I have been recovering from surgery the past several weeks. So to keep my mind and hands busy I have been knitting bears.

Two bears are currently looking for new homes and are posted on an online handmade webstore called “Etsy”.

These bears may be seen on my etsy page.

I have been recovering from surgery and while resting I started playing Super Mario Brothers 3 on my Wii.  I don’t play any better today than I did years ago on the original Nintendo system. But I enjoy running Mario through the various mazes and protecting him from the ghosts.

Also on the Wii I play Mario Carts with my grandchildren.  Mario is certainly a fun guy.

So when I ran across this post I started imagining what fun it would be to have a Mario party.  Details for all kinds of decorations, snacks and a Mario hat for everyone may be found at Givers Log.

If you are struggling with a party idea, check out this Mario Party.

Be sure to check out other great ideas at http://giverslog.com .

A baby shower was planned for one of my niece’s last week.  When I got the invitation I remembered seeing a pattern for a bootie bouquet that would be perfect for her.

I searched and searched until I found the pattern available for purchase and download at e-Patterns Central.  (pattern link here, I get no profit from your click thru or purchase).

The hardest part for me was locating the yarn for the bootie flowers.  After searching through my local Hobby Lobby and Joann’s and WalMart, the only weight 1 yarn I found was sock yarn of colors that just didn’t work for babies.

In a recent crochet chat I mentioned the difficulty and another in the chat room sent me a link to some clearance yarn at Mary Maxims.  Perfect, I ordered and got started with the bootie vase.

Just prior to receiving the white speckled yarn I ordered I did find a blue on another trip to JoAnn’s so I was able to make 5 booties in 2 different colors.

I made 2 bootie bouquets which were placed on either side of the cake for the baby shower.  My niece loved them.

Here is the final version of my project.

I am trying to prefect my knitted bear making so this week I made 2 more bears.

Using the same pattern and same needle size but adding a strand of eyelash yarn to one here is what I came up with.

Despite the fact the bears are knitted, you will notice this one is doing come crochet. I think she is planning to make clothes for her buddy 

Hubby tells me both styles of bear have their place, but I am partial to the furry ones.

So, tell me, which do you prefer?

My granddaughter came to visit me and taught me a song. Her mommy (a creative woman, she takes after her own mom, that’s me) had made sheep/shepherd gloves to use when the little ones in her “Toddlers for Jesus” class sing “4 Little Sheep”.

I have created a video with instructions on making the gloves followed by my granddaughter singing the song with me.  Because I goofed up singing some of the words I have written them into the video.

This would be great for upcoming Vacation Bible School events, for Sunday School lessons, and for fun at home.  Check it out.

I decided it was time to try a stitch pattern I had not done before.

I pulled out some worsted weight pink and some brown yarn that I used to make hats and a baby sweater.

Thus, a star was born.

It is 42inches tip to tip across.  I was concerned there was a little pucker in the stitching, but when I finished I placed it in a laundry bag and threw it in the washer with cold water. I put in the dryer for a few minutes to air dry then laid it flat.

I came out looking great.

I have a tendency to make things without knowing what I am going to do with them. I had no idea how big I was going to make this or what I would do with it. One thought was to make it large enough for the top of a twin bed and lay it over a brown bedspread.

However, my niece, Ava, found a better use.

The pattern was found online. It is called Beth’s Little Star Afghan.  I think the next one I make will be red, white and blue like in her picture.

I got this idea that the clutter in my craft supplies was making it more and more difficult to work on any projects.  So I started to “organize”.

I have a bad case of KCADD (knit crochet attention deficit disorder). So when this is at its worse I pull out my craft supplies to sort them and put into an organized fashion but end up taking a handful of things to my favorite chair and getting started on yet another project.

It sounds bad, but I have completed , yes I said completed, a few more projects! (I won’t mention the ones I did not complete)

These teddy bears got lovely sweaters and hats to keep them warm.

This infant sweater is ready to go.

This infant sweater and hat make a lovely set.

Cabbage Patch (I crocheted the doll about 25 years ago) got a new hat.

My sister-in-law is getting a couple of new dishcloths,

and you already saw in a previous posting, my granddaughter has a new castle tote with finger puppets: knight, princess and dragon.  I am starting on more of these.

and now, back to my regularly scheduled organization party.  Wonder what will come out of this attempt

As a crafter I love to recycle and seldom do I throw something away. You never know what creative idea will lighten up my mind’s eye to reuse an object.  One thing I tend to keep is a card; birthday, Christmas, encouragement, etc. Here is a reprint from wikiHow to reuse those cards.

How to Make a Gift Pouch from a Greeting Card

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit
This gift pouch, made from a greeting card, holds a small gift in style. Colorful greeting cards are available for many occasions, and many of them should not go in the regular paper recycling because of metallic foil, plastic, glue, and other matter. Try reusing one to wrap your next gift.

