Snow and Ice + Cactus

We received lots of snow yesterday.  So, hubby did not have to go to work.  Well....not drive truck anyways.  He had lots of shoveling to do.  Watching are small dogs trying run through the snow after our golden retriever was hilarious.

Before we went to bed, looked out onto the yard and street.  All the snow was now covered in a sheet of ice.  Looks pretty, but......

When I let the dogs out this morning, found that a large brand of our pine tree had broke and was touching the ground, but stuck.  I was worried that either the dogs or the wind would knock it down and through my kitchen window.  Woke up my husband to take it down.

I have a cactus, that was given to me.  It was just a little piece and was told it was a Christmas cactus.  For years, it had stayed real small and now blooms.  Then I sent it home with my son-in-law and he got it to flourish and gave it back.  After a year we saw the first blooms.  Then last year we had lots of blooms.  This year we have 1 bloom.  Might have a couple more later, not sure.  So it always blooms mid Jan.  Is it Christmas cactus?

Knitted Baby Hats and Photo Tiled Pictures

The quilt guild I am in, started looking for projects we could do for charity.  Our hospital said they would love to have blankets and baby hats for the babies born at their hospital.  I found this pattern and could not resist.  I have 3 done so far and another partially done.

We saw tiled pictures at a craft fair.  My husband being a photographer wanted to try it.  So did my dad.  Well I found the info and the supplies.  I got this 5x7 one done, with a photo I took this past fall.  Then the next day my dad came down and he did an 8x10 of a flower.  They turned out great.  Can't wait to see what my husband does.

Cake Pops

I have seen all those wonderful Cake Pops out there and wanted to try them.  I was going to do them for my daughter last October, but had not sticks and could not buy them locally.

Jan 2nd, was my son's 25th birthday.  Now I had picked up the sticks a month ago.  I wanted to try something fun.  So I decided to try and make them look like mugs of beer.  I used a yellow cake mix.  I added some yellow food coloring to the almond bark for the mug part.  The handles are pretzel pieces dipped in white almond bark. I used white frosting on top for the froth.

Unfortunately, this is not my talent and they did not turn out the way I planned.  Hubby says they look like mugs.  My son is suppose to come to town tonight.  I will give them to him then.  Was going to drive to his work with them, but was disappointed in how they looked and did not want his co-workers to see them.

New Tatting Shuttle

I have been having so much fun with my photo jewelry, that it has inspired me to use it in different ways.  So, I thought......can I make a tatting shuttle from it?

My computer had printed out a test photo of some beautiful flowers.  I cut it into shuttle shapes and then did the process.  Here is what came out of it.  And, it works.  I love it.

What I worked on for Christmas

What a busy end of the year.  I had quilts to get done for customers, right up to Thur before Christmas.  Not doing that again next year.  I also was working on gifts for my family and friends.  I really love the new photo jewelry I am making now.  I made several pieces for family and for myself.  I did not take pictures of everything, but here are a few of the things.  I made hair bows for my great nieces with their pictures on them.  I also made one for my dog with her picture on it.  I made a photo necklace with my husband, grandson, daughter & son.  I made one of those necklaces for my sister and one for my sister-in-law.  I made photo key chains for their husbands.  I made bracelets for several people and some earrings.  I made photo votive.  Lots of rings.  I also made this snap bag for a friend of mine.  In the jewelry I am making, there is a technique that looks like the Dichro technique.  I made a piece and turned it into a button.  It is sewn on the front of the bag.  The Batman piece, is artwork that my niece did.  I used it in the photo jewelry technique and made her a necklace pendant.

My sister-in-law and I will be doing a craft fair in Spokane, in March.  I plan to have my jewelry and dog cloths for sale there.  For the photo jewelry, I will be taking orders.  I have so much fun with it.

More framed leaves and Christmas ornament

My husband did another of the framed leaves.  My daughter keeps saying "I want that one".  It did turn out nice.

Here is  an ornament I made for some friends of mine.  This is a picture I took at their wedding

What I have been making for Christmas

I have been learning new techniques.  It has been fun.  I have been quilting, quilting, quilting.  Only a few more customer quilts to get done before Christmas. 

I learned how to make these wonderful ornaments.  They are a Japanese Kimekomi.  I loved how it turned out.  I made it for a gift exchange at my quilt guild, next week.  Don't want to part with it.  Oh well.

Made another tatted ornament for my women's ornament exchange at church.  It was a big hit.  I love this pattern.  I also tatted a snowflake.

I learned how to make photo jewelry, and have been busy making some for me and some for gifts.  Will also be taking orders after the holidays.

My sister-in-law started making these wonderful pictures with the skeletal leaves we brought home from MN.  So my husband started making them too. 

We are just having so much fun making gifts for everyone.