Is it Christmas already?

Well, it is here. Both kiddos wanted a guinea pig for Christmas. Isabelle already has 2 but, apparently, that wasn't enough.

Last week we went to Petco to LOOK. I wanted to get an idea of how much it would cost as we'd need 2 new cages. Well, the kids did more than just look. They picked out the EXACT piggies they wanted. Since it isn't likely the same pigs would be there in a month, Christmas came early.

Isabelle named her pig "Smudge" and Mason came up with the glorious name "Rice" all by himself. (coincindentally, we had rice with dinner tonight...hmmm) It was his very first time getting to name a pet of his very own. Perhaps I should have devoted some time preparing him for the responsibility of choosing a name. :)

We had a lovely Thanksgiving Day at my in-law's house. I hope everyone reading had a pleasant day as well!

There is usually a lot of time spent sitting and talking or movie watching during holiday visits. I just cannot sit around while doing nothing with my hands. I just can't. I feel... odd... like when you're shopping and someone else is pushing the cart. Almost...naked.

So my portable project for Thanksgiving day was this flour sack towel. I recently noticed I'm nearing 100 posts (this is #91) and being the lover-of-tradition that I am, I plan to do the whole drawing thing. This towel will be included in my 100th post gift. I'm having great fun planning this gift!!


I also worked on wrapping a few more bendy doll bodies that day. And that leads to what I have planned for this weekend. I just finished cleaning the house. As soon as I'm done here I'll be heading to my bedroom with my pot of tea, chick flicks, and bendy doll supplies.













My potpourri supplies arrived the other day and I now have a limited supply of my Winter blend available (All Sold...Thank you!) at my Etsy Shop. I also made tons of incense (some matches the potpourri blend, some is scented creme brulee) but it's not quite ready.

Etsy was upgraded recently. I'm thrilled that they now allow more than one item in your cart at the same time as well as the option to discount shipping for multiple items. It's a dream come true, I tell ya.















This potpourri is a blend of birch cones, 1" cinnamon sticks, rose hips, cedar tips, and pine tips. It is richly scented with a heavenly mixture of vanillas, evergreen, a hint of orange, and spice (cinnamon, clove, and a hint of allspice).

I'm inlcuding a package of cedar and pine tips (to edge your bowl or basket), some dried orange slices to nestle into the potpourri, and a star ornament I made. I'm loving these stars and plan to make many for my Christmas tree.

That's my past few days in a nutshell. And the tea kettle just whistled at me so it's movie/sewing time! :)

Oink! Baaa! Honk!

I've been stitchin' like a mad woman! The farm animals are all completed. Next up is bendy dolls...LOTS of bendy dolls. :)

In addition to all this sewing I did a bit of listing on eBay and Etsy


And...and! My nativity set arrived!! I wasn't expecting it until tomorrow. I just love it. I can't wait to get totally decorated!

Actually, I may need to take tomorrow off from crafting to do some extra cooking and cleaning. Decorating always helps me get into the mood to clean so maybe I'll pull some fun stuff out tomorrow.

I seem to have settled into a bit of a weekend routine. We end the week with a whole house tidy on Fridays so I take a break from housework on the weekend. We also take a break from any formal homeschooling. My husband has been gone the past several weekends from early in the morning until evening. This has left me plenty of time for productive crafting.

So after waking up, having coffee at the computer, and getting dressed for the day, I make myself a large pot of tea. I set it up on my nightstand with its warmer which holds a candle to keep the pot steamy hot. I spread my supplies out on my bed and pull out the dvds Netflix sent me (usually documentaries or weepy dramas...movies that interest no one but me). When I run out of Netflix movies I pull out my Little House on the Prairie dvds.

Aside from cooking simple meals (or ordering pizza, like I did today), I barely move from that spot all weekend. Some might think this is an incredibly boring way to spend the weekend. I find it blissful. It recharges me.

When my husband makes it home my bag of wool moves off his spot so he can snuggle in for a nap. He is usually worn out enough that he doesn't even notice the girly stuff on tv. Although today I saved The DaVinci Code for us to watch together.


