reasons to be cheerful (and a little giddy)...

reason one:

we went on an easter holiday trip across the border, we came back with cadbury's easter eggs.

Used Dog and Little Olive came back from their little hols smelling like indoor air fresheners

reason two:

after wishing for an age and a day to start making homemade frocks, over the past few weeks i spent my 'sabbatical of sorts' doing just so. armed with a roll of wallpaper i set about making a pattern for what was inside of my head. i am most thrilled with the results of my sunshine frocks.

of course some may say they are glorified potato sacks with a tie here and there... and indeed they are not far off. but with rose coloured specs and a pair of clogs, they are perfectly perfect dottie angel frocks to me

reason three:

hip hip hooray! my dottie angel book is going to second print. this is simply thrilling news and one that has me positively beaming with crafty pride. many many thank yous to those of you who bought the book, were so kind in your response upon reading it and in doing so encouraged others to buy a copy too. there are a few left of the first edition with the little glassine envelope of goodies and you can find the nitty gritty here 

reason four:

in a couple of weeks our little routine at mossy shed will fly out the window with the arrival of a new member of our clan. i am giddy and nervous all at the same time. i cannot believe it has been three years since we have invited a critter or two into our home. three whole years in which i have seen the numbers dwindle in our shed, 'beings and critters' have left and it is high time we upped the numbers again. madness and insanity is bound to follow but what is life without a little of both

reason five:

i have made it through four months since seeing Our #1 and Our #2, and realize i only have two more to go. i have made it over the half way line and am on the homeward stretch. 

we will see each other in old blighty this summer. i am not thinking about the fact it is eight months till they actually come home to mossy shed and that by the time they come home, it will have been a whole year since they have been home. no sirree, that would not be the thing to do.

reason six:

tomorrow my 'dottie angel' camp starts. 

i have spent the last few days making a huge iceberg of crafty goodness in my old studio. 

in the morning i will squeeze my iceberg into the back of the van and head to Seattle where upon 13 wonderful dearies will be taking trains, plane and automobiles from across the state and the pond to meet me. for the next few days we will embark on a frenzy of crafting till our hearts content, making handmade goodness and new friendships

reason seven:

a secretive secret which i will share next week. one that has been behind the scenes for a while but now, can move to center stage

Tif