I love a good moleskine!

 For my mom's birthday I embellished a moleskine journal for her using some of my echino and Ruby Star Rising scraps.  I love these scraps and could happily use them for years!!

I don't know what it is about a moleskine(it could simply be the seemingly random e on the end), but I'm happy if I've got one in every drawer, pocket, bag and car.  Ever so handy, and light years cooler than a post-it!

A little finishing touch of a tinkerfrog label, just because I can.  Thanks to my sweet Drew for following my instructions on what to order for Christmas to the letter!  Good job, honey!

Really Rather Random

 Here's my current knit-in-progress, the lovely Wispy Cardi(Ravelry link), in the oh, so soft Malabrigo lace.  I'm teaching this class at My Sister Knits in April, so am making this as the class sample.  It's not moving as fast as I would have hoped.  In fact, I need to stop sewing for a while, which isn't cool at all.

I need to find my knitting mojo, because I'm missing it!  I used to be able to knit for hours and hours.  Now I can sew for hours and hours without a break, but can't find that zen space that knitting used to take me to.  Any suggestions?

 Here's a little shot cotton pojagi that I've been playing with.  If I get the urge, it will gain a few more feet and get hemmed to be a lightweight scarf.  If not, I like it hanging in the window!

 Amanda Jean and I hit the jackpot when I was visiting her at the beginning of the month!  We were at her local yarn shop and were directed to a table of free fabric in the back room!  With quilting on the brain, we weren't expecting much, but found loads of vintage silks that are so, so luscious.  I really wish you could all feel these.  They are the reason people crazy quilted. 

That little green, red and white bit up there?  Amanda Jean hated it, so it all came home with me. Lucky me!

In other news, we will be having another quilting retreat in April!  Penny of sewtakeahike will be teaching block design and construction--if you've never checked out her blog, you're in for some serious eye candy!  I'm very excited for this one, as I always am!   I cannot emphasize just how much fun they are!

The price includes 5 meals, and all the workshops for only $250.00!  It really is such a good deal.  Rooms at the inn are available on a first come first serve basis as well. For more information, go here!  We really hope to see you there!

Cogsmo Explorer

 Many thanks to Cluck, Cluck, Sew for giving me the impetus to make this much needed bag!  Santa brought Tade a Leapster Explorer for Christmas and I've looked for the carrying case each and every time I'm at a store that supposedly carries them.  Why hadn't I made this before I'll never know.

I got to use some of the Cogsmo by Cosmo Cricket that is one of my all time favorite prints for little boys!

He had very specific instructions on how deep the pockets should be for the games.  This means that they fall out of said pockets each and every time he zips it shut and carries it around.  He then places them back in said pockets with a measured patience.

Now if only he would take that patience and do the learning parts of the games instead of handing them to us to "find the letters" so he can get back to the "good" part--killing the bad guys.  Oh, and I'm wondering too, why did Santa get him that Dora game?

I might have a small problem....

 I just got home from visiting the oh so wonderful Amanda Jean.  I feel so blessed to call her a friend and so lucky to get to spend some quality time being crafty.  The downside is that I came home with about 25 new projects and ideas.  I dove right in on a project I'm calling the "Minis."  I think I'm going to start making everything small.  These 9-patches and lone wonky star finish at 1 1/2 "!!!!!  (the wonky star is about an inch thick with all of those seams, but it had to be done!)

 They are achingly cute.  In fact they might be making my teeth hurt.  Or that might be the large number of kolaches I've eaten since Dana at the Old Red Barn posted her recipe yesterday and I all but ran to the kitchen to get the dough rising.  So good. 

How can you not just smile when you see this?  I think there will be many more minis in my future!