Sunshine's Creations: How to make straw flowers

Sunshine's Creations: How to make straw flowers
This is a great tutorial! Wish I had one of these tools...anyone know where I can get one??? *grin*

Georganne's Handcrafted Baby Accessories: Featured Etsy Seller~♥HappyHouseQuilts♥

Thanks so much Georanne, such an honor and a thrill to be featured on your blog! Everyone should definitely check out all your wonderful posts! Grab a cup of coffee and a Coffee Quilt™ and sit a spell while reading more from this wonderfully talented EtsyMom!
Georganne's Handcrafted Baby Accessories: Featured Etsy Seller~♥HappyHouseQuilts♥

Handwork at my Happy House with kids all around

Hand work is all I can do these days. The kids are up all day and NEED my constant attention...sewing on the machine is out of the question during the day...then at night I can't get to the machine as hubby goes to bed so early...he's so tired...working 7 days a week...I wish I could ease his burden more!

It's such a stress reliever for me...crafting and stitching...I can just escape the crazy chaotic life I lead sometimes.

Flowers don't sass back at me when I tell them to clean up their toys, or help me sort and fold the laundry.

But flowers don't give hugs and kisses like my girls can.

This little pretty is a new design (just listed click here!) that might become one of the new kits available it's embellised with a brad by Amy Butler. Love them!

Sara's walking now...sigh...another milestone down and new childproofing to install. Pretty soon she will be climbing over the ottoman that i have up to barracade my computer off away from her sticky hands. She loves to touch the buttons...it's a toddler's job to explore!

Needle felting is so wonderful...the stabbing....the release of energy that goes through my body...especially during PMS days!!! Oh and so glad school is going to start on Tuesday...these girls are non-stop talking! I can't get a thought of my own into my head...it's all jumbled...mom, mama, mommy...all day long..I swear they seem to want me to know everything even how many tissues they use...geeesh! How else does a mom get a break if it's not with crafts and handmade items to sell. I get into the zone and loose myself...kinda like calgon of days gone by.

I just don't know what to do with this bone and dish...maybe write the word woof! and make it into an ornament? It's a true UFO today.


The Holiday ornament Threadibilities Craft Kit™ is almost ready to be listed...hooray! Something accomplished that might sell...so glad that sales are going back up again..I was getting discouraged...oh artists...we need such constant stroking of our fragile egos!


Now this little pink poodle is an idea from my girlfriend's little girl...her #2 DD and only 9 years old she did the designing...I hope she likes how it turned out.

Beni's Bunk- Featured Artist

Featured artist is a weekly feature I do on Sundays, please take a moment to read more about a mom that I met at Cafemom.com that also sells her work at etsy.

Who are you?

My name is Crissy Gottberg. I’m a mom of three, a wife of 13 years, and an artist and writer.

What do you craft?

I’m a very eclectic crafter. Everything from cards, and hand bound journals, to mini figurines. I’ve done hand bags, and some art work. I am working on a whole line of fantasy coloring books for dragons, mermaids and fairies filled with original drawings.

Why do you do this?

I love to create. I’ve always loved to draw, write and sew… My cupboards are filled with items I’ve created, therefore it just seemed like a great idea to sell them on Etsy. It frees up room for more crafting, and gives someone a wonderful item that they will love. Plus, the little extra money I make goes toward buying new craft supplies, and cups of coffee at Starbucks.

What do you love about your craft?

Well, each of my crafts are fun, the take up time that would otherwise be spent staring at a TV, which I hate doing.

What is your favorite items to make? Why?

Coloring books… I think it’s their versitility. I can draw just about anything and set them up as emailed sets of drawings to be printed, or print them myself and staple them together. Plus, I just love to draw.

What makes you stand out from everyone else?

I’d like to say my ability to do almost anything. I may not be the best at any one thing, but I’m pretty good at a lot of things. But then I know I’m not the only eclectic soul on Etsy…

Tell me something interesting about yourself...

I published several articles about writing and some poems with a magazine out of Australia, and I won a “Best SF Writers in Australia” award even though I don’t live in Australia.

