As if I wasn't excited enough to be gifted one of her detailed creations, Meri also surprised me with a goodie bag! 


Meri generously gave me enough supplies to inspire a Halloween creation of my own.  I cannot express to her enough how happy I was to receive both gifts.  She is such a generous artist, not only with her giveaways but with the immense amount of time she spends making tutorials.  As a fellow blogger, I know how long it can take to create a regular post.  I cannot imagine how long she must spend in preparation to share her knowledge on the use of paper clay creations in step by step fashion.




Meri's gift has given me the push to get me off the couch and back to rummaging through my potential Paperclay projects.  Following the arrival of my Spooky Graveyard with that darling little bat bouncing around, I spent a glorious day organizing gourds and accessories in my storage room.    All of them have been waiting patiently for me to get by rear end in gear and get them turned into the little characters they were destined to be.  I am thinking with all of these spooky doo dads, a Halloween creation is in my future!  :)



I am a true believer that everything happens for a reason.  I was so blessed to receive one of Meri's creations.  It will be displayed proudly in my curio cabinet, and I will think of her as I begin shaping a few new creations out of gourds and paper clay.  Please check out the Paperclay website above.  These artists have a wealth of info on the subject that they generously share.  Also, check out ImagiMeri's website and take a trip over to her Etsy store here.  Meri's creations capture the holidays in such a nostalgic fashion.  They are absolutely delightful. 

Thanks again Meri!  :)

Viola, the perfect baked potato! 


They were so moist...  the skins, too.  Mr. Hollow even commented on how great they were.  THAT was a monumental moment since he is not big on spuds.  I LOVE them.  Back in my College days, I had baked potatoes with butter and a little cheddar cheese about every day for lunch.  Unfortunately, there were  many days then and since that the potato turned out dry.  This will NOT be the case anymore!  :)

Can you believe that I purchased my two bags in Baraboo for $6.00 a piece.  I mean really?  Why would I even think about going through the crafting trouble to create these for that much.  Plus, this is one sure way to buy a true quality made product and support my fellow artisans at the same time.  Talk about a great gift idea for under 10 bucks! 

Since most of my blogging friends will not be at Baraboo this August, I suggest checking your local craft shows.  If you don't get out much, pop over to the Etsy website and type in potato bag to search.  You can get your own bag for $5.95 and up, plus shipping.  Or if you have some left over fabric, create some bags of your own.  (Remember to use all cotton fabric and thread!  Polyester will cause a meltdown!)  Lyn Brown has a free pattern in her Craftsy store here.   (Her bag has an open top that folds over for easy loading.)  Or if you want to create a bag similar to mine, pop over to the Stitchin' Tree  for a free PDF here.   Whatever you choose to do, this bag will not disappoint.  I am even thinking about creating some gifts of my own... Or maybe, I will just wait and pick some up in August!! ;)