Ornaments

Things are looking up around here. It's great when unexpected happy things happen like finding out your garland was featured on CRAFT, also in Etsy Finds, and you get a call for an interview for the career your going back to school for! I'm so thankful for all these happy things. 

Guess when you fill your life with happy things like making ornaments for Micaela's ornament swap - it spills over. Putting some lovely paper snowflakes on vintage lace, filling it with pretty red, green, and silver sequins, in a glass ornaments makes a beautiful display on your Christmas tree. Hopefully my ornament swap partner feels the same way.

Also can't forget the small crochet red heart that is attached at the top. Some love and warm wishes to bring in the season with. I had to thank the lovely hostess of this swap. So with my crafty hat on I decided to make Micaela an ornament just for her. 

Sharing special moments and memories is a special part of the holiday season. When I saw a picture of her wedding kiss on her blog I knew it was just the memory you always want to remember. Here is how I made her ornament:

Materials ~

• Spray glue
• Clear glass ornament
• Digital photo printed on photo paper 
• Twine, string, or vintage lace piece
• Sequins

How to ~

1. Print out your photo twice making sure one of the photos is flipped horizontally so that when matched back to back the shapes match. Also note the size of your ornament and size of photo - make sure to print it small enough to fill the inside of the ornament.
2. With the pictures back to back cut out the photos. Place one photo face down on a surface that can get messy with spray glue. Spray the back of your photo and place your string or lace in the middle, leaving a long tail going to the top of the photo. Place the other photo's back on top - making a photo sandwich. Let spray glue dry.
3. Fill your ornament with different color sequins.
4. Once photo is dry, roll your photo like a tube so you can fit it the opening of the ornament. Carefully take the metal top of the ornament fit the photo through the glass opening.and hold the string or lace so that it's still coming out the top of ornament. With a pen or long thin object push your photo against the sides of the ornament to unravel and straighten it out. 
5. Thread your string or lace through the metal top of the ornament, then carefully replace the metal top back onto the glass ornament. Pull your string or lace so that your photo hangs in the middle of your ornament and tie into a bow at the top to secure it.
6. Hang your ornament and enjoy!!

Crossing my fingers that the bubble wrap, tape, and super strong box are enough to have them arrive in one piece. I hope my little ornaments bring a bit of my happiness to them :).

New Coat

This is my new coat! I saw it about 2 months ago at Old Navy. It stayed in the back of my mind for awhile as I didn't need a new coat, or did I? The coat from last year was too big with some weight I lost and the one from a couple of year ago was still a little snug in my arms. So when I saw that this Black Friday my dream coat was on sale - I got it! Crossing my fingers that the scarf I've been working on looks okay with it.

Happy Thanksgiving

I want to wish everyone a wonderful Thanksgiving!! This year I am so grateful for many things including my little shops, everyone who visits and reads this blog, and of course all the new friends I have made.

So as a thank you I am offering 15% off anything in either shop (Print Me Out and Itchin Stitchin - including *custom orders) starting now until Dec 1st. Just use coupon code GOBBLE !
So get ready, get set, GO get your food coma on :)

*If interested in a custom order please message me - I can make custom business tags, headers, banners, blog designs, snowflake garlands, quilts, blankets, bags, or anything else you have seen here or in my shops that you want personalized

Harvest Potholder

With all the cooking that is in store ...

a new harvest potholder was in order.

 Trim the color of pumpkin pie

fun little details like brown sugar on top of carrots

I just can't wait to cook the day away.

Happy Things to End the Week With:

The title to this post and idea have been stolen/borrowed from my dear friend Micaela mostly because she is awesome and because she is hosting an ornament swap that has made me get back into my happy crafting place. I've been crocheting away some snowflakes and not feeling guilty about it one bit. For once I feel caught up. Housework is in check, shop is in order with new things being added daily, and started college online. Making my partners ornament has put me in a holiday cheerful mood.

Another thing to smile about this week is the fact that hubby and I have finally agreed on something - and it's a big thing. Now I'm sure that most of you are wondering why this is something to smile about, as we are husband and wife and are suppose to agree together, but I'm not talking about a compromise here. This is that we whole heartily agree, which is the rarest thing because we are opposites. I'm the ever changing, big dreams, high hopes person, and he is more rooted, sensible, we will see when we get there, kind of person. So now with a goal in mind we can see where we are going and we can get there!

Another cheery bit is that my studio is tidy. It hasn't been this organized in awhile. So with the weekend knocking on the door I can't wait to sit at the sewing machine and whip up some new things. My only plan for this week is to not have a plan.
So what happy things are you ending your week with?

