Some of My Crochet Projects

Hi everyone! Long time no blog post! New post, new header. What do you think? I designed the chevron paper, the crochet flower, the rose brush, and the doodled flourish. :)

Since my last entry I've moved, started crocheting and done all sorts of projects with my kids. We're learning about the Eastern Hemisphere right now. Fascinating stuff. The kids really enjoy it!

CROCHET 

Why oh why did I start another hobby? My media console in the living room is full of yarn! Oopsie. :P

My post is about some of my crocheting projects either in progress or finished. Here are some of them:

I got inspired by a gorgeous image I found on Pinterest. You can see the pic at Moxie Fab World. She actually had it posted for a paper craft challenge, but I used the color scheme for a crochet project. :) Made a bunch of pretty flower motifs. (Which, by the way, I am not finished.  Made lots of the flowers in all the yummy colors. :)) Not sure what to do with these lovely things. 

A purse? 

An afghan? 

A pillow? 

Headbands? 

Yarn bombing? :)

Created a cushion cover using sock monkey colors: grey, grey and white twill, red, and white. The pattern is by Priscilla Hewitt called Circle of Friends. :) Now who to give it to? Maybe my Mom. No pic of finished product, as I need to make a pillow form for it. It doesn't fit a standard size pillow, so can't just go out and buy one.

Okay, I DO finish some things! Another project was a huge chevron afghan! Here it is in progress:

My first scarf every made: A Triangle Cowl by Eleven, a pattern I found on Etsy. :) Used a yellow wool blend. Love it. Sorry, cannot seem to get a good photo with proper lighting of the thing!

Started one in a green too, but ran out of yarn, so waiting for it to be back in stock. The yarn is a sports-weight Bamboo Silk. It's a pleasure to work with!

Lastly, I am creating two pairs of boot cuffs for a friend of mine. This one is colorful and the other pair will be a grey.

My twin and I crocheted a lot during the winter months. Our first language is Plautdietsch (Mennonite Low German), and we kinda want to keep the language going, but we don't get together regularly with others who speak the same, so we are slipping really badly, reverting to English way too often! To help motivate the kids and ourselves, we played a game. Everybody chose a yarn color, made ten bracelets of each, and placed them on our wrist. Each time you caught someone speaking English instead of PD, you could take one of their bracelets. My middle kid, the competitive kid, won the game. My youngest refused to even speak after awhile. He has a really hard time with it.

Well, so long, until next time. (My scrapbooking hobby is a bit side-lined right now. But I'm sure I'll get back in the groove eventually. )

Anna

Project Overload!

I have not updated in a while, as you probably know by now.
:(
Even my twin stopped visiting me here, since nothin's new around these parts! It seems this way, I know, but in actual fact, I've done lots of stuff.
Project after project!
And maybe completed one or two.
:(
Let me count the ways!

1. Have sorted, edited, organized, copied, printed, and other essential things you do with photos. In particular, I did one project for my sister-in-law, who lost her sweet Tomas in September of 2010. The project is unfinished at this point, as I want to put all 176 photos I "stole" from Kathy into a regular photo album. A surprise package like that in the mail would be nice, wouldn't it?

2. I designed two logos for our church's women's ministry. I really enjoyed doing that!

3. Have tried my hand at "photoshopping" a photo of my huge family. I tried to combine several photos into one, so that at least most of us looked half decent. LOL I posted the pic on facebook, not realized I had started something. (Sure glad I did!) My balding brother wanted me to draw hair on his head, but that request went a little tooo far. :)

(Okay, I guess that last part wasn't entirely accurate, but it sounded good. )

Here's my caption under the photo on Facebook: (heehee)

I'm photoshopping this picture using all the versions I have of this get-up:
I've given Grandma a new face.
Replaced all of Hannah with a different Hannah, which still needs some work.
I might cut out Ben and add one where we can see his whole face, Luke and David W, as well....any other requests?
LOL
For those of you who want to be eliminated from this photo, or you want me to remove someone you have a personal vandetta against, sorry! I don't carry out those requests. LOL

And maybe I'll make Henry taller, Elijah happier, me skinnier....LOL

And here are the comments: They crack me up EVERY TIME!

I LOVE my family! I will have to scrapbook the photo and include the comments! 

