Stash Bustin' Blankie! (W.I.P.)

I promise I'm still working on that Bed of Roses blanket. As beautiful as "Rosie" is, it's not exactly great blogging material. But, for those curious, I am: 5 rows in with 3 to go and then a border! Yaaaay!

But this post isn't about the Bed of Roses. It's about:

My Stash Bustin' Blankie!

I started making my extra scraps into granny squares and have finally gotten to a point where it's all coming together. I can "see" where it's going (at last!) and am a tad excited to have a "matches nothing" blanket around. Everything else I made has a definitely place and *goes* somewhere. As a result if it gets dragged to a different room it just looks u-g-l-y. But not this blankie! This blankie will be ugly beautiful everywhere! (Okay, so it does have a little bit of ugliness in it. But who doesn't?)

yum!

Since the colors are chaotic (I prefer to think of it as "eclectic"), I plan to border them all with a neutral, probably a grey acrylic I have lying around, but maybe an ecru cotton. I can't decide. I really love cotton. But I also really really love not spending money. ;)

 This project is s...l...o...w going - I started back in.... August(?), so don't anticipate any stash blankie updates any time soon. I just organized the squares last night and felt compelled to photograph them this morning because, well, 

who doesn't love a stack of granny squares?! 

***

Have a lovely day!

Shapes, Colors, Patterns (Inspiration)

I have some ideas in my head for new designs, but one never knows if these things will actually work or not. So, while I pondered (I've quit attempting to write patterns while the boys are awake), I took a tour of my house and took pictures of shapes, colors, and patterns that I found inspiring.

Enjoy!

Hope you're all having a lovely Monday!

Unique Motifs (Fantastic Finds)

Love motifs?

Me too- excessively!

Check out today's Fantastic Finds

which celebrates:

Unique Motifs

Image courtesy of CaitlinSainio

 Hang it up!

Image courtesy of CatTrilling

 Gift it!

Image courtesy of Hookedhouse

 Dress up a felt needle-book!

Image courtesy of alisapt

Wear it!

Image courtesy of tabachin

Make it lavender scented!

Happy Friday to one and all!

Have a wonderful day!

***

Mystery Project Revealed!

The past couple weeks I've referenced, 

here and there, 

a mystery project.

So.

Want to take a look?

(Disclaimer: Blurry shots ahead. My kitchen only gets good light in the afternoon)

To be honest, I'm not sure if it's done or not. Initially I wanted another layer of flowers between the magenta and pink, plus some coming off the bottom where the motif is. But it's proving tricky finding flowers that are neither too big nor too small, and I'm wondering if more flowers will look chaotic?

So how did I make this crochet chandelier? Well, I'll tell you...

First, I removed a hideous lampshade from a lamp in our house.

I stripped the beige vinyl (you read right, gag) from the frame.

I wrapped the bottom (now the top) of the shade in navy blue yarn.

I created a sweet sunshine motif to hide the random gold underside and attached that.

I found this flower tutorial because I wanted a flower that didn't have a right side and a wrong side, since it's hanging.

I made teeny little chain flowers for more fullness.

I had my charming husband suspend it from the kitchen light with chain from Home Depot.  

I stepped back and declared, "Ooh, it's so fun-kay! I love how fun-kay it is!" (And that is exactly how I said "funky".)

I had a conversation with the Charming One about how much this would cost us if Anthroplogie or Urban Outfitters sold it.

I continued to fret over it's done-ness. I made more flowers, which were too big (dag-gonnit). I shut my eyes and imagined a very full crochet chandelier. 

I got impatient, took pictures (despite the light quality) and wrote this blog post. 

The End!

Feedback would be good. More layered in flowers? Or declare it done? Leave it in the comments!!

***

Star Flower (Free!)

So, I was working on my mystery project this week, which involves trying out a variety of 

*~flowers~*

and while I was tweaking and creating and designing, out popped this 

cute little star.

