...chocolate air...

gorgeousness.

I have a category for some of my favorite internet links titled, yes, "gorgeousness". I thought I'd share a few of them with you, for those who aren't familiar with these sites.

Firstly, if you have never been to etsy.com... then what the heck are you doing HERE?! Stop reading my blog and get yourself over there to start browsing! For example, yesterday I received these lovely postcards in the mail, from one of my favorite shops, Sarah Jane Studios. I ordered a set of the cards on the left, and Sarah Jane included the one on the right also. I absolutely adore her illustrations. Her monthly series? Genius.

And then today, my other cards arrived that I ordered from Sarah and Abraham. I just found her shop, and I'll definitely be stalking it on a regular basis. I love the silhouettes so much.

Another favorite... Belle and Boo. Good heavens. I want one of each, starting here, I think. Or here. Or possibly here...

Ummm... I'll stop here, because if my husband is reading this, he's probably starting to get worried.

it's sunday at 5:00.

We come home from church and are hungry. Mike makes a sandwich. Zach heats up some macaroni.

I am eating chocolate chip cookie dough with a spoon.

works-in-progress. (and one finished!)

Oh, no. I'm having bloggers' block. The photos will have to suffice for today.

Here's a little pilot's cap I stitched up for my friend Jennifer's baby. I certainly did NOT knit the outfit, but darn, it looks cute together, and that hat was tough to photograph. I'll have to get some pictures of the little one wearing it when he arrives. (And yes, Jennifer, I will really be plaguing your boy with my camera. In therapy years from now, he'll be saying, "All I can remember from my early childhood is this odd click-clicking sound. It was relentless.") Anyway, really cute little hat, and so easy.

And here's a glimpse of another little project that I'm pretty excited about, and need to get cracking on. Let's hope it turns out!

home at last.

*I've got plans in the works for some new projects this year, but I need your help. Please click on the Comments button below this post, and let me know what your favorite nursery rhymes/fairy tales are. Thanks!*

And a little love to share. Zach really, truly adores his floppy little stuffed animals. They all have voices and personalities, and they get carried around everywhere. This particular one has always been a favorite of his, but she got lost at my parents' house for a few months. She is safe at home now, and has been his sidekick all week.

folksy.

I feel like 2008 has thus far been a complete whirlwind. There has been much happening here, but at the same time, nothing really to blog about, and no brain cells to spare to blog with. Crazy stuff, people.

I thought I'd better make some appearances here, though, to show that we are alive and well. My sister came over the other day, and we decided to start plowing through my recently organized craft supplies and actually make things. And we did. I wish I had a photo of the bird mobile she made. Too cute.

I decided to make my first stab at working with wool felt. So I tossed a couple of 100% wool sweaters in the washer on hot, dried them, and was ready to slice them up and create this little guy:

The whole idea of making a sheep out of wool makes me happy. It's so full-circle, in a silly kind of way. And I have to say, I was really digging the wool felt. It was so very easy to stitch up, and it just felt good to be using recycled, real materials rather than synthetics.

I'm not entirely sure if I like this sheep, and think I will use a different design in the future. But still, in a folk-art sort of way, he's growing on me.

quick holiday recap.

Ummm... yeah. Number of handmade Christmas gifts given: eight. Number of handmade gifts I remembered to photograph for your blogging pleasure: zero. Sorry!

For my parents 40th wedding anniversary, I made them one of these accordian photo galleries. Oh, so cute! But not as easy to make as the article implies, due to the fact that I couldn't find the right supplies and had to improvise. Also unphotographed.

My favorite Zach moment this holiday season? At church they of course discussed the nativity story, and then the kids were each supposed to draw a Christmas scene to hang in their home. Some kids drew elaborate nativity scenes, while others chose to ignore the religious aspects and just draw trees and gifts. Zachary? Zachary drew a tiny donkey in the middle of the page. Mary and Joseph's donkey, of course. And at the top, in huge letters... the donkey's name, PATI. The world according to Zach.

Here are a few random family snapshots from Christmas, taken mostly at my parents' house. (Nope, none of me. But there's my good-looking husband on the bottom left.)