What I Have Been Doing For The Past Year(ish)

Wow... I haven't posted anything in quite a while!

I have been crafting my pants off for the past year (more or less) and have really, really wanted to share some of the stuff I have created! I just don't want to spoil anything by posting stuff and then having the people see it before I can give it to them.

{Please, please don't show the person(s) I plan on giving these to. 

That would be greatly appreciated!}

FYI!  I have decided that I can share some of the stuff I have made (reasons: some of the people I am giving these items to are too little to really know or care AND/OR will not be browsing my blog that I am aware of.)  Any of these items that I made using a pattern created by someone else I will post who the creator is and/or a link to the pattern (if I find it or remember where I got them) for those of you wanting to make them for yourself!  Also, I found most of the patterns while surfing google (usually under "free patterns and crochet and _________"  just fill in the blank with what I was looking for. Ex: slouchy hat or tam.  I would then click "images" and hunt through the pictures until I found one I liked and if there was a pattern there I would copy it.) 

NOTE: If you find a pattern online that you really like, make sure you copy/save it, the web site you found it on and who created it. Sometimes things happen and the page is taken down/no longer availabe/no longer free AND you want to note if they are cool with you using it to sell if you plan on doing that later. Plan on referencing back to that page with the pattern, just to be safe. 

Ready? Steady?! On we go!!!

For my nieces.
Top Left: 12" squares using various block patterns.
Top Right: Giant Granny Square using boucle yarn in red and black (with other colors in the skein).
Bottom Left:  Minnie Mouse blanket.
Bottom Right: Baby hat, diaper cover and leg warmers.

The kitty blanket was made using a kitty applique pattern (they used it for a scarf) and some various other blocks (mostly granny squares). I'm pretty sure the one with a flower was found on ravelry. 

The mouse blanket was done using circles (I think I found a pattern for those hunting google images. It was based on a coaster pattern, if I remember correctly), then I figured out a pattern for the triangles. There was another basic pattern for the flowers and leaves between the mouse tirangles and then I just went around the outside with double crochets and then a picot stitch around that. 

The earflap hat I got from Micah Makes (for free! She has the pattern for baby size all the way through adult size AND has lots of ideas to spruce it up), the diaper cover was off of Ravelry, the leg warmers were found here.

For some young cousins!
I used the earflap hat from Micah Makes and just changed them to things I knew my cousins would love!
I found the Batman symbol at Louie's Loops and created the oval and Ear parts myself.
The other is inspired by Capt. America's his shield and then I used a star (found on Ravelry) and
made up the ear/wings based off a picture I found.

For some other young cousins!
Left: Ravelry. I followed the pattern, but it still ended up really small..
Insert: Flowers and bow. Bow from the hat pattern, flowers from various patterns (Ravelry) or made up.
I just sewed little pin bracket things to the back of them so they are detachable.
Middle: Brainwaves hat and Car applique.
Right: Micah Makes earflap hat. I think I based the owl coloring and parts off a picture I found.
Similar to this pattern or this one. 

For hubby's friend.
Used the earflap hat, but left the flaps off and extended the length a little.
I used 2 different beard patterns (one on youtube and the other hunt on google).
I came up with a way for the beard to attach to the hat w/ buttons and have it not gouge the ear.
It's kinda like a little pocket for it. 

I think that is good for now. I will post more as I get the photos uploaded and everything!

I have an idea I'm planning on using next year for gifts that will be a lot less time consuming! I should be fun! I'll probably be doing stuff for each family (like last year) instead of each person. . .       ~(o.O )~

Until the next post (hopefully soon!)

Pictures!

I just put up a new header today! What do you think? :]
I like that it's colorful...

I want to post some pictures so bad! I've made so much stuff and would love to share it.  Problem is, I don't want certain people to see certain things. (i.e. the people that will be receiving the items I would be posting pictures of.)

I've got a whole bag of stuff that's been made and I've checked off most off my "to make" list.  I just have a few that I'm still trying to figure out what to make. If you have any awesome ideas, send them my way. (I've been crocheting mostly. Done a few cross stitches. Haven't really sewn anything.)

I have been thinking about tweaking the pattern I made for Jo's slippers and then maybe posting the pattern. We will see.  

I was looking at my really ooooold posts. I've had this blog since 2007! Wow. I've been thinking about pruning this blog or starting another that is just about crafting... I might end up doing the latter. Probably easier. I would have to come up with a new name and stuff. I kinda like the one I have. Hmm... what to do, what to do. 

Crochet Your Socks Off!

I'm so close to being finished with making stuff for everyone. The only ones I have left are the more difficult people. People that I'm not really sure what to make them or what they like. . . or I don't want to get them the same thing they always get. . . or they like things that are hard to find/make.  I'll figure it out. I have a few months left!

Link to Pattern for booties on the left.
Link to Pattern for booties on the right.
They are both on Ravelry.com.
You might need to sign up to get the patterns.
It's free to do so, don't worry!

I also made some booties for my aunt.  She's strapped on time (working full time, going to school, etc.) and didn't have any left to whip some up.  She wanted them for a friend's baby shower. I made the smaller ones first and thought they might be too small, then made the bigger ones. She tried the little ones on her newest grandbaby and there was still wiggle room! 

I had tried out a pattern a few months ago (the one for the smaller ones) but with a bigger hook, so they ended up about the size of the converse looking ones above. My littlest niece fit in them and liked them a lot. Next thing I know, the other two want some slippers! Haha.  I ended up tracing their feet to get a general idea on size (since I won't be around them that much) and tried to get some the right size. I ended up coming up with my own pattern. I'm probably going to keep messing around with variations of that for the oldest one. This is what I came up with for the middle child....

