Keep Getting STITCHED

STITCHED workshops are still in full swing. The latest cool news about them is that they will be available all year - but you don't want to wait too long to get going with these great workshops.

Here's just a few of the great comments left by workshop participants...

"Just finished watching the videos for making this bag - I LOVE it!!!" 


"What a great set of videos! I'm excited to begin this project."


"Spent all afternoon watching the fab tutorials with my daughter yesterday, can't wait to have a play with them today!"


"Wow, wow, WOW!!! Just finished watching the series and am totally inspired!"


"LOVE this workshop.  So many great ideas, my mind is afire."

Click on the link below to learn more about how to register for these great workshops - there is so much goodness and talent to be seen!

Click here to view more details

Incredible Finds

I've been busy today creating Treasuries on Etsy. They can be rather addicting - browsing through all the talented works done by talented artists of all kinds.

Today I made one of my favorite Treasuries. I wanted to share it with you.  Hope you love it as much as I do!

A Calming Day

I need a calm, comforting photo in my head today. I picked this great print from a fellow Etsy seller, CharlenePrecious.

Hope you enjoy.

Happy Heart Day!

Oh, how I love vintage valentines!

Hope you have a perfect, cozy, vintage-style day!

A Door I Want to Enter

I adore the photography of Etsy artist Lesley Sico. She is able to capture such a warm, rustic, real, cozy feeling in her photos.

Here's my newest love.

Taken from http://www.etsy.com/shop/lesleysico

Almost Strawberry Season

While cleaning out some old boxes last weekend, I ran across a sweet, aged strawberry pin cushion that was in my grandmother's things. 

I honestly don't even recall seeing it at her house through the years - well, to be honest - I didn't even remember it when I saw it - but it was amongst other items that of hers - so I know it came from her house. I'm thinking that it most likely was my great-grandmothers. 

My great-grandmother was a lovely, quiet farmer's wife, who I'm sure hardly had a day of her adult life where she didn't put on one of her darling work-aprons and labor from dusk to dawn in the kitchen lovingly preparing nourishing meals for her husband and others working tirelessly on the farm. I'm touched to be able to still have several of her aprons. She passed when I was just 16 and my great-grandfather passed just a couple short years past that.

However, I digress (as I often do!). 

Back to my sweet strawberry.

Without a doubt, my little strawberry pin cushion was used as that pin depository, and also filled the pin sharpening duty as well, as it is filled with a fine emery sand. Emery sand is top-notch for sharpening pins and needles.

I've decided that this little nugget of velvet and sand can no longer hide out in a box in the attic. It's now taking front stage on one of my favorite shelves made by my dad. (I'll show you some of my dad's incredible handiwork soon!)

Geez Whiz

I love fake cheese. There, I've said it.

The ever-popular Cheez Whiz is at the top of my list of favorite fakes. It's great on sandwiches and toast, makes a great warm chip dip when mixed with canned Hormel chili, and an be added to different dishes to give it a smooth cheesy taste.

After I've eaten it all up, I use the cleaned jar for holding buttons, wool bobbles, and other little things.

But we certainly wouldn't want to use the jar "as is", now would we? So, it's time to doll them up a bit.

I like to spray paint the covers and use Modge Podge to decoupage a fun, scrapbooking paper circle on top. After the decoupage is thoroughly dry, I use Dimension Magic to add fun dimension to the paper.

Now I'm off to eat more Cheez Whiz to get more jars to decorate!

Craftstravaganza!

I'm thrilled to announce that I've been accepted into Craftstravaganza 2012!

It's an annual urban craft fair held in St. Paul, Minnesota and this year will be held on May 12. There aren't any 2012 details posted yet on their web page, but as soon as I see more information come available, I'll let you know.

I am very anxious...as well as a little nervous - because I believe it will be the largest sale I've participated in. All I know right now is that I better get busy, busy, busy!

Living in a Snowflake

Tales are told of the Christmas-loving Who's living in WhoVille - way deep inside a wonderful little snowflake.

Hmmm....I wonder "who" could be living in the ones I caught on this felted heart? Look carefully....do you see any signs of life? (If you click on the photo, it will enlarge your view. I think it's much easier to see all the tiny Who's that way.)

National Peanut Butter Day

January 24, 2012 is...

Taken from foodnetwork.com

National Peanut Butter Day

*It’s National Peanut Butter Day! Peanut butter is a staple in over 90% of American households and the average person consumes more than six pounds of peanut products each year. Women and children prefer creamy peanut butter, while most men go for the chunky variety. 

*A doctor in St. Louis created peanut butter in 1890 as a remedy for bad teeth. It became very popular with the doctor's patients, but the oil often separated from the grainy solids. In 1933, a California packer was able to homogenize the peanuts into a spreadable butter.

*Did you know that it takes 550 peanuts to make a 12 ounce jar of peanut butter? Peanuts are cholesterol free and an excellent source of protein. In fact, it’s the high protein content that causes peanut butter to stick to the roof of your mouth.

*To celebrate National Peanut Butter Day, bake some peanut butter cookies, spread some tasty peanut butter on toast, or enjoy a spoonful right out of the jar!

Taken from punchbowl.com.

 

Capturing Beauty

I love to browse Etsy - and the deeper you look the more wonderful things you find.

I have admired this Etsy shop for some time. Their shop is called ChezJolly and they take the most incredible photos. They all have a French-romantic charm to them. I love them all - but right now I'm overly smitten with this one.

If you have a moment, go check them out. You won't regret the visit.

The Daisy in the Blizzard

I created this fun treasury on Etsy today. In addition to being beautiful - I thought it was pretty darn clever and would be a wonderful children's story. If anyone is interested in writing the story and publishing it as a best-selling children's book, feel free to use my title.  :-)

Scratch and Sniff

Just kidding! Of course these photos don't have scratch-and-sniff capabilities. Or do they?

I just celebrated 25 years at my current place of employment (yup - my "day" job). I received this beautiful bouquet of flowers from my co-workers in all shades of purples. How lovely.

I think my favorites have to be the lisianthus. They are incredible! Makes my mind think-spring already!

In Preparation

I worked on a few hearts this weekend in preparation for Valentine's Day. That day of reds, pinks, chocolates, smooches, loves, hugs, and winks will be here before we know it!

I found some fantastic red and white polka dot fabric at the thrift store and couldn't resist pairing it with my wool to make some hanging hearts. I think they turned out kind of fun - even though photo-op-day was snowy and chilly! By the time I got done taking photos, my hands were red and pink from the cold!

Felted Clippings

Clip your chips. Clip you papers. Clip your bread bag. Clip your nose.

The clip-list can go on and on.

I love the old-fashioned never-out-of-style wooden clothespin. But why clip with an everyday clothespin? Felt them!

With just a little all-purpose glue, some felted scraps, and a little close trimming with a sharp scissor, you can have your own wool clothespins.

Or....if you don't want to take the time to do your own - come on over and get some in my Etsy store!  :-)