Live to laugh and Laugh to live

New project just about finished, just needs a back, stuffing and edging, and I have 5 more in the works...
Hand stitching is my favorite pastime, along with Crocheting, reading and snuggling. But I do love putting a bunch of found treasures to a square of pieced fabric, and see what comes out of it.

Sewing up a storm here!

These pillows and others can be found on Etsy. My shop name is dawnkristine.
Hope you can find something you like, I will be adding lots over the next few months. I have/am busy. I have a great love for hand stitching and always seem to go back. My grandma taught me when I was about 5-6, and I will always keep this creative outlet in my life!

Miss Personality

Sophia thought it would be fun to pose for me this morning! She put on that hat and did not want to take it off. She puts it on side ways or backwards so she can see better I guess!
This photo helps me imagine what she will look like with hair! Still cute!
Kissy face!
So I couldn't decide which photo to show you all so I went with them all! I just want to kiss those cheeks every chance I get! Still drooling and nose running most of the time...it may be a long winter!

So I better get to it, I plan to update my Etsy shop yet tonight!

Missing my store...

For the first time in 5 years, I am truly missing my gift/floral/interior business. I just looked at the recent blog post on Georgia Peachez
and I am truly missing the merchandising of the Christmas stuff! There are so many great new products out there...I just want to get my hands on them all.

But as I am realizing with 2 small children, and a pretty full schedule, I wasn't even able to participate in the the Christmas decorating at church again this year. I think I was able to get a little bit out of my system when I could work in such a lovely environment, with nice women and nice materials, but no time for that now.

Still trying to get my Etsy store filled up...and I am getting a fair amount of stuff finished.

Oh yeah, the photo is part of one of my new pillows!

Buttons--Buttons--Buttons!!!!!!!!!!

Buttons is right---recently my mom parted with a small portion of her vintage button collection to me. Since I have been so diligently trying to finish my "works in progress," I have been unable to post the goods until now. There are probably close to 1000 1"+ diameter buttons in this collection alone! I am very grateful as you could imagine...and I am having fun pouring over them. You will see many of them in my upcoming projects! Like the one below!

Oh yeah...did I ever show the turkey embroidery I recently did? here it is!
Hope your day is Wonderful and thank you for reading my blog today!

I am crafting...really I am!

I really am trying to get a handle on my Christmas crafts. I have so many ideas, and so little time. I have recently taken a second job, which I actually enjoy, but with Rusty hunting who knows how many days a week, and the girls, and the youth girls from church--- that I love dearly...Wow I am spread thin. Plus I have 2 different friends that have contacted me with business proposals. So my head is spinning, but I am diligent, and motivated and my crafting life will prevail!

Just want to let my blog friends that I am still here, and I have been reading your blogs at night!

Pumpkins...

Sophia and I went with Jurnee to the pumpkin patch for a school trip and I just couldn't resist getting a photo. Trick-or- treating will be on Sunday and photos to follow. We will have a bumblebee and a cheerleader. I will be putting a few things on Etsy late tonight. So be sure to check them out! Also, I will be updating my inspirations list, as I have a few new ones! Check out Sis Boom by Jennifer Paganelli...love it! Have a wonderful day!

AUTUMN

This one of my latest creations. Autumn pillow. I crocheted a motif and sewed it on, to be a flower. I was pleased over-all. I have a few more in progress and hope to get them on Etsy. This one is sold though.

So many things going on here, Rusty's dad has his cancer surgery on Thursday and it went well. So, hopefully he might be coming home sometime this month. He has bee at UW hospital since the middle of July. We are all ready for him to get home.

Jurnee got 5" of her hair cut, hopefully I will be able to post pics soon! I also, reinstalled Windows on my computer on Saturday night, so I needed to reinstall the photo program I used, but I couldn't, and whatever my computer used for the photo above, it worked slicker than I could believe. So now I can get back to posting photos.

Bloggy LOVE

So, Claire from little lovelies handmade, is encouraging the advertisement of the "Handmade Parade" all over the internet! Great idea I do think, only wish I could go...Sacramento CA is a little too far for me that weekend. But if you are in the area...check it out, there will be many awesomely talented vendors there. I looked at some of the work via the web, and I could only wish to be there next Saturday! Give them some bloggy love...


I am looking at my blog today and realize that the "Handmade Parade" postcard that was on my blog yesterday is gone, and I cannot figure out how to get it back! So Later when I have a bunch more time, I can work on it hopefully.

Owl swap-What I sent

This a photo (with my questionable photography skills) of the owl apron I made and sent to Lori in the recent "Owl Swap" hosted by Crafty Carnival. She finally received it, so I am able to post it. So, I have finished another project, and many more on the way, I will try to post it later tonight... The thing is I sold it, and forgot to photo it, but I will go to the recipient's house for a visit later!

Pretty little Chubby Clutch...aka OWL Swap

LOVE LOVE LOVE IT!!!!!!!! In fact, I have been planning to make a few of these, and now I can cross myself off of my list! Lori Marie is so creative! I got a chance to do some surfing last night and I am amazed at how much talent is out there! So many owls...hoo hoo!!! Thank you to Missy Ballance at Crafty Carnival for hosting.

