Mother's Day Pillow

Don't forget to sign-up for my giveaway!!

This is what I spent a huge part of yesterday wasting spending my time working on. A pillow for my MIL for Mother's Day. I am thrilled with how it turned out. If you click on the image below you can read the text.




The first photos is one of my favorite photos of my husband as a child. He is at the dentist office and about to get a gold cap on one of his front teeth. The second photo is my husband now. I can't wait til my MIL sees it, she doesn't know he has a beard.


The burlap is recycled coffee bean bags. The front of the pillow is my first effort at printing a photo directly onto regular fabric. It was fun and I can see loads of potential projects from it. I sewed lace, and jute braid around the front and then I hand stitched down jute twine adding glass pearls as I went.

There are four different buttons in the corners from my button stash and I used lace to make three rosettes. I am really pleased with this and wish it were mine (text aside). :)

Don't forget to sign-up for my give-away.

I am sharing this at:



The Girl Creative: Just Something I Whipped Up

Between Naps on the Porch: Metamorphosis Monday

Coastal Charm: Nifty Thrifty Tuesday

These Creative Juices: Linky Party

My House of Giggles: Tuesday Talent Show

My Backyard Eden: Make it Yours Day

It So Very Cheri: Spotlight Yourself

I am Only One, but Still I am One: Check Me Out Saturday

Craft Envy: Saturday Spotlight

Finding Fabulous: Frugalicious Friday

Find Your Own Goodies Giveaway ($60 dollars to spend at CSN)

I am partnering with CSN Stores to let you pick your own goodies!

If you are not familiar with CSN Stores, you ought to check them out. They have over 200 websites selling a staggering range of products including tv stands, pet supplies, office furniture, luggage and home decor.

I browsed their website and found a few goodies I wouldn't mind having.


I am in need of a new teapot as my two everyday teapots are in bad shape. They are all chipped up and I broke the lid for one. I love the blue of this teapot because it reminds me of my first teapot and I love the shape!!


These boots would be nice!! I went without dress boots this winter because I never did get my boots in to the shoe repair shop!!


Who could say no to an adorable chippy penguin?


I could always use another globe for my collection. If I were a huge spender I would buy this Frank Loyd Wright globe.;)


And while I am dreaming big, who wouldn't love this clock. You get to choose your chimes between Westminster and Beethoven. Isn't it gorgeous?

Here's how to enter:

• The giveaway is open to US and Canadian residents.
• Leave a comment telling me what you like at the CSN Stores website (don't get lost-they have tons of stuff) and let me know that you are following Those Northern Skies for one entry.
• Tweeting, blogging, or mentioning the giveaway on Facebook will each be counted as a separate entry(leave a separate comment for each, please).
• A winner will be selected on Friday, May 7th.

thrifty goodness

It has been several years since my gifts for friends or family have been purchased new. For the most part, I stick with homemade or thrift store purchases. Here are some purchases I made for my MIL recently.

There is a new Bibles for Missions thrift store in the town where my Mom lives. I picked up this teacup and saucer for my MIL at the store. My MIL has tons of teacups and saucers but she loves them and it is a rare instance of us sharing tastes so it is easy for me to buy them for her. I try to buy unique pieces for her collection.


My MIL also collects milk glass. I am not as avid about milk glass as she is but it is one other area where our interests overlap. In fact, in the past I've picked up a few pieces for her that I ended up keeping because I liked them so much. I try to find unique pieces for this collection too. I really liked the shape of this vase.

And of course, a person who collects needs a way to show off the pieces. I found this teacup and saucer display for two bucks at Goodwill.

There is only one drawback to this arrangement. She lives in SoCal and so shipping is a bear (I often spend many times what I paid or spent for an item on the shipping of said item). However, if I ship out through the year as I find and make things, it at least cushions the cost. I wrap everything I send as a Christmas gift before I ship it and keep track of what I send. In addition, this year I am adding little notes to the gifts explaining why I bought them or what I was thinking.

A side note the box that I shipped the hanger in is one that has been back and forth to CA numerous times. Every so often you find a good shipping box - I often think I should put a tally on the inside of the box and keep track for a record!! :)

the rooster's tassel

My MIL is one of those matchy-matchy type of people. She goes through stages in the late seventies early eighties it was owls. During the late eighties early nineties it was those geese (She even had dishes!!). Now it is chickens. Among the many things I've made her are curtains, a rooster tray, and chicken votive holders. You may now add rooster tassel.


Another figure from Dollar Tree - repainted and with a hole drilled through its back!!



Thanks to those who asked after my eyes. They are fine. It was a regular appointment. Not sure why my eyes were so lopsided afterwords. ;)

The wonderful thing is that this woman tried out different contacts and I finally (after trying contacts multiple times in my life) have contacts I can wear all day with almost no discomfort (which is remarkable given how bad an allergy season we are having!!)

You know - I just reread the introduction. Chickens in the kitchen...the rest of her house is over-run with teacups and saucers, those porcelain dolls you buy from collector's organizations, and Thomas Kinkade (everything Thomas Kinkade).

It is amazing to me how all Thomas Kinkade stuff begins to look identical after awhile (long drawn out shudder).

paper butterflies

My contribution to the world of paper butterflies and pseudo-taxidermy boards. :)



I am sorry I didn't write yesterday. I was unaccountably tired. Perhaps it was the staying up until 12:30 to finish reading An Echo in the Darkness by Francine Rivers.

