my first time

This weekend, for the fist time EVER, my handmade items will be on display for others (by others I mean non family & friends) to see. I have an Aunt & a cousin...in-law who both bead and in the past they have put on a little mini show at my Aunts home. WELL, this time they invited me to come and play along.

I am totally excited & nervous at the same time. You see...it could go either way for a couple of reasons.

1. I don't really bead. I mean I have made a few sets of super simple earrings, but nothing quite as elaborate as what they make. So any beading I have is very different from what they do.

2. The majority of my stuff in general is very different they anything they might create. Our styles & likes are just very different.

The thing is, is that I think I can safely assume that the majority of people that will stop by this little...gathering of crafts will be people that THEY know. So the question is if these people are fond of their work will they hate mine? OR will they be interested in the small selection of different items?

We'll know come Sunday. Wish me luck!

on the hook. off the hook?

I finally decided to attempt the Turkish slippers form Simple Crochet by Erika Knight. I rarely attempt to follow patterns only because I usually have to re-read the same information several times while flipping back to the section that tells you which stitch the abbreviation stands for ...THEN I have to flip to the stitch section of the book to remind myself how to do that particular stitch. But to my surprise I managed to work them up fairly quickly, making adaptations for how I wanted them to fit my feet along the way. Now to finish them off.

flea market = bad

more purchases

LOVED the color, and its comfortable too!

For my sweet Niece Greta. I hope, hope, hope it fits.

Happy Friday!

recent purchase/creation & 11.15.07

I bought the components at a flea market I visited recently.

It hangs in our tiny entry. I love it. More of what I bought once I tidy up a bit. Ugh, so much to do. How the heck can I finish projects when I have to clean??? Unfortunately my "studio" is also the computer room & guest room, so part of the cleaning IS the numerous projects I have in various stages of completion strewn about the living room. I know...I need a bigger house. Wish me luck.

Oh! As if everyone doesn't know already, 2 people who's talent & creativity I envy are on National television TOGETHER today. Anna Maria Horner & Martha! Alas, I'll have to catch it in reruns...work and all. Phooey. Don't tell me what happens, I want to be surprised.

wip

Actually, I have several things going on at the same time. This is only one...

Sweater stockings, pre embellishment. The solid blue, green, ivory & darker pink one are cashmere. Mmmmmm sssoooo soft.

happy halloween ya'll! love, britney

boo

Sparkly

my boys

FRANKIE

About 6 years ago now I worked for an environmental firm. One year on the Monday after Easter weekend a co-worker came in with an animal carrier full four mewing & wobbly kittens. All four completely white except for a black spot on each of their heads. Three boys and one girl. Thankfully the black spot on each was shaped differently, because at that point it was the only way we could tell them apart. Except for the little girl, she was the runt. We estimated that they were only a week or two old. The little girl still had umbilical cord attached to her belly. They were found under the stairwell of his apartment. He had heard them and waited for the Mama to come back, but she never did. So, not knowing exactly what to do with them he pack 'em up and brought them into me. So I went out and got a bottle & formula and got to work.

BIT 'O HISTORY

I used to work for a trash company and while there, on a couple of occasions, the workers found live kittens in the trash. I choose to think that the Mama couldn't move them all before the trash man came for the dumpster. At any rate I had hand raised kitties before. My oldest sisters mother-in-law was the wildlife specialist at a local vet for years, so I called on her for her expertise in how to raise the feline babies.

So, my co-worker and his girlfriend took care of the babies at night and on weekends then I took care of them during the day. Once they were able to eat and go potty on their own I brought all four home until they were old enough to be adopted out. At that point they went to a foster mom at a fantastic feral cat rescue organization. Now, before that happened my husband, who is allergic to cats grew to love these soft little playful cotton balls of energy and kindly agreed to keep one. He wanted the girl, because she was SO tiny and by the way required more time on the bottle than any other. So I sadly took the three boys to the foster mom and loved on our little Chloe. Chloe, however was very much missing her brothers and kept us up all night long pouncing and such. So at my husbands insistence I went back to the foster and picked up Frankie. His name came from being the only blue eyed baby of the bunch ( the only longed haired one too)

TONY

Tony boy was a rescue of sorts as well. He was an un-neutered male Yorkie in a house with an un-spayed female Yorkie & the owner couldn't manage to house train him... go figure. So they decided the needed to get rid of him. We had been talking about getting a second dog as a companion for our first, but we didn't really have the money to buy another dog, especially not a pure bred puppy. But I found out about this dog through my sister Cindy and was told that the owner was "giving" him away. So we took our pup to meet him and brought him home. The previous owner explained that she had to crate him when she couldn't watch him because he was peeing in the house. Well that night, not wanting him to pee every or anywhere I tried crating him, well...he FREAKED out. I had never seen a dog SO upset to be crated. It was sad really. Obviously he had been crated quite often because it was easier than actually trying to train him, and they wanted to breed the dogs so neutering was out of the question. We had him "fixed" and other then the random accidents that happen with dogs he has been an awesome addition to our family. He is sweet and cuddly and very laid back.

