Yarn Stash: Projects

Hi everybody, I will be doing a segment every week about your yarn stash or crafting stash. I will be talking about what projects I'm working on from stash or suggest ideas about what you can make from your crafting or yarn stash. Also I will be informing you of any new item I've bought to add to my yarn or crafting stash. So to keep you in the loop, I just recieved a about 10 to 12 rolls of yarn from my mother. She gave me some out of her stash as a Mother's Day gift to me-because she's trying to clear out her stash. I was happy, oh so happy. I love to build my stash and I'm not ashamed that I have a lot. this gives me plenty of ideas to use up my yarn and get more. For me, it's like candy. I LOVE YARN!!! Don't you.

My current project that I'm working on from yarn stash is a crochet lap-throw. I'm doing this lap-ghan in palm leaves stitches. The first row started out with chains skip 2 and then single crochet. The following row consist of 3 double crochet in each single crochet that was previously made. The next project I hope to make from my yarn stash is a pair of crocheted socks. I'm excited about this project, because it will be the first time that I'll be making them.

What do you all have in your stash? Is it yarn, how much? What's in your crafting box, and what are you currently working on now?

Be Crafty,

Crafty Ann

Granny Square Purse

I love making anything granny square. I've already finished a big granny square for one of my products that I plan to sell in my business for the Fall/Winter 2009-2010. It's only one square though. After I've finished the lap throw I'm working on, I'll post pics. I'll post a pic of the one single granny lapghan as well. Right here, is my granny square purse. I made 4 squares, with white borders and whip stitched them together. The total squares I made was 8 and there were 3 rounds of double crochet. When you join all squares together you just fold in half, both on the wrong side. That means the two right sides would be facing eaching other. You join them togeher, leaving the opening for your purse. For the handles, (purchased at my local A.C. Moore craft store) I crochet 4 single crochet strips, that would be 7 chains and then turn and single crochet. Tie off. Center the handle strips equally on purse. Stitch one side inside of the purse with a big open eye yarn needle. When you've done all 4 trips inside, place the free yarn strip not yet attached inside the slit/opening of the handle. When you've done that, sew the strip shut on the right side of the purse. Don't worry about thinking you'll see the sewing work, you won't-it actually blends in. Snip all loose yarn or weave end the work and your finished. Voila! You have your own hand made granny square purse. I just love it.

How many of you like or love granny square? If not what's your favorite stitch that you use the most when making your crochet projects?

Next up the 2 lapghans I'm working on, ones finished and I'm steady working on the other one currently. The current lapghan I'm working on is being crocheted with this stitch call Palm leaves.

Peace and Love everybody,
Crafty Ann.

Dreams

Today I want to talk about dreams. Dreams as in, goals, purpose and destiny. The dreams that you have plan to do in your life or would like to do. My dreams are: *...to have a successful business. *...to move to Pennsylvania, & start a new life. *...to have a new home. *...to publish my book & hope it will be a great success. *...to open up a business that will cater to peoples health-selling and counseling them on natural products (nutritional supplements, herbs, aromatherapy, wetc.) and how to take better care of their health, naturally and healthy. Those are just a few of the dreams/goals that I have for my life. I hope and pray that the Lord will help me make these dreams become a reality. I think everyone should have a list of dreams-and keep them until they become a reality. It gives us a purpose to live. I think having a list of dreams is motivation to carry out our purpose. What are your "List of Dreams?" I encourage everyone to write one out and don't be afraid to start working towards it to accomplish your goals in life. It's your personal achievement. Have a great day. Peace & Love, Crafty Ann

Collectables: A Moment To Share

Speaking of collectables. I'm a big fan of whales and dolphins, or any kind of sea creature. However, the most of my collectables is whales and dolphins. Ever since I saw "Free Willy", I've always been fascinated by these graceful creatures. I have pictures, and figurines of them. Quite a bit to. You should see my bedroom wall and my counter top. These creatures are so peaceful, and when you look at them, they put you in a state of peace. That's why I admire them so. That is my collectable moment.

