Summer!

I have never been a huge fan of summer. . .I grew up in suburbia, no siblings, and spent most of my summers out of school with my cat watching reruns on tv, or playing at the neighborhood pool. I love to learn, so schooltime was my favorite. Now as a mother of 3 LITTLE boys and a baby girl, summer is quickly becoming my favorite. We have adopted holistic living, and are enjoying planting as many gardens as our lot can support and our family can care for, and are loving it. Today I'm featuring my Summer Leaves New Baby Blanket and Hat Set. . .perfect size for a new little one and a perfect weight for this time of year. Mention my blog to get 10% off and free shipping in the USA. Happy June!

Little Sprout

So, my little darlin' is here. :) She was born at home as planned on April 6th, in the morning, with the windows open, birds chirping, and caught by her wonderful Daddy (though our fabulous midwife was here also). We are rejoicing in God's tremendous blessings, enjoying this special time with her, and her three older brothers are just thrilled. We now have four children age 5 and under, and are loving ever minute with them all. They are so precious and each have such unique personalities. At the very end of my due date, our baby still hadn't made her appearance, but I was delighted to be featured on the front page of etsy with my Sprout cocoon set - http://www.etsy.com/listing/43107423/leaf-sprout-pea-pod-cocoon-hat-newborn-s It was a really wonderful surprise at the end of an otherwise uneventful milestone, so today I'm featuring that cocoon set, and offering 15% off if you mention my blog at checkout (to be refunded via paypal). Hope everyone's enjoying this season of fresh air, sunshine, and new life!

More Baby Month

Well, I have a week until my "due date", and am still enjoying creating baby things. . . I recently was approached by a friend from high school who is now a photographer, and wanted to use one of my new cocoon and hat sets for an upcoming shoot. I have been really enjoying making these, and with easter right around the corner as well, they are very versatile for springtime. So, today, I'm going to be featuring my new custom cocoon set http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=42879365, featuring the photography of ThorPhoto (www.thorbisher.com). Free shipping if you mention my blog, and I do them in any custom color combo your heart desires. Happy springtime, and all of the goodness of this fruitful season.

Baby Month

I know it's been a long time since I've updated, but I can say that it is thrilling how busy I've been with etsy, and just keeping up with my little ones the past 2 months. This month my two youngest have birthdays, and I'm also due to have a baby at the end of this month, so we are "nesting" and of course rearranging the house, and so on, so that we don't have to think about doing any of these things after the little one is here. This is our fourth, though, so we have done this three other times previously, and life just happens. . . of course there are things that you think of that you need to do after the baby is born, there just are, you just can't plan for everything. Thankfully I have the best husband ever and he just loves to ride the wave of my nesting instinct, and sweetly embraces the chance to rebolt all of the furniture to the wall in a slightly different spot. What a trooper! :-)

Today I'm featuring my octopus blanket, because I'm getting all ready for little baby to come soon, and I have been inspired as of late to explore baby knit items (or the lack thereof in some instances), so anyways, I love these colors, and how fun the octopuses are to play with. http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=41131048
I'll offer free shipping and 10% off this featured item this month to anyone mentioning blog in checkout (or at least until this child decides to come, and I go on "vacation mode"). :-)

Spring IS Coming SALE

So, I know it's been a really long time since I've updated. . .these things happen. . .but I think my mom is pretty much the only one who reads it anyways, Hi Mom! :-)

So, since spring is around the corner, and I do make scarves, hats, and the non-beachy like. . .I'm having a sale. Spring really will be here eventually, really. . . no really. . . but in case you need a little reminding that the bike path will be thawed out again someday, I am featuring my yellow bicycle scarf, great for any cycling enthusiast who can hardly wait to get back out there when it finally gets above freezing. Mention that you saw my blog post, and I'll throw in free shipping at the check out. . . either convo prior to checkout and I'll change the shipping price and reserve it for you, or checkout and I can refund shipping via paypal when you add the note about the blog. Either way, you will be keeping warm and counting down till that glorious green grass returns.

