Sunday, November 22, 2009

Me & She: What We've Been Up To

If all goes as planned, it will be a very simple and almost totally handmade holiday. Of course, there are always the unforseen circumstances that will not allow this single mama to crochet and craft every night from now until Christmas! But I'm hoping for the best.
This weekend, I stocked-up on some lovely yarn that will be turned mostly into scarves and wrist-warmers for family and friends. That seems to be my theme this year.
I am loving the look of this Homespun yarn by Lion brand, even if it is a bit fussy to work with. I think my friend is going to like her new skinny scarf. I'm finishing it up with some brown fun-fur yarn, too...Very "her."


Here are my first pair of wrist-warmers. I found this super easy pattern, but it took a little longer than I wanted to spend. Luckily, I found a shorter version. These look cute cuffed at the end, if you don't want to wear them long. Almost all the girlies I'm crocheting these for are getting them in black, which I think is a good choice. I will also use a smaller hook and some softer yarn. Cub says I look like I have "monster hands" when I wear these. But of course, she wants her own pair, "in pink and purple." Thankfully, she still has small hands. They should be fun to make, anyway.
She has been very busy caring for her "new" pets. I'm astounded at how much time she takes caring for these two. Baths, dinner, toys, bones, bedtime stories, the works.
I have always been touched by how she loves and cares for all her beloved dollies and stuffed friends. How I wish I wasn't allergic so she could have a real pet of her own!
Maybe a fish isn't such a bad idea after all. I wish I wasn't so creeped out by them.


...And this proud mama just had to share what I woke-up to the other morning. Cub playing school with her friends and name-tagged them, too. I think phonetically, she did really well!
Meet: Peanut Butter, Wally, and Sophia!


Hope everyone is happy, healthy, and peaceful.

Monday, November 16, 2009

Finally Inspired!

Well, I am finally emerging feeling stronger and more content than I have in a long time.
It's nice to feel inspired, too. First and foremost, I have my beautiful crafty-genius friend Jenn to thank. She has provided the necessary spark I needed to begin thinking about holiday crafting. Until she mentioned it, it wasn't even a blip on my radar. As always, her enthusiasm and overall attitude toward life and art are contagious...and so I crocheted a scarf and a simple pair of wrist warmers this weekend. I even started a hexagon afghan for my Cub, who put in her request immediately after seeing the one I completed for her future cousin.
Now, ideas seem to be sprouting up everywhere. This is one I particularly love and I am in love with the idea of pendants made with spoons and power tools. Awesome.