A Soapy Preparation

For the last few weeks, my nimble little fingers have been working to the bone to create the gifts that I want to give my family members at our annual holiday party. You have been seeing updates on my blog since I am almost sure that no one from my family reads my blog. I am very thankful that this year my whole family is not going to be in attendance or I would have to spend the next four days running around like a chicken with her head cut off. This year has been wonderful so far. Despite just a few purchased gifts, everything else is homemade. We are making some caramel popcorn and cookie dough for each family that is coming. They will also receive a family sled ornament as seen on my blog.

For my younger nieces, I made them a Barbie dress and a treat bag.

For my older nieces, I made them some chocolate chip cookie dough soap and a bookmark.

For my older nephew, I am buying him some guitar stuff.

For my baby nephew (only 2 months old), I am unsure as of right now. I might buy him something, but he is so little.

Either way, the soap is something I slung together today. It was a melt and pour glycerin soap. I cut up the base for two batches. The first one I melted down and poured the chocolate chip cookie dough scent into. I used the plastic containers I had lying around which happened to be a sour cream container and a yogurt container. Since one of my "older" nieces is just about to turn 10, I made her soap a little smaller.

The second batch of soap I made in death by chocolate. Both of them smelled so heavenly. What I did was let them set for a few hours until they firmed up. Then I pushed and pulled on the plastic until the soap popped out. I was so proud of the results being as it was my first time making soap. I opted out of the alcohol spray as my family didn't care. I was lucky to only have a few bubbles show on the bottom of the soap.

Are you ready to see some pictures? Because I sure am ready to show you.

One small chocolate chip cookie dough and one small death by chocolate

Two death by chocolate

One chocolate chip cookie dough

Here they are together!

The only problem I had was that the yogurt container had a recycle symbol on the bottom, so I had to try to smooth the majority of it away. The large ones came out perfect and look almost professional. LOL! My roommate suggested it was time to start selling soap, which is something I have turned over in my head multiple times.

Happy Crafting,

Sarah

Another Scrappy Project - Bookmarks 2

Apparently this is a new and exciting thing for me. Using up scraps has become a way for me to expand my mind into creating new unions. And, it is an AWESOME way to reduce unused materials. Here's the next batch of bookmarks. These are all varying in size and shape to utilize the most of the scrap paper.

These are the pretty papers I found in my scrap box. I was almost tempted to search through my pattern books for more just so I could make cards to match. I resisted the temptation since I wanted to just use scraps!

Here's the first batch of true Christmas bookmarks. I am sure these will make their way into some gift bags for my nieces and nephew this Christmas. 

What I love about making bookmarks and using scraps is that you can allow your mind to wander. It is a completely easy craft to do. I spent so little time actually piecing these together. I believe the longest part was making sure there was no tiny paper fibers on the outside because my paper cutter is weird. That means someone with a great paper cutter can whip these out quickly. If you don't have a paper cutter, feel free to do this with a ruler and scissors. It is completely do-able. 

Sending positive crafting vibes,

Sarah

Saturday's Christmas Craft - What Do You Do With Scraps?

When I think about my year as a crafter, I realize that I have untold amount of scraps all over the craft room (and perhaps the house). That includes yarn, ribbon, paper, and sequins. Everything I have used has some sort of scraps. Without being wasteful, I squirrel them away in hopes I can use them in a future project. And sometimes, that "future" doesn't come. So as I was thinking about what I had and what type of things I can make with them, my mind fell on the paper scraps that keep piling up.

Now, I am sure those who exclusively do cards have a larger pile of scraps than I do, but what I have is enough for many of today's craft. Several of them! I realize that I am just getting started. Would you like to see what you can do with your scraps in time for Christmas and able to make many at once?

Yep! Bookmarks! All shapes. All sizes. And in varying patterns. Take a look.

I spent about a hour (including the time it took to search) completing 13 bookmarks with scraps. I only used one new sheet of paper to match the deep purple pattern paper as I didn't have any scraps. This time also included finding my laminating paper and laminator to make these bookmarks last.

