You are currently browsing the monthly archive for November, 2008.
I forgot to mention, I’m having a sale in my Etsy shop today through Sunday…..10% off my whole shop and free shipping on orders over $20. For good measure, you can use that same discount on my hyena cart too! Just mention you read about it on my blog. I’ll be adding more items throughout the day, so make sure and check back! 
25- Friends that are like family
26- a helpful brother
27- family that gets along (for the most part!) and actually likes each other!
I hope you have a blessed Thanksgiving and are able to spend it with those you love. God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving!
This wraps up my Crafty Christmas series. Hopefully you’ve found lots of ideas to help you make this Christmas a handmade one. Today, I’m focusing on gifts that are more than just more stuff. There are so many worthy causes, I’m sure you could add to the list, but here are a few of my favorites. Most of them accept handmade things.
-Project Linus…..blankets and quilts
- Caps to Cap-Haitien….knit hats and receiving blankets
- Pregnancy Resource Center or Care Net….baby things, blankets, quilts, etc.
- Project Angel Tree….not really handmade, but what a great organization giving gifts to children who parent(s) is incarcerated
- local hospitals and churches
- bags for the homeless….this deserves it’s own posts, but briefly, it is having a bag of food, blanket, toiletries, Bible, etc that you can hand out when you see someone in need.
12th- good friends for my boys
13th- finding out you enjoy something that you didn’t think you would
14- my understanding DH…hmmm….can I use this twice?!
15- getting a reward for my hard work
16- no more craft fair sewing!
17- being a SAHM
18- boys that make me laugh out loud
19- time with family
20- a son who LIKES going to the dentist….go figure!
21- a nice dinner out……and forgiveness
22- a sewing project completed with no hitches…and two weeks ahead of schedule!
23- a sweet friend who went out of her way to help me
24- a good night’s sleep
I’m also thankful for:
-free Amy Butler Christmas patterns
- an adorable gift idea….how come I’ve never heard of these!
- fun new Christmas tutorials…..I’ll be doing one on December 1st…..it’s going to be for boys and it’s going to be cute!
- this oh-so-yummy recipe
My feature today is Handmade Items by Reine. She can knit, which always impresses me since I can’t! It looks like she makes come cool and original stuff! I love the knit bibs.
Tell us a bit about who you are & where you are based out of.
How long have you been crafting?
I’ve been making things of differing levels of use for as long as I can remember. I remember painting my parents car when I was five. I was tempted to let my 2 year old paint mine with crayon the other day. It’s never too early.
Who or what inspires you?
Life in general, practical needs, my daughter, art I see, nature, urban landscapes, artists I admire, love and I’m sure many other things.
What is one of your favorite things you’ve ever made?
I made myself a cotton bedspread this summer out of Suss hand-spun cotton using a log cabin basis for the structure. I sleep under it every night and I love it. Even as I was making it the weight of it felt perfect. I am tempted to get more of the yarn and make it bigger next summer.
How did you come up with your shop name? I used my name. I think my parents did a good job giving me a somewhat usual name. Thanks Mom and Dad.
What is one funny/interesting thing you can tell us about yourself?
I have the alphabet tattooed down the side of my left leg.
What is one of your favorite items in your shop? I am particularly fond of the organic snakes. I love making them. The cotton is super soft and I enjoy picking out the colors for the finishing touches.
Anything else you want to say?
I’m working on a new series of baby blankets, but would love to do custom blankets. I have a fantasy of going into someone’s home and getting a sense of their style and then making them a blanket to fit.
Here are a few ideas. There have got to be more out there, though!
-Stockings to stuff……another one here.
The feature for today is Hidden Treasure. The first thing I noticed when I clicked on her shop was the color! She also has another shop where she sells cards and other papergoods.
Tell us a bit about who you are & where you are based out of.
I am a stay at home mom with three kids (ages 6, 4, and 1). Before I had all my children, I was an elementary school teacher. One day I may return to that when my kids are all old enough for school. I married my husband Phil in the year 2000. We have been friends since we were children. I live in Fairfax, Virginia. I have lived in this area most of my life. Fairfax is located about 20 miles west of Washington, D.C. so it is a busy, hectic place, but we love it here.
How long have you been crafting?
