Days 11 & 12

Just wanted to follow up with the last two posts for the 12 Days of Christmas projects at Simply Homemade
  I think I'm in love!

11 Pipers Piping  by Lauren Zabaneh



and finally

12 Drummers Drumming by Jo Neville



These 12 how-to projects have been fantastic, really enjoyed each and everyone.  Not to mention I now have more blogs to follow.

Tomorrow, if I can find batteries for the camera I have a little stocking swap to share!
Angie

And the winners are...

Blessings from Cindy, Kim, and Sarah

Thank you ladies for playing along!!

10 Lords A-Leaping

Guest Post : Simply Homemade 

Ten Lords a-Leaping 

In Victorian times paper dolls called Jumping Jacks or French “Pantin” were a popular toy.  Children would cut out each piece of the puppet, assemble the joints then string would be tied together to make the arms and legs to dance about.

This puppet came to mind when working on a the 12 Days of Christmas Project:

A 10 Lords a-Leaping Pantin.   

Supplies:

Empty Wooden Thread Spool

6” Dowel

Acrylic Paints (red & green)

Wooden star

Double sided tape

Gold glitter

Black ink

Black fine tip marker

Tinsel string

Foam pop- dots

Espresso Alcohol ink

Small poly bag

Small number stamps

Brads

String

Small bell

Print copy of the paper doll & crown (provided) on heavy cardstock

Scissors

To make the base:

Paint green triangles around bottom of spool. Paint the rest of the spool red. When dry even out the look of the green triangles with a black marker.  Run a strip of double sided tape around top edge of spool, expose tape and glitter.  Run 2 additional bands of tape around center of spool and glitter.

Cut a 4” piece of tinsel string and place in poly bag.  Add about 6 drops of espresso alcohol ink into bag, seal bag and press ink into tinsel. Once coated take tinsel from bag and set aside to dry.

Stamp wooden star with “10”. Place a foam pop-dot on back of star and place on center of spool. Take the colored tinsel and wrap around pop dot behind the star.

Paint dowel with red paint, when dry add glue and place into spool.

To make the puppet:

For assembly of the puppet I found it easier to explain by including this excellent picture and directions from the website:

http://www.ekduncan.com/

Credit

Once assembled, embellish the puppet with glitter.  To attach the puppet to the dowel stick, use foam pop-dots on back of head and body.  Add a bell to the end of the string, and make your Lord leap and dance.

It was an honor to participate and I can't wait to see what the next 2 days projects will be!

Don't forget about the cone ornament giveaway, I will be drawing names on the 20th!

Days 5-9

I paused a few days to take care of family business, the boy turned 12 this weekend so a family dinner was in order.  Etsy sales have been swift (thank you so much).  Lastly the tragedy in Connecticut saddened me so much I chose to take a few days to stay quiet and reflect on what we hold dear.

Today I would like to catch you all up of the 12 Days of Christmas crafting projects from Simply Homemade.  Tomorrow is my day so be sure to pop back in.  The day after that I will do the cone ornament giveaway, so be sure to click on the giveaway button to the right and leave a comment to be entered in.

Five Rings 

by Charlotte of Gin Fuelled Blue Stocking

Six Geese a-laying

Yummy recipes by Lex Smith of Lady Nom

Seven Swans a-swimming

Lauren Engelkemeyer of Clever Betty

Eight Maids a-milking

Kendall, Kate & Emily from Trends With Benefits 

and finally caught up with 

Nine Ladies Dancing

Kirsty of Little Floating Craft Company

Thanks for stopping in.

Christmas Ornament Giveaway

Earlier in the week I rediscovered six cone ornaments made last year. With the hustle and bustle of mid-December I decided it was too late to list them in the shop, so how about a Christmas giveaway?  I bundled them in pairs and will draw three names on December 20th.  To enter just leave a comment on this post.

Days 3 & 4 plus Giveaway news

Three French Hens, a project after my own heart

...image transfers!!!

Take a peek at here at Simply Homemade by Katie at House of Humble

Day four is by Amy Tangerine, ( I love her site...such beautiful updated scrapbook styles)

The directions are on Simply Homemade's Blog page.

Onto the giveaway news.  I'm still cooking up the plans, but leaning toward a 3 day giveaway.  I came across some beautiful Victorian style cone ornaments I made last year, they are getting a quick tweak then a photo shoot   Details tomorrow!

Angie

Day Two

Day two of twelve at Simply HomemadeMag.com  hosts these beautiful stitched turtle doves by Laura at Cupcakes for Clara.

