Postcardy Fun

Dear Shayne,

I actually made these post cards several months ago but then... I just couldn't bring myself to mail them then because I loved them so much!

I've now admired them for awhile now, so I think it's time to set them free. Right?

Ok! Who wants a postcard? If there's anyone reading this, leave a comment with some way to get in touch with you -- email, blog, etc. Heck, if you don't mind your address out in public, go ahead and put that in the comments if you want! You can also email me your info: onetomatotwo [at] gmail [dot] com. And I'll send you a postcard!

It was super fun to make all of the butterflies:

Postcard, anyone?  (I think that darker pink one has your name on it, Shayne.)

love,
kelly

Squirrelly Embroidery Cuteness

Dear Shayne,

This Instagram photo does not do this embroidery justice. And this embroidery doesn't do the original drawing justice! But it's still pretty darned cute:

A friend of mine illustrates the most adorable creatures you have ever seen. Seriously. (I also stitched a penguin -- need to grab a photo of that.) When I first saw her illustrations, I said, "Must. Embroider!" Finally got around to it this month.

She needs to find a better stitcher than me to make her some samples and sell these designs. Pronto. Cause they are super CUTE!

love,
kelly

Cross-stitch: Finally Framed

Dear Shayne,

As I was packing up the house, I came across two cross-stitched pieces that I had yet to frame (this skull and this letter B). Since I was already so busy I could not see straight, I decided to add to my over-full list and frame them! (Of course.)

Added to this little blackwork piece (miraculously already framed!) and here they all are:

We had an art show at work and I entered these pieces -- deadlines are a good motivator for finishing projects, right?

Meanwhile, another artist in the show fell hard for the skull, so I will probably be making another one. I think the trick to finishing it will be buying another one of those round frames right now!

love,
kelly

I am knitting! (And posting about it!)

Dear Shayne,

As you know, I have just moved across the country (we're going to have to address this blog name at some point, but let's dwell on that later). I don't know why I didn't see it coming, but this activity took waaaay more out of me than I thought it would.

Of course, the first thing to go was blogging. And the second? Crafting. But this week... I knitted!

I'm working on a wool blanket and it's hot in Michigan, but what the heck. I'm knitting! And... I'll be ready for winter!!

love,
kelly

PS - I hate the new Blogger interface with a white-hot burning rage. Were we talking at some point about moving this thing to WordPress? I think the time has come.

Napkins: Too Awesome to Use?

Dear Shayne,
>Cough!< >Cough!< Good lord! The cobwebs around here are thick enough to choke a horse!

Since I am currently planning a cross-country move, I'm casting around for blog-fodder in these not-so-crafty times... (unless we count packing boxes as "crafty" -- I am damned good at it, I must admit...)

Here are some amazing napkins that my friend Dawn made for me last year (Hi, Dawn!) (You're still with us, right?) and I have been neglectful about posting. Shayne, they are so beautiful and amazing that I have been afraid to use them:


Let's get a full view of one of those beauties, shall we?

(Note: That does not look perfectly straight, but that is 100% the fault of the photographer -- I did not hang 'em right. They're beautiful in person. Absolutely perfect!)

Totally gorgeous -- pieced together with hockey prints + awesome coordinated fabrics. We recently had guests over and I used them, but I must admit I was a bit anxious the whole time. But they're napkins, right? Meant to be used, right? Yeah... I just gotta keep telling myself this.

love,
kelly

PS -- My plan to mail something every day in February plan failed spectacularly, but I did send about 6 items that I probably would not have otherwise. (So maybe not a "spectacular" Fail. Just... a mostly Fail? Let's go with that.)

Challenge: One letter a day for the month of February

Dear Shayne,

A bit last minute on this one, but if you can squeeze one out today, there's still time to join this challenge -- write (and send!) one piece of mail every day the Post Office is open in February.

This idea brought to you by Mary Robinette Kowal, who has created a site where participants can sign up and interact with one another.

That's only 24 days. You in? Go!

love,
kelly

Mitt-y Christmas!

Dear Shayne,

Thanks for clearing out the cobwebs around here! Can't believe we have not posted since November -- wow. There's been crafty stuff going on, but I just have not made time to post. So here's a start!

For Christmas (only a month late -- who's counting?) I made... well, hardly anything at all! With our upcoming move looming, I just don't have as much time as I'd like for making stuff.

But you, my dear, are one of the few lucky recipients of a Kelly Handmade Gift this past year... your mitts:

(Wish I had gotten a hand model for those -- they look weird.)

Hope you like 'em -- they're cotton and not super thick, so I don't know how warm they are, but the colors are gorgeous! (Good job on buying that yarn...)

My other handmade gift? More mitts! My BFF Jenny has been freezing in her new office, so she got a thick warm pair made in super-soft Cashmerino Chunky. It's like buttah! (If you're not allergic to wool, that is...)


They're a little more blue-greeny in person, but my camera would not co-operate the day I took this and I wanted to get them out the door.

Here's to a crafty (and post-y) 2012!

love,
kelly

Car Modifications

Dear Kelly,

Scott's car died last week and he made a quick decision to buy a used Suburu Outback (he's in two bands, so having space to haul equipment was a must-have). Because we are very immature, we made a few modifications to the back.

Outback before:

Outback after:

AllWheelDrive before:

AllWheelDrive after:

Assumably, you read Sam's Christmas story which provides a bit of context for "Lawdy." I can't wait to show him tomorrow. (And for you readers, I'll post a link to Sam's story soon -- just don't read it if you're easily offended.)

So, yes, my boyfriend is driving around in a station wagon that says "Butback" and "Lawdy."

Love,

Shayne