Pumpkin Carving

I'm not really into Halloween , except to hand out candy to all the precious little ones. However I love to carve pumpkins!!! So when The Calendar Garden was offering a class on carving pumpkins, I knew it would be so much fun!!! Especially when one of my friends from "The Crazy Garden Gals" was going!!! You can see Pammy's garden blog here . We had so much fun, but were the only two who didn't finished and had to finish at home. We both picked the owl, because he was just so cute. I did notice in the lighted pumpkin picture his little feet didn't show up. I guess I will work on that tomorrow.

A Few Things I've Made

Here are a few pictures of some of the projects I've been working on.

Another wall hanging using doilies, buttons and a fabric photo. I bought this photo years ago in England.

My sister did the tatting.

This is a copy of a photo of my husband when he was a little boy.

A wall hanging using an adorable pink vintage doily and a fabric copy of a vintage photo.

Paper Purses that can be used as Christmas ornaments or just decorations.

Here are some ribbon bookmarkers I made.

The Snowmen Again And Wire Tree

OK I know I've already posted photos of some of these snowmen on my blog. What I really want to show is the cool wire tree I got this weekend. I have been looking and looking for a way to display these snowmen, what I wanted was a vintage wire tree. But I was willing to compromise and use a wire tier basket, if I could fine one. I set my price in my mind and prayed, while looking at antique stores, I found a wire tree. However it was their display and they wouldn't sell it. I looked for vintage wire 3 tired baskets. I found some BIG ones, but I wanted one that would sit on a tabletop. Anyway they were out of my price range. We went back to the motel and changed for the event we were attending that evening. On the way, we passed another antique store that was going out of business. So we pulled into the parking lot, good thing we were running early. We went in and looked around, they were letting things go cheap. It was full of shoppers and they were buying lots of stuff. So while we were waiting to ask about a price on something else, there it was sitting on the counter!!!! A wire tree, I asked is that for sale, yes!!! How much, $15.00, I'll take it!!! I holds lots, so I've got to get busy and fill it up with handmade ornaments. I'm having a booth at a craft show in Dec. So if you are in Waller, Texas Dec.3rd come look for me, Morning Glory Craft Cottage.

Wild Morning Glory Flowers

I planted Heavenly Blue Morning Glory flowers to grow up my trellis on craft cottage porch. I had a beautiful plant, the only problem. I only got one blossom and I missed it!!! Not sure of it was the drought or what? I will try again next year. So this morning taking a bucket of potato peelings to my compost pile I walked right over some wild morning glories. So I grabbed my camera and took a picture. They are one of my favorite flowers. Thought I would share them with all of you.

World Handmade Card Day

This one of the cards I made for "World Handmade Card Day". A Christmas card using Christmas and country looking fabrics. It may not be one of the best card I've ever made, but I like it anyway. I see some things I would do different. There's not even any glitter on it?

My son made this card for World Handmade Card Day. He wanted it to look manly and old. I had to laugh, he was trying to find a surface in my craft cottage that had no glitter. He didn't want any glitter on his card or on himself. He said mom you always have glitter on you!! LOL I did point out to him the sign on have on the entrance door to the cottage "Warning....Glitter Zone."

Sorry I haven't been around much!!

Had my first craft table. I so was busy making handcrafted items for it. I made more wall hangings, bookmarkers and these snowmen ornaments. Each one is different. I used the clear glass balls you can buy at craft stores, beads, vintage jewelry, all kinds of embellishments and lots of glitter!!! I'm planning to make some more to sell at another craft show here in my home town, but this one will be closer to Christmas. I will show the wall hangings here in a few days.

First Day of Art Class

On our first day of school, some of my students didn't make it to class because of the fires. So in my morning class I only had Hannah. I didn't want us to get too far ahead, so after a very short drawing lesson we made these adorable owls using paper and toilet paper rolls. These are the two she made, look how she made eyes. They are looking at each other, how cute is that! That was two weeks ago. Today class is getting back to normal and so is life for me. Wish I could say the same for those who lost homes in the wildfires. I'm thankful that none of my friends or students lost their homes!!! I'm thankful for the firemen who worked for about a week containing these awful fires. We've had several much needed rainshowers and the weather is beginning to cool down some. We still need more rain, but I'm so thankful for the little we have gotten.

