Did you know that a four toed dinosaur is a  plant eater and 3 toed is a meat eater?
I didn’t either, until she told me. Amazing what they learn on their own.

We have a blue eyed Blondie who loves pink & purple. All the girly stuff for her..except one thing. She loves lizards, dragons, worms, turtles and dinosaurs. It’s really quite funny.
So, I decided to start her a bag. Theme bag. Filling it with books, puzzles, games and such. All easy to grab and go. All in one place. The bags has some fun silly flowers on it, of course a Brachiosaurus was needed to complete it. That being a long neck with a bump on it’s head. One of her favorites.
See thinks it’s placed on the bag just perfect, eating the flowers. They have four toes by the way. Wonder if those were the ones that Fred Flintstone used at work?

My little supporter chimed in this morning, reminding me to take pictures and post.  I love that little girl.  She might not fully understand it, but she has given me strength when it was needed. She keeps me on my toes.

Recycling and reusing once again..a can of black beans. They went from part of our Mexican supper dish to a pencil holder.  A little embroidered horse, of course.  Just when you think a faze will wane, it sparks even brighter.  I see horses sticking around for quite some time.  This was a mother and daughter joint project. I was thrilled to see her sit that long. Working the needle. A couple years ago, she would have given up after a few stitches. 

Like pulling a piece of bread out of bag and having it smile back at you.

or watching my kids make popcorn garland, listening to someone tell me about a dream where they crammed their feet into Mountain Dew pop bottles, playing in my ribbons and buttons, pulling out clean and wonderful smelling sheets, purple boots at the store, watching a fat lazy cat sleeping practically on it’s back, listening to upbeat songs, sitting with friends at a restaurant while we chatted and drank mocha, taking two little girls shopping, not having to make supper tonight, silence of a rare day alone, a new lunch box idea I have in my head, Indian ink pens, smell of oranges, eating a carrot cake cupcake with cream cheese icing, holding my camera in my hands, that we don’t live any further north.

What makes you smile?

update…bought a new replacement battery for laptop. I ordered the correct number given to me by HP, but the battery doesn’t work. But still smiling, I have a sister who doesn’t mind me high jacking her computer (again) for a few minutes.

I’m not trying to rush the autumn season..oh no not at all. But soon the gift giving time of the year will be here. If your thinking of making handmade gifts, a little before labor time is needed. It’s a bit stressful to try turn out several little handmade goodies the night before…I know, procrastination at it’s best.
These bags are simple totes, but can be turned into a “green” gift bag. I think it’s a great idea. Making the gift wrapping & container even usable.

This little guy I machine stitched on a canvas bag. I’m liking his silly little self.

You know how I love the machine stitching, quilting thing. I seem to always find ways to add it into a project. Hot pads no different. Machine stitched kitchen accessories on them. I’ve been getting ready for another attempt at a craft show, so not much cooking is going on but when I do…these will be ready.

While doing a little blog visiting I came across Jenny’s new owlsorts. It’s has some wonderful “hallow eve” inspiration. Next thing I knew, I have an embroidery to hang. Folk art style. My daughters told me it was a little creepy and silly. No hurt feelings here…O’No…Perfect, it was just what I was aiming for. I put it behind a cute old frame, which I’m borrowing…gotta give it back when I’m done. (I should have washed the glass before the picture…oops!)

Here’s a few more fall season inspiration sites. Enjoy! And stay warm…it’s crazy cool here. I think we have just passed up autumn all together and moved on into early winter.

Etsy Halloween costumes

Peg People My youngest painted her snowman last year black..I think i might just have to get him out.

Who needs fall flowers when you can have these legs

This year has been about getting it together for me. A organized determination has been planted. I’ve set my mind to overcoming this procrastinating bug.  The balancing act doesn’t come natural or easy for me.  Always looking for tips, ideas from books and hearing what helps others. If you have any ideas, please share them with us!  The other day I asked a friend of mine who is an amazingly organized person. Always having it together to help me. I went to her house and said. “I’m your student, teach me.” I came away with some great things to think about. Ways of doing things that never entered my mind! Even came away with a weird sort of relief because I reached out and asked for help. That feeling I wasn’t expecting to happen.

