Spots Before My Eyes

Oh My Gosh! This is the cutest little ladybug pincushion I have ever laid my eyes on. He seems right at home with my Love Bug, ever ready to deliver Valentine wishes.

Made extra small my ladybug becomes two whose spots have changed to hearts. Oh My Gosh again! These are almost too cute for words. You can modify the magazine's original pattern by shrinking it and eliminating the seam allowances.

BODY:  Blanket Stitch (BS) along one side of Body piece (blue football shape on right) then create a Running Stitch at bottom of BS. Both of these stitches are necessary to turn felt pieces inside out for a smooth seam. Turn inside out.

WINGS: Attach three heart brads by piercing felt. Attach a Wing piece to each side of Body Seam using BS (image on left). Take care in making sure your wing pieces match end to end before stitching. You may need to flip your piece for both ends to meet.

FACE: Attach eye brads and pom nose, stitch smile to Face. ANTENNA: Apply Tacky Glue to length of wire, wrap embroidery thread (3/ornament, 6/pincushion) around wire tying knot at each end to secure. Leave a small amount of wire exposed on one end to insert into small pom. Apply Tacky Glue to center area of face and adhere to body before BS in place.
DOTS: Use Tacky Glue to adhere dots to pincushion.  HANGING CORD: Attach for ornament.
BASE: Cut from cardboard a circle slightly smaller than Base piece. BS Base to Body, leaving an opening big enough to slip in cardboard and fiberfill. Stitch closed.

PATTERN NOTE: You can e-mail me for my Ornament pattern. I can not send you original Pincushion pattern from magazine.

My Deer Husband

My husband loves deer. At least he loves to spot deer while driving. This I know because I have been startled nearly to death in my passenger seat when he exclaims suddenly, "There's one!" It takes me a moment for my heartbeat to leave my ears before I realize he means he has spotted a deer.

I was so excited to spot these Martha Stewart paper pine cone ornaments at Jo-Ann Fabrics 25% off this week. Right away I thought deer ornaments in honor of the thousands of deer I have never spotted.

My children are Brainwashed Deer Spotters as their father dangled in front of them $25.00 for the FIRST deer spotted on our vacations home to Michigan. Please don't think my husband is overly generous, as I mentioned we have never spotted a deer in Michigan.

My husband acquired his deer spotting obsession the old-fashioned way. By his father's offering of money for spotting the first deer on vacations to Northern Michigan. No money ever exchanged hands as far I know; but I'm suspicious that any time the female chatter got too loud in the backseat while my father-in-law was driving, he would call over his shoulder, "Hey, you're not looking for deer!"

Secure tinsel stems by bending them at right angles underneath cone and applying a dab of hot glue. Apply Tacky Glue to rim of cone and place on printed paper or card stock, pink around edge of cone. Hot glue tinsel along bottom edge.

When I was dating my husband, he had me actually get out of the car to trek through underbrush by the side of the highway as it looked like a good area for spotting deer. Wandering a distance ahead of him, I excitedly whispered over my shoulder, "Oh my gosh, there is a big Irish Setter lost in the woods." I have made this little red deer for my husband to recall the RED FOX I thought was a dog.

Position your deer about a half inch away from tinsel stem. I wanted it to appear as though my little fawns have just emerged from the edge of the woods. Keep the majority of decorations behind the deer.

Do you know the funniest thing about living in the Heart of Ohio is the abundance of deer to be spotted on a daily basis. My TSG called her Dad the other day to let him know there were FIVE DEER in her DRIVEWAY, and she lives in the CITY!

Plastic greenery and mushrooms. Oh my gosh do these recall for me ornaments from the past. In person these are oh so CUTE!

Oh! And happy deer spotting!


GIVEAWAY WINNER CINDY

Discovery

Yesterday, I had an epiphany as I searched hopefully the aisles of Jo-Ann Fabrics for Martha Stewart Clear Glitter. It was my third stop for the elusive sparkle as every other store seemed to be already sold out.

I have already crafted enough holiday fare to share with you every day the temperature is below 50 degrees, and it isn't even Halloween yet.

What am I going to do for all of the days of November?

Discover. I am going to discover all the rest this community has to offer by winding my way through blogs up to now have been unknown to me. What a treasure this Pinterest will be to me!

Just like the binders I used to print and paste craft ideas I so wanted to make, I will now use Pinterest to keep track of the wellspring of ideas I can't wait to share.

Crafty Pod is the first blog I have discovered wherein you will find an Easy as Can Be TUTORIAL to make these wonderful sparkly snowflakes. Be sure and watch the video, but then skip all of the following steps.

A simple punch of card stock and hot glue make this a craft taking only minutes. I love their vintage goodness!

You are very welcome to visit My Pinterest to see the projects I hope to make, the places that inspire me, and a glimpse into my thoughts. And please do let me know if you are also on Pinterest as I would love to see what inspires you. So this is what I will be doing for the month of November!

Senior Citizen Crafts

EAK! Just the though of Senior Citizen Crafts when I was a newlywed was enough to send me anywhere than close to the senior who had drawn me near to gush over their latest craft made at, of course, their Senior Citizen's Center.

