Making Merry

Well after months of making for shows and Christmas gifts.... I'm done. Now I have time available for all those other things that seem to come up when you're already at your busiest. Have you noticed that? In the last two weeks, every member of our family has had to go to the dentist, two needed haircuts, we ran out of cat food, library books needed to be dropped off and picked up multiple times, two of us had other medical appointments to make and attend. No worries, we have it handled. 

Speaking of making merry, I've started some new traditions in the last number of years. I find that giving is the most rewarding aspect of the season, so I try to come up with new ideas each year. My daughter will be taking gifts for not only teachers this year, and the school secretary, but also the oft-forgotten janitor. We've delivered several bags of food to our local food bank, contributed to the local toy drive, and delivered four boxes of stuff to the thrift store. I also reached out to some old friends that I haven't seen or spoken to in some time. Sent a small something to someone battling illness, and to someone in a new home.  We've enjoyed a Christmas concert and some festive TV watching. Baking many treats has been great fun, and now we get to share the fruits of our labour. And now that we've had some snow melt (grrrrrr), I can head outdoors and do some clean-up in the schoolyard or park.

Whatever you're doing to make the season festive for yourself and your loved ones, I hope that the season lifts your hearts with cherished memories of those that have past, and an opportunity to build new memories with those in your life now. 

Spread the love, and enter 2018 with a full heart! 

For that hard-to-buy-for kid!

I usually try to make a fair number of gifts each year, if I can think of something appropriate for each recipient. In the past, I used to knit for kids, and to this day every newborn gets an I Spy quilt for their first Christmas. It's a tradition, that I hope people enjoy. Sometimes though you just don't know what to get someone.... but this year I had what I like to think of as a brilliant idea, for two toddlers in our family. 

This isn't my usual "making" of a gift, because it was more assembly than construction, but nevertheless it was oodles of fun and easy. I hope that these gifts will be well received. I thought I'd share this here in case you're looking for ideas for kids - this one will work for any young child. 

Introducing the Build A Snowman Kit! 

I wanted to make as much as I could, so I found a fleece fabric with a penguin print and made scarves and hats. I looked for what I could use for noses, and bought styrofoam cones, which I turned orange using a crayon, and also got alternative noses, otherwise known as orange plastic gourds. 

For buttons, I found small clear plastic containers and hot glued the black buttons on them. This way the buttons won't be as likely to be lost, and you can push them into the front of the snowman to make them stay. I did a set of six for each kit.

 I also bought each child a fun hat (cowboy hat, fedora) to give them an option on what hat they wanted to use. Or who knows, maybe they'll have enough stuff to make two snowmen. Then with two snowflake covered containers, I assembled the kits!

Next, a fun label design, and the project was complete!

Feeling Festive?

No, I can't say that I'm feeling festive. I'm feeling cold. Damp and cold...because it's November and that's what November is. Simply damp and cold. But I have had to jump into some festive work, because I decided to vend at two craft shows this year. Yikes! I had no idea how much to make, so I just hooked a tad bit crazily for two months. Yup, that's all. 

Oh that's not all of it, nope. What will I do with all this if it doesn't sell? Hhhhmmmm, are you on my gift list? Some poor suckers are! 

p.s. I'll be vending at Handmade Hamilton at the Staircase Cafe Theatre on December 2nd and 3rd, if you happen to be in Hamilton. Looks like a really neat venue with an exclusive group of 32 vendors! 

Having sooooo much fun

Well, I can assure you with all certainty that I have finished #17in2017. In fact,  I've probably finished #117in2017 !! In other words, much more than 17 fibre projects in 2017. For sure! 

'Tis the season to get hooking, but before I get festive (and possibly far too soon for some of you), I want to share some of the extremely fun stuff that I've worked on lately. 

Meet my meeWow and Wooftastic friends; mug rugs that is:

One day I didn't feel like hooking what I was supposed to be hooking (nothing like setting silly expectations for yourself), so I started playing with these 4" diameter landscapes. So. Much. Fun. 

I don't think that's all of them, but certainly gives you an idea. And well, then the next idea hit me. Some of you may think I've gone off the deep end with this next group. 

Meet "The Hags". No, I'm not a cruel, horrible person. You see, you have to understand that my mom (miss ya every day, Flo-Flo) called everyone she loved "Hag". It was a term of endearment! Seriously. How that evolved, I can't recall. But needless to say, it stuck. And we're now the second generation calling our nearest and dearest "hag". So I introduce to you the first in the series of 4" diameter portraits: 

From top left going clockwise: Daphne, Shirley, Eunice, Bernadette, Norma, Betty.  They each have a full history, which I was thinking about as I hooked them. Just a silly thing that was oodles of fun to do. 

So, as begin this season of craziness and busyness, remember to spread a little love.....

p.s. for any of you in the area, I'll be vending at the All Handmade Marketplace at the Crossroads Centre in Burlington, Ontario on Saturday, November 18th. I think there are 120 vendors, so definitely should be a good show!