According to the random number generator, the winners of my giveaway are Liz Elayne (who picked a cake hat) and Jenny Harada (who gets to pick a necklace- I’m emailing you now!). Thanks for playing everyone. I’ll be back later today with some banana nut bread from the weekend. 
This is officially my 100th post. Woo-hoo! I figured I should do something to celebrate with y’all. I really appreciate all of your comments. Although I don’t respond to each one, I do read them and they really make my day– I hope you know that.
As a present to you, dear readers, I’m giving away one Crocheted Hat gift certificate and one Button Necklace gift certificate to my etsy shop. The winner can pick anything they like from the current stock–there’s still a bunch of cute stuff in there. Just leave a comment on this post by Friday at Midnight mountain time (that’s 2 am NY time) and I’ll randomly generate the winners! Yay! If you like, you can say which thing you’d prefer, in case it randomly works out that you can have your cake (hat) and eat it too.
Also- I finally joined Ravelry. I’m still finding my way around and haven’t uploaded many projects, but I’m over there as Lindamade, so feel free to add me.
And, for photo goodness, here’s my finished wonky recycled bathmat. I love it! (Full photo here for scale.)
Paul is sleeping under many quilts right now. We made it home last night, just barely, but my luggage did not. I’m hopeful that it just went on to Alberta since we only had ten minutes to transfer (thank you airport cart man!), because I finally let myself buy some cute fabrics. And I want them! Oh, and you know, all of my jewelry and clothes and xmas presents.
My camera cord is also in the missing bag, so I’m just going to show off some photos of presents I took before Christmas. I did not formally take the handmade pledge, because I knew that I was going to buy some books for Paul. However, I did manage to give handmade everywhere else. We aren’t big gift givers in my family, so I didn’t really have to stress myself out. (I am, however, thinking of all the cool things I can make for next year if I start tomorrow.)
Without further ado:
2 sets of hot mitts by me with handmade (in Montana!) wooden spoons. I bought them from Harry Felton at the Holiday Bazaar, because they were so smooth and lovely and perfect to accompany the mitts. I also had to buy one for myself, of course! (EDIT: If you want some guidance on making the mitts, check out this post.)
At the same fair, I purchased a couple of locally made teas, salve and lip balm. I used them for my gift in our white elephant swap, and my very pregnant sister picked them. I got a pretty cool sewing notions box in the exchange (which I had to steal from my mom!)….which is also in the suitcase. Perhaps when I get it back I can post some “Gifts in Action” shots.
That’s about it from this front. I had a nice, quiet, relaxing holiday. My phone totally died, so I couldn’t really call anyone, and I just spent time with my family and Paul’s family for the most part. I finished a lot of projects at home- a knit hat for me, three new cake hats for the shop, the beginnings of jewelry… I even sewed up a few quick gifts on my mom’s machine (I must go buy a new one!). I also spent a lot of time wishing I was so relaxed when I was at home, with my craft room and craft supplies! Hopefully I can get cracking on some of my ideas today.
In other news, Kerry of Beaded Forest is giving away some fabric! Head over to her blog for a chance to win. She also has a lot of really fun projects posted, too– I especially love the otter she made for her father.
Whew. Today things have been a little crazy but I’m here, to announce the giveaway winners. The winner of the scraps is Kimberly, who wants to use them to make a quilt for her mother. The softies book goes to Emily (check out her art quilts!), who wants to make softies for her son. Yay! Thanks for playing.
Now, I wanted to share with you a great find I made this weekend. Paul suggested we go on a drive, so I got in the car with just my wallet and the next thing I knew we were in Butte, Montana (home of one of the largest Superfund sites, the Berkely Pit). It was really deserted looking downtown, but beautiful in that gritty, toxic-pit-in-the-distance way. I took lots of photos, here are some of my favorites:
We walked into one really nasty junk shop –it was all JUNK, if not trash–and walked by some other pretty antique stores that were closed. But then we came upon Antiques on Broadway, and Paul found the sewing section for me. There were little baggies of buttons and old machines, all reasonably priced and in good condition. I was deciding what to get when I noticed some notion jars. Behind them were cookie tins. I beckoned Paul to help me lift them down, and as I suspected, they were chock full of buttons!! I only bought one (I have some self control), and I spent the rest of the night cleaning the buttons. First I had to cut off the threads and disintegrating backing fabric on about half of them, because I think someone had cut them right off of their clothing. Then I oxycleaned the whole bunch. A lot of them were pearl and some kind of heavy shell, and they looked much better after the wash. Here are the ones that made me really excited, along with a cute textured doily I also purchased.
In addition to that, there were all of these:
And there were also random things, including: a bullet, a tax token, a very old safety pin, a second commandment charm, upholstery tacks, etc. Butte is probably the kind of town where this stuff is still in people’s houses, and if it was up to me, I’d drive back every weekend to get some more of it!
Okay, it is finally time to show off my Patchwork Swap project. Let me just say I had so much fun organizing and participating in this swap. I’m kind of sad to not be expecting any more mail at the moment. Look here to see what my partner Emily sent me.
Here is what I sent Erin of House On Hill Road. It’s a little decorative house. I just always think of a nice house at the end of a road somewhere when I am reading her blog. I actually attempted to make a stuffed house before this, from all green fabrics (her favorite color) but it just wasn’t that cute. It needed a varied color palette. I’m glad I gave it another go, as I am really happy with how this turned out. I love small patchwork projects, and am looking forward to what other kinds of small patchwork things the swapees came up with.
Here is the batch of scraps I sent. As a thank you for all of the sweet comments and emails I have been getting lately, I made another batch-o-scraps very similar to what’s shown here to give away. Your emails have made me feel so flattered, and like leaving on this adventure was definitely a good creative move. Comment on this post with what you’d like to make with the scraps by Tuesday, 10/30 at 10 am EST for a chance to win them. Just leave your email with your post and I’ll email the winner for their address.
To a separate winner, I will give away one copy of Softies: Simple Instructions for 25 Plush Pals. If I ever get around to it, I want to modify a pattern or two to make a patchwork softie! I really love all of the cute projects in this book and I know one of you will too, plus, it’s almost time for the Softie Awards. Comment with who you’d like to make a softie for and why by Tuesday at 10 AM EST, same rules as above, for a chance to win the book.
Happy Friday! (Technically, it’s Thursday night, but it’s close enough for me!)
