Design collection for kids

I just got this in the mail, I can't wait to do some stuff out of it. I'm thinking that some of these designs would be cute on little jean skirts. Or on little cards. Or on onesies. Or my possibilities are endless!

More China Free

So, Jennifer, at Infinity More Monkeys is an amazing person. I still can't figure out the whole link thing, writing in my blog, but please click on her in my side bar to check her out. I so super appreciate the support for the China Free Christmas that she's given me. It's wonderful to feel like you're doing something impossible, but knowing that you have support out there for it. Just maybe we'll make a difference! If that makes any sense.
Today on our drive home from the mountains I was trying to make out my kids Christmas list. I almost gave up. It seems every single thing they were saying they wanted was MIC. Disney Fairie princesses, Lego x-box game, American Girl doll clothes, Red power ranger costume, etc, etc, etc. Can you even go into the Disney store and find something that's not? I do know that Playmobil is ok and so are Legos. A bunch of Step 2 and little Tykes products are made in the US. Handmade is great, but there's just not enough time to get everything done that I want to do. I'm also too much of a pefectionist. I'm not giving up though. I want my kids to know that this is important. That we need to be the change we want to see in the world. I want them to know I'm taking a stand for something and not giving up. Wow, look at me feeling all passionate! Maybe at some point I'll even make a little button up or whatever to put up on my sidebar. Here's to a Made in Somewhere Else Christmas!

stitching

I'm totally doing this! Now to draw out ideas....

80% of your body heat is lost through your head

Or something like that. However, 4 little lucky nieces and nephews I know will keep their body heat this winter, since I finally got all these off my needles. FOr the baby ones I use the Debbie Bliss Baby knits book and for the big kids I use the pattern in the Klutz book of knitting. It's always so strange when I'm done knitting a project. I think next I'll start the knitted rag dolls.
By the way, it's an interesting thing trying to take pictures of ice cream cone cupcakes by using the scanner! Today for school Miss C wanted to take cupcakes in. She only needed 35. I made the recipe, it was new to me so I didn't know how full to fill them. About a 1/4 of them boiled over while they were cooking. I know that these are for small children, but I just couldn't do it. I just couldn't bring myself to send messy looking cupcakes to school, so I got out another cake mix and spent the evening making 6 dozen cupcakes in all. I know all those little children are going to take a moment before they bite into their little cone today and just think how perfect and non-messy they are.

Halloween stuff

Today was much better, thank you so much for all the uplifting words. I should know better than to try and post a blog entry when I've had a horrible day. At the same time though, I really needed the support and I'm not afraid to admit that. So thanks again.
In an attempt to get more into the Halloween swing of things around here, the kids and I made these today. I get the pattern from thetoymaker.com. She has amazing free patterns for very beautiful paper toys and things. I loved how they turned out. We actually ended up doing them for girl scouts tonight. My sugar skull molds came in today also and we made those. We also had Mexican hot chocolate and sweet bread (YUM!) It was fun teaching the girls about the Day of the Dead. I will try and post pictures of it later. Anyhow, it was wonderful teaching the girls about a new culture. I think it's so important for us to realize we all share this planet. I love learning things about different cultures. Someday when I grow up, I would like to be a cultural anthropologist.

In a rut

Do you ever have those weeks where you just literally walk around the house in circles trying to get things done? It seems for the past 8 months I've had this problem. Oh sure, I do accomplish a little something here and there, but for the most part things are just not happening.I don't have a good routine. I don't feel like myself. I feel so inadequate sometimes. I find a lot of times I just feel blue and pessimistic. I feel like I'm trying to fake my way through things. And why can't I even get my house clean?! I'm overwhelmed. It's such a double edged sword though. If I don't have a project, I'm even more miserable. Sigh. I need to have a date with my husband. I need to heal the huge crack on my toe that comes from wearing sandles in chilly weather, I need to scrub my toilets, I need a good make-out session, I need to know my kids are going to bed happy. I need to close all the windows and doors and run around the house singing to Johnny Cash. These are all realistic goals for the week. Maybe some of them will get done. If anything, I need a clean toilet.

Cities

American Cities That Best Fit You:

60% Seattle 55% Austin 55% Denver 55% Honolulu 55% Miami

Which American Cities Best Fit You?

I'm really amazed that Denver made it into this list, seeing as how I don't really care for this place. During the summer it's not too bad, but I could really do without the snow! Especially the 6 inches we woke up to this morning....it's only October! I don't enjoy snow. I hate being cold. I hate getting stuck in it. I don't like how it's gross after the first day. I don't like having to put on millions of items of clothing onto everyone just to run to the store. Really I could do without the stuff. I enjoy it maybe once a year when we have that magical moment of playing outside all together and then coming in to share hot coco with marshmallows and snuggling up together in front of the fire. That's when snow is ok.

Skull obsession

Yesterday I found myself a new obsession for the week. This is not good, because I really do have a ton of other things I need to be doing. However, I have decided that it's very important that my Brownie girls learn about Day of the Dead at our next meeting. And to do this properly we need to make Sugar Skulls. Doesn't that sound high priority to you? Anyhow, I went to mexicansugarskulls.com and they have a bunch of different molds. These are the two that I got. I can't wait to get them! I'm also very excited about the Frida skulls. I love her. Everything about her inspires me, what better way to celebrate your favorite artist than by eating a chocolate mold of their skull? Next I'm looking for Frida rubber stamps, I've seen them, I just haven't taken the time to hunt them down yet. Anyhow, I'll be planning this week on how to do our meeting next week. I have to be careful not to offend anyone religiously, which can always be a challenge. I also want to work in one other craft, a story about why this holiday is celebrated and a treat of some sort. I'll have one hour to do this in. I'll post updates at some point.

Why I love knitting

First of all, has it really been a whole week since I last posted? What's up with that? I suppose part of it is that my crap digital camera has officially died. It's hard to scan cupcakes and candy filled mummy paper bags and attempts at making other things. I can't do a post without a picture, so I've neglected my poor little blog. I promise I will pay more attention to you this week!

Today my little miss 7 year old finally finished her scarf that she's been working on since last Spring. I am so proud of her. It's over 4 feet long with fringe and everything. I love knitting. There's such a primitive joy in it. I love knowing that it's something women all over the world do. That women going back hundreds of years have done this. That I could go sit in a room of females of all ages and languages with some needles and have something in common. I love the usefullness of this craft. How it helps warm my family. How it's so affordable. I love knitting.

Not sure...

what to do with this yet. I made it today while watching General Conference. It was fun to just have an easy project to whip up in a couple of hours. I'm not sure how I'm going to finish it off yet. Also, I think I may have to redo the lambs face, it looks somewhat like a small hairy piglet right now. Things to ponder.....

Menagerie

I just heard that there was another huge toy recall. I know I am doing the right thing with the China free Christmas. I really hope that some crazy thing never happens and China self implodes or sinks into the middle of the Earth. We are so dependant on them for everything. I'm actually quite amazed at all that I've been able to pull together so far. At some point I may make a list with links and pictures. Someday when the baby isn't crying and the kids aren't fighting while I'm posting this instead of vacuuming etc...etc..etc..
Oh, these are some wooden animals I made to put up as magnets on the fridge. I just used cookie cutters as my patterns and cut them out of poplar with the scroll saw, then painted them and gave them 7 coats of high gloss varnish. I love varnish. And laminating. Everything looks so much better when it's all shiny.