Crochet Cowls

I found this wonderful, soft, slightly-bulky yarn and have been inspired to work on a few projects.

This first one is a circular scarf. I started with a chain of 65 and worked in circles of sc, dc, and hdc until I had the right size. I wanted it to be cozy, but not hugely bulky. I think that it turned out just right!

For this second one, I wanted a buttoned cowl. I have been looking at these online and they look so nice. Because I was already in the hang of the pattern above, I worked this one in a series of 2 lines of dc, 1 line of hdc, to give it a little more interest than just repeating dc all the way down. I started with a chain of 22, and worked until I finished my skein, which ended up being just the right length. I popped on a button, and really like the result.

 

Both of these are gifts, but I did get myself a skein of grey to match my new grey cowgirl boots and can't wait to get mine finished too!

Jack-O-Door

 

I am so excited about this easy, recycled decoration! We took old milk jugs, and cut triangles, a circle and some trapezoidal shapes. Then I tried attaching them by magnet to the door...until I realized that just because this door is metal does not mean it is magnetic! :) So we went the easy route of masking tape. I am not sure how long the tape will keep them on there, but it was easy enough to tape them back up anytime! Such a fun and easy (and FREE!) Halloween welcome!

Scrabble Pillows

I saw a picture of these in a magazine years ago and ripped it out and put it in my 'file' of future projects. I can't believe it took me so long, or how easy they were. I cut the numbers and letters out of freezer paper with my Cricut, the letters were set to 7" and the numbers 2 1/4". Then I ironed the freezer paper to my fabric squares for a stencil. I got some black fabric paint and put one coat of paint on by dabbing a tough brush in and 'dotting' the fabric in the stencil. Then when all was dry, I measured carefully around one of them and cut a 16" square. I used that one to lay on top of the others and cut them the same size. Then I sewed, serged (because the fabric seemed like it would unravel!) and stuffed.

Now who wants to come over and play??

Most Wearable Earrings

My mom sent me a package. Inside was a pack of these marbles that she had baked so they had a cracked look, and the silver 'toppers'. I was so excited, as any crafter would be, to get surprise crafting materials in the mail. I immediately glued the marbles to the 'toppers' (forgive me, I have no idea the word for those things!). But I had a hard time figuring out what to do next. Then it finally hit me to put a chain on it and make a simple drop earring.  Little did I know that I would create the most wearable earrings ever!

I find I am reaching for these earrings almost daily! They match everything, and are a little showy against my dark hair with all the crackles, which I like. Thanks Mom!!!

New Diaper Tote

When the diaper bag from the hospital ripped on me yesterday, I  knew I had a little project to do. I whipped this up with some fabic from my stash that my sister had handed down. It took less than one hour from start to finish, with some telephone talking in the middle to a friend. Fast, easy and so functional to keep these two necessities neatly tucked away...and can easily be left with him in the nursery!

Garden Spoons

I saw this project a while back, asked for some metal stamps for my birthday last year, and finally got them done for my garden this year. I really like the rustic look. They were so easy! I struggled with how to get them flat, until my Mom advised me to use a vice. So I went out to my husband's shop, put the spoon right into the vice and tightened it until flat. Then 'stamped' them with the names of some of my herbs and put them out. They are not too visible, so they don't make my garden look junky, but just visible enough for guests/kids to see what we have.

My New Favorite Earrings

Somewhere in my stash of earrings I have from all my years of wearing them (and I'm talking some pretty tacky 80's & 90's styles!) I found these two fuschia colored leaves. I removed them from their original earrings and put them in my bead box. When I had the urge to create some new earring yesterday, I paired them with this turquoise colored bead and knew I had a good combo.

But it needed something else, so I got out my wire and made a little curly-q, pounded it with a hammer onto my steel block and attached it to the front of the leaf. And my new favorite earrings were born!

I really like the little wire addition and think I'll be doing some more wire-work soon.

New Jar Labels

 I have these jars that line my kitchen counter, which I love! Some are old, some are new. I've tried to mix up the lids a little, so the one with the red lid is actually plastic (though I don't think anyone can tell) because the lid won't fit a glass jar. I love the convenience of them, and that it creates more cabinet space for me to have these things on the counter. And I love the look...well almost. I didn't love the labels.

So for Christmas, I added some of that chalkboard contact paper and a chalk pen to my wish list and hoped someone would help me get started on this project. My sister-in-law did! Today I got them out (a cold, rainy day with a stomach bug working it's way around the children) and changed the labels to this:

I love them even more now!