Where can I find you? (myspace, blogs, etc)

http://www.geocities.com/graphics_by_crissy

My homepage has links to everything I have online, including a deviant gallery for my artwork, I’ve writen articles for a couple magazines, and Associate content.

I have a couple blogs, including Live Journal, Yahoo! 360, and a blogger, and several other things. I am only on Etsy and Deviant art constantly.

Whats your etsy link?

http://bendaini.etsy.com/

To see more featured artists from past weeks click here.

Mama's Magic: Friday Feature -- Wrapsberry

Mama's Magic: Friday Feature -- Wrapsberry
I just had to link to this post at BFBeads cuz I just bought 2 children's eye pillows for my kids as Christmas presents...both shops are fabulous!!! Thanks Jen for the feature!

Ornament Tutorial

I had so much fun making this last night and I took pictures along the way so I could share it with all of you! I will try to offer other tutorials along the way please search Tutorial to find more great tips on Happy Crafting Projects from Happy House Quilts

First start out with shapes precut (from Happy House Quilts) or cut them yourself. These first 3 shapes should all be identical in shape and size.

Then cut your decorations or embellised shapes (pre-cut ones are available in a kit from Happy House Quilts). Design your sides and stitch them down using your preferred stitch method. I prefer the running stitch and french knots on occasion.When they are stitched down to completion you can then begin to attach the sides together...accuracy matters...try to line them up as well as you can. Leave at least 1/4 inch gap at the top and bottom for seam allowance.

When one side is attached, begin to add the third side.When you have 2 seams completed you can begin to stitch the final third seam...I stoped half way up and added dried pine for aroma and filling but you can use batting if you like.Then you just have to attach the ribbon to hang the ornament and as you do this you can catch it at the other end with a bead or jingle bell. A paper clip or safety pin attached to the top, might work as well then tie a ribbon for hanging from the pin or clip.and there it is...an adorable scented ornament for any season.

If you like this idea and know you can do it yourself but sometimes get side-tracked on craft projects...just come on over to HappyHouseQuilts.com and check out the Threadibilities Craft kits as you will find pre-cut shapes and kits all set and ready to be stitched by you and/or your kids!

This can be one idea you can actually complete by the holidays!!! New Year's Resolution? No more U.F.O.'s (unfinished objects). Better yet, let the kids do it as a gift to a parent, teacher, grandparent, Godparent or for the family tree.

Click here to find more tutorials at this blog.

WFMW - Stickers in Car for Baby or Road Trip Fun!!! Art Therapy activity

Works for me Wednesday -

Well I don't know about all of you but I just love that the kids get stickers at the bank and at the doctor's offices now...but with my first born I didn't know what to do with those wonderful, colorful, stimulating images. So being a creative soul and knowing a little bit about visual stimulation for babies, I started putting them on the inside roof of the car!!! Wow, what an amazing journey it has become over the years!

When DD#1 was a baby she would look up at the images and work on word recognition "Elmo" and color identification "Red" as well as discussing the stories about characters...Once upon a time...she would say and mommy would tell a story about the character in the sticker.

Then along came DD#2 and the collection grew and expanded which led us to playing alphabet games with our toddler and more color and word development with the new baby. Then the girls grew and demanded more chanllenging uses of the stickers. The game of I*SPY evolved, incorporating alphabet awareness, problem solving, understanding rules and managing frustration as well as more color identification in such creative ways.

We are able to recall wonderful memories of trips to parks and field trips with school as we also keep those stickers from being a chaperone or from admittance to zoos and museums.

So now my children have collected hundreds of stickers and enjoy them all whenever we are in the car for short trips to the store or long trips to grandma's house. They use the stickers to communicate to their new little sister (DD#3) and feel connected to her as they now choose stickers that *she* would like to look at and to make sure they all have similar colors and princesses. The bonding and comradere as well as sharing and learning that has occured over the years because we collect stickers has been overwhelming.