12 Days of Christmas Crafty Goodness

I wanted to share a website with you called SimplyHomemade.  

 A few weeks ago I was asked to be one of twelve bloggers participating in Simply Homemade's Blog Feature- 12 Days of Christmas projects.  I couldn't pass up the opportunity but you'll have to wait until day 10 for my contribution.

Today is the 1st day and I wanted to link up with 

 Lindsey of Hello Hydrangea, and her 

Partridge in a Pear Tree Project 

 .  

Press Play >

I feel like I am getting back out into the world today after being on pause for two weeks. Back to back weekends at Perry Park, seeing old friends, teaching, and scrapbooking were a blast.  In typical Angie style there are no pictures to share.  I think it may be time to consider a new camera.  My current one is getting persnickety...the UBS cable sometimes works, sometimes doesn't...so like most unreliable things it gets left behind.

Before taking off this past weekend I did try to snap some new pictures of the hot air balloons ornaments , managed to get the photos off the camera and they are now listed on Etsy.

A few days of work this week, then time with family.  After that will be the hustle and bustle of Christmas planning and decorating.

Back to Perry

This weekend cannot get here soon enough... it is time to go back to Perry Park!  I'm so excited to spend the weekend scrapbooking, teaching, eating, and generally getting goofy with the gals.  The weather is supposed to be mild and that's perfect for some long calorie-burning walks.  

This is one of the classes I will be teaching this weekend...super cute Santa Boxes.

VOTE

No one in this country should ever have to wait hours to cast a vote.

It should never be a challenge or a matter of endurance...period.

Halloween Charm Swap

Happy Halloween!!  

Today I am linking up to Vintiquities Workshop Charm Swap post.  Below is the one and only picture I have of my little charm. (silly me) I made 3 sets of these spooky polymer clay houses, five black, five orange, five purple, and all with glittered roofs. 

Below are the fantastic charms I received, 15 in all.  No tricks here, just treats.

With 15 pieces to choose from and a small wrist it was too hard to pick, so I made two charm bracelets.  The larger charms I set aside for future mixed media projects.

For more Halloween treats head on over to Thespa's Vintiquities Workshop **HERE** to see posts from the participants.

Setting the Mood

Simple Halloween decor...candles, metal sign from the craft store and handmade glittered light bulb garland.

Changes in the Air

Hot air balloons in progress, though they look a bit like jellyfish at this point. Made these yesterday while mulling over quite a bit of stuff in my head. The Renaissance Souls book recommends keeping focus on four interests at a time.

Wrote a down of all the interests that are currently vying for my attention, all 33 of them...yeesh!  Categorized them into 15 broad interests and from those I should pick 4 to focus on. One that will make it in the final four is to get my Etsy shop prepped for Christmas.  Etsy has a holiday boot camp specifically to help.  I partnered up with the fantastic Laurel Steven, hoping she can give me a swift kick in the pants when I get lazy.

Speaking of Etsy, have you been there today?  The way it is shopped has changed significantly.  They now have a browsing categories on the left side of the home page.  These are a limited number of categories with a Pinterest style of loading pages. **click HERE to see art**  Searching items still works the same way as it did before but with shoppers more easily led to "browsing pages" is it possible that searching the site as a whole will be used less?  Does it have an effect on a small shop like mine? Possibly, only time will tell if it's positive or negative.

The Renaissance Soul

From Madame Memento's Etsy Shop

I have spent a better part of my adult life looking for that one thing I am supposed to be doing.  Bought into the idea long ago that every one has a purpose. After becoming a mom I modified that belief into one that heads in the direction of : we are supposed to live on purpose making whatever we do in life matter in the moment. Still though I find myself forever distracted and thinking it's still out there, still searching and coming up with ideas of things I would like to do. Sometimes serving up so many ideas on my plate I can't do any of them, can't decide which one is the best one to give my time and attention to, so instead I do nothing.  Isn't it crazy to find yourself immobilized by having too may interests?

That is where this book by Margaret Lobenstine comes in.  In the online course someone had commented  that they didn't even know what creative business they wanted to get into because they had dabbled in so many areas of the arts. How could they pick just one to make a business out of? Another 'flyer' suggested she read Renaissance Souls.   I was intrigued.

The book is geared towards those of us who think we are flighty, non committal,  lazy, or chronically undecided.  Those of us who have beat ourselves down because we thought we were seeking one grand plan, the ideal job or career that would make us happy but routinely find failure in that search. As my kids get older and high school looms around the corner I have been feeling that pang of fear again...I must figure out what I'm going to do, I have to plan, I have to find that one thing and be able to see it through to the end.

