Sock monkey is complete!

I finished assembling my sock monkey last weekend.  I thought Joanne would get a kick out of playing with him, but that did not go so well.  I tried two different times and she wanted nothing to do with Mr. Jiggy (named after my favorite NHL goalie not that crazy dog on HOBH.)  

I brought him into work to show him to one of my co-workers and one of our sales reps wanted Jiggy for her grandson in FL.  Penny was going to see him later next month and thought he would love him.  Since I had to do something to get him out of the house I agreed and sold off Mr. Jiggy to his new home.  Joanne loved the purple hippo I crocheted for someone here at work so much I will have to make her one to replace the sock monkey. 

Freshly completed sock monkey hanging out in the recliner.

Jiggy hanging out at work with me.

Elmo in Space

Elmo visits NASA

Joanne is so going to love looking at Elmo all over NASA.

Park visit request

We are thinking a high of 65 degrees warrants a trip to the park!?  Is
this okay with mommy?
 
fease?
 
Love,
Joanne

This came to my e-mail this morning.  How could I say no!   

Happy Mardi Gras!

Weekend Family Outing

This weekend Mike, Joanne and I went to the flea market at the NC State Fairground on Saturday to see what we could see and to get our big walk in for the weekend.  

Joanne wearing my hat.  

Mine was better than her's apparently.

Then we went over to the JC Raulston Arboretum so Joanne could run around after be tied down in her now too small umbrella stroller.  There was a wedding going on when we got there so we went to the back and worked our way back up to the front.  Joanne had lots of fun running everywhere she shouldn't be.

Joanne and Daddy playing in the Zen Garden.

Adventures in tree climbing.

Somebody did not like this at all.  Hence the blurry picture.

Manual Photography Cheat Sheet

I am so going to use this one!

Cheat sheet done by Living in the stills.

Movie Wish List: Ghost Rider 2

I so can't wait to see this one.  Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengance

Sock Monkey Goodness

While cruising around looking at sock monkey fun, I came across these fun items:

You can make this cute skirt for your girlie sock monkeys by Sock Monkey Fun!

Here is a cute idea to monkify your water bottle by Posh Pooch Designs.

I love the fez on this little guy at Sherri Crochet & Crafts. $$

 I just love this flower sock monkey by Sarah Flagg.

Who wouldn't love a Mr. T sock monkey.

Love this sock monkey themed fabric from The Little Fabric Shop.

2012 NCSFE: Scarf completed

I finished my first of the six crochet entries I am making for this year's state fair.  I was planning on making the scarf based on a pattern I posted earlier in the month but when I got a few rows in I did not like how it was looking.  So I frogged what I had done and decided to improvise.  I had made a skinny scarf with the cross cross stitch using double crochets.  Made the scarf a bit wider and I really liked how it turned out.

Here are some pictures of the scarf in transition:

First session on the scarf.

Second session on the scarf.  

Works up really fast!

The crocheting part of the scarf is complete.  

Just need to add the fringe.

We have fringe!

Required swatch to prove work was done by me.

Possible baby hat pattern for 2012 NC State Fair

The Divine baby hat pattern on Rheatheylia's website is just that divine!  I am going to make up one to put it in the running for the hat I enter in the state fair this year.  If it works up fairly quickly, I will have to make some for Online Angels as well.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Crafting Wish List: Paintbrush Santa Ornaments

I know it is only February, but I am so in love with these paintbrush Santa ornaments by Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom!  Come payday I am headed to the hardware store to get some supplies.

 

Recycled Idea: Magazine Coasters/Bowls

For all those catalogs or when you are finished reading that magazine, don't throw it away make something useful out of it.  At How About Orange's blog you can see how to make a woven coaster.

Once you have the coaster mastered, next comes a bowl.  Instructables.com has a great tutorial on how to make a bowl out of old magazines.

World Preview: New Red Heart Yarn Lines for 2012

New Red Heart Yarn Lines for 2012

I am looking forward to seeing the Red Heart Boutique Sashay yarn when it is out in the stores.  My supervisor so one make with a must more expensive yarn ($15 a ball) and asked me to make her one.  A bit on the expensive side for her so this will make her day!

