A Whole Year Later…
We’re thrilled to announce a brand new collection of handcrafted tools and accessories designed to elevate your creative projects! Each piece has been thoughtfully crafted to inspire innovation and support your artistic journey. Stay tuned for exclusive previews, special launch offers, and insights into the craftsmanship behind every item. At Thistlecraft, we’re celebrating creativity as a force for good—join us and ignite your imagination like never before!
So much can change in a single year. Our rescue dogs have happily settled into their loving new homes, confident that they are home forever. My nephew triumphantly completed his first challenging year of college, growing and learning, both academically and socially. And my sister was proudly elected as an official in her close-knit hometown! Amid all these significant and joyful personal milestones, a unique and unexpected confluence of events inspired me to embark on an exciting new business venture.
Thistlecraft is thrilled to announce that in 2026, we will launch a brand-new line of perforated paper, meticulously crafted and specially designed for cross-stitch and embroidery enthusiasts. If you’re already acquainted with perforated paper, you understand how difficult it has become to find high-quality supplies right here in the United States. The supply chain disruptions caused by the global COVID pandemic created unprecedented scarcity, and ongoing trade uncertainties and tariffs have only driven costs higher and availability lower.
For those who haven’t yet discovered the joys of perforated paper, prepare to meet your new favorite crafting medium for wonderfully small and detailed projects. This unique, easy-to-stitch material eliminates the need for hoops or fabric, allowing you to create intricate, beautiful designs effortlessly. It’s sturdy, highly portable, and perfectly suited for making bookmarks, ornaments, coasters, and a variety of other charming, personalized handmade gifts.
At Thistlecraft, our mission remains steadfast: to support creativity in all its diverse forms. By bringing perforated paper back into your crafting toolkit, we aim to open more doors for you to innovate, inspire, and create meaningful, handmade art that resonates. Stay tuned for our upcoming launch—18-count and 14-count sheets will soon be available, perfectly blending time-honored tradition with modern craftsmanship.
We can’t wait to help you stitch an exciting new chapter in your creative journey!
Creativity is in Practice
So often I hear “you’re so creative! I could never do that!” But the fact is, if you have the desire, creativity is within reach of anyone. The trick is, not expecting your first try to look like my eight millionth try. Everyone has “beginner” efforts that the hope will never see the light of day, but without that first, clumsy attempt you will never get to the seemingly effortless flow that others marvel over.
In the next few months I hope to post some of those “first efforts” here alongside the latest iterations so that you can see what I mean by Creativity is in Practice. In the meantime, here’s a clumsy attempt at a felt ornament that Pinterest assured me would be super easy and fun to make! As you can see, I found it neither easy, nor particularly fun, but I will try again when the holidays aren’t on the way, demanding best efforts only for gifts. Who knows, next year I might be featuring these on the blog with a tutorial on how to make them!
Pre-Holiday Joy
My craft space can feel like Santa’s Workshop this time of year.
This time of year, my mind is brimming with ideas for unique decorations for the upcoming Christmas holiday. Our family holds a cherished tradition of gifting a new handmade ornament for the holiday tree at Thanksgiving each year.
This year, with the joyful addition of my dog Aoife, it feels natural that many of my ornament ideas will celebrate the unconditional love and happiness that dogs bring into our lives. From playful paw prints to whimsical dog silhouettes, each ornament will adorn our tree and serve as a heartwarming reminder of the joy and companionship Aoife has added to our household, making this holiday season even more special.
Each handcrafted piece reflects the spirit of creativity and love that defines the season, ensuring our tree is filled not just with decorations, but with cherished memories and a tribute to our furry friend.
In the spirit of the giving nature of dogs, all sales from the “Zoe’s Toybox” portion of our site will generate a donation to All 4 Paws, the rescue that gave Aoife her new chance at life.