Rugby Stripe Scarf

Added this beauty to the shop! It's made from bamboo yarn, which can I just say feels amazing?!

Hearts Galore!

A friend with a second grader is planning a Valentine's Day party. I volunteered to make puffy hearts, which you may have noticed, are a favorite Hearts a plenty and Puffy Pins. I have loved hearts my entire life. Not just because of the shape, but because of what they convey. Love really is what it's all about. Love, love, love.

So I made some hearts for my friend and her daughter. It was fun!

There is plenty of time if you want to whip up some of these yourself! This is a pattern I created with inspiration from here. Because I've made these puffy hearts so many times, I've altered the original pattern to suit me and the project at hand. But the bookmark was my original inspiration and I like to give credit.

 “Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage.”  Lao Tzu

New Scarf!

I'm adding the scarf in the pic to the Etsy shop today. It's one long loop that the wearer wraps as many or as few as they choose. The yarn is an ombre from creamy winter white to black and accented with glistening sequins! It's a scarf and jewelry all at the same time. Visit: justmccaulla on etsy.com

Kitchen Update and Thoughtful musings

 Remember the basket to hold paper plates...  Well this is how it turned out.  After getting half way with the blue, I frogged the blue back out and went with black.  Turns out I couldn't commit to the blue.  I like it a lot, but what if I want to change the accent colors to purple and green or pink and light pink or...  Well you get the idea.  I just didn't want to be in the business of making paper plate baskets.

So, this is the finished project.  What do you think?  I love the natural and black together.  I decided on a double strand reverse single crochet edging because I like the chunky, unkempt look of it.

In other news...  They came to measure for the countertop today!  Woo.  It's all very exciting.  We picked out a new faucet, too.  More on that later.

So listen, I've been doing some research into "I am" statements and spending some quality time in prayerful consideration.  Here are my thoughts:  "I am" is an incredibly powerful way to begin a sentence.  "I" means you and no one else.  "Am" means is, without question or qualification.  Therefore we should consider carefully what we put after it.  For instance, I am tired.  I am sick.  NO!  This are not things you want to be putting into the cosmos or into your internal dialogue.  I am Strong.  I am healthy.  I am love.  YES!  That's what I'm talking about.  Find a way to frame your challenges in a positive way.  Feeling stumped? You can always say I am figuring it out, which if you aren't telling it like it is, you might just give yourself time to figure it out.

“There's nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be...” ― John Lennon

OmyGoodness... And a basket, too.

I don't feel well and I've reached the whiny stage. And the stage where I don't think I can be around myself a minute longer. AARRRRGH. (And the pirate noises stage, too, apparently.)

I'm currently crocheting a basket to hold the paper plates out of natural kitchen cotton, ♥LionBrandYarns. I'm definitely going to add blue (don't you love that vintage packaging?) in a stripe and I'm thinking of adding the orange in a small stripe, too. What do you think?  I'm pondering the orange because I don't really want to commit.  I like it, but we went neutral on purpose.  But, then again it's just a basket.

It's going to be one of THOSE days, is it?!

I'm working the basket in single chains and since this is the first crocheted piece I've been able to progress with since I broke my arm (and a small bone in my thumb, which is the troublesome part), I'm really thrilled.  Yes, it's been a long time since I broke my arm, but the tension it takes to hold the crochet hook was just so painful that I couldn't do it.

Anyway, point is, I've missed croceheting and I'm thrilled to be making something.  And out of cotton, which is a stiff yarn to work.  Woo!

I hope you find something that thrills you today!

30 Project Update

So, I was looking back at the posts and realized that I never finished documenting the projects I completed this year. Partly because I'm a nerd and don't always remember to take a picture before I give the gift away and partly because my amazing son is using the camera for school. I'm way over the 30 projects for the year (not even counting the multiples of items like the crochet angels or eyeglass cases. I also extended my creativity to try projects I've never tried before... Including, but not limited to, lotion from scratch (really interesting and fun - but boy is there a science to scent), fermented pickles (quite spicy thanks to a jalapeno or three, but not sour enough... hmmmm) and candles. It's been a fun year of projects and the studio is thankful that things are moving in and through it! Here is a list of other projects completed but not documented by camera: #26 Patchwork skirt, #27 Gray knit shirt, #28 Red, cream & black A-line skirt, #29 Beaded Earrings, #30 Pink Skirt. I'm happy to report that all of these were completed before our vacation in July as I took them with me. So, the 30 projects project was completed in July. Yeah.

