The final hours of 2015 are upon us.  I find myself under the weather trying not to focus on the bad moments of the year.

At dinnertime my husband and I made a list of positive things that happened to us this year.  In my list I included the many craft items I cranked out this year, mostly during the summer.

I hope that you will make a point of bringing more meaning and fulfillment in your life this coming year.  Let us not focus on the negative.  Our short comings.  Our failures.  Our disappointments.  But let us aim to give our all.  To be a blessing to others.  To encourage one another.  To live life to the fullest.

See you on the other side!  Happy New Year!

The year ends in four days.  What will the new year hold for you?  What will it hold for me?  I don't know; I can't answer this question for any of us.  But I am hopeful for beautiful things.  I don't mean possessions, but rather love, joy, peace, happiness, laughter, goodness, etc.  These are not things that I can make in my craft room but perhaps they are things that I can create for others from time spent in my craft room.  Heaven knows!

As I have mentioned previously, my sister was recently diagnosed with cervical cancer.  She will begin chemo/radiation sometime in January.  I cannot cure her of her cancer but I can encourage her, pray for her, raise money for her, talk to her, let her know how much she means to me.  This coming year, I would like to make some crafts specifically with her in mind.  I'm still working out all the details but hope to share them soon.

Here is a picture of me wearing my cervical cancer pin in support of her as well as to raise cervical cancer awareness.  

Here is my sister with her pin on.  

  

My husband and I are lovers of Christmas. From carols, church services and decorating to holiday specials, movies and meals, we celebrate the birth of our savior. For us, the holidays are so much more meaningful if you don't spend them worrying about gift shopping.

This year we decided to actively celebrate the twelve days of Christmas commencing on December 25th and ending on Jan 5th by singing carols, lighting candles, and sharing holiday prayers together over dinner.  To help the candle lighting along I made a candelabra for our festivities:

After dinner we hang a few more decorations on our tree.

My hubby and I have been going through a lot lately.  First a miscarriage and now my sister has cervical cancer.  It has spread to her uterus, ovaries and kidneys.

I have started a fund raiser page for her to help her raise the money for the stupid pet scan that the doctors won't do without the cold hard cash!

I have a little "I saw three ships come sailing in on Christmas Day, on Christmas Day" theme going on at the top of my tree.

Last night I vegged in front of the TV while making more Christmas ornaments.  Here are the ones I made.  I also included the boat I made the other day.  It's the one shown hanging from the tree already.

Christmas

It's been a while since I've written (or even crafted, truthfully).  I suffered a tragedy in my life and have been down and out.  But, my favorite time of year is upon me and I want to spend it celebrating, not grieving.  So, I've decided to get decorating for the Christmas Season.

This year, I wanted a rustic look to my Christmas decor.  In keeping with this idea, I have been making my own ornaments and decorations out of pine cones and weeds from my yard, old earth toned fabric, burlap and burlap string.  Oh!  Also old sheet music and wooden spools I bought at Michael's and sewing supplies given to me by a friend.

This is what I have so far:

After working all day, racing home to make dinner, and finding out I locked the keys in car  again and already running late for a board meeting, then actually attending said board meeting, I came home hungry and tired.  Too hungry and too tired to even consider crafting.

But good news!  I didn't sleep a wink last night and got up this morning just shy of not even close to bright eyed and bushy tailed.  Nevertheless I headed to my craft room shortly after five and started working on a purse.  The idea for the purse came to me in the night whilst I didn't sleep.  You're welcome!

This is what I have so far:

At times I think I'm ready for autumn; I miss the crunchy colored leaves beneath my feet and the smell of wood burning.  I miss the coolness in the air.  And I miss how youthful I feel during this time of year.  But when I think back on the sailboat scene from yesterday's purse I have to wonder whether I was silently crying out for a few more weeks of summer.  I feel like I didn't enjoy summer to the fullest.  I didn't ride my bike... I didn't kayak...  I didn't swim in Lake Superior....  I didn't even take a walk....

I feel cheated by my own shortcomings.

Sigh...

Perhaps instead of lamenting what I have missed I should make and execute plans to enjoy fall to the best of my ability.

Today I was feeling a bit artsy and crafty so I combined the two for this particular purse.

Continuing my work with burlap I made a sign yesterday from one I found on Pinterest.  I did it mostly for fun and practice since working with burlap is really new to me.

Here is my copy and the original:

Here is the template I made:

Signs of Autumn

Today I thought I would do something different and work on a non sewing craft. Since I have an abundance of burlap I was leaning towards something that would incorporate the use of this wonderfully country fabric.

I've been suffering from exhaustion lately as a result of not sleeping well at night so this was a perfect craft for the day since it was super easy.  All I have left to do is to paint the frame.  I'm thinking red...

I didn't get a chance to craft yesterday, what with work, dinner, book club meeting, and a short date with my hubby at McDonald's for soda pop and hot chocolate.  When I finally got home I crashed in bed.  I was supremely exhausted and still feel tired today.

But I did get a chance throughout the day to contemplate new ideas.  I hope to be able to start on one idea this afternoon.  If I am able, and successful, I will post again later today.  Until then, enjoy your morning and afternoon!

I finally added a flap to the orange purse I made a few weeks ago.

I also spent some time playing with my burlap.

My husband and I made it home from the Wisconsin Dells a little later than we had hoped so I quickly got to work on a new purse.  And since I have a remnant of the inner fabric I may make a wallet or key fob to go with it.  We'll see.

On Sunday, my husband and I enjoyed hours of water park fun, which consisted mostly of lolling about in the lazy river, but also a little swimming in the pool and soaking in the spa.  A little later this morning (it's 3 am right now) we'll head back home.  Though I've had a wonderful time I'm ready to back in my life.

Sometime this week the gazillion yards (okay so it's only 20) of burlap that I've ordered should be arriving and I'll be starting on: A Study in Burlap, as I like to lamely call it.  

Until then I'm not entirely sure of what I'll be doing, but perhaps I'll continue on the denim path.  

It's Labor Day weekend and my wonderful husband took me to the Wisconsin Dells for the weekend.  So far, we've enjoyed hours together on the lazy river talking about life and a million other things.  We come home tomorrow whereupon my crafting adventures will continue.  Until then.

Embroidered Denim Purses

Early this morning (4:00 a.m.) I headed to my craft studio and started the process of getting the strap on the purse.  Last night I broke a needle and so gave up and called it a night.  This morning, I changed the needle and tackled the project like one who's slept a fully night, or 5 hours, as the case may be.

Here is the finished product:

And since yesterday I got two additional denim purses cut out I went ahead and started on another one this morning.  I thought I'd do another embroidered one and got that task done dark and early.  

Here is what I have so far: 

 

I spent lots of time avoiding necessary tasks by crafting.  Still in my purse phase I finished one I started yesterday and started one I didn't quite finish.  Here are both: