this just makes me smile and laugh . . .

This pattern was for a newborn.  Since Charlotte is 4 months old I decided to add one row . . . just to make sure it would not be too small and that maybe she could wear it for a little while.  So it is a little big or at least bigger than what I intended.  This picture just makes me laugh . . . how is it that you can put any kind of hat or outfit on a baby - and it can make you smile. 

 

"Babies are such a nice way to start people." 

                                                           ~Don Herrold

crocheting for charlotte

I finished this cute little turban for Charlotte last night.  She was sleeping by the time I got it done - so I will have to wait to see how she looks with it on.  I thought this was the cutest pattern . . . I may have to make some in other colors.  Also working with this soft baby yarn was nice.  I messed up the stitches in a few rows - I probably wasn't paying attention and crocheted in the front stitch when I should have crocheted into the back stitch or something.  I sure wasn't going to rip it all out - and besides - other than bothering me because I am a nut about such things - I'm pretty sure Charlotte won't even notice.  : )

I found the pattern here . . .  this mama makes stuff

If you would like a knitted version . . . Pickles

Happy Monday!

Beanies and Bodies . . .

 

Crocheted beanies with flower clips.  I like these because you can remove the flower and use them on a headband . . . or for that matter, you can clip them anywhere you would like.  I have to try these on Lily and Charlotte and get some pictures taken.  They don't always like to cooperate.  : )

Two little blonde dolls waiting for faces, clothes, and personalities.  I did get the faces on them late last night and hopefully will get them finished tonight - if I am not sound asleep by 8:00.  It was fine coming back to work today . . . just hard to get up and going at 5:00 this morning.  If I stay up too late tonight I know I will really pay for it tomorrow.  What happened to the days where I could stay up to all hours of the night, go to work, and just keep going and going and going.  Too bad they don't have rechargeable batteries for people may age.  I guess they do - it's called sleep . . . damn! (There's always coffee.)

 

Crocheted Beanie . . . and my little model

I finally got some clips - so I could clip the flowers to some beanies that I want to sell.  I like them so much better when you can take the flower off and on - and also use the flower for a hair clip - or clip it on a headband.  Little girls and accessories . . . the possibilities are endless.

Charlotte gets the job of being the model for any baby beanies that I make . . . she doesn't seem to mind - but it is getting hard to get her to be still enough to take a picture.  My goal is to get some different items in my Etsy shop . . . So this is a start.

Marie, Elf, and My little model Lily

My little Christmas Elf spent yesterday on the fireplace - helping me put up Christmas decorations.  He can't seem to settle in one place though and likes to be on the move. 

Today he said he would help me introduce a new doll.  Her name is Marie and is for sale in my new Etsy shop.  She has wonderful red hair and a bag full of buttons that she picks up for good luck.

I also listed this beanie to sell.  I am really having fun setting up my Etsy shop and making things again.  I really need to quit my job and stay home and just make things full time . . . wouldn't that be great!  I can dream . . .

 

It has been a long week . . . I love that it is Friday and I have the weekend ahead of me.  I have so many things that I want to do and of course those things that I have to do.  But I am full of enthusiasm and energy . . . if that runs short - there is always coffee. 

 

recycled cami

I thought this cami would make a cute beanie for Charlotte.

I love the color and lace.  I used the strap from the cami to make the bow.   (wait a minute . . . why did I cut up this beanie?  : )

Unfortunately Charlotte was sleeping last night when I made it . . . so I will have to wait and see how it looks on her.  Hopefully it won't be too tight around her head.   I have a couple of other t-shirts with printing on them that would make cute beanies . . . so if this one is too small - I will try again.

Smile & Have a Great Day!

Beanie for Charlotte

I had started this beanie before Abbie's baby shower - and finally had time to finish it today.  It is a little big - so that it will fit her this winter when it gets cold.  I tried it on Owen today to see how it fit - now I have to get busy and make him some beanies for this winter.  Although my next project will be a crocheted cocoon for Charlotte to take her picture in.  I met the photographer that took Abbie (and Luke's) maternity pictures.  (hopefully they will get them this week).  She is a wonderful young woman - I thought I would crochet the cocoon for Charlotte's photos and then just give it to her. 