Project #15 Wristlets

Yes, yes, yes. Another purse project. I love them. They are fun to make and can be as wild or as subtle as your mood strikes you.

This is my first foray into wristlets. I just started with some cotton thread and improvised until I felt they were finished. I made the pink one first, but in the end thought it looked pretty old lady-y (this is primarily due to the color combination I think). Despite the fact that my children think I'm an old lady, I do not want my wristlet to say as much.

Besides, I wanted to try slightly larger dimensions and I wanted more of the fabric to show above the crochet. So, out came the green thread and voila! I'm pretty happy with the finished project. I added the besds to one side so when I'm carrying it, the beads will show and a little bead dangle for the zipper pull.

One thing I do like about the pink is the spiderweb embroidery flowers. They really are very cool and I will be using them again on a future project.

I used the green one yesterday while running errands. Very nice. I left my bigger purse containing all the things I think I might need, but actually only use a few times a year, in the car. I slipped on my green beauty and off I went. It's very convenient... when you need two hands, it politely swings around your wrist and it's perfect to hold my ID/card carrying thingy, some cash and my lip stuff. I believe I might be easily addicted.

Project #13 Shoulder Warmer

Using the Half Moon Shawl Pattern from Lion Brand Yarn and LBY Suede, which has been discontinued I think, I made this. I only had 3 skeins, so it became a capelet or as I like to call it... A Shoulder Warmer.

I love this pattern! I've used it before to make shawls for a prayer shawl ministry. It is easy and the finished project is flirty and feminine, but the best part about it is that you can adapt it to any length you want and it looks beautiful. Second best... use whatever yarn you want! Thin yarn: add more rows, thick: fewer rows.

I only had three skeins of yarn to work with and I didn't know how much of a shawl I would end up with... It would have been easy to say I won't even try. But try I did and glad I am. (are you picturing yoda, too?)

Take the first step in faith You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. ~ Martin Luther King, Jr.

Project #12 Puffy Heart Pins

Recognize this heart? This is just one of the many ways the heart pattern, from this entry can be used. These sweet little pins were gifts for friends on Valentine's Day, and were made with #10 crochet thread.

Notice the bright glare on the upper right corner? Believe it or not, it's sunshine. Actual bright sunshine making a glare on the picture. I simply could not take another to fix that problem as there will be days before Spring truly arrives that seeing the promise of the sunshine to come will be oh so good.

Project #11 Angels

I love this pattern, called Robbie's Angel. I've made it dozens of times over the years. I fiddle with the pattern a little, as you will see if you compare my angels to the original. Mostly I fiddle to make the angels individual, so siblings aren't receiving the same angel. I also prefer to use Luster Sheen or it's equivelent weight. Because I use the larger thread, I eliminate one round on the granny square as it looks right to me, which is the beauty of creating your own art isn't it?

This closeup is to show the more masculine and the more feminine angels. I thought the un-ruffled edging, on the blue angel, would seem less girly... What do you think? I may add some ribbon bows at the neck, I'm undecided. It's another way I mix up the look of the angels. Perhaps a bow tie for the boy angels...

The angels will be Christmas 2011 gifts. I'm pretty impressed with myself. Think what you will. It's another bonus of this 30 projects challenge... By the way, my husband said the other day "I thought you were done. I've seen much more than 30 items come out of the room (my studio)." Which was really interesting. I've been counting projects, as in different sessions or kinds of things I've been working on, not multiples of the same item. Hmmmm... perspective is an interesting thing isn't it.

Project #9 Hearts a plenty

I love this project. It's one I invented years ago and periodically revisit around Valentine's. Some time ago, I discoved this bookmark pattern at JPF Crochet Club. After making several bookmarks, inspiration hit... Two hearts could be turned into a puffy heart.

