Curious Crafter

How To Wear a Scarf

2011-10-05T08:38:00.004-06:00

Since I love to make scarves and wear them I thought this chart was a great resource to have.

Playful Decor: Featured Designer & DIY Slipcover Giveaway!

2011-10-01T14:54:00.000-06:00

Playful Decor: Featured Designer & DIY Slipcover Giveaway!: As my regular readers know, I've been in a sofa dilemma for some time now. They were perfect at our old house, but we moved last year and I ...

Two-Year-Blogiversary L’Equip NutriMill Grain Mill Giveaway! | Hallee The Homemaker

2011-08-04T00:24:00.000-06:00

Two-Year-Blogiversary L’Equip NutriMill Grain Mill Giveaway! | Hallee The Homemaker

Toad's Treasures: EASY Free Owl Pattern and Tutorial

2011-06-18T19:55:00.000-06:00

Toad's Treasures: EASY Free Owl Pattern and Tutorial

I just adore these little owls stuffed animals AKA softies. I plan to make one for darling 6 yr old daughter and soon to be born grandson! WOOT WOOT! (Or should I say WHOO WHOO!)

Chicken and Blossoms Knotty Apron Dress by MissMermaidShop on Etsy

2011-06-13T21:48:00.000-06:00

Chicken and Blossoms Knotty Apron Dress by MissMermaidShop on Etsy

Little Miss YaYa would love this dress. She adores chickens, dresses and the little apron would delight her.
I saw this chicken fabric at JoAnn the other day. It is the first print I have seen that doesn't look like it should be only in the kitchen.
Miss YaYa's favorite color is pink, which is the color of her bedroom now. My ideas was to add red gingham to the mix and then decorate with chickens.

I Just Won 10 Swag Bucks on www.swagbucks.com

2011-06-11T22:21:00.000-06:00

I Just Won 10 Swag Bucks on www.swagbucks.com

YIPPEE!! I only need 50 more to get a $5.00 Amazon gift certificate.

Free♥ Pretty ♥Things ♥For ♥You: ♥Jimmy Pickles $25 voucher Giveaway! ♥

2011-02-09T14:43:00.000-06:00

*Free♥ Pretty ♥Things ♥For ♥You*: ♥Jimmy Pickles $25 voucher Giveaway! ♥: "Now It's YOUR turn to WIN your very OWN Jimmy Pickles Original!! The Lucky Girl will walk away with $25 worth of..."

Dolls And Daydreams: Eco Friendly Doll House PDF Pattern Giveaway!!!

2010-08-14T18:03:00.000-06:00

*Dolls And Daydreams*: Eco Friendly Doll House PDF Pattern Giveaway!!!: "To celebrate finishing my Eco Friendly PDF Doll House Pattern and opening my first ever Etsy Shop I thought I’d have a giveaway!

Sarah’s hosting a fabulous Giveaway over at Dolls And Daydreams for her Eco Friendly Doll House PDF pattern!
Let your children’s imaginations grow whilst learning about recycling at the same time!
I’ve entered, how about you? Fingers crossed!! Good luck everyone!!

I found another honey bun giveaway!

2010-03-23T01:53:00.000-06:00

Lookie here, another honey bun giveaway at Sew Plain.
Granted this one isn't rolled into it's typical bun shape, instead it has been looked at and fondled and contemplated and then bundled up waiting for the perfect project.
http://sewplain.blogspot.com/2010/03/my-1st-ever-giveaway.html

Moda happens to have a bag to make with this collection here.

It is from a Moda collection called Mill House
I would love to give this honey bun a home and find a project for it.

HEY! I do have aproject for it, one of the reasons that I even know what a honey bun is!
It is for the Carry Me Bag created by Bunny Hill Designs.

Layer Cake fabric giveaway

2010-03-23T01:13:00.000-06:00

Oh, I just have to post about this giveaway for your choice of a layer cake fabric collection at Our Cozy Nest.
I have wanted a layer cake or honey bun of fabric for so long just because I would relish the variety of colors and how they are put together. And I love the packaging too.
The creator and author of Our Cozy Nest has a darling tutorial for embellishing t-shirts using a honey bun over at Moda Fabrics Bakeshop, follow this link, T-Shirt Tutorial.
So when I came across this giveaway I knew I had to enter. If you want to enter, hurry up there are only a few hours left.

Does the sewing bug run in your family?

2010-03-09T23:51:00.000-06:00

I have three daughters, one does not prefer to sew or really do any crafting with the exception of scrapbooking. She is creative and may take on a project like flower arranging, but only when the need surfaces, not because she is obsessed like her mother!

My 2nd daughter dabbles in a multitude of crafts and does like to sew, but rarely does. She is a teenager and has far too many other life experiences to see and do. When she is older I do believe she will return to her love of crafts and also start sewing again.

Daughter number 3 is only four years old, but I think she is going to be my crafting companion. Every day she asks to go in my craft room. She loves to touch and play with my ribbons, lace and fabrics. She calls the fabric scraps "babies" and we keep them in a giant wicker basket. She doesn't let me throw away any pieces of fabric or ribbon, even thread, but instead wants to keep them as "treasures" (her word). She looks at patterns and decides which she wants me to sew and picks out the fabric from my stash. Yes, I do believe she is already hooked.

I have also acquired a delightful daughter-in-law who is crafty, artsy and creative beyond compare. I feel like a childish amateur next to her, but I do love sharing our mutual love of crafting and her work in all areas is simply amazing. She paints, creates pottery, draws, photographs, scrapbooks and so much more.
She has a gorgeous photography business you can check out at Hanle Productions.

My mother did not like to sew. She grew up wearing handmade items that her mother made. In the photographs I have seen her clothes were lovely and didn't look handmade in the least, but her heart desired a store bought wardrobe. Perhaps she put up a "block" to the idea of sewing. She definitely was creative. She always had beautifully decorated homes, she was a desktop designer and publisher, she arranged flowers, and dressed well.

