Week 5 - Knit A Block A Week Challenge

Yesterday, I finished the 5th square (or week 5) of the Knit A Block A Week Challenge.  I used Caron's Simply Soft yarn in Lavender Blue.  I'm using the same basic square pattern for each square (or block).  I like the look of the plain knitted square when it's joined together in a blanket and the colors I've used so far will look good together.  :)

Adventures in yarn...

Today's "adventures in yarn" include:

 the Knitted Toddler Blanket....I'm over half done with it now...but just barely...

 the 5th square in the Knit A Block A Week Challenge has finally been started...

and I felt like crocheting a bit so I broke out the circles I've been making for a wall hanging ... and made a few more... and sewed them together.... to look like this.  I still have more work to do on it, but I spent an enjoyable evening just messing around with my scraps of yarn I'm using.  It was fun and I sometimes get so wrapped up in my projects that the fun gets left out.  

Week 4 - Knit A Block A Week Challenge

Last night, I finished the 4th square (or block) for the Knit A Block A Week Challenge that I'm participating in.  I made the same basic block as the previous ones except the color is different.  This color is Light Country Peach.

Knitting

Yesterday evening, I broke out the knitting again.

 I had taken three days off (yep...I was shocked it had been three days) from the Knitted Toddler Blanket so it was time to give it some attention.  It's starting to grow in a steady manner, so that makes me happy.

Then today, I had a brief thought about how many squares (or blocks) I need for the Knit A Block A Week Challenge and after looking at the calendar, I realized that I need 5 of them for January.  I have made 3.  So I started square #4 today.  It's in the color Light Country Peach.

Easy Basic Meatballs

I watch Rachel Ray's morning talk show, and in honor of it being "Meatball Week", I've decided to share my Easy Basic Meatball recipe again.  (We're having Spaghetti and Meatballs for dinner tonight.)

You can view my original "meatball" post here...and see the photos.
http://bookfairy43.blogspot.com/2013/01/easy-basic-meatballs.html

here's the basic meatball recipe I use.

1 lb. ground beef
1/2 to 2/3 c. dry breadcrumbs
1/4 c. milk
1/4 to 3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 small onion, chopped
1 egg

Combine all ingredients and shape into 20 to 24 meatballs (about 1 to 1 1/2 inches each).

To oven bake:  Place in an ungreased 9 x 13 pan.  (You can line with foil for easier clean up).
Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until light brown and cooked through; turn meatballs halfway through, if desired, to help maintain a round shape.

To pan fry:  Cook in skillet on medium heat, turning as needed, until brown (approx. 20 minutes).

To microwave:  Place in a microwave proof 12 x 7 pan and cover loosely.
Microwave on high for 3 minutes; rearrange meatballs.
Cover loosely again and microwave until brown inside, approx. 5 to 7 minutes more.
Let stand uncovered 3 minutes.

Yarn Ends

I've started saving my yarn ends.  I don't know why.  Other than I see everyone else saving theirs.  Goodness knows, I have a lot of them that I just dump in the trash.  So tell me...what do you all do with them?

These are my ends from this morning.  A good pile started already.

Crochet Mood Blanket

After much thought, I decided to rework the Crochet Mood Blanket that I'm working on.  My previous squares were just too big.  I decided to make 1 round granny squares (they are very tiny) and hook them together as I went.  I really like these.  But...my blanket is planned out for 360 squares which is 18 squares by 20 squares.....and 18 squares hooked together is about 26 inches.  That's not very big.  After a lot more thought, I've come to this conclusion....I'll probably turn this into a big floor cushion instead of a blanket.  If I do a blanket, it would be a baby sized one if I didn't work a LOT of border around it.  I think the big floor cushion will be the best bet.  My family loves the oversized light green pillow that I made and they are constantly fighting over who gets to use it.  This would give them one more big cushion to fight over.  lol

Anyway, the above photo shows the current stage of the "new" Crochet Mood Blanket.  I'm caught up until I get to today's mood.

Books

The last two books that have been in my hands are:

Marked.  Book 1 in the House of Night series.

