The Lavendar Tree

A Door I Want to Enter

2012-02-12T17:52:00.000-06:00

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

2012-02-09T06:51:00.000-06:00

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

2012-02-03T06:57:00.000-06:00

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!

2012-02-01T10:47:00.000-06:00

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

2012-01-29T22:39:00.000-06:00

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

2012-01-24T16:24:00.000-06:00

January 24, 2012 is...

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

2012-01-21T13:04:00.000-06:00

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

2012-01-20T19:53:00.001-06:00

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

2012-01-18T22:16:00.000-06:00

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

2012-01-16T11:08:00.000-06:00

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

2012-01-14T10:44:00.000-06:00

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! :-)

Pulling Over

2012-01-10T07:08:00.000-06:00

A few weeks ago I was driving down the highway as an ambulance came up behind me with their lights on. I did the usual routine - and appropriately pulled over to the side of the road to let them pass safely. Of course, my normal thoughts entered my head and I quickly said a brief prayer that whoever was being transported would be okay.

As I pulled back on the road, I thought to myself - wouldn't it be nice if we would be as considerate to all drivers on the road as we are to the ambulance's that quickly approach in our rear-view mirrors? I mean, if we can automatically pull over so quickly when we see those lights appear, why can't we give that same type of consideration to all drivers instead of getting frustrated, angry, and aggressive at others who aren't driving the same way or same speed as we are?

Just something to think about...

The Rose

2012-01-08T17:14:00.000-06:00

You know the saying.....a rose, is a rose, is a rose.....

But THIS rose is special!

My son, who has the artistic bug in him as well, made a rose for me for Christmas. Well....it was actually a college art class project - but then he gave me one for a gift.

He created it with recycled wire, aluminum can (ahhh, lets see....he's in college - it was probably a beer can - but it was recycled! :-), and wax. He shaped the aluminum to resemble a rose and dipped it over and over and over again to create this piece.

It's pretty cool.

And, so sometimes a rose is a rose...

Is a rose...

And a wonderful gift.

Register for STITCHED

2012-01-03T19:37:00.000-06:00

STITCHED, the online workshop made up of 20+ fiber artists, is in full swing. The "doors" opened to the workshops on January 1 and registration is still climbing. People are enjoying learning all sorts of new things - whether they are veteran stitchers or brand new to sewing.

The workshops will be open all the way to June 1 - but anyone who registers, through the link below during the month of January, will get a set of beaded wool hearts and bobbles! They were just created this past weekend and they are inspired by workshops by Alma Stoller and Tracie Lampe (can be seen in the STITCHED workshops!). How fun are they? I'm in bead-bobble love!

So don't delay - your set of hearts and bobbles is just waiting to be sent to you in time for Valentine's Day!

Click here to view more details

In A Dark Place

2012-01-02T15:20:00.000-06:00

No. Not me.

But I kind of feel that my blog is right now. I knew that I wanted a 2012-new-year-look for my blog and in my search for blog backgrounds, I've found that most are designed for a white background with dark text - and I have more light text and with a dark background. If I change it around at this time (white background) I would have to go back into each past post and change the font color. Ummm....I think that's something I don't want to spend my time on.

I've found a new background that I do like - it's kind of rich and velvety - but it feels quite dark and I don't think I will be staying with it for too long. So....look for more changes in the probably-near future while I continue my search for free-blog-dark-backgrounds!

Get Ready to be STITCHED

2011-12-29T10:07:00.000-06:00

I'm am getting so darn excited for the start of STITCHED - an online workshop of 20+ very talented fiber artists!

Preparing for this project took me waaaayyy out of my comfort zone and into new, uncharted waters - and boy, am I glad it did!

It is so fun being a part of this incredible group of women. I'm so thankful and proud to have been asked to participate - and I can't wait to finish viewing all of the great videos (yup - I've been able to have a sneak-peek since I'm "one of them"!).

So now, don't fret - there's still time to register - and you can begin viewing the workshops on January 1!

Click here to view more details

Check out the great artwork you can make! Are you kidding? All this great stuff in one spot?? (And believe me, these photos don't do all the work justice - once you start viewing the videos, you'll be amazed at how some of these pieces are made and the fun detail you can put into them!)

2011 Wool Review

2011-12-27T07:02:00.001-06:00

Since working on my imovies project for STITCHED, I now am like a kid with a new toy! So I decided to make a short video showcasing some of the wool work that I've done during the year.

So, here's a peek at my year in wool-review....

Happy Holidays!

2011-12-18T10:16:00.000-06:00

It's not very often that I purposely decide to not write a blog post, but I have decided that I should alleviate a little extra stress and take one "to do" off my list. I'll be taking a holiday from my blog. I won't be posting anything until after Christmas. But I'll be back - hopefully with a lot of new projects and stories - after the holiday.

To close the year, I chose to greet you during the holiday with a snowy ski-jump story in loving memory of my mom - who enjoyed cross-country skiing when she was a young gal.

She was raised in Timber Coulee where a ski-hill, the Snowflake Ski Club, is located just a few miles from where she lived. My uncles, cousins, great-grandfather, and many family friends were very involved and instrumental in the success of the ski-hill over the years. We even had some good friends that lived just across the road from the ski-hill. I know they are all now enjoying a heaven-Christmas-season together - which I'm sure is far beyond our dreams.

This is an old photo of the ski hill - which we drove by as we headed to my great-grandparents after church every Sunday for our family dinner.

Snowflake Ski Club ski jump

This is a sweet photo of my great-uncle - who was very involved every year with the annual ski tournament. Mom always called him "Unk".

Paul Oium aka "Unk"

I wish you and your family a very blessed Christmas.

PS. Check out the Timber Coulee Cottage. It's a sweet little cottage that used to be owned by our cousins and is on the property line of my great-grandfather's farm (in photo above) - which is still being farmed by another cousin.

Dang. I best get going - all this talk about family - I'm getting so homesick for them, that I think I better go finish getting my Christmas cards addressed to them!

My First Trailer

2011-12-14T10:07:00.001-06:00

I'm slowing working toward completing my workshop for STITCHED. If you haven't checked it out yet, hop on over and see what great fun has been created for this learning project.

In my preparation for my workshop, I couldn't help but create a little "spoof trailer" of my workshop and I just had to share with you.

Hope you enjoy. :-)

Giveaway Winners

2011-12-11T14:20:00.000-06:00

Congratulations to Sequana and Tree! You are the winners of the snowball giveaway!

Drop me a quick note at anniet4204@yahoo.com and provide your mailing address. Then I'll quickly send the snowballs to you just in time for the holidays!

Ho Ho Ho at Cafe Wren

2011-12-09T20:01:00.000-06:00

I had a great day today at an art sale at Cafe Wren in Luck, Wisconsin! (I'm the nut in the middle.)