Feelings are not to be overlooked either. Sometimes we come across scarey or "not pretty" sticker which we struggled with ...do we give it back to the nice bank teller or are we gracious and say "thank you". They figured out how to use those stickers as well...they have fun putting the "boy" ones in Daddy's seat or we are able to talk about difficult feelings and how those are just as important as other happy, fun feelings. We also are able to look at the images and talk about what that character might be thinking or feeling...we work on compassion as we share that most folks that are angry are usually sad inside about something or haven't been shown much kindness in their life.

The car is not damaged either as opposed to placing stickers on the windows and the kids have a vehicle that they are so incredibly proud of...to play games in, carpool with friends and to just show off to their friends! Everyone wants to ride in our car!

This definitely Works For Me!!! I hope it works for you too!

Click here to find other WFMW posts that I have written about.

Interested in more Art Therapy features...click here!

WFMW is a feature that is linked to Rocks in my Dryer Blog Carnival.

Click here to find more wonderful

Works for Me Wednesday Posts from other members.

Featured Artist - Baby Friendly Beads

Featured Artist is a post I do every Sunday. Find more amazing artists from past posts at the bottom of this post!

Who are you?

I'm Jen Johnson -- domestic goddess, published poet, aspiring children's book author, proud SAHM and maker of beautiful things. I'm more original than my name would suggest!

I'm an East Coast native thriving in West Coast soil, and I've been happily married for more than a decade. I've been many things in my working life, from high school teacher to professional artist's model. Being a mom is both harder and more rewarding than anything else I've done so far.

What is your Etsy Shop Name?
BFBeads, which stands for Baby Friendly Beads(TM)

What EtsyKids items do you specialize in?
I make Baby Friendly Beads, jewelry for breastfeeding -- and beyond! My nursing necklaces are designed to occupy and amuse those busy baby hands so that they won't scratch, pinch, or twiddle with Mom's skin and hair. I also make reminder bracelets to help keep track of breastfeeding sessions. My jewelry is stylish, sturdy, practical, and pretty.

What do you like about Etsy?
I like the sense of community and the way that creativity permeates the site. I love hearting people and being hearted; IMHO the very existence of the "hearts" says something special about the spirit of the website. And there seriously is a "spirit" to Etsy.... which is a rare find in cyberspace. Perhaps it's the handmade angle -- I often find that quality handmade goods have a sort of spirit to them, a bit of soul from having been made with love. You find that in the shops at Etsy, and you find that in the website as a whole. And of course I adore shopping at Etsy, especially for gifts! I also like the contests that are sponsored by Etsy, though I've only been able to find the time to participate in one.

Thanks to the Coproduction contest, I had the wonderful opportunity to befriend and work with amazingly talented people -- including EtsyKids' own StoryBlox and Clever Kitty! I was on two teams and had great fun collaborating. I even had the good fortune of winning second prize in the contest, with our entry of a mobile titled "Botanical Balance."

What do you like about creating?
I've always been a compulsive crafter and a creative person. Before kids, most of my creative energy went into writing. Now, as the mom of a toddler and an infant, it's difficult to find the time and focus to write, so instead I take a moment here and there to work on my jewelry. One of the things I like best about creating is how it inspires me to constantly learn new things. Just making the same thing over and over doesn't interest me very much. I enjoy the opportunity to tweak designs and imagine new ways of doing things.I appreciate how crafting requires me to focus both on process and product. There's something magical in being able to make something new, working with my hands to physically create an object that did not exist before. And there's a special kind of satisfaction when the finished product comes close to what I'd imagined it coud be.

What do you love about your business?
I'm delighted to make and share something to help other moms with breastfeeding. I believe that nursing is one of the most completely loving exchanges -- but I also know from hard experience that it can be extremely challenging. A baby nursing peacefully at the breast is a beautiful sight, but when baby starts to scratch, bite, or pull hair it can turn ugly pretty quickly! I started this business thinking, "If just one mother is able to breastfeed better thanks to my Baby Friendly Beads, then I'll be happy." I've since heard from many moms who say that their babies love the necklaces and that the jewelry has made things easier for them. I love imagining moms wearing my jewelry and babies clutching the beads with their chubby little hands while they nurse.

