Let's Have a Fling!

Come on, it's nearly Spring...time for a Fling, celebration, that is!  My friends on the Old Farmhouse Gathering Team are having a wonderful time creating new Spring themed items just for you.  Here's just a small sampling of the 177 new products.  Can you find my floppy eared bunny? Go to www.Etsy.com and type SFOFG in the search bar to see them all!

The Secret 'Wink Wink' Discount

Many who know me well know about my cautious spending habits and absolute intolerance for being overcharged, especially as so many goods and services are increasing their costs to customers.  It's a way of life with only one income and a continued desire to live in an expensive part of the country, Washington state.  I thought I might share a few unusual areas that I have discovered over the past year that have eliminated those increases and even reduced our overall expenses.

Now, we could certainly cancel our satellite service; that's a given, but we have no local service available out in the country without either subscribing to satellite or cable.  We can't even get a clear radio station without continual static.  And we're a family that enjoys some of the basics in being entertained.  But did you know that once your 'contract' with a satellite provider ends and you're stuck paying for the full amount that you can get another discounted monthly rate simply by calling and letting them know that you're considering cancelling their service?  I scored a $20 per month reduction this year in my service with one phone call and for 'signing' on for another year of service.  Then just call them again in a year for another discount.  I've done this one for 2 years now with success.

Our phone/internet provider recently sold to another provider, and they attempted a mandatory increase in my internet service even though I had signed on for a 'lifetime' rate (unless I change service levels) with the former company.  A breach in their contract with me.  Most people probably wouldn't pay attention to a dollar or two difference, and even their customer service people attempted to tell me 'too bad.'  However, ask for a supervisor and insist on your rights.  One phone call to them stopped that little increase, and a permanent record in my account to not allow further increases.  Paying attention to our monthly bills for these sneaky little tricks saved me some bucks there.

We enjoy reading the local newspaper over the weekend, and they had been providing a wonderful three day weekend rate that recently increased 15%.  I had made the decision that this was an expense that I would cut back on.  So one phone call to them of my intention, and I received a "loyalty" discount that is 30% lower than my old rate!

And lastly, we have had a weekly garbage service since moving here, which this year increased by about 15% due to their lowered intake of the recycling rebate that they pass through to their customers.  Well, we haven't had a full weekly garbage can in many years since we recycle everything that is allowed.  And I'm working on an composting area, although right now, I just bury it in the garden so the critters and our dog don't get into it.  A compost bin is on the list to make someday.  Anyway, we barely have any regular trash, so I eliminated the weekly pick up service and changed it to monthly.  We're almost through out first month, and that can is about half full, so that is definitely a savings worthwhile right now.

There are certainly a multitude of ways to save money.  These are just a few that I hadn't thought of before, so I thought I'd share them with you in case they've never crossed your mind to look into as well.  It seems that secret 'wink wink' discount is out there if you just pick up the phone and ask.

And so...at 12...

The older I get, the faster life seems to go by.  Today is our lovely daughter's 12th birthday.  And yet, I can remember what was surely just yesterday that she blessed us with that incredible smile and those big brown eyes full of wonder.

Now, at 12, there is more emotion, more opinions, more questions, and more activity in all that matters to a 'tween.  Finding the balance to keep the family harmony can be a challenge at times, but not nearly the struggle that I've heard many parents go through.  I love the fact that she is an easy going, flows with the tide, kind of kid.  If something doesn't pan out for her, she doesn't get discouraged and give up.  And the girl has more compassion and empathy towards any living creature than can be imagined.  It's a balance that she regularly achieves in a world full of that "me first" mentality.  It's that inner wellness that will keep her strong and resilient through the coming years.  

Happy Birthday Nic.  I love you!

It's not entirely tranquil in the country...

Living in the country is usually the most tranquil environment here at Happy Valley.  Wildlife is abundantly full with the beautiful call of an eagle to the wispy silence of a deer.  And then, sometimes it can be a bit scary, what with the types of wild animals treading into the domicile's surroundings with bad intentions.  Today was nearly one of those events.

As many of you know, we have been blessed to continue to have as a member of our family our nearly 13 year old Lhaso, Gizmo.  After last summer's surprising find of bladder stones, surgery, and one kidney failing, we are really thankful for each and every day we have with him now...never knowing if when his remaining kidney will tire from all the work it has to do.  However, his spirits remain high; he's playful, and has a healthy appetite for his special diet.  So things are positive for now.

