Christmas: 2 of 20

My goal is to create 20 different small ornaments/figures for Christmas to use as gifts for teachers, therapists, bus drivers, friends, etc.   Maybe coupled with some homemade treats.    Since I love small quick projects and variety, this should be right up my alley. 

The poinsettia was deceptively long and tedious.  I wanted to make the second row of red petals but I couldnt stomach the thought of 6 more repetitions, so I assembled.   Its still pretty cute.  

The snowman, I love!   He is so cute, I just want to snuggle him and keep him myself.   I started following this pattern, but their head was about the size of what I wanted for the body, so I just pretty much worked the rest of it out myself.    (The red on both looks a bit orange, but they are bright red.)

18 to go!

Why hello, Kitty!

Is this purse adorable or what?  I needed something cute, simple and quick for Elly's pre-K BFF's birthday party this Saturday.  Quick being the operative word because I have a killer test this Friday.  This fit the bill, with the minor exception of the lining that was kind of a PITB since I hate hand stitching, but in the end, even that only took 30-40 mins for both sides, including cutting and looking for fabric.

I have a few trinkets to fill it with (lip gloss, hair ties, etc) and voila...perfect gift for a 5yo to be! Made mostly from current stash (I could not find the hot pink in cotton, so the strap & bow are acrylic).

Tis the season for...Pumpkins!

As soon as I saw it, I just had to make this adorable pumpkin hat!  Then of course I went crazy and made 4 - two for my girls, two for my friend's little girls.   The "toddler" size ended up being perfect for the bigger girls, ages 4 and almost 5, as well as for my younger munchkin, age 2.5.   This pattern is super easy and I love the ridges/texture.

(If you wonder why my children are not wearing clothing, you are obviously childless and I envy your ability to sleep in)

Ben didnt want a pumpkin hat, so I decided to make him something to coordinate with the girls for pumpkin patch pictures.  I whipped up this scarf (basic HDC, 12 across) and used up the last of my orange yarn on pumpkin appliques.  I based those loosely on this pattern. 

I'm not 100% thrilled with the scarf, but he likes it (even if I made him crazy trying it on him 1000x to get the length right...yeah, I lost my measuring tape) so I guess we'll give it a whirl for fall pics. 

Finally, now that it's been gifted, I can show off one of my favorite sets:  The Giraffe.

Baby tee by Target.   Hat design my own.   Giraffe pattern here.  

15 min snake

It would have been 10, but my white yarn was hopelessly tangled. 

The girls were fighting over our one remaining crocheted snake (we lost one to our wool-eating dog) so I decided to whip up a new snake.   Found this pattern and it was done in no time.  

Next time I might use a less obnoxious color to make it look more snake like, but this is what happens when you let the 2 yr old choose the palatte.

He is quite cute all twisty like that.  Even when he's nom-noming the teddy grahams and terrorizing the Polly Pocket picnic. 

Last Minute Baby Gift

I have been procrastinating on the baby gift for the last mom I will be supporting at work, mainly because her baby has been procrastinating on arriving.   After 3 false alarms, her baby will be here this weekend as she has agreed to an induction (that I couldnt talk her out of if I tried lol), so I realized I needed to get on the stick making a baby gift.   I have coordinating boy outfits with a lion, a bear, a frog and a whale and I decided to go with the whale motif, using this pattern (with slightly less crazy-eyes).

Coupled with a $1 clearance three-piece organic cotton baby set and its a great last min gift.

I just finished another adorable baby set, but I don't want to risk the recipient seeing it, so those pics will have to wait.

Utterly Redonkulous

This is one of those hand made gifts that went a bit too far, I think.   My neighbor will either love it or just nod and smile politely and pack this hat away for perpetuity.   But she is expecting a girl after already having a boy, so maybe she'll be down with the deliciously, syrupy cute stuff. 

It started out ok, with this super adorable little outfit and a matching cupcake toy/rattle.   (loosely based on this pattern)

But then I decided it needed a hat.

  

Here's the hat as modeled by life sized newborn doll, baby Jack.   I made it a tad big for Jack's head, since the outfit is 3-6m.  

I am veering dangerously close to crocheted-doll tissue box cover territory here....

Under attack from UFOs

UFO = UnFinished Objects

Yeah, I have been enjoying my break from school by starting umpteen projects and not finishing them.   I also failed at a baby hat.   Started a giraffe that was supposed to be a baby toy and will end up being the size of said newborn.   And bought a pile of baby clothes to coordinate crocheted critters with.   Said critters that I will never have time to make in the week before school starts. 

As for completed objects, I did finish this adorable mouse set for a friend's new baby.  I love him to pieces and think I will definitely be making more of these guys.   He's white because that's what I had on hand and I used cotton yarn which made a nice sturdy doll for little baby hands.   He also has bells inside.  I tried to put some scrunchy material in the cookie and its just barely audible.  I'll have to experiment more with this concept.

I also made this cute rattle.  It started as a ring, but I didn't like how the rings were coming together, so I just attached the tube to this star and threw in a couple bells.   Bells, bells, bells.  I love bells!  Can you tell?

Now back to my pile of UFOs before they abduct me.