Crafty Projects for Now and Later

On the threshold of spring, but with Old Man Winter still tugging at our hands, I'm finding myself looking back, and ahead at the same time, with decorating projects.

For instance, Pat Catan's craft store yesterday yielded Valentine's items for a crazy 75% off. Meaning everything there was basically $1...


I snapped up sparkling hearts to plop into center piece bowls, shining ribbons to bedeck the halls, a string of red lights to trim the mantle, and some pre-made bows because I am personally bow-forming-deficient...


It was one of those moments where I went in basketless and realized my arms were so unexpectedly brimming with goodies, I probably needed to fetch one.

But then I needed to focus on a new craft project, for the more immediate time... And I'm going to let you all in on the secret!

My friend Kitty is about to have her first child-- a girl to be named Chloe. And so I thought it would be nice to do a little something for Chloe's nursery. I know what bedding theme Kitty has chosen, so I'm going to follow that, and woodburn and paint a sign for the door reading, "Chloe's Room."

Here are some of the supplies for that...


And this is the bedding Kitty had chosen...

(Yes, you probably guessed, the reason my friend has been dubbed "Kitty" for this purpose of this blog is because of an unusual Hello Kitty fixation.)

Hello Kitty, in the pattern, seems most often dressed as a bumblebee, so I'm hoping to follow that for the sign...



I did a similar thing for an online friend in a cottage gift swap, creating a sign for her door using a Wizard of Oz theme. You can see that here.

So wish me luck with this new project. I hope to be able to show it to you, complete, next weekend.

And that's really all I have for you today. I'd better get workin'!!

• If you missed last Sunday's post, on how some thrift stores have stopped selling toys to comply with new governmental lead testing regulations, click here.

Otherwise, I hope you have a chance to do the sort of projects you love-- or the pleasure and peace of doing nothing at all.