tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-24918125548318683862024-03-12T21:14:50.406-07:00ADHD Crochet...because staying on task is overrated.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-29283827679528243032014-07-27T08:22:00.000-07:002014-07-27T08:22:21.101-07:00Dandelion & Crazy Eyes<div>
Pretty pleased with my latest set, as we slowly work our way through S2 of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Orange_Is_The_New_Black" target="_blank">OITNB</a>. No binge watching here, we're lucky to get one episode per night in after the kids are in bed. </div>
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I thought I would document the process of making my dolls. I love the book <a href="http://smile.amazon.com/AmiguruME-Make-Cute-Crochet-People/dp/1454703970/ref=smi_www_rcolv2_go_smi?_encoding=UTF8&*Version*=1&*entries*=0" target="_blank">AmiguruME</a> and it gives you all the patterns to pretty much make anyone you want, with a little creativity on your part. <br />
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I typically don't decide what to make. The Muse pretty much plants an idea in my head and once it's there, I can't make anything else until The Muse is satisfied. So that's <strong>Step 1:</strong> Mysterious voices beyond my control put ideas into my head.<br />
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<strong>Step 2:</strong> The Google. I image search like crazy. I study outfits, hair, skin tone and try my best to match those with yarn. I Google and Google some more. <br />
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<strong>Step 3:</strong> Heads. I've started putting the faces on at this point, because I hate embroidery and if I leave that for last, I'll end up with a lot of creepy no-mouth dolls. (I did later change Piper's eyebrows to darker.) I usually use safety eyes, but I am trying out some brad-type thingies I found. I liked the white one, because I could use a sharpie and make the eyes look a little more "crazy" than you'd get with a plain black circle. Eyelashes are a PITA, BTW. Just sayin'. </div>
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<strong>Step 3:</strong> Bodies. I find legs to be the most tedious, but I love it when a character starts to come together.</div>
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<strong>Step 4:</strong> Break out the tools, assemble and stuff. This part has taken some tweaking. I have run the floral wire up one leg and out one arm, or through both legs/both arms. Both methods have their pros and cons when it comes to doll movement, but for simplicity, I mostly wire arms together through the chest and legs together, through the bottom of the body piece. Stuffing is also a learned art. Too much and it shows through the stitches terribly and you can't get the head dowel in. Too little and your doll is floppy. My latest technique is to stuff lightly, insert the dowel and then use the needle nosed pliers to stuff little bits in around the neck, per the picture. Either way, it's always fun to bust out the heavy tools for a crochet project! </div>
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<strong>Step 5:</strong> Clothes & Accessories. I winged-it for the tops by modifying the blazer pattern from the book. This is where you can really have fun with a doll. Unless you're making prison dolls. No one feels like Georgio Armani when crafting a khaki jumpsuit. But the tiny toilet paper roll was fun to make! </div>
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<strong>Step 6:</strong> Hair. Blergh. Attaching individual strands of hair is best done while watching an episode from a Netflix Original Series. This is a first time for using this soft eyelash yarn for hair. It's super, super soft, but gives off a bit too much of a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lita_Ford" target="_blank">Lita Ford</a> vibe to me. Oh well. I rarely go back and make major changes to a crochet project. I am not a perfectionist and just tend to push through just to get the to the next big, fun project. (Hence the title of this blog.) </div>
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Oh and Susanne's hair was a blast! I love it when a character has such a distinctive feature that as soon as you finish it, the yarn comes alive! </div>
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<strong>Step 7:</strong> Close up the foot. I mean, it doesn't sound like much, but it's a very finalizing step. No more stuffing can be added. Fin. Done. Ah....feels good. </div>
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And there you have it! How the magic happens. Now go buy the book and make someone fun! </div>
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Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-1782017795637254732012-09-26T18:06:00.001-07:002012-09-26T18:06:17.576-07:00Like the late night DJ, I am taking your requestsI couldn't turn down a couple of requests from friends. <br />
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First up, a newborn baby girl football set. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dontcha just love the football buttons?</td></tr>
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I am not sure about the<a href="http://mamawendylou.blogspot.com/2011/10/baby-presents.html" target="_blank"> leg warmers</a>, wish I had a doll or baby to try them on. But the pics I have seen on etsy of babies in hats and diaper covers and leg warmers are cute. <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/109154716/knit-crochet-legwarmers-and-vintage" target="_blank">See?</a> <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/85349720/crochet-infant-newsboy-hat-diaper-cover" target="_blank">And another!</a> <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/110498732/6-12-months-baby-raggedy-ann-bonnet" target="_blank">OK, this one is a bit scary.</a> Plus, I needed something simple to work on in the car on the way to Florida, so there you have it. Leg warmers. They go well with the <a href="http://cbraden7.blogspot.com/2011/08/diaper-cover-pattern.html" target="_blank">ruffle butt</a>, I think. <br />
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<a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/16AA3DA9-6A43-4970-B8F0-D55E898163BC-3295-000002B62854B153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/16AA3DA9-6A43-4970-B8F0-D55E898163BC-3295-000002B62854B153.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
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Next up, angry bird hats. I made some last year with worsted weight, but I have a special affinity for the <a href="http://www.michaels.com/Loops-Threads%E2%84%A2-Charisma%E2%84%A2-Yarn/nw0470,default,pd.html" target="_blank">Loops & Thread Charisma</a> yarn that I make my owl hats out of and bulky just works up so quickly, I had to try the AB hats in a new way. I think it worked. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Worst picture quality ever. Sorry. If I waited for natural light, this post would never see the 1's and 0's it deserves. </td></tr>
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Side view to see the tails and 3D beaks. <br />
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<a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/EBB52C80-A3A9-407C-B712-9DEBE347C201-3295-000002B633A942FE.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/EBB52C80-A3A9-407C-B712-9DEBE347C201-3295-000002B633A942FE.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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And finally, this isnt an order, but I wanted to try my <a href="http://www.slugsontherefrigerator.com/home/2011/10/owl-hat-pattern.html" target="_blank">favorite owl hat pattern</a> as a Hello Kitty Hat. Cute, no? <br />
