Unbaked #8 - Jewelry Holder Frame

For the last ten years, my jewelry has been in a mangled mess inside a little jar that a friend brought back to me from Russia.  Since I'm "growing up" I thought I should have a more respectable holder/display for my earrings and necklaces.

What I used:

Old baseboard (approx 68")

Handheld Saw (and then eventually hubby's power saw)

Spray paint

Hammer

Nails

Lace (I bought a 'sample pack' of 25 pieces of lace 11.5"x14.5" for 99¢!)

Push pins

Ribbon

I found some old baseboards in the attic of our garage (something the previous owners left), and begged my hubby to get them down so I could cut them up and do crafty things with them.  My piece of wood was about 68" long.  So I made a mark every 16" and then I used my quilt mat to measure a 45° angle to either side of my mark.

Then I used my hubby's trusty handheld saw to get the first couple angles cut...  About the time I thought a power tool would come in handy, my hubby came to my rescue and helped me finish the cutting with more precision and less time. (somewhere in there one of my pieces came out shorter than the other three, so I just trimmed a second one down so my frame wouldn't look too funky)  I kept my scraps to fit the thing together...  I'll explain later.

I laid my pieces on a large piece of cardboard, and spray painted my wood white.

When they were good and dry, I flipped them over.  Since I did not have the precision of a table saw, nor do I own a staple gun, I used my scraps to hold the lace in each corner and nailed through the scrap and the lace into the "frame".  I also used nails to keep my lace tight on the sides...  I hammered in my nail part way & then bent it over!  My grandmother, a custom picture framer, and my father, a contractor, would both be so disappointed in my lack of appropriate tools!

I used push pins to make my hanger.  I cut my ribbon so that it was long enough to hang above the frame, and then I tied it around each push pin at either end.  I don't know where the pins came from, but they're flat on top and I was able to hammer them in since I think the baseboards were some kind of hardwood.

Then...  I hung it on the wall and put all my earrings and necklaces on it!  I think it turned out funky but fun.

Unbaked #7 - The Toy Mouse, for Mouse

See the cat?  Her name is Mouse.  She is the most needy, obnoxious cat I have ever met, but my hubby loves her, and well, that's the only reason she is still around!  Since I love my hubby (and not his cat), I made her a toy  to keep her occupied and out of my hair.  Here are the instructions for the crocheted toy...

What you need:
Cheap, scrap yarn, and not very much of it!
Size J Crochet hook
Stuffing (like you'd use if you were sewing a pillow, or shredded paper?)
Scissors

1. Chain 3 and slip stitch them together.
2. Chain 2 and turn.
3. Double crochet in each of the first 3 chain.
4. 2 Double crochet in each previous double crochet.
5. Double crochet around and around until your "mouse" is as long as you want it.
6. Skip every other double crochet until the backside is closing in.
7. Before closing it completely, turn it inside out and stuff with stuffing.
8. Slip stitch the "tail end" closed, add one more chain, snip about an extra 2 inches of yarn and pull your crochet hook through that last stitch to secure with a knot.

There you have it!  Something to keep the cat busy so you can blog, check Facebook, bake, nap, clean house, or whatever ;-)

Unbaked #6 - The Shell Scarf

I saw this scarf pattern in a craft store and wouldn't you know they had free copies hanging right next to the example scarf!  I thought I'd try it out & share.  Well, my first run was a bust!  So I searched for the shell stitch as the pattern suggested, and to no avail I just couldn't seem to find what I was looking for... but since my dear friend Google rarely leads me astray, I eventually found this Front Post Stitch link that looked like the scarf I saw hanging in the aisle!  Hooray!  So here it goes...  I changed it around a bit to make it work for me.  I used a large wooden crochet hook that was my great-grandmother's, and some "country blue" yarn that cost a whopping $2.97 (+tax) at Wally World.

If you take the instructions one step at a time with patience, you will be happy with the outcome.  I pulled out my scarf at least 5 times before getting it right!  Once you get it down, it's a piece of cake!

In the first three steps, every time you seen chain, it is referring to the beginning chain of 20.

SECTION ONE:

Getting Started:

1. Chain 20 stitches loosely
2. Going backwards down the chain from where your hook is, in 4th chain from the hook, create 2 double crochets, chain 2, and 3 more double crochets in same stitch (or 4th chain).
3. Continuing down the chain, skip 3 chains.  In 4th chain, create 3 double crochets, chain 2, and 3 more double crochet in same stitch (or 4th chain. 

REPEAT STEP 3, 3 TIMES.  You should be at the end of your original 20 chains.  

SECTION TWO:

For the remainder of the scarf:

From here on, you will continue to repeat the following instructions until the scarf gets to your desired length.

1. Chain 3, turn.   Create a front post double crochet in the next 2 double crochets of the previous row.  (This is where is gets tricky & you might need to glance at the link if you don't already know this stitch)  Chain 2, then 3 double crochets in the chain 2 of the previous row.
2. Skip the next 3 double crochets and skip that next chain 2 also.
3. In the NEXT set of double crochets, create a front post double crochet in each of the three double crochets, chain 2, and then 3 double crochets in the chain 2 of the previous row.  

REPEAT STEP 3, 3 TIMES.

REPEAT SECTION TWO UNTIL YOUR SCARF IS AS LONG AS YOU WANT IT TO BE!

Good luck and have fun!

Unbaked #5 - Sewing! Aprons for Sisters

I have a super cute apron that I got as a wedding gift, and last year for Christmas I used it as a pattern to make a similar one for my sister.  This year I made another one for my new sister-in-law (pictured above)!

