Needful Things

I'm participating in The Needful Things Swap over at Yarnigras swapper spot. As part of the swap you have to post twenty things that you need.  Easy right?  It was a challenge!  I've thought, pondered, written, edited and re-edited to come up with my list. Presenting Jill's Needful Things . . .

1.     I need my family!  My husband, my daughter, my dog Chunk, my siblings, my mom, my nieces, my nephews(including a new one on the way) and my friends. They make life wonderful.

My sisters, my mom and I having fun on a girls weekend in Maine.

2.     I need the color red in my life.  When I wear my red boots, I look at my feet and can't help but smile every time.

3.     I need books.  Children's books for school, teen books that require no brain power so I can read just for sheer enjoyment.  I love bookstores, libraries, the book section at the thrift store.  I just love books! While I prefer a real, hold it in your hand kind of book, I do use my Kindle for books too.

4.     I need to create and be creative. Creating materials for my job as a preschool teacher, creating for my house or creating for family and swap friends is essential to my happiness. The process of making something with my own hands is therapeutic and leaves me with a sense of accomplishment.

Painted canvases for my daughter's room.

5.     I need polka dots, they just make me smile. 

6.    Some mornings,  I need to wake up to sunshine and birds singing.  It always makes me feel glad to be alive. You just know it's going to be a good day when you awake to the sun shining in and the birds singing. It's a good feeling.

7.     I need zombies.  Yes zombies!  I like them; not super scary zombies, but I like zombie dolls.  I like to make them and receive them. I even like to look through zombie pictures and crafts to get ideas for new injuries to add to my future zombie dolls. I also like zombie movies, again not scary, but funny zombie movies.

My daughter set these zombies up at Halloween this year.  The photo is a little blurry but the sign reads "Silence or we will eat you next."

8.     I need wool.  I can't wear wool sweaters because they are too itchy for my sensitive skin but I love wool sweaters and wool coats.  I chop them up to create dolls, ornaments, mittens, wine sweaters and more.  Wool is one of my favorite mediums for crafting. I often compliment people's wool sweaters.  Of course the people closest to me know I'm really thinking about all the things I could make with that pretty wool sweater they're wearing. :)

Wool pencil case made from a felted sweater.

9.     I need unsweetened ice tea on a daily basis. I love it!

10.  I need crafty baubles.  There is nothing like a trip to AC Moore, Michael's or Hobby Lobby to get craft supplies. Fabric, yarn, threads, buttons, paints, papers, beads, clay, and whatever I can scrounge from the clearance section.  It makes me giddy thinking about it.

11.  I need Sharpie pens and scissors.  I never leave home without them; in fact I have them in my purse, in my car, at school and at home. You never know when crafts will happen, so I'm prepared at all times:) And don't forget the double sided sticky tape, love that stuff!

12.  I need recycled bits.  I love taking things that would be thrown away and creating something new. Bottle caps, paper towel rolls, jars, cans, ribbons, paper, old books, etc can all take on a new life. I'm always looking for a new recycling project. I'm really loving recycled glass containers lately.  I have a couple of tequila bottles that make lovely vases. I don't even like tequila, I'm more of a rum girl, but put a pretty flower in the empty tequila bottle and wallah instant joy.

These are flowers from my mom's garden, in my empty tequila bottle.

13.  I need plants and flowers.  I have to admit I'm not a good gardener so plants in my care don't always have the longest life span but I need plants and flowers. Of course I've learned to buy hardy plants so they survive living with me. That little bit of green or pretty flowers just brings joy to a room. 

These are my hearty house plants. Notice the little red bird.

14.  I need children's art work.  There is something about art created by children that always makes me smile. It's usually full of happiness and joy.  I love my daughter's art and treasure the pictures and crafts she creates. Watching my daughter create art just makes me happy.

My daughter drew this owl.

15.  I need to be around children.  They remind you to slow down, enjoy the moment and best of all take time to play.  Part of what I love about my job is playing and acting silly with my students. Have you ever had running races with preschoolers? I usually hate to run, in fact I don't run unless there is a fire; but it's tons of fun to run races with my preschoolers!

16.  I need to just be home.  I love my job but I also love to just be home with my husband, daughter and naughty little pug. Hanging out at home with my family vegging out, crafting or spending time together is good for my soul.  I love being at home! We have a beautiful back yard for summer and a cozy, comfortable home for the cold winter months. Home is a great place to be!

17.  I need thrift stores. I love to go thrifting, it's kind of like recycled bits, taking things that someone else no longer needs and giving it a new life. Plus I gets my wooly bits and sweaters by thrifting.

18.   I need handmade goodies. I love things that are handmade; seeing the time, effort and talent that goes into a handmade item always brings me joy. I love fun, interesting handmade items. 

19. I need whimsical fairytale creatures like owls, red mushrooms, gnomes and traditional fairytale characters.  I still love retellings of fairytales. I loved hearing stories like Rapunzel and Thumbelina when I was a kid.  These days our February fairytale/nursery rhyme unit is one of my favorites units at school.

My painted muslin mushroom fairy ornament. I love this little guy!

20.   I need kindness, joy and laughter in my life. I think a smile and a kind word are small things that go a long way, laughter is good for the soul and finding joy in the small things makes life better. Kindness, joy and laughter spread and they usually find their way back to you.