Favorite toy - I just can't pick just one & a GIVEAWAY

Our newest challenge at http://whatisyourfavething.blogspot.com/ and this time we would love to know your favorite toy - in your childhood, now, or even your DH's or child's favorite toy. Show us your stuff!!!!! I did 2 layouts because I couldn't decide on just one toy - I always loved my tricycle and later bicycle - riding with the wind blowing in my face just spelled freedom in my mind!!!! Getting away and riding just for the sheer joy of riding! And once I was out of sight of my house, always with no hands! (Hambly paper, May arts ribbon, Prima canvas word, Cosmo Cricket journaling card, October afternoon alphas, vintage fabrics and buttons)
But then - in the winter when I couldn't go outside and ride, it was all about dolls

I did this quilted fabric wall hanging - I printed the photo on fabric and used mostly vintage (with a few Amy Butler) scraps and laces to make this. The top word is from Prima but I actually embroidered the word Dolls.

The canvas heart is by Canvas Corp - just love their products and Jenn sells them on ScrapGal - I sewed selvedges on the heart and added 2 small jewelry hearts.
I have been extra busy lately - painting, knitting, selling stuff on ebay, and just trying to get caught up in general. I am really trying to make my crafting and painting self-sustainable so I am buying very little stuff, and crafting a lot with what I have - it's amazing how much stuff I have collected over the years. I will be taking 2 watercolor classes (one is a national teacher!) this summer and am really excited about that - so I have to sell lots of stuff on ebay to pay for the classes!
Sometimes I wonder how much other people spend on scrapping supplies - or knitting supplies - or art supplies - or fabric.   How much do you spend on supplies per month - per year?  I would like to know if you subscribe to kit clubs (which ones?) or buy at LSS or Michaels or ?  Do you take classes - online or in person? Please leave me a comment letting me know whatever you feel comfortable with and I will do a drawing on Sunday morning 6/20 for a RAK - one of my aprons and some crafting goodies for whichever craft you specify - scrapping, beading, or sewing/quilting.  I would love to hear from you!
Thanks for reading and have a super week!
ttfn
Chris

O hushed October morning, and a RAK

O hushed October morning mild,
Begin the hours of this day slow.
Make the day seem to us less brief.
Hearts not averse to being beguiled......
- Robert Frost

One of my very favorite poems, but then October is and always been my favorite month.
I made this little wallhanging yesterday afternoon after seeing Jamie's wallhanging on her blog and on Scrapgal. I used an empty cheese package - you know the kind that is sort of a very thick cardstock - for the center, glued a piece of scrap waterpaper on the back - on which I had painted and scribbled with watercolor and oil pastels in similar colors to the leaves, stapled the leaves on (from an on sale sprig at Michaels), and glued on the little resin top that had broken off of a wine bottle fancy cork and some leftover variegated yarn in bows; and onto the yarnends, I tied little gold leaf charms (not sure you can see them in the photo). The holder is a piece of old cream ribbon intertwined with the yarn. Finally I added 2 7gypsies word stickers.

And now ------Tuesday, October 6 will be my bloginversary so I am having a RAK. Please leave a comment on this posting and you may win the above prize. I wasn't sure what to call it - Purple People Eaters, Purple Passion, Lavendar's Blue, but I finally decided on Lavendar and Lace. it includes some lavendar and purple papers, lots of ribbons, Heidi Grace chipboard, 2 alphabets, a stamp (which I don't think you can see near the ribbons, some buttons, some lace, some fabric, some handmade yo yos, a handmade velvet flower, and a handmade fabric flower, and some other little coordinated stuff. SO...............leave a comment and you might win!!!!!!!

RAK and the past week

I just realized that I have not blogged all week so while I sit here enjoying a glass of wine, I will recap through photos my week. Above is a watercolor that I am currently working on - I took the photo of the key lime tree in our yard last year and I love the colors green and yellow right now so I thought it would be a perfect little practice piece.

A view of my easel and my furry painting companion. This coming week in my watercolor and more class, we are going to paint animals so I have been sketching and photographing Hana in preparation for the class. I need to do some value studies and a final sketch for the painting.

This is the painting I did in class last week. It started as a free form watercolor, then I took real leaves and painted them with gesso, and used them as stamps on the watercolor. After they dried, I painted them and then did some negative painting to accent them.

I finally have my yellow and green sunflower wallhanging all pieced and layered with batting and backing. I have just begun to quilt it in the center.

I have also been reorganizing my studio and ridding out (destashing). I put my fabrics in 3 piles: those I loved, those that I wondered why I ever purchased them, and undecideds. I decided to RAK these Japanese fabrics - they are primarily fat quarters, I think one is a half yard so altogether this is approximately 1 3/4 yds of Japanese fabrics. Just leave a comment on this blog and I will randomly pick one on Monday 4/6.

I'm off to SIStv to advertise my RAK and to do a little "free shopping". I have already completed one free shopping layout and I find the list of items always stirs my creative juices.