toadstool in a bulb

Tee Hee!!! I found something to fit inside that teeny hole in the top!




Off to find more things...

thanks for looking,
Amanda

tall snowman

I bought this little one at my church's Christmas sale.

I like how he looks.

He makes me smile. It's almost cold enough to make one of these today.

have a good one. brrrrr
Amanda

wool, glorious wool!

I've been wanting to pick up the knitting needles for some time now. When i happened across this glorious wool at the open house this weekend, I traded some of my wares for it.

It is so chunky, colourful, warm and heavenly.

I only know a few stitches and can't read a pattern. But with this wool, who cares. You want to bring out the irregularity of the wool, not a design.

This one is what I bought. It is so over the top. And warm. And fluffy. I love it.


After I complete my Christmas orders, I have a few more scarves to make. Can't wait.


Have a good one,
Amanda

another rainbow playset

apologies for the dark pictures on a gloomy day. at least it's not raining now.

This one is a little too much red. think i'll switch the gnome up for blue and have a different colour flower instead of the red heart. yes?

why not have fun with the stacker?

And it fits in the bag...

Ready to take out the door when you go...


thanks for looking,
Amanda

You want an elf with that santa?

You know it had to happen.

Elves!

And aren't these tress just perfect for that computer geek of yours? Mine found these kits and made some for the kids. I sent him back out to buy more to have at my table this weekend. Think of it, perfect for that little something for your guy, computer teacher, computer fixer, the nerd, the techie, the guy that got dragged to the sale and is looking interested as his missus looks at stuff.


And here's the happy family. eyes. I think the elves need eyes. After all, they have to see who's naughty and who's nice.


Have a good one,
Amanda

Christmas Open House

If you're local, here's where I'll be this weekend...

local designer sample, handmade toys and yarn sale
save up to 75%
women and kid's clothing and accessories
hand-dyed wool, yarn and ribbon
handmade dolls and holiday gifties
114 ashdale avenue (3 blocks west of coxwell just north of dundas)
November 20th and 21st from 11am- 5pm

Getting together with Spun, Foundlings and me, By Hook & Thread

Check out our Facebook page for more info.


Hope to see you there....
Amanda

Toadstool Ornaments

Some lovely, dangly, shiny, toadstools. Of course tree ornaments would have to happen.


The weather has turned in the last 2 hours. brrrrrrrrrrrr. Reminding me that taking artsy pictures will be a chore in the silence of winter when my usual places are snowed in.


Aren't they lovely all in a row?


here's what it really looks like!


just like my brain.

ciao,
Amanda

Little Red Riding Hood

This little beauty is from the book, More Softies Only a Mother Could Love

I enlarged her only half of what it directed. She is about half the size of Max and Santa gnome here and Maisie here. Go figure.

I used to like little things. But since doing the above mentioned softies, I think I prefer my softies to be a bit bigger. more to love.
It was much more embellished in the book. I would have done that too, but my embellishment pile is limited to only stuff I had for paper crafting. I don't think a fancy jewel brad would work here! :}


Thanks for looking,
Amanda

Skul sno-MAN

Here's a nice, happy snowman!

He started out as a project in needlefelting gone awry. The cookie cutter was a skull. When I put buttons on the face for eyes, it looked like a run away snowman. That's as scary as it got. so snowman it is.


thanks for looking,
Amanda

Blue bird sparkle

Howdy!
Here's another ornament inspired by one in Crafts n' Things. I really must get back to the library to look at them again or go buy a copy.

I'm making more of these with different words on the wings. The stamps are from Stampin' Up!. Probably retired, but they may have something similar in their current catalogue.

It is stamped on artist canvas with Stazon ink. very crisp.


have a good weekend,.
Amanda

a few awards...

whistle, whistle, whistle while you work... while I've been chugging away here, some people have been appreciating my posts. I've received 2 blogger wards in the past week. They both want you to say something about yourself, link back to the giver and offer some of your favorite sites. so here it goes...
Thanks to Hallie from Our Broken Road for giving me a Versatile Blogger award.

To accept the versatile blogger award the rules are as follows:

1. Thank and link back to the person who gave you the award
2. Share 7 things about yourself
3. Pass it along to 15 blogs you've recently discovered and enjoy
4. Leave your recipients a note telling them about the award

And thanks to Sarah fromThe Forest Room for the Sunshine Award!
Rules for that award can be found at

All Things Beautiful

7 things about me:

1. I don't like to touch raw wood when my hands are dry. When I met hubbie and he used wooden spoons and cutting boards, I would shudder. And kids licking the popsicle sticks makes me run! Oh, and I can't wash a sink full of dishes if there is food in it! I have to rinse them first.

