Michelle Miles: Let's talk crafts

I had a hard time coming up with something to blog about. I’m not sure what my mental block is with blogging lately, but I literally stare into space and then … I got nothin’.

I thought about talking about the Oscars but, let’s face it, they were #OscarsSoBoring. I was glad to see Gary Oldman and Sam Rockwell win. The Shape of Water just looks weird to me and I doubt I’ll ever see it.

There’s not much else going on in my life other than writing, editing and stitching. I’ve started an Etsy shop and I’ve been stitching my little fingers to the bone. I make cross-stitched Christmas ornaments. If you follow me on Facebook, you likely have seen me post progress photos of them. They’re fun and they give me a sense of accomplishment because I can finish one in about a week.

I’m also trying to teach myself how to crochet. I have no idea why other than I saw the most gorgeous crocheted blanket on Facebook. It looks like this:

Michelle Miles: Creative Pursuits

I taught myself how to cross-stitch over a decade ago when I was young(er) and single. I discovered it was a relatively inexpensive hobby I could do on weekends when I was broke and had to stay home (i.e., I couldn’t go party with my friends). One year, I started stitching projects in January and made something for every lady in my family. It was a huge undertaking but I got it all done and everyone loved their gifts.

When my son was small, I stopped stitching because needles, small beads and floss don’t go well with a toddler. ;) But I picked it up off and on over the years. A couple of years ago I discovered these great kits for Christmas ornaments with beads. I thought I’d give them a try. Turns out, I really liked making them. Back in December, I ordered more kits and decided to try my hand at a Santa face stitched on perforated paper. I’d never stitched on that before but I actually liked it. It’s sometimes easier than stitching on linen or Aida cloth.

Anyway… Here is the result.

Michelle Miles: Getting Crafty for Fall

Fall is my all-time favorite season. And it’s a very short season here in Texas. You blink, you miss it. But there’s something wonderful about the season. It’s when the weather starts to change. We get a little rain and cooler temps. Well, sometimes. It’s still been hot here and by hot I mean 80+ degrees. THIS is unacceptable fall weather in my opinion.

But when the calendar hits October 1, I’m all about getting the fall decorations out. I confess I started a little early this year. I couldn’t help it. I got these super cool blinking eyes that go in the window. See, I like “cute” and “fun” Halloween decorations. Not gory and gross. We’re the house that the little kids love to come to because it’s cute and fun. I put out the fog machine, too, to give it some ambiance. This year we’re trying to figure out how to get more fog.

Anyway… I have lots of fall décor. We buy new stuff every year to add to the collection. I LOVE decorating with these fall colors. This year, I decided I wasn’t going to carve any pumpkins – first time in about six years. Instead, I bought fake ones to decorate. And I had a great time doing it, too!

Check out this chevron pumpkin I made: