Wednesday is Craft Day!

Good windy afternoon!!  It was 72 degrees this morning in deep south Texas and now at nearly 5pm it is 43 degrees...seriously.  When the weather changes here it is NOT foolin' around!  The good thing is that it never lasts long, a couple of days maybe.  So today was craft day at the RV park and it made me realize it's about time that I updated my blog.

Remember this pic from a few weeks ago?  

Well this is what the Rockstar blanket looks like now.  The star is finished but I still need to come up with an edging.  I hope the new owners will like it!!



Here is a picture of one of my newest projects.  I'm doing a mock seed stitch that I think is beautifully textured.  Using the Aran yarn with the flecks of color only add to the texture...I can't wait to see how this turns out! As a finished product it will be a smock type jacket with a couple of buttons on the front.  It already feels like it will be very warm...I wish it was ready for today!!!

Don't you just love this purple!!!  I'm learning a broomstick lace technique using large knitting needles.  This will be a shawl but I can already envision so many cool things to do with this technique.

The edge of the shawl will have these pretty little flower squares to finish it off.  It looks so dainty! 

This is a sample of the craft project for today.  It has been called both Indian and Mexican Weaving, so I guess it depends on where you are from.  This is my pinwheel design but there were soooo many patterns to choose from.  I may do another pinwheel on either side in red to resemble fireworks.

In other exciting news....

I have officially joined the Crochet Guild of America.  I am really excited about this venture.  I am hoping that I will be able to carve out some time in my schedule this spring to work on their masters certificate program.  

This weekend I will be attending a bellydance workshop event called Rio Raks.  I have not had the opportunity to do much dancing this winter so I will be one sore puppy!!  But a happy puppy will be I! 

Don't forget to visit my website!!  I currently use ShopHandmade.com but am SERIOUSLY considering Etsy since it is so well known and followed better than ShopHandmade.  Does anyone else use ShopHandmade?  Etsy?  Opinions and comments welcome!!

Stay warm and be blessed!

Scarves for Special Olympics

YEAH!!  34 Scarves were sent to the Special Olympics Texas courtesy of Port Isabel Park Center!

Stripes were definitely 'IN' this season!



All bagged up and ready to ship!



These were my personal donations to the cause.  Which is your favorite??

The park is already asking when I'll have the new colors for next year, they must want a head start or something!  The colors weren't announced until about November last year so they'll have some time to wait.  If you'd like to get in on the fun visit ScarvesforSpecialOlympics.org or visit their facebook page and you'll get updates as they come in!

Holiday Project Catch-Up!

I hope everyone had a FABULOUS Christmas and a wonderful new year! 

It is the busy season here in south Texas and I've been hoppin'!  The RV park is filled to the max for the months of January and February.  I am somewhat of an activity director, keeping the guests fit and busy!  I teach fitness and line dancing classes.  I lead a craft classes where I'm always looking for new ideas!  We have a Wii game night, breakfasts on Saturday morning and Hymn singing each Sunday afternoon.  BUSY, BUSY! 

Here are a few of the projects that I finished for the holiday season (upon writing this I find that there are a few that I forgot to take pictures of :(  Oh well.)

This is the beginning of my very first intarsia project.  I had so many little balls of yarn I thought I'd lose my mind!  Once I got a good system down I totally fell in love with it though!  



The yarn "madness"!


 The finished product for little Oliver, I even had some leftover yarn for a little hat!


Oliver enjoys his new hat and blanket!



 I couldn't leave the new big brother out.  Meet Peanut...this is from a pattern by a fellow blogger, you can see more of her patterns here.



Made a scrap monkey for Oliver's big brother!



 I've always wanted to do cross bookmarks.  This didn't turn out as planned but cute nonetheless.

Blocking an angel bookmark.

 Flowers for the kitchen!

Dish rags, the center of the left one has a scrubbie for the center!

This is another intarsia project that I am working on for a good friend of mine.  It is a baby blanket with their family's treasured "Rock Star" pattern.


