frugal/thoughtful me

I made this little guy that is sitting next to China for one of my friends daughters.  The pattern is here for it.   It didn’t turn out as intended, but I didn’t have pure mohair yarn to work with so in the end I think he is alright.  Her birthday party is tomorrow and she said she wanted a puppy so lets hope this works.   Yay for using up yarn stashes.

In other crochet news, I had made some makeup remover/toner pads for some friends and family for Christmas and they have turned out to be a great hit with people asking for more of them.  So I decided to make myself some to see how well they work, even though I don’t wear makeup, and I have to say they are lovely.

I am trying to cut down on the amount of paper and plastic that we are going through in this house(even though most is recycled).  I am going to try and make some washable paper towels and some washable swiffer dusters next week.  I have all the supplies already, now just to make my sewing machine do what I want it to.  Yay for saving the environment!!

crochet from the heart

For valentines day, instead of spending insane amounts of money on gifts for Peter and the girls I made them some gifts.

These are the lovebugs I made for the girls.  Are they not the cutest things.

This is the fireflower I made for Peter.  Crocheting amigurumi into a square is no easy feat, but I think it turned out great.

I also made this popheart and this heart garland for around the house.

contest entry

I made this piece for a jewelery contest on craftster. Actually it is my first contest entry with my crochet ever. If you like it or just like me please go vote for me…thanks!

vote for boberry here

In all honesty I am so nervous about putting my stuff out there.  I have panic attacks so easily already but have been trying to face some of my fears and public scrutiny is definitely one of them.

Chip the Hen

While trying to work out the peacock pattern I really had to make another one, but since I no longer have that yarn i thought i would make something similar yet different and this is what i came up with.  It is an omage to out chicken Chip, who looks just like this, creepy eyes and all.

Pattern

body:
1. 6sc in magic circle (6)
2. 2sc in each stitch around (12)
3. (2sc in 1, sc in 1) around (18)
4. (2sc in 1, sc in 2) around (24)
5. (2sc in 1, sc in 3) around (30)
6-9 sc around (30)
10. (sc2tog, sc in 3) around (24)
11. (sc2tog, sc in 2) around (18)
12-13 sc around (18)
insert safety eyes and begin stuffing
14. (2sc in 1, sc in 2) around (24)
15. sc around (24)
16. (2sc in 1, sc in 3) around (30)
17. sc around (30)
18. (2sc in 1, sc in 4) around (36)
19-23 sc around (36)
24. (sc2tog, sc in 4) around (30)
25. (sc2tog, sc in 3) around (24)
continue stuffing while working rounds.
26. (sc2tog, sc in 2) around (18)
27. (sc2tog, sc in 1) around (12)
28. (sc2tog) around (6)
29. close hole and finish off

beak:ch 10 and slst to join, now work in a countinous round.  (sc2tog, sc) until there is only one sc left, fo and pull end through the tip of the beak.

wings-make 2:

ch7, sc in 2nd ch and next, 1hdc, dc, dc, 6tc in last
working in back of stitches: dc, dc, hdc, sc, slst
FO

tail:
1. ch 7
2. sc in 2nd ch from hook and across
3.  ch 1, turn, sc across
4. turn, ch4, slst back down, sc, ch6, slst back, sc, ch8, slst back, sc, ch6, slst back, sc ch4, slst
FO

comb:
1. sc12
2. sc in 2nd ch from hook and across
3. ch1 turn, (skst, 5dc, skst, slst) 3 times and FO

feet, make 2:
1. 6sc in mc (6)
2. (2sc in 1) around (12)
3. popcorn, slst, popcorn, slst, popcorn, slst and FO

Crochet peacock pattern goodness

Pattern for my little peacock:

notes: when working sc2tog only work in the front loop of the stitches.

