Ah...Spring, finally

Our plum tree this morning in the backyard. Smells really good, too.

new carved stamp ATCs

The bird is a carved rubber stamp I made recently. The image is from a drawing I did after seeing a Walter Andersen exhibit at Bell Museum. J. says the bird looks sorta Aztec-y. Maybe I shouldn't have put those blue beads under his butt on the middle card, they look like he's pooping.

ATC's: Wisconsin and California

For Wisconsin, I went with a background of cheese (orange cardstock with punch holes) and a poster for the Ringling Bros. circus, since they started in WI. Then I have the Mustard Museum marquee, and bottle of mustard. For California, I went with a surfer/60's kind of background, an old poster for the Swiss Family Treehouse in Disneyland, an old photo of the Winchester house, and a dragon head made of flowers and plants from the Rose Parade this year.

ATC's: New Hampshire, Hawaii, Michigan

I made these for a swap with a theme based on each state in the U.S. We all have to do the same states at the same time, so this round was New Hampshire, Hawaii, Michigan, California and Wisconsin. All of my cards have one element in common: The postage stamp for that state that came out in 2006. For NH, I have a background of fall colors and leaf outlines, a jug of maple syrup, a postage stamp for the longest land bridge, and a photo and caption for Robert Frost. For Hawaii, I did a blue background for the gorgeous water around the islands, then a photo of an erupting volcano, a shot of the largest maze in the world (with a pineapple in the center), and a portrait of Queen Lili'uokalani, the last ruler of Hawaii. For Michigan, I have an old Kellogg's cereal box, a kid eating some Kellogg's corn flakes, a bowl of Michigan cherries, and a petoskey stone, a weird fossill found only in Michigan. Oh, and the background is supposed to be a blooming apple tree but now I realize I used a picture of plum blossoms instead. So sue me.

Postcard Quilt: D is for Diner

I made this postcard quilt for a swap in which the theme was "D is for..." and I had to come up with something beginning with the letter D. I already had this fun green fabric and it reminds me of a diner, so I went with that. It's a very simple construction, but I like how it turned out looking kind of a like a placemat.

Aw! Cocoa with Teddy

Okay, it's posed. But still, it's cute! And Cocoa does often take our teddy bears off the bed when we aren't home, and bring them downstairs to her pillow to keep her company. So we know they are secret friends.

Treats!

There were many lovely treats in this pkg. Thanks Auntie Wendy!

Cocoa opens the mail

We got this fun package from my sis Wendy, full of doggie goodies, and Cocoa wanted to help get the stuff out, the faster to eat it. If you live in the Seattle area, you gotta go to Wendy's store, it's the bomb! Muddy Paws is the name of the store, and you need to visit it, now! She's an expert on pet food (wouldn't go near any of that stuff that has been poisoning pets across the country) and she has the funnest toys! The catnip banana is a particular fave with some cats I know.

My First Knit for Baby

This was sort of my Easter thing this year. I didn't go to Mass because I was tired from growing Baby and working Thursday, Friday and Saturday, so I stayed home and enjoyed the quiet and knit this hat for our Baby Girl. Isn't it cute? It's a little cotton beanie with a picot edge and lazy daisy embroidered flowers. I want to knit a bunch of stuff but I was kind of waiting, I guess. I knit booties and a hat last time and then we had the miscarraige, so I'm kind of wary of going gangbusters. But I know this Baby is doing great. I can feel her moving now, it's a funny fluttering inside that always takes me by surprise. So now I have started a blanket square as well. I wish I knew how to crochet, too, they have all these fun flower things you can put on blankies and I don't know how to make them. Maybe my Mom can make those, she knows how to crochet (hint hint Mom). :)