Amiguwhatzit

I am thoroughly enchanted by amigurumis these days, so I decided it was time to put my thinking cap on and learn how to crochet so I could make a little ami for myself. How hard could it be?

This is my tale.

First, let me tell you that once upon a time when I was in the third grade I knew how to knit. My mom gave me gigantic lime green wooden knitting needles and super chunky hot pink yarn. Did I mention that this was in the 60's? We took a road trip from Southern California to my grandma's house in Northern California, which is about a 12-hour drive. I would knit up all my yarn, then unravel it and knit it up again. I was proficient. And that is the extent of my expertise. I never really made anything to speak of; I just kept knitting and unraveling, knitting and unravelling. It was kind of addictive, I think.

Fast forward a few years. I'm a young mom. My friend is learning how to knit. She keeps knitting up a test swatch, counting stitches, and talking about tension and gauge. I'm baffled and astounded at the amount of work you have to put in before you can even begin. Looks too hard for me.

I move to Arizona. Theoretically, it's too hot to knit or sew. But I don't know anyone here, so I crank up the AC (or crank it down, depending on how you look at it) and sew a quilt. A flannel one. It's one of my most favorite things I have ever made. Finally, I make a friend. She knits socks and tries to convert me into a knitter, but I am strong and resist. I'm a quilter, I tell her. I want to focus on getting better, not flit from craft to craft. Besides, I have this image in my mind of the sweater my mom made for my dad back in the green needles-pink yarn days. It was gigantically huge, probably would have fit mom and dad together at the same time. I know that tension and gauge matter and that I don't have the patience for it.

Two days ago: Ah, but that's knitting and I want to learn to crochet. It's gotta be easier. It only has one "needle." I know I said I was going to stick to one craft, but one little foray wouldn't be so bad, would it? Besides, I just recently learned that acquiring new skills thwarts dementia, and I'm all about not being demented. So I do what any self-respecting 21st century crafter does--I turn to youtube. Yes! There is a great series that shows exactly how to make an amigurumi. The girl on the monitor actually makes it look simple and almost effortless. I decide to follow along.

And therein, I encounter my first obstacle. No matter how hard I try, I can't keep up, even though she has the patience of Job, and crochets very slowly. I'm stuck at the slip knot that you're supposed to start with. Half the time it turns into a slip knot and half the time it just slips off with no knot. I feel like an idiot.

Maybe I should just throw in this next little piece of information. If you're like me you'll totally understand my frustration. If you're not, I'm not sure I can fully express just how difficult my life can be. I'm....

I'm....

shhhhh....

left-handed.

Did you know we have a shorter life expectancy? Yeah, comes from living in a world bent on frustrating us, trying to conform us into something we are not. And don't even get me started on the topic of scissors. I'll just save that rant for another post!

Okay, back to crocheting the youtube way. I did another search and found someone who explained and demonstrated in slow motion (that was key) how to do a variety of stitches, including a slip knot, left-handed. And no, you silly right-handers, I know what you're thinking and I'll just tell you right now that I couldn't have just done it right-handed. That would be nigh to impossible. It would be like me telling you to just do it with your toes.

Well, the left-handed teacher got me on the right track, so after a little practice I took off. Here is my first attempt. His name is Happi.


I know the tension is off-kilter and he's got a few little problems, but overall I'm pleased. And while he's not quite suitable for giving, I'm sure he'll be perfectly content to live happily at my house. His name is Happi, after all.

Tea, Please

In honor of the April 15 tea parties around the nation, I thought I'd share with you my ode to tea. Personally, I'm a fan of a good old fashioned cuppa joe, unflavored please. Tea doesn't really do it for me, despite my southern roots. Making tea wallets, however, does seem to be my cup of tea.

For a non-tea drinker, I certainly have a large supply of tea, and quite a wide variety as well. What can I say? Tea comes in pretty packages that lure me in. Can't quite bring myself to enjoy drinking it though.

I found a tutorial for the wallets on Christy's Creations. They are actually pretty easy to put together. My big change was to use an elastic hair tie rather than the closure she suggested.

Turns out the tea wallets are good for Emergen-C packets as well.

As you can see, I've made quite a few of these wallets. Whenever I give one away, I load it up with tea, thereby significantly reducing my stash. Eventually I'll get rid of all the nasty tea leaves, unless a pretty package calls my name again. Besides, isn't it patriotic to be devoted to coffee? I'm just trying to do my part.

Flimsy Whimsy

Once upon a time there were four little Rabbits,

and their names were

Flopsy,

Mopsy,

Cotton-tail,

and Peter.