body:
1. 6sc in magic circle (6)
2. 2sc in each stitch around (12)
3. (2sc in 1, sc in 1) around (18)
4. (2sc in 1, sc in 2) around (24)
5. (2sc in 1, sc in 3) around (30)
6-9 sc around (30)
10. (sc2tog, sc in 3) around (24)
11. (sc2tog, sc in 2) around (18)
12-13 sc around (18)
insert safety eyes and begin stuffing
14. (2sc in 1, sc in 2) around (24)
15. sc around (24)
16. (2sc in 1, sc in 3) around (30)
17. sc around (30)
18. (2sc in 1, sc in 4) around (36)
19-23 sc around (36)
24. (sc2tog, sc in 4) around (30)
25. (sc2tog, sc in 3) around (24)
continue stuffing while working rounds.
26. (sc2tog, sc in 2) around (18)
27. (sc2tog, sc in 1) around (12)
28. (sc2tog) around (6)
29. close hole and finish off

beak:
1. 3sc in mc (3)
2. 2sc in, 1sc in 1, 2sc in 1 (5)
3. sc around (5)
FO

wings, make 2:
ch7, sc in 2nd ch and next, 1hdc, dc, dc, 6tc in last
working in back of stitches: dc, dc, hdc, sc, slst
FO

Tail:
1. 6sc in magic circle (6)
2. 2sc in each stitch around (12)
3. (2sc in 1, sc in 1) around (18)
4. (2sc in 1, sc in 2) around (24)
5. (2sc in 1, sc in 3) around (30)
continue in this manner until the circle fold in half is a size you are happy with.
now scallop the edges by skipping a stitch, 5dc in1, skst, slst, 5dc in1, and so on around.
Now fold the tail just off slightly from half so you have 2 rows of scallops showing and attach to the body.

feet, make 2:
1. 6sc in mc (6)
2. (2sc in 1) around (12)
3. popcorn, slst, popcorn, slst, popcorn, slst and FO

attach all pieces to the body and add some yarn bits to the head.

more…

Just a couple of things I made before Christmas this year.  A jellyfish for Bug’s class gift exchange and a  sweater dress for China.  The dress I made up as I went and China had many, many fittings which she was not crazy about, but she loves wearing it.

forever?

Well it may as well have been since the last time I was here, but life has carried on.  I was thinking I might give this thing another go and see if I can keep it up.  Or at the very least post a new pic for everyone of my new creations.

So for my first post in forever here is a pic of a crochet creation completely by me :)

tenticle

Maybe that’s what I will for the next little bit, just add pics of things I have made over the last year until I have something new made.

Snow kids

The kids were playing out in this gorgeous weather and I had to snap a couple of shots of the snowman(Cats first).  So here you go.

snowman1.JPG

Oh and this is my new favorite…complete fluke…picture of Cat.

snowcat.JPG

Cute kids, huh?

aqua pet

So we bought this little sea monkey like kit at Christmas for a family gift.  We thought it might be fun but after a couple of weeks of searching searching to see anything in the little tank I more or less gave up.  Sure there were itty bitty little dots, but nothing more. 

Anyways I was going to dump out the water 2 weeks ago, and when I went to pick up the tank something skittered.  low and behold we had a little prehistoric creature that survived my neglect by eating all of his comrades.  Well he has grown very quickly and is not supposed to live longer than a couple of month, so I guess his time is running short.

Never the less he is always entertaining to watch, the cats and Cat(the human one) never tire of watching him.  He never stops moving all day and I am worried he is going to die before Peter(who has been away forever) gets to see him.  I also thought other might like to see what an Aquasaurs looks like. 

aquasaurs1.JPG

aquasaurs2.JPG

He is really hard to get a picture of cause he never stops moving, but I think he is super cute.

weekend away

I spent this past weekend at my sisters house.  I was there to attempt to help out as my new nephew Lucas and big brother Rylan seem to be quite the handful.   I didn’t get to help as much as I hoped but did get lots of cuddles from the boys.  It was also Lucas baby-shower.  So I decided to make gifts for both boys, so neither would be left out.  Rylan has a fish themed bedroom, and a fish tank in his room, so I made these:

rylan-fish.JPG

stingray.JPG

Lucas is too young to collect anything, so I made the decision that he needs aliens.  I made these for him:

aliens.JPG

And here is the little cutiepie enjoying one:

lucas-and-alien.JPG

Isn’t he adorable.  There is more that I have made and done lately that could be added, but that is enough for today I think.