put your beer here . . .

I love giving Christmas gifts that we make.  Richard made a few of these wood six-pack holders at the last minute.  The turned out great.  Looks like he is going to have to make some more . . . everyone loved them and wants one.

Surprise Package . . .

I received a very special package in the mail yesterday . . . from Lorraine.  I have been following her blog for sometime.  One of the best things about blogging is meeting people . . . and making new friends.  Thank you Lorraine for these wonderful gifts, inspiration, and your kindness . . .

 origami crane necklace and earrings . . .

 . . . glass vegetable beads - (I have ideas for a Shabby Charlotte doll already.)  I love the little eggplant and cucumber . . .

 Lorraine also made this beautiful card . . . the photo does not do it justice. 

. . . and a unique bracelet knitted out of paper yarn. 

 

I have been enjoying my vacation . . . trying to stay motivated and get some things done, but I am finding that I am easily distracted - and can drop everything just to go out and do something fun.  I am thinking that is a very good thing. 

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things."

                            - Robert Brault

 



Catch of the Day

I decided last night to make a birthday present for my friend Jessica.  Why don't I get these ideas a week in advance is unknown to me.  But once I had the idea - I had to make it.  So it was another night staying up until one o'clock . . . this time sewing beads on a fish softie.

I love how it turned out. 

Jessica loves to go fishing . . . in fact, yesterday at work - every time I talked to her she mentioned fishing, wanting to go fishing, or how much fun she had this past weekend while she was fishing.  : )

You can't see them - but there are fishing quotes on the back of each of these little fish.

A bad day of fishing is better than a good day of work.   ~Author Unknown

If people concentrated on the really important things in life, there'd be a shortage of fishing poles.   ~Doug Larson

I love fishing. You put that line in the water and you don't know what's on the other end. Your imagination is under there.   ~Robert Altman

Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.        ~ Henry David Thoreau

If fishing is interfering with your business, give up your business.  ~ Alfred W. Miller

Happy Birthday Jessica . . . looks like she can now go fishing at work.  : )

I love giving handmade gifts . . . especially when I get an idea that really fits a person.  It is fun working on something with a certain person in mind.   Jessica loved her fish.  I think I loved making it more. 

A Little More Christmas

A new pink Christmas ornament
A new pink Christmas Tree - I've been wanting a small pink tree for some time. I don't want to put it away with the Christmas stuff. I am thinking maybe I can somehow hold it over until Valentine's Day. It is soooo cute. I wrapped a pink boa around the base and now it is just waiting for some ornaments.
A perfect place to hang out.
Jennifer and Josh were over on Christmas Eve and made up the last gingerbread house. I like Jennifer's icicles. Josh proceeded to eat this when they were over for Christmas. I forgot and left the other houses on the table last night - Sadie put a dent in those. Ooops!
One last ornament made - Our friend and neighbor collects Coca Cola things - and her tree and house are decorated around this theme. We made her this little angel out of a Coke can. I had seen one at Urban Outfitter's - but they only had one made with at diet coke can. I added the small heart on the bottom because I had gotten glue on the front of the angel and could not get it off. I like the addition of the heart more than anything - I guess sometimes mistakes can be a good thing.
Never say, "oops." Always say, "Ah, interesting." ~Author Unknown

Baby Girl Colors ~

I finally finished the baby blanket that I started for Lily. It is a little smaller than I thought it would be - I even checked my gauge when I started - (Something I very seldom do) - and I used a much larger hook than it called for. It still turned out on the small side - but it is very dainty looking - so it is fine. Jennifer has seen me working on it - so it will not be a surprise. I do hope she likes it. I originally was going to put brown ribbon through it. I am glad that I chose the lavender instead. It will go with everything that they have.
I also made Lily a little pink beanie this week. Always my favorite things to make - quick and easy. I am putting together a pink bag of stuff together for her. Then I think I will make a lavender bag of baby items - and keep doing different colors. I guess doing that goes along with my color matching issues. It is just so much fun making things for this baby.
The whole world as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color. ~ Hans Hofmann Quotes

Birthday Blossoms for Gwen

g I decorated this tin can for my friend Gwen's birthday. What a fun & easy project. I will have to make some more of these. I originally saw them made up for May Baskets. I haven't made May baskets in years - this may have to be a project for this weekend.
"Friends make you feel that everything is going to be all right with the world as long as they are around." ~ Bessie Head

"Hippy" Bag

It has taken longer than I expected to get this little bag done. I started it the last day of my vacation and didn't get back to it until later in the week. I finally finished it last night. I used this old fabric because this was sort of a practice bag - I think it turned out great. I don't remember why I bought this tye-dyed fabric in the first place. I have had it for years - the kids made pillow cases out of it once and it has come in handy with some last minute hippy costumes for Halloween. When trying to decide what to sew on the bag I remembered the beaded buttons I had cut off a sweater that I had years ago and the heart on the ring is an old earring. I guess there are some positive things about keeping everything - because they were exactly what I needed for this bag. I really wasn't trying to make a little hippy bag - but I love the way it turned out.

"Feelin' groovy" ~ Simon and Garfunkel

For Mom

Posted a bit late for Valentine's day, but I was going through the pictures on my camera today and saw this one of the valentine that I sent my mom this year - made with an Altoid tin. I had forgotten I had taken a picture of it. That is me in 1962 - I thought my mom would enjoy the picture - which I believe she did.
This project started with my cleaning out and organizing my "stuff." I admit to being a pack rat, and keep every ribbon, button, tag, etc. that I come across because... " someday I may use it for something"." More often than not - I do use the things I keep, but over the years it has really turned into quite a lot of "stuff."
“It is perhaps a more fortunate destiny to have a taste for collecting shells than to be born a millionaire” ~Robert Louis Sevenson