We had a massive burst of holiday cheer around the Dennis household this weekend. Saturday morning the cookie bug bit me! After ten dozen peanut butter blossoms were made I moved onto these delicious-even-in-pictures-caramels. I would highly recommend these not only for taste (they are super yummy) but they look great, you can't mess them up and the are very time and budget sensitive. They are an even better project if you have kids that can help you unwrap all the caramels and put the sprinkles on after you drizzle the melted chocolate.

The other holiday surprise was a call from the furniture company Saturday morning. The baby furniture was delivered Saturday afternoon and I think I've gone in every day since just to make sure it is still real! I am so happy with our decision and love the quality that Twin Locust provides. Jeff and I are super jealous of the baby now! We rounded out our weekend by finishing up our Christmas shopping...now I just have a few handmade projects to finish up!

On another exciting note, if you're a fan of Heather Bailey make sure to check out her new fabric line, Nicey Jane. So feminine, light and vintage. Beautiful designs and colors. If you get the QuiltHome.com newsletter you'll see they have a discount on this brand new line as well as 25% off Amy Buter's Midwest Modern and Midwest Modern 2 lines! Yay for the holidays!

Don't forget tobecome a fan of Nina on Facebook. 2010 will be full of fun stuff and we will be running Facebook only ideas, posts, specials and information.

It is April. This is my backyard. This weather is crazy! Poor little crocus. Even the snow can't dull my excitement this week. Hubby and I leave later this week for a holiday with my parents and sisters on the east coast. It has been a long time since I've been home for Passover and I am really looking forward to giving/getting some fantastic hugs. I'll be sure to bring back stories and pictures! 

I will be honest and say I have been swept away by the land of tweets lately. Twitter has already proven to be a great way to meet people, find out cool things going on in my community and find great fabric sales (and one can NEVER have too much fabric!). So if you're on Twitter you can follow me at theninaline. I think that makes us tweeps then, right?

If you're looking for something to do between tweets, wander over to the how-to videos and check out seam, seam ripping and fabric grains. Or if you're looking for something cute to make check out this spring styled table setting!

I seriously can't believe March is gone. Easter is right around the corner and this article I wrote for Creative Machine Embroidery brought back all sorts of childhood memories.

When I was little, maybe 5 or 6 years old I remember decorating easter eggs with my Nana. She would take a safety pin, put a tiny whole in each end and then it was my job to gently blow out the insides of the egg. I remember being terrified about getting that guck on me so I blew super gentle, just like Nana said, so I wouldn't break the egg and make a mess. Once the insides were out, I would get to put the decorative plastic wrappers around the egg and Nana would hold it in place and pour the hot water on top. Magically, the plastic would shrink to just the right size and encase the middle of the egg in beautiful design. I also remember the coloring eggs with my mom. Watching those little disks of dye dissolve in the vinegar and being the designer of a perfect half-colored egg, learning how purple and yellow make a yucky looking color...these were creative experiences that I'll never forget.

So I'm reminding you. This year make a tradition. It doesn't have to be for a holiday. Maybe it is as simple as making everyone's favorite dinner the same day every month. Maybe you'll grab this magazine, use the project instructions to create these eggs with or for friends and family as a tradition for spring! At the risk of sounding cheesy...make a memory.

I took the pledge to buy all my holiday gifts either handmade or make them myself...now I gotta stick to it! Check it out and take the pledge. I'll stick up some cool ideas when I find them!