It always felt like I was on a small raft trying to manoeuver the big rappids of life and they beat me everytime.  The rappids are still there and always will be as long as you breath but I feel I’m becoming able to hand them. I’m building a bigger boat. I have a paddle and Yes, I’m learing it use that tool!  It’s so exciting to me, overcoming a beast that has always got the better of me.  It probably sounds crazy to be so enthusiastic about this but to overcome a down fall, is something.  My beast has been procrastinating, organizing, the simple juggling act of life. What personal thing would you like to overcome?  Food, way of thinking, bad habit? We all have them.  I still have a ways to go before I feel like I’ve conquered it but the directions is right and looking bright. 

While flipping through some craft books at the fabric store, I came across  The Creative Entrepreneur: A DIY Visual Guidebook for Making Business Ideas Real.  While it is mainly aimed toward a creative business. More correctly aimed toward a creative person and business. I think it also makes a great resource for helping balance your creativity and structure. Making a complete smooth circle.  I’m naturally right brained, As a matter fact I am completely like what they described as one. They recommended forcing yourself to use left brain thinking. It takes work but not only does it strengthening that orgainzed logical side, like bulking up a lazy muscle. It will also improve the side that you naturally use.   That’s when it clicked for me and I had an Ah-Ha moment. Needing to make the bones of organization easy on the eyes. I’ve always been drawn to beautiful office supplies, handmade pencil holders, inspirational boards, etc.   I think we are all pretty much like that. If you really like it, you’ll use it. It doesn’t have to be expensive or fancy. Just something that speaks to us, makes you want to be around it, use it, encourage you. I started with the kids chores sheet. I had a simple one that I had bought at a learning store about a year ago. It worked Ok, but it was a store bought blah thing. Nothing enjoyable about that.  Last night I stitched a new one up. It’s not perfect but it’s happy, cute and makes me want to go to it.  I just hope the kids react the same.  There are still a few more job cards that I need to stitch up. One I need to fix. I embroidered cloth instead of clothes. I ran out of room before I noticed what I had done. White Velcro circles is what they attach to.  That way the kids just pull them off the top and add them below their names as the job is done.   Colors where choose for moods. White for simple, yellow for happy and a little red for energy.  Kids happy and eager to do their part in keeping house.  A mother can at least wish!  

The sewing machine still sits silently waiting for me to mend it. The lady at the store gave me a repairman’s number, I’m hoping when I stop by he’ll have the one part I’m needing. Till then I’ve been filling my time embroidering. Not tiring of them at all. The girl blowing bubbles was inspired by this. The rest are taken from my own pencil doodles that I’ve done over the years. They’ve been sitting amongst those journal pages, inspiring nothing for way to long.  It been nice to see them become something. The lady is myself or any mom holding their daughter as she slumbers in your arms. I always loved watching my children sleep. I still do and I’m sure I’m not the only mom.  I remember my own mother talking about watching us. I didn’t think much of it until I had my own. Then I understood. The innocence, those lashes dark on the cheeks, relaxed and calm that is rarely if ever seen during the day.  Watching their little chest rise and fall with every gentle breath. Memories of there actions run through your mind. Thinking about what they will be like when their older and these days of gone. I wonder if I’m making the best choices for them. What I can do to help them be a better person. If I’m hugging them enough. Loving them enough. If I’m letting them know how truly special they are to me. Then I kiss them and hope that I am. Pray that I’ll be given a chance to spend another day with them.