The sale has a room full of awesome items - and you still have tomorrow and Sunday to check it out. I marked a few items off my Christmas list by the time I left today! Score!

STITCHED

2011-12-05T06:56:00.000-06:00

It's on it's way!

Oh my goodness, I'm so excited to again announce this fantastic program called STITCHED. It is a group of 20 very talented fiber artists (oh, did I happen to mention that I'M one of them!?!). Each artist has prepared a video workshop showing how to make one of their wonderful creations. A one time fee gives you access to all 20 of the videos!

My video shows how to create one of my flower garden pillows. I have to be honest with you - it was quite a feat getting to this point - it allowed me to branch into an entirely new area of my work that I never imagined myself doing. Although we are most often our worst critics, I'm actually quite proud of my finished product.

Click on the link below to learn more about how to register for this exciting program - there is so much goodness and talent to be seen!

Click here to view more details

Snowball Give-away

2011-12-04T15:36:00.000-06:00

Oh my gosh - I've been so busy lately with other projects, that I almost forgot to post my give-away for hitting 100 Etsy sales!

I've decided that since it's now snowball-weather here in Wisconsin, it would make perfect sense to give away some wool snowballs.

I'm going to do two give-aways - with each winner receiving a set of three snowballs.

How do you enter, you ask? Simple - just drop a note in the comment section below. Just tell me - what is your favorite thing to do in the snow?

My favorite thing, you ask? I guess it would be walking the quiet streets late at night (late for me is 10:00 pm!) with big snowflakes softly landing on my eyelashes when I look up into the sparkly sky.

My second favorite thing? Being cuddled up and warm inside my house while it continues to snow outside!

(Since this is a very busy time of year for everyone, I'll give you one week from today to enter. I'll hold the drawing next Sunday evening and have the packages ready for shipping on Monday morning.)

Just Tickled Purple

2011-11-28T09:50:00.000-06:00

I have been fortunate enough to supply an awesome store, Simply Bungalow, (Lincoln, Nebraska) with some of my wool items. I just sent a shipment of scarves to them this morning and decided it was time I jump back on their fun blog and check up on their recent posts.

Imagine my surprise when I saw a photo of one of my recycled wool tape measures! It was part of a recent giveaway promotion. Well, you should know that I was just tickled purple to see it there - how fun!

From simplybungalow.blogspot.com

And speaking of giveaway promotions.....stay tuned for information about mine coming soon!

The Red Bowl - Version Wool Mittens

2011-11-25T17:32:00.000-06:00

Although the weather has been quite pleasant the last few days (and I'm loving it!), the time will come way too soon that we'll need some cozy wool mittens to keep our hands nice and warm.

Okay - sure - these are so teeny that they will only fit a small cat's paw, but they are wool...and they are mittens. But instead of kitten mittens, I think they'd actually work better as a sweet little tie to a fun Christmas package.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T20:29:00.000-06:00

Sweet holiday blessings to all of you.

TA DA!

2011-11-23T08:14:00.000-06:00

I just hit my 100 sales mark! How exciting! Watch in the next few days for my wool give-away announcement and how to be included!

pbblogspot.com

Flowers are a-Blooming

2011-11-22T09:24:00.000-06:00

What? I don't think that November is typically the big blooming season in Wisconsin - but, believe me, flowers are a-blooming at my house!

I've been making wool flowers magnets and they are multiplying (and rather addicting to make!)! Here's just a few...

In the 100's

2011-11-20T15:11:00.000-06:00

Ooohhh La Laaaaa!

I've been creeping towards my 100th sale on Etsy for some time now. When I was at 75 sales, I promised that when I make my 100th sale, I'd celebrate the milestone by giving away one of my products.

Well.....I'm just about there! You can see below on my "Shop Info" that I'm now only one sale away! I'm hoping that I'll be able to announce my give-away to you soon - so stay tuned!

And, I'm really not trying to boast, but last year I shared with you when I received 100 shop "hearts" and how exciting that was. Right now I'm am over-the-purple-moon-truly-honored to show you below that I now have 430 admirers! I still can't believe it - because I'm just a little wool fish in a big old pond - but it's sure been fun learning to swim on Etsy! Thanks to Etsy and all of my supporters!

Shop Info

Policies

Request custom item

Opened on Jul 6, 2009

99 sales

430 admirers

The Green Potholder

2011-11-18T19:26:00.002-06:00

I got the story below in an email a few weeks ago. Now I'm not trying to beat up on any age group and don't agree that a "young cashier" would really say something like this - but there really was some truth in what I read.

The Green Thing

Checking out at the store, the young cashier suggested to the older woman that she should bring her own grocery bags because plastic bags weren't good for the environment. The woman apologized and explained, "We didn't have this green thing back in my earlier days." The clerk responded, "That's our problem today. Your generation did not care enough to save our environment for future generations." She was right -- our generation didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we returned milk bottles, soda bottles and beer bottles to the store. The store sent them back to the plant to be washed and sterilized and refilled, so it could use the same bottles over and over. So they really were recycled. But we didn't have the green thing in our day.

We walked up stairs, because we didn't have an escalator in every store and office building. We walked to the grocery store and didn't climb into a 300-horsepower machine every time we had to go two blocks. But she was right. We didn't have the green thing in our day.

Back then, we washed the baby's diapers because we didn't have the throw-away kind. We dried clothes on a line, not in an energy gobbling machine burning up 220 volts -- wind and solar power really did dry our clothes back in our early days. Kids got hand-me-down clothes from their brothers or sisters, not always brand-new clothing. But that young lady is right. We didn't have the green
thing in our day.

Back then, we had one TV, or radio, in the house -- not a TV in every room. And the TV had a small screen the size of a handkerchief (remember them?), not a screen the size of the state of Montana. In the kitchen, we blended and stirred by hand because we didn't have electric machines to do everything for us. When we packaged a fragile item to send in the mail, we used wadded up old newspapers to cushion it, not Styrofoam or plastic bubble wrap. Back then, we didn't fire
up an engine and burn gasoline just to cut the lawn. We used a push mower that ran on human power. We exercised by working so we didn't need to go to a health club to run on treadmills that operate on electricity. But she's right. We didn't have the green thing back then.

We drank from a fountain when we were thirsty instead of using a cup or a plastic bottle every time we had a drink of water. We refilled writing pens with ink instead of buying a new pen, and we replaced the razor blades in a razor instead of throwing away the whole razor just because the blade got dull. But we didn't have the green thing back then.

Back then, people took the streetcar or a bus, and kids rode their bikes to school or walked instead of turning their moms into a 24-hour taxi service. We had one electrical outlet in a room, not an entire bank of sockets to power a dozen appliances. And we didn't need a computerized gadget to receive a signal beamed from satellites 2,000 miles out in space in order to find the nearest pizza joint.

But isn't it sad the current generation laments how wasteful we old folks were just because we didn't have the green thing back then?

