And Another!

Here's another gift! Using remnants, a recycled sweater, and the yellow fabric I snagged out of the garbage from a job! Can you believe that people throw out fabric!? The only thing I bought was the notebook.
Hopefully my niece will like it.

My daughter has been trying to teach the cat to read. I'm guessing it wasn't going well. She thought she needed glasses. I almost think the cat agrees. Do you see her smiling too?

Another Gift Done!

I finished my hot water bottle cover and probably took only 6 hours or less.

I used an old cashmere sweater someone had given me for the body. So it is super soft. The green stalks used to be cashmere socks. The flowers another soft sweater and the flower centers old yarn. I outlined the stalks with left over yarn too. The buttons are from my grandmothers collection of old buttons. The ribbon I bought for another project and I put pearl beads to keep the ribbon from getting pulled out.

The sweater was obviously a turtleneck that had been felted. I sewed the neck down so it wouldn't move around. Then sewed the ribbon on. Since the turtle neck was a little loose, I decided to put two ribbons and not one in the middle. This sweater was one where they have an extra shoulder seam. Instead of having a front and a back match up. There was fabric in between. I started cutting the sweater on the bottom to fit the hot water bottle. Which was a mistake with this kind of sweater. I should have started from the shoulder and worked down. The sweater is ribbed, so the line I was following curves in towards the neck. By working that from the bottom, I miss gauged where I was cutting and my front and back didn't match up. So I fudge it and folded the shoulder seam like a gift. Sewed that together and then started hand sewing down. I could done the sides on my sewing machine but didn't want to take a chance since I had already goofed up.
I love making flowers. So I grabbed a loose silk flower and used it as a pattern. I sewed the flowers in place and felted the yarn centers. I then tried to felt the green cashmere sock on but the cashmere wouldn't felt to the cashmere. So I decided to use yarn to sew it on. It was rough on my fingers. The fabric is fine and thick, so the needle and thread struggled to go through. Then I put the buttons on and cut holes. I think it came out good. My fingers are too tired to add leaves or balance the picture. Not everything has to balance anyways. This is definitely a project anyone can do.

So don't throw out those old sweaters.

I Must Stop That!

If I know my  husband will be calling I'll answer the phone in my Joey from Friends tone.  Which is not the best way to answer a business phone.  I think I threw off the gentleman who called today.  I said Hello and he hesitated.  From experience I then asking if they are looking for the studio.  Which they usually reply with relief.  Why Yes!  Thankful they didn't accidently call the wrong number or a phone sex line.  I really should get caller ID!

I just try to make my husband's day a little more enjoyable.  I know it's stressful at his job and sometimes a very happy and familiar voice is all he needs to put him in a better mood.  Plus I had given him grief on his last phone call.  

I was working my way through the mountain of dishes and he called before.  He wanted me to run upstairs to get him his password that he had forgotten.  I thought it was work related.  When it proved to not be work related.  I was quite ...ahh not nice and teased him mercilessly.  Since he had students in the room all he could tell me that if he wasn't in class...  

Hopefully I'll read this to remind myself, there are good and bad ways to answer the phone.  

That's How Mondays Roll...

