novamade

this gift of paper

For Valentine's Day this year I made my valentine a valentine.  I decided to explore the world of scherenschnitte(papercutting) to make something memorable.  Special K doesn't really need anything and he never wants anything so I always have to be creative.   After some image transfer, I cut out the design/silhouette I chose as most appropriate.

Then I glued it onto a white backing, you know, for contrast.

And then I framed it.

 
I used a design from this book.  I blew up the design so that it would fit into a frame designed for an 8 x 10 photograph.  I used an exacto knife-like contraption to cut out the design, so this might be considered cheating by some (I think scissors are the mark of a true scherenschnitte artist--but I am just a dabbler, so there you are);I just wanted to get the silhouette cut out.  I am pretty pleased with it and Special K likes it too. 

If I was more thoughtful, I would have made something for Little Sir as well; but, he probably would have just tried to eat it.  Instead of giving him a valentine of any sort, I just let him play with my spinning wheel.

I also made the chocolate dipped shortbread hearts that I make every year for Valentine's Day, so no surprise there.

Okay, enough of Valentine's Day reminiscence.  Go and think of presidents now!

a day late, but with plenty of dollars

So I meant to post this yesterday, but, you know, one can get busy on a Saturday--especially when one is returning to work the following Monday after two months of maternity leave.  In any case, I have done some crafting and I have a contest winner. 

I like to knit (hi, I am a knitblogger), so I guess I need to own up to the tragicomedy that is my knitting procrastination of late.  A Lopi sweater.  A Lopi sweater that will need steeking when all the knitting is done. 

I am dragging the process out, because, as I have shared many times, the thought of cutting my knitting makes me want to vomit.  In any case, I have to finish the sweater to move on to something else (a self-imposed punishment strategy).  That's my new thing.  Finish one of the sweaters in process and then I can start something new.  I have a few sweaters in process. 

These are just my sweaters.  We won't talk about the sweaters for the men in my life--they don't count, right?  Right.

And since I couldn't start a new knitting project without lots of guilt attached.  I decided to delve into a new craft entirely, because that's what I do, craft capriciously.

I used Aimee Ray's Doodle Stitching.  The critter project (and many others) are in there.  I sort of love these little critters.  One (the raccoon) is a gift to go with a book(The Kissing Hand).  One (an owl) I will take to my office because it makes me smile and the other (owl) will go to the winner of my contest/giveaway.  I used one of those random number generators to pick a winner because I couldn't choose based on merit, everyone's goals seemed like good ones (like I am really going to tell anyone that he or she has crappy goals--not so nice).  The RNG chose Elli.  Elli, I will get in touch with you to discuss your prize.  For everyone else, I hope you learn your desired crafts, get healthy, blog more or what have you. Thanks for sharing your goals!