My first giveaway!

CONTEST CLOSED.
Winner is #75

For my first blog giveaway, i am giving away this lamp worked borosilicate glass leaf pendant made by me!
Pendant measures just under 2" long, and 7/8" across.

i have been wanting to have a giveaway for some time now, as a thank you to my customers and fans. Also as a way to promote my crafts and motivate me to really get back into it. i have been on hiatus for way too long, and it's time to start it up again.

As many of already know, my husband is a fabulous glassblower/lampworker. Although i have always had an interest in glassblowing, i have never really had the opportunity to try it out. Several years ago, when my son was around 2.5 or 3, i played around in the glass shop briefly for a couple weeks, but then moved on to other things.

Well, last month i decided i wanted to try it again. i only spent a few hours in the shop working, but made several of these glass leaf pendants. i gave most away as holiday gifts, and kept a couple to sell.


BUY IT ! If you would like to purchase one for $10 similar to the one i am giving away, you can email me at enchantedtree(at)hotmail(dot)com.

WIN IT! You can win the pendant above by following the directions below.

***Main Entry: For your main entry, please visit The Enchanted Tree look around the catalog and/or gallery and let me know what is your favorite item or what you would like to see me making/focusing on again. You do not have to be a blogger, but be sure and leave your email address in your comment so i can contact you!

Extra Credit Entries: (must do main entry first to qualify- please post a separate comment for each extra credit entry or it will not count)

*Become a follower of my blog (publicly) and leave a comment letting me know you did. (follow button top right)

*Become a fan on facebook! leave a comment and make sure you include your name ( so i can verify).

* Subscribe to The Enchanted tree newsletter by email. Leave a comment letting me know that you did, and your email/name you subscribed with so i can verify.

*add a fan photo on my facebook fan page, and leave a comment letting me know you did and which photo you added. (photo must be of you/partner/kids with something you purchased from me.)

* Post on your blog about the giveaway and comment back with the link.

Giveaway ends on January 22, 2010 at 11:59pm EasternTime. Giveaway is open for US mailing addresses only. International fans may enter, but will be responsible for shipping costs. i will contact the winner via/email and post the winners name on the giveaway page. Winner will have 48 hours to respond to notification with shipping info – if no response, another winner will be chosen . No purchase necessary.

i will be using Random.org to pick the winner. Good luck!!!

If you do not see the comment link at the bottom, click the title to be directed to that actual blog post. Comment button is at top near title, and again at bottom of actual blog post.

Curling up with my crochet hook...

It is only the second week of January, and the winter is already feeling too long. We have been quite blessed with mild winters in the past. In the 10 years that we have lived here, we have seen very little snow. The snow that we have seen, is never much and never lasts long.

This year, winter came early and is refusing to leave. We received almost two feet of snow the week before Yule, and here halfway through January....it is still here. It has been extremely cold, and the snow has melted and refroze repeatedly, making it a slick, sharp, glacier of a landscape. No good for snowman, sledding, snowball fights or any of the usual winter fun. We have been stuck inside, staying as close to the wood stove as possible.

This means lots of snuggling, lots of books (we are currently reading Eragon), lots of board games and lots of time crocheting.

So i don't really do New Years Resolutions, although at the end of the year i do find myself reflecting back upon the past year and trying to become optimistic about the year to come. i have ideas and goals about what i'd like to see happen or what i'd like to see change, but i don't make solid resolutions.
One thing that i am pushing for myself this year is to challenge myself more. i have been crocheting for years, and i'm quite good at it..i think. However, i have never taken the time to learn to read crochet patterns...i don't even know the names of the different stitches i use. Which means, i can't write my own patterns ...nor can i ever make anything twice. Well, at least not the exact same. So one of my goals this year is to learn to read patterns, and learn to write my own.

While browsing around online, i came across this fabulous pattern called the Diamond Ridges hat on another blog, and had to make one for my daughter. i was able to read and follow the pattern, although i had to look up the different stitches as i went along. i got stuck on row 5, but the author has a tutorial on her site clarifying that part of the pattern. It took a little while for me to figure it out, and then it all clicked. i am quite proud of myself, and pleased with how the hat turned out. This is a really a nice thick winter hat, and Sage loves it. i made a second one for my sister, and was able to breeze right through it. i guess i can no longer say that i do not read crochet patterns. :)

While sitting and snuggling in front of the woodstove, i have been playing around with different hat styles. i've been making a lot with the brims and decided to try incorporating the stitch that i used in the Diamond Ridges pattern in the middle of my regular hat pattern. i'm very pleased with how it turned out, it really kind of spiced up this rather basic style. My husband liked it so much he requested one for himself. So my next attempt will be a similar hat using a variety of colors...which should be another challenge for me.

i would love to say that i am embracing the season, but truth is i am not. i am ready for spring, i am ready for the snow to melt and ready for something else. i am however embracing the challenges, and pulling myself out this state of complacency and not only accepting change but encouraging it. One change you my readers, can look forward too is more blogs, more work for sale and a few fun giveaways! i am feeling very generous lately, and am excited to start giving back to those who have been showing us support all these years. ;)

More handmade gifts...

