Valentine’s Tree

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Growing up, I remember my mom having a tree for every holiday from Christmas thru Easter.  They were similar to this one.  A small branch that she painted white (one year with shoe polish which must have taken forever!) and planted in a flower pot full of gravel, then swadled in lace or fabric.  If I remember right, putting up a Valentine tree might have been an activity we did on a snow day.  Mom made little ornaments from lace doilies and paper valentines.  This white branch was my Christmas tree this year.  I wasn't quite ready to take it down because it's been a bright spot in all the slush of winter so I converted it to a Valentine tree.

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Hobby Lobby has little heart ornaments that I tied scraps of red fabric to.  The red birds were Christmas ornaments from Dollar General.  And because one can never have enough scraps, I tied pink ric-rac to the branches.  It's a sweet little tree.  I hope you like it . Speaking of sweet, I watched Herb and Dorothy last night.  If you love art and a good love story—watch it!

A tip and a treat…

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Girl-jewelry here finally got smart.  Instead of immersing a thousand shiny copper beads into the liver of sulphur solution, straining, rinsing and pouring into the tumbler full of a kagillion pieces of tiny steel shot followed by days worth of picking through the shot to find them….she opted to string them first.  Hello….McFly!!!  I tell ya, sometimes… (picture me shaking my head back and forth in astonishment at my stupidity).  

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Second, a treat.  Do you ever finish every single bite on your plate and feel just full enough?  Not like sick, stuffed full, but instead so ABSOLUTELY satisfied?  That was me this morning.  It may have been that I was eating with my two favorite colors, aqua and red or maybe it was because  I whipped up a small batch of french toast.  The milk even had to take one for the coffee team for this French toast but it was worth it!  Ever since I watched the documentary on Shopsins, I've been hungry for pancakes and soup and strange breakfast creations.  This one isn't so strange, but it sounds nice and cheery.  The snow is coming down crazy time.  I'm off to make stuff.  Cozy day to you…

Scrappy Valentine’s Wreath

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I've been working on pieces for our Crafty Book Club.  Monday night I roamed around Hobby Lobby, then Goodwill, JoAnn Fabrics and the dollar rack at Target looking for supplies.  I was on a mission.  Big time.  I saw so many cool new craft supplies…if only I could buy time in the day.  I feel the same way when I browse through the book store.  So many good books!

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These Floracraft Styrofoam hearts caught my eye at Joann Fabrics.  Does anyone out there still decorate for St. Valentine's Day?  What do you do? 

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Hobby Lobby had 30% off some of their fabric so me and the fabric lady picked out four prints.  And can I just say how much I love nice fabric ladies?  Happy to cut 1/4 yard pieces from four different bolts!  I zipped them into 1/2 inch-ish strips with my rotary cutter and mat and away I went tying and cutting all……the……way…..around the heart.  Whew.  Ok, I was drinking Sleepy Time tea which I'm positive slowed down my pace….and…..I did watch two documentaries on Netflix while knotting.  I Like Killing Flies and then Pressure Cooker.  Both excellent and inspiring even if you have no dreams of going into the restaurant biz.

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Here you have it!  A shaggy, raggedy, heart wreath!  I have a few little tweets, I mean tweaks yet to do today.  You'll see!

Dazzling Geodes

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The Craft and Hobby Association's trade show is fast approaching and I'll be there with Plaid showing off their fantastic Dazzling Geodes line.  If you are coming to the show, stop by and make a necklace using these awesome components! 

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The geodes come in all different pretty, earthy colors.  You can put a jump ring on it and string it on a piece of leather or layer it with some of the other pieces like this:

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There are also little glass ovals that are really cool.  I glued them on ring blanks with flat back crystals—it took all of five minutes and they looked jazzy.  Check out the project book that is with the line.  It features ideas that the folks at Plaid and I collaborated on.  Like this!

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And this!

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There are pinch bails, prong settings, links, chain, charms, pendants, and tons more that make assembly really easy.  You could also use the flat geodes for decoupaging to.  Joann Fabrics has the Dazzling Geodes line in case you're hot to get some!

Repurposing a Brooch for a Veil Comb…

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This is a piece I made for a special bride-to-be this past fall.  The Mother-In-Law to be commissioned it in hopes of incorporating a treasured rhinestone brooch that was her mothers.  You can see the snow-flake like brooch in the middle.   The dress was ivory so I used off white Swarovski glass pearls and crystals.  With a plain hair comb and a bit of 22g wire you can do anything!  Just anchor your wire to the comb with a few wraps and start stringing and wrapping.  To finish it, I sealed the wrapped area with a satin ribbon.  You can also paint a layer of E6000 over the ribbon and leave to dry overnight to create a bit of "grip".  Or you can always commission me to make one for you.  I don't have long hair, but if  I did I'd probably have a thousand of these things incorporating all kinds of brooches, feathers, charms and whimsies to pin my hair up in.

Simple Sunday…

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It was a hectic weekend to say the least.  I stayed up late, caught up with friends and worked on a couple projects.  The first is an old door I'm converting into a shelf.  I've got it painted and now it's ready to hang.  I'll show you pictures once that's done because it was virtually made from nothing.  I like rolling like that.  The earring picture is something from the Candie-chives….let's call them, "Dreaming of Spring."  I say that because my toes are freezing and I'm wearing a scarf as I write to you.  But, we will make it through winter because we always do!  A couple dear friends came to visit this morning and so I whipped up some French Toast (and by the way, any time I say "french toast" it makes me think of the line in 40 Year Old Virgin-"I'm starving. Let's get some Freeeench toast!")  The recipe worked out perfectly if you want to give it a go.  I put a splash of blueberries with it.  Oh yeah.  Good stuff!  The latter part of the day I started going through my fabric stash to start a new quilt for me.  I find consistently I'm attracted to scrappy quilts so I've chosen the no pressure "Country Fair" pattern.  I've also heard it called a "snowball".  Seems appropriate.  You can see a picture and get your own pattern on this website.  I'm off to read for a bit—Catcher in the Rye.  Have you read it?

**For you locals, you can get quilt patterns at Nancy Js or Creative Stitch in North Manchester.  Wink.

Smells so good!

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Oh my gosh…  I picked up some ZUM Frankincense and Myrrh oil the other day from a friend's shop and it is the best!  I put some on my work bench and in the bathroom and now the whole cabin has that nice, spicy, earthy, awesome smell.  Having it on my workbench also seems to relieve a little tension….kind of like playing mellow music while you work.  It smells so good you kinda want to smather it on your temples and arms and toes. I've compromised by putting a drop in my unscented hand cream and that worked nicely.  Essential oils.  Truly essential.  Check out the Indigo Wild shop here.  I think you are going to love it!

P.S.  They were right about the reed sticks…put them where air circulates (not on a bookshelf or something like that). 

*For all you beautiful Wabash people, you can get it at the Body Connection!  Holler.