My Creatively Random Life

 I was listening to a craft podcast this morning and they were talking about The 100 Day Project, which I have heard about before but not really been motivated to do anything myself.  This year though I am interested in doing more of the things that I love and I thought that joining in on this would be great motivation. So the next 100 Day Project starts on January 31, 2021.  Which works great for me as it gives me the month to get into the habit before the pressure is on.  For my 100 Day project I am going to crochet, not a new specific project but I would like to go through all the projects I have laying around my house that are started and not finished and hopefully finish them. So starting on January 31, please tune in on Instagram  and watch my daily progress.  Instagram not your thing?  I will post weekly updates here on the blog.   I am excited for this, I have a scarf, two blankets and a sweater on the go on the moment, some of which ...

Once upon a time, way back when I first started blogging I used to post all the time about current projects I was working on and then I veered away from doing it because sometimes it takes me forever to finish something.  I'm sure a few of you who have been with me since the beginning may remember the  Doctor Who scarf  and how long that took me.  (and how frustrated I was with it) The truth is though, I miss sharing my projects with the world and I do so many.  Especially since I started Cosplaying.  Plus if I blog about them, it forces me to take pictures of them which is something I tend not to do as much as I should. As well, I will be posting stuff on my brand new  Blog Fan Page  over on Facebook.  Random pictures and stuff that don't make it on to the blog.  Nothing that you don't already see if you follow me on  Twitter  or  Instagram  but a sneak peak of stuff you will see here.  Tons more Cosplay ...

Sometimes I start projects and I feel like they are never, ever going to come to completion.  This blanket that I am making for my best friend is one of them.  I must have started it two years ago now and I picked the particular wave pattern that I did both because I thought it would look neat with the self striping yarn I am using and because it is supposed to work up quickly. It seems to be a glitch on my part because patterns that are supposed to work up quickly almost never do, I don't know what it is.  I think perhaps it's because they are usually made of repetitive stitches that require little to no thought which bores the utter life out of me so I can only work on them for so long before I start just going slower and slower.... Fortunately it is finally nearing completion, which is nice because I have tons of other projects I would like to get underway.

I came across this pattern in an email from Red Heart and he was just so adorable I decided he had to be made for Valentine's Day.  I was a little worried about it at first as I have had problems before with making things that start with a circle but you only get better by trying so I got the yarn and jumped right in. Head Face Button Eyes Chosen by the kids Body with heart sewn on Head with face sewn on I didn't have any floral wire on hand so the original plan was to use a pipe cleaner to make a poseable tail but of course when it actually came time to finish him off and sew on his tail I couldn't fine one.  So in the end I took apart an old fake flower that has been sitting on my desk for the better part of forever and used the floral wire from the stem.  Waste not want not and all that. Finished Monkey I think he turned out just adorable and he is much loved at his new home as you can see.        ...

FINALLY!!!  This project took me forever and multiple restarts.  The first came about because I notice a quarter of the way through that there was a massive curve going to what was supposed to be my straight scarf.  The second come about when I was almost finished.  (sorry Mike) I decided that I really hated how it looked, and yes I know "It's not for me, so does it really matter how I think it looks?"  YES, yes it does!  We all have an inner perfectionist no?  That little voice in our heads that says it's not good enough. Anyhow, here would normally be the part were I would link to the site where I found the original pattern but the link no longer works.  (sad face)  So instead I am going to link to a similar pattern that I found here. Of course I ended up doing something different but hey, that's just how I roll.  So here is my Doctor Who inspired scarf.  I like it, it's cute.  (mostly I like that it is done and I can d...

