Cell Phone Charms A-Ringing!

I have been ignoring my blog duties lately ... been battling a bout of laziness. If there's any blame to be put, then I must blame the weather. The thick black clouds, of late, are like a tarp blocking the goodness of the sun. Oh, but I need sunlight to power my crafting batteries to get me off my fat arse. With low batteries, I find myself sitting on the sofa, covered with a blanket, watching one TV show after another. Can you feel my laziness??

Then I was saved....you know...by Oprah. Her guests shared stories about the law of attraction. Positive thinking and all that "Secret" book stuff. To tell you the truth, I was a "Secret" snob. Really, how can a sane person like moi believe that you can get a car by simply thinking you want a car. If it was that easy, I would be married to Rock Hudson....okay, he's dead....okay, he was gay...calm down...I'm simply being hypothetical! But I must say, that guy was a cutie in his heyday. Lucky Doris Day!

The Oprah show spiked my interest. My friend Joni, gave me the Secret book last year and it has been sitting on the shelf .... being snobbed.

I read the book in 2 days! It captured my need to have more....more money that is. Yes, it's just another book on the universal law of positive thinking and yes, it made some lady rich. I may have fallen into the mass thinking trap, but I'm off my fat arse so how's that for results?!? Hallelujah, Oprah!

Before you laugh your head off, I suggest you consult Oprah. Look at her...rich, nice clothes, famous...but her hair...OMG....it's like a lump of spongy polyester batting on her head. Ying and Yang at work....even with Oprah.

What you say? This isn't a blog about personal enrichment? You want craft? All right.....grab a cup of Joe and read on....

Here's a craft project that's sure to delight. This strawberry phone charm, is easy and 'quick'. For that extra goodness, the center of the charm holds strawberry scented potpourri....yummy smell.


What was not as simple was this beaded kitten. By the end of the class, I was sweating and felt a headache slowing creeping up the back of my neck.

He is cute tho'. Not one to be afraid of more sweat and headaches, I attempted another at home.

Five times I think it was, of starting, ripping it apart, then starting again. A challenge for sure for this old fuddy duddy.

A Cupcake A Day

Betz White makes the most delightful cupcake pincushions created from beautiful colored wool felt and sweaters. I fell in love with her pincushions so with a Borders coupon in hand, I happily skipped along to buy her book, WARM FUZZIES.

My eyes dazed looking through her book. I wistfully stared at the pictures and through the list of materials and then reality hit me. I cried, "where the hell can I find wool sweaters in Hawaii?!?" After much dismay, I sadly put the book away.

Oh, but the craft fairy heard my cry. For a moment I heard her voice murmuring in my ear..."go to Walmart." "What? Now? But I'm watching TV." Well, I am not one to ignore the craft fairy.

I wandered in Walmart not sure what I was looking for. As I approached the accessories section, the air changed, sensitizing my craft radar. Then, oh baby, I spotted just what I needed for the pincushions. CHEAP SOCKS!!

I followed the instructions in Betz's book and turned CHEAP SOCKS into beautiful pincushions. Thank you, Craft Fairy (and Betz).

Origami Crane Candy Favor Box

My search for a origami crane favor box ended with a find of the CRANE ORIGAMI book at Borders.

My origami making skill level is a minus 2 but this pattern is so easy that I completed a crane after one try!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, so here's 22,000 words on how to fold the favor box! Have fun experimenting with different size papers. And who said it had to be origami paper? Good crafty choices are wrapping paper, scrapbook paper, and newspaper.

My Lucky Cat Wishes You A "HAPPY NEW YEAR"

A new year started on January 1st, as it does every year. On New Year's eve, I started a cooking and baking marathon for the traditional New Year's family gathering, no surprise there. On New Year's day, we ate, watched football, washed dishes, and finally went to bed. whoopee

Waking up on January 2, 2008 ...Hallelujah!!! Free at last!! No more kitchen duty. I can finally get back to crafting...sigh.

Hubby: "Aren't you done yet?"

Me: "Almost, here take a look."

Hubby: "What is that? A rat?"

Me: "No, it's a cat!"

Hubby: "Why are the eyes on the sides of the nose?"

Me: "It looks funkier that way."

Hubby: "Funkier?"

Me: "You just don't understand."

Meet the Real Lucky Cat

Cat kept me company as I took pictures of my lucky cat. I swooshed Cat to go home but he sat his little tushy down and watched me through the bay window. He poops in the yard so hubby went to scare Cat off. I yelled to Cat: "Run for your life!" Without hesitation, he jumped on the wall then over. Lucky Cat.

Make It Your Own

A simple crochet ball can turn into fun zoo-nimals. Here's the basic pattern which is a typical Japanese amigurumi style which starts with a double ring.

Online tutorial on how to start:
http://crochetme.com/amigurumi-double-ring

Thread Material - I used 2 strands of crochet thread. Go ahead and use yarn if you like. The size of the ball will vary based on the thickness of the yarn.

Needle - Use a needle that fits with your thread material. I used a size 0 hook. If using yarn, I would use a size F....not too small...not too large.

