Wanna Win a Necklace & $25?

Remember ages ago when I entered that contest that resulted in the puppet?  The one that's now the logo for Fabric of my Mind?  Well, the Handmade Artists Forum ran another contest.

I didn't enter this one.

But boy, have the entrants stepped up their game!  It was a "trashy contest," and the artists had to take something that was otherwise trash and turn it into a treasure.  You have to see the awesome stuff they made!

And if you vote on the contest (good luck choosing, it took me forever), and you comment on the blog post, you're entered to win $25 to spend at any one of the Handmade Artists Shops and this awesome necklace:

The necklace was made by a terrific artist, Lisa, of Uniqlets.

First, go vote and comment on the contest to be entered to win.  Then, if you're smart, you'll check out the other jewelry at Uniqlets.  And when you're done with that, check out the rest of the Handmade Artists Shops to see how you want to spend your potential $25!

New to the HAFshop!

This soap has been available at reefbotanicals.com almost since the beginning, but it's now available at the Reef Botanicals HAFshop as well.  Plus, and perhaps more importantly, we got photos!  They've been a long time coming.  And actually, we had photos ages ago, but that was before I knew how to take a proper photo... and before the light tent and lights.  Feel free to click that link and laugh at my old attempts, but now you can see what they really look like.

With cheery, citrus-like lemongrass essential oil and bits of sage, this is definitely one of my favorites!

Another Great Gift Idea!

I knitted this scarf in vintage cream acrylic yarn and Vanna's Choice black acrylic yarn for a great disappearing stripe pattern that works for men or women.

The cream yarn I got at an estate sale, in brand new skeins.  The black yarn has a slightly funnier story.  My sister was doing a Winnie the Pooh latch hook rug for my nephew, and they shortchanged her on the black yarn pieces!  She didn't realize I save everything and actually have latch hook yarn from my younger days (remember Nathaniel?  His hair was old leftover latch hook yarn!)  So she went to one of the craft stores and actually bought a whole new skein of soft black yarn.  For three pieces.  Yes, really.  She cut the three pieces... and then was left with all the remaining yarn.  As a non-knitter.

So she gave it to me!  And some of it ended up in this awesome scarf that I actually really love.  It's all stockinette stitch, with ribbed ends to keep them from curling.  And I may just have to make another for myself.

Meanwhile, you can purchase this one here.

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Just in time for Mother's Day!

These candles were quite a while in the making.  They had to be done in stages, first the planning and mixing, and the first pour.  Then a day later, the second pour.  Then cleaned up and the swirled outer color.  Theoretically, they could have been done in three days, but we had a lot going on.

We did, however, get them done in time for Mother's Day, since they'd make a wonderful gift.  Solid cream-colored candles with a gorgeous purple swirl to them, these Afternoon Tea candles are scented with French vanilla and blackberry tea.  I really wish you could smell them through the computer because they are heavenly!

Personally, I'd like to keep them all for myself, but mom taught me to share.  And we are keeping a few 'cause we really can't resist, so I suppose I'm placated and can let you have the rest.

We've got these in a 9" round pillar, a 4.5" square pillar, a 3" round pillar, and votives.  Enjoy!

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This one took a long time, but I got it!

I had this terrific lavender vintage yarn from an estate sale.  It was brand new, still with the wrap, and part of the stash of a knitting grandma.  There was quite a bit of it, so I knew there'd be enough for a scarf, and I wanted to do cable knit.  Despite loving the ribbed scarf I did for him, Eric still wants his cable knit scarf in cashmere.  So I found a pattern we love, but wanted to try it out with something not quite as expensive as cashmere to see if we love it just as much in person.  We do.

Isn't it great?  And that purple is such a great color.  Close up, you can see the nifty texture.  The yarn is made of kind of fuzzy purple strands and very, very fine white threads, which make it really interesting.

It's available in the new shop here.

Also newly listed in Fabric of My Mind are these photos:

The white Japanese peony I photographed in my own backyard in NJ.  These flowers are gorgeous, but the blooming season is so short.  The only way to hang onto them is with pictures.

These next two were both taken in Kinsale, Ireland, in County Cork.  This was one of the best parts of our honeymoon, and one of our favorite places in Ireland.

The Cliffs of Moher, in County Clare, Ireland, are really a sight to see.  I love how they don't quite disappear into the fog in this shot, taken on a cold and drizzly day in 2009, just before we headed to Shannon airport to return to the States.

And now?  Well, knitting addict that I have become, after I finished the purple scarf the other night at midnight and was headed for bed, I felt so wrong not having another knitting project in the works.  So I headed to the attic to that box of vintage yarn and started a black and cream striped scarf I'm doing in a stockinette stitch.

Stay tuned for news when it's listed in the shop!

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