Fingerless Mitts

So, as usual, I'm way behind on trends, but I've been working on some fingerless mitts the last couple of days, and I have to say, they're fun!  I don't know that I would wear them, but they're so much fun to make!

Of course, as I type this, I realize they'd be awesome over my biking gloves in fall and way cuter!

Ok, so maybe I'll be keeping a pair or two or ten.

Well anyway, I'm planning on listing them on Etsy, as soon as I can talk someone into modeling them for me so that I can get pics with both hands showing!  But in the meantime, here's a couple of snapshots of me wearing them!

Photo Journal: Addisyn's Birthday Doll

So, Michael and his painting and all has got me all inspired and motivated, and I needed a gift for my cousin's little girl Addisyn's 1st Birthday.  So, perfect timing, right?

Apparently, it's even better for me than I thought to spend time with fellow artists!

DAY 1:

A good start on the first wing.

DAY 2, 3:

Realized the original wing layout was not going to work and frogged quite a bit of work and redid it for a much better result.

DAY 4:

Feet and legs are done, including cuffs on pants which will match shirt!

DAY 5:

Body is finished, including sleeve and hem ruffles on shirt.  Heart design on shirt is simple colorwork rather than embroidery.

DAY 6:

All crochet work is done, most ends are finished, wings attached.  Note shoulder straps.  She is not a pixie or a fairy, but a little girl wearing butterfly wings.

DAY 7:

Finished doll.  Light hair and blue eyes like the recipient!  

All in all, it was great to be making a doll again, so thank you to Michael for the motivation and Jeremy and Sue for the occasion!

And, BONUS!  She was a huge hit!

A Doll-making State of Mind

So, I have to say, I've not been as slackerly as it looks from my lack of posting.  This spring has been pretty rough.

But, I'm stepping off on the right foot now.  I've designed a couple of new patterns for the Etsy shop and with the encouragement of an artist friend that I've been spending a good amount of time with/talking to, I've gotten back into a mindset where I can start creating dolls again!

Dolls are hard for me when I'm not in an overall happy place.  I can do it, don't get me wrong, but especially for projects like the one I'm currently working on, coming from a positive place makes it a lot easier.

Like the movie, The Cat Returns, I believe that an artist imbues their creations with a lot of heart and a little bit of soul.  So, for example, you wouldn't want to work on 1st Birthday Gift for a little girl when you're sad and angry about everything.

I can't post pictures of my doll yet, because she's still a surprise for the person/family she's for, but as soon as the birthday party is over, I will be posting a photo journal of her at the aforementioned artist friend's request.

I just need to get her head and details done and she's ready to go, and I'm off and running!

Been getting out.

These days it's been all about Etsy items and getting out of the house.   I am planning a Zombie Brains How-to, but I need to decide how I'm going to handle it.

In the meantime, I've been out hiking quite a bit more than usual this year and I couldn't be happier.  I know the pic doesn't show it, but that was taken at dawn and I'm not a natural early riser.

I've been working on some quirky little pieces for the Etsy shop, like Apple Cozies.  They seem incredibly silly, but they do actually help prevent your apple from bruising while it's in your bag.

And I've been putting together some terrariums with various Tillandsia Ionantha plants in them.   They're a great "small space" gardening option for window sills and desk areas and well as being incredibly easy to care for.

Plus, who doesn't love a plant that requires NO DIRT!

Another Custom Request: Roast Turkey!

A friend's husband has a birthday coming up and he asked for a Nook EReader as his gift.  So he needs a case.  

She and I talked a bit about his interests and things and I told her I would think on it and come back to her with ideas.  When I saw her next I suggested a Scooby Doo-esque giant hamburger with the opening under the top of the bun.

She said "Perfect!  Next to turkey, grilled hamburgers is his favorite meal."

And another friend said "Why not make the turkey then?"

The response comes:  *gasp*  "Could you?"

"Of course I can."

***

I delivered this Sunday, and everyone who saw it loved it.  His birthday is July 17, so I'll hear his reaction next week.  If she manages to keep the secret until then.  ;-)

***

The turkey has been delivered and it was a HUGE HIT!!!!!

Sorry about that.

So much for a post every week.  I've been busting my hump trying to get an Etsy store up and running and I did!  It's small, not a whole lot of items yet, but it's up and it's getting traffic.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/adriennecongdon  Go check it out!

I had my wisdom teeth out this week, all four of them, and if I knew now what I new when I agreed to do all at once, I wouldn't have, that's for sure.  I would have done the bad one separately from the other three.  On the plus side, time to crochet and to nap with the cat, I've got the crochet work portion done on two more Kindle/Nook cases for my Etsy shop, just need to do the details.

