Who needs legs?

Well, after much procrastinating, I have my first monster almost finished. Here is my crocheted version of the most popular "Where the Wild Things Are" wild thing! I learned a thing or two on this expedition, like how to put hair on the guy.

I found a GREAT tutorial here:
http://needlenoodles.com/home/?q=node/83

for adding fringe hair to dolls, and I used this technique. It took me a little getting started tightly enough so it wouldn't risk unraveling....but I was SOOO glad I found this page.

So...here he is, with no legs....hopefully he'll have them today! LOL

Where the Wild Things Are

I am SOOO excited that this movie is coming out this month. It was my favorite book as a kid, and I have read it to my kids as well, through the years. LOVE IT!

Well, with all my excitement, I decided to try and come up with a pattern for the striped shirt monster in the book. I saw an outfit on Etsy someone had made for their son, and it was adorable, so it inspired me to give it a shot.

I am about half way through making him, but think that once I get the basics down, I can tweek it a bit to make some of the other monsters too. I am hoping to make 3 different ones by the time the movie comes out, so all 3 kids can bring their own "friend" to the wild rumpus at the theatres!! LOL

I'll post pics as soon as I have him completed!

Oh....and I almost forgot to show you guys...

the Teddy bear I made for my friends baby. I hadn't posted it before because she had not received it yet, and I didn't want to ruin the surprise if she saw it here first.

This bear was given to little Cherish Anese...


My daughter loved it so much that she asked me to make her one....this must be where all of my pink fun fur went. LOL!


I used the same pattern on both, but you can see how different they look with the different yarns. I used the Lion Brand "Bear in a Jiff" pattern to make both, and think they are adorable!

September is here already....

2 of my 3 kids are back at school, and to say I have been busy would be an understatement! Aside from all of the back to school hubbub, I have also been working for my father in law, and doing some crafts on the side.

Shortly after school started, another mom at school had a little baby girl. I wasn't sure what she was going to have, as they waited until she was born to find out themselves, I made a few crocheted balls for the baby. The first one was made before the baby was born with a brown yarn and brown fun fur. I thought they baby would enjoy the texture of the ball with the fur. My PLAN was to then wait until the baby was born, and then crochet a matching one in either pink or blue fun fur.....which I thought I already had. BUT...since money was tight with back to school....I made a striped one, in bright "girly" colors to go with it.

The brown furry one would actually be cute as a little "monster" with eyes stitched on it....but I left it as is, since it is for a little babu!


and the striped one....


We also had a birthday party to attend last weekend for my friends daughter who was turning 3. I bought her some super cute dress up items, like a tiara, little high heel shoes, rings, etc....
I saw some cute snap clips that were beaded, and though..."I can totally make those"....so I went home, and did. Plus a matching necklace and bracelet. My daughter did not want to give them up....so I guess they were a success! LOL

Here they are, with another set I made, just for fun.

Well, summer got in the way

I didn't do as many of my wish lists as I had planned. Now that the kids are back in school, I may have a little more time on my hands to craft!

I did make a couple of jean purses. I made one for me, and after seeing it, my daughter asked me to make one for her.....so...........here is the one I made for me:



and here is the one I made for my daughter:





Now, I think I will move on to baby items!

Am I crazy?

I'm thinking I may be....my husband already knows I am!

I am almost done with the teddy bear I am making my daughter, and ran out of pink fun fur....gotta get some today so I can finish it. I WANT to finish it, because I am dying to break out my sewing machine and experiment.

I have been saving old jeans for a while, with the grand idea of making a patchwork quilt out of them. Well....I saw a lady with the cutest purse made from jeans, and I really think I could do it. It would go with....well.....EVERYTHING! LOL! I just have to figure out the best way to line it.

Also, Michaels has ribbons on sale this week, and I want to go buy some and stock up, so I can make my daughter and I some 4th of July hairbows. I am a total dork, I know! Its okay....I own it. All my friends already know it. I've given up "cool" long ago!

So, my "craziness" is that I haven't even finished the project I am working on, and I already have the next 4 or 5 in my head!
1. Purse
2 Hairbows
3. baby toys
4. rice pillow
5. okay....so I really only have 4 in my head!

Past Projects

So, I decided to put a few pictures in here of past crochet projects I have completed. Most of them have come about because I saw a picture of something, and was too cheap (ie: had no money) to pay for the item or a pattern, so I just worked at it, until I was happy with the finished project.

Looking back on some of these, I wish I had written it down as I went....but I think I can figure it out again, if I were to choose so.

Making a Lion out of my little Lambie:

I crocheted this hat with 3 strands of yarn in a loop stitch, and gave it ear flaps that button together under the chin to give a "mane" look. I also crocheted little cuffs to wear around the wrist.
here is a close up of the mane:



"Fur" dice:
I had a friend who had sold his regular car, and was driving an old jalopy that had been given to him for use until he replaced his car. He had a hula girl on the dash, and said the only thing more he wanted while driving the beast was fur dice to hang from the rear view mirror. Here his present is before I gave them to him:



Baby Blanket:

I made this for a friends little baby....made with a puff stitch and ruffled edge.


Beaded Headband with crocheted flower clips:
My daughters friend was having a birthday party, and I made a bunch of hair accessories for her, this included.


numerous other projects, but I don't want to bore anyone.

Okay...so I know I am talking to myself

BUT....

today I decided to try a new site to try and sell my "crafts". I am now on WhimsAndTrims.ecrater.com

a fellow crafter on craigslist mentioned it to me, so I signed up. I am still working on getting my store set up, but its a start.

I'm sure no one is reading me here yet.....but just in case. It may be a total bust, and waste of time, but I thought I would give it a shot, and see if I can't raise a little more income for our family.

This may be the beginning...

of a beautiful relationship.

I spend most of my free time (not much with 3 children and work) working on crafts of different sorts. I have seen numerous blogs from other crafters and frequently find inspiration from them, so I decided to track my "crafting" and maybe inspire someone else.

I taught myself how to do many different crafts, but the one I love the most is crochet. I taught myself how about 8 years ago, and started with simple scarfs, etc. I was just asked by a good friend to make a sack boy (Little Big Planet character) for her son, but could not find a pattern to save my life. There were many knitting patterns available, but that is ONE craft I haven't taught myself yet. I worked, and worked, frogging it numerous times, and came up with a prototype. I wrote it all down as I went, and then tweaked it a bit to make the final piece. I was very proud of it, and as far as I know, he is thrilled with it.

Here is the final little guy:

(crocheted sack boy)
I made him with weighted legs so he could stand on his own, and he stands about 8 inches high.  The pattern is for sale at whimsandtrims.etsy.com