We've all seen the crayon art everywhere and quite frankly I'm kind of sick of it but I then I got a wild ass hair and, well, we C-sters all know how they go. So here are my takes on it using the glue gun method:

So I got 6 small packs of Crayola and did this:

9" x 12" canvas. I put down all 6 of the black along the top first then put 3 of each color spanning 2" each. I think I should have started the black further down so it would have more a presence. I was planning on sending this to my niece but then I realized the crayon art I already had (from a swap) hanging above my sewing machine was BROKEN!

So I broke it more (sorry Leigh!) and using some crayon chunks and the dripping from the first piece I did I went from this:

to this:

8" x 10" canvas. I LOVE the texture, but don't know what I'm going to do with it because the first one up there took it's place above me machine.

And then I had 6 brown crayons and 3 of each of the "rainbow colors" so I came up with this:

Depth shot:

9" x 12" canvas. Ended up with some splatters so I tried to make like they "leaves" that had fallen off the tree but I don't think that part worked too well. I do like how each drop can pass as a leaf on the tree, though.

I didn't like doing this at all. In fact, I was going to stop after the first because it hurt my fingers but like I said, wild ass hairs, what do with them? What do you think?

My drawer with my knives and spoons et al has been in horrible shape for a long time. At first we didn't have any dividers in there, then I made something out of a Cherrios box that worked really well until I bought more spoons and had to adjust it. Then it all went to crap. There was a 12 Days o' C-mas this past year and I've had this tute bookmarked/pinned since then. So today I decided to make some! I'm surprised I've only had it marked for 2 months before I got to making them! Proud of me, you should be.


I only tacked the tops of the corners rather than sewing all the way down.


Had to adjust the size for the bottom one but other than that the tute was perfectly sized for my purposes. Thinking about sewing them together down the sides for more stability, though. What do you think?

Before shot for reference:

So I found some stuff about dryer balls and making your own and I was so excited! I made some! And then I realized they were WAY too small so I made them bigger. See?

I haven't used them used them yet, but I wanted to get other people's opinions already anyway. Has anyone else used dryer balls? Do they work? Soften? Reduce static? Reduce drying time? Anyone made them? Let's talk about our balls!

I've always wanted to learn to knit just so I could make socks but who needs to knit them? I can crochet them because crochet is the cro-shit. Seriously. So the first pair I made was for the Marvelous Zombie_Queen in the latest Magic Yarn Ball Swap and you can see them mostly here. Her feet are bigger than mine and since I didn't have reference they ended up a little big for her. But I made some for me last month and I loved them so much that I made some for my sister who's birthday is Tuesday also. She has the same size feet as me I was wanting to make some for my other sister for her bday in March but her feet are smaller than mine and the instructions usually say something like "Repeat round x until 2" from tip of longest toe" and I can't make them that long if her toes are 500 miles away. So enough wordiness, on to the photos!

Mine, after they've been worn and washed a couple times:


I used some Paton's color changing sock yarn. Didn't like it. Even though the balls were from the same batch or whatever, the color changes were different.

And for Kathleen:


Used some Paton's stretch lightweight cotton blend yarn for these. Very nice. Didn't use as much as I thought it would. I think when they wrote the pattern for these they were just trying to get as much texture and different stitches in as they could. Amusing, but I'm glad they went to her instead of staying with me. Don't know if you can see if but the heel flaps have a ribbing that was done using FPDCs. I love drop stitches!

All three of these patterns were from the book More Crocheted Socks.

[what to do with it?]

I was in a pinup swap a while ago and was officially introduced to the work of Olivia. I fell in love with this piece and it may be the only image that has ever inspired me to make 2 things from it. The other thing is still a WIP, but this one just took one day. I've had the stuff long enough, though, so it may as well have taken a year and a half. This was part of my Crafting ADD that overtook me when my husband was out of town last weekend.
With flash:
 
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Closer, no flash:
 
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the mirror with frame is about 18"x24" so the image is about 20 inches long. Used the contact paper method for etching. I was really worried about her face and hands but I think they came out OK.

