Blog Anniversary Weekend GIVEAWAY!

Thanks to everyone who posted on the blog.  I'll be sending out a set of mug rugs to each of you!  :)

Enjoy your Sunday!

 

On February 25, 2011 I logged into blogger and started up a page.   I didn't know what I was going to post about but I thought I could just "wing it" somewhere along the way.

I've gone from quilts to knitting, I've made some wooden signs, teachers gifts, and special treats for the kids.   There were also some paintings and drawings along the way. 

Next year I am going to challenge myself to post at the least once a week.  Hopefully with something I've been working on, maybe some thoughts I have on crafting, the arts, or just whatever is buzzing around my brains.


To celebrate my 2nd blog-anniversary I've decided to offer up a GIVEAWAY.

I've got 2 sets of quilted mug-rugs.   One set mostly gray, one set mostly yellow.

If you would like to enter the giveaway.  Please leave a comment in the comment section of this post.

One entry per person please and I will need an email address to contact you if you win.

Contest is open from 0900 (9:00am)  EST Thursday morning Feb 21st, until 0800 (8:00am) EST on Sunday morning Feb 24th.

I will use a random generator to choose two winners and post them by NOON on Sunday Feb 24th.

Each winner will receive 2 mug-rugs.


Thanks for visiting and here's to another year online!

-Dawn

Binding up some quilts

I haven't given up the quilting bug yet.   Here's a few crib size quilts I've finished up in the last week.  

Really love this color combination and I will be working with it again.   I think that cerulean blue/ivory/tan is lovely.  

Some pinwheels for fun.  I call this one Teal Tilt-a-whirl.


The yellow/gray/red is also a nice combination I think.  Could be for a boy or girl.

"Parisienne scarf"

Oh man, did I get hit last week with the flu thing.   Urg.   I was out of school for the week and on the couch for 2 1/2 days straight.   I even had the flu shot this year!  (Which I always get - thank you Uncle Sam)

When I was capable of sitting up, I really wished I had something simple to work on.  Some granny squares, a scarf, something so I wouldn't have to leave the couch or the blankets. 

 As soon as I was able to dig around a bit, I pulled out this pattern I printed out in 2011, found 2 balls of Limerick superwash merino and got started.   (Pattern is from Jimmy beans wool)

After closer inspection I do realize this pattern isn't named, but rather titled descriptively with the fibers the designer used.    Tao Silk and Parisienne Scarf in a color called Vincent's Apron (Love that)

I've been thinking of it as the Parisienne Scarf so that's the name I'll give it.

 This one is for me.   I'm throwing in the needle on sweaters for the time being.  Takes so much time and I'm never completely happy with the end result.  After taking 600 hours, it should make me want to jump up and down, wear it constantly, and walk around saying "Hey I made this!"   Not make me tug and pull to get it to fit sort of OK. 

I need to be a better knitter before tackling a big project I think. 

bird sketch part 2

Sketching up a mini-storm the last month or so, enamored completely by the colorful little birdies I've seen in photos. 

This is a pencil sketch with watercolor and colored pencil.  Approx 10" x 7"

Trying to bring some colors to a long January winter in Pa.

A variation on a granny square with ripples - I love it!

A perfect idea for the 35+ granny squares I was gifted by my grandmother-in-law!   I can't wait to get started on this one.  


Photo credits - this was on Pinterest.  It's a flickr photo called Avance duo 2 and here's the link ----> Antara Celetna's photo on Flickr

Concerts, cookies, kids, and a bonus gift

My Christmas Recap

 Terrible photo. Apologies.  I didn't want to use a flash.

 

 

 I forced them to let me take a photo before they opened anything.  Aren't they goofy? 

And a big THANK YOU! to Katy over at Mom and Her Drill and Sherry at Whitewash and Co on ETSY for my Christmas gift giveaway pendant.  I love it!

(It was one thing under my tree for me that I didn't have to wrap myself)

The Santa Truck on Christmas Eve

This is an annual tradition in my parts.  Wouldn't be Christmas without it.

 The kids were thoroughly enjoying their White Christmas with a snowball fight too. :)


Hope you and yours have a wonderful remainder of your holiday season.

