Donating These to the Local Art Center and More Stars

This is a painting I did for the local art center. My family and I took part last year and had so much fun seeing what each other dreamed up, we had to do it again! This needs a title. What do you think? I was trying to paint a loving couple holding the "key" to each other's heart. I'm up for suggestions. :)

So last year my sister did two so I thought I should try to do two this year. It is abstract and not what I normally paint but I was trying to branch out a bit. This also needs a title. My young niece and I call this "Shark Bubbles" but again I need suggestions.

Do stars on your Christmas tree make you happy? I don't know why I like stars on my Christmas tree so much but I have at least 5 star ornies!

Here is a Santa quilted star ornie. He's been around for several years now but I still think he is great. What's also great is that it is an "unbreakable" ornie for a house with three growing boys and a Christmas-tree-climbing-kitty.

This is my newest star ornie I won from one of Jane Says giveaways. It was made by Wordz of life from an old quilt. I just love it!

What about you? What tops your list of favorite ornaments?

Happy Friday to you!

~Heidi

My giveaway winner is...

Heather form Audrey Eclectic. You have won a hand made star from me! Your fair and non partial judge is my oldest son. He reached in the little blue bowl and picked your number! I wish I had eleven stars so I could give one to everyone who entered. Thanks for playing along.
Here is the kitty in the Christmas tree. Jasper LOVES having the tree put up. He is getting lots of exercise! Well I must be getting the boys off to school after back to back snow days!

Wishing you all a beautiful day!

~Heidi

A feel good story

Wow! It is really snowing around here today. It is sooo beautiful! It really puts me in the Christmas mood. To put you all in the christmas mood I thought I would show you one of my creations. I made this mousie from a red wool felted sweater and embroidered "laugh" on a strip of osnaburg. He then got a rusty jingle bell and safety pin to keep his warm blanket around him. I couldn't take a picture of him on my tree yet. I think we are going to be in for a snow day tomorrow so I'm going to have the boys help me do that.

Here is another picture of the stars I made for my show. Be sure to leave me a comment on either this post or my last for your chance to win one. I'll pick a winner this Friday.

So I got an email last night from a friend of mine who informed me there are 10 kids who are coming to school without a winter coat. One of the boys is coming in a coat too small to zip up and some are coming wrapped in blankets. This is a school in a poor section of my hometown and just happens to be the same elementary school my Mom attended. I passed the email along to my parents and several of my hometown friends. My Dad took up a collection from his breakfast group this morning. He asked his friends to chip in a $. Some did more and one sweet man (this man lost his only son as a child) was heading out to a department store to buy a new coat. Well my parents took the money that Dad had rasied and went to the local Salvation Army thrift store. My Mom picked out two nice, heavy winter coats, two pairs of snowpants, and some hats and gloves. The workers at the Salvation Army gave them everything for a mere $7. They still had leftover money from the collection and were at last report on their way to the Goodwill to see what else they could find. I love to hear of people knowing of a need and doing something about it.

~Blessings

Heidi

Giveaway is now closed. Thanks for all the nice comments!

Our Open House and a giveaway!

Wow! What a great open house we had at Ann's! On this table we had stuff from Dee Miller. The snowman on "ice block" and the snowman in the carrier didn't last long on the first day of our two day open house! My pictures don't do them justice.

I made up some of my new favorite things to make. I take wool sweaters and do everything your mom told you not to do. Wash in hot and then throw them in the dryer. They become "felted" and when you cut them they don't unravel. Warning note some of the sweaters get very thick and hard to sew through. Ann found this out when she tried to sew through a pink GAP cable knit that had become very thick. She broke two needles before I told her my secret to increase her stitch length. Hee hee! And by the way all four of these scarves found new homes.

This is Ann's dining room table laden down with handmade ornaments, lighted home decor, and lots of baked goods homemade from scratch from my friend Nicole. Her coconut macaroons were a big hit! She made them like merengues and added just the right amount of coconut. Delicious!
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This doesn't show up very well in my picture but it is ADORABLE! Ann made this winter arrangement by taking an old kitchen chair, spray painting it red, added the greenery, lights and an old pair of ice skates. She then give it a generous dusting of mica flakes. This was my favorite item of the show.

This is one of Ann's wool felt ornaments. She does such beautiful quality work. I think she had $12 on this cutie.

Now on to the giveaway! This is my 50th post and so many of you have been so generous with your giveaways (I've even won a few of them) so I figure its my turn! I will be offering one of my painted stars to one of you. http://heidi-heidisjournal.blogspot.com/2009/12/jackson-santa-and-snowman-2009-and-my.htmlWhat do you have to do to have a chance to win?
Just leave me a comment! That's it. Easy peasy! Thanks to all of you who have left me a comment in the past, I get so excited when I know someone out there likes something I did! Happy day to you!

~Heidi



Giveaway is now closed.

Chocolate covered rice crispy pops

Just had to share with you my husband's contribution to tomorrow's open house. These are chocolate covered handmade rice crispy treats with Christmas sprinkles. I need these to be out of my house! They are too yummy!

Dad's Ornaments plus

My Dad has really improved his painting skills in the past year! He came over yesterday and he painted some little brown paper packages I had made up from a paper grocery sack and a cracker box. He looked at my new Santa and Snowman as models and then he painted these. I think he did and awesome job! He didn't sign his work. He told me to do it so I put his initials on the bottom. I have to admit I added the bling :)

These are the ones I made up. I used canvas ribbon, string, chenille candy canes, a rusty jingle bell and just a sprinkle of glass glitter. The snowman I used acrylics and India ink. Just thought I would show you what I have accomplished today. Now its back to work! I'm so glad that tomorrow is the open house! :) Happy day to you!

Jackson Santa and Snowman 2009 and my new stars!

I just love these two new pieces! They were presents given to me by my Mom & Dad as early Christmas gifts.

Here are my new stars I made for an upcoming open house I'm doing with my friend Ann Moody. She lives in a beautiful house in the historic district of Muscatine. She is the one who made the lovely stockings in my previous post. When I get done with the open house on Friday and Saturday I plan on helping her set up her own little shop on Etsy. She does fabulous quilts, purses, pearl button jewelry and so much more. When I get her up and running I'll post a link so you can see all her stuff. But for now I have to get back to work so I have stuff to bring to the open house. I'll try to take pictures to show you all the neat things at the open house! Have a great day!