And after reading this story, it made me think of how my grandma would save every little thing (hmmm....wonder if it's hereditary...because I think I have the same condition as her!). Every scrap of paper, every scrap of fabric, every beat up bread bad twist tie, every bread bag - nothing wasn't worth saving and reusing.

I have this little potholder that my grandma had in her things. It's the teeniest hot pad - but I suppose whoever made it used just what they had available. I happen to just adore it (and not just because it's purple!). I don't know if grandma made it or if someone else did, but whoever did, I'm thankful for it.

Wool Coasters

2011-11-15T17:02:00.000-06:00

I've been making sets of coasters with wool. Some are made with circles and stitching, while some are more simple. These were made with just squares. I then stitched leaves on the ends of a piece of twine for the tie.

I thought they turned out kind of fun. These happened to be with a great colored/striped sweater, but I've also done some with solid colors as well. Easy little holiday gifts for friends and family!

Berries

2011-11-14T06:31:00.000-06:00

While walking into work, I pass by these cute little berries hanging on an otherwise bare tree. (I'm talking about my full-time "day" job - not my "wool" job.)

When I saw them the other day, I knew I wanted to snap a quick photo. They were so cute on a sun-shining morning and yelled to me, hey-I'm-fall-but-winter-is-on-its-way-quickly! I listened to the fall-talk, but promptly ignored her comment about winter!

Sonja

2011-11-12T17:55:00.000-06:00

When I told you about my apple pie making weekend, I told you about a sweet surprise we had when at the apple orchard.

The gal working at the orchard was giving thin slices of apples to the customers to taste. She said "This is a good one for eating. It's new this year. It's name is Sonja." What? That was our mom's name!

Here we were together for the weekend to make mom's apple pies and we have the pleasure of tasting a new apple called Sonja - well, that was the perfect addition to our weekend! And in all honestly, I do believe it is the best tasting apple I've eaten! It was perfectly sweet - just like our mom.

Although they spelled her name differently, I believe it was a message from mom saying she was pretty darn proud of us carrying on her apple pie tradition.

The Red Bowl - Version Harvest

2011-11-09T05:59:00.000-06:00

The other day I had such a sweet surprise. A friend, who I haven't seen in a long time, dropped by with a gift for me from her special homegrown harvest. I knew the best way to show it to you was in the Red Bowl. (As you can tell, I adore the little "daisy" gourd!)

Eating Apple Crisp

2011-11-07T18:51:00.000-06:00

I still had some apples left from my pie making weekend - yes, they really stayed nice - so I decided yesterday I should make some apple crisp using my mom's absolutely delicious recipe. The topping is thick...sweet...crunchy...and fabulous!

The full pan...

I'm going in...

Oh boy, it's looking good...

Yup, I'll finish this pan in no time!

Snowballs in November

2011-11-06T11:46:00.000-06:00

In my quest to prepare for upcoming shows, I thought it would be fun to make some holiday ornaments.

I've been in a white-mood lately, so I dug out as many white/off-white/cream sweaters as I could find in my stash. Unfortunately, it's often hard for me to find white sweaters. But I happened upon enough to make some white-on-white-on-beige-on-cream snowball ornaments. I'm packaging and selling them in groups of three with varied sizes. I hope people like them.

Happy Holidays! Oops......I got just a little ahead of myself!

Upcoming Shows

2011-11-03T20:01:00.000-05:00

I've been busy, busy, busy......

I've been getting ready for several shows. I still have a lot of work to do yet - so I can't talk long - but here's a peek at three shows.

The Space - New Richmond, WI

Whimsical Wares - Marietta, GA

Cafe Wren - Luck, WI

It's No Bull

2011-11-02T22:05:00.000-05:00

When I went to visit my sister and brother-in-law (let's just call him K) the other weekend, they showed me a ceramic bull statute that had been recently sent to K.

See if you can follow me here....his friend's wife's family (that was the tricky part!) send each other humorous gifts throughout the year. They decided to include K in one of their gift-giving moments and sent him this ceramic bull statute. The meaning? He kind of likes to "shoot the bull". :-)

Here's his tough looking bull...

And his don't-mess-with-me attitude...

One morning they both left the house for appointments and I was left behind for a couple hours. I think I softened the bull. Here's what he looked like when they returned home. (Yes - thank goodness I happened to have some wool with me!)

Not so darn tough anymore, huh?

The Red Bowl - Version Leather Pins

2011-11-01T17:58:00.001-05:00

I recently finished a bunch of recycled leather pins (from leather jackets) for a sale. Without a doubt, they were screaming to be part of The Red Bowl series!

What did the ghost say to the bee?

2011-10-31T10:46:00.000-05:00

Scroll down.....

It's coming......

It's good.....

It's here.....

It's........

BOO-BEE !!

Getting STITCHED

2011-10-30T22:39:00.001-05:00

Fun news!!

I'll be participating in a new project called STITCHED. It's a brand new online workshop featuring 20 fabric artists. I have been asked to do a workshop creating one of my recycled wool pillows.

I'll supply you with more details about the entire project as more information is available - but it's sure to be cool! Personally, I've got a lot of work to do for yet - so wish me luck! I'm so very nervous about doing my part - but I am truly honored to be a part of such an exciting opportunity. Aaaaaaahhhhhhhh......hang on - it's going to be a crazy, wild, awesome ride! :-)

Mom's Apple Pie

2011-10-29T09:56:00.000-05:00

Every fall my mom would make apple pies and put them in the freezer. She would work all day and make oodles of pies. She would give some to my sister and I, plus she would have her own seemingly never-ending-supply in their freezer, ready to pull out at any time and pop in the oven for that homemade delight.

Since my mom's passing, my sister Sue and I knew we wanted to continue with mom's apple pie tradition. But we couldn't make just ANY apple pie. It had to be just like mom's (who, of course, learned to make pies from her mother). So with the assistance of an apple-pie-recipe-card-hand-written-by-a-10-year-old-as-exactly-told-to-her-by-her-grandma-recipe (but, as you can imagine, I missed a few details, but I still totally treasure that recipe card) and the famous Norske Nook cookbook (well we Norwegians think it's famous!), Sue and I feel like we've finally come darn close to mastering the art of the our mom's perfect apple pie! And it only took us two years...this is only our third year of our new tradition.

There. Now you know the history of our apple pie - so sit back with your steamy cup of coffee and enjoy a day of apple pie making with Sue and I... (and I'm sorry - spoiler alert - but you don't get a sweet piece of our pie when you're done).

Sue at the helm of the crust production.

Some required ingredients. Note: Sometimes if the recipe calls for lard, Crisco works great too!

No, this isn't a marketing plug for Surefine sugar, it was just a fun picture. But, heck fire, not a bad idea....I think I'll drop Surefine a note.

Norske Nook to the rescue.

If you don't have a good pie crust, you ain't got a good pie!

