! ;)

Button Packs!

2008-09-28T08:18:00.000-07:00

So buttons are the newest addition to my shop. After many many years (I'm talking since high school here! Yeah, that long) of wanting a 1" button machine, I finally decided last month that I'd been a good little girl, and that I deserved to use a chunk of my savings and invest in a new machine. "It will completely pay for itself after time" I rationalized to myself. So I jumped on the good old inter-web and found the best deal I could, which happened to be on ebay (surprise!). You would not believe how excited I was. I waited by the mailbox daily, and it finally showed up in all its 9-pound glory (just like a little baby, awww!), with parts enough to make 1000 1" buttons! I absolutely love my button machine, and I've been dutifully pumping out buttons ever since. Again, it's a repetitive and calming sort of action, which I can appreciate after a long day of working at my repetitive but not so calming job.

Anyway, the buttons are a breeze to make, but what's a little more difficult for me is coming up with designs, especially on my antiquated computer program (anyone else still using Microsoft PictureIt! ? No, just me? *sigh*). But I've managed to come up with a few Browncoaty ideas that have not been half bad, imho. (ie the above six buttons which can be found in my shop here). And I think that I've still got a few good ideas coming along, just in time for the holiday season (hey, buttons make great stocking-stuffers, am I right?).

So after designing and making the buttons, I'd been struggling with how to package them. And these little babies are what I came up with: they're kind of like matchbooks, but instead of matches, it's a page full of buttons! Yay! Quite ingenious, if I do say so myself. But I can't take all the credit; I actually got the idea from a pack of MOO stickers that I bought awhile back! And even more marvelous was the fact that I actually figured out how to fold the paper in just the right way on my first try.

So after pinning the pins, folding the holder, and stapling them both together (careful, make sure that it's straight!) I take out my trusty custom-made rubber stamps (thank you terbearco) and stamp them all over with Serenity and Firefly and Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe. And Ta-Da! There it is folks: the newest addition to Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe! Button Packs! Please enjoy!

I hear Christmas is coming...

2008-09-27T15:32:00.000-07:00

So this will be my first Christmas/Holiday season on etsy.com, and I'm very excited to see how things go! I know I have heard a lot of rumbling about the holiday season in the etsy community (namely the forums, where I lurk) and it seems like sales usually go either 1 of 2 ways. You're either caught completely off-guard and end up scrambling around for a good 2 month period. Or nothing much changes. Last year, Christmas on just my website was quite bustling, but it was pretty perfectly balanced between too busy and not busy enough. So I'm hoping that will also be the case this year with the addition of my etsy shoppe. But only time will tell.

People probably think I'm crazy to start thinking about Christmas already, but I would always rather be well-prepared then run around doing the scrambling thing. As a favourite character on Dead Like Me once said (and I'm paraphrasing here): "I'm always early for everything so I never have to run. People who run look stupid." "What about runners?" "Especially runners." So yeah, my thoughts exactly, Daisy Adair. ;)

So to prepare for the holidays, today I made about a million little tags, and stamped all my address labels. It was calming repetitive work, and maybe I'm crazy for liking that, but it's just what I enjoy. I think I'm just procrastinating because I should be knitting a Jayne hats "just in case" I start getting an influx of Jayne hat orders. but heck, I don't want to be too optimistic.

It's a new-fangled blog-type-thingy

2008-09-26T20:03:00.000-07:00

What is a blog without a post? Is it still a blog? The age-old question. I'm not sure if I know the answer. But I came here to blog, so I best get blogging.

This is my first blog. Awww... There will likely be more to come. More about my little corner of the cortex that I call Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe. But until then, I'll just say...

Keep flyin,

Love,

Ma Cobb

Buttons at Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe!

2008-09-15T14:11:00.000-07:00

Ni Hao Ma Cobb fans,

Is it September already? Quick little update to let everyone know that Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe has buttons now! Yes, those cute little 1" pin-back buttons are now for sale at Ma Cobb's Etsy.com site: fadingendlessly.etsy.com. So come check out all the shiny little buttons, and buy one for yourself, or buy a set for yourself. Or buy a few sets for you and your Browncoat friends! They are only available at Ma Cobb's etsy Shoppe. Great little stocking stuffers for the holiday season that is just around the corner. Oh man, did I just mention Christmas when it's still September? Somebody throw me out the airlock...

Keep flyin!
Love,
Ma Cobb

Polaris, and Dragon*Con, and Firefly Cargo Bay! Oh My!

2008-07-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

Things have been very hectic here at Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe, so I haven't been updating! But lots of hats have been going out to Browncoats in need, so keep the orders coming!

