Category Archives: Crafts

Craft Corner: Current Crochet Projects And Journaling

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I’ve been meaning to talk about some of my crochet projects because it’s been ages since I’ve talked about some of the things I’ve made.  Hopefully I’ll talk about them a little more, but I don’t want to make any promises about how regular these posts will be.

One of my current projects is an Elf Hat, and the pattern can be found here.  I haven’t gone with traditional Christmas colors, but I wanted something really fun for it, and the yarn I used fit with that really well.

I’m also working on some slipper socks, and the pattern I’m using is super easy!  I really love the Caron Cake yarn, so the color blocking on it means the slippers are mismatched, but that’s okay with me, since I’m going to be wearing them at home anyway.  I’m pretty sure I can get at least one more pair out of the yarn I’m using.

I’m also working on a mermaid tail blanket, and while I can’t find the link to the pattern, it’ll be fun to work on.  I’m not very far with the pattern (as you can tell) because there’s a lot of counting in this part of it, and I haven’t had the mental energy to count.  At least for what I’d need to do for the pattern.  It’s going pretty slow right now, because I’ve been working on other things but hopefully I’ll be in more of a counting mood soon.

I also wanted to talk about journaling!  I really love journals and notebooks, and I have more notebooks than I know what to do with.  I’m really excited about this new journal I got at Mysterious Galaxy called The Severed Moon.  It’s from Leigh Bardugo, and there are prompts and quotes from all of her Grishaverse novels.  I’ve only done a couple of the prompts from it, but I’ve really enjoyed it so far.  Plus, it’s really pretty and there’s something very magical about it.

Even if it ends up being a sporadic thing, I also feel like I’ll get a lot of inspiration from it, so it might be good during NaNo when I’m stuck and need a break.  Or if I need some inspiration in my day to day life.  I’m really good at buying journals and starting them but I’m terrible at keeping up with them.  But I also really miss it because I used to do it all the time in high school and college, and then it just dropped off.  Maybe this journal will get me back into journaling more regularly.

Oh, back to crocheting really quick!  The backdrop I used for all of the photos is a blanket I made a few months ago.  Usually I just use my dining room table if I need to take pictures for the blog, but I decided I wanted to do something different.  Plus, it’s pretty and colorful and a lot easier then clearing off a table every time I want to take a picture.  I really do need/want a different set-up every time I want to take some pictures.  It’s something to think about.

That’s really of the crafting I have going on, so that wraps up today’s craft talk!

Currently Obsessed With: Learning New Crochet Things

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Currently Obsessed With is a once-a-month (but sometimes more) feature where I talk about my favorite things and everything I’m up to.

Currently Obsessed With

 

One of my goals for this year was to do some new things with crochet, an d I really wanted to talk about it, especially since I’m back to crocheting up a storm.

I don’t have a lot of specific goals, but I do have some!

I really want to learn how to do the magic circle, and have a bunch of different tutorials bookmarked.  I really hope at least one of the makes sense!  By the way, I love that I’m crocheting at a time when finding tutorials is super-easy- and finding one that makes sense is also super-easy and super-awesome.  I even have an awesome pattern that I think would be great- this really cute easter bunny beanie!

Speaking of easter bunny beanies, I’ve been on a search for patterns for stuff I can wear for different holidays. Like a Leprechan beanie for St. Patrick’s Day (which I’m currently working on), and a turkey one for Thanksgiving, and the Easter bunny one, of course.  Plus Santa and Elf hats for Christmas, of course, though I’m sure there are tons of cute Christmas ones out there.  I haven’t really looked for anything Valentines Day or Halloween or Memorial Day/4th of July, but I figure for this year, I can crochet myself something red (I’ve started on a scarf) and maybe a red/pink/white hat made of super bulky yarn, and maybe a heart to go on the hat.

