Springtime in the Rockies....

Though I love living in the Colorado Rockies, this time of year I yearn for rain showers instead of snow, blooming daffodils and outdoor Easter egg hunts.  But, life is a trade off, so it was not surprising that we had to hunt eggs indoors and we will wait a while for spring rain showers.  The week before Easter, my four year old granddaughter stayed with me and I had the best time.  She is so entertaining and has such a beautiful, happy soul.

My granddaughter, Skylar was here to help color eggs.

For the big kids who still like chocolate, we made these little Easter jars, aka Canned Bunnies:

I found these sweet two piece lids on clearance at the grocery store.....purple!  I let Addyson put in the chocolate bunnies, some jelly beans and grass and I added the raffia and a sweet little spring tag.

So with a four year old, I did not do much in the studio.  I am finishing up a tree skirt, some centerpieces and some suitcases so I should have more to show next week.  Happy springtime!

Happy Wednesday!

Seems to be a pattern lately that I only post on Wednesdays.  But I did want to show you a few things that I have been working on:

I finally finished up the wooden snowmen that have been in process for quite a while.  These are made from blanks that I purchased from JoAnn's after Christmas.  They are two feet tall and the problem was that there was no way to make them stand and I thought they were too big for a wall hanging.  Hubs helped me attach some 2 x 6 scraps and they stand perfectly now.

 I only added the second pic because I just want everyone to understand how tough photography is in this house.  Either the cat or one of the dogs has to get involved.

I also purchased these wooden stars at the same sale.  These I crackled with a barn red under the light buttermilk.  The burlap ribbon was something that I found at the dollar store.  It is wired so is perfect for these stars.

 This is a little pumpkin that I painted.  When I finished it, it would not stand.  Here is my trick:  I squirted just a little hot glue on the front piece that was just a bit shorted than the back.  Once dry, it gives it just enough stability.

 I bought this wooden horse at the thrift store.  I simply added a floral foam block and the greenery.  Put on a ribbon and he is all set for your holiday table or sideboard.  I love this guy!

 I also got this pumpkin at the same store.  I added moss, leaves, and a pretty fall ribbon and it is perfect.

 Yesterday I had lunch with my good friend, Dawn.  She gave me the best birthday gift:

The jars are full of goodies for crafting.  I just love it!

Well, I am off to photograph some listings for my Etsy shop. Hopefully, I will get them listed tomorrow.  I have several dolls and some craft supplies.  You can check out my listings tomorrow.

Does anyone have experience with PatternMart?  I am considering placing my patterns on their site.  Let me know if you have any input.  Happy crafting!

What 'cha Workin' on THIS Wednesday???

Well, guess I have been a bit busy lately so I did not get around to blogging last week......darn resolution broken again......but here is what I've been workin' on:  On Saturday, the 27th, the kids were here for my bday.  Hubs bought pizza and cake and we ate off of paper plates....thus no dishes for me!  It was great seeing my kids, their better halves and all four grandkids.  On Sunday we took the pups and the UTV and went for a long ride in the national forest.....note to self:  bring along a shovel for next time.  We got stuck in a snow drift for over an hour!  But it was still fun!

Last week I spent one day with my sis who took me out for birthday lunch and a day of shopping.  Always fun!  The rest of the week I worked on getting ready for my show this weekend.  I set up on Thursday and spent Friday and Saturday at the show.  On Thursday, I visited my friend who is moving to Arizona and is getting rid of her craft hoard.  I was only too eager to assist with that.  I bought a bunch of supplies, everything from wooden balls to potpourri.  One item I purchased was some rusty candle holders.  This is one of the glass containers I bought along with the rose hips and potpourri.

So I added the potpourri and a grungy candle, and Voila!

 I also painted this really sweet Witch's hat.  It is from some of the unfinished wood that I purchased after Halloween and did not get around to painting.

 For the rest of the week, I have been organizing and making room for my purchases.  There were about 30 assorted pins that I had to make a card to display on and then pin backs had to be glued on.  There were assorted ornies that needed to either have hangers or embellishments added.  I am still working on inventory to start the year.  After show season is over, I always inventory and inspect what I have left over from last year.  With all of the shows that I do, sometimes things have to be repaired.  Here is a little trick:

This pair is cut from 2 x 4s and for some reason did not sell.  It got scarred up a bit and some of the embellishments got bent or knocked off.  I glued the stars back on and to hide the scratches, I use old English Scratch Cover.  This stuff is great!  I use it on all my scratches or scuffs.  You can get it in any grocery or hardware store and a bottle lasts forever!  My other tip is to keep a black sharpie around for edges of painted wood that get scarred up.  Its quick and easy.  And it also works well for small repairs on black painted items.   

Well, that's about all for today!  I had better get busy finishing up my laundry and cleaning up my painting mess!