Who would have thought? It is one of the most stressful times of the year for crafters and here I found a great way to destash and enjoy a few quick projects.

I do not have any specifications for these bookmarks. It literally depended on the size and shape of the scrap paper. Allow your imagination to soar. If you want to add something else to this, use a hole punch at the top and add some ribbon.

What are you working on this Saturday?

Sarah

Hosting a Giveaway - Tis the Season

Tis the season to be jolly...

That song has it right. I know that as we bustle to and from stores picking up gifts for our loved ones, we tend to forget to take some time out for ourselves. As a crafter, my free time is usually spent attempting to write, keep up my house, and enjoy the crafts I so love. Sometimes I am lucky. Sometimes I am not. So tonight I decided I am going to host a giveaway. The details are below.

Prizes

First prize - Knit in Comfort by Isabel Sharpe

A wonderful novel from Isabel Sharpe, the author of As Good As it Got, Knit in Comfort joins the women of Comfort, North Carolina as they come together to knit and make lace - and find that the intricacies of both echo the complexities of their own lives. A story that combines the popular pastime of crafting and a richly realized cast of unforgettable characters, Knit in Comfort is a heartwarming tale of love and friendship that every fan of Debbie Macomber, Kate Jacobs, and Ann Hood are certain to cherish.

Second and Third prize - A choice of one free pattern from Ravelry

Rules

1. You must leave a comment on this blog post to enter. Be sure to include an email address to contact you in case you win.
2. Blogger does not responsible for this giveaway.
3. Enter between December 4th and December 8th to qualify.
4. Any and all entries after midnight on December 8th will not count.

Good Luck,

Sarah

Belated 12 Weeks of Christmas - Week 7 Reveal

Anyone in this world would know how it feels to have a house full of sick people who want nothing more than to remain warm, feel better, and not be sick. That is what my last week has been like. I needed to release a reveal post, but unfortunately, I have no had the energy or the ability to crochet.

Because Week 6 is my pattern, I have no notes on the design. What I would suggest is to create a stripped beanie by switching colors every 2 rows.

Here's a review of the picture of this project!

Looking forward to Week 7!

12 Weeks of Christmas - Week 5 Reveal

What can I say? I keep choosing patterns that I absolutely love. Besides being extremely quick to work up, this pattern is a great addition to any tree. There was a few things that I didn't like about the pattern, but they were minor and completely based on my own desires for ornaments.

1. I do not like the third round. When using the H hook (lol...yes the H hook again), the star turned out way too big for my Christmas tree. I actually prefer to have similar sizes of ornaments throughout the tree instead of small, medium, and large. That is just personal preference.

2. The pattern was written in a way that would make it difficult for any beginner crocheter. It is very close together and hard to read. This could be a personal issue as well.

3. The author did not provide a crocheted hanger option. I used my go to by slip stitching yarn to a point ch 3 space and ch 16. I slip stitched that into the same space and fastened off. I weaved in all the ends.

Now that the discussion is out of the way, would you like to see the reveal?

Aren't they adorable? I just love the look of them. It's very "country" almost.

Sarah

12 Weeks of Christmas - Week 5

Week 5

Granny Square Star

(http://ahappyone.wordpress.com/2010/10/15/free-pattern-friday-granny-star-ornament-netflix-freebie/)

I recently found a cute little pattern that works up rather quickly and will look fantastic on the Christmas tree. It can be made in various colors to suit your own personal color scheme. The colors I chose match the type of theme I go for on my own tree. I was actually in the hospital waiting for my sister to deliver crocheting these. It is easy to pay attention to other things and crochet them once you have the pattern down. Anyone who has crocheted a granny square shouldn't have an issue with that.

Project Type: Scrap buster

Skill level: Easy/Beginners

Hook Size: G or H hook (I used H.)
    Recommended - H, but G will make it slightly smaller.

Type of Yarn: Worsted Weight - I used Red Heart in Burgundy.

Extra requirements:
Scissors
Stitch marker (if you need it)

Uses for finished product

• gift
• ornament
• Attach to a mason jar gift

This pattern is so cute! I can't wait to see if you like it.

