so cool!!!! so excited for this learn to crochet class from craftyminx. the class begins this Sunday, October 1st.
I learned to crochet last year using meet me at mike's video tutorials but it's been a while since i've picked up the hook & wool. looking forward diving back in again.
join in!!! it's free!!
happy wednesday!
xoxo
gi
i realize we are not on summer holidays like my souther hemishpere friends...but thank God for hip hip hooray for holidays! this week.
we've had snow, snow, ice & more snow which has sorta made for an insane asylum situation around here. school has been closed & i've had 3 kids looking at me with blank stares..."what are we doin' today now, mommy????"
ummm...
so mel & tamar to the rescue!!!! the felt play mat was first up. such a great project & everything on hand. my kids LOVED this project & have been playing with their play mats every day since we made them on tuesday.
ryan chose to make a pirate map. "i can play with my guys on it & then use it as a pirate map too when i play pirates mom!" yeah....he is super clever :) proud mama here :) i still have to take a good photo of how he has set it all up with his play mobil pirates, it is just so cute...complete with buried treasure, a poisonous flower and "ghost bus" that surprises pirates just when they think they are close to the "x marks the spot". but here is a photo i took of him, hard at work gluing all of his chosen pieces to his alloted swatch of felt. you can see a glimpse of his "rickety ol' pirate bridge" that goes across the lake to his treasure island. the "ghost bus" slams into people taking them by surpirse around where that big bush is...haha!!
kelly created an elaborate rural map featuring a forest, a wildflower patch and a country road. SOOO cute!!! since her alloted felt piece was a bit small to fit it all in, she easily switched gears & chose her favorite parts and got cutting & gluing. that is one of the great things about kids...once you get their imaginations going, they easily are able to go with the flow & just enjoy creating.
she LOVES this little playmat. her pet shops & japanese erasers have been having a grand ol' time cruising their country road hanging out at mo's milk stand, cruising by the pond to see what susan the swan is up to or popping in the barn for an apple or carrot :) awwww.....i remember these days of endless imagination well :)
kate set up her "little town" with all of her little lalaloopsy houses, strawberry shortcake's splash pool & berry cafe....even a dock on the little village's lake perfect for a picnic. quite the bustling little hamlet she's got going :)
there is more snow in our forecast for next week. good thing we've got plenty more hip hip hooray for holidays activities planned!!
hope you have a great weekend!!
GO JETS!!!!
xoxo
gi
yellow is one of my favorite colors, so when i saw this site i went "yipee!!!!".
it's a whole site full of great tutorials & inspiration about creating with yellow! there's a flick'r group too!
think this flower will be the first project i try. thinkin' it will look so cute on my grey cardi that i literally wear every single day.
happy wednesday!
xoxo
gi
we are knee deep in football around here these days. ryan (& mike, since he's the head coach :) has a tournament & the turkey bowl this weekend & kelly's team made the playoffs, so she'll be cheering her little heart out. so we'll all be getting ready this week for a big hometown blue & gold weekend. (& looking at that pic, i think i need to get kelly a haircut too! lol!!)
meanwhile, i thought i'd share 3 of my recent favorite "go-to" crafty spots sure to inspire & educate & give you that great creative spark. i've been getting so many wonderful ideas @ the www & have so many ideas jotted down to start doing some Christmas crafting.
so here we go:
* sew mama sew: sew mama sew is such a wonderful resource. & november is their Handmade Holidays feature during which they link great tutorials & ideas for the holidays each & every day. it is awesome! (& definitely go back through October to see all of their fabric scrap ideas. i've tried a few already & really enjoyed bustin' through my fabric scraps :)
* one crafty mumma: mel goodsell is just the best. i've "worked" with her as a part of the tarisota team for over a year and a half now & she always inspires me and she just so happens to be one of the nicest people in the world. but just this past weekend, i found myself lost in her beautiful blog reading about all of her (& her adorable family) crafty adventures. she has got a million and one fantastic ideas & she shares them. LOVE it :) after going through all of her gorgeous & whimsical creations, i'm rarin' to fire up the sewing machine & create.