For Christmas this year I thought since my children just have so many toys, books, and other stuff we would try and go a different route.  They were surprisingly receptive to this idea when I put it to them (I think it was mostly dislike of cleaning their room) and very enthusiastic for a simple Christmas. One of the first projects I took on was to make them each a scarf.  For Ace's I used Red Heart's Team Spirit Yarn (which came out this year) in red and blue.  I the way this scarf turned out with the asymmetrical stripes.  Kind of reminds me of Lego in the way it looks like they are snapped together. I really think he will like it.  (at least I hope)

 I haven't been feeling so great, so that combined with work, and the kids has lead me to get behind on my ever so lofty goal of a craft a day for March.  Lucky for me I have no problem with doing more than one craft project a day to get to thirty-one by March 31.  Here for your pleasure is project two for craft month a crochet hair tie from my own imagination. This is my first attempt at writing a pattern for someone else to interpret so if it makes no sense please let me know as I have a few others in the works and they are a bit more complicated.  Materials: A small amount of worsted weight yarn Size G hook (4.00mm) Elastic Band Abbreviations: sc- single crochet sl st- slip stitch sk- skip dc- double crochet Pattern: RD1: 39sc in elastic join with sl st RD2: 1DC in same st, ch 8, sk st, *(1dc in next st ch 8 sk st)18 times, ch 8 join with sl st to top of first dc

Bailey So, last year my friend adopted this super adorable cat, (cutest kitty ever) and just fell completely in love with her.  How could I not?  Look at her, she is just a big ball of fluff and love. I came across this pattern on the hunt for a crochet cat to make for Cat (hmm, say that a few times and try not to feel nuts) who is naturally obsessed with cats.  (sitting on my lap write now meowing at Bailey's picture as I type).  I decided it was too small for her but that it would make a perfect toy for Bailey.  I had some green scraps from a previous project stashed away and I thought this would be a great way to use it up.  It worked up fairly quickly (took me forever to sew it together for her) and I am very happy with it.  I think I am going to make up some more of them, it just came out so cute. 

Okay, so I knew that this project was going to take a long time, but I really thought for some reason that I would have it done by the middle of February.  <insert hysterical fit of laughter here>  Yeah right. To begin with it is done all in single crochet 65 stitches across and 822 rows, 142 of which I have completed so far.  It is very monotonous and that makes it really hard for me to stay focused on.  I seem to have the attention span of a two year old who has been feed a bag of chocolate covered espresso beans.  (I would never do that nor do I condone it) I love this scarf, it is beautiful and I want to finish it.  Hell, I already want to make another one.  But...I also have a huge list of notes about what I am going to do differently next time to hopefully make it go a little quicker.  Assuming I finishing this one.  <nervous laugh> Which I will...eventually, I am just hoping it's not in June or something.  I mean...

My favorite part of any new craft project is in the gathering of materials.  To start with, I get to look through my stash and be it fabric, ribbon or yarn as much as I like to think I know what I have I really only have a vague idea.  Which is great when I have a general project in mind like making new bows for Cat or the doll blanket that she requested yesterday. This week however I had two projects come onto my radar that I wanted to do that I didn't have the supplies on hand for.  The first was through a knitting and crochet group I belong to on yahoo Mary's Knitting and Crochet Corner that is doing a CAL (crochet along) this month.  The project calls for 100% cotton yarn in pink/purple or red.  I was a bit surprised I didn't have this on hand.  I have a whole box of cotton yarn.  Every color of the rainbow....except on of those three. The second project is also crochet, but is one of my own undertaking.  (I almost feel there should be a ...

There are few people who know me who wouldn't agree that when I enjoy doing something I am almost obsessive about it.  And as my immense yarn stash can attest to crochet is no exception.  I taught myself from a kids book. While I was home on maternity leave with Catherine.  It quickly progressed to being one of my favorite things to do if I needed to relax and unwind.  Plus I can make pretty stuff.  Now the particular scarf in question came onto my project list just before Christmas, I was making up these adorable Ruffle scarves for a few friends and another friend asked me to make him a scarf.  As it happens, I have no real idea what it is that guys like when it comes to crochet scarves so I said yeah, okay pick some yarn and I will make you one. It didn't come up again and it half floated in the back of my mind for a while as I went about other things and as I, like most other craft addicts, collected patterns for things to "one day" make.  I lo...