What is your favorite product right now?
I'm really excited about my Custom Birthstone Baby Friendly Beads Jewelry. I like the idea of giving the customer the opportunity to participate in the design process and decide what semiprecious stones they would like in their nursing necklaces. I don't know of any other nursing necklaces that incorporate semiprecious birthstones into the design, so I'm proud to offer such a unique product. I also offer customized birthstone bracelets in the shop now too!


What makes you unique at Etsy?
While there are other Etsy sellers making lovely nursing necklaces, nobody else sells breastfeeding jewelry like my Baby Friendly Beads. My designs are all one of a kind and different from the usual nursing jewelry in several ways. First, my necklaces are made from one continuous piece of cord (instead of a loop that hangs from a necklace) so there is not one piece that might break off from another. They are also adjustable in length, and can be adjusted from choker to full length without taking off the necklace. I am also one of the only shops offering reminder bracelets, and (last time I checked) the only one to offer bracelets that coordinate with nursing necklaces.

What makes you unique as a woman?
The same things that make each of us uniquely wonderful: my creative spirit, my brimming heart, my capacity for joy.

What do you love about Kids?
The way they look when they are asleep! (Just kidding... kinda!) As the mother of a new baby and a two year old, I'm blessed with the opportunity to witness boundless energy, utter innocence, ceaseless curiosity, and total awe -- on a daily (sometimes hourly) basis. What's not to love about that?

What are some other sites to find out more about you and what you love to create? http://www.babyfriendlybeads.com/ is coming soon... for now, I'm just on Etsy, and my website forwards directly to there. I also just started my blog: http://mamasmagic.blogspot.com/

Featured Artist is a post I do weekly on Sundays...come back each Sunday to see more amazing talent, click here or search this blog for past featured artists.

Georganne's Handcrafted Baby Accessories: I Made a Lightbox for Under $10!!#links

Georganne's Handcrafted Baby Accessories: I Made a Lightbox for Under $10!!#links

what a great post for anyone wanting to take amazing pictures of kids art work or any special memory for a scrapbook...oh and etsy sellers might be interested in it too...

*** and I might add that Georganne's blog plays music...
now many say that this is bothersome...but I think she has picked the most wonderful songs and has picked one for me...."the part where you let go"

...i suppose we all have to let go more often and know that God is there with us...it's so hard to do (*for me*) as a multitasking mom trying to raise 3 kids and keep everything in line and moving smoothly...but time and time again Jesus reveals Himself to me throughout my day and I really do need to slow down and listen and watch the miricles around me.

Thank you so much Georganne!

What a week!

2 flat tires this week...a bird pooped on my hand...sooo tired from summer vacation and trying to promote this business....I guess I just need a nap and some time to slow down and enjoy the simple pleasures of summertime...my friend told me it could have been worse...the bird could have pooped on my head!!! OMGosh...can you imagine? Giggle!!! It's all good!

Let us rejoice and be glad.

WFMW Learn new things -Needle felting is my new love!!!

This weeks Works for me Wednesday post is all about me...I am working on balancing my spirit...so I do it with art...Needle felting is my new craft that I'm becoming passionate about...

Here is the story of my first landscape...

So it started out with yellow roving from WhimzyPinzy's shop at Etsy...then I layered the roving in opposing directions and needle felted it...

Added some colored roving on top and molded shapes and lines...

More Color, shapes...more shapes, outlined shapes in darker shades of same color...auditioned fibers...some worked others didn't...tried to imagine beading...will hold off for now though...

then started to stitch...and used chenille and pearl cotton...3 colors of green for the blades of grass and stems...

Simple stitching really...lazy daisy and straight stitching...it's so meditative!!! I sat outside in the cool summer day and pushed the kids on the swing while i kept stitching...visited with a friend and let the kids play...

So now what do I do with it??? I will probably mount it onto black wool felt...and maybe use it to adorn a book...journal, sketchbook or Bible cover...but that would involve more sewing and my sewing machine needs to go into the shop...boo hoo...

