Learning to knit

-the topic for this blog carnival was 'something you did as a child that you will always remember', for me I chose the time my mother first taught me to knit.

I remember being so excited to learn, yet so frustrated by my efforts. I would concentrate so hard that my stitches would get tighter, and tighter, and then I couldn't get the needle in to make another stitch!

Although, my early attempts often ended in frustration, it instilled in me a lifelong passion with the art of knitting. So when a friend decided to start a knitting group, I jumped on the chance, and relearned an old skill - and now it is one of the things that makes me me, and gives me happiness!

Thanks Mom!

Make it work!

These are from Robert Kaufman's new fabric line called 'You Got the Notions' inspired by Project Runway, a show which I love.

Aren't they fabulous, I love them to pieces - can't wait to get my hands on some, especially the buttons!

Check them out, and the others in the line, for yourself at - http://www.robertkaufman.com/

Wordless Wednesday!

Wonderful surprise!

Before I went to work last week, I found a wonderful surprise in my mail box - http://www.tulipstalking.blogspot.com/ had nominated me for a Brilliante Weblog award - how exciting.

Tulips has a wonderful, heartfelt blog which uses many beautiful photographs to tell her stories - you have to check out the one about the golden rays migration! http://tulipstalking.blogspot.com/2008/08/gliding-silently-beneath-waves.html

She also has the most wonderful Etsy shop - http://www.tulipstreasurebox.etsy.com/ in which is the most exquisite beaded jewelry, make sure you check it out!

I know her best as a big hearted fellow member of the Etsyblogger's Street Team, always supportive, and a fun person to chat with every day in our team forum.

Now it is my turn to pass this prestigous award. Here are the rules for the nominees:

1) Add the logo of the award to your blog

2) Add a link to the person who awarded it to you

3) Nominate at least 7 other blogs

4) Add links to those blogs on your blog

5) Leave a message for your nominees on their blogs

So, without further ado, here's my list, in no particular order -

http://www.nuvofelt.blogspot.com/

http://www.aprilsongstress.blogspot.com/

http://www.stormydesigns.blogspot.com/

http://www.spottedcowsoaps.blogspot.com/

http://www.faerierebecca.blogspot.com/

http://www.roseworksjewelry.wordpress.com

http://www.hadesigns.blogspot.com/

What a wonderful week it's been as a member of the Etsyblogger's Street Team!

We had a great Storque article featuring our team, which you can check out here -

http://www.etsy.com/storque/section/spotlight/article/featured-etsy-teametsybloggers/2441/

Also, that meant we got a front page treasury, in which my 'beatrice' bowl was featured - and I sold as a result! Yay!

It's definitely been good, and to cap it off it's stopped raining for a few days in a row, the sun has come out, and Summer has proved that it is still here - for a little while longer, at least!

Have a happy Friday!

wordless wednesday - my favorite flower

Papa's ice-cream parlor

Just the best darn ice-cream around is all!!! Although the ice-cream is not locally made - it comes from Maine - it is simply the best I've ever tasted. If you're in my neighborhood you have to try the Maine wild blueberry flavor - unbelievable!

It doesn't hurt that Papa's is a traditional ice-cream parlor, with a soda fountain bar, in an authentic vintage setting, overlooking the scenic Hudson river!

back to school inspiration

So, after being totally inspired by my back to school post and all it's bright primary colors, here are the results!
Fun, bright, happy, colors in yummy 100% wool felt, teamed with bright buttons resulting in a new collection of pins, fridge, or inspiration board, magnets and headbands.
Love them! You can find them all in my Etsy shop.

Also to note, today is the first anniversary of the Etsybloggers street team, of which we are very proud!
To celebrate, we are having a huge sale in many of our shops, mine included! So click on the icon on the right to get full list of shops who are participating and the discounts they're offering - so what are you waiting for? Go shopping!

Back to School is coming soon!

Coming too soon is the Back to School madness!

Just three short weeks to readjust from the lazy days of summer. We have got into a nice routine of later bedtimes and lazy slow mornings, with time to decide what to eat for breakfast and what activities to do in the rest of the day. Sometimes, we've been known to stay in our pj's all day! Especially, on one of the many stormy and rainy days we've had this summer.

