Wrist Warmers for Mama

Morning friends!

This past week has been interesting. We've been hit with snow over here in the midwest, and so I woke up to a winter wonderland in my backyard on Monday morning. Needless to say, I was NOT ready for this, and ended up being about 15 minutes late to work. Ah well. It has been pretty! And pretty cold. I have to be honest... it's got me giddy for the holiday season but I know three more months of this is NOT going to be fun. :(

My backyard via Instagram.

Anywho, just wanted to share the wrist warmers I finished up last week for my mama. She always has cold hands and arms around the house and any warmers she has bought for herself have been too scratchy, so I made her a soft pair. I'm fairly certain that I used Bernat Satin yarn in Linen but of course, I never remember to keep track.

Please excuse my PJs :)

The pattern I used is from Jocelyn at Cute Crochet Chat and it's simple and easy to follow. Just might have to make myself a pair!

Other than crocheting and working and sleeping (ha), I did get the house all decorated for Christmas! The only thing we have left to do is put up our Christmas tree, and I couldn't do that without Matt, who has been working all week. SO, tonight we're having our annual "Christmas party" where we blast Christmas music, decorate the tree, and settle in to watch a Christmas movie. Just a little something we do together every year! I can't wait to share some photos.

I hope you all are staying warm out there!

Boot Cuffs

Today I'm bringing you a pair of boot cuffs I've been working on recently. These were super quick and easy to make and didn't take much yarn to do. If you're just starting out with crochet, this is a great beginning project to work on.

I stumbled upon this pattern via Tangled Happy. Come to find out, it's actually on Ravelry and created by Kitty Adventures. PLUS, it's free so that's always awesome. If you love to crochet or knit and haven't yet been on Ravelry, I highly recommend it. There are TONS of free patterns for just about anything you're thinking of working on. Have I said that before? I think I have.

I'm almost certain that for this pattern, I used Lion Brand Wool Ease® Yarn in Wheat, but I could be wrong. I'm so terrible at remembering what kind of yarn I used for projects. Note to self: work on that.

I love these cuffs because they aren't too big and bulky inside your boots, plus the lace-looking top is absolutely adorable. You can fold them over the tops of your boots (like I did above) or wear them straight. I'm loving these.

I've been a crocheting machine recently so here in a few days I'll have another update/project for you all. Stay tuned!

Colorful Crochet Coasters

So as you might know, I kind of like crocheting. Small, easy projects make me happy, so today I wanted to share my colorful crochet coaster I whipped up the other day! I made it specifically for my desk at work (dorky, I know) but I love the way it turned out and how cutesy it looks in my cubicle.

I'm absolutely loving the bright, pink color combined with the soft yellow, white, and blue. If you're looking for spring color inspiration, you have GOT to check out Color 'n Cream. I am in love with this girl's color combos! If they don't make you happy, I don't know what will! I highly suggest checking out her blog...it's wonderful.

For this coaster, I followed Jenn's pattern for her Vintage Flower Potholder, but I stopped after round four (see her tutorial). After that, I did another quick row of single crochets, and voila! A cutesy, colorful crochet coaster. You could easily mix and match colors to fit your own unique style.

This was a quick, fun project perfect for a lazy Saturday morning. Hope you enjoy it!

{linked here! and here! and here! and here!}

   

 

Jewelry Armoire Redo: Update

Are you wearing your green today?

Guys... I'm finally making progress on the jewelry armoire I bought a few weeks ago! (here's the link to my previous post if you're playing catch up!)

Last night, I started by ripping out all the old (and gross) pink liner and I'm now in the process of tracing the old pieces onto some heavy poster board. I'm also covering/wrapping that with the fabric I've chosen. I'm planning on painting the exterior of the piece a soft, ivory color, and line the insides with a coral-colored flannel-like fabric with these amazing blue damask accent cottons I got from JoAnn Fabrics. I'm also planning on refinishing the original hardware a dark brown color.

