What a smashing, positively dashing spectacle

Can't wait for tonight! We are going to see My Fair Lady. It's a touring company and we know someone in the pit orchestra who helped us get what are supposed to be great seats.

good morning

Amaryllis with morning sunshine.

Happy Birthday Mom

Her birthday was Friday and so I can now post pictures. These are my first ever pair of mittens. Made from Autunno super soft merino yarn in "Crysolite Green".
Then I made her a purse from this cute "goldfinch" fabric, black corduroy, and two kinds of ribbon.

Vote yes!

I am not a politics kind of girl, but today is Arts Advocacy day here in MN. A group of arts people from all over the state go to the capitol and talk to legislators about why they should support arts funding. It is organized by a group called MN Citizens for the Arts and a friend talked me in to going. It was terrific. I spent the morning walking around the capitol, met with my representatives with a group of other arts advocates from my neighborhood, and sat in the 3rd floor balcony and watched the House in action. I am fortunate to live in districts which are very arts friendly, so really my legislators are already big arts supporters. By lucky scheduling, the amendment that we were excited about was the one that they were debating this morning. It would add 3/8 cent sales tax that goes to arts, history & conservation - they are calling it the "Heritage Amendment" and you can read a little bit about it at MPR. They voted and passed the bill in the House while I was sitting in the gallery, which was the coolest part of the day! So it will appear on the ballot in November. I was proud to be there.

Valentines Hand Made

I made these fun handmade valentines ideas last year and I forgot about posting them this year! So I have put them together in a slide show for you, so you can have all 10 ideas at once. Happy Hearts Day!

Freezing our $#@%)* off!

First bit of news is that my mini-quilt was not chosen for the show in Brooklyn. Disappointing, but it is part of the online gallery, which is cool.

I got inspired by that one and my hummingbird piece (posted previously) and have created a couple of mini quilts that I will be posting in my etsy shop soon. This is "Bean"


Hand embroidered on pieced cotton and silk, from an illustration I did from a photo of one of my brother-in-law's puppies.

And "Stops Traffic"

New and vintage fabrics, hand-embroidered illustration from a 1960's pattern envelope, vintage buttons.

already better

Today was already a better day before I'd even woken up! As I stumbled out to shovel the sidewalk this morning (Lucy and I stayed up a little too late watching Star Trek), I found to my absolute delight that some kind generous and industrious soul had already done my sidewalk! Thank you to my anonymous benefactor, you made my day! I hope cupid brings you lots of chocolate for Valentines day. Now, the fact that it is 10 pm and I am just sitting down to dinner.. well, that's another story. Happy caucus to everyone. Hope your team wins.

The good and the bad

As I was reading the "Yarn Harlot"'s post today and laughing to myself, I am thinking a list of the good and bad may help me to get perpective on a less than fantastic day.

Good: Cute sweater created from mediocre $3 thrift store sweater. Wore it to work today.




Bad: (grumble grumble work stuff) I don't want to talk about work, except to say staff changes will equal added stuff to the piles of stuff I already have too much of.

Good: Happy puppy to greet me at the door.

Bad: Worked on a project all day long and still not finished. Was really hoping to finish it.

Good: Designed a new business card and found a deal online that will print some for free. Expires today, so I better finish that up. I will show those off later.

Bad: Stupid snow. Enough today so I will have to shovel in the morning. Hate snow.

cupcake & stitch

This is a little playsuit that I embroidered for my new niece. It cme from lands end and has little ruffles on the cuffs and on the butt. Too cute. I decided it needed this little cupcake with sprinkles. I hate making french knots with a passion. They are tricksy and uncooperative. These sprinkles are not french knots! They are a new stitch I learned, called a chinese knot! Let me show you how they are done...



1. Start with your thread coming up from the back (at the little dot). Make a loop that goes around clockwise.

2. Flip that little loop up.

3. Put your needle down through the fabric again right at that same space you came up (the little dot) and making sure your needle is inside the loop you just made. Before you pull the needle through...

4. Pull on the loose end of your thread to make that loop snug around your needle. Then finish pulling the needle through the fabric.

A pretty little knot that can be used just like a french knot! I need to practice some more, but I think this will become my new favorite.