Another Day for Me

So on my day off I went to Leftovers, etc. went there while men where in my house demoing the kitchen; it was loud, annoying and I had to get out. I just wanted to show people how awesome this place is.
It accepts all kinds of donations of regular everyday things. Then teachers, Sunday school teachers, home schooling mothers can buy 30 pringles cans so their students can make maracas. I go for my personal enjoyment and to feed my ever increasing and expensive craft habit. At the door there are different size paper bags. The medium one is $4 and you can fill it to the brim with anything you'd like.



So the warehouse area is just shelves after shelves of awesome junk. I mean JUNK. If you look close enough, you can find some real treasures.


...like these SUMO buttons. I actually got a few of these thinking they'd make great centers of bows that I could put on birthday and Christmas presents to the people in my life that enjoy funny things.

So here is my stash. I got a lot of great fabric. You may remember that I made this out of some previously bought leftovers fabric. I found this awesome vintage ribbon. I have used similar ribbons on a lot of birthday presents and they've been received well so I thought I might get some more. I got the jars so that I might try to make some terrariums like in the movie Penelope. I filled the jars with wood beads (to conserve space in my bag). I think I might make a multi-tiered chunky necklace with the beads. So I got all of this for $4. So when you purchase this at the end the weigh your bag to see how much you save from the landfill. I save 4 lbs! So it is all very green.

Happy Valentine's Day to me!

I thought about making a bunch of cute Valentine's Day stuff and giving it all to my friends. But then I decided I should make something for myself for Valentine's Day. So I made these guys. I also thought about making an apron for a friend and decided that I would just make one for myself.

I always wonder what people really think when I give them homemade presents. I LOVE homemade presents, I cherish them. I brag about them to my friends. BUT I also love to make homemade gifts too, so I think that is why I can appreciate them. I wonder about my friends that have no idea how much time, energy, and love go into making things think. Do they think it's weird that I crochet objects? Do they think it is ugly or stupid? My friends don't exactly have my style or would even know what the handmade nation movement is or even know what DIY stands for (let alone DIYODS!).

I've decided gifts is one of my love languages. I show love by giving gifts...
So I made two things that actually made it all the way out the door...






I gave the cupcakes to a friend. The pink was the first one that I made (without a pattern no less) and it came out a little stumpy.I made the purple cupcake second and it came out MUCH much better than the pink one. It has a tapered stump and more frosting on top. Yum!

This is the tshirt I made for the BF... it is a feather. It looks really cute on. I think he's wearing it today, so I'll try to remember to get an action shot.


Now this is another Valentine's present to myself, an apron...
I'm cleaning up my mess after making truffles for my Valentine. I LOVE my apron! I can't wait until I have my own home to showcase all of my domestic goods I've been collecting.

We're two Spots of one Kind...Will you be my Valentine?

I work at a children's clothing store at the mall. I was putting a new graphic in the window display and a saw a mother and an elementary school child walk by. I was wondering if that child chose to skip school today. I remembered that normally today would have been my favorite school day of the year. It would have been the Valentine's Day Party in school.

Do you remember making your Valentine's Day Mail Box? The Valentine's Day Mail Box was a shoe box that you wrapped in paper and decorated in some sort of theme. The class would always vote on which was the best. Then we would pass out all of our valentines to all of our classmates...of course leaving the most romantic of the 101 Dalmatian themed cards to be given to the hart-throb of the fourth grade.
Of course I was a crafty kid even when I was 10. But I think about all of the awesome things I could do now! Then I remember all of the kids whose parents obviously made there's...hmph.
If I was a mom I don't know if I could resist trying to make the coolest Valentine's Day Box in the classroom.
Pretty sweet! (CJ Sorg: Valentine's Day box)
Anyway I remember one year I decorated mine to look like a patchwork quilt. The next year mine was decorated with crafting supplies; bit of ribbon, glitter, construction paper. I'm pretty sure one year I just covered the box in buttons. I just found this picture. (Breeleed: Valentine's Day Keepsake box)

Valentine love birds

Valentine love birds,
originally uploaded by kayleigh.kirkland.

I put my projects aside this past Saturday and made these two beauties. I found the Lion Brand Pattern ...here http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/80015AD.html .

I obviously put different mouths and eyes on them. I think they look cute and funny snuggling up by the fire.


PS. I turned 75 yesterday and didn't notice. I was crocheting during my bible study and when my nose started to run, I pulled the tissue out of my sleeve to blow my nose and then pointedly put it back in the sleeve.

I woke up this morning and thought to myself...WHAT just HAPPENED? I think the delay of my reaction points out the old age as well. ugh