mommacrafter

I just want to share with you some amigurumi gifts I whipped up in a day for my neighbor’s kidlets.  well the monkey I made on a separate day.  I wasn’t there when they opened the gifts but i’m hoping they liked them. The elephant and Hamster were from patterns. The monkey I made up.  They turned out really cute. small and ball shaped So if the kids didn’t like them they can always use them as a ball or something.

Today I finished my gift for my niece.  I decided to add a frog to the finger puppets I made for her. I figured since they’re fairy tale puppets it will help with the story line. (if you’re telling a story) I made a small bag to hold them in also. My girls always love a small bag to put things in so in my opinion a small bag for the finger puppets goes well.  We’ll see if she likes it or not. Now I’ve got some star wars guys, pac-men and a scarf to finish. GOT.TO.GET.TO.WORK!!!

Christmas is over and it was fun. We traveled to WI to spend the holiday with my family. it was really relaxing for both me and my husband.  for photos you can see them here .  I finished some presents but others I didn’t.  I vow to start earlier this next year. LOL but really I say this every year. Once i’ll listen. (i hope) so presents yet to finish are: (in no real order)

1. Trevor’s Pac man toys (they glow in the dark)
2. Chris’s scarf
3. Cody’s starwars men
4. Kade’s bag for finger puppets. (the puppets are finished but i’m debating if i should do a frog)

I’ve kinda concluded my project 365 a little short .  But I started early so i technically got in the 366 photos for the year.  my last photo was taken on the 25th of the Robot I made for my nephew. I finished it just outside of  Milwaukee for him. the white glows in the dark. but I couldn’t get a photo of it glowing.   He kinda liked it. It was over shadowed by the leapster he got from his parents. I don’t mind.  I really love it. it turned out wonderful. the wheel on the bottom moves as well as the arms. so much fun.

We got home today and both the girls have a cold. we probably should’ve have let them go sled riding.  but they had fun and we can deal with the colds. I, however, don’t like the whining and crying. but I guess that comes with the territory.  (though i’m pulling my hair out)

well i’m off to make dinner. I wanted to check in with ya’ll and say i’m back!

With Christmas right around the corner and the tree decorated with presents underneath. My family starts watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas tunes non-stop. We also like to read Christmas stories. We went to the Library the other day and picked up a few. One they didn’t have was “The legend of the Candy Cane “(they must have just been borrowed out) Have you ever read it? There’s also a little poem and  also a DVD . There’s a book called the Candymaker’s gift that is really cute too. I actually don’t own any of the books but i’ve read them a couple of times. I think I may need to buy one or both for the house and the girls.

Here’s a poem for you to enjoy:

“The Legend of the Candy Cane”

Look at the Candy Cane- What do you see?

Stripes that are red like the blood shed for me.

White is for my Savior who’s sinless and pure!

“J” is fr Jesus my Lord. That’s for Sure!

Turn it around and a staff you will see-

Jesus, my shepherd was born for me!

-Author Unknown.

Sunday we were at some friends house for a birthday party. I made a Star Wars hat for the boy. In the photo he’s jumping up and down saying “it’s a star wars hat!” (that’s why he’s a little blurry) It was a dual birthday party and his brother got a steeler’s hat.

now that those gifts are done I have to organize my Christmas list….

and you know how much I like to list things…

ok so here goes in no order.  so pink means it’s started and needs to be finished, red means it’s not started. black means done.

Leah- amigurumi girl 75% done.   (hopefully tonight)

Chloe - amigurumi donkey done. finish blanket started before she was born

Gabe- amigurumi punk rock bunny

Cody- amigurumi Star Wars guys 75% done just have to finish.

Kade- finger puppets and a bag to carry them in.

Trevor - pacman amigurumi that glow in the dark.

those are the ones I have to get done. the rest of the list is if I have time.

The Bub - penguin something….

The Bead- frog or something… 

Andy- Storm Trooper hat

Dawn- cabled hat of some sort

Chris - scarf

The hats shouldn’t take that long. The amigurumi are going fast now that i’m working on them. I only have 8 days left to craft so i’d better get back to it!

TTYL! and hey leave a comment so I know you’re out there!

