Bottlecaps and Baking...

 This is a simple and easy gift item I have been making.  Bottlecap necklaces.  Unfortunately I did not contain my making to the studio and therefore I have glittered my entire kitchen table and subsequent wood flooring.  A tablecloth on the table hides the telltale glitter but what about the floor?  I have tried everything to clean it up.  Well at least it is pretty. 

I made a bunch of these for the upcoming elementary school sale.  My time and supplies are merely my donation as the sale price of the item gets donated to the school for expenses to help the kids. 

 Meanwhile this is my front yard.  A huge irrigation project the county is doing.  There is a 1920s water canal system from the gold rush days and current technology is replacing the old metal water pipe with larger concrete carriers that are dug down deep and tunneled under our road.  This is a very controversial project and my neighbors are mostly against it and make it difficult for the workers.  My husband and I realize progress must happen and we have been very helpful even though it impacts us the most as it is on our property.  Of course the NID (Nevada Irrigation District) does have easements to the canals.  We the property owners really have no say so in the matter.  Some have sued and gotten monetary settlement but that merely delays the project and increases the costs to all of us. 

So I spent a day this week baking four dozen cookies to give to the work crew.  You should have seen their eyes light up when they saw the cookies.  One of the concrete truck drivers took a big bite and immediately said, "These are Snickerdoodles!" and took another bite.  Why yes they are!  My very favorite cookie which I learned to bake when I was very young and visiting a relative in a lovely old two story farm house.  I had given the box to the foreman and he was eating one and all the other work crew were way on the opposite side of a huge dug out hole.  When they saw the cookies they literally came running around the huge hole and all the equipment to get to the cookies all while saying, "Thank you!" to me with big smiles on their faces.  Oh it felt so good to have spent a day baking and making the boys happy. 
I continue to make my lists and check them twice.  It seems that for each item I check off I am adding several more that need attention.  Why is this the way it goes? 
Blissfulling sewing, beading, glittering, gluing and getting ready for the holidays...

Surprise Mail...

 Don't you just love to go to your mail box and find a wonderful surprise?  No, I don't mean the spider that scares you who is just trying to get warm inside a safe place.  Certainly not the bills that come way too often!  I am speaking of a package from a friend who sends you something out of the blue.  I love it!

 This is wrapped so cleverly in a sewing pattern tissue.  With a fabric strip tied in twine and a cute little stamped card.  I am totally intrigued...

 There was also a handmade card with a stamped bird design.  Beautiful.  Thoughtful.  Serene.

 I open to find a bundle of joyful fabric pieces.  All random sizes and prints.  Hmmm...

Here you can see the array of fabrics.  What a fun bundle this is.  Thank you Cory Dogwood.  You are the best blog pal a girl ever had.  Please visit Cory at her blog and see what she is up to.  Maybe I will need to find out how she makes her "ticker tape" quilts and use these fabrics to make one for myself. 
Even though Cory has a residence just a few miles from me and we must be shopping at the exact same local crafting store (Ben Franklin) I have never met her and yet we have been blog pals for two years.  I rather like the mystique of being a blog pal...kind of like years ago when I had a pen pal I never met. 
I adore your card and sweet bundle of fabric joy Cory Dogwood and I thank you sincerely. 
My ideas are beginning to churn on what I will do with all of these pieces.  What would each of you create?
Happy week to all...our weather is quite chilly and yet the sun is shining.  Rain is forecasted for the long holiday weekend.  Skiers will be headed up to the resorts and I will be staying home, warm and cozy sipping tea or cocoa.  Maybe stitching something...beading something...gluing papers...

Tutorial tried and loved...

 So many times I see some wonderful inspiration and tutorials while blog hopping and I always want to try so many of them that I save them in a "tutorial folder".  Do I ever get back to them and actually try the technique?  Well...honestly...very seldom.  All good intentions and time or laziness or busy or whatever and I just never seem to get back to that folder to really try such wonderful ideas and techniques.  Well...this one was so simple and doable that I actually dropped everything and did it.  Let me link you to Lori of elvie studio whom most of you already follow.

This is my completed piece and I am so thrilled with it.  This really is a "hand drawn look".  Thank you Lori.  You are quite an inspiration to me!
I will definitely be doing this technique again.  Maybe now I will go take a look into my elusive "tutorial folder" and see what else I can accomplish.  It is such a great feeling to actually make and finish something. 
I am busy making my lists.  The holiday season is upon us and I want to at least keep up this year.  I was hoping to be ahead of the game this year but somehow November is here all too fast and I wasn't prepared like I thought I would be.  November is also a busy birthday month in our family.   Not to worry...I will get it all done and what I don't get done I suppose was not really necessary.  This is my coping story and I am sticking with it.  ;o)
Now lets go make something and maybe try a new technique from the amazing array of tutorials available to us here in Blogland.  There are such generous sharing souls here.  Thank you each and every one of you.
May you have a week of serenity and checking off your lists...

Ghastlie Blog Hop Winner...

Oh how Ghastlie...I won! 

Have you been following Madame Samm and her Ghastlie Blog Hop the past ten days?  I have and I wouldn't miss a moment of all the action in this Super Ghastlie Party. 

There were 54 participants and each one of them made the most amazing creations with some Alexander Henry fabric collection titled Ghastlie.  No two items were alike and it was amazing.  I got so inspired that I will have to order some Ghastlie fabrics and get sewing. 

Thank you Madame Samm and all participants for sharing your fabulous creations.  I certainly enjoyed this Ghastlie Blog Hop Super Party. 

Okay...I know you are in a hurry to go check out all the Ghastlie items.  See you later...

ATC Swap...

 This is my second swap ever.  The first was for charms and now this one for ATCs.  What an amazing joy to be part of such great gifts.  Thank you Roni and "mom" for hosting this swap.  I am so thrilled with all I received.  This swap since it was before Halloween was two fold...Halloween theme and General theme.

 Here are the Halloween themed ATCs I received.  Each one so amazing and fabulous.

These are the General themed ATCs and what an array of ideas and creativity here.  I know the photos do not do justice and therefore you really must join a swap and be the lucky recipient of tiny little works of art in person.  I wish to say thank you to everyone who submitted and shared so generously.  I will be visiting each of you that I have info for.  Some ATCs did not include any email or blog address so I thank you here. 
I know for certain that when Roni does any kind of swap again I will definitely be participating...after the busy holidays that is. 
Thank you again Roni and "mom" for hosting this swap and doing all of the logisitics and work involved. 
If any of you have not been smitten with the ATC bug then you may want to be.  Quick and easy and ever so much fun. 
Our weather is chilly but beautiful.  I pray for all the Northeast to be back to power and warmth. 
Blissfully creating...