I'm probably going to put some kind of flower on the toe.  It's not very big... maybe a size 1 in toddler sizes. I'll probably post up the pattern later. She chose a bunch of wild colors, but kept comping back to mostly just pink and yellow. The oldest one I'll do in some multicolored yarn. 

Of course, this is all going to happen after I'm done with the handmade Christmas stuff. If you want to see the blankets I made the nieces, look at one of the older posts.  The pictures are there. 

So Much Going On

Had a lot of things to do in June.   Now July seems a little bland.  I don't think I have a lot going on this month. . .

SO, I think I will be getting a lot of my DIY Christmas stuff done! I think I'm about a third of the way finished...

I've moved on to cross stitching. I haven't done it in FoReVeR, but it's so fun!  I found some stuff I want to put together...  I will have to go buy some more picture frames when I get paid again.

I also wrote up a pattern for some slippers for one of my nieces. I tried out a pattern last week that I liked and they happened to fit the littlest one.  I let her have them. (Forgot to photograph them first :/ )  Of course, now the other two want some. They don't fit in the baby sizes, so I have to come up with patterns or find some that I like. The middle child (that I made up the pattern today for) has pink and yellow slippers. I think I might put some kind of bow or flower on them before handing them off to her.

Zac thinks I need to stop indulging them.  I usually bring my crochet stuff up with me when we go to visit my in-laws.  The girls see what I'm working on, then want me to make them something. I made them all blankets for Christmas (pics on FB). I think for the one on-the-way, I'm making something that won't take a week to make. Like booties, a hat or something.

I've been trying to think of what I want to make/give to some aunts/uncles/cousins.  I have a few pretty figured out.  (Mostly cuz I know them better and they vibe on the same wavelengths I do.  Makes it easier.)

I found a really cool superman pic i would love to make for Zac, but I know it's going to take forever. I think instead of making a million little black X's for the background, I'm going to see if I can find some black cross stitch material. I would post some more of the stuff I've done, but I don't want *certain* people to see them! I will be uploading sooo many pics after christmas this year.  O_O

Should be fun. . .

Oldest niece's blanket. She loves HK.
About 3 ft x 4 ft.

Education Idiots

What is with the people in charge of education being stupid these days?  You would think they would be a lot happier with students NOT vandalizing the school or getting someone hurt... I guess that's not the case.

One I heard this morning was about a couple dozen students in Michigan deciding to ride their bikes to school that last day of classes.  The principal freaked out and suspended them. Also threatened to not let the seniors walk next week for graduation.  You can read the story here and I believe there is a link to the same page, but you can click here or here for that.

The other was in Indiana and is about 5 students, a janitor and some sticky notes. The link to that story is here.  The seniors put up sticky notes around the school to "decorate" the hallways.  Some of their artwork is displayed with the story (the link I have above).  The janitor was fired and the students were suspended. I just have to say that at least they didn't use spray paint! Maybe they should've. The punishment might not have been so severe...? *roll my eyes*

There was another where a little 4 year old girl was not allowed to take part in school photos because her hair was "against school policy."  The link to that is here. She has her hair shaped into a bow, but the school in the UK says that braids are against the school's policy.

Any other "boners" you and your's have heard about lately?  Let me know!

Randomness!

Link
To see other superhero chickies, if they were created 100 years ago!

Looking at some random stuff today. I love surfing the web for random stuff! It's fun. Like this awesome Bento Box! 

Link
Made me think of my grandma...
She loves tigger!

I got these 2 off of a a site I have recently decided to follow (Neatorama).  I've found some other fun stuff, too.  

Yesterday I made a baby bootie that looks kinda like a converse & it's orange.  I think that's what I'm going to do for people I know that are having babies. . . Make fun and different-type stuff! Oh yeaaah...

 

Now for more randomness!

I was trying to organize some stuff on my computer (because I have a lots of stuffs on it that I've collected and it's too messy).

Here's what I found!

I am still trying to decide what I want to do for everybody for birthdays and Christmas.  (Yes, I am getting a very early start, but if I'm making people some stuff, it will take a while to get the ones I want to make all put together. Crafty holidays are great!)

Craft Sites to Pass The Time

Ahh... The wonderful world of crafting and the internet!  Here are some blogs/sites that I really like to cruise by every here and there.


Craftzine

If you are really into DIY and Crafting, one of the best websites I've found is Craftzine.com!  It's got so many cool, random projects!
Here are a few things it's shown lately:

AT-AT Cat Condo
Earth Day Goodies
Turning Your Shoes into Funky Lacey Shoes
Ruffle Top FlipFlops
Wooden Cookie Box

Basically, anything from shoes to hair, food to toys.

Think Liz

She does a fun project every week for her Toddler Tuesdays, sews a lot and has some fun projects every once-in-a-while. She has a few tutorials and patterns that you might find fun!

Totally Tutorials

This site is pretty fun.  It's kinda like craftzine. It has a ton of random tutorials for diy/craft stuffs.

Neatorama

Only found this one recently.  It has a few random things.  The last few things it's featured were food-related.  They show sewing and stuff on there, too.  They had one on there lately that shows you how to build a pillow fort.... the right way!  Haha..

CraftFail

They put a lot of things that they try that sometimes "fail" and sometimes don't.  It's interesting.... They talked about hair chalking and food and sewing....

Creepy Cupcakes

I don't think she's put much up lately, but if you love Halloween you will love this blogger! I swear she is obsessed... Hahaha.

Kandee

I think this will be the last one I'll talk about right now.  She has 2 blogs, one more about the crafting and the other is more like a diary-blog.  She's a makeup artist based out of California.  She's so funny and bubbly!



I would totally say that if you are bored or want to do some major crafting, you should totally check these blogs out!