That's why what happened today really shook me up.  As the little guy does have to go outside frequently since he's without the holding tank of one kidney, he was let out just as normal.  As I watched him from the comfort of an inside window, I witnessed a very sprite coyote leap from behind some shrubs and start running towards my little Z boy!  The coyote stopped quickly in his tracks and looked up at the window to me at which time I bolted to the front door screaming for help from others in the home.  Once the door had opened and I raced out, the coyote had disappeared from view.  The sight of me at the window must have spooked him.  And fortunately, with all of his other ailments, Gizmo's sight is very poor, AND he was facing the opposite direction of the coyote, so he never spied the intruder. Whew!

It's like those two second "what if" scenarios.  Like when you squeak through a situation by the skin of your teeth, all the while thankful for that microscopic delay or thought process that allowed the decision to be the safe way out of a very hairy situation.  We don't always get those reactionary moments to change an outcome, but, oh aren't they appreciated!  I have NO idea how I would have handled that animal violently attacking my little guy, or how to stop Gizmo from lunging toward the creature if he would have seen it as well.  All I can say is that I feel ever so lucky that it didn't come to that!

A New Epattern...Meet my Snowman Tree Topper!

Finally...a new pattern release here at Happy Valley!  This beautiful creation is my "Catch a Falling Star" Snowman Tree Topper!  I've had so many requests for a unique tree topper, and this is just one of my first completed tree topper patterns (more to come!).  This little guy is so versatile and makes up to be a very beautiful piece that can also be displayed on a shelf after the holidays have passed!

He is about 10" tall, and has a gorgeous glistening finish and features a creative hat construction that I've never seen done before.  Mostly he's constructed with your hand stitching skills; however, there are some areas where machine stitching can be done to help speed up construction.

This epattern has a LOT of photos to help illustrate the construction process, which makes him a nice project for the relatively new stitcher!  Pattern pieces are actual size when printed.

I've included source information for materials, as well as variations to the pattern as shown to create a very one of a kind piece!


Pattern is now available here on my blog and Etsy shop along with all of my other epatterns.  These will be emailed to you within 24 hours of payment.  AND, now you can find my patterns on www.patternmart.com for instant downloads!

Spirit of Christmas Celebration

Time for a celebration!  My wonderful teammates at OFG on Etsy have created another spectacular collection of holiday items especially for this Spirit of Christmas celebration.  This event starts tomorrow, November 26 through December 16.  

If you purchase from my shop tomorrow, Cyber Monday, be sure to use my 10% off coupon:  HVP2012!  

Softly Addicted

A recent article caught my attention.  "Soft addictions", according to author and inspirational speaker Judith Wright, are "seemingly harmless habits - like watching too much TV, overshopping, overeating, and surfing the internet for hours - that rob us of our time, zap our energy, and keep us from leading a more meaningful life."  

Now, fast forward this thinking to your craft.  Most of the people I know that have some sort of crafting hobby would probably jokingly call themselves "addicts" when it comes to creating what they love.  Boxes, bins, closets and even rooms full of supplies, unfinished projects, more supplies, unopened project kits, books, patterns, more supplies, and on and on...  

As I sit here typing, I have 2 trays near me AND a coffee table full of projects I'm working on!  My sewing studio is cluttered with supplies overflowing, a closet FULL of fabric, boxes and bins of little components for the many types of stitching that I enjoy.  Then there's also a closet upstairs in the guest room full of scrapbooking, cross stitch, wood turnings, paint, pillow forms, styrofoam, frames, etc.  Yikes, do I need therapy?

Starting and not finishing a lot of projects is a sure sign of soft addiction.  Oh, no!  Okay, well, I have been working on eliminating a very large amount of items that I'll never get to this past year.  I'm proud that I have four less boxes of craft magazines and books, and three less plastic storage bins of cross stitch kits, fabric and supplies!  Next up is to begin purging the cotton fabrics that I'll never make anything with...some lucky quilters should graduate to their own 'soft addiction' from this pile! 

There is really more to defining a "soft addiction" than the accumulation of material things.  It can overtake your happiness and fulfillment with life, pulling you into isolation and away from everyday responsibilities.  That's certainly easy to have happen occasionally, but I have to say that I find myself always prioritizing my other responsibilities way before I allot time to craft.  That usually means I don't have a lot of new creations to show off, but my family will always come first.

But according to Ms. Wright, a "soft addition" isn't all together a negative thing.  She explains that "when you're doing a craft, it's this beautiful thing where your creativity's flowing and there's new ideas coming forth.  You're more in touch with your feelings, or maybe you get an answer to a problem you're having.  It becomes this thing that makes you MORE.  You've got more of your feelings, more energy, you're more alert, and more of you is coming through.  That's when it's a beautiful passion, in a good way."