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<a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/4D6EA6F3-6A47-4DE5-98CB-A6BDFF1CD3BE-3295-000002B638EB3115.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/4D6EA6F3-6A47-4DE5-98CB-A6BDFF1CD3BE-3295-000002B638EB3115.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>
Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-8644200101653944292012-09-09T10:32:00.003-07:002012-09-09T10:41:03.115-07:00You would think the second crocheted larynx would be easierYes, I have <a href="http://adhdcrochet.blogspot.com/2012/02/crocheted-larynx.html" target="_blank">crocheted a larynx</a> before. For an extra credit project in my dysphagia class and boy howdy, does one get very intimate with the musculature and movement of the larynx when forced to piece it together in yarn. Extra credit, well played, Prof! <br />
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><em>(Can you believe my little ol' blog is the first hit on a Google Search for Crocheted Larynx?)</em></span><br />
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But, having since moved onto owl hats and coffee cozies, I put crocheted anatomy behind me for good. Or so I thought! <br />
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I am running in the <a href="http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=11459809&pg=personal&fr_id=18833" target="_blank">MS MuckRuckus</a> and offered a free coffee cozy to anyone who donates $10 or more to my team. I also said that I would entertain custom orders for a donation of $20. One of my classmates took the bait, donated $20 and asked for a larynx coffee cozy. <br />
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"How hard could it be?" I thought, since I didn't have to do the musculature or the tendons like last time. I could just focus on the bone and cartilage and the trachea already screams "coffee cozy" to me. AmIRight? <br />
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Well, 3 false starts later, I finally made some progress that seemed to work. I was politely asked what I was working on while in the carpool lane at my daughter's preschool. Sometimes, honesty is not the best policy..or at least the one that make you look sane. <br />
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Late one night in bed, I had an epiphany as to how to keep the two side together, as well as how to incorporate the vocal folds - elastic hair ties, of course! Otherwise the top heavy anterior side of the larynx might flop over and not fully protect the users hands from the hot coffee. (It's all about functionality here at ADHD Crochet!). <br />
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See how it holds the coffee cup snug, right there at the juncture of the thyroid and the cricoid cartilages? <br />
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And then...I realized that I made my tracheal rings go all the way around the trachea! Ack! A crocheted organ can be functional and aesthetically pleasing all day long, but if it isn't anatomically correct, it might as well be a lowly bag of yarn! <br />
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Out came the scissors and a pointy needle.... <br />
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And the front view...<br />
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Although I will probably recommend she stick with the Venti or the <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/17/starbucks-new-size-trenta-graphic_n_810083.html" target="_blank">Trenta</a> to accommodate that hyoid and epiglottis. <br />
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For anyone else who wants to <a href="http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=11459809&pg=personal&fr_id=18833" target="_blank">donate</a>, I might nicely ask you to choose from my existing stock of much less cartilaginous cozies: <br />
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-44442583447967681792012-09-01T13:00:00.001-07:002012-09-01T13:09:38.848-07:00It would have been easier to crochet a bike!Yes, I'll tie this in somehow to my crochet blog, that is really an all purpose DIY/Crafty blog. And this was hard enough work to be considered DIY! <br />
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My son, who has autism, gets these wild hairs about stuff (I need a snack that starts with K! Remember my speech therapist from 2nd grade, can we meet her for lunch TODAY? I need to ride a bike NOW!) and I usually try to accomodate those. <br />
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But the bike thing is tricky. He outgrew his bike with training wheels, I bought him a bigger bike and a pair of add on training wheels, but the axle wasnt big enough to attach them. He isnt coordinated enough to steer, pedal and balance. Hence the problem. <br />
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So I set out to create <a href="http://www.balancebikeshop.com/Why_Balance_Bikes_s/39.htm" target="_blank">balance bikes</a> for both him and my 4 & 6yr olds who also need to learn to ride on 2 wheels. <br />
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And lo and behold, taking the pedal mechanism off a bike is not that easy! So I figured I would blog it up and share the youtube videos that a friend shared with me and pay it forward, so that you, too can be drenched in sweat, grease and the satisfaction of makig your own balance bike out of a thrift store cast off, an awl and a hammer! <br />
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First up, removing the pedals...did you know the key is that the screws are threaded backwards? Heh, yeah, that's kind of a key piece of info. <br />
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Next, how to remove the chain. Yeah, who knew the chain was threaded through the solid part of the bike frame. Well, not I, until I got to that point in the deconstruction process. <br />
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Not many things can make you feel invincible like solving a problem with an awl, a hammer and a bolt! <br />
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And voila! A pile of mangled bike parts to show for the better part of my Saturday! <br />
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And one happy little learner:<br />
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A happy big learner:<br />
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And one who is pretty much ready to move to pedals and no training wheels. She's got this! <br />
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And I get to smell like grease all day! <br />
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-52625269434031857212012-08-24T05:03:00.001-07:002012-08-24T05:03:12.518-07:00It looked better in my headSo I'm on a coffee cozy kick as I build up inventory for a craft fair. I love coffee cozies, because the "canvas" is quick to whip up (unlike a <a href="http://adhdcrochet.blogspot.com/2012/06/wonky-is-just-another-word-for-hand.html" target="_blank">blanket</a> or even a hat) and then you can add all kinds of fun detail which appeals to my right brain. <br />
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In the midst of sharing my various coffee cozy creations, I had a request for a VW Bug cozy from a friend who is a VW Bug enthusiast. Being somewhat of a fan myself (my favorite car in the world was my baby blue 69 Beetle, may she RIP after I blew out her engine trying to drive her from CA to GA...*sniff*) I had to pick up the gauntlet. <br />
