Sign language

I told you yesterday I was working on a little painting project...

here it is!

I took a piece of unusable flooring from our shop -- leftovers from our renos, and the tongue was wrecked, so it was garbage....

 Cut it down to size, sanded it really well,

 and primed it with a grey tinted primer. I wanted a grey undercoat, so this served a double purpose!

 Today I dry brushed some white paint on top until it was the colour I was looking for.

When that was dry I roughed up the edges, sponged a very thin layer of brown over top so it wasn't quite as bright white anymore, chucked the keys on it a few times to create nicks in the paint, and this is what it looks like now!

 I picked up some wall decal sayings in the states for a DOLLAR a piece!

This was my favourite one, and I wanted more than just a little saying stuck on my wall somewhere.

I think this one will do the trick...
Now to figure out how -- and where -- to hang it!

ANNNNDDDDD........
since anyone who knows me also knows I can't leave well enough alone...
 I HAD to add some shading on the edge!
The big board was bugging me.
It looked too big.
Now I am all done.
I think.
LOL

Sew day!

Well, since we aren't anywhere close to having a snow day, I decided to have a SEW day instead.

It was that or housework, and I ran out of Tide after one load of laundry this morning.

It was decided for me!

LOL

The first hour of sewing (I didn't start until after lunch) I made a pair of sweat pants for Aiden. Nothing spectacular, or photo worthy. They are boring, navy blue, and will keep Aiden's legs covered while he gets dressed up with cuter-than-him tops. Is that even possible?

Ah well, after that I decided to start on a little painting craft!

Okay, it is not so little, and not done either, so you will have to be patient while waiting for that post!

While the paint was drying, I thought of something else I could sew.

Quick and easy pillows for my couches!

I had picked up some beautiful woven material a while ago in the states for a mere $3.50 a yard.

YES, the price was right. On sale too, and the colours went perfectly with my house!!!

See, I had these pillows that came with the couches, but I never liked them. The material looked.... dirty, even though they were brand new! And they are a little washed out for my living room.

 In a closet they languished since the couches were delivered.... two years ago?

See how bland they are?

 The new pillows!

I made them a little smaller, and stuffed them with the old pillow stuffing.

The colours are actually much redder than they appear in this photo...

 Such a pretty fabric!

 And adds a bit of a colour punch.

Just the way I like it.

:o)

I have my laptop resting on this pillow as I type this!

home made bling

I went to Michael's this morning to pick up a couple things, and came across a sale on jewellery making supplies!

I have always wanted to try my hand at it, so I just grabbed a set of two connectors and a couple necklaces, not having a clue what I was going to do with them!

lol

Yes, how very like me...

 I really loved the vintage look of this connector, and thought I would make a bracelet with it.

 I went through my jewellery, found an old necklace and took it apart.

This is the end result!

 I ended up having to take a bit more chain off, as I have impossibly tiny wrists!

I haven't owned a bracelet in YEARS!!!! I think I like this one...

Christmas gifts

I made a couple more gifts today... one is for Aiden, and another for a friend who doesn't read this blog, so it's safe!

(I hope)

These stars I first saw on lemon tree creations here, and fell in love with them instantly!

Today I dug out a paper bag from safeway, an old dictionary I have previously used for cardmaking, some ribbon and batting, and got to work!

 I made a set of six, but I plan on making many, many more!!!!

:o)

***********************************

This next project was something I had swimming around in my head for a while. I am planning on making all my kids note totes for church (no, I am not finished yet!), and I had a special one in mind for Aiden.

Here he is!

 I used felt and ribbon for the face and 'collar', and a bit more suede material for the ears.

 I also used suede string instead of a button -- it obviously wouldn't have fit anywhere on the front.

He is so soft and cute!

I made a pocket on the inside with dividers for Aiden's pencil crayons -- I give him crayons, because pencils get all over his hands and clothes, and pens mixed with a three year old is a recipe for disaster!

Now he can draw rainbows...  

Made with love

I may never make another note tote after this Christmas.

I am seeing them in my dreams!

