Throwback Thursday - Favorite Books and a Bookmark

As an adult and avid reader, I find myself drawn to the same authors over and over again. As a young child, you couldn't tear me away from books. I craved that knowledge. In third grade, my love of reading was cultivated by Mrs. Leihkauff. She opened my eyes through stories like The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrope and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. What I didn't know then is that these two books are classical novels usually taught at that grade level. But, that didn't stop me. We had the opportunity to have a classroom in the library with books surrounding us on all walls - literally. So once one book was done, we could turn around and grab one off the shelf. I found myself reading books way above my grade level just to read.

What it did was provide the backing to be a lifetime reader. That is something that most young people have lost among the many technological advances and cell phones.

How does this tie in with a book craft?

Well, I love reading and support reading through reading, advocacy, and making bookmarks. Just a few weeks ago, I showed multiple bookmarks made with scraps. What I am going to show on this Throwback Thursday is a crocheted bookmark. It is in the shape of a heart. I remember finding a heart pattern (free) and attaching a chain of 20-30 and a tassel. It's very simple to change any applique you have into a bookmark.

Do yourself a favor. Spend a little time with a book each day. You will be happier.

Throwback Thursday - Five Petal Bookmarks

In preparing for a previous booth, I created tons of bookmarks. They work up SO quickly. Here's a similar product of mine offered free in my ravelry shop: http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/five-petal-flower-bookmark

This bookmark was done in blue and white that fits a paperback and can stretch into fitting a hardback book.

Please check back on Saturday for a preview of my new project!

Make it Monday: Washcloth Lollipops

Originally, I was going to build a riser for my booth that would hold soap or my dolls. With such a busy week, I did not have the time to get the required material - which is more foam board. But, I found something to make for Make it Monday.

One day last week I saw a cute gift idea on a diaper cake. Two of my sisters are pregnant right now which had me wondering about baby shower gifts. It was this cute lollipop with some type of cloth. When I focused on it, I found that it was a washcloth lollipop. Well, I had no clue how to accomplish this. I looked on youtube and found a good video that showed me how to accomplish this lollipop and a "hard" candy.

Since we are adding soap and other beauty products to our booth, we are also increasing the washcloths and other spa items as well. A surplus of washcloths means a new, cute type of product display.

My goal today is to create some washcloth lollipops to display in my booth in Fall. I spent the last two days crocheting (and paper crafting) a few washcloths to try with this.

What you will need:

Washcloths
Wooden dowels
Ribbon
Cello/Treat bags

2 washcloths

Green is my Star Stitched Washcloth pattern 6x6

Pastel is in Baby Print and just a single crochet at 8.5 x 8.5

Shaped Cello Bags

6 inch wooden dowels

*I bought 12 inch as well and probably would have preferred it to these*

Roll up the washcloth.

The tutorial showed corner to corner, but with a crocheted washcloth that was too much bulk to swirl. 

Swirling the washcloth

Finished swirling

Insert dowel

Put in cello bag

Repeat with other washcloth

Finished swirl

Finished with ribbon and in bags

I will readily admit that taking photos of this was difficult. So I gathered my hubby up and made him take photos...with a sweet smile on my face of course!

The project is not only really quick, but cheap. I am pretty sure the bag of cello bags was $3.50 at Walmart for 100. The ribbon was only $0.49. The wooden dowels were around $2.00 and that is rounding up. The yarn was only $1 dollar a skein, but I can get multiple out of each skein so roughly $0.50.


Total per washcloth lollipop

$0.04 cello bag
$0.01 ribbon (probably less than that)
$0.10 wooden dowel (Rounded up)
$0.50 washcloth handmade
______

$0.65 PER washcloth

Not only is this a cute gift to give for a baby shower, but who wouldn't like to get a handmade washcloth lollipop in a spa basket! I will try to make the candy version next week to show. I might do it with my washcloth soap savers.

Watch for a better photo with a professional set up!

Do you have any neat product packaging?

Sarah

New Free Pattern: Five Petal Flower Bookmark

I've just added a page to my blog to include my free pattern: Five Petal Flower bookmark.  It works up very quickly and makes a wonderful gift for all those little girls and women in your life.  Here is a quick look at the pattern.

Please check to the left side of my blog for the free pattern or click here.  Keep checking back for new patterns.