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But alas, it looked so much better in my mind. I can see that it looks vaguely car shaped. But Beetle-esque? I went with the convertable to work around the idea that, by design, a coffee cozy cannot have a domed top. The headlights and front bumper look crammed together and I cant quite get that rounded front end I was looking for. <br />
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I may try again, after the craft fair. Or I may skip the coffee cozy challenge, and make a straight up plushie. <br />
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Unless my dear readers have any ideas to make it more Bug-shaped? Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-33120650032797220392012-08-13T18:25:00.001-07:002012-08-13T18:32:29.587-07:00Boobies and BumblebeesMy son's private Special Needs school is called MDE School and their "mascot" is the bumblebee. So I felt inspired to create something for the school this year. Let me tell you, <a href="http://yellowpinkandsparkly.blogspot.com/2009/09/fuzzy-little-friends.html" target="_blank">the bumblebee</a> was cute, quick and did I mention cute? I could make 12 of him. The letters on the other hand....quick, sure. But of the persnickety pattern type where you constantly need to check the pattern while working, "wait, was I supposed to decrease on this side or is that the next row?" Of course, when making angled and perfectly symmetrical letters, one must be persnickety and <a href="http://lauraslefthook.wordpress.com/lauras-left-hook-crochet-patterns/" target="_blank">the pattern is well written</a>, easy to follow and cheap at $1 per letter. Just not good for a distracted crocheter like myself. Oh and she even offers some letters free. <br />
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Unfortunately, my 4yr old loves the letters. And she is learning letters. Thus, I feel a compulsion to crochet her a set of her own. Luckily school starts in less than 2 weeks and that does a pretty good job at squelching any and all creativity on my part. <br />
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"But what about the boobies?" you may be thinking. I bring you the boobie hat. I sooo wish these were around when I was nursing my kiddos. I love the "in your face" statement it makes about nursing in public (AKA...get over it!) and it's so fun and quick and easy to make. I especially like that <a href="http://hodgepodgecrochet.wordpress.com/2012/02/12/pro-breastfeeding-infant-hat/" target="_blank">the pattern comes in sizes beyond newborn</a>, since some of us *cough, cough* nurse a bit longer. <br />
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I cant wait to see it in action, once my friend has her newest babe and the weather cools down a bit! <br />
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-29029181551661147632012-08-05T07:38:00.000-07:002012-08-05T07:38:58.439-07:00Cuddle Cuddle Up It<br />
Yeah, I was commissioned to make a <a href="https://www.cuddleuppets.com/" target="_blank">Cuddleuppet</a>, a blanket that's a puppet. Which is apparently the most "coolest toy in the world, a'cause the pink monkey comes with a t'nana that he eats!"<br />
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Who am I to turn down commissioned work paid in hugs & kisses?<br />
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Except the <a href="http://www.michaels.com/on/demandware.store/Sites-Michaels-Site/default/mProduct-Show?pid=e09641" target="_blank">monkey puppet pattern</a> that I tried to follow had some very confuzzling directions, which caused me to just branch out on my own and wing it. "Wing it" is apparently Jenn-speak for "create a monkey-like head that resembles a cow."<br />
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But the recipient is happy, especially once I added the t'nana. <br />
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And the other little girl has requested a pink poodle version with a crocheted dog bone. <br />
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-45492169107675023192012-07-12T20:30:00.000-07:002012-07-12T20:31:59.695-07:00Big Red What?So imagine you're at <a href="http://www.wku.edu/" target="_blank">Western Kentucky University</a>, studying to become a Speech Language Pathologist, and all you see is Big Red. No one quite knows what Big Red is, but he's big and he is red. And he's <a href="http://thequad.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/03/25/my-big-red-crush/" target="_blank">an institution</a> here in Bowling Green, KY!<br />
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And suddenly, you realize you are going to meet some classmates to celebrate a classmate's birthday at an Irish Pub. And you cannot come empty handed, right? And all you have is 1 hour and a skein of Red Heart Super Saver Yarn. <br />
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I know, it writes itself, doesn't it? You're thinking exactly what I am thinking....a <b>BIG RED BEER COOZIE!</b><br />
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Eek, only 30 mins to go. Better fire up some 80s music on Pandora. She's a Maniac, Maniac on the floor...<br />
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Finished! With a minute to spare! <br />
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OK, so I forgot the eyebrows. But considering it's a replica of a big red blob with legs....I think I did pretty well!Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-88837210270210987862012-06-17T06:38:00.000-07:002012-06-17T06:38:13.146-07:00For once, not a Pin-FAILFor Father's Day, I loved the idea of making <a href="http://www.positivelysplendid.com/2011/06/fathers-day-photo-collage-free.html" target="_blank">this picture collage</a>. For one, it seemed simple enough not to screw up. And for two, it gave me an excuse to make a cool speech bubble with chalkboard paint!<br />
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First, cut the shape from a foam board (I salvaged the remaining rectangle for a general purpose chalkboard) and paint 3 coats. This is after 1 coat:<br />
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They really enjoyed the chalkboard the next morning. I may be creative and hang it on the wall like<a href="http://www.thegrantlife.com/2011/09/homemade-chalkboard.html" target="_blank"> this blogger.</a><br />
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Then go outside and snap a few pics. My favorite outtake, which is only an outtake because she wouldn't let me use it for the final product:<br />
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And VOILA...NAILED IT!<br />
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-80355009392850041292012-06-06T16:25:00.003-07:002012-06-06T16:25:24.149-07:00The easiest twirly skirt!I love this circle skirt pattern. I have attempted a twirly skirt, in particular <a href="http://houseonhillroad.typepad.com/photos/twirly_skirt/" target="_blank">this one</a> that is supposed to be <b><i>the most popular twirly skirt pattern on the web</i></b> and the waist band ended up so thick and hard and bunched that it was not wearable by the intended child. I figure since its so popular, it must have been user error on my part. <br />
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But <a href="http://www.danamadeit.com/2008/07/tutorial-the-circle-skirt.html" target="_blank">this circle skirt pattern</a>, once you work out some simple math and draft up a pattern is hard to mess up, even by me! I actually did the<a href="https://youandmie.wordpress.com/2012/05/08/tutorial-reversible-circle-skirt/" target="_blank"> reversible version</a>, since I didn't have any thick elastic like in the original It's so quick, which I love. Except when you sew your elastic casing before you turn the fabric right side out, in which case you spend 45 minutes becoming intimate with your seam ripper. *ahem* And trimming it with bias tape? Brilliant! <br />