Linus

What Christmas is all about.

monday

Putting my kids on the school bus this morning was more difficult than the first day of kindergarten.


 I can't even find a tangible thought to go with my feelings so I'll stop trying.


 I'll just pray.

goldfinch

A little pencil sketch just for fun.

A Variation on Salt Clay

I made a big batch of this clay recipe (found on pinterest of course) and I have to tell you, it was absolutely THE STRANGEST thing I've ever made (not including the 3 monkeys that live with me)

Recipe is as follows -
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup baking soda
3/4 cup water

Very simple, with cheap ingredients, seemed like a winner.  

This mixture needs to be cooked on the stove to form a clay but working with it before it was cooked was where the fun was.

            ------->If you placed your hand on the surface of the mixture, your hand sank down into it like melted ice cream.

            ------->If you punched the surface with your fist as hard as you could (and why would you NOT), your hand BOUNCED off the surface as if it was a solid piece of wood!

That was 30 minutes of entertainment for the monkeys and I.


Put it in a pot and on the stove over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it resembles thin mashed potatoes.

Dump it out onto a cookie sheet dusted with a little cornstarch until it cools enough to kneed with your hands until smooth.

I brought it into school with a bin of cookie cutters to make some little ornaments with one of my classes.

Let dry, then bake at 175 F for 15 minutes.

We may decide to paint these after the kids come back next week. 

Woo found one!

Coveted Yarn in Mass.

They only had one left in stock with the same lot # 205 but it was listed as lime green instead of Olive.

Keeping my fingers crossed that it's the same when it gets here.

oh boo

Wouldn't you know it.  One skein short.   In a discontinued yarn.    Figures.


Anyone have any Queensland Collection Rustic wool DK in Olive (205) in their stash they want to sell/trade?

Anyone?


Bueller?

Laundry room organization

This is a petrified shell I found in my yard.  The previous owners must have placed it there after a trip.

I don't have a very large laundry area but I am fortunate enough to have a space dedicated to the task.   A few years ago I used an old shutter and build a very simple shelf to stand up behind the washer and dryer for holding all the detergents and such needed to keep my laundry in tip-top shape.  Above this space was a wire rack shelf for things that needed mending, the occasional toy in time-out, and some swimsuits.    It was just not working.

For one, the shelf was so high I had to climb onto the dryer to get things down and it did nothing in the way of visual interest.   Second, the top of the storage cabinet couldn't hold anything too wide or it would interfere with the shutter door opening from the bottom out. 

A trip to the hardware store for:
 -a 1x10 pine board $7.00 (6' length but they cut it for me down to 56")
 -3 pine brackets from Lowes about $5.00 each.
-white paint (thank you Glidden free quart give away, still painting with it)
-3" drywall screws (from the spool shelf project)

With the odd storage assortment going on here I still wasn't very happy with the results.  I searched about the house, switched basket with plastic bin, with canvas until I found a few for this area.   I'm going to stop by the store to pick up one more for the end.   Yes, one is mint green, if I can find another in that color I'll be very happy.  If not, I'll replace it for white. 

Top off the area with a small painted birdhouse collection from my kids and I think this is a very cute, very functional area to work in now. 

Another petrified piece of wood this time.  Also found in my yard.  The previous owners had scads of matchbook cases from all over the place so I can only assume they traveled the country quite a bit and put all their found treasures into the flowers beds around the house. 

A box

This year's Halloween costume making was all in the hands of the boy. 

Bonus points if you can tell me who or what he made.

Halloween Mummy Krispies

Another Pinterest post.   These we just too cute not to make for my 1st graders Halloween party today.

 Just a regular batch of Rice krispies in a cake pan

 I cut these into 1 1/2 x 3" blocks for the party but any size would work.

 Melted some white choc chips

 If I was having a party at home I would have used wooden kebab sticks,  to send them to school I used straws, stabilized with a little melted choc.

One coating dip into the melted choc

 Chilled upside-down in the fridge

Cold choc chips were pressed in for eyes.  My boys said they had to have some with red eyes.

And one final drizzle of melted white choc to form the mummy wrappings. 

Cute!