Also, I have to finish a bracelet for my dear friend Jesse, the first one was too big.  Silly me, I assumed he wears a bracelet with the same loose fit that I prefer.  I didn't think about the fact that since he does a lot of wood and leather work that he would wear a tighter bracelet for safety reasons.  Well, once I have his bracelet done, I'm gonna get the one I need to post them on Etsy finished.

Will let you know when things get rolling!

Nook/Kindle Covers

For those of you who don't know, I recently got a Kindle Fire. And I love it! But I needed a case for it. So of course I made one. And of course, then my mom wanted one for her nook. Then a coworker-friend wanted one. And it seems I may have stumbled on to the flagship line for the Etsy store I'm getting ready to open.

So it all started with the relatively simple blue monster case I made for myself.

Then my mom wanted one, and I couldn't very well make an identical one. Where's ther creativity in that?


Then my coworkers saw the pictures and one that I'm close with said "I want one, but a Zombie and I'm going to pay you for it because it wouldn't be right to not pay for a custom piece!"

And I thought 'how am I going to design a zombie, where the opening placement is both hilarious and adorable?' and after a few minutes consideration, I had it! HEAD WOUND! So with this stroke of genius in hand, (um, mind maybe?) I bought some mossy green yarn and got down to business.

I deliver this one today, but she's already seen pictures and is completely in love with it!

Photo Journal: Basic Teddy Bear

So a friend posted on Facebook about a week and a half ago about a young woman who had died in childbirth, leaving behind a newborn son and a 3 year old daughter. Even though, I didn't know her, I decided that I wanted to make something for the kids. So I've been working on a couple of small projects for them for about a week now. I finished the last item last night.

Perhaps it was a bit opportunistic of me, but I also took pictures of the teddy bear along the way, so I could share a little bit of the design process.

Day 1: two of the legs are done and a start on a third. Mostly when I make bears, I stick with making the legs are arms the same. I'm working the bear in Loops and Threads - Country Loom, Shale. It works up pretty similar to Lion Brand's Homespun, but a bit chunkier.



Day 2: All the legs/arms are finished. Legs are joined together and body is started. Tail is complete (it's worked right in over the course of 2 rounds).

Tail: add ch 7, just before the join of desired row (start a row lower than you'd like the tail to end up. on next row, sc in ea ch, and join on next row, skip tail sts and join to first sc of row.

It does leave a very small hole in the bear's bottom, but if it bothers you, you can always sew it closed.

Day 3: Most of a bear. Body is stuffed, head is started. I'm trying to get this one done as soon as possible for someone, so I've been working like a madwoman. (Also, I was up way to late watching old episodes of a favorite TV show.)

Day 4: Bear is finished. Ears are the only part that required sewing on. Face is embroidered in plain old Red Heart Super Saver in whatever the Dark Brown I had laying around is. Ready to be mailed out!

Busy Bee.

Been working on 2 afghans on and off as well as a cross stitch and brainstorming another pattern for the "Fishin' Buddies" booklet. I'd like to say I have a good reason for not posting more regularly, but let's be honest with ourselves here.

I have been busy, work, family stuff, the garden, started bike commuting, still getting the house in order and so on, but if I can find the time to play Wheel of Fortune on Facebook, I can make time for the blog.

Liam is done with school now, so work should be starting back up at Tilghman Street, which means more work on Crochet Pages. The site for Tilghman Street needs to be much more interactive than Crochet Pages ever has and hopefully some of what I learn in the process of making that happen will transfer over to give you all the best look and feel we've ever had.

You all know that crochet is one of my favorite things, and while I may walk away from time to time to get other stuff taken care of, in the end I'm always back to my art. Especially the one that's nearest and dearest to my heart. I come from a long line of needlework types and I'm not about to let that drop off in favor of silly things like having a social life or planting a garden. ;-)

Been a while.

It's been a while since I posted anything on here and I wanted to show you all what I've been working on!

I've been spending more and more time outside. And getting the sunburn to show for it. (I've learned my lesson, and I've invested in both Aloe Gel and good Sunblock.)

Go easy on me, it was the first gorgeous day this spring and it wasn't hot. I bounced happily out the door wearing a tank top and never even realized I had sunburn until it started to itch later that night.

Some friends of ours adopted a little girl (I believe she's about 3 years old) so I made her a bear!

Friends of ours in Baltimore are expecting Baby #2 this fall, so I've been working on an afghan for them. Even when I have my nephew at McDonald's. I get the chance to work while he's playing, and sometimes I even get to share my web site or talk yarn with other parents!

Got up to Glen Onoko for the first time! We didn't go up the Falls this time because we actually had a project we wanted to sit and work on, but we did walk out the access road/bike trail quite a distance.