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So, reversible twirly skirt in some "vintage" Strawberry Shortcake fabric I've had forever. Yes, I've had this since before the latest reboot of Strawberry Shortcake (in which she has much better hair) which is why I had a hard time selling my fashionistas on using the fabric because "ITS NOT THE RIGHT STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE!". No respect for the "vintage" there. But apparently, I could have turned a fabric covered in loaves of bread into something fabulous with this pattern. <br />
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"It's so spinny!"<br />
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Win. <br />
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-67726834854268751062012-06-02T14:09:00.000-07:002012-06-02T15:04:02.601-07:00Wonky is just another word for "Hand Made with Love"Gifts! I love making handmade gifts. I find I think about the intended a lot while I am making it and it seems to connect me to people when we are all running in so many different directions these days. Of course, that sentiment can backfire when a project goes on too long and I begin to curse the day I ever met that person or when a project becomes so wonky and haphazard that I wonder if the friendship will even survive the gift. <br />
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But I present to you, the cutest little owl set ever (just ignore the trapezoidal shape of the blanket. (Remember, wonky = LOVE, dangit!). <br />
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I've been wanting to make a blanket with stuff applique'd onto it for awhile, but I learned I have little patience for creating the canvas. Making the design on it was much more fun than the endless....vast...expanse...of white. I gripe, and yet it's not even standard baby size. I went with the ever popular "carseat blankie" size, which is just code for "I'm too lazy to make a full 36x36 square". <br />
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Blankie was free handed but inspired by this one on <a href="http://www.etsy.com/listing/89975164/owl-baby-blanket-boy-baby-shower-gift?ref=sr_gallery_9&ga_search_query=owl+baby+blanket&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_search_type=handmade" target="_blank">etsy</a>, hat was a basic beanie with pom pom top and the owl rattle was from <a href="http://isitatoy.blogspot.com/2011/12/free-owl-pattern.html" target="_blank">this pattern</a>. <br />
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Next up, %^&@$^%#%$#%$#% <a href="http://thelongthread.com/?p=98" target="_blank">super hero capes</a>. <br />
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Apparently, my machine does not like faux satin because if I had a drink for every time my top thread bunched up and broke, I would be passed out cold under my sewing desk. And I guess I am supposed to use some sort of different needle, because I kept getting "runs" in the fabric. <br />
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And my "decorative zig zag stitch" around the edge looks like it was done by that drunk right before she passed out cold. <br />
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But, alas, the reason why I do not sell my items, is because I look at this mess of satin and thread and think...."eh, kids will like it" and proceed to throw it in a gift bag anyway. But I did have fond thoughts of the children and their mama while I was making it, so that counts for something, right? In between curses and eleventythousand rethreads. <br />
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At least my kids approved. Although they ordered a set in pink & purple, of course. <br />
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-37255132574266889742012-05-31T08:55:00.002-07:002012-05-31T08:55:31.493-07:00Taking on Big Doll, one remnant at a time!I love when I can make something awesome for little to no money and time! <br />
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Take one pre-shirred, pre-hemmed .375yd fabric remnant for $0.75. Cut into two pieces:<br />
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Throw two girls in a tub full of water:<br />
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Add one Dollar Tree hairband (from a pack of 5, so $0.20) and an existing black T-shirt:<br />
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And get one really happy matchy-matchy girl for less than $1 and 30 mins:<br />
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(I bought 2 of those remnants at $0.75 each, so I will be making another little girl happy eventually, but I need to find a Tshirt to use)Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-18317397835207902582012-05-26T13:23:00.001-07:002012-05-26T13:23:51.724-07:00If only everyone was 18" tallI'd have the whole world dressed in handmade clothes! I love how quick and easy doll clothes are. And there are so many free patterns online. I had some cute left over disney fat quarters, so I made an ensemble for a friend's daughter's birthday gift. <br />
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First up, a <a href="http://daydreamdollboutique.blogspot.com/2012/05/18-doll-reversible-wrap-skirt-free.html" target="_blank">reversible Wrap Skirt</a>. So fast and easy and it's cute on the dolls. I made three in about an hour. BTW, see that bodkin on the skirt below? How did I sew pants and skirts and diapers all these years and never know there was a tool for threading elastic through a casing? Sayonara safety pin, you have been replaced by a $4 upgrade. <br />
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Next up, cute<a href="http://www.libertyjanepatterns.com/2011/02/free-pattern-for-american-girl-dolls-liberty-jane-trendy-t-shirts.html" target="_blank"> knit Tshirt</a> with applique. One thing I learned form some of these doll clothes sites is that you can repurpose old clothes and save hems and such to save time. I did this with a Tshirt in good condition, other than the mystery stain all over the front. <br />
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The ensemble needed more, so I stitched up a Mickey Ears hat (freehand, no pattern) and added a coordinating bow. It still needed more, so I added a cute purse from the Tshirt fabric and ribbon. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This shows the princess fabric on the reverse side. </td></tr>
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The patterns work for the Madame Alexander dolls, as well, which tend to run a bit thinner in the shoulders and hips. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I'm getting a strong desire to go to WDW...</td></tr>
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I have 2 more Tshirts cut out and one skirt I am making from the cut off bottoms of a pair of my son's pants that I am hemming into shorts. This is so fun. <br />
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Two more pics...I found some strips already cut from years ago when my 6.5 yr old was a toddler and I was on a patchy/strippy skirt kick. So I whipped 'em into shape, added a ruffle based on this<a href="http://www.madebylex.com/2010/12/how-to-ruffle-fabric-with-your-sewing-machine.html" target="_blank"> easy technique</a> and made a little 4 year old happy with her new "fancy skirt." <br />
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And two more <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194428908883263726/" target="_blank">Easiest Little Girl dresses</a>. Man, I love that pattern. So quick & easy. I have been on a bit of a sewing roll lately. School starting in 2 weeks is going to be a major buzz kill. <br />