Rock Star!

A couple of our craft projects here in the park!


Discharge Dye



Embossing on a paper bag and beach glass.

I'm not sure what I'll do with the beach glass...maybe work on my wire wrapping technique??

Embossed an old flower vase...filled with my Anniversary roses!!

Couldn't you just touch them!  They smell wonderful!

I'm working on another pineapple shawl (the purple on in my profile pic) this time in a heather gray color...very pretty.  I'm also playing with a bit of mohair, not sure what it will turn into yet though.  I was given the idea that I should make some necklaces...I'm truely intriged by that idea!  In one of my previous posts I talked about my scarves for Special Olympics.  That project is park wide and we will be collecting our scarves and mailing them out next week!!  WOOHOO!!  I will be posting pics so stay tuned!

As always keep your comments and suggestions coming, I enjoy hearing from you!

Better Crocheter Than Blogger...Work in Progress

I have found that I am a much better crocheter than I am a blogger...however, I'm not going to let that stop me!!  I have several projects that I've been working on but many are either gifts that I have to wait until after Christmas to post....or I just haven't gotten around to photographing, something else I could be better at.  So I have a pile system...much to my husbands dismay, and it kinda goes like this:

Pile of yarn waiting it's turn to be woven into something magical and unique.
Pile of patterns I just LOVE...at least I did when I initially found them.
Pile of started projects that include...afghans, animal body parts, granny squares, circles, flowers, gloves missing cuffs, scarves missing fringe, shawls just not quite finished.
Pile of completed items...YEAH, but not photographed...BOO
Pile of items that need to be put on the website.

Entirely too many piles...one pile is too many in his opinion.  But I can see his point.  I am a pile girl and I have just as many, if not more, in each category of my life.  So the piles do "pile" up and things get cluttered and then we can't find the remote, or the cat.  I am really going to try to work on at least one pile a day.  If I look at all the piles and think of all I have to do to eliminate them all it will never get done...one pile a day seems manageable.

This afternoon I worked on photographing some of my finished items.  I even got a couple put up on the website for sale...WOOHOO!!

Midnight in Sedona - available now!

X's & O's for Baby - available now!

One of my Scarves for Special Olympics...just loving this pattern, I'm sure you'll see it again!

On your feet...crochet project becomes bed...she only wants the ones I'm working on, go figure.



I don't know what this is for but it is sooo cute!  If you have an idea for it let me know!



Retro Ruffle Scarf - FREE PATTERN

Getting My Retro On!

This is the first pattern I've ever written down!  Whew...glad that's over!  I enjoy creating new things but not real sure I like the writing down part of it.  I'm sure there's some sort of trick or technique to creating and writing a pattern at the same time...if you know of one please share!

If you think the colors look familiar then you might have seen them at Scarves for Special Olympics.  I had mentioned this in one of my earlier posts.  These are the official colors this year and I thought I'd not only get creative but actually try and write it down in case I ever wanted to do it again.  Actually I find myself being one of those people that will do a pattern once and not have any desire to do it again.  Of course if you really want one in specific colors my arm can be twisted!

I hope you enjoy...and if you find an error (if you don't I'd be surprised) please let me know!!!

Color A - Red Heart Super Saver 886 Blue

Color B - Red Heart Super Saver 512 Turqua

Large Circle - make 8

Begin with Color A

ch 2

Rw1 - 6 sc in second ch from hook, slst in first sc to join, ch 1 do not turn (6 sc)
Rw2 - 2 sc in each sc around, changing to Color B slst in first sc to join, ch 1 do not turn (12 sc)
Rw3 - *2 sc in first sc, 1 sc in next sc* repeat around, slst in first sc to join, ch 1 do not turn (18 sc)
Rw4 - *2 sc in first sc, 1 sc in next 2 sc* repeat around, slst in first sc to join, ch 1 do not turn (24 sc)
Rw5 - *2 sc in first sc, 1 sc in next 3 sc* repeat around, changing to Color A slst in first sc to join, ch 1 do not turn (30 sc)
Rw6 - *2 sc in first sc, 1 sc in next 4 sc* repeat around, chainging to Color B slst in first sc to join, ch 1 do not turn (36 sc)
Rw7 - *2 sc in first sc, 1 sc in next 5 sc* repeat around, slst in first sc to join, fasten off (42 sc)

