Cameras for Everyone!

I really regret that I didn't start taking pictures until the last year. There are so many events of my past that I really wish I could go back and photograph now. I'm hoping to keep that regret from happening to my nieces and nephews.


I let the girls take my cheap camera and explore the yard while they were here this week. They call my back yard a jungle with all of the overgrown trees and bushes. The picture quality isn't great but I like the above shot I got of the two of them. Jessica's shots were all of inside something else. She kept saying I wonder what it looks like inside this bush or behind this fence, etc. This was my favorite of her shots.

Kate is like my little clone and she too was obsessed with getting up close and personal. I turned the camera on macro and let her go at it. I particularly like this shot of one of my Buddha statues eyes.

So I've decided that they should all get a camera to record their lives. I've already talked about the nice camera we got Kai for his birthday this year. Well I found some pretty good deals on cameras on Amazon this week for kids that I thought I would share.

First the most expensive, (Olympus FE-46 with 12MP Digital Camera Pink Crayola Kit with 5x Optical Zoom and 2.7 inch LCD and Silver Case, 64 pack of Crayons and Storage Box) which is going to go to Ani now. I got it on Monday on a deep discount of $89 with the intention that Jess and Kate could share it. The more I thought about it I realized those two sharing anything right now is a really bad idea so I went back and got each of them an Argus Bean 5MP Dg Cam, one in Pink and one in blue. They appear very rugged and easy to use but are not specifically for kids which I thought would be better for them than a "kid camera". The Olympus is more camera than I would have originally gotten Ani but because she is here I can help her with it unlike the girls all the way in Texas.

I just picked out a great kid camera for my 4 year old nephew, the Fisher-Price Kid-Tough Digital Camera. I looked at all the kid cameras and this is really the only one that got consistently good reviews.

I can't wait to see the pictures they take. I think it will be a good way for the girls and I to stay in touch better. They can e-mail me their pictures and share their adventures that way. Hopefully at least a few of them will show some inclination towards photography but if nothing else they can have some pictures to remember this time in their lives.

60 Wristcuffs Rock N Roll Here I come!

I'm sure you've always wondered what 60 wristcuffs all together would look like. Well, today is your lucky day. I just put the finishing touches on my remaining cuffs for the show next weekend. I now need to get them tagged and I'm ready to go. I will have to make my way down to the city tomorrow after my sister picks up the girls to bring all of my inventory to the Rock N Roll Craft Show. The last time I did a drop off at the Big Ass Show last year it took forever. I had each of my items individually itemized so during check in when everything had to be verified it was a nightmare. I had convinced Mike that I needed his help and he was not happy about the experience so I don't expect any help this year.










It shouldn't be quite as painful as I have things inventoried by type this year. I have 30 wire wristcuffs and 30 fabric wrist cuffs as seen above. I also have 3 large tubs, one for $15 scarves, one for $30 scarves and one for $25 scarflettes. I do have different inventory numbers for different fiber content but it should still go much faster to count out the different items than to frantically search for the Orange Crush Scarf which could be in any one of 3 tubs like I did last year.

I'm bringing some of my display items for them to use like my quilt rack and mannequins but all of the display work and selling is in their hands. It is a little bit stressful to be leaving several thousand dollars worth of inventory in their care for a week but that is the price you pay for one of these types of shows. I've heard that this show has a huge turnout and with the gorgeous weather this weekend it should be a big draw. I'll be putting my four hours of work time in on Sunday afternoon and will then check myself out. Then I will have to get home, do a new inventory count, and get it all ready to drop off the next day at the Big Ass Indie Art and Craft Show. Oh, the busy life of the crafter!

I'd love for you to check out my pal Kristin's post on her first craft show this weekend here. She had a good first experience and I think it's a great read for everyone out there contemplating their first time. She very sweetly told me that I was her inspiration but I think her ability to juggle her family and her art is the true inspiration.

A Lot to be Thankful For.

Today is my last day of work for a week and I probably won't be checking in here much during that off time. I have lots of preparations still to be made for the Rock and Roll Craft Show next weekend and my sister and the girls will be getting into town tomorrow. We'll be having a slumber party Sunday night and then heading to the farm on Tuesday. It's been since July since I've seen them so I'm very excited to catch with them and here about all of their Texas adventures.

I thought that I would share some of my thankful thoughts that I've been posting on Facebook this week. I haven't been as diligent as some but I've tried to post something I'm thankful for every day. Here is the top five things I'm thankful for:










1 my husband. I'm very lucky to have found someone whose quirks so nicely match up to my own. (this shot was from a happy day on our big vacation this summer) 2. my family, they may all be crazy and a bit too enmeshed sometimes but that is what makes us interesting. 3. stable jobs for me and my husband. With so much uncertainty for so many I'm thankful for our nice, safe education jobs. 4. yarn, I'm so thankful to have found a hobby that I love and that is self sufficient. ( the Autumn Envy wrap at the top is felted and done in great fall colors) 5. the Internet. I'm thankful for the connections I've made through my blog and facebook, etc. It's much harder for me to stay isolated with all the social outlets at my finger tips.

And some more: 1. I'm thankful for my in-laws today. The George's may have their own way of communicating, but they have taken me into their family and accept me for who I am. 2. I'm thankful today for my friends who put up with me and my craziness, even when I go into hermit mode and have a hard time getting myself out to see them. 3. Today I'm thankful for my DVR. When the lightening blew our box a few months ago it made me realize how much it has revolutionized my life. I can watch what I want, when I want. OKay, it's not the same as being thankful for my health but coming up with something everyday is hard.

