Swap & Birthday Gift For My Mom

Another awesome crafty swap through Swap-Bot came in the mail last week! All the way from Finland too. This package came from IiPuska. I love the fabric buttons and strawberry brooch. The other awesome item was a clutch purse which I love! I have a collection of purses so you can never go wrong giving one to me.I love that she included pockets on the inside. I am all about pockets and making things easier to find.
My Mom's Birthday is at the end of the month. She is always a pain to buy a present for because she always insist that she doesn't need anything. Just cards in the mail and phone calls are fine for her. She doesn't like if you spend "too much" on her or a lot of time creating a present. Yet at 28, my mom still insists on getting me a present when I tell her she has given me enough.

This year I created her a cozy for her iPad. Her favorite color is blue and the first initial of her name is 'C'. I'm hoping she likes it and it's a complete surprise to her. The pattern I came up with and had to pull a few stitches out at times. At least this time I wrote everything down as I went a long.

Finished Projects and New Ones

I attempted my first Friendship Books for a swap on Swap-Bot. I was to create 3 for me and 3 for my partner. It did take me a little bit putting these together. Since they were my first attempt I didn't want them to come out horribly wrong. I'm hoping my partner likes what I made for her. It will be interesting when I get my Friendship Books back to see where they have been.

Here is the pear scarf I was creating for my Best Friend C. I made it a bit longer then what the pattern called for since C's height is 5'10". Since I'm the same height