Felted bracelets, mini hair barrettes and one more baby hat

Yeah, finally took the time to take some shots of a couple more items I needed to get into my shops. When I got up this morning it was overcast which I was very happy about. I like taking pictures of the items I make outside on our back deck but if I don't get up before the sun hits that area I'm out of luck since it's way too bright by then. Anyway, here are photos of the 4 items I just listed in my shops.

Click here http://www.etsy.com/listing/79238452/mixed-media-felted-orange-beaded?ref=v1_other_1 for more info on the orange bracelet.

Click here http://www.etsy.com/listing/79235962/unique-felted-bracelet-with-glass-beads?ref=v1_other_2 for more info on the glass bead bracelet.

Click here http://www.etsy.com/listing/79239138/mini-floral-felt-hair-barrettes?ref=v1_other_1 for more info on the mini roses barrettes.

Click here http://www.etsy.com/listing/79213195/crocheted-felted-red-and-white-hat-for-6 for more info on the baby hat.

Nonteamchallenge 43 treasury

So here is my entry for this week's treasury challenge on Etsy, it's the nonteamchallenge 43. I had this bright idea (I thought, ha!) to make one based on a wedding but I had a heck of a time getting the pictures I had in my head to match up with items I needed to find to make it work. I started it this morning, worked on it for about 40 min. Then went to work and just finished it after working on it for another hour. I usually make a treasury in less then 1 hour. If I can't get it to look right in that amount of time I usually give up and try again another day but today I really wanted this one to work. It's still not 100% to the way I had it in my head but it will have to do. The inspiration item for this challenge are these beautiful earrings http://www.etsy.com/listing/75968385/triple-drop-autumn-glow-earrings?ref=tre-537112932-7 she was the person who won last week's nonteamchallenge 42. Enjoy visiting all the shops included in this treasury. Thanks for visiting with me.

Cats, birds and all kinds of other stuff

So I realized today another reason I haven't taken any pictures lately is because I ran out of batteries for my camera! I did go to the store today and got some but ... now it's been raining off and on all day so again ... no photos were taken. But I keep on making more stuff, which means lots more photos to share with you all in the next couple of weeks. I finished another pumpkin baby hat, this time I came up with a different pattern. The hat part and the stem are finished now I'm trying to come up with something that looks like tendrils to put on it, not sure yet how I'm going to do that part. And I finally laid out a silk scarf to felt. I finished laying out the pattern I wanted on one side, the other side will have to wait till tomorrow or possibly Saturday, my next day off of work. So I spoke with my mom today and I'm sad to say, the kittens are still nowhere to be found! The mommy cat still comes and eats at my moms house but mom feeds her outside and hopes that during the night she's keeping her kittens warm since it's starting to cool of a lot in Belgium.

Alright, I did make a couple more treasuries to share with you so here they are:

Not motivated

I just can't get myself to take pictures of a bunch of things I've made while in Belgium so I can get them listed. Sometimes I just think way too much and too deep about why we are here etc. I'm sure a lot of that has to do with my best friend Erna and also my dad passing away recently. Some days I look at everything through a different set of eyes, they just don't seem to be mine. I'm sure as time passes my eyes will point me in the right direction again, hopefully soon. In the meantime I am motivated to make treasuries and I'm happy to share them with you.

This first one is called "Who wants to come play in my garden?". It's a bright garden I must say, one that makes me smile when I enter it. Hope it does the same for you.



And this one is called "School will never be the same" also bright and sunny! I've been making lots of back to school signs at work and they are mostly yellow, black and red so when I got home the other day I thought the heck with those colors, I'm going to make one I like a lot better and voila here it is. School should never be dull so enjoy!!!



That's it for today folks. Thanks for visiting my blog.

Let's go shopping! And oh no ... the kittens are missing!!!

Who wants to go out in this heat and melt!!!??? Not me!!!! So, get comfy in your (hopefully) cool (meaning air temp and of course the other kind of cool is ok as well! ha) place and check out all these items I listed in more treasuries. Here they are:

This first one I named "Chique Munchkins" just because all the pretty items I picked really reminded me of my mom. She loves to use the word "chique" and what she means by that in Flemish is a bit above the levels gorgeous/beautiful.



Next up is "Dreams and wishes". When I made this treasury I was sitting here in front of my computer wishing for certain things to happen in the near future and voila ... a new treasury was born!



Last one for today is "Green with ivy" which is kinda funny because I really didn't mean to use that title to begin with. A lot of times I just make the treasury first and then name it once it's all put together. At first I was going to name it "Green with envy" but then I noticed the ivy picture and changed it.



Well I'm a bit sad ... I got a message earlier today letting me know that the mama cat who had her litter of 4 kittens in my mom's garage, has moved them out of the house. I haven't talked to my mom yet this message came from my brother so I will have to give mom a call first thing in the morning since it's in the middle of the night now in Belgium I don't want to wake her up! I know mama cats, especially first time mothers will move their litter around and she isn't a house cat to begin with I'm surprised she hasn't tried moving them earlier. I just hope the kittens are all safe and she will bring them back to stay with my mom who will be more then happy to have them back. Silly cat!!!

Ahhhh, fall will be here soon ... I hope!

So today wasn't like melting hot, still a lot hotter then the way I prefer it especially for me to do my day job using spray paint ... but I managed getting it all done properly today. Even though it was hot the humidity was down which makes it easier for me to paint the boards I use for making signs. Anyway, here are some more gorgeous treasuries to share with you.

This first one is called Fall Festival by http://www.etsy.com/shop/SherryKayDesigns# who sells Handcrafted Jewelry - OOAK designs and creations which are made by her with love and care. Glass and Lucite beaded necklaces, bracelets, rings and brooches in a spectrum of wonderful colors. In this treasury she features my crocheted and fulled white pumpkin. It comes with three cute little pumpkin pins which I made from polymer clay. This treasury comes with lots of fun fall treasuries so click away and check them all out, it will be fall before you know it!



