Tag: ornaments

houses for mouses

mouse house party

So many nice mice! I love seeing what you make.  Check out the fantastic mouses and houses!! by readers below – I love them – every little detail.   This multi level affair is by Maura for her son – I can’t stop looking at it.

mousehouse_maura

mouse house

mousehouse_maura_2

mouse house

mousehouse_maura_3

And A little house in a box by Mama with a Needle and Thread for her little girl – so freakin sweet. Good night little mouse!

mouse house

mama_baby_mouse

Susan added little wooden bases to her dinner place card mice – it’s such a happy crew.

place card mice

happy mice crew

They survived a perilous journey across the couch – stay in a group little mice, stay in a group!

perilous mouse journey

And finally from Larissa – mmmcrafts –  slippers, mittens and snowballs  – I love it.

larissa holland mice

the somewhat weekly newsletter

 

Do you get my free weekly-ish newsletter? There are tips and tricks, ideas, stuff to try, all the latest news and blogposts and extra stuff, just for subscribers, delivered mostly on Friday. Pretty much.

handmade christmas

ann wood christmas tree

ann wood christmas tree

I had pretty much talked myself out of a Christmas Tree – one more thing to do- that sort of thing………  And then all of a sudden talked myself right back into it. I already had a tree so why not. Last year I got a living tree – a little Norfolk Pine – and it’s still here, a much more charlie brown sort of affair than it was when I got it last December but alive and pretty well. I’m so happy it survived – they often perish post Christmas and I’ve gotten very attached to it. I got it on a whim (down the street at a deli for 30 bucks) without knowing much about Norfolks; hot, dry, semi sunny New York apartments are not ideal environments for them. When it began to struggle last year I got a tip from a reader (thanks Sally!) to give it a cool shower once in a while and that did the trick. Decoration-wise I wanted to be gentle with it so I kept it simple – mostly things I made (pattern resources are listed at the bottom of the post) and a few heirloom treasures like my Mom’s pink glass beads.  It’s twinkly and festive and makes me happy.  I’m so glad I did it and I hope the tree doesn’t mind to much.

handmade boat ornament
fancy bird ornament
shooting star ornament

ornament pattern resources:

star folk and crate and barrel ornaments

shooting star

I’m shooting pattern steps for some sweet little star folk – there are five stars with different expressions and a sleepy moon. They can be ornaments, a garland, a twinkly mobile or someone could be an adorable meteor shower for halloween.  It’s a quick and easy project – look for the pattern early next week.

starfolk ornaments

shooting star

And in other ornament news – I know it’s early – but in 2013 and 14 I tried to wait until what felt like a festive and civilized time to mention my Crate and Barrel ornaments and they were sold out before I told you about them.  So I’m not taking any chances. You can find the sleepy goats and lambs and baking mice online now and they should be in stores by the end of the month.  I’m pretty excited about them.

sleepy goat and lamb ornaments

baking mice ornaments

sleepy august and a brief survey regarding the holidays

This August feels so thick and slow and sleepy, everything shimmers and that strange cicada sound – it all feels a little otherworldly to me. Even the creatures I’m making are golden and languid. August is also when I work on holiday designs.  I’m planning on some ornament patterns for the shop and I would love your opinion on a couple things. I posted a survey here – it’s super brief – just 3 questions and as a thank you you get a coupon for 30% off patterns   (the survey is closed).  I had fun with my handmade Christmas last year and you can check out that post if you’d like to get an early start – there are links to patterns and free projects and ideas. Also in the holiday department – I just saw samples of designs I made for Crate and Barrel this year and I can’t wait to show you – I’m so happy with them.

Have a lovely weekend – I’ll leave you with a couple sleepy Fortuny creatures.

sleeping  golden fox

fortuny owl louis

louis - fortuny owlLouis,  he got all dressed up for you in his summer best.