A Week of Rain in the Desert!

I know this has nothing to do about pin toppers but if you'd like to see what I've been up to this past week please follow this link to another one of my blogs:
California Girl at Heart!
Have a lovely weekend!

It's Rainy Here Today!

Not like that is huge news for most people....but for us here in the desert it is! We had a terribly dry monsoon season last year so I get very excited for rain when it happens! Which brings me to my next point....what do most of you do when it's cold and rainy outside? Are you like me? Do you like to get cozy, pop in a movie and craft away until it gets dark? I think that is my favorite time to craft...when it's cold outside : )

I found a wonderful wool felt distributor - they hand dye all of their wool and the colors are beyond gorgeous! Take a look! Weeks Dye Works is awesome! I have no idea why but my favorite pincushions to sew are made of wool felt. Maybe it's because when you stitch with embroidery thread they really pop? Or maybe because they look so bold sitting there next to your sewing machine : )

I took a little time they other day and made 2 strawberry pincushions - aren't' they juicy or should I say fuzzylicious?

More Stuff in the Shop Today!

Hello Friends!
I forgot to Blog this morning : (........
Just wanted everyone to know that I added about 40 items to the shop today all of which are made to order. So what you see are samples that I can make for you. I will be working on some Valentine pins that I hope will be ready in about a week or so...could be a little bit longer. I've been so busy with my Pin Topper of the Month Club (ptmc) that I haven't had much time to blog or make items for Etsy!!! But I hope to be caught up really soon!
This little Birdie Love Letter pin topper has tweeted her way to Etsy for Valentine's Day! Come see what else is going on when you get a chance!

Thank You for a Great Holiday Season!

Hello everyone!
I know everyone is so busy this week running last minute errands, wrapping gits, eating cookies, spending time with loved ones and hopefully making beautiful handmade items : )
I just wanted to say thank you to all who have supported Pinks & Needles this Holiday season!!! It has been a pleasure making my little pin toppers for all of you and I am pleased to say I have learned a lot about how to run a small retail business during a busy time of year.

I only hope to be even more prepared for the Holidays in 2010!

Here are a few pictures I've taken of some gift wrapping the last couple of days! It's kind of sad but I never had any of these gifts under the tree this year. They went from the gift closet, to the living room floor (for wrapping) and then straight to a shipping box : (  I have a few more gifts to wrap for neighbors and friends here in Tucson - so I hope to get those done tomorrow so I can at least enjoy looking at them underneath the Christmas tree for about a week!

Holiday Decor in Progress

Hello friends! I hope everyone has recuperated from The Thanksgiving Graze Haze! We had a nice mellow day with our neighbors Jill, John and extended families. I made my Gramma Merle's homemade Cranberry Relish (recipe blogged here), Grasshopper Pie (a tradition on Thanksgiving since I was a little girl and a layered Italian Torta you spread on crackers or bread.
So we finally got Halloween put away and I've been working a little here and there when I need a break from the studio to get the Holiday stuff up! As I've mentioned a ga-jillion times I love the 1950's and retro style seems to be my favorite since I can remember so my decorations seem to follow suit. Don't get me wrong I love traditional things too but to me there's nothing tackier and more fun than shiny tinsel trees and big ridiculous over the top (too many) decorations!

I LIVE FOR THE HOLIDAYS!

 

 

 

I really do...it's true! I'm not sure if I'm the only one who does this but all the year through I think about Christmas time and imagine our home decorated like a gingerbread house. I have so many favorite "things" that are sequestered to plastic totes in the garage for most of the year that you can almost hear my vintage elves gasp for fresh air as soon as I open the containers! So Saturday night hubby put the Nutcracker Suite on for me while I unearthed (literally) tons but not all of our holiday decor. It may sound like a normal task but mind you we have about half of our house packed  ready to move as soon as we're done building (which has been delayed) since hubby received a contract to build low income housing in S. Africa before the World Cup starts next year. We almost decided on NOT decorating this year because Holiday boxes were shoved to the back corner of the garage!!! Could you imagine not decorating for he holidays? I think I would've headed into a downward spiral and quick! I know....I know.....stay calm. Not to worry! A little decoration is better than none! Whew!
My favorite to decorate are my small tinsel trees that are sooooo 1950's. I have been collecting vintage ornaments for sometime now. Thrift stores are the best for old Shiny Brites! I think I must have about 1000+ ~ no joke! I imagine them all clustered together in a huge wreath. Those however are still somewhere in the garage not to be seen until 2010 sometime. I did manage to find 5 trees which I plan on going to town on! Since they're small ~ they really make for excellent quick decor in a jiff.
I have big plans for the kitchen! Sweet related decor of course! I found some wonderful plastic jars from Michael's that I put my sprinkles in and also Wal-Mart has the best glass canisters right now with silver screw on lids - I'm thinking a great place to put ribbon candy and other sugary treats. Here's a couple of photos from last Christmas to share with you. I look forward to decorating all this week so I'll be sure to post some good pics by next Monday : )
Happy Thanksgiving week everyone!

Portabellopixie is Hosting The 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway!

Hello Friends!
Today is Day 2 of Sandi Henderson's 12 Days of Christmas Giveaway! Hurry on over to Portabellopixie for details!

Pinks & Needles was lucky enough to be picked by her to give goodies away today November 20th on her blog! Sorry I didn't mention this yesterday when the hoopla started : ( I was so preoccupied getting caught up on things. Yesterday (Day 1) was hosted by the lovely and talented Megan of Brassy Apple! Talk about cute aprons ~ Oh me oh my!
I'm excited to see who she has picked to host tomorrow (Day 3) be sure to pop over everyday to enter in your chance to win!
Pinks & Needles will be giving away 2 prizes:
One lucky winner will receive a Frosty the Snowman Cupcake Ornament + a Surprise Holiday Pin Topper and also we'll be giving away a pretty Chocolate Cherry Cupcake Ornament + a Surprise Holiday Pin Topper to another winner!
I already posted a sneak peek pic of Frosty the Cupcake Ornament a couple of entries ago (scroll down a little way to see) but here's what Prize #2 is going to be:

Have a wonderful weekend! I hope all of you get some Holiday tasks done ~ like baking, shopping or maybe even decorating. Hubby will be busy today digging into the ornament boxes and helping me get Halloween put back into it's rightful place : )