halloween tree ornaments

I saw this tutorial and thought these would work great hanging from my black Halloween Tree. The stickers in the center are from the Martha Stewart line. Really easy to make. I need to get working on a few more.

enjoying autumn

We thought this pumpkin looked like Pac Man

I know this is my favorite time of year because each day that I see the colorful leaves all over my yard, I am excited and don't even want to rake them up. Once when we had just moved in to our house, I had a lady stop by and I apologized for all the leaves everywhere and she said that I was lucky because I had my own natural Fall decoration. I have taken it as such ever since. Sorry to my neighbors who get all my leaves on their lawn!!! We have made our pumpkin cookies, breads and muffins. We have visited pumpkin patches, apple orchards, and have taken hay rides. I have made a few new Fall decorations. Yes, it's a great time of the year. Here are a few photo from our pumpkin patch trips, field trips, and back yard leaf playing.

custom charms

I love making custom soldered pendants. And, I really love when people have me make them for special occasions. This one was for a friend's sister's 50th birthday. It has a photo of her and her sisters at the beach many years ago. She added a quote about sisters and another initial charm. I added the silver key and extra beads.

my parisian dress from mani mina patterns

I bought the pdf pattern for My Parisian Dress from Mani Mina Studio on etsy. I wanted to make mine out of corduroy and after searching a couple of stores for print corduroy and not finding what I wanted, I ordered this Robert Kaufman cord on ebay.

Changes I made - (not very many)

*Added jumbo rick rack to the bottom hem

*Added 1/4" elastic to the cuff of each sleeve

another bib

I made this one too. From the same pattern as this one. I think I made the Scottie Dog from clip art I found on Martha Stewart website.

a few new things

I really am here. I keep wondering when I am going to post like I used to. I think life has a way of going in cycles and right now I seem to be busy with kids even though three of mine are in school all day. I can't explain it, but it's true. I have made a few things and haven't even taken pictures of them. Maybe that means I don't just make things to blog about them, but I am still not sure that is completely true. It's something I am trying to figure out for myself!


I made a few bibs for new babes over the past few weeks and took a photo of one of them. I used my owl applique pattern for the owl on the front and just used terry cloth for the back. I got this bib pattern from juicy bits blog. Mallory is wearing the bib in these photos and thought it was so funny to wear a baby bib.

I made this hair bow last Halloween. I just ran a long stitch along the length of grosgrain ribbon and pulled it taught so that it formed a circle. I made a smaller one for on top and then added a Halloween button I got in a package from Hobby Lobby. Simple and sweet. Mallory will now wear hairbows - sometimes. That's better than never I guess. Here is a photo of her with the wooden candy corn man I bought at the Country Living Fair two weeks ago in Columbus, OH (that I went to with Melissa) from company called Fried Green Tomatoes in Burlington, WI. He welcomes everyone as they come in the front door.