My question: what to do with it? Can't hang it with a growing 5yo boy in the house. Can't mail it. Well, I guess I could but I would be super worried about my packaging job and I would need a really bug box and who would I mail it to? Can't sell it, legally. Don't know anyone I would be able to gift it to... What to do? I really don't want her to just spend her existence crammed between my dresser and the wall, ya know?

So for the latest Hoopla round we chose silhouettes as the theme and I could not get away from the idea of doing one needle felted. I LOVE how it came out. This may be the first time I have posted something I made for a swap. I really want to do the other hoop I signed up for as a needle felting as well but I feel like I would be cheating my other partner. So torn! When I was done I put some fabric glue on the back just because I'm terrified of it coming undone. I know you more experienced Felters say it's not necessary but I am paranoid so there you.

The pattern was a free paper cutting pattern from Cindy Ferguson. Here she is:


And a close up:


And just for fun, this is how the foam pad looked after I finished her:


I really enjoy this craft! Q,C&C welcome!

Does this go here? I think it's too big for the Ami section.
My niece turned 7 on Monday so I finished this for her last night. Still need to mail it, eep!
Since my sister, another of her aunt's died almost 2 years ago, she has been really into ladybugs.
Her mom said she wanted me to make her one so here it is!



Didn't have enough black to make legs but I think it's just as well without. It is a little more firm than I wanted it but that's what I get for using leftover wool from my combing for the filling. Whatever, I think she'll like it. It's about 11" wide x 15" butt - head, and 7" tall. No pattern. What do you think?

When I was dating my husband in college, I bought a vintage cross stitch kit from a roommate and altered it a little to be me and G. He had dreads. I made it into a pillow and it has been floating around since then. I decided it needed a little revamp and I had also recently been thinking that were wasn't any cross stitching on my hoopla wall and that needed to be remedied. Hooray! Combination solution! I get extra points for combos, right?


Not perfectly straight in hoop, but, meh...

I was clearing out my bookmarks on my computer by pinning them and found this super easy Bandana Dress tutorial that I bookmarked LONG ago and decided Hey, why not make some? It's already 78 here in my part of the country. Alice is only 2 so she can grow into these a little and then she can wear them as shirts, because that would still be cute, or we can pass them down to what they say is going to be her little sister. We'll see. Either way, I think we'll have them a long time. And if the elastic gets too small I can always rip open the seam and add more, right? I'm crafty like that. I picked out 2 patterns and let her pick out 2. Can you guess which were which?


First I tried it with the bow. I hate bows in my back when I sit so I tried a few other ways of tying:

This way is my winner! Cuter looser but not as functional.


Also tried looping and tying in the front. If I were more of a girly mommy I could probably come up with some really cute ways to tie them but alas, I'll settle for the way I did it on the green. Though if anyone has any ideas or website references that would be great.

What do you think? Wow, I'm wordy. C&C welcome!

ETA: Gratuitous cute shot!

I don't remember what gave me the vision but I have this SUPER AWESOME vision in my head that concerns wet felting a bunch of vessels and needle felting them together and then needle felting embellishments on them. I've never felted anything at all. Well, maybe some rocks but that didn't count. So before I get this vision out of my head I first had to learn to felt. Vision's not started yet, but here are my learning adventures:

Soap:


Then I bought a kit for needle-felting and the day it came in I made some balls for said needles:


Then I decided to try my hand at vessels, since I will need about 10 for my vision. I think I'm sending these to my Mom for her birthday because what the hell else am I going to do with them?
Smaller vessel with random flowers, no patterns or real flowers envisioned, just poking:




Larger Vessel with Bluebonnets, designed specifically for said Mother Ship:


I really like the abstracted bluebonnets on these and how they are all different. I tried the first with leaves and decided No, I'm not that good yet. RIP! Also, there are 6 on there but I figure it's already a heavy enough post so you can just image them.

And while I was waiting for the vessels to dry before I decided to try some panels:

And an experiment with some sparklies in the middle layer. Added too many sparklies. Didn't felt as well through as it should have. But like I said I'm learning!


Now to finish that Chevelle hoop and get on with my "vision" that I'm being so secretive about!

QUESTION: On the needle felted embellishments they are really easy to rip out. How do I stop that and make it permanent? With kids around I really don't want my work to be easily demolished. A little fabric glue on the back hold it in or is there something real felters do?