Thrifty Shopping Trip

While out running errands Saturday morning, I decided to stop and take a look at a Goodwill Thrift store that I hadn't been to in a while. I usually find more wool sweaters and clothes at yard sales during the summer, but it looks like even the thrift shops are now getting ready for Fall. I found quite a few pretty wool sweaters, a great chocolate brown suede skirt and a couple of vintage woven wool men's jackets.

I've gotten all of my new wool fulled/felted, dried and cut into pieces and some even ready to stitch together. I'm working on some new handbags that incorporate the woven wool with the wool sweaters and maybe even some of the suede. I think these combinations will work well together and hope to have some new designs to share and list in the shop by the end of the week.

Do You Have a Favorite Food?

When recently asked the question, What is Your Favorite Food?, I wasn't able to come up with just one answer. I love to cook and I love great food, but my tastes often change according to the seasons and circumtances. Some people would automatically say "a great steak", "Mom's special lasagna" or "anything chocolate". My current tastes run the gamut of all the wonderful, seasonal, fresh fruits and vegetables found in the garden and farmers' markets this time of year, especially here in the Midwest. Warm, fresh from the garden tomatoes - I love a thick slice on a hamburger or a BLT. Or how about some sweet, buttery corn on the cob? This is a sampling of vegetables fresh from my garden.

And then there's all the luscious, juicy fresh fruits - peaches, apples and blueberries. So I decided my favorite for the day is fruit desserts, specifically blueberry crisp. Then I had to make some for dessert and thought I'd share the recipe. This is a super simple fresh baked dessert. You could use mixed berries instead of just blueberries, or add fresh sliced peaches to the blueberries, a great combination!

Blueberry Crisp
(4-6 servings)

3 cups fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1/3 cup butter, softened
3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
cream or ice cream

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Arrange blueberries in an ungreased baking dish, 8x8x2 inches. Sprinkle with lemon juice. Mix brown sugar, flour, oats, butter, cinnamon and salt; sprinkle on top. Bake until topping is light brown and blueberries are hot, about 30 minutes. Serve warm with cream.

Do you have a favorite food?

Featured from the Etsy Bloggers Team : : Memories for Life Scrapbooks

I am a new member of Etsy Bloggers Street Team! One of the great ways the team promotes it's members is the Monthly Featured EtsyBlogger. The featured blogger for the month of August is Edi, of Memories for Life Scrapbooks. As a papercrafter, Edi makes wonderfully creative scrapbooks, custom albums and notebooks for her Etsy shop, memoriesforlifesb.

I love these little notebooks, perfect to carry in your bag for shopping lists and notes.

You can order a Custom Word Album to remember that special vacation.

And use this cute Pet Photo Album/Scrapbook to safeguard photos of your four legged friends!


And you have to check out these very creative and unique Flip Flip Albums!

For more unique items and great gift ideas, be sure to stop by memoiresforlifesb on Etsy. Or see what else Edi is creating by reading her blog Memories for Life Scrapbooks.

Wool Crafting in Progress Here!

Earlier in the week I completed and listed some new handbags in the shop. Then I looked at the calender and realized I have less than two months until my very first craft show! Yikes!!! I am excited and decided I'd better take inventory of my supplies and set a schedule for myself so that I have plenty of items both for my Etsy shop and the craft show. I love summer and hate to see it starting to come to an end, but I need to start thinking about (dare I say it!!!) holiday ornaments, Christmas stockings, mittens and scarves! So here's a look at what I found and what I'm working on.

More felted wool sweaters ready for crafting.

I started cutting out heart shapes for a new batch of Holiday Heart Felt ornaments.

Recycled wool flower brooches, in various stages of completion.

I love all the different colors and textures of the various types of wool!

So, that's what I'm working on these days. Now I'd better get busy and start sewing again, I have lots of work to do!

A Few New Handbags

I'm starting to gear up for Fall and stock up my Etsy shop, FeltSewGood. This week I've been working on some new handbags and these are my latest listings in the shop.

The Brown Argyle BLAKELY

The Ruby Red EMMA

and the Green BLAKELY

These handbags were all made from eco friendly, felted, recycled wool sweaters. Be sure to check out the shop for more new handbags, plush toys and flower brooches coming soon!