happy thanksgiving...

i hope that all of you (americans) have a wonderful turkey day tomorrow. even if you don't eat turkey (like me) you can still celebrate the holiday... a (hopefully) relaxing day with friends and family. if you are looking for a fun little turkey craft project, may i suggest this etsy tutorial i did last year with winsome hollow. it's very simple, even (careful) children can do it. it might be a nice turkey day project. it is also a cute table decoration/gift for little ones. it sounds like i'm trying to sell it doesn't it? i guess it's a force of habit when it comes to anything etsy:)

i want to just take a moment and say how thankful i am for you. really, i'm thankful that anyone reads this blog. in a huge sea of blogs, i am humbled that you visit my little corner of the ocean. thank you.

xoxox cary

little penguin...

a new little penguin in the shop today. i love these little guys, they have such quirky personalities. they do take quite a bit of time to make... lot's of little details. i'm trying to keep my fingers busy sewing, but a lot of love and attention goes into each one, which also means a lot of time. i can't do it any other way though. every stitch is important to me. my creations will never be perfect but each one is an individual. that's what i love about handmade. as much as you strive for "perfection", it is the imperfections that make them truly special.

getting very excited for the holidays around here! i hope you are all having a wonderful thanksgiving week.

** for the etsy listing, i'm using the photos i already have from another penguin i made. i don't usually like to do this, but it has been so cloudy here i can't get any clear photos. the picture above is the actual penguin.

inspiration... thursday?

1. cloudy and rainy vases, 2. Untitled, 3. Love for tins, 4. best trash find!, 5. winter conifer, 6. for the love of autumn shrine, 7. Hans Wegner - wishbone chair in blue, 8. ...era uma vez, 9. cones, 10. Untitled, 11. pomegranate seeds, 12. Untitled, 13. used to ..., 14. curves, 15. keeping the time by breaking with gold part II, 16. deer2, 17. gifted with flowers, 18. our sunny hallway, 19. Cooper's Shop (1847), Shaker Village, Pleasant Hill, Kentucky, 20. wip wednesday :: rainbow blanket, 21. walnut linen doll, 22. 365 days of mug shots, 23. forsaken no more..., 24. Birdalope linen pillow

maybe i should change the name of this series? wednesdays are hard. i probably do need a lot of inspiration on these days. today it is a thursday though... my one day a week set aside for nothing:) i like this day. no school, no classes. nothing scheduled but perhaps a park day, if we feel like it. or not. whatever. a stay in your pajamas all morning, and drink coffee, and read, and sew, and play kind of day. they don't always turn out to be perfect days... but at least there is the hope and the prospect. it is something to look forward to. everyone should have that. happy thursday... or whatever day you have for this... do you have special day like this? i hope so!

camels for christmas...

or anytime really. a sweet and simple little fellow, made from wool and alpaca fur (i think, i have had it for quite a bit and can't remember!). the little saddle is made from a vintage doily... doily love continues! this will be in the shop later today... after i recharge my camera battery, which died half way through uploading. oops. it's been one of those weeks.

a penguin and some trees up next! is etsy slow right now, or is it just me? oh well. i'm having fun making these little goodies!

** in the shop now!

i decided to finish the little tree i started. it is listed in the shop now. i'm keeping it at a more accessible price (i hope?), to give my shop a little bit of a range. i think it is a simple, sweet little tree and it's made from wool and cotton, with a hand painted base and vintage button. more to come in different styles and colors.

inspiration wednesday (yes it's been awhile)...

1. rise and shine, 2. Little Bouquet, 3. leaf crown, 4. surrounded, 5. 8.30, 6. sunset, 7. traversing leaves, 8. Untitled, 9. fall loves., 10. leaves, 11. Untitled, 12. sunlit leaves, 13. swan dwelling., 14. leaf, 15. baby hats and baby toes, 16. banana oat muffins, 17. Wedding No. 99, 18. Fieldmouse messenger, 19. Paper Toy Tintin, 20. ., 21. Untitled, 22. Pumpkin Patch, 23. autumn storm 024hc, 24. golden, 25. marigold dyeing, 26. 1920's Dress, 27. abandoned, 28. The yellow cabinet, 29. Yarn love, 30. The sky, the sea, the waves & the beach, 31. blackbird forest, 32. cornflower blue, 33. scrap buckets, 34. it all ready is better!, 35. wed2, 36. shelving

i cannot believe how long the fall is here in georgia (didn't i say that about the spring?). the leaves have been changing color since september and are still going! the colors are amazing and there are still so many trees to go. except for all the rain (boo) the world looks so beautiful right now (yay). my favorite time of year... except i am sooo looking forward to christmas this year. the last few years have been very humbug, which isn't like me at all. this year, i am already excited. i even bought my christmas cards this week! i never plan early for anything either! we want to decorate the yard with lights, but going to the hardware store and looking at all those extension cords and lights made me realize it looks a lot easier than it is. yikes! well, until then, i get to enjoy a glorious yard full of red, yellow and gold!

a lot of work, a lot of coffee, a lot of distractions...

i have been working this past week on my new winter collection. slow going as usual, with two little ones. i kept my project in the kitchen and tried to work here and there when the children were occupied (my son took the last photo along with a million others. i don't usually let him use my camera, so he was very happily distracted). this little grey donkey is made from a vintage pattern, that i adapted a little to make it more seasonal. i love the idea of the humble little donkey. i tried to capture a sweetness, and the image of the donkey as both a companion and helpmate to humans. i made some little trinkets for the baskets that will come with him, but they can be removed and seasonal nature items like evergreen or berries can be added. i plan to make a little brown donkey an white one as well... but next up, i think will be a penguin. or maybe a deer? or my tree project i have abandoned? too many ideas and not enough time!

** next post i will share some halloween/birthday photos!