Valentine Gift Boxes Received!

You may recognize many of the items in these photos as they have been posted as they were created. I boxes them up happily and sent them to the people who I know would be thrilled to receive them. At a glance they seem similar, and they are, but they also have some slight differences, personalized the the recipients. They both got fun decorated mailboxes with stickers, conversation heartcandy and heart socks. They both received a set of the "Hugs and Kisses" towels I made. They also go the really fun "bath truffles." I spied them when I was a the Bath and Body Works getting scented lotion. At first I wondered why they were selling chocolate truffles in a bath goods shop, then I noticed that they are in fact bath bombs. I hope they are a hit! They also each recieved valentine kits. The top photo shows the stuff I sent to Natalie. In addition to the stuff mentioned above, I sent her really cool Valentine's day stationary. The envelopes are just too cool! She also got the photo acrylic tags that I had intended to send with her Christmas box.

Peg's and Jake's box is next. The favorite thing that I included in her box was a "scrapper's candy box" which I put together. Doing that alone was a blast! I had wanted to get a traditional heart shaped candy box and fill it with scrapper's embellishments, but the box was too expensive and I surely did not need several pounds of candy sitting around. Instead I found a fun box that had a small amount of chocolates in this molded box. I filled the cavities with sequins, ribbon, buttons, and so on. If you have a card maker/scrap booker on your list - this is the most fun thing to give them! I included enough candy for everyone in her family. I also sent off Ellie's box to Jake. It is detailed in a recent blog.

I do these boxes because I love thinking about the person they are for as I am finding the goods, making the stuff. I know they will enjoy them. Sometime I even giggle when I mail them. I wish there was an instant transportation item so that I did not have to wait for the mailcarrier to deliver them.

Creative Kid Swap - a Friendship Born!

I began a blog for a few reasons. Partially to keep track, in a bigger picture way, of my own progress. I have also done it so that my firends who do not live near can see what we are doing. I also did it in hopes of finding a community of people like myself. Some people just don't get what I am about artistically. Some are inspired, some are intimidated, some just like to look. That's all okay, but I love it when I can converse with others who are under the "need to create" grip.

Lucky for me, this has begun to happen. Peg (you can see her link on my sideboard) and I have become fast friends. The cool thing is that two of our kids are developing a friendship, too. The photos here show their first exchange. Peg's son, Jake, made this wonderful blue set of gifts for Ellie. SHe simply adores it. The colors are perfect and he hit on all the kinds of things she loves. Many of the wonderful details that he included, like the tiny glass beads to add sparkle, are not readily visible here. The items he sent are much more lovely in real life. Ellie made him this oh-so-clever dog mailbox. She simply amazes me - she has such a wonderful vision. She has used glue dots to give the snout and ears dimension. She has also used one to attach the tail.

Tomorrow I will post what I sent to Peg.

"Miss Potter" - a Daughter Date

There was a sneak preview for "Miss Potter" last night. Ellie and I went. We had a blast! It is a new movie about the life of Beatrix Potter. It was delightful. It made us want to paint. It made us want to go to the lake disstrict in England. It made us want to go home and paint, go home and read her books - it made us want to buy the movie - and it isn't even out in regular theaters, yet. Maybe next week. I think we will have to see it again.

If you are going to go, we suggest the following:
* Set out your watercolor paints, good watercolor paper, two nice containers of water (one for rinsing, one for deluding paint) and a good ink pen, along with your pencil. This movie is going to make you want to do art!
* Take tissue with you. We cried several times during the movie - some for joy, some for sadness.

After the movie we were famished, so we stopped by Whole Foods for a late, light dinner. We purchased wonderful "Pink Lady" apples, grapefruit (best ones EVER!) and Satsuma oranges. We also got pizza and mint & honey tea. It was a fun evening.

Basketry Merit Badge & Organized Embellishments

Ethan has recently finished his basketry badge for Boy Scouts. At first the boys were not thrilled with this option, but elected to do it because it was too cold outside to do the badges they are excited about. However, once they go going, I think most of the boys enjoyed making the items. The ones pictured here are the ones Ethan made. I helped him a bit. At times I HAD to GIVE IT BACK to him because I wanted to do it all myself. I had no idea how much fun it would be - and so fast! Making these items was very gratifying. I think I will have to do it again, but I might add in some funky fibers as I do the weaving.