I made a lot of progress this weekend. I got a lot of ordered animals cut out. I wrapped 25 bendy doll bodies. Some animals are partially sewn (up to the point where I need to begin stuffing). And I got a couple cows and a sheep all the way finished. I hope to have all holiday orders completed and in the mail by December. I'd like to manage to get my site stocked a bit before the holidays are upon us. We'll see...

Isn't she just a doll?!

A while ago, maybe even as much as a year ago, my friend, Staci, gave me an Annie she had picked up at a garage sale. Nothing gives me that warm fuzzy feeling like someone saying, "I saw this and thought of you.". This is especially true as I'm often told that I'm a difficult person for whom to buy a present. I think I'm easy to please but it would be harder for someone who doesn't know their way around a craft, fabric, or book store to pick out something I'd love.

Anyway, this doll was cute but something was lacking. If you're a doll person you'll know what I mean when I say she just didn't have any life in her.

So last night I took a seam ripper to her. I removed her hair made of fabric strips. I plucked out her embroidered face.

Her skin was made of white muslin. She was much too pale. So I pulled out the walnut ink and stained her...clothing and all.

This morning she was dry so I gave her a new face (with button eyes...Annies MUST have button eyes!) and new hair. I almost got teary-eyed (I know, I'm weird) when I looked at her and saw that she now has that spark of life in her. She looks so totally different than before. I can't believe I neglected her for a whole year.

I also wanted to mention that I am loving all the comments left by new friends!! I've been trying to limit my computer time in an effort to maximize my sewing time, so I haven't taken the time to respond to each comment individually. But I wanted to be sure you knew that I truly appreciate your comments.

Ok, I'm in the mood for Christmas

Bring it on!

The past few years I've gotten particular about holiday decorating. My persnicketiness only (well, mostly) applies to my house, so no worries. Actually, I've always been on the picky side. But now my weird imaginary rules have made holiday decorating a challenge that begs to be conquered.

I don't know if I've mentioned it here or not, but the biggest rule I have is that I cannot mix winter/Santa/snowmen/North Pole/etc with anything nativity oriented. The reason for this is that it does not snow in Bethlehem. I can't bear the thought of a desert scene and a winter scene sharing the same decorating space. If I had a huge house or multiple levels, and could do winter where it couldn't be seen from the desert I might be ok. But I don't have that sort of house. So it's one or the other.

I wouldn't dare choose snowmen and Santa over the birth of God's son so winter is out. Although I do decorate for winter in a non-Santa way after Christmas.

Over the past several years I've been collecting, a tiny bit at a time, decorations that I really, really love. I've been searching for a nativity set that I love but until now I haven't found one that was absolutely perfect. I toyed with the idea of making one but by the time inspiration strikes there just isn't time.

I finally found the perfect nativity set. I'm still searching the web to find the best price on the pieces I need (I can collect the shepherd set and the drummer boy set later). For some reason they leave the angel out of the combo set. I think she's pretty necessary.

The bottom line is, I'm psyched. I'm just as thrilled as I was 2 years ago when I found the most perfect tree skirt ever.

Oh, and I ordered the makings of a winter potpourri blend today. So more Christmas spirit is on it's way. I'm going to try my hand at making incense too. And, yes, I'm humming Christmas carols as I type.

Just horsin' around

I've been on a crazy horse-sewing mission the past few days. Add to that a bizarre allergic reaction to an herbal supplement to make things more interesting. I had to stay dosed up on benadryl because as soon as it started wearing off I could feel my throat swell as the itching returned. I don't know about you, but benadryl makes me feel like a zombie.

But, nothing like a mailing deadline to get me going, despite the comatose state. I mailed the box off this evening. YAY!

Here's the rest of the horses/unicorns that were mailed along with the horses shown above.



I was out tonight on my final mission to find winter (but not Christmas) fabric for a winter quilt square swap (on the sewing forum at Amitymama). It has been WAY more difficult that I thought it would be to find some good non-Christmassy winter fabric. I didn't want to get snowflake print fabric because that would have been too easy. I am pretty sure a gleeful squeal was heard by all when I found this cutie fabric (edited to add it's Alexander Henry's "Our Town"). I bought a bit extra so I could avoid the carolers. Without them it's all winter.

And I'm off to toss it in the washer. I will actually be on time! The mailing deadline for the swap is tomorrow! :)

They're finished!!