Valentine Cameo Earrings

For this pair of shrink plastic earrings, I decided to try the cameo effect that was shown in the book I got from the library (Shrink! Shrank! Shrunk! by Kathy Sheldon) this week. She had some cute cameos, but I wanted something I could wear for V-day, since it's coming up. So I punched the first two shapes and free-hand cut the heart. I colored them white, pink and white, and shrunk them up.

I glued them all together with some E6000, added a jump ring, and some earring wires. Here they are all completed:

I didn't realize how small they would be, and originally thought I might could make these into necklaces, but you can see they shrunk right. The heart is barely a half-inch across!

Shrink Plastic Earrings

I found a really fun book from the library last week about shrink plastic jewelry! I had seen many a kids crafts from this plastic, but this book was full of cool, trendy, grown-up jewelry. I was inspired. I followed their instructions (almost) and made this pair of rectangles:

I drew the circle design with the permanent marker, then colored it in with a redish pencil taht came with my daughter's Shrinky Dink kit. Then I made them into these:

I must say, I was not impressed with the lack of straightness to the sides, but like the organic look of them. What do you think?

Earrings

I went to my Mom's last weekend and we worked two nights on some new earrings. These are three of the pair I came home with:

I wrapped wire around these yellowish brown square beads and hung a sliver loop on the bottom.

These snowmen turned out SO cute! Two pearls with a red bead between. Then on top a black sequin and a black bead. So simple! Wish we'd get some real snow so I could wear them in it.

I had been wanting a cool pair of turquoise earrings, so I put together two beads in different shades of turquoise and love the way they turned out.

Crocheted Stockings

When we got out the Christmas stuff this year, we did not have enough for all four of our kids to have matching ones. So we have two pairs of two that match, displayed alternatingly. Then we have the issue of Curt wanting to use the one that I crocheted for him back in our first year of marriage (green, white and blue in pic) which never matches and that only bothers me! I decided to try to make a matching set for all the people in our family, so I bought red, off white and green yarns. Then I searched online and found a pattern to help me get started...and though it was not the same, it was helpful. Since the green was not the same color - figures! - I decided to introduce some deeper red scrap yarn I had too...that way the one I made years ago doesn't stand out as being totally different. I made three, but have two more to go. And just over a week to do it.....

Quilled Christmas Scene

I made this a year or two ago, but I realized I don't think I ever showed it to everyone! I had a little frame that was a shadow box type, no spot for glass, just a back. I put paper on the back of the frame that had just a bit of pattern to it, then put it back in place. Then I made a few Christmas quilling items to fill the spots. I knew I wanted a manger scene on the bottom space, because of the size of it, long length & short height, but had no idea waht to do with the rest. I decided to fill it with other traditional Christmas things: stocking, wreath, and poinsettia. Last year I remember not having a spot for it and feeling like I was frustrated by that, but this Christmas I cleared off my photo shelves and piled them with lots of decorations, and this was the perfect spot for my quilled Christmas scene.

Earring Holder

I made this earring holder back in 2009, and have loved it! It hung in such an easily accessible place (I pass it on the way to my bathroom) so I was wearing them a whole lot more than I used to, and I could see what I have so quickly. But my earrings have grown bigger, and my collection is bigger, and I had outgrown this rack.

SO, I went by my local hardware store this morning and bought some 1/4 inch hardware cloth and cut it to size with my hubbies wire clippers to fit a frame I'd picked up at a thrift store. I used the tabs that were already in the frame and folded them down to hold the hardware cloth in place. Then I hung it on the wall. I was on the phone with my mom almost all the way through this project, and it still only took about 30 minutes to do!

It's bigger, holds the earrings in place better, and I have room to grow! :)

Chandelier Earrings

I was looking online for inspiration for other types of earrings to make and saw some that were made with chain on either side, I thought "Why not?" So, I put in  Burn Unit - season 5, with my old Caboodle (I was recently telling my mom how we got our money's worth out of that baby!) full of my beading supplies in front of me. This was the result:

I started with a piece of chain that I cut in half, and then hung from the middle on earring wires. Then I put 4 red beads on a pin that I made loops on either end of and hung it from the chain. I played with it for a while before figuring out what beads to hang, then put the iridescent white and red beads on headpins and formed loops to hang them between each red bead going across. I used all glass beads, because I like the look and feel of glass over plastic.