Summer is Here!

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Independence Day! We had our usual one here - very low key - just hanging out at home. This has been the first nice weekend we've had in about a month - seriously! So it was so nice to stay at home and be together. The weather was just gorgeous - 70 degrees and breezy - beautiful!
Here's my two enjoying sparklers. They were so excited to get out tonight and set things on fire! Little pyros! :)
Also - I've been doing even more sewing lately, although I don't have much to show for it. Here's some little lavender sachets I made just for fun. I especially like the one with the bird house on it - I free form sewed it right on top of the material. It was like drawing with thread. Fun!

Wild Strawberries

Look what my daughter and I have noticed this year - growing in our yard all on their own - wild strawberries. I saw them earlier this spring near the driveway side of our house and decided not to mow them, and today the little patch actually had ripe berries on it. My daughter, the gardener, helped me pick them and has been eating them all morning. So pretty and so tiny!

And I hope my Mom is reading this post! I have been doing quite a bit of sewing lately - all on the sewing machine she gave me a few years ago. I have been buying little pretty bits of fabric and I'm having fun coming up with things to make with them. Now - I'm not a very talented sewer - but I sure do enjoy it. Here's a pillow cover that I made.
And here's a little lined tote bag. I am so proud of myself because I never made anything that was lined before!

And now I'm off to post some new creations on my Etsy site Trinkets - hand-painted button hairpins. Aren't they funky?

Button-Eyed Creatures! Oh My!

Hey - check out this cool creature! She's "Farnesworth" and is a creation made by Anne of Creatures Northwest. Farnesworth's eyes are made from my Trinkets' hand painted buttons - stacked one on top of the other. Isn't this the neatest use for buttons? I think so!

Anne was super nice and right after she ordered, my daughter and I had to immediately go check out her site. Look at all these other funky creations! We wanted one of each! You have to get yourself over there, and of course, get some funky buttons for your own creations at Trinkets.

And new this week - another mixed media birdhouse! I just can't get enough of birds and bird houses! :)

Help! I Have Cute Plastic Bin Disorder!

Ha. This morning as I looked at my very messy studio desk, I realized that I couldn't get any work done because my desk was cluttered with yet more tins and plastic bins that I got at Target this week. Does anyone else share my affliction? I tell myself that I "NEED" them to organize my craft stuff, but soon I think I am going to "need" a new room to organize my craft bins and buckets! But I just love them - I love their bold shiny colors and junk-holding ability. Look what a mess I have going on in my studio! They don't seem to be doing their job.
On another note, check out this cool critter I saw this week - he is a Pileated Woodpecker. Huge and beautiful and not something you see every day. He actually let me walk up fairly close to him to get this shot. Cool!

Also - new ribbon flowers for sale in my shop this week - check them out! Trinkets.
Okay - off to fill some bins. :)

Memorial Day Musings

What a stellar, beautiful Memorial Day we had here today in my very small town. The weather was absolutely perfect - a dry, sunny day in the 70's with dappled sunshine and breezes ruffling my white curtains. I love these kind of days. And living close to the center of town, we have the good fortune of the parade passing right by our house! Our neighbor's son plays taps on his bugle, and kids we know all march in the parade. Here's a shot of my tall sweet son and pretty little flag waver.

And here's some of the brave veterans that march every year. I always get a bit choked up on Memorial Day.
And look at this! I won a fabulous Mother's Day gift giveaway from the very sweet Noelle. She sent me a huge box - with a beautiful Mother's Day card, a cd, spa treatment stuff - the works! I love it all - thank you Noelle! Go check out her site: Lil Bits and Pieces of Me and you will make a new friend in a day!

And here's what I saw tonight out on our lawn. Our motion activated light was coming on with the whipping of the American flag in the wind. And I saw this fluttering around. A Luna Moth. Never seen one close up but it was big - nearly 4 or 5" across I would say. I think it's an omen of good things to come!
Here's some new Etsy items added this week in my Trinkets shop. Hope you all had a glorious Memorial Day!

My Etsy Shop Featured on the Everyday Scrapper Blog!

Hi Girls - I'm super excited today because my little Etsy shop was featured on a very cool scrap site called: The Everyday Scrapper.
The woman who approached me, Catherine - created some really great layouts using some of my stuff. It's very gratifying to see things you've created used by others. And she is so super nice. You have to go check out the site - The Everyday Scrapper and tell her I sent you!
Here's a layout she did using Trinkets merchandise!
And here's a little felt birdie I made this week. He isn't real but the one below is!
I got this very cool hummingbird feeder as a Mother's Day gift from my Mother-in-law. Isn't it neat? And on the first day I put it up, we had many birds come! I couldn't believe it. And don't ya know I was standing right there, of course, ready to snap a picture??? :)

Cuteness

I just had to post about these cute little dollies my daughter and I made. I saw them online with a tutorial here: Clothespin Doll. I was immediately smitten with them and had to try making them. We finished a few and my daughter literally carried hers with her everywhere today - to the store, in the car - outside planting flowers. I was amazed that something so small and handmade would entertain her for so long.


They also fit perfectly inside our dollhouses. (Yes - I said dollhouses - plural. We have THREE dollhouses!) Check out the big terrifying tiger in the living room!

Birds and Butterflies

These past two weeks have flown by! How many activities can you cram into each day? I am starting to wonder. But the weather has been so beautiful and everything is buzzing with life - I can't complain. My daughter wants to spend nearly every waking hour outside so that's where we've been. Making sand box castles, chasing butterflies and picking dandelions. It's a wonderful time - 5 years old is a fun age.
And it's been fun getting outside and doing different types of crafts. Ones inspired from nature and taking outdoor photographs. I love natural light.


Hope all of you are enjoying the spring! I'll be posting again soon with some new projects! Send me links of what you're working on!

Spring is Here!

Spring is finally here at last! This week the weather has been beautiful and there are only traces of snow left in our yard. I went and bought some of these colorful pansies today on the first day the farm store in town opened.
Speaking of our store - these are pictures of Tenney Farm here in Antrim - they were nice enough to again sell my greeting cards this season. Stop in if you're in the area - they're right on Rt. 202.
And I just had to share this picture of my poor cat. His name is Badger and he is the most wonderful, relaxed cat. He was playing with the kids and they did this to him but he didn't even care! I had to snap a photo!

And this is just one new kit for sale in my Etsy shop, Trinkets. I have more to add today and tomorrow - I think they are so cute! Check them out here.

I love color!

I have been super happy this week - despite the fact that both my poor kiddos have been quite sick. They are starting to get better - so that inspires me. Plus - everything outside is gradually starting to green up. Green is my favorite color! The snow is melting away and every day my daughter and I go out and count the tulips popping up through the muddy earth. We are very happy it's spring in New England!
And look at this - my friend and neighbor brought this by and left it in my porch yesterday. It's a small cupboard that she painted a greenish blue color. She's moving currently and is sending things my way - this is the third small cupboard she's given me this week. How did she know that I have a thing for cupboards/cabinets? Thank you, Kristen! I'm sure she's too busy now to read my post, but I want her to know that I love her offerings and I really appreciate it. And look what I put inside - it's a great place to house and display my new Trinkets merchandise! I love all the colors and I enjoy having things displayed there.
I have been having a blast making new colorful things for my Etsy shop and also using them in my own layouts. And spring is great picture-taking time - this weekend is the town Easter Egg Hunt!