Hedgehog set

I love hedgehogs, and so does my partner for a swap. So I put this little set together for her with a little hedgie fabric and some lovely wool felt.


I put a new detail into this needlecase, too--a cute little pocket for embroidery scissors. I like it so much, I think I'm going to start adding a pocket to all my cases this size.


Here's another view with the pocket peeking out, and the little blink of the button. I love these buttons--simple, but so sweet.



I also made a matching pincushion, using a pattern created by my dear friend, Bari. Her pincushion tutorial, which is hugely helpful, is here. Check out blog, Bari J, and her handbag shop while you're there. But be careful! Her blog is addictive, and her shop is full of so many adorable bags and accessories, you'll want to get one of everything.

My first ATC

Owls seem to be the latest theme for me....
Made with paper, acrylic, stamps, sticks, etc, this card makes me smile.


Sending it out to Cassie tomorrow.

More swap goodies

A knitting needle case for a swap with Jenny.


A closer look at the front. I made lots of pockets, and included a matching needlecase for sharps. And that's my first attempt at sculpy clay--some needles to match the fabric. Fun.


I used my latest favorite fabrics. Even the scissors has a lined little pocket.




The closed case, all wrapped up and ready to go.



And something beautiful I received as--lucky me--a thank-you gift from my swappy friend Kay! It's an ikebana flower arranger, made from stone. I just love it. And thanks to my dear husband, our garden is bursting with hydrangeas and astilbe that simply beg to be in a vase as graceful as this one.

Buzzy, birdy bookmark

Another bookmark, for another swap. Here's the front.

And here's the back.

Can you tell I am really enjoying the collage-look? Next up: my first ATC (artist trading card).

Beachy bookmark

The latest: As part of a swap, I experimented with different textures in a collage for this bookmark. I think we'll be making a bunch more things like this.
Ada, Esme, and I are finding that stamping is something we can all do together, which is lots of fun until Esme tries to stamp the pad all over the table. Don't forget the paper, Esme!

A Swap Meet

Personal mail is so underrated. I love getting it and sending it. While email is great, there is something nice about opening a thoughtful surprise that arrived in the afternoon mail. And since most things in the post are junk, receiving something personal is all the more appreciated.

Enter Swap-bot. If you haven't heard of it, here's how it works: you sign up for a swap based on your interests. I'm doing a few swaps there, and it is neat to see what we can trade with others.I like the fabric swaps (of course!) and paper crafty-type ones, and some themed ones are neat, too. (We just did a theme of things relating to monkeys, which was really fun to send and receive.)
Once you get matched with a partner, you look at their profile, blog, etc, and then choose things for the exchange that would make sense to them. I love looking around our house and studio and finding something to make or share--lots of times it's something I don't use but know someone else would like. I also love to make something new to fit the partner's tastes.

Here are a few goodies I sent in the past month or so:



This was for a reusable grocery tote. I love, love loved the fabric, and I thought it would make a great bag--I think I was right! Now I'm making one for me, too.


Here's one of the needle cases I made recently: owls are a favorite of mine, and these winkers are so cute. I especially like the covered button.


I used wool felt for the pages, and included a set of needles with this one.



I made this really fun pencil wrap for another swap about monkeys. See the monkeys jumping? The ties are made from a coordinating print of bandaids.


And here's what we received for the monkey swap. Ada loves her Bento box, and she's eager to use it!



Lots more swaps to come...let me know if you're interested in doing one with me.

Apron swap--what we sent. And how much fun to make!

We love making things, and this swap was a great opportunity for Ada and I to work together on another project. Here is the apron we made for Patricia's Marley at Willow Lane:

I went with a classic retro style and print--teacups and flowers that Ada helped me choose. As I was working with these old-style fabrics, I couldn't help but thinking about both of my grandmothers--both very crafty in her own way. One was a Swedish farm wife who quilted and knew how to stretch out her materials. The other grandmother was a city lady, refined, interested in collecting, and a very accomplished knittter and needleworker. I just know they both would have loved this sort of swap, and they both would have loved the prints we chose.


For the lining of the pockets, we used a wonderful dotty print. It was so cute, we used a bit more to make a chopstick holder (or an ipod holder--great idea!). And we got extra for a few more things I've been dreaming up...




And then finally the recipes. We had such fun putting this together, I think I'm going to start a whole new recipe project. More on that later...

We just loved this swap. And I can't wait to do another.

Apron swap! Lucky us--look what we received!

Look at the lovely apron we received in our apron swap! Thank you so much to Sarah at Jinjur, who spent a lot of time making the cutest little apron for Ada, and a matching bib for Esme. Ada has worn it several times already. SO, so cute! The funny thing is that Ada used to think she was a bunny, and she would correct people when they would say, "oh, aren't you adorable!" She would say, "I'm not really a 'dorable,' I'm a bunny!" Bunny or no, she is certainly cute in this adorable apron..

Fabric swap

My first swap packages were sent out! What a great idea to exchange scraps. It made me look at my fabrics in a whole new way. Now, to find some time to get going on all these fun projects...

Thinking of Food and Kid-ness--a Mini Meme

Yea! My first meme. It’s part of the apron miniswap on What's Cookin'

1. What is your first food memory? Sweet things—thick, o-shaped gummy candy; bubblegum pink buttercream frosting on a birthday cake; blue “Mr. Freeze” frozen pops (those kind in the plastic sleeve). When I was a little older, maybe 11 or so, I remember my mom making a lot of whole wheat bread and my dad making chicken soup. I know they actually did cook good food for me. I wonder what my kids will remember us cooking!
2. What was your favorite dish/food as a child? I loved Thanksgiving stuffing.
3. Name one of your mini's favorite foods: I asked Ada, and she said the following: “salmon cakes,” sushi, avocado. If you push her, she will also confess to loving frosted cookies and icecream with sprinkles.
4. What was your mini's first solid food? Did they love it or hate it? Ada ate lots of great things in Korea with her foster family, before she came home to us when she was 7 months old. One things we fed her right away was sweet potatoes. She loved them.
5. What was something you were excited to make for your mini for the first time? I loved cooking anything for her. I vividly remember making her steamed apples when she was 8 months old. When she got bigger, we were excited about letting her try shellfish.
6. What is your favorite food memory? Cooking with my family. I love planning the menus for holidays with my husband, and I even like the “add-ons” my dad makes at the last minute.
7. Your mini's birthday party : All out theme with perfect kid food ala Martha? or Quiet family home party with scrumptious cupcakes? Something in-between? Ada responded that she likes just a few friends and her family. She loves nice food, so a-la-Martha would be perfect, but on a small scale.
8. Name one thing you absolutely love to make and eat when you are feeling like a kid again: peanut butter and bananas.
9. Name something you ate as a kid that you now look back on and wonder "what were my childhood taste buds thinking??": I guess I wonder why I *didn't* like certain things--like spice and flavor. I hate anything hot, even mustard, and I missed out entirely on kimchi, even though my family ate from time to time.