Learning to Crochet
Feb 27, 2012

Learning to Crochet

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I have been knitting for a few years now (mostly simple things. Okay, mostly scarves, with a hat and stuffed animal thrown in for diversity).

Knitting has been good to me. I love making the neat even lines. It is really calming and relaxing. I also love having something to do with my hands while watching TV or visiting with friends.

Since I love knitting so much, I have been curious about crocheting. Luckily, my real-life friend Angela, who blogs at Cottage Magpie, has been giving me lessons. Today was my second lesson (aka playdate where we crochet when not refereeing children).

Here is my progress so far:

It really helps me to start off with the familiar slip knot. I also hold my yarn the same way I do for knitting (always a little tight).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I cast on a chain of 29 to start a little cat shaped hat for Elizabeth. I'm feeling optimistic so far. I love that crochet is more forgiving of mistakes (so much easier to fix).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Look at the cute little crochet!

 

 

 

 

So far, so good.

~Krista

 

Filed Under: Crafts & Sewing · Tagged:
I Heart You
Feb 22, 2012

I Heart You

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“I made a heart! I made a heart!”

This was the exclamation of joy I heard this afternoon from Elizabeth.

She has been carrying around a stencil for a few weeks without really understanding how to use it. I would demonstrate, but she couldn’t quite hold the stencil still with one hand and trace the inside with the other. Today something clicked for her.

 

 

 

 

 

It was so wonderful to see her success.

Here was her first one today (she was still having a lot of stencil movement while tracing):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She was most excited about this one:

 

 

 

 

 

She ended up making them in all her different marker colors. It was truly cute to watch. After a little while of practicing, she can now trace it perfectly.

~Krista

Filed Under: Crafts & Sewing, Family Life ·
The Stuffed Owl Toy
Feb 11, 2012

The Stuffed Owl Toy

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Elizabeth has been very interested in owls lately. I think I encourage it (apparently one of my first words was “owl”).

We checked out a pack of owl books from the library and have read them a lot.

 

 

 

 

 

I knew it was finally time to make a stuffed owl for her.

I have only pinned a bunch of them on Pinterest, like this, or this, or even this.

I had also been wanting to use this old crib bumper for a project.

 

 

 

 

 

Since Elizabeth co-slept with us and never used a crib, we never used the crib bumper, but I loved how soft it was and decided I would just take it apart and use it for fabric and batting (I also only used a fraction of it so I will have more for other future projects).

NOTE:  This isn’t really a tutorial. I just made it up as I went along.

Here is what I did:

I started by cutting the crib bumper into an owl shape (leaving only one of the sides still sewn). I think it broke my scissors (they are really loose now) because it was really hard to cut through.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I traced out owl eyes for the applique. I used one of Duncan's old white dress shirts that was in the rags pile for the eye fabric.

 

 

 

 

 

 

After ironing on the eyes, I did a separate applique of the owl's nose.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Now with the wings on, it was really starting to look like an owl.

 

Elizabeth helped pick out the owl's button eyes (she also picked the nose and wing fabric from my stash).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

After some sewing, stuffing, and more sewing, we had a pretty little stuffed owl (I pinned on a little flower I had in my craft bin since she was a bit too plain).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Yes, Elizabeth is also wearing an owl shirt.

There was utter joy when Elizabeth saw her finished owl for the first time (cue the hugging owl picture above). She has carried it around with her and slept with it so I think it is a big hit.

I kind of wish it had some more color, but she loves it completely.

~Krista

Filed Under: Crafts & Sewing · Tagged: ,
Toy Felt Oven Mitt and Hot Pad
Jan 10, 2012

Toy Felt Oven Mitt and Hot Pad

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Since I recently knit myself a dish cloth/hot pad for the kitchen, Elizabeth has been asking for one for her little kitchen.

Yesterday I let her pick out some of my yarn and I spent about three hours knitting a very cute little hot pad. I bound off and tied the ends in and then went to snip the final bit of dangling yarn.

