Soapy Ghosts

When it comes to holidays, it's normal to think of dressing up our doors with wreaths, our windows with decals and lights and our shelves with cute nik-naks. I had all those things and more, so where was I to go from there?

Where else? Somewhere a lot of people wouldn't think about.

The soap dispenser.

Every once in a while I get really lucky and think of a project that comes together really quickly. It's even better when something so easy turns out better than I expected. I love the way the spider looks like he's clinging to the bottle and the ghost looks like he's just "passing through".

I can't wait to get started on November and December's soap covers!

BOO! Did I scare you?

 I didn't plan on sending Halloween cards this year, but something came up and I needed just one quick card.  I've been so busy playing catch up with Activity Days that I hadn't put any thought into what kind of card I wanted to do. So, imagine my surprise when, after just a few minutes, this emerged from the paper.

Isn't it cute?! I have no idea how it happened!!! Every once in a while, I step back and, with a little grin say "Did I do that?!"

And no, not in the Steve Urkle way!

I seriously love love love this card. I immediately made 2 more.... they might not all get sent!

Keepin' It Simple- Me Style

I had only been serving in my "new" calling for a short time when I realized that 9 of the 24 girls in my group  had birthdays in a 6 week period- and I had already missed almost half of them. I needed to get caught up, and I needed to do it fast!

Most people, under these circumstances would have bought a few cards, grabbed a little treat and called it good- at least that's what I saw on most of the Activity Day's blogs I looked on. I decided instead to keep it simple- at least "simple" according to me.

Step One-

Birthday Cards. I mass produced a stack of these pretty and basic little cards.  

Step Two-

Birthday Treat. I have a bad history with baking so I instantly ruled out the idea of cupcakes. Instead, I trimmed down brown lunch bags with decorative edged scissors and glued simple paper flowers to the front. Each bag was filled with candy (I'm so glad it's October- lots of big bags of candy to choose from!!!) and tied off with bits of raffia. Amazingly enough, I had exactly enough candy to make 9 bags of evenly distributed treats! What are the odds?

Tada!!!

As I stepped back and looked at the finished projects, I realized that simple can be the best way to go! There was so much more that I could have done. I'm so glad that I didn't! Simple, sweet, and well received!!

Un-Canny Transformations- aka "FALL" for cans

So I've had this project in mind for a while, but it just kept getting pushed aside. I haven't been crafting much, and  had other things I needed to do more. Finally, this weekend, desperate for a break from trying to get organized in a new church calling, I grabbed some cans and got started!!

Originally, I painted the cans a dark brown, but I didn't like how it turned out. So, I painted over the brown with cream colored paint. You'll notice, I wasn't careful about how I painted. I wanted the brown to show through. I liked the rustic feel it gave it.  Once the paint was dry, I took some strips of cream colored fabric and glued those around the middle of the can. You can't see this detail very well in the pictures. I probably shouldn't have done everything cream colored, but I actually really like the combination of beige, tan, brown, etc. I'm "beige", I guess!

After the fabric, I glued a piece of ribbon around, lace on one can, gross grain on the other, followed by two small doilies I had crocheted earlier.  Both of the doilies started off as the same pattern, but I played with them a bit and they turned out very different on the outer edges. I had so much fun playing with the pattern, tweaking it to work for me.

I played around with ideas for the final touches and finally settled on some raffia bows and soft peach colored buttons. I promise, the buttons are peach, they are just so light they look- what else- beige!

It wasn't until today that I realized that this project was a perfect "Transformation" project! I know I haven't done one in a while, and it hadn't even crossed my mind while I was working on these. Like any good "transformation project" it started out with a need. This was a need for something pretty to hold my markers for my note board in my dining room.  

 I liked the idea so much, I couldn't just make one!

 The second can will hang from my towel bar above my kitchen sink. The colors are perfect for fall, but they will work year round- because they are beige! Ah, see how that works? I can put different flowers and things in this second, larger can to add a splash of color to my kitchen.

It was while I was digging in my "recycling" box to find this second can, that I stumbled across several small tomato sauce cans. Another idea was born. I already had my supplies out, why not run with this "un-canny" project and have some fun with it!

