Our time is up

Claudine Hellmouth
Tim HoltZ
Jenny Doh
What a great day.  Heidi had a great workshop and her book is doing so well.  I have met such neat people and learned sooo much.  I have so many freebies and great new ideas.  Good thing that I am not a buyer.  Don't worry Bart, I am just looking.  

I was able to take a few pics today of some fun projects and of some fun people.   I can't wait to get home and craft.  I can't wait even more to see my family.  Going away is so good for me.  I am so appreciative of my husband and my girls.  I miss them all so much and can't wait to be with them again.  

Important info!

Things I have learned in CA:

       -Heidi really misses her husband (see picture).

       - Do not follow Heidi, at night, in the dark, in heals.   

No Snow and Palm Trees!

Here I am!  In sunny California....please notice that the woman behind the big leaf is ME.  And that is a Palm Tree.  I would also like to mention that there are roses and green grass.  Heidi and I even ate dinner outside last night.  Okay - enough bragging. 

Not only is the weather amazing, but I am in craft heaven.  I have blisters on the bottom of my toes from walking all day yesterday.  I am surrounded by every craft vendor imaginable.  I made a "make and take" with Claudine Hellmouth.  Spied Tim??? for my lovely Leslie.  Decided not to stand in line to see Paris Hilton.  My only sad thing so far is my favorite artist,  other then Heidi, Kelly Rae Roberts  is not here.  

Okay, Frayed Edges Friends,  there is machine that will cut out die cut shapes out of fabric. Sarah you would flip over all of the thread.  I spied Jenny Doh and bought the new Women Who Create and an awesome Stuffed addition.  AND  they are going to have an art quilt magazine that comes out two times a year.  I see this in our future.  

Leslie - those inks you like are everywhere.  Lori, I have found what you need for your sand dollars.  It is actually good that I can't buy things.  A minimum order is $200, but I have lots of catalogs. 

Other then all the fun I am having, I miss my family sooooo much.  Traveling with Heidi is a blast!

Sweaters, Sweaters, Sweaters!

I had so much fun making felted mittens and stuffed animals this Christmas.  I have so many scraps now that I started making a garland for our tree.  I thought that this would be fun to do with others this next fall if you are interested.  I have enough to go around.  

I finally broke down and got highlights in my hair.  I kept waiting to get it done when I looked like I did when I was 24. Well....that is harder then I thought.  The books I am reading have told me that if I want something I need to beleive in it and act that way.  Soooo...hello highlights and goodbye sweat pants.   Watch out California - Hannah has a new DO!

Notice the eyebrows!

Many of you know this handsome man -  My lovely husband, Bart.  I was looking for a cute picture of Bart to thank him for all of his help with my blog....but instead I was perplexed by this pic.  Is he saying.....don't take my picture?.....or maybe .....what are you thinking?  .....Definitely - it was a warning look.  Can't imagine though..Must have been a "just you wait....I am going to shower you with love soon " look.  He he.  Anyway.  Thank you Bart for being such a great guy.  I love you.

Tweet, Tweet!

This little bird  sits on the window sill in my kitchen.  She makes me smile, when I have to do the dishes.  Heidi and I made these for the craft fairs we were in this past holiday season.  We used  recycled wool sweaters that we felted in the washer.  I have a few more cut out that I hope we can finish for our ETSY store.  For any of you that haven't gone to ETSY.com - I highly recommend it.  Anyone can have a store and sell their handmade items to people all over the world.  I hope to open one in the near future.  If I get ambitious with this blog thing I could list my favorite ETSY shops.  I can't remember her store name....but Betsy Thompson sells great collages.  My sister-in-law, Leslie has put some of her pieces on ETSY as well.  I'll check with my master -mind computer guy (Bart) later and see what he can do.  

I have enjoyed a great day with Nina.  Now that everyone is feeling better, we were able to enjoy a fun day at home.  Nina enjoyed playing with Ceilia and I got to sew two of the cutest softies that Heidi and I have made yet.  I can't post pics of them until much later....but you can watch for them in the next issue of STICH magazine.  

Time for the bus.  Don't forget to celebrate this great day.  Hannah

Snowy Days

What a beautiful day outside.  Finally it is in the twenties and we can actually go outside and play in the snow.  Bart took Emelia and Chloe cross country skiing out the back.  Nina, Ella and I stayed back to give them more time to get over their flu-bug.  I was able to sew a few pairs of mittens and the fronts of eight more pandas.  Yippee!  Hopefully they will all sell at the fair. 

 I leave for CA  next Saturday and I am trying to figure out what to pack for clothes.  I may not even need my winter coat....weird.  But then that leads me to the clothing issue.  What do I pack?  I'm finding that my wardrobe has gone down hill a bit.  The fleece tops and yoga pants that I wear at home won't necessarily send the hip crafter image that I am hoping for. I have put in a rescue call to Lizzy my hip 23 year old girl friend,  in hopes of borrowing something that doesn't scream "at home momma." Don't get me wrong...I am sure I can pull it off.  

A House Full!

It amazes me that with a house full of seven girls, I am actually able to work on my blog.  When it is just our four girls it seems there is never any time.  Bart even came home early from work and cleaned the downstairs while I played in my studio.  I think he thought I was hitting a crazy momma moment after having sick children home from school this week.  

Heidi Boyd (one of my best friends) and I are preparing to show some of our goodies at the Chinese New Year Fair in Portland, Maine on the 31st of January.  Heidi tends to be the master mind behind our patterns, designing and cutting out the material.  I sew the patterns and see them come to life.  In between sewing panda bears, lady bugs and asian dolls - I have been working on a few collages that I hope will be ready for the fair.  

Heidi is author of 13 arts and crafts books.  I do love this about her, but her artist abilities aren't even her best qualities.  She happens to give really good parenting advice and is a great friend.  BUT....my point.....next weekend we are flying to Los Angeles and then on to Aneheim for CHA (Craft and Hobby Association).  For all of you noncrafters, this is like heaven for a crafter.  All the vendors who make products, write books, create awesome art will be in one space.  And I of course needed to go to support Heidi.  I hope to meet Kelly Rae Roberts and Claudine Hellmouth.  Well...."meet" sounds great, but more realistically I would be happy to watch them from a far.  

Time to check on the girls.  The volume is increasing upstairs.