This next treasury called "Creative Comedy" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/OceansideCastle who sells vintage decor housewares, old glass, wood, metal, pottery, wall art, antique books, rustic salvage, primitive shabby painted eclectic retro kitsch atomic mid century modern collectible farm kitchen garden jewelry fashion advertising memorabilia. In other words, loads of fun things to take a look at and purchase. In this treasury she featured my needle felted fairytale pincushion. This treasury has loads of fun things to look at, I'm sure the stores behind each item will have even more fun and interesting finds so go shopping people!



Next treasury called "Gettin' your ducks in a row" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/CabinLil who sells handmade and vintage items are knit, sewn, crocheted or crafted byCabinLil in Montana, USA. This treasury features my needle felted duck who i still looking for a good home! If you like ducks this is a great treasury to visit and check out each shop listed.



And that's it for today's treasuries I wanted to share with you. I've been putting the finishing touches on a couple needle felted bears I made while I was in Belgium. Hopefully I can take some pictures of them this weekend so I can share them with you and put them in my store. Thanks for visiting my blog everybody, stay cool!

Dream'n of fall

This heatwave is really starting to annoy me so I tried tricking my mind into thinking it's fall! Must say ... it didn't really work but the treasury still turned out alright I think.

Enjoy!

Lavender with a twist of lime ... and a bit of orange

Here comes another treasury for you to check out, freshly made this morning. Enjoy!

Nonteamchallenge 41 Treasury on Etsy and Kittens at my mom's house!

I'm SOOOOOO excited ... the little stray cat we (mostly my kid I must say) kinda adopted while staying at my moms house had a litter of 4 kittens! See, we figured mom needed something to keep her busy after my dad passed away a month ago. My mom cared for my dad 24 hours a day for more then a year while he was sick with lung cancer. I realized once he was gone and my daughter and I left her house she would need something to keep her mind and hands busy and voila! This young cat appeared in her back yard so we decided to start feeding it. I realized after the first week she was expecting since most of her body was pretty lean her belly started to get bigger every day and it wasn't the food she was eating I can tell you that. Anyway, I'm kinda bummed I'm not in Belgium to see and hold the little kittens but I'm so happy the cat had her litter in my mom's basement and not somewhere outside where nobody could get to them. My mom looooooooves to take pictures so I'm anxiously awaiting to get some photos and I will definitely share them with you all.

Now back to business ... I just made this treasury for the nonteamchallenge 41 so here it is. It's based around the bright red lantern which you can find in this shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/WiseApple?ref=seller_info . She was the winner of last week's nonteamchallenge 40. If you want to see and read all about the nonteamchallenge you will need to go to this site http://treasurychallengenonteam.blogspot.com/ . Have fun exploring all these great shops represented in this treasury.

July Treasuries and more Christmas in July Sales!

First up is a treasury named "Joy to the World" featuring my needle felted owl. This treasury was made by http://www.etsy.com/shop/SherryKayDesigns who sells handcrafted jewelry - OOAK designs and creations which are made with love and care. Glass and Lucite beaded necklaces, bracelets, rings and brooches in a spectrum of wonderful colors. She is offering 15% OFF any purchase made until July 31, 2011 so hurry on over and visit her shop. Don't forget to visit all the other shops listed in this treasury and start your Christmas shopping early this year!



Next is a treasury called "I Smell Fall" featuring my crocheted and fulled white pumpkin pincushion. This treasury was made by http://www.etsy.com/shop/StoneSavvyJewelry who sells who makes and sells beautiful jewelry ... a shop where it's summer all year long!
Enjoy a cool 30% off through the end of July in her shop!



Next is a treasury called "Jackie-O Lantern" featuring my needle felted and crocheted pumpkin. The title of this treasury got me cracking up! Pretty smart of the curator AuntieKaren who's an Etsy buyer that doesn't have a shop but makes beautiful treasuries.



I want to thank all of the above curators for including my shop items in these lovely treasuries. It's always a pleasure finding my items amongst so many other beautiful, well crafted pieces. Please visit and comment the treasuries as well as all the shops represented, I'm sure you will find some real treasures! Especially with the sales going on this is a great month to start shopping and saving money in the long run. Thanks everybody for visiting my blog, shops and treasuries we all do appreciate it.

And finally a couple more treasuries I put together this past week. Have fun visiting some great new shops!

Christmas In July Sale in my Bits Of Fiber Shop 40% off everything!

If you need to buy something for a baby, child or young adult this is the time to do it. I'm having a huge sale in my Bits Of Fiber shop starting this evening and it will run through the end of July, but don't wait till then to buy something as it might no longer be available. Most of my items are created using my own patterns and variations of them. I do not like to make the exact same item over and over again, I prefer to keep my creative juices flowing by changing patterns and/or yarns. So head on over to my shop and start your Christmas shopping today, come December you'll be so happy you did.
Here is the link to the sale: http://www.etsyonsale.com/shop/BitsOfFiber

Wow - cool moth! Eacles Imperialis anyone?

So, these last couple of days I've had little friends visiting me just about every time I've gone outside at work to spray paint my advertising boards I make for a living. Yesterday, I almost stepped on a huge moth that was sitting on the sidewalk. I felt bad for it sitting on the hot cement so I moved it. Then today, almost in the exact same spot there it was again ... except it wasn't back, this was the same kind of moth but a different one. I noticed the markings on this one were different from the one I saw yesterday. So, I moved this big fellow as well except I did take some pictures of it and decided to look him up when I got home. At first I thought it was a leaf moth but the correct name for this one is Eacles Imperialis or in plain English, an Imperial Moth. You can read all about it here: http://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/gallery?stage=All&species_view=All&species_type=All&family=All&field_sciname_value=eacles+imperialis&field_comname_value= I'm not sure if this is a male or a female moth. I've submitted my photos and question to that website and I'm awaiting a reply to get my answer. I've always liked looking at moths, especially pretty and/or unusual ones like this one. I do not like having them in the house but that's because I'm worried about them getting into all of my wool items!

Thanks for visiting my site and having a look at a pretty moth. If you want to know more about them click on that site I mentioned above.

