A Crown SALE & GIVEAWAY : :

It's time for my annual ETSY Crown SALE!! If you've been wanting to order one, now's the best time! Coupon Code: CYBER20 give's you an extra 20% off and makes these crowns a wonderful handmade, personalized/custom, special gift/stocking stuffer!











All crowns ordered for holiday gift giving during my sale (now thru Thursday, Dec. 7th), will arrive before Christmas! Be sure to include the name, any detail, color requests, and the date you need it for in the comment section when you order, please! My New Year's is made so much more special by all the adorable photos my customers send me after the holidays, I can't wait!!

Today I'm also having a Handmade Crown Giveaway!

Enter to win! Here's how,

-- Simply leave a comment here in this post! I'd love to know who you'd like to give a special crown to this year?
-- My followers get an extra entry!
-- Help spread the word! I know that many of you already do, so I've added that as another way to enter. Whether by Instagram, tweet, Facebook, pin, blog, etc...   

I'll be sure to add the winner to the bottom of this post on Thursday, so the winner can have their crown to give on Christmas!   

Congratulations, Kare!! I will be in touch shortly!

 + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + +

Thank you in advance for your support! The orders I receive through my Etsy shop helps me to continue creating and sharing at the rate I do, thank you for giving me the opportunity to do that, and to share my ideas with you! It has been such a wonderful adventure for me to continue making these crowns, and the greatest privilege to make them for your children! I'm so grateful for those of you who support handmade & mama-made throughout the year and during the holidays! Thank you!

♡  Maureen 

Busy Days : :

This time of year is so busy for all of us preparing for the holidays. For my family December is a month overloaded with the extra celebration of two Cracknell kid birthdays, as an etsy shop owner who receives a much needed high volume of custom handmade orders, and I'm unfortunately adding many doctors appointments and tests to my schedule these days. With each December that passes I promise myself to do better. To not take on so much, to be more prepared and organized. This year, for once, somehow I actually feel like I'm succeeding in that. At the end of each long day spent cutting, ironing, sewing, cleaning, cooking, wrapping, mailing, parenting, etc.. my only feelings of falling short comes from this blog and missing out on my plans for it.Typically I'd simply save all my unfulfilled goals for the slow Winter days of January. But after these holidays I'll be undergoing a Thyroidectomy and possibly a Tonsillectomy, still thinking about that one. While there's so much stress and exhaustion that comes with the crummy health stuff, I'm hopeful that all with be okay and in the end I'll feel much better. I'm grateful to be able to wait until after the holidays and to have all that I mentioned above to focus on and plan for. For once I'm finding these extra busy times extremely helpful for keeping me from worrying about the scary, unknown stuff. Today I thought I'd share a few of my favorite photos from these December days of crown creating, birthday celebrating, and merry making!

















♡  Maureen

Sewing Again : :

I'm here and am finally sewing again! We really appreciate all the sweet comments you left us -- congratulating Kevin on his races, on understanding the disappointment we were feeling on the house situation, and in regards to the passing of Grandma Jane. Thank you!!

I brought back a pretty glass of roses from her garden, aren't they beautiful?!



Yesterday in the late afternoon I found my opportunity and dove right into sewing. It felt great, just what I needed in fact!



My niece Josie and I share a birthday this Sunday on the 10th, woohoo! I'll be thirty-one, in case you're wondering! :)

So... just as I've done for all my little nieces and nephews this year, I made her a Birthday Crown and Pillow set.



I tried out two more stitches on my new Janome -- the applique stitch, to add all the pillow details and the oval satin stitch, to add the flowers to her crown. I am having so much fun with these stitches! It's amazing what a huge difference changing up the stitching can make to a project. Even to something as simple as a birthday crown, which I have made over 500 of now -- WOW!!



I'm hoping Josie likes both the birdie themed pillow and the color coral, you know I love both!



I tied them together in my favorite yellow Divine Twine and sent her package out the door just before the Post Office closed last night. I hope she loves it!! Happy Birthday, Josie Bear!! Love, Aunt Maureen -- which she actually pronounces "Aunt Mean" -- can you believe it?!



Last night I even finished up my May AND June bee blocks, but I'll save those to share another day!



It's feels SO good to be back! Thanks again, friends!! ♥ Maureen 

p.s. Here's a little peek at tomorrow Fabric Giveaway!! Be sure to stop back!

Christmas Bunting Garland : :

Come on in... Yes, crafty folks live here!



Well, at least I hope this newest new bunting/garland hanging strand of colorful, Christmas-y goodness explains that well, just as you first enter this house.



To make this one, we used some adorable store bought felt, fabrics, yarn and sweater ornaments, bias tape, and Christmas fabrics.



I recently picked up a triangle template at Joann, which made making up these triangle bunting pieces so quick and easy!



I think this marks the end of garland making for me for the rest of the year! I might have to do a little re-cap, but I do believe that there is a different garland hanging in all but the kitchen, the bathrooms, and our bedroom. This last one, Haila and I made together! Sort of...



And, now it hangs happily in our hallway.



Haila asked if this little angel could be her's or her or both? Of course, I said yes!



After all, today she turns FIVE, you know!!



We're off to continue the Christmas crafting today and to celebrate our little girl, who suddenly seams much too big!

Nine : :

Our handsome and silly boy turns nine today. Nine. Nine? Nine! It seems impossible, but yes it's true. Happy Birthday to our sweet boy!!!