The Girls helped to decorate the tree yesterday. We use a hodge podge of ornaments some are bought others are made.  and of course we put candy canes up on the tree.  It’s now feeling more official. Usually every year the girls and I usually make ornaments to give with our gifts but this year i’m out of ideas so I’m not sure if we’ll be making any.

Yesterday we also went to the library. we borrowed a bunch of books. I got twilight as an audio book. I plan on putting it on my Ipod. I reserved the rest of the series. I also put the Harry Potter audiobooks on hold. That is except for the first 3 b/c they were on cassette tapes.  and I’m not sure I could find a tape player in the house. I was talking with the librarian about it. She said she hopes they update them to CD’s soon but she wasn’t sure. I hope so too.  I thought it would be good to have for on our trips to visit.  And audiobooks are good to knit to!

speaking of Knitting I’ve got some projects to finish!

So yesterday I got the tree up. But, now I can’t find the lights. Normally I put them in the same box as the tree so I can put them on the tree as I build it. but none were to be found. I remember that half of them didn’t work so maybe I tossed them and forgot. So now I’ve got to get more. My in-laws said they have enough to spare so I’ve got to stop over there and get some. At least I finally got the tree up. LOL I’m not sure why I was putting it off. It makes the season more official. Even if it’s rainy and dreary out instead of snowy white. I think for the most part we are done with Christmas presents. (aside from the ones I’m making for the kiddos) I’m plotting (if i have time) to make The Bub and The Bead an amigurumi for them as a surprise…. So in order to have time I should probably get working on my stuff huh?

On another note yestarday,I snapped a photo of the slippers I was talking about in the previous post. Just a small photo for you to see. you can click on it and go look at the bigger photo over at flickr . Enjoy!

I should’ve used this pattern for all my Christmas gifts this year. It’s the fiber trends Snow Country Felted Mittens . (ravelry link) I knit a mitten and a half during the steelers game last night.  that’s in just like 2 1/2 -3 hours or so. Well i’ll have to keep that in mind for next year.  This morning I finished the other mitten and went ahead and felted the other one. It’s going to be a shop model so i’m only felting the one.  Since it’s a pattern that you (can) purchase at the store I’m sure the shop model will be around for a while.

If you’re looking for a good felting project for Christmas presents I’d like to promote my toasty tootsies. I have 2 versions. One version uses Paton’s Classic Wool and the other Cascade 220 (click those for ravelry links) they’re both free.   I wrote the pattern to teach knitting socks from the toe up. (the theory being: if you can knit them big with worsted weight yarn changing to sock yarn and smaller needles shouldn’t be a problem)  You can knit with DPN, 2 circular needles or Magic Loop. it’s really a simple pattern. Use any kind of worsted weight 100% wool (not superwash) you’d like to make them yours. you could also hold frilly or accent yarn together with the wool to add character. If you’ve made slipper socks with these patterns LMK what you think. I’d appreciate it!

I’ve been gone for a while. Thanksgiving was nice for us. We spent it with my husband’s family and then friday we went to visit my Grandma. She’s in a nursing home and we stayed at her house and visted with her. I think she enjoyed the time we spent. I know it was a really relaxing weekend for us. My grandma’s house is out in the boonies with no cable etc. so it was really nice. the girls got to sled ride. They loved it. The actually went on the same hill that I used to sled on when I was a kid. So much fun!

As far as crafting. I’m currently making a shop model of the Fiber Trend’s felted mittens. we’re going to have a class in January on them so I wanted something people can see. I’m having gauge issues at the moment. as in I can’t get gauge. UGH! Usually it’s not so important with felting. but when it’s something that needs to fit I think I should do it by the book.  I am also working on a Star Wars hat for a boy who’s birthday is coming up. and i’ve figured out what i need to do for my DH b/c he’s been bugging me about a storm trooper hat since I started. I’ve kinda put off finishing Han Solo and Chewey b/c I’m not feeling the love. Don’t get me wrong,I love making amigurumi.  it’s just i’m not sure how I should do Han’s hair.  speaking of Amigurumi here’s a donkey I finished the other day. I also have to make some more amigurumi for my other nieces and nephew. I’m also needing to make some finger puppets…EEK Christmas is coming fast!  ok so why am I on the puter?

Off to craft!