a little craftiness

I've opened new etsy shop by the name of Homestead Hippie. Well, to be honest there's nothing there just yet, but these are some of the things I've been working on.

This bag is completely lined with off white canvas and amply sized. The handle and side gussets are one piece and made from macrame' cord so it's sturdy, strong and won't stretch out.

The poncho is a one size fits most. The colors are not true in the photo. It's actually turquoise, coral and sand and much prettier in person. Very southwestern.

This is my favorite bag, made from bits and pieces of yarn in a classic granny style. The handle is 4 crocheted chains woven together to make two, then the two are bound into one with hemp cord for strength and a rustic look. I added a flap pocket to the inside. I love the big, vintage button closure.

The tie died look of this cotton bag is quite hippie dippy and the cool things is...

you can use it as a shoulder bag or a hand held bag with dual straps.
Again, the colors aren't quite true, it's not as bright as picture shows.
The bag is actually bigger than it appears.
I love the way it forms a natural gusset affect when closed.

That's all. Just wanted to share. :) Thanks for looking.

crocheted tea pot cosy

I have finished up a few crochet projects the past few days, one being a tea cozy. I've always wanted one and still need to make one for my larger pot, but I did get one made for my small teapot! I used Peaches and Cream 100% cotton yarn in peppermint. It reminded me more of valentine colors than peppermint and with the touch of pink it works well in my pink kitchen.

It's a basic pattern I made up as I went along for a custom fit, done in rows of half double stitches, aside from the row surrounding the spout which I did in double crochet. Simple, but effective. The top is drawn closed and tied by weaving a crocheted chain in and out. I added the "love" button just because it was cute and seemed appropriate...adds a little more positive chi to my chai, hee, hee.

I'm a litte teapot short & stout

Friday night accessory modeling

So, daughter Kandie and her hubby Tom came by tonight on the way from dropping Destiny at her dad's for the weekend. This time I remembered to take advantage of her presence by having her model some of my creations for my etsy shop. I didn't even have to bribe her, lol!
Her younger hands photograph so much nicer than mine.

...and she wears the hat so well....
and here she is without a head at all, just a chin...
She was such a good sport....little does she know that the next time I'll be having her model shawls. :)

bags and now, fingerless gloves

I see a couple of readers have been gracious enough to log a comment about an upcoming give away. Thank you bunches!

In my last post I mentioned a bag or two I was working on. Since then I finished the green bag by lining it and now have it featured on etsy. Sometime today I should have a similar bag finished, this one in blues. I just finished embellishing it with some copper accents and have the lining made and pinned in place. A little hand stitching and it’ll be done! Yay!

In the meantime I started making hand warmers aka fingerless gloves aka wrist warmers. Like I didn’t have enough projects already! Well, I’ve made three pair now, the first being a trial pair for myself. I just love them and have worn them everywhere! Here’s just one of a pair I made the other night with some funky copper and green variegated (although the green looks teal in the photo). More justice would have been done had I not been trying to photograph my own hand, but you get the idea. I think I like them better in a solid color.

Anyhow…I didn’t create this blog to be a craft blog, but making things is very much an integral part of my simple, frugal lifestyle. So, I guess you’ll just have to bear with me.

: )

New Makes @ the Homestead

Here at home I have, as usual, been busy crafting and creating. My daughter is modeling the newest hat style I created in 100% cotton yarn.

It was simply a matter of using a basic skull cap pattern in double crochet. By adding a few increased rows at the end instead of finishing off, I made what I call a boat hat. Great for spring and fall. I was going to keep it but it looked so much cuter on Kandice I had no choice to send it home with her. (Thanks Sue for taking the snapshots!) The cotton yarn gives a lot more when wearing, so it helps to use a smaller hook than a pattern might call for. As you can see, my boy Arther had to get in on the photos. I think they’re both pretty cute kids. :)

In other project news, hehe, Coop (bless his heart) made this simple peg rack for the bathroom wall.

