The First Gypsy Doll

This week has been a whirlwind of preparation. I’ve been shopping, wrapping, and baking nearly every moment that I haven’t been at work. I’ve also been making quite a  few things as well. I knitted several scarves, tried my hand at tutu making (it turned out SO very lovely I must say!) AND I finally finished my little gypsy doll for one of my dearest friends. As she has already been wrapped and opened I will share some pictures…

I actually started her around this time last year! My intent was to only use materials that I already had on hand and see what I could do. I only ended up buying the wire to hold her little limbs together.

I knitted her little shawl with embroidery thread and her skirt is embroidered as well.

Being the first, she definitely was a learning process. In the end I was pretty happy with her and inspired with future plans. Perhaps there will be more gypsies to come in the New Year!

My family holiday festivities begin tomorrow and I’m very excited! I hope you all have a beautiful and wonderful holiday.

Merry Christmas!

Winter Solstice

I wish you all a cozy evening on our shortest day of the year. I am baking bread and lighting candles…

Magical Traditions

I know I have been a bit scarce here the past month. The holidays have been a busy time. I recently finished up my first little gypsy doll for a dear friend. Now that it has been wrapped and given, I look forward to sharing some pictures later this week!

My family has always been very big on tradition. Sometimes I like to tease that, “If we did it once: it’s a tradition!” My Mom always made Christmas very special for us as children (and still does!). One of our little traditions was a tree of our very own for our bedrooms. Me, my sister, and my two brothers always set up a little tree with our own particular theme. Mine was all angel ornaments. Some are very old and I look forward to unwrapping and hanging them every year. This is the first year in a very long time that I have had a real tree for my apartment and here are a few of my favorite decorations for it’s fragrant branches…

What are some of your favorite holiday traditions?

Inspiration

I’ve been very busy indeed the past week or so, but I happily managed to get this little tree for our apartment. It smells so lovely and there is such magic in the soft glow of Christmas lights in the evening. I love this time of year and try not to think too much about how fast it seems to be flying by.

So many blogs have been posting wonderful wish lists and gift guides this season. I’ve been thinking about doing one myself. Naturally it will probably be very Etsy-themed. (Sometimes I think I will need to start another blog and call it “My love affair with Etsy”…)

A few weeks ago I received a very sweet email from Sarah who had discovered Gypsea Tree and gave me an enormous compliment when she told me that she found inspiration here. When you visit her lovely little shop Crooked Thorne Jewelry you will see why I felt so honored. Her work is certainly inspiring to me as well! Below are a few of my favorites.

Part of the description of these bangles are as follows…

“These beautiful bangles have been handmade and aged to look like they just slipped off a Gypsy’s wrist!”

Oh how I love them!

This one is also positively bewitching.

I also love this stunning swan necklace.

Crooked Thorne also has a tempting give away of free gypsy jewels! You must visit!

Thank you for the inspiration Sarah!

{all jewelry photos via Crooked Thorne}

A Different Kind of House on Wheels

It’s no surprise that I rather love the internet. When I started blogging over a year ago I was absolutely amazed by the discovery of the blogging world. Falling into various pockets of blog communities was an endless discovery of  different “cultures” that I hardly new existed or had only dreamed of. One such culture was Steampunk. I have always been a great fan of the aesthetic and the ideas behind it, but I was only vaguely aware there was name for such a wonderful culture. When I was little I loved the idea of machinery that moved and looked like the inner workings of an old clock. In games, my little brother and I would often pretend it was the old fashion days and we would explain modern convention with the phrase, “It runs on cogs”. Yes, we were nerdy. I think I was barely 11 when I tried to sew a corset for myself because I wanted to be like a real Victorian lady. If I was a little more daring I would love to immerse myself in Steampunk, but for the time being I am an ardent admirer.

This incredible house appeals to both the gypsy and the neo-Victorian in me. Isn’t it breathtaking?!?! I believe it was photographed at Burning Man. I will include the link where I found them below.

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