I am on to so many other projects, pillows, Christmas trees, tree skirts and a few baby gifts. Did I tell you that I will be an aunt again? My sister Janell is expecting her first child and I am overflowing with joy for her and her husband Peter! This often crazy life of parenthood is so incredible, I am thrilled to share the joys and woes with her!

FINALLY~~~~~~~~

Finally I have the "OWL SWAP" in the mail! I have stayed away from my favorite blogs this week purposely because I did not want to see other "OWLS" I LOVED doing this project, and spent too much time in the "thought" process. But now, ahhhhh, now I can look at the other projects my fellow swappers have done! Thank you to lori marie for your patience and understanding.

"D" is for paula "Deen"

So, today is packed full of stuff to do. I went to the farmer's market with Jurnee's class at school today. Now I am doing a little phone work, and catching up on blogging. I need to make a birthday cake for Rusty for bible study tonight, so I went to my trusty cookbook... and an undecorated thus far...Texas Sheet Cake. Never did that before, but Rusty will like it I think, we'll serve ice cream also.

I listed some more patterns on Etsy. I watched my friend Kari's children for a little while today. They are such nice boys. We swap children during the day for meetings, school activities, haircuts, sometimes even shopping. But it is nice to have another family to do that with. Next I will be going to watch a tennis match with my friend Jean, (I am not as social as it seems actually.) Then off to Bible study at 6. Whew, then I might be able to craft!!

"C" is for CRAZY quilting again

Well, the photo says it all, I am doing a few crazy quilt pillows again. It is very relaxing to me, but I had a tough time threading the wool thread into the needle today. But otherwise I am enjoying this project. I did decide to put my sewing patterns on Etsy check them out here. I have many more to come so keep looking, also some more of my quilt and pillow projects too!

"B" is for Blog - original I know

"B" is also for blue, not my favorite color. So, this letter thing is not necessarily my idea of fun blogging. But I will go with it for awhile. So, I decided to part with my MANY MANY vintage sewing patterns. At one time I thought I would try to make some of these great styles, but I will not be sewing clothes unless it is my own pattern, (for myself anyway.) I cannot alter a pattern to fit my curves for all the tea in China. The biggest decision was how to sell them, Ebay, Etsy or what? Stay tuned for that update.

Last night I spent some time catching up on my favorite blogs and I want to strongly suggest you check them out. These women are amazing, inspiring, and interestingly refreshing! Turkey Feathers ----- Jen Duncan ----- That silly 'lil doe ----- are just a few.

"A"--------Ahhhhhhhhhhh

Today, the first day of school for many in Wisconsin, brings back many memories. Smells mostly for me, oh yeah, the new school supplies, I still love to get a new pen, or begin a new notebook, and now new craft supplies and tools also give me the calm feeling-- Ahhhhh-- that the fresh new beginning of the new school year brings.


I have a few Ahhhhs today, I finished up some projects and feel Ahhhh that they are no longer looming in my craft room, (or dining room) or in my mind, as I begin my project for the OWL SWAP hosted by the ever talented Missy Balance at Crafty Carnival. Also Christmas projects in the works as well as a few gifts, and a number of other obligations.

Feeling a little fallish

We are so incredibly busy around here, with I don't know what, I guess it is just the home with two small children.
So, this potholder is something I came up with awhile back, and while cleaning & reorganizing my craft room, I found this unfinished little number, and decided to finish it, I am pleased with it, and plan to make more for my Etsy shop.
Speaking of the Etsy shop, I created the shop last year in September I think, and had lots to sell, before I got it all in the shop, I sold it. So I will be more prepared this time around, and I have a few other things coming along. I will report when new items are listed, probably in a couple of weeks.

Update on Rusty's dad, he is getting by, still in the hospital, so far the surgeries he had last week have been successful, he gets rods in his back on Friday.

So, I woke up on Monday morning

So, I woke up on Monday morning and thought, what does Jurnee give for a birthday gift to a 6-year old that has everything? TA DA...



So I busted time and made this apron, and I live by a children's bookstore and picked up a cookbook. Lydia liked the gift very much and so did her mom Becky .
Whew...We have also been busy with other stuff, we drove to Portage, WI and back, quickly this afternoon, for our final homestudy visit - post-placement. So glad that part of the process is over, but I will sure miss Kari my social worker, she was wonderful during both of our adoption processes.

1969 Blogging

As you may know I went to my hometown last weekend with the girls for a visit. My grandma, (the source of much of my stash) gave me some old craft books. These are real treasures! The yellow copy of "Dolls" I found so interesting, published by a woman in Wisconsin in 1969, the cost $1. This publication includes numerous addresses and short bios of doll crafting women from all over the US & Canada. On the table of contents page it reads:
"I am happy to present this book of patterns which have been sent by readers. To the 'Doller' these patterns should prove interesting. Happy Dolling to all, and may you find the contacts you hoped for in these few pages."

I am amazed that the need for "crafting" contacts and fellowship that the bloggers enjoy today was made a reality through "snail mail" in the 1960's. These patterns are great too.
All of the books I received from my grandma have some very interesting patterns actually, and I plan to share more once I get through them fully. My grandma is the BEST EVER!!!!!!

SWEET 16

My dear friends got me motivated for this sweet treat. Jean needed a quick sweet 16 gift add on, and Lisa gave me the verbal tutorial at a park playdate, so here is the finished product!