Ma Cobb's hats were a hit at Polaris in Toronto last weekend, where they could be found at the Firefly Cargo Bay table in the dealer's room. They were sold out by Saturday!! You'll also be able to find my hats at Dragon*Con in Atlanta this year, just keep your eye out for the Independent flag, and you'll find Firefly Cargo Bay's stash of awesome 'versy goodness (including my Jayne hats, and brand new mini Jayne hats)!

And last but not least, my little etsy.com shop is coming along quite well! so check it out at www.fadingendlessly.etsy.com and watch out for new shinies on the way!

Thanks again Ma Cobb flans!
Stay shiny,
Love,
Ma Cobb

2008-06-25T14:30:00.000-07:00

Hey all!
***Update on Can't Stop the Serenity***

The Toronto Browncoats held the annual Can't Stop The Serenity Screening on Saturday June 21st, and I am very happy to say that the Jayne hats donated by Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe raised a total of over $250 for the charity auction for Equality Now!

That is so shiny!

And the totals are finally in! they're still a bit preliminary, but it's lookin' like we've raised a whopping :::$6,560.00!::: at the Toronto Screening for Equality Now this year! That's even more money raised than last year! And even more tickets sold! This thing just keeps getting bigger! I am so proud to be part of such an awesome crowd of Browncoats!

I just wanted to say a big huge thank-you to everyone who was involved with Can't Stop the Serenity this year, not just in Toronto, but all over the world! Thank you to all the organizers, volunteers, donaters and even those who bought tickets, t-shirts, and swag! Without all of you we couldn't be as mighty as we are (and we are!). So thank you all!

Much love, and stay shiny!
Love,
angela aka "Ma Cobb"

Can't Stop the Serenity Screening in Toronto (and around the world)

2008-05-13T14:23:00.000-07:00

Ni hao all you Browncoats out there!

Well, things certainly have been happening here at Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe, and I haven't had the time to update! I've been working on some very exciting new surprise goodies to send along with every hat order! I won't give it away, but lets just say my packages are looking more and more authentic these days! And all my hats will now be accompanied by some very exciting 'verse-related swag! No, there won't be any black market beagles in there, or wobbly-headed geisha dolls, but I assure you that if you are a Browncoat, you will be excited! So go ahead and order a Jayne hat, and see what you might get! :)

In other news, the Toronto gang of Browncoats are busily organizing this year's Can't Stop The Serenity screening, and you're invited! Ma Cobb herself will be donating hats for the cause. Even if you're not in the Toronto area you can support Equality Now by attending a screening in your area! Check out Can't Stop The Serenity to find an event near you! There is so much great stuff to be won folks! You really don't want to miss it! Alright, last but not least, I have also opened up a shop on etsy.com, which is website for all things artsy & craftsy & handmade. You can check me out at fadingendlessly.etsy.com to see all my 'verse and non-verse related items. I will still be selling hats at www.geocities.com/fadingendlessly, but I just thought I'd branch out a bit and share my other crafts to them that need them. So please feel free to take a look around, and let me know what you think! Also, please join the Ma Cobb group over on facebook! Ma Cobb would love to have you!

Well, I think that's all for now. Please come out and join your fellow Browncoats for Can't Stop the Serenity screenings at the end of June! It's all for a good cause!

Keep flyin!
Love,
Ma Cobb

Cedric of the Bedlam Bards, Equality Now, and Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe!

2008-02-28T14:36:00.000-08:00

Hey again all!

Another quick update to let you know that the Can't Stop The Serenity charity drive is in full swing, and my Jayne hats, among many other pretties, are involved!

Cedric of the Bedlam Bards is auctioning himself off for Equality Now... well... he's actually auctioning off a performance at the charity screening of the winner's choice. Check it out on ebay. as if that wasn't shiny enough for you, he also has a number of other 'verse goodies that will go to the winner including an independent flag from Firefly Cargo Bay and a Jayne hat from yours truly! The money raised goes to the Serenity Charity Screening of the winner's choice to raise money for Equality Now! This year's screenings are already looking to be a shindiggy good time!

And of course there is a lot of planning going on to get those Serenity charity screenings up and running, so be sure to check out your local screening once June rolls around and support your fellow Browncoats, as well as a worthwhile charity!

And now, for some non-screening-related news: I have updated the gallery on Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe and added a link to a newly created Guestbook, so if you've bought one of my hats in the past and would like to praise it for all to see, please sign the guestbook!

And for those of you on Facebook, please join the Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe group! Just do a search for Ma Cobb, and you should find me!

