CraftSanity with Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood

photo courtesy of Bella Dia

I saw these "Sweet Hearts" by Cassi of Bella Dia over at the fabulous CRAFTzine and LOVE them. As if the photo wasn't inspiring enough, Cassi has posted a photo illustrated tutorial so we can crochet some hearts of our own. If I had the time (Boy, do I wish I had the time!) I would make some and embroider them with those cute and slightly dorky messages commonly found on candy hearts. Anyway, check out Cassi's blog. She's so nice to share the pattern.

It's been a crazy day and I'm still swamped with work, so here's the link to the fabric postcard tutorial I did for my newspaper. An official CraftSanity version is forthcoming. (Is it the weekend yet?) If you like fabric postcards, be sure to enter the swap I wrote about earlier this week.

If I still find it funny tomorrow, I'll share the story of what happened to me this evening when I veered from my healthy eating regime (ate fast food) and how the universe responded. (Let's just say I was a little chilly on the drive home.) If you're curious, I'll meet you back here late tomorrow.

Cheers.

I was surfing around the web when I stumbled upon this site. The designer sells cute crochet patterns (and some knitting patterns, too) for cheap and has links to free patterns she's written for yarn companies like this one for the cute dolls in the photo above. I haven't made any of her designs but they look fun. I couldn't help but laugh when I read the tag line on her site: "Roxycraft... patterns that don't suck." Love it! You should check it out.

She doesn't quite have the motor skills for it yet, but Abby really wants to crochet.

She sat for a quite a while this evening trying to continue a chain I started for her. Instead of pulling the yarn through the loop on her hook, she kept weaving the hook through the chain. I tried to get her to make the chain without the hook, but she insisted that she needed that metal K hook.

So, I let her be and grabbed the camera instead. I want to remember this.

It was bitter cold today in West Michigan, so we didn't venture out. I edited a podcast (I'll be posting it tomorrow!) while testing out the "shell edged flower medallion" pattern published in the "201 Crochet Motif's, Blocks, Projects and Ideas" book by Melody Griffiths. I borrowed this book from the library and really like it. I'm amazed by all the information packed into it. It's like 10 books jammed into one. I hope Griffiths was well-compensated for efforts. This book is impressive.



While I was editing and crocheting, the girls were having a party with their dolls and stuffed animals on the vintage quilt I inherited from Grammy B. A bit tattered, this quilt is still beauty. If I remember correctly, a co-worker made if for her many years ago and charged her $20. I think it's priceless.



Good news! I'm officially in the Sassy Apron Swap. It's not like there was some tough application process or anything. I just can't help being very enthused about being a part of this swap. And, in unrelated apron news, Jane posted a comment on yesterday's blog post to let me know that is about to release the "Emmeline Apron" pattern for the fantastic design pictured above. LOVE IT!!! Now I'm just hoping mMegy skills are up to the task and I can be the first to discover a way craft in my sleep.

This potholder had been stashed away in a cedar chest in my grandmother's house for years. My mom found it while going through grandma's things after her death and now has it in the rotating mix of decorative potholders she hangs from the magnet hook on the side of of her fridge.

The design is very interesting and I'd love to try to make one of these. It appears to be stitched over a foundation grid that is worked first and then filled in with a ruffled effect. I find this very intriguing and would love to hear from any of you who might know more about this. Does anyone know where I can find a pattern for something like this? Thanks!

Here's a look at the back.