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<br />Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-1016066037590578812012-05-23T05:08:00.001-07:002012-05-23T05:08:25.503-07:00More SewingSo to update the pillow case nightgown <a href="http://adhdcrochet.blogspot.com/2012/05/sewing-makes-me-happy.html" target="_blank">post</a>, here are the pics of the nighties in action.<br />
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Oh and after all that work making the waffle knit straps and then cutting then down and sewing them nice and flat, it still hung too low, so I snipped em and tied a knot. She's happy, though, so I'm happy. Regardless, I am not *in love* with the pillow case style dress, because its so hard to get a good fit across the top.<br />
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Which is why I fell in love with <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194428908883263726/" target="_blank">Nancy's Notion's Easiest Little Girl Dress</a>. I learned so much from that 5 min video. I finally mastered Bias tape, I learned a quicker way to attach elastic and I learned that I TOTALLY NEED that bodkin and that hem edge sewing template. Plus, this style of dress is just as cute & easy as the pillowcase dress, with a much more kid friendly top. I also plan to make a few dresses for her <a href="http://www.littledressesforafrica.org/blog/" target="_blank">Little Dresses for Africa</a> project. <br />
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I bought the last bit of this kitty cat fabric, so it wasn't exactly long enough for two dresses, but it works as a dress for the little and a shirt for the big. I need to go get more bias tape so I can finish the second one.<br />
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Here are my goofy girls, modeling the shirt length and the dress length...<br />
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<a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/bf0085af.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/bf0085af.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-61335751487397210122012-05-20T18:20:00.001-07:002012-05-20T18:31:15.283-07:00Sewing makes me happyI did most of my sewing when my oldest was a toddler and before the second became mobile. I picked up crochet specifically because it was a more kid-friendly crafty venture. Well, I tried knitting first and failed miserably at it. But either way, crochet allows me to pick it up and put it down easily, I can do it in any room of the house, even outside while waiting for the school bus and watching a kid play bubbles in the yard. But now that my kids are getting old enough to give me space to work with sharp objects and an iron, I am enjoying the venture back into sewing. <br />
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Little known fact, my first sewing project ever was a cloth diaper. I will have to dig up some old pics of that bad boy! Actually, it was the <a href="http://www.honeyboydiapers.com/" target="_blank">Honey Boy pattern</a> that I taught myself to sew with. Ahh...memories.<br />
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Anyway, back to today. I made up 5 more of the<a href="http://mysocalledgreenlife.com/2011/08/how-to-sew-credit-card-wallet-business.html" target="_blank"> gift card holders</a> for my son's teachers. <br />
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He has some special needs, so I always appreciate any effort he puts into something like this, but he really worked hard drawing a picture for each individual teacher that we laminated and slid into the side of the pouch opposite the $tarbucks gift cards. <br />
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These are such a fun little project. I have a bunch cut out, I might whip up a few more to have on hand for last minute gift ideas. So quick and cute, too! Oh and I may have snagged one to use as my own little mini-wallet.<br />
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Next up, <a href="http://sewlikemymom.com/easiest-pillowcase-dress-ever/" target="_blank">Pillow Case Dress</a> PJs for the girls. I had some cotton that I bought years ago thinking I'd make curtains, but it's so thin and sheer, I didn't think it would look good against a bright window. So it seemed perfect to try my hand at pillow case dresses and use as lightweight nightgowns. <br />
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The hardest part was the ties. Since I planned on washing these often, I decided to use fabric ties vs ribbon. The woven one was fine, the knit one took forever to turn and my hands were both cramping. <br />
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I tend to be a "cut-twice, curse often and measure after the fact" kinda sew-er. So I was thrilled to see that the ties were actually the same size!<br />
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And then when I tried one on my older daughter (the one with the knitted waffle ties that took me sooo long to perfect) she hated them. I was instructed to cut them off and add a button. Well, I chopped and sewed to make straps (eyeballed, of course) that will hopefully please my uber-sensitive princess and the pea.<br />
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And finally, the one with the real ties. Will hopefully get pics of both being modeled tomorrow night at bedtime!<br />
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And lest you think I have forgotten about my poor hooks, I have been crocheting up a storm. A couple projects are gifts and cant be blogged yet, but I do have two My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic hats to show for my school break crafting madness. I present <a href="http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/Rarity" target="_blank">Rarity</a> and <a href="http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/Twilight_Sparkle" target="_blank">Twilight Sparkle</a>, complete with cutie marks....<br />
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And in play:
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Yeah, they aren't great, but I have 4 more ponies to perfect my craft.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-9351631746205722632012-05-08T18:37:00.000-07:002012-05-08T18:37:14.845-07:00Release the creative kraken!So the last month of this semester has been killing me. SO much to do. Even when I am not doing it, I feel guilty for doing stuff like dishes instead of writing my papers. So yeah, no crochet, no crafty stuff. The closest I have gotten to creative outlet has been an owl hat I did on the drive back from KY where I went to work on a school project. And a baby blanket for a friend that is so boring, it's about killing me. Killing me! I cant wait to get over the vast plain of off white and get to the good embellishing stuff.
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So anyway, as finals come to a close and papers get written, I have been on a sewing kick. Too many fun ideas on Pinterest.
First, the pillow case. While the original idea for the pillowcase came from the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xiatJArSD_g&feature=fvwrel">Birthday pillowcase </a>I found on Pinterest, the actual construction of the pillow case was based on a recommendation from the fabric cutting lady at Jo-anns. The <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194428908882773381/" target="_blank">Sausage Pillow Tutorial</a>. It's so awesome and so easy. I love it! So I found some $1.50 clearance Hanna Montana fabric (and some not clearance Toy Story fabric) and made pillow cases for my 3 kids. They love them. And I got to use up some other fabric scraps for the trim.