I had hoped to have these girlies finished yesterday. It seems I got a little caught up in the details of their clothing. I tend to do that...get lost in the details.

You'd be amazed at how much effort goes into getting that old, stained look. Everything gets stained with walnut ink and then baked. Yes, baked in the oven at 170 degrees (Farenheit) (the lowest my oven will go).

Little Miss Spunk over there is all ready for a baking session. She doesn't seem like the type you'd want to have too much sugar, though. I haven't decided whether she will be sold or if she needs to live here with me.

The other Annie is for a trade. The little doll quilt I made a bit ago is hers. I'm really pleased with how she turned out. Her dress has been stencilled...a heart on her chest (which really is nice...I should have paid attention to that fold of fabric that is making it look misshapen) and stars at her hemline.

Two lil' button-eyed girls

Those walnut-stained body parts have become doll people. As you can see, they have very different personalities. Miss Messy there on the left seems to have a bit of Romona Quimby...or maybe Junie B. Jones...in her. I can't wait to get her clothing sewn because now that I've met her, I know that what I have planned totally suits her.


At the moment we're playing dollie day spa. Cheeks have been blushed, boots and hearts have been painted on, and only one girlie is still waiting on her striped stockings. Once her boots have dried fully, she will get her stripes.

Clothing will be dealt with tomorrow. :)

I know, I know. But I've been busy.

For real and for true, I have. And I have proof! I've been working on wrapping up all my "in progress" projects. You see, I received a rather large order the other day. The time for dilly-dallying has passed.

Large orders bring on the need to organize and schedule. I actually do rather well under pressure. I fear my world collapsing so I stay on top of things which would normally bring out the procrastinator in me. I pull out the crock pot and start laundry first thing in the morning. It's scary, really.

Too bad that super-productive, efficient me can only visit for short periods of time. She tends to fizzle out after a few weeks and leaves behind this mere shell of a woman who needs 18 hours of sleep a day and much chocolate. So enjoy her while she's here. And be sure to send chocolate.

So those two horses are finished and ready to be mailed. And we have a finished fancy unicorn and her dragon friend. Also ready to go.

I know. You're thinking this has to be it. No way could there be anything else. It's just too much. But you'd be wrong.


On the other end of the crafting spectrum we have some primitive dolls in the works. All sewn and stuffed, I'm just waiting for the walnut ink staining to dry. Yes, I did that on purpose. It is supposed to look like that. It's ok. You don't have to like it (yes, Melissa, I'm talking to you...I promise to not hang them on the wall though).

And lastly, we have a doll quilt. It really is a rectangle. The camera's angle turned it into a bit of a trapezoid, I see.

I could SO get addicted to making these things. Seriously.

It's been stained with walnut ink too but much more mildly than the doll parts.

All you experienced quilters out there are gasping, I know. I was too lazy for binding but I also lost the option when the words "Faith" and "Friends" ended up too close to the edge. If the two red patches that are touching are making you twitch, please keep in mind I was going for a primitive/childlike/naive look. It was intentional. Really. :)

I have fallen in love with small bits of embroidery scattered around. The problem with this is the definition of "scrap of fabric worth saving" has now changed. Previously, a scrap of muslin the size of a slice of bread was easily considered trash. But not anymore. Now they're special and have purpose.

I think I need a new basket in which to collect these small bits.

Things that make me smile

This book arrived the other day and I am completely enchanted! As is becoming a normal occurrance, it's all Bettsi's fault. Do you see that sweet doll she made? Ack! Too sweet!

And those most-amazing, giant, acorn caps were given to me by my friend, Becka. I can't wait to use them as doll hats!(click on the pictures for a better view)

The little quilted mat was something I made on a whim with a few of my leftover quilt squares from the swap. We often fill up a big glass pitcher with ice water for the dinner table. It tends to sweat a puddle of water onto the wood. So I made this mat with 2 layers of cotton batting inside to sit under the pitcher.

When I washed it, it got so awesomely puckery. I got so excited! I just love how quilts do that puckery thing when they're washed. Here's a picture of the back. I love how the brown fabric shows off the stitching...even if it's less than perfect.

When not in use, the little quilted mat has been kept on this doll chair under the doll's knitting/sewing basket.

