Happy New Year!

I hope everyone is happy and safe during festivities tonight.  There have already been people setting off fireworks near our neighborhood for the past 2 weeks.

And don't forget to eat your black eyed peas and collard greens for good luck in the new year :)
I just eat the peas - I hate collard greens.  So I guess I'll just have 50% good luck and 50% bad luck. 

Have a Blessed New Year!

Jingle Paws

Well, tis the season to not have time to blog.  LOL

Things are finally settling down around here and I hope things are calmer at your houses as well.  I hope you've all had a very Happy Christmas or a blessed Hanukah and any other holiday that your family celebrates.

And once again, we're getting ready to celebrate the beginning of a new year.  Funny how fast they come the older you get.  My son swore that the days waiting for Christmas were endless and moving at a snails pace.  I, however, thought they were speeding by.

We had a very nice Christmas.  Some good food.  Spending time with family.  Putting together lots of new Legos.  And watching my new DVD's of The New Adventures of Old Christine.

I'm not one to make New Year's resolutions. But I do have some plans for my Handmade Whimzy shop and things that I hope I can get accomplished this year.

For now, I have some cute pictures of Jingle Paws.  Our sweet Mac is such a good sport.
But stay tuned for the posts of the bottle cap pincushions that I made for my son's teachers.

Treat Yourself End of Year SALE!

I'm having a big, huge "Treat Yourself End of Year SALE"!

ALL of the hair accessories and scented sachets in my Handmade Whimzy shop are marked 50% off!

You can get some yummy smelling sachets to put in all your drawers or hang in your closet.  Or how about a sweet flower for your hair?

So treat yourself to something pretty.  Don't we all deserve it after the stress of the holiday season?

200

I just hit 200!!!!!

I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOO excited.  My 200th customer is getting a surprise free gift :)

In other, unrelated news, my baby is still sick.
I have a ton of gifts to wrap and haven't wrapped any.
I picked up our Christmas cards (the have a pic of my son on them - we ordered through his school), but haven't addressed any of them.
I'm having to car shop, now, at Christmas time.  UG!

How is your weekend going?

Farmer's Market Apples

I listed a new half apron in my shop today.  I love this apple print by Sandi Henderson from Michael Miller fabrics. 

And I'm working on one with more Sandi Henderson/Michael Miller fabric - from the Meadow Sweet collection.  It's so pretty!  Can't wait to show it off!

What else is going on right now?  Well, when I picked my sweet baby up from school yesterday, he had a temp of 101.9.  So not only is he sick, but he infected his whole class because he's too stubborn to tell the teacher he feels bad so he can come home.  Sigh.

AND, my shop has hit 199 sales!  My goal was 200 by the end of the year.  My sales have really picked up since I switched over from handmade jewelry to handmade aprons - and you don't hear me complaining :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Bottlecap Pincushion Christmas Ornaments

I've shown off my bottlecap pincushions before but it was this post HERE when I attempted to make Christmas ornaments for our local fair's arts and crafts contest and they didn't come out so good.  I tried to sew the hanging ribbon into the ornament when I blanket stitched the top and it made them all crinkled.  

That was when my efriend Nancy suggested that I sew the ribbon on the outside of the pincushion and use pretty buttons to cover up the tales. 
Well, Nancy is a genius!!!
You're a genius Nancy!

This time, they came out perfectly.  I sent these to my Christmas ornament swap partners.

Here is the back of one where you can see how I sewed the button over the ribbon.  Sorry it's very blurry.

I love making these but they are very time consuming.  Very cheap to make - probably less than a quarter's worth of materials.  But they take me soooo long to make.  Possibly because I consider myself a novice embroiderer.  I'm sure lots of people would be able to whip them out.  But they sure are fun! 

Holly Day Blog Hop from EtsyMom Team!

