This quote could not be more true for me.  I have for many years wanted a greenhouse.  When we put new windows in our porch last year, I saw an opportunity to make my wish come true.  

While we are not so handy ourselves to build such a thing, I knew someone who. He was that was willing to take the project on as a side job to his regular work.  As a result it took most of the summer to complete and still needs some little things done but it is done enough to be able to use and I love it. 

Now that winter is here and the snows are upon us, I am loving it even more.  While the little greenhouse is buried in snow on the outside...

inside it is like walking in to spring!

Who wouldn't love that?

Have a fun day!
​Cynthia

As was inevitable, winter has come to New Jersey.

I recently completed step 2 of my magical tidying up program which consists of letting go of books you no longer love or need.  

As a lover of books, this was a hard one!  I like to read, especially at night and I some how don't ever picture my self sitting in bed with an electronic device.  There is something about a book that is soothing and comfortable.  The tactile sensation of turning the page somehow always creates a feeling of anticipation that is not duplicated by swiping a screen. It is true, however,  that books can take over a home.  They take up lots of room on shelves and end up piled on tables and even the floor..  I have made efforts to get rid of books in the past, mostly school books and a large collection of paperback novels from my sci fi and fantasy era.   However, I managed to accumulate many more, including a large collection of craft, gardening and cook books.

When I went through them all I did discover there were quite a few I no longer cared about.   The easiest were the cook books.  While I kept some that have my family's favorite recipes, for the most part I now look for recipes on line, especially on Pintrest.  As far as craft books go, since I always like to try new things there many books on subjects I was no loner interested in.  Here again, there is  tons of stuff on line to find new things to try.  I did keep most of my embroidery and other needle craft books and almost all of my gardening books.

In the end, I had about four grocery bags full of books which I donated to a local library.  This freed up a lot of room in my kitchen and my studio so I'm happy about that.  

It also freed me up in another way.  It may seem silly but having all those books about craft things I used to do always made me feel that I should go back to doing those things again even though I really don't want  or have time to.  So I have to say I'm happy to not have to think about that every time I look at my books.

Step 3 of the program involves paper.  I usually go through all of my paper stuff in January getting ready for taxes so I am working on that now.  I just plan to be a little more ruthless in what I can get rid of.

Step 4 is going to be all the other stuff. Now that will take some doing!

Have a fun day!
​Cynthia

The Embroiderers' Guild of America (EGA) was formed for the express purpose of fostering the art of needlework and associated arts. EGA seeks to promote cooperation and the exchange of ideas among those who are engaged in needlework throughout the world by encouraging a high standard of design and technique in embroidery. EGA provides a center to be used as a bureau of education and information regarding the art of embroidery for all guild members. It is our purpose to conduct instruction and research in the art of needlework and to distribute related materials and publications to members and to the public.

Yesterday, I taught a class at the local chapter of the Embroiderer's Guild of America.  The class was on how to make Zipper Pins.  While not exactly embroidery, it does involve sewing and the ladies at the Guild are always looking to learn something new.  

I though I would share my tutorial on how I make Zipper Pins in my DIY section today.  Sorry for the blurry pictures

Have a fun day!
​Cynthia

This year, in an effort to advance my "tidying up,"  I decided to sort out and streamline my boxes of Christmas craft things.  

I used to make some new Christmas decorations every year, so I had a large collection of miscellaneous Christmas craft items stashed away in various boxes. I dumped (almost) everything in one box to see what I had all at once and yes that is a single ice skate.

So I sorted and this is what I ended up with.

Being a thrifty soul, I have always saved Christmas ribbons from year to year. Truth be told, I still had some from when my oldest (now 18) was a toddler. I  decided  this was the year I was going to get rid of some of it. After all the Christmas presents had been unwrapped, I gathered up all the ribbon into a pile to see which ones could finally be put to rest.

Problem was, some of them were still to nice to just throw away. What to do?  Then I had an idea! I would make some of the ribbons into ribbon flowers.  

​I got out my "bible" of ribbon flower construction.      ​

I set about making an assortment of ribbon flowers.  My original idea was to save them for next Christmas and use them as package decorations, Somehow though once I had made them, that no longer seemed like the best idea.  Again, what to do? 

I finally came up with something that would use up not only my ribbon flowers but much of my miscellaneous Christmas craft supplies, too.  You guessed it: a wreath!

Now I have fewer boxes of miscellaneous Christmas stuff and a nice new decoration.  I think I will keep it up for a while after the rest of the Christmas things are put away.

Have a fun day!
​Cynthia

While I will grant that it is somewhat cliche to have my first post of the 2016 be about New Year's Resolutions, it is a subject that has, as is almost inevitable, been on my mind lately.  When I was younger I was a great believer in the power of the New Year's Resolution.  I made them every year - often the same ones and like most people I broke them almost immediately.

As I got older I came to understand that trying to make major life changes just because you are getting a new calendar really doesn't work out to well. Change is hard and the only way it will come is for you to make up your mind to do it.  Then you will do it when you are ready whatever day that may be.

Have a fun day!
​Cynthia