In her family there were also three daughters and only one inherited her mother's sewing gene. My aunt sews well and creates unique as well as gorgeous items. She sewed her only daughter's wedding dress and it turned out perfect. She recently started quilting and her choice of color and patterns amaze me, they are striking.

I was bit by the sewing bug rather young, with a needle, thread and scraps from the rag basket I fashioned atrocious clothes for my dolls and lopsided blankets. In junior high I took a sewing class for home ec. and made a handkerchief shirt, I was hooked. That year Mom bought me a sewing machine for Christmas. I had that old Singer for many years. About 10 years ago I traded it in for a Babylock. I still miss that machine, not only for the sentimentality of it, but that machine ran GREAT! I seldom had to bring it in for repairs. It was fast, heavy duty and easy to operate.

HP TouchSmart 600 PC Reviews With 5 Ways to Win One For Yourself!

2009-12-23T03:27:00.001-06:00

Look at some of the features of the HP TouchSmart 600. It looks like an amazing machine.

Instantly launch your favorite apps from HP TouchSmart Home
Experience the best of the Web—Hulu, Netflix, Twitter, Rhapsody, and more—in touch-enabled style
Import recipes from the Web; enter your own, and easily manage with HP Recipe Box
"Write" search criteria with your finger using the new search interface
Use touch to edit photos, and to choose songs and create playlists
Create and share collages with a simple touch using HP TouchSmart Canvas
Use your voice to zoom, rotate, and invert photos
Create professional -looking videos, slide shows, and movies
Watch HD movies on the Blu-ray player; burn and edit home videos
Bookmark favorite movie scenes
Watch, pause, and record TV with the included tuner and remote

Interested in trying to win one? Check out this link at Totally Together Reviews.

I found another giveaway

2009-12-23T02:37:00.002-06:00

This one is for the Tassimo Home Brewing Machine at The Nothing But Bonfires Blog. I admit I LOVE beverages! Coffee is my hands-down favorite hot beverage but I also enjoy Oregon Chai, creamy hot chocolate, yummy mochas and hot tea. So when I saw this contest I knew I had to enter. I hope you will too. Enter the contest here.

All Modern Baby toy giveaway

2009-12-23T01:45:00.002-06:00

I wanted to post about this great toy giveaway at Oops I Craft My Pants! I have been inspired at this blog with holiday ideas and just love these toys they are giving way. I thought you might like a chance to win too. Enter here.

Merry Christmas!

I Love Giveaways!

2009-07-09T03:23:00.005-06:00

It is obvious isn't it that I love giveaways?
Well, I also like to support the blog world and fellow crafters which is why I take the time to link them to my blog.
By having the link on my blog I can revisit "friends" I may have forgot about.
I also like the new Follow feature on Google Friends.

Well, here is another giveaway I stumbled on at CT Publishing Blog, who just happen to be one of my favorites for quilting and crafting books. They have a Grab B ag Giveaway for you and while you are checking it out join their newsletter as they often post other giveaways.

I found another contest at Candle Lite Quilter blog who is giving away a TERRIFIC assortment of fabric, which includes 2 charm packs put together by her quilt store and two 1/2 yard cuts of Nature's Chorus by April Cornell. She is celebrating her 100th post, so hop on over to her blog and celebrate with her!

Do you like to crochet or want to learn? Here is an excellent opportunity because Sew Take a Hike has written an adorable Market Bag Pattern and she is giving away one of the finished bags as well as copies of her new and beautiful pattern. Please visit her blog where you will find some great tutorials as well as some gorgeous photography. She has an Etsy shop where you can buy her creations or the new pattern for the Market Bag.

Go Make Your Bed at Dark Horse Farm Designs is giving away a whole quilt! It is lovely and colorful. Check out her blog and the giveaway before the 12th of July.

Have fun checking out those blogs and entering the contests.

Sew Fun Quilts Birthday Giveaway

2009-07-08T03:16:00.000-06:00

This is a generous giveaway because Sew Meow wants to share her birthday with us by adding 18 sewing related gifts to the package we could win. Please check out her blog Sew Fun Quilts.

Quilt Qua Giveaway

2009-07-08T02:57:00.001-06:00

I found yet another giveaway at Quilt Qua where you can win1 Frosted Memories Fat Quarter Bundle by Holly Taylor for Moda Fabrics !
I just discover the Quilting Qua site and I think it will be one I return to as it has some great features.

Christmas in July Giveaway

2009-07-08T02:48:00.000-06:00

I found another fabulous giveaway at Barb's Creations Blog. She is celebrating Christmas in July and has put together a generous assortment of items to be given away.
Check it out!

Birthday Giveaway at I'm Just a Guy Who Quilts

2009-07-08T02:41:00.000-06:00

These are a three of the prizes I'm Just a Guy Who Quilts is giving away in honor of his July Birthday. Hop on over to his blog for your own chance to win!

All Things Lime at The Secret Stitch Club

2009-07-01T15:53:00.001-06:00

Please stop over to this blog where you will find a delicious step-by-step recipe for Key Lime Cupcakes and a giveaway for a bright, cheerful lime-colored apron.
Find it at The Secret Stitch Club blog.

GIVEAWAY, Amy Butler tote kit

2009-07-01T11:04:00.002-06:00

The Fabric Shopper is featuring a terrific giveaway right now. It is an Amy Butler Frenchy Bag patterns AND the fabric to complete one! It sure is adorable. I would love to win this! If you'd like a chance. enter the giveaway by visiting the Fabric Shopper blog.

Sheree's Alchemy

2009-07-01T10:19:00.005-06:00

Sheree is a a delightful presence in the sewing world.
Not only does she create beautiful quilts, clothing and totes, but she also designs her own patterns.
Additionally, she is sharing her passion for sewing by offering classes to kids.
I was involved in a swap with her a couple years ago and was tickled with the fabric fat quarters she sent me.
She is also so very generous and has numerous giveaways for fabric and patterns.
This week she is featuring a giveaway with a box stuffed with delicious fabric scraps and an Amy Butler patterns, see the photo below.
Check out her giveaway at her blog.
Also visit her shop where she sells her amazing creations. She has another shop featuring fabrics.

