St. Valentine's Heart Scrubbies!

I made this to use as a cute little scrubbie (that would go great with a facial scrub or some bath bombs) for the bathroom.

Crafting Inspiration: Hearts!

St. Valentines Day is just around the corner. And whether you're dating, married, or want to do something for a crush, crafting is a great way to go.

Lovely little flowers

So I recently found this adorable little pattern by Sarah at Repeat Crafter Me.
 

  

Zig Zags Pacifier Clip

One thing that is always handy for any mom is a pacifier clip. I don't know about you but picking up the pacifier 9 million times gets old. Bonus points, my son normally drops it on the dog or in one of their bowls.

So I made some simple clips to help keep them attached. Best part? You can use them with sippy cups too (just make them a bit longer)!
 

I have revamped my original design so I'm only going to put up my newer version (that I like a lot better quite honestly).

This one was super easy and makes something fun for little hands to play with.

 Now this pattern is set up as a chart so if you need any help with it let me know. I'm still trying to get the hang of making my own charts! :) But for a pattern like this it's a little easier to have a chart versus written out.

I used a 4.0mm hook but you can use a smaller or bigger hook to adjust for how tightly you crochet.

I have a pdf available on Ravelry if you'd like to have a downloadable version.

This was my first shot at making a crochet diagram so if you have any questions, please let me know! I'll be happy to help :)

Please do not sell this pattern as your own. Feel free to sell finished pieces but please credit me for the pattern :) Thank you!

Trellis Scarf

A good friend wanted a scarf made up for her. Admittedly she wanted one I made for my Mom some time ago but never thought to really do anything with.

Well this time I figured I'd put up this simple little scarf for everyone. Now I know it looks like the holes are really big in between and it wouldn't keep the cold out for anything. But honestly, it does. Get a good wrap around and it keeps the chill out wonderfully!

Puzzling out yarn weight

We've all done it. Browsing the yarn store, fondling all the wonderful yarns and found the yarn of your dreams.

Or at least the yarn for that project you've been wanting to do. Now you know that project needs DK weight yarn. This yarn has a funny little photo with a "3" on it. Well does that mean it's DK yarn? Or is this sock yarn?

Ever wonder what those funny pictures on your yarn are for?

Clothes. Yarn. Material. It always has those funny little photos on it that just look like hieroglyphics of some forgotten land.

They do actually mean something that will help keep your beautiful works looking new and pretty for longer.

Frozen Tides Blanket

A good friend of mine has a daughter that's getting married. So she asked me if I would crochet a quilt for a wedding gift for her. Since I love her dearly, I said no problem.

I took this as an opportunity to work up a simple yet beautiful quilt pattern. Something wedding worthy. Using her wedding colours (the Frozen colours of blue tones and silvers), so I used Red Heart's Icelandic. This was actually a little bit of kismet that I had picked up a few skeins of this yarn the day before. After needing to do this quilt, I had to go buy out my local Joann's.

I am Groot?

Yeah. I love this movie. Guardians of the Galaxy is probably one of Marvel's best. I'm also in love with the soundtrack, but then it's nostalgia for me :)

It's bread day!

Usually once (sometimes twice) a week I like to spend a day baking bread. Not trying to knock store bought, I just enjoy the process of bread making. It's somehow soothing. Plus the added bonus of trying a new recipe and having the house smell of fresh bread :)

Baby Teething Ring and other goodies

So a great friend of mine recently became a grandma for the first time to an adorable little boy.

So I decided to make some fun little things for him.

Finishing up your work

There are quite literally countless ways to finish your crochet piece. I've recently become very fond of finishing with no knots. No it is quite possible. Need a good long tail and you just weave it in back and forth for a few rows and soon you can't see where you ended. I'll add that one in for some visuals. I'm a very visual person so I love photos :) Here's a few ways you can finish off a variety of pieces and have it look like it was done by a pro! Which you soon will be!