I feel like my days of sewing, crafting, crocheting . . . are sort of coming to an end with me starting back to work tomorrow.  As much as I like my job - I will miss the extra time that I have had to do the things I love to do.  Due to some craziness in my life - I had gotten out of the habit of making much of anything.  I have worked hard at finding myself again and doing the things that make me happy.  So I am making a promise to myself to find some time each day to work on a project or create something.  It is what I love to do more than anything.  That is a promise that I am probably going to have to work hard to keep . . . time always seems to be an issue with me . . . never enough hours in the day to do all the things I want to do . . . but I can try to make the most of the time that I do have. 

little girl colors

For some reason this little beanie gave me trouble from the moment I started it.  A simple little beanie - and I've made dozens of them . . . but at first I was off on the count as I increased each row.  Not a big thing when it comes to a simple little beanie - I could have just kept crocheting, but being slightly OCD - that doesn't work for me.  When I finally got it going right - the yarn had a big dirty section.  Again not a big deal - just cut the yarn and keep going.  When I decided to use the eyelet - I grabbed the wrong piece after I had cut it to fit and sewed on a piece that was too short (something I didn't discover until I was nearly done).  I take this as a sign that I need to spend more time doing stuff like this. 

I like the eyelet trim. 

You can' really tell from the photo - but this hydrangea is the biggest one I have ever seen.  A little girl gave it to me at work this morning.  They are her favorite flower - and she knows how much I like them too.  She told me that when she is grown up she is going to plan her wedding around the time of year that their hydrangeas are in bloom. 

do overs allowed

I had hoped to post a picture of a cute little pink beanie - with a pompom on top and maybe some little pearls sewn on the edge . . . but you would think that I had never crocheted before.  I kept having to rip it back and fix rows because I was off - it probably would not have even mattered, but I was in one of those moods that it had to be exactly right (just part of my personality) . . . so finally I just cut the yarn, threw it away,  and decided to start over the next day.  This is as far as I got before my doctor appoinment.  This is simple single crochet and I have made so many of these beanies over the years that I could probably make one with my eyes closed.  Sometimes you just need a fresh start!

This was a gift from my friend Jessica . . . LOVE IT! 

baby beanie

 I crocheted a little baby beanie last night - when I couldn't sleep.  I hate not being able to sleep - but at least I was making something fun.  I like how it turned out.  I am sure it will look much cuter on a baby than it does on my coffee cup - but that I will have to wait for that.  Until I know if I am making things for a boy or a girl - I just have to do things that will work either way.  I can always add a flower later.  I think the actual colors of this yarn are prettier than this picture shows . . . I am thinking I need to get some more and make a bag of some kind.

Custard Cups

I had great plans to really turn my house upside down and clean this weekend. That plan went by the wayside. Instead I have been reading, crocheting, and yesterday I went downtown to some antique stores. I found these little custard cups which I thought were too cute to pass up. But then I have a thing for small custard cups.
We can't seem to get a decent picture of Lily with this hat on - she is fussy and moving all over the place every time we try it on her. So this would be much cuter on her little head - but I wanted to post a pic of it just the same - proof that I am making something since I went back to work.

I put a little wool heart on the front for Valentine's day. I will keep trying to get her to model it for me.

Pink Snowlady in January

My pink snowlady is not quite ready to be packed away - so she has settled herself under my new pink tree waiting for me to gather some cute valentine ornaments for February.

Even though all of the other holiday decorations are put away - she is not lonely - she has the company of a Neil Diamond bear - souvenir that my friend Michelle bought me at the New Year's Eve Concert.
I have a bunch of beanies that I made awhile back - ones that never were scooped up by the boys and their friends, or that I just stuck away because I didn't really like how they turned out. I thought they would look better with a little something added - and since I love hearts and buttons . . .

It was back to work today. I so enjoy the fact that working at a school gives me holidays off. Sometimes it is hard to go back after two relaxing weeks - especially getting up at 5:00 after staying up late and sleeping in most of Winter Break. Once I was up and at work though - it was OK to be back at it and it was busy and as hectic as usual - like we were never gone. The day flew by! Tomorrow morning will arrive much sooner that I would like - so time for some sleep - even though I would rather stay up late, watch a movie and crochet.

"Not the buttons! Not my gumdrop buttons!" ~ The Gingerbread Man - Shrek

Enjoyed my Weekend

I love these little chairs made out of the top of champagne bottles - no matter how many times I see them. Luke will make them for me whenever we have champagne. I have had a few tops sitting around here for awhile - and he picked one up today and made a chair - they are so cute! I will have to remember to hang some on my Christmas tree this year.

