custom soldered pendant charms 1 inch

photo from Kathryn at Nannygoat

Thanks to some great friends who nudge me along the way, I am now offering custom photo soldered pendants in our etsy shop. It started because my husband's business partner asked if I could make one for his wife for Christmas. I made him three because I couldn't decide which one I liked best. Then, my dear friend Kathryn at Nannygoat asked me if I could make two with photos of her four children. She just so happens to take really great photos, so they turned out great. So, with their help and the help of Melissa, the custom listing is now there. You have to be patient with me as I try to figure it all out. In the listing I asked that the photos be edited (black and white, any enhancements, etc.)and cropped to ensure you really get what you want. But, if that isn't possible, I can help with that part of the process. As silly as this may sound, I think I need to get going on a set of my own!

my sister

photo via safarisister

sent me these for my birthday. I love them. I love simple silver jewelry. These are perfect. I love the shop (SafariSister) that she bought them from at etsy. The girl makes beautiful jewelry. I just thought I would share.

this is the photo on the pattern not me!

Oh, and this is a picture from the pattern of the vest my mom knitted for me for my birthday. It's from Tahki Stacy Charles' Terra Collection. I had to break the news to her this week that is quite short on me. I am a bit tall and I didn't want to hurt her feelings because I knew she worked so hard on it. Thankfully, she just laughed (because she thought it was funny that I was nervous to tell her) then she asked which color I would like her to remake it in. Cool mom, huh?

And, lastly, my younger sister, Caitlin, gave birth to a healthy baby boy on Monday night. Very joyful.

butterfly love

It's hard to see a blank t-shirt without wanting to add a little something.  She wanted a butterfly, so I made her a Valentine butterfly.  She added the glasses herself. 

shop update

I finished 5 pendants for the new etsy shop this weekend!

sweet baby girl blanket

I made another rag time quilt for my friend's baby girl. I made it a bit larger than the one I made here this summer. I made each strip 36 inches long and anywhere from 3" to 8" wide. The strips on the side are only 3 inches wide. When I helped my mother in law clean out her house in November, she gave me a lot of her fabric so that is where I got the floral flannel, light pink flannel, pink chambray and the warm and natural batting. The pink corduroy came from Wal Mart for only 2.50/yard. The pink floral cotton is Moda's Fruit Cocktail by Chloe's Closet and the stripe is Moda's Bias Stripe by Sandy Gervais (which reminds me of Fruit Stripes Gum). These quilts are fairly easy to make. The tool that I would recommend the most when making a rag time quilt is Fiskars #7 Utility Cutter. It is spring loaded which helps making all the little snips very quick in the blanket. I've heard these are good too.

it's open - the esty shop, i mean

Finally! It took us getting together yesterday and just DOING it. I am so excited because I am in this venture with one of the most creative people I know. Seriously.

So far Melissa (of The Polka Dot Chair) has two pdfs in the etsy shop. One is for The Love Pouch and the other is The June Bag. Both are pdfs files with complete instructions (photos and all) for each project.

I plan on having Valentines pendants in there by this weekend. Wish me luck!

so cold

I am just checking in to report that I can see my breath up in my sewing room. Yes, it's that cold. We are trying so hard to save money this winter on our gas and electric bill. Last year it was outrageous at this time of the year and we usually keep our thermostat at 65 degrees! So, we are just heating the downstairs and that room above the garage that I fondly call my craft room is closed off and freezing. So, until I come up with a good plan to heat up that room or move all my supplies downstairs, I am only to dream about what I would like to make!!

giveaway winner

Thanks to Grace for offering to have such an amazing giveaway.  Truly a prize worth winning. And, the winner is......

#59 - kim

Thank you to everyone who signed up for her newsletter and the giveaway.  Grace has the giveaway winner posted on her blog here.  Check it out and also, Kim I need especially you to  check it out so you can be thrilled and get in contact with Grace. 

 

Click on her button to go to her shop and check out her new birdie print that can be given for Valentines Day or any day.  Sweet. 

snow day and giveaway update

It only takes a few inches to get a snow day here in the country. Plus, with the expectation of freezing rodes, you get another one the next day. So, the kids have been home with me the past two days and it has been full of rides down the driveway in the vintage sled I have for our Christmas decorating and hot chocolate. Not too bad. It's the making up of the days at the end of the school year that stinks a bit. But, nonetheless, it's fun and very very cold.

