With the first snow fall right around the corner, literally, the zinnias that were in my garden got clipped. Happy go lucky Mr. Grasshopper was hanging on for dear life to one of the flowers. It wasn't until my surprise when I started to trim the flower for the vase that I noticed him. There was a bit of a scramble to get him out the door before he hopped away or Buster decided he was a tasty snack. I told you he was lucky.

Flowers on the kitchen windowsill always make you smile. They don't have to be purchased at some fancy florist or perfect. The best are small clovers picked from the kids or weather beaten flowers from the garden. We have a small collection of leaves hanging around for Damien's school project, along with Odyn's rock collection, and Aries decided to pick some wheat looking grass along with some pine cones the other day. It all sounds like a fine looking wreath for our door to me :).

 

Slowly the list I created at the beginning of the week is getting done. Including Aries' Dorothy costume. Sorry the last picture is blurry but unprompted the comedian who likes to keep up with the boys (just look at her bruises, scraped, dirty little legs) decided to do this cat model pose. It was all I could do from bursting into laughter when she did the "meowwww" to go with it. Notice the front of the ruby slippers are losing their glitter and redness, it's only because she needs to wear them everywhere - Grocery store? Yup! School? Oh yes! To sleep? I have had to take them off while she slept!
I didn't use a pattern to sew it up - just decided to clip, cut, and sew it. Surprisingly my measurements seem to be just right - a little high on the sides but more than likely the chilly night air will be a factor. Dorothy had to wear tights sometime right?!

Knit, Sew, Jacket

Outside the air smells like crisp fallen leaves, earthy pumpkins, and cabin wood stoves. At night it's starting to get chilly enough to huddle under a blanket and curl your toes under your loved ones leg. With winter right around the corner I have been trying to make time to knit my scarf. Against the bright white snow, and my cherry colored nose in the winter, I think it will end up looking rusticly perfect on me.

There are still some sewing that needs to be done before Halloween. Miss Aries has one blue gingham Dorothy apron that needs to be cut and sewn. Odyn's traffic cone costume is in the works and Damien has all the items needed to be the perfect Star Wars Clone Trooper. While out shopping for all the tid bits a Yoda costume caught my eye for Odyn. There was some debating on making a costume or buying one but when the costumes sound like a beginning of a joke, " A Clone Trooper, Yoda, and Dorothy walk into a bar.." , it's best to stay with the original plan.

In the works is a special little jacket . If only time would slow down a bit and spare a couple hours. 

Being a Lamb

Yes lately dear hubby has been getting a lot of hunny do lists. You know the lists that say hunny can you please take out the trash? Or hunny can you please take Buster out before you leave work? Mostly these lists are written in a hurried pen flying pace, with kids grumbling can we go yet, and my mind making a mental checklist to make sure we have everything we need before we step out the door. 99% of the time it's the diapers I forget, which become mighty important later. So my thought is maybe, just maybe, if we leave sweet little notes for our hunnies out there they would think it was sweet and not just ploy to get them to do more things. Unfortunately mine reads my blog - so the jig is up for me. It doesn't have to be for you though! In fact I thought I would be a lamb and make you some stationery for your note.

All you have to do is click the picture. It will bring you to the original size, which is 4 x 5.75 inches. (The reason for the weird measurement is ...if you set your printer to print 2 of them, they should print out nicely on just one 8 x 11.5 paper.) Right click your mouse and choose "save image as". Name it whatever you like and then TADA! You can print it out. Please use it for your own personal use, not for resale. Feel free to share the happy news on your blog but link back to my blog for the stationery.
Hope it brings some joy into those little lists and more free time for you. Enjoy!

Unstacked

Some days you just feel like your coming unstacked. This week has been super busy and it's only Tuesday. With the holidays right around the corner I'm trying to get somethings in order. Organization is key. These lovable children of mine need some attention, along with some custom order snack bags I've been making. Good news is I have some fun crafty things that I will be able to show you sometime next week. This week is just ...well...hectic :)

Did I tell you?

I just realized I have been keeping some secrets. Not on purpose of course! Well the first one is that I am running in my local political race as town tax collector. Being a girl scout and going door to door selling cookies was little easier than going door to door this time. Maybe it's the cookies. So if your local and you see me on your doorstep, I promise I am not selling something, I'm just there to introduce myself. Let you see that I don't have horns sticking out of my head and that paying taxes is never fun but I can try to make it be.