12 Weeks of Christmas - Week 4 Reveal

This week's pattern was super fun for me. I absolutely LOVE snowmen and chose my colors to match the majority of my ornaments - cherry red and white.

Additional Notes about Pattern:

• Some suggestions if you have come here and not followed the pattern. Be sure to stuff your snowman as you go. It is difficult to maintain shape. I was able to stuff more into the head after Rnd 7.
• Overfill each section so you do not regret the shape after you have finished.
• The project lasts about 30 minutes from start to finish for me. That time will vary depending on your crochet speed.

Now, I personally did some changes to the pattern to suit what I wanted. First, I did not put a face on my snowman. I like the just plain look, and I don't have to worry about small beads falling off and my cats eating them! Secondly, I put a hanger on the top of mine with a ch 16. Instead of weaving in the ends, I added a bow that seems to suit it. Lastly, I did only one row on my scarf so that it was a thinner scarf. I like it better.

Here's the photo:

As you can see, it is cute as a button without the face and hat as well.

I want to suggest that you change the pattern to suit what you want. If you don't want a face, don't do one. If you want a smaller snowman, do so! Make the pattern fit what you need.

Looking forward to Week 5,

Sarah

12 Weeks of Christmas - Failure Reveal

Oh boy! This pattern was a brain teaser. I am a pretty good pattern reader. I have no issue with seeing mistakes and even correcting them, but this pattern needs a serious re-evaluation by Lion Brand. I have left a message stating as much on their Facebook page. Despite the issues I had with the pattern, I do feel like the ornament turned into an alright ornament.

What I did to create my ornament:

• Because I was using a thicker yarn, I chose not to double strand.
• I stuffed the pattern as I went.
• I shaped as I went as well because the bottom portion was leaning as I crocheted the second portion.
• I almost stopped after the second portion was shaped. It would make a cute ornament.
• I decided that the H hook was too large for this pattern, even if it is my favorite hook. The sc2tog holes were slightly large leaving the stuffing for viewing.

Because of the issues, I probably will never use this pattern again.

What do you think?

Sarah

12 Weeks of Christmas - Failure Ornament

Week 5

Fancy Ornament

(http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/fancy-ornament)

Please note: This is another Lion Brand pattern and requires a Lion Brand account. If you participated in Week 4, you will already have an account setup. If you have not, it takes only a few minutes of your time.

***Note*** There is some corrections for this pattern at the top of the pattern to the left of the photo. Please make sure you follow these to create your ornament right.

This is a pattern I have never worked up simply because of the complexity of it's look. In actuality, it does not seem too complicated. What it does require is counting, a stitch marker, and patience. This is one of the most complicated and time consuming ornaments that I have on the list. It is one I have wanted to try and recreate for my own tree.

As I worked this pattern up, I noticed a very bad issues with the pattern. It was poorly written, which does not make much sense for a Lion's Brand pattern.

Suggestions:

• Use a smaller hook. I have used an H hook to complete mine and the holes are a bit bigger than I would like with the sc2tog. For a personal ornament, it may not matter. But if you want to give this as a gift, I would suggest a G or an F hook.
• Stuff as you go! You cannot go back and restuff. 
• Stop at round 24. The pattern does not match the photograph and was causing me grief and frustration. So I chose to stop after I finished round 24 and sewed the top together. Then I created a ch 16 holder and tied the ends into a bow so I didn't have to weave them in!

I normally would not even add a pattern that is so poorly written to my blog events; however, I do like the finished product. It is nothing like the photograph, but that has to do with the pattern. I look forward to showing you what I have accomplished. So I am going to be providing this as an additional pattern if you want to try it.

Sarah

12 Weeks of Christmas - Week 3

Week 3

Hot Chocolate/Coffee Ornament

(http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/hot-cocoa-mug-ornament)

Like the last pattern, I have crocheted this ornament before and absolutely love it. The Hot Cocoa Mug Ornament was created by Frayed Knot and is absolutely adorable! Yes, I used absolutely twice in one sentence. There is no way to not fall in love with this little ornament. Last year, I crocheted it as a gift for my roommate who grew up working in the coffee business in Puerto Rico. What a perfect gift for the coffee lover huh? He adored it!