Check out all of the fabulous holiday-themed projects, gift ideas, and more from our wonderful EtsyMom Blog Hop Contributors from around the world!!

www.crazyadorable.blogspot.com/
http://www.thecountrychiccottage.net/2010/12/etsymom-blog-hop-giveaway-with-ornament.html

http://signature-sterling.blogspot.com/2010/12/holly-day-blog-hop.html
http://allyouneeddesigns.blogspot.com/2010/12/holly-day-blog-hop-with-etsymom-street.html
http://tctliebel.typepad.com/life_as_we_live_it/2010/12/its-a-holly-day-blog-hop.html
http://rikrakstudio.blogspot.com/2010/12/etsymom-blog-hop-sweet-salt-dough.html
http://singingthreelittlebirds.blogspot.com/2010/12/etsy-mom-holly-day-blog-hop.html
http://camelotstreasures.blogspot.com/2010/12/etsymom-holly-day-blog-hop.html
http://homemadebyamanda.blogspot.com/2010/12/blog-hop-holiday-inspiration.html
http://annavirginiafashion.blogspot.com/2010/12/piggy-peeps-baby-shoes-pattern-holly.html
http://mylavenderave.blogspot.com/2010/12/holly-days-blog-hop-delicious-fudge.html
http://babyjives.blogspot.com/2010/12/holly-day-silhouette-ornament.htmlwww.babyswank.blogspot.com/
http://babysindulgencebyjocelyn.blogspot.com/2010/12/rocky-road-fudge.html
http://handmadewhimzy.blogspot.com/2010/12/holly-day-blog-hop-from-etsymom-team.html
http://katekatenyc.blogspot.com/2010/12/etsymom-blog-hop.html

http://caramagic.blogspot.com/2010/12/etsymom-holly-day-blog-hop-pleated.html
http://onlyterrastreasures.blogspot.com/2010/12/tutorial-make-your-own-chinese-takeout.html
http://silverrosedesigns.blogspot.com/2010/12/lets-do-some-holly-day-hopping.html
http://quirefly.blogspot.com/2010/12/holly-day-fun-cranberry-pudding-with.html
http://cinnamonspicecrafts.blogspot.com/2010/12/come-blog-hop-with-etsymom-team.html
http://handprintlady.blogspot.com/2010/12/holiday-tutorial-gift-from.html

Here's how it works:
1. Hop through each of the blogs listed above to get fabulous holiday inspiration and leave a comment. If you are starting at a blog in the middle of the Hop, start back at the EtsyMom Blog. You may have to scroll down a bit on the blogs to find the Blog Hop posts as the week progresses.
2. Leave a comment on the EtsyMom Blog post between now and December 11, 2010.
3. Enter to win our giveaway by doing any of the following. For each thing you do, you will be entered into the drawing one more time:

~Leave a comment on the EtsyMom Blog post between now and December 11, 2010.
~Leave a comment on the Holly Day Blog Hop posts for any of the blogs listed above between Dec 5 and Dec 11, 2010.
~Join the EtsyMom Blog email list (fill out the form in the right hand column).
~Become a follower of the EtsyMom Blog! Just click the "Follow" button in the lower right column.
~"Like" the EtsyMom Facebook Page.

Share about this Blog Hop on your own blog, posting a link to this page.

Share about this Blog Hop on Facebook, posting a link to this page.

Share about this Blog Hop on a message board or forum, posting a link to this page.

To let us know you've done these things, please come back to the EtsyMom Blog post and leave a comment for each thing you did.
Sorry - you cannot enter the giveaway here on my blog.

On December 11, 2010 we'll choose a winner using the Random Integer Generator from random.org. The winner will receive this super sweet gift basket full of handmade holiday goodies, including:

a pair of Turquoise Earrings from
http://www.stoneymistdesign.etsy.com/

a greeting card from
http://www.homemadebyamanda.etsy.com/

a lampwork bead bracelet by
http://handmadewhimzy.etsy.com/

sterling silver and Swarovski pearl/crystal holiday earrings by

http://www.etsy.com/shop/signaturesterling

a cream colored cotton scarf given by
http://www.zoegirldesigns.etsy.com/

a raincloud ornament from
http://www.etsy.com/shop/babyjives

a matching splat mat and baby bib from
http://www.babysindulgence.etsy.com/

two pair of earrings from
http://quirefly.etsy.com/

a gift pack of over 30 pages of vintage paper ephemera by
http://www.etsy.com/shop/countrychiccottage