We climbed around at the base of the falls a bit, and it looks like my knee is going to hold up pretty well for me this summer, as long as I'm not stupid about the hiking and climbing.

I bought a bike last week and I've been riding to work as weather allows. I've walked for a little over a month now, and happily switched over to riding, it means I get a little extra time in my morning, and I don't need a ride home. Without losing anymore time out of my day to my commute than I did when I was walking one way and getting a ride the other.

Hardware Store Bracelet

I bought everything I needed (materials wise) for this bracelet at Home Depot for less than $10.

Shopping List:

• Neon Cord - 5/32" Diamond Braid Poly, All-Purpose Cord. I bought blue, but it comes in other colors.
• 1/4" - 20 Hex Nuts or machine nuts.
• 1" S hooks

Tools from home:

• size N crochet hook
• large eye needle
• sturdy pliers

Thread about 20 nuts onto your cord. Start off with a slip knot around your hook, leaving about a 4" tail

Slide 1 nut against the knot and work your chain stitch, the nut should fall onto the "back" of the chain.

Slide 1 nut against work and chain 1. Repeat to desired length. You probably won't need all of the nuts, I only needed about a dozen, but extra is always good.

To add your closure, unravel the outer layer of the cord until about 1" from your work. Cut off the inner core. With your needle, weave the unraveled ends back through your work.

Repeat for other end. Slip S hook into one loop, and squeeze closed with the pliers. Leave the other end open so you have an S clasp.

Haven't given up.

Those of you who follow my other blog, Live Like a Hippy, will have seen me posting like crazy about homemade spa goodies, especially Lip Balm. Have no fear, I haven't stopped crocheting.

I've actually been working on a pattern book! The working title is "Creature Comforts" and it's going to be filled with animal inspired winter gear, for little kids and big kids! So far, I've got a Snuggly Diamond Back scarf, the Shark Attack Hat, a Frog hat, and the Brain Worm Scarf/hat combo.

I'm hoping to come out with roughly a dozen patterns when all is said and done. Also, now that my arm is healed (I fell victim to all the ice in Allentown the other week) I should be able to do a lot more crochet work. I'll gonna finish up the laptop sleeve I'm working on, so I can keep my shiny new Toshiba shiny and new and then dig right back into the Creature patterns.

I've also got a couple of new ideas bouncing around for the Fishin' Buddies booklet. And don't worry, I haven't forgotten that a lot of you are here for the free stuff. I've got a couple ideas in that category too.

A very full few days

So, it's only Wednesday, and I feel like I've already put in a weeks worth. I finished a pattern for the site, it just needs a photo and to be typed up. I have an afghan pattern a good portion of the way finished.

Sunday, I worked a half day to cover for someone who was sick, then finished the one pattern and big part of the other.

Monday morning, I went to the gym and then I worked a closing shift. At work, I finished up the last 13 pieces in a set of 71 that I had been working on.

Tuesday, I went to the gym with Liam, then worked another closing shift, this time with Liam.

Today, I worked another half day, because I had to leave early because apparently overtime is evil. I bought the stuff I need for a couple of Mother's Day gifts that I'm responsible for and the stuff to make the favors and start the centerpieces for my Mad Hatter's Tea Party. Then I came home and played on the internet for a while. Then I went for a sushi lunch, hit Walmart for some odds and ends and then went to Wegman's for the tea bags for my favors.

Then I called Dave and we went tromping around in the woods at the Mary Immaculate Center, and climbed a tree. Then we went out for dinner.

Now, I'm home, putting my favors together and playing on Facebook.
Whew.

Tomorrow plans are gym with Liam and then babysit and make a Mother's Day gift with Lyam. (No, that is right, there are 2 Lyam's and they spell their names differently. One is Scottish origin - Lyam, the other is short for William - Liam. Also, one of them is 2 1/2 and I babysit him, the other is a coworker and dear friend of mine.)

Friday - work, then Date night.

Saturday - another closing shift.

I hope you followed all of that, because I'm not sure that I didn't miss something.

Oh, also, I sold a coffee cup sleeve and pair of baby slippers this week.

Crochet Exchange

So, if I was thinking of starting up a Crochet Exchange, would anyone be interested? I'm thinking Granny Daughter's, like 20 per month. Let me know what you think - strngbn@lycos.com or Twitter @agecrochet

Last pattern for bag book finished!

I finally finished the last pattern for the book today. Just need to type the last couple up and fill in the missing photos and we're good to go. I'll let you know when it's available. I'm going to go through Lulu, so hopefully it won't be long.

Lots of stuff happening!

