Cousins in Columbus

Earlier this month we went to Columbus to celebrate my beautiful niece. It was a whirlwind of family, fun, fairies and a touch of make-up too (okay, gobs)! Nora had a blast playing with her cousins and Claire had fun chasing Gracie, the cat. Both girls loved spending time with Miss Amy (Aunt Amy just wouldn't stick ;) It was great taking the time to celebrate Sophie Su. She is such a sweet and lovable little girl. We were so glad that we made the trip down. I just adore spending time with my sister and her fam and I know that my girlies feel the same.

W is for Wands and Wings :)

 

This week's letter lesson is going to be lots of fun. We're learning all about W. W, as in wands and wings and all sorts of wonderful things :) We'll be painting with watercolor and and making stained glass butterflies. It's going to be pretty cool.

Today we started off with fairy wands, which we made out of chopsticks and fancy bows. Nora had fun using hers to tickle Claire. To even the score, Claire got one of her own ;) She learned to use it quite efficiently. I was proud.

V is for Vampire Bats!!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!! Thanks to Hurricane Sandy, Trick-or-Treating has been postponed. However, that didn't stop us from celebrating here at home :) Nora and I did another letter lesson. We learned that V is for vampire bats. We decked out some Hershey's Bars with a craft idea I found HERE. Then we made our very own pumpkin patch on paper. A little later on we got a visit from Gam, which prompted a goulishly fun pizza party. It was such a blast. The only thing missing were the costumes. But Nora and Claire will get to show them off soon enough. Trick-or-Treating is this Sunday :)

Girlies :)

Q: What the heck is a button snake?

Mothercraft: Button Snake Activity

Shaded Ripple Afghan

A: I have no idea!

At least, that's what I would have said about a week ago. But thanks to Vickie Howell, I know better now. It's a cute, easy, super fun sensory activity for kids. Being the craft-loving (and super tactile) person that I am, I couldn't resist making one during nap time. Now I'm just waiting for my lovies to wake up so they can play with it. I can't wait to see their faces. I can see them getting really excited about playing with this toy!

I also thought I would share my "completed" afghan with you. Although, thanks to my husband, it isn't really done. He can't quite stretch out in it so I'll need to add some length. I guess it's back to the yarn basket for me..after a short intermission. I'm enjoying this weather too much to be cooped up indoors with my hook ;)

Free Pattern: Cinnamon Bun

I've been dreaming up some new patterns for fall. Here is my first one, a gift from me to you :) I hope you find it simple and rewarding. Be sure to let me know if you stitch up one of your own. I'd love to see some photos! So, without further ado, here's the how-to:

 

Cinnamon Bun 

By: Sarah Mancini

Skill Level: Easy

You Will Need:

•  Lion Brand Fisherman's Wool in Oatmeal and Nature's Brown
• Crochet Hook: US G6 (4mm)
• Blunt tapestry needle
• Scissors

  
Abbreviations: I have used American terminology for this project.

• Ch: Chain
• Dc: Double crochet
• Hk: Hook
• St(s): Stitch(es)

Directions:

Pastry: Using Oatmeal
Using Oatmeal colored yarn, ch 77.

    1. Dc in third ch from hk and in ea remaining st. (75 dc total)
2-4. Ch 2, turn. Dc in ea st. (75 dc total)
        Fasten off and weave in ends.

Cinnamon Swirl: Using Nature's Brown
Using Nature's Brown colored yarn, ch 67.

    1. Dc in third ch from hk and in ea remaining st. (65 dc total)
2-4. Ch 2, turn. Dc in ea st. (65 dc total)
        Fasten off and weave in ends.

Finishing:
Left align the layers of fabric, placing the Nature's Brown on top of the Oatmeal colored one. Stitch the aligned ends together then slowly roll them forward, into a swirl. Sew the ends (which should align after rolling) securely to the side of the bun.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Enjoy :)


*Disclaimer: This pattern is for personal use only. You may use this pattern to make items for charity or for gifts but you may not use it to make items for sale.

Breakfast Garland Crochet Pattern

There is a brand new pattern in my shop. Be sure to click on over and check it out. So far, I've listed it on Etsy. I'll be listing it on Ravelry soon :)