Fabric Joy...

My mother-in-law Jeanne, was kind enough to give me a gift certificate to SuperBuzzy for my birthday. I eagerly shopped for a few goodies I'd been drooling over and in a blink of an eye, the box arrived! I'm so excited about everything I ordered and it was all better than expected (a rarity when shopping online). What shall I make???

1. curtains for the little ones room
2. something pretty
3. something secret for an upcoming birthday
4. the beginnings of a new quilt???

Bon Voyage!

You say Hello, I say Goodbye...

Packing these little one-of-a-kinds cuties up today... they're headed to Bear Paths to find new homes!

Good Luck!

Do you have a lucky charm?

I've been collecting little items of luck for a number of years now (here's a small sample I had on hand this morning)... I think it all started when I was a kid, my mom and I would look for four leaf clovers whenever we went for a walk. I have to say, I got quite good at spotting them.

What else is a Murphy to do?
We have to do something to combat that pesky Murphy's Law.

Spring...

A Minneapolis March...

68 °F and Perfectly Clear.
seriously!

The doors are flung open for the first time this year, and I think all the dirty snow banks have melted. It is amazing to think that just last week it was so cold.... ahhh the joy of the Minnesota March: you never know what you'll get. So for now, I have the doors wide open and I'm enjoying the breeze. Everything is gently blowing in the studio and nothing could make me happier than feeling the sun and the outside air on my skin (without 15 layers).

In the morning...

Is there anything better than a little espresso and steamed milk in the morning? I think I day dream about coffee more now that I'm pregnant and have given up caffeine, but I have to admit it was one of those perfect morning pleasures that would pull me out of bed with it's lure of warm joy. These days I occasionally have a nice decaf in the AM, but I pretty much just stick with my tea. All this is just the prelude to the real purpose of this post. I've been collecting pots by Ayumi Horie for the last 4 years, and now with my cupboard well stocked I have a number of perfect cups to choose from for my morning beverage. While I miss the little dose of caffeine, I still have to smile at the warm pleasure of just holding one of her perfectly imperfect pots in my hands. See all of her work on her website where you can also do some quality shopping.

Half Dressed Fowl

Soooo, this is the other new pattern I've been working on!

(I can't seem to keep a secret for long)

I designed the chick first (you can see the idea in the works in my sketches), and was so pleased with his egg shaped body I decided to see how a duck would turn out. Their legs and getting them to easily stand was a bit of a trick, but after a little finagling they are stable and happily free-standing fowl. I used an amazing vintage thread wrapped wire... I'd never seen anything like it before I found it in a vintage shop a few years ago. It's ridged and once bent stays put, not to mention, it's beautiful. For the duck, I covered the wire (what a shame) with wool felt in order to get proper duck feet. I'm excited about their potential outfits... so back to work. I have to dress a brood.

They are multiplying!

I'm really excited about the new rabbits I've been working on...
Jay stopped by the studio yesterday, while I was working on a few other new things (more info on that later) and he called these brown bunnies: Panda Rabbits. Well, I'm not so sure about that, but the little eye patches are a new trick and I'm liken it! Still not sure how I will finish all three of these, but genius could strike at any moment....

from my sister... just for today

Imagining a cake* full of cute...
*(yellow cake with chocolate frosting, please)

(Celebration Candle Kids from the Small Object)

in progress... and day dreaming of spring

Sketches for new pieces...and hello!................................

A new pattern for a Lookout Bunny...

and more little ones on their way!

burrrrrrrrrr

A Minneapolis March...

3°F and Clear with a Windchill of -20°F
seriously.

Here in Minnesota we are a hearty stock, but let me say it is March... and this sort of cold makes me a little crazy. It's fine in January but it's no longer January. When I walked my dog this morning my hair and scarf froze from my breath just hitting them. Jessie the old dog and I pattered around the block hoping not to fall because just beneath that layer of snow which fell last night, was all of February's melted snow now a solid sheet of ice. We made it with all of our limbs in tact (happy to report none were lost to frost bite) and without slips or falls... just very cold cheeks.

Ohhh well... it is sunny, so why compain?