So after a long holiday break, my daughter had a half day at school the first day back. I vaguely remember my husband mentioning something earlier in the month. Why torture parents who need a break from their adorable loving (fighting) children.
We had talked earlier and were arguing about who should pick her up. Not remembering it was a half day, I told him, he should, since she wanted to go with him to his meeting. He didn't want her to go with him. So I should, since what else what I was doing. Nap time is usually what's happening at that time. I do not enjoy skipping nap time, since my youngest is three and sometimes getting her to go is like declaring war in our house. There's lots of explosions and stuff gets throw around. Mainly by me, grabbing every stuffed animal and blanket to appease her. She knows she needs a nap but she's a big girl and big girls don't nap!!
Well I saw a bus pull up and realized that if our local school had half a day, then so did hers! I quickly called the school and made them aware that I would be late. Heaven forbid if the oldest realized that I forgot about her. So the youngest and I packed up the geckos to go back to school and headed off to pick up her sister.
So much for all the work I was planning on getting done! I planned on doing lots too. I was not going to do the dishes. It was time to finish those four fairies and then work on my gift for the exchange. Even though I didn't get all that time I wanted, the fairies are finished as much as they can be. They will be headless until I take the car in for an oil change. I also have the hot water bottle cover almost stitched together. Then I need to decorate. I'm getting good at multitasking. This evening, I watched TV, worked on crafts and caught up on the blogs I read. It's just like high school again. Except, I won't be tested on what I read.
I also remembered that I need to make a gift for my best friends kids. Well two best friends and those gifts shall not be named just in case they are reading!
Tomorrow I will probably do the dishes. There's three dreary hours of dishes waiting for me. Sigh.

The Race

Thanksgiving has come and gone.  Usually by this time every year I have all my shopping done and should be checking to make sure I didn't forget everyone.  It's not happening this year.  So the race is on to make gifts.  

I decided to do this because I have quite a few requests and gifts half done.  I never finish them because in the past I have bought gifts.  So this is the year to clean out the closet.  I'm trying to get rid of the clutter.  There's a lot of clutter here, so it will take years.

On my list is a scarf for my brother, napkins for 2 coworkers of my husband, a sweater tea cozy for my MIL, a drawing book and fabric cover for my niece, socks for my husband (he knows he's getting them) and I can't think of what else is on the list.  

I would like to make more ornaments, not fairies, some angels, and little bird wreaths.  I don't know if it will happen.  The last 4 fairy ornaments are coming together slowly.  I may put them aside until next year.  So they can go on that list!  Plus I have to make a gift for the yankee gift exchange that is happening next friday!  So the fairies will have to be done soon or tossed in the clutter.  I'm making a cashmere water bottle cover for the exchange.  I've never done anything like it before but I have some ideas floating around.

It's a very busy week for all around here.  This weekend my husband is doing a Christmas art show.  We are also attending a Christmas party, which I need to make cookies for.  Girl Scouts for my daughter and the class geckos need to go back to school.  

Now that I'm thinking about it, I need to go to work.  Christmas is right around the corner!  Yikes!!!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

I had to post this because it's gorgeous! My husband was commissioned to do 2 lamps at the beginning of summer. Like all first time projects, it had it's challenges. Then it got down to the final rivets!! Which is nerve racking when you work in metal. If you mess up you have start all over again!!! 5 months of work down the drain. Here's the final product before it gets patinated. The commissioned 2 will have yellow/gold shades. I think it looks great. The idea is from a Roycroft lamp model 911. They don't make lamps like this anymore. The originals had Stueben glass shades and if you are lucky to find one, they sell for $20,000 or more.

Updates!

Hey look, I've been spending quality time with my husband and I now have a banner. Plus look to the right, a link to my etsy shop. It was good high tech quality time!
These are the ornaments I've listed.

Aren't they beautiful or at least cute! They were a challenge and fun to make. I hope they get good homes.
Happy Thanksgiving, early but it maybe the only chance I get.
My family decided to get together at a restaurant for Thanksgiving dinner this year. I kind of like the idea but as I think about it, it kind of feels not family like. I understand why we are doing it. My mother insists on doing everything for the holidays. She burns herself out and rarely takes help. It's in her nature. I've only hosted Christmas here once and that was 3 years ago. Christmas, maybe at my brother's this year, since he's buying a house. I shall see.
Only things that could go wrong is my oldest is sick again!! She went to her first Girl Scout sleepover and one of the girls had this terrible cough. It was really bad, I couldn't believe this girl was sleeping in a small enclosed room with the girls. Now my daughter has the same cough that this girl had. She seems tired and out of it. I'm hoping she will feel better after sending her to bed early today.
Notice my cats up on the banner. More stories to come about them. Their names are Mochacchino aka (Mochie), Sasha, Gabbie, and Luna. Have fun figuring out who is who.

