Friends

Meet Echo.
. . . and Faery Mae.

It goes against principle to make a doll and not make dolly friends. So - even though my girlies are too old for dolls. They each got one all the same. Echo is Sunshine's new friend and Faery Mae is Cheerleader's companion. Good thing I had girls, I feel sure that boys would object to all the doll making and giving that goes on in this household!

A group picture before the orange friend is wrapped in birthday gift wrap and mailed to the big birthday girl!

Birthday Doll

My dear friend's little girlie is turning 3 on the 19th. I thought this doll from Stitched In Time would be the perfect gift for her. After getting started, I noticed a theme. For her first birthday, I bought her a Tigger suit - orange and black. Last year, for her second birthday, I made her a retina burning baby doll using Hunter Orange Polar Fleece (I am sooooo frustrated, I know I took a photo of the doll, but I can't find it!); this year, I am making another orange doll. I hope the little darling likes orange! I'm already planning next year's orange doll!!!!

Finis

Ah, isn't it lovely?

I did it! From a stash of extremely ugly yarn, I created a warm, functional, rather beautiful blanket!

Truly, sometimes the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. I followed Lucy's (of Attic24) pattern for the floral squares, but varied the sizes and I also used her pattern for the scalloped edge. Thanks Lucy.

It isn't large, because even though I had plenty of some colors left, I had run out of others, but it is perfect for what it was intended - cool evenings on the patio.

Now, since I have such an embarrassing wealth of ugly yarn, I have decided to learn how to knit. It's frustrating for me as I have spent hours and hours and hours . . . crocheting, so that it is as easy for me as walking or breathing. This knitting thing, though! It's like learning to juggle while learning to ride a unicycle.

Happy Birthday Sunshine!

My baby is 14!!!! How did that ever happen?

She usually asks for this cake for her birthday and I have to admire her taste. That is pure Semi-sweet Chocolate Ganache poured over the top and sides of each piece of decadent chocolate cake. Way back when I used to have a cake business, this cake (in its regular incarnation, not gluten-free) was my biggest seller. I used to sell whole cakes, plus individual slices at the Corvallis Farmer's Market and the Monmouth Tea Festival (before it ended).

Today is also my dad's birthday. Happy 76th Dad! It took a little engineering having Sunshine on my dad's birthday, but where there is a will, there is a way!


Here is a picture we took in Aigues-Mortes, along the Mediterranean in France. This was the prettiest shop I have ever seen - all Nougats, Meringues, and darling cookies and candies. Looked like a never-ending birthday party.

Impediments to Crafting

The dog isn't the only trouble I have when it comes to crochet. I sat down at the computer for FIVE MINUTES to figure out how I wanted to edge the Babette Blanket. I decided on a simple granny stitch with a final shell stitch. So, to get on with it . . . where did the blanket go? I had it spread out on the floor awaiting my final decision? Oh. Cheerleader is trying to squeeze in a nap under it. And look at Ripple! It really ticks her off when someone else is in her favorite spot on the couch and hogging the new blanket, to boot!

All Things Floral

So . . . much crocheting this week. I must admit, I am very pleased with how this is turning out. Just shows you shouldn't judge yarn for being ugly and nasty - it may have something beautiful inside just waiting to be released . . .

People have been walking past commenting on the sunflowers in the vegetable garden.

This is the view I see when I look out the bathroom window. We didn't plant any sunflowers this year - just so you know. The bounty is 100% thanks to the scrub jays who call our back yard and garden home.

These are my current favorite flowers. Kent Beauty or "Hop-Flower" Oregano. Aren't they lovely!?

Back to the hook and yarn. I'll keep you updated as the Babette style, join-as-you-go, garden flower blanket progresses.

Ugly Duckling Story

Several weeks ago I responded to a Craigslist ad and bought two garbage bags of really cheap yarn. Cheap in more ways than one:: it was very inexpensive; and it truly belonged in the garbage bags! Really crappy stuff!

The gal who was selling it told me she had bought it to make hats for the homeless. It made me wonder how she could hate the homeless soooo much? Did she really believe that they should be grateful for hats made from such ugly, nasty yarn? I tried to get a good photo of the stuff - see the red yarn? Crocheting with it is like crocheting 1970's shag carpet that has been on the floor of a college rental and never cleaned! It squeaks when you work with it. All of the yarn is acrylic and it is in some of the most eye smarting colors!

But . . . I like a challange. Also, I am not quite ready to spend real money on real yarn yet. I still have some experimenting to do before crocheting a masterpiece. So, I challenged myself to make a pretty (or presentable) patio throw with the stuff. I put together the best combinations of colors I could with what was available and I started on a "join-as-you-go, Babette-style, Granny-Square Flower" throw. Say that three times fast.

Hm. This picture is blurry. Could it be that the colors were causing the camera trouble? Or was it me? Okay. Because I, basically, have a positive outlook on everything and I like lists, I decided to come up with a list of good things about this yarn and throw.

1. It was practically free;

2. If it had cost actual money, I wouldn't be willing to use the throw outside, on the patio, of an evening when it is chilly;

3. There is a certain satisfaction in making something functional and even, pretty, from something so ugly and crappy.

4. I just like to crochet!

Sunshine was bored and pulled together a blindingly outrageous outfit the other day. I had to document it for posterity! Yikes!