New In The Shop

I'm making a few more of these in different styles, but these are my first and I couldn't wait to show you! If you'd like a better look, please check them out here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/88657561/needle-felted-flower-sprout-in-ceramic and here: http://www.etsy.com/listing/88681496/needle-felted-cactus-in-ceramic-pot - they're pretty adorable!

Lovelies

PegandAwl

andiespecialtysweets

estatehound

I remember growing up, my father would play the accordian most nights and I'd fall asleep to those gentle songs he'd fill the house with for hours at a time. Back then, I never knew how much I'd miss those times but think of them each time I see a lovely accordian. They always remind me of being a little girl and special times.

Above are some of my most recent favorites. Please take a moment in your holiday season this year to find some original items for gifts. Using reclaimed, vintage and handmade items is a great way to do so.

Wordless Wednesday

Perfect French Toast

PERFECT FRENCH TOAST

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 loaf challah bread (sliced)
• 4 eggs (beaten)
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 pat butter

In a mixing bowl, blend eggs, vanilla, cinnamon and orange juice. 

In a large skillet or griddle, melt butter on medium heat. Gently dip both sides of each slice of bread and let excess egg mixture drip off. Place onto heated skillet and let cook until each side is toasted until crispy and brown. Transfer the French toast to a platter and serve.

This dish can be served with your favorite syrup, fruit salad or with eggs. It's perfect for breakfast or brunch.

SERVES: 4
 
enjoy, Christa

A Sky Full of Kindness

"We're all the same people we were when we were children, we're just bigger and pretend that we're not." -Rob Ryan

Handmade Portraits: Rob Ryan from Etsy on Vimeo.

What could be a greater way to celebrate the world than acknowledging the beauty in the everyday?
Read the full Etsy blog post here: http://etsy.me/handmadeportraitsrobryan

 I just adore his work and if you have a chance to check out his site, you can find it by clicking here: Rob Ryan

Fresh Off The Needles

I've been lucky enough to be so busy with several custom orders. I made the above cowl by double-knitting this piece for Juliana. She mentioned she has an eggplant-colored coat and wanted this golden color to 'pop' against it. By double-knitting this, it gave the cowl a perfect weight and warmth. I'm so pleased she loves it so much. She has recently ordered a hat to match and I'll be making that later this week. 

Karen ordered the Mistress Cowl in matte black and I'm very happy with the way it came out. She actually loved it so much, she ordered a second one for her niece! This piece is super soft and extremely vampy. It is meant to show a bit of the neck and you can wear it with the opening slightly to the side or in the front and the collar can be placed up or down for a dramatic effect.

...and just like that, Fall is here!

It's been great to be back at home but it's amazing how after being away for a short time, there are so many changes noticed almost instantly after my return. The leaves are fading, the ground is damp and there has been a chill in the air. Just last night, I witnessed birds flying South! Beautiful as it may be, I'm not sure how ready I am to say goodbye to the gardens. In fact, they are in need of some care but the zinnias, marigolds and basil are still going pretty strong. I suppose harvesting the pumpkins should have been a queue: clean up the gardens and move on, get ready for the Fall Craft shows and hunker down, put on a scarf and have fun, enjoy the cool and bake something!

I've also started harvesting acorn tops. My pin oak in the front yard is producing substandard tops, so I find myself walking the dogs and collecting them from local woods. They're larger and prettier. There are a few scarves in the process of being knit and it's been fun choosing colors and fibers to make each of them special. I've been felting pincushions and keeping busy with a few special orders.

What is it like near you? Has Fall found you yet?

