Button Earrings

I can't remember where this idea came from, but it is one of the easiest crafts I've done! So easy that I've made tons of them :)

Using a bag of buttons I got at Michaels for about $4, I sorted and found matching buttons, used contact cement and stuck them to the earring backings, which I also got at Michaels. So simple!

I gave a bunch to my neices for easter/birthdays. They were so excited to put them on right away :)

 

The most special craft

My maternal grandmother - ("Gummy") passed away 4 years ago this week...making this one of the most special and unexpected crafts I could have done. You can bet I won't be giving this one away as a gift!

Over Easter, I was going through my mom's yarn stash looking for a specific colour for a small project. I didn't find the colour I wanted, but instead found something so much better...squares my Gummy had knit before she passed away. It was a project my mom had her doing to keep her hands and mind busy - and there was just enough to put together into a little baby blanket. Over the past two weeks I have crocheted these pieces together and here is the final product:

I wish everyone could have known this wonderful woman...definitely top of my books as the most kind, caring and generous person. Here is Gummy and I back in 2003. 

Pashmina Cowl

A couple weekends ago, I managed to finish a couple projects for myself! If you follow this blog, you know that I am often crafting for others, and LOVE to do that, but this was a nice treat to have some things for myself.

One of those projects was this pashmina cowl. My mom had purchased the yarn and intended to make it for me, but while I was visiting her I got started on it myself because I'd finished all my own knitting projects.  I started this around Christmas time, but ran out of yarn, and so didn't finish it until just last weekend.

The pattern came from the book "Last Minute Knitted Gifts" - my mom had borrowed it from the library. I wish I knew the name of the yarn used - but it is thicker than the recommendation and I had to modify the pattern based on the gauge. A free version of this very easy pattern is available on ravelry.

I love the colour, and it's very cozy! And it even matches a little something I made for myself last winter.

Felt Board Fun

My sister had made her daughter a felt board sometime last fall, and for a while I'd been thinking about making her more stories. Since I had never made anything like this, I thought the alphabet and counting felts might be an easy place to start. 

The numbers & letters came from Michaels, and I just stuck them on to the cut out squares of felt. The shapes used for #8, 9 & 10 were also bought and stuck onto felt - the ladybugs, flowers and cupcakes. All the other shapes I cut out. (For a more cost effective option, I recommend checking your local dollar store for felt before Michaels.)

As I said, my sister had made the felt board but it it pretty simple - you just need a piece of cardboard and a piece of felt! :) Two of my friends have made them as gifts since I did this project...it's a great home made option for any little one!

Given my neice's age - some stories to play with might be a little more fun - Here are some I might try to make in the future: Itsy Bitsy Spider, The Giving Tree, The Three Billy Goats. There are so many fun ones to look at on etsy...I could certainly let my imagination run wild!

Eat. Play. Sleep. Repeat.

I am absolutely in love with this quilt I made. The moment I saw it on V and Co's blog I knew I had to try it out for my friend Brett who is due to have her first baby in just over 10 days. Unfortunately I missed her shower but was able to give her the quilt in early December and have just been slow in posting the photos.

I really wanted to use some pre-cut fabric as I thoguht that would be easier and that is what the pattern uses. In retrospect I could have bought small pieces of various fabrics and cut them appropriately for the stripe around the edge. But, then I saw the cutest fabric on etsy and had to have it for this project. It is called "fox trails" by Riley Blake and so cute.

As I am truly a beginner quilter, I hoped I'd be able to pull this quilt off - and I think I did well! The only modification is that instead of truly quilting the final product I just made it a "tie quilt". I knew this technique would be a bit easier for a beginner like me, and still look okay in the end. I am glad I did this - it was much easier than trying to sew-quilt it.

Wrinkyl photo aside, I think it's pretty cute!! I may make this one again some day...and I've already been dreaming up my next project for the fox trails fabric...stay tuned for that :)

People often ask me how long a project takes, and there are so many variations with each thing I knit or sew that it's hard to answer...but I've started to pay more attention to the time devoted since it is such a common question. This quilt took approximately 23 hours - which I did over just under two weeks. The longest parts to do were the letters sewn on the front, the tying of the quilt and the border sewn on by hand. :)

Something Festive!

A couple months ago my cousin sent me this link:http://www.blogher.com/customizable-fabric-scrap-wreath and I was inspired to make a Christmassy version!

I got a metal frame at Michaels for about $5 and then went to Fabricland where all the holiday cottons were on sale in the month of November. I choose 11 designs and had them cut the minimum amount - 4inches - of each. That only cost about $7 - so for only $12 I had my supplies ready to go. 

All I had to do was cut the strips and tie them on to the frame - which sounds easy - but took about 3 hours! Thankfully I just put on some good tv and got it done :) 

I've noticed since there are lots of blogs where people used a metal coat hanger, which you could also do but I really liked the depth the store bought metal frame added.

Oh and the moose in the centre was also from Michaels - part of a felt garland that I cut apart and made into some ornaments.

Apple & Pumpkin Butter

Inspired by the load of apples I had from apple picking at Thanksgiving, I decided to try out making some apple butter. Using this recipe:

http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/crock-pot-slow-cooker-apple-butter-recipe/ I put it in the slow cooker over night, and it couldn't have been easier. I was then inspired to try some other flavors so tried out this one http://www.skinnytaste.com/2010/10/pumpkin-butter.html 

(this is also my new favourite food blog btw).

Both are super yummy!

What do you do with apple or pumpkin butter you ask?

Well, you can put it in cute little jars like I did and give them to your friend for their birthday :)
Or, if you want to eat it all yourself - you can spoon it into your oatmeal, mix it with plain yogurt, put it on toast or a cracker, spread the apple butter on brie and bake it with almonds for a delicious appetizer....or any other creative ideas you can come up with. It's so tasty you'll want to find all the ways you can to use it up!

I recently did another batch of the apple butter, and because I wanted to give it as Christmas gifts, I boiled it as you would when canning things - so that it will preserve longer.

Try it out, you will not be disappointed!