Aunt Dorothy was just such a senior, her home filled with handmade items on every surface able to hold, hang, or attach her latest proud creation. Crocheted butterfly magnets, soap dispenser dresses, pot holders with smiling plastic doll faces. There were Bingo card carriers and juice box pocketbooks, laminated place mats and coffee cup cozies. With each compliment I gave, I secretly vowed never ever to make Senior Citizen Crafts.

 And then I discovered blogging.

Where once I scrambled to discover where I had hidden away Aunt Dorothy's latest popcorn afghan as she knocked outside my door, I now find myself drooling over Ripples and Grannies on a daily basis.

Where once I bemoaned the plethora of Christmas Card Senior Citizen Crafts that came my way, I now find myself making them myself. Oh how Dorothy loved to crochet her received cards into baskets to hold hard candies.

Crisp white tags catching my eye at JoAnn's brought the memories of Aunt Dorothy's Christmas card crafts to mind, and I could not help but think what cute house ornaments the tags could become. Three tags are needed to make each house. Six houses can be made from one purchased package.

I have also made a template for you if tags are not available.

Aunt Dorothy would make coasters and place mats from her Christmas cards as well as ornaments made by cutting circles out and gluing their bent edges together. Here I have traced my templates onto my chosen card with a mind towards color more than the subject of the card. I want a red house with a white roof.

Glue stick cut out shapes to templates. I have added a ridge of scallops to the roof line.

A beading of hot glue along the edges, your house is nearly complete!

And so I find long before I am a Senior Citizen, a passion for the most simplest of crafts that express the holidays to me.

Aunt Dorothy was a woman who lived each day of her life to serve the Lord. Sitting in her parish church it's pews filled with the witnesses of her faith, I wept to see each one of her 18 grandchildren form a procession line to pay their final respect, each one carrying a handmade item made especially for them. Each one a Senior Citizen's Craft.


CRAFT ROOM NOTE:
I have been asked many times where I purchased the cute paper organizer that can be seen in the above photo. It is available once again at Michaels for $39.95. Be sure and use your half off coupon!

Peppermint Sledding Ornament

How sweet are these little ice skating ornaments for Vivian's swap! They look as though they are preparing to step on the ice of a skating extravaganza.

Chilly and wonderfully cold today, a perfect day to begin working on my Peppermint Sledding Ornaments. Oh my! so many steps with such tiny pieces.

Simply sweet faces painted, the backs of paint brushes used to make dots.

The same pattern pieces are used as were with the ice skating ornament. Use Tacky Glue to adhere white felt trim. White snow glitter would also be wonderful for the edging. Allow to dry.

A dab of hot glue at center of neckline. Slightly overlap back of dress, hot glue as well. Bow: 2 strands floss thread through first pom, tie bow leaving needle on thread, thread second pom, cut ends. Use Tacky Glue to adhere to collar of dress. After boots are glued on, legs will be crossed as though sitting.

Cut chenille arms slightly longer than sleeves, hot glue to back of sleeve. Free cut mittens and hot glue in place. Crook wrist to rest on sled edge. Boot: Apply small amount of hot glue to back of stem, place in center of boot piece, apply hot glue to one side of boot and fold over to meet other sandwiching between your fingers. Use sharp scissors to cut away any glue showing. Hot glue pearl beads in place. Fold legs. Head piece: a little cone hat would be cute or silver tinsel. I have cut a strip of felt and snipped away the back of a pom to make it flat. Hot glue is used.

 A 1/3rd measuring cup is just the size to create the sledding saucer. Trace on folded over foil with pencil (makes easier not to tear). I have placed foil circle inside a bowl shape and used my fingers to give foil a bit of a lip for tinsel stem to be added. Size is the same as circumference of measuring cup. Snip excess. Hot glue to foil.

First one to the bottom!

Mr. Burba

Mr. Burba was the cool seventh grade science teacher of Lord Baltimore Jr. High. Long hair and sideburns, corduroy bell bottoms and leather vests. Girl students would sigh upon entering his classroom. Teacher by day, he was my ice skating instructor on Saturdays.

Flesh colored tights and baby blue skating costume, white mittens and rented skates. I couldn't believe I had the handsome Mr. Burba to myself for an hour. Step in close, arm about my waist, left hand held across his chest. White breath escaping in the chilly morning air, heart beat soaring with the happiness of movement.

This was the very moment I fell in love with ice skating, this was the very moment Mr. Burba said I was ready to move on.  My heart nearly broke at the thought of Saturday's without Mr. Burba. "You are a very special girl, and one day someone special will find you."

Saturdays became everyday, and everyday became more than once a day. I couldn't wait to feel the exhilaration of gliding across glass like frozen water. A place to be graceful and beautiful and everything thing I wished to be.

My second year of ice skating now with skates that were my own and costumes of every color, someone special found me. Step in close, arm about my waist, left hand held over his heart. In that very moment I fell in love. In that very moment I was so glad to have known a science teacher in seventh grade who skated on Saturdays.