Another great giveaway from Marcus fabrics

2009-06-22T02:56:00.001-06:00

Another great giveaway from Marcus fabrics called the American Pastimes collection.
Visit The Fabric Shopper blog to enter for yourself.

Sis Boom Day Dreams Fat Quarter Giveaway

2009-06-22T02:45:00.002-06:00

There is another giveaway at Sis Boom Day Dreams featuring their gorgeous fabrics.
Be sure to check it out.

Fabric Tea Sets

2009-06-22T01:27:00.000-06:00

I just love the look of fabric tea party sets and I think my darling daughter would love one!
Here are some I found online.

Lilian Vernon has these two fabric tea sets that are too cute.

Check out these adorable tea sets made by Jodi at her Ric Rac Blog.

Here is one at Pottery Barn, which is sadly no longer available.

Here is a cute little set, perfect for taking to the park.

I would love to sew our own tea set, but I haven't found a pattern.
If you know of one, please leave me a comment with a link to the source, I'd sure appreciate it.

Great Fabric Giveaway!

2009-06-21T23:51:00.004-06:00

A fellow sewing pal is busy launching her own clothing patterns and has set up a new online store for her darling girl's clothing, and much more.
She is cleaning out her fabric stash and giving some away.
Check it out at Sheree's Alchemy Blog.

trackback for the giveaway

Teapot with cinnamon sticks

2009-06-21T01:52:00.000-06:00

Bule
Originally uploaded by Atelier Artes do Campo by Neide Galindo

This is adorable, I can almost smell the cinnamon...

Quilted Tea Set

2009-06-21T01:47:00.000-06:00

Quilted Tea Set
Originally uploaded by PatchworkPottery

The creator of this tea set added beautiful embroidery and I lvoe the color choices.

fabric tea set

2009-06-21T01:46:00.000-06:00

fabric tea set
Originally uploaded by sedars13

I think this tea set on Flickr is so cute. I do not know if it is store bought or hand made.

Recent Projects

2009-06-20T00:13:00.000-06:00

I sell my embellished jean jackets at a local gift shop. The jackets are bought used or pre-owned although most are in new condition. I then hand knit cuffs and collars using fun combinations of yarns. The knitted pieces are hand stitched to the jacket. Often appliques are added.

Teapot pillow

2009-06-19T02:02:00.000-06:00

Teapot pillow
Originally uploaded by PatchworkPottery

Patchwork Pottery has created another delightful teapot, this one is a pillow! Who woulda thunk it????

Quilted Teapot & Lavender Teabags

2009-06-19T01:50:00.000-06:00

Quilted Teapot & Lavender Teabags
Originally uploaded by PatchworkPottery

This teapot is so lovely! It almost a shame it can't be used for real tea!

Craft Items at Ramshackled Treasures

2009-06-14T14:05:00.001-06:00

These are items I have made and have on consignment at Ramshackled Treasures. Knitting and felting are relaxing and rewarding for me. How the yarn changes once felted is a marvel and the texture is never the same.

Summer Sewing For Norah

2009-06-14T13:42:00.000-06:00

I found this fabric while out shopping with my Aunt and my Gramma.
We don't usually have character stuff as we watch little TV and do not have cable or satellite. However, Norah was given a Strawberry Shortcake doll and blanket for her 1st birthday and she loves them.
She sleeps with them both at night and has to be covered with her blanket no matter how warm it is.
She calls Strawberry Shortcake "Cookie".
I thought it would be fun to sew up some summer clothes with this light cotton fabric.

This sweet fabric is a bright sunny yellow. It says, "Jesus and me", "He is Love", "He gives me friends that make me laugh."
.

This is the pattern I plan to use for shorts and shirts.
I'll also be making sundresses and matching bloomers. Norah loves dresses and wears one nearly every day..

Ramshackled Treasures

2009-06-11T14:57:00.000-06:00

This a a great store in our small town of Zimmerman. There are a variety of vendors, and old items mixed with new. Here is their website: Ramshackled Treasures
You can sign up for a newsletter when you visit the site.

Sewing

2009-05-18T09:21:00.000-06:00

I have been thinking about my sewing journey. It is the one craft that I return to over and over again.
Yes, I am a knitting/felting addict, but it causes muscle spasms in my arms so I try to space myself, exercise my arms and visit my chiropractor.
But sewing doesn't hurt!
Okay, cutting out patterns or quilt blocks gets hard on my back, but if I can do it on the counter or sitting down I can cut, sew, and plan forever!
I am currently sewing in my son's old room. He moved out last summer because he got married!!!! The room is supposed to go to my daughter, but somehow my crafting things have been finding their way in there. Now I really shouldn't take the room over, but I just covet this space.
I didn't learn to love sewing until I was 22. I took a class in junior high, but it was awful.
When my first baby was born and she was a girl I wanted to make cute clothes for her. And back then, sewing was cheaper than buying clothes. I don;t think that is the case any longer.
I still had the Singer sewing machine my Mom had bought me when I was 12. My darling mother-in-law helped me along the way and I sewed a dress and pinafore for my Chandra. By the time I had three children I was sewing all their summer clothes, all of Carissa's clothes, most of Chandra's clothes, hair scrunchies, shoe decorations, big hair bows and clothes for myself.