LOL

These three guys I made for two of my sons and a nephew...

they are for taking notes in church, so I didn't want to make them too bright (I nixed the idea of using my camo material on them, but they sure would have looked cute!)

 I used black corduroy, and kept them simple.

I couldn't resist adding a pop of colour with the elastic, and ironed on a camo printed intial with the iron on patches you can buy for super cheap.

 I traced a chipboard letter on the back of the material and cut them out.

So easy for appliques!!!

 I only added one pocket on the left side, because really, extra pockets would be wasted on the boys.

Or ripped off.

lol

I have more of these babies to make, and I have a super cute on in mind for Aiden, so stay tuned for those!

*********************************

This adorable owl was gifted to me today by a dear sweet friend!

I love it, Tania, and it will be sure to put a smile in my face every time I see her.

Owls are so cute!!!

giveaway link!

Nathania and Sarah are two sisters (and my cousins) who live in Alaska.

They have their own blog, www.sewdutchsisters.blogspot.com,

where they like to share the things they have made, whether it was sewn, felted, painted, or crafted.

Over the Christmas season they have brought their felted wares to a few crafting shows and have sold heaps of their adorable stuff!

They plan on opening an Etsy shop soon, but in order to drum up some followers in blogland, they are hosting a cute little giveaway here...

Stop in their blog, become a follower, and leave a comment so you can be a part of their giveaway as well!

They will ship anywhere in the world! 

They are the ladies who sent me these amazingly cozy mittens:

What are you waiting for?

Go!

:o)

handmade Christmas

When I first got married, my perfect Christmas tree held matchy matchy ornaments, white lights, everything placed just so.

Over the years those matchy matchy ornaments were packed/ given/ thrown away, to be replaced with much more meaningful ones...

 Ryan's snowman brought home from school

 little gloves I made that actually fit Alyssa's hands that year

 another school project

 recycled light bulb snowman I made... can't do this with the spiral lightbulbs!

 a gingerbread man I made

 scandinavian looking heart -- also by me

 made by my m-i-l before she became my
m-i-l  :o)

 simple wooden ornament coloured by one of the kids

 school project by Alyssa

 I made wooden stars wth popsicle sticks

 There are many more ornaments, some handmade, some bought with loving thoughts...

Darryl's mom has helped our collection by adding one ornament for every person each year!

So, no more matchy ornaments, no white lights -- all colour, all loving memories... with more to be added every year!

heartfelt thanks

This past week I was so happy to receive two packages in the mail! One I knew about, one I didn't... This first one came from Georgia...

It was a book that I had won on www.mmmcrafts.blogspot.com. Larissa Holland is the blogger, and she does some fantastic things with felt!

 This book has some reallllllly cute things in it, like these finger puppets on the cover...

 or how about these adorable cute'n cup cozies???

 these zombie critter charms would steal any boy's heart...

 And my favourite is this daschund moneybox!!!

There are 25 projects in total, and I want to make all of them!

Guess I should have added wool felt sheets to my Christmas wish list...

******************************************

The second box came from Alaska, and I had no idea it was coming!!!

I was so excited, it was like Christmas and my birthday all rolled up in one...

These gloves came from a crazy talented felting duo, Sarah and Nathania at www.sewdutchsisters.blogspot.com.

These lovely ladies (and my cousins too!) make all sorts of incredible goodies with recycled wool from sweaters and such, and love to refurbish old furniture as well!

I love my gloves -- they are INCREDIBLY warm!!! I can't wait for the colder weather to wear them...

Thanks again to all three ladies, who made my day, my week, my month, my year!!!

Check out their blogs at   www.mmmcrafts.blogspot.com

and www.sewdutchsisters.blogspot.com and give them some love today!!!

the lost mittens

The three little kittens who lost their mittens didn't get their pie....

 because they left their mittens at my house!

I used the tutorial that Dawn so graciously posted at The Feathered Nest.

She makes such beautiful things!

My attempt desperately falls short of Dawn's talent, but I love mine just the same.

Click here for the tutorial, and while you are there, check out Dawn's shoppe!

I did antique them already, but I am thinking of antiquing them more still with coffee to stain it...

should I leave them or take my chances?