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Today I want to share with you some links to a few of my favorite blogs.

hungryhippie has some great photos of Europe mixed in with a ton of crafty type tutorials that are creative and fun to read

House Inside Out is a super fun blog that mixes a bit of food with a bit of art. She has been focusing a lot on fiber art (which I love!) lately so I check her blog and a regular basis. I also like it that she is from Tacoma. I feel like we are practically neighbors.

For a non-crafty fashion fix I have been reading Girl and Closet. This young lady has a great smile!  I love browsing through her site to see what types of clothing she wears and how cute it looks. It inspires me to grab the dress I have in the closet and put it on, rather than my normal jeans and t-shirt outfit. 

First, I need to start out by saying that I have seen Misty Mawn, the author of this book, creating art in person. While watching her sketch and draw I thought, "this is what a real artist looks like when they are making something." I just felt like I was watching something that I wouldn't see that often in my lifetime. She was making something in a setting with about 20 other artists, but she stood out. RIght then I decided that if I ever had the chance to take a class with her I would. I was also kicking myself for not taking a class with her when I previously had the chance. Sigh. 

Shortly after this I was at my local bookstore and ran across her book. I'm not sure if it was newly published or not, but it was certainly new to me. I grabbed it as quick as I could and almost ran out the store to start reading it. I figured if I couldn't take a class from her right now, then her book was the next best thing.

I was right.

Misty's book has some fabulous photos of her work and equally fabulous project photos so that I could try the projects and techniques. I love the narrative in this book too. Throughout the whole book, Misty's writing encourages us to try her projects and techniques, never once suggesting that what she does is out of reach for those of us aspiring to learn and become better artists.

I also love that she includes a variety of mediums and project ideas. By doing this she shows that even serious artists can have varied interests. I especially think this is important because too often we are told that we must "stick to one thing" and become and expert at that thing. I think being creative means learning and trying new things. Misty's book gives us plenty of opportunity for that.

If you would like to order this book it can easily be found on Amazon.

In this episode we create a set of prayer flags to swap with other crafty people. To create your own flags gather these supplies:

• Canvass fabric
• Bits of ribbon and lace
• Silk ribbon
• Embroidery floss
• Embroidery needle
• Scissors
• Beads
• Staz-On ink pad (black)
• Sharpie (Black)
• Inspirational stamp
• Scrap fabric pieces
• Fabri-tac

I just love these old signs in Coney Island. Too bad the business that go with them are no longer in business.

There were so many great outfits and hats I could post photos for a week!

We were recently in NYC again and realized we were going to be there over Easter. At the last minute we learned of an Easter parade on Fifth Avenue and decided to see what it was all about. Boy, were we in for a treat! It was fantastic. The "parade" was actually people walking up and down the avenue with their best Easter hat on. This is an event where NYC shows the world how creative they can be. The variety and level of creativity of the hats and outfits is difficult to describe. Let's just say that if I had to choose between Christmas or Easter to visit NYC I would choose Easter. I am hoping that I can visit this parade again.

Last week I ran another 1/2 marathon, the Hillbilly Half Marathon hosted by Guerilla Running (love this group!) This one was a trail run through Capitol Forest located between my hometown of McCleary and Olympia. It had snowed a few days before the race so the course was super slippery with snow.

I only fell three times. Three times flat on my front covered in snow and water and mud.

This is a view of some runners coming up on the trail through the trees. The ground looks muddy but it is actually tons of mud and snow and water.

Here you can see the trail running along the side of the mountain. It was so pretty!

Ok, so I had to take a picture of me on the way back down. My goal for this race was to finish strong and without injury. That's exactly what I did. It felt so good. I tell you what, I would moan and groan every Sunday morning when I had to get up early for our training runs but it was so worth it. There's nothing like the feeling of running through the woods. If you have ever thought you should start running but can't get yourself to run on the road give trail running a try. It's a completely different experience, not only for your mind but your body too.

Join Michelle while she tries out her new Simplicity Felting Machine straight from the box. If you have wondered how easy or difficult it would be to use one of these machines then you should watch this.

Details about this machine can be found online at Amazon.

Look for some new needle felting projects coming soon!

These are a few photos I took of the Lion Brand Yarn holiday window display while in NYC in December. It's truly amazing that a person could knit such a creative and colorful display. Thanks to Pugly Pixel for the photo layout, it definitely cleans up the look of my images.

So you have been wanting to make felt but are overwhelmed by all the rubbing, pounding, rolling that you have to do. Not to mention you can't seem to find a sushi mat big enough or the department store is out of shelf liner. Making felt can seem too physically demanding and the various supplies you need aren't already in your closet making it easy to give up on the project.

But, in this show, Michelle shares with you her quick and easy technique for making felt that anyone can do. To follow along you will need a clothes dryer and these supplies:

• Saran wrap
• Nylon stocking (leg from old pantyhose, you know there is a pair hanging out in the back of your drawer!)
• Spray water bottle
• Various fibers (grab what you have and see what happens)