I’ve tried to start this post with about a dozen different cheery “It’s fall y’all!!!” greetings, but as I write, it’s the first week in October, and there’s just a lot of bad news. Cee Cee and I have been talking about recent events, and it’s no surprise she likes hearing the survivor stories because they give her hope. As one way of dealing with this, she made a couple of bluebirds to give to friends. Our conversations have nudged me from worry, to feeling hopeless, to being hopeful. Cee Cee and I have found that connecting with friends to spread hope and joy around is contagious. And of course our favorite way to connect to joy, is to create! So let me tell you what we’ve been up to.
We’re not what you’d call fancy people. In fact 97% of my phone’s photo album is full of images trying to avoid shots of our very outdated dining room wallpaper! Well, This month brings a project that helps our decor dilemma. Thanks to wool felted acorns, a couple of pumpkins and some gold paint we have a lovely Fall table centerpiece! Every time I walk past it, it makes me smile. We tried a few different techniques, including needle felting, wet felting, and artFelt® to make Cee Cee’s acorns. ArtFelt was definitely the most fun! We added a few drops of essential oil and now they smell good too. We created our “wooly” pumpkin by gluing roving to every other section of its orange little body. We were surprised how the colors matched perfectly. Cee Cee wants a whole field of wooly pumpkins!
October is also known for not only Halloween, but also for something called Black Cat Awareness Month. Cee Cee loves cats so of course she wants to celebrate it. She says there are stories about black cats being treated badly because of being associated with witchcraft. When I asked her where she learned this, she answered “in a cat magazine!”
Time for a little fact checking. We sat down at the computer and started searching for facts to support this statement, and learned that according to many sources, this is more of an urban legend than reality. (Cee Cee was relieved!) We did learn however, that black cats (in October and all year long) are less likely to be adopted, and spend more time in shelters. She made a sweet little black cat to remind people to be a little extra kind to our feline friends, and to consider adopting a black or tuxedo kitty next time you’re ready to grow your fur-family.
She sketched out a simple cat and stitched him up in an afternoon. You can make your very own by getting the pattern on the Makers’ Mercantile website HERE. She’s including the pattern even though she thinks you should be brave and trust your own artistic abilities to sketch out your own cat pieces.
Find yourself a little joy this month and make something. Even better, make something and give it to someone else who needs a little joy. We’re busting out the knitting needles and turning lots of heels for a November project to help you get ready for the holidays.
Now for an exciting giveaway: This felt cat will get to come live with one of you! Cee Cee is giving him away….all you have to do is leave a comment in the blog (tell us what you love to make in the Fall) and we will choose a winner! Winner will be selected and announced in November’s Craft Corner post.
Have a wonderful month!!!
-BeLinda and Cee Cee
P.S. Don’t forget to leave us a comment!! Cee Cee can’t wait to find out who wins her little black cat!
Tools and Materials Appearing in This Issue
artFelt® paper
artFelt® tackboard
artFelt® needles
Makers’ Mercantile® Felter’s Wool (assorted colors)
Black Felt
Scissors
Embroidery Floss
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