I'm busy over on the apple slicing work line. Did I mention we always have a fun fall outing the day prior to "pie day" and venture to the neighboring town, LaCresecent, MN (Applefest capital) to get our apples at the ever popular Bauer's Market. You won't believe what else we found there this year.....but I'm not telling you yet.....that's for a post next week!

Slices and slices of apples. My fingertips were kind of tender the next day!

My, what a lovely round of soon-to-be perfect crust.

After adding just the right amount of apple coating, we mounded them high.

I said high! And don't forget to fill in those sides, those apples really bake down in the oven.

This year our great friend Kim gave us a pie-top-stencil that her sister had given to her before she passed at a too young age. It was so sweet of her to share it with us.....so are you kidding, of course, we just HAD to use it! One big apple in the center for a great steam hole - and little apples all around. Could it get any cuter?

One hour at 350 degrees later and ooooohhhhhh.....warm apple pie goodness!

Can't you just taste it? Yes - another year of family-loving apple pie-making goodness. Thanks mom. Love ya.

The Red Bowl - Version Hydrangea

2011-10-28T10:48:00.001-05:00

I love a beautiful hydrangea all the through the summer - but, what beauty it has in the fall - and in a Red Bowl!

Stayed tuned, I can't wait to show you what I did last weekend! I'll be posting about it in a day or two...

Unfinished Business

2011-10-25T19:16:00.001-05:00

Often you hear people say that they have projects that they have started and have not finished. And they say it like it's a bad thing.

Sure - I'm one of those people. Uh, you'd probably have a stroke if you saw how many things I have started and not yet finished. But sometimes it's a good thing.

Years ago - and I mean years - probably about 8 or even more - I made little stockings for Christmas ornaments. I simply made them out of cotton quilt batting and then rubbed them with a little tea dye. They then were finished off by a small strand of mismatched pearl, white, and clear beads as a hanger. I gave many of them as gift tags incorporated as part of their gifts that year.

Earlier this summer when cleaning out a couple things, I ran across this dozen or so of the little stockings that I never finished. I was in prime cleaning mode and promptly threw them away. A short time later, I shook my head clear of that nonsense and came to my senses. I proceeded to dig them out of the trash basket and decided that I would make a little stocking bunting out of them.

It turned out kind of cute. Not bad anyway, for a 8-year-long project!

(Sorry, bad lighting on photo-shoot day!)

The Red Bowl - Version Pumpkin

2011-10-24T22:10:00.000-05:00

Ahhh...looks like it's the great pumpkin, Charlie Brown.

Their Sweater Cup Runneth Over

2011-10-21T10:22:00.000-05:00

Wow - I guess the initial plea for penguin sweaters only went out about five days ago - and already there has been such a outpouring of penguin love that they have more sweaters than they need. But they are telling people that if you've already gotten one made, please send it and they will be placed in a reserve.

That is great news, indeed!

It is so heartwarming to hear that those cute little duffers will be properly clothed to help them heal, but it's just a tad sad that I wasn't able to move my knitting needles in time to provide one myself. However, I pray that they are never needed again.

You can read just a little more about the small yarn shop that started the campaign right here. Cheers to them and swift, caring knitters!

Knitting for Penguins

2011-10-20T16:01:00.001-05:00

It's so sad and so cute all at the same time!

These little (fairy) penguins on New Zealand's coast need our help. An oil spill has left their environment unclean and dangerous. Volunteers are working hard to save them and take care of them - but they are asking for little knit wool sweaters for the oil-soaked babies. The sweaters help keep them warm and also prevent them from ingesting oil while trying to clean their feathers.

I understand there is a new need for more sweaters - so if you're interested in getting your knitting needles moving (I know mine will be!), here's the pattern. More information can be found at Skeinz, a New Zealand yarn store. Also, look here for more information about fairy penguins who were saved after a 2000 oil spill).

Penguin Jumper in 8ply - Must be 100% Wool Yarn

1 pair 3.25mm , 1 pair of 3.75mm needles , 1 set of 3.25mm dpn’s or circular

Cast on 36 stitches using 3.25 needles.K1, P1 to end of row. Repeat this row 7 times. Change to 3.75mm needles and K2, P2 rib. Work 4 rows increasing at each end of every row. (44 sts)
Continue until work measures 15 cms.
Decrease 1 st at each end of every row until 28 sts remain.
Decrease 1 st. in middle of next row (27 sts.)
Leave on needle.
Make second side the same.
Transfer the 54 sts from both pieces to 3 of the set of 4 3.25mm needles.(18 sts on each.) and work a round neck in K1 P1 rib for 10 rows.
Cast off.
Stitch up sides to decreasing to 27sts (opening for flipper). Add elastic to the top and bottom to prevent the penguins getting out of them. Top: 15cm of elastic; bottom 17 cm (knots allowed).
Flat elastic ok to use.

Keeping the Bubbly Warm

2011-10-20T07:02:00.000-05:00

I'm not someone who likes wine, but I have some friends who do. They recently (okay, if truth be known, it was about 2 1/2 months ago) celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. Since I don't see them too often, I'm safe in presenting their gift at a later date.

Now, as I said - I don't drink wine, so imagine how confused I was heading into the liqueur store looking for the perfect bottle. With a little help from the clerk (who I swear headed me to the more expensive bottles on purpose), I happily headed home with my bottle.

I had already decided that I would make a little wool stocking hat and scarf for the bottle. Personally, I don't see the need to give a bottle a hat and scarf but I thought they would get a kick out of it. And, heck, a lot of people don't see the need to cover their lotion dispenser in felted wool, but I do. So....to each his own! :-)

A snip here, a stitch there, and a little handmade pompom right on the tip, it was done. I think their little bottle will keep nice and toasty until - they decide to chill it!

The Red Bowl - Version Rosehips

2011-10-19T09:26:00.000-05:00

Did you think the Red Bowl series was over? I guess lied. Back by popular demand (okay, it was just one - but that was enough for me!).....The Red Bowl.

In Pumpkin Love

2011-10-17T09:01:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't love pumpkins in the fall? You see them everywhere - but do you get tired of seeing them? I sure don't! Here's a little peek at my back stairs...because I'm in pumpkin-love.

The Red Bowl - Version Bittersweet

2011-10-12T19:37:00.000-05:00

Ah yes, the third (and I promise, final) fall version of the the red bowl. Bittersweet. I love bittersweet. I have some growing in my yard and love to see the little pops of orange and red in the fall.

New Scrappy Pieces

2011-10-10T23:25:00.000-05:00

I was messing around trying to figure out what to do with some pin cushions this weekend and decided to try a little scrappy-action.

I used small scraps of felted wool and a black bead to create a non-pattern-pattern and I have to admit I kind of like the outcome. They are playful, colorful, and quite fun to create, and the perfect way to use up tiny scraps that I can't bear to part with!