I have read this several times and I was thinking of starting the series again.  But I changed my mind after finishing Marked.  I'm just not ready to read them again (yet).

The Game of Thrones.  Book 1 in the series.

I'm reading this now.  Slowly.  I've read it before but it's been awhile.  I have not read the other books in the series yet.

Those are my current "reads".  What are yours?

Drug Reaction

Once again, my family is giving the ER a work out.  This time, it's Small T.  She had a reaction to the antibiotic the dentist prescribed for her impacted wisdom teeth.

We hate being an "allergic" family.

Especially on a Sunday night at 10:40 pm and you have school the next day and you're about to be doped up on a lot of medication that makes you groggy and hard to wake up the next day.

Poor Small T.

Mess & Creativity

I always wonder...is "the degree of mess" equally proportional to "level of creativity".

In my case, the answer would be no.

I've got a good mess happening on the couch but haven't created a single thing today.

Bummer.

Inspired by...

The last two days, I've been visiting the blog, Tales From A Happy House.
http://www.talesfromahappyhouse.com/

From the first blog entry, I've already learned something.  I've learned that Hama Beads are not just for kids.  She played right along with her kids and made 4 very unique coasters out of these beads and I am absolutely in love with them.  From visiting these blogs lately, I'm really learning to keep an open mind about crafting and the different methods or techniques that are out of my normal crafting scope.  This craft was a real "eye opener" for me.

Here are some more highlights of her blog (or at least what I found interesting):

I got a real kick out of "John" being so specific in his "wants" in regards to the Leeds United scarf she made him.  :)  It's nice to see a man that knows what he likes and isn't settling for anything less.  Once he received it, he's wearing it non-stop, so that's a real testament to her crocheting skills.

I'm not really big on stuffed animals, but I do enjoy the "homemade" ones.  I could really see myself purchasing an animal like Bella's Rabbit as well as a wardrobe of clothes for her.  I wouldn't want it for myself but would love to get a couple of them and put them away for my future grandkids.

She shares a great tutorial for making bird cakes to hang in the trees for the winter birds to eat.  We're big bird feeding people here in my household so this is something my husband might be interested in trying.

The "cleaning out the cupboards" post has inspired me to do the same with mine.  I know I've got partial bags of chocolate chips, some pecans, and other things left over from my Christmas baking that I should be using up instead of letting go to waste.

I think it's so sweet that she made Angus a dog "softie" and then she really completed the whole present off when she wrapped it in a blanket and put it in a suitcase.  Sometimes, I don't think about the "whole package" when I make something and this teaches me that I should.

The flower hair clips and the alphabet beaded bracelets she made for the treat bags for her daughter's birthday really personalized the bags for each girl.  That took some time to do and it really made it special.  She's a thoughtful mom.  I like that.

She has a great idea for her granny square blankets.  After she made all the little circles, she threaded them on the yarn end of each color she's using for the next round.  That's a truly inspirational idea!

I feel like I'm not alone in regards to my knitting issues after reading her experiences with The Knitted Washcloth.  I am NOT very good at knitting, but I do try.  Her post made me smile and say to myself, "I've been there".  Heck, I'm still there.

The crocheted scarf she made for her 6 year old niece is just darling.  So sweet and girlish.  Just what a 6 year old would want.  If I was 6, I would want it.  I might want one now.  In black, red and gray.  A grown up version to match my winter coat.

In her Sept. 17th, 2013 post, I totally adore her "garland #2".  It's very similar to what I'm wanting to make for my bedroom.

She re-did the kids' small wooden playhouse on a very limited budget and it came out great!  She did a great job recycling and reusing items.

I like that her crocheted items are not all done in the soft pastel colors that a lot of other people favor right now.  She uses the colors that she likes.  I use a few pastels every now and then, but my home is very masculine in it's style so most of my projects end up using the rich, deep jewel tones of green, blue, red, etc. with some browns thrown in.  I always feel a bit out of place in the crochet world due to my color choices but she shows me that she also uses a different color palette so I don't feel so bad.