Keep flyin!
Love, Ma Cobb

Toronto "Can't Stop the Serenity" Charity Screening in Full Force!

2008-01-19T14:43:00.000-08:00

hey all!

I just thought I'd pop by again and let everyone know that it looks as if the Toronto "Can't Stop the Serenity" Charity Screening is GO for 2008! The date and details haven't quite been set in stone as of yet, but it should be sometime around the 23rd of June 2008 (Joss's birthday, and the anniversary of the Serenity pre-screenings). I'll keep ya'll posted once the date gets closer. And of course you can always check the link above for more details as well.

Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe will be donating a few hats to the cause again this year, and it looks like it's going to be quite a shiny shindig indeed, with many great door prizes, an auction, goodies, and more! So if you're in the Toronto area, please come and join in the fun! All funds raised will be donated to a worthwhile charity: Equality Now!

And don't forget to tune into Space: The Imagination Station this afternoon at 5:30 to catch a glimpse of Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe. or if you miss that, it airs again tomorrow at 8:30am and 4:30pm.

Keep flyin!
Love,
Ma Cobb

Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe on Space: The Imagination Station!

2008-01-16T14:48:00.000-08:00

Well folks, the Holiday rush is finally over, but there is always more knitting to do! And my little knitting fingers are still working away, so keep those orders coming!

And in other shiny news: apparently Natasha Eloi of Space: The Imagination Station (a cable sci-fi station here in Canada) is doing a story on "geek craft" and wants to include me and my Jayne hats! Some of you may remember my brief stint in Canadian-Browncoat-infamy a couple years back when Space ran an interview I did about the hats and the Serenity fan-table the Canadian Browncoats had at SFX. Well, that footage has been dredged up from the Space archives to make a few return broadcasts! So if you live in Canada and you want to see me geek out (again) on-air tune into Space this Saturday January 19th at 5:30 pm and this Sunday January 20th at 8:30 am and 4:30 pm! "It's gonna be shiny!" ;)

And for those of you who would like to re-visit the old infamous Ma Cobb spot on Space, well then here it is for you, in all its glory:

Yes, that is me, the geek in the Jayne hat. And yes, they got my name wrong, but what can you do. And with that, I shall leave you!
Keep flyin!
Ma Cobb

Christmas Shipping dates

2007-11-25T15:13:00.000-08:00

Hey all,

Here's the promised update on suggested shipping dates for the holiday season. These are the dates that hats must be shipped by in order to reach you before Christmas. This means you should probably put in an order with me BEFORE these dates. The following dates are all Airmail dates (Surface shipping dates have already passed):

Within Canada: Dec 11th
Airmail to the US: Dec 10th

INTERNATIONAL:
Europe/Australia/New Zealand/Asia/Middle East Air: Dec 3
Africa/Central and South America Air: Nov 26
Please remember that these are only suggested ship-by dates and are not at all guaranteed. My suggestion is order early :) and of course if you've missed these dates and you are willing to pay a bit more for faster shipping, just let me know where you are, and I'll quote you a faster shipping price.

Keep flyin,
Ma Cobb

International Shipping Options

2007-11-14T15:18:00.000-08:00

Well, better late than never! I've finally updated my paypal buttons on Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe to take into account the recent higher shipping costs. I've also added paypal payment options for International buyers! Yay! So that's all the updating that I can take for today. I'll be back soon enough though, with Christmas shipping date cutoffs for Canada, the US and International.

Still Flyin' Here at Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe

2007-10-23T15:22:00.000-07:00

Wow! I am really bad at keeping this thing updated! But rest assured, I am still knitting Jayne hats like the mad-woman that I am, so keep the orders coming my Browncoated friends!

I guess I just wanted to send out an update to let everyone know that I am going to be increasing my prices at the beginning of November in order to keep up with the soaring Canadian dollar, and increased shipping prices. It will only be an increase of a couple dollars, and I think it's a reasonable increase, in order to keep my little project going (and to keep my ship flyin'). So, if you order your Jayne hats before Halloween you'll technically be getting a discount, as well as beating the Christmas rush! So order away, kiddies! :) Once November rolls around I'll also be updating the site with Christmas shipping-by dates, so stay tuned!

Thanks for stopping by!

Toronto "Can't Stop the Serenity" Charity Screening

2007-03-13T15:26:00.000-07:00

Well, the Christmas rush is well over, but I'm still knitting up Jayne hats like a mad-woman, so please feel free to keep on sending those requests!