For this project, I painted the cans with two coats of cream colored paint. The letters are nothing more than foam stickers. At first I painted over them in a variety of fall colors, orange, brown, soft yellow, and a peachy red color. I guess I really am beige, because I ended up painting over them in solid brown. I just didn't care for how the colors looked together.  They were too different in tone, some too bright and some too soft.  I know it's "boring" and beige, but I really like the solid brown.  Once the cans were dry, I glued cream colored gross grain ribbon around, glued down the now dry foam stickers and added some flowers and orange rhinestones for a splash of- heaven forbid!!!- color!!!

I had so much fun with this project. It was nice doing a transformation project again. I recently took two boxes of my "recycling" stuff to an actual recycling drop off. It was sort of sad, but I realized that I had to let some of it go! My husband was shocked. I guess he doesn't realize that I still have two more boxes in the closet.... More transformations? I think so!!!

Happy Fall!

Pssst.... I Love Yarn!

October 12th is "I Love Yarn" Day! I completely missed it last year, so when I saw the date was coming up, I made sure to send myself a reminder!

There are several things you can do to share the love on "I love Yarn" day. This year, I am choosing to wear a crocheted item and give a gift of yarn. The gift I am giving is the perfect two-fer item for today's post!

Last year right before Thanksgiving, I finished this adorable "Pumpkin Scarecrow".

You might remember him from last year. I am crazy in love with him, he's one of my very favorite Fall decorations. My mom also fell in love with him. As soon as she saw him, she requested one just like him. That's saying something, my mom never asks me to make her anything because she doesn't want to "be a bother"! Isn't that silly?

Sadly, I never quite got around to making her one. However, I never forgot her request. It's been in the back of my mind for nearly a year. I have been determined to re-create Mr. Pumpkin Man! Finally, that day has come!  Meet the newest member of our Pumpkin Patch!

Isn't he precious?! I just love this little man. And this time, I actually wrote the pattern down as I went along.

If this doesn't bring a smile to your face, I don't know what will. He is going to make the perfect gift for "I Love Yarn" day! I love a good excuse to give the gift of yarn!

Flowers and Bows

I always love having the opportunity to crochet baby blankets, it's one of my most favorite things to do. Luckily, I have been given lots of chances to do so lately.

The most difficult part of any baby blanket is choosing the pattern. I always want to choose just the right pattern for the person. Of course, what I would choose is rarely the same as what the person would choose, but I enjoy playing around until I stumble across the stitch that feels right. I love stepping back, looking at the blanket, and feeling that I finally got it right.

Sometimes, even after finishing a project, I'm still not sure. Okay, most of the time I'm still not sure, which means starting over.  That's what happened a few weeks ago. My sister had requested a soft yellow baby blanket for her friend who was having a little girl. I played with a lot of different things before this pattern came together.

Somehow, it had an antique-y sort of feel to me. I liked it, but wasn't sure it was right. Setting it aside to think it over, I found myself wanting to make a second blanket for her to choose from, in case the first wasn't right. Upon discovering that I was out of yellow, I picked out all new colors and set about to do something completely different.

 

I think I managed to make something different from the first, don't you? Both very girly, very feminine, and yet polar opposites.

I sent pictures of both to my sister and let her choose. Which one do you think she picked? Which one would you pick if the choice were yours?

Do the wave!

When I started thinking about a baby blanket pattern for one of my very favorite people in the world - you know who you are-  my first thought was to do a Chevron pattern, a pattern I knew she'd like. After starting over and over and over again- 5 times-  making a little change here, a switcharoo there, I ended up with this

 I was surprised when it went from a Chevron stitch into more of a wave. I almost started over a sixth time, but I was so taken by the design this pattern was making that I decided to stick with it. I am so glad that I did because I couldn't be happier with the final result.

 Not only do I love the pattern, I love these colors together. I know they aren't the typical soft baby colors, but for me that was part of the appeal. So, against my better judgement, I used these same colors to make a hat for the precious new baby boy. 

Nothing could possibly make this little boy cuter, but I still hope to see him in this cute little hat!!