Here’s how my sewing basket looks on a given day. It pretty much follows me around the house wherever I go. My husband bought the beautiful basket while we were on vacation last year. It’s sturdy and beautiful.

 I keep it covered with a small quilt I made about 12 years ago. That little quilt  is full of memories. I was just learning to sew, and decided I wanted to give quilting a try. I gathered up fabrics from different parts of my life to give the quilt meaning. My oldest two children were so small, so I only worked on it a bit each day. It has imperfections, but overall I was very happy with how it turned out for a first try. It hung on our wall for a while in different rooms, then found a resting place on my sewing basket as you see here. I love that it has found a function and I can enjoy it every day.

Here’s a peek at the everyday craziness inside the basket. Each morning I fill it with whatever I’ll need to work on as well as any tools. As you can see today, there is a little bag full of stuffing with some knitting needles I use for stuffing implements. A smaller bag-lined basket catches threads for me (many, many threads!). 

There are glass jars full of  joint parts, and glass eyes. A beautiful piece of cotton crochet lace peeks just over the rim, just because. I just love this length of cotton crochet-my good friend gave it to me last week. It’s a beautiful antique white color, with such a pleasing vintage look. I can’t bear to use it yet. I need to enjoy it a bit more. Sometimes there’s such beauty in the little things.

 Here is the thread wheel. It’s a favorite tool because it solved a rather irritating problem. I was forever losing my spools in the bottom of the basket. If I had too many down there, the threads would tangle together, which was very frustrating. I stumbled upon  this charming wooden disk at the Thrift store one day with little pegs on it. We added some more nails and now my spools are much happier and much more accessible.

I have a hedgehog pin cushion nosing about among my bits and pieces currently. He’s made of wool and bamboo, and stuffed with wool. I have a few pin cushions that I dearly love, and most of them live near my sewing machine. This little darling is a current resident of the sewing basket, and is just the right size to nestle among the day’s to-do’s and offer me a pin whenever I need one.

Last but not least by far is a beautifully crafted sheepie tape measure a good friend gave me, made by Lantern Moon. I took this picture one evening as it sat on my bedside table. This is often where sheepie sits in the evening while I work. Then she too tucks nicely into my basket. I use her so often. I also have to hide her from my little children because they can’t resist pulling on her tail to see the tape, and press her tummy to see it retract quickly back.

And there’s my needle safe (from yesterday’s blog).  It keeps every needle nicely protected and accessible.

Those are the beautiful things that make my crafting even more fun and enjoyable. I really loved sharing them with you this week.

I  really love my hand sewing basket and the little treasures that are inside. I’d like to share a few pics of my fav’s with you this week that make my hand sewing evenings even more enjoyable.

The first I’d like to share with you  is my needle safe. I often use more than one size needle in a sewing session so I came up with this space saving little roll. I love that my hands don’t get pricked looking for a needle I need, AND  no needles are lost to the abysmal (is that a word?) stuffing of my pincusion!

It closes and secures with a leather loop and pretty celtic knot button.

It unrolls jelly roll style. Inside I added some wool strips to hold the needles. Wool wicks away moisture, and keeps the needles rust free.

Our good Craggy Friend Deanna is guest posting on Chic and Green today! Deanna is such a charming person to talk to. She has great ideas on green living, and today she posted some of her favorite links to handmade soaps,a beautiful blanket, and even added some pics of a few Craggy Moor originals that now live in her home. She also gives a short history on how she got started on her journey to live more naturally.

Deanna has her own blog too:

Musings from my greenish life

  

Both blogs are a wonderful expression of some wonderful green ideas and products out there that you might not know about. We have a passion for natural living too, and really enjoy what we’ve read there so far.

 is another super resource for handmade items all over the world.

They asked if they could add our dear Nutmeg Squirrley! We were very honored to send her on over.  We’ve just started looking at all the beautiful handcrafted items on their site. We love it already, and look foward to visiting often! It would be so neat if Nutmeg found a new home through their audience too!

 

 

A great big thank you to you Deanna, Chic and Green, and 360 Handmade! We are so honored to know you, and be featured.

Snapshot of my morning

While I was working I heard a soft rustling behind me, and discovered a little bunny sitting  on our counter (obviously waiting for a little friend’s return). I couldn’t resist taking a few quick pics of her. 

