Warm and Cozy: A Tutorial

I know you thought this would be a post on how to SEW something warm.  Like a coat or blanket or scarf or other some such thing.  But it isn't. Though I have had my eye on learning to make a (toasty warm) Victorian era wool coat with faux fur cuffs and collar at some point.  So much to make; simply not enough lifetimes.  What was I saying?  Oh, yes.  No, this isn't a sewing post.  It's about how to make your own cup of warm chocolatey yumminess in 5 minutes or less! :)

Grab the following:

• Your favorite mug
• A packet of Swiss Miss Hot Chocolate
• A kettle of hot water
• A spoon
• 20-ish mini marshmallows
• A can of Redi-whip
• A jar of chocolate sprinkles

Step 1:

Pour the Hot Chocolate packet into the mug.  Pour hot water over it, leaving about an inch space at the top of the mug.  Stir with spoon until well mixed.

Step 2: Top with mini marshmallows.

Step 3: Make the Redi-whip do that "PPPQQQUUUIIIISSHHHHHH" noise and give yourself a generous glob of whipped cream.  Sprinkle the sprinkles.

And there you have it!  600 calories of chocolate goodness that will warm you to your toesies!

Inspiration from the Sea

I was given a very generous gift for this month and next: membership to the GA Aquarium!
Just as these guys:

inspired me to add this pair of Funky Friends© to the Lucy Jane family

this past week's visit to the Aquarium and an encounter with this guy:

has inspired me to attempt the Sea Turtle pattern!  Stay tuned for photos of the Funky Friends© version!

The Pink Scarf Project

The other me has been following Vicki, of the blog "2 Bags Full" for a while now.  Vicki is hosting this FABULOUS event/project to raise awareness and support for breast cancer patients.  She is asking for donations of pink scarves from anyone and everyone in the blogosphere who will be kind enough to oblige.  She is generously giving away a GORGEOUS, one-of-a-kind wrap that she knitted especially for this project.  If you have ever seen her knitted nests, you know that she can't make anything that isn't just perfection itself.  (If you haven't been so fortunate as to have seen the nests, go here to see The Modest Peacock's favorite ones..)

Lucy Jane may be a historic, English "character" version of a present-day Georgia girl (don't miss the difference between someone "in character" and a "looney with split personalities".  I am solidly the first of the two!), but getting creative with the fiber arts is definitely one area where the two personas blend!

For all of our readers, Lucy Jane and The Modest Peacock alike, here's an added incentive to joining in with Vicki's wonderful project.  Anytime you send her a scarf and post a comment on her Pink Scarf Project Page that you have done so, come here (there will be a button on my sidebar shortly) and post a comment telling me that you have done so, and you will have an entry to win this Lucy Jane Pennybright "Hope" elephant, complete with her very own pink scarf!  (The mailing address to send the scarves and all of the wonderful details are on her blog at the above link.)

The drawing will be held NEXT October 1st when Vicki's project ends, AND I will also accept comments on this The Modest Peacock post about the project.  (But only one entry for the ellie per scarf made and sent!! You get to choose which blog to link to.)

So what are you waiting for??  Go to Vicki's blog, find out all the details, and start knitting (or crocheting, sewing, or whatever it is you do) a pink scarf to send her way!!  Best of luck winning the wrap and/or "Hope"!

PS- Here is my first scarf to send.  What do you think? :)

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

CHRISTMAS!!!

Yes, those of us who have businesses in themed/gift/custom made items have to start thinking about the end of year holiday season somewhere around the time that July fades into August.  And in just a few short weeks I'll be working on Spring/Easter stock.  Crazy!

It's also beginning to look a lot like Autumn for real, here in West GA.  The mornings are crisp and the leaves are a riot of color.  The Etsy shop is beginning to look better, with Fall themed listings and "Boo", my candy corn sweetie, was even featured in a treasury this week!  AWESOME!

It's beginning to look a lot better in the studio, too.  I've gotten some of my raw materials sorted and organized and at one point everything was tucked so neatly into drawers and cubbies and whatnot that I couldn't FIND anything I was looking for!  (All you creative people know exactly what I'm talking about!)  Now it's just at that perfect stage of "messed-up-ness" where I have a few works in progress out and in pieces, but where it's not a mad jumble of everything.

Lastly, it's beginning to look a lot like I'm finding my niche in my local community, and that feels awesome!  I'm working hard for a November 2nd deadline; the Dog River Library is having an anniversary celebration in the form of an artist's market/festival and I made sure to commit to be a vendor the second I heard about it.  I'm SO EXCITED!!!!!! :)  It's going to be fantastic!  Check out the website homepage for more info.

I'm off to finish ooooonnnnneeee more little project before bed.
Goodnight, all!

Love,
Lucy Jane

Boo!

No, really!  That's her name!  She and her male counterpart "Spooky" are now in the Etsy shop! :)  Makes me want some candy corn...nomnomnom!

Happy Autumn!!!

This is my absolute favorite time of year!  (Except maybe Christmas, of course!)  Time to pull out the cozy long sleeves, bake things with apple and pumpkin as the main ingredient, and savor the colors, textures, smells and memories that come with the season!

I had hoped to have "the thing I was working on" finished for The Modest Peacock giveaway by now, but once again, priorities and obligations must be met first.  It's just one of those things of life- how you have so many things that you want to do, but in order for those to work out and be halfway good, you must first do the things that you have to do.

On a happy note, I was able to spend some time at the Janome this weekend!  Here is a sweet gentleman in brown corduroy to welcome you to Fall!

I just love him!  You can have one for your very own by ordering from my Etsy shop!
I hope your autumn is filled with fragrant, crisp mornings, steaming mugs of cider/tea/hot chocolate, times of togetherness with loved ones and many happy memories made that carry you through to the coming winter.

Love,
Lucy Jane

Popping in to say hi!

::Phew::
   
     The last few weeks have been just crazy.  I'm not as far with a lot of my Lucy Jane goals as I'd like to be, but I'm working through the obstacles.  Lots of personal health and family issues, as well as pretty big decisions to be made as far as further education and what direction I want LJP to go in, professionally/long term.  I know that doesn't equate into anything new to share with you at the moment, but that's just how it is right now.  Slow and steady wins the race (or something of that nature).  It's finally cooling off weather-wise, so that helps with studio time.  It's hard to get motivated to do ANYTHING, even the things you love, when it's blistering hot and everything seems to be melting around you into puddles of blah.  The heat and humidity will suck the energy right out of you.  That, and not enough sleep from the outrageous stress levels.  I appreciate your patience and continued support.  I know I seem to say that a lot, but it is sincere.  When at last I can really build up some steam for my LJP endeavors, the wait will have been worth it.

     The project I gave you a sneak peek at last post is not quite finished yet, but it won't be much longer.  As I said, other things have seriously gotten in the way.  This weekend has seen a massive clean-up of the workspace, so I should be able to spread out the fabric with plenty of room to spare now.  Hey, we creative types throw our all into our creating.  You can't expect us to be tidy and organized all the time as well! ;)

     I'll leave you with a little typography art I made recently.  Feel free to share it with anyone you know who needs an encouraging reminder! :)

See you SOON!