Don’t You Just Love Babies…

My daughter’s dance instructor is having a baby…a little girl. Of course, I had to make something for the little one! I made an elf hat and a pair of Mary Jane's. I think they turned out darling!

The hat was a free pattern found here. I did double rows of color instead of single ones. The shoes are a paid for pattern found here. I don’t recommend the shoes for anyone just  beginning to crochet.

Speaking of babies. My baby boy, Boy Genius, had his first date last Saturday. He went to the homecoming dance. Don’t they look awesome!

Oh…by the way…I have a surprise in store for you all next week so don’t forget to check back!!!

February Christmas Through the Year…

Here is my February finish for Allie’s Christmas-a-long:

It’s a mug rug for my Christmas present box.  I got the pattern from Nickles Pickles. Just click on the translate button on the right and then on the mug rug tutorial. Didn’t it turn out cute!!! I’m going to have t make more mug rugs!

I have been AWOL because I have been sick with bronchitis for a couple of weeks.  I put off going to the doctor for 11 days before finally giving in and going.  I kept hoping that it would just go away on it’s own since we don’t have any real insurance to speak of and I didn’t want to spend the money on an office visit.  When the coughing got to be too much for me I gave up and hacked, wheezed, sniffled my way to the local clinic.  After a shot in each hip, steroids and antibiotics I am finally feeling a bit more like myself. 

I don’t really have much else to show for the month except for a bunch of “started” things.  Here are a few pictures of the components to a few projects I will finish soon:

I’m sensing that I may have a circle or dot theme going…hmm…

Hattitude…

I made a hat.  It turned out pretty cute.  I wanted to show you a picture of it, but it didn’t look right just laying there on the table.  No style. No “hattitude.” So, even though I hate pictures of myself here it is on my head:

It only took me 45 shots to finally find one I would post online!

Tomorrow, I’ll show you my strawberries!  I didn’t make them the way Paulette from Beedeebabee did, so I though I would try to do a simple tutorial for you.  They are super easy!

Dust In the Wind…

All we are is dust in the wiiiiiinnnndddd….

Do you remember that song by Kansas?  It came out in 1977.  When I was in 7th grade. A lifetime ago.

Anyways, so I’m thinking about dust.  “Dust?” you say.  Yes. Dust.  For the most part, I like to think of myself as a fairly clean person.  Like I have a somewhat clean house.  Wrong.  I found this great little pattern for a broom handle corner duster to crochet.  I made it up while watching UP with the family tonight.  First I used it to get the cobwebs (yuck) lurking in the corners of the family room. Next, I thought, cool, I can actually get the top of my doorbell thingy-muhjig (technical term)…eww.  It gets better though, I ran it along the top of my door trim down the hallway leading to our garage…in a word…NASTY!!!

So, I’m going to share the link with you so you can see how disgusting you are too…come on, don’t be shy…tell me…please…I don’t want to be the one admitting to being gross!

You can find this wonder at Suzies Stuff (found via craftgossip.com)

I made mine out of beige (so it wouldn’t show the dirt – ha!) acrylic yarn.  I would have used cotton, but I was afraid it would end up shrinking and not fit my broom handle anymore.  Have fun!

Cheating Slippers

Okay, so I'm cheating on the blog entry. This one is a blast from the past and a past blog. I love these slippers by the way! Unfortunately (don't tell my Son I said that!), I don't get to wear them anymore because my darling #3 Son got me fuzzy slippers for Christmas and as I would never dream of disappointing him, I only wear his slippers around the house now. Enjoy!

Comfy Ballet Slippers

Supplies:
K & I hook
Lion Brand Baby Homespun (any homespun would work)
Caron Simply Soft ww
Stitch abbreviations:
Ch – chain
hdc – half double crochet
sc – single crochet
st/s – stitch/es
sl st – slip stitch
fo – finish off

Start with a magic circle or ch2 and work in 2nd ch from hook – ch2 at end of row does not count as 1st hdc of each row.

1. 6hdc in circle (or 2nd ch) join, ch2 (6sts)
2. 2hdc in each stitch around, join, ch2 (12sts) – weave in end now as it will be harder later
3. 1hdc in next st, 2hdc in next st, repeat around, join, ch2 (18sts)
4-5. hdc around, join ch 2 at end of each round
6. 1hdc in next st, 2hdc in next st, repeat around, join, ch2 (27)
7-8. 1 hdc in each st around, join, ch2
9. hdc in next 15sts, ch2, turn
10-21. 1hdc in each st across ch2 turn

Test fit before finishing off, you may need to increase or decrease rows for a custom fit. Remember you want a snug fit.
22. 1 hdc in each st across, fo leaving a long tail

With right sides held together and using tail from last row, fold heal in half and whip st heel seam. Weave in ends.