Using #10 thread and the basic heart pattern (without the edging), I made two of them, then single crocheted two together along the outside, filling with fiber fill just before closing. Sew a pin back on and wear it on a lapel or a magnet and put it on the fridge.

Well these turned out so great that I wanted to try out different kinds of thread, then different kinds of yarn... I've made them out of every kind of yarn (felted even) by now but these are definitely a favorite. They are made from cotton yarn, filled with poly fiber fill. The size is perfect for little hands and the cotton is machine washable and durable. You can fill it however you want, but fiber fill is my first choice because the hearts are made with double crochet, some fillings poke through.

Another favorite project from the heart pattern is to single crochet around just one, using two strands of eyelash yarn. It makes the most wonderful coaster for the Valentine's dinner table.

Love is everything it's cracked up to be. That's why people are so cynical about it. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. Erica Jong

Thoughts on gifts...

We have a lot of family and friend birthdays in the winter. A lot. Virtually every week from November through March, even doubling up here and there. A lot.

The picture is of my 'finished basket'. A place where completed creations rest until a birthday or other holiday comes along.

I often crochet and knit for relaxation. While watching TV or traveling or waiting for this child or that, I put yarn to hook or needles. A scarf, a baby afghan, a hat, a shawl - whatever strikes my fancy at the moment and I add it to the finished basket.

If I'm sewing an easy project, I'll often make more than one and put the extras in the basket. Easy projects are great 'assembly line' candidates.

I also occasionally get the beading bug. When that happens, I make at least two things so I can add to the basket.

Today I went 'shopping' in my finished basket and found a scarf for a friend from work who has a birthday this weekend. While I was perusing the scarf pile, I discovered a baked potato bag in the basket and decided to include it, too. Easy, stress free shopping.

All these extras become great gifts throughout the year, but especially during this time when the holidays take precedence on time and energy. I highly recommend it.

Another thing I recommend... step outside the box. I am a sucker for clearance yarn (think I might have mentioned that before). Mostly because I can try out all the different specialty yarns at much more affordable prices. Also because it get me outside the box of what I would typically purchase as far as color or texture. It's kind of a challenge too... unusual colors, maybe not enough to actually make a complete project out of one yarn so you must combine with another.

Why am I telling you all of this? Well, some people when they create things their color pallete or material choices are so focused that all their finished projects have a certain look. Branded if you will. Shopping in the clearance section gets me out of that branded-ness. It helps me to expand beyond my natural tendancies. What's really cool about that is I can almost always find something in my 'finished basket' that suits the recipient. Instead of giving away a gift that looks like me, I give gifts that look like the recipient.

Ripple Bliss

I am an avid fan of the Lion Brand Yarn website. Of course, I love the yarn, too. The best part of the website is all the extras. So many fun creative patterns, ideas, and tips. Just before illness struck, I discovered the ripple pattern dishtowel. Inspired!

What can I say... I love the ripple. Love, love, love. Enough to work on one when I felt pretty low down, and then another cause I liked the first one so much.

In my time I've made dozens, perhaps even hundreds of dish and wash cloths, but I never thought about making a towel. It's pretty, absorbent, and as it's 100% cotton it dries in a snap.

Yep, I'm a woman of simple pleasures (which I'm totally okay with), but look at it! Ripple Bliss.

Love's all you really need...

I like Valentine's Day. I like to make a fuss for my family with something special for dinner and turning the dining room into a heart-fest. Hearts hanging from the ceiling, heart confetti sprinkled on the silver tablecloth, iced tea and milk served in champagne glasses.

These heart coasters are the most recent addition to the table top. I found a potholder pattern on the net, but used thread instead of cotton yarn and voila... Coasters. They measure 5 1/2 by 4 1/2 (not counting the lashes of the eyelash yarn). The eyelash yarn is two strands held together and single crocheted around the outside.

Our kids are getting older and our Valentine traditions are changing. But, I'm still a sucker for hearts and for love and these coasters make me happy.

May your Valentine's Day be filled with whatever makes you happy!