Nonteamchallenge 40 treasury on Etsy

Like I said ... I'm back at making treasuries! Here is my entry for this week's challenge. I needed something bright and cheerful today ... I went back to work 2nd day back from my trip to Belgium and it feels like I'm getting a darn cold ... so I figured something bright and colorful was needed to cheer me up. Here is my entry.

Back on track ... making and sharing treasuries!

It's been awhile since I've posted treasuries but as of today I'm back with more lovely treasuries. Some made by me, others made by some very talented Etsy people who not only make treasuries but also run shops just like me and many others. Make sure you not only check out the items listed in the treasuries but also the shops of the Curator (the person who made the treasury). So here we go ...

This first treasury named "An Owl Just arrived with A Letter - Year 1" is based on the Harry Potter theme! My little needle felted owl is featured in it along with lots of other Harry Potter related items by the Curator http://www.etsy.com/shop/MirroredSkyCreations who sells beautiful jewelry and accessories all things wondrous, magickal, fantastical and imaginatif so make sure you check out her shop.



Next is a treasury called "Fruitful BOunty" featuring my knitted eggplant baby hat. The curator of this treasury doesn't have anything for sale but she puts together some beautiful, colorful treasuries just like this one.



This last one is a treasury I put together a couple of days ago. I was drawn by the beautiful colors of blue that day with a hint of some brighter bits through out.

A Chrismissy Pincushion

I made this pincushion from a sweater I fulled in the washing machine. I embroidered it with mercerized cotton and filled it with dried rice (to weigh it down a bit), fiberfill and dried lavender. I just listed it in my Etsy shop http://www.etsy.com/listing/77872896/felted-embroidered-pincushion so go and have a peak of you like to see more pictures. Thanks for looking and feel free to share!

A couple more baby hats

Just listed these two baby hats in my http://www.etsy.com/shop/BitsOfFiber shop. They are both knitted with a soft acrylic yarn so they are easy to take care of and very soft. They make really cute photo props so get them now to get those Holiday pictures done in time to send to the grand parents! Go to my BitsOfFiber shop to see more photos of both of these hats. Thanks for visiting and have a lovely day.

Eggplant baby hat

I've made a couple of new baby hats this past month but haven't had the chance to take pictures of all of them except of this one eggplant baby hat which I'll be listing in my http://www.etsy.com/shop/BitsOfFiber shop later today. The other hats are Christmas tree hats with bobbles but you'll have to wait for those until this darn weather clears up so I can take pictures. I'm back at work now during the day making signs at Wegmans so I can only take photos of my creations when I get home after work and so far it's been raining or has rained which means I can't take pictures. Hopefully I'll be able to take them in the next couple of days so I can list all the new hats as well as the needle felted items I've made.

Violin Player for mom

This is my latest project using http://www.powertex.be/ for a violin playing figurine I made for my mom. I've made only a couple violin players using the Powertex Lead. All the others I've made were done in the natural color powertex. For those of you who are new to my site, I make these type of figurines using the following materials: wire, kitchen foil, painters tape, rope or yarn and recycled items and fabrics I find in second hand stores. If you're interested in purchasing a figurine like this or the ones in my prior posts e-mail me with questions, I'll be more then happy to answer any questions you may have regarding the product, purchasing a figurine or even teaching a workshop on how to make them.

Three tired little dancers and a Christmas Bear

I finally finished these three figurines today. All three of these are sold but if you are interested in one please feel free to e-mail me with questions. I'm working on one more for my mom,that will be a violin player.

I also finished a needle felted polar bear pup, dressed for Christmas. He will be for sale as of next week.

Thanks for visiting.

More things to come

I've been working on all kinds of things these last couple of weeks keeping my mom company. Today I have to start working on 4 figurines that need Powertex. Three tired little girls and one violin player. I will be using the Powertex Lead for all of them. If you are interested in finding out more about Powertex here is the link to it : http://www.powertex.be/ There are so many options on what all you can do with it. Personally I like making art dolls and figurines with it but I have also used it for making jewelry. I'll be adding pictures of the figurines later this week.

I have knitted three baby hats so far. Needle felted two hedgehogs which can be used as pincushions or just for decoration and also a Christmas mouse. I haven't had the chance to take photos of these but will do so in the next couple of days so come back and visit again soon.

Will miss my dad and I will never kill another fly

Four days after my arrival in Belgium I lost my dad who had lung cancer. I will miss him dearly. Dad was always there for me with suggestions and or advise. He loved working in his garden and spend hours working on his stamp collections. If he was going on a trip he would re-draw the street maps! I'm pretty sure he has his map on how to get to heaven! He was a walking GPS. In Belgium they celebrate Fathers day one week earlier compared to the US so I'm happy to say I was able to wish him a happy fathers day when he was alive on the Belgian holiday. Dad and I had some interesting talks about dying these last couple of days. He wondered if he could order a bed but I told him he would have to make do with some really fluffy clouds! We discussed the food, not sure about the menu in Heaven but I reminded him he will get to eat rice pudding with a golden spoon ... He liked that. I told him I want to come back as a cat or a dog he thought about that for a minute then told me he was going to come back as a fly! I asked him what kind and why. His comment was a smaller size one, a very fast flying one that people can't get easily. He never really answered the question why. Needless to say our family is now afraid to kill any pesky fly! Like my brother said "Opa heeft ons weer goed liggen met die vlieg!". I figured I'd share this with you all in case you catch me having a serious conversation with a fly. And before you swat away ask and make sure his name isn't "Staf", the Ceulemans family will thank you for your kindness. I miss you dad.

A Garden treasury

Today my needle felted bird pincushion was featured in another absolutely gorgeous treasury called "Garden Joys" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/TrudyAnnDesigns . In the curator shop you will find handmade jewelry in various styles for everyday wear and that special occasion.

The smartest, cutest treasuries ever!

Wow, that's all I could say when I found myself being part of all these terrific treasuries.