I really want to try new things with crochet, because my tendency is to stick with making the same few things.  Don’t get me wrong, I like making hats and scarves, but I also want to make other stuff too.  Like amigurumi and some more fingerless gloves and maybe I’ll even finish that blanket that I started almost a year ago and never really picked back up.

I also want to learn how to do some new stitches, because I’ve seen a bunch of them on pinterest, and they look so cool!  It’s always fun to try making something that’s a variation on a stitch I already know.  If anyone knows of any books focusing on crochet stitches or blogs/websites that have some tutorials on crochet stitches, I’m definitely open to suggestions!

There are so many awesome things that I can make, and this year seems like the perfect time to try some new things and not put it off because it looks hard and scary.  It’s definitely time to make some new things!

One thing I have been thinking about is starting a gift stash.  In the past, I’ve made things for gift exchanges at work, and it might be nice to have a few already made, instead of furiously trying to crochet something in a short amount of time.  It would definitely be a great way to use some of the yarn stash I’ve been wanting to use (which is mostly so I can buy some shiny, soft new yarn).  Since I have a lot of acrylic, worsted weight yarn, I’ve been thinking of making stuff to donate, so any places that take donations of handmade things would be appreciated!  It’s something I could probably figure out myself, but I don’t even know where to start with something like that.

Speaking of using yarn I already have…I also want to use the yarn I have as much as possible.  I love yarn and it’s fun to buy and look at it and touch, but it’s sort of starting to take over where I have it stored, plus I have yarn stashed in other (random) places, so I kind of need to not buy any more until I’ve actually used some of what I have.

It’s part of why I want to do amigurumi, since I have a ton of Red Heart yarn that would be perfect for it.  And also why I want to start a gift stash.  I definitely have a lot of project ideas, so I’ll definitely be working on the ones that go with yarn I already have.  I even have ideas for the random bits of yarn leftover from other projects!  It’s just enough that I’m not getting rid of it, but not quite enough to do anything with (literally), so I’m going to have to get creative with some of it, but I think I can manage to do something with it.

I’m definitely excited about trying out some new crochet things this year, especially after writing this post!

I Have A Thing For Cookies

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Cookies are always my default dessert. I don’t know what it is about cookies, but they’re generally awesome, easy to make, and as far as writing goes, they make an excellent snack. Plus, there’s a ton of different cookie recipes because everyone has their own take on cookies.  Chocolate chip tends to be my default, but once in a while I’ll make peanut butter cookies or sugar cookies. 

I definitely need to branch out more as far as cookies go, and make something different. 

Cake Mix Cookies

Cake Mix Cookies!  These were by far the easiest cookies I’ve ever made in my life.  Cake mix, eggs and oil.  And I couldn’t help but eat them all.  They are definitely a keeper. 

Taco Casserole

In other cooking news, I made taco casserole, pictured above.  It was quite delicious, if I do say so myself.  Also another keeper. 

And speaking of branching out, I did make a marble cake for my grandma’s birthday.  I pretty much never make cake (unless you count cupcakes), so this was definitely a challenge.  Especially since the recipe I used was very precise.  And I used a bundt pan, which was fine…until I had to get the cake out of it, as you can see below. 

Marble Cake

Part of it stuck to the pan, and so it came it lopsided.  Cutting cake isn’t really my strong point, in fact, I’m not the best at cutting cake.  So I tend to make stuff that I don’t have to cut, except for the rare batch of brownies.  But other than the cake being lopsided, it turned out okay, and my grandma liked it.  Of course, she likes most everything, so I don’t think it means very much, but she did like it, which is all that matters.

Hurricane Vase

So I also made this vase for my grandma’s birthday.  Granted, all I did was paint it, and that was Plan B, after I broke the candlestick holder that was supposed to be glued to the bottom of the vase.  And then I filled it with potpourri, as seen below. 

Hurricane Vase With Potpourri

It’s been a busy couple weeks, what with the reading and the cooking and the being craftsy.  I’ll admit, my painting skills also need some work, but my grandma liked it, so all is good.