A Little Birdhouse

Back in September of last year, I posted about a little birdhouse that my now 13-yr-old had made at a Home Depot workshop when he was about 7-yrs-old.  Well, I finally got around to finishing it.  I had been hoping for years to interest him in painting it himself, but I finally faced the fact that he doesn't share my love for painting things.  It's okay because we share other interests.  

There's actually more decoupage going on here than painting.

I went with a butterfly theme because, as you know, I have a thing for "bugs."

The photos were taken at different times of the day (and in fact different days) as, after taking the first one, I realized that I neglected to take a picture of the side design.  Brainfart?

Also, I am quite excited as I have some new blooms in my tiny container garden!

    

I don't know what either of these flowers' names are, but they are my favorites so far!

I hope you are all enjoying your Spring!

Thanks for stopping by once again.

In Bloom

Remember my little garden post back in March?  

My how they've grown!

    

And everything seems to be blooming at once! (Except the jasmine, which bloomed in March & April.)

Don't you just love up close flower pictures?  I love the macro setting on my Powershot!

I couldn't resist bringing a little bit of the beauty indoors.

Thanks for stopping by!

Finished Object

Or "FO" as we refer to it over on Ravelry.  So I finally finished my mobile.  Well, actually I finished my butterflies a while ago, but just hadn't strung them up yet.  Then I decided to make some grey and black butterflies, got  a little sidetracked with a couple of swaps, and well here I am a whole month and a half later still trying to finish up that mobile.   Aaand, here she is!

This is how she looks in the corner of my kitchen.

 Finished off with some simple glass beads.

Less than spectacularly photographed, but you get the idea.  I was originally going to make two mobiles with five butterflies each, but when I hung one of them up in this spot, it looked small, dinky, and unimpressive.  So, I unstrung them and restrung eight for a longer piece.  Much better.  It's not as colorful as the ones I made last year for a swap, but that's me.  I'm less into rainbow, and more into working with a limited color palette.  I have two butterflies left over that I'm thinking about making into brooches.  

Anyway, I hope you guys like it.

As always, thanks for stopping by!

In Memorium

April 30th

is always a somber day for my family and myself.  Ten years ago on this date we lost my brother to a motorcycle accident. He was 23. He was my parent's youngest child and only son.  He was two years younger than me, and the best friend I have ever had.

Every year on this anniversary, we try to get together at his grave site and have a little cemetery picnic.  My brother was a new age kinda guy (even though that term probably has him turning in his grave right now,) and he enjoyed burning candles and incense.  Perhaps he would be more comfortable with the term pagan, although I don't believe any of his interests had anything to do with ritual or religion.  

I enjoy bringing him candles, incense, and beer.  These are the offerings I'm bringing to him today.  I hope he enjoys them!

I'm not religious, and I'm not much of a superstitious person, but I hope that a part of him knows how much 

I miss him.

If you would like to make a little crochet candle holder like the one above, I used this tutorial over on "Nature Nut Notes" blog, and a baby food jar that I cleaned with some goo gone.

Thanks for visiting!

Botanicals, Bugs, and Butterflies

Today is Maria Sibylla Merian's 366th birthday.  Or, I suppose it would be if she were still alive.  I have to thank Google for bringing this to my attention, otherwise I never would have been the wiser.  Maria Merian is one of my all-time favorite artists.  She was an illustrator during the enlightenment era, and her work focuses mostly on plants and insects.  How fitting that I am currently working on some lovely little butterflies! I'm planning to make a little mobile out of them like this one.

Here's a progress pic...

They currently look a little too pastel-y for my taste, but I'm hoping that the black trim will change that.  I'm just not that into pastel colors.  Unfortunately I have a hard time finding mercerized cotton in more color variety from my local yarn shop.  These would be so beautiful in a rich jewel tone!  I suppose I should start ordering supplies online, but I really hate paying shipping charges.  

Thanks for stopping by!

Free Crochet Bullfrog Pattern!

Happy Spring!

I enjoy celebrating the seasons.  Not necessarily from a pagan perspective, but from a naturalist perspective. I love the changing seasons and all the natural cycles that are dictated by these changes.

As one season fades into the next, I feel an internal change; a shift towards something positive.

I like to think it is me growing more and more into myself as I age.

I made my toddler a Bullfrog amigurumi as a Spring gift.

I am sharing the pattern with my readers (few as they may be) in celebration of this beautiful season of life and new beginnings.

Enjoy!

Bullfrog Amigurumi

Materials:    yarn, safety eyes (or whatever you will be using for eyes), something to stuff your ami with (I used polyester fiber fill), and a crochet hook, yarn needle, and scissors

Gauge and yarn weight will determine the final size of your ami.  I used worsted weight and held two strands together throughout, and an H hook.  For eyes I used a pair of safety eyes that were gifted to me.  They seem to be a combo of googly and safety eye.  Regular safety eyes will also work.  You can use buttons or make eyes out of felt or yarn.  Be creative!