I wasn’t always into crafting, but my mom was always making something as I was growing up. I made crafts, but I don’t think I really got excited about crafting things until I hit college age, about 14 years ago. The first craft I got excited about was scrapbooking, probably because of my love of photography. I recently opened up a second shop on etsy, paperinspirations. Making jewelry is a more recent hobby, but I am catching on quickly and enjoying every minute of it!
Who or what inspires you?
I usually am inspired by the beads themselves. I look at what I have and start thinking of what I could make out of them. I have a tendency to buy shell beads and things related to the water and ocean. In other words, things that remind me of nature. Blue tends to be my favorite color. Plus, crafting is my way to unwind after a busy day taking care of my kids.
What is one of your favorite things you’ve ever made?
My new favorite thing is my seahorse necklace. I love the colors of the stone and the royal looking seahorse. I love anything that reminds me of the sea.
How did you come up with your shop name?
I wanted to base my store name on a Bible verse, so I tried to think of a name that could also remind people of jewelry. I found a verse in Proverbs 2:4b that says “…search for wisdom as if it were money and hunt for it as if it were hidden treasure”. Sometimes people think of jewelry as a sort of treasure. We should also seek wisdom and treasure wisdom too.
What is one funny/interesting thing you can tell us about yourself?
Once I start something, I like to finish it no matter what! I’m determined. For example, during the summer, our power went out during a storm at night. I was in the middle of making a necklace. I lit candles all over the kitchen table and worked by candlelight until the necklace was done. My husband was very amused.
What is one of your favorite items in your shop?
I love my dragonfly pendant necklace. If no one buys it before Christmas, I will most likely keep it or give it to my mom.
Anything else to say?
I have been making lots of items because I am motivated by my first craft show coming up in a couple weeks. Check my store often since I am going to be busy listing many new creations!
Today I’m featuring Jacqueline of “Sew Cute it Hurts“. She creates cute appliques on all sorts of things: headbands, shirts, and more. You can check out her blog too.
Tell us a bit about who you are & where you are based out of:
I have a big passion for crafts. I carry with me a small notebook which I doodle on, just about anywhere anytime when the situations permit me. I don’t have a great talent in drawing but I believe we have an artist inside each of us. I translate these cute doodles into cute little creations.
I am currently residing in this tropical country, Malaysia.
How long have you been crafting?
I started to really like crafting back in college years. Ever since then i’ve been creating cute little gifts for family and friends.
Who or what inspires you?
Every artist following his/her dream and almost everything. One of the artist that inspires me is Marisa Haedike of Creative Thusday. I love her creation, her art and her personality especially her giving and sharing nature. I’m learning new things every day and learning to love my life more every day and within that lies so much inspiration.
What is one of your favorite things you’ve ever made?
All my creations are my favorites. If i will just have to choose one, i would say a pincusion ring made from a walnunt shell.
How did you come up with your shop name?
I love, really love all cute things. That one day, i bought a craft book by Aranzi Aronzo and was just telling my friend that the book was just so cute it hurts! That was how i came out with my shop name.
What is one funny/interesting thing you can tell us about yourself?
I agonize over this question with hope that something clever will occure to me to share. Coming from an IT background, i think i utilize my left brain more than my right brain. I’m currently practising to use my right brain more. lol
What is one of your favorite items in your shop?
This is so hard to answer…all of them are my favorites. >_< I love all my chibi characters.
Anything else you want to say?
I feel this creative journey that i recently started to pave made me realized that we are all creative and designers in every aspect of our lives and that we should go with my passion and doing it persistently. Buying handmade is also important as it does not only allow me to support other artists with dream but it also inspires me
to say that I have my first post up on Blissfully Domestic! It’s not new to my regular readers (all 5 of them…ha!), but I was excited never the less (is that one word?). Too bad they said my name was Dana. I guess I’ll have to get that fixed next time around!
I promise I’ll post a real post here soon! I’ve just been way to busy this weekend. I have some badly taken pictures from the craft fair this weekend too.
Forgot to add, Grosgrain is hosting a giveaway for a watercolor portrait. Wouldn’t that be a special gift!
maybe you might win this one! And check out her quilt patterns…they are gorgeous! I’m going to have to buy a few (dozen) of those.