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Next up, these adorable little <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194428908883173617/">gift card holders</a>. I had fun browsing the fat quarter section at Jo-anns and found them to be super quick and easy to work on with kids and short attention spans. I had 6 cut out but only made 5 due to a lack of hair bands. And dangit, I know this house is swimming in them!
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Oh well. 5/6 teacher gifts done. Just need to slip in a Starbucks GC and then have the kids write a little note to slide onto the other side.
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Now let's see how much other fun stuff I can get done before school picks back up in June!</div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-65873221570977828552012-04-18T12:49:00.000-07:002012-04-18T12:49:23.537-07:00A recipe for happy girls<div style="text-align: center;">6 fugly socks for $5 and a $2.50 mop (cut in half)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/79dd8ea6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/79dd8ea6.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">+ </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Eyes and Stuffing</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/0bd4175c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/0bd4175c.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">+ </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Approx. 25 chunky yarn loop stitches</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/75bcc131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/75bcc131.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">=</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">2 Happy girls. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/cd5dc881.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/cd5dc881.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">I was just told the ponies need ears. I can't win! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/f9c07c16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/f9c07c16.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-33543267048626769762012-03-16T08:40:00.000-07:002012-03-16T08:40:56.034-07:00More Tiny HatsI love these tiny hats! So quick to make, so many possibilities for embellishing, no worries on sizing (still a weak skill of mine) and super fun to wear! <br />
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So here is my Steampunk twine/leather and clock finding mini top hat:<br />
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And here is the Mad Hatter Butterfly Tea Party hat:<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">As modeled by someone cuter than me. </td></tr>
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And finally, the Shamrock hat as requested by a friend who actually has St Paddy's Day plans. So while my husband leaves on a business trip Saturday afternoon (that coincidentally includes a networking "event" at a pub Saturday night) and I am stuck at home studying and drinking green beer alone while the kids sleep, at least my hat will be out having fun! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/bc06e9f7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/bc06e9f7.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-71235931018157891632012-03-12T18:16:00.000-07:002012-03-12T18:16:43.727-07:00Curse You, Tiny Top Hat!I've searched the world over...for a tiny <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Steampunk">steampunk</a> hat that I can afford to wear to my friend's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/261275470618090/">book launch</a>, which just happens to be a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-as-They-Come-Blud/dp/1451657889/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1331600069&sr=1-1">steampunk vampire paranormal romance of some sort</a>. (Kindle preorder slated to arrive magically on 3/27). So anyway, not having $100-400 for a tiny hat, nor similar dollars for a plus sized corset, I am taking the DIY route. <br />
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First up...the <a href="http://diyfashion.about.com/od/diyhats/ss/Make_a_Top_Hat.htm">Tiny Top Hat from a Cereal Box method</a>. <br />
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From this:<br />
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To this:<br />
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Uh..from afar it looks pretty awesome, with the red silk and the organza and the utterly cool metal bow...but up close, not so much. My masking tape was crappy and it didn't hold and the places where I tried to stabilize it with glue ended up ruining the silk. <br />
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So I kept searching and not liking what I was finding and finally just decided...eff-it. I am a crocheter, I'll just crochet the damn thing. Found a <a href="http://zoomyummy.com/2011/07/08/pattern-crochet-mini-top-hats/">pattern</a>, worked it up fairly quickly. Then had to work another, because the first one was too small. Ripped my organza and utterly cool metal bow from the first hat and voila....<br />
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I still need to work on a little better attachment to the headband and I am brewing an idea for maybe something more speampunk-y than <a href="http://www.lionbrand.com/yarns/woolease.htm">Lion Brand Woolease</a>, like twine or leather as the fiber? I have until the 30th and unless we get a sudden windfall and my husband approves a totally frivolous purchase of $500 worth of hats, buckles, skirts and bustles, then the crochet version will have to do. <br />
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Excuse the tired, makeup-less eyes. When the work is done, it waits for no primping!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/320a8757.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/320a8757.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-74348120677118314332012-02-26T10:31:00.000-08:002012-02-26T10:31:12.100-08:00The Birthday BoardI should have guessed from the name of her blog (Secrets of a Super Mommy) that this lady's crafting is way out of my league. But I love, love, loved her idea of a <a href="http://secretsofasupermommy.blogspot.com/2010/03/birthday-countdown-board.html">Birthday Board</a>. We've always informally celebrated a birthday week, especially since parties don't always fall on the actual birthday and she's so right, <em>"There are too many fun birthday things to do for just ONE day, especially when they are gone at school for 7-8 of their waking hours!" </em>I agree, Super Mommy! <br />
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So I set out to make my own birthday board. I shopped, I browsed, I perused the aisles of Hobby Lobby, Michaels, Joann's, Home Depot, Goodwill, Dollar Tree...I knew the right pieces would jump out at me when I stumbled upon them. Not being skilled in woodworking, I opted for the plastic posterboard, I used my homemade mod podge and some scrapbook paper instead of copius amounts of paint and ribbon. I got cute pre-paintred wooden pieces for the name plates. I did buy one long piece of wood for the name plates, which I hand-sawed and sanded...and that was enough to turn me off of woodworking forever. And you can see that Elly's plate, with 2 cut edges is a bit wonky! <br />
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All in all, I think it turned out cute and since my oldest has a birthday this week, he gets to try it out first. He has Autism and some cognitive delays, so it's easy to overlook some of the pomp and circumstance for him, as he doesnt exactly *demand* the attention like his sisters. I still throw him parties, but I love the idea of something visual that he (and the whole family) will see every day for a week to remind us all that it's *his special time*. <br />
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So here goes...<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/dc3d28f4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/dc3d28f4.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I bought this mini chalkboard months ago and it was perfect for this project!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/0c91e103.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/0c91e103.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Birthday kid gets to pick 5 dinners. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/7d708eb4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/7d708eb4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A special birthday-kid-centric activity each day. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I made up 7 acitivties, like Special Dessert Day or Special Book Night, plus added cards for the day we bring treats to school and the day of the actual party. Also laminated a few blank ones in case I come up with new ideas. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/bda360a7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/bda360a7.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/59433c04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/59433c04.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A little bag to hold a small present each morning. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/286c1d0f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/286c1d0f.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This little box from Dollar Tree is perfect to hold extra cards, chalk, etc. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-44670293520327532142012-02-19T20:24:00.004-08:002012-02-26T10:14:54.935-08:00The crocheted larynx**UPDATE 2/26** I got 14/15 on this Extra Credit project. Yay!<br />
