Slithery!

Captured on a snowy morning in the suburbs, Slithery enjoys hiding under the bed and guarding the laundry. They say you can tell their age by the number of stripes. He is fun for children of any age. More photos here.

Happy 2013! I've officially become one of those bloggers who doesn't really update often enough. The truth is I was a bit overwhelmed with the holiday season and I'm happy it's a fresh year, a new beginning. 

I've been busily working on some new designs and some new monsters too! So many monsters are in the works and some have been added to the online shop too. It's been fun to run wild with new ideas and refocus where I'd like to take this little business.

 Wynter

The Little Ladies series is also available in the shop. These ladies were completely handmade by my lovely mother and I. We designed the dolls and created one-of-a-kind outfits and accessories for each one. No two are alike! Some have already been adopted. These were so much fun to do and it was so nice to work so closely with my mom. 

 Little Ladies

Piper and Some Fall Show Dates

Piper is now up for adoption! She is striped in soft cotton and features hand embroidered details, leg warmers and a pixie hat. Please have a look here feel free to share the link. 

We are still in the process of scheduling our Fall shows and so far, the dates are: 

• August 25th - 9am-2pm, Rancocas Woods Craft Co-Op, 208 Creek Road, Mount Laurel
• October 13th - 9am-3pm, Florence American Legion
• November 24th - 9am-2pm, Rancocas Woods Craft Co-Op, 208 Creek Road, Mount Laurel

Hope to see you there! We will be adding more dates soon.

Mini Monsters!

These mini monsters are ready to travel! Mini monsters are a special breed. They enjoys camping out with friends and snacking on marshmallows. This listing includes the mini monster, his pillow, blanket and sleeping bag.

Each is hand knit and felted using fine quality wool and have sweet hand embroidered faces. These monsters' bags and pillows are made of cotton and is their preferred way of travel. Easy to clean up because they can simply be smushed into their sleeping bag with their belongings.

I've gifted my nephews with these and they're the most convenient toy for children of all ages.

New In The Shop!

The Harwin Cowl is back in the shop! It can be worn as a cowl, shrug, hood, turtleneck, capelet or twisty scarflette. The brooch is included too and it may be unpinned and moved!

road trip!

road trip!

I've been doing some gardening!

To the left is sunflowers, soon-to-be 15' tall with some shorter ones mixed in to cover the taller stems and look full. Behind that is my cucumber teepee. It's shorter, but I chose bushing pickle-sized because I'm planning to learn how to make my own pickles. My brother gave me a copy of Liana Krissoff's CANNING for a New Generation and there are so many pickle recipes to try out. I'm probably leaning towards her Quicker Kosher Dills recipe for my first try.

The seedless grapes are on the far wall hanging on an upcycled trellis (made from an old glass door) and in front of that are several varieties of tomatoes, Thai basil, Greek oregano, English thyme, dill (for the pickling), parsley, lettuce, swiss chard, and sweet peppers. To the right is the raspberries and a "supersonic" tomato. The last "supersonic" I had a few years ago kept fruiting until October!

It's a small garden, but it feeds us all summer with enough to load up other family members too! There are no chemicals and it's mulched with grass clippings to keep it moist and keep the weeds out.

Do you garden? I've also been collecting so many gardening tips and ideas on Pinterest if you're on there.

Good Old Things

 

What is Spring good for?

I would have to say getting out to explore the simple things around me. In this case, I've had my eye on an abandoned house close by. It sits on private property so I don't want to share the exact name or location to assure it will remain free of vandals. 

I can't help but imagine the families who lived here and wonder why this old beauty was left to decay and have birds roost in the upper levels. When something interests me, I need to learn more about it and I did find out this farm was established in the 1870's by a wealthy tobacco manufacturer. The stables here were one of the dominant racing stables in the 1920's, bringing victories in both the Kentucky Derby and three Belmont Stakes. Today, the farmland around this structure is a self-sufficient stock farm, producing its own grain and supplying other farms as well. It is owned by a wealthy family who chooses to remain private and limit visitors. 

What are your thoughts? Have you been out exploring too?

Introducing Elcee!

Elcee is new and in the shop. I have several new monsters and will be listing them soon. To this little lady, her bag is everything. Inside her bag is her most valuable possession: a needle-felted pet bird with embroidered features!

Harper Joy

Not only is little Harper Joy my newest little cousin, but she is really rockin' her newborn ogre hat! How cute is she?

New In The Shop

Added today! Two new Slithery Snakes. They feature bright, contrasting colors and safety eyes. They are ready to ship and safe for children of all ages.

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!