Friday, February 25, 2011

Egg Hunt


The realization came to me today as I was deciding which desktop file to place this photo of a newly made pincushion that I have lots and lots of files filled with lots and lots of projects. Do I file this cute as can be pincushion under "Think Pink", "Easter Cute", or "Pincushions"?


When I realized I didn't even have a file titled "Pincushions", I knew it was time to organize. Did you even know I make pincushions? My blog has become so deep, thick, long, .... what word do you use for a blog? that you might not even know this.


I know the day will come when my crafting journey has come to an end, and I want to leave a blog that will be a place to inspire others creativity.


I am working diligently to go through my many posts to find long forgotten projects, tutorials, or information that might be of interest to someone who loves to craft as much as I do.


I am adding a list of crafts for easy access on my sidebar so that finding the project you perhaps are looking for won't be such an ....


egghunt.


Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Pixie's In Angora


I loved that my last name was of Irish origins when I was school aged. I also loved on the first day of school the opportunity to tell the teacher at first roll call my name Keily was not pronounced K(eye)ly but K(eee)ly just like the famous alpine racer Jean Claude Killy. It never occurred to me I was only confusing the teacher even more by giving a French name spelled yet another way.


My husband and I have had an ongoing argument all of our married years as to who is the most Irish. "My first relative came over during the Potato Famine." is my opening defense. "I love Notre Dame!" is my husband's rebuttal.  Try as I might I can not convince him that his Checzlovocian last name is not Irish.


Such a fun craft to make with very few supplies. I always think these pipe cleaner dolls look like they are wearing angora sweaters. Head beads are pre-painted and can be found at most craft stores. Body of sweater is slipped over legs. Arm pipe cleaner is slipped between coils, sweater "sleeves" slipped over arms.


A beading needle is woven through cut strips of felt. A knot is not needed in the thread as you will reinsert needle back through layers several times to secure. The thin needle is a must as it makes this step go very quickly. Wider strips will cover head with less effort. Hot glue in place.


Of course every woodland Pixie has their very own rabbit as a reminder Easter is soon to arrive. If ever you see one of my characters with white hair, you know it is on it's way to the only white-haired crafter we all know and adore. Vivian of Viv's Whimsy, of course!


Rabbit is formed by making bend at end of stem to create tail, 1/2 length for body, bend; backwards "4" for head,


stem is then wrapped around "4" to create flattened head shape, trim excess. Seed bead eyes and paper punched nose are Tacky Glued in place.


Body is created by coiling stem around a pencil six times and slipped over tail end of rabbit. Legs and ears are created by inserting lengths of stem between coils and trimming. Ears are bent for fullness.



Green flowers purchased at Michael's are slipped over legs to create skirt. Oh my goodness this St. Patrick's Day celebration in my craft room is coming along nicely. A Pixie missing?


She's on her way to someone special in the only way Pixie's travel!


Saturday, February 19, 2011

Pom Pom and Pattern Making Tutorial


I am so light of heart today. The sky is as blue as can be from my craft room window, and the grass is .... well the grass is green! Not a smidget of snow to be seen anywhere. The perfect day to respond to a readers request for a pom pom tutorial and a pattern how to.


I learned to make pom poms in Mr. Gardner's sixth grade class from popular girls sitting close by and make them in the same way to this day. Whatever will I do if they stop making cereal boxes? Two circles cut per pom, one slightly smaller for head pom.


My Halfway Woods best friend and I would make them by the dozens on Spend the Night days. Two yards yarn length repeated until amount equals six strands. Wrap around cardboard keeping six strands separated from each other and flat against cardboard. Another length of six strands will be needed.


Our mother's hairdresser Miss Bernice sold our pom pom creations in her shop. This afforded us money to purchase more yarn to make more pom poms. A crochet hook makes pulling yarn through center easier as opening becomes smaller. When you can no longer pull yarn through, pom is ready to for next step.


Our pom making days would come to an end by the last day of the school year. Sherry would move to Washington state with her family. Heart broken letters to each other would be signed Hannibal Hays and Kid Curry for the remaining years of our childhood. Large scissors are used to cut through layers of yarn.


Sherry and I have now written each other for forty years. A length of yarn is inserted between cardboard rounds and tied snugly against yarn, repeat several times.


Sherry and I both were young women wanting to keep our world small. We would both meet the loves of our lives at about the same time. Sherry would meet Tom who happens to be a paraplegic, and I would meet Pat. Cardboard is removed. Trim pom to shape. Make second pom for head using same steps.


Sherry would be inspired to attend nursing school from her years of assisting Tom. It seems our lives have been lived in parallels. We both are employed in fields helping individuals with challenging disabilities. Poms are tied together with one strand of yarn from each. Repeat with second strand.


Do you think it is by chance we should each live at opposite sides of the Halfway Woods? A final trimming, and this little pom is ready for his uniform.


WARNING: Individuals who have received one of my pom pom characters in the mail always remark how surprised they are by their very large size. The lower body pom alone is larger than this medium sized pom character.



At this point the little bird can be done and be what I call a Snowbird. His feet, of course, are hidden in the snow!





Legs are created by twisting two pipe cleaner stems together for sturdiness. Half inch width of felt is wrapped around stem and held in place by twining floss around length and anchored at feet with several knots. Correct foot size is again determined by using jacket front piece.  Edges are blanket stitched together. Foot slipped in before last stitches are taken.


Oh my pom pom birds hate this step! A "U" shape is created with legs and hot glued between separated yarn. A thing stream of hot glue is applied on exposed  "U", yarn pressed together to hide unmentionables.


Handsome!


Totally handsome! It seems the preparation for another holiday celebration is underway in my craft room. A very busy place to be!




Sunday, February 13, 2011

DOLLY DINGLE VALENTINES


IT'S FINALLY HERE! The day I get to reveal the wonderful Valentines sent to me. Without further ado:


Allison, Busy Family of Five


Paula, Palace of Altered Art


Meri, Imagi Meri





Debbie, Heart to Art



Nancy, My Crafty Little Page


Diane, Saturday F inds


Janelle, Sweet Bee Cottage




I do hope you have enjoyed seeing all of the glorious Valentines from our community of very talented women. It has been such a privilege for me to receive the art from so many, I can't thank you enough for making this a most special swap.

Thank you, Elizabeth


Wednesday, February 9, 2011

Sandwich Snornament


Even my little Snornament fella has been effected by this lingering recession. Looking ahead to less snow on the ground he has found a warm weather job to carry him through the Dog Days of Summer.


He has agreed to be an advertisement sandwich for the Ho-Lot of Ice Cream Co. for the Heart of Ohio where he calls out to passersby, "Get a Ho-Lot of ice cream for your 5 Cents!"


He is now the most popular character in my beloved craft room! Business is good.


He has lots of eager customers.


The Ho-Lot Ice Cream Co. is very happy with him.


His only complaint is about the uniform. No one can see his belt!