I put these on Etsy today!

The Red Bowl - Version Leaf

2011-10-08T23:18:00.000-05:00

I couldn't help joining the millions of people enjoying and taking photos of the fall colors. My thrift store red bowl came in very handy for holding a beautiful fall leaf.

The Red Bowl

2011-10-07T13:41:00.000-05:00

As I was digging through my shed the other day I ran across some wooden bowls that I had probably snatched greedily during one of my thrift stores adventures thinking I couldn't live without them. It's always funny how that works - because I've lived okay without even remembering I had them...until now.

Two of them were painted a beautiful, bright, glossy red. It happened to be a sunny fall day and I laid one on my little garden bistro table. It was cute, cheery, and made me smile. I'm sharing the smile.

Happy Anniversary!

2011-10-04T19:06:00.001-05:00

This year is the Dick Van Dyke Show's 50th Anniversary! Oh dear - how can that be? Seems like it was just another program on TV - now it's "retro"!

But here's a little Etsy treasury salute to Dick Van Dyke, Mary Tyler Moore, and all the other folks that made that show so much fun.

(Please note: I thought I was pretty darn clever adding the black walnut. Remember that episode where it was a dream and it was all about walnuts?)

PS. Take a good look at that pencil drawing of Dick Van Dyke - what talent!

Mosaic Table aka Hey...Nice Legs!, Part 2

2011-09-27T23:18:00.000-05:00

As promised (and heck, I don't always remember to fulfill all my promises I make on here!), here's a peek at the finished mosaic table project I've been working on.

After I finished the mosaic top...

I spray painted the underside of the table and the legs. I started with a soft gray. Something just wasn't quite right.

Then I decided to respray with a periwinkle blue. Ahhh....that's the ticket! I was much happier with this end result.

Saving Lives

2011-09-26T09:30:00.000-05:00

If you're anything like me - you don't have huge excess of cash laying around just waiting to do good things with. You know - tsunami relief effort, hurricane help, humane society - the list goes on and on. I would truly love to be able to give and support every effort - but it's just not possible. So I do what I can, when I can and hope the little I'm able to provide will help in some way.

One of my friends, Brene Brown, was a part of a new effort to help save lives. It's in the form of a book to help end malaria. Yes - once again, a worthy effort. The motto is Buy a Book, Save a Life.

I did my part and purchased the great book. It's a collection of great people talking about doing great work. Maybe you want to think about purchasing a copy now and saving it for that special someones Christmas gift. You check it out here.

It's Pumpkin Picking Time

2011-09-25T18:20:00.001-05:00

For as hard as my mind tries, by body just doesn't always keep up. I know as a "crafter", you always have to be working ahead of the seasons - being prepared with the new season at least during the previous season. That way you have product the people want, when they want it.

Yup. It works great that way. But, gosh, I seem to have a difficult time catching up. So last week I finally got around to making and posting some pumpkins in my Etsy shop.

I think my favorite saying must be "better late than never."

Hey...Nice Legs!

2011-09-23T13:07:00.000-05:00

One of our favorite co-workers is leaving our organization to pursue an entirely different career. She's going from Editor to Flight Attendant! Wow - what a switch!

So, like I said - she's a favorite and the group wanted to do something special for her. One of the gals went digging in her shed and magically pulled out these great looking metal legs - long ago the support of something - although we aren't sure what.

We investigated having a metal worker make a metal top to create a table. We then wanted to create a mosaic piece for the top. After his estimate of $140, we decided to go another route.

Another co-worker took it home for her husband to look at. He,very smartly, cut a round piece of plywood, bent the top pieces down a bit and used them to firmly attach the top to the base with some nuts and bolts.

Ahhhh....now comes my part. I'm in charge of doing the mosaic. I've been working on it this week and will be finishing it up by the end of the weekend. I think it's coming along nicely - and I'll show you the finished piece when I'm done.

Stayed tuned.

Shelter Dogs

2011-09-18T10:46:00.000-05:00

There was a story on CBS this morning today about a woman, Traer Scott, who has photographed shelter and street dogs and then created books with her photography.

Her goal - when doing her dog photography - was to show the love and affection in the animals faces in hopes to promote more shelter adoptions.

I salute her, her work, and efforts. Imagine the impact if every photographer would do the same (and I'd like to add that the same should be done for our wonderful feline friends as well!).

Any animal saved is a new love story waiting to be told.

The Help

2011-09-17T16:45:00.000-05:00

Earlier this week I just finished The Help. Good book.

There were so many parts of it that I would think "oh, how sweet" and then just as quickly I'd think "oh, how sad". Lots of emotions and lots of good reminders for being a better person.

I may just sneak off and see the movie now - I didn't want to see it until I finished reading it! Have you seen it or read it?

An Allium

2011-09-16T10:34:00.000-05:00

The simple beauty of crisp-morning-teeny-tiny dew drops on an allium.

Warm Up America

2011-09-13T07:11:00.000-05:00

If you're in the midwest, you'll notice a big change in temperature when you wake this morning. It's gone from quite-warm to chilly-toes weather overnight.

I personally love the cooler weather (note: I did not say COLD weather!) and it must be in God's plans to give today a little nip in the air because today happens to be Stitch and Pitch Day - where during a Mets baseball game, there is a special event happening where folks will gather and knit or crochet scarves and hats to help Warm Up America.

How fun! I hope all who attend and participate in this great event have a stitching-good-time!

A Fruit Slushy

2011-09-12T17:22:00.000-05:00

I'm trying to be a little better about the foods I eat. Yes....I said better. Not perfect. I'm far from eating well - but every little bits helps, right?

So yesterday I made a yummy mixed berry and watermelon slushy. Quite a nice choice, huh, getting all those good fruits in me?

A good cupful to start with...

Yum, yum...

And the rest goes in the freezer for tomorrow night...

Oh ya, this'll be a great treat...

Ahhhh, did I mention the 3 teaspoons of sugar I added to make it j.u.s.t. right??

Purple Day on the Farm

2011-09-11T20:29:00.000-05:00

Alright, saying it's been a purple day on the farm is a little bit of a lie. First, I don't live on a farm, and second, every day is a purple day.

I've had a pile of doilies, pillowcases, and other linens that have been waiting and waiting to get in the dye bath. So they finally got their wish. A purple bath. They sang cheerful purple songs while hanging on the line out back. Heck fire, I might just draw myself a lovely purple bath someday.....but I kind of doubt it. :-)

Wool Week

2011-09-05T09:28:00.000-05:00

It's Wool Week in the UK! September 5-11 is designated as Wool Week.

Help celebrate by checking out the official website and some of the great wool work going on! Gotta love that wool....

Garage Sale

2011-09-01T19:45:00.000-05:00

Sorry I haven't been with you all week. I'm getting ready for my fall sale. It's happening tomorrow and we're working into the evening tonight to get things ready for an 8 am start. Wish us luck!