There is usually a doll sitting there but she's been wandering around the house lately. (I'm a hopeless rearranger!)

The chair, for now, is against a small bit of wall in the dining room, by the back door. This whole little wall makes me smile! I love the tall Mama Annie. She's a vacuum cover. Only problem is, the vacuum she covers is broken. The little Annie apron on the wall is so dear to me. A lady who also hangs out at Amitymama found it while out thrifting and she knew I'd love it. It still gives me a warm fuzzy to remember finding such a wonderful surprise in my mailbox that day!

Oh! Before I forget, here's a picture of my little trick-or-treaters. :-)

Someone requested more telling pictures of my little house. I snapped these to share on a thread about decorating at Prairie Homemaker so I'll share them here too.

I had difficulty with the lighting for some reason. I couldn't get a decent kitchen picture at all. The kitchen is open to the dining room. The 3 rooms make a "L" and, aside from the bedrooms and the bathroom, they're about it for now. We're working on finishing the basement, but that project is on hold until tax refund time.

I'll be back a little later (it's way too early right now...I'm going back to bed) to share something exciting that arrived in the mail.

Me? Missing in action?

I suppose I have been slacking a bit when it comes to updating the blog. My apologies.

I haven't had any new or finished projects to post about as my hands are acting up (carpal tunnel syndrome). I do have an Annie doll and a penny rug in progress but, unfortunately, they aren't far enough along to be interesting. When my hands act up I'm forced to pace myself. If I work through the pain (which isn't hard to do when I'm in the zen-like crafty zone), they end up going numb. I can't even hold a needle well with numb hands. So I've been wearing my braces quite a bit in hopes that I'll nip this flare-up in the bud.

On a more cheerful note, there was a bit of a party at my house yesterday. In all there were about 25 people (mamas and children) here. All are friends (both old and new) that I've met through Amitymama. The mamas sat around, talking and eating, while the kiddos ran wild and had an awesome time. At one point, I peeked into Mason's bedroom. His room is small (10' x 10') and there were about 10 kids playing happily. About 5 of them were giggling hysterically while bouncing on the bed. They (correctly) had me pegged as the type of mama who is wholly in favor of bed jumping.

Becka has asked me to devote a bit of blog space addressing the subject of yummy smelling houses. Although I honestly don't think I have any big secrets. I think that, perhaps, I just devote a bit more effort to the cause than the average person. For me, it's an addiction. ;-)

I love potpourri and have bowls or baskets full of the stuff. I often try to place potpourri near the vents in the house. I even have a small basket of potpourri sitting directly on the vent in the bathroom. In addition to scenting the bathroom, it keeps the bathroom from hoarding the heated or cooled air. I refresh all the potpourri weekly by adding a little fragrance oil and fluffing it a bit with a fork.

I buy fragrance oils in bulk. Those teensy 2oz bottles that you usually find in stores wouldn't meet my needs. I buy fragrance oils in 16oz. bottles from places like Save On Scents or Bitter Creek. I generally use go through 2 16oz. bottles per season.

I also love candles. I don't buy pricey candles because I just go through them too quickly. I prefer big jar candles because I've had too many pillar candles leak. I think I leave them lit for too long. I tend to light candles in the morning and blow them out before I go to bed at night.

My little secret for making inexpensive candles extra yummy is that, after the candle has been burning a while, I squirt a bit of fragrance oil into the pool of melted wax.

I also make room spray with my fragrance oils. Room sprays are easy to make. I fill a atomizer (pump) spray bottle halfway with water. Then I fill the rest of the way with rubbing alcohol. Top off with a hearty splash of fragrance oil and you're good to go. This also works well as a linen spray. I like to spray the layers of my bed with a lavender/rose mixture as I make it each day. I also spritz the dried flower arangement over my bed. I tend to spritz dried flowers/wreaths throughout the house as they'll hold scent longer than just spraying the air.

So that's it...all of my secrets. :-)

Finally...a finished something.

The table runner is finished!

One small problem. I thought I had properly wrapped my brain around getting the binding to look mitered at the corners. I was wrong.

I'll have to figure it out before doing any more binding but I decided to leave it rather than frustrate myself to death. The buttons at the corners are supposed to cause you to not notice the cruddy binding job.

