Latest projects

Now that both my camera and sewing machine are back in order, I feel like I am finally catching up. Lots of photos to show.

Who's that lurking behind my new-to-us curtains?

Why, it's a rooster light! I thrifted the curtains ages ago but didn't want to go through the bother of hanging drapery hardware or cutting the drapes down. So, I hung them upside down and strategically hid the pleated ends behind furniture. The tie-backs are just loops of woven upholstery webbing.


This is going to be a fall bag for me. I forgot I had set all the vintage fabric and trims together before my machine (and camera) broke. Now that I see the picture, I want to get it done.


I made these pincushions last night-- all of thrifted vintage items, even the batting inside them.



This was the first one I made and my favorite.


I started this 18mo/2T dress very early in the summer and finally finished it yesterday. I only had to add the shoulder straps, pocket and yo-yo rosettes at the straps.



These are bracelets and/or Christmas ornaments made of wooden beads, ribbon and vintage jingle bells.


These are hair decorations made from old metal hairpins, buttons and ribbon bits.


Wow! Looking at all of that, I'm surprised by what I was able to create from what I had here on hand. Need to keep reading blogs for inspiration and use up more stuff.

Lastly, my biggest accomplishment of the last few weeks -- getting 3 of these 4 guys into school. I promise the kindergarten looks a little bit happier on school mornings now.

Red Hen Studios on Etsy

So, I figured out how to list things on Etsy, put those images into sets and make mosaics of them on Flickr and kind of get those mosaics here, albeit a bit blurry. Maybe tomorrow I'll be able to get them on here so that you can click on a thumbnail and see a larger version. Right now I have to get my wee one off to bed.

Projects on the home front

This is one of the last pictures I took before our camera broke. I did get a few first-day-of-school photos but was never able to download them. I can't wait for the camera to be fixed. I feel lost without it.

This was the first year we grew tomatoes. I'm not even sure where the seeds came from. We threw them in the half of the garden the boys don't use as a sand box and didn't touch them except to pluck off the green fruit. Since they ripened on their own on my windowsill, I didn't stop the kids from bringing them to me whenever they wanted. I never had to worry about staking the plants up to prevent them from rotting on the ground that way.

We had mediocre success with green beans and almost no lettuce sprouting up but I picked another two dozen 'maters today. It's kind of nice to have things still growing in our own garden as we are getting ready to go apple picking and do other fun fall stuff.

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I need to do a better job of keeping track of my WIPs. I got a new needleplate for my sewing machine a few weeks ago, and first on my list were pillows for my mom's new house made with remnants from her custom-made curtains. I forgot I had already made a pair to go in her family room and made two more yesterday. I presented them to her today and she reminded me I had already given her the others. Now, she has 4 pretty yellow and blue pillows for that room and I have four more to make for other rooms in her house.

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I found a few new little handwork projects to keep me busy while waiting in the car or watching tv. (I just wish I could show pictures!) I strung together loops of wooden beads and vintage jingle bells to sell as Christmas ornaments. And using old hair pins, buttons and ribbon, I made button-flower hair accessories. Using up my stash one little bit at a time is actually rather rewarding.

I also talked to a woman at her garage sale about the chicken scratch embroidery pieces she had for sale. Much more detailed than anything I had seen before. She uses a book she's had for years. I'm definitely inspired to try it myself. I found even more red gingham to do it on this week.

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And my least favorite home front subject -- cleaning and organizing. As I blogged over here, a termite/carpenter ant infestation meant we had to clean out our basement and garage for the exterminator. Most of my project stuff is now in my studio, and despite having 3 of 4 boys in school all day, I can't seem to make headway. Might have to get dh to take them out for a day of fun so I can sort uninterrupted.

Etsy shop reopened

Getting ready for holiday craft shows around here and I decided to also list some of my stockings in my Etsy shop.

I'll be adding new items over the next few weeks -- from handmade totebags and dresses to vintage fabrics and cool retro finds.

New to my blogroll

I've finally had time to clean out my favorite places and add some to my "Creative Links" blog roll to the right. In alphabetical order:

Apifera Farm -- I found this site after bringing home some dried lavender from Scotland. I go back to read about farm life and to see the beautiful photos and illustrations of animals and flowers.

belle epoque -- I found this one while looking for hand-stitching ideas. I need a portable craft I can carry with me and have old children's book illustrations for inspiration.

disdressed -- Another type of hand-stitching, chickenscratch, led me here. I didn't know the decoration on my favorite green gingham apron had a name or a following.

frenchgardenhouse -- Simply gorgeous and romantic decorating ideas.

Inside a Black Apple -- Fun and quirky girl illustrations and dolls.

Woof Nanny -- I like reading about her thrifting finds and the dogs she cares for.

Playing in the rain

It feels like fall here in northeastern NY. After watching my son play drums and my niece play bagpipes to kick of the local JDRF Walk to Cure Diabetes this morning, I worked on some of my photographs from Scotland. I started with ones of the rainy competition days. The weather here today is very reminiscent of those days.

Last summer sunset at the lake