"There comes a time in every woman's life when the only thing that helps is a glass of champagne." ~ Bette Davis in Old Acquaintance

I had not planned on doing this - but started messing around with some scraps of yarn last night. I am going to keep adding onto it until I have a piece big enough to make a bag. So fun to work with - and really no rules - I've just been making it up as I go. Also a great way to use up some old yarn.
I also used up my scrap yarn by making a beanie For Luke. I was done with it, but had to weave in all the strings on the inside. It is a pain doing that - but I like how they turn out. I finally just sat and finished weaving in all the tails last night - so it was over and done with.
And then of course I made him take a picture with it on - whether he wanted to or not.
One more project finished this weekend - Luke wanted this plain black beanie with ear flaps - after seeing the one that I made for Mikey.

"If you have only one smile in you give it to the people you love." ~ Maya Angelou

Over all it was a nice relaxing weekend. Luke, Jake, Kasey, and I stayed up to nearly 3:00 last night. I was crocheting - they were cutting out pictues from magazines and making collages. I reminded me of when they were young and we used to stay up late. Luke decided he was hungry and made up the best sandwiches around 1:30 - using chicken tenders, green peppers, onions, and jalepenos. After cooking that he melted cheese on top and served it on sourdough bread. I wish I had taken of picture of those - they were delicous!

Lily Bug!

I made this hat for Lily to wear when she was a little older - but when Jennifer was here tonight we had to try it on her. It made us laugh - it was big on her and she looked so silly. I am amazed at how much she has changed in just a week. I guess it has been so long since my boys were babies - that I don't remember.
There is nothing like a baby!

Beanie for Mikey

Richard is always saying that I never post pics of him on my blog. I finished the beanie that I was making for one of the teachers at work - and I wanted to post a pic of it. So I made Richard model it for me. I told him he looks like he has pigtails coming out from under the hat - sort of a Willie Nelson look about him now that I think about it.

Baby Girl Colors ~

I finally finished the baby blanket that I started for Lily. It is a little smaller than I thought it would be - I even checked my gauge when I started - (Something I very seldom do) - and I used a much larger hook than it called for. It still turned out on the small side - but it is very dainty looking - so it is fine. Jennifer has seen me working on it - so it will not be a surprise. I do hope she likes it. I originally was going to put brown ribbon through it. I am glad that I chose the lavender instead. It will go with everything that they have.
I also made Lily a little pink beanie this week. Always my favorite things to make - quick and easy. I am putting together a pink bag of stuff together for her. Then I think I will make a lavender bag of baby items - and keep doing different colors. I guess doing that goes along with my color matching issues. It is just so much fun making things for this baby.
The whole world as we experience it visually, comes to us through the mystic realm of color. ~ Hans Hofmann Quotes

Crochet Therapy

I am always making beanies for someone. These I am sending to a friend and co-worker that moved to Idaho - for her kids. I got added a pom to the one for her youngest.
These are fun to make.
I actually really like crocheting these - they are easy to make and I have made so many I can do it mindlessly. Crochet Therapy.

I go back to work tomorrow after 10 days off - 10 relaxing days. It is a busy time of year from now until school is out. I really try to put work out of my mind while I am on vacation - and I am sure tomorrow will be a busy day - getting back into the swing of things. I can't say I am looking forward to it - but I guess I am ready.

"A vacation is having nothing to do, and all day to do it in." ~ Robert Orben

Rasta Hat

I've been wanting to crochet one of these hats for Jennifer. I thought it would be fun to give it to her when she gets home tomorrow. I have to make some more of these - they are so fast and easy and I think they are great. Since no one was home - I had to rely on the bear to model it for me.
"Leave everyone wondering which is the more interesting piece of work...you or your hat." - Author Unknown

Beanies

 

 

I have made more of these beanies than I can count. I think Luke used to lose them faster than I could make them. I made these for a friend to send to his son. I started out making them for my boys - then their friends. I sold quite a few to a local skate shop. It seems like someone always wants them.

I have just two more days until we are off for Spring Break! I am so looking forward to a week off. No special plans - but it will be great week no matter what we end up doing.

"I think that somehow, we learn who we really are and then live with that decision." ~Eleanor Roosevelt

crochet therapy

One of my little girl hats. Crocheting hats seems to be something I like doing more than anything else. I think because it is sort of a therapy for me. The patterns are easy and I can make them without even thinking about it. Making things has always been sort of a therapy for me. If I go for a period of time without making anything or being creative somehow - I tend to be a lot more stressed. Which may explain the way I have been feeling lately. So - maybe I should crochet a hat tonight.

It's not that some people have will power and some don't. It's that some people are ready to change and others are not.~James Gordon, M.D.