Ignore my wrinkled old lady hands. I'm secretly 108, but that's just between us, mkay?

Sadly, the star flower is too big for the mystery project. But I was too smitten to unravel it, and am now passing it's simple 3-round pattern to

you.

Star Flower How To:
Round 1: Chain 2 (or magic circle) and in the first ch, work 5 sc. Join w/ sl st to first sc.
Round 2: *Chain 4, sc in next st * around. (5 ch-4 loops created)
Round 3: *sc, hdc, dc, picot (ch3, sl st to first ch), dc, hdc, sc in ch-loop. Sc in sc of prev round *. Repeat around. Fasten off, weave in ends.

Flowers are perfect for pins, hair accessories (clips, headbands, combs), garlands, embellishments on blankets, scarves, sweaters, bags... anything, really. So get to creating!

***

Finally Finished Floor Mat (Finished!)

Remember the tale of the floor mats? Well, I am beyond thrilled to present to you:

A Finished Floor Mat!

(and some monkey feet)

This gorgeous chevron floor mat is destined for the un-photographable mudroom, therefore I opted to take the pictures in the cheerful living room, catching the eye of a sweet little monkey who then became my assistant.

I can't think of a better christening ceremony for a floor mat than to be danced upon by a toddler.

It was my intention to get this chevron stitch written out on this wee little blog, but I do have an adorable person to give attention to at the moment, so if you'd like a basic chevron (this pattern was called "Sharp Chevron") check out this link which will automagicaly bring you to a different blog: Attic24: Neat Ripple Pattern.

;)

Have a wonderful day!

***

Avocado Yarn (Yarn!)

A couple days ago

I received a skein of

New Yarn!!

Yeeeees!!

And of course I celebrated the

yarn arrival with a 

HaPpY DaNcE

....but only after I was sure the postman was out of sight. 

=D

 I don't know about you, 

but I tend to get into a yarn rut. 

I buy the same ol' yarns,

in the same ol' colors,

from the same ol' store.

So, I was perusing Etsy and happened upon 

this 

beautiful

skein

of

yarn.

At first I was going to put it in a treasury.

But then I realized....

someone might buy it.

Someone else.

And I wanted it.

It (obviously) didn't make it in the treasury.

It's mine. 

=D

I can't wait to get to working with it!

I have to finish that floor mat (so close!).

I should probably finish the mystery project.

I need to keep working on my Bed of Roses blanket.

But in the midst of all this I will

surely

most definitely

make something 

beautiful 

with my Avocado Yarn. 

Sigh.

This yarn is 

so very gorgeous.

I like to keep it in view, 

despite being at least a couple weeks away

from working with it.

See more from this seller by following this link:
needleclicksEtc

It just doesn't seem right to 

hide it away in my stash bag.

Yarny yarny goodness.

=)

Ok.

Enough of that...

And now:

a little about the shop I got it from...

needleclicksEtc

She has another skein like this but with *more* yardage (450 yards, oh yeah!).

She offers yarn, 

kits, 

project bags, 

patterns (how cute are these sheep?!

 Love them so much! Makes me wish I could knit),

and more!

***

Hope you all have a delightful weekend!!

Today :) (Inspiration)

Today's crochet!

:)

Shell-Stitch Baby Hat, size 6-9 months 

for a

sweet

little

girl.

:)

Owl Be Your Friend

for a

sweet

baby

boy.

:)

New Knit-Picks catalog

for a

completely

obsessed

yarn

addict.

:) 

Button

LoVe!

:)

The

recently reorganized

yarn stash.

:)

Progress 

on the 

Bed of Roses

blanket.

:)

 The

start of

something 

new.

:)

Sunshine

on my

fingers.

:)

A

dog

at my

feet.

:)

Coffee

at

hand.

:)

Which

button?

Oh,

these!

:)

Ready

to 

ship.

:)

Have a lovely day!