My Mother and Karma
Sometimes I take a bit of a hiatus from writing. I think about writing every day. Thinking and doing are two different tasks though. I had a good writing habit going a few months ago. And then I took a conscious break. Maybe that was for good reason. New Stage for Mom During that break I lived off and on with my parents due to my mom’s advancing issues with dementia. And due to COVID-19 protocols we couldn’t get her moved to a higher level of care. So we resorted to my brothers and I living with them and rotating shifts each week to wait-out the move to another wing.…
How to Crochet a Slouchy Hat for 18″ Dolls
Today we have another crochet accessory for an 18” doll: the crochet slouchy hat. This is another really simple pattern that can be whipped up rather quickly. I’ve mentioned before how I peeked into the world of doll clothes a few years ago and discovered a whole world out there that I knew nothing about. After climbing down rabbit hole after rabbit hole of doll clothes and ideas on Pinterest, I decided to try my hand at making up my own patterns. This crochet slouchy hat for 18″ dolls was a result of those experiments. And it looks adorable on a fashion conscious doll! What you’ll need for this crochet…
How to Crochet a Poncho for 18″ dolls
In today’s project we are going to crochet a poncho for an 18″ doll. This poncho can also be converted into a cowl by simply folding it in half when you place it on the doll. How many 40+ years olds do you know that own an American Girl doll, or really any other 18” doll? Don’t know any? Well, now you do! A few years ago and I peeked into the world of doll clothes and discovered a whole world out there that I knew nothing about. After climbing down rabbit hole after rabbit hole of doll clothes and ideas on Pinterest, I decided to try my hand at…
How you can organize crochet patterns
Today we’re going to talk about how I organize crochet patterns, and how you can too. These techniques can also apply to any of your craft pattern hobbies — knitting, woodworking, beading, sewing, etc. The two main ways I think about organizing crochet patterns is to either print-and-store, OR keeping an electronic copy of some sort. Sometimes I do a bit of both. Print-and-store method to organize crochet patterns Let’s start with the print-and-store method and cover a few ways of handling paper patterns. Protection You’ve gotta protect the paper patterns since paper can breakdown in various ways over time. If it gets wet or eaten by the dog, these…
Cedar Tree Christmases
When I was a kid we always had a live cedar Christmas tree. We lived on a farm with 40+acres of woods that were filled with cedar trees. And we burned our own wood to help warm our house. Most people have special pines or Frazier firs or even perfectly coiffed fake trees they get for Christmas. And isn’t it funny how you get used to what you get used to? Growing up, I just thought everybody went in their backyard woods and plucked up a cedar Christmas tree. Little did I know. Into the woods we go… Each December my Dad, brothers and I would traipse down into our…
My favorite {handmade} Christmas Ornament
Every year when we put up our Christmas ornaments I am reminded of my most favorite handmade Christmas ornament. I need to give a bit of backstory first so you’ll truly appreciate the ornament, and explain the crafty-ness of it. How this handmade Christmas ornament came to be Back when I was in my late teens and still lived at home and my maternal Grandma was still alive, I decided to make her a sweatshirt for Christmas and put all the names of her grandchildren and great-grandchildren on it. My Grandma was a crafty lady, a DIYer, and a survivor of many hardships throughout her life so I knew she’d…
Childhood crafting turned adult crafting
How many of you crafted as a kid? And how many of you transformed that enjoyment into crafting as an adult? When I was a kid crafts were an enjoyment. I grew up in the country and most of my friends were only seen at school. My parents were DIYers. My mom had grown up on a farm, a working farm, and had learned the values associated with hard work and sacrifice, including how to make things last. My dad worked a full time job in engineering and could fix anything. Childhood crafts As a child I mostly enjoyed school. While I was never the star student, I did spend…
Lemon Peel and Star Stitch Crochet Blanket
In today’s New Project Spotlight we are shining the light on a stitch combo using the lemon peel stitch (my favorite!) and the star stitch. I learned how to use the star stitch by using the tutorial over at Drops Designs (link to the tutorial is in the supply list below). Any of you have been with me know the lemon peel stitch is my absolute favorite stitch so I’ve included a link in the supply list for that one too. Mixing up stitches in a blanket can be a tricky thing, especially when a stitch like the star stitch uses a unique series of stitch placements. But I’m getting…
Franklin’s Inspiration on Handmade Crochet Blankets
You’re probably wondering how Ben Franklin inspired crochet blankets. Right? Well, let’s get started. I read a biography on Benjamin Franklin last year. It was a rather large book. A bit intimidating actually. I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy it, or even finish it. But I remembered reading many biographies as a kid, and enjoying those. And it came recommended from another book I enjoyed. Fast forward: I both enjoyed it and finished it! Leaving a Legacy One of the parting inspirations I received from the book was the idea of leaving a legacy. A legacy that continues to help others. Franklin was known for helping others.…
Why you should keep empty boxes and containers
Do you ever think about a weird habit (I know, only one, right) that you have? One that you think, ‘certainly no one else does this, right?’ And if they knew I did they would think I was weird? At the risk of sounding weird (I know, more weird than I already am) I’m sharing a weird habit I have, but one that I don’t really apologize for. My weird habit (just the ONE we’re talking about today) is my affinity for collecting empty boxes and empty containers. Just hear me out…..I haven’t converted my house into an empty box storage haven….yet. Free containers = Free storage I don’t really…