:-)

Falling Leaves

Time seems to be flying by, and the leaves are also. . . already it's almost November. I love these days, with the crisp weather, the wonderful aromas, and cozy plans for warm and peaceful days inside. The changing seasons always give a change to lifestyle for us Ohio-dwellers, and I think for most of us it is embraced warmly, at least until January. . .then we wish we lived where it was a tad warmer! Anyways, I can't help but wish to feature my Autumn Tabletopper. . . good for apples and dips, a bowl of warm cookies and cocoas, or any other gathering you can imagine. Functions as fun centerpiece, with attached coasters, each coaster different, so hopefully everyone can keep track of "whos is whos" :-) Also in many other color combinations, and I can do custom whatever your heart desires. Keep warm, and don't rake too hard! :-)

Back to School

I always love the back to school season, though it's been 10 years since I graduated high school, and 6 since college, I just love the fall colors, and the idea of looking forward to school time starting. I always loved school, and everything that happened throughout the school year so much, that I usually didn't really look forward to summer coming. I know, weird. Hope everyone has a great back to school time. . . my oldest will be starting kindergarden this year, but we've chosen to homeschool. We are thrilled to have him home and to teach him ourselves, but since my husband and I were both public schooled, and we loved it so much, we are really hoping to give him as delightful an education as we both had. Today I'm featuring my child's cowl in primary colors, mixed with woody browns in chenille to give it softness, sheen, and that cozy fall feeling. :-)

Hippie?

So, last night I baked my first loaf of home ground wheat bread. I had made bread before, but this time, I had just gotten a grain mill, and ground our own flour from whole wheat berries. It was positively delicious, and is so much better for you, preserving all of the vitamins. I said as such on facebook, and now one good friend says, "I always knew you were a closet hippie". . . am I? Hmmm. I don't think of myself at all as a hippie, but what are the standards for hippiedom? Anyways, today I'm featuring my new "leaf table-for-two placemats". . . fun leaf coaster sprig attatched to each placemat. . . so you and a friend can bake your bread and eat it to. Far out! :-)

Rainy Day

Today, overall has been rainy. I love the rainy days. . . not only do we enjoy listening to it through the open windows, but I get to read to my boys more (since they're not playing so much outside), and the veggie seeds that we just planted yesterday (yes, yesterday.... we're going to get the most we can out of that garden this year!) get watered. For the love of the rainy day, I'm featuring my raindrop toddler hat. Fun raindrop on top moves as child jumps, runs and plays. Hasn't this been the best July weather Ohio can ever remember? Ahhhh. :-)

Treehuggin' Rocks

Over the weekend, I got to hang with many of my family, and I have an uncle in particular, who has always been very green. He basically eats only what he grows in his backyard, makes his own wine from his fruit trees, reuses as much as possible before recycling, and he even uses a scythe to cut his grass. He only puts out one bag of garbage every couple of months. . . awesome! So, to honor him today, and his love of nature and eco-friendly living, I'm featuring my tree scarf. Tunisian crocheted from cotton (vegan of course), this not-too-bulky scarf is a dedication to respectful, simple, clean living. :-)

Beach Baby Blanket

My father's birthday was a lot of fun, he is now back on the bike path, enjoying the beautiful weather. We have the bike trails here, which are wonderful. . .they take the old train tracks in this area, and have converted them to bike paths. . .there are many sites for this, but here is one that I like: http://www.miamivalleytrails.org/whats.htm . It's called "Rails to Trails", with the motto "Spikes to Spokes", and it is changing the way many in this area commute and spend their recreational time. Hopefully you're also enjoying the beautiful weather. Speaking of, here is one of my favorite summer items, inspired by the idea of having fun in the sun, this is a very "fun" baby or toddler blanket. Each sea creature is crocheted freeform, which means it was created without a pattern, so each one is one of a kind, and unique. I enjoy the freeform crochet, and have had requests to create many different shapes...so far they have all worked out, from cupcakes, to flowers, to flamingos. Anyways, I always enjoy a challenge.

Blog Startup

I am finally getting around to starting up my blog. It was mainly considered to link with my etsy page, as to my ideas, inspirations, and just a fun way to share. The cat is my cat, who was just returned to us after 7 months separation, as we had lived in Baton Rouge temporarily over the winter. . .now we are back at our house, and everyone is getting settled. We have "re-moved in" as we are terming it, since our young children are now a little older, and new arrangements were desired for sleeping and storage situations (aka: momma has had it with toys everywhere...we were in desperate need of safe, yet simple storage furniture..."bravo zulu" to Ikea's Trofast, it has worked wonders in the past month). Anyways, the cat is a himalayan, which is supposedly hypoallergenic (I have no problems with her), and she is very good with small children. All of my items that I create generally stay in a particular room (the "creative" room), in which she does not roam. The bicycle coaster was an idea I originally got from my father's love of the bike path and road cycling. His cherished road bike is blue, and so I made one for him, and decided to make another to share with all of you. I can make them in any color, of course, and have also made them in a wholesale lot, which I am also happy to do. My dad puts more miles on his bike than his car, by far, and in a community online site where he tracks his milage, he is second in the state. . .Ride on, Dad!! He turns 60 on Monday, happy birthday!!! :-)