I like these so much better than regular towel bars as they hold so much more. We have one near the tub to hang towels on, but needed something more for my jammies and such. A simple board spray painted black (to match the other) and a few inexpensive hooks completed the project. Total cost was about $2.00. The premade ones I priced at Home Depot and such were about $14.00. (Pay no attention to the unpainted woodwork…a project that hasn’t been tended to just yet. )

Today’s project is making up a batch of my “Winter Magic” aromatherapy spray. It’s a wonderfully spicy seasonal blend of essential oils. I concocted it to create a welcoming feeling conducive to ease and enjoyment. Last year I included it in my gift giving and it became an immediate favorite, so now a new batch is in order. I have a new scent or two in mind to work on, also, and can’t wait to get started. Here at the homestead the creativity never ends!

Arts & Crafts Madness @ the Homestead

With fall weather arriving I have been focused on the holidays and as you can see, creating handmade gifts as well as finishing up work on a couple afghans.

The one on the left is a granny scrap afghan, made up of bits and pieces of leftover yarn. The one on the right was made per special request from my nephew. Again, a simple granny stitch, but aren’t the colors of the sun, sky and clouds pretty?

So, thought I’d share those with you here today and some other exciting news…my good friend Vicki will be flying in on Tuesday from Florida to spend a couple weeks with me!

I’m pretty excited about that for several reasons. Number one, she’s a really, really, really good friend whom I love and I laugh more with her than I think I do with anyone…we think way too much alike at times! Then there’s the fact that we both are crazy, jewelry making fools, so we’ll be playing around with our beads and getting creative. (Speaking of jewelry, I made a couple of goddess necklaces that you can check out below.)

Along with the laughs and crafts, Vicki and I will really get a chance to catch up and spend some quality time together. I have known her for about six or seven years and although she has been in Florida for a few years now, originally she is from Ohio where we met after (get this) connecting on eBay! And last but not least, while she is here she will be giving me my Reiki III Master level attunement! So, the next couple of weeks should be fun while we laugh and play and make lots of memories. I know I’m really looking forward to this!

Crochet Pattern Links:

Unisex "warm winter hat" hat pattern (shown in the hat/scarf sets) can be found at here.

For the flowered hippie hat I simply added a brim to granny skull cap pattern found here. This is a child's hat, so use a size larger hook than called for to make a more appropriate size for the adult head.

For the purse and tote bag I used a pattern found here. For the tote bag I used two strands worsted weight yarn held together throughout, along with a larger hook than pattern called for.

The scarves and flowers were all made free hand w/o the use of a pattern. The afghans are a simple granny stitch.

Hooked on Shawls

This is a republished version (with photos!) of a recent post...

I’m so pleased with some of the nice comments I have received from some of my blog viewers. Thanks so much for the thumbs up!

As mentioned in an earlier blog, I was crafting something green. I’m pleased to say that I finished it the other day. Also is a photo of another shawl I made prior as a gift for someone special. (If I don’t say who, she won’t know) It’s very southwest in color I think. I have been on a shawl making kick for some months now and have given them to friends and family members here and there ever since. Both shawls were bargains to make because the sage green yarn came from a bag full found at yard sale and the light green was free via freecycle! The southwest shawl was made from freecycle yarn and some leftover black I had on hand. Neither shawl cost more than $4 to make. Now that is a bargain!

Shawls are such a wonderful and practical thing not to mention trendy. Nothing better to wrap yourself in on a cool evening or when you feel a chill. I use mine in the mornings quite often rather than throwing on a robe. Plus, they are a great item to take along in the car just in case the day or evening turns cool.

My mother instilled a love of hand made things in me, despite the fact she was not the one to teach me the art of crochet. She was an avid crocheter, but I taught myself after she passed away. So now, when I crochet, I often find myself reminiscing about her and her handiwork and the many things she hand made for me as a teenager. That was back in the seventies when crocheted items became very trendy…from shawls to fringed vests to floppy hippie hats, I had them all. And most of her work was of her own design. Like her I am often one for improvising and creating as I go rather than following a written pattern. I always was a rebel!