A while back I applied and interviewed at a big call center, I bombed the online test and felt a bit defeated.  My best-est cousin Debbie made my day when she said it was OK I didn't get the job, she envisioned that me sitting in a cubicle (even part time) was kind of like putting a butterfly in a shoe box. I'm still stunned at how well she gets me and at how hard I fight to fit in a mold not meant for me.

Where is all this going? Not sure, working through the book, learning to focus or pair down my multitudes of interests and commitments so I can move forward.

Few and Far Between

Posting has been few and far between, I do mean to make it a priority.

These are pictures from two weekends ago, a trip to A&M Farms to continue our apple picking tradition.  It was disappointing that an early frost meant there was only one variety to pick. Luckily Robert loves Golden Delicious.

 

This past week Bob & I built a wood rack to try and deal with all the firewood piled up along the fence from the Ash trees cut down in the spring.  The backyard has a steep slope, so it has taken a few designs to come up with a workable option. Our solution, to build a rack that steps up the slope with cinder block and 4x4's.  At 16 feet long by 6 feet high you'd think we would have made a dent in that pile but alas I need to build another...or I have to figure out how to sell firewood.

I'm also in the middle of  Kelly Rae Roberts Flying Lessons online course.  It is chock full of things to ponder (and do) to make a creative business fly.  Reading the comments in the forums I saw a book suggestion for The Renaissance Soul by Margaret Lobenstine.  I found it at the library and was so intrigued by the introduction it became a must read...more on that later.

Angie

Up up and away

Perhaps I am ready to do some traveling, first boats and now hot air balloons?!

 Vintage ornaments, wire, handmade paper baskets and bunting.  I could make a hundred of these.

 Photographing them has proved to be a challenge, I haven't had enough time to work out the things I don't like about these pictures to get to the next stage....listing them (eek).

Have a great weekend everyone.  

Taking a leap

At the beginning of the New Year I made a a few lofty goals/resolutions.  One was to take Kelly Rae Robert's online class Flying Lessons: Tips +Tricks To Help Your Creative Business Soar.  A few weeks ago I got an email saying this was the last time she would offer the ecourse, thought about it for half a second, and decided it was one resolution I really wanted complete.  It just started this past Sunday and I'm on board.  I have a creative business right? I have a blog, an Etsy shop, and a workspace to call my own...not a bad start but I lack goals and have so many fears about possible failure and success that I rarely get anything off the ground.

Today, driving home from the day job I noticed a hitchhiker on my wiperblade.  Kept thinking at each stop I made that he would take his leap, but he didn't.  Instead he stuck with me all the way.  Once home, I snapped a quick pic and left him him peace. 

I took a few minutes to read online about grasshopper symbolism and found this interesting bit of mythology:

green grasshoppers indicate fresh starts (new beginnings), as well as the concepts of youth, rejuvination, sentimentality, nature, adventure, growth and health.

Well then...

Summer is sailing away

I am constantly amazed by how fast time moving.  September already, kids in school, fall sports in full swing, and I'm finally posting pictures of creations made weeks ago.  

Have to say that these boats would still be unfinished if not for the fantastic advice of PatinaMarie...thank you Tina for sharing your ideas.  

Step back in time

Had a free thirty minutes today before the kids got off the bus, spent that time browsing in the National Photo Archives.Want to step back in time to 1940's?

Mr. Mraz

Last week Bob and I went to a concert...no, really!!!   Pretty sure I haven't seen a concert in 10 years, though I'm also pretty sure there are others who can dispute that. Bob gently insisted we get tickets the day they went on sale (way back in April), spent some serious cash but we had good seats.  Be still my heart...I adore this man and his music...

and
then
I
forgot
my
camera!

Let me tell you cell phone cameras just don't cut it...oh well.

Kentucky State Fair 2012

Kiddos entered 4-H photography in the State Fair so we made the drive to Louisville yesterday.  It has been so crazy here we almost forgot about going at all; luckily Thursday happens to be the only evening of the week we have no where else to be (shh keep that under your hat or the kids social secretary will find out and toss more on our plates)

 Of course we have to share this years' newest deep fried State Fair food adventure...Girl Scout Cookies...ew?!?  Maria said she'd pass on trying them but Robert was really curious about deep fried Thin Mints.  I think the jury is still out, he ate 3 of the 4 but stopped once I assured his that just because we bought them didn't mean he had to eat them.

The weekend is upon us, looks like more heat and no rain.
Have a great one,
Angie