I have some friends coming by for a visit today so I won't get much of anything done except for some cooking. I'm going to get some pumpkin bread started in a few minutes because Melissa needs pumpkin bread ;-) (I know you're reading this lol). I'll also get some soup going in the crockpot. And my Mason needs cornbread with his soup.

On that note, I'll leave you with a picture of Alice, who is my sole kitchen companion at the moment. It's too early for the dog. She went back to bed. We're usually late sleepers. So at 7am it's just me and Alice.

More WIPs

I've got so many different things going on at the same time. It's nice to finally see some things are nearing completion.

I only have a few more horses to stitch and stuff before I add their finishing touches.

The autumn table runner is coming along. I made a mistake when I was sewing things together and I didn't realize it until I was almost done. I had all the embroidered writing facing the same direction. This would be fine for a wall hanging but just didn't sit right with me for a table runner.

I know. It's me and my weird way of seeing things again. Back when the writing was all going the same direction the colors were arranged better. The two identical dark squares on the same side is bothering me (it was not like that before) but I think I can balance it out when I add a border around it all. I'm trying to not obsess over the little things (because a part of me wants to rip all the seams and do it right) and keep in mind that it is just a table runner. It will get food spilled on it. It is not the Mona Lisa. Getting it finished and in use while it is still autumn means more than perfection. Right?

And this would be how I learned that lesson. You see this penny rug? I obsessed over the colors being arranged *just right*. The project itself was huge. All. that. stitching. And when it was done I was so pleased. I moved it around every few weeks and enjoyed how it looked in each new place.

Once I put it in the center of the table we sit at for all of our meals. It got food splatted on it. So I washed it carefully. By hand. And the red bled.

So I moved it to an end table in the living room. It would be safe there. That is where it got candle was splatted on it.

I've always believed that it's a waste to have nice things that are always kept up, unused, because they are nice. And since anything nice around here happens on a budget, those things almost always involve more effort than expense. And so I'm slowly learning to accept that life will happen. Things will get stained, ripped, faded, and worn. I'm learning to see that this is what adds character and history. Slowly, I'm learning.

Tuesday morning update: Don't believe a word of that. I pulled out the seam ripper and rearranged the last 4 squares on the right. :)

Mama got a new toy

This is something for which I've been on the lookout for quite some time...a simple little china cabinet that's properly scaled for our home. Not only did it have to be quaintly sized, but it also needed to be made of wood (not laminate or veneers) so I could have my way with it. And it needed to be cheap.

Last night I was poking around Goodwill, doing my thrifting thing, and I happened upon this little cabinet. It's wood. It's not humongous. And it was $50.

I've decided I'll live with it as is for a little bit until I decide what color it needs to be. Right now my head is swimming with possibilities. It has a few dings and flaws but that will just save me work when I get to distressing and primming it up.

So what do you think? Black? Cream? A deep barn red? That medium colonial blue? And crackled or just plain distressed?

Ah the possibilities...

Sharing a WIP

I have many works in progress at the moment. The things I'm working on that are related to my Natural Playthings business aren't very interesting to look at. They're all, basically, more of the same.

So I thought I'd share what will be a new runner for our table (as always, you can click the picture for a larger version). I recently participated in an autumn quilt square swap on the sewing forum at Amitymama. I received 60 squares of awesome fall fabrics. To mix things up even more I'm working on some little embroideries to add to it. I just wrote little sayings and drew some fallish stuff with a water soluble marker. Most of the stitching is done in backstitch.

Isabelle has been sitting and stitching with me. She's working on earning the embroidery charm for her bracelet that goes with the Keepers at Home Handbook she's been working through.

Just sneaking in a picture of a bendy family I made last week. The dad is about 5.5" tall...the baby is a smidge over 2".

Feeling somewhat human again.

Thank you, all, so much for the "feel better" love! I think it's curing me. ;-)

I'm feeling much better today. This works out well for my husband as he is now the sick one. So tonight's dinner is some nice, homemade chicken noodle soup. Isabelle requested extra noodles.

If you have never had chicken soup with homemade noodles, you MUST! Although, be warned: packaged egg noodles will never be good enough ever again. They're so easy, too.