Links about Minnesota

2008-09-16T15:31:00.000-06:00

Minnesota Unit Study
http://homeschooling.about.com/cs/unitssubjgeog/a/susmn.htm

Minnesota Historical Society
http://www.mnhs.org/index.htm

Explore Minnesota
http://www.exploreminnesota.com

Minnesota Zoo
http://www.mnzoo.com/

Como Zoo
http://www.comozooconservatory.org/

A Taste of Minnesota
http://www.tasteofmn.org/

The Walker Art Center
http://www.walkerart.org/index.wac

Information and Lesson Plans About Minnesota
http://www.cloudnet.com/~edrbsass/edmin.htm

Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra
http://www.thespco.org/page.cfm?id=1

The Guthrie Theater
http://www.guthrietheater.org/

Valleyfair
http://www.valleyfair.com/

Minnesota State Fair
http://www.mnstatefair.org/

Minnesota State Capitol
http://www.mnhs.org/places/sites/msc/

Grandma Evie's 85th Birthday

2008-03-21T18:11:00.002-06:00

Memorial Day at Gramma Lana's

2008-03-21T18:10:00.003-06:00

Shadrack and Jorge's List of Pros and Cons

2008-03-21T18:10:00.002-06:00

Marriage in the U.S.:

Pros:

-Shadrack´s family & Friends would be happy

-Pastor Jim would marry us

-Better job opportunities after marriage

-More time to save money (because we´d get married in May or June, possibly even July)

Cons:

-Expensive application fee of 455 dollars

-No guarantee they’ll give the visa

-Nearly impossible to plan a wedding date, since we don´t know when they would grant the visa

Marriage in Peru:

Pros:

-We could get married sooner!

-More security in applying for the visa

-Much cheaper wedding and honeymoon

-Less of a shock for Jorge

Cons:

-Probably having to live in Jorge´s room for a few months

-Financial insecurity, since jobs would be harder to get

Cousin Comes For a Visit

2008-03-21T18:09:00.004-06:00

CoCo's Photos

2008-03-21T18:09:00.002-06:00

CoCo's Photos

Co-Co is experimenting with the camera and trying out some creative stuff with the camera and Photshop. Here is some of his work.
Look closely. Can you guess what it is?
It is the Big Dipper.
He set the shutter speed slower and mounted it on a tri-pod.

Here is another one with the shutter speed even slower.

Using your mouse with your non-dominant hand

2008-03-21T18:08:00.003-06:00

I was looking on the web for a way to solve a mouse button problem I am having with my optical mouse and I stumbled upon this interesting article and idea.
The author recommends using your other hand when using your mouse. The author explains how it helps brain function.
Another article shares this added benefit, less wear, pain and fatigue on your dominant hand.
So I tried it for about 10 seconds and was frustrated. I am EXTREMELY right dominant and very uncoordinated. I can not even do simple aerobic steps without tripping over myself. But I have decided to take some time and implement this new habit. I'll just pretend I have a cast or something on my right hand.
Let me know what you think about this?
Are you going to try it?
Would it be easier on left-handed people because they are quite adroit in using various products in a "right-handed" world?

WARNING!

2008-03-21T18:08:00.001-06:00

Watch out for this scam!

I hate for people to forward those pesky "warnings" as much as anyone, but this one is important! I hope I'm not too late. Send this warning to everyone on your e-mail list.

If someone comes to your front door saying they are conducting a survey on deer ticks that carry Lyme Disease, and asks you to take your clothes off and dance around to shake off the ticks, do not do it!

IT IS A SCAM; they only want to see you naked.

I wish I'd gotten this yesterday. I feel so stupid now...

Printable Chore Charts

2008-03-21T13:31:00.001-06:00

I have been looking at a few different chore charts and thought I would share my findings with you.

From PaintedGold.com
Tons of printable charts at ChartJungle, like homework charts, daily schedule, housework, printable games and more.
Print out custom charts at DLTK.
This chart at Printable Checklists has graphics for the non-reader child. It is cute.

Tea set

2008-03-15T15:06:00.000-06:00

I REALLY want to make a set like this for Norah and my nieces. If anyone has a pattern or knows of one, please let me know where I can get it?

What's For Dinner Tomight?

2008-01-21T14:36:00.000-06:00

I do not get to watch her show as frequently as I would like because of homeschool schedule, getting meals made and tending to our rambunctious 21/2 year old, but I do love to watch Rachael Ray.
Sweet Waby asked me what I like about her and I explained that I like her vibrant personality and what I appreciate about her recipes is she cooks like me! She throws in this and that, rarely measures with spoons or cups and gives you tips for adapting a recipe to what you may have on hand. Though she does sometimes get elaborate with ingredients, most of her recipes are everyday foods that I usually have in my kitchen.
When I watch her shows I often get inspired by her What's For Dinner Tonight? segment. It is easy to get in a cooking rut and a few of her recipes can get me enjoying cooking again.

Here is the recipe for what we had for supper tonight, Fish with Chowder Gravy and Sour Cream and Chive Smashed Potatoes.

We used the fish we had in the freezer which was White Pollock, I'm sure you could substitute any firm, white fish. Halibut was Rachael Ray's choice and is usually out of our price range. :-)

After the bacon was about halfway done I added one finely chopped up carrot. I like to add a little color and a little more nutrition in my recipes. I also used green onion instead of white as we love the flavor of green. However, if I would have had red onion on hand I would have used that.

Here is the Chowder Gravy. The bacon added a delicious, smoky flavor. We all agreed that this by itself would make a VERY tasty soup, just thin it out a bit with more half & half and chicken stock.

Sweet Waby smashed the potatoes.
Here he is picking out some chives because he accidentally used the WHOLE package. OOPS!!!
They turned out VERY YUMMY! He added a little milk and a TBSP of BUTTER for extra creaminess and we only used half the sour cream Rachel Ray did because Steve doesn't like sour cream. Sweet Waby also added pepper, a sprinkle of dried garlic and a few shakes of his favorite spice.

And here is our finished product!
EVERYONE loved it even Ya-Ya. StebieJo wants it again.

Our Lovies

2007-11-21T14:29:00.000-06:00

Special Delivery

2007-06-14T23:51:00.000-06:00

We got a very scrumptious delivery all the way from across the pond!
My friend sent us a variety of British treats, including Turkish Delight. In one of our favorite books, Chronicles of Narnia, a boy betrays his brother and sisters for some Turkish Delight. We would like to know what kind it was because this tasted much different than the Turkish Delight that we tried at our homeschool group. Nicho said that had come from Turkey.
I loved the Treacle Toffee! MMMM.