Clearly, I wasn’t paying enough attention. I accidentally snipped into my knitting. I tried to salvage it, but everything I did made it unravel more.

I couldn’t believe I spent all of that time on it only to ruin it in a second.

So this morning I came up with Plan B. Note:  This is for a toy oven mitt and hot pad (don’t use this with real heat).

Plan B involved two small sheets of felt (about $0.25/ each). I originally planned to use the yarn for a little embroidering, and the ribbon for little hooks for hanging, but I changed my mind and decided to go a bit simpler.

I used Elizabeth’s hand for a basic size trace onto the white felt.

 

I ended up cutting wider to leave a little room for her to grow.

I also cut out a heart in each color.

 

 

I sewed the hearts onto a single piece of felt. Then I pinned the two pieces of felt together and sewed them together. I managed to remember not to sew the bottom of the oven mitt (make sure you leave the bottom open for little hands!).

 

 

The hot pad was a bit more uneven than I expected so I ended up trimming the edges up  after sewing it together.

 

Here is the finished result:

 

 

 

 

 

 

It only took about 15 minutes for me to make these (I just used the white thread already on my sewing machine). The best part is that Elizabeth adores them.

She spent a lot of time after I gave them to her explaining to me that the oven is hot.

 

 

 

 

 

 

She has already played with it for hours today and cooked me every item of her play food.

~Krista

Filed Under: Crafts & Sewing · Tagged: ,
Gingerbread House Decorating
Dec 20, 2011

Gingerbread House Decorating

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For the past few weeks, I think I have been as excited as Elizabeth to decorate gingerbread houses. Ever since we bought the boxes of the houses (thankfully pre-built) at the store she has asked almost daily if we could do it. Yesterday was finally the day!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a  bunch of friends over and much sticky decorating ensued. I let Elizabeth tear her box open.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She told me she was so happy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We used cereal squares for our roof shingles (generic cinnamon toast crunch).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth easily went through 1/4 of a bottle of red sprinkles. Most ended up in her mouth, some landed on our gingerbread house. Her fingers, lips, and mouth got really red. She then asked for the green sprinkles, but I had to cut her off (or at least limit her to one color).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We got a little cuddle time mid-decorating.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is my favorite side (a little random to pick a favorite, but I did):

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are all the finished products (our house is in the middle):

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here is a close up of the front of our finished house:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think they turned out wonderfully (especially since the child decorators  ranged in age from 2-6).

Maybe I’m a little crazy, but I can’t wait to do it again.

~Krista

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O {Felt} Christmas Tree & Wreath
Dec 15, 2011

O {Felt} Christmas Tree & Wreath

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In an effort to keep the ornaments on the actual tree safe from the tiny hands of a two-year-old, I made Elizabeth her own tree. I had seen a felt tree on Pinterest and knew it would be perfect for us.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We started with some remaining felt I had. Sadly, it was a bit skinny (I only had 1/3 of a yard of the felt).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We used painters tape to attach it to the wall. Painters tape has definitely not been the best choice, but I haven’t found anything better that won’t permanently attach or damage the wall.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We had a bit of extra green felt that I cut into a circle for a wreath also (Side note: the painters tape works much better on the smaller wreath).

I then used some other colored felt to cut out ornaments. Some were simple balls and some I made by tracing cookie cutters on the felt. Without prompting, Elizabeth ordered them in rows by color. She is so my daughter!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then we had playtime:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She has spent hours decorating and re-decorating both the tree and wreath. For the most part it has even kept her out of the real Christmas tree.

~Krista

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Making Pillows & Thankful Thoughts For the Week
Nov 11, 2011

Making Pillows & Thankful Thoughts For the Week

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Very cold weather has set in here this week and we have been bundled up outside or nestled in at home this week. I heard on the news that November may be Oregon’s coldest month this year.

