Where Have I Been?

Sorry my fellow crafters I have been majorly slacking on my blog. Christmas has called and I have gingerbread houses to make, stockings to sew, and well everyday mommy life calls. I made my first gingerbread house and it was so much fun. It was a couple of day process. Baking, glueing, and then, the best part decorating, and eat tons of candy. The kids would glue a piece, eat a piece. Our gingerbread house is vegan as well so I make it from scratch. I am not vegan regularly but my daughter has many allergies so we have to cater to her allergies. No nuts, dairy, or eggs. You would think this would be hard to do, but not really, and the icing is super delicious. I mix "Earth's Balance" butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and soymilk, and it turns out super delicious like a butter cream. "Try it, you'll like it" (yo gabba gabba quote) I didn't realize that my stockings would be so successful in my shop. It started with my Lab Rats Team challenge and it took off from there. Thank you lab rats. They were alot of fun to make though. In the process I pulled a muscle in my neck , but no pain, no gain. I always order craft books for Christmas and I got mine in the mail last week. So excited. The first book is "Patchwork Style", by Suzoko Koseki. The photos are just beautiful. I want to start working on a quilt as soon as I look at this. The colors are very inspiring. The second book I am so excited about is " Carefree Clothes For Girls," by Junko Okawa. The clothing really makes you think outside the box when making clothes for little girls. Having two of my own, I have made shirts and skirts for them in the past, and they seem to always be missing something, and I haven't quite got it. Either they end up looking very homely and too handmade, or quite boring. I haven't made them clothes in a little while. I usually have much success when making my own somehow, and really love to. Carefree clothes is getting my excited to start sewing for the girls more. I was recently asked to create a piece of artwork for a art center to raise money for their programs. I was quite honored and decided that I would create a embroidery piece. With my neck out this has been quite a feet, and I am not nearly done, but I have until January 20th. I created a piece that will be a part of me. I have put three childeren in it to represent my family. I will take pictures as the process goes forth and the end result. I have been amping up my embroidery techniques and trying to get that darn french knot successfully. I think I got it. It wants to pull through the fabric, ugh! I want to do beautiful flowers and streams and a pretty tree. Well describing it won't do any good until it's completed. I must work on it. I hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!!!