a lovely sustainable stocking from
http://www.rikrak.etsy.com/

a set of holly jolly gift tags from
http://cinnamonspice.etsy.com/

a set of toddler pajamas in a style of the winner's choice from
http://heatheregley.etsy.com/

a $15 gift certificate from
http://camelotstreasures.etsy.com/

A gift certificate from
http://babyswank.etsy.com/

A Custom copper heart necklace from
http://www.etsy.com/shop/ct2designs

My contribution to the blog hop is a tutorial for making an easy peasy Advent banner for Christmas.  I'm calling it my:

 12 Days of Christmas Treats Banner

I got the idea from a Better Homes and Garden Christmas magazine that had an article on Scandinavian Christmas traditions.   The family in the picture had an advent banner for each child strung across different windows.  They were very simple little red and white bags or stocking shapes, pinned to a string with clothespins.  Perfect for dropping in a sweet little treat each day.  I only made mine for the 12 days leading up to Christmas.  So, my son will check his treat  pouches each day from Dec. 13th till Dec. 24th.

I decided to make mine with felt (because it's so easy to sew and cheap!).
Here's a pic of the final result:

Stuff you need to make a 12 day treat banner:

2 pieces of sparkly red felt (the 9x12 inch sheets)
2 pieces of sparkly white felt
2 pieces of bright green felt
12 Christmassy buttons
Christmassy scrapbook paper
1/8 inch ribbon in coordinating colors
paper punch in your choice of shape
red and green sharpie markers
Jute (or similar sturdy string)
clothespins
Christmas ribbon
Sewing machine or needle for hand stitching - with thread

Step 1
Cut out your rectangles with the red and white felt.  Each rectangle should be 6 x 4.5 inches.

Step 2
Cut rectangles out of the bright green felt.  Each one should be 4 x 3 inches.

Step 3
Choose the buttons you want to use.  I made some fabric buttons and also used red star shaped buttons. 

Sew buttons on to the center of each felt piece.

Step 4
Pin green felt pieces to red/white rectangles, placing them where you want your pouches to be.   I centered mine closer to the bottom.

Step 5
Sew green rectangle to red/white piece using a zig zag stitch or other decorative stitch.  I used my sewing machine but this could also be done by hand.

Step 6
Punch out tags using Christmas paper and a paper punch.  I used a heart punch and 2 different Christmas papers.  Punch a small hole in each tag for the hanging ribbon.

Step 7
Thread the 1/8 inch ribbon through the hole and tie to make a hanging loop.  Use the sharpie markers to write the dates on the back of each tag.  I used a red and a green sharpie.

Step 8
Hang each tag from the buttons on the pouches.  Tie your jute wherever you want your banner to hang.  Pin each pouch to the jute with clothespins in date order.

Fill with tiny treats and voila', you're done!
Merry Christmas from Handmade Whimzy!!

And on to the next blog in the hop!  http://katekatenyc.blogspot.com/2010/12/etsymom-blog-hop.html
Have fun participating!

Salvation Army Christmas Garage Sale

We have a great corp of Salvation Army volunteers in our community.  And they have GREAT garage sales.  LOL

Every year, they do a spring and fall garage sale with all the donated items they receive.  Then a few years ago they started doing a Christmas garage sale because people were donating so many Christmas items.  You can get everything there.  They have trees of all shapes and sizes, lights, decorations, furniture, dishware, yard art, and everything else.

This year I waited until the very last second to go.  My DH and I went at about 2pm on Saturday - they closed at 3pm.  So there wasn't a whole lot left.  sigh.
I should have gone on Friday.  A friend of mine did and showed me all her treasures and she really cleaned up.

But, I'm still happy with the $3 that I did spend.  Here are my treasures:

A Santa candy dish - you take the candy from his bum! 
I thought it was really cute.

And a set of salt and pepper shakers with poinsettas on top.  Kind of plain but I like them.