Mug Cozy

Mug Cozy

Here is another quick and easy project.  Just have a few minutes and a partial skein of yarn and you can whip up one of these in no time.

Again, there are tons of free (and for purchase) patterns out there.  Just surf and see what you like, but here is where I found this particular pattern...Three Beans in a Pod.

You can make these to match your kitchen, you can give them as gifts, so cute.

Where do you get your creative inspiration?

Where do you get the inspiration for your projects? Whether it is sewing, knitting/crochet, etc. I look around at what pleases me and go from there.

Here is a granny square that I crocheted. The colors are white, brown aqua and burgandy/dark red (yes, I know it looks bright red, but trust me - it is not - don't know if it was the camera or the computer).



I got my inspiration from my favorite tote bag.  It has the same color scheme.



Here they are together.



The colors may not be an exact match (fabric and yarn do not always match), but I like the color scheme anyway.

So where do you get your inspiration?

Showing my Independence

It's a little late for Independence Day, but here you go anyway (better late than never right? - Nah, I don't agree either, just thought I'd try).

I made this Stars and Stripes Pillowcase Dress. I love the fabric because it looks antique-ish (I just made that word up, but it sounds good). The blue fabric has off-white stars in it, the red, striped, ticking fabric looks tea-stained, which gives it an aged look. A little girl could wear this any time, it doesn't just have to be worn on the 4th of July (but it does look Patriotic).

I love pillowcase dresses for several reasons...

1) The first is the history behind them. They used to be worn by peasants and poor people. They made use out of what they had. Nothing went to waste.

2) They grow with the girl. Since the ribbons can be tied tighter when she is smaller and looser as she grows, it is able to be worn longer.

3) The pillowcase dress can be worn as a top (this kind of goes with #2) when the dress gets too short. It can be worn with little bloomers, capri pants or jeans.

4) It can be dressed up or down depending on what you make it out of. Pillowcase Dress with lace trim in white with white leather patent Mary Janes makes a very cute Easter dress. Make it with a casual fabric and flip flops and it can be a summer play dress.



Here was a simple Patriotic table display. I had red and white dishes that I mixed up, I used red and blue bandanas for inexpensive place mats and napkins on a plain white table cloth. I had red and blue enameled buckets (Target $1 aisle) and American flags (Hobby Lobby half -off) about $0.25 each. Quick, Easy and Inexpensive!

Summer Fun

Still having fun with my Cricut!

I bought this cute red tub at Lowe's and I used the vinyl for the Cricut machine and this is what I came up with.

I used the Plantin Schoolbook Font cartridge (that came with my Cricut) and cut out Happy 4 in navy blue vinyl using 2 inch letters with the shadow effect. I cut the th (in 4th) out in 1 inch letters - the rest being the same.

Then I used the Plantin Schoolbook Font and cut out Happy 4 in white vinyl using 2 inch letter w/o the shadow effect. I cut the th (in 4th) in 1 inch letters - the rest being the same.

I then layered the white over the blue. I measured the center of my bucket with a measuring tape and marked it with a dry erase marker. Still using the dry erase marker and measuring tape, I drew a line so that my letters would be straight.



Using the Accent Essentials cartridge (that also came with my Cricut) I cut some stars out of the white vinyl and the blue vinyl. I did some plain with each color and some using the shadow effect also of each color. I layered some stars and others I did not as I placed them randomly around the words 'Happy 4th'.

This can be used for self-service while picknicking, by filling with ice and drinks. Another great thing about it is, after the holidays I can remove the vinyl and have a plain bucket or add other decorations on it (eg. Merry Christmas in green vinyl letters and put poinsettias in the bucket - you get the idea).

A Late Valentine

I really meant to show these before Valentine's Day, but I didn't get around to it. Maybe it will help you for next year.

I am pretty sure I got this idea from Char at Crap I've Made, but I couldn't find it when I looked on her blog. Maybe she did a guest post on it somewhere. If it wasn't Char I apologize because I really do like to give credit where credit is due.



I traced a heart shaped cookie cutter (fairly large) and then cut it out and on one side I wrote TO: and FROM: and had Anthony fill them out. Then I cut out 28 hearts. (I need 2 hearts for each Valentine and there are 14 kids in Anthony's class - minus him.) I filled out 13 more with the TO: and FROM: (for a total of 14). I filled out Anthony's name on one of them to make sure that it fit.



On one side of the 14 other blank hearts I wrote, "You break my heart."



I then filled them with conversation hearts (I counted out 12 for each Valentine - I didn't want any kindergartener to think someone had more than they did) and stapled around the edges. So they have to "break" them to get the candy out.








For the boys' teachers I did simple Valentines. I cut out heart shapes and wrote on them, "Teacher, I hope your Valentine's Day is all 'write'." I used a heart shaped hole puncher (just because I already had it) and then tied ribbon through it and around a couple of red ink pens. I had the boys sign their name on them.

