Crafty Bits

Hello! I am just now recovering from the weekend. First of all, Friday night's ribs were quite tasty (and messy!). After the 2 hours in the oven, they looked a bit anemic. Therefore, I decided to send them to the grill-sauna for that last 30 minutes of cooking to perk them up a bit. I bathed them in a good amount of delicious K.C. Masterpiece, and tossed them on over indirect heat. I remember Martha once describing the perfect ribs as having a "beautiful rich mahogany color."

Mmm...now I know what she means!

And for dessert, ooey-gooey carmel apples ♥

On Saturday morning, hubby/FIL/BIL worked on putting the new windows in our living room. While they were doing that, MIL duped me into helping make pies for the church's bazaar. The making wasn't so bad, but I had to take the girls with me. They were good for a while, but then Bella got totally restless and I had to have Daddy come get her and take her home for a nap. We worked almost 5 hours on the pies, and made 40 apple and 20 rhubarb. We didn't finish though! There are still peach, blueberry, and cherry to make.

Of course, the guys didn't think to cover anything in the living room when doing the window stuff. So Sunday was spent on my hands and knees cleaning the plaster-dust off of every square inch of the living room... woodwork, floors, furniture. EVERYTHING! Not a happy girl. But, having the new windows in is a very good thing!

This would be the amigurumi frog I am working on for Bella's stocking. I started his final arm last night as I watch DVR-ed Martha episodes and listened to the wonderful rain through my new window. It was quite relaxing. Once I finish him up and give him a mouth, I can start on the "toad frog" for Brianna. Same pattern, just brown yarn ☺

Does this fellow look familiar to anyone? Over on the Gabba Friends board, I half-jokingly mentioned a petition for a DJ Lance Rock doll (similar to the Pee-Wee Herman doll of my youth), and now there is an actual petition up and running! How cool is that? Parker Jacobs seems down with the idea, it is just getting one of the licensers to pick it up. Still, how can you exclude such an important, pivotal character such as DJ Lance from your merchandise line-up??

Anyway... there was talk of making a Gooble doll, and I am totally up for that challenge! Gooble is sort of a depressed, cameo-character on YGG. I suppose he looks like the albino love-child of Muno and Brobee, and he cries a lot. So yesterday, I went looking for white vinyl to attempt a Gooble. None was found, but I did find some funky white remnant fabric for less than $1. It reminds me of stuff that someone's grandma's pants might be made from. In the long-run it was too thin/stretchy, making the stuffing look too lumpy. He also appears to have huge pectoral muscles, which is just disturbing. Anyway, I think I got the jist of him down. A tweak here and there of the pattern, and a change of the fabric, and I think he should be Christmas-worthy!

☺☺☺

Autumn Amigurumi Give-Away!

On the car-ride this past weekend, I fiddled with some amigurumi projects to pass the time. As this little guy unfolded, I decided I wanted to share him with someone... hence, my "Autumn Amigurumi Give-Away"! I think it will be a fun way to hear from my visitors and meet more crafty-mommy-bloggers!

Here's wee little Bailey bear! I made him from this pattern. From ears to toes, he is about 5 inches tall. Bailey has embroidered nose/mouth, little shiny black eyes, and an orange wool-felt scarf. On his chest is a tiny, handmade polymer clay pumpkin. He will gladly keep you company through the Autumn/Halloween/Thanksgiving season! Who knows what else might accompany Bailey to the lucky winner's home ☺

To celebrate the beginning of Fall (my FAVORITE season), my blog visitors can earn entries for the random drawing. Through Oct. 22, you can earn entries in several ways:

♥Earn 1 entry for each comment you leave on my blog through Oct. 22!

♥Earn 2 entries for becoming a follower of my blog (under "Blog Friends" on the left side of screen)!

♥Earn 2 entries for linking to my blog from your blog or website (this could include adding my blog to your blogroll)! Please email me (gumby8@hotmail.com) and let me know so I can give you proper entry-credit.

The more entries, the better your chance☺

Have fun! I can't wait to read your comments and meet more of you!

♥♥♥

Everything's Coming Up... Mushrooms?

Ah, 'shrooms! After all of this recent rain, the shady spot in our front yard is like a mushroom pasture. Now that it is drying up a bit, I really should mow the lawn... then only the small ones, close to the ground, will miss the guillotine.

Yesterday, I was mightily cheesed-off at my MIL (whom I have diagnosed with untreated bipolar disorder, but that is another story....) so I decided to whip off a fast amigurumi for some instant gratification and a good measure of happy. Possibly influenced by the carpet of fungi visible from my favorite chair, I chose this easy pattern from Kat Crochet. In no time, I had a finished Morel mushroom ☺ Our area is big on mushroom-hunting, and the effect of the holes in the crochet really look like the grooves in a Morel mushroom. I need to add a cute kawaii-ish face to him yet. [Does anyone know of a free, small GNOME amigurumi pattern, or have a pattern they would be willing to share?? I really want to make some small gnomes to perch on/under the mushroom(s) ]

Then I started thinking...a lot of these cute, vintage finds I keep promising to post about have a central theme: mushrooms! Check out this framed picture I bought for 25 cents. I actually intended to toss the picture and only use the frame, but the whole thing is starting to grow on me now. The frame is a neat vintage plastic faux bois:

Check out these old napkins. I bought the set of 4 for $1, and I think they are really cute. With two little ones, we stick to paper napkins... but maybe I might sew something out of them.

I like the rabbit and mushroom details most.

Lastly, I just found these kitchen towls in a bag I had forgotten about. Although they don't really go with the color scheme, etc. in my kitchen, they are really thick and soft. They will make great drying towels!

Wow, that's a lot of mushrooms! And as much as I like a cute fungi knick-knack, picture, fabric, etc., my favorite thing to do with them is eat them. LOL

Hope everyone is enjoying this beautiful Autumn-like weather!

♥♥♥

Amigurumi & Kawaii Madness!

Yah! I finished my FIRST amigurumi project!! I am so happy that I am proficient at beginner crochet ☺ I found that I much prefer doing the larger pieces (head, body) as opposed to the smaller ears/arms/legs. I started over on those sooo many times until I sat down and forced myself to learn the "magic ring" technique. I think my bear is pretty cute ♥

Here is Barry grilling up some kebobs for the veggie pals that were my prize for winning mushroommeadows August Monthly Makings contest! Thanks Mushy and Bunzi!! You guys have the cutest stuff and the AWESOMELY cutest packaging, as always ☺

Check out these cute kawaii-ish notebooks and matching folders I found at Target. I am tempted to frame them and put them in the playroom. Go check them out... they are in the school-supply stuff, and on clearance ♥

I am super-excited because I am going to the Taste of Home Cooking School tonight ☺ I went to it once about 7 years ago, and it is fun. It should be a nice retreat with my friends.

♥Happy Tuesday to All♥