my next crochet project

I started a new crochet project today.

I will of course take pictures to post on here once it is finished.

It started out as a scarf. I was trying to use up some yarn. I knew I wasn't going to have enough, but I decided to see how far I could get.

Turns out, not very far.

So I took it out and found something fun to try. It's an Amigurumi. I didn't know what that was either until someone told me about it. Check it out here. Basically they are cute crocheted (or knitted) stuffed animals. 

The kitty and bear that I made were Amigurumi patterns. There are a lot of different websites where you can find patterns. The one I linked to looks a little more complex than the app I have on the iPad. Don't get too excited about what I'm making.

I may have it finished by Thanksgiving!

my latest creation

I wanted to share the most recent craft project I completed.

I made this for Addison's first birthday.

I thought Juliette might like it, it's a Siamese kitty like her!

another post without a picture

I finished a project that I crocheted but I don't want to post it until the recipient has received it. You see, it's a gift.

It's adorable.

I have tons of pictures on my camera that I need to rescue. Download. Remove from the camera and put on my computer. Perhaps I'll get around to that tomorrow. Then you'll get to see the cute crocheted project.

speaking of liberating pictures...

I forgot I had talked about some of the things I had crocheted. I promised pictures after I gave the recipients their gifts. Not that any of them read my blog, but I like the element of surprise. And the one day I post a picture before I give the gift, they might happen to check out my blog. Then it wouldn't be a surprise. And they would have to pretend that they actually liked the homemade gift.

Here is a teddy bear that I made for Wesley Hinman, son of our friends Amy and Adam.


He didn't start out whole (the bear, not Wesley). I didn't get any pictures of all the pieces, but here are a few before he was finished.

the head

the body

the other binkie I made

Here's the blankie I made for my sister's new baby, who we now know is a boy!! I totally forgot to include these photos yesterday when I blogged. That gives me a post for today!!

I tried to get a good picture in natural light.
I hope Cyndi doesn't mind that I post this picture?!

Spencer is set on blankies, he received five at the shower yesterday! All were handmade. One was a quilt, the other four were crocheted. And all were beautiful.

things I've neglected to blog about

I've neglected to mention a few things, so I'll use today's post to let you know what you've been missing.

I crocheted another blanket. Pictures will follow once it's a) finished and b) given to the recipient.

Irony is having almost two entire weeks of 80 degree weather, but no tires on the Corvette and the day the tires are put on the car, the weather turns rainy and chilly. Good thing we have the rest of spring and summer.

There are two weeks until Easter. As to keep myself humble I did not talk about what I gave up for Lent. But to explain any irrational behavior that might occur, it was sugar. I gave up sugar, mostly in sweets form. Again, I will mention the 80 degree weather we had and my insatiable craving for ice cream. I did go buy a Shamrock Shake last Friday and stick it in the freezer to be enjoyed after Easter. I think it will keep. I did that a few years ago when Sami purchased shakes for our Bible study and no one else liked them as much as us. I brought one of them home and stuck it in the freezer. That was the year I found out what happens when you drink two Shamrock Shakes in two days. Let's just say the green dye dyes more than just the shake.

The 2012 Formula 1 season is under way. We just finished watching the second race in Malaysia. Thank goodness for the internet; because of a rain delay our dvr didn't record the entire race.

And the last thing I neglected to mention is that Juliette celebrated her twelfth (or thereabout) birthday last Saturday.

Now it's time to go take a ride in the Corvette!

binkie

Here's the blankie I crocheted for Julie, Pete and their baby (it's actually not quite finished in this photo). They don't know if it's a boy or a girl. This was the best choice the store had in variegated colors. It was this or pastels and Julie isn't a pastel kind of person. These colors are perfect and she said they'll match the room.

Whew!

That makes me happy.

It was a super simple pattern and it really didn't take me that long to make. I had trouble with the edge at first, but once I looked it up and adjusted my instructions, it was easy too.

the other things I made

I told you here that I made a couple Christmas gifts and I took pictures of them. But I didn't want to post them just in case the recipients happened upon my blog before they received them.

They opened their gifts the other day, so it's safe for me to post pictures now!

A quick word about my photography skills. I know the lighting is poor. I don't blame my photography or even the simple point-and-shoot camera we own. It's mostly the lack of natural light outside/coming into the house. It is winter in Michigan and that means something like an average of 15 hours of daylight for the entire month. No, I'm not exaggerating (although I wish I were). Plus, being an old house, even though it has windows on all four sides, the windows themselves are covered with curtains because of the frigid temps that go along with that aforementioned lack of sunlight.

Got it?

Okay, here are the photos.

First, this is the lap blanket I made for Jerry (new brother-in-law). He's a big Colts fan, so it's in Colts colors. He got his own blanket because he had been using the one I made for my sister. It was girly, so I thought it might be nice if he had his own (in more manly colors) to wrap up in.
This is the scarf I made for his youngest daughter, Daffney. I was told her favorite color is lime green. This green was the closest thing they had (again, the photo doesn't do it justice).

And this scarf is for her older sister, Chassidy. I was told she likes any color, so I picked this light purple (I know, it looks dark; it isn't) because I like green and purple together. Just so you don't think Skylar was left out, she has a blanket and a scarf that I made for her a few years ago (okay, more than a few). Maybe it's time to make her a new one... I already had Christmas presents for her this year. Maybe next year!

Sunny skies and frigid temps

It's a two sock kind of day. Before I left the house this morning to run my weekly errands, I realized how cold my feet were and put on another pair of socks. I completely forgot I did that until just now. It is winter, and while Grand Rapids is not the coldest place in the U.S., it is cold outside. I am wearing two long-sleeved shirts and a heavy fleece shirt. I'm still cold. Mostly it is my hands that are cold. Bill desperately wants a snuggie, maybe I will have to buy us a couple of them. On the other hand, I have my giant green fleece blanket that Eddie gave me for my 30th birthday. It's big enough to cover the entire living room and it's warm. Who needs a snuggie when you have the giant green binkie?

This leads me to share the scarves I crocheted for a couple of our college gals. I told you a couple weeks ago that I was working on them and I would share the finished product once they had received them. I have confirmation that they've received the scarves and the timing couldn't have been better. They were late Christmas/early Valentine's day presents.


This pair of yellow and red, er gold and maroon scarves were sent to Lindsay and Katie who are freshmen at Central Michigan University. Go Chippewas! Those are the school colors, or as close as I could get with the color yarn I could buy. Lindsay has assured me the colors are perfect! I just hope the scarves are keeping them warm because Mt. Pleasant is not forgiving in the winter months.

This green scarf is for Miss Molly, who is attending Hope. I'm pretty sure Hope's colors are blue and something else. Not green. But Molly's favorite color is green and when I saw this yarn, I knew I had to make a scarf for her! It practically shouted at me from the shelves at Hobby Lobby when I was wondering around looking at the yarn, "Buy me! Make me a scarf for Molly!" Well, I couldn't say no. So I bought it. And I had enough leftover to make a little scarf for myself, I really liked this yarn even though it was almost impossible to start!

My next project will be a Colts colored blanket for my soon-to-be-brother in-law. He really likes the pink, yellow, green and blue blanket I made for my sister, but I think the request to make him a Colts colored blanket is so she can get her blanket back!

Hopefully these thoughts keep you warm on this chilly day. I know I'm a little bit warmer!!