Christmas Elf

I have enjoyed making gifts for my friends and family at Christmas. However, I always tend to start to late in the year and am not able to finish all of my projects. This year I started in May with Iris and Ivan's toddler blankets but quickly realized that I couldn't keep them a secret that long. :) As you know I went ahead and gave them their blankets and decided to continue making blankets for all of my family at my own pace.

This year in order to save money my family drew names. I had my sister's name! So from November 17th to December 17th I was a Christmas Elf and worked so hard on her blanket in hopes that I would have it finished in time. I finished it on time and made the presentation of her gift beautiful!! I have to say, I am very proud of the presentation.





If you are like me seeing someone open your gift is the best part. I didn't get to see Natalie's face but this picture says a thousand words! I am so thankful for my sister! She is such a loving person and a wonderful friend. I can never repay her for every thing she has done for me.

I am now working on a chic blanket for my niece, Lili. I can't wait to see how it turns out!!

27 Candles

There is nothing better then having a crafty birthday!

My wonderful husband took me to Three Black Sheep Yarn Shoppe and let me pick out some yarn! He was so sweet to even go in with me and watch me look at every single skein. Poor guy, I know he had to have been bored.

After much debate I decided I finally picked out the yarn I wanted. The gray yarn is 100% lama and it is so soft!! The black is similar to a lacy ribbon. It is soft as well. I can not decide if I want to crochet or knit it together into one scarf or make two scarfs... decisions... decisions.



George also gave me two knitting books! Yes, I prefer crocheting but after looking at patterns for knitted sweaters I want to learn how to knit as well. I know how to knit and pearl but I always get frustrated... I hope to learn enough that I enjoy knitting as much as crocheting.




When I am not crafting you will find me with my nose in a book... just thought you'd like to know.

Merry Crafting... Happy Reading!

The joy of giving

Every Christmas season I watch the streets and stores get busy. It is like watching someone step on an ant hill and seeing millions of ants run in circles. By the way people act sometimes I wonder if they are truly enjoying the joy they can have from giving a gift to someone. Or is it all about keeping up with the Joneses?

Since I started crocheting I have found true joy in giving a gift to a friend or family!There is nothing like taking time and making something that you know your friend will love. Even better is seeing their face when they open your gift. In saying this, I want to clarify that there is nothing wrong in giving a store bought gift! I find joy in gifts that are given me that are not home-made just as much as I enjoy home-made gifts.

I am working on a Christmas gift right now and I can hardly wait to wrap it up and send it to the person I am making it for. I won't be there to see it opened but I know that there is a lot of love put into this gift.

I wish there were more home-made Christmases. I wish our society would slow down and enjoy the stress reliever that can be found in crafts. Just sayin... ;)

Happy Holidays... Merry Crafting!

Pickles

To make up for my lack in blogging skills I thought I would share with you some cute crochet comics from "Pickles".

I have a prize for the person who can make the most interesting jockstrap! :) haha!
Happy Crafting!

Happy Fall, Yall!

I just love the fall season! This year I have felt very crafty. In honor of the season my husband and I decided to carve pumpkins. I just thought I would share a few pictures.

Step One... Draw a face

My pumpkin

George's pumpkin




Step Two... have fun!

Step Three... cut the top off

Step Four... get rid of the eww and goo...

Step Five... show off

My pumpkin

George's pumpkin

The family


Step Six... Display


As George and I go into our third year together we want to create new memories and carry on old ones from when we grew up. We have enjoyed the craft fairs, pumpkin patches, and corn mazes. I hope to have many more memories before the season is over. What memories are you making?

What memories do you have of your childhood? My favorite memory is when my family would go to the pumpkin patch and ride on a hay ride with Mr. Pumpkin Head. We always picked out our own small pumpkin and drew colorful faces on them. I can hardly wait to share that memory with our kids.

Happy Fall, Yall!!

Hexagon Stash Buster

I am on round three of my hexagon blanket!

Normally, when I make a blanket I plan ahead on where I will place what color or square. For instance the circle in a square blanket that I made for my nephew, I took paper and drew a blanket and planned how it would be laid out. On this blanket I am having to plan as I go. Each hexagon is being joined as I crochet them and the goal is to not repeat the same hexagon twice. I feel like I am stretching my mind thinking about placement and what colors to use next. I am having so much fun!



Louie loves it too! After I finished round three, I laid the blanket on him and he prrr'ed away! I almost tied it off and gave it to him! Doesn't he look so cute!?



While my husband is napping on the couch I tip-toed into his office and took a picture of my birthday present. ;) Last weekend George and I went to Ketner's Mill Fair. It was full of booths with hand made crafts. The first booth we stopped at was a booth with beautiful furniture.

They had quilt rack that sat on the floor and then this one that hung on the wall. I know that with the kitten the quilt rack that sat on the floor would be useless because Madi would pull everything off. I told George how cool it would be to have the one that hung on the wall to put my hexagon blanket on in the bedroom. I will still be able to display my blanket but it will be out of reach from Madi. I can hardly wait to hang it up on the wall. I can hardly wait to see what my blanket looks like on it.

I sit and laugh at myself sometimes because I never would have dreamed that I would ever get excited about a quilt rack. It is funny how things change!

(In case you are wondering, the red, white and blue blanket is one that George's grandmother made for George. She is very talented!)

Ashley's baby shower

There is nothing like watching your friends get married and start having babies! Today was Ashley's baby shower. It is always so much fun to get together with friends and family and celebrate. We had yummy food, played fun games and had great fellowship.

One of the games we played was to see who could decorate the best hat. Unfortunately, I forgot my SD card so my picture taking was very limited but I did get a few of our hats.

Jennifer

Ashley T. and Joanna

Waiting to give the blanket to Ashley until today was not easy! I am not good at keeping secrets when it comes to gifts. When I make something I always want to give it to the person I made it for right away. I went yesterday and picked out the gift bag - as silly as it is, I wanted the presentation to be as good as the blanket. However, I ended up being VERY nervous about giving Ashley the blanket. I knew she would like it but it was the first real crocheted gift I had given to anyone who wasn't family. She loves it! I am SO glad! I can hardly wait to meet baby Harper!

Congratulations, Ashley and Jonathon!