Christmas is Everywhere!

I had a very Christmasey weekend this past weekend. My daughter and I went to about six craft fairs in one day. SIX! And I scored some very cool, old Santa figures for my collection. Even a nesting doll style Santa set that was a real steal at just $6! :) I will post pictures of them in my next blog post. I wanted to show you some of the Christmas projects I've been working on - this first one is for "Say It With Letters". It's their wreath shape which comes unfinished and you get to decorate it any way you wish so of course that meant I junked mine up! :)

I put on it all the things I love about Christmas - the decorations, the food, the bling and color!

Check out the SIWL store and blog to get ideas and to get one of your own! :)

Also - yesterday I did this fun project. I got some adorable free printable images and added them to these little birdhouses. Fun!

And I got the nicest surprise today! My sister made me this BEAUTIFUL ring for my birthday! Isn't it gorgeous??? It's a moonstone set in a beautiful sterling silver gallery wire setting with a carved band. She made it all herself and makes gorgeous things. If you want something nice for yourself or a unique Christmas gift for someone, check out her Etsy shop: Shire Jewelry

It's me....

I don't think anyone reads my blog much anymore! I know I have neglected it. :( I guess it's not my fault that my real life keeps me just so darn busy! I have been gearing up for a holiday craft fair that's next week. I made a lot of new pieces and also had a lot of other things to sell, but nothing was packaged or priced. That takes a lot of time! I couldn't believe it. And, since our PTO is sponsoring it, it's a lot of sign-making and organizing for me. I am looking forward to it and all the holidays bring. I am a Christmas girl! Here's a few of the projects I've been working on lately. Fabric Christmas Ornament Balls - super cute, scrappy and fun!

And lots more pillow ornaments - I have a house fetish!

Lots of wreaths too!

Tomorrow the kids have the day off and I am so excited to get to chillax for a little while and just be with them and not be driving to school and back or running errands. Enjoy your weekend! :)

Hooray! - Update!

EDIT! Here's my latest Say it With Letters project! A fall wreath using their leaf shapes. Check it out: Say It With Letters . They have so many fun shapes for fall and Halloween!

Once again, I am honored to be accepted as a designer for the fabulous Say It With Letters team. It is so challenging and fun each month to take one of the awesome shapes they create and turn it into something wonderful that I can hang on my wall!

Here's some projects I created fairly recently that are cool and even functional! I get a lot of comments on these and you seriously need to go and check out these cool, inspiring shapes and letters! Get something fun to decorate for fall at Say It With Letters!

Makin' Headbands...

So - I'm super excited that today a headband I made was featured in the Simply Handmade Blog Create and newsletter click here! The editor there, Delaney Gates, is such a genuinely nice, warm person and I was so thrilled to be contacted and featured in this way!
If you haven't already signed up to subscribe to their newsletter you should! northridgepublishing.com It's full of super fun ideas!


Here's some other headbands I've made this week that you can find for sale at Trinkets if you're interested!

Take a walk in my garden ...

Today is the last day of June and we are finally into the summer here - we've waited a long time for it in northern New England. And the last few days have been really beautiful. Today it's sunny and warm yet there's a beautiful cool breeze blowing which makes the curtains dance and makes you happy to be alive.
I am so happy this year too, that my favorite flower bushes - my hydrangeas - all have MANY blossoms on them! When I first got them they had them and then each year after that they produced nothing or only one bloom if I was lucky. But this year, I don't really know what happened but each plant is full of blooms! It's silly what makes me happy!


Our little strawberry patch too is the same - doesn't look like much in the pictures but has produced many edible, good-sized berries. Super fun for the kids to pick and eat. Especially when they're out swimming in our new pool that my husband put up this year. Our summer now revolves around that - sunscreen, swimming, and then hanging out the towels to dry for the next time. :) I could think of worse things!


Here's a wreath I made today which will go in my shop Trinkets tonight.
Hope you're all enjoying your summer so far.

Thank You Teachers! :)

Welcome to the final installment of the "Thank You To Our Teachers Blog Hop"! It's been a pleasure having all of you come visit - I really appreciate all your kind comments and I hope you'll become a follower and come back and visit me again sometime! :)
If you want to start again at the beginning head here: Memories with Jen..
My last project is another fairly simple thing to make if you can sew a straight stitch! These are stress-relieving pillows filled with plain white, uncooked rice. The pillows can be left in the freezer and used as cold packs for all kinds of injuries and little bumps and bruises. The can also be heated in the microwave for a few minutes for a re-usable heating pad. When I pulled a muscle in my back these were a lifesaver! Imagine what a great gift this would make for a tired teacher!

