I found this blog, junk garden girl somehow, somewhere out there! It's a new favourite! I will definitely be studying the Christmas archives here next year. Wow -- great eye candy!!!!! She has great clothing layouts too. I can't wait to see what she posts when she comes back in early January!

This collection of photos was from a post entitled "Mason Jars for every season"
I have mason jars on my front porch right now that look like this! (well, maybe not on the cool turquoise chair.... but I'm thinking of painting my kitchen chairs this colour)

Favourite Design Blogs

(from my romantic home via decorology)

Someone asked me what my favourite design blogs are -- I have so many! I'm not talking about art and musing blogs (like my own), but the blogs that show a glimpse into "dress, design, and decor" around the world. Here are my top 10 favourites:

Automatism
Decor8
Decorology
Dress, design & decor
Jubella
Made By Girl
Modish
Nom, nom, nom
oh, hello friend
poppytalk

(I regularly read about 150 blogs, most on google reader, but I often need to travel to individual blogs to get my total design fix). I don't buy as many deisgn or fashion magazines any more!

from bakerella via made by girl

Journey into digital....

In January I'm going to take dj Pettitt's online class:

"Memories and Manipulations"
Online Image Editing Workshop

(this is an example of what dj does -- beautiful, non?)

I have always wanted to take a class from dj (I own some of her work), so this is a dream come true. If I can learn even a tiny bit from dj -- I will be thrilled.
The class starts on January 4 -- there is still time for you to sign up and play along with me!
(you need some kind of photoshop -- Elements or the full version-- to take the class) (click here for more information)

merry

ATC ornaments

(click on the image to see the ATCs a bit larger)

I made Dawn these ornaments as part of our Canadian Chickies ATC ornament exchange -- I also made her one of my owl ornaments and a cd with my favourite holiday songs. I hope that you like them, Dawn!

Happy Solstice!

Of course, as school ends and the holidays begin, I am sick. I'm trying to fight this cold with oranges and rest, so today I'm plopped down on the couch watching HGTV. I should be completing the last two sewing projects (gifts) but I've decided that an IOU or two may be easier on me.

Tonight I plan to celebrate the Solstice by eating cookies, drinking tea and getting all cozy by the tree. There are big celebrations for the festival of lights in Kensington Market, but I'm going to have to pass this year. Are you doing anything to celebrate the longest, darkest night, and the subsequent return to light????

Simple cards

I've been working on a lot lately, but I can't show any of it because they are Christmas gifts. But I can show you the cards that I've been working on -- I've misplaced all of my (commercially made) Christmas cards, so everyone is getting a handmade one this year. So I've had to make them simple. Still -- they are taking forever to make :)

I just love this Christmas tree -- the stamp is by Oxford ImpressionsThis image is PaperBag Studios -- it is from a tag that my mom made last year :)In my effort to recycle, I have tried to make cards from Starbucks cups and bags. I took a cookie bag and oiled it to make it translucent -- then glued it to a crap of black card and sewed the scrap to a card. Lauren seems to eat at Starbucks a lot, so we have lots of cookie bags. I'll show the ones made from cups tomorrow!

The Jolly Sale aftermath

I had a fun day -- it was wonderful to see so many of my friends -- and to meet some people who I only know though blogland! I think that pretty much every person who came to the show bought something from me :) Unfortunately, attendance wasn't great -- I have volunteered to put lots of posters up and make a big sign for next year.

I used to work a lot in aluminum -- I was selling lots of old stock from yesteryear!

Today I'm baking some cookies and making Christmas cards. I'm determined to use lots of rubber stamped images...... I have so many!

A Jolly Sale!

Don't forget that this weekend is:

An Extraordinary Jolly Christmas Sale!
Saturday December 5th
10am-4pm
Swansea Town Hall
95 Lavinia Avenue
Toronto

I will be introducing my new "line" of Christmas ornaments. I will also have many of my aluminum ornaments and tags -- and likely some votive holders too. All for a warm and sparkly Christmas season.

Sew Somerset

Once upon a time, right here in Toronto, 9 friends got together and made some little 3x3 squares all in white. We traded them amongst ourselves, then submitted the results to Sew Somerset. Finally, a year later, we get to see some of those squares in print!
I am so proud to be in my fifth Sew Somerset. Every issue so far! (well, my square isn't actually shown)(it was in the preview that I was sent) but my wrapping is shown, lol
But can someone please tell me: What is the difference between Sew Somerset and Art Quilting Studio????

Want some holiday images?

Beginning today, December 1, Lisa Vollrath, at Ten Two Studios is starting her annual image countdown -- you get a new fun holiday themed image sheet to play with each day!
http://countdown.tentwostudios.com

If you can't wait for the images, then you can buy them, and many more at her shop!

Tim Holtz does a "12 Tags of Christmas" While this is not a giveaway, he show how to make 12 different festive tags. He also gives away many prizes. Starting today :) (you can also check out the How to's of 2007 and 2008 on his site!)