Little Lavender Dresses . . .

Most recent theme for our (three sisters') ATC exchange: Lavender.

Check out that little English lustre saucer. Couldn't leave it behind at the thrift - - what else was I going to do with that 40 cents anyway?

These little felt dresses are stuffed with fiberfill and a bit of lavender, a la Alicia Paulson's little pincushion dresses (in the Softies book?).

For once, I finished my ATCs on time!

Crafty creativity has now derailed here, however. Trying to finish up the taxes (ugh!) and to get all the garden designing, container planting, invoicing, contract writing, and all the rest of doing-business business rolling. The season has begun. And I miss my sewing machine already.

Sewing Cards Trio

I made this trio of cards for J.

Am finding that my style in creating papercrafts is rather simple and clean. The placement of each object on the card is important . . . balance . . . color . . . repetition.

These cards are like a postcard -- no interior -- and I imagine them posted on an inspiration board or lined up on a windowsill.

I love them (said modestly).

I hope J loves them, too.

Potted spring + birthday card

This is one of two pots at the entry of a client's home. Because it's still too early for pansies and other spring annuals, I used mossy twigs, pussy willow, horsetail grass, and pink statice in these potted gardens. The entry is covered, so the pots are never hit with snow or rain. I pushed the stems directly into soil and then watered the pots when done. The statice and grass should hold up for several weeks.

The pots have to be redone fairly often when I use living plants because the light conditions are poor. Will probably interplant some violas and stock later. I like the twigs and pussy willow stems for the extra height and more dramatic scale they provide at the entry.

A windowsill garden for me. Found the tulips and hyacinth at Home Depot -- half-price after Easter -- and planted them into a copper window planter. So cheery to see it right outside the kitchen window.

Birthday card for sister's birthday, coming up on April 20.

Back of the card, with a little 'legend' explaining all the elements on the front.

All in all, a creative weekend.