I can't remember the mommy blogger that posted about how when she asked her daughter what she was thankful for all she could come up with things. When she asked her besides her toys what she was thankful for she said bangs. That just cracked me up. It really is those little things that make life worth living.

I'm also very thankful for all of you and each and every follower/friend I've made through the past year of this blog. If I don't have a chance to post it later I hope everyone has a great Turkey Day and that you enjoy your time with family/friends no matter how dysfunctional they may be. I believe the Lenox clan is expecting close to 75 people with every cousin but one in attendance. I can't wait to catch up with my family both extended and immediate.

Handmade Holiday Gifts for Kids

So the holiday shopping season should be starting up in earnest next week. I thought I would share some of my own favorite handmade sellers in my own personal gift guides over the next few weeks. I'm only including sellers that I have actually bought from and can vouch for their quality and customer service. I thought that I would start with the littlest ones on your list.

I love the funny bib above from Fun2Wear on Etsy. They have personalized tees, onesies, bibs and sets. The ipood/ipeed set I got for my friend who had twins last year was a real hit at the shower.
I absolutely adore the bright colors and soft, cuddly monkeys from The Monkey Shop. You can pick 3 in the listing above for $60. I gave my niece one for Christmas a few years ago and loved it so much I went back and bought one for myself. They are baby safe and machine washable, but I think kids of all ages, including mine, would love them.

I think the Sushi Roll - Flannel and Terry Cloth Wipe / Washcloth set above is the most creative gift idea ever for a baby. It's from Enchanted Dandelion and she also has all kinds of handmade gifts for naturally-minded babies and children. I bought a flax seed hot and cold pack from her this summer when my sinuses were really bothering me and it helped sooth me through a number of throbbing headaches. This one also includes lavender so it will help calm kids with the soothing scent.





And for the toddler on your list this coloring tote from WHIMBRELLA with crayons and coloring book including for only $12.50 is a great choice. I bought one for my littlest niece last year and my sister said it was a life saver with all the traveling they did this year with the big move. Savannah could carry it herself and Angie didn't have to worry about locating it when she needed it to distract her on the plane or on the long car rides. She also has some great quilts on sale right now and lots of other fabric creations.

Handmade Thanks!

So one of my primary roles as crazy Aunt Paige is to instill an appreciation for all things handmade. While Ani was over tonight we started making some Thank You cards for her birthday gifts. I got on a card making kick 5 years ago and still had some card stock and stamps. We embellished with ribbon and buttons. She didn't really like the one I made with buttons so we compromised by agreeing that it was for Grandma Lenox and not one of her friends.

She cracked me up when she said "What is happening? We must be growing apart." This was because she liked doing it one way and I liked another. I think it's a sign that she's growing up and has her own ideas which is actually a good thing. She can't just like what I like forever or that would be pretty boring.

I've started doing some Christmas shopping for the nieces and nephews and my main focus for this year is going to be on buying things they can make with their hands. I got Kai some drawing supplies and I will be getting the younger ones some kits to explore different creative outlets. Any suggestions for such gifts would be appreciated.

Random Monday Thoughts

So it's another dreary Monday morning. I don't really have enough for a cohesive post so here's some rambling thoughts for you. The video above is a song I rediscovered when putting together a playlist last week. It's by Spirit of the West and it never fails to make me smile. To quote the song, "It always leaves me laughing and feeling but of course..."

I'm really glad that the birthday week is over. With my difficult birthday and all the Ani birthday celebrations it was very tiring. The house is as clean as it's been for awhile and I'm really going to try to keep it that way, or at least the front of the house. I'm thinking about having a little New Year's Eve party as an incentive to keep it together.

I'm excited about the RRCS coming up in a few weeks. I just e-mailed them my inventory list. It had 219 items on it. I'm going to focus on getting another 20 wrist cuffs done in the next week but everything else is already done. I'm pretty happy with the amount I've knitted this year. That is not including the 50 or so items I sold at Strange Folk and a few things I'm not bringing to the show.

It looks like Michaels has all of their sketch books and kits on 40% off this week. Kai is getting into drawing and is needing a sketch pad. I'll be getting him a variety of pads and pencils for Christmas too. Any suggestions from the artists out there for what is good for a beginner would be appreciated. I obviously want to encourage all of his creative endeavors. He came over to help with the party which was much appreciated as I certainly wouldn't have blamed him for being as far away as possible with 6 tween girls in the house.

I'm so excited to see my sister's girls in a week. They will be here for the whole week of Thanksgiving. I haven't seen them since they moved to Dallas in July. It feels even longer than 5 months.

The Diva has her day!

So I survived the birthday party. Ani was so excited which made it all worth it. I think the girls all had a good time but I learned something about Montessori kids. They are the best behaved and focused kids I've ever seen when in a group. When they started their craft project they were absolutely silent which the Moms said was perfectly normal since that is how they are trained from preschool. When I started in trying to get them to use the sequins and beads I had laid out they all looked at me like I was crazy. Ani put some on just to appease me but they all had their own visions and nothing I said would get them to stray from it.

The giant cupcakes are from the daughter of a coworker of mine who is a baker and candy maker. Her business name is Crave Confections. She also made me candied apples that were decorated for the girls which not surprisingly were an even bigger hit with the adults. The girls loved the cupcakes and after eating them they actually became the wild little girls I was expecting and had fun running around the yard. They also liked the glittery scarves and had fun decorating each others hair with glitter and pink temporary highlights.

I just had to show off the shoes I got Ani for her birthday last weekend. They are the coolest shoes ever and I couldn't not get them for her.

Ani had the honor of actually breaking the guitar shaped pinata. I had to share this lucky shot since it captured the moment of the candy escaping into the yard. Chaos then insued with the girls all gathering up their share of the loot.