Time for Easy Valentine's Day Cards!

       

 It is that time again.  I was just looking back at an older post on this blog where I made a few Valentine's Day cards.  I remember making them years ago and I was so proud of my creativity.  However, I have come a long way!!!  I am even more proud of these!  I love the clean lines, the matting to give the card more thickness and stability! 

All of these little cards were made with the 6x6 inch paper pad and a pack of stickers that I purchased from Michaels Craft Store.  The paper pad is called "Sweetheart Day" and the stickers were a coordinating pack.  Both are made from Recollections.  

For these little cards I used 2 1/2" by 3 1/2" inch folded cards as the base.  I got a pack of these from Joann Fabrics.  The brand is Park Ave. and they come folded with matching envelopes.  

The Happy Valentines Day card (top left of photo) I cut a black base 2 1/4" by 3 1/4" and centered it on the front with 1/8" white border all around.  Then I used pop dots to adhere the sentiment sticker on top.  

The Be Kind card was made with a dark pink cardstock that I had in my stash and cut it at 2 1/4" by 3 1/4".  Then the heart candy patterned paper from the Sweetheart Day paper pad was cut at 2" by 3" and centered on top of the dark pink.  This gave me a double 1/8" border all around.  Then I used pop dots to give a raised look to the sentiment sticker from the sticker pack.

The XOXO card used a matching coordinating pink piece of cardstock cut at 2 1/4" by 3 1/4".  Then I put a 1 1/4" by 3 1/4" strip of white cardstock along the middle to hold the XOXO sticker.  I was in a pop dot mood so I popped this sticker up as well.  You can see the shadow from popping this sticker up.  I love the dimension it gives. 

The Flower bunch card (right of the XOXO card) uses a piece of glittery paper from the paper pad as well as a piece of acetate also from the same paper pad.  The glittery paper was cut at 2 1/4" by 3 1/4" and the acetate was cut with the same measure.  I used Art Glitter glue (dries clear) to adhere these two pieces together.  Be careful because the acetate and glitter paper are slippery together.  I let it dry before adhering it to the card base.  Then I used, yes,  you guessed it, POP DOTS to attach the sticker on top. 

The Single flower card (below the XOXO card) used a 2 1/4" by 3 1/4" piece of dark pink glitter paper as the base color. Of course, I pop dotted the pretty flower on top.  Super simple.  

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My CTMH Haul. Box Opening

 I love a good sale!  Close To My Heart had their year end sale and I was able to score a few things.  Here is a video showing you all I got.  

I can't wait to start playing with these yummy things!!

Check out my other videos here!

Infinity Scarf Pattern

This infinity scarf pattern is awesome.  I love the stitch and found it here.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kviC5g1AHgs&t=309s

I start with 260 chains, then do the same stitch as she shows.  I also do about 15 rows.  It makes a nice fluffy scarf that is a bit longer when you double it up.  This way it isn't right around your neck tight.

On a Break....And Moving

Last May I visited my mother for a few days and while I was in her town we went shopping at Michaels.  I wanted something to do with my hands while I was with her but it was too warm to want to play with yarn so I picked up a small counted cross stitch kit.  I hadn't cross stitched in YEARS!  Like 16 years!  I stopped cross stitching because at that time I had little babies and didn't want them to accidentally grab my work and get stuck with a needle.  So I put my cross stitch away for other things (like parenting and chasing after toddlers for several years).  When the kids were a bit older I had picked up knitting and crochet again and stuck with that until last May when I bought this cross stitch kit.

After about two minutes of cross stitching again I was HOOKED!  I think it was different and new again.  I also loved the kit I was working on.  The Dimensions Gold Collection kits are awesome because they show lots of shading which gives the picture depth and movement.  When I finished that little project I bought a larger kit (still Dimensions Gold Collection) and started working on that in June.  These take some time and with life making me very busy I finally finished that larger kit in January. Now I am working on another kit.  This one is the Hot Air Balloons.  So much fun. It is coming along well and I love the shading and the depth it gives.