Honestly, I would have had NO idea how to go about this project without the help of crafter and photographer Wendy Sheaffer. I'm following her post about how she upcycled her own jewelry armoire last year. Seriously, this has been SO much help for me! Awesome Pinterest find over here. *Score*

The next thing to do is wait for a nice enough day that I can take this baby outside, sand her down, and start the priming! We had decent weather this weekend, up in the 50s on Saturday, but yesterday was sadly only 30 degrees. Spring is technically in four days, right? Let's get the show on the road and bring in some warm weather pleeeease!

Stay tuned for more updates to come! I can't wait until it's finished. :)

Stripey Baby Blanket

Today, I want to share something I've been working on for the past few weeks. I've been having a lot of color inspiration lately...and I must say I'm really liking the minty-turquoise-pink combinations out there. That's what inspired me to crochet this Stripey Baby Blanket! Shhhh... I'm thinking of gifting it to my baby second cousin, Sophia, who turns one at the end of April.

In the photo above, the blanket is actually folded in half... so imagine it double that size and that's what I'm working on. I believe I chained somewhere between 100 and 130 for the foundation (whatever "looks" good to you). I got the inspiration from this Love the Blue Bird blog post. I'm doing the "vintage stripe" pattern but decided to double up on each color row. This is super easy! Just double-crochet in the space between the previous row's dc, etc. You can grab the details from her blog.

I'm LOVING this color scheme.

I'm using a size 5mm hook for this project, and the yarn I'm using isn't THEE best in the world, but it actually doesn't feel too bad at all. I got the colors from my local Meijer... it's Bernat Super Value Yarn. I'm terrible with recording colors, so just go for a minty-pinkish-whitish combo...whatever you're feeling!  :D

Hope you all are having a splendid day! Yesterday was SO beautiful here and in the upper-60s temperature-wise. What's it doing today? Raining. And Snowing. And in the lower-20s. Sweet, Ohio.

Linked up with these lovely blogs below!

     

New Projects

Hey there!

There's so much in store for the coming weeks! I'm ready for February to end and spring to begin. Matt's birthday is coming up in March and dad's in the beginning of April, then Matt's graduation (FINALLY) at the end of April! AH! I'm so excited. He has an interview tomorrow for a nursing position post-graduation that I have no doubt he'll land. I'm ready for him to start living life a little more rather than living school! I'm also hoping that maybe, just maayyybeee we can start house hunting! :D

This weekend was really nice. Did a little bit of shopping on Friday and Saturday and did some wreath-making with mom. Saturday night, Matt and I took my parents to dinner at Double Days (soooo good) and did some thrifting at Home to Home in Centerville. For a few months now, I've been dying to go to IKEA because I've been looking for a jewelry armoire of some sort. You just can't find them anymore, and if you can, they're usually made with super cheap material. Well, I scored an awesome one at Home to Home!! It was $60 and for the storage and features I have with it, I thought it was a great deal.

I really love the vintage look. The top closes with the mirror folding inside. Just LOOK at all those hooks for long necklaces! AH! I'm actually planning on cleaning it up a bit with some paint and new inside lining once it gets a little warmer outside. Matt says I'm crazy to paint it, but I don't care. It's old and just needs a little sprucing. I'm so excited for this project!! Finally, a place to put all my jewelry that is scattered throughout my house.

I've also been working on a few crochet projects as well. More on that to come! Sunday was spent with mom at a family friend's bridal shower, and I wrapped up the evening with the Kleypack at John and Cindy's for dinner. It was a nice, relaxing weekend...maybe just a tad too short. Sigh.

Warm weather can get here NOW, please! Anyone agree?

:)

Happy New Year!

I guess the 7th of January is the perfect day to finally write my first blog of 2014! :) I hope everyone had a great holiday season. For the first time in the history of ever, I was happy to see the end of the holidays and the beginning of a new year. What is wrong with me?

For New Year's eve, Matt and I headed over to his mom and dad's house for our annual NYE pajama party! As always, it was a fun-filled evening with drinks, finger foods, and a little dancing on the Kinect. Even my mom and dad came out for a bit. It was a good time with family! I can't believe I didn't take one single picture that night. I guess that's just part of my initiative to start living in the moment and stop worrying about documenting it so much.