The first one is called "Wonders of Nature" by AuntieKaren an Etsian who I consider to be an artist just by putting together these amazing treasuries. The "Wonders of Nature" treasury is made up of animals, part of real animal photo's and the other part of animals made with all different kinds of mediums so go and have a closer look and figure out for yourself which one is which. Which one is the real thing and which one is the art creature. So much fun and truly shows what an amazing talent there is amongst all these Etsy folks. I almost felt bad describing it this way since I'm honored to say my needle felted baby harp seal is part of this which means a lot to me. So, see for yourself and compare these amazing photo's showing you the real animal and the amazing photo's showing you the animal made with different types of mediums. Have fun!



Next treasury is called "Follow your heart" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/dnicecraft featuring my needle felted pincushion. In the Curator's shop you will find beautiful items made of textiles - made of knitting, spinning and sewing. I love the lace necklaces in her shop.



Next treasury is called "Picnic Love" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/nansmithimages featuring my needle felted mouse with her piece of cheese. This treasury is so cute, love the idea of how it was put together. It is part of the nonteamchallenge 34 in which the heart locket was the inspiration item. In the Curator's shop you will find photography inspired by nature: bold florals, fiery foliage, woodland wonders, intense colors, graphic montages. Available in prints and canvas gallery wraps–perfect wall art for any decor. Also a beautiful selection of note cards.



Next treasury is called "Grow old with me" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/RitsumeiArts featuring my needle felted duckie! This is also part of the nonteamchallenge 34 treasuries. In the Curator's shop you will find photographic art prints of natural items and scenes as well as digital scrappacks. My favorites are the purple and pink floral photo's, truly amazing!



Last but definitely NOT least another amazing treasury named "Things are looking bright for baby" put together by AuntieKaren! This almost makes me want to have another baby (well not really, I'll just enjoy making the baby dresses so AuntieKaren has something to put in these treasuries! hehe) Not only the colors are amazing in this treasury but every item would be on my wish list if I was going to have a baby. Just beautiful to look at.



I hope you enjoy visiting all these shops in these beautiful treasuries as well as the Curator shops. The Curator's are the folks that put these items together (including myself!). Most of the Curator's have their own shops with wonderful things they made and sell. Some of the Curator's don't have a shop but are part of the Etsy world. Feel free to join us even if you don't have anything to sell or don't want to purchase you can still be part of Etsy.

Thanks for visiting my blog and please feel free to comment.

A celebration of colors - Nonteamchallenge 34

Here is my entry for this week's nonteamchallenge 34. At first I had gone a totally different direction with this treasury but changed my mind about half way through it and decided on a much more vibrant one and here is the result. This one was all based upon the heart red steampunk pendant from http://www.etsy.com/listing/55272540/the-heart-red-steampunk-pendant-with-old?ref=tre-4de82acc2a596d915146d8fa-7 shop. This is her shop announcement: "I'm a big fan of the steampunk style, but I'm a bit shy, so I prefer my jewelry to be a little more subtle. Since I couldn't find exactly what I wanted, I thought "Why not make it myself?" Alright, it's not as easy as I thought, I'll admit it, but it's a lot of fun, and I wanted to share my humble creations with everyone. If you have any color requests, or any requests, for that matter, let me know! I'll be happy to work with you! Definitely worth visiting.

There is a mouse in the house ... and an IPad cover - perfect Father's Day gift!

Finished a couple more items today.

The IPad cover I made of a recycled wool sweater which I fulled. The label I actually purchased in Belgium a couple of years ago, I just never found the perfect item to put it on until now. I had made a cover for my own IPad the day before I went to Belgium also from a fulled sweater but I ran out of time to put anything on it and since the sweater I used to make it had actually a fair isle pattern it really didn't need anything extra. This one I made with Father's Day in mind but it would work just as well for anybody. Available in my shop at http://www.etsy.com/listing/75163790/knitted-felted-grey-ipad-and-ipad2-case

The little hat is one of my lunch time projects. At first I was going to use some off white lace on it but then changed my mind and turned it into a cute little mouse. You will find it in my shop: http://www.etsy.com/listing/75164605/knitted-newborn-baby-mouse-hat

Mauves, blues, rain and more ...

Couldn't help myself ... trying to de-stress and move my mind away from my dad who's battling lung cancer, so very frustrating not being able to help him feel better. So, to make myself feel a bit better I try focusing on making beautiful things ... with him still on my mind.

Some more treasuries

Treasuries I've been featured in during these last couple of weeks. Thanks to the wonderful Curator's who take the time to make these beautiful treasuries will all kinds of fun, cool, creative items from our Etsy stores. Here we go ...

This one is called "Mischief in Cozy Hill Hollow" by AuntieKaren (who is patron of the Etsy arts!) featuring my needle felted bunny. I love the color combination in this treasury and all the items listed, just gorgeous. Thanks Auntie Karen! My favorite of the week so far. :0)



Next up is "Clear and Soft" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/FabricFascination featuring my fabric hair clips. This treasury is part of the nonteamchallenge 33 of which we're patiently awaiting to find out the winner for that challenge. In the Curator's shop you will find beautiful fabric. Here is part of the shop announcement for more info please visit the shop. "If you love color, texture, and design, this is the place! I believe a good deal is a good deal for both parties. To this end, I try to keep my prices fair, and shipping costs low. FREE U.S. Shipping on orders of $45 or more*. EARN POINTS ~ for every dollar you spend (excluding shipping) you earn a point. For every 100 points, you receive a $10 off gift card which you can use toward anything in my shop the next time you order. FREE PATTERN SHEET included with orders over $20.00."



Next is the treasury called "Tweet ... Tweet" which is also part of the nonteamchallenge 33. I must say another favorite of mine, just gorgeous all these beautiful birds in this one. Great job on putting this treasury together by http://www.etsy.com/shop/nansmithimages and featuring my little needle felted birdie. In the Curator's shop you will find photography inspired by nature: bold florals, fiery foliage, woodland wonders, intense colors, graphic montages. Available in prints and canvas gallery wraps–perfect wall art for any decor. Also note cards. Beautiful stuff so make sure you visit this shop.



