Thanksgiving

I know it's a day to be full of thanks.  I have a mile long list of things for which I am truly thankful.

I'll spare you the list.

On a day marked with feasting and family for most Americans I pause to think of those for whom the day may not be so plentiful.  For those serving  our country in places far away from family and friends.

I am truly thankful.

Our larder here on the Orange Sink home front has been provided  some venison thanks to a little sharp shooting by Mr. Orange Sink ( in his blaze orange jacket).  :)

He bagged his little antlerless buck yesterday. 

Manhood stands steady.

Mrs. Orange Sink " done her part" as some would say in the red neck north woods we call home. As you recall from the last post I " done sold" the little deer mat at the craft sale. In so doing I was able to put a good dent in the moneys owed for the Townsend Cutter!
We have a roof over our heads and meat in the freezer.The least of which to be thankful for.
I am filled with a deep thankfulness today for all of you who read my blog.  You are precious as gold and hold healing powers in your friendship to the extent you cannot know.For you I am deeply thankful!
Blessings today and everyday!
Cathy G

A Blizzard of Shoppers! Craft show results!

I have to say the 50 crafters who filled the little parochial school gym in our fair town put on an amazing show today!  The shoppers lined up outside this morning waiting in chilly temps with the season's first real snowstorm threatening to hit by early afternoon!   When the doors flew open at 9:00 am sharp the booths quickly filled with shoppers eager to buy something handmade or home baked!  Come with me now for a little tour of our north country small town craft fair!

This gorgeous young lady had the most beautiful fresh pine wreaths and was just getting set up when I snapped the photo!  I can't tell you how many shoppers I saw carrying her beautiful wreaths out the door!


Wooden shelves and signs were in abundance!

These wooden snowmen were wonderful and crafted from split logs with the bark still on!


Hand painted gourd bird dwellings!



Milk can luminary's and decorated old sleds! Those milk cans really looked cool lit up in the dark! ( why didn't I buy one..... ?)


Uffda!   You will never go to a craft show in Wisconsin without finding home made lefse!


This sweet lady had the most adorable lighted snow people with names that mimicked movies stars.... like Meryl Sleet..... Holly Berry....... they were a blast!


Spices and dips mixes and.........


Baby booties!  Ya know it gets cold in Northern Wisconsin but babies never have cold feet here!! LOL!


More of those sweet lighted snow ladies..... check out the glam hats!!!


Fruitcake and pies!


Cement heads!    I liked them!!  ( you knew I would LOL!)


A chorus of  snowmen!  Singing to welcome the wintery weather that turned into our first good snow storm of the season!
And I saved my own booth photos for last!












For my first craft show ever I have to say I really had a good time and a good show!  I have nothing to compare it too but I sold ALL of the little owl pincushions!  I guess like always some of the things I thought for sure would sell didn't, like the little wool stockings... and I thought they were so cute!  I did sell one of the creepy Santas!  A few ornaments and a couple of the smaller hooked mats.  Oh yes...... I did sell the deer rug with the braided border!   And the best part of all........ I have at least 10 ladies who are going to be fighting over spaces in my next class!  I  was overwhelmed at the reaction to my rugs having never displayed them locally at such a well attended venue.  Thanks to the help of my two little helper elves Loreena and Saundra ( my hooking ladies!)  I was able to talk and promote my classes while they waited on customers!  It was a wild and very busy day and I couldn't have done it at all if it weren't for these two angels by my side!


Thank-you Loreena and Saundra!!  What a great job you did and I want you to know the cash register balanced to the penny!!!!    I hope you made it home safe and sound on those snowy and icy roads!
I'm off to soak in a tub of bubbles and dream about the project I need to create for my class of new students!!!    Ain't life grand!!!
Cathy G

It's Now or Never!

WHEW!  Tomorrow is set-up day for the craft sale!  Am I ready you ask?  Don't ask! ( I've never had so many needle holes poked in my fingers and stuffing fibers up my nose..... :-0

Little beady bird eyes have been following me about the studio all week taunting....... are you ready?  Are you ready? 


Then early this week a package came in the mail!!   My wool winnings from Saundra of Woodland Junction Blog Along with the fabulous wool a cute snowman pattern and a coupon for a discount on my next wool order from Heaven's to Betsy!!  Well THAT spurred me to get back in that studio and make more stuff to sell for the craft sale so if sales are good I can order more wool! 
Thank-you Saundra! (and Heaven's to Betsy) I also won some hand dyed wool from Julia over at Of Petals and Wool blog!  (pictured on the left in the above photo!)  Gorgeous wool and colors!  I have been going through my wool like crazy and all of this wool is helping to keep me going!  Thank-you Julia!!!( I see Julia has gone National with her triplet calves..... congrats Julia! Go to her blog to read all about it! )


Red wool candy canes with homespun stripes are all tagged and ready to go!!


Another creepy Santa of course!!  He will join his brother in the display!


Some hooked coasters in nice Christmas colors!Now if I could just get these birds off my back I'd be ready to get packed up tomorrow afternoon.  Now where are those bags, tissue paper, receipt books......   camera batteries ........Wish me luck!!
Cathy G
( craft sale is this Sat. Nov. 19th from 9:00am to 3:00pm  at St. Joseph's School Gym, Rice Lake, WI) 

Crafting Creepy Santas

All that's missing is the Christmas Music!  My studio is buried beneath stuffing, wool pieces, beads, bells and creepy Santa's!   I've decided to go with somewhat of a woodland theme for this craft show.   The little beady eyed birds and owl pin cushions are fitting in nicely.  Then it struck me that what is Christmas without a Santa or two.  After experimenting with some wool roving and felting needles I came  up with what I think is a rather creepy looking Santa.  I'm just pretending he crawled out from under a rock in the woods to join the festivities.









Then I decided what is Christmas without a Stocking or two.  Magically these little ornaments took shape and are all stuffed with some fake greens and chenille red and green candy  canes.  The dye  I made from Lauren's  ( Rugs and Pugs blog) Black Walnuts  she sent me came in real handy as those chenille things needed some grunging up.










It's been a tough week to stay focused in the studio.  Monday me and the fur kids accompanied dear hubby to the Endodontist in Eau Claire for some root canal work he is having done.  ( I snuck in a quick stop at the JoAnne's Fabrics and Micheal's Craft Store for some supplies I needed).  This week I had my  appointment with the Endocrinology Dr. to find out what's going on with my thyroid.  So far he has diagnosed Hashimoto's Disease which I pretty much already knew I had.  I am being monitored for two months on this dosage of medicine and then back again.
Today was grocery shopping with my Mom.  By the time I got home I had a headache. Not much crafting done this afternoon......







Yesterday I started hooking these 6 by 7 inch holly berry mats.  The wool I'm using around the border is kind of a taupe or khaki with olive overtones.  I hooked two and would like to make more except I'm running out of that color of wool!  I have wool soaking tonight to try and dye some of that color tomorrow.  I'm not exactly sure what color it is so will be experimenting again!!  Does anyone know what a good dye formula is for this color?  I have Cushing Dyes I'm using. Thank-you for all of your wonderful comments on my crafting so far.  I wish you all could come to the craft show and have some fun!!  I am hoping to get a lot more made before the show but you know what they say!  We can make all the plans we want but God just laughs!  I'm sure he is getting a good laugh already at the creepy Santa!
Cathy G