Ho-omeward Bound

I'm currently in flight over the Rocky Mountains, on my way home. I've been in motion for over a week now, traveling to Seattle to visit my brother Sam. In addition to seeing him and seeing the sites in Seattle, we decided to take a 15+ hour drive to Oakland/San Francisco via Route 5 to meet Megan. She was the best hostess and gave me a fine tour of the entire Bay Area. Her sunny disposition is extremely contagious and it was nice to watch the interactions of their budding relationship. It's always nice to see people you care for so happy. I should also mention her giving us the most delicious granola and homemade pop tarts for our ride back! If you've never tasted either of them, you should order some now by going here: MargeBakery.com

The trip has been wonderful all-around and I feel I've experienced more than most people in the length of time I've been out west. Besides the much needed vacation and time with one of my favorite brothers, I've seen the Space Needle (from below as I'm terribly afraid of heights), Volunteer Park and its beautiful Conservatory, the Cobain house, Bruce Lee's grave, the Seattle Public Library, Public Market, Delancey, Skillet, May Thai, the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks, Golden Gardens park, Elliott Bay Book Company, the first Starbucks, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, Lombard Street, Homeroom, Mount Shasta, Mount Hood, Portland, Stumptown Coffee, and more if you can believe that! 

I cannot wait to get home to my Bruce and my pugs (Quasi & Lola).

Taking a trip...

Hi everyone! Starting tomorrow, the shop will be on vacation until September 26th. If there was something you have your heart set on, you may want to claim it now. Your order will ship ASAP.

I'll be in Seattle visiting my little brother Sam for a very much needed vacation but will be updating my blog during this time. We always have fun and it's going to be great to see his side of the world. I'm looking forward to being in the Northwest and experiencing all it has to offer; it's all so exciting!

We've been getting ready for our Fall shows, making new hats, creatures and tons of fingerless mitts in many colors. They're perfect for texting and a busy life while keeping you toasty. 

See you soon!

Fall Is Around The Corner!

Starting to gear up for Fall and the colors it will bring. We're planning several local craft shows during this time and will be posting the dates on facebook soon. If you're not a facebook-er and prefer to sign up for our rare email updates, that is awesome too. We have been working on bringing you new creatures, dolls, hats, fingerless mitts and more and are excited to see you at these events.

At The Farmer's Market

We went to our local Farmer's Market today to see what's out there and mostly just to walk it. It's fun listening to the different people, music and comments people make in this type of place. At one point, we went from hearing Lady GaGa to The Bobbettes. One guy went walking away singing "...Mr. Lee, Mr. Lee, Mr. Lee...." In these places, I love people the most. Everyone is looking for a deal and bargain; it's raw and true.

I was hoping to find fabric or something useful or special enough to give new life to. In the end, I walked out with two sets of vintage knitting needles, an old blue Ball jar, some doilies and a skirt. That will have to do.

Do you know of a great market where there is old (or new) textiles or fabrics? Where do you like to go?

New In The Shop

There are several sets of Eco Spa Scrubbies in the shop! Most people ask "What are they for?" and I'm pleased to explain:

Everyone washes their face and these are perfect for anyone. Use them instead of cotton balls for makeup removal, for acne scrubs, lathering soap or face creams. 

-provide natural gentle exfoliation
-perfect for makeup removable
-machine washable
-reusable
-eco-friendly

They will arrive to you bound as shown with a tag, making them perfect for for giving as a personal gift for any college student, new mom, bridal shower, cosmetic party favor, camper, vegan, stocking-stuffers, etc. -you can even get a set for yourself!

Summer Lovin'

This summer has been hot and this summer has been long. Oh, wait. It's only half over so far and this is a good thing because I have a ton of knitting to do.

The last week has been perfect as far as figuring out which gifts I'll be knitting for my loved ones and I've been lucky enough to be keeping busy with custom orders too. It's also been perfect for designing some new and exciting pieces for the fall shows and we're starting to get those set up. I'll be posting dates soon on the facebook page and the site.

My garden has been growing in leaps and bounds and at this point, it's hardly containable. Turns out the cucumber seeds ordered from burpee were packaged incorrectly and where I planned cucumbers, there is the most beautiful pumpkin vine curlicue-ing around almost everything. In the morning, there are gorgeous huge yellow star-shaped flowers blanketing the large leaves.

