Wordless Wednesday

Etsyblogger of the Month: Pruitt Handcrafts

Straight from her profile: "I am a Breast Cancer Survivor & Grandmother of 25 grandchildren and all-around creative person! I blog about family, inspiration and creativity." And she still finds time for 3 shops and a blog!! I wonder just how many hands she has for her handcrafts?!?

That 25th grandchild...she just arrived earlier this month. Wanna see the sweetness?

And now to show off some of the things you can find in her shops:

Breast Cancer Lap Quilt

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Pruitt Designs: Hurry on in to this one....it is closing on January 15th...
be sure to read the shop announcements for special store closing sales...

Pink Lampwork Bead Bracelet

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"Helping you make the music of creativity"

Square Flat Green AB Beads

Awesome Xmas Outfit

Why a tux you ask... well, because he can :)

and if you love the Jayne hat, you can find it at Ma Cobb's on Etsy

Happy Holidays

Wishing you the best...from my family to yours....

Wordless Wednesday

Etsyblogger Carnival: Holiday Traditions

This carnival is brought to you by Ms. Moo from Spotted Cow Soaps. These were the choices:

1. There are many different holidays and celebrations this time of year. Share some of the traditions from your holiday celebrations.
2. Share your favorite Holiday recipe and tell us why it has become your favorite Holiday recipe.

I do have a new holiday recipe that I love to make, but I have written about it before. So I will go with traditions.

Fist off...the tree. Every year we get an ornament from my mom. She always finds the perfect one. My tree is covered with most of my ornaments for as long as I can remember. Well, except for those few I left at her place. It's always fun to search her tree for some old faves. My boys and hubby also get one. Someday this tree will be dripping with ornaments. Until the boys move out and take some to their places.

Traditions tend to change over the years as family is moved and added to. Hubby and I got lucky in that there was not too much overlap once we merged traditions. We always did Xmas Eve at my dad's parents with all his sibs & their families, the morning was the usual immediate family opening Santa's gifts at home followed by Xmas afternoon at my mom's sisters with her side. Hubby did Eve at home & church and pretty much the same thing again the day of. Big difference in family quantity living nearby.

So, since his family stuff was the same group both days & mine were different sides, we still hit everyone. Eve has moved to my parents house for my dad's side - very convenient for me since they live closer than Grandma. We leave just a bit early so hubby & the boys can get to the church service (depending on how awake the little guy is). The morning is spent just us opening our gifts to each other...and from Santa. We have brunch with hubby's sis + family & parents. We have switched to our places instead of his parent's since we live about 1 mile from his sis. Very nice :)

Xmas day afternoon is still at my aunt's. We don't spend quite as long as we used to, but long enough to visit for a bit. Bonus - she is just a few blocks away! It also serves to be the marker for us to grab my parents and head over to their house for the last stop on the Xmas tour. This is the most relaxing portion of the whole shebang. It is just us - me, hubby, the kids & my parents. We nibble on leftover goodies and open our gifts to each other. My brother would join us except he was a traitor and moved down to the Nashville area. Sheesh - just because you are offered a fantastic job, in a beautiful area & can live in a gorgeous new home...can't understand why they would defect to , um, well, okay, so I know why. I just miss 'em so I have to rag on him a bit :)

Sounds hectic, but it really isn't too bad. Lots of family - very lots with mine - good food, fun gift exchanges and not too far away. And we do not have the kind of family that fights, so even better. Hope your holidays are as happy!

Baby It's Cold Outside

Okay, yes, the teens are cold. But add in the wind and you get this...

...negative teens. It is kind of funny to see the heat index at 10.

Bottom line - school is out. The roads are horrid. Ice underneath the snow makes for an interesting drive...as I found out last night on the way home from the Ypsilanti Holiday sale at Riverside Arts Center. Normally it would take about 45 minutes. Last night, doubled. Cars off the side of the road...a couple dozen easy, in just a 3 mile stretch. Thankfully it looked like no one was hurt. But 30mph was about the limit.

It was a happy ride though. Why? Because the show went well. It was 2 weekends long which helped. Big thanks to Dee for setting everything up! I sold most of my small zip pouches, some larger wristlets, a large painted tote and my large giraffe hobo bag that never even got as far as my shop. That felt nice :) I think I may make more...what do you think?

I have some fun prints in this same textured fabric - almost a burlap feel, but sturdier.

Now I have to decide what to do with the rest of the bags that I am no longer going to create more of. Sale? A fun giveaway? Or as someone at the show pointed out...I should keep them as is & just point out that not only are they handmade, but only X amount of that pattern was ever even made...generally less than 10 and never the same material twice. Hmmm...

Either way, I need to buckle down and make some Xmas gifts before I do anything else shop-wise. That is one problem with this time of year...I want to make everything for everyone and make it now. Can't happen. Two hands and one brain can only work so fast. Especially when you sprinkle in the 5 year old LOL!

Wordless Wednesday

This week's Wordless Wednesday inspiration...my newest treasury on Etsy: Geek Out the Tree