My Felting Creations

2007-06-14T17:33:00.000-06:00

These are my fun, mindless creations!
I just sit and knit until I think the dimensions are okay. Then I stitch up the sides, leave a flap and felt it in my washing machine. I have a front loader washing machine and they do not felt well at all. However, it works find for these smaller pieces because I can let them spin. NOTHING spins like a top loader!!! I can also further SHOCK my felt by dumping boiling water on it, with a wee bit of laundry soap, agitating it and hitting it with a potato masher and then rinse it in COLD, COLD water. After I shape it and let it dry for a few days I make a design on the front with dry needle felting.
Confession time: The top one was SO ugly after I felted. I thought, "How can I send this to someone??" I added the green because that was her favorite color. I didn't have the green when I started the pouch. So my mind went crazy thinking how I could make it more appealing. I added more green with overhand stitching on the sides and then tried different needle felting designs. Nothing was looking good so I ripped them out. I turned to beads for some sparkle on the sides, Rissy picked out the orange button and that is what inspired me to add the sun. Then came the sparkled spirals. The bead work took a bit of time, but it was relaxing to sit and hand sew during American Idol. :-0
It is the pouch I get the MOST compliments on. Isn't that funny! Just like an ugly duckling story.

These were my first coin purses:

I love the two tone blue one and how nice the flap curved. The ribbing in the taupe one is cool, but I don't recall if I did that on purpose or not.

Purse Swap

2007-06-14T16:04:00.000-06:00

This is the purse I sent for the Swapbot Purse Swap. She likes Asian things and for some reason this purse looked Asian to me, maybe it is the tiger paw. It is a high quality purse and well-made; I think it is classy looking in a hip sort of way. The recipient is a doula and when I saw this bag it also reminded me a wee bit of the black medical bags of old, so it seemed doubly fitting.

These are the goodies I put in her purse.

This is the purse and goodies I received for the purse swap. I think this purse is SO cute! Rissy tried to take it from me!
Purse swaps are hard for me to resist. Probably because it is so laborious to shop for purses. Additionally I get to try style I might not pick out for myself.

Birthday Flowers

2007-06-14T13:44:00.000-06:00

I received these lovely flowers for my birthday.

My sweet Mom sent these to me. Carnations are one of my favorites and purple carnations are even better! I love it when Fed Ex comes to the door! :-)

Views From My House

2007-06-14T13:35:00.000-06:00

My yard. I love how peaceful it is here.
Funny, when we moved in the trees were so small. Most of them we planted ourselves. All the pines were planted as bareroot stock.
We still don;t have any squirrels though, maybe because we don't have oaks.

Flowers in my yard

2007-06-14T13:28:00.000-06:00

Here are some of the flowering delights in my otherwise mangy yard.

I LOVE lilacs. I wish they bloomed longer.

birdies hanging out

2007-06-02T21:39:00.001-06:00

hanging out
Originally uploaded by drewzel.

Birdie Brooch

2007-06-02T21:36:00.001-06:00

Pregadeira Pássaro Diva
Originally uploaded by Carla M. (Birra de Sono).

This little birdie would look nice on my purse.

Miss Lemoncello

2007-06-02T21:34:00.001-06:00

Miss Lemoncello
Originally uploaded by Alicia Paulson.

Maybe someone who loves me can make me a
sweet birdie in a cage....
I'll put it in my upcoming inspiration room.

little spring birdy (sent)

2007-06-02T21:33:00.001-06:00

little spring birdy (sent)
Originally uploaded by drewzel.

This is the first little birdie I came across, the one that made me love these crafty bird creations.

bird purse

2007-06-02T21:30:00.001-06:00

bird purse
Originally uploaded by Handpicked.

Have you ever seen a bird purse before? Isn't she lovely?
Make me think SPRING!!!

flock of birds

2007-06-02T21:29:00.001-06:00

flock of birds closeup
Originally uploaded by wishfactory.

Here is another set of bird beauties I found!

Easter Tree Hangers

2007-06-02T21:24:00.001-06:00

Easter Tree Hangers
Originally uploaded by Vintage Pleasure.

Isn't this just BEAUTIFUL?!
I am really liking birdies lately, which all started with a lovely, simple bird embroidery I saw.

Prospective MiniVan

2007-05-27T15:07:00.000-06:00

I test drove this van twice and love it! It is smooth and handles like a car. It doesn't have a whole lot of leg room in the back seat or sotrage room in the cargo area.
The color is a soft silvery green.
Husband is still holding out for an Astro van.

My swap from FunToScrap

2007-05-12T21:07:00.001-06:00

My swap from FunToScrap
Originally uploaded by sylviascreation.

I sent this package to Denmark for the Fat Quarter Swap.
I chose the fabric because many of the bags she makes have a nautical look to them., I also liked the various nations on the flags. The red furry trim is so soft and I thought it might make a great addition to one of her purses.

ugly friends

2007-05-08T17:50:00.002-06:00

This was a very fun package I received in the Round Robin talent swap. We each made 2 somethings, one to send to our partner and then we sent another to the person that sent to us.
YaYa has been carrying them around for days.

Knitting Sheep Schwap

2007-05-01T16:08:00.000-06:00

Norah was so excited when I opened this box.
She gasped with excitement. So which is cuter? This adorable toddler?

Or this wonderful package of yarn and sheep?

Norah claimed the lambs and sheep and rocked them all like babies.

And not only did I get a great package, but I got a nice note too.

I just love it when swaps turn out this wonderful! :-)

Jar of Whimsy for April

2007-05-01T15:31:00.000-06:00

Somewhere on this blog I posted about the jar of whimsy I received. I think I was the first one in the swap to get one. I love my jar and use it to hole my candy that I get from swaps.
I had a hard time making the pincushion on the top for mine. I tried a few methods and looked online for ideas, but I just didn't get a nice poof on the top. Maybe I used the wrong batting. My partner loves the colors of autumn so I picked things with that in mind. I gave her the lamb and some yarn because she is a knitter.