Hmm...now we're talking!  Since most of us crafty types could never see ourselves totally eliminating what we love to do from our lives, learning to understand that soft addiction can be positive is essential to understanding how to keep it in check.  And remember, if it starts to feel overwhelming and you find yourself pulling away from everyday life, or the clutter or procrastinating nature in you is starting to emerge, it's time to rethink how your craft is impacting your life.  

A Really Big Sheeoww and I Can't See You!

This weekend's craft show is fast approaching!  I've been spending these past few days pricing up items, making signs, business cards, creating my overall display...it's all fun, but oh, so much work!  My daughter has decided (or maybe been guilted) to attend with me, so I've put her to work making something quickly that she can sell.  She has a real unlike me trait to not be interested in sewing, but she loves scrapbooking.  So I found a lot of free labels for her to cut out and make up some magical reindeer food bags.  Gosh, there's a lot of great resources online for these, just type "free reindeer food labels."

On another note, I'm quickly finding out just how fast a cataract can progress.  I was diagnosed a year ago, and since then I need reading glasses to stitch and read now almost all the time.  My right eye is getting worse for wear, and it's frustrating.  Some of this is obviously due to age deterioration, but most is from the cataract developing.  And even more frustrating is the cause of this.  Twenty years ago, I became absolutely plagued with pain in this right eye and was diagnosed with iritis, which is treated with steroid drops and at one point, an injection (YUCK!).  Year after year, the symptoms would keep reoccurring, then the treatment process (which took months), then a few months of feeling fine only to have it come back.  After finally being diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 1996 and the subsequent treatment for that, I've been iritis free since then.  Supposedly, some early Crohn's 'flare-ups' can be in the eyes.  So now, even though we're told that these types of steroids are safe, I have to wonder why I only have this cataract in the one eye that was treated with them for long periods of time.  If you know someone who is being treated for long periods with prednisone, please urge them to find other means of treatment, if available.  It may act like a 'cure all' for what's ailing them, but the after effects can do more harm than good!

Time for a Celebration!

With this morning's cool temps in the 30's, it's already feeling like winter will be here before you know it!  My wonderful friends on the Old Farmhouse Gathering's Etsy Team have put together over 100 brand new handmade holiday items just for you!  The celebration begins today and runs through October 15th.

I have four new items for your consideration. Here's a peek at two of them.

I'm already in show mode, and will spend the next day or so preparing for my first big one on October 20th.  Whew, there's a lot of prep work to putting together an attractive booth!  I'm signed up to do three brand new (for me) shows this year, so it should be exciting to meet some new customers (hopefully!) and sell in different venues.  Craft shows are starting to become a bit more scarce now, as many are dealing with too many regulations, insurance costs, and attracting quality vendors.  This isn't all bad, since there was a time not too long ago when there seemed to be an over abundance of shows, all on the same weekend!  Plus, it's becoming more of a challenge as a vendor to recover and profit after paying the show fees, which seem to increase a lot each year.  However, it's still an enjoyable experience for me to meet my customers face-to-face, and hear all the wonderful comments, so I'll keep doing these for a while!

Fall Mix and Sticky Canes

While the family was away this weekend attempting to land a nice salmon at the river, I spent the quiet time decorating for fall.  Thought I'd share a tiny section of my growing collection.  Of course, you've seen Harvest Annie (from a Homespun from the Heart pattern), as her cute face is sometimes my blog avatar.  She rests on a beautiful table mat I made from a Lakeview Primitives pattern.  Behind her is the chaise, adorned with my favorite rag pumpkin flannel quilt (from Love of Quilting magazine), and a little cross stitch pilgrim and turkey (from a Leisure Arts cross stitch book).  As you can see, I enjoy creating diverse stitched items to adorn my home, and I LOVE the fact that there are so many talented designers out there who have put together such awesome patterns!  Thank you!!!

I spent last night creating a large collection of primmed up candy canes all glistening with mica flakes and glass glitter, and they're just about dry.  Adorned with a cute vintage tag, these will be available in my shop today in sets of three.  I also plan to add a larger version this year.  Hope you'll take a peek!  Have a great day!

Bloomin' Confusion

September is feeling more like fall now; that bright star in the sky is playing hide 'n seek.  I snapped this confusion amongst our corn/sunflower patch.  Those bright yellow beauties are perplexed and don't know which way to turn!

Have I ever mentioned just how much the pup loves green beans?  As I was clicking away on this brisk morn, the pup finally discovered the solar fence line that surrounds the garden.  In the 2 seasons we've had this up to keep the deer out, he always manages to skirt under the lower line, or miss the intermittent surge of shock that flows through.