NOTE: Please do not use the link at the bottom of the Ravelry post. You will get an File Not Found page. You can download it for free from Ravelry at the top of the note section.

Project Type: Scrap buster

Skill level: Easy/Beginners with a little advanced knowledge about sewing

Hook Size: G or H hook (I used H.)

Type of Yarn: Worsted Weight - I used Red Heart in Burgundy and Cafe Latte.

Extra requirements:
Fiberfil
Scissors
Stitch marker (if you need it)

Uses for finished product

• Without using the fiberfil or the "coffee" part, you could make a set for a children's tea set.
• An ornament
• A gift

Because of the type of project, this may take a little more time. I attempted to schedule some of the more time consuming ornaments further away from Christmas. I find that it is easier to take a little extra time in October and the beginning of November than 2 weeks before Christmas. Christmas parties, shopping, and just spending time with loved ones takes priority to making last minute gifts or ornaments....for....yourself. LOL!

What do you do when it gets closer to Christmas?

Sarah

12 Weeks Christmas - Week 2 Reveal

The Week 2 ornament is one of my patterns that includes a cute, easy to make, quick mitten pattern. What I love about small patterns like the stocking and the mitten is that I can fit them into a busy schedule with no problem. Within 5-10 minutes I have a completed ornament that I can give as a gift or add to my overflowing Christmas tree. As the weeks progress, the patterns will get slightly more time needy.

I have used tons of colors of yarn on this ornament and it still looks adorable.

Like last week, I used "Christmas-y" colors to crochet the mitten. Here's the pictures:

Hanging up.

From last year.

In the above pictures you can see two different ways to accomplish the handles. I did one as I was crocheting (the first picture). The second picture was an addition of the handle by adding yarn to one side and attaching it to the other after about 15-20 chains.

What is your favorite type of ornament?

Sarah

12 Weeks Christmas - Week 2

Week 2

Crochet Mitten

(http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/quick-mitten-ornament)

This little pattern is my own pattern that I offer free on my Ravelry page. Despite not being updated yet to the new format of my patterns, it has all the important information like materials and abbreviations. If you have any questions about how this pattern is written or if any instructions are unclear for you, please contact me at dandecreation@gmail.com. I will contact you as soon as I am able to help you!

Project Type: Scrap buster

Skill level: Easy/Beginners

Hook Size: H or I hook (I used H.)

Type of Yarn: Worsted Weight - I used Red Heart in Paddy Green, Cherry Red, Medium Thyme and Burgundy. 

Uses for finished product

• gift
• ornament for tree
• hiding small candies
• hiding a ring

Like the stocking ornament in Week 1, this ornament has an open top that allows you to hide small objects on the tree for a "Hide and Seek" game. Not only does this add a little more fun to your holiday, but after the game is finished, you have a beautiful ornament on your tree.

There are many ways to embellish this pattern. You could sew on sequins or other beads. You could use extra yarn and sew a pattern into the main colored portion.

Look for the reveal on October 13, 2014.

Sarah

12 Weeks of Christmas - Week 1 Reveal

If you are like me, the weeks leading up to the holidays equals tons of stress and busyness. So, my plan has been to create one thing for each week leading up to Christmas in hopes to have something done. I do have a large family who loves receiving homemade ornaments, so my focus is usually geared toward that. In Week 1, I provided the pattern for a cute little Christmas stocking from Daisy & Her Things as a way to kick off the 12 Week Countdown. It is an easy pattern that eases everyone into Christmas making mode. Boy did it deliver.

Great factors

• Easy pattern to follow
• Quick project
• Scrap buster with no purchases required (only due to having yarn already)
• Serves multiple purposes (gift, hiding small gifts, and ornament)
• In U.S. Terminology

Bad factors

• The pattern does not give many instructions for beginner crocheters. Some may not know how to read a pattern.

Are you ready to see the finished product?

Here you go!

