Heart Warming

Something about red hearts or maybe just the heart symbol itself is speaking loudly to me this season.
I just can't get enough of them.

Instead of the traditional star atop the tree this year, I made a huge red felt heart.

It really seemed to fit how I am feeling this year and goes delightfully well with our tree.
Simple as ever and no fuss just handmade heart warming christmas.

I hope you have a heart this season and give a little bit of it to those less fortunate in your community.

I will also be getting a heart warming giveaway together for my readers.
Stop by on Monday for a handmade from the heart giveaway.  Hope you will stop by to enter.


In the evening when I take a break from crocheting and sewing, I am reading this... Farm Chicks Christmas.  It is so fun and inspiring.  The best little christmas book ever.

and this is just a little vignette I arranged of cardboard trees and my vintage deer wearing her crocheted scarf I just made her for winter.

 The wood bases are wood coasters I found at target.  It really is such a sweet scene for our woodland Christmas this year.

Have a great weekend everyone.  We are out to support some friends that are having handmade sales this weekend.  

Remember to be back on Monday for the Giveaway :)

Santa Excitement

Today was spent lazing around.
Putting a few more decorations up and cleaning a bit.
A lazy day of sipping coffee and making shopping lists.

The big promise of the day was to go see Santa.
Boy, did it prove to be the best thing ever.
The boy couldn't believe his eyes.  He was so excited to see Santa and tell him his name.
The picture above proves it all, the joy a little one holds in believing in Christmas.
Melts the heart

Christmas Bits

I don't think it has ever taken me so long to put things up and out for a holiday.

For some reason this year it is very slow going.  Maybe because it is close to 80* again and it just doesn't feel like it is already Christmas.

We started on the outside and it is still in the need of some tweaking.

Our tree is getting there...kinda, I am hand crocheting all the garlands and making all the ornaments this year.

What was I thinking???

I can never ever find what I want so I make instead.

Our tree sits inside a vintage Air Traveler plaid soft top suitcase that I found on my last day in Chicago for dirt cheap.  Of course the cat thought I bought it for him, oh kitty!

I am making logs...pillow logs to fill the suitcase bottom and pinecones my son has collected for us.

Our stair garland is up and lit.
The stockings this year are felted buckets to look like picnic baskets.

Goes with my Over the River and Through the Woods theme I got goin' on.

I have put my shop sales first the past couple of weeks and I think it is time to slow down and do more for my own family.  I want to really enjoy this season.  No rushing, no crazy post office days...just a cup of coffee sipping while enjoying the lights and my family.

Slowly I will get it together, and enjoy my time while doing it.

Cabin Cozy Christmas

We are starting on our holiday decorating today.
It is very slow going and we have discovered that a lot of items have gone missing.
So a lot of rethinking is going on.
But I did get this little log cabin scene put together.

More to come later this week.

Cozy Day

Literally, a cozy making day yesterday.
Our Turkey day was a day like any other just a little more laid back.
I sat and crocheted as darkness fell and caught up on all my episodes of Elementary.
Such a good show.

The boy slept and I made jar cozies.
This is the largest one yet.  It looks like a beehive ;)

I did do a little sprucing up around the house and cleaned out toys and clothes to donate to Child Haven for the holidays.  It is an annual tradition here to load up the car with our gently used items and give to those a little less fortunate for the season.

Now that my most beloved time of year has past and Winter is on its way I thought I would share one of my most loved Christmas items.

This lovely vintage book, yes it has a cozy I crocheted to keep it warm on the shelf ;) , "Told Under the Christmas Tree"
the most adorable cover ever!!

Today I will start putting the leaves and turkeys away and start planning the Winter decor.
The porch is already planned, I have to really think of what I want for the inside this year.
After shopping Chicago I got all excited and wished I could bring so much of it home.
A woodsy log cabin cottage feel is what I want.  Stay tuned to see if it happens.

My Little Turkey

My sons school hosted a turkey parade today.
I wish I could have taken more pictures but it was difficult chasing wild turkeys ;)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Hope you all enjoy your family time and get there and back safely.

This year our Turkey day is just another day...hubby is working and I don't cook so frozen chicken it is.
It will be a long day of movies and waiting for stores to open so we can shop.

Chicago

What a whirlwind of a trip.
It still seems unreal that I even went.
Everyday went by so fast and so much fun was had.

I loved the walking everywhere and seeing the city in the Fall.
The colors and crispness of the streets...sigh.

The shopping is always amazing.
I stopped first in my sisters Dethrose Studio to do a private shopping spree.

Got this amazing Navajo Jacket...so many people stopped me and asked where I found it.
Then it was on to dancing til 2:30 am at the infamous Neo.
Man, what a great place for people watching.

The following day was a ton of shopping from 11 am til 10 pm we shopped.
We shopped new, vintage and antique. I covered all my bases.

We wrapped up the weekend by doing Vintage Heaven.   A cool vintage sale with some amazing vendors.

Just waking up each morning with this as my view was so amazing.

I miss this city so much and would love to live and raise my son in a place were people are still kind to one another and have mid-west values.  The neighborhood parks on every other corner called my name.  I just had visions of my son really enjoying this lifestyle of fresh air and other children out playing.   Living in a flat such as this...
Maybe one day life will change and get us out of the desert.

On My Work Table

Clothespins and Pinecones

I am finishing up a little business this morning before I take off for Chicago.

Last set of numbered clothespins in the shop today

and soon to come little baby pinecone numbered table number place settings.

Okay all, see ya when I return. :)

Holiday Rush

Are you rushing already to make all things for the holiday season?
Or rushing to buy all your goods before they sell out?

This year I am trying not to rush, but enjoy the holidays one at a time.
I maybe making orders for others so they get their decorations in time.
But as for me I am making a rule of not buying a single thing decor or gift wise until Thanksgiving is enjoyed and past.

We are relishing in the cold autumn air and feeling the love for Turkeys around here.

My child was off school this week and we did our own school time and craft.
It was a craft I remember making every year in school, a simple turkey to learn colors and placement.
I am happy to have my child now enjoy the simple past time of crafting.

Today is another day off of school and we have a ton of stuff to get done today.
We are a bit under the weather, something like a flu bug bit us and it is icky.
But I must not let it get me down.  I am still needing to organize and pack for my Chicago trip.
Orders from my shop must be sent before I leave on Thursday.  And this house ugh, how is it that just a day of rest makes the whole house turn into the playroom???

So I better get up and move around even though I just want to sit and be waited on ;)

Pumpkin Pie

With it really feeling like fall outside, blustery and so cold it is hat weather.
We are staying indoors and baking, yes you read that correctly. ;)

First my son was so excited to help me mix the ingredients for his gluten free cupcakes.
He did a wonderful job and even helped me pour it into the cupcake tin.

Yum, they come out so moist and delicious.
They are so good they don't even need icing.

While the real cupcakes were baking in the oven my son asked if he could paint.
One of our favorite past times.
So he asked for his favorite color, Orange, and started on a paper plate upside down.

As he continued to look for supplies he got the glue and did a ring around the outside edge and started filling it with cotton balls.
I looked at it and thought this looks just like a pumpkin pie!
What a wonderful surprise his creating led too.  A perfect pumpkin pie to add to our Thanksgiving decorations.

Winter Warmth in My Studio

Today my studio is dark.
Clouds are rolling in, winds are howling and blustery.
Sending the temperatures soaring down...finally.

I lit a pumpkin candle and I am hard at work on sold orders.
I watch the tree whipping back and forth out my window that has now been shut.

It is wonderful scenery to work by.  Studio is dimly lit as to realize how dark it is outside.
The glow of the tv is filling the room and replaying my favorite movie over and over again.
I could watch pillow talk everyday, in fact it played 3 times yesterday as I worked :)
It is such a funny and happy movie with songs I can sing along with and dance in my chair.

Okay back to Santa's Workshop