The Shtick I Do

Who else sings that when they read it? Is it just me? This week I wanted to share with you a few of the things I've completed and one of them I've been waiting for TWO MONTHS to post! Why? It's a gift for a friend and I had to wait until she had her baby shower and now I get to show you just how adorable it is!!!! Our friends are a couple of outdoorsy type people. They hunt and fish and generally do things of that nature together. So my husband, when we first found out they were expecting, came to me and excitedly exclaimed, "I know what I want you to make for Robert and Katie! Deer! A baby deer hat!" He knows I usually make blankets for babies so he was specifically requesting a hat. We carried it out even further and I ended up making a hat and diaper cover. I mashed together bits of free patterns I was able to find online (mostly Ravelry) but they were changed significantly from the originals. The ears, tail and antlers I just made up. I know a "g...

Are you interested in contests? Especially ones where you could be the winner of  . . .  * gasp*  . . .   YARN ! If that sounds like you, then join me and others in the Design Your Own Wig Contest over at Posh Pooch Designs Dog Clothes . You could make yours for your pooch I suppose but the pattern is written for kids and adults and there are some spectacular entries so far. YOU STILL HAVE TIME! Entry deadline is September 19 with the winner being chosen on September 30. I'm glad I don't have to pick the winner, I'd have to pick 2 or 3 different ones because all the entries I've seen (you can look at some over on her Facebook page!) have been so good. I thought this would be a great way (not to mention get an early start) on a Halloween costume so I made one with a  retro 80's vibe. I love it! What surprised me was when my 18 year old son said, "That's cool"!! Imagine that!! My youngest daughter has already staked a claim for it =D ...

I spend more time than I like to admit browsing through posts on Pinterest. I thought I'd share some of the Halloween themed ideas I came across! Halloween Doily This  idea from Ana at i made it so...  just caught my eye and I've taken to looking through my stash for some embroidery hoops. I think I can get one made before the holiday gets here! Another doily pattern that I found is very pretty and can be made in other colors for seasons outside Halloween is the Pretty Kitty Doily  from FreePatterns.com .  You do have to "join" their site to download the patterns for free. Image from Ravelry.com Will you be having a Halloween party? If so, you might want to whip  up  these little cuties as a table top decoration!  Beverly Mewhorter from TalkingCrochet  designed these little guys with scary thoughts in mind. But I just think they're cute! Rebeckah from Rebeckah's Treasures  has another table top decoration that's s...

Cold weather is fast approaching here in my neck of the woods and while the days are still hitting the 70's and 80's, the nights are dipping down into the 50's. Break out the sweatshirts and ear warmers. Grab a scarf and some gloves for the football game and don't forget the thermos of hot chocolate and that cozy crochet afghan! Autumn is almost here. I made a few of these headband/ear warmers last year and I've already had orders for more this season. This is one I made to try out a covering for the elastic hairband used in the back. I like using the elastic hairbands in this sort of project because it allows the finished piece to be worn by more people. Sometimes it can be hard to fit the head of a person you've never met and this little addition allows for greater flexibility with the finished piece. Finished headband/ear warmer with a blue sewn-on flower and coordinating blue trim. Finished piece without trim or embellishment. An ear war...

While I appreciate the challenge I've been given, here are my thoughts on it: The Ice Bucket Challenge has definitely overtaken Facebook and other social media sites. The antics of everyday people and celebrities willing to dump ice cold water over their heads in an effort to help raise money for ALS research has raised over $22 million. I have laughed at some of them ( Patrick Stewart , Kermit the Frog , Dwayne " The Rock" Johnson ) and I have cringed at others but I commend them all. I think it's a fantastic way to raise the awareness of a disease that's had to ride in the backseat of drug companies and the FDA while other diseases such as breast cancer, diabetes and even erectile dysfunction have taken the lime light. ( Seriously, how many commercials do I have to watch? ) I'm all for donating to a worthy cause. I give to the American Cancer Society for my two sisters that have fought cancer. I donate to the American Diabetes Association becaus...

Anyone remember this beanie that I made last year? It's alright if you don't. That's not the point of this post =D I finally got an on-going issue with Ravelry resolved and this pattern is now available as a FREE PDF download! Follow THIS  link and look to the RIGHT you'll see a box that says "ravelry downloads free ". Click on the word " download " that follows the green arrow and it's yours! I own this pattern in its entirety and you DO NOT have permission to reproduce this pattern in whole or in part on any website, blog or internet or written avenue. You DO NOT have permission to print this pattern for resale or free distribution  in whole or in part in any format.  My permission is granted ONLY for SELLING of and PERSONAL USE  of the COMPLETED WORKS from this pattern. I f you sell the completed item online,  include a link to this blog  post . 

So, I had the opportunity to visit a Michael's store on Monday. As I was perusing the aisles I happened upon some fantastic yarns! Sadly I was on a strict budget and could only get a couple of things. As I was frowning and scowling at all the opportunities I had to pass, I saw some clearance yarns on one of the end-caps. It's called Caron United® and it was on sale for $.99 a skein! That's right in my budget guidelines! I chose two colors (Orchid and Aran) and on my way home I started working it into a solid granny square. What self-respecting "crochetaholic" doesn't travel with hook and scissors, right? My husband just shakes his head. I thought a lapghan would be a perfect project for this yarn. It's well constructed and soft enough to use immediately. I can only imagine that it's going to get softer as it travels through a wash cycle. Here are a few pictures of my squares so far and a link to a solid granny square tutorial!  Solid Granny ...