Not hanging up

Hanging up, but not on the tree.

Obviously, it is much too early to put them on the tree for photos in October. As it gets closer to Christmas, I will take some photos of them on the tree and update photos.

How did you enjoy this Week's ornament?

Sarah

12 Weeks of Christmas - Week 1

Week 1

Stocking Ornament

(http://daisyandherthings.wordpress.com/2011/10/05/free-pattern-little-christmas-stockings/)

As I attempted to create a balanced list of ornaments that represented the holidays for me, I came across this 2011 pattern by Daisy & Her Things - a cute little Christmas stocking! How could you not fall in love with this little guy or girl if you like? I am sure I made it previously, so I can be sure that this pattern is easy for all levels of skill.

Project Type: Scrap buster

Skill level: Easy/Beginners

Hook Size: G or H hook (I used H.)

Type of Yarn: Worsted Weight - I used Red Heart in Paddy Green, Cherry Red, Medium Thyme and Burgundy. 

Uses for finished product

• a small gift holder
• an ornament
• for small candies
• hiding candies on the tree
• a gift for someone special

This is a quick pattern that can be used to hide candies or other small trinkets on the Christmas tree. My mother in law use to do this with her sons when they were young. I have no experience with it as a child, but my husband has told me stories of finding tiny kisses and other things hidden on the tree almost like an Advent calendar activity.

Please check back on Monday to see the finished product. If you want to participate in this activity and submit a picture, please email them to dandecreation@gmail.com with a name and a photo. I will add them to the blog to share.

Sarah

Throwback Thursday - Dangling

Hello friends! Another week of firsts.

First earrings to sell

As you can see, there are two different kinds. My little sister requested me to make two sets of these earrings for her in-laws Christmas gifts. I had given her a pair of each a few weeks earlier for her Christmas gift. The red five petal flower ones actually have some gold thread weaved in. The other pair is some pale blue snowflakes.

I actually enjoyed crocheting these. I thought about adding them into my product line-up; however, there were no bites to purchase. So I did not continue.

Would you like to see a pattern for these?

Sarah

Share it Saturday - Pine Cone Ornament

This week's Share it Saturday is a quick little project that will end up as a pattern in the future. I love the look of them; however, I think there should be some changes made to it.

Medium Pine Cone Ornament

Small Pine Cone Ornament

As you can see, they are so cute! I can see these on a tree. What about you?

Sarah

Throwback Thursday - A Rose by any other name....

This week, in honor of Mother's day, I am sharing with you my first crocheted rose. I inserted a pipe cleaner and wrapped it in a green yarn to create the stem. If I had to do it over again, I would probably use a wooden dowel instead of a pipe cleaner. It would be sturdy.

As you can see the pipe cleaner shows. I used Caron Simply Soft and that might have caused it. It wasn't wrapping very well!

Happy Mother's Day to All the Mother's out there

Sarah

Make It Monday - 2 Autumn Cards

Were you excited when you saw the preview on Saturday? I couldn't believe how cute they turned out. I plan on sharing another card I made using a Jack N Jill set soon. The goal of my Make it Mondays is simply to work on increasing my stock or other business ventures for the upcoming fair/sale season. Feel free to use the search bar to the right to search for my previous Make it Monday posts.

Before I go any further, please be aware that I am not a professional card maker. I am not a consultant. I make cards because I like to and as a beginner. This tutorial is at a beginner level.

This week is 2 in one! Yep, using the same stamps and same paper I am creating two different looks. Here's the preview: 

Material List

• White cardstock
• Brown cardstock
• Cream cardstock
• Colorbok Luxe Designer Paper
• Jack N Jill Stamp set - by Prima Marketing
• Autumn Sentiment stamp set - by Inkadinkado
• StazOn Ink pad in Timber Brown
• Tim Holtz Distress Ink pad in Walnut Stain
• Pop Dots
• Snail glue - or whatever adhesive you want to use
• Gold Glitter Ribbon
• Scotch tape

As you can see in the photo above, there are two different sizes of cards. I will post the dimensions for each card.

