DYI Posies and a Contest!!!!

I love having flowers in the house. Unfortunately it isn't as easy in the winter, as it is in the summer. In the summer I just walk outside and cut whatever I fancy for a vase. In the winter, I have to buy them or hope that someone else does (which never happens). Ryan surprised me with a bouquet of gerber daisies on the anniversary of mom's passing. She loved gerber daisies and could grow them very well. I nursed them best I could and I finally had to toss them yesterday. Not to bad for two weeks - gerber daisies aren't known for their longevity. I missed the little posies, so I tried to think about what I could do to replace them. I had a rare opportunity to peruse etsy. I love etsy, but I like when other people find cool things and pass them on. I liken etsy to an anchor store - Macy's or JCPenny's - too many choices, too overwhelming. So I bit the bullet and looked myself. I found some cute fabric flowers and thought, "I can do that!" I went off and did it. The bonus is that I have a permanent bouquet AND I used up some of my remnant fabric. I'm thinking of turning one into a corsage for a jacket, sweater or hair thingy. I might just have to add this to the PP inventory - let me know what you think!

First I cut out two sizes of circles in fabric and complimentary felt.

I then sewed around the circle - leaving an irregular width from the edge. It doesn't have to be perfect - it adds to the character. I used white thread because it was there and threaded, I suppose if you wanted to get real sassy you could use contrasting thread for an additional flair!

You'll end up with a pile of thready circles that need to be organized and trimmed.

I then organized them into piles that I thought looked fun together.

I used wire to poke through the fabric and then through the bead at the top.

See the bead? I ran it back through and twisted it, I secured a smaller bead at the base underneath and then twisted the wire.

Vwa-la! I clustered three to four posies together and then clustered three of those groupings. I wrapped them in the same wire to keep them from separating.

Will you be my Valentine?

Okay so while I was making my flowers, I had the idea to make an owl. I like owls a lot - their trendy, but cute. So with all that extra fabric, I decided to make a quick stuffed friend.

A little bit of felt, fabric and buttons and you have a fluffy little friend.

Even Drew likes him.

The Owl tamer...

Guess what - I'm giving an Owl away! All you need to do is make a comment in the comment section. I'd love to hear some ideas for other little stuffed friends. Then I will draw the winner at random on that random number website that everyone uses. Once I draw the winner I will contact you and you can tell me if you want an Owl for a boy or a girl. Plus you might see your stuffed "idea" come to life in the coming months. The contest will close Friday at 3pm EST. You can enter once per day - happy commenting!

Thanks

crafts and more...

I've been feeling the itch - I think it's being cooped up in the house. While I love this time of year, it can be a bit cumbersome getting three kids ready to go out the door. Generally speaking my kids are pretty self-sufficient. Jon and Drew can get themselves bundled up, into the car and strapped in. Penny can get her own coat on and most shoes, but she can't strap herself yet (she's in a booster- don't report me to CPS I know she isn't three yet, but her hot pink booster was just what a girl needed a couple of months ago). So I can't blame them entirely, but it certainly takes a bit longer to pull things together than say, getting myself out the door.

Where am I going with this... okay getting out. So I've also put myself on a spending freeze and running unnecessary errands. We've got some economic goals so I'm trying not to buy what I call piddly-shit items that add up. Being my mother's child, if I am going to be successful at that, it means I hit the grocery and that's about it. Otherwise I can find infinite possibility almost anywhere. Yesterday I took a solo sojourn to Super Target, with the idea that I could also get some groceries - I love Target. I mean it's like Meijer and Walmart, except much cooler. That being said, I don't think I can ever leave their premises without spending $100 and a good portion of that going to the one spot. I think it's been three months since I've been there for that very reason.

I did get a few non-grocery items, but they were birthday and valentine cards, along with valentines for the kids to give out. I treated myself to a new diffuser for my stairwell to the basement and a candle for the kitchen. I also got a new valentine t - (Leslie, it has a super cool squirrel on it!!! I could have died and almost called you immediately!) I also treated myself to two new nail polishes - which is fairly scandalous because I almost never buy cosmetics, but I liked them and I wanted them, so I bought them. See my problem?

Anyway - so since I've been trying to not shop (online shopping makes this a challenge) and go out and as a result I'm getting a bit stir crazy. I'm not like some of my friends that need to leave the house everyday - I can go days without leaving and be fine with that -as long as I'm busy. That being said while I may not have Albert Einstein's intelligence, the inside of my head feels like the way he looked. Crazy. Two nights ago I had to get up twice in the middle of the night because I came up with six different quirky sayings you could print on onesies for baby boys and girls. Ridiculous!

I also ironed this week, which if you ask my husband, never happens. I rely on the dry cleaning gods to take care of his many shirts. But trying to be a bit more conservative, I thought I'd give it a whirl. I've done it in the past, but I don't like to iron so it is painful for me. I can't say this habit is going to stay, but for this week, we're set.

I mistakenly clicked on a link from a friends (Betsy) facebook post and found an amazingly creative lady - so this week we promptly worked on this craft and it is happily hanging in my kitchen window. I ruined my pampered chef cheese grater - but I never used it anyway - so now it has a crafty purpose and I see grandparent gifts in the future.

I have a chair in the basement that needs to be refinished and recovered, I just need to get some foam and tear into it, I can't wait until it's done, I love the fabric for it and I've been waiting (not sure why) for about three years now and I've decided it's finally time.

I also have two different fabrics that I've been holding onto in my craft closet to make things for Penny. She's in an "all things twirly" phase. If she can twirl and the skirt flies out - then its a go. She put a perfectly adorable tunic on and leggings earlier this week and twirled after we popped the top on and she looked at me with her little hands on her little hips and said, "I no like this!" and promptly pulled it off and tried to go in the dirty laundry to pull out her hand-me-down hanna anderson from Merdi (thanks again Les!). We found a clean and a little bit too big sample dress I bought from Matilda Jane two years ago and it twirled just perfect, so for the day we were in the clear. We'll be staying in our pajamas more now until I can get these twirly skirts done. I'm thinking I may need to splurge on one of those ridiculous tule skirts because I'm guessing it would become a prize possession in a small girls wardrobe.

a girl needs to move (modeling a pp2 dress)

I am working on a painting for a previous client, but it is an emotional piece and I work on it, step back and take a night off - so that I can really get it right. I'm excited for when it is finished because I think it is going to be beautiful, but it is hard to not get caught up into why I am painting it in the first place and that it breaks my heart.

Finally I am feeling the house/decorate/purge/building itch. I see Ryan's eyes glaze over when I talk about painting the kitchen, getting new windows, adding a skylight and finishing the workout room. Not that he doesn't want to do those things, but it means more work for him, more money and I suppose my psychotic squirrel-like-flitting from project to project is probably a bit overwhelming. I promise once I can open my windows again, fresh oxygen will rejuvenate my brain, that or our spring break trip to Florida in April. One or the other will help, I hope.

So see today is much lighter and I've only had one cup of coffee so far - I guess I better sign off and get going on all my projects - before I lose my steam.

Thanks!