She's inspiring me to try "lemon curd".  I've never had it.  However, Big Daddy and Small T love the taste of lemon, so it would be worth a try.

I like that she makes jams and jellies.  This year, we will be making them again.  Our current stock is depleted.  I'm lucky in that I have a cherry tree in the back yard so I have plenty of them for my own use as well as for sharing or trading.  My favorite jam I make is blackberry/cherry.  It's fabulous!

I like how she re-made her daughter, Bella's room.  I particularly like the thick striped blanket on her bed and the spray painted picture frames.  So cute!  And the fairy lights are gorgeous in there as well.

She has a great tutorial for sprucing up your gardening pots with a bit of paint.  Lovely!

I'm intrigued that she gave potted sunflower starts as one of the party favors at her son's birthday party.  That's a unique idea.  To go with the topic of the sunflower starts, this is the first time I've seen a grow house versus a green house.  I wonder if they have them here in the USA?  Apparently it comes in a kit, so I will have to do some checking around.

In the April 16th, 2013 post, she shows a knitted cushion cover on her daughter's bed.  I love it!  It's something I could make even with my limited knitting skills.

I really got a kick out of the Shoebox Bedroom For a Little Mouse that she blogged about.  Such creativity astounds me!  I wish I had thought about some of these things when my kids were making diorama's for school projects.  (There is also a Shoebox Kitchen.)

I like her quick and easy tutorial for making Granny Chic Tea Lights.

You know, I never thought I'd say this, but toliet paper rolls can really turn out some great craft projects.  Just take a look at the Nativity they made (Dec. 6th, 2012 post).  All I can say is "Wow".

She shares a good tutorial for making Felt Christmas Stockings (big ones).

I never thought of calling chocolate dipped pretzel rods "edible sparklers".  That's a much better name for them!

Her "How To Applique" Tutorial is something that might just come in handy someday.  I'll have to remember this post of hers.  I think she did a bang-up job covering the holes in her blanket with the applique birds.  It looks absolutely wonderful now.

And last, but not least, while reading her blog (yep...the whole thing), I ended up googling several things.  First, what's the difference between fairy cakes and cup cakes.  Then, what is lemon curd.  Also, what is clotted cream.  There was another question in there too, but I can't remember what it was at this moment.  I'll think of it later on, I'm sure.

Anyway, if you're up for a good blog visit, stop by this one.  There's lots of beautiful photography, recipes, crafts, and much more, so you'll have plenty to read about, and hopefully be inspired by.

Progress...

We didn't make it to Small T's appointment in Sedalia this afternoon.  The truck broke down.  *sigh*  But at least we were able to make it back home without having to tow it there.  After dinner, which Big Daddy cooked, I did manage to work on the two crochet projects I have going on.

 The crochet part of the Crocheted Baby Sweater is finished.  I used Simply Soft yarn in White and in Grey Heather from my stash.  I need to sew the button on now and I'm thinking of adding a few Apple Blossom flowers to the sweater as embellishment.  I think they would be cute.

I also finished the crochet part of the Angel Wings Pinafore.  I used two colors of Bernat Baby Coordinates yarn in Iced Mint and Natural.  These were also in my yarn stash.  I still need to add the buttons to the back and I'm thinking of embellishing the yoke with something, but I'm not quite sure what.  I'll have to think on this.  These two colors really aren't my favorite, but Big Daddy assures me that they look ok.  I'm not sure about that either.  lol  Honestly, I'm not sure of much of anything today, so "no problem", right?

Here are the links to the crocheted projects:

http://bundlesoflove.org/CrochetedBabySweater

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/angel-wings-pinafore

These are the only things I've worked on today.  I'm taking a small break from the knitted toddler blanket and I'm thinking of reworking the squares for the crochet mood blanket I'm working on.

I've read a tiny little bit today on "The Game of Thrones" book I'm reading.  I've read this book before, but didn't finish the series, so I'm re-reading this before I pick up the 2nd book.  This is a pretty thick book with lots of little typing, so this one will take me awhile.