2. I am very sensitive to light. Even a sliver of light coming in a window or reflecting off a pot can trigger a pre-migrane aura. I can control it by taking advil and closing my eyes for 20 minutes.

3. I love a windy day. A warm windy day. I grew up on the ocean and have such deep respect for the weather and the whims of mother earth. I also love a warm, rainy day in the summer. It's like you've been given permission to stop, slow down and not to have to play outside.

4. I am chuffed that my children are musical. They've heard my music since they were in my belly and was playing a ukelele on it when I taught. Now when they sing, play, compose their own tunes, I think, "I gave them that!"

5. I've always been crafty. Always. many things. many forms. many ideas. it calms me.

6. I'm a tea addict. flavoured tea. and hot chocolate. I'm on a quest for orange hot chocolate that will bring me back to my university days. ( did you know that President's choice makes a mint chocolate tea? you can have the flavour without the guilt of hot chocolate.)

7. I am very thankful that my husband supports my need to create. I appreciate that my children encourage me to create. I enjoy watching the things that they create.

Thanks ladies. It is indeed an honour to be given little lights in the day. Especially since I enjoy your sites also. Much appreciated.

And I would like to thank you, my readers for dropping by and adding me to your blog roll on the side of your blogs. I have to admit that I haven't figured that one out yet, nor do I have the brain readiness to try. It will come. Yes, thank you. it's nice to see where people come from and who they come from.

And thank you to my followers. I do go in there and check out your blogs too. I am in good company.

If you want to see who I look at fairly regularly, look at my blog list on the side bar to the right! it's growing.

Off to make stuff..
Cheers,
Amanda

needle felted snowman ornament

I think I may have seen this in the latest issue of Crafts n things. I'm sure I embellished it a bit to make it a bit of my own. I'll have to hunt the magazine down to see it again. Any rate, it is inspired by that magazine.


The white circle is needle felted in a round cookie cutter. The nose is orange roving that is wet felted in one long strip, then cut into pieces for the nose and needle felted in.

Eyes are buttons and the scarves are felt blankets or jacket wool and machine sewn on. Mouth is hand stitched.

Your kids can help make it b/c the cookie cutter makes it a safer needle felting experience.

cheers,
Amanda

Owl be yours forever

Yesterday, I sang 2 concerts for Remembrance Day. It was really a great concert, but can I tell you... my feet are sore!! :}

Anyhow, I managed to sew up a little owl from More Softies Only a Mother Could Love. Yep, I'm stuck on that book for awhile.


I altered it a bit. Added some ears. Also want to add my signature heart on the softie. I'm thinking of adding wings?? What do you think?
Here he is with the Santa gnome . Just 2 friends hanging out.


My husband always has some little food experiment on the go. This time, it's olives. He made a batch a few months ago and liked them so much, that he bought a 10 pound box on Friday! Guess everyone's gettin' olives for Christmas. You have to change the water every day for about 3 weeks. then he added some salt to brine them. This time, he's also going to try some other things like spiced olives and some in vinegar.


Purdy ain't it?

Ciao,
Amanda

rainbow & gnome playset

Here's my wooden rainbow stacker. It came plain and I painted/varnished it.


Perfect size for a little gnome party.


It has been delivered to it's new owner. Happy bday M! Hope you enjoy!



ciao,
Amanda

more wet felted soap

I'm determined to learn the art of wet felting soap. A big learning curve for me.


The last time I did it, hereI used dyed corriedale roving. The dye comes out when you use it. So this time, I ordered extra natural grey corriedale from Gemini Fibresto avoid that problem. Can I tell you that natural wool, with no colour stripping or colouring smells like , well, wet sheep!! yuck. (Gemini Fibres has very good customer service. I called and ordered on Monday morning. She went to the shelf to make sure the stock was in and helped me with colour suggestions for my projects. The package arrived the next day by lunch! it felt like Christmas)
To make it a little worse, I bought some natural soaps from the Bulk Barn to practice with. You know, to keep it natural. Boy, it didn't smell that great with the wet wool.


I can say that I think I've finally gotten the hang of it. I use cookie cutters to get the shape on the wool and needle felt it before I wet felt.

Although, I did burn my fingers a few times.

Have a good one...
Amanda

rainbow WIP

in the midst of building a rainbow...

stay tuned!


ciao,
Amanda

Max Santa

so when I made Max the gnome the 1st time, I knew he was gonna come back as a Santa gnome.


Especially when Fabricland was having a buy 1 get 2 free sale on fake fur!


Fun to make and fun to love.


Original gnome pattern from More Softies Only a Mother Could Love Santa adaptation by me.

Oh, one other thing, I'm thinking of opening an etsy shop, but I'm scared! Anybody out there have the same feeling when they started? Advice appreciated.

thanks for looking,
Amanda