Thank you to everyone who has come by already and left comments! I am excited to meet you and see your blogs as well! Here's the next blog in the hop! AnitaAndBugs.



Also - check out this month's "Simply Handmade" magazine for a tutorial on one of my rolled flower headbands! :)

Teachers Blog Hop Post #2

Welcome to the Thank You To Our Teachers Blog Hop! If you have arrived here from Say It With Letters then you are on the right track. If you just happened to stop by my blog for a visit and want to hop along with us, start from the beginning with Memories with Jen.
This is a week long hop and we will be posting on 3 separate days. (June 5th, 8th and 11th). Please make sure you hop on those days or throughout the week to see all the wonderful inspiration on what to make our teachers for thank you gifts.

This is my second project idea. Here I've used fabric scraps to make some pretty and functional drink coasters. For these, all you need is some clothesline and a sewing machine, and lots of fun scraps. I made sets of these for Christmas gifts, and people really loved them! They're highly absorbent too, which is especially great in the summer!


Another fun project using these same supplies is little fabric bowls. These are fun to make up and don't take very long. They look super cute holding craft supplies or paper clips. These would make a great teacher's gift too if you filled it with something yummy or useful!


Thank you to everyone who has come by already and left comments! I am excited to meet you and see your blogs as well! Here's the next blog in the hop! AnitaAndBugs.
Also - while I have your attention - go check out my friend Natalie's cute Etsy shop Hot Glue Hangover. (Isn't that a cute name?) She has the most gorgeous handmade wreaths and other fun stuff! She recently did a feature on my shop, just to be nice! And now I want to return the favor! Go see some cute stuff!

Thank You to Our Teachers BLOG HOP!

Welcome to the Thank You To Our Teachers Blog Hop! If you have arrived here from Say It With Letters then you are on the right track. If you just happened to stop by my blog for a visit and want to hop along with us, start from the beginning with Memories with Jen.

This is a week long hop and we will be posting on 3 separate days. (June 5th, 8th and 11th) Please make sure you hop on those days or throughout the week to see all the wonderful inspiration on what to make our teachers for thank you gifts.

Here's my first project honoring teachers. This gift is neither functional or edible (ha!) but I do think it's cute and a constant reminder to your teacher that you value them. I have made many of these this spring and also sold a lot of them in my shop Trinkets .


Each one is made from text printed on my computer and heat set with an iron. I then stitch it on to the front of the pillow in a zig zag stitch and add a cute little owl or other decoration. They are filled with polyester fiberfill but could also be filled with lavender! These would look super cute as a gift topper as well or with a bouquet of flowers. Thanks teachers! :)

Here's the next blog in the hop! AnitaAndBugs. Thank you for stopping by - please leave a comment! Have fun! :)

Adorable Projects!

Hey Everyone -
Just wanted to show you some pictures of adorable creations that some of my Trinkets' customers sent me recently. Each uses Trinkets' flowers in creative fun ways. Check out what one of my favorite customers, Maria, has made!
This is her beautiful daughter modeling things she sews. She then adds some of my flowers for decoration.

Check out her adorable Etsy store Ri Lala and her Ri Lala Webshop Shop Ri Lala .
Maria lives in Hawaii and I'm jealous! And she is the sweetest! Another of my customers also lives in Hawaii and she created this beautiful dress adorned with one of my bird appliques. Her name is Desiree and she has a gorgeous Etsy shop called Palm Tree Princess . Her shop is colorful and filled with more yummy goodness!


And here's some things that another great customer made - Monica used a flower to be the "O" in the word Home on these cute blocks she decorated. She also made this bag. Very creative, isn't it? Here's a link to Monica's blog: CC Vinyl . I love seeing these projects! Thanks to everyone who sent them in - send me more and I'll post them! :)


Oh! Before I forget - just wanted to show you another project I created for Say It With Letters! with some of their spring shapes.
I did the word "bloom" and I love the bright cheery way it came out! I added some of my Trinkets' flowers to these, too! Go check out Say It With Letters! for some fun of your own!