I also wanted to start some posts about things I love, things beyond the obvious, like my family. I will begin with this item, my Craft Mates Locking Caddy Organizer Tote. I have a lovely collection of embellishments that were all stuffed first in a bag, then in a box, in the containers they came in. Looking for something was a dangerous, messy journey. Now that I have my Craft Mates totes (I have two of them, nearly full) I don't have that problem any longer. What I love is that the tote holds special trays that have 14 little, individually locking cavaties. They are snug so the items, like sequins, don't visit their neighbors and mess up my organizaational system. Furthermore, they have a fail safe tab on the side that must be pushed in before the little doors will open. This prevents one opening during unexpected times. I got mine from Joanne's, a fabric and craft store. WIth their execellent coupons I got it for less than $20.

Ellie's Super Soft Hat

Ellie was excited when I finished Ethan's hat. She had high hopes that I might make hers next. She respectfully waited, and then hoped that the hat might magically be completed in a record amount of time - over the weekend and in time to wear it to school on Monday. As luck would have it, Saturday ended up being a day of errands and picking people up. I began knitting as we pulled out of the garage on Saturday morning. I knitted as my husband drove. Ellie watched as if I were a soccer match. Her excitement at seeing the stripes (one of her favorite things) develop was contagious. I kept on going. The black and dark scarlet yarns were heaven to work with - cashmere! Then she wanted a white stripe. It turned out that the vintage angora yarn was too thin to go it alone, so it partnered with the black for our favorite section. The whisps of white almost look like a slight snow angel halo. We had to keep going. By Sunday morning we were up the the point where I began to reduce the number of stitches. When you are to that point, you don't want to stop. By Sunday evening we sat with Grandma Eleanor and made pompoms with what was left of some of the yarns. Ellie is thrilled with the results! And in record, nearly magical time to boot! Now onto another hat for my husband, who keeps trying to lure Ethan's hat away from him. "Say son, you're not going to wear that hat today are you?..."

Mail Art Swaps & Indian Summer Quilt WIP

As I wondered around blogland I came upon a fun 5 x 7 art swap hosted by Tiffany. Participants sign up and create a piece of art that will fit into a 5" x 7" envelope. It can be almost any media. Currently she has about 60 people from all over the globe. She is welcoming people to sign up until 8:00 p.m. this Thursday. If you are interested you can find more information at 5x7art.blogspot.com. I am already trying to come up with something fun for the person I will be sending to.

I have also sent out two Valentine's day packages. I will post pictures once they have been received - I wouldn't want to ruin any surprizes!

My yearning to do certain crafts seems to be seasonal, and so I have entered and are galavanting in the season of the needle. My latest venture is to begin a new quilt. This is called an Indian Summer quilt. I absolutely adore the colors. Many of the fabrics softly shift from one color tone to another, moving from light blue to medium and to a dark hue of blue, or purple. I am making quick progress on this one. It will be a simple wall quilt. We remodeled our bedroom over three years ago, but never really finished redecorating it. Other things always seemed to call us away. One of my resolutions this year is to make my bedroom a welcoming, calming place - and this is where I shall begin.

Snowbound Actions and Accomplishments

Would you believe that it is snowing, again? This is the 7th weekend in a row for that white, cold stuff to blanket our yards, roads and homes. Rumor has it that it may warm up to 38 degrees on Thursday - I've got my fingers crossed. So, I've been busy. My son is happy with his newest hat. This one is really cool, my best result and best pattern, yet. The bottom part is called a hemmed cuff. You cast on enough for the bottom and knit until you have about 7". Then you fold it up to match the bottom with the yarn on the dp needles. As you move onto the next color you knit through both layers (bottom and top) of the cuff color. This comes out nicely. The cuff is extra thick and snuggly. This hat is made with wonderful yarn that is alpacha, silk and cashmere. Next up is the hat that I started yesterday. We did enough running around, sitting playing games, etc. that I am already almost done with the hat. The black and red yarns are both cashmere and silk. The white is a vintage angora that came from an estate sale. Quite a find!

I also reworked one corner of my tiny art room. I moved out one kind of cabinet on wheels to make room for this little table so that I can have both my sewing maching and my Cricut machine available at the same time. Previously I had to pack up and store one before I could use the other - it ate up a lot of time. Now I am going to begin putting together a wall quilt I want to make for my bedroom.