Crocheting

Today, I am going to be on the road with Small T.  Since she's so small, she was asked to model a prom dress in a runway show and they are having practice tonight.  They have fittings, hair and makeup, and then the actual run through of the runway show, so I will have a bit of waiting to do.  Especially at the fitting part.  The smallest dress they had was a size 6 and Small T is a 2.  Anyway, I have some projects to take with me.

 The Crocheted Baby Sweater that I'm working on.

And an Angel Wings Pinafore that I started last night.

So...bring on the "waiting" so I can get some yarn time!!!

Crocheted Baby Sweater

I usually have several projects going at once.  Crocheting is my main love, so I'm always crocheting something.  But, I also like to knit.  And there's usually one knitting project just waiting for my attention in amongst all the crocheting that's going on.  In my current state, the knitting project was chosen first and I've been working on it diligently.  So I've been choosing smaller crochet projects to work on so I'm not completely distracted from knitting.

Today, I've started this http://bundlesoflove.org/CrochetedBabySweater .  I've made these before and I think they are wonderful little baby sweaters.

I've still got several skeins of Caron's Simply Soft White yarn in my stash, so that's what I'm using for this sweater.  I'm also using one size bigger when it comes to the crochet hook.  I tend to crochet a bit tighter so I'm using a size I hook.

Irritating

It's extremely irritating to work with a skein of yarn and little specks of a different color are located throughout the yarn.  In this case, the yarn specks are black and they are woven in amongst the white yarn so I can't just pick them out.  If I don't cut the yarn, then I'll have this black showing and that's not what I'm wanting to see in the finished product.  *sigh*  To say it's irritating is an understatement.

Inspiration

Yesterday, I visited the blog, Mon Makes Things.
http://www.monmakesthings.com/

If you like variety, this is the blog for you.  She makes a lot of different things using a variety of craft techniques.  Here are a few of my favorites:

I was thrilled to see that she is participating in the Crochet Mood Blanket 2014 challenge.  I am too!
She has shared a free crochet pattern.  It's the Arden Granny Square Pattern.
I fell in love with her Pallet Christmas Tree.  My husband could make me one of these!
She does String Art and that's something that I'm wanting to try.
Her Star Light Garland Tutorial is something I would love to try as well.  It looks pretty easy.
She has a WIP that is very inspirational to me.  It's a colorful granny blanket made out of hexagons.  She even posts a How-To for it.
The Crochet Heart Pillow pattern is something that I could see myself making for my nieces.

There are many, many more tutorials and projects to see so stop by for a visit.  I'm sure you'll find something that appeals to you and your crafting talents!

Update on WIP

I've been plugging along on the Knitted Toddler Blanket.  I have 90 rows knitted now.  That leaves 200 rows to go.

Picot & Lace (Baby) Sweater - Stash-busting For Stashaholics

 See this little jar of buttons on the right?  It was in my Christmas stocking this year.  Smart of Santa (me) to buy it and stick it in there.  I couldn't believe that it was a whole dollar at Michael's.  I only bought the one buttons though.  I probably should have bought a few of the other colors as well.  Especially for a dollar a piece.  Anyway, I digress.  I broke out these white buttons and used 3 of them for the little Picot & Lace (baby) Sweater.

 It only took a few moments to sew the buttons on the sweater.

And it was finished!

I used Caron's Simply Soft yarn in White.  About a half of a skein of yarn.  Maybe a touch more.  This yarn came out of my bag of (stash) Simply Soft yarn downstairs.  That makes this a Stash-busting For Stashaholics project.  :)  Woo Hoo!  The pattern can be found by clicking here.

Update

Today, I worked another 10 rows on the Knitted Toddler Blanket.

That's 50 rows down.  240 rows to go.

Creative Space

You know, I would dearly love to have my own area to create in.  A little room that I could decorate to my heart's content with things that I like and things that make me happy.  But alas, I don't have that sort of area.  This is what I do have.