Meet “James Jeff the Little Girl”

Our daughter Sylvia(age 3) belongs to James Jeff and they are great friends. When we gave the bunny to Sylvia we asked what she would like to name her. Sylvia thought and thought. Then she said “James Jeff!” Her brothers said “That’s a boy’s name!” To which she answered (looking at them as if they should have known this already)

“Well, she’s James Jeff the little girl”-and from that moment said bunny’s name just that way each time.

My personal opinion is that 3 year olds come up with the BEST names in the world

This little dose of extra-cuteness makes my day even sweeter :0)

Well, its time to get back to sewing and such. Have a great rest of the day!

Today we are heading to the park!

I’m picking out my seat for the ride right now!

Happy Friday everyone!! Have a great weekend!

We’ve been so busy here on the Moor! With summer here, we’ve done some traveling up to the Grandparents’. We are also out in the yard getting some straightening done. Our roses are blooming too which is very exciting! We’ve been working on them for a few years now. The sun is shining, and the sky is blue-life is indeed a blessing.

I’m popping my head up for a few minutes today to give you this little update and also share our new friends with you!

Willa Bearington Bear is a pretty and classically designed 5 way jointed mohair bear wearing a sweetly simple jean dress.

She’s a sweetheart you are sure to fall in love with right away. I just love this pattern.

Meet Marley Stoat! He is made of velvet and cotton, 5 way jointed with a wired body that can be gently posed. His tail is real fur too!

Marley has such a sweet face! He’s wearing a cute little corduroy vest too.

Jonathan Grey-Rabbity is a woolen rabbit with heather grey linen accents. He’s button jointed with beautiful hardwood buttons. He’s also wearing a little corduroy vest in navy blue.

Jonathan Grey Rabbity is made from an original pattern we designed ourselves. He’s the type of rabbit I think of when I envision that well loved best friend. He’s just the right size at about 10 inches tall, his ears flop a bit, and his woolen fur is soft and huggy. His sweet open face just says “I love you forever”.

Come on by our Etsy Store to meet our new friends, and more adorable faces like:

Parker Bruin

Caleb Westingbear

and more!

I really love Bingle Bears. They are just so sweet. I go over to their blog all the time to see what precious new bear has been born lately.  And when I heard Cheryl was having a giveaway, AND that the little bear was so adorable, I just had to enter and let you know too!!

Lookit that irresistible little face!!

Just click on the giveaway pic at the top of the page and head on over! Sammy is super sweet, and sooo adorable. I wish you good luck, but I hope I win!

Ryan is a sweet little bear who has adventures with his people, and he’s starting a neat little series on his blog, Life of Ryan about exploring.

His blog is designed to be read to little children, from their perspective. He discovers so many interesting things and describes them in a cute and bearish way

Exerpt:

Read more: http://ryanlifeofryan.blogspot.com/2010/04/ryan-explorer_28.html#ixzz0mUMWO6Ft

Little Sarah Bruin
is excited to be 3,
She can run and jump and spin
Much more easily

Than when she was a cub of 2
For cubs age 2 are small,
She can reach the lightswitch now
Upon the bathroom wall.

Sarah eats her peanut butter
sandwich,crust and all!
Mama needn’t cut them off
now that she’s big and tall…

Meet Sarah Bruin! She’s an adorable bear cub made of an extra special beautifully made nubbley caramel wool. It’s made to be a bit sparse and its perfect to give that old fashioned bear look.

Sarah’s accented with cafe au lait cotton velvet on her soft little muzzle, and whimsical pink plaid cotton on her paws and in her ears.

Sarah is 7 1/2 inches tall from head to foot and 5 inches sitting. She is 5 way jointed with our extra strong hardwood and steel cotter pin assemblies. She can pose and play in so many cute ways.

Sarah’s stuffing is weighted just a bit to make her feel a little heavy and “real” in your hand.

Sarah’s eyes are sweetly shining black glass beads. Her nose and smile are lovingly stitched with black cotton floss, as are her little baby bear claws.

Sarah is one of a kind, and made with much love. She comes with a card dated and signed by the artist too, so she would be a wonderful individually made gift to give. She would also love to come and be a part of your own collection of treasured bear friends!

Sarah is playful, loveable, a beautiful handmade collectible, and also sturdy enough to be a friend to anyone over the age of 4.

Handmade is the very best way to say I love you!

Sarah is over at our Etsy Store. Come on over and meet her and her brother Parker today!

Joanne Livingston over at Desert Mountain Bear is having a giveaway! This sweet little reproduction bear is named Ruth, and she’s looking for a new home! She’s just adorable, as are all of Joanne’s sweet creations. I couldn’t resist adding my name to the  hat, and I wanted to let you have the opportunity too!