Some Valentine's Treats

I am a big Valentine's fan..maybe cause it is simple and small..and full of fun crafts to do with the kids. You can find all of these treats and more in my Etsy Shop! Click HereHere is a set of fingerless gloves and a matching coffee cozy. The yarn reminds me of cherry blossoms..so maybe a little hint of spring to come to.


I am trying something a little different this year..I have created a set of digital Valentine's...blank and ready to print off and color. Have fun with your kiddos or just for yourself! Add colored paper, glitter..you name it! These come as a digital download right to your email! There are 12 smaller and two larger teacher type cards..of course you can print as many sheets as you need.



the smaller ones are 3 1/2"x 2 1/2" each and the larger are 4"x4"!

Happy Monday all!! Hugs, Sarah

Happy New Year Musings..

It is that time of the year that we evaluate our year..our effectiveness in the world. For me it is a time that I evaluate my balance. Ehmmmmmm...balance..what is that..and where the heck has it gone off to?

A few years back my Muse took a long extended vacation to Hawaii..I am thinking my Balance has rented the same sweet cottage there..and has been considering taking up permanent residence. Sometimes we have to get that wake up note from parts of ourselves saying....WAKE UP! Ok...am awake and I have been listening..and meditating..don't be shocked..I did find a few minutes to do so. Monkey mind ensued and not much was enlightened..but enough that I had a moment. This is what my Balance told me.

Much of my life I was a devoted and practicing Christian. I didn't fit really well there...I asked too many questions and argued doctrine a bit too much. I wanted to understand the nature of God and why some interpreted it one way and others another. I was Biblically well read and had studied with a passion. Frankly I drove my pastors to annoyance. Still..I felt outside of the norm..I did not fit in there. There were many things that kept me from feeling at peace within the boundaries of Christianity. So after my divorce as many do..I became a bit of a seeker. I will state clearly that I did not abandon my faith in God..I just sought to expand it. We all...I believe deeply are put here to find our path and how we should worship in our own way. I for one..and some may disagree..feel that this practice should be respected..that we each should be allowed to follow our given path. Ok..am rambling and preaching...sorry..back to my point.

When you lose balance as a Christian and lose your way it is called backsliding..as though you are on a slippery slope at all times. I often felt that way. Always struggling to make the grade. Getting distracted by life.. forgetting my practice..forgetting to pray and read. After my divorce, my belief system evolved to encompass other practices like meditation, yoga, Reiki, Buddhism and the natural way of the year to follow one season after another..my practice grew and reshaped. I read and learned and added some pieces of one system and bits of others until I found a bit of balance in what felt correct to me. This offered joy and thanks to my higher power..and blessed the real me..not a small part of me..all of me. This has brought me great joy to worship in this way..great peace.

So here I am December 31st and as I spent time in meditation..it came to me in a quiet and gentle voice...that I was out of balance. I had stepped away from my practice. I had allowed the world to step in and take away my peace..I had forgotten that everything changes..constantly..that I could only control certain things..like my mind and my choices..not others and theirs. I had allowed stress and the chaos of the world to not just throw me off balance..but right off the cliff and into the deep waters. I have been treading water for most of the year. It did not occur to me to swim for shore..then sit down and breathe. Even when it crossed my mind I allowed myself to be distracted again. So rather than say that I have backslidden..I will say that I turned my back and wandered off the path..I got caught up in the bush. I have managed to find my way back to the path again. Not alone.. I had some serious help here..for that I thank so many of you. For hanging in there with me and offering me a loving and supportive hand.

This December you all reminded me who I was..what was important and above all..that I was cared for. Funny how in the middle of chaos we seem to loose that one. There are no words to say how deeply you have effected my life! No words. Your grace is astounding and I am blessed to have received it...thank you.

May each and every one of you have a blessing filled New Year. I will simply say Namaste.."I honor the place in you in which the entire Universe dwells, I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Integrity, of Wisdom and of Peace. When you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me, we are One."Love, Sarah

Wishcast Wednesday..

Dear Jamie asked us this morning... What is you Winter wish?? Hmmmmm....this has been on my mind all the last week or so. As I have been negotiating my way through the season..with little time to consider the coming new year..it struck me this week that I needed to consider the issue. What do I want for this winter and on into the new year.