I've lost focus on my blog post. :) Well, I might share more tomorrow,who knows. Have a lovely day, and remember to create more moments than photos/pages! ♥

Creating layouts With FF Templates

I created this layout using the first of ten free templates available here as freebies, called 12x12 FF Template No.01.
To decorate like we like to do, I used stuff from three different kits, plus I used my own Chocolate Canvas Cardstock, available for free download here at my blog. It is listed in the right sidebar. :)
The one below is from OScraps called Patisserie which is by Paislee Press. I used the frame and a scallop border. The scallop I recolored.

I also used stitches from this kit called Tack it Down by Britt-ish Designs. I find I like to use stitches on every page I do.  LOL

For the paper stars, I used one of the gorgeous papers from this kit by Joyce Paul Designs at MScraps.

Tweeking my template: Instead of using the two small frames as is, I replaced them with the decorative frames and tilted them a bit. One feature I use a lot in FF, is duplicating elements instead of dragging a second one in, like I did with the frames. I dragged one in, resized it to my liking, and since I wanted two the same size, I just pressed Control + D on my keyboard. You can also find the command under the Selection tab. Make sure you have the element selected that you want duplicated, or else it won't work.

I wanted my title a little larger than the template had it, and I didn't want the title sticking out above the pattern paper behind the title, so I enlarged the paper frame a bit too.

My Chocolate Canvas paper looks blocked when I just drag the paper and drop it into the empty frame, so I zoomed in closer on the paper to create that Bazzill paper affect. (If you have been paper scrappers before you were a digi scrapper, you know what I'm talking about. LOL) I'm not sure why the zooming in works, but it does. :)

Now looking at the text, I wish I'd brightened it a bit more, so that it would be more readable. Oh well.

Fall Sunshine

Finally finished this layout that was due a full moon ago! Anita wanted us to get creative with ribbon, so that's what I tried to do. These pictures are ones I took during a recent photo shoot of my twin sister and her family.
Sorry about the glare on the upper part of the page. :) But, oh, aren't we having gorgeous weather right now?!? :) I think the sun is shining more orange, reflecting the orange leaves...
Patterned paper by Little Yellow Bicycle from the Free Spirit line.

Fat Little Tummy

I just love that middle pic on the right hand side of the first layout, where my little one is standing on the steps. The shorts are waaay to tight around his waist. That poor tummy! sigh....my baby...isn't he adorable? The older two were most enthralled with the wave pool. I liked the water slides, but made sure I didn't go on a fast one. LOL I'm not that brave anymore. This layout is removed because it's getting published in the June issue of the Canadian Scrapbooking Magazine! (I got this news February 7, 2011)

Two layouts for my 2008 Memories Album.

Products Used:

Background pattern papers, buttons, flowers, tag - 2Peas: Michelle Underwood: You Picked Me
Tan Background - Pink Paislee: Once

Alphas - Digi Chick: Karla Dudley: Digi Essentials
Journaling block - Cat Scrap: Creashens and Paislee: Nostalgia

Stitches - Designer Digitals: Katie Pertiet: Stamped Stitches No. 09, Designer Digitals: Anna Aspens: Curvy Corner Stitched Blocks No. 01

Font - Burst My Bubble

Scrapbook Therapy

One new layout, one older. The top layout is in memory of my precious niece, who I miss sooo much. The bottom layout is a scraplift from these artsy ladies. Thankyou, Emily at My Scrapbook Art and Gingersnaps at Little Dreamer Designs. LOL

Products Used:
Free as a Bird: 

The Crate Paper: papers, birdie stamps and die cuts

American Crafts: letters "FREE", painted with Smooch

Prima: lace paper

Chatterbox: "Bird" chipboard letters

Fiskars: spiral bound punch

These are My Confessions: 

7Gypsies: papers

Basic Grey: letters

CD Muckoskey: Suzy Q Alpha "confessions" letters

Tim Holtz: Grungeboard hearts

Chipboard: Close to My Heart

Chatterbox: fabric flower, bling and buttons
Altered the grungeboard with markers and Smooch, stamped with the Grungeboard as well, inked the white letters with my trusty sponge applicator.

Do Your Best

Another layout for my 2008 Album. I'm trying to stick to a theme somewhat. But, knowing me, I'll get tired of it, get distracted,change my mind, lose focus, stop the project, etc, etc.