What do any of you like to collect? Please share.
Have a good evening.

Peace & Love,
Treasure Ann

Share Some Stories

Come on everybody, let's sit and chat. Let me hear from you. When you pass through, sit a little while and give a shout out and share some good memories with us. Peace & Love

My Valentine's Goodies

This is what my swap partner Aubrey (www.thefamfive.blogspot.com) for Valentine's sent me.
*2 yarns, *scrapbook paper, *beads for jewelry making, *a journal, *a big bag of "M &M" peanuts, *and a beautiful Valentine's Day card. I love all of them. Thank you so much Aubrey.

Have a Happy Valentine's Day everybody!!

Peace & Love,

Crafty Ann

Valentine's Day Swap

So it's my first ever Blog swap, and I'm excited about it. I've already sent my Valentine package to my swap buddy and I hope she likes it. I can't tell you what it is until I know she recieved it, I don't want to spoil the surprise. If you haven't participated in a swap, you have got to try it. I had no idea I've been missing out on such fun, and it's exciting to recieve something in the mail besides those dreaded bills. So I'll keep you posted on what I got when it comes. Have any of you participated in a swap before? If so, how many? Peace and love, Crafty Ann

Yay, I Got My Wish

Today it snowed. Not much, but it was exciting to get snow here in the south. We hardly get any at all. I've always admired my blog friends snow where they are, and I finally got some where I am. Sometimes a few years back, we would get a spell where there is so much snow, schools had to be cancelled. Not a lot though.

It was exciting though to see the little flurries, and then they were a few times it was just spotting snow. Oh yeah, and it is truly, truly cold. Usually on cold days when there is nothing else to do, I like to bake. So, hmm, what am I going to bake today? A cake, some cookies or maybe I'll just try a whole new recipe. That would be exciting wouldn't it?

So tell me, what do you do when your snowed in and have nothing else to do but to keep warm? Do you bake like me, curl up on the couch or bed, snuggle up under the covers and read a book or drink hot chocolate while watching a movie. Or do you work on a craft project as I do sometimes? Tell me about it, share your memories-I wanna know. It's exciting and interesting to hear about what one does in their keeping warm moments. I may want to try your idea and do something different, and you are welcome to covet my ideas.

Well I hope you all have a good warm day or try to keep warm for that matter. But I just wanted to share what's going on in my neck of the woods.

Peace and love,
Crafty Ann

Places I Like To Visit

Someday I'm planning on moving. I wanted to live in Ireland at one time, but I changed my mind. However, now it is a place I'd like to visit.

England is the next place I like to go and of course;

Canada is the other place I'd like to visit. These place seem to be so serene, and it is place where one can go and collect their thoughts. Maybe one day.

Where would you like to visit in the world?

Happy crafting,

Crafty Ann

Childhood Memories

I remember when I was a little girl during the summer we would work in the yard, cleaning it up cutting grass and tending to the flower beds and gardens. Yes we were country folks and when summer came around, thats all we did for that entire time-we just worked in the yard and gardens everyday, keeping the yard up. We would plant and we would harvest. The jobs we had to do weren't always something we leaped for joy all the time. The fun part of it was that we were allowed to take breaks on some Saturdays and of course Sunday's were always a day off. That day we went to church. The most fun and favorite time that we loved was, after we finished working in the yard and finishing up our time in the vegetable and flower gardens, our dad would take us to the side store and buy us some icecream and a cold soda-along with one of those cracker snacks for later to eat. That was the best time of my life. My dad would award us and take some quality time with us after our work was done for that day. Although we all were working together, we didn't had time to just sit and chat, so dad made sure that after the work was done, we got to spend the rest of the evening together chatting and having fun. He would even give us and talk to us about life lessons and how to live right. His number one advice that always stuck with me into my adult life, was that he would say, "alway's live right and treat everybody fair and you'll get along fine." I carry that lesson with me today, and as I put it into practice, I reaped the good results that my father said I would. Besides some life problems that life throws at you for everbody anyway-I did get along fine, and I notice that when I treated people fairly, people looked out for me when I really needed some help. I'll never forget those good times and moments. Have a great day everybody and make wonderful memories with your family today. Good memories, I believe, keeps us grounded through out our life. Until next time, Crafty Ann

Grandmother's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

Here's the recipe that I promised. It came from this cookbook.
The recipe is called, Grandmother's Oatmeal Raisin Cookies.