I also have an exciting new announcement regarding the Toronto Charity Screening of Serenity on Saturday June 23rd at 1pm at the Regent Theatre: two of my Jayne hats will be featured as door prizes to be raffled off! I am so excited to be a part of such a worthwhile event for the second year in a row! Besides some very awesome prizes, t-shirts, posters and other goodies, all proceeds from the screening will go towards Joss Whedon's favourite charity Equality Now!

Admission to the event is $12! To find out more info, or to get tickets in advance, visit www.canadianbrowncoats.com. Or you can visit www.cantstoptheserenity.com to find a charity screening in your area! It's all for a good cause!

Also, I will be at the event with a couple extra Jayne hats in tow, so if you want to pick one up directly from me there, you can send me an email (fadingendlessly[at]gmail.com) to let me know you want one, and we can work out the details.

Christmas shipping

2006-12-08T16:29:00.000-08:00

Happy Holidays to all you Browncoats!!!

Just thought I'd post a little update to say that at this point, any new orders that come in CANNOT be guaranteed to be delivered before December 22nd (the last mail delivery before Christmas). If you would like express shipping (Purolator International to the US, or Xpresspost/Priority Courier within Canada), please email me (fadingendlessly[at]gmail.com) and I can quote you a new price, and send you a new PayPal link, if you're interested. Please Note, however, that you should let me know BEFORE December 18th, so I have time to actually KNIT you a hat! ;)

Thanks again guys!!

Shipping in time for Christmas

2006-11-28T16:31:00.000-08:00

For those looking for a Jayne hat to give to that special brown-coated-someone for Christmas, please note that you should probably let me know within the next week or so, or it might not make it in time!

The suggested send-by mailing date to the U.S. is December 8th for Airmail! So if you order after December 8th, i can't guarantee that it will get to you in time for Christmas. However, if after December 8th you would like to arrange for quicker postage, please email me (fadingendlessly[at]gmail.com) and I can quote you a different shipping price!

Thank you to all who have made my little shop a success!

Paypal Added!

2006-08-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

I have added a PayPal option to the site on the order page. Now you can buy my hats by credit card through PayPal! Yay!! An extra $2 fee has been added to the PayPal price in order to set off PayPal fees. Thanks to all who are interested!!!

Jayne Hats & The Toronto Serenity Charity Screening

2006-06-06T16:35:00.000-07:00

Almost exactly a year after the first wave of Serenity pre-screenings, Toronto Browncoats are gathering for another big-screen viewing of our favourite movie: Serenity. My Jayne hats will be featured as a raffle prize this month in Toronto at Serenity Now/Equality Now: a world-wide, big-screen charity screening of Serenity to raise funds for Equality Now (one of Joss Whedon's favourite charities).

The Toronto screening will be hosted by the Toronto chapter of the Canadian Browncoats, and takes place at 4pm Saturday June 24th, 2006, at The Royal Cinema (608 College Street, Toronto). Please join us and help us raise money for a worthy cause!!

More details about Serenity Charity Screenings taking place in Canada, including Toronto, Vancouver, and Montreal is available at www.can'tstoptheserenity.com. For information regarding Serenity Charity Screenings worldwide, please visit the Serenity Now/Equality Now website.

Here at Ma Cobb's Hat Shoppe we are committed to providing quality orange-ish hats to all of our customers.

I'm still taking orders, and churning out hats, even though there's been quite a lull since the Christmas rush, so keep the orders comin'!

Hats are a facimile of the hat that Ma Cobb knit for her son Jayne Cobb for his travels through the 'verse on the Firefly Class transport vessel Serenity in the aptly titled Joss Whedon television show Firefly (airing in syndication The Sci-Fi Channel in the U.S. and The Space Channel in Canada).

My hats were a smash hit at the Toronto super-con SFX/The Canadian National Exhibition, where they were being sold for charity by the Canadian Browncoats at the Serenity fan-table.

Go here to see a short excerpt from the Space channel's HypaSpace program, in which they did an interview with Adam Baldwin about the orange hat. Yours truly can also be seen acting like a complete dork in this video. Hint: I'm the one in the orange hat! Thanks to Rob, my fellow Canadian Browncoat, for sending me the video!

Also, if you are Canadian and a Browncoat, you might want to consider joining up with some fellow Canadian Browncoats. Meet some other wacky (but not scary) flans, win some very shiny 'verse-related prizes (posters, t-shirts, and swag) and even attend some mighty fine Shindigs in your area! We have a very friendly community, so feel free to join us! Everyone is welcome! We almost never throw anyone out of the airlocks, promise! ;)