My First Felted Purse

Well, here it is, the purse I've been working on for a few weeks. I forgot to take a photo of it before I washed it. It's AMAZING how much wool shrinks! I think I really need to follow a pattern next time. :-) But I think I'm turning into Great. I saw a pattern for a crocheted purse but I didn't want to pay $10 for it. I thought I could figure it out. I got pretty close, but I just didn't realize how much it would shrink. Before I washed it, it hung down past Jo's hips and was very loose.



Jo wants a pink/orange one next!

Easter Peeps

OK, so mine is not as cute as Jennifer's adorable peeps jar! This is what happens when you only have 2 days to come up with the supplies and all your ribbon & pretty paper is packed in moving boxes! I used a Ziplock container instead of a pretty jar and since this is a gift from my son to his teacher, we used blue & purple bunnies instead of pink. It's still a cute idea & we'll probably do them again in the future... cuter! : )

Baby Pages

I was feeling left out, so I decided to show you one of my last projects before I had to pack up all things creative until we move!

Jo's New Purses

Here it is. The new spring styles in duct tape purses.

Pretty Yarn!

I didn't download any new photos today so I'm just posting this one. I thought this yarn was gorgeous! I crocheted a case for my sunglasses with it and then felted it. Being my first felting project -- and not using a pattern -- it didn't turn out very well. I didn't realize it would shrink so much. Jo said I could use it as a pencil holder if that tells you anything. Anyway, it was a fun yarn to work with and VERY fast! I'll try again later if my purse turns out.

OK, I REALLY have to get off the computer and go work on the purse now.

BTW, in a few weeks I'll be going with the kids on a mission trip to Tijuana. Twelve hours+ on a bus. I want to take some crochet with me. What do you think I should take?

A New Project

I found these three books at the Salvation Army last week:
I'm not sure if you'll be able to see the titles clearly. The first is a book on Gregg shorthand, next is a cookbook from 1950, and last is a Girls Scout Handbook. Look inside!


The shorthand book & Girl Scount handbook will probably be added to my home library. But the cookbook is in really bad shape. I've been trying to decide what to do with it and finally decided to make a journal out of it. It's going to be a food journal. I'll post photos as I finish pages.

Look, the glue's getting closer.... he he he
Also, Jordann made a REALLY cute duct tape purse today inspired by Jane. I plan on taking a picture of it tomorrow. It's my favorite so far. And she punched holes in bottle caps today to make some earrings. We'll see...

New Magazines!

Went to B&N last week to drink some coffee with Glenn & decided to use my new membership to get some $ off magazines! Look carefully at the cover of Blueprint... right above the model's shoulder. See the bowls? Do they look familiar? They're the same bowls I found at the Salvation Army a few months ago but mine are blue. I've also seen the same bowl on Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals (in red) and on a recent Bounty paper towel commercial (in green). Wish they weren't so high on eBay & I'd buy them in different colors.The next 2 photos are from Jordann's new favorite magazine, Adorn. SE, I took the apron photo for you... a few too many flowers for me but I like the idea. And I took this photo for my quiltin' Momma... sorry it's blurry.

Oh, the other magazines I bought were Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion and Domino.

More by Jo

I found a few other items created by Jordann while I was rummaging around her room this afternoon looking for her duct tape stuff. The half-eaten banana is my favorite. It's made from Sculpty clay that's been baked.
This is what she did one day when she was bored. Can you tell what it's made of?

Duct Tape & Denim

Aunt Sue requested some photos of Jordann's purses. She's made several from old blue jeans and others from duct tape. Here are her current creations that she's actually using:
She's using this duct tape messenger-style bag for her textbooks. She gets a lot of comments on this one! This is 100% duct tape (except for the stickers) and it is really strong. See, she figured out how to express her individuality even while wearing a school uniform.

Other duct tape creations - wallet & Ipod cozies. Somewhere there's a matching cell phone cover. Right now she's using the little panda bear cover for her phone shown attached to her blue jean purse.

Bracelet... yes, she wears this, too.
My current WIP is a wool crocheted purse that I'm going to felt, also for Jordann. I'm afraid she inherited the "bag" disease from me & Great!

Lynne's Special Order Doughnut

Here's your doughnut, Lynne. It's in the mail. Now I expect to see something you've sewn! :-)

Sweet Crochet

Doughnuts & Cupcakes -- but don't eat these! I photographed Lynne's special request doughnut (chocolate with pink icing) yesterday but haven't downloaded the photos yet.

Round crochet

I can't believe I actually made this! Funny, I've known how to crochet since I was a girl but never crocheted anything that wasn't flat. The doughnuts were the first non-flat thing I made. Then Lauren checked out a library book for me -- called something like Kids Crochet -- and it had a pattern for a ball.
It's filled with beans. Jordann thinks I should have put a bell in it for Maowie.

Crocheted Valentine's Dishcloth

Just wanted to try out the new blog. I don't think I shared this one on my blog. I made this right before Valentine's Day. It took longer than the squares so I didn't make any more.

Ladybug Mei Tai

Today, I completed the next addition to my Baby Bug Line... an infant size Mei Tai.
For more pictures of the carrier in use, click here.

Grandmama's Crochet

I don't have any square hot pads that Grandmama made, just...

a covered dish carrier,
watermelon hot pads,

and a well used dish rag.

Can you tell me what stitch it is?

New Magazine

I found a new magazine at HEB this week: Quilts and More from Better Homes and Gardens Creative Collection, Spring 2007 Issue. I give it two thumbs up!!! It was packed full of awesome ideas! Here are a few of my favorite that I wanted to show you:

Who wants an apron next Christmas?

Save your old jeans for me -

I think I'd really like to do this one!

This one looked like something Jordann would like to make.

And this was an adorable baby quilt -

look how the circles are quilted

right into the white part!!!

Visit http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/ for more!