Fab Find

2011-08-28T09:48:00.000-05:00

Here's a quick peek at a recent cool find I had at my last thrift store stop.

Can't wait to show you what I'm going to do with it!

I've got a couple of very busy weeks coming up - so I fear you won't see a transformation real soon. But, I promise I'll show you as soon as I get it done. In the meantime....I'm actually living up to my year-to-clear promise from the first of the year and having a garage sale next weekend! Unfortunately, I haven't been able to make as much headway as I would have liked to by this time, but, none-the-less, it's progress - and it feels good!

The Secrets of Pronoia

2011-08-26T08:48:00.000-05:00

I don't know about you - but I can definitely have days where I feel like nothing.....I mean NOTHING seems to be going my way. It's like the whole world has gotten together the night before and planned how they can send as much trouble as possible to me. And by the way, the whole world always seems very pleased and proud of the success of their little Ann-project.

So I struggle and struggle, and somehow I succeed in making it through the the-whole-world-is-against-me-days, but I know there's always the possibility of another one just around the corner.

But the other day, I ran across this article - wow - now whether I'm having a the-whole-world-is-against-me-day or just a normal, standard day - I plan to remember this article and the wisdom of it's words.

Now, keep in mind - and depending on your current mood - it can actually come across a little sickening - but I still think it's definitely worth thinking about. It reminds me of something I heard once about miracles - and how they happen constantly around us but we become immune to them. For example, if we saw someone parting a sea of water many times a day for 100 years, we wouldn't think it was a miracle anymore....just something else in our otherwise mundane day. See what I mean?

Well head on over and read it for yourself and see what you think...

Porkchopsh and Appleshause

2011-08-25T06:57:00.001-05:00

I created a new Etsy treasury last night. I thought it was funny and so darn clever!

Remember the 1971 episode of The Brady Bunch - where Peter was walking around trying to talk like Humphrey Bogart? (Well shoot, some of you probably weren't around in 1971 - but obviously, I was!)

It went like this:

Carol (to Mike): "Guess who's coming to dinner?"
Mike: "A psychiatrist, I hope."
Carol (as Peter walks in): "I think it's Humphrey Bogart."
Peter tells Mike: "We're having 'porkchopsh and appleshaush."
Mike: "There's only one Humphrey Bogart. Doubt there'll ever be another one."

Now here's the REALLY funny part! About an hour after I created the treasury - I realized that instead of featuring "porkchops", I featured "pancakes"! What a goof!

A Trip to Michaels

2011-08-24T06:50:00.000-05:00

I live a little less than an hour away from the nearest Michaels store.

It's probably a good thing- because I can tend to spend too much money when I go there. But last weekend I needed to get some special clasps to make my bag charms and needed to make the trip.

Here we go. Oh wait - did I forget to mention that in the midwest there are two seasons? Winter and Road Construction.

So, of course, less than 10 minutes into the trip and we're stopped in construction. I'm trying to be patient. After all, if we want good roads, there has to be road construction. Right?

But we're not moving at all. I mean...at all.

Even Charlotte says "come on - let's get moving"!

Finally - yay! Traffic is moving!

We're on our way again - hang on!

After dealing with more construction the entire trip - we arrive safely at Michaels. I pop in the store anxious to find the product I'm in search of.

What? They don't have anything like it? But I swear I got my previous purchase here....probably 2 years ago. They don't still stock it?

Sigh. Guess I'll have to settle for something that I could have also gotten a mile away from home.

Well, as long as I'm in the neighborhood.....guess I should make a quick stop at Savers (thrift shop). After all, they may have some wool.....

Score! A great wool blanket and a nice gray sweater later, I'm back on the road.

Oh wait - I forgot to mention my other purchase! Another fun score! But I'll tell you more about that later...

Escape

2011-08-22T08:05:00.000-05:00

Today I didn't feel like being in reality.

That's ok - because first I spent a little time daydreaming here...

then had fun putzing here...

and then grabbed a little bite to eat here.

Then I woke up.

[All great photos above were taken from fellow Etsy sellers and are not my own. Clicking on each photo will take you to their individual listing. Check out their fun shops!]

Wise Words

2011-08-21T20:52:00.000-05:00

Some days are a struggle. Some days I feel overwhelmed, unproductive, and like I'm running in last place of a race that can't be won.

So when those nasty days creep up on me, I will try to remember this quote from George Eliot:

It's never too late to be what you might have been.

George Eliot

I think it's a good one!

The Twelve Steps

2011-08-20T08:21:00.000-05:00

I'm not in recovery. But I work at a world-wide known chemical dependency center. But anyone who knows recovery at all, knows about the Twelve Steps.

One of my friends, Jill Kelly, writes a great blog called The Sober Truth: The Makings of an Honest Woman. The other day, she posted a newly created version of the Twelve Steps written by another friend of mine, Beth Easter. I thought they were wonderful and wanted to share with you.

May you find some wisdom in the words. I know I do. In fact, I better head over and read them again - I think I need to work toward some tranquillity today. :-)

Taken from uncyclopedia.

The Women I Came From

2011-08-17T23:21:00.002-05:00

I'm very fortunate. I had a loving mother and grandmother. I cherish them and the memories of who they were. I also know that I am the person I am today because of them.

My grandma - she was an amazing, talented, beautiful woman with unbelievable strength. She hated having her picture taken and would just croak if she knew her photo was on the internet! :-)

Next, enter my mom. She was extremely talented as well, kind to everyone she ever met, and had admirable faith. She was one of the hardest working people I've ever known.

I thank them for being who they were and trying to instill in me just a few of their wonderful strengths. My heart misses them both every day.

Welcome Glow

2011-08-15T18:30:00.000-05:00

Sometimes when life seems quite chaotic and busy, it's fun to enjoy some of the simple pleasures of life. For me, sometimes just the glow of a candle makes me feel comfy and cozy.

What makes you feel all cozy and happy?

Found Items

2011-08-12T17:12:00.000-05:00

Cleaning, cleaning. It's such a good feeling to go through items that I haven't used (or seen!) in years - but it's also a little embarrassing. I've found things that I barely remember that I have. Or even worse...that I don't remember ever having in the first place! (I guess that's what happens when you're a thrift store/garage sale gal that's not kept on a strong leash!) :-) Let me tell you - it looks like I'm moving in or moving out right now - but as my mom always said - it's got to get worse before it gets better.

However, I did just run across some heart ornaments that I made several years back. They are made from old salvaged rag rugs. (At least I remember making them!)

I had inherited some wonderful rag rugs from my mom and grandma and there were a few that were pretty worn in spots. No worries, I was able to use the areas still in tact and make these little hearts. I also made several pillows in the same way.

So I decided that why not put the hearts in my Etsy shop - heck, there's no law that says it only has to be recycled wool!