Noodles

2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 tsp oil
2-4 Tblsp water

I stick it all in my kitchen aid mixer (with the dough hook). I stir it together a bit to get it started. Then set the mixer going slowly. After a it's worked itself into a ball, I add more flour if dough is sticking to the bottom (instead of rolling with the main ball of dough) . I let the mixer knead if for a while...7-10 minutes maybe.

Then I put it in a bowl covered with plastic wrap. Let it sit and rest on the counter for at least 30 minutes...an hour is better.

Then divide the dough into 3 parts. Roll each part out with a rolling pin. Cut into strips. Drop the strips into the boiling soup and let them cook for 20 minutes or so.

Delicious!!!

I'll be back to showing crafties tomorrow :)

Sicker than a dog, I am

This sickness has been trying to get ahold of me for a few weeks. Every 4 or 5 days I start feeling a bit off. Then I fend it off with Zicam. Well it finally got the better of me. Zicam lost.

It's 6:30pm and I just dragged myself out of bed. That's only because I am really thirst and in search of medicinal relief.

I made this tower of pumpkin muffins last night when I thought the sickness might be getting a foothold. My thought was that the kids would be able to fend for themselves a bit foodwise. It seems to have worked as the muffins are completely gone. I know my husband took 6 or 8 with him when he left to go fishing this morning. But still...there were 30 total.

Well, I just wanted to check in just in case anyone thought I was hoarding pictures of finished projects. I'm not. I promise.

Back to bed...

My very first ATCs

Be gentle. This was definitely outside my comfort zone. I'm just not so much a paper and glue girl.

When I signed up for this ATC swap (bird theme) I had it in my mind that I'd somehow incorporate the world to which I'm accustomed (felt and embroidery floss). (ATCs explained)

But I hadn't properly visualized the size they'd be. Once I actually cut out a piece of cardstock to 2.5" x 3.5" I knew the ideas in my head wouldn't work. For some reason I was assuming they would be about the size of a smaller index card. But I know they are 3" x 5" so I was apparently not thinking clearly.

So instead of trying to rework the same idea (which usually turns out disappointing, in my experience), I started over with a new medium. I hope the recipients aren't horribly disappointed with my attempts at paper collage.

Glue sticks are NOT my friend.

It will grow back

These pictures show what happens when a certain 5 year old boy decides his hair is too long. The first picture is Sunday evening. It is the "before". The second picture is Monday night. Obviously, it's the "after".

You would think he'd mention his dissatisfaction with the length of his hair to his former-hairdresser mother. But no. Sometimes one just has to take matters into his own hands. He came waltzing up to me after having hacked at his hair as if everything was as it should be.

Of course, I had to cut it. It ended up WAY shorter than I ever would have cut it because I was trying to make it look somewhat intentional. There were places that were pretty much cut down to the scalp.

When it was all finished I found myself having a hard time looking at him. He just doesn't look like the same child. So I decided he needed a hat. :) I asked him if he'd like a hat. He said he would. Then I asked him what color he'd like his hat to be. He said "rainbow". Luckily I just happened to have some nice, chunky yarn in "rainbow". So I pulled out some size 13 needles and got busy. I worked on it an hour last night. Tonight I had to wait a bit for my turn with the manicurist. Luckily, I just happened to have the hat-in-progress in my purse. Let me tell you, size 13 needles ROCK! I came home with a finished hat. He's sleeping in it.

He's also put in an order for a blue hat with a stripe. I hope he doesn't expect all of his hat orders to be filled so quickly. My blue yarn isn't chunky.

A little thing I've been wondering

I am no where near the accomplished thrifter that many in blogland are. And I'm going to admit one of my hang-ups.

Yes, I've just been browsing blogs and I'm so impressed with the wonderful treasures others find. :)

But here's the thing. I would really love to collect dishes and serving pieces. But I'm scared.

You see, I'd want to actually use what I buy rather than keep it as something to look pretty on a shelf. I have that overly practical side, you know.

Back to the scared... I'm scared of lead paint.

Not all that long ago I saw this story on our local news. I've always been a bit leery of dishes and such after finding out things labelled "for decorative use only" say this because they are likely decorated with lead paint. I see this often in seasonal pieces.

