Gingerbread Girls!

As a little girl My mom would make Gingerbread chains to use as an Advent calender to count down the days to Christmas. Last year I got a yummy recipe that I love to make! I always supposed that Gingerbread men were hard to make but they are so fun and yummier than any I have ever eaten before!
I usually adorn their spicy cheeks with Red hot cinnamon candies. Yet every store we searched for them at, they were out or they did not carry them! How tedious to look so many places without success! So we have their faces created with gum drops!
Here are my girls with the Gingerbread girls they designed this year! Hula skirts and all, LOL!

Surprises from my Elf!

Gift giving time!
My fam always has an drawign to see who wil give to whom.
This Year my Elf gave me a great gift!

I recieved it in the mail. who ever wrapped it picked pretty paper! I love that celery green color! I even like the card that looks like I could re-create it with some of my stamps!

This is book is Watercolor Fairies.
I have been dabbling in Watercolors and this will be a fun book to try some new techniques from.

I'll be getting my paints out and trying out my skills soon. I'll post any good atempts!

Aren't these illustrations and paintings fabulous!
A lot of them are pencil sketches that get painted .

My sister is Famous!

Mer, is famous!! At least in her Town of Knoxville!





She had her home in a Holiday Home show!
She did a beautiful job!!!
Her rooms are adorable and chic!
Check it out on her web mag! MerMag
I loved seeing everything! Wish she lived closer so we could sit and look at her decorations together!
I love her doll tree that she bought 2 years ago!
I was inspired to put a kid tree together for my girls with little stuffed toys on it in lime green and bright red! Of course her tree is in my favorite color- PINK!

Donuts!

What is it about the cold weather that draws me to bake and make?

I love to have hot cocoa with something yummy in hand. This brings me to flour and mouth watering sugary greatness!
Fresh donuts can't be beat! Especially when they are still warm and freshly glazed too!

It was great my sisters and a friend came over, we chatted and ate my donuts.
A bit crisp on the edges and soft and airy almost like a cream puff inside. If they aren't puffed full of airy bliss, then I don't care much for them. Dense donuts aren't for me!



I cut my recipe in half and still get 5-6 dozen donuts! Wow! I definitely invite folks over to help eat them Up!

Just looking at my pictures gets my mouth all ready for a big bite!
Now to find the perfect recipe for French Crullers! I wonder if I could make those delicious things?

In Love with these!

I found these on Etsy and I adore them!
Of course I am partial to this picture!
What's not to love? If you click on her lovely red headed portrait you will go to this gals site!

....and being a fashion designer gal, I love this dress pendant that I would use as an ornament!
It is made with acrylic and she fuses the image to the clear acrylic some how!
Isn't it amazing and lovely!
Click on the Little black dress necklace to go to this great shop!
Maybe get Christmas Presents for you know who? (hint hint)
thank you annie carrie for finding her!
Isn't she gorgeous?

Little darlyn ELF!

Here is my newest creation!
I have put her together for the holiday season!

I was inspired by this cute vintage look print with the little children (in their red long underwear) pajamas waiting for Santa!

She'll be up on my Etsy Shop soon so check it out.

I also posted some hand sewn ornaments. The ornaments are simple handcrafted with beading to add sparkle.

I am also working on a group of ornaments that are inspired by my little darlyn girl faces and have their faces hand embroidered. I am working on finishing them and adding the beads and other embellishment they need to sparkle as well.

I feel very merry and like little Christmas ELF myself! HO Ho HO!

I'm dreaming of a new wardrobe!

I was searching the web for fun fall clothes! These I found at J.JIll!
I love them and the different textures, pleats, and trimmings!
Which is your favorite?
I think the rasberry top is scrumptious and I'd wear it all the time!
I love the velvet coat with all those pleats in back!
I love the green top it is in corduroy with great crocheted laces!
I adore the soft rose blouse with all its gathered ruching.
Sigh! I now need lots of sales at my etsy shop so I can get something new! :D

Cowgirls!

It is time to round up some Trick or Treats!
Thats right this illustration was made to
show what I envisioned for my girls costumes!
Of course one is pink and the other is blue! Gee
which girl do you think made those color requests?
Take a peek at the finished product!

