Whimsy Tree

It is too hot to knit. Not even the siren song of my KSD cashmere sock yarn can entice me to pick up the sticks. I've been really inspired by all of the embroidery posted over at Feeling Stitchy, so I decided to do some of my own.

I sketched out the trunk and branches and did the leaves freehand. The fabric is some old velvet I've had in the stash forever.

It's by no means perfect, but I'm pretty pleased with my first embroidery effort in years. Perhaps there are some pillow cases or tea towels in my future.

Happy Tag Blanket

This blanket makes me happy- it was fast, easy, and fun. I used this tutorial I found on Craftzine.

My modifications: I didn't use an existing blanket, I just bought a yard of each of the fabrics. The ribbons are spaced 2 inches apart, and 2 inches from the corners. I did two rows of top-stitching. It is about 36" x 42".

The fabric is from JoAnn's. The green and white fabric is some basic nursery flannel and the dinos are just regular quilt cotton. The ribbons have been amassed over time. It was a great way to use the "scrapbooking" ribbons I got from the dollar section at Target.

Ben seems to enjoy it, which is all I can really ask for. He tested out the ribbons for it yesterday.*What if the baby gets in the ribbon drawer?*

Works in Progress

My brain is moving faster than my hands right now. Why is it so much fun to start a project, but not so much fun to finish it?

A Little Eye Candy

Last week, the Renegade Craft Fair was even more awesome than expected. It was crafty sensory overload - there are so many talented and creative people out there!
I could have easily spent multiple paychecks on all the goodies, but I ended up only getting a skein of sock yarn and a pair of earrings.

The yarn is from Kitchen Sink Dyeworks. It is the luxe merino fine cashmere blend in the colorway "Irie". I'm currently searching for the perfect sock pattern for it.

I forgot to take a picture of the earrings and I forget which vendor i bought them from. Oops.

There was a lot of inspiration to be had and my friend Tiffany got some great ideas for adorable baby onsies. They can be made in a single nap time! That's like crafting at the speed of light!

Renegade Craft Fair!

I am so excited!

Easter Baskets!

Easter dinner at my house was a success! The emergency can of icing and the M&M's salvaged the cake, my dad stepped in to make the traditional pea salad (so traditional that there's no written recipe anywhere) and there were enough solid nap times in the previous weeks for me to make little Easter baskets.

I used a tutorial I stumbled upon on one of the AlphaMom blogs via Craftzine. I can't find it again, but the process is very simple.


1. Mix equal parts clear Elmer's glue (I found it at Micheal's) and water.
2. Shred paper. I used brown paper bags and cute gift bags I got on super sale at Target.
3. Cover a bowl or something to use as the mold with plastic wrap. If you use something made out of glass, you'll have to pour a little vegetable oil down the side of the mold between the plastic wrap and the glass to get it to slip off. I forgot that cling wrap clings, and freaked out a little until I figured this trick out.
4. Dip handfuls of the shredded paper into the glue mixture and apply to the mold, like paper mache.
5. Enjoy the goopy, silly, messiness of it all.
6. Wait about 24 hours before trying to remove your nest/basket

Good Friday, Bad Cake

For Lent this year, I gave up sweets. I know that seems rather childish, but since my third trimester, I've developed a vicious sweet tooth. This has not been an easy 40 days.

So you see why I've been fantasizing about the Perfect Cake. My family and friends are seated around our dining room table, having just finished enjoying our first big family holiday meal to be celebrated in our new house. Everyone did save a little room for dessert, though, and out I walk with the Perfect Cake. It's a white cake, light and fluffy like the clouds angels sleep on. It has a raspberry jam filling and is covered with a smooth, pristine layer of vanilla icing. It's a cake to celebrate the end of dark times, the miracle of resurrection. It's a cake of grace and hope.

I am no celebrity chef by any means, but a cake, I've made cakes before. Why did it have to go so horribly wrong?



My husband is out getting more icing to try to make it look somewhat appetizing. Another can of icing and a bag of pastel M&M will salvage it, right?

At least my yarn came today.

*remember when it was all about the yarn pr0n?*