HALLOWEEN CHENILLES

As you can see, I have been working non-stop trying to complete my Halloween treats! I made these chenille ornaments oversized (usually they are sized for feather trees). These are 6" long and the wing span on the largest bat is 12''. The jointed skeleton is from a 1964 Jack and Jill magazine. (he is strung with silver cord and dusted in german glass glitter). I have 2 other styles completed and am working on vintage style glass ornaments as well.

FALL!!!!!

It's almost fall, my favorite time of the year!! It has been a very busy summer and I am glad for the opportunity to finally get back to my computer. I have been busy working on several projects. The first is my cornucopia/cone. I have made these with handmade paper, rusted wire, bells and pins, vintage images, antique shoe buttons and various trims,garlands and crepe paper. Each has a special spell or charm.

Pamper Your Mother (and me too!!!)

BATH COOKIES

2 cups of Sea salt or rock salt 1/2 cup Baking soda 1/2 cup Cornstarch 2 tbs of Almond oil 1 tsp Vitamin E oil 1-2 eggs 6 drops Essential oil Makes 10-12 cookies depending on size.

DIRECTIONS
These bath cookies make fantastic gifts any time of the year. Mix all the ingredients together in a bowl. Cut the cookies out with cookie cutters or flatten balls to form a cookie shape. Bake at 350'F (180'C)for 10-12 minutes. Allow to cool. Use 1-2 per bath by adding them to running water. Wrap these in air tight packaging or seal them in an airtight container. These cookies will last several months maybe longer. The picture above is of chocolate chip bath cookie. Just sprinkle in 2 tbs of chocolate spinkles or chocolate chips.

This recipe is from http://www.craftbits.com/ and I think it's going to be my Mothers Day pick this year! I will add special teas, scones, homemade herbal eye wraps, candles and a handmade washcloth (http://www.knittingpatterncentral.com/directory/bath.php ). I must remember to mark these as non-edible (and keep away from wee ones and husbands) they just look good enough to eat!!

I am a daughter to two mothers (Kate and Gloria) a mother myself, grandmother and great grandmother. This sounds like the perfect treat for all the glorious women in my life! I do hope I have enough time to make all the face cloths!

Wee Snippits

Well as you can see I've been busy! These are my newest - Wee Snippets.

I've been making these for years now as gifts and thought I would see if there is a market for them.

They are 3 to 5 inches long wrapped with cotton or wool and then their clothes are sewn on . As with all my people they are made with bits of this and snippets of that

(mainly chenille stems and felt). I have also used German glitter glass, antique doll and shoe buttons.

Just want to recommend a great book (and the first in a series). If you haven't read Alexander McCall Smih you're in for a real treat! This is Wikopedia's synopsis.

The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency is a series of nine novels (as of 2008) by Rhodesian-born author Alexander McCall Smith. The eponymous agency is located in modern-day Gaborone, capital of Botswana. Its founder is a fictional Botswana woman, Mma Precious Ramotswe, who features as the stories' protagonist and main detective.
The episodic novels are as much about the adventures and foibles of different characters as they are about solving mysteries. They must be read in order of writing as, although each book is complete in itself, each book follows on from the previous book.
A TV series of 13 episodes is to be produced by the BBC to be shown on BBC One in the UK and on HBO in the US. An hour and three-quarter long pilot for the series was broadcast on BBC One on 23 March 2008 (Easter Sunday) with filming of the remaining episodes to commence during the summer.[1]

I loved this series and hope that the BBC version does it justice! (May have to install HBO for this one!

Sharon

I am a collect-aholic! I admit it and sometimes think there should be meetings to cure this addiction! Ephemera, bits of this and that. I readily admit that I can no longer close drawers and closets. I take great joy in a stash of buttons and pieces of ribbons. Old toy pieces and broken clocks. Who knows where this will end. I have nightmares of a rumble and a cascade of THINGS spilling forth!! I will try to post some of my creations but I seem to have lost my camera under a pile somewhere. Gee...I wonder where I left my husband???

For years I have been making "My Winter People" and sharing them with friends and family. When people started requesting them a small business was begun. I have never been very mechanical or machine oriented (I barely squeeked by a typing course back in high school -way way back!). So when my family suggested I start selling them over the internet I dug my heels in. Well never say you can't teach an old dog new tricks. Here I am writting blogs, selling on ebay and etsy and meeting people that I never would have otherwise. I joined yahoo groups and have met some wonderful new friends. I am now working on posting some of my Winter People. Please let me know what you think of them.Sharon