I think I'll do this update point by point in order to make it easier to read. Those of you who only read from the feed on Crochet Pages, I apologize in advance that you'll be missing most of the info, unless you click through to the blog.

1) I've finally got the photo posted for the Mini Teddy Bear. I hope the shot properly shows it's scale.

2) I got the Envelope Clutch pattern posted. This was the winning pattern for the preview of my book.

3) With Ren Faire season now over, I'm hoping I might be able to wrangle a couple of new patterns from Jessy, but no promises.

4) The book is well under way at this point. The layout is falling together pretty well and I only need 2 more patterns before I'm willing to call it finished. I apologize if anyone was hoping to get it in their hands before Christmas, it's not likely to happen at this point.

5) I do not intend to take a Christmas break from the website at this point. For a few reasons:
a) I just got started on this regular monthly update thing, if I don't keep going, I don't know what might happen.
b) I honestly don't see any reason why I'd need to at this point. My boss isn't let me make any headway in my frameshop, so I doubt I'll get pulled to help others.
c) I need to start getting ready for the move to a new host. My Tripod account has served me well for roughly 10 years now, but I am quickly running out of space. Regular updates are going to make that happen sooner. I'm nearly 3/4 of the way to capacity.
d) I still haven't built the web-home I promised for Because We Care. I feel really bad about that, I really need to get in touch with Anita about it.

I think that covers everything. Any questions, let me know.

New Patterns!

Woo!  New Patterns on Crochet Pages.  

A wacky Bean Sprout pattern.  

Also, a set of 6 snowflakes for Debbie! 

Hope everyone likes them!

Yarn Pixies Finally posted!

New Pattern at Crochet Pages!  I finally got the yarn pixies pattern settled and uploaded.  Enjoy!

Back to reality.

So, my vacation's over now. I don't work until 2pm today, but it is officially back to work starting today.

What does this mean to you? Well, now that I'm done getting a tattoo and visiting Maryland and taking my best friend to a concert for her birthday, life will be getting back to normal. Which means, site updates and patterns!

I finally got the pixie photos from the friend I borrowed the camera from, so that means I'll get those up, and I'll be trying to do at least one new pattern every month from here out.

I will also be putting some time into getting the studio put together and working on some more t-shirt designs. I need to look into where I'm gonna have them printed at a little more, but right now I'm looking at PrintFection. I have mixed feeling about CafePress, because of the limits that they put on free accounts, and I'm just not a good fit for Zyraxia, even though they do hand screenprint all their shirts, which makes the printing more durable.

The draw back to Zyraxia is that they don't just print stuff because you submitted it. They review they design, decide if it's sellable, then, if they like it, it becomes they're design to do with as they see fit, and they run off a batch of shirts. The only way to make sure that they print your design is to upload it and order a full printing batch. Since I'm looking for print on demand, so I don't have to store or ship the shirts, not really what I was looking for, Also, I'll consider my designs a hit even if only one person other than me buys them. Not an option with Zyraxia.

Which is where I come back to PrintFection. Print on demand. When you want a shirt, they print that one shirt and then ship it off. They take their share and I get what's left.

Also, I've been working, finally, on support badges for a local charity group called Because We Care. One of the reasons I'm putting a lot of effort into the stuff for Because We Care is that it's run by an older woman and at this point in time, the only web-presence the group will have is what I give it on my website.

I've been rearranging the homepage somewhat to start working all this new stuff in, so you will be seeing some changes coming up. Hopefully, they will all be minor, at least visually. I think all the changes are going to be for the better and I hope you feel the same.

As always, thanks for reading and if you have any ideas or concerns, please, please, let me know!

Ballerina was a hit

So, the ballerina pixie was a huge hit. Lin's father just passed away and she's going through a rough time. If you've been following this blog, you know that I lost my step-dad last December, so I certainly understand what she's going through. One thing that has stuck with me from that, is there's nothing that you can say that actually what the person needs to hear. All you can do is let them know you care and be there if they need you.

So, to that end, I made that ballerina pixie for Lin, because she used to be a dancer. And it had the exact effect that I was hoping for. I meant a ton to her that I cared enough to make her something, and most importantly, she hasn't been able to look at it even once without getting a laugh from it, which is really what I was aiming for. When you're going through a hard time, I think the best thing someone can do for you is give you a reason to keep laughing.

I know I've been promising pics of the pixies for days now, but with my camera on the fritz, it's unfortunately gotten to be somewhat unpredictable when I'll have access to one.

I think, though, that I've hit on what the pixies are really about to me. They're quick, they're easy to personalize and they're a great way to share a little love. Plus, you finally have something to do with at least a few of the damn grocery bags that everybody has too many of.