I have my own little comfortable spot on the couch next to the coffee table where my favorite cups of knitting needles and crochet hooks sit.  It's also where my big red cup sits waiting for the pieces of yarn to fill it up before being thrown in the trash can.  Underneath the table I keep my bags of projects that I am working on.  The current project I'm making always rests beside me on the couch.  Everyone in the house knows that this is "my space" and for right now, I'm happy with it.

Poor TV

Goodbye, Little TV.  You've been Tianna's since kindergarten.  That was 12 years ago.  I'm sorry for the thick layer of dust on your top, but you see, Small T is very small and you were perched very high on a shelf in her room and she couldn't see the dust and give you a wiping down.  Thanks so much for your trusted service over the years.  Small T will miss you greatly.

Inspired By...

Today, I am visiting the blog, My Little Red Suitcase.
http://lifeatmylittleredsuitcase.blogspot.com/

What I'm inspired by:

I love the colors of the latest cushion cover that she is making.  The colors really pop against the white background!  I also like the cushion cover with the gray or natural colored background (she calls it her biscuit cushion).  I could see that one in my home.
The way she has decorated her bedroom ceiling lamp (chandelier) is right up my alley!  I just need to find a chandelier for my room.  I need to add it to my list of "wants" for all the garage sales this summer.
She has made a "Homemade @ my place" Christmas Tree....and that's on my list to make as well!
Her crocheted Autumn Blanket is just beautiful!  I would like this in my home too!
I like that she tries out other crafts besides ones that involve yarn.  Like her, I think of myself as a crafter not an artist, but I LONG to be an artist.  I admire her for her month of watercolor painting small pieces of paper and then making a collage out of them at the end of the month.
The colors of her Easter Rug are so Spring-like and that's just the ticket for me while I'm suffering with Winter.
I thoroughly love her old sewing machine, Miss Trissie, that's been passed down through the family.  She's the 3rd generation to use it.  That's fantastic!
I've decided that I LOVE fake fur pillows and rugs.  Gotta get me one of each.  In a natural tone though.  No florescent colors. **I might have to take that back.  I just saw the red, furry rug in her teen's room...and it's making me go "WOW!".**
The small hexagon blanket she made is just adorable!  I want one so badly!  But I've never attempted a hexagon blanket before.  I'm going to have to pull up my big girl panties and give it a go this year.  No more procrastination!
The Granny Stripe Blanket on her teen's bed is wonderful!

Her blog is full of photography...beautiful flowers, lovely countryside, handmade projects either made by her or thrifted, and much, much more.  Take a few moments and stop by for a visit.

Picot & Lace

Yesterday, I felt the need to do a bit of crocheting instead of just knitting on the toddler blanket.  I'm making the Picot & Lace (baby) Sweater.  Pattern can be found here .

 I'm using a skein of Caron's Simply Soft yarn in White that was in my yarn stash.

It's coming along nicely.

Inspiration

Today, I would like to talk a little bit about this blog...Mias Landliv.
http://miaslandliv.blogspot.com/

If I could pick a house to live in, I would pick hers.  I absolutely adore her home.  I love her decorating scheme so much and it's one huge point of inspiration to me.  I'm a shabby chic girl at heart, living in a home with a very masculine decorating scheme with antlers on the walls and wood paneling everywhere.  I think what draws me to her home so much is she does "shabby chic" in a clean, simple style.  It's just beautiful and it calls to me every time I visit her blog.  In particular, I love her throw that is worked in shades of gray and naturals and is both knitted and crocheted.  It's just lovely.  I also long for her cushions.  Especially the cabled knit cushions in gray, soft pink and a creamy white color.  So feminine but so usable.  And last, but not least, I'm awed that she uses quilts and crocheted coverlets as tablecloths.  I wouldn't dare do that here in my home of messy people, but I LONG to do so.  In summary, if you would like to visit a lovely little Norwegian home that's just beautiful to look at, please visit her blog.  She quilts, crochets and knits as well as shares a few recipes as well as beautiful photos of her home and garden.  She's truly inspiring.