<br />
This was such an interesting project, I fear this may not be the last crocheted organ you see on this blog.<br />
<br />
So for an extra credit project in my <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dysphagia">Dysphagia</a> class, we were given as one option: "For arts-and-craftsy people, develop a three-dimensional model of portions of the swallowing mechanism. Label the structures and muscles. Be prepared to respond to instructor questions about function. Use your imagination." <br />
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How could that not be an invitation for me to crochet a larynx? So here is my step by step process. Warning, if you are triggered by yarn renderings of tendons and muscles, then you may want to stop reading and uh...call a therapist! <br />
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So the basic skeletal structures of the larynx were pretty easy:<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/1237bdb9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/1237bdb9.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Clockwise from top: Cricoid, Arytenoids (with attached corniculate cartilages), thyroid cartilage, hyoid bone, trachea</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Then is was a matter of attaching them together. I used grey yarn to represent the tendons. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/18d21798.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/18d21798.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cricothyroid joints and Cricoarytenoid joints</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Next, I had to create the thyrohyoid membrane which attaches the Thyroid cartilage to the hyoid bone. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/55810d99.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/55810d99.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Anterior view</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Next, we add the epiglottis and the cricothyroid ligament. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/4672cc11.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/4672cc11.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Posterior view</td></tr>
</tbody></table>On to musculature...these were a bit tedious and kind of tricky to crochet from 2D images. I ended up doing them all at once and had to label them so I didnt get all my little muscle fibers mixed up before it was time to attach & insert them to the various cartilages. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/573fb3d7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/573fb3d7.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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The cricothyroid muscles and the lateral cricoarytenoid muscles<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/700f0adf.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/700f0adf.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
The transverse arytenoid and the posterior cricoarytenoid muscles are attached<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/2b9852c5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/2b9852c5.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
Last but not least, the vocalis (thyroarytenoideus) muscles and the aryepiglottic muscles which become the oblique arytenoid muscles. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/a882fbe8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/a882fbe8.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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A better view of the vocalis muscles and the vocal cords. Yes, my vocal cords are bright orange. Why not?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/3bfc4fbb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/3bfc4fbb.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I can even adduct and abduct my arytenoids to pretend ol' Yarnie is phonating!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Then we attach our handy-dandy trachea and it LIVES! Oh, well, not exactly. But it does STAND!<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/ea5b4b5d.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/ea5b4b5d.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Is it just me or does this look like a fancy ice cream cone concoction?</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I made an esophagus but I dont love it. Mainly because I dont really have a good place to stop at the top. The esophagus morphs into the pharynx which morphs into the nasal and oral cavities and I didnt have it in me to crochet all the way to the lips and nose. Seriously, do you know how long this took me? <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/dd3ebbff.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/dd3ebbff.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hey baby, how you doin'? Nice bolus. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/baba1a7b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/baba1a7b.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">And in real life, there would be all kinds of membranes separating these two star crossed organs from each other. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
And was it worth it? Heck yeah. I had a basic understanding of the structures of the larynx before this, but I never really understood exactly what the purpose of the epiglottis was, for example. Today, I used the model to demonstrate to my 6yr old how the epiglottis closes off the larynx to protect the airway during a swallow. And she totally got it! How cool is that?Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-88774634525511170332012-02-14T13:03:00.000-08:002012-02-14T13:03:45.246-08:00Faux Stained Glass<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I am in love with stained glass. I would sign up in a heartbeat for a glass class if I had the time and money. Alas, I have neither, so I searched out a DIY version. This was really, really fun. And so open-ended. And cheap, too! <br />
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First step, buy a frame from Dollar Tree. For $1. <br />
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Next, find a coloring page. I originally wanted to do a mandala, but settled for something simple for my first try. <a href="http://www.familyfuncartoons.com/geometric-coloring-pages.html">Here is a sampling</a>.<br />
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Third, follow the steps in this <a href="http://suzyssitcom.com/2011/01/feature-friday-faux-stained-glass.html">tute</a>. With glue and paint and stuff. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/9a518ed4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/9a518ed4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I had helpers. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/82158e81.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/82158e81.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I went back over the top with the black paint/glue</td></tr>
</tbody></table><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/54bf9a4f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/54bf9a4f.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love it! Brightens up my kitchen window!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-59878488711844425302012-02-06T19:54:00.000-08:002012-02-06T19:56:55.272-08:00ROAC #2-8<a href="http://adhdcrochet.blogspot.com/2012/01/new-years-crochet-olution.html">Random Acts of Crochet</a> is still up and running. <br />
