Pink watermelon set

Finally! Here is a complete set: a knit hat, onesie, the coordinating mittens and the bracelet. I never get a pic of an entire set because I'm always making different pieces and sending them off, but rarely do I have all pieces together at the same time---AND remember to take a pic of them all together. So, here is one completed set---now to just add them to my listings.

Strawberry Jam

Well, what do you do with 30 pounds of freshly picked strawberries? Make strawberry jam. Josie, my 31/2 year old was very excited to make jam.

We started by mashing up 20 cups of strawberries.

We then added 28 cups of sugar (that's about 15 pounds) and 4 boxes of pectin.

It had to be done in the turkey fryer because my soup stockpot was full just after measuring out the sugar.

We made a ton of jam---which is great because I like to give it away as much as I like to make it. And, it was delicious!!

Strawberry Picking

We went strawberry picking today and had a lot of fun. Everyone picked and ate a ton of strawberries. We set out to get 20 pounds so Josie and I can make jam tomorrow, but we had so much fun, we picked 30 pounds---and spent a small fortune.

I think the kids ate more than they picked.

Josie found a little lady bug on her hand!

Tomorrow is jam time!

Framed Sweet Pea

Well, this is what I've come up with---I think it turned out really cute. I've hung it in my daughter's room for now.

Sweet Pea

The other day I had a customer ask me if I had a coordinating onesie for my sweet pea pod hat collection. I currently don't have any appliques that coordinate, so I thought I'd try some hand embroidering. I LOVE to hand embroider, but there is only so many hours in the day...and well... this is one of those things I just don't take the time to do. Anyways, I created this little pea pod last night and I think it's really sweet. I did it on a scrap piece of fabric and when the kids get up, I think I'm going to take a trip to the craft store to find some fabric and a cute white frame to frame it up---maybe I'll add it to my Etsy shop. We'll see how it turns out!

Half Marathon

This past weekend we went to Indy for the Geist Inaugural half marathon. My husband and sister in law ran it. We (the kids and I) were great supporters. If you've never been to one, it is actually really enjoyable cheering the fans on. We started at the 3.4 mile marker and cheered on the runners for about 45 minutes, then headed to the finish line. It is fun to see the different runners going by---we even saw a beer bottle and banana.

At the 3.4 mile marker

Yes, they actually ran the race like this!

Coming down the home stretch!

Free beer after the race!

Poor Minnie

I have to share this little story with you.....My two nieces are going to Disney World this summer, and I wanted to make them a Disney themed bracelet. I found these really cute Minnie Mouse beads and made three bracelets---two for my nieces and one for my little Josie. I was so excited to give Josie hers---I thought she'd love it since she loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. When she saw it, she wasn't very excited to say the least. She said, "but Mommy, where is her face" Hummm....that never crossed my mind......So, I had to explain that one....then she didn't want it or like it. I guess I'll just have to put it away for awhile ; - )

New Bracelets to add to the shop

Last night I designed two new bracelets. I purchased these pink watermelon beads on Ebay---and it took me awhile to sit down and design the bracelet for it. At first I used a lighter pink bead, but it didn't photograph well, so I went with a darker one---and I liked it much better.

The other one is a Neopolitan Ice Cream Sunday---with cherries. I LOVE this one. I've been wanting a bracelet to match my Neopolitan hat and I couldn't find the right polymer clay bead. Then, I thought, I don't really have to have a clay focal bead----so this is what I came up with. I just love the cherries!!

Want to see the full bracelet???

Just check out my Etsy shop!!

Allison's Order

I've been working closely with a really SWEET customer who wanted a very custom order. It took about 15 e-mails, but I think I've got it right. She completely designed this candy cane Christmas holly hat----and mittens. I LOVE the way it turned out---my little girl is my model and she tried on the mittens and didn't want to take them off---so that is now on my ever growing to do list. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I never did make my kids a pair of mittens last winter. I probably shouldn't even write that. I always thought I'd do it "tomorrow" and then it became spring and well.....

Anyways, she also got the pink sets for gifts---I hope the mommies-to-be like them. I think they turned out really cute too. So, this will all go in the mail tomorrow---with a secret surprise for my e-mail buddy, Allison ; - )

P.S. I didn't forget about your apple hat Allison.....I just didn't include it in my pics ; - )

Mother's Day

I hope everyone had a Wonderful Mother's Day. I didn't do anything really exciting, but I was thrilled that my kids gave me a beautiful bouquet of flowers. It was so large that I arranged 4 vases full of flowers. I just love to put them in my bathroom and bedroom---and one went into my little girls room too. My husband made a delicious meal for me---cedar plank salmon, fresh asparagus, shrimp cocktail, and a huge piece of coconut cake and a chocolate martini---yum.

Cheese Please!

We recently got invited to a wine tasting party at a friend's house, and I found the perfect hostess gift on Etsy. It's from Big Sky---click here to browse her shop---it's filled with really cool glass things. My purchase is a wine bottle that was flattened out and is now a cheese plate. I think it is so neat and I love the rainbow dichronic glass nuggets---as she calls them. I hope the hostess likes it as much as I do!

Princess Bracelets---update!

I sent my customer the link to the princess bracelets and she loved them---she purchased two! Better get busy!

Princess Bracelet

About a month ago, a repeat customer of mine asked if I could make a princess bracelet for her. It took awhile to find the "perfect" princess beads. Most had an actual little princess---with either brown or blond hair, but I wanted something a little less specific. So, I found these beads: Tierra, slipper, and rosebud. I love them---and the tierra and slipper have a little rhinestone in them. So cute!

For some reason, some bracelets are harder to design than others. This one was really hard---you wouldn't think so, would you? It took several designs before I came up with this one. I'm very pleased with it---and I use a large variety of beads----it even has pink cat's eye beads. I also made the growth chain charm really fancy. I'm sure any princess would love to wear this!!

Cheery Cherry

This is the latest set I got out in the mail. I just love the cherry set and I'd say it's one of my biggest sellers. It packaged up really cute too! It's going to a customer in Missouri who said it is going to be her baby's outfit home from the hospital. She is going to be one stylish baby!!

I love geraniums

My Great Grandma Ora Pritchard always told me her favorite flowers to plant every year are geraniums. I guess that is why every year I have to plant them in pots on my front porch. I just love them-----and it reminds me of my Great Grandma!

Here's my flowers before I started. I went to Lowe's for the Geraniums and then a trip to the nursery for the filler plants. I usually use a spike in the middle, but I decided to skip them this year. And, of course I have on my cute pink crocs for all my yardwork and gardening!

Here are the finished pots. I have on a cute wire plant stand that holds the pot with the red, white, and purple flowers.

The other two are the same and are pinks, reds, yellow, and purple. They are so cheery on my porch----I keep peeking outside just to see them ; - )

Teapot Series---Knitty Bitty Bookmarks are here!

FINALLY....I've listed my newest creation. They are silver shepard's hook bookmarks featuring the cutest little teapot, swarovski crystals, and a freshwater pearl. I just loved the way they turned out and I really like the photos. I hope they are a great seller for me. To see them all, click here to get to my Etsy shop. Here is just a few pics. Let me know what you think!!

Don't you just love a great book? This would look soo cute sitting on your coffee table with your new best seller--or old favorite ; - )