Here's what I mean by weaving in the ends. Moogly does a great job of showing how to do this. You'd be amazed how much nicer your pieces will look once you get in the habit of weaving in the ends. 

Spring...er, Fall cleaning :)

I know it's supposed to be "Spring Cleaning", but I tend to want to clean like a maniac in the fall. I think it's just being inside more during the fall and winter that I just need there to be no feeling of stuffiness or gloominess.

But then there's the cost of all of those disposable cleaning pads and wipes. I don't know about you, but the grocery bill is tight enough without all of that! So why not go the cheaper (and greener!) route and make your own washable pads and wipes?

Here are some of my favourite patterns in the never ending battle to save some money while keeping the house springy clean all through the winter :)

Swiffers are the big culprit for me for going through piles of them. When you have 2 dogs and 2 kids (Yeah I always count my husband too. Who doesn't?) the floors seem to get a little extra dirty. These are the perfect way to keep them nice and clean. Then when you're done, just throw them in with the wash!

Stay with me here

One project I will be tackling soon will be crochet drapes.

No no, stay with me here.

I'm not talking the dusty doilies from Great Grandma's house. I'm talking colourful, light, and pretty. So instead of using white thread to make the motifs, use any colour you want! Greens and blues and reds and purples! They will add colour and interest to any room!

Here are some of the choices I'm trying to decide between.

From Once Upon a Pink Moon, the flower power valence is a strong contender for me. I can just imagine the sunlight streaming through those bright little flowers.

These would look cute in a kids room with the fun shapes dangling down. This Colourful Noren Curtain is a must!

This valence from Lily Sugar 'n' Cream would look fantastic in a kitchen. I especially love the watermelon look with the colours!

The fun part about most of these is that they can be done in pieces. So you can have as many colours as you want. I love projects like these that the only limit to them, is your imagination.

I love quiet books!

I absolutely love quiet books!

These are just fantastic for little hands to play with. This are definietly in my crafty future!

Here's some of my more favourite ideas:

 The Quiet Book Blog, this page is simply amazing! Just tons and tons of great ideas!

Espresso Brownies

Brownies are great.

Coffee is great.

So let's combine the two!

Coffee or Tea?

Yes! Both are right when the question is scones. Especially when there are so many wonderfully different kinds! The best part about scones? They give you that filly bready feel without all the labour intensiveness of bread and rolls.

Now don't let them scare you. They really are that easy. And to prove it, here's some of my favourite kinds to have with my coffee.

Banana bread is always a slightly sweet, rich bread. These banana bread scones are no different. There are great the way they are, but when I made them I had run out of chocolate chips. But I did have butterscotch chips. This was amazing providence and I didn't even know it yet. That simple change made these amazing. Not to sweet, still very banana-y and very hard to say no to!

May the Fourth be with you!

So May the Fourth is coming soon. My husband knows probably all there is to know about Star Wars and the entire world of it. So when we got married, I too learned it. Which really isn't a bad thing honestly. I do enjoy the world of it. The species is the best part I think. So to celebrate the fun of the Star Wars universe, here are some crochet projects to help you enjoy the day!

1 - Yub Nub Scoodie  - I adore this in a way words can't explain :) I'm just waiting for my son to get old enough and I will be making him one or five ;)

Fun with crochet food

I love to make crochet food. They work up quick and kids love them! I think they're especially great for kids to play with while you're trying to get dinner made. That way they can help you make dinner (without getting under foot)!

1 - Carrots are one thing that are great any way you want to eat them. My favourite is fresh from the garden! Nothing better than that crisp snap as you bite into one.

Squid, snails, and other "non-traditional" amigurumi that need some love too

I have always had a soft spot for "non-traditional" amigurumi. Squid, snails, and other so called non-cute critters. Poor things just seem so unloved because they aren't a cute little puppy. So anytime I see these I get a little excited. Here are some of my favourites.

1 - Squid are cute! This Young Kraken is proof.