Crochet instructions:

Row 1 - Start with a double ring with 6 single crochet (sc)

Row 2 - Increase 1 sc in each sc. Do not join. Use a marker (another color thread/yarn, a safety pin, etc) to mark the beginning of the next row. You should have 12 sc in this row.

Row 3 - * Sc in 1st sc, 2 sc in next sc (increase of 1 sc). Repeat from * until end of row 3. You should have 18 sc.

Row 4 - * Sc in 1st sc, sc in 2nd sc, 2 sc in 3rd sc (increase). Repeat from * until end of row 4. You should have 24 sc.

Row 5 - * Sc in 1st sc, sc in 2nd sc, sc in 3rd sc, 2 sc in 4th sc (increase). Repeat from * until end of row 5. You should have 30 sc.

Row 6 - * Sc in 1st sc, sc in 2nd sc, sc in 3rd sc, sc in 4th sc, 2 sc in 5th sc (increase). Repeat from * until end of row 6. You should have 36 sc.

Row 7 - Sc in each sc until end of row 7 (36 sc)

Row 8 - Sc in each sc until end of row 8 (36 sc)

Row 9 - Sc in each sc until end of row 9 (36 sc)

Row 10 - * Sc in each of the next 4 sc, decrease in next 2 sc. Repeat from * until end of row 10. (30 sc)

Row 11 - Sc in each sc until end of row 11. (30 sc)

Row 12- Sc in each sc until end of row 12. (30 sc)

Row 13 - *Sc in each of next 3 sc, decrease in next 2 sc. Repeat from * until end of row 13. (24 sc)

Row 14 - Sc in each sc until end of row 14. (24 sc)

Row 15 - * Sc in each of next 2 sc, decrease in next 2 sc. Repeat from * until end of row 15. (18 sc)

Row 16 - Sc in each sc until end of row 16. (18 sc). Fasten off - Leaving approximately 12 inches to close ball after stuffing.

Stuff with polyester filling.

Close ball.

This is where the fun begins. Make a bear, or bunny, or frog. Add embroidery or buttons for embellishments. Enjoy.

Cute as a Button Ornaments

If I could have one 'craft' wish, it would be to craft in Martha Stewart's craft room. Can you imagine shelves and drawers filled with hundreds of colored ribbons, stacks of beautiful textured papers, bottles and bottles of fun buttons, stamps, stamps, stamps, fabrics that make your heart skip a beat, fuzzy pompoms, and whatever else your crafting heart desires??!!

The wonderful part of this wish is no more running to Walmart or Ben Franklin to buy crafting supplies every time a new project is started!!

The next best thing?.... is A GOOD THING from Martha's website. The kids will have a fun time making these button ornaments. This is my goofy set of a reindeer, santa, a snowman, and elf. But forget the kids, have some fun yourself!


Make It Your Own

Aunty Mary made Christmas ornaments every year when the boys were little kiddies. Till this day, the ornaments are hung on the tree, capturing our memories forever. This is truly, the art of gift giving.

Start your very own Christmas gift tradition of handmade gifts, books, or your signature baked good. It's a good thing.

Birthday Pail

As the crazy aunt in the family, I take devilish delight in tricking the kids on their birthdays by hiding their gifts in snack boxes such as the Rice Krispies Treat Bars box. The kids think the Rice Krispies Treat is the gift. Very funny.

Having tried that for 2 or 3 birthdays, I had to come up with another idea for Lauryn's birthday. This time a pail was filled with candies with the birthday $ hidden in a mini M&M candy container.

Aunt: "Lauryn, you need to find your gift hidden in the pail"

Lauryn: giggling...Dumps the candies on the floor and starts to search for 'the gift'

Dylan, the helpful cousin: "It might be taped to one of the candies?"

Lauryn: giggling...flips the candy bars over and over looking for some clue

Dylan: "It might be in the candy?"

Lauryn: giggling...starts checking the sealed ends

Dylan: comes over to me ..."aunty, just tell me where it is"....(not knowing is getting to him..heh)

Lauryn: giggling...spots the M&M container!!!...the fun ends

Beware -- the crazy aunt will strike again when you least suspect it!!

BOO-TIFUL YOU

Day After Halloween
A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein

Skeletons, spirits and haunts,
Skeletons, spirits and haunts.
It's a halloween sale:
A nickel a pail
For skeletons, spirits and haunts.

Skeletons, spirits and haunts,
More than most anyone wants.
Will you pay for a shock,
'Cause we're quite overstocked
On skeletons, spirits, and haunts.


This is another simple treat box. The fun is always playing with the embellishments. This one has a silly big-eyed ghost all dressed up with feathers and a lady bug for Halloween night!

Box Instructions
Cut 8 1/2 x 11 inch paper in half. You will have 2 pieces 4 1/4 x 11 inches for 2 boxes.

Score accordingly with picture.
Punch holes for ribbon.
Embellish.
Fold on scored lines (box is in shape of a triangle).
Tie box together with a ribbon.
Done.