Think crafty thoughts

So I know that I've mentioned it before, but I have this goal every year to try a new thing for every year that I've been alive, and since my birthday is approaching at the end of the month, I've been reviewing my list for the year to make sure that I reach 26 new things.

Last month I taught a lesson in church on lifelong learning and I had everyone list things that they would like to learn and then I asked what efforts they were making to actually learn new things. My list consisted of some boring things like learning to budget and organize my home and a lot of crafty things like learning to screen print, and paint with acrylics. After spending so much time setting up shop on etsy.com I can't help but want to learn so many crafty things, and at the top of my list is needle felting. Just after I had Creed, I was watching Martha Stewart and saw this tutorial with Jenny Docherty, and I was in awe. I'd never even heard on needle felting. Jenny has an etsy shop and a web site where you can check out more of her work, but here are a few pictures from her blog.

And speaking of shops on etsy that sell adorable needle felted items, check out Lauren Alane's shop of needle felted birds. I bet after seeing Ralph and his friends, you're going to want to learn to needle felt too! Isn't he adorable?

There must be some stores around town that sell roving and other needle felting supplies, but I haven't found any of them yet. There are plenty of places to buy them online, but I'd like to have some human contact that I can ask questions if I run into trouble and I'd like to be able to browse and see things in person. Does anyone else ever hesitate to buy things online or am I becoming an old lady?

Now if only Creed would start regularly napping so I could have some time to craft and write. I probably shouldn't pick up anything new until I work on some of the projects I have waiting for me, like the fabric set aside for aprons or the covers for the quiet book pages I made, or the onsies that I want to tackle for Creed, or the blank canvases I have laying around, or the fabric for that tree quilt that I told you that I wanted to make, or the glass pebbles to make magnets, and the fairy doors ready and waiting to be painted . . .

I did finish a fairy door today that I'm absolutely in love with.

Doesn't it look cute in Creed's room? I think if it doesn't sell quickly I'm going to be tempted to pull it out of the shop to keep it for myself.

I know this entry is wandering, but as long as I'm talking about etsy, I want to share a few more shop that I love. Betz White is the queen of felting old sweaters and creating amazing things from them (another thing I'd like to try). I love these cupcake pincushions!

She also has her own web site and blog and she was on Martha Stewart doing a tutorial on how to make her teacup pin cushions, which you can see here. I can't wait for her book with felting projects to come to stores soon!

I'm also in love with every single thing BeeBee Mod makes! Don't you think every baby should have a cute onsie like this?

And a hoodie like this!

And speaking of baby clothes, Quilt Baby has some incredibly fun onsies too (and don't miss all of her modern baby bedding). I especially heart this giraffe onesie!

And if you wanted to have the best dressed baby, you would also need some shoes from DiddleDumpling. If I had a girl I would alreaady own these sweet birdie shoes!

There's so much more on Etsy, that I'd like to spotlight, but I will have to save it for another time. For now I'll leave you with a totally different shop from the rest that I've shown you, Kezzaroo. She specializes in making tiny 3 inch felt figures of characters from tv and movies and they are hilarious! You'll have to look through her sold items if you have a chance, but here are a couple for your viewing pleasure. Who doesn't need a Little Chuck Norris?

Or Nacho Libre?

Or Larry's favorite, Mr. T

Or my favorite, Hulk Hogan, singer of our friend Ben's favorite ballad, "I used to tear my shirt, but then you tore my heart!"