If all of these bloom, everyone I know will receive pumpkins this year!  It's the first time I've ever grown pumpkins. My garden is not very large and I usually plant bush cucumbers and bush beans to consolidate my space. These may even choke out my peppers and it's grown out of the garden and across the lawn too. 

The tomatoes are doing well! These are from this morning and I have to go back out later to finish picking. I used some last night to make a fresh bruschetta-style salad to toss into cheese tortellini. Is there anything better than fresh tomatoes? Yes, possibly the fresh basil. Mixing the two together is delicious!

Lovelies

earthseawarrior

 

mwest0425 

andiespecialtysweets

These are a few of my most recent favorites. They can all be found on etsy and the links are below each image. Please take a moment and check out their lovely shops. Thanks for supporting handmade.

New In The Shop

Meet Timony! He's a sweet mouse whose favorite color is yellow. He comes with his own mini denim messenger bag and scarf. The scarf does fold up and fit into the bag for easy traveling and his bag has a vintage brass button. He prefers his scarf on so he has space in his bag to collect lentils.

I had to take a break from knitting for the day and decided to switch gears a bit. A little while later, this little guy was born. His little bag and scarf were the perfect finishing touches and made him seem complete. 

For more information, please click here. 

*UPDATE* Timony has moved to Australia :)

ravelry

Slate did a really interesting article about why facebook can't match ravelry, the social network for knitters and crocheters alike. I've been using ravelry for several years now and never truly knew about Casey and Jessica Forbes. As it turns out, they're a married couple from Boston who work as a team with only two other people to run the site. They rely heavily on volunteer editors and a strict code of etiquette from its users. I thought it was an interesting read and maybe you'll enjoy it too. My ravelry handle is yesterdaydream so say hello if you stop by, okay?

(via)

Morning Blackberries

Good morning! My blackberries have been taking their sweet time this summer and they're finally beginning to ripen. It's great to be able to walk out back and grab a few fresh berries to enjoy with my breakfast. What is difficult to show you here with this photo is their size; each berry is approximately 2 inches across! 

Do you have a great recipe including blackberries?

On The Needles...

Today was perfect for focusing on this slouchy hat I'm making for my friend Amy. It's made using Knit Pick's Dishie cotton yarn and coming along pretty nicely. It's perfect for those late nights at the lake or beach where you want to just throw a hat on and go. She chose the color of coffee and I think it will look fantastic on her.

Fregley

I can finally share Fregley with you! He was made especially for my partner Haley (The Zen of Making) and created entirely of cotton. He was my first creature to feature a cable running up his left side. I can imagine this technique being used in a few different ways and I'm already putting it to use on a new little monster in the studio now. I'm so pleased he made her happy and I know he excited to learn he was moving to Brooklyn. 

Thanks again to the Handmade Gift Exchange sponsored by Craftaholics Anonymous.

Handmade Gift Exchange - Sunflower Brooch from Haley!

My last post before this included a photo of a sunflower in my garden and then I received this lovely sunflower brooch from Haley at The Zen of Making blog! Thank you Haley for somehow reading my mind and making me such a perfect and beautiful gift. How much fun is this? I can pin it to my bag or a cardigan. Rarely, do I spend time to make things for myself. Haley's site is quickly becoming one of those where there is always something refreshing and fun waiting to enchant you. 

A special "thank you" to Linda at Craftaholics Anonymous for organizing the entire Handmade Gift Exchange and making it so fun and inspiring! Not only do I have a super creative new friend, but I'm looking forward to next year's exchange too.

Fantasia Sunflower

Today was the perfect day for finishing up what felt like a million tiny things. It was exciting to mail out my gift for the Handmade Gift Exchange and the anticipation of having it be received is making me anxious. Nothing like waiting until the very last minute to get it shipped. I'm looking forward to seeing what everyone sent and received too! Mostly, I hope it's loved.