This was a quilting challenge set up by Milah, my quilty friend in Indiana. I'd like to tell you that I intend to handquilt this little baby quilt, and that's why it's not yet finished, but it's Sunday, and I don't like to lie on Sundays, especially Easter Sunday.

The truth: I fully intend to machine quilt this, but I've never actually done it before. I usually send my quilts out at this point for someone else to finish up! I pay someone cold hard cash to quilt it, then cry and moan and act all pitiful to trick my mom into binding it for me (for free). Wait a minute...did I just say that out loud? Ummm, I think I may have just sabotaged myself.

So, here's what I have.

This fabric panel was originally intended to be a soft book. I pity anyone who ever tried to make it into a book. The print was so "wonky," I don't see how you could make a book and have every page turn out the same size. Thank goodness this wasn't a "Make a Peter Rabbit Wonky Book" challenge!

I cut the pictures out, and reassembled them using a Crazy Eights pattern. Instead of buying the pattern, my mom and I stood in a quilt store and eyeballed the sample quilt until we had it memorized. Then we ran out to the car and scribbled it down on paper. Yeah, we could have taken a picture, but then we would have felt less like spies.


Oh yeah, I also intend to put borders on. I'd like to embroider a bit on the inner border as well. Maybe something Beatrix Potterish. But we're in the middle of packing up and moving, so I think that will have to wait until we're up and gone and resettled. (Did you know Milah's family has lived on the same property for three generations?! Okay three generations ago my family was in Arkansas and Ian's family hadn't even emigrated yet!)

Here's the flimsy hanging out with some of the Easter baskets. Did I happen to mention we'll have 10 kids over for dinner? Some are ours, and the rest are college kids who can't make the trip home. Amy collects them up like little orphans. I feed them and give them Easter baskets, cuz even big kids like candy! Maybe if I didn't have craft ADD, I would have finished my quilt instead of making Easter baskets!

Here are some of the other quilters who took the Peter Rabbit challenge. Go check out their cute quilts!

Milah, http://milahsbackporch.blogspot.com/
Bren, http://piecesfromme.blogspot.com/
Winona, http://catloverandquiltmaker.blogspot.com/
Christine, http://frontporchindiana.blogspot.com/

Family Valentine

This is our valentine to each other this year. It's been posted on the fridge since the beginning of February.

I've been busy making and sending Valentines all over the world. I actually got a Valentine from Norway in today's mail! How cool is that?
This is just a sampling of the Valentine craziness that has been happening on my dining room table.

My favorite is coming up with silly Valentine rhymes.

Stay tuned for more Valentine goodies!

Arizona Snowflakes

Since we don't get much snow around these parts, sometimes we just have to manufacture our own. Here is one of the paper variety.

All folded up

and unfurled in its glory.I finally got myself a decent hole punch. It has a long reach, and more importantly, sharp edges. No more dealing with the hanging chad!

Random Fact: Did you know there is a town in Arizona named Snowflake? Yuppers, there is. Named after Mr. Snow and Mr. Flake. I'm not even kidding. In fact, one of Mr. Flake's descendants currently serves Arizona as a US Congressman--Jeff Flake. Maybe the Big Guy will meet him around town. I hear tell it snowed in DC today. Not that I got a phone call or anything. Nope, somebody is too busy playing football on the National Mall to call his sweet mother. And here I thought he went to Washington to help Mr. O solve all our woes.

Ok, back to business.

Here is some flaky felt.

Of course, everyone knows no two snowflakes are the same, which means lots of designing fun for me and Mr. Penquin.

Each snowflake gets paired with a light blue backing

and then they are stitched together with blue thread on top and white thread in the bobbin.

Random Fact #2-- Brian has an announcement: "I have chosen my life project." Really? Can you do that when you're only 11? "I will build my own car, using parts from all different cars." Good luck with that. I guess it's a life LONG project.

Gentle Reader,

Please pardon my sporadic outbursts of unrelated material. When my posts center on the domestic arts, my less feminine constituency become restless, and, dare I say it? Bored. I cannot afford to lose two of my most faithful readers--this gentleman and that. Consequently, I must occasionally throw out little crumbs of amusing tidbits for them. I do apologize.

Heeheehee

hoohoo

hahahaha!!

Vincent Price, you slay me.

Vincent is not my son, as that would make me incredibly old, and well, I'm old enough, thank you very much. World domination, how appropos.

(sporadic outburst, I'm so sorry)

Where were we? Oh yes, snowflakes. In Arizona.

Now for the fun part! After it's all stitched up, you cut away the excess to reveal the flaky beauty. You know, kinda like that Michaelangelo dude and his block of marble.

I was able to whip up this flurry thanks to Molly over at purlbee. Pink snowflakes. Who knew?