Steps

1. Cut the card along the crease or just in front of it. You will use just the front "cover" of the card for this project.
2. Measure the height of the card. Mark where you will score and fold it. One fold will create a short tab about 1/2" (1cm) long and the other fold will divide the remaining section into two equal parts.
   • You can put the short tab either on the top or the bottom, so take a look at the design on the card and decide how you’d like it to line up on the finished pouch.
3. Score the card horizontally along the lines you just marked.
4. Fold along the score lines, as shown. The short end will create a tab. Fold the tab towards the inside.
5. Trace around the edge of a large, round object, such as a CD or the edge of a bowl or pot lid. Align the object so its edge is tangent to the edge of the card and so that the arc is centered. Do this to both ends of the folded tube.
6. Cut all the layers of the card along the curves you just traced.
7. Using the same object, score curves at each end. Score on both sides. Do not draw or cut these curves. Line the round object up so that it just meets each corner of the tube.
8. Glue the open edge closed along the tab or use clear tape to close it.
9. Insert a small gift by opening the tube as shown.
10. Fold the ends in along the scored curves to hold the gift in place and finish the pouch.

Tips

• Score all the folds firmly before folding them. Score along a ruler for the straight lines and around a round object for the curves.
• Cutting a thumbnail-sized notch in the end of each outside curve can help you or your recipient open the pouch.
• It helps if the round object is about 3 times as wide as the folded tube. It should create a shallow arc.
• These pouches are best for small gifts.
• Mark lightly in pencil so that you can erase the marks if you need to. The marks in these photos were darkened for clarity.
• Plan ahead a little bit, if you are making this pouch for a specific gift. Remember that you will be folding the card in half (minus a tab), then trimming and folding the ends in. Opening the pouch will also shorten it just a bit. If you’re not sure, aim for something a little larger than you think you need.

Warnings

• Take appropriate precautions with paper cutters and scissors.
• If you use a CD as a template, it’s wise to use an old one that you don’t need.

Things You’ll Need

• Paper cutter (optional, but very helpful)
• Scissors
• Greeting card. Choose a design suited to the occasion.
• Glue stick and/or clear tape
• Round object (CD, bowl, etc.)
• Something to use to score the card: a knitting needle, a ballpoint pen that is out of ink, etc.

Related wikiHows

• How to Wrap a Present in a Environmentally Responsible Way
• How to Make a Gift Box out of a Greeting Card
• How to Put Old Greeting Cards to Use
• How to Make Placemats from Greeting Cards
• How to Make a Greeting Card Envelope
• How to Create a Collage As Birthday or Valentine Card

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Make a Gift Pouch from a Greeting Card. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

How to Crochet Onto a Barrette

from wikiHow – The How to Manual That You Can Edit
If the plastic part of your purchased barrette snapped, the part that holds the hair may still work. Rather than throw it out, you can re-covered it in crochet, with a bit of a favorite color of yarn. You can use a similar technique to crochet onto many solid, slender objects, as long as you can reach all the way around.

Steps

1. Select a barrette to use for this project. This one was broken, but it could have been covered. The main thing you’ll need is a section you can reach all the way around.
2. Remove excess pieces. Snap off the plastic piece and pop out the metal spring, leaving the top surface of the barrette clear. You can leave it on if it’s not broken and crochet over it to make a new style.
3. Form a slip knot and place it on a hook that is the appropriate size for your yarn.
4. Begin crocheting onto the top section on the barrette. Hold the yarn behind and above the barrette. Pass the hook under the barrette.
   • This is a basic single crochet, but it’s worked onto the barrette instead of into a row of stitches.
5. Yarn over and draw the yarn back under the barrette. Draw the loop up to the top and leave it on your hook.
6. Yarn over again. You should now have a total of three loops on your hook.
7. Draw the loop on the end of your hook through the other two loops to complete one single crochet.
8. Repeat this stitch to form a full, tightly spaced row of stitches all along the top of the barrette.
9. Chain two and turn the work.
10. Work back along the top of the previous row. Single crochet two into each single crochet.
11. Work additional rows in the same way. Chain 2 (turning chain) and work two single crochets in each single crochet. Work as many rows as desired. Each row will make the finished barrette a little larger and a lot more ruffled.
12. Pop the spring back into place, if you removed it.
13. Tie in the ends. If you have holes at the ends of the barrette to stitch into, take the opportunity to tack down the ends of the ruffle.

Tips

• Choose a barrette that works well in your hair, or the hair of the person who will wear this creation.
• Watch the edges, especially if you are crocheting onto a metal surfaces. Metal edges can be sharp, which can damage either your hand or your yarn.
• You can buy the barrettes plain if you live close to a ribbon store or a craft shop that carries them. Ask your closest craft shop if they have them.

Things You’ll Need

• A moderate amount of yarn
• Crochet hook of an appropriate size for the yarn
• A barrette with a clear surface to cover
• Scissors
• Tapestry needle

Related wikiHows

• How to Crochet a Bath Puff
• How to Make a Hair Bow out of Ribbon
• How to Make Cat Ear Hair Clips
• How to Make a Mini Bow Hair Clip

Article provided by wikiHow, a wiki how-to manual. Please edit this article and find author credits at the original wikiHow article on How to Crochet Onto a Barrette. All content on wikiHow can be shared under a Creative Commons license.

I was trying to put away some of the stack of patterns I had accumulated when I got distracted by one. It was from Crochet World Magazine,  April 2010.  I dropped everything I was doing and grabbed the supplies.

This tote or little purse looks like a castle. Open it to see the moat and the drawbridge,

The finger puppets allow for fun and imagination as the Knight rescues the princess from the dragon.

I am sending this to my granddaughter tomorrow.  I can’t wait to hear her squeals of delight when she sees it.

Now, back to my organization attempt.  I wonder what other project will delay me……