And the winner is...

2007-05-01T15:12:00.000-06:00

Brooke!
I had a drawing for those who signed my guest book for the months of March and April.
Congratulations, Brooke.
Later I will post a photo of what she received.

another page

2007-04-21T17:58:00.001-06:00

Charlies Swap-bot Angel - page 8
Originally uploaded by Willow Tree.

I am not posting ALL the pages, but just wanted you to see how colorful and creative the pages are.

Album page 5

2007-04-21T17:57:00.001-06:00

Charlies Swap-bot Angel - page 5
Originally uploaded by Willow Tree.

I can't wait until I figure out what to use this album for. Do you have any ideas?

Paper bag album page 4

2007-04-21T17:56:00.003-06:00

Charlies Swap-bot Angel - page 4
Originally uploaded by Willow Tree.

Love that little pouch.

Paper Bag Album page 3

2007-04-21T17:56:00.001-06:00

Charlies Swap-bot Angel - page 3
Originally uploaded by Willow Tree.

Isn't it great?

Paper bag album

2007-04-21T17:55:00.001-06:00

Charlies Swap-bot Angel - page 2
Originally uploaded by Willow Tree.

An inside look at the bag album. I'll be posting more.

Charlie Swap-bot Angel Paper Bag Album

2007-04-21T17:53:00.001-06:00

Charlie Swap-bot Angel Sent - Cover
Originally uploaded by Willow Tree.

WillowTree had read that I did not receive a paper bag album because my partner "flaked". So she offered to make one even though she had never doen so before.
So this is what arrived in the mail today and all I can say is WOW!
Okay, I can think of a few more things to say like, WOW and DOUBLE WOW!

It is so beautiful and colorful and unique and precious! Thank you so very much.
I just love it.

Flat Goodies Swap

2007-04-21T03:20:00.000-06:00

These are two flat goodie packages I just sent out. One goes to Stafforshire in the UK and one goes to Malaysia.
They each like Hello Kitty so I actually bought Hello Kitty stuff just for them. The gal in the UK uses Kool Aid to dye wool and stated it is hard to come by in the UK; so I sent her some.
The gal in Malaysia likes stickers so I gathered some from my plethora of scrapbooking stickers. Even with the smaller swaps like this I check my partner's profile and try to send things they like. That is my favorite part of swapping!
I was hesitant to do another flat goodies swap because the last time I got a lot of magazine pages and calendar pages.
I was disappointed.
In yet another flat goodies I received items that I couldn't use.
Although I have received a few wonderful packages, like this one. So I decided to try again.
Well, today I received both of MY flat goodies packages and they are delightful. Very diverse and fun. I will upload pictures later.

Delightful

2007-04-21T03:19:00.001-06:00

Delightful Norah
Originally uploaded by FunToScrap.

I just look at her and smile.
She is a bundle of happiness.
And SO CUTE too!

Handmade Bag Swap

2007-04-21T02:17:00.000-06:00

You've seen the handmade bags I have sent out on my other posts, here, here, here, and here.

This is a bag I received.

The quality and workmanship are wonderful. The fabric is a delightful combination of colors. Notice in the upper right she put a fabric covered button in the center of one of the designs. It is a nice touch. She also made a matching coin/card purse which is lined with felt.
The center picture shows some goodies she put in the bag for me.

2007-04-21T01:57:00.000-06:00

Here are two of my sweet girls.
Oh, how my heart is full of love and hope for them.
I thank the Lord for the gift of being their mother.
Lord, grant me wisdom in being their mom,
help me to make the right decisions - rooted and grounded in love.

Dilettante

2007-04-21T01:26:00.000-06:00

I discovered a new word today and it sounds a bit like me! I love art, I love crafts, but I really am just so-so, truly an amateur. But I enjoy what I do.

dilettante definition

n. pl. dil·et·tantes also dil·et·tan·ti
1. A dabbler in an art or a field of knowledge.

---------------------------

Noun

Singular
dilettante

Plural
dilettantes or dilettanti

dilettante (plural dilettantes or dilettanti)

A person who enjoys the arts.
An amateur, someone who dabbles in a field out of casual interest rather than as a profession or serious interest.
A person with a broad but superficial interest in an art or a branch of knowledge. (Sometimes derogatory.)

March Secret Pal Swap

2007-04-21T01:11:00.000-06:00

I knitted and felted this orange bag and gave it to my secret pal.
I had a lot of fun with this swap. Every week we were given a task like, send your partner a lucky charm, send your partner an ATC about you, etc.
This was the last package she received.
I put some goodies from Peru in her bag as well as some treats for her and her son.
The necklace was a gift for her as well.

I am in another secret pal swap now.

When I was younger we attended a church that had a Secret Sisters group. It was so much fun trying to keep your identity a secret.

My Black and White Package

2007-04-21T00:45:00.000-06:00

This is the Black and White swap package I received. I loved the notepads and notecards. She had black and white plastic eggs that held chocolate. She also made me a cosmetic purse, you can see it on the left. It zips up and is made so well, excellent craftsmanship. It was a wonderful package to open!!

Handbag Swap

2007-04-15T00:29:00.001-06:00

handbags 168
Originally uploaded by sweetpeas.

Here is my bag and coin purse that I got in the mail!
This was part of the SEW KNIT CROCHET FELT QUILT EMBELLISH TOTE.
My package was a delight to open. The purse is nicely done and I enjoy the feel of the fabric.
Look to the right and you will see that the creator of this gorgeous bag added a fabric covered button. It looks so nice and adds character to the bag.
She also made that coin purse or card wallet. It is lined with felt which gives it good body and some extra durability.

Morning in Lima, Peru

2007-04-03T00:51:00.000-06:00

My first morning in Lima was so bright and sunshiny, the light filled my room and sparkled!
I woke up to birds singing and looked out the window to see lovely flowers in bloom and a tropical cactus planted across the street.
I had left behind 30 f degree weather and almost two feet of snow. The birds at home were still gone for the winter, so when I woke up and heard the chirping, it sounded so delightful.