Products used: 

Designer Digitals:

AASPN FotoBlendz Clipping Masks, KPertiet Rounded Corner Masks

KD Digi Essentials: 

Alpha, brad, label holder and photo turns

2Peas:

 Michelle Underwood You Picked Me papers 

(The stars were made with the paper and a FotoFusion star mask.)

Pink Paislee:

Once papers and wordart brushes

Font is Esat Hocha from Dafont

A Whole Lot of Memories

Ah, what a great time we had. Trying to finish my 2008 pages....Products: Pink Paislee: Once Upon a Time, Michelle Underwood: UPickedMe, CatScraps: Danielle Alt365, KD Digi Essentials, DD AASPN CurvyCorner Stitched Blocks

Beautiful You

I downloaded this free desktop from The Shabby Shoppe blog and just dropped the pictures in. Super easy scrapbooking! Personally, I prefer layouts more symetrical than this. I'm contemplating buying the kit that comes with all these delicious supplies, called Sprout, but do I really need it? :)

The pics are of me, my amazing sister-in-law and friend, and a Godly, someone-who-I-look-up-to church lady, who were both at last weekend's ladies retreat I attended. It was an amazing time of renewal and encouragement. BEAUTIFUL YOU is what it was called.

Next post will be of an annual scrapbooking project I'm working on.

Sweet Drawings and Letters

I'm starting to collect and scan all these little drawings that Dave makes for his kids. My favorite kind of artwork. I just love the style he uses, albiet amateur. The drawings speak of his heart, I strongly believe. :) Maybe one of these days, I'll transform them into digital brushes. What do you think?

God knew what I needed today when I saw this letter in the mailbox this morning. I love being the recipient of such sweet things. Mmmm...I could just hug her!

The evolution from a New Year's card into a Valentine.

I didn't get this card out for New Year's, so I changed it into a Valentine. 120 prints are on order at London Drugs, so I'm committed! Now to find 120 addresses, envelopes and stamps! Yikes!

Grandma's Girls

A new layout for the store I'm designing at: Scrapbooks Made Simple. My mom enjoys making the girls traditional Mennonite dresses. She deserves a layout I figure! I want to add a second page to this layout featuring photos of my mom. If you click on the photos, you can see really see the textures and layers; the aspect of traditional scrapbooking that digital scrapbooking can never compare to.Papers by 7 Gypsies, journaling paper by Making Memories, felt letters by American Crafts, flowers and leaves by Prima and Doodlebug, ticket stubs and Stickles by Tim Holtz, and stamps by Technique Tuesday.

Wintery Wonderland

My twin photographed us this super snowy day at our local park. I wanted to send out Christmas Photo cards, but there wasn't really a day where the snow hung so heavily on the trees. (I wanted a family photo showcasing our winter wonderland.)
Have I mentioned how much I love http://www.houseof3.com/ products? That's where I got the damask brush on the left side of this pic.

I'm brainstorming ideas on how to design couch pillows using the damask brushes. I'm thinking embroidered cushions.....



This is the bottom of my skirt that I made for the Christmas holidays. I had the supplies in the beginning of December already, but didn't actually finish the thing until Christmas Eve. :) Crazy me, I know.

So Happy Together

Just a quick layout of my son and nephew.

Chipboard Mini-book

This is the cover of the mini-book that I'm creating from our memorable day-trip.
I cut the chipboard to the right size and textured the edges with the HS razor, painted and then stamped. I folded a clear Prima grid stamp and stamped without the block. I also stamped the raw HS letters with the same stamp.
Supplies: Scallop punch, yellow floral paper and number grid circle-SU, ticket embellishment-Tim Holtz, other embellishments from Chatterbox, Fabulous and ArtsyLiscious line. Cream label holder, brads and dragonfly brad-K&Co, large staple-Fascinator

I used a stencil to create the bracket paper. Supplies: paper-MME Tres Jolie Bonjour, embellishments-Chatterbox Fabulous, letters and ribbon-Chatterbox Artsyliscious, flower border-Doodlebug, "take a look" stamp-Fontwerks

I created the journaling block using SU cardstock and scallop punch. Deer button-Chatterbox Fabulous.

This album consists of about 25 pages. Click here see the rest of it.