last minute gifts

it has been a busy month

with life getting somewhat back to "normal"

I've also got the creative bug!!

(must be the full moon)

 I have a ton of jewelry supplies

and when I found a container filled with chandelier crystals

I got inspired

I think they work well with the pearls and metal

a few extra crochet projects

a change purse and zebra slippers for sadie

and just a couple samples of the over 20 encaustic painting i've  done

over the past few months

sari yarn

i'm always up for a challenge

so when I met my friend carmi for dinner

she was showing off her latest purchase from anthropologie

silk sari yarn

as soon as dinner was over we headed next door

to get some more and promised we would both make something

I decided to get out the crochet hook, beads, wire and chain

before long I had this necklace made

carmi made a wonderful braclet seen on her blog here

knit or crochet, what's the difference?

when my friend carmi posted this on facebook

I had to laugh

some people just don't know the difference

and I guess I can understand when talking to certain friends

but my crafty girls should know, shouldn't they??

 

to me , not naming any names, one is fast, free and fun!!

the other takes way more patience than I have

 

since fall is in the air

my mind has turned to crocheting

on a trip to niagara region with my friend ludgera

i purchased some great yarn on sale for half price

one ball of yarn makes the perfect tube scarf

 

                                                                                 

on the good days

last month, well at least i think it was last month,

(time is so confusing right now)

my friend leslie jane moran

sent me this enormous gift box

filled with at least 20 balls of  the most unique yarns and all different

OMG!!! i was so overwhelmed with this wonderful and extravagant gift

and of course i knew what i was going to do

last christmas before i got sick i was having such a wonderful time

creating these wonderful free form crochet purses

that i knew it would be easy for me to do while in rehab

you just can't make a mistake

(no matter how many meds your on!!)

not sure if i will make another purse

leslie put the bug in my ear by saying

"can you make a jacket"

hummm......................

(i'll keep you posted)

thanks again leslie for lifting my spirits and keeping me from going crazy!!

free form crochet

since discovering free form crochet earlier this year

i've been on a roll

using up all of my leftover yarn and then looking for more interesting yarns

also learning new patterns

pinterest is a great resource for finding tons of information, websites

patterns and like minded people

i've joined an online yahoo group just for free form crochet

i love making these purses

i had a hard time finding handles and the ones i did

where the wrong color, too big or just plain ugly

so i figured a way to make my own

out of piping cord and yarn

problem solved!!

i also found these wonderful magnetic snaps

i usually start with a color palette 

then the fun begins

making tons of shapes until i have enough  to start sewing together 

some day i will make something bigger

perhaps a coat!!!

free form crochet

 the first time i ever held a crochet hook i was 7

after learning the basics every barbie i owned had a new wardrobe!!

i moved on to scarves, hats and slippers and by the age of 10

i was creating larger items

i usually crochet in the fall and winter while watching tv

that way i feel like i'm not waisting time

------

while wondering through pinterest i discovered a wonderful coat

which lead me to a whole new world called

free form crochet

so i had to give it a try

i quickly discovered that there where no patterns to follow

just your imagination and a lot of shapes and flowers

using all kinds of yarns and just letting things happen

before you know it , i had this small purse finished

fully lined with felt

i have a pink one in progress, i will keep you posted

two hats for sadie

this is sadie , my goddaughter

she is 18 months old and a joy in my life!

while wondering through pinterest i found a pattern to

crochet this wonderful hat

since sadie is just  starting to get some hair i thought

it would be fun to give her some instant long braids

i think she likes it!!

what a beautiful model

and as always one thing leads to another so i tried this

"cabbage patch" hat

too cute!!!

weekend fun

a wonderful weekend with my friend lu

spending time creating and eating

driving the back roads taking pictures

and watching skippy and sidney

wear each other out!!!

 p.s. yes that is the first sign of fall,

 i found several trees with changing leaves and

 a few new projects-

 a free form crochet project and some felting experiments 

see shells......make something!!

something really appealing/pleasing about shells

maybe because they come from the water like me

i purchased a few mixed bags and some pearls at john bead

add a little copper wire and a crochet hook
fast and easy

and the finished project

too many projects..................

i have at least a hundred ideas running around in my head

some of them new things i want to try

like crocheting wire

i've crocheted since i was 7, every barbie had a poncho

it's something i do while watching tv
it was so easy, i have tons of wire, yarn and beads

all i had to do was make some time and start!

now i can't stop

checking my list

with only a week before christmas

i'm finding that i've checked a lot of things off my list

above, 12 scarves i made for my friend dede

she will hand them out chrismas morning to the homeless

the gift of warmth

the big day is getting close

time to start crossing things off my list

the first patch of scarves i've been working on

have been wrapped up and on their way

keepin' warm

with the temperatures below zero this weekend

it was easy to stay indoors and keep warm

------

above the start of a small afghan

i had 7 balls of leftover yarn from last year

its a simple "shell" design and really easy

now i need to find more of the same

to finish it

i wish i could be my cat

"beanie"

for a day

she just rolls on the floor

catching the sunny spot

all day long!!!!

christmas spirit

with only 28 more days 'til christmas

it's time to get the holiday spirit

at my gym

they are collecting gifts for

the salvation army

i noticed no one was buying for the teens

so i thought the girls might like my crochet scarves

now what to do for the boys?

wild rumpus

after visiting martha's blog

i felt compelled to contribute to

her knit-up project

since i don't (can but won't) knit

i decided to make a few crochet flowers

and today took a little drive to

the west end to mccormick park

i love the

"wild rumpus"

theme

while adding the flowers

several people walked by

and curious enough no one asked

what i was doing

they just smiled and kept walking

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there seems to be a

global knit off happening

one i really like is an entire

phone booth in london

also check out this you tube

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and to find out more about guerrilla art

check out this

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read more about martha and

the global knit up at

the star .com

cool nites

it's that time of year again

as the nites get cooler

i love to get out the yarn

this year has been interesting

beanie loves to play with the yarn

i've made her several " toys" to distract her

and i'm missing a ball of chocolate brown

i've looked everywhere!

i've been working on scarves
i love playing with the different color combos
and have taught myself a few new pattern
i'll keep you post on how they turn out

snow dayz!!!

what a perfect day to stay in and

work on my crochet project

i've been so busy with work, school and

my wire ornaments that i forgot

that i had yarn waiting to be used

i finally finished my last project

which made my "baby" happy

her name: joey girl

it seems that "this" is her new favorite spot

last years i made 8

perfect for the couch

4' x 6'

the first one took five evenings

watching tv to complete

once i got the pattern down

it was a breeze to finish one is just a few nights

this year i will only get a few done