Not today though.  After a slight little zip, he yelped loudly and SPRINTED all the way around the house to the front door.  Gosh, I felt so bad, but could hardly contain my laughter as I saw to it that he was okay.  And, of course, the next trip outside resulted in success for him...into the bean patch once again!

Yep, you really can't teach an old dog new tricks...

Witchy Stitchin'

How did September blur by so quickly that it's now more than half over?  My first show is less than 2 weeks away, and I'm feeling like I don't have enough made up.  We're expecting 80 degree weather through next weekend, so just how many people will be thinking about scarves and hats this early?  Hmm...time to get creative and produce something new!

Last night I finished up this cute witch penny rug.  The background is on the most beautiful marbled wool felt color that is no longer available.  I have a piece that has deep purple into pink and another piece that is more light blue into purple.  Wish I could find more, because I've never seen such a diverse tone in hand dyed wool.  I constructed this piece a bit differently than usual, cutting a solid black backing which included the penny flaps already attached.  I just love how the witch's profile turned out, hair blowing in the wind, teetering just so on that crooked ol' broomstick!

Meet Bling...My latest Epattern Release!

Whoohoo...it's the first day of school, and Matt has returned back to work from vacation.  It's QUIET around here!  Even the pup is taking in all the peace with a morning nap.

Today I'm releasing my latest epattern design, Bling the Penguin!  Bling is a very quick to make stand alone design that can also be made into an ornament.  Resize the pattern and make a family of these little dudes marching across a window sill for winter.  So cute!  I made several of these for my craft shows, and they were such a hit!  Supplies are easy to find, and I may even put together a few kits for sale soon.  Find Bling here on my blog or in my Etsy shop.

Check out this beautiful bowl of red rose hips I picked over the weekend after taming back a very unruly beast of a bush.  I'm going to dry and then scent them with a wonderful cinnamon bun or pumpkin spice scent.  I love having bowls of these scented fixins around the house.  With that cool, crisp morning air already here, fall is rapidly approaching.  There will be nothing like the wonderful aroma of these once the windows are shut up tight for our nine months of rain... Oh, I'm not complaining; that justifies more time for stitchin'!!

The cycle of life...an awesome sight!

Awww...one last camping trip, a little stitching and oh, so much fun!  Last week, we ventured up to Baker Lake and then over to the Cascade River.  As the family attempted to fish the lake, I was busy stitching away this piece.  Yep, it's beginning to look like that time of year again already!

Well, the fish proved sneaky, weaving the lines through stumps and snags, so we didn't catch anything more than a nice suntan.  Next up was river time, which proved to be an awesome experience, as the salmon were moving up stream to spawn.

For two days, we watched these two sockeye salmon exhaustively lay eggs, fertilize, and bury them in the sand right in front of our campsite.  The male (brighter red) was actively chasing away other males ready to step in on him, and even a steelhead salmon tried to invade.


Alas, fishing on the river was closed until today, so all my two cohorts could due was watch and be amazed at the cycle of life...for there's always next time.  Yea, right.  I think I saw this little hatchling smile at that thought.  Catch me if you can...

Family Time

Yikes!  It's been so long since I've posted.  This summer has been a whirlwind of both happy and sad events.  Nic spent nearly a month at her Grammy and Grandpa's ranch, riding Scooter and just plain living the farm life.  A great trip for her at her home-away-from-home!

Meanwhile, we worked on some landscaping projects here...which certainly instigated that feeling of rapidly aging.  Arrggh!  It sure takes longer to get things done as we creep out of our 4th decade.  The garden is producing, so we're canning something every few days.  We have over 53 pints of beans and at least 2 more pickings before those are done...wow!  Blackberry jam and applesauce are on the agenda, along with lots of ears of corn to process and Matt's famous dill pickles!  Can't seem to get the tomato production flowing, so once again, we'll only have a few just to eat fresh.

As the days creeped into my birthday weekend, I found myself with a very sick dog at the emergency hospital.  Lhasos can be known for kidney issues, and my little guy was stricken with more than his share now.  A surgeon removed the stones that were posing the most threat to his life; however, he has a kidney that is starting to fail along with a stone that is blocked between the kidney and bladder...a very expensive and delicate surgery that only a handful of specialists in the state will perform.  He is feeling better now, but it is only a matter of time before he has total kidney failure.  Maybe we'll be lucky and have another year or two together, but for now, we are savoring every moment and learning a lot about accepting loss together.

September will bring the start of middle school for Nic, so we'll enjoy a bit more camping before she's back to the books and I'm back to sewing.  Lots of shows lined up for this fall, and watch for my new pattern release at the beginning of the month!