Things That Make Me Happy

After a let down of a week I needed somethings that made me happy. My list included:

* Crafting new items for the shop

* Organizing the studio - including color coordinating the threads

* Making cupcakes with the kids

* Getting an extra special package in the mail from a wonderful friend

* Realizing it's candles season

* Almost finishing my scarf

* Deciding to go back to school

* Reading all my favorite blogs

What makes you happy when you're feeling down?

Blah

Thanks everyone for the well wishes on the election. Guess there may be things that are bigger and better in my future because I didn't get the majority of the votes. I'm not going to lie, I don't take losing well and often don't give up on things but this time it's different. My experience with this election felt like every time you got a glimmer of hope you realized that it was just the sun reflecting off something.

Trying my hardest to not make this post all BLAH and feel sorry for myself ..because this isn't what I am about, we are looking to our future. When people in town or others come up to me and say they are proud my eyes only water because I don't feel very proud. It hurts my heart to know that people can complain about things but not take a moment to try to make a difference. In a way I feel like my family doesn't belong here. 

So with that being said we are exploring options. Not exactly sure what that is at the moment, whether it's a new career, new scenery, or maybe both. Whatever it is, it's options of a new beginning, a fresh start, and a place to belong.

Drum Roll

And the lucky winner of my new shop, Print Me Out, digital tags is........................

VIVIENNE!!!

Congrats! If you haven't visited Vivienne's blog please do so. Her knitting skills are amazing and in fact her work inspires me so much, along with her kind words that I did a lovely blog post about this dear blogging friend. Some people just touch your soul and warm your heart. Vivienne is one of those wonderful ladies who does just that. So congrats congrats congrats!

Things are doing okay on the political front here. It really makes you aware of what politicians go through. Let's just say I am okay with just being a part of local politics :) So if I'm absent a little bit it's because I'm waving signs and reminding people to vote... I will be back soon I promise.

Easily Distracted

Wishing and hoping to get back into my crafty zone real soon. Lately I've had other responsibilities that require my attention. Crossing my fingers and thinking positive thoughts for Voting day on Tuesday. The whole thing has my stomach in knots. That is why I am trying really hard to easily distract myself at night ...but my mind always goes where it shouldn't. 

**Just a reminder to everyone that my tags give away for my Print Me Out shop is ending soon...really soon :) You still have a chance though!! Visit here to enter.**

The Halloween That Wasn't

This year our Halloween plans didn't go as usual. As pretty as this picture is, I was cursing the snow on Saturday. Noreasters, large snow storms, and low temperatures are a normal thing around these parts. In October not so normal and couple that with large widespread power outages ... really really not normal. So on Saturday, the hubby and I were talking about our plans for the weekend. That day was suppose to be our busiest ... a fun hayride, pumpkin picking, ghost stories, face painting, and apple cider were all scheduled in the morning at the Little Goblins Halloween Party at R Farm in town and later that night a political Steak Dinner. Crossing our fingers that the white stuff wouldn't start falling until later that night, we were shocked to see it around lunch time. Our holiday festivities were cancelled. Not to worry all was well, we thought, as we gathered our snacks and decided it was a movie night. Until the lights starting going on and off. OH NO! They stayed out. Looking at each other Rob and I were starting to get Hurricane Irene flashbacks. With a sudden realization that without power meant we were without heat we packed  the kids up and headed to my mother's house. Huddled by the wood stove we pretended it was like the pioneer days but the kids just weren't having it. 

The next day started with 2 exhausted cranky parents. Our political dinner was rescheduled to this day and we prepared the best we could. Luckily the generator was started and a hot shower washed away some of my mood. We all had fun at the dinner, meeting local residents. Damien was excited about the raffle proclaiming we would win and that we did ....5 times. Sharing out wealth I went over to another table and handed them a winning ticket. With our goodies in tow I prayed we would come home to power. Chanting all the way home " We will have power We will have power" and saying "Bam they have power" to every house we saw with lights. All that positive energy must have worked because the lights at our house were on! Thank goodness because I don't think I could take another pioneer night. We were the lucky ones. There are still 700,000 or more Connecticut people without power. Monday school was cancelled and so was our Halloween as my in-laws are still without power. Odyn's costume never got completed with all the craziness. So we did the next best thing. Hopping in the car we went to the store and let each kid pick out a big bag of candy all their own. Even though this was the Halloween that wasn't we still feel thankful for all that we have.