 With my embroidery supplies out a lot lately, a new container to hold them was needed. Needed maybe not but definitely wanted. I keep them in a plastic bin. It was sufficient but not very pretty and most definitely uninspiring. I pulled a gift I had bought my husband out of storage. Yes, it was in storage. Several years back I found this cute green metal vintage tackle box. My husband loves the outdoors stuff. If it was up to him we’d be sleeping on camo, sitting on pine branch chairs, while a light fixture made from antler sheds lite up the room. Scary to me. So I bought it hoping it would make him feel a little more part of the house but I still could live with it. I got tired of dusting the box as it sat there being of no real function. So away it went. He didn’t even really notice. Now days, I want something that not only appeals to the eye but functions within my little home. Two birds in one stone. The tackle box works nicely. My new threads are up in the top. Looking pretty.  Then the big open spaced bottom holds my rainbow colored wad of threads. I can’t keep mine looking like what Candace has done. It all ends up a chaos of threads.  It seems to fit. I love chaos of color.

The bunny thing started off with making this pom-pom springtime animal tree. It has been something I’ve wanted to do with my kids for a while. It was something my mom did with us growing up. Each Easter she would get out the pom-pom animals and we would hang them on her pussy willow branch tree. My childhood ones where much bigger and fluffier as they were handmade pom-poms. We didn’t get these made in time for Easter but next year they will be ready to pull out and hang up to bring in the season. They are a very simple. Glue a couple large pom-poms together. Take 2 small pom-pom and glue onto the face for the rabbits cheeks. Cut the ears, eyes, nose, feet out of felt. I used Fabric-Tac to glue them. My favorite glue. Take a needle and thread and put through the middle of the pom-pom, tie a good knot. Leaving enough string to hang the little cute critter up with. If your making homemade pom-poms make sure the yarn that ties all the pieces together is extra long so that another knot can be tied at the end, leaving you something to hang him up on. I almost forgot, another pom-pom for the rabbits tail of course. When making the duck or chick it’s just 2 pom-poms glued together and felt parts. The kids really enjoyed this project and it’s funny seeing how each comes out unique.

Then we had the real baby rabbits thing happen. The kids were so so so excited to have found them. Rescued them from the chicken pen and a hen pecking at them. They so wanted to keep them. I completely understand how they felt. If you have ever held one that fits easily into the palm of your hand, you’ll know what I mean. Part of me even wanted to keep them. They begged, while I sat there looking at them. Then I gave them a little information, even went online and showed them. Gently highlighting the “they are wild, hard to hand raise, easily stress out and the out come is not usually good” part. They finally agreed that the mommy should raise them and back to the barn they went. This was not done without tears. These sad feelings of having to let them go brought back memories of past pets that had passed away. More tears. None the less, I was glad they made the right choice and all on their own. A good lesson to learn. Being spontaneous and taking on something can be a great things in it’s place. Sometimes you need to think things through, weigh your choices and then make a wise decision that is good for everybody. They did that.

I started making a little quilt for my youngest, who really wanted to keep the rabbits. It’s not fully done as my sewing machine tried to eat the fabric. Tearing up my bobbin holder, I think that’s what it’s called? The quilt will be small enough that she can wrap up her easier to take care of stuffed rabbit. Stuffed toy rabbit.
If anyone is wondering,  the bunnies are doing fine. They come out at night jumping and running around.  They seem to be getting faster and bigger by the day.

Working on……

A space of my own is working out as I had hoped. I can work a little, take a break, work a little more without having to clear it off to eat supper or when family and friends are coming over. I just can just leave it and come back, all there as I left it. Quite nice!  The only dilemma I’m having now is that I want to do so much all at once. I think I have 5 separate projects going. All left in their little piles waiting to be completely finished. No more out of site, out of mind with these. Things are getting done around here.

And then we have this. Not the first time and I’m sure it won’t be the last.   A fresh plowed garden, 2 soaking days of rain, one dry late afternoon, kids unsupervised for 10 minutes while mom folds a load of laundry. I guess this is what I get for bring home a book called I love dirt. Who can resist the feel of mud squishing between your toes?  That’s the next best thing to warm sand.

I thought I was going to post about my little duckling next. I guess the fox eat my chick post.
He needs a little fixing, a few threads here and there but I’m loving him. More in the works.