It has been so long, and I am sorry!

So I got swamped with vacation travel and then my new job (which has put a permanent crimp on my crafting time) so I haven't been blogging either. And then I come on to see what I last blogged about and I see people have been looking at my blog and I am failing them! OH NO!! I must begin to blog again.

So in crafting news I am teaching Art to middle school students and I have no idea what I am doing. We have like no budget and not much in the supply department... not to mention the fact I craft not make art so I don't know if I should even be teaching this class... but at least the kids are having fun.

I have also gotten into paper crafting a little bit (though I still suck at it). I still crochet like there is no tomorrow (because according to some movies there is). I am working on a scarf, some Christmas presents, and maybe even another wearable. I do have a BIG flub-up to share but maybe later this week... I tried to make a really cute cardigan with a substituted yarn and did not think about drape or weight... oops!

Check out my Flickr for a few of my most recent (well more recent than here) projects, like my Toy Society Swap and Holocaust Butterflies.

I promise more soon and thanks to those of you who have stuck around waiting for me. I promise to be interesting soon... or at least posting more often. In the mean time check out my newest obsession for jewelry from Surly-Ramics on Etsy or ArtFire!! I have the Scientific Method one... so cute for a science teacher!

Book Review: Creepy Cute Crochet

As you know I am mildly addicted to books and this is one of my new favorites. Ever since I found out I could make totally adorable little dolls with crochet I have been crazy for it and that is where this book comes in.

Creepy Cute Crochet by Christen Haden

Mine is not as cool as the ones from her Etsy shop (she did not sign mine... boo). But it is still awesome! She has some incredible patterns for all kinds of unusual creatures to make into dolls. DH really wants a cthulhu (from Lovecraft and adorable) and one of my former students wants a Brotherhood of Steel (from Fallout 3) modded from one of the warrior patterns. There is just so much fun you can have with this.

Beyond everything being so cute, Christen is also a phenomenal pattern writer. Her patterns are simple enough a beginner could handle them (slowly but still) and she has great instructions on how to make eyes and the little accessories.

In my opinion assembly is the hardest part of toys but she has a step by step guide for each doll and she even includes drawings to help with placement and order. This is a great book to start off with when learning to make amigurumi or little crocheted dolls of any type since it is so user friendly.


I have actually been busy making some of the items from the book. Below is my belated (only by a week) V-day gift to DH... Day of the Dead Guy and Gal... we just got married last August so he wanted these to commemorate it. There was also a skeleton bride an groom but DH liked these better... I guess they seem more like us. So go out and check this book out at some point!

Happy Crocheting!

Oh I love penguins...

Now that I have come back to the world of crafting I am making stuffed toys and loving it. In fact, I just finished my first amigurumi (well proper one... I made animals before but never ones that really looked like anything). I made penguin and totally skipped steps (I am so bad with patterns but I think it turned out great. I got the pattern from Tiny Yarn Animals. After making the penguin J found a book of different creatures, like vampires and zombies, he wants me to make for him. I got it from the library and fell in love with Creepy Cute Crochet, which I will post pics of as soon as I finish a few. Ok back to crocheting!