Here is a video showing how to make scarves out of this fun yarn.  

Crafting Wish List: Snowflake Coasters

This is such a cute idea.  Snowflake coasters from washers by Jennifer Davey at I Love To Create.  This is a great idea for getting crafty with washers.

Crafting Wish List: Make Your Own Tutu

While looking through A Crafty House's blog I came across a very easy to make tutu tutorial.  Joanne loves wearing these and her instructions look very easy.  The only sewing is for the piece of elastic to make the base of the tutu. 

Mini Pita Pizzas

Friday night is always pizza night in my house but since Mike and I are trying to lose weight I had to come up with a replacement.  In years past I had made pizza on english muffins and thought about using mini pitas instead last night at the grocery store.  The new version works for Weight Watchers (Mike) and decreased carbs (Me).

Ingredients

Sauce

Tomatoes

Cheese

Pepperoni

Completed Mini Pita Pizza

Yum!!





Crafting Wish List: Love Bug Valentines

This is such a cute idea!  Love Bug Valentines by Dandee Designs.  Will have to go hunting for bugs at the dollar store this weekend.

Starting first fair entry for 2012

I have been itching to start one of my projects for this year's state fair.  So I pulled one of the skeins of Caron Simply Soft in Pagoda to start making a scarf I fell in love with the first time I saw it.  I am making the Fall Lace Scarf by Design Adventures.  Her sample is made in red but I wanted to use teal as a tribute to Mike's mom Donna.  Teal is the color for Cervical cancer so this year I want to use as much teal as I can in my projects.  I have been feeling her around a lot lately and Joanne flashes faces sometimes that make her the splitting image of Donna.  

Crafting Wish List: Snowflake Soap & Wall Art

Saw this in one of my e-mail newsletters today.  Snowflake Soap by Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom.  This is such a cute idea! 

Went digging through Suzy's website some more and found this I want to try.  Faux Metal Wall Art  Amazing what you can do with paper towel rolls.  

Crochet Wish List: Starburst Hotpad & Granny Heart

Want to try making Loretta's Starburst Hotpad some time.  This looks so cool. 

I have never seen this before.  Granny hearts by Cherry Heart.  Too cute!!!

World's Largest Crochet Blanket

Came across a link to an article about this afghan today and wanted to share.  This took a lot of time and dedication to complete.  I sure hate joining about 40 squares together, can't imagine doing this. LOL

Enjoy!

Chain Scarf /Cowl - Free Crochet Pattern

Chain Scarf/Cowl

by Angi Swartzendruber

Created: 01/09/12

Materials Needed:

2.5 ounces of yarn

I Hook

8.5 x 11 piece of paper

Directions:

Cut a 36 inch length of the yarn and set it aside for later.  This will be used to bind off the scarf.

Leave a three inch tail when starting the chain on your hook with a slip knot.

Crochet a chain using up the 2.5 ounces of yarn.  Stop when you have about three inches left at the end.

Lay the 8.5 x 11 piece of paper on a flat surface.  Starting in the middle of the piece of paper leaving about two inches out, wrap the chain around the shape of the paper to create the scarf.

Tie one end of the 36 inch string you cut before making the chain.  Secure with a knot making sure to catch both ends of the chain.  Wrap tightly moving forward slightly then back to where you tied on so you can make a knot to secure the wrap.  Tie a double knot to secure and then trim the ends even leaving a small tail.

You could make the scarf into a cowl by wrapping a smaller circle with the chain.  This would be a great way to use up your small leftover scraps.  You could even tie several different colors together to give it a more funky feel.

Enjoy!

Moving the blog

Since I can't get the Shabbyblogs background to go away on my other blog, here is a new and improved blog of my crochet adventures and other fun speed bumps of life.  Everyone at work calls me ladybug for some reason, hence the new name.  My crochet hook still flies but felt like a new name.