Some Things I've Been Working On

These are just a few random things I've been working on lately.  My biggest project I've got going, is a play mat for the kid's Christmas.  Yes, I know it's March, but I figure the way this is going, I very well could be still working on it in December.  I was inspired by The Knitted Farmyard  ,and as I was looking for more images of it on the web, I ran across several blogs that talked of starting this project.  Nobody seems to have finished it.  It is time consuming, but I will finish it. It will be too wonderful not to finish.

It actually looks more complete now than when I took this picture, so I'm making progress.



For a while now I've been wanting a marker/chalk board for our school area, but didn't like the price of anything half way decent.  I thought it was going to have to be put on the back burner for awhile, until the other day I was in the playroom, and realized I already had what I wanted.  Last spring I bought a kids art easel from Ikea, mostly because it was really cheap and I had such a nice cleared out playroom to put it in, more than I thought the kids needed it; and there it has sat, neglected and taking up too much room, since.  Sooo... I took it down to my shop, cut off the legs, and glued on a piece of trim for the eraser tray, and now I have a new marker/chalkboard.  I love when I can use something superfluous that I have, and turn it into something I need.

This was definitely a spur of the moment project.  Anna is going to her cousins Birthday party in the morning, and I suddenly realized tonight, after it was too late to drag the kids out to the store, that I forgot to get her a Birthday present.  I didn't want to make a quick dash to Walmart in the morning, and just get something. (Probably plastic, breakable, and something I wouldn't want for my kids, so why would I want it for my niece?) I started thinking about what I could make with what I have on hand, and I came up with this.  I think it is perfect for her, since she loves to dress up, and it suits her fiery personality.

The last thing is a little doll for my little niece, who I have yet to meet.  I hope that a little of my love goes to her through this doll, and that she wont be too much bigger before I finally see her.