It has been wonderful.

Since I am in such a happy mood, I will do another “5 Things I Am Thankful For This Week” post:

1) I made a new pillow! I am loving it (pun intended). It is a nice weaved cream linen with a red linen heart (attached with iron on applique). I haven’t filled it yet, but as soon as I finish it will be going on my bed (on my side).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think I am starting to fall in love with applique. Who knew it would be so easy. Next I am going to try to make this Olive You pillow for Duncan’s side of the bed. One day I will start making stuff that isn’t found on Pinterest.

Maybe.

2) Now that she is two and a half, playing with Elizabeth can be really fun.

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have been building block castles. Elizabeth will let me build large/complicated ones and will even wait for me to tell her she can break it down. Clatter, crash. What fun.

3) I am so thankful I have a budding little reader on my hands. We read all of the time and she is showing so many great pre-reading signs. Love it, though I am starting to regret buying a 6 chapter Dora book at the book fair last week (how many more times can I read that one?!).

4) Date Night. Thankful for a wonderful date with my great husband. We had sushi, bought matching new gloves (welcome early Winter!), and went to a friends autumn party. There was adult conversation, uninterrupted dinner and browsing in a store. It was as great as it sounds.

5) There are crunchy leaves on the ground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Elizabeth spent a few minutes running through these after lunch downtown today. Laughing, running, stomping, and crunching leaves.

I hope everyone else is having thankful and happy fall thoughts this week.

~ Krista

Filed Under: Crafts & Sewing, Family Life · Tagged: ,
Pumpkin Carving!
Oct 30, 2011

Pumpkin Carving!

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Last night we had our second annual pumpkin carving with my in-laws.

 We had four pumpkins to carve and the grandparents brought three more.

The party was only slightly marred by Elizabeth throwing up on me twice. Yes, twice. But we didn’t let that stop the fun (because otherwise she was perfectly normal and bouncing around. We chalked it up to her having eaten something that didn’t agree with her- she said her tummy hurt her). Anyway, what is a Halloween celebration without something gross? At least my house is now more disinfected now than it was before.

 

I also forgot that Elizabeth will not intentionally get her hands icky. She refused to touch the inside of the pumpkin. She was at least willing to fish out a few seeds with a spoon and seemed to have a lot of fun doing that.

 

Duncan kindly let me use his power drill on one of the pumpkins (I love using the power drill and thought it would be really cute). Instead of just drilling holes, I tried to drill a face. I think it might have been better just drilling holes all around, but it was still fun and turned out ok (the nose did become a triangle cut out since I really messed that part up-see behind the baby below).

 

     

 

 

 

 

 

 

I think the baby pumpkin Duncan carved was my favorite. Elizabeth was very concerned that the pumpkin had her pacifier.

Here is the final shot of our masterpieces:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

~Krista

Filed Under: Crafts & Sewing, Family Life · Tagged:
Finger Painting Masterpiece
Sep 29, 2011

Finger Painting Masterpiece

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So, I have been getting sicker and to distract myself (and Elizabeth) I decided to do an art project.

I have been wanting to finger paint with Elizabeth for a while. I knew how much fun she would have, but also that she is only two and it would be super messy (it did end in a bath).

I also wanted to do some pretty hand and feet art to put in some square frames I got at the thrift store ($2.99 each).

  I cleaned the new (used) frames, tore out the backing, removed the old prints, cleaned the glass, and spray painted the frames pink.

Then we got down to painting. Elizabeth was actually quite patient with pressing her hands and feet in the paint and on the paper. I had forgotten how much she hates to have icky things on her hands though. Finger painting with fingers was a no go.

She loves painting with the paint brush and managed to fill up a long piece of butcher paper with her art (and some of mine).

One of the cleaned brushes she used has even found a honored home on her night stand.

We both seem to love the finished product (Elizabeth keeps pointing out her hands and feet and asking to paint again).

-Krista

 

 

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