Sign my Guestbook, get a gift

2007-04-02T01:05:00.000-06:00

My blog's been updated and hopefully, there will be more posts and pictures this week,
so please drop by again. You can also subscribe to my blog and then you wold be notified by email whenever my blog was updated.
If you sign the guest book and then drop me an email, you will be entered to win a little gift from me.
This drawing will end 4-30-2007.

Traffic in Lima

2007-04-02T00:03:00.000-06:00

I am very disappointed as I thought I had shot several pictures depicting the various modes of transportation and the traffic in Lima. However, after downloading my photos, I had only a few.
The driving in Lima is OH MY GOSH! I can´t believe people survive, seriously.
No one regards lanes and often drive down the middle of the road. A typical two or three lane road will have five or more rows of cars.
Pedestrians will cross anywhere and vehicles do not stop for them, do not slow down and just honk their horns.
There aren´t turn lanes and cars will often make a left turn from the right laneor a right hand turn from the left lane.
I have not seen any posted speed limits, which doesn´t really matter in the city because there is so much traffic that continually slows everyone down.
People drive with their horn, meaning they honk all the time: "lookout I am turning, don't get in my lane, don´t cross the street as I am not stopping, quit going so slow"....
Buses and taxis stop in the middle of the road for a pedestrian who flags them down. Some of the buses called coaster have hagglers hanging out the side trying to get passengers to ride with them. They yell out destinations and how much they charge. There ar many of them in competiton and long lines of them at intersections trying to entice people to ride.
It is crazy!!!!!

Yarn Scraps

2007-04-01T19:43:00.000-06:00

This was a GREAT swap! We each got a partner and just traded yarn remnants from our stash. The above photo is the beautiful assortment I received. The green is SO soft, I think I am going to make a lacey type of scarf on big needles that I can wear in the summer.
The orange, light gray, and the turquoise balls are of the same material and it is so cushy, I just love it. It feels like a cotton or cotton blend. The multi color ball is so fun looking! It would make a great sweater for Norah if I had more.

The bottom photo is what I sent out. My partner had posted that she likes to make scrap yarn afghans therefore, I tried to color coordinate the items. She also crochets edging on her afghans so I thought the vintage edging book would give her some stitch ideas.

I wish I knew how to knit a yarn remnant afghan, if you you know of any links or have any pictures you can direct me to, please do so in the comments section of this post. Thanks I sure would appreciate it. I am a scrap kind-of person and think I would love to create something like a remnant project.

Mail Call

2007-03-31T05:35:00.000-06:00

I LOVE mail days like this!
When there is this much good news, I don't mind the bills so much. :-)
Look at all the goodies just waiting for me to unwrap.

Bookmarks

2007-03-30T21:43:00.000-06:00

I am trying my hand at making bookmarks and am having a lot of fun. I was inspired by a bookmark swap at Swap-Bot. Now I need to make some for me!

How do you like these bookmarks?
Do you make bookmarks as gifts or for yourself?

I usually use the subscription inserts in magazines for bookmarks. I pull these nuisances out before I read my magazine as I hate the way they make the page flip and bend. They have come in handy for page markers though. :-)

Chilca, Peru

2007-03-28T22:09:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite adventures on my recent trip to Peru was the mud bath in Chilca. The black mud is beneficial for the body and the white mud for the face. I am not a believer in miracle cures (apart from God's healing power), but I will tell you my skin was so soft and smooth! And my face looked healthy and deep down clean. The lakes are mineral lakes, deep green in color and so full of salts and other minerals that you float in the water.
The water was warm as a soothing bath and because I just floated right on top it was tranquilizing, peaceful and refreshing.
I could float here ALL day!
I wish someone could make a bed that makes you feel this weightless and comfortable.

Tea Swaps

2007-03-28T21:53:00.000-06:00

Tea swaps are definitely a favorite! The turn-around is fast, the swappers all seem to follow-through and I get a great variety of teas to try.

Pick 3 Swap

2007-03-28T21:34:00.000-06:00

I had a mother/daughter duo for this swap, so instead of mailing them something to share, I mailed them each a little package. It was fun! Having 4 daughters of my own I know how much girls love packages! Even grown up girls like me love packages.

Handmade Bag Swap

2007-03-28T20:57:00.000-06:00

I knitted and felted this gorgeous bag. It has long been one of the favorite bags I have made.
This bag has been sent to Britta in Denmark and she loves it!
Included were a few little goodies based on her Swap-Bot profile.
This was for the SEW KNIT CROCHET FELT QUILT EMBELLISH TOTE Swap on Swap-Bot.

Anything You Can Do Swap

2007-03-12T21:34:00.000-06:00

This was my gift from the Anything You Can Do swap at Swap-Bot. It is a lovely package filled with several bars of homemade soap.

Knitted Bags I am Working On

2007-03-10T22:55:00.000-06:00

These are bags/purses/totes I am currently working on.
The first bag is knitted and will be felted. It will be a clutch style as it has built in handles. I love the touch of novelty yarn in the center.
The next two are felted, I need to add a handle and maybe a lining with a pocket.
Adding lining to these bags is such a drag! I can't just sew through all the layers with a machine, I have to hand sew the top and hand tack the bottom. And it takes a lot of measuring, sewing, cutting, and re-sewing to get the lining to lay right.
I didn't knit handles for any of these bags as I thought I would add something unique like beaded handles or bamboo, but nothing looks right.
This orange bag is ADORABLE! It is already felted PLUS I added dry needle felting with the cute circle/dots. It also needs a handle and lining. I ordered some handles for it, but when they arrived they were way too big. I can envision what I want, but finding the supplies is a whole 'nother matter.
The colors on the sixth bag are gorgeous with deep blue and shades of brown.
The last bag is a purse with a ruffled top edge. I think the ruffle will look cute once felted. I'm curious to see how the two colors together in the body of the bag will look.