Anyway, I have been on a break from yarn work for the past 7 months.  I will return to it.  I know I will, so bear with me.

On another note, we are moving.......again.  Packing up my craft supplies makes me touch things I haven't touched in a while and makes me want to start new projects.

Yesterday, I boxed up all my yummy yarns. It makes me want to knit socks.  I have lots of sock yarns. I want to knit socks.

Today, I boxed up all my yummy fabrics that I use in quilting.  I want to quilt now.  I saw at least two quilts I would love to make right now.  But I know if I pull out my sewing machine and start a new project in the middle of moving, my husband will go through the roof!  Ha ha ha.

Next on the list to pack is all my scrapbook stuff.  We know what will happen then, right???? Yeah.  I will be setting up my scrap table quickly once we move. Hee hee hee.

This house will not have a separate place for my craft stuff.  It will have to find a home in my closet and in my room for a little while, but I know I will find space to start crafting once we get settled.

That is where I have been and what is going on.  I hope you will still hang out with me and wait for me to return.

What are you working on this week?

What have you been working on this week?  I have a zillion things going on and to make it all just a bit more chaotic, I threw in a visit to a regional craft show on Friday!  Ack! So many great ideas!  They are all rolling around in my head now.

I was at church this morning (as we do most Sundays) and I was talking with our priest.  I told her (yes, she is a girl, we are Episcopal) that I had a prayer shawl for her.  She was so excited.  I can't wait to take it up to her on Tuesday to show her.  This is my Jacob's Ladder Prayer Shawl.  I will donate it to the church and when she is doing her "sick rounds" in the hospital or in our parishioners' homes or at the nursing home and she sees someone who needs one, she can give it to them.

I began working on a few coasters that I will put in my etsy store. Yes, I am resurrecting my etsy store.  We will see how it goes.  A friend of mine also asked if I were interested in setting up at a craft show too this spring/summer.  So they will go towards that if they don't sell in the etsy store. I got the coaster pattern here if you want to try your hand at them.  They are super easy and quick to make.

I also have been sorting some other projects and getting a list of things I need to either complete the project or begin the project.  I spent $40 at JoAnn Fabrics today on fabric remnants for some walker bags that I need to make as well.  I have an order for 8 bags and just haven't gotten around to it.

To top all that off I have begun working on a prayer lap blanket.  It is working up quickly but I think it will take me longer than I have patience for.  This pattern will be posted at a future date.  I am really enjoying creating new patterns.  It has been fun.

So what is on my list for the week?
1. a video on the Half Double Crochet (a favorite of mine).
2. a video on the foundationless stitches. (This will be such a great resource).
3. finish the prayer lap blanket (can I get it done before Tuesday so I can take it to church with my prayer shawl????)
4. get my etsy store back on line and a couple items in it.

So what are you working on this week?

Cute Granny Round Dish Cloth - Free Pattern

I found this cute little dish cloth and I had some cotton that I just got from Michaels on sale for a dollar a skein.  When I saw this pattern I had to make me one. I love this blog for so many reasons but I find that often the patterns are not quite correct.

I have corrected her pattern and am posting it for you.

Granny Round Dish Cloth

Size: 8 ½ inch diameter

Materials: Worsted weight cotton yarn, Size G crochet hook

Row 1: Ch 4. Join with sl st to form ring. Ch 2 (counts as first sc). Make 13 sc in ring. Join with sl st to top of chain 2. (14 sc) 

Row 2: Ch 4 (counts as first dc + ch 1). Dc in next sc. Ch 1. (Dc, ch 1) in each sc stitch around. Join with sl st in third chain of beginning stitch.  Turn work.

Row 3: Ch 3. Dc in space below. Ch 1. (2 dc, ch 1) in each ch 1 space around. Join with sl st in top of beginning ch 3. Sl st in next stitch and in the ch 1 space. Turn work.