In fact I recently saw several (new) boxed "dessert service sets" at goodwill. They were obviously donated by Target stores. They were cute...winter but not specifically Christmas. And they caught my eye because they would have been perfect for the tea parties my children and I like to have. The sets contained 4 cups, 4 saucers, and 4 dessert sized plates. As I'm looking the box over I see that it says, in very fine print, that it is for decorative use only due to lead paint. A full-out admission right on the box. Who on earth would buy cups and plates and not use them for eating and drinking? How many people buy stuff like this and have no idea they are exposing their family to lead?

When it comes to thrifting goodies... Well, there are no labels or small print. I would love to collect fancy old tea cups for out tea parties. But goodness knows what sort of paint they've been decorated with. People didn't have the slightest clue that lead was dangerous way back when.

I tell ya, every single time I find something I like, and would want to use for serving food/drink, I put it down. I imagine that there are books or websites or some way to find out what is safe and what isn't. I just haven't looked into it. I just sit in fear. With sad, plain, white dishware.

Happy Birthday, Miss Winnie!

We just got home from a birthday party for Winnie. She is friends with my children and is also the child of one of my friends.

I finished her present mere minutes before we needed to leave so I didn't get to snap a picture. So I brought the camera along. Here's Winnie's mom, Gwen, attempting to model the apron we gave Winnie. But her big head wouldn't fit :-D Poor big-headed Gwen. (click the picture to make her head even bigger LOL!)

The apron is reversible and criss-crosses in the back. The other side is yellow and has a couple small flowers embroidered on it. So a simple side and a dreamy princess side. My son, Mason, gave me specific instructions for the picture I drew and embroidered on the princess side. He even told me which colors had to go where and everything. I did veto his sun AND moon idea though (yes, both. together.)...the stars seem sufficient.

Winnie is wearing the little hair clip I put together at the last minute from a fabric yo-yo and some buttons. It was the bow on the package.

My kids had a blast and didn't want to come home.

I finished this gryphon today. I love making these even though it is definitely the most intricate animal pattern I've created. I cut out a second gryphon when cutting out this one. I think I'll rest a few days before stitching it up, though.

Actually, I know I will because I have a couple projects with deadlines staring down at me. We're attending a birthday party for a friend's daughter tomorrow. I know what I'm making her. I'll be starting it in as soon as I'm done here. And I have some ATC's to make for a swap...my very first ATC's. :-/ I'm a bit scared.

Made some new earrings

I made some new earrings today and just finished listing them at my Etsy shop.

I'm also in the midst of doing some stitching...gryphons to be exact. And I'm still (slowly) working on those horses and such.

I can't believe that it's Friday already. This week has absolutely flown by! Hopefully I'll have more pictures of finished projects later on this evening.

Last night I was reading Bettsi's blog (Tender Arts) and she spoke highly of switching to beta blogger. So I followed suit. I like it a lot. Especially that I could change colors easily and girlie this place up! Hope you like!

Well, I woke up this morning with a lovely cold so I probably won't be doing much worth writing about today. Hopefully Zicam will do its thing and make it all go away!

The little autumn doll I wrote about the other day is now on eBay. I don't do ebay auctions very often as I tend to use the high bid and number of views as a measure of my self worth. She looks so sad all packaged up that I had to do it for her.

Since I don't have anything fun to show you, and nothing all that interesting to tell you, I'll leave you with my recipe for pancakes. Trust me, these are not your ordinary pancakes. They are so light and fluffy. And they smell like waffle cones (you know that smell!). And they are so yummy you'll find yourself making extra just so you can make peanut butter and honey sandwiches later on, using pancakes as the bread.

Pancakes

2 1/2 cups flour (I use all purpose flour)
1 tsp salt
3 Tblsp baking powder (use only 2 Tblsp if using Rumford brand...that stuff is crazy)
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
5 Tblsp oil (I like peanut oil)
1 Tblsp vanilla
2 cups milk

Mix all ingredients and cook on a lightly buttered (or sprayed with an oil spray) griddle or pan.

Enjoy!

I had a "do little" Sunday, yesterday. I had big plans. There was a list of things to be accomplished. But thanks to Bettsi and her reccomendation of the book, The Mennyms, I did little but read. The book was wonderful! I admit that I have a soft spot for books that feature dolls who have come to life. Now I need to read the rest of the books in the series. And I need to get to work on that list.