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First up...#2, the corset coffee cozy. I think it qualifies as random just because it's a corset coffee cozy. I added grommets and sent it off to my friend who is about to release her first novel, a steampunk paranormal romance called <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wicked-as-They-Come-Blud/dp/1451657889">Wicked as they Come</a>. Go pre-order it, now! But yeah, when I stumbled across the <a href="http://www.crochetspot.com/crochet-pattern-cup-corset/">pattern</a>, it just had to be made. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/b299b625.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/b299b625.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">NOTE: I just googled "corset coffee cozy" to find the pattern to link here and there are like a million corset coffee cozy's out there. Who knew?</span></em> <br />
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Next up, #3, 4, 5: Wee baby hats for three wee babies who were born too early to a mom in my <a href="http://www.icanofatlanta.com/">ICAN chapter</a>. I have never made preemie hats and I don't know if they will fit or not. I used measurements from the Interwebz and my "preemie" stand in baby doll. Two boys and a girl. I wanted to get away from the traditional pink/blue and loved these color combos. Loosely based on this <a href="http://christcoffeeandknittingneedles.blogspot.com/2008/09/miracle-preemie-hat.html">pattern</a>, I hope to made a set of bigger hats soon! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/7ddab786.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/7ddab786.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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And, #6, 7, 8: Veggies! My daughter is a Vegetable Pixie in a <a href="http://childrensgardentheater.com/index.htm">play</a>. She plays the Carry, the carrot. Her buddies are Aspy the asparagus, Spinny the spinach and Broc the, well, you get it. So I made veggies for each kid to give out at the performance next weekend. These are all basically free handed with the addition of "animal eyes" safety eyes. I dig 'em. My daughter doesn't want me to add noses or mouths. What do you think?<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/597abff7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/597abff7.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ok, so there are 4 veggies, but I can't count crochet for my own kids in my ROAC count. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
Spinach was hard. Spinach is just leaves. No body to anthropomorphize. So I just stitched 3 leaves together. Tell me it's at least somewhat reminiscent of spinach, just to make me feel better. <br />
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Whew, so it's week 6 of the year and I am already 2 ROAC's ahead. That will be helpful as the semester ramps up with a vengeance!Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-51327798465576448822012-01-26T13:14:00.000-08:002012-01-26T13:14:58.194-08:00Why does there have to be 6 ponies?I needed something to make, simple, quick that was not an owl hat. <br />
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So I stumbled across<a href="http://myskillsguide.blogspot.com/2011/10/little-pony-version-2.html"> this pattern</a> and thought...great, I could whip up a few My Little Ponies for my girls and it should be easy to do while listening to lectures, since school started back up this week. <br />
<br />
Except...<br />
<br />
1. The pattern is really complicated and requires checking it often. <br />
2. My body ended up being a misshapen mess that was not remotely horse-like, so I had to improvise. <br />
3. Improvising a pattern means I have to think while crocheting. A lot. <br />
4. There are 6 of these in the new<a href="http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/My_Little_Pony_Friendship_Is_Magic_Wiki"> My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic series</a> that my daughters are in love with. <br />
5. In no way can I make 1 or 2 ponies. I must make all 6. <br />
6. Each pony has a very intricate Cutie Mark on their haunch and I suck at embroidery. <br />
7. My daughters have already, very vocally, divvied up who gets what pony and are harassing me by the hour as to my progress on completing the project. <br />
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<em>My kingdom for a time machine!</em> <br />
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But here is<a href="http://mlp.wikia.com/wiki/Rainbow_Dash"> Rainbow Dash</a>. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/1e558766.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/1e558766.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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Complete with Cutie Mark and wings. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/a5073c37.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/a5073c37.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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Who has been played with non stop (and slept with) since her completion, approximately 48 hrs ago. <br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/cb7c3db7.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/cb7c3db7.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why yes, my child *is* playing in a giant pile of polyfil stuffing. Is that a problem?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Off to go sew on Apple Jack's cutie mark.Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2491812554831868386.post-85216405960302411242012-01-21T11:50:00.000-08:002012-01-21T11:50:21.381-08:00I am woman, hear me drill!While I crank out owl hats by the uh...quarter dozen, I have been busying myself with Pinterest recipes (<a href="http://thewhimsicalprincess.blogspot.com/2011/03/diy-reese-peanut-butter-egg.html">Homemade Reeses PB eggs</a> FTW!) and organizing/craft projects. <br />
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As soon as I saw <a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/194428908882602904/">this</a>, I knew I *needed* these. I am so innundated with school papers and keeping up with who has what on which day at what school is making me crazy. If I cluttered up my family calendar with every "Crazy Hat Day" and "Picture Day", then I would start getting twitchy just looking at it. Which sort of defeats the purpose of a big, highly-visible family calendar in the first place. <br />
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But while I appreciate the original blogger's entrepreneurship, I could not justify $35 + $10 shipping for each of the 16x20 prints. Figuring I would bust out the scissors and cut & paste (the old fashioned way, baby!) the posters together, I asked some friends for advice. In 15 mins, while nursing her baby, a friend tooled around in Photoshop and whipped up a version that looks 100% better than what I could have scrapped together. At $5.99/ea to print at Costco, plus 3 $1 hooks from the Target Dollar Spot and 3 repurposed frames from the basement, I now have my splendiferous School/Backpack/Schedule/Homework/Calendar/Rehearsal Organization Station for under $23!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/28ba45fe.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/28ba45fe.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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It's in the dining room, becauase we really only use that room for three things...<br />
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1. Poker<br />
2. Christmas<br />
3. Storing crap like backpacks and homework folders. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/d0a23fc3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/d0a23fc3.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Each kid got to choose a picture and write their name.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/f80eb590.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/f80eb590.jpg" width="150" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Little Bit doesn't have homework, so I decided to show off her preschool work. </td></tr>
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Next up is a felt board that I threw together, not from any particular pin, but just from the creative juices that are flowing when one completes projects and realizes...hey I can do this! Plus I found an old cork board in the basement while looking for 16x20 frames. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/2c684657.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/gg177/jgoble7/2c684657.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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I glued the felt to the My Little Ponies I printed, but we used a stapler for the extra pieces the girls made. No dry time and they work just as well. Once these paper pieces get destroyed, we will make more. <br />
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This free project has turned into hours of playtime in the last 2 days for my girls. I think next year's Christmas shopping may all be done at Michaels. OK, maybe I am dreaming...Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05121123682901167205noreply@blogger.com2