Next is "Hammie Heaven" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/platypusmonger featuring my Critter Onion! In the curator shop you will find cuddly fleece tunnels, hammocks, cozy sacks and more can all be made to custom specifications. Here is the rest of the shop announcement: "I love to make matched sets to coordinate your cavy domain! If you have another critter whose home needs some artistic love, don't worry, I make these toys in all sizes, not just for guinea pigs. Thanks for looking and please convo me with any questions or requests." If you like cute critters and want to spoil them a bit this is the place to visit!



Next is "Spring Green" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/robinleeshaw featuring my needle felted bunny again! Seems to be a favorite this week. This is another gorgeous treasury, looooooving it! In the Curator's shop you will find afghans, lapghans, shawls, scarves and accessories for your comfort, style and warmth. Handmade. Variety of styles and colors. Adding something new on a regular basis.



Next is "Pinks and Creams yummy sherbet colors" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/AllUsedUp featuring my crocheted baby shoes. Here is part of the Curator shop announcement: "Old fabrics made new- Crocheted Jewelry, cuffs, Tailor-made Vintage Clothing, Denim bags, crocheted totes,Free Gift Wrapping and FREE SHIPPING- Fashioned out of denims, bamboo yarns, vintage fabrics, silks, leathers & velvets & linens." For more info make sure you visit the shop! Lots of cool goodies so go visit.



Last one for today ... "Cheerful Whimsy" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/UberVintageThreads featuring my knitted baby hat. Here is the Curator's shop announcement: "Welcome to my shop! Thanks for stopping by to take a gander at my vintage and one-of-a-kind up-cycled goodies. I hope you find something that tickles your fancy. Please feel free to convo me with any questions you might have....I'm happy to help. I love my customers!" Make sure you visit.

Pucker up! Time for a citrus treasury.

Since it's been so hot I figured this might be appropriate. More treasuries to show later today but for now here is one I made this morning ... just trying to stay cool in this heat.

Nonteamchallenge 33 Treasury by me

Yes, another treasury for the nonteamchallenge. Here it is!

The white pumpkin that finally felted!

Ahhhhh, silly white pumpkin that is! This is the pumpkin I mentioned in my prior post, the one that didn't felt. While I went ahead and wet felted it by hand I contemplated why it didn't felt in the washing machine like I have done many times in the past. I figured out it just stayed on top of the water due to the fact I had filled it with fiber fill before felting it. In the past I've always felted them before I filled them so there was never an issue. So problem solved I did it by hand and it ended up felting beautifully. I want to also thank Robin who commented on my prior post suggesting to stick it in a mesh washer bag with some marbles in it which would definitely prevent it from floating to the top! Thanks for that Robin, I will have to try that with my next felting project.

So here it is, it's up for grabs in my shop with more pictures to look at so go and have a peek.
Thanks for visiting my blog!

BLue baby booties and pumpkins that won't felt!

I just listed a couple more items in both of my shops. I've made these during the winter months and just hadn't made the time to take pictures of them until now.

The pumpkin I made using a wool yarn so I went ahead and felted it in the washing machine BUT the main part (the orange) part didn't felt. The stem and the leaf did but the rest of it didn't so what to do now??? Aha I found some orange sheep's fleece and went to work needle felting it right over the body part that didn't felt and tadaaaaa I must say I'm pretty happy with the results. Went actually pretty fast since I had already shaped it before trying to felt it.

So yesterday I finished another pumpkin, crocheted one a white one this time making sure I used the 100% wool yarn which should definitely felt since I had used that same yarn for some other felted projects and they felted up beautifully. Wellllll, you gonna believe this ... it didn't felt again!!!! What on earth is the issue here??? I realized the problem ... see I first crochet the pumpkin but before closing it up on the top while I'm still crocheting it I fill it with fiberfill. Well, that's the problem, the fiberfill doesn't really soak up any water unless you force it too. So therefore the pumpkin ends up floating on top of the water in the washing machine which doesn't expose it to enough banging around to get it to felt properly! And that's what happened to the orange pumpkin as well since I know for a fact the yarn I used does felt up nicely. Instead of needle felting over this white pumpkin I just made (that didn't felt) I went ahead and wet felted it by hand in my kitchen sink. While I was doing that is when I figured out what the issue was because doing it by hand worked like a champ. All I have to do now is figure out how to get it to stay under water in the washing machine. If any of you have ideas on how too please let me know! Only thing I can think of is to just not fill it before felting it, I know that works since I've done it that way before but I like to fill them before I felt them.

The white one is still drying so I don't have pictures of that one yet but it should be up in my shop in the next couple of days.

I made the pumpkin pins with polymer clay, each pumpkin will come with three of them. If you like more pins or only the pins please e-mail me with your request so I can give you a quote for that.

To purchase any of these items or to see more pictures please visit my etsy shops listed on the left side of this page.

Thanks for visiting, see you again soon.

Father's Day treasury

Here is a treasury I just put together with all the dad's in mind. I just spoke to mine earlier today which made me think of Father's Day coming up which in turn made me start looking for all these great gifts out on Etsy and voila ... here is my treasury.

Owl Necklace giveaway!

I love owls and so does my daughter so of course I had to enter this give away to win this beautiful owl necklace although we might have to fight over who will end up wearing it if we do win this little guy! Make sure you visit the shop http://www.etsy.com/shop/earringsnation?ref=seller_info who's offering this give away, she has some really pretty jewelry for sale.

Here is the link to the site who's offering the give away:

http://craftydream.blogspot.com/2011/05/wise-owl-necklace-giveaway-from.html?showComment=1306320872172#c6071914778209017107

A couple more treasuries and waiting for the fireflies

I love the fireflies here in Virginia so River (our dog) and I are patiently awaiting them to show up. See River loves to chase them and eats them. I don't chase nor eat them I just like to watch them. When they show up I know summer is really here and even though it's been hot this past week I haven't seen one yet but I have a feeling tonight might be it so both River and I will be on the look out.

