Afghan from Aunt Nancy

This is the last of the handmade wedding shower gifts--a hand-crocheted afghan by my Aunt Nancy.


As you can see, it covers our queen-sized bed, so it was definitely a labor of love. (The quilt underneath was made by my great-grandmother.)


It has already been cat-approved. (Luckily, it's also washable.)

If you look closely at this last picture, you can see the two cherubs and the interlaced hearts above them. We love this beautiful afghan! Thanks again to all of our generous friends and family who gave us wonderful gifts.

The heat of summer hasn't slowed down my crafting, but I have switched to embroidery and cross stitch for the moment, along with sewing at my sewing machine. Sewing can be a little tricky in the heat, as it usually involves ironing. I do have a couple of finished projects to share with you next time.

Handmade Wedding Shower Gifts

I really meant to share these much sooner, but wedding crafting and planning got in the way. We had an amazing wedding and we were lucky enough to be able to celebrate with our wonderful, funny, and generous friends and family.


But more about the wedding later! Back to the wedding shower. If you were wondering where my crafty skills come from, here is proof in so many ways:

Dishcloths crocheted by my Aunt Carol

A bottle cap trivet (yes, those circles are bottle caps), also crocheted by my Aunt Carol. I especially love this because she has a similar one hanging in her kitchen that I've admired for years.

Hand-embroidered dish towels, also made by my Aunt Carol. I'm not sure if you can read it in these pictures, but the stitching along the bottom reads "Caitlin's Kitchen." Love!

A lovely table runner, also crocheted by my Aunt Carol.


Hand-embroidered monogram pillowcases, also made by my Aunt Carol (she was busy!)

Hand-crocheted edging on a beautiful set of sheets, made by my Grammie Stevens.



A handmade pillowcase/bag, sewn by a member of Jack's extended family.

My Aunt Nancy passed on these heirlooms (the doily above, potholder and basket below) to me. I have the tags that tell me who made what somewhere but I can't find them at the moment--everything was made or belonged to my Great-Grammy Audrey or Great-Grammy Atwood (I think).
I can't believe how tiny the stitches are in the lace doily.

A hand-sewn patchwork potholder.

This excellent basket, which now lives in my craft room. In it, my Aunt Nancy gave us a hand-crocheted afghan, but the pictures are on Jack's camera.

I love all of these wonderful gifts, and they make me feel so connected to the women in my family--past and present. I like to think that some of my crafting skills are just in my genes, but I'm also grateful for all the help I've received from these amazing women over the years.

Home Again

Jack and I are now married and back from our honeymoon!



We went to Glacier National Park in Montana--it was beautiful and relaxing and fun, but I'm glad to be home. (The picture above is my hiking boots on the steps of one of the cabins we stayed at.) I'm especially glad to be home and without any wedding projects or checklists to work on! I loved that we did a lot of wedding stuff ourselves but it was also a lot of work.



(This picture is my boots on our front steps.) I have lots to show you--beautiful handmade gifts from our shower and wedding, the crafts I made for the wedding, and the great craft materials I picked up in Montana. I'll be back soon!