I went through a LONG boredom spell before and around Christmas. This year, we decided not to do presents. I did make some fudge and chocolate covered pretzels for three families (they got us some stuff). To fill the void, I crocheted some. Here are the pics...
 
The first one is made with crochet thread..same pattern as the next three.

The next five are hotpads. (3 different patterns)

Next, we have a Jack Skellington skull ball. I think he is from Nightmare Before Christmas. (not sure)

 Then, we have a new stroller seat for DD's stroller. I sewed her a replacement seat already..and she lost that one too. Now, I hope she keeps this one.

The two skulls are done in tapestry crochet. Something new I learned.

The little green circle is just a coaster.

The pink granny-square afghan was made for DD. She chose all the colors.

The last one is the first square in the afghan I'm making for my MIL. I currently have two of this color. The squares are 16".

....and that's that! PS...

If you haven't joined ravelry and you crochet or knot...you really need to check it out. I love it there!

I'll start out by saying my week was full of candy corn...crafting that is. My kids wanted to do a whole lot more, but I had to put an end to all the madness.

Earrings made from REAL candy corn

Paper cone candy corn holder

Paper corn holder doubles as a party hat

This is her 'candy tote' for the festival this year.

 

 

I made this for a contest....and I fell in love with it, and I don't even like candy corn. Only problem, DD wants one now and this one took me about four hours to make. Maybe I can skimp and use felt for hers.

---side view---

It feels sooo good to be able to sew something. I've been working on a quilt now for about three months (or more). It seems every time I get started on one thing with it, something happens. The top looked perfect when I got it finished. After putting four (yes I said four) layers of batting behind it and a layer of flannel, it looks wonky. I broke countless needles trying to bind the stupid thing. (I only call it stupid because it was such a problem).

---pre-quilted---

This was a project for the kids great-great-grandmother. She did the embroidery years ago. The kids great-great-aunt was going thru her mother's stuff and happened upon them. This will be a present for her. Shhh...don't tell her, she doesn't know yet. The reason for the four layers of batting, she is bedridden and is always complaining of freezing. This heavy thing is definitely going to keep her warm.

---close up of her embroidery---

I just have to say that I don't usually quilt. This will be my second completed large quilt that was machine quilted. I did make the boys a quilt each that I tie-quilted. Those were made after the first sewn one. I only have a regular machine and those big rolls just don't want to go through the middle. ....pause while I dream of a bigger machine...

Well, I'm off to make about six school buses. That's a fleet!

My kids, like most I'm sure, love to do crafts. They tend to make big messes also. We recently made our first Flat Stanleys. All you got to do is give the kids free range of your craft room and this is what will happen...

We are doing the Flat Stanley lapbook from HomeschoolShare.com. (More on that one at a later day).   In one of the books you do a marshmallow experiment. All three of the kids worked on this one (super easy). Since you had to choose three objects, they all chose one each...a hand, an old bottle (full of 11 yr old grape juice..long story), and a big book.

Both the littles are studying fossils right now in the science books (I had to do some rearranging of chapters to make it match). After we got done with book work, we went wandering down the road to find stuff to make 'fossils' out of. Let me tell you, we came back with a handful of leaves and one pinecone. Most of the stuff they used came from the potpourri bowl and their toy dinosaurs. (I did one also, just for fun).

Here is DS2's before the plaster...

Here it is flipped out of the bowl after the plaster dried...

Here is DD cleaning up her fossil...

(toothpicks and toothbrushes work well for this)

Here they are done.... (DS2=rectangle DD=circle MOI=square)

I think I've created monsters by allowing so many craft/experiments in such a short period. They want to hurry up with book work and want some more messes to make. At least they clean them up.

I have had this purse bouncing around in my head for sometime now. I bought the fabric awhile back and just now am getting to it. I don't like sewing circles all that well. That must have been the hold up.

Anyways, I put it in my Etsy store with two other purses I just finished. I'm off to make some more. Plus, I need to make some more ear rings.

I have so many crafting projects in the works for the week. Here are a couple pics of what I finished yesterday.

This is a purse for a friend. I made one for myself also, different fabric.

This is a repurposed hoodie. My MIL wanted it made into a jacket for her sister. I gotta say that it was easier than what I expected.

Now, I'm working on a bone purse for DD to carry with the doggie outfit I'm making her for halloween.

I had two panels of fabric given to me earlier this summer that NEEDED to be sewn SOON. I couldn't talk my DD into waiting until next year, so it had to be done today.

The fabric was already elasticized on top and finished on the bottom, so it all seemed pretty easy. LOL The first one I had sewn needed some repair to the top. The next one came out okay. We do learn from our mistakes....don't stretch the fabric while sewing it.

Since I'm not one to waste the leftovers, dresses had to be made for little Leila. That would be my daughters e-bay-be. That's what she calls her because that is "where she was born." Cute, huh. She is a CPK, just a little worn around the edges.

Here's what the results are......she picked out the little cutie buttons that are in the center front of each dress, even Leila's.

The strangest thing....when I got on the computer to blog these little cuties, I checked the blogs I read all the time. I click on one of my faves to check out her newest posts. This one happened to be a few days old, but it was new to me. Her little 6yo had sewn her own one of these dresses. Then, her Mama made her dolly one. That's talent.

Here are some pics of an afghan that I had been working on/off for about two years.

TGIF....thank God it's finished