Secondly or should I say lastly, this is my new Etsy shop. So you don't have to print this out...unless you want to. My other shop (Itchin Stitchin) is still open but this new one (PrintMeOut) is solely dedicated to printable crafts. What you will find in there is gift tags, labels, stationery, collage sheets, cards, and other paper crafts. All the images are vintage ephemera  inspired. So it's full of great kitschy retro cuteness. 

So want to help me celebrate? Do you like GIVEAWAYS!?!?! I figured what better time than right now to have a giveaway of the peachiest kind. So here are the details!

One winner will get to pick 3 tag sets from my new shop. New ones are being added all the time! My tag sets come with 4 different designs each that measure 2x3 inches, print on 4x6 paper, are in JPEG form, and are in 300dpi high resolution quality. If I am confusing you with numbers that is 12 different tags that you can print over and over and over again.

How to Enter:

Please leave a separate comment for each one and a way for me to contact you!!

1. Visit my new shop and show it some ♥ love. Heart my shop on Etsy and come back here and tell me for ~ 1 Entry

2. Tell me what your favorite item is so far from Print Me Out for ~ 1 Entry

3. Follow my blog through google friend connect or if you already do (Thank You!) leave a comment for ~ 1 Entry

4. Tweet about this giveaway using this tweet: @ItchinStitchin opened her new #Etsy shop and is doing a #giveaway to celebrate!! Go check it out at http://tinyurl.com/3ctd24o

Come back here, tell me you did, and get ~ 1 Entry

5. Facebook like ItchinStitchin or if you already do (Thank You!) leave a comment saying you did for ~ 1 Entry

6. Post a blog post, say something nice about me on Facebook, or spread the word in anyway about the shop or my blog - post the link here so I can read it for ~ 2 Entries!

Rules ~ 

There are multiple ways to enter. Giveaway ends November 5th, 2011 12pm Est and comments will be disabled on this post. 1Winner will be chosen by Random.org on November 6th, 2011.

***Please remember the prize is for personal use only, I dislike having to even mention this because I don't think any of my readers would do it, but Resale of the tags digital or in printed form is a No No - Thanks and GOODLUCK***

Present

I love when you get all snuggled up in bed, wrap your cozy blankets around you, and lay your head on your pillow, only to discover someone left you a present. Not just any present, but one of their favorite toys at the moment. Poor Harold the Helicopter has been left outside in the rain, dragged through puddles, and just plain beaten up on. He was tucked inside my pillowcase by a special little man with a twinkle in his eye and mischievous grin. Just thinking about his little hand and the helicopter plan makes my heart melt.

Hold On!!

Okay, so now you might be noticing some changes around this little corner of my world.
It's not finished yet ...but I got a question for you, my reader. When do pictures become obnoxiously too big?
Here are some choices ~
Choice 1:
The same of the same...

Choice 2:

A little big bigger now...

Choice 3:

Is this TOO big?

Let me know what you think - after all you are the ones reading this. (I changed some of my previous post to choice 3 so keep scroll down to get a real feel of what it will be like)

Everywhere

It seems like it was rainy here forever. Then just one day it was August. The leaves have never looked brighter. Some how every year they sneak up on you, until one day you look out your kitchen window, or your on a drive and you notice everything around you is scarlet red, pumpkin orange, and canary yellow.

There are still signs of summer holding on.

Fast little busy bees getting the last of the pollen before the hard winter.

Then they are gone.

I am so very very thankful it's so colorful here.

My Week

It is so hard for me to believe that it is really October but my calendar says otherwise so it must be true! 

So here is a run down of my week.

* Make postcards for my mom

* Clean my studio (very very messy)

* Fun blog changes

* Finish a pattern to share

* Stitch up my latest doodle block

* Started knitting a scarf for myself

* Went door to door for local politics

* Baked and tried new pumpkin ricotta shells 

* Kids meltdown in a store

* Wrestling with sinuses

* Won a winner takes all game

 So what suppose to actually happened to you this week?

I'm Not a Horse

Do you remember me?! It's been awhile since I posed for you. That woman called Mom has been running around here making me dizzy. 

These looks don't help. Following her around only makes me tired. 

My ears did perk up when I heard her say " Wa Wah Buster Blah Wa Wah Dog Wa Wo Bed Blah Soon" I think it was about me... oh boy!

So I gave her my best puppy dog eyes. Do you think it worked?

Oh oh oh I gotta go that crazy lady is waving this thing called a treat in front of me ... and .. it's ..taking...all my ...might ...not to move! Gotta GO.