I have been so richly blessed this last month by so many here and in my life..I cannot tell you how touched, honored, beside myself loved I feel! My requests and prayers have been answered..one at a time as needed. I have learned a hard lesson in opening my mouth and asking for help..as I am much better at helping than asking! So this got me thinking about what is important and what I really need rather than just wanting.

So here goes...my winter wishes are these...

Spiritually - I want to stretch myself..commit myself to practice and meditation..daily. Find some balance and abundance here!

Physically - I need to get healthy..I need to drop weight and make time to walk and exercise! I need to abundantly lose weight and eat better!!

Emotionally - I need to get centered and focused..I feel like the dog in "Up" ...Squirrel...sorry...am a bit scattered. I need to rework my boundaries..seriously rework them! They have gotten quite squishy!

Financially - I need to focus on this one...I need abundance here in a big way. But I need to get focused on what I need to do..get a plan for the art and knitting for this next year..not willy nilly whatever..seriously working here!

In general..I need to find a bit of balance and find time between all I have to do and time for may family. So my word this year is abundance..not just in the financial sense ..but overall..abundance daily in where my head and heart is..that I will stay present and recognize when I have wandered away from the blessings that I have been richly given. That is my wish for Winter..abundance. What are you wishing for this winter??

Namaste, Sarah

Happy Winter to you....

Happy Winter Solstice, Blessed Yule, Merry Christmas to you! May the coming new year bring blessing to each one of you!


I know I may be odd..but I love the winter..those short days and cold winds. Maybe because I spent so many years in the desert..I adore those cold snowy days. Lots of excuses to stay in and knit and quilt and create. No garden guilt LOL! I also love photography in the winter..so many stunning patterns to discover.

Honestly..I love playing in the snow too..even though it makes my joints hurt a bit..it is just too much fun to ignore! My kiddos and my daycare kiddos took a walk downtown in the snow yesterday..off to the library for reading material and then to the bakery for a huge cookie and a hot cocoa! Cause it was snowy and cold out there! So much fun!

May each of you receive wonderful blessing of the season!
Namaste, Sarah

Kitchen Science and Gifts...

I do so love kitchen science..ok am a science geek. I have been so busy knitting and drawing..this was a welcome change of pace.

I spent yesterday morning creating in the kitchen..a bit of grapefruit sugar scrub....yummmmmmm!

Some delicious bees wax and olive oil lip balm...ooo I love this stuff..

Of course the wrapping part is fun..little tags and shiny bags..whoot. Wonderful teacher gifts..

Here was my last little science project..by far the most time consuming..bath fizzies..we shall see if they work in the end..they have to dry first. So much fun. Of course my hands are green today..but who cares...I had a blast!!

Are you making something to give this year..I would love if you would share!!
Hugs and thank goodness it is Friday, Sarah

A Good Yarn....

I bet you can guess what I have been doing of late...well really since September..knitting..and more knitting. I love a good yarn...funny or fuzzy. Ok that was really corny!

I do love to work with fiber though..especially yarn. I adore a good wool..sheep, alpaca..but angora..not so much. A week or so back I received an order for some sweet black kiddo gloves..I spent two days with bunny fur up my nose LOL. I adore the way it feels and loved the little gloves..but working the yarn..not so much. I think I will stick to sheep' wool for the most part.

There are lots of places you can get yarn..I am partial to Lion Brand..but let me loose in a good yarn store..and OMG so not safe. Of course the prices are higher..but the wool is delicious and so many choices. I have been collecting skeins for a couple of years..hoping to get the time to play with it..so this fall...I did. Started making a few fun things for my Etsy shop..and frankly I have enjoyed it so much..I just kept going.



So maybe come tax return time..when I have maybe a couple dollars to spend after the bills are paid..ya know where I will be heading. Off to buy maybe a couple of those delicious skeins of pure wool balls of delight..maybe just for me.

Do you have a passion...does the fabric store, the quilting store, saddle shop, glass shop call you.. Do you have a collection of something that is waiting for you to sit and play? I would love for you to tell me about it!!

Hugs all, Sarah