I had the boys give a heart with a set of pens to each of their teachers. Lee and Champ are in middle school now (Lee has 4 teachers and Champ has 5 teachers), so I couldn't do much of a Valentine gift (I couldn't afford to). I thought it would be appropriate though (teacher's and red pens for grading, red pens for Valentine's Day).

Anthony's teacher got a little more (plus he had a student teacher in his classroom). I gave his teacher and the student teacher the set of pens Valentine and heart shaped crocheted dish cloths (in pink or red cotton yarn), hand lotion and air freshner.

The ink pen idea is one you can do anytime. I did it for Valentine's Day, but you could do it for Teacher Appreciation Week, just because, or any holiday. (Teacher I hope your ____(fill in the blank)___________ is all "write.")

Little Girl's Dress

This is a dress that I did for a friend of mine that is expecting a baby girl (her 3rd). It is red and white gingham (can you tell I like gingham?) trimmed in white with red buttons on the shoulders.


Here is the matching ponytail holder.

I love this style of dress. I think it is sweet and simple looking. She can wear it just like this in the summer. In the winter, can't you just picture it with a solid red or white turtle neck under it (for Christmas the turtle neck can have candy canes embroidered on the neck) with white tights and black patent Mary Janes? How about when the dress is too short for a dress? Picture it as a top with either denim or white capris and red flip flops. How darling?

I really like cute, but being a mom of 4 I usually go with practical (I try to throw in a little cute too though). If I give clothes, I try to give 12 months or larger (it seems everyone likes to give the "cute" newborn/baby sizes). I figure the new mom will get plenty of small sizes, but the baby will need clothes when he/she gets bigger too. Also, they outgrow the small sizes so quickly, they barely get worn (especially with so many). With a dress like this, you don't have to worry about what size she will be in during certain seasons. It works will all seasons.

Do you have a practical outfit that your kis/grandkids wear? Or one that you give? Or do you go for cute? (Cute is so hard to resist.)

Skittering Ladybugs

This is a dress that I came up with. There are 2 ladybugs skittering across the dress. The ladybugs are red and black (they leave a red and white gingham trail) appliqued on a navy and white gingham fabric. The dress is fully lined in solid navy blue. There are 2 red and black ladybug buttons at the shoulders.


This is a closeup of the ladybug buttons (sorry, it didn't come out too clear - I took several pictures and this was the best one).

This dress is posted on my Etsy site (see my button to the right). It will probably be a one of a kind because the ladybugs were a nightmare to do. (I did my own applique - the ladybugs weren't purchased). I am pleased with how it turned out, sometimes I get this great idea (at least I think it's great) and then it doesn't turn out at all how I had it pictured in my mind. This was exactly how I had it pictured.

More Diaper Bag

This is a view of the front of the bag (including the handles). I used the camouflaged material for the handles, but for strength and stability I used webbing on the underside of the handles. I usually cover the webbing with the fabric, but this time I thought that I would use red webbing and not cover it to give it a reversible look.


This is the front of the diaper bag with 'Gage' embroidered on it.

The rest of the diaper bag pictures are here.

Diaper Bag

For some reason I can't get all of my diaper bag pictures on this post so I will post the rest on another post.

I made this diaper bag for a lady that I used to work with. It is a custom made, personalized diaper bag. She already had the camouflage fabric and requested it be lined in red with her son's name embroidered in red. She also requested a couple of pockets on the outside.


This picture is of the back of the diaper bag with the exterior pockets.


This is the red lining on the interior of the diaper bag.


I took a piece of corrugated plastic and covered it in the same fabric that the diaper bag is lined with. It will be placed in the bottom of the bag for a sturdier bottom. I used the corrugated plastic in case of a bottle/sippy cup leak (once wet cardboard would be ruined). I made the cover over the bottom removable (for washing).


I also (as an added extra - she didn't request this) made a removeable cell phone case.


I used red thread and a red button on the cell phone case to tie in with the diaper bag being lined and monogrammed in red.

The rest of the diaper bag pictures are here.

It's Finished! - finally

I saw the cover of the book Crochet Collection by Leisure Arts and I fell in love with the afghan.

The 4th picture is the afghan draped diagonally across my queen size bed. The 5th picture is the boys lying in the floor next to it (to get an idea about the size of it). It is huge! I didn't expect it to be so big.

I bought the book in 2006, but after I bought the book I was afraid to buy the yarn (I had never done a project as big as an afghan before and didn't want to purchase the yarn and then never start the project). Shortly after I bought the book, Frank's sister said she bought a bunch of yarn and wouldn't be able to use it and wanted to know if I was interested. I said sure (not knowing anything about the yarn - I figured I could find something to do with it). When she brought it to me it was white, burgandy red and navy blue. I knew immediately what I was going to do with it. I only had to buy 1 skein of white (and I had a skein of red and blue left over).

I started the afghan in early 2006 (when the weather got warm I quit working on it). I put it aside for the summer and I forgot that I had it. I found it the other day and now it is finished!!!!!!!!!! It is my first afghan. I am redecorating the basement and I believe that it will go with it perfectly.

What project are you working on?

~Jena