Flat Goodies Swap

2007-03-09T16:22:00.000-06:00

Look at all this wonderful stuff I got in the mail. She just stuffed this envelope full of wonderful things like tissue paper, an address book, stickers, a magnet unique pictures, a coaster, some ribbon, scrapbooking embellishments and even tea.
I just adore packages like this.
THANK YOU!!!

Slacker Swap

2007-02-28T22:30:00.000-06:00

These two items I sent to JeweledClaws for the Slacker Swap at swap-bot.com.
The object of the swap was, "THIS SWAP IS FOR ALL YOU PEOPLE WHO WANT TO SWAP BUT DON'T HAVE GOOD RATINGS...
HERES THE DEAL... EACH PERSON WILL HAVE 2 PARTNERS, IN CASE ONE FLAKES OFF.
YOU WILL SEND 2 HOMEMADE ITEMS TO EACH OF YOUR 2 PARTNERS.
NO THEME, WHATEVER IT IS THAT YOU DO, DO IT.
MAYBE YOU CAN GET YOUR RATINGS BACK UP, EH?"

I was compelled to send 2 special items after reading her profile at Swap-Bot. She had struggled to keep up with her swaps and was so sweet about trying to make everything right.
The other funny thing is she has the same birthday as my oldest daughter, how cute is that!
And when I read that she liked altered clothing I knew I wanted to throw in one of my embellished jackets.
I hope her package gives her a measure of joy!

My First ATC

2007-02-26T21:03:00.000-06:00

Look! I made my very first ATC. Please tell me what you think of it.
I titled it "Definition of a Friend."

Winter Scarf Knit Kit Swap

2007-02-26T20:45:00.000-06:00

This is the package I sent to my Swap-Bot partner in the Winter Scarf Knit Kit Swap. Surprisingly she lives in the same state as I do!

The object of the swap was, "Brrrrr! It's cold outside! It's a great time to relax with a cup of cocoa or coffee and knit a scarf!
PLEASE read through the rules of the swap before signing up! :) DO NOT SIGN UP IF YOU AREN'T GOING TO SEND YOUR PACKAGE!!!!!!!!
Participants in this swap will exchange a Winter Scarf Knit Kit containing:
Hot drink mix (at least 2 servings)- Coffee, cocoa, tea, hot cider mix, etc.
A mug
A scarf pattern
Knitting needles to use for the project
Enough yarn to complete the scarf pattern
Minimum kit value is $20
You can give your Knit Kit a winter theme, or any theme of choice...Valentine's Day, a yarn theme...whatever you like! Get creative, and have fun! Decorate a box according to your theme. Make a handmade note card to accompany the kit. Whatever you want to do! The goal is to give your partner a warm fuzzy evening of knitting, and a warm scarf to enjoy afterwards!! "

It was loads of fun picking all this out for someone. I found a beautiful mug the exact shade of Robin's Egg Blue at Target and loved the size, probably 12-14 oz. My partner loves tea so I shared with her one of my favorites, darjeeling.
The needles are from a company called Bryspun and they are supposed to soften and become flexible in your hands as you use them.
I sent her two scarf patterns. One is called the Potato Chip scarf and I got it from
the free patte rns section at Knit Picks.
The other was a free scarf pattern at Lion Brand using Fun Fur yarn.
However, I sent her a luxurious yarn called Fizz in a dusky purple, pictured on the left.
Fizz has longer strands than Fun Fur and has a silkier feel.
I also sent a unique imported yarn, the brand is Baer and the style name is Franca. It is a blend of red and black and it looks like it would make a cute fashion scarf. I pictured it in the Potato Chip Scarf style pictured below.

More Swap goodies and ATCs

2007-02-19T01:10:00.000-06:00

Have you heard 0f ATCs? They are Artist Trading Cards and are basically a small canvas for many styles of art. I've seen them stamped, collage, drawn, painted, 3-D, quilted, fabric and computer generated. Each is unique and most artists only create one design. An Artist may create a series or a number of cards that are similar. The one photographed above says on the back that it is #3 of 5. One requirement of the cards is that they measure 2.5" x 3.5".
The cards are frequently traded or swapped and not for sale.
You can find more information at these links:
Stampington & Company
ATC Trading Card Forum and Community
Wikipedia on Artist Trading Cards
ARTIST TRADING CARDS: A COLLABORATIVE CULTURAL PERFORMANCE

These two pictures are of ATCs that I received in the mail from Swap partners. It inspired me to try my hand at ATCs and I made a few tonight. I will post them later this week.

The cool thing about swapping is even the envelopes are fun! Look at these unique ones featuring stars and another with Mickey.

And you never know just what little treasure awaits in the mailbox. This is a tiny notebook. I don't know if my swap partner assembled it or not. I will be passing it on to the little girl we sponsor who lives in San Salvador.

Quilt for my Sweeties!

2007-02-18T21:53:00.000-06:00

My Yellow Brick Road Quilt
This pattern uses fat quarters and is very easy to rotary cut and assemble. I believe it used 8-12 FQs for the throw size. It is bigger than a crib size and smaller than a twin.
I made this for my darling son and his delightful fiance for their wedding shower. It was fun to pick out the different fat quarters with them in mind and their likes. Notice the tea set, she loves tea. My son likes deep teal green so I tried to incorporate that as well.

Jean Jackets

2007-02-18T02:10:00.000-06:00

These are a work of art for me. It is strange, but the jackets almost speak to me to tell me what color and style of embellishment I should add. I have a couple more jackets at the store now that are a bit different than these in this album. Next time I work I will get pictures and add them to this album.
My neices get a new embellished jacket every year for their birthday and they always get compliments on their jackets.
I have several for sale at a local gift shop called Ramshackled Treasures.
I did make some adult and juniors jackets, however, they haven't sold as well.
The baby, toddler, and preschool sizes are by far the most popular.

My Embellished Jean Jackets