Now back to work ... here come more treasuries. This first one named was made by http://www.etsy.com/shop/LunaPetunias from the We Knit Hats Team featuring .... no ... not one of my hats but my mixed media baby decor. Just like she says all of us on that team don't just make hats we make other items as well so be sure to check out all these shops and what they have to offer. Make sure you visit the Curator's shop where you can find some unique looking hats and beanies. This is their announcement: "Sustainably farmed, ethically created, hand made woolen goods from coastal Maine that keep you warm and cozy on the chilliest of days. One of kind variations of brilliantly hand colored yarn, hand felted and knit."



Next is the treasury named "Eclectica" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/Coruja42 featuring my crocheted critter onion for your little pet or it can be used as a toy. In the curator shop you will find some beautiful photos and this is the shop announcement: "Welcome to Photo Coruja! My shop is brand new and I offering a 30% discount to my first 5 customers on Etsy using code NEWSHOP30. Thanks for visiting!!"



Next one is named "Sew Cute Pincushions" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/uta1114 and it's one of my favorite treasuries! As you can guess from the tittle it's all about pincushions ... BUT not just the ordinary ones so make sure to check them all out including mine (please) which is the needle felted fairytale one. These are some amazing pieces of art, not just the plain old pincushions! Now the curator of this treasury has the cutest shop ever! I especially love her little model named Sophie. In her shop you will find the most adorable doggie outfits you've ever seen so make sure you visit her shop. Even if you don't own a dog it's worth looking at. Little Sophie (the dog) even smiles when she models, so darn cute. She also has a website you can visit for lots more info so be sure to check that out at http://www.littledogfashion.blogspot.com/

nonteamchallenge 32 and favorites treasury

Today I will share my entry for the nonteamchallenge 32 treasury. All based upon the winner http://www.etsy.com/shop/karinagracejewelry of last week's #31 challenge. She choose the "Mystic Pearl earrings" to be the inspiration item. The color of the item made me think of winter so I started my treasury with picking items winter related but then I found some other things that would work well color wise so therefore I ended up with a mix of seasons and therefor the name "Mixed emotions" for this treasury.



Next is a treasury made by http://www.etsy.com/shop/AngelinaElizabeth featuring my needle felted bird named Ernie. This is her shop announcement: "We have a beautiful vintage wedding gown, knitted ring bearer's pillow, lovely bridal garters, and luxurious covered hangers for your viewing. BRIGHT COLORED KNITTED ACCESSORIES ARE IN, so check out ours in our shop. We are a mother/daughter team who enjoys making jewelry, Victorian treasures, needle arts, wearable art accessories and home decor items. Our store presents all aspects of those crafts, especially unique items that make perfect gifts."

For my surfer guy

Here is a treasury I made using mostly items from Etsy shops that are part of the nonteamchallenge group. If you like to find out how to participate the Non Team BLitz you can read all about it at http://treasurychallengenonteam.blogspot.com/ . I've been making treasuries for the nonteam challenges but this is my first one I've entered for the Non Team Blitz. I love making treasuries so I might as well making them with items from participating shops. This one is for my dear husband who was born and raised in Huntington Beach California. We both love the beaches and even tho we're not living near one I'm sure down the road we might end up by the water again. Enjoy and thanks for visiting my blog.

Feeling a bit blue

It's been a little more then a month now since my best friend passed away and it still hurts. I know, I know ... it will hurt for a long time. I remembered a conversation she and I had many many years ago about having our own store or gallery together. We joked about it off and on since she lived in Belgium and I lived across the big pond it would be kinda hard but we still liked dreaming about it and I guess that's what it will always be now ... just a dream, a dream I will treasure forever tho. And that's what made me think of making this treasury, a treasury full of wonderful dreams so here it is my "Feeling a bit blue ... or rather ... teal" treasury made with lots of happy thoughts about my best friend Erna. This one is for you kiddo!

Tomatoes and toadstools

Today I have two treasuries for you to have a look at.

First one is called "How does your garden grow by http://www.etsy.com/shop/Janisfineart featuring my knitted baby tomato hat. In the Curator's shop you will find beautiful traditional painted oils on canvas.



And the second one is called "I'm on pins and needles ... for pincushions" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/FabTabulous featuring my needle felted fairytale toadstool pincushion. This is the curator's shop announcement: "Eco-Friendly, Recycled, Upcycled--soda tab jewelry and accessories. Now, all Fabtabulous accessories are made with soda tabs purchased directly from THE RONALD McDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES in Kansas City! Help them out by collecting tabs for your local RMH." If you're looking for some unique jewelry, this is it!

Saturday Treasuries

Well, these weren't really made today (Saturday) but I couldn't come up with another title for this post so Saturday Treasuries it is!

This first one is called "Abby's Favorite Green Finds List No 2" featuring my baby shoes by curator http://www.etsy.com/shop/AidforAbby who sells one of a Kind Artwork by a child with Autism, Language Disorder and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. Visit their shop to read all about it. I love the colors of this treasury, even though green is not my favorite color this treasury is beautiful.



This next one is sooooooo pretty, it's called "Beauty and the Beast" but I must say these are the most adorable beasts I've ever seen! My needle felted foal is featured in this one. The curator shop announcement states: "The Jetty offers our own unique art, crafts, clothing and supplies inspired by the ocean. We have a beautiful selection of natural sea glass, hand-printed t-shirts, jewelry, sailor's bracelets, marine shells, maritime crafts, and more. We use natural, recycled, non-toxic or organic materials in our crafts and packaging. Our nautical collection is growing so stop back again soon. Thanks for shopping with us!"



Next treasury called "My saturday favorites" featuring my baby owl made by http://www.etsy.com/shop/joellecutro You will find previously enjoyed vintage items in the curator's shop.



That's all I have to share with you today. Enjoy checking out all the cool items listed in these treasuries as well as visiting the Curator's shops I'm sure there is something you can find you can't live without!

Thanks for visiting, have a lovely weekend.