Aside from the temperatures outside being in the negatives and our house being freezing, not much has been all that eventful so far in 2014. The past couple of nights I did some crafting. I worked on an old milk can that my father-in-law gave me! No paint or restoration needed! Bought a few things from Hobby Lobby to spruce it up a bit. I love the way it looks now! I also worked on a baby scarf and hat for my cousin Sophia (my cousin's daughter...so...my second cousin?)! Who knows. :) I'm pleased with the way they turned out!

The scarf kind of morphed out of a pattern I used a while ago. It's pretty simple actually. I used a baby pink yarn (purchased at Hobby Lobby) called "I Love This Yarn!" Chain 15-20 (this scarf is definitely based on your own judgment!), and then alternate single crochet, double crochet down the chain. Just be sure to end each row with a single crochet, even if that means doing two singles in a row. Chain one, then turn. Repeat alternating single crochet, then double crochet. You get a nice little puffy pattern. :) Continue on until you reach a desired length. I added a button for a little baby safety.

The hat I kind of cheated on....I used a loom! Which I love doing for baby hats. I made the pom pom by hand though. Just wrap some yarn around your hand or a fork, tie a knot around it, and then cut the loops. For more detailed instructions, check out the Pom Pom Flowers pattern on Ravelry. Just leave out the stem.

Big things coming up...stay tuned!

Post-Concert Blues

Howdy :)

Well, that ZBB concert must have been extra spectacular, because I ended up catching a nasty bug the next day. Lunch on Friday was where it all began--aches, fever, chills, ugh. I spent the entire weekend cooped up at home with tea, blankets, and the couch. No over-the-counter remedies were doing the trick, so I took Monday off work to see the doctor. Turns out something has been going around. I decided to take Tuesday off as well seeing as how my cough was still icky and I just wasn't feeling up to par.

I'm feeling much better today, though. Antibiotics and steroids seem to be doing the job. Dad jokes about how it was probably Zac Brown himself who passed along the sickness, and if that's the case, I guess I won't complain. ;) Matt has been a great nurse (duh). Cleaning the house, giving me my meds, catering to my every need. He's a good one, ladies.

Other than doing a little catch-up work from home, I was crocheting like a mad woman while at home sick. I finished two scarves, started a third, whipped up another mug cozy, tried my hand at making two granny star ornaments, and worked on a crochet towel holder (as opposed to the traditional towel topper). I'm starting to love crochet more and more!

Below are the sources/patterns for my recent projects!

• Mug Hug - Use any color! I did a particular themed mug hug that I won't share for sake of ruining a Christmas gift idea! I didn't make the coaster, just the hug.
• Towel Holder - I just love this pattern. It's super cute and easy for me since I'm not very good at the traditional crochet-top towel (my mother-in-law is amazing at those). This turned out SO cute.
• Granny Star Ornament - Took me a minute to figure out the magic ring, but this one turned out okay too! If only I could train myself to crochet a little tighter!
• Crochet Star Ornament - Be careful, this is a U.K. pattern. I had to be careful with not confusing the stitches! Other than that, this one turned out cute, too.

Once Christmas is over and I'm finished whipping up gift ideas, I plan on starting on some blankets! I started a baby blanket in the fall just to kind of warm up to the idea of crocheting something larger. I have yet to finish it, though, because of all the hype of the holiday season. I can't wait to get back into the swing and finish it up! Then hopefully work on a throw or two for our home. :) Stay tuned!

Mug Cozies

Hey y'all!

I've not only been obsessed with scarves lately, but also these cute little mug cozies. I don't know if it's the thought of drinking something warm from a mug or if it's just my love for buttons (they are so cute), but for some reason I just love these little things. Here are a couple I've recently finished that actually didn't take me very long to do at all...maybe an hour or so.

I'm really happy with the way they both turned out! :D Pattern information below.