Row 4:  Ch 3. 2 dc in space below chain. Ch 1. (3 dc, ch 1) in each ch 1 space around. Join with sl st in top of beginning ch 3. Turn work.

Row 5: Ch 3. Dc in next 2 dc. Ch 1. Dc in ch 1 space. *Dc in next 3 dc. Ch 1. Dc in ch 1 space.* Repeat between ** around. Join with sl st to top of beginning ch 3. Turn work.

Row 6: Ch 3. Dc in same stitch as joining. Ch 1. Make 2 dc in next ch 1 space. Ch 1. *skip next 2 stitches. 2 dc in next stitch. Ch 1. 2 dc in next space. Ch 1.* Repeat between ** around. Join with sl st in top of beginning ch 3. Sl st in next stitch and in space.  Turn work.

Row 7: Ch 3. 2 dc in space below. Ch 1. *(3 dc, ch 1) in next ch 1 space.* Repeat between ** around. Join with sl st in top of beginning ch 3.  Turn work.

Row 8: Sl st in next stitch. *5 dc in ch 1 space. Skip next dc. Sl stitch in next dc.* Repeat between ** around. Join with a sl st in beginning sl st. Fasten off. Weave in ends.

I have to say that when I am starting a new row and are making a chain to become my first DC I never need 3 chains.  2 chains work better for me.  So in the beginning of row 2 I only chain 3.  At the beginning of rows 3, 4, 5,6, and 7, I only chain 2.

Also, the lady's pattern (Miss Abigail's mom) works well for her and makes a flat dishcloth as you can see in her photo.  Mine was flat until I added the last row (row 8).  This shell pattern edging made mine wrinkly or wavy.  I am going to redo the edging on the next dishcloth I make to see if it will lay flat.  I am also going to wash this one and see what happens too.

Jacob's Ladder Prayer Shawl - Free Pattern

Prayer shawls are an awesome gift for someone who has recently been ill, lost a love one, or is struggling with something.  It is like a big hug.  Made a bit larger than a normal shawl, it is half blanket, half shawl.  The idea of a prayer shawl is that the person who made it prayed as they were making it.  They prayed over it, or with each stitch or row.  They thought of the recipient, prayed for them and those prayers and thoughts transcend into the shawl.

I named this shawl "Jacob's Ladder" because I love the story in the Bible.  The story, in short, is about Jacob who is traveling. He dreams one night that he saw a ladder or "stairs" coming down from Heaven.  On these stairs the angels were going up and down. God was at the top of the ladder. The Bible tells us that this dream was a sign of God's promise to us. His promise is to be with us and keep us where ever we should go and bring us back to Him.  I named it "Jacob's Ladder" because I think that this shawl is a symbol of God's promise to us.  The person who receives this shawl will be wrapped in God's promise to be with us and keep us, no matter what-- a perfect meaning for this shawl.

I crocheted this pattern using two similar hues of dark red. The ladders go width-wise.  This is an easy pattern and works up quickly.

The Pattern:

Jacob’s Ladder Prayer Shawl

worsted weight yarn 3 skeins

Size I hook

Start with 275 Foundationless Half Double Crochets.

Row 2: Chain 3, DC in third HDC from bottom row. *Ch 1, Skip one HDC and DC in next*, repeat from * to * to end of row. Ch 2 and turn.

Row 3: HCD in each DC and chain space.  In last chain space make 2 HDC. Chain 3 and turn. (275 HDCs)

Row 4: DC in third HDC from the row below.  *Ch 1, skip one HDC and DC in the next hdc*. repeat from * to * to end of row. Chain 2 and turn.

Row 5: HDC in each DC and chain space.  In last chain space make 2 HDC. Chain 3 and turn.

Change colors.

Row 6: HCD in each HDC. (275 HDCs). Chain 3 and turn.

Repeat rows 2-5 with this color.

Repeat color change 5 more times. Bind off.

Add fringe if you like.

This is my own pattern that I made up in my own head. Please see my note on the side bar about patterns and my intellectual material, rights, and permissions.