Creating What I Can't Find

Last year I had this idea to make an acorn wreath. Using a grapevine wreath as the starting point. I went to Jo-ann's and couldn't find any grapevine wreaths. They were on sale too and I was really bummed out.
I waited until fall to make my own grapevine wreath. Grapevines grow well in my neighbor's yard. They grow straight up and took a little work to pull them down. I didn't know how big I wanted it to be. So I wrapped it around my arm and kept wrapping until I was happy with what I got.
Then I needed acorns, which are abundant in my neighbors yard too!
Then I used a hot glue gun to attach the acorns. I have never used one before so I had to reattach some of the acorns. I didn't know globbing it on works best.
The results...
I couldn't leave it like this without adding a little fairy magic!

Details, the only fairy I'm keeping is the fall colored one. There will be more made for the different seasons. Plus I may borrow the one's I made for my daughter.

I really like how it came out. It was really fun figuring out where to put the acorns!

I'm moving...

Well not really moving. In my dream life I'm moving to Anthropologie City. I have a love hate relationship with their clothing line. I either absolutely love what they carry or detest it. I just received their catalog and it has so many awesome things in it.

I love this purse!! It's so pretty and I love the embroidery.

This dress is beautiful too and so many other things but I thought I would pick the ones my husband liked.
If you absolutely have to have these and can afford them. anthropologie
Go now!

Hammering

Today I worked on my husband's copper stuff.  Various sheets of copper to be made into vases, switch plates, etc...  I am good at hammering but I do not enjoy it.  I used to but now it's like ah, I figured everything out and there's only so much you can do when you hammer a sheet of copper.  It's boring.  I should listen to my IPod, if I remembered to plug it in.  Opps.  

Now the thing that impresses men (sometimes) is,  I can hammer with both hands.  I guess it's something to be proud of but it just comes naturally to me.  So I really don't think it's a big deal.  Now what scares me is that guys ask if I've blown out my elbow!  I have never heard of such a thing!!  If I was in pain I would stop and I do stop.  Working till you blow out your elbow totally blows my mind!  Hammering copper is just not worth hurting myself.  

Maybe that's why I do not want to work in metal anymore.  It is rough on the hands, arms and shoulders.  Sometimes I pinch a nerve in my shoulder and it causes my ring finger to go numb.  Not a very pleasant experience.  

Anyone watching the silver market?  It almost was up to $16 an ounce.  It might have hit it.  I was tending to sick children so I didn't check everyday.  I don't think silver will go down to the $10 range again.  Just like gas, I can see it being around $4 a gallon this summer.  

Because something else happened...

I meant to do a lot of things this week but something else kept popping up.  Let's start with what popped up.  Well we all knew my FIL was going to have open heart surgery on Monday.  No big surprise.  My  husband didn't realize he would be so affected by it, that he would need to spend 2 days at the hospital.  Luckily he came home to take care of some business stuff and take the oldest to school.  But I don't think he got a new tank of gas, so I'm not sure if he really needed to come home for that.  Luckily he has a spare.  

Then the oldest got sick when my husband decided he didn't need to go back to the hospital.  So I had to pick her up from school.  She had a fever and was super tired.  That lasted until evening and she went to school the next day.  If we didn't send her to school she would have complained about all that she missed.  Yes she loves to learn.  Now the youngest has the same fever today and is not happy.  She's putting on a smile and saying she's fine.  I look at her and know she's not.  Hopefully tomorrow this will have past too.  

I finally got to making chicken broth today.  I had to go and remove the scum off the top.  Which took FOREVER!  Seriously, how do you know when you are done with taking the scum off?  I thought I was done and then it started frothing.  Do I remove the froth too then?  I did, just incase it was scum in disguise. 

Still waiting is a grapevine wreath I made over the fall, for a door decoration.  It has to have acorns added to it and fairies.  I only have one headless fairy for the wreath and acorns galore.  Then the Esty shop...  sigh... muffins... opps cat litter. I guess it's good to be busy...  all the time.  