Well the final product is so pretty...I am really pleased with my first needle felted landscape...I have been very emotional this week...many stresses to be dealt with ...most of all woke up to a flat tire Monday morning after traveling 2 and a half hours to visit family...thank goodness the tire didn't blow out on the highway with all 3 kids, the dog and hubby sleeping in the car...times like that help me know Jesus is there looking out for me and all of us! This could represent my homage to Him...the almighty...the creator...

Life is Good...I am Blessed...I will find shelter in the storm.

To see other posts about wool or wool felting...click on this or search wool.

to see other WFMW posts search WFMW or click here.

To see other Art Therapy posts click here.

Tag

Allsweet tagged me! Check out her shop.

Rules:

1. List seven random facts/habits about yourself

2. Choose another SEVEN bloggers to tag and list their names in your blog

3. Leave your seven tagged bloggers comments to notify them of their tagging and to direct them to your blog for tag instructions.7 facts/habits about me...

7 facts about me

1. I'm a Sagitarius and the description fits me to a tee!


2. I always wanted girls and although they talk waaaay too much...i embrace every second of the hormone infested home I have.


3. I hate wind!


4. I prefer long hair despite cutting my hair short many times. I think I have finally decided to keep it long. I suppose that is why I don't like wind...*giggle*


5. I love lasagna! Could eat it for breakfast lunch and dinner!


6. I am a new listener to Contemporary Christian and always looking for new music...any suggestions? Love Micheal Smith and Mercy Me.


7. I used to be an avid country line dancer and miss dancing a lot!!!

I'm not tagging anyone as I just tagged folks for weird tag...participate if you like...or just leave a comment. Thanks for reading!
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Have a Happy day!

May I temp you with a Cocktail Quilt™?

This picture of the "Cocktail Quilt™" was taken on my weekend away with my girlfriends from college...we are all turning 40 this year so hubby let me escape and go be alone with adults! We got a bit silly and this is what came out of it...another use for the wonderful quilted wrap (a.k.a. Coffee Quilt™) sold at HHQ! Never have a naked cup or glass again...hot or cold beverages are all beautified with a OOAK creation!

Featured Artist Brian from BrileyKnits

Find more Amazing artists from past posts!

Who Are You?
My name is Brian. I am 33 years old, and single. I recently relocated to NH from Boston in order to return to school, and change careers.

Where can I find you?

My Blog: http://360.yahoo.com/bmcgaunn

My free knitting patterns: http://brileyknits.blogspot.com/

My Needle case shop: http://brileyknitsmarket.blogspot.com/

What do you craft?

I've always done some sort of art/craft work, and it has varied and evolved over the years. In the last couple years I have been mainly a knitter and crocheter. When the demands of my professional life caused me to have less time for my creative life I wanted to find something with less set up/clean up. Not only did the needle arts provide this, but they are portable. My needle cases and organizers developed from there. I made the first one for me, the next one as a gift, before I knew people were constantly asking me to sell them one.

What do you love about your craft?

Wow, how do I narrow it down? I love the way I can be so enrapt in a project it's like nothing else exists. I love than when I am done with a project, not only do you get that special sense of satisfaction, but you have a great gift, or fun and practical item for yourself. I also love the way knitting works the same way my mind works- to the point that sometimes I find myself designing, or reconstructing a pattern in my dreams!

What makes you unique?

I think most men in our culture are afraid to cross the imaginary line into a craft commonly considered to be a feminine one. A male perspective on these arts in modern times is still fairly unique.

What do you love about your business?

I love providing a quality, useful product at prices lower than you can find at a retail store (even for the mass produced items) and that I am able to customize them for the taste and needs of the individual.

What kids items do you specialize in?

My new line of bath puppets (found on my free patterns page) are great kids items, and what parent doesn't love making bath time less of a chore? The selection is fairly small, right now, but I will be designing more in the fall.

Comments from HHQ: I can honestly say that Brian's talent is amazing, I have seen his creations and they are wonderful and his attention to detail is superb! So nice to have another crafter of his caliber live locally!

Featured Artist is a post I do weekly on Sundays...come back each Sunday to see more amazing talent, click here or search this blog for past featured artists.