Time for another treasury challenge! Nonteamchallenge 31 is here.

and here is my entry for this week's challenge! I loved putting this one together. Nope, I'm not French, although my name is French (Chantal), I was born and raised right next door to France ... Belgium. I've been to France many many times, if not to visit driving through it to get to Spain where we went on summer vacations when I was young. I loved the Provence with all of it's lavender fields, soooooo pretty. Anyway, here is my entry for the challenge. Lots of cool shops to check out so make sure you click on all of them to see what else they have to offer! Thanks for visiting my blog.

Perfect little pumpkin!

I love knitting these little pumpkin hats. This one is for a newborn to 3 month old. Just listed in my http://www.etsy.com/shop/BitsOfFiber?ref=ss_profile shop. That's where you need to look for more info on this little hat. These usually go fast by the time Halloween gets here so if you're thinking of getting one ... don't wait!

Mauves and purples

I really was going to finish another project but ... I took off in treasury dreamland and made a treasury with all things mauve and purple-ish! Hope you like it as much as I do ...

Baby hats and May treasuries

I finished a couple more baby hats and put them in my http://www.etsy.com/shop/BitsOfFiber?ref=pr_shop_more if you are interested in purchasing them and to see more photos and want more detailed info on them please visit my shop.

I'm still catching up with things and one of them is listing these great treasuries Etsians have created with items from my shops. So I better jump on into the treasury world!

This first one called "Come Sale Away" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/Surori featuring my knitted pumpkin hat which is ON SALE! Love the title of this treasury, so appropriate! If you want to save some money have a look at all the great items listed in this treasury and they all are ON SALE! The curator's shop specializes in one-of-a-kind jewelry, so unless otherwise stated every piece is unique to itself. We hope you find something that is YOU!!



Next is the treasury called "Blue Hue" I loooooooove this treasury. My itty bitty blue baby booties are featured in this one with lots of other beautiful blue things. This was one of the treasuries entered into the nonteamchallenge 30. The curator of this treasury http://www.etsy.com/shop/taanz# sells hand crafted products and artworks by New Zealand Multi-media Artist Tanya Dann. To view all of Tanya's work visit www.nzartguild.co.nz/tanyadann or www.facebook.com/tanya.dann.artist



Next up is "Ducklings and Daffodills" by AuntieKaren (who doesn't have an online shop) featuring my needle felted ducky. If you like little ducks, yellow and daffodils you will have to check out this pretty treasury!



Next is "Strangely Awesome and cute ... please ship them my way" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/AnnabelleArt featuring my white needle felted foal. This treasury has all kinds of darling creatures in it, a must visit! This is her shop announcement: "Our OOAK greeting cards are individually hand stamped and handmade by me. I do not use printed art; only the best quality papers, stamps, embellishments, inks and glue! Each card design is one of a kind, or produced in very limited numbers (2 or 3)."



Next is "For our Little Friends and their humans" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/RatAttackTeam featuring my needle felted mouse and a piece of cheese. If you love these little creatures (and I do!) a must see treasury with lots of cool items all rat and mice related. The curator's has been rescuing domestic rats since 1998 & hammock sales help with veterinary costs. Please make sure you visit her shop and website http://www.freewebs.com/ratattackteam/ for more info.



Next one is called "Wild Horses" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheStrumpetsTentacle featuring my needle felted white foal. If you like horses this is THE treasury to check out. Lots of shops with horse related items to go visit! In the Curator's shop you will find exceptional crocheted patterns,pieces and custom orders.



Next is "It's a Pink World" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/TheDoubleKnitters featuring my needle felted pincushion. In the curator's shop you will find beautiful knitted items.



Next is "A Mother's Love" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/LynnetteJewelry featuring my needle felted mother and baby hedgehob. The curator's shop announcement states: "I sell beautifully handcrafted jewelry, accessories, and vintage buttons. I personally design and make each piece, using only the finest genuine gemstones, beads and materials. Most of the pieces are one of a kind, and matching pieces can usually be made upon request. I have another Etsy shop called jewelry56, which sells more of the same items."



Last but definitely not least! Treasury called "Where the wild things are" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/AnyaCloudJewellery featuring my needle felted baby harp seal. I loooooove this treasury, it has so many cute items in it. Make sure you take a closer look at this one. In the Curator's shop you will find hand crafted jewelry.



Oops, almost forgot to list the pictures of my baby hats I just listed this past week. I'm working on some pumpkin hats which I will be listing soon. Thanks for visiting everybody. Have fun exploring all the great shops listed in these treasuries and don't forget to visit the Curator shops as well. Talk to you soon.

Some new items added to my shop and another treasury for the nonteamchallenge 30

I've been busy finishing up projects I've started some of the a couple of months ago and I have more to come. But for now I have another baby boy hat/cap I crocheted which you can find for sale in my http://www.etsy.com/shop/BitsOfFiber shop on Etsy and a pincushion with lots of cute toadstools I needle felted which you can find in my http://www.etsy.com/shop/PurplePlatypus?ref=ss_profile shop also on Etsy. The pincushion also includes 3 pins which I decorated with toadstools I made of polymer clay. If you like toadstools then have a look at this blog http://www.make-it-do.com/celebrate-it/the-woodland-party which has the cutest cupcakes ... and you guessed it ... they are decorated with toadstools but it has some other really cute ideas for a woodland party so make sure you check it out.

I'm also including a picture of the treasury I made for the nonteamchallenge 30 on Etsy. I love entering this challenge on a weekly basis, they give you an inspiration item which is an item picked by the shop owner who won the challenge the week before. I think it's a great way to keep this going without having to belong to an actual team. If you go to http://treasurychallengenonteam.blogspot.com/ you can read all about it. I have more treasuries to share with you in which I've been featured but that will be for later this weekend. And before I forget HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY to all you mother's out there! Hope you have a lovely day. I do have to work on this day but I do love my job so I'm not fretting having to go to work on Mother's Day.