After that, took some time in the garden. Sure, it needs to be weeded and the tomatoes need to be guided through the cages a bit, but when you step back and realize it's all you and your work that made such beautiful things flourish, it's pretty rewarding. This week will be perfect for drying some thyme and oregano.

I hope you have a lovely Independence Day weekend. I'm looking forward to friends/family, watermelon, fireflies and fireworks. What are you looking forward to?

Hollyhocks!

Each year the hollyhocks multiply and multiply in the garden outside my bedroom window. I find them so lovely and beautiful in the way they open one by one. Early in the Spring, I staggered the way they're planted to space them nicely and give them enough space to delight me for years to come. Maybe I should find another color to mix within? Any suggestions?

Handmade Gift Exchange

After hearing about it via Liz Noonan a few days ago, I signed up to participate in Craftaholics anonymous' Handmade Gift Exchange. It's my first time participating in it and I've been paired up with Haley who is the brains behind The Zen of Making blog. It's twice as lovely to be partnered up with someone so inspiring and creative and I'm looking forward to surprising her.

Baby Driver

As I felt them surround us with their sweet gentle faces, I realized summer is here and look forward to seeing them again soon. I was thrilled to share them with my nephew. His excitement mirrored my own.

Solar Sewing

I found this video via etsy and thought it was pretty cool. I've recently purchased the Doodle-Stitching book and envy the technique. Artist P.Nosa is behind this video and there are many videos on his site. Have a look and tell me what you think.

Poppied

I nurture my poppy plant all year long. It's growing larger and larger each year and blooms more and more too. The flowers now reach my waist and though I've tried unsuccessfully to start another from this beauty, I've not had luck. I'm still happy with this one Jurassic sized specimen. 

 

I find the poppy to be stunning and showy. I hope to make some progress this weekend with the gathering of old things for a yard sale I've been procrastinating with, but I wanted to share these photos with you and wish you a lovely weekend. What are you doing for fun today? What are your wishes for the upcoming summer?

New In The Shop

Just wanted to share with you new of the new monsters in the shop. Above is Verdasco and below is Sheena. They're both pretty cool, but Sheena insists she is cooler. Verdasco enjoys playing tennis and eating biscuits.

Rainy Day

Happy to see the pines and evergreens start their new growth. I believe we all have some room for it.

Got Owls?

There are a few owls in the shop right now! They are perfectly stitched and looking for new homes. They are a hoot to have around and each has huge safety eyes too! Do you know someone who would love to have one? Have a look here.

Alexa Meade

Alexa Meade uses acrylic paint applied directly onto her subjects. Sometimes, she also paints an entire vignette around them, making your perception of the real and painted blurry. She is a 24-year-old artist from Washington, D.C. who compresses a 3D concept into a 2D plane. I am in awe and amazed by her work. It's bright and bold!

 (via)

Our First Spring Show!

Reminder!
We will be at the Spring Craft Show & Bake Sale in Florence, NJ. There will be many vendors showcased and we're pleased to be one of them. The show will be held April 16th between 9am and 3pm and there will be refreshments sold, egg decorating (plastic eggs & stickers) and the Easter Bunny will be making an appearance too!

We are all ready for Spring and are proud to introduce some new items such as dolls, creatures, gift sets, purses, egg-shaped bags and much more. Hope to see you there and we'd love for you stop stop in and say hello.

The address of this event is: American Legion Post 194, Broad & 6th Streets, Florence, NJ 08518 and if further information is needed, please email Christa.

Also, we are on facebook and twitter where you can keep in touch as well as see our new items (we post special discounts there too).

Springing Ahead!

I can't help but to be excited about Spring being here. My seedlings are inches high, my gardens are in the process of being cleaned up and I even noticed my little robin coming home to check out her empty nest. I posted some photos of her beautiful blue eggs last year. Inspired by her and also by having the honor of watching her tiny fledglings take off each year, I've created a small nest with removable eggs. It's in the shop and I plan on making a few more of these for the shop in the next week, so check back. 

What inspires you most in the Spring?