Buttons

I sent my button swap off today! I had way too much fun with all this button goodness.These are the covered buttons I made and then sewed onto the paint chips, just like a real card of buttons you buy in the store.

I also used a paint chip to make this sweet gift tag. I just punched a big hole in each square and glued a button in the middle. Easy and cute!

I had double sided cardstock left over from another project, so I decided to make some fun packaging. The matchbox holds the actual buttons for the swap, and the puffy box holds a cute little button ring. I found the templates for the matchbox and the puffy box here, along with templates for several other interesting boxes. And although my ironing board works admirably as a backdrop for my little projects, I'm really looking forward to building a do-it-yourself lightbox!

Crafting Japanese

Currently I'm completely obsessed with Japanese craft magazines. I am not, however, obsessed with paying ten bucks or so to have one shipped to me from Japan. So I'm on the prowl in the used bookstores around town. Here's what I've found so far:

This is actually a book, not a magazine. And it's written in English, which is like a little bonus surprise. It's amazing that felt can actually make your mouth water, but it can! There are some seriously cute sweets in this book. I'm just not sure that I need felt donuts and such laying around the house reminding me that I really really want a donut, a real one!

Look, felt chocolates! Perfect for the diabetic in your life.

This is my favorite project in the book, although they're not really sweets...happy french fries! I crack up every time I see them. You have to admit, the tic tacs are pretty darn cute too.

Well, one book and I'm hooked. I need more. This is where my trusty sidekick comes in. Sometimes I just call her Mom. Since she lives in San Diego where there are actually Japanese markets, I sent her on a quest for Cotton Time, the magazine I most covet. Apparently, I am not the only one who covets this particular periodical, and so the market was sold out. Ok, well, they only get in 4 copies of each issue, but at least you don't have to pay shipping!

Being the resourceful Depression Baby that she is, she located a used bookstore right next to the market that was loaded with just the sort of publication we were looking for. Here are two of them:

The beauty of these magazines is the $3.50 price tag. And yes, they are written in Japanese, which, no, I cannot read, but yes, the pictorial directions are very detailed, just like every other obsessed crafter has mentioned on their blog, and yes, I am going to make a project or two (or three) using these directions. (Just a little aside: one of my kid's swim coaches is Japanese, so if I get really stuck I can ask him for a quick translation.)

And now for some of the cute projects that have caught my eye...

Coffee filter holders (I won't be making these though, because I have one of these now.)

Check out the teacup patchwork on this bag.

I love the lace and linen look on this bag.

These patchwork bags look fun.

Is this not the sweetest flower purse? Love it!

I'll leave you with a little Valentine goodie.

Button, Button, Who's Got the Button?

I'm participating in a button swap this week, as in you give me 10 of your coolest buttons and I'll give you 10 of mine. So I've been sifting through my buttons over and over, trying to choose the 10 most giveable buttons. A couple of them are impossible to part with. And one I can't even use in a craft of my own, much less give it to a complete and total stranger! This sweet little ladybug has been in my mom's button tin forever, and now it lives in mine. Fortunately for my button buddy, I found a replica to send to her, so she can have her own ladybug in her own button tin.
I also made a few covered buttons to send. Love the cupcakes!

I actually intended to make little tiny red and white mushrooms, as you can see from my little prototype. I'm glad I changed my mind; cupcakes are much less poisonous and yummier all the way around!
Yum!

A quirky little button ring is going in the package too. I love the button ring I got from Nikki; I wear it almost every day and get the funniest comments about it. People either totally ignore it (which is kinda hard to do, since it's BIG) or ooh and aah over it. I made a few (okay, about 10) rings for fun, and now my girls want some. One of their friends has informed me she likes purple, you know, just in case I want to make her one too!
If you need a quirky button ring so people can ignore your weird taste in jewelry or admire your totally cool creativity and fun sense of style, go here. Lots of fun stuff!

Hooray Hooray for Christmas Ornaments!

As you may have gathered from my crafty owl and emo owl posts, I participated in this fun ornament exchange this year.

Guess what?! My ornament arrived! Except it wasn't one ornament; it was FOUR!! It was so much fun to see a little package by my front door! (Whoa, can ya tell I'm a little excited?)

The package came all the way from The Land of Texas, from a sweet lady named Frieda. Here's what she sent me:

This fun little guy is full of styrofoam beads that wiggle around when Santa moves.

Frieda stitched these next two with her embroidery machine. Aren't they beautiful? It's amazing that they are just thread! They are really thin, almost like a stiff piece of paper, and just as delicate as can be.



Here they are practicing for their debut on the tree, because even though the trees are up at the mall, mine doesn't go up until AFTER Thanksgiving!Thank you, Frieda!