What I used:
1 yard of fabric
1 package of bias tape (3 yards)
1 spool of matching thread

What I did:

1. I ironed my new fabric.
2. I laid my apron over the new fabric.
3. I pinned my apron to the new fabric to keep it from shifting.
4. I cut around my apron (avoiding the straps on my apron so as not to cut them off).
5. I unpinned my apron.
6. I folded the new fabric in half to trim it up symmetrically.
7. I cut new straps from remaining fabric and sewed them into tubes, then turned them inside out.
8. I pinned the bias tape and straps onto the apron.
9. I sewed the whole thing together.

The pockets on my sister's from last year were very time consuming and confusing.  To be honest, I'm not a great seamstress!  I did not have the time or patience this year to try to get them onto my sister-in-law's apron.  I think it turned out pretty well without them, and my mother-in-law (my sewing teacher & only reason I currently have possession of a [her] sewing machine) said "who needs pockets on an apron?"  I agreed.

This is my sister's from last year...

Unbaked #4 - Christy's Cake Plates

I visited my good friend, Christy, about two weeks ago, and she shared with me her enthusiasm for cake plates!  She said "you HAVE to post these on your blog!"  So I am :)

The one pictured above is a candy dish that I "made".  I bought a glass candlestick holder and a glass candy dish from the Dollar Tree, and a two-part epoxy (specific for fusing glass) per Christy's recommendation.  I found the epoxy for around $4.00 at Wally-World in the hardware section.  I also found a similar epoxy in the craft section, but the Contractor's Daughter inside of me prefers stuff from the hardware section!  Then, all I did was put a thin film of epoxy around the rim of the candlestick holder and pressed the candy dish on top as centered as possible!  I let it sit for 24 hours and I had an elegant looking candy dish!  I did a few plates on top of goblets, and filled plates & dishes with homemade fudge, almond roca, and muffins as Christmas gifts.

Christy, as you might tell from her amazing, handcrafted jewelry, is into the vintage look.  She suggested going to the swap meet, yard sales, and antique stores for more appealing glassware.  I can't wait to go shopping with her to find some deals for future attempts at creating new from used!

Unbaked #3 - Gifts in a Jar...

As I mentioned in a previous post, I was really excited to make "sand art style" food mixes as Christmas gifts.  Here is my practice run with a pumpkin muffin recipe.  I'm really excited about this one having read that article on using my muffin tin more often!

Since pouring all the ingredients into the jar wasn't as pretty as I hoped, I grabbed a butter knife & pushed the spices down the sides of the jar to drag them into a "drippy" pattern.  I stuffed cranberries into the top, printed out the directions on card stock, and used a piece of paper ribbon to tie it onto the mix.  I am going to place the can o' pumpkin in some tissue paper & stick the two items into a nice brown paper bag...  That wrapping project will probably also result in a blog entry.

I liked this project since it didn't take long.  I am already envisioning an assembly line in the kitchen & roping my husband into helping!

Unbaked #2 - Baby Shower

I am a firm believer that life, much like the calendar, progresses in seasons.  For me, I have apparently graduated from the season of the wedding to the season of the baby shower... for what seems like the 8th year in a row.  Like a friend of the family told my hubby & me tonight "at least it's not funerals!"  Thanks for the perspective :)

So, here's the picture of baby blanket #3 in the last month.  It is 20 granny squares  "sewn" together with a border to pretty up the edges.  My mom showed me how to make granny squares.  I used a Size P Boye crochet hook with Bernat Spring Breeze and only went to the 3rd round of a granny square.  The blanket is perfect to keep as a carseat blanket according to one of the moms-to-be, so that's what I'm calling these now "The Carseat Blanket."

Unbaked #1 - Magnet Letters & A Crocheted Hat

Magnet Letters include:

Vase Filler "Glass Gems"
Magnets
Hot Glue

Stickers 

While I love being in the kitchen, I also love making crafty things... hence the "unbaked" title.  I have seen the magnet letters given as shower gifts, and birthday presents.  Who really has too many magnets?  I mean, really?  These are so easy, and you can use just about any kind of paper or sticker.  I have yet to try it with a picture since I have a feeling the hot glue would melt the picture, but who knows until you try!  I found the bag of glass gems (A LOT for $4) and magnets (50 for $6-something) at Wal-Mart!  The stickers I used for the project above were on the $1 rack at Target.

TO  MAKE:

1. Heat up that glue gun
2. Center your sticker on your magnet & stick it down
3. Put a generous glob of hot glue on top of your sticker
4. Quickly press a glass gem over the top
5. DONE!  Now, wasn't that too easy?!

Crochet Hat includes:

Navy Blue yarn

Sky Blue yarn

Boye Size K Crochet Hook

Red Hot Hat Pattern

Patience...

I learned to crochet at the tender age of 7!  My great-grandma taught me how to use my finger as a crochet hook since I just couldn't seem to grasp the concept of using the actual hook.  After a while I got the hang of it and graduated to a real set of my very own multi-sized pack of hooks!  Even after many years of practice, I would by no means call myself an expert.  So, on that note, I will guide you to my favorite videos.  My mother-in-law shared the Lion Brand site with me when she was teaching me to knit, and it is now my go-to for help on anything yarn related!  My variation on this hat included a "Ch 80" to begin since 60 was too small, and on "Rnd 2" I only "Ch 3" instead of 4 to make my pattern complete.  The flower was a creation of my own based on a pattern a friend had, so here are some flowers that are similar.  Crochet is a time consuming, patience trying art, and I ripped my hat out about 8 times before actually completing it!