Using ww yarn and starting at the halfway point in the heel, sc evenly around to corner st where toe meets side. Do a hdc in the corner st. Sc over toe area with a hdc in the other corner. Finish sc around to where you started join.

Switch to I hook
Ch2, hdc in first 3sts sc to 1st toe corner, sl st across toe to corner, sc down side to last 3 st. Hdc in last 3sts, join.
Ch1, sc to corner of toe doing 3 decreases spaced evenly along the side, sl st across toe, sc back to beginning doing 3 decreases evenly on this side too. Join, fo.

Note: For me, because I have such a narrow heel, I re-attached the ww yarn about 2 1/2” away from the center of the heel and worked a row of sl st around the back, across the heel to 2 ½” down the other side.

I also whip stitched some felt into the area where the ball of the foot goes as I don’t like the feel of the “bumps” from the stitches.

You can embellish or not, whatever is your preference!

If you find any errors, please drop me an email. I am the only one who has made these and they have not been tested. Enjoy!

Lapghan progress and a Christmas project to come...

So I have been working on my lapghan alot! I have made almost half of the granny's daughters that I need to make the larger squares. I get bored though... so I have started sewing some of them together.

It's a lot slower going than I thought it would be. I only have until they extinguish the Olympic flame to get it done...well...for credit anyways. I will finish it no matter what!

Have any of you seen the new (to me) Holiday Crafts magazine? I have found a project in it that my fingers are just itching to make! It's the "12 day's of Christmas" quilted and embroidered banner. I'll add a picture as soon as I can, it's absolutely darling! Of course, I want to count down from December 1st, so I will add 6 little...somethings...on each side. Probably stars but I'm not sure yet. I'm going to try to use only materials from my stash...really I am...honestly...although it couldn't hurt to just look at the christmas fabrics...and some patterned felt...no really...from my stash...maybe...

Updates, Giveaways and Projects!

Well, as I alluded to in an earlier post, I am going to try to make an entry AT LEAST every Tuesday and Thursday. This may not seem like alot to many, but for me, being the bad blogger that I am, I am going to try!

First up, I wanted to share this biscornu that I made:

Instead of the traditional crosstitch, I embroidered on wool felt. I embellished it with beads and a couple buttons from my stash. I'm pretty happy with how it turned out. Not all of my stitching is the greatest, but I was "freehanding" it. I will definately make another one of these, a little smaller I think, in the future to be a scissors fob.

Right now I am working on a crocheted lapghan. I am participating in the crochet games at Crochetville that is running concurrently with the Olympic Games. It's coming along, although a little slower than I thought it would. I have a percentage bar in my side bar that I am keeping updated.

There are so many giveaways out there right now, you could go crazy checking them all out! I have added a few in my sidebar, just click on the picture. Here are a few more for you: Wraggedypatches is giving away a mystery "quilty" item for her 100th post; Lises Hobbyblogg is giving away a mystery crafty item for her 100th post; and over at Polka Dots & Rick Rack she is giving away a darling little hand crafted doll, material, needles and pins! Check them out!

On Vacation

As I compose this blog entry, I am on the road in the mountains just north of Knoxville Tennessee. Hubby and I are away from the kiddies for a short holiday. Our 23th anniversary will be in two weeks, but because of marching band practice, our #3 Son’s birthday and other obligations we had to take the trip now. We are on our way to Pigeon Forge and Dollywood. I would have really loved to go to Disney World, but we only have 5 days including travel time and can’t afford to fly (with the new surcharges and luggage costs can anyone other than business people?!?).


Of course, I couldn’t go somewhere and not take along a project or two! I already completed one, a little purse that I modified slightly to suit my tastes. When I get home I will post a picture of it.

I also brought a little embroidery project (really only an hour or two worth of work on it), but have discovered that bumpy roads and very sharp needles don’t really mix too well…ouch! I am sure I will have pictures of that to post too when I get home.
So in the mean time, here are a couple of pictures for you to enjoy that I pulled off the net (well, as soon as we get to our hotel and I can get online that is!!). Hope everyone is having a wonderful week and I will be back soon…better than I was before at both blogging (I am going to set myself a challenge of posting on Tuesdays and Fridays since I am such a bad blogger) and reconnected with Hubby!

A Pixie and a Tote

Okay, so I admit that I am an absolute terrible blogger. I know this. I don't know if anyone else knows this... I don't even know if anyone comes to see my "stuff." I had a blog on another site (http://360.yahoo.com/loralynnann). I'm going to try here now.

Here is a pixie I just completed:

She is a creation available from here: http://www.peggytoes.etsy.com/

I also made (today) a teaher gift for my Daughters 1st grade teacher. It took about an hour to make (with a little help/interference from Daughter). I think it turned out cute!