Head and Body:  worked in the round
Rnd 1:  6 sc in a magic ring (6)
Rnd 2:  2 sc increase in each st around (12)
Rnd 3:  sc in each st around (12)
Rnd 4:  (2sc increase in first st, sc in next st) repeat around (18)
Rnd 5: sc in each st around (18)
Rnd 6:  (2 sc increase in first st, sc in each of next 2 sts) repeat around (24)
Rnd 7: sc in each st around (24)
Rnd 8:  sc in first 6 sts, 2 sc increase in next st, sc in next 13 sts, 2 sc increase in next st, sc in last 3 sts  (26)
Rnds 9-12:  sc in each st around (26)
Place safety eyes between rounds 7 & 8
Rnd 13:  sc in first 7 sts, decrease, sc in next 10 sc, decrease, sc in next 5 sts (24)
Rnds 14-16:  sc in each st around (24)
Rnd 17:  sc in first 6 sts, decrease, sc in next 9 sc, decrease, sc in next 5 sts (22)
Rnd 18: sc in first 5 sts, decrease, sc in next 8 sts, decrease, sc in next 5 sts (20)
Rnd 19- 20: sc in each st around (20)
Rnd 21: (decrease, sc in next st) repeat 6 times, decrease in last 2 sts  (13)
Rnd 22: (decrease, sc in next st) repeat 4 times, sc in last st  (9)
Rnd 23 : decrease a final time and leave the rest of the round unworked, finish off & leave tail slightly long to sew body shut with
Stuff & weave yarn through last 8 sts, pull tight and tie off, weave in end

Thigh: worked in the round, make 2
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)
Rnd 2: 2 sc increase in first st, sc in remaining sts around  (7)
Rnds 3-5: sc in each st around (7)
Rnd 6:  2 sc increase in first st, sc in remaining sts (8)
Rnd 7-11:  sc in each st around (8)
finish off, stuff lightly, weave yarn through the 8 sts, pull tight and tie off, leave yarn long for attaching to body

Calf:  worked in the round, make 2
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)
Rnds 2-10: sc in each st around (6)
finish off, do not stuff, weave yarn through the 6 sts, pull tight and tie off, leave yarn long for assembly

Foot: make 2
ch3, turn
Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next ch, ch 1, turn (2)
Row 2: increase in first st, sc in next st, ch 1, turn  (3)
Row 3: increase in first st, sc in next 2 sts , ch 1, turn (4)
Rows 4-7:  sc in each st across, ch 1, turn (4)
Row 8: ch3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next 4 sts, ch 1, turn
Row 9: sc in first 3 sts, ch 1, turn (3)
Row 10: ch3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in first st, (ch 2, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next sc) twice
finish off, weave in end

Arms: worked in the round, make 2
Rnd 1: 6 sc in magic ring (6)
Rnds 2-6:  sc in each st around (6)
Ch 1, turn, this begins the hand section
flatten opening of arm and work through both sides to close
Row 1: sc three times across (3)
Row 2: ch3, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in first st, (ch 2, sl st in 2nd ch from hook, sc in next sc) twice (3picots)
finish off, weave in end

Assembly: use the images as a guide :)
The end of the thigh that was cinched closed is attached to the body at the rear with the other end pointing towards the front of the body.  The cinched end of the calf is attached to the magic ring end of the thigh with the other end of the calf pointing towards the back of the body.  It is easiest to attach these two parts while holding them next to each other or stacked on top of each other as opposed to holding them end to end.  The foot is attached to the ankle with the toes facing towards the front.  The arms are attached at the sides slightly towards the underside, but not quite underneath the body.  Try to hold them against his body with the fingers pointing towards the front as you attach them so that they point forward as opposed to straight out to the sides.

Weave in any ends, and don't forget to kiss him!

Feel free to comment if you have any questions.

Jardin

I live in a small two bedroom apartment with my husband and two sons.

We have a small patio that doubles as a potted garden.  I don't have a knack for 

growing veggies, but I can keep plants alive, and 

I do enjoy potting, re-potting, pruning, and whispering sweet nothings to my lovelies.  

This time of year, things start to get a bit cheery out on the patio.

Fear not my craft seekers, I have been keeping busy on the crafting front, and will have something special for my next post.  Stay tuned!

Butterflies on a string!

How could I forget these lovely butterfly mobiles that I made for a swap last year!?  This is perhaps my favorite springtime crochet project that I have made.  Last year I decided I would make one for myself.

I do hope that I get around to it!

Artist Trading Cards

A while back I posted some of my very first artist trading cards.  For those who don't know, artist trading cards are baseball card sized original works of art that are traded amongst artists.  Well, it has become a full-blown addiction, and I have been happily trading away all winter!  I thought I'd share some of my favorite ones.  They are based on subjects that the artist that I'm trading with likes.  These appear slightly larger than their original size on my screen.  They are all 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches.

I started off doing watercolors, but I found that the set up and clean up time was interfering with my motherly duties to my 2-yr-old.  So I switched to using pastels, color pencils, and artist pens.

                                   A couple of the ladies I traded with this month REALLY like cats.

I'm not as gifted as I'd like to be, but I so enjoy creating these miniature paintings.

Thanks for stopping by!  I hope you enjoyed my little pictures!