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i can't believe it's taken me so long to share my new baby!
we adopted this sweet little girl from a beagle rescue over the weekend.
she is incredibly cuddly, terribly fuzzy, a big thief, and so good for all of us...even our old jack russell who needed a kick in the pants and a buddy to run with.
isn't she adorable?
amy
i was making another present- that makes four handmade gifts completed!- when i stumbled upon a wonderful use of excess materials. but first the handmade gift.
i used the basic instructions for a stab-stitched book to create a little journal.
a couple months ago i picked up a stack of reader's digest volumes for just pennies. they had gorgeous covers but were filled with so-so stories. i removed the covers and started collecting beautiful but random pieces of paper. i cut the paper to fit and clamped it all into place.
using a basic awl, i carefully poked holes through the entire stack. i then used bookbinding thread to sew the pages and covers together.
i used ledger paper, sheets from a big chief tablet, passages from the reader's digest, old cards, and lovely pages from an abc book. the result is the prettiest little purse-size journal to record ideas or paste inspirational cuttings. i just don't know who i'm going to give it to. i do plan to make a few more though with my remaining volumes.
which brings me to my happy accident. i took the reserved pages and went to town folding and gluing and have a lovely and creative time.
i loved this little, very tightly folded part of the book. it is very sturdy when standing vertically so i thought i'd fold another section and connect them to use as a pillar or cakestand. but then it hit me! i had a pile of greeting cards that needed a home.
they fit so snugly and beautifully into the folds. they are secure and contained and have a little bit of whimsy. of course it works well with photos also.
i'm thinking this would be a fun way to corral mail and things coming home from school.
happy folding!
amy
it's the little things in life. all the small gestures.
we jazzed up an old jar for our donations and it's working! every coin the kids find winds up in this pretty vessel. i will definitely leave it out year round.
i etsyed a couple more strands of pretty mercury glass beads...so worn and just so lovely!
and finally, the stockings have been hung by the chimney with care.
amy
hooray! i have one of my handmade gifts completed and i love how it turned out. wanna see?
you've met my oliver, but have you met his beloved baby bunny and big bunny?
ollie is quite a builder and really very good at it. he's never shown as much interest in art and drawing, but one day he sat down and put all his effort into the sweetest little picture of he and his bunny "family". as you can see, they are jumping rope. he was so very proud of his picture, he even created a lovely little sticker frame.
i think this picture is an incredible work of art so i decided to use it to make a gift for my little guy.
i bought some heavy fabric (actually i used a sheet of cross-stitch fabric) and some transfer paper and went to work transferring every detail of oliver's portrait.
i was left with a perfect embroidery pattern and an unmarred piece of art.
i knew i wanted to hang his art on the wall so i opted for a large hoop.
i thought about painting the hoop but decided to leave it au natural. now for the fun part! ollie's favorite colors are blue and green so i decided to stitch with those shades. i also didn't want to take away from the sweet simplicity of his art. i went with a running stitch to make it even more childlike while still keeping all the details he painstakingly added.
i love it and i know he will too! it's a fun way to preserve a child's art or a fabulous gift. i would like to have both the kids sign their name on something and stitch that as well. a kid's handwriting is just so sweet.
enjoy and get to work!
amy
keith went off to bed sick so i stayed up late watching groundhog day and searching etsy for all those wonderful goodies to take the chill off. we had our first snowflakes today...best bundle up!
i love this beautiful boucle hat from thrush vintage.
if i had even an inkling how to knit, i'd snatch up this pattern from tiny owls magic attic. doesn't this hoodlet look cozy? if it were red it would make for the most wonderful le petit chaperon rouge.
another pattern for do-it-yourself coziness...i love these gloves and love, love, love the prim and proper styling. this pattern is by pretty ditty and i just may have to give them a try.
i am crazy for this cape!!! i think it is the picture of wintery perfection. i found it in miss farfalla's vintage shop.
i just may need these handknit lovelies. they're by pink candy studio. so very pretty!
i have a feeling i am going to become an obsessive hunter of this boot. i am absolutely in love and will not rest till i find it in my size (and at an affordable price). this gorgeous frye campus boot is from adelaide homesewn but is a too-small size 6 1/2. bummer.
snuggle under your favorite afghan,
amy