Card one - Side Open

Dimensions of card cut and folded - 5 1/2 x 4

Mat in brown - 5 1/4 x 3 3/4

Designer paper mat - 5 x 3 1/2

(This card was cut in half on the long side. Almost, I do not have a cutter that breaks down further than 1/4.)

Card two - Top Open

Dimensions of card cut and folded - 5 1/2 x 4 1/4

Mat in brown - 5 1/4 x 4

Designer paper mat - 5 x 3 3/4

(This card was cut in half on the short side.)

Stamp Mats In brown

For Jill - 3 1/4 x 1 1/2

Sentiment - 1 1/4 x 2 1/2

Stamp Mats in cream

For Jill - 3 x 1 1/4

Sentiment - 1 x 2 1/4

First, I gathered all the materials together so I did not have to struggle to find something. I cut the cards and mats at the same time. 

*Note: My cutter is a little weird and leaves fibers on the sides of the cuts, so I trim when I see issues. My dimensions do change when I trim. 

After cutting the mats, Cut the ribbon and used two pieces of tape and attached the ribbon to the side open card.

You can see how I accomplished that in this photo.

Add the designer paper to the brown cardstock mats by using snail glue.

Not pictured: Stamp the images to the cream cardstock and attached them with snail glue to their respective mats.

In this photo, I was attempting to figure out where I wanted the images to sit. You can change the layout to fit what you want.

Attach the backings to the card base.

Add pop dots to each of the stamped images.

Place them in the correct position.

Stamp a secondary sentiment inside the card. This is optional, but I think it matches the card.

I did not notice until afterwards that the sentiment inside matches the choice of ribbon, but it goes well together!

 

What do you think of this week's Make it Monday?

Card making is so versatile! I found it easy to create two similar cards with one set of materials. Yet, they look different and appeal to a different set of people. I would love to see any photos or creations you make from this tutorial. You can share them via email at smchatton.writer@gmail.com or on my Facebook page - https://www.facebook.com/DandeCreations. Who knows! You may find your creation (with your permission of course) on the Share it Saturday post.

Happy Crafting!

Sarah

Throwback Thursday

Don't judge, but I am apparently on a Christmas kick. Yes...by the end of the year I will be entirely tired of Christmas and spent about 3-4 months not thinking about it until the realization that I am a) a crafter and b) me and thus, start working on projects, gifts, and products so I will be done early. I know! Exhausting.  But any good craft can tell you that getting things done early is better than scrambling last minute to accomplish a huge goal. My goals for Christmas? HUGE! Thanks to a large family. LOL!

Well, this week I wanted to share with you something that I really enjoyed doing and the story behind it. My mother LOVES handmade gifts. What mother doesn't? I know without a doubt that I can spent an afternoon or a weekend creating a handmade ornament in the first experimental phase with my mother loving it from the moment she sees it. Maybe it is a mother just bolstering her child. I highly doubt it though. Two years ago it was crocheted snowman ornaments. Last year, it was medallion ornaments.

When my husband left the Navy in 2010, we ended up staying with my parents for around 4 months as we had to move states and such. It was Christmas in July (crafter's paradise) and I wanted to start on my gifts. This was before I was selling. As a stress relief, I chose to make my mother something special. Since as long as I could remember, my mother would use a plastic tree skirt that would threaten to fall apart every year. Tradition yes, practicality, no. So that was my goal - a crocheted tree skirt.

Before that time, I had never made one. So I spent a few hours searching for a pattern that was simple, within my skill range of the time, and would be finished in time. Without fail, I found a good single crochet tree skirt that I could change the colors on (Red, Green, and White). I would stay in the room we were staying in attempting to crochet on this tree skirt without notice. Once I heard someone coming, I would scramble to put it away fast enough so the gift would be a surprise. The smile on her face was the best present of all.

I unfortunately cannot find the picture of it finished and around the tree; however, I have a picture of it almost finished.

Last year, I finally created a tree skirt for my own family in deep red, dark green, and white. It was a great experience. Slowly, we are moving away from commercialized gifts and products to handmade and local!

Do you have a similar story?

Sarah