Domestic Dish!

When you take time to peel and cut up bite sized potato pieces, I believe it should be considered a special event!

Here we have beautiful bowl of Corn & Cheese Chowder.
Garnished with bacon crumbles and chives.

Here we are stirring in the final ingredients.

We enjoyed this on a cold October night!
It is so yummy you must have the recipe!

Corn & Cheese Chowder
In a large pot pour a couple tablespoons Olive Oil
Fry bacon at least 6 strips
remove and set aside for later
1 cup of chopped onion into bacon juice and oil
glaze to a clear color add
2 chopped/ smashed cloves of garlic
when everything has cooked down to a clear bits add
2 tbls of Flour with
1tsp of Salt
stir in until absorbed add pepper to liking add
4 cups of chicken broth add
3 or 4 large cubed potatoes
bring to a boil add
1 1/2 cups of whole milk (1 can of evaporated milk)
2 cups of shredded medium cheddar cheese
simmer till potatoes are tender add
2 cups corn or 2 cans (corn with peppers is good)
taste and add salt and pepper if desired
serve with sprinkled bacon on top and chives
Enjoy
serves at least 6 - 8 people

Little Darlyn Girls

When I was at LJ's I painted a little darlyn girl. It was so much fun I decided to paint some more! I think my favorites are the Pumpkin Girl, and the Flower girl. Which one is your favorite?
Flower Girl, Pumkin Girl, Beach Girl, and Cupcake Girl.

Adorable!

I absolutely love vintage things!
This little dress is so sweet and I love it!
I found it on Etsy at Chew Chew's Closet. Isn't it cute, darling and fun?
I am wishing I could get this for my Jewels but she is probably to big for it!
She is a 18 and 24 mth sizes now! I can't believe she is so big now!

Taking inventory!

In an attempt to find a spool of thread in the color I needed I cleaned out my thread box and tidied up. Then a whim came to me. Take a picture with me when I am shopping and then I won't buy multiples of the same colors over and over. Which if you look closer you can see I have already done this! LOL! Now if I can get a bobbin for each and somehow keep them together, so I can find what I need quickly!
Do we ever stop and freeze a moment in progress?
Well, now I have. In the midst of looking for thread and sewing a dress for my eldest daughter I have pictures. Pictures of thread, and one of my sewing machines. I spy my pink pin cushion, a great sewing machine, a blue pen and a purple pen, a rubber stamp, a cutting mat, a pattern piece (one I traced onto tissue), a tissue box (sewing always makes me sneeze, I guess it's the lint), a turquoise dress in progress (dotted swiss from my grandmothers closet!), and more thread! How FUN!

Halloween

It is time to taste cider and candy corn.
Sketch up a costume and bring it to life!
Sew and paint and decorate!
Happy Halloween!

Pillow

Cute Peek a Boo Pillow at my Etsy Shop LittleDarlynGirl. With darling floral prints in lavender, yellow, robins egg blue, and pink, this pillow is so feminine! Place your little one on her tummy in front of this pillow and play Peek a Boo together.
I love making these sweet faces too!

My new Etsy shop

I finally did it! I have my own Etsy shop!
Little Darlyn Girl
I had to learn a lot about my computer and figure out different programs and such.
Lots of time on the phone, thanks L.J.!
Plus all the time and energy sewing and picking out what I really wanted to do!
So check it out!
So far I only have a couple things listed. My Peek a Boo Book, Loop Lovey, and Peek a Boo Block Toy.
Let me know what you think!

Creating Treasures

I love darling hand created gifts for babies and children!

I also love to make them myself. At baby showers and Christmas parties , I have received compliments and comments like "you should sell these"

SO! I have been sewing up a storm!





I-really want to have a stash of things ready for a crafting boutique on the net!
Little Peek a Boo Books and blankie sets, crotched snugglies, and sweet things to treasure.

So here I am going to give the internet crafting world a tryout.
Hopefully my creations are loved by somebody and their baby!
That they go happily home to them, is my wish for each piece I work on.

Tell me what you think and what thoughts you have about my little collection.