Knitting

I managed to knit 30 rows on the "toddler blanket" today.  That's pretty good for me.  Now, I'm calling it a night.  Catch you all tomorrow!

Knitted Toddler Blanket

The name, Knitted Toddler Blanket, is a total misnomer.  There's nothing toddler sized about it.  I made one of these before.  If you click here, you can see it.  It was Navy & Gray in color.  And I absolutely loved it when it was finished.  But I hated making it.  So...what do I do.  I start another one of them today.  Yep.  I need my head examined.  But, the first one was for Muffin Man and now Blue Boy needs one too.  (Muffin Man and Blue Boy are brothers.)  I dug around in my stash of yarn downstairs last night and found 4 skeins of Red Heart With Love in Holly Berry and 1 skein of Pewter.  That should be enough to make this blanket if I switch up the size of the stripes.

 Here I am casting on the 125 stitches and starting the first row of knitting.

 I quickly worked a couple of rows because once I get them done, I won't rip it out and pretend it never existed.

And now, I have 10 rows done.  I have to keep going.  No turning back.  

The last blanket took me forever so I will have to stay on top of this one so it doesn't take me forever too.

Inspired By...

Today, I visited another blog that's new to me, Knot Your Nana's Crochet.
 http://www.knotyournanascrochet.com/.

This is a blog where she lists her free crochet patterns along with some of the other projects she makes.  She also has a Ravelry and Craftsy page with patterns for sale.

I found several patterns that I can see myself making:

the Simple Crochet Roses (in 3 sizes)
The Large Flower Hair Bow Holder (I could see Small T using this for her cheerleading bows)
The Blooming Rose's Blanket Pattern (it's beautiful!)
the Easy Market Bag
the Crochet Chain Bracelet (my nieces would love these!)

She also hosts a few CAL's:

The Granny Square CAL
The Christmas MCAL (mystery CAL)
The Halloween Themed MCAL

I also like that she has posted the following:

10 Ways To Join Granny Squares
10 Free Crochet Edging Patterns
How To Block Acrylic Granny Squares
10 Great Granny Projects

Stop by her blog sometime and see if there's anything you would be interested in making!!!

Week 3 - Knit A Block A Week Challenge

While waiting up for Small T last night, I ended up finishing the 3rd block.

I'm using the same basic pattern that I used for the first 2 blocks.  This one is the color Woodland Heather.

Block 3

Small T is out and about tonight, so I'm up waiting for her to get home.  In the meantime, I decided to start my 3rd block for the Knit A Block A Week Challenge.

I'm making the same basic block that I used for the first two, except this one is in the color Woodland Heather.  The yarn I'm using is Caron's Simply Soft.

At this point, I have 40 rows knitted, out of the 65 that I need.  Not too bad for a slow knitter!

Update - Crochet Mood Blanket

I took a few minutes in the last hour and caught up on my squares for the Crochet Mood Blanket 2014.  I hadn't made my squares since the 11th.  I'm joining them as I go, so I have them in order.  The photo shows my bag of yarn that I'm using.  It's pretty handy to have it all in one place.  When I'm ready to work on it, I just grab the bag and get to work.

Color-ific One Piece Throw (1/2 Stash Buster)

**Sorry for the photo.  There's no detail and Small T is the one holding the throw, so...no real idea of it's height since she's so short and she also has it wadded up in her hands.**

Anyway, I finished my last WIP - The Color-ific One Piece Throw.  It's a free pattern from Red Heart and it can be found here .

I had 3 skeins of this yarn in my stash (and I still can't find the other 3 missing skeins) and ended up buying 3 more skeins of yarn in order to complete this.  I used Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Grape Fizz.  Since only half the yarn came from my stash, I honestly can't call this a stash busting project for the Stashbusting for Stashaholics Challenge that I'm doing in 2014.  But that's ok.  (Geez...did I say stash enough here???)  lol

So...I now have all of my WIP's finished.  It's time to look for something else to work on.  :)

WIP

I am down to one last WIP ... the Colorific One Piece Throw.