Giveaway update - it is closed and Grace will pick a winner this weekend. I will post the winner here and she will post it on her blog as well. Exciting stuff.

she knew

She knew of my love for the fish - swedish. I love them so much and I love the fact that Dana over at Made was sweet enough (oh so sweet enough) to send me this surprise in the mail -

Dana's photo from her blog Made

It's a zipper pouch that is lined with vinyl covered red and white polka dot fabric. I was so surprised and delighted with it. She also sent me a bag of red swedish fish that were hiding inside. It was one of the bags she made in last week's SYTYC and also the winner of last week's competition. Check out the tutorial for them here. I am so lucky.

Both of these photos are from her blog too!

I was figuring... I could keep this in my purse and ALWAYS keep it stocked. That way, I will never run out or be sad. Because I relate happiness to swedish fish. Okay, there are other things that make me happy, but this candy brings me such sweet memories. When we were little kids and would go to the mall with my mom, she would take us to the candy counter at the department store and buy us each a few ounces of swedish fish to keep us occupied while we rode on the stroller or walked along side my mom throughout the mall. Very Fond memories. When my little girl first started saying the word candy, she would say "bobby." I think it was because her first candy was a lollipop and all she got out of that word was "bobby" like "lolly." So, when she and I go shopping while the brothers are in school we usually (always) pick up a bag of "fish bobbies," which are swedish fish. So, I think I have passed the love down to the next generation.

Here is my photo of the sweedish fish pouch. Notice that there aren't fish because these little ones (and me) ate them all. But, soon this pouch will be filled again and all will be right in the world. Thanks again Dana.

2 days left for grace's giveaway

Only two more days for Grace Hester's Family Keepsake Print Giveaway. It is so simple to go to her blog and sign up for her newsletter. Then, come back here and comment. I am excited for this one and if you don't win, head to her shop and get one of these sweet personalized prints for your wall. Worth it. Okay, it ends on January 7th. Go down to the giveaway post and leave a comment.

resolutions and show & tell

Kids are back to school...am I the only one who started out by exercising today? I tried to start exercising during December so that when January and resolutions came around, I would already have that one down. I fell off the wagon when the kids were home for two weeks, but I am happy to say that I am back on. Plus, I have no excuse (other than I would rather sleep sometimes) because I have many options in my own home like DVDs, the Wii, an elliptical, etc. Plus, I love the way I feel after exercise and I have to remind myself that although most the time I don't lose weight when I exercise, I still need to do it for my health - mental and physical.

I kept my resolutions super simple this year. This way, I won't get disappointed and give up at any time. No diet ones - just trying to take my vitamins and chill out a bit.

I want to get back to sewing too. I get in to something like soldering and only have just enough time to do one thing at a time, so I don't get to other things I love. I love sewing and want to find some projects that inspire me to get on the sewing train. Is there such a thing? There should be.

Okay - show and tell time, Here are a few gifts that I wanted to share from my friends and family.

Melissa made me this amazing calendar with photos of my family and ephemera. I can't begin to express just how much I love it. I really love it.

My mom knitted (it still amazes me how well others knit) me this gorgeous vest for my birthday. How? I have knitted a potholder and never tried it again. I will take a photo of it this week.  My mom also sent me her version of the block calendar like I made here. She folded her own boxes to put them in too.  She does things so well - quite the example growing up. And, she made us one of these bears with a music box in the back. We had one at our house while I was growing up.

Kathryn made me one of these scarves.  I really wanted one and am so grateful it was gifted to me.  

I have too many generous people in my life and for that, I am blessed.  

the wreath underneath

Here is what the wreath looks like without the cards clipped on. It is so simple. You could make one now and have it ready and waiting for next year. One reader said she was going to make it and put Valentine Day cards/decorations on it. Great idea. Mine is still hanging on the door (although all the other Christmas decorations are down) and I am contemplating whether I want to clip other stuff on to it and leave it up. We'll see.