My goodness...I wonder what I'll find when cleaning tonight!

Chaos

2011-08-10T15:03:00.000-05:00

Remember I told you waaaay earlier this year, that this is my year-to-clear in my overly stuffed house? Well, I am finally getting around to working on that promise to myself.

The work is slow because it takes me so long to go through everything - and believe-you-me (where DID that saying come from??) I do have a-lot-to-clear - but I'm making progress.

In the meantime, my head - and my house - are living just like this.....

From medicinethink.com.

......in chaos!

So hang in there with me, I've been terrible about getting out any good blog posts about wool or anything else creative - but I assure you I haven't forgotten about you - I've just been a little preoccupied.

Good Read

2011-08-08T21:56:00.000-05:00

I love to read. I know I won't live long enough to read all the yummy books that I'm drawn to. However, in our wild, busy, frantic world, I sometimes actually feel guilty if I take the time to relax and read a good book. How crazy is that?

Recently one of my co-workers shared this book with me. It is such a sweet, homey, and entertaining story. If you like a great feel-good story with incredibly written words of wisdom, I encourage you to check it out.

Invention Success

2011-08-05T08:18:00.001-05:00

So pleased to report that my new wool reversible pin cushion has already sold! One of my best customers has purchased it for a head start on her Christmas shopping! :-)

Hope you have a grand Friday!

The Wool Invention of the Century

2011-08-04T15:40:00.000-05:00

You know it. We all have it. We come up with something in our head that we think is going to be IT!

I had a brief glimpse of that success last night when I finished a new pin cushion. Ok. So it's not really an "invention" - but I thought it was pretty clever at the moment.

By accident, I came up with....ta da.......the reversible pin cushion!

You can use it one way...

Or turn it upside down and use it the other way...

After my initial stardom excitement settled, I realized that it's probably been done hundreds of times - not to mention - it's certainly not anything that would be required in every home - but I still kind of like it. I'm going to play with adding more petals to my next one.

I posted it for sale on Etsy today. Let's see how fast it takes the whole-wide-world to find this wonderful, facinating, new creation! Ha! :-)

Art Medley Boxes

2011-08-01T21:20:00.001-05:00

Remember a little while back I told you about the Art Medley that I was participating in?

It has been on display as a few different locations through the summer - and will soon be split up and each individual box will be delivered to it's new owner.

Last week, I took a quick trip to a local art gallery where the display was located. I was finally able to see all of the wonderfully creative and unique ideas that the various artists provided. It was great fun, very inspiring, and a delight to be a part of.

Can you see my little wool peep peeking out of her box? :-)

(I think she was having a great time - and loved being a part of the medley!)

Here is a close-up look at just a few more of the wonderful Art Medley boxes.

A unique yarn box...

A wonderful miniature yo-yo quilt...

Fun variety of boxes with a cool one on top that included a partially knitted article...

This one appeared to be a un-assembled photo that was then stitched in place...

Love the wool, hooked star and the fun and playful tiles...

This one was an amazing quilted piece... (I have to admit that I think this was perhaps my favorite!)

A classy little painting...

A very interesting view of our favorite bed-time prayer...

An incredible hand-made ceramic tile...

What fun - a playful collage...

A very cool work with homemade paper...

Some wildly great metal work...

A wide view of more great pieces...

And more great pieces!

Thanks for looking - I hope you enjoyed your little gallery tour of an Art Medley!

Working on Wool

2011-07-30T00:31:00.000-05:00

I made myself a promise at the start of the summer that I would work hard on my wool all through the summer so I wouldn't have such a panic-rush to finish up things for my fall commitments. Huh, I wonder where the summer has gone?

Now, of course, I have been working on some wool through June and July - but you see, there's a big difference between laa-dee-da-I'm-relaxing-and-working-on-wool and it's-time-to-kick-toosh-and-produce-wool. Needless to say - I do believe I've been working pretty exclusively in the first mode.

I have managed to kick up the heat (little pun intended!) in the past week and have gotten a little more focused on what needs to be done. So here's a little glimpse of what I've been working on.

Getting owl key chains ready...

Cutting leaves...

Cutting and sewing for coasters...

Cutting for scarves...

It's a good start - but it's only the beginning! Gotta love that wool!

I'm in love with Mollie

2011-07-27T22:20:00.000-05:00

During my visit to Barnes and Noble a couple weeks ago (LOVE that store!!), I found a new magazine called Mollie Makes.

It's brand new, published in the UK, and I am head over heels about it! There's even a cute, small envelope attached to the front cover with a kit to make a felt flower. Wow - what a fun idea!

There is such a fresh, playful, yet sophisticated feel to it. I fear that I am going to have to run to B&N to catch the next issue (just out) and am really struggling to keep myself from subscribing to this lovely, monthly magazine! (It's isn't the cheapest magazine - but I'm feeling sorrow just thinking about having to miss an issue!)

Check it out yourself! And check out their great mission statement. Yup, I'm in love with Mollie.

Breathing Again

2011-07-25T23:14:00.000-05:00

Whew. Our crazy heat wave is finally gone and I'm finally back to working on wool.

I'm being kind of lazy these days - guess I'm still getting my energy back after being hit with a little heat exhaustion - but I'll try to share some photos of what I'm working on soon.

One thing that I'm starting to cut for is scarf pieces. Yuck - it's kind of hard to imagine wrapping wool around my neck right now - but I know the time that we'll want to, will be here waaay too soon!

Taken from Jeezbean.wordpress.com.

Dream On

2011-07-22T15:18:00.000-05:00

I made a treasury on Etsy earlier today. A treasury is a gathering of items for sale on Etsy that you like - and have some sort of theme, whether it be by color, feeling, texture, etc.

This one I created felt like I could float away in a wonderful dream world in any of these visions. Check it out. Dreamy, huh?

The Tin Study

2011-07-21T14:48:00.000-05:00

Remember some time ago I mentioned a little wool project that I was working on? Well, I haven't made great strides with it - but I did finish a few of the items.

I was lucky enough to find a small collections of tins in the thrift store, cleaned and spray painted them, and made them into pin cushions. I wanted to make them similar - but with each one being embellished in a different way. Thus - my little "Study in Tin".

I really am not thrilled by how they are turning out - but I guess every project isn't always a wild success. But....I'll show you anyway and I thought I'd given them a whirl on Etsy as well.

Study 1

Study 2

Study 3

Study 4

And, all together now...

I still have a few more that I have to finish - we'll see if they have more pizazz!

Help Me, I'm Melting...

2011-07-18T14:41:00.000-05:00

"Look what you've done! I'm melting! Melting! Oh, what a world! What a world!"

Oh ya - I feel just like that nasty wicked witch that Dorothy and her companions so cleverly destroyed while skipping through Oz.

We're having a heck of a heat wave here in the midwest, and - by George, I think I'm saying this for the first time ever - but.....it's too hot to work on wool! Yikes!