This year will be a different school routine for us - my daughter is going into first grade, so she knows pretty much what to expect, but my son is starting pre-k. It will be his first time away from familiar faces, although only for a couple of hours, so we'll see how that goes! The preschooler's don't get to ride the bus, so I'll be driving him there and back - but it means a couple hours of quiet time for me! Yay!

The most exciting time for everyone, I think, is getting the list of supplies in the mail - and then it's time to hit the store for the new boxes of crayons, pencils, glue sticks, lunch boxes, backpacks, etc.....What fun!

Even at my age, there's nothing quite like a box full of sharp tipped, colorful crayons!

This post is part of the Etsyblogger's August blog carnival!

August's Featured Etsyblogger is -

Tulip's Treasure Box!

This honor is very much well deserved, she is a dedicated member of the Etsyblogger's street team, as well as a talented Etsy artist.

Tulip's Treasure box is a maker of beautiful jewelry who lives in the Sunshine State of Florida. She is inspired daily by the beautiful scenery, and from living life by the coast.

Her jewelry is often made using many little seed beads, which makes for a wonderfully rich piece, filled with light and movement.

The quote she lists as part of her shop announcement sums up her philosophy -

"The most beautiful thing we can experience is the mysterious.It is the source of all true art and science. He to whom this emotion is a stranger, who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead: his eyes are closed." ♥

You have to check out this wonderful and talented person, here's where you can find her -

http://www.tulipstreasurebox.etsy.com/

http://tulipstalking.blogspot.com/

Ponyo on the cliff by the sea

I'm so excited about this movie coming out!

It is the new movie from Hayao Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli, who brought us many of my family's favorite movies - like Howl's Moving Castle; Spirited Away; Nausicaa; Kiki's Delivery Service and more.

The new movie is about a goldfish named Ponyo who wants to be a human, in pursuing her goal, she befriends a five-year-old human boy, Sōsuke.

It was released in Japan on July 19th, who knows how long it will take to reach us over here, but I am so excited! Can't wait!

Hayao Miyazaki is really a genius, and if you haven't seen any of his other movies, then you have to check them out - start with Spirited Away, you won't be sorry!

java flower clutch bag

All new clutch size bag!

Lately, I've been liking the idea of putting very similar colors together, and this just makes me want to do it more. I love the way this bag came out.

I'm calling it the java flower because of the coffee inspired colors - the felted bag even has a small cream stripe at the very top, above the handles. Even the dollops of white on the flower tips remind me of a cappucino! Hehe.

I had to make another small size bag after my favorite 'purple coneflower' bag sold, and I'm very happy how it came out. Maybe, I should make others exactly like those sold, but it's fun to explore new color options and combinations.

Ah well, that was my creation of the day, tomorrow it'll be more circle art, I have so many ideas for that, and then an even smaller felted bag that you can wear across your chest, and then........

so many ideas, not enough time!

Speaking of time, I'd better go and make the dinner - Have a Happy Tuesday!

favorite toys

I thought I'd share with you my children's favorite toys - at least they are for this particular moment in time! - they're so colorful! Maybe, I'll have to start creating with primary colors, they always make me smile, such happy colors!

Happy Monday!

Missing Maine!

Every year we go to Maine for our vacation, and I'm wishing we could go sooner, rather than later! So I thought I'd share some pictures from last year of the Fairy Island, near Portland - it does have a proper name, but is known to us simply as the place the Fairies live, as it covered in little fairy houses that other visitors have made - one of which was proudly made by my own two little sprites!

The Maine coast is such a beautiful place to be, full of simple pleasures like playing on the beach, visiting lighthouses, eating good food, collecting shells, etc. I love it and am missing it - pretty soon I hope we'll be able to visit, take a deep breath of sea air, and relax.

artful blogging

I love this magazine! I just discovered the new edition at the newstand a couple of days ago, and have already discovered a handful of new blogs that I love and admire. My foray into the blogging world is so new, and this wonderful book introduces me to more craft blogs that my little blog aspires to!

I added my new favorites to my bloglist, so please check them out and meet the new friends that I feel I have discovered too!

Here's the links to just a few of them -

http://pixieblossoms.com

http://www.afancifultwist.typepad.com

http://www.labelleavenue.com/blog

http://www.spiritcloth.typepad.com