Small Circle - make 9
Begin with Color B
ch 2
Rw1 - 6 sc in second ch from hook, slst in first sc to join, ch 1 do not turn (6 sc)
Rw2 - 2 sc in each sc around, slst in first sc to join, ch 1 do not surn (12 sc)

Rw3 - *2 sc in first sc, 1 ch in next sc* repeat around, changing to Color A slst in first sc to join, ch 1 do not turn (18 sc)

Rw4 - *2 sc in first sc, 1 sc in next 2 sc* repeat around, changing to Color B slst in first sc to join, ch 1 do not turn (24 sc)

Rw5 - *2 sc in first sc, 1 sc in next 3 sc* repeat around, slst in first sc to join, fasten off (30 sc)

Connect alternating circles end to end using Color B to sew through 3 stiches on each end.

Close up of "valley" where two circles meet.

Edging

Rw1 - With Color B sc all the way around the edge of the scarf.  On each end do 2 sc in the same st. changing to Color A slst in the first sc to join, ch 1 do not turn.

Rw2 - sc all the way around the edge of the scarf.  At each valley where the circles join, sctog in the last sc from one circle and the first sc on the next circle from the previous row.  On each end circle do 2 sc in the same st at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock position. Slst in the first sc to join, ch 1 do not turn.

Rw3 - 2 sc in each stitch all the way around, skipping the sctog at each valley from previous row.

Fasten off and weave in all ends.

Retro Ruffles!

A Favorite Blog AND Pattern Give-a-way!

Who doesn't love a give-a-way!  If you've not visited The Sunroom you've got to see her patterns...I love her retro color choices and the designs have just the right amount of modern chic!  The Sunroom is also doing a GREAT give-a-way...check out this post for more details!

If you'd like to buy any of her patterns go to her Etsy store...here's the link to my personal favorite!

ENJOY!

Crochet A Good Cause

One of my goals in my blog is to talk about what I'm currently working on.  But...since my current creation is a gift I have to wait until I give it away before I talk about it....don't worry, I'm taking pictures as I go!  So since I can't talk about that...I've chosen to talk about crocheting for a cause.  As many of you know my birthday was a couple of weeks ago.  Joe and I spent the day by the beach and when I got home I had this beautiful bag along with some hand picked flowers from some of the neighborhood kids.

Costa Rican Messenger Bag

Well I could immediately tell that this bag had been crocheted.  But out of what?  It was pretty stiff and felt almost plastic.  Upon further research I found out that it was indeed plastic, recycled grocery bags to be exact...AND a portion of it's purchase price went to help a Leatherback Conservation Project in Costa Rica.


Ain't he cute?



Not only did it help the leatherback but it also helped the Sea Turtles at Sea Turtle, Inc. right here in South Padre Island, TX!  According to their website these bags are created with approximately 80 plastic grocery bags.  Finding a use for these bags keep them out of our oceans and landfills thus helping to keep them away from wildlife where they can accidently harm themselves.  The women of Costa Rica crochet these bags, and are paid a fair wage thus helping not only the turtles but their family as well.

There are so may ways that we can use the craft of crochet to help our world.  Here are just a few I found:

Virginia Beach SPCA Wildlife Program Baby Nests

Hugs for Homeless Animals Snuggles Project

Scarves for Special Olympics - You will see another post from me when I finish my contributions!

You can upcycle and recycle just about anything you can put your mind to...find something that you are passionate about and let your creativity be your guide.  God gave us our gifts to share...I can't think of a better way than to help others...can you?

Some more birthday shots for you...

My new tire cover...Life IS Good!!

Toes in the sand...just like we like 'em!