Rosie on her Sunday Best and Laura's Tired Ballerina

While I was visiting my family and friends in Belgium I wanted to show my mom how to needle felt so I made this little bird. I wasn't sure yet at that point what else I was going to do with her until I brought her home. She's now turned into a cute little pincushion wearing a hat and 3 heart pins I made of polymer clay. She's looking for a nice home so she can be put to work helping her new owner sew, quilt and/or craft or would be very happy to be used for decoration only! Would make for a unique mother's day gift that's for sure so go and check her out on my PurplePlatypus shop.

I also made the Tired Ballerina statue for my niece Laura. She is made of electrical wire, aluminum foil you use in the kitchen, painters tape, old T-shirts and other types of fabric. I used Powertex in lead color and a metallic paint to dry brush her with. Isn't she a doll?

April Treasuries

Finally got a chance to sit down and finish posting the treasuries I was featured in during April so let's just jump right on in and list them.

This first one is called "Felt" and in it is my needle felted foal together with lots of other gorgeous felted items. The curator of this treasury http://www.etsy.com/shop/Fefie# makes and sells Needle Felted animals and teddies made from different wools and silk. She often wash, card and dye raw wool to produce colours and textures that are perfect for these Felted Friends.



This next treasury called "I'll love you forever" which featured again my needle felted foal by curator http://www.etsy.com/people/AuntieKaren who's an Etsy buyer and doesn't have a shop.



Next treasury called "For the love of Momma" featuring my needle felted mom and baby hedgehogs by Curator http://www.etsy.com/shop/ShirleysStitchery who makes and sells quilts, baby blankets, bibs, cloth diapers, wet-bags, dresses, and reusable snack bags in her Etsy shop.



Next treasury called "She sells seashells by the Season" featuring my needle felted harp baby seal by Curator http://www.etsy.com/shop/foreversew who makes and sells hand stitched art, unique items and chic modern crafts.



This treasury called "H is for hedgehog" features .... what do you think? ... haha of course ... my needle felted hedgehog family! The curator http://www.etsy.com/shop/AliceCreations makes and sells beautiful photographs, hand etched glass and other handmade items so make sure you check out her shop.



That's it for the month of April. Already have my list going for treasuries posted this month of May but I will feature those in a different post. Thanks to every Etsy curator for featuring items from my shop. I don't have the time these days to make treasuries and include all of you in a treasury so I hope doing this will still help you out with new visitors and customers to your lovely shops!

Catching up with all these lovely treasuries!

Goodness, again I want to thank all of these lovely Etsy artists for featuring items from both of my Etsy shops. Got a long list of some really pretty treasuries ... sorry it's taken me a little longer then normal to get these out but as you can read in my previous post I wasn't able too do anything for 2 weeks while I was in Belgium.

Alright here we go ... first one is called "Feeling delicate and blue" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/BohemianBaskets who sells beautiful baskets handmade from both recycled fabrics and beautiful, new designer fabrics. I love the purple one! In this treasury my felted baby shoes AND a set for a newborn which includes baby booties and a hat are featured so not just once but twice I got featured!



Next up is a treasury called "The color of granny squares" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/allthingsgranny who sells baby blankets, scarves and lots and lots of granny squares to make up your own items. Pretty cool idea so make sure you check it out. In this treasury my granny square baby blanket or lap blanket is featured.



The next treasury is called "Happy Mothers Day ... to me" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/weebit who sells classy sassy handmade jewelry and most importantly ... she is going to be a mommy in October! Congratulations Weebit! In this treasury my granny square baby blanket is featured.



Now we're off to my other etsy shop (PurplePlatypus) items that have been featured. First one is called "Gifts She will love starting at $5" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/FavorFancyAndFun featuring my needle felted ducky. In her shop you will find favor boxes, gift boxes and more.



Next one called "Barnyard Rouge" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/WellCriated featuring my needle felted bird. In their shop you will find your source for Sustainable Art and Wellness products! They use primarily 100% all-natural alpaca fiber and other upcycled and sustainable materials.



Next is the treasury called "Over the rainbow" by http://www.etsy.com/shop/dzynrkitee?ref=pr_shop_more featuring my colorful handpainted wooden gift tag. Her shop is made up of items from her personal hope chest, as well as her grandmother's collections. Some of the pieces have never been used. She would love for these items to be appreciated, cared for and enjoyed just as she has. Hopefully you find that "gotta have" treasure, or just enjoy looking around!



There are more treasuries but those will have to wait until tomorrow so make sure you come back and have a peek for the rest of these lovely treasuries. I'm sure you will find lots of things you just can't live without looking through all these fun shops ... and hopefully my shops as well! ;0)

It's been awhile ...

but I'm back. I've had a rough couple of weeks behind me. I had planned a trip home (to Belgium) to visit with my best friend (Erna) and my family and then things went wrong. See, my best friend Erna, whom I've been friends with for 40 yrs has been fighting breast cancer for 17 yrs. Can you imagine, non-stop on chemo for that many years! I don't know how she did it ... but she did ... strongest women I've ever met, never complained until about 4 weeks ago. She mentioned to me then that she didn't think she'd be around when I would arrive in Belgium. So we did what we thought was right ... we said goodbye to each other just in case she wasn't going to make it till then. The hardest thing I've ever had to do ... but I think when we did it, it made us both feel better about the situation. Then every evening and morning I texted her, she ended up in the hospital only 2 days before my arrival and the evening before my flight she wished me a good and safe trip and a happy face and that was it ... that was the last text message I received. When I arrived in Belgium she went into a comma and peacefully passed away shortly after my arrival. I didn't make it to the hospital in time so you can imagine how sad I was not have seen my friend before she passed away but I'm so glad we did say goodbye the week before and were still able to communicate up until the evening before she died. I'm so sad I lost my best friend, sad for her family and especially sad for her two wonderful daughters. She was a fantastic mom and I know that those 17 yrs she fought breast cancer she did it to see her kids grow up. It's hard to loose a loved one, 51 yrs old is just way too young to die but I do thank God for letting her be part of my life. I miss her e-mails, chats and messages but most of all I miss my best friend.

These are flowers from Erna's garden, purple lilacs are my favorite and since they were from her garden they are even more special!