simplesparrow

fun adventures ahead

why, hello there! i didn't plan to be gone quite so long, but the days just flew by as we were busy with family and friends. seth and vanessa are still here and some good friends are due in midweek, so i'm not sure how often i'll get to pop in here but i'll give it a good try. i'm looking forward to showing you some crafting i've been doing. now that the holidays are over i've started in on just a handful of things all for me or my house. i'm lovin it. no projects to sell or gift, just a little self-centered sewing. i think it's just what the doctor ordered.

how do you like my 2007 calender? i'm quite anxious to hang it, and curious george is predicting fun adventures for the new year, that's the best part.

speaking of fun adventures, this blog has been extremely fun, exciting, inspiring, full of new friendships, surprises and so much more over the last year. without all of you, this blog wouldn't exist. unlike some who would still blog without the input of others--that's not me. i want the interaction, the feedback, the encouragement and well...just the kind words that all of you leave me! i thank you, so very much--for making this blog what it is to me, a special little corner of my world.

wishing you much peace and happiness (and a few fun adventures thrown in too) for the coming year! be safe and be well. xo.

from my house to yours

today i plan to wear my slippers, drink hot cocoa, hopefully listen to nat king cole (oh, hannah? where is that cd? (for the 10th time) and finish up the last little bit of christmas gifts i was making. just some small stuff. i beleive my sweet hubby will be entertaining noah so i can sit at my machine longer then 5 min. without needing to get up! yesterday noah constructed a car with various pieces of furniture and beckond me to please go for a ride into the mountains for a picnic. we had sausages with mustard and i suggested a nice spinache salad. his car was very high tech, and the food magically appeared with the push of a button.  i told him the mustard was especially good and he shared his recipe--to my astonishment it was made from ham and eggs! all the same, it was delicious. so, although i do love a good picnic, i really must get some things finished up today.

i've also been reflecting on that day so long ago, when a baby was born in a humble manger and, because of that sweet and holy night, my life was changed forever. warmest holiday wishes to you, dear readers! from my house to yours.

a christmas corner

photo by my daughter hannah

above my stove top, with the tree in the background. i love these inexpensive, plastic candle displays. they give off such a nice glow and have a vintage charm about them. i just adore warm, low lighting at night.

are you snuggling in with your own cozy, christmas corners?

parenting, making and hot cocoa (in otherwords, a random post)

{parenting}
thank you so much for all the encouragement on micah's photography. i was thinking, you just never know what bend in the road life holds for your children. naturally, as parents you can see many things early on--such as talents and strengths, as well as challenges. sometimes though, you are completely surprised. For instance, when my oldest son was about 15 yrs. old, he took a serious interest in learning to play the piano. and that he did--all we could do was hold onto his coat-tails as he became an incredible and obviously very gifted piano player. he is now focusing on composing, and the results so far are beautiful. we never knew. (although i like to think it was all those hours of classical music i played while he was growing up..it must have helped some, right?)

my boys, 1991. seth, holding nathan and micah on the right. nathan is one of micah's best models!

likewise with micah. when he was around 15 (that seems to be the magic number in our family!) my dad gave him his old video camera. it had the ability to take still photos and micah started experimenting. we quickly saw that he had a great eye, so we flooded him with encouragement and my parents (i'm so very thankful for their generosity) provided him with quality equipment that would do his talent justice. it's very clear to us now that micah has a bright future in the world of photography. we never would have guessed. bends in the road you just don't see coming.

{making}
for christmas, a couple of small gifts--a special box for noah and a crochet hook roll + new hooks for hannah. noah loves to collect little things--just odd ball things that a 5 year old would treasure.

i thought a special box for those things would be right up his alley. the box was very simple. i bought it from michael's in their wood section. the animals on top were already painted and ready to go. first i white-washed the box with a thin coat of watered down acrylic paint. i lined the inside with some felt and hot glued the animals on top. on the underside of the lid there is a painted wooden cloud that says, "noah's special things". that's it. i'm going to remember this the next time i have a small person gift to give. so fast and simple. hannah's hook roll will be paired with some new yarn that i was tempted to keep for myself! (i shall resist though)

{hot cocoa}
i'm putting together a couple sets of mint hot cocoa to give as gifts this year. i've been making this all month and the kids love it. here is a recipe for how we do it...

in an 8 ounce cup add:

1 teaspoon cocoa powder, rounded
2 teaspoons sugar, rounded
1-2 drops peppermint (or mint) extract

fill cup 2/3 full with boiling water. stir well. add a generous splash of half and half, stir. top off with homemade whip cream and crushed peppermints. yuuuum-my!

squeal with me!

my son just got artist of the week on iStockphoto!! Micah , you rock! (i always knew you would) xo.

just because...

i love shoes and feet...

because i love chocolate...

because i love fabric...

because i love manderines and my daughter's paper snowflakes...

just because i love the ordinary, everyday things.

quiet time totes in the shop

5 more totes are in the shop now.  I'll keep them listed until Friday evening. I'm making this round to order, so I'll make only what gets purchased. I just wasn't getting the time to make all of them AND photograph them ahead of time. I think I'm saving myself some time, aren't I?

one kooky rabbit

Meet Nona--she lives in Kookville on Zany lane.

Everyone is friendly where she lives, and she has been very happy there. Although, Nona feels a change is in the air and wishes to explore other lands. She will, however, miss her best friend who is...
a butternut squash.

If anyone wishes to grant her desire for travel she will be most grateful.

{Nona will be waiting for adventure in my Etsy shop. }

When it rains, it pours pincushions

It has been rainy and blustery for the last 2 days, perfect weather to stay inside and sew. I am getting some of these listed in my shop tonight and all will eventually get there within the next day or two. I love working on pincushions. They are a small project that gets done quickly and you get to work with all kinds of yummy fabric at once!

Below are my favs. Two patchwork cushions with matching needle books. I'm offering free shipping on this round of cushions. (free shipping I said!) Great stocking stuffers for your crafty friends, or just stuff one in your own stocking!

thrifting::crafting

Recent thrifting finds that are making me soooo very happy--

Incredible and gorgeous ironstone dishes--one platter and one serving bowl--my heart really skipped a beat when I spotted them. And one simple and serene Christmas angel that glows with a candle. I love that it's all white. Total for all:  $3.00-- What would we do without thrift stores? Cry up a storm, that's what.

This is a little WIP I started today. These will become Christmas ornments of some sort when I'm finished with them. They're from vintage children's books. Not sure yet how to finish them off, but I have some thoughts. I'm going to give one last push to update my shop on Sunday and Monday. I plan to make 4 or 5 more quiet time totes, some pincushions and needle books, maybe a few little ornaments like the ones above and a surprise or two. Then I'm done with shop stuff and will start on gifts for the family. One thing I know about myself, and that is I always have BIG plans and little time. So, I hope I can fulfill the above list. I'll give it a good try.

I'm hoping to be a part of this auction that Lisa and Stephanie are organizing to benefit the Kims. The response has been overwhelming--isn't that so great? Bless the dear Kims. I hope they are flooded with love and all things good.