Sweet Blue August

***Etsy Again***

I was happy to find something cute and fun for Lauren. I could spend HOURS looking at all of the neat pendants at Sweet Blue August made from old Scrabble tiles!

(they'll send me a free pendant for the plug-pretty nice, eh?)(photo from SweetBlueAugust)

SheSells

***More Etsy Plugs***

I found the sweetest Linda-perfect jewelery here at SheSells.

(photos from SheSells)

I loved this shop. Wish I were more of a jewelery girl myself.

Valerie's Gallery

***Etsy Plug***

I had lots of fun shopping on Etsy this year for Christmas, and I thought I'd share what I found, now that gifts are distributed and opened.

Valerie's Gallery
I loved these little felted pots, they were even cuter in person. I want some for myself.
(photos from Valeries Gallery)
She kindly sent me a teensy pot and a couple of bracelets as a thank you!

Cozies

More fun with felted sweater bits. I made these fun ipod cozies for stocking stuffers.

Onesies

I've been wanting for awhile to try fancy-ing up some onesies, and now that there's a new girl cousin-I finally did it! I like this Ballerina one the best. I left the backs open so that they would still have some stretch-I hope that works.

I think this one is cute too, but the skirt is a touch off-level. Luckily she's too cute for anyone to pay too much attention to silly things like that.

This is really strange, but I wanted to try something with a ribbon. I think it'll be cute with some little pants, but it may just be strange.

Pinky update

Matthew's surgery went well, he's resting fairly comfortably.

Dr. said that he got it all out, a tumor in the cartilage, probably benign, pathology results next week. He called it very unusual.

He'll be in a sling for a week, then we have another appointment and physical therapy on the 31st.

Batik Quilt

I got these batiks for Jeanette in the Spring, and couldn't ever figure out how to cut them up--so I decided just to leave them in big pieces to show them off.

I consider this the front, I didn't want the ties to distract from the colors, so I tied it on the other side. I don't think the colors show up well in this picture, it really is a lovely piece in the middle.

Finally!!

I haven't been able to post pictures of all of the fun things I made...it's been so hard!

Anna told us she wanted "Ballerina Stuff" for Christmas, and Grammy Joan found me this tulle at the new thrift shop. It wasn't the easiest project I've ever done, but I think she'll like it. The bow in front is to cover up some strangeness. The back turned out great!

Merry Christmas!

Happy Birthday Matthew!

The Christmas Story

Beautiful Mary

Cute Baby Jesus

Sweater Bag

I made this for Linda's Birthday from an old sweater. I really like how it turned out.

St. Francis card

One of my favorite prayers.

6 months

**warning**

Gratuitously sad.

Fernando Ortega Christmas Songs

Fernando Ortega has become my new favorite over the past few years, so I was very excited to hear he had a Christmas album coming out.

I got it last week, and it's just what I wanted; Calm and beautiful, gentle and true.

#2, Carol of the Birds, was completely new to me. It is a lovely song.

And he just had a baby!

Surely your local Christian Bookstore would be happy to get you a copy.

Forest Creatures love Baby Jesus

Brussels Sprouts

Thursday night I made Roasted Salmon with Brussels Sprouts.

(not my photo-from MSLO)

I thought it was all pretty good, but something was a little bitter in the sprouts. The instructions told me to "trim" them, but I didn't know what that meant exactly, so maybe that's what was bitter.

Any help?

Christmas Cards

I have bunches of old Christmas cards that I love and can't bring myself to send. It's ridiculous and silly and completely antithetical to the purpose of Christmas cards.

Today it occurred to me that I could scan them, and then I would have them forever, and I could post them, and share them with lots of people, and hopefully then actually send some of them out into the world.

So from now 'til Christmas, you'll see some of my favorites.

Here's one I've had about 8 years.

Doesn't it just make you happy and proud?

The Harveyville Project

I'm always lamenting that there are so many cool craft shows and camps and clubs in other parts of the world, but not my little corner. But I'd still rather live in a small place than a "cool" one.

But this week on the CRAFT blog, I found out about a camp in Kansas!

The Harveyville Project is a retreat for artists, a home to spinning and yarn and felt craft camps, and poetry readings, and all sorts of fun stuff. It's in the old school buildings in Harveyville.

I missed felt school for this year, but hopefully I can make it next year.

Crafting and Rural Kansas, two of my great loves, together!