Baby shower gifts, YouTube & Thank You!

This snow.... it's March, where is this "Spring" they speak of? It's probably under the foot of snow we had last night. Observe, my back deck.....

go away winter!

At least this weather came after the baby shower I attended. As always, it was a lot of fun to see my friends and spend time with them. There was dancing (our party had kids & teenagers) wonderful homemade food and conversations. I think I ate enough sweet treats to attract humming birds for a week.

two friends expecting boys

I asked each friend what colors or prints they would like. I lucked out that they each are having boys! So solid blue fleece with different flannel prints. I had enough time and leftover fabric to make each a simply teddy bear. I embroidered the faces on since these were gifts for infants. 

two teddy bears, ready to go!

I had a good time preparing and sewing the gifts. If I can make it handmade as a gift, I will. It's not just any day you can find a small local shop that sells such items. Even if you can only knit a scarf, it's a gift made by you with your hands and it's very meaningful. The recipient will be delighted by something you made special just for them.

In other news, I've decided to try my hand at YouTube. I need to set up my channel and figure out the fine art of editing videos. The first video will be showing how I mange to add ears to a felted kitty project. My methods are self-taught and work for me, so I figured I'd share them. 

I have also started on Twitter and Google+ under my shop name, CraftinessbyB. So please stop on by if you frequent those social media spots. I'd enjoy having some new followers and meeting new people. 

Where to find me online:

~ my shop on Etsy as CraftinessbyB

~ my account on Twitter as CraftinessbyB

~ my page on Google+ as CraftinessbyB

~ my page on Pinterest as CraftinessbyB

I will not have a page on Facebook as of this time. In the past I found too many 'trolls' frequented my page and harassed me. I'm a single shop owner in a vast sea of shop owners. I make quality, handmade, all done by my hands, items to sell. I do this because I have a passion for it, skills (I've learned from 3 generations of family, I have my college degree in graphic design) and a desire to offer handmade items at affordable prices. 

I also do this because I am often home bound due to a medical condition. In fact, my medical condition (known as Fibromyalgia, aka Fibro) has inspired me to began making and selling re-heatable body wraps for the neck and back. If I can make them unique, attractive and useful for those who need them ~ I will. I will try my best to offer them soon in 2015! 

So please be patient with me as I start to be on social media more, get my YouTube channel started and offer more unique, handmade items in my shop. My page has had over 11,400 views thus far ~ knowing people enjoy my blog and visit my pages inspires me to keep moving forward in my crafting pursuits. Thank you everyone! 

image from torontowlhd.ca

Up and coming crafts, my pets

Is it really November already? How time can fly by when autumn arrives! Just an update on a few things I am working on for my etsy shop CraftinessbyB.

my felt fox mascot

I am inspired by many things, be it from a pattern book or something I saw. Sometimes it's children's things that get me thinking "I can make that into something else!" I saw these adorable felt animals as finger puppets in a crafting magazine. And I thought I'd do my own design of the animal but make them into little plush mascots. They will sit upright and be just big enough for a desk or bookshelf. And to make them a little more attractive I am doing a lot of machine sewing for them. I love to hand stitch but sometimes it's too much to do an entire project that way. Above is a fox in orange, I also plan to make a deer and maybe a polar bear.

my hand drawn greeting card

I have two new holiday greeting card designs. You might figure out the above one fairly easily. I draw my cards by hand then do colored pencils and water colors. I'd like to have these completed soon if I can get my home printer to cooperate again. 

And of course I have these distractions around my house (ie: the pets). I swear they make it their daily mission to keep from completing projects in a timely manner. But that's ok just look at how cute they are!

don't read pet me instead!

my boy cat Howl just wants to nap