I love my boys very much. Aren't they handsome.?

the latest

I've finished another clutch from Bend-the Rules similar to the last one except this one is bigger still and I included an additional embroidered circle on the back. I don't know what I'm making these for. I mean I think they are adorable & I love them but what the heck am I going to do with all of them? I wonder if I could sell them? Who do I know that would buy one?

(back)

Oh, reminder to self...my husband sold ALL of my remaining (after my stashed was raided)tissue holders to Falcons Landing for "give-aways" at a Tea Party. How cool is that? Such a good idea.
Annnnnd, here is the current state of my ripples. Less then 10 color/rows to go. Lord help me.

julia

My niece Julia will be 14 on Monday. My sister Charlotte has a family party for her kids birthdays every year. Usually she makes all the food too, from appetizers to cake & other desserts. She has been known to do themes. We've done a Greek theme, with Pastitsio, Dolmades, Spanakopita & Baklava. Food heaven. And I can say we because I helped. All...ALL from scratch. And yes, we are Greek (part Greek) We had a Papou on our Moms side. We also did a Hanukkah theme one year simply because my nephews birthday happened to fall on the first night of Hanukkah. It's fun & delicious & I enjoy it every time.

Anyhow, I usually give them cash these day because that's what they ask for. But this year I made Jules a little wristlet. I hope she likes it.

(bad pics)

She had mentioned to my sister that she wanted a Sock Monkey a while back, so I thought the fabric would be appropriate. Again this pattern is from Amy Karol's book. Bend-the-Rules Sewing. I plan on attempting quite a few of the others shes come up with. Although I admit didn't quite follow it exactly only because I got confused on a few things. For instance...I used this tutorial for the zipper...well I thought the tutorial came from here , but I don't see anything of the sort. Hmmm, maybe I've lost my mind. Sorry, and thank you to whoevers instructions I used. It's not the best work I've ever done, but Charlotte sprung the party on me kindof last minute, so I was a bit rushed. I hope she likes it anyway. 14 year old girls like this sort of thing right?

P.S. My fondest memory of Julia is when I held her in the hospital for the first time I couldn't stop petting her head. Her hair was the softest thing I had EVER felt. I think my sister was afraid I was going to run off with her. I love you Hoopa-loo!

sparkly pumpkins

For Halloween

it's a prickly pear!

Who knew? Not me...obviously. A very nice woman on flickr, that I found through the Bend-the-Rules Sewing Pool, had a picture of one of these too as well as a shot of the ripe fruit. She says it's yummy. Her kids think it tastes like pear.

bend the rules

I made a couple clutches from Amy Karol's fabulous book Bend-The Rules Sewing. I'm trying to work up the nerve (and find the resources) to try other thing.

This one is exactly the size the pattern dictates. Both fabrics for the bag I bought at Michael's & I had the button fabric in my stash from the tissue holders

This one is clearly a bit larger. The outer fabric came from a table cloth my sister Charlotte was selling at a yard sale. The inner. polka dot fabric was a napkin, on clearance, at Target. Vintage button & hand embroidery. I like it.

Holiday in Corolla, North Carolina

1 week with extended family. It was nice. Beautiful weather for most of the week.

The dogs seemed to enjoy it.

This was in the neighborhood as we headed to the beach...2 HUGH ones. I had never seen anything like it in real life. I just thought they were beautiful. I only wish they had been blooming.

I don't know who these people are, they just got married RIGHT behind us.

too much going on

I can't bring my self to write it all down, maybe someday. Both good and bad. A lot that brings tears to my eyes. And a lot that, for now at least, I can't share. I'm feeling very overwhelmed & sad today. I'm also heartbroken. It sucks.

look!

Look at it. LOOK at it! I think its one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen. I'm beaming like a parent. Amazed that A) I didn't kill it & B) Its actually blooming! I just can't believe its really happening.

Funny how the things that make you happy change slightly as you age.

Oh, and I did in fact frog my ripples. Only a few rows in and I already like it better.

a good time was had by all

This was very difficult to do. I hate myself in pictures.