Prep: 15 Minutes

Bake: 15 minutes Per Batch

Makes about 24 cookies

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup butter or margarine (1 stick) softened 1/2 cup granulated suar
1/3 cup packed light brown sugar 1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats, uncooked
3/4 cup dark seedless raisins or chopped pitted prunes

*Note: It's optional, but I like to add about a 1/2 cup or 1 cup of walnuts in my oatmeal cookies. Directions: *Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. *In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter and granulated and brown sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until blended. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture just until blended. With wooden spoon (I just use a plastic spatula), stir in oats and raisins. *Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, 2 inches apart, on two ungreased large cookie sheets. Bake until golden, about 15 minutes, rotating cookie sheets between upper and lower oven racks halfway through baking. With metal spatula, transfer cookies to wire racks to cook completely. *Repeat with remaining dough. Have fun making these delicious oatmeal cookies, and share with someone. If you would like to share a recipe, leave it in the comment, or e-mail me-I'll be happy to post it. If you have a memory behind it, please share. Good memories help lift up one another,and it is a part of journeying on in the the present. Stay creative, Crafty Ann

Crochet Class

**Just a note to let you know, I'll be posting a yummy recipe. So get your measuring cups, spoons and mixing bowls with the basic essential ingredients and get ready to try it. I'll be looking forward to hearing how your recipes turned out. So keep checking for that, while you work on your crochet scarf project. Enjoy your day, and craft before it's over. Enjoy the craft project below. TTFN. Crafty Ann

How to make a basic crochet scarf.
Materials:

*Red Heart, Worsted Weight Yarn
*Size G or H Crochet Hook

Abbreviations: ch (chain)
dc (double crochet)

Instructions:

*CH 120
*(dc) in 3rd chain from the end.
*Continue to double crochet on the first row, at the end chain 3 and then turn. Double crochet in same chain at the end of the 1st row.
*Continue to repeat this patern until your scarf has at least 7 or 8 rows of dc.

If you have any questions, please leave a comment and I'll try to respond as soon as I can. Or if you see that I may made a mistake, let me know and I'll make corrections.

If you have a craft that you like to share with instructions, please let me know. I'll post it as soon as I get chance.

Stay Creative,
Crafty Ann

Crochet Scarf

Hi everybody, all you crafty and baking lovers. I'll be doing a simple tutorial on crocheting a scarf. I'll be posting the directions of it sometime later, so keep checking. I'm still putting this blog together, so if you don't see your name, and want to be added to my "Hobby Circle of Friends" just let me know. There are other things I'm working on to get this blog as comfortable for you to enjoy when you visit. Please feel free to e-mail me with recipes, craft instrucions of any sort, and I will post it here on Hobbies and Collectables. Please feel free to also leave a comment on any hobby you would like to share with us. I welcome memories behind the craft, baking, cooking or hobby that you do to share with me and my blog readers. So again make yourself at home and I look forward to hearing from you. Don't forget, please check back before the week is out for the Simple Crochet Scarf Tutorial. Also by the way, I may also host Craft Swaps and Crochet Alongs for all of you crocheters out there. So stay tuned for that in the future. Stay Creative, Crafty Ann

Make Yourself At Home

Hi everybody, welcome to my newest blog. I hope this blog will bring you some sense of peace and comfort away from the busiest of life. Come and take a breather here to share your craft ideas, projects, recipes and all things down home fun. Even gardening and healthful things to do to help one another to achieve ease of life. I hope you will visit often and share many great stories and memories as well. So when you come, sit awhile with some tea, lemonade and a sandwich so that we can get converse about fun things to do. Again, welcome. Crafty Ann