* ruffles & stuff: this is one clever & creative mama!!! she shares so many great ideas from altering dollar store pj's to look like a fabulous crewcuts top to whipping up a no-sew tartan fleece cape. seriously good ideas to be found.
hope you are having a happy monday!
xoxo
gi
* are giving out Candy Corn Cookie Bark to friends :)
(NOT to the slow truck driver that was in front of me on the way to preschool drop off today. it was so funny. i'm sitting behind him at the light groaning @ him being so slow & kate pipes up from the back seat "THAT guy is definitely not going to get any of our Halloween treats!". SO cute!! lol!!)
we wrapped it all up super cute & i finally used that great Owl stamp. so happy i've finally decided to actually USE all of this crafty stuff rather than just accumulate it, lol :)
* i'm going to try this little candy corn felt bag tutorial that nicole sent me. looks adorable!
* hit the farmers' market & grab some more of the gorgeous harvest around here. the butternut squash & celery root & beets & spinach & potatoes & onions & lettuces are just at their absolute peek right now. we are expecting another rainy weekend, so perfect for some crock potting & some soup making :)
* the girls have a sleepover tonight. hope the little birthday girl likes the crayon roll we made her :)
* maybe vacuum...lol
hope you have a great friday!!!
xoxo
gi
celeste posted a great tutorial for those super gorgeous spiral flowers over on the kenner road blog. going to give this a go today!!! (photo is by celeste smith)
happy sunday!
xoxo
gi
overwhelmed with so much to do & little energy to do it all, i spent some time popping around the web (read: procrastinating :) & came across some wonderful tutorials & inspiration i know you'll appreciate...
check out the really great easter "egg-ceptional egg-stravaganza" that mel & fiona are doing...they are posting the coolest craft ideas for easter...
kim archer has posted (& her idea was published in scrapbook creations as well) the coolest idea...art patches...LOVE this!!
aussie scrap soucre issued a really great challenge to scrap about the meaning of your children's names...what a great idea!!!
how about orange posted a really great idea & tutorial how to make fabric covered magnets...these would make such a great homemade gift
now i'm going to go back to trying to get started on this day :)
or maybe i should do this???
happy thursday :)
xoxo
gi
this cold of mine is still hanging on...but i've got a tari box sitting staring at me begging for me to do something with it...so i've been cruising around & finding some really great inspiration & thought i'd share :)
i'm always inspired by gudrun's work...& her butterfly layout in this post is a perfect example...such a fresh breath of spring :)
jessi made some absolutely adorable apples out of felt....love the little purse...so cute!
heather bullard gave a really great valentine's craft tutorial here....really gorgeous & looks so simple! & i'm so psyched to get that antiquing glaze...looks interesting...
patty is doing a RAK this weekend to win some of her awesome valentine's day items from her etsy store...i love patty's stuff...especially those trees...LOVE her trees! & her tags! love her tags....
& the awesome aussie, jill, has been creating some absolutely marvelous mixed media pieces...i absolutely adore jill AND her art :)
enjoy clicking around :) if you are anything like me, your mind will be filled with creative energy & inspiration :)
& here are a few happy things from around here...
kate's little snowman slippers...i swear they are the absolute cutest things ever...smile makers indeed :)
& my little boy is reading up a storm!! we picked up some 50 word books at the library the other day & he loves them! he is so proud of himself...& we are so proud of him :)
& as for kells bells...that little girl is sharp as a tack! she is doing so well at school & loving it...she is super excited for her friend to come over after school for a playdate today...i'm going to let them make chocolate chip cookies & maybe some pizza dough....i've gotta break out the camera & take some photos...my photo taking has been so lacking lately :)
so have a happy friday!
xoxo
gi
pies...in....a....jar....
total & complete genius
go here to find out how to make these....
i can't wait to fill my new freezer with them :)
demolition starts thursday!!!
xoxox
g
thought i'd share some great flower making tutorials that i've bookmarked over the past couple of weeks & am thinking of incorporating into our Christmas crafting around here...
warning...this post is inspiration overload :)
(& the photos included in this post are not my work but the work of the artist whose blog is linked :)
i've got lots of vintage ric rac around here & think these flowers by Hannah Kopacz are the perfect use for it...
i'm thinking of adding them to little tea towels & maybe a plain fabric covered photo album
Betz White has a great video tutorial how to make her felted sweater flowers...
i think a trip to the thrift store is in order soon :)
Betz White also has a great tutorial to make this FANTASTIC ornament...i'm SO making these...LOTS of these :)
Offray Ribbons has a great tutorial how to make a ribbon rose...
these are so pretty!
another felt flower....really cute...
i'm thinking of using this tutorial but making pointed tips & using red to make pointsettias...
so happy flower making!!!!!
& have a happy monday too :)
xoxo
g
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