One of my absolute favorite parts about the holiday season is coming up with handmade toys/gifts for my children. When i first opened my website The Enchanted Tree, over 10 years ago, my main focus on handmade clothing and jewelry. It was something i loved and something i was very passionate about. As i grew and my family grew, my focus began to shift. i have recently found myself to be a toy maker, and it is truly becoming quite a passion.
These are some of the gifts that i made last year.

This year Sage has really gotten into her play kitchen and play foods. Over the last couple years i have made her all kinds of crocheted foods, and decided to try something different. This pizza is made using felt and the crust is stuffed with alpaca fiber. The topping can be taken on and off, and are all hand sew. i scored a perfect sized pizza box from our local pizza parlor, and it made for an amazing presentation and storage!

While browsing ebay, i did a search for fairy tree houses. Just to get an idea of what was out there. i came across a really cute fairy set from Pottery Barn, and knew that i had to have one!

Of course there is no way i could afford that price tag, and could not find them available anywhere else. So i decided to make my own. This is made entirely out of scrap felt that i had on hand. The base is felt with a hidden layer of recycled cardboard, and a bit of wool stuffing . i love working with felt, it is so easy to work with and extremely forgiving. No need to serge or finishes edges, and if your stitching looks sloppy just pull it a bit tighter and the stitches disappear. :)

tiny lady bug embellishments. :)

i have made Sage several bendie folks and fairies, but made this one specifically for this set. i think she turned out especially sweet, and the pink wool hair is just perfect.

For my son, i was not quite sure what to make him. He's getting a bit too old for the type of toys i normally make. Last year i crocheted him a couple pokemon, and a Crusty Crab crocheted food set. This year i had considered trying to crochet Momo from The last Airbender, but after looking at some really cool wooden pirate ships i decided to attempt making him one out of felt.

i very loosely used this pattern from Mother Earth News. The entire ship is made from a double layer of felt. The wooden plank details, were sewn on the machine, but everything else was stitched by hand using the blanket stitch. It has a layer of stuffing in the bottom that helps it to keep it shape. The anchor is on an adjustable 'chain, and can be lowered or drawn up.

i made him a bendie pirate to go with it, only realizing afterwards how much it looks like Caillou. :) Sequoia requested that i add a beard or something to make him look a bit more pirate-ish.

Both gifts were well received. Sequoia quickly pulled out all of his lego pirates, and accessories and filled the ship. i have actually been a bit surprised by how often he gets it out and plays with it. Sage too, pulled out her other bendie fairies and fairy houses and set up a village with them.

Like every year, our gifts consisted of a bit of new, a bit of handmade, a bit of (used)recycled. The kids love it all, but it's an amazing feeling to see them cast aside the loud battery operated plastic junk toys, and reach for these handmade toys that i created for them. These are the treasured toys, and i'm certain they can feel the love that was put into them.

Felt picnic playfood set.

So i have figured out, that i am not much of a blogger. That lack of blogging however, does not signify a lack of doing. Infact, i've been incredibly busy lately with way too many projects going on all at once. i have a difficult time finishing half the stuff that i have started, and then jump into new projects as soon as the desire hits me.

i have been crocheting up a storm, hats and dish clothes and lots of play food. i have also begun to play with felt. i have a huge stash of scrap felt that has been gifted to me over the years. i have never really done much with it. i have been completely enamored with all of the beautiful felt play food that can be found on Etsy, and finally decided to try my hand an making some for Sage. i always handmade many of the kids Yule gifts, and this year is no different.

i have been wanting to make a picnic set for a while now, and just finally got around to making it. The basket is about 5 1/2 x 7 inches, perfect size for a preschooler.

Our picnic consists of a stackable sandwich, carrots, banana, chocolate milk, chips, chocolate chip cookies and a cherry pie and picnic cloth. The cookies were crocheted, everything else is made from felt.

i used all scrap materials that i had at home, and purchased nothing for this set, except the basket. So, some of my colors are a bit off. :)

If you do a search online you can find all kinds of free tutorials on making different felt foods, and etsy has some amazing felt food patterns for sale. i used several different sites/pictures as inspiration for my set, and did the best i could with the colors i had. This sandwich has two slices of whole wheat bread, a slice of cheddar cheese, a slice of swiss cheese, a tomato, and a green leaf lettuce and spinach leaf. Since this is a veggie sandwich, i would still like to add some avocado slices. :)


The cherry pie, is scented with just a hint of black cherry perfume oil. :) i used this tutorial for the pie and this one for the banana. Although, i never really follow them exactly. :)

It was a real trick getting this made without Sage actually seeing it!! This will be a great gift for her, hand made from scrap fabric and lots of love.

Every little girl needs a tutu.

i have really been slacking on doing any kind of crafting lately. With summer here, most time is spent outside playing in the dirt. The gardens become my creative outlet, and all craft projects are put aside until the cooler temperatures of fall bring us back inside.

i recently saw a picture of a little girl wearing a tutu and knew immediately that i had to make one! So i bought some tulle and then search online for a quick tutorial on how to make one.
i came across this one. Which is quick, easy and fabulous!!

It was so easy to make. i cut the fabric in about 5 min. then put the tut together while sitting on the sofa in front of the tv. It took about an hours worth of time, but was well worth it!

We loved it so much that we decided to make another for a friend's little girl, who was most definitely is in need of a tutu!