I can't wait for the heat to pass - but apparently, we still have a few more days to survive. Until then, my little pretties....

Borrowed from Wikipedia.com.

I Don't Sew

2011-07-15T10:58:00.001-05:00

Ok.

I do sew.

A lot.

But I definitely don't sew clothing.

That, my friends, is a whole other ball game.

A few weeks ago, the zipper on one of my favorite-most-comfortable zip-up sweatshirts broke. Big bummer.

I decided that it was foolish for me to even think about replacing the zipper in the normal seamstress fashion. So I needed to figure out some way to fix it - or trash my old buddy.

I dug in my stash of thrift-store-find-zippers and found a huge zipper. I laid it next to the failed one - and wa la - it was darn near the same length! It just might work.

But instead of taking out the previous zipper and replacing it - I took the lazy-woman's way out - and sewed the new zipper under the old one...and it worked! Have you ever heard of such a thing?

I'll be darned - I can again wear my sweatshirt and it didn't cost a thing!

My Package from Greece

2011-07-13T16:22:00.000-05:00

It's heeeeeere!

I decided to splurge on something from another Etsy artist that I really, really didn't need. But I wanted.

I've been impatiently waiting for my package to arrive all the way from Greece.

Last Friday I got a note from my mail carrier that I had a "foreign" package and it would be at the post office waiting for me, or I could request that they deliver it.

Deliver it, please.

I waited. Saturday....Monday....no package.

Yesterday I stopped at the post office. Can I have my package, please?

It was delivered today.

Ok, fine. :-)

I get home and plant myself in my grandma's rocker on the back porch. I anxiously prepare to open my first package from Greece.

Oh my, such a fun little package inside.

What could it be?

Can you stand the suspense? OMG, just open the darn thing!

TaDa! Fancy little "barefoot sandals" - beautifully crocheted in the softest lavendar thread! (Oh please, don't look at my scruffy old feet - people, keep your eyes on the purple!)

I think they are so cute and I wore them all evening. Bet you want a pair now too! Step right up...you can get your own right here! Lasunka.

It's Planting Time

2011-07-12T12:53:00.000-05:00

I got some beautiful new perennials at one of our local Farmer's Market last Wednesday - for only $3 each! I was gone all weekend, so I do really need to get outside this evening to get some things planted, but in the meantime, they look awful sweet waiting patiently in front of my shed...

Strawberry Jam

2011-07-08T13:03:00.000-05:00

Whew. I made it through yesterday. It was a struggle of a day - but I managed to get some fresh strawberries picked and made into jam. Take a peek...

Breaking Down

2011-07-07T13:55:00.001-05:00

You know how sometimes it's just a tough day. No reason. No event. No excuse. Just a tough day.

I'm struggling today trying to keep my head above my drowning mind and soul. I hope tomorrow is a better day.

I in the meantime, I'm still working wool - but not at a very fast pace. But I fear that the fall, and my fall-show-sale commitments are going to sneak up on me quite quickly! I best start working at more than a sluggish snails pace.

Hopefully, by the end of the weekend, I'll be able to show you a few more things I've been working on. Here's a glance.

In My Sisters Garden

2011-07-05T12:36:00.002-05:00

Oops! My computer was acting goofy - so this post went out without being complete!

Well, here goes the real post...........

This weekend I was at my sister's house for our family/friend party. I gave my sister and her husband their anniversary blanket. I think they liked it.

It's always such great fun visiting my sister's - I thought I'd take you for a little stroll through her garden/yard. Come on....you'll like it. The first few photos are of the cutest flower basket on their barn and the rest are from flowers throughout the yard.

Answering Questions

2011-07-01T08:41:00.000-05:00

I received a note asking a couple questions about my anniversary blanket. I sure could have answered them in my last post had I read my emails first, but - as usual - I like to do things backwards.

Yes, I did use both knits and woven wool for the blanket (the woven fabrics were all from different recycled wool skirts). For many of my projects, I tend to stick primarily with knits - because I love how they create their unique fiber when felted. I also love the no-possibility-of-raveling characteristic. But it really is quite surprising how much fabric is needed for even a smaller lap blanket, so its nice to add some of the woven wools. I also love using the different textures together in the same piece - it makes for an interesting look and feel. And heck, I don't want any kind of wool to feel unwanted and unloved! :-)

I absolutely love the look of butting the fabrics up to each other and then using a zig zag stitch to attach them to each other, but I sometimes do fear that the weight of the wools could later pull the stitching out. So I have come to mostly overlapping my fabrics - about 1/4" or so - and then using a zig zag stitch to sew them together. I've found that I just feel more secure doing it that way.

Thanks for the good questions!

Let there be flowers

2011-07-01T08:26:00.000-05:00

Uffdah. I promised myself that I was going to be better at getting blog posts ready and more consistent - but I haven't done very well at it lately!

However, I wanted to drop a quick note before America's July 4 weekend and let you know that I got flowers put on the anniversary blanket. They weren't at all what I initially envisioned, but I guess they'll do. At least their blooming!

Cuddling Up in June

2011-06-28T11:53:00.000-05:00

Oh my - maybe June isn't the best time of year to make a wool blanket - but what's a gal to do?

My sister and her husband just celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. We're going to be having a little celebration with some family and friends - and I had my sites on giving them their present at that time.

Of all the things I COULD have decided to give them - I decided that I wanted to make them a special wool blanket. I thought I could tie it up with a nice bow and attach a note saying "A little something extra for you even though I know your love can keep you warm." Silly - I know. Corny - I know. But my family is full of silly and corny - besides, I thought it might be fun.

So I started working on the wool blanket and finished it this last weekend. Here's a sneak peek. I hope they like it. I'm still debating on whether to add a little flower and leaves in one of the corners. What do you think...flower or no flower?

No Time for Fools

2011-06-24T10:32:00.000-05:00

Guess I've been the fool lately. I haven't been very good at all about keeping up on my blog postings. My apologies. It seems I've either been too busy, too tired, too lazy, too unmotivated, or just too absent. I promise, I'll try to improve, too-day!

Today I'm kind of in that "too jumbled" place - so I'm going to just try to unjumble my head with some simple, uncomplicated beauty from my garden. So sit back, take a deep breath, and enjoy the garden tour with me.

Mouse Trap

2011-06-20T12:51:00.000-05:00

I took a trip across the state this past weekend. One of the nights I stayed with my son and his girlfriend. They have two cats - and are "baby sitting" for another sweet cat while their friend is serving in the military.

I decided to make them each a little wool mouse to play with. I think they enjoyed them with their long, mouse tails.

Buy Handmade

2011-06-16T10:16:00.000-05:00

There's a new post on the TAFA Team blog that is really great! It gives 15 good - no great - reasons to buy handmade. Check it out!

Taken from TAFATeam.blogpot..com