• Owl Mug Cozy - Free pattern from  Red Heart. This was made with what I believe is Lion Brand Jiffy yarn...nothing special. Most of the yarn I have is hand-me-down or I've had it a while, so unfortunately I can't name exactly what it is unless I buy it special! Follow the link for all the info needed. :)
• Pink Mug Cozy - Free pattern here as well. I opted out of making the coaster with this one; I didn't think it was too necessary. But it looks cute! This one is definitely for a larger mug depending on what kind of yarn you use. Again, I'm not exactly sure what mine was.

Side note...I just joined Ravelry, and now I'm going to be even more of a crochet freak than before. So many patterns, not enough time in the day. :(

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Tonight, Matt and I are staying in and having a Christmas Extravaganza!! Stuffing Christmas cards, making cookies, wrapping presents, and probably watching Christmas Vacation for the 10th time this month (already). Stay tuned! ;)

Linked up to the lovely blogs below!

     

Scarves, Scarves, Scarves

I pretty much feel like that's all I've really been doing lately! Since my student loan debt has decided to start poking me right around the holiday season, there's no better year to start making holiday gifts instead of buying. Don't get me wrong, I finished my small round of store-bought gifts on Black Friday. But this year, I'm bringing back old tradition with a few homemade gifts as well. :)

Here's a sneak peek--and I can talk about this one since my Grandpa likely doesn't follow my blog, hehe. I'm working on this scarf for him, meant to be just your plain-old manly-man's scarf. I'm using a ribbed stitch (just single crochets in the back loop) and I must say, I wish I would have done double crochet with how time-consuming it has been. I guess that's all part of my learning process here. But I must press on!

I want to try to experiment with different stitches, which is why I chose the ribbed stitch. I got the idea from my dear crochet bible, Donna Kooler's Encyclopedia of Crochet (I think I found this at Jo Ann Fabrics). It's been really helpful with my self-taught crochet journey. It has tons of patterns, stitches, tutorials, you name it. Not a bad price tag either!

For this scarf I'm using Lion Brand yarn, in the Heartland collection. It's in the "Black Canyon" color. I'm using a size 5mm crochet hook, I believe. This is the first work I've done without following a specific pattern, so I hope it turns out okay. I think my foundation is a chain of 15-20. I would have liked it to be a smidge wider, but I think it'll do. I hope this thing doesn't take me a decade to finish. Must. Complete. Before. Christmas.

Working on one for Matt next per his request. Let's see if he'll even wear it!

*Note to self:  get a nicer camera. Your phone pictures are horrid.

Hope everyone's week is going well! Mine has been extremely stressful. I'm trying to start each day with a newer, more positive outlook, but my mornings have been making that difficult. I'm trying to remind myself to breathe....take it slow....don't overreact....let everything take its course. Ahhh.

That's all for now!

Little Crochet Pouch

Now that the Thanksgiving madness is all over, I finally found some time to crochet a little bit. I'm an avid Pinterester (yep I just made that up), and while perusing pins one day I came across this adorable little Hook Monster. It's a little pouch to store all your crochet hooks in, which is something I've needed. Before, I used a very classic and dysfunctional Ziploc bag.

Here is the original source and creator of the Hook Monster. I absolutely love it. However, I didn't really make mine into a monster...more just like a colorful little pouch. :D

The yarn I used was multi-colored, but I can't remember the brand. I'll have to check later. Here's my little diddy. Even Matt was impressed.

What I loved about doing this little pouch is that I could just kind of eye ball the length and make it however long I wanted it to be. In real life, I'm more of a rule follower, and sometimes need precise direction, but not in my little crochet world. Gosh, I'm a nerd.

Anyway, I was pretty pleased with this. It was all single crochet (pretty easy), and I even learned something new! I had never worked in that kind of round before. It began with a chain of 10, and then just single crochet around and around the chain in spirals. Pretty darn cute.

In other news, I'm working on a little doggy sweater for my dog-niece, Lola. She's a mini dachshund and probably doesn't even weigh 5 pounds. Stay tuned for that!

*Update - I figured out what yarn I used for this. It was Deborah Norville (Premier) Everyday® Soft Worsted yarn, in the "Lilac Ridge" multi. It's pretty soft. This was done with a 3.5mm hook so that no chunky holes would allow the hooks to fall through. :)