I picked it back up yesterday and have been working away at it since.  I've finished the main body of the throw and now I'm working on the border.  The border is 3 rounds but ... I might not have enough yarn to do all 3 rounds.  We'll just have to wait and see.  I'm hoping to finish it today, while the football games are on TV.

Earflap Hats

I had an order for 2 of my "Teen/Adult Earflap Hats".

It's one of my free patterns and you can find it here .

 I sat down yesterday and got them made.  I had forgot how quick they are to make.  It didn't take me any time at all.
The person that ordered them, provided the yarn.  She had Red Heart Super Saver in Claret and Charcoal.  Two of the school colors where her kids go.  There was 2 skeins of each color and I used 1 skein of each.

I forced poor Little Ty into modeling one of them for me....bare chest and all.  He was not pleased.  And I had to swear that the photo will NOT go on Facebook.  :(  It would be great blackmail material, but I promised.

Inspired By...

Today, I'm visiting the blog, Caught On A Whim.  http://www.caughtonawhim.com/

This blog is (recently) new to me.  But that didn't stop me from sitting down and reading the "whole" blog in one fell swoop. (Twice now!)  I like that she does a variety of crafts...crochet, sewing, jewelry making, etc..  She also has a lot of "style" tutorials that would definitely be up Small T's alley.

I'm inspired by:

The (absolutely brilliant) Granny Square Christmas Tree Skirt she made.  All I can say is "Wow"!
Her Crochet Spiral Christmas Tree Pattern (I've already tried it out!)
The Sequin Sparkles Ornament (How-To)
I like her Style Tip on How To Make A Necklace Look Longer and she gives a tutorial on how to make the Acorn Necklace too!
Her Daisy Crochet Pattern
Her "Crafty Photography Set Up" tips - I always need help with taking good photos for my blog
The DIY:  Wordy Sweater Tutorial
The DIY:  Gift Bow Hair Clip
The DIY:  Big Dreams Dreamcatcher  (Small T would love this!)
The DIY:  Sequin Hairclip (Small T would love this too!)
The Turtle Cake Recipe  (looks yummy and I don't like Chocolate cake)
The DIY:  Flower Hair Clip
The DIY:  Floral Pin

She makes some beautiful projects that she uses...either around her home or as a fashion accessory.  It doesn't look like she spends a lot of money on them either.  I like that!

Crochet "S" - Stash-Busting For Stashaholics

Using yarn from my stash, I made myself 11 little granny squares.

Ch 4.  Join to form a ring.

Round 1- Ch 2, 2 dc in ring; *3 dc in ring, ch 2; repeat 2 more times; ch 2, join to top of beg ch 2.

Round 2- ch 1, sc in each st around, working (sc, ch 2, sc) in each corner.

Fasten off.

 Inspired by the Crochet Letters on the blog, Homemade @ My Place

http://homemadeatmyplace.blogspot.com/2013/12/hello-sign-done.html.

 I crocheted the squares together.

 Grabbed a piece of cardboard and started sewing my "S" onto it, since I wanted it to have a bit of sturdy backing.

 Then I cut around the edge of the S.

 And I didn't pay a bit of attention to what I was doing.

 And cut the yarn (in several places) that was holding the S down.

 So I sewed it down again and taped the yarn ends down.

And Ta-Da!!!!!  The "S" is finished.  I'm going to add a bit of clear fishing line to the back and hang it up on the wall in my bedroom.....my "purple" bedroom.  :)

Birdie - Stash-busting for Stashaholics

I also started a Birdie Decoration today (pattern from Attic 24 http://attic24.typepad.com/weblog/birdie-decoration.html ).  This is another project where I'm using up some yarn out of my stash.

 I'm a bit "on the fence" about the colors.

I couldn't decide on the wing color, so I tried out the yellow, the white, and the light brown.  I chose yellow in the end.

This is as far as I've gotten with this.  I'll have to work on it later.
**Edited to add...I finished the birdie up this evening.**

Birdie.  In colors that co-ordinate with my lavender colored bedroom.