cutest round stamp ever, pipecleaner christmas tree, and jean patching

I had a coupon code for Sweet Papery and got this cute stamp.  I've wanted one for years!  sweet papery

I love it.  Lily did the cutting there.

And I've been meaning to make this, from Martha Stewart.  Hint:  you need to double up the pipecleaners when you make the 'snowflakes', otherwise they're way too flimsy.  At least the pipecleaners I used.

And I am trying to get my mending done.  I wondered how best to patch the 4 holes (one on each top corner of my jeans pockets) and then I got some embroidery floss and sewed side to side and then wove it in the length of the hole.  I'll see how it holds up--hopefully no more underwear peeking through!

And this (darn fuzzy camera!)...I saw this a couple years ago now somewhere--it's like magic I swear.  To tie a knot--put the needle point facing the thread end as shown.

Wrap around a couple times, hold on and slip down the needle and length of the thread.

And you have a knot! It always stops about an inch before the end of the thread.  Amazing!

Hoop vid and etsy link

Short hooping video here.  Etsy link to hoops (and other stuff) here.

Wintry Wednesday

this is the wintery view from the upstairs window.  how I love looking out at the bare beauty of the old, old trees.

thrifting finds!

I spent a lovely morning with the children going to a library book sale and to Goodwill (half price day). They each took some of their money and purchased these nearly new books at the library book sale to donate to a toy drive. I got lots of books that I had been wanting to read, or that I have read before but don't own, or that look intriguing.

At Goodwill I got these cute vintage (or vintage looking anyway) plastic mugs, 4 corelle bowls and 6 saucers, 2 small milk glass dishes, a floral sheet, and a sweater for me to wear and one to felt up and make something out of.  And an expressiva nursing top (black w/ floral) Also, more books! 

I spent a total of $36 on the dot for all of this.  I'm striving to live in accordance with my values, some of which I wrote about here, and this feels good.  It's recycling, it's being over the entitlement of 'it must be new to be good enough for me', it's being a good steward of my money, it's treading lightly on Mother Earth, it's being mindful and having a purpose in what we're bringing into our lives.  It's all of that, plus it's pretty fun!

making magnets

This is so easy and satisfying.  I have this delightful collection of bottlecaps and for the most part, I like to collect things that I can make into something useful as well as aesthetic. So I got the idea to upcycle these into magnets. It couldn't be easier--purchase 1 in. wood discs (you can get them at a craft store) and magnets (craft store also) and hotglue the wood disc into the cap, then hotglue a magnet on. Voila!

And here's another kind which is also really easy and satisying.  A great way to recycle cards or magazine pages into something useful. 

Take those wood discs and a 1 in. paper punch and punch out paper to your hearts content. (Another cool thing would be to take these cardstock circles and glue them spaced out back to back with a thin piece of ribbon sandwiched in between--and voila--garland).

Glue the paper to the disc with UHU glue, hotglue a magnet on the back, and finish with this paper glaze. It adds durability and a smooth waterproof marbly surface.

Package in a metal tin (this gift card tin is from Michaels--$1) and there you go.  Great for teachers, friends, cousins, anyone.  You could also print the alphabet on cardstock and do a whole bunch, or a child or friends name, anything!  I need to go get more supplies and make more!