Craft Hope for Haiti

I have been shocked and moved by the devastation in Haiti, and feeling so powerless to help. I knew one of my favourite causes would figure out something soon, and they came up with a way that crafters and people who love handmade items can help together.

I have donated this dress and another one to the Craft Hope for Haiti sale. Please take a moment to look at all of the wonderful donations in the Craft Hope shop. There are many beautiful handmade items for sale. 100% of sales will be sent to Doctors Without Borders. If you are unable to make a purchase at this time, consider donating something handmade. Information on that can be found on the site here.

Seasonal Diversions

“There are two seasonal diversions that can ease the bite of any winter.
One is the January thaw. The other is the seed catalogues.” (Hal Borland). For me it’s the pile of books that I received at Christmas that I can finally start reading, safe in the knowledge that I don’t have any impending sewing projects (Spring starts late in Ontario, so I still have a few months before I need to be worrying about summer dresses).

I have a doorstop of a book to read for next month’s bookclub, it’s snowing (again) and Ironman has a stack of new toys to entertain her this afternoon, so I’m snuggling up for the day.
Next blog, I will be sharing details of my daughter’s woodland fairy party…I don’t know who enjoyed the preparations more, her or me!

Whew

Finally finished and shipped out all my custom orders. Not that this means I have finished sewing, because I still have the requisite PJs I make for the kids every year for Christmas, and a long list of other bits and bobs that I WANT to make, but probably won’t have time to.

In addition to all those, I discovered this tree yesterday via One Pretty Thing.

I’m reading the instructions, which call for plastic bag yarn, and I think, now how come I don’t know about plastic bag yarn? So a quick google search, and I found this tutorial. I try really hard to remember to bring my own bags when I go grocery shopping, but I’m not perfect (who knew?) so at least now I can appease my environmental conscience when I forget by knowing I can reuse the plastic bags for something other than putting out the garbage in!

I know it’s a bit early for new years resolutions, but I have decided on mine. It’s to start making Christmas crafts in January and February so that I actually have time to make all the ones I would like to.

Giveaway Winner

Thank you all so much for your comments, tho’ being a newbie to blog giveaways, I hadn’t realized that my settings meant I had to approve each comment before it was displayed, so for a few days I hadn’t seen many comments!

The winner is #32, Susan, I will be emailing you today for your mailing address, so I can get this figgy pudding in the mail before Christmas. Congratulations, and thanks for taking part. Look for more giveaways in the new year, as this was fun. (And by then I will have figured out how to copy screenshots from random.org into my blog entries…if anyone knows how to do this then please feel free to email me/send me a comment…with step by step instructions please!)

Now Bring Us Some Figgy Pudding!

Back in England, where I come from, they call these Christmas Puddings. My parents are coming over for Christmas and bringing one with them (you can get them in Canadian stores, but you know things from home always taste better!).
Inspired by Betz White’s online stitch and felt tutorial, I bring you my first felt Christmas pudding, as a giveway. The main pudding is made of felt, but the leaves are made from a wool sweater which I felted myself in the washing machine. I’m a little disappointed in the colour, as it was bright green when it went in, but I love the texture. Cashmere makes the softest felt when you wash it. I know, some people would be horrified that I washed cashmere, but seriously, I paid $1.50 for it at the thrift store. I’m not telling you which one tho’!

To win this giveway, visit my store and leave me a comment telling me which is your favourite item.

Follow my blog for an extra entry.

You have until December 6th.The prize will be shipped by December 12th. Canadian and USA applicants welcome!
Ironman will draw someone’s name out of a hat,christmas stocking or something festive.

Be sure to leave an email or a blog address where I can contact you if you win

Click on the button on the right sidebar to see other blogs joining in this festive giveaway!

Coming soon, my first giveaway

I’m going to be joining in with the Giveaway Day hosted by Sew Mama Sew. Giveaway Day is when the people at Sew Mama Sew coordinate one day when everyone with a shop or blog can give something away, spreading the holiday spirit. They list all of the participants to create a master list, and leave the lists up for several days.

I have been reading this blog for a while now, and have been inspired and found so many ideas from it, so I thought it would be fun to give something away that I have made.

I’m not sure what I will be giving away yet, but I have also been participating in Betz White’s felt and stitch online tutorial, so that’s a clue!

Here’s another one!

Yoda turns 7

When Boy was born, 7 years ago, his ears stuck out from the side of his head, and so we called him Yoda. He turned 7 on Saturday, so after seeing this last week I had to make him this shirt.

We took 6 of his friends to see Planet 51 at the local movie theatre. We nearly lost one of his friends as we were leaving (10 minutes of heart stopping scariness). Favourite quote: “That’s a strange place for an antenna”.

Can't stop….sewing!

Come see me and my wares at these 2 craft shows:

Here's hoping!

Here is the front of the quilt, all pieced and stitched together. I am really trying to get the quilt sandwiched together and bound today, but I have a feeling that’s not going to happen! With 1 sick child, and fighting a sore throat myself, I’m beginning to think it would be best for me to package up what I have achieved so far and send it off, as the kind ladies of Margaret’s Hope Chest have offered to finish off the quilts for us.

I’m just a little reluctant to do that because I was so looking forward to seeing how it looked all put together. I wasn’t sure if the fabrics I had chosen would be acceptable to a 10/11 year-old , but when I showed it to Guy who turns 11 soon, he thought it was for him and was really disappointed it wasn’t, so I guess it is ‘cool’ after all.

We’ll see where I get to by the end of today, as I can’t mail it until tomorrow anyway.

Where there is hope……

Not content with 2 upcoming craft shows, and my own open house this weekend, I decided to add more to my plate, but I think it will be worth it.

I have been following the amazing work done by Craft Hope for a while, but after reading their latest call for help, I couldn’t resist. This time around they have partnered with Margaret’s Hope Chest to provide a quilt for each child in the Grand Rapids (Michigan) Public School system who is homeless during the Christmas season. The exact number will not be clear until November but considering the economic climate in Michigan it will more than likely be high (200+).

They are short of quilts for boys, especially older boys, so I am making mine with my two sons in mind, thankful for all the blessings that they and I have this winter.

Here are the fabrics I have chosen, the deadline is November 15th, so I’d better get cracking!

I find it unfathomable that with the wealth that we have in North America, even in times of recession, children the age of Guy and Boy are homeless.