10 Little Fairies In A Row

Today is the day that I show off some of my crafts. Are you ready? Christmas Wee Fold Fairies!!! Most of them are going to a local gallery and I am going to try to put a few in my Etsy shop. When I set it up, so give it a few days if you're interested. I started making these last year (well fairies and ornaments). They were for a fund raiser and people just liked them so much. I've been making them ever since. These are my first group of fairies that I knew what they were going to be. Usually I look at what I have and start creating. I hope you like them.

The first ten and then the second ten.
This one, I love how the belt turned out.
This fairy makes me smile. Is she French or just stylish?
She came out a little blurry but I love the trees. It was a little tough getting the ornaments in between the beads but I think it works.

Birthdays!

My youngest turned 3 today! It was an exciting day for all. I try to invite family that we don't see a lot. Friends, who we really enjoy their company but never can pull it together to go anywhere without kids. This time of year seems to work perfect for getting together and my daughter enjoys it too.
Here's my favorite picture. You have to love the look on her face!

Hand Me Downs

We have two hand me down couches from my grandmother. They were in excellent shape... Until they entered into this house. With the cats, the kids, and gremlins, these couches have seen better days. I didn't want to buy slip covers because they are odd shapes.
My MIL was cleaning her linen closet and asked if I wanted her old sheets. I took them and have been covering the couches with them. Well trying to. My girls do not sit on couches. They kerplop, which causes the sheets to come off. The cats, well the kitten thinks it's great fun to run under the sheet and make them come off. I think I've out smarted both kids and cats!
I sewed my own sheet couch slip covers. It wasn't that hard. I put the sheet on how I wanted it to sit on the couch and then wrapped it so it was form fitting. Sort of like when you wrap a present. Pinned and then ran to sew before something ruined my work.
The larger couch used 2 twin sheets and was easier than the brown couch. I also tackled the larger one last. I'm very happy with how they look.

I just received my Martha Stewart Magazine today and look how pretty it is. Can't wait to read it. I think Christmas is becoming my new favorite holiday!

Speechless

Since my major was in metal jewerly I like to keep an eye on the gold and silver market. When I was in college the silver market was in the $5-$7 range depending on the day. I checked the market today and it's $15.50!!! Yikes what is going on here? It's double what it used to be.
Of course if you buy silver from a supplier, it's $15.50 in granule form. But if you get things cast, like a lot of jewelers do so you can make multiples, it can sometimes be double the silver market. Also I'm talking about small businesses who end up paying a lot for silver and gold. The stuff you buy at a department or chain store. They buy silver jewelry in bulk and get a big discount. So you may buy a $15 jewelry item, there's less than 15 cents of silver in the item, well maybe $1.15 of silver. This is why I like handmade, unique jewelry. I know how much work goes into making an item.
Here's one of my favorite jewelers Leigh Davenport. I have only a few pieces and they always get compliments when I wear them.

You know the holidays are upon us when...

The catalogs start clogging the mail box. Now all these catalogs would be great if, I was flithy rich and had money to burn. I don't enjoy being tempted but another blogger recommended this great website to cut down on the catalog clutter. So if you are looking to help your mail box, the environment and whatever floats your boat. Check out this site Catalog Choice
It's easy to use and I've been averaging like 10 catalogs a week! Yikes!

To Post or Not to Post...

I've been debating about starting a blog for a month. I love reading them and peering into others peoples lives. I enjoy the possiblity of buying something another blogger has made or getting a good laugh at something that has happened. I know you're thinking all of that is positive and wonderful. So what's my problem?
Nothing exciting ever happens to blog about, to me anyway. Plus I'm sort of shy and I don't want to feel like I've lost my anonminty in my life. I live in a very small town between farms, cows, and corn fields.
So, like many other people, I'm going to venture into the world of blogging. I hope it works, I'm sort of nervous!