So, My daughter found this music box I had with one of those lampworked pianos on top? Yeah, well my piano had broke and it was not my favorite, especially since there were jagged pointy raw glass edges of death sticking up all over. So, I took my trusty dremmel and removed the broken piano and sanded all the pokies off leaving the mirrored base. Well, since my daughter is almost 2, a mirrored base would probably be less than safe, so I wrapped it up with quilt batting and crochet a cover to go over the glass. Thgen it sat for a long time just like that...with nothing.

I then picked up my crochet hooks again and decided a few amigurumi would be fun to have around. I started out with a goldfish and then moved on to a pig. The pig was cute but I was getting tired and lazy by this point and had no desire to put feet on him. It didnt take me long to realize you can't see pigs feet when they stand in tall grass...so I made him some fun fur grass. Unfortunately, doing that made him not as fun to play with, so I sat him aside.

This morning I saw the music box base and it all came together. The only thing that bothers me is the fact that the music box polays "Memory" which is a far cry from any happy piglet songs. My doaughter is thrilled though and could care less if it played Metalica's Master of Puppets. It's a "Ooombig" and Ooombig's do not have a theme song.

Ooombig.

ATC Envelope

I broke out my sewing machine and decided to play with a few of the fat quarters I have laying around. I love Mirkwood Designs and decided to make her ATC Envelope out of fabric.

I'm not an ATC fan. I don't make them, but know of so many people who do and even collect them, I thought these would go over well as swapping extras...





I also put together one of her petal envelopes. I thought it would be cute to present a bracelet or something. I like to put lots of little packages to open up in a swap.

To bead or not to bead, that is the question.

I am stagnant. I honestly don't feel creative. I always saw an artist as this beautiful, free spirited, wild haired tree hugger with paint stained, gluten free bib overalls and a cool tribal tattoo around her upper arm. Someone who hugged a lot, stood up for the little guy and smoked the occasional clove cigarette after sex and a good long day of art stuff. It might be the weather and the fact that I don't own any bib overalls any more that I have lost my mojo...I'm pretty sure I have a cool tribal tattoo left in me somewhere under my pajamas and saggy boobs. Sigh.



So it's winter in Wisconsin and the long cold days are dragging. I have cabin fever and my studio is too cold to venture. And...I have 4 kids, meaning, there will be no creativity in this house outside the realm of pipe cleaners and dollar store felt. Of course, there is the occasional googly eye...



Anyway, I have taken to indoor things. Amigurumi, hats, I painted some safety eyes to add a little life to said amigurumi--they make safety eyes so plain you know. Last night I found some sunflower spacer beads (sunflowers being my favorite flower ever) and decided as a midwinter blues present, to make myself some stitch markers. They are pretty friggin adorable.



I then decided to visit my old haunt Swap Bot. I soooo needed something...different to occupy my spare time. I have so little of it, why waste it you know? So, I signed up for a couple swaps and for fun, made up a few more stitch markers as extras, should I get paired up with a fellow crocheter. I'm starting to worry though, that I may have made them too big and bulky. Not heavy, just...in the way?

I can't wait to see the snow gone. I need my scroll saw and my kiln and my welder and my drill press. I miss my table vice. I want to open the double doors of the loft and let the sun in. I couldn't be more ready for summer...