Yipee! Crochet is Popular Again!

I've been collecting free crochet patterns for quite awhile now, and ever so often I glance through them to see if something catches my eye.

A few weeks ago as I was finishing a rose and leaves, I ran across a free pattern for this adorable purse. This purse pattern is so quick and easy and I didn't even have to make any adjustments at all. For those who crochet or knit, you know how rare it is that a pattern doesn't need some "fixing".

I did use one 2.5oz. ball of 4-ply 100% cotton yarn instead of what's listed in the "materials" section.

I then used just a safety pin to make a brooch and attach the rose and leaves to the purse. I'm pleased with the results and I hope you will be also.

I'm only showing a link to the purse pattern because free patterns for the roses are abundant on the internet.

http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/90138AD.html?keywords=noImages

Have fun and I'd love to see your finished purses!!

pepper

How Do They Do That??? Making a felted Mini Pumpkin..

Last year,  after viewing so many wonderful items on Etsy,  I became intrigued with  needle felting….and since I am one of those people who says “I think I can make that”, I set out to learn how to make a cute little pumpkin!

Thankfully there is something called the Internet and it is full of helpful people…

The photo is a little pumpkin I created this week…in a little over an hour!

I have also made pumpkins with my Daughter and Granddaughters….the 12 year old GD was able to handle the needle safely but I did the needle work for the 6 year old….this is a very sharp needle and must be used with caution…

(An aside here…one of us in this collective cannot be trusted with a sharp needle, and they know who they are….LOL!)

Want to make one for yourself?  Well gfelted of  www.gfelted.etsy.com
has written the best tutorial on just how to do it…and my gift to you is the link (with her permission of course).

http://gourmetfelted.wordpress.com/2009/09/07/tip-of-the-weekneedle-feltingnew-pumpkin-tutorialbatting/

I think she can be persuaded to create some kits that would have all you need to make these little gems for yourself….if you ask her nicely :)

OK, OK, mine is not as creative as hers is, but if you wander around her shop for a bit you will discover she is an artist …and I am only an antique dealer :(

Don’t have a clue about the basics of needle felting?  Here is another good link that can get you started…

http://www.thesilverpenny.com/FreeProjectNeedleFelting.html

Have fun, and go ahead, blame me if you get hooked on needle felting :)

Vintage

There's A New Sharpie in Town!

Calling all artist and crafter's that love Sharpies. Or all those who just plain love Sharpies and find they have become an addiction (like me).

Yep, there's a new one out! Last year, it was a stainless steel Sharpie and yes, I purchased two of them, you really do NOT want to see my drawer of pens and pencils. This year? A liquid pencil! Here is their current ad for it:

No Breaking Lead.

No Breaking Your

Flow.

The New Sharpie Liquid Pencil lets you take your flow to another level. Steer clear of the driftwood. Watch out for sharks, helicopters and mermaids! See how far your flow can go in the Sharpie Make Some Waves game. Play now!

I cannot wait to get mine.  And guess what? You can erase anything for 3 days and then after that, it's permanent! How cool is that?

Want more Sharpies? Check out this web site, I didn't know there were so many available! Did you know there's Caribbean Colors? Did you know there's Paint Sharpies?

Sharpie®

All Products

 

And just a little bit of history: Sharpie®

History

Have a Sharpie Day!

VS

To Downsize or Not To Downsize

Have you ever had occasion to downsize?  Maybe the clutter is out of control?  Or maybe you just need to let go of some “stuff”?  Well, I’ve found myself in that predicament lately.  And just to give you an idea or two of my space (or lack thereof), thought I would share.

Sad but true, and yet, this is AFTER I started the process.  Believe me when I say it was even worse.  You see, this is the shelf, now here is a section of the floor

The biggest problem with de-cluttering is what to do with everything, especially when some of it isn’t even yours! 

Trash – check. 

Dump run – check. 

Donate – check. 

Sell – wait, you mean I can sell some of this stuff?  Time to take a closer look! 

Ahhhhhhhh, yes.  Some pretty nice treasures CAN be found.  I feel like I hit a gold mine.  Yes, a vintage gold mine.  For you see, sometimes de-cluttering can open up a whole new world.  Here is just a sample of what I found, and is now in my Etsy shop.

So if you have occasion to clear, de-clutter or downsize, take it from me, don’t just think about dumping it.  You could have a virtual gold mine on your hands!

                                   "duuuuuuuude"

Organized Chaos

Here is a portion of my collection of card models. This ain't no America's Next Top Model ~ it's who's the creepiest and weirdest and I'm always searching for the next new contestant.

 I am always asked "How do you come up with your ideas?" to which I reply "I have no idea". 

Some times I think of a saying or hear one that I run and write down, because let's face it, if we don't write it down we forget it within 2 minutes.  Other times I pick things randomly out of my boxes upon boxes of stuff, set them up, flick them away if they don't work and keep trying until I've found just the right combination of sweetness.... or preferably weirdness.

My collection has grown immensely since I first started and at times I sit and stare at it all with a blank look and walk away.  I think what I believe is organized chaos is just chaos.

Is your chaos organized? Or is it just chaos?
yours sincerely, GG 
a.k.a: horse face/horse breath/step toot
poop

What is it? I know, do you?

 I had found this a while ago and at first thought it was for a cabinet.

After a little bit of research I found that it is made from butterscotch bakelite and was used in the 1950s.

If you guessed that it is a knob, you are correct, but do you know the different names for it and what it was used for?
(I will post more information on it later, in the meantime...lets see what you know)
~jj~

Vintage Spinner or suicide knob. also known as a brody or necker knob.

(later post)
I always heard it referred as a spinner or suicide knob, but it was also called
a brody or necker knob. ( it pretty much got that name because it freed up the use of one arm to put around the passenger)
These were widely popular in the 1950s and were used to make turning the steering wheels of cars faster and easier (before the days of power steering)
Today they also see extensive use on forklift trucks used in warehouses and even riding lawnmowers. The knob is also standard equipment in most modern farm and commercial tractors.
They are now outlawed in many states.
This site has some good examples so you can see a lot of the different styles
http://www.antiquewish-online.com/knobs/index.htm

Paint By Number Museum!

It's my honor to be the first education post of this blog!  As some know, I'm hooked on Paint By Numbers.  While doing research, I came across this museum and found it so interesting, I think others will too.

Just click on the photo above and you will be taken to the best online museum ever!  Well, it's the best for Paint By Number information.  Have some fun!

Need more information?  Look for the book called How the Craze Swept the Nation, Paint by Numbers by William L. Bird, Jr.  Awesome book on these wonderful works of art!

I found my copy on Amazon.com and trust me, it's well worth the bucks!

VS