Just a little note about Hannah, one of my very first post was about her 4th birthday party and here she is a big 7 year old.

Please Pray For Rain In Texas

All these dark looking clouds are really smoke from one of Texas's many wildfires. It looks closer than it is, but it's close enough for us to smell the smoke. Today it was so strong it made my throat burn and there were ashes, burnt leaves and plants coming out of the clouds of smoke. It covered our cars and anything outside. These pictures are from the fires in Montgomery, Grimes and Waller Counties. I have many friends who have had to evaluate from their homes. At this moment they are not allowed back to see if they have a home left. Because of the drought in Texas all the trees and plants are dying. Which is fuel for the fire. Tropical Lee brought in high winds that made the fires jump and made it impossible for the firefighters to put out. Just when it looks like they have contained, it flares up again. The wind and conditions are causing it to spread. My home and family are safe for now, but with fire you never know where and when another fire could start. We have another fire going strong that has burnt many homes in a town call Bastrop. My prayer is that Texas would get lots of needed rain in the next few months. I know that there are other States that are having fires, floods and hurricanes. We need to be on our knees praying for our Country!!!

Heart Wall Hanging

My latest wall hanging. I bought the heart shaped doily at an antique store in Corpus Christi on vacation this summer. I layered it with black wool felt on the back and muslin fabric on the front. Then I stitched on a red heart, black tulle and black lace. I wrote out the bible scripture on muslin fabric. I embellished with red and black beads, a rhinestone button. The flower with the feather came from a headband I bought at a grocery store for one dollar, I also bought a white one. I'm sure it will show up on another project in the future.

Rag Rug Purse

I made this purse using the rag rug technique that my friend Heather from The Patchwork Heart uses to make adorable rugs. I used muslin fabric. It is so soft and fluffy, I'm very happy the way it turned out.

I found this lamp shade at a antique store on our vacation. I had been looking for a lampshade for this lamp that goes beside my chair in my craft cottage.......I saw this one and knew it would be perfect. It's kind of stained, but I think that makes it even more interesting. The lamp was brass and I painted it the same color as the lampshade. It has that cottage look.

Texas Wall Hanging

This wall hanging has been shuffled around my craft cottage for several months half finished. Yes, a UFO!!!!! I was struggling with it, you know what I mean? I knew it needed something special, but what? Then I remembered that rusty star I had it hanging in the window of my craft cottage, It was covered up by a lacy valance. The perfect thing! So I finished it yesterday. Still not sure I really like the outcome, I may changed it still. But I can cross it off my to-do list for now and that is always a good feeling!!

Where Bloggers Create:Blog Party

Welcome to my craft cottage!! When I read that Karen Valentine of My Desert Cottage was going to have her "Where Blogger Create" Party again this year I knew I wanted to be part of it!! My little craft cottage is a dream come true! It was my 25th wedding anniversary present from my husband, even though it took several years to complete. He and my sons worked on it during the slow time of year, but it was worth the wait. They did most of the work themselves.

This is where I create, inspire and sometimes just come to relax, I like to just sit, look out the window and watch the birds at the bird bath and at the feeder. Sometimes I just sit on the little porch and drink a glass of ice tea. My husband will join me and we will share the happenings of the day. It's not uncommon for someone to drop by for a visit. I've had lot of nice chats in my craft cottage, I've had more than one tell me it's a very peaceful place.

In my craft cottage I teach art and craft classes to home schoolers and I have friends over to create with me. Most of the time it's just me. I pop in a CD (usually worship music)and just enjoy what I love to do the most....create. I love to dapple in many medias, but my favorite crafts are mixed media, card making and fabric collages.

Outside My Craft Cottage

Morning Glories, but I have no blooms yet.

My work areas.
This is where I do most of my creating, but I did clean it up for the picture. Most of the time it's piled up with on going projects.

This is a overall view of my work spaces

This is my table where most of young students work at, I cover it with a plastic tablecloth when they are using it.

On my shelves, well at least some of the items, I have too many items to show!

These are only a few of my rubber stamps!!

My sister made me this wall hanging.

These are a few of my favorite supplies

All this was just recently given to me.

Thank you for visiting my craft cottage!! Please stop by anytime and see what I've been up to!!!