Honestly, I am not sure that was the entire reason.

I had an eye appointment yesterday and came back with one eye completely dilated and the other not. I looked kinda freaky. :) I took a nap after that one that was supposed to last half an hour but which lasted an hour instead. I was more focused after that. Unfortunately, that was late in the afternoon. :)

Boynton's Hippos as Tassels

Doesn't this little hippo piggy bank from Dollar Tree look a bit like one of Sandra Boynton's hippos?




For new friend Friday we are supposed to share our favorite t.v. shows.

My favorite show on the air right now is (hands down) WHITE COLLAR!! Just love that show...

another fishing tackle necklace

I really like the necklace I showed you yesterday. And yesterday when I was digging through my jewelry, I found this gorgeous fish pendant a friend of mine from Scotland gave me. I tried it on the chain I made but it didn't quite work. Hmmm...gold and black...and silver. Nah!

So I picked up some gold barrel swivels and found these awesome three-way swivels and made a new chain for my lovely fish.

Isn't the 3-way swivel cool?

I like this necklace even better than the one from yesterday. If you want a tutorial for making it, check out my article on Suite101.

I will be sharing this at:

The Train to Crazy: Make it Wear it.

Beyond the Picket Fence: Under $100 Linky Party

an alluring necklace

I got the idea from a book a borrowed from the library. It uses fishing tackle specifically: barrel swivels with interlock snaps and leader wire. I really, really like it - there is something delicate about it without being frilly that appeals to me.

I wrote a tutorial that you can find on Suite101.








I am sharing this at:

Blue Cricket Designs: Show and Tell

My Backyard Eden: Make It Yours Day

The Train to Crazy: Make it Wear it.

Roots and Wings Co: Wednesday's Creative Inspiration

Catch Your Drink and Keep It Beverage Charms

These beverage charms are for the people who don't have wine and wine glasses at their parties. These charms are for people who drink it straight out of the can!!


Supplies

• A variety of fishing lures
• Lanyard clips
• Pliers

Instructions

1. If the fishing lure has the hook embedded in it, either remove the hook or squeeze the hook closed.
2. Slide the head of the lure over the lanyard clip.

I am sharing this at:

The Persimmon Perch: Made It Monday

Today's Creative Blog: Get Your Craft on Tuesday

Skip to My Lou: Made By You Monday

A Soft Place to Land: DIY Day

Making the World Cuter: Make the World Cuter Monday

Craftaholics Anonymous: Craftaholics Anonymous Support Group

My Frugal Family: Talented Tuesday

Blogger Chix Designs: Talk About it Tuesday

Blue Cricket Designs = Show and Tell

My Backyard Eden: Make It Yours Day

a little something for a dear friend

The last time I featured something I made for my friend M, I said that it was something I did for an old friend - intending to refer to the amount of time we had been friends...but the reference to old was too much for her. She asked me to refer to her as a dear friend. ;)


When I visited M last summer she gave me this old rubber stamp set that her husband brought home from his parent's home. She wanted me to make a display of it. This is what I made.



It has two holes drilled near the top so she can either hang the tray or leave it lying flat on a table.

I am sharing this at:

Between Naps on the Porch: Metamorphosis Monday

The Girl Creative: Just Something I Whipped Up

hardware necklace and sleeping beauty

I made this hardware necklace at the beginning of March. I've meant to revisit the idea as I am not convinced that I am satisfied but I have been too busy and probably will remain too busy for quite awhile. So I am sharing it here.



Don't you love it when God reminds you that the sassy 8.5-year-old--who spends most of her waking hours contradicting you, whining, harassing her younger sister, or just be obnoxious because she wants to--is a precious child?



Places where I will be sharing this:


A Few of My Favorite Things: Favorite Things Friday

noisy rocks

I got the idea from Junkermidge from Havin' fun with Junk (and Life in general).

We made it with my Mom during Easter break. We got the rocks during our explorations. Mom wrote the verse on the central stone and the girls wrote the words on the smaller rocks.

The container is an old enamelware bowel my Mom used to use for making bread until a hole wore through. Now it is simply nostalgic and decorative.



Places where I will be sharing this:


A Few of My Favorite Things: Favorite Things Friday

beaded bookmarks

Yesterday was the last meeting of Women of the Word and so I made all the women in my group (and then some) a beaded bookmark. I thought I had written a tutorial for these, but apparently, I have not!! I will try to write one for you soon.

Written!! You can find my tutorial for these bookmarks at Suite101.


Here are a few of my favorites.


I have several like the one above except that the accent bead is a different color on them. I would be happy to give three of them to the first three who say they would like one.




Isn't the book beautiful? I bought it several years ago at a thrift store just because I was so enamored with the artwork. I have no idea what the story is about although the tiny bit I've scanned seems like it is a fairy or fantasy in the style of a Greek or Roman myth. I want to try reading it someday.



A quick search of the internet reveals that it is probably based on an Irish myth.

I am sharing this at:



The Thrifty Home: Penny Pinching Party

Keeping it Simple: Motivate me Monday

Tea Rose Home: Wednesday at Tea Rose Home Link Party

My Backyard Eden: Make it Yours Day

The Shabby Chic Cottage: Transformation Thursday

Life as Lori: Get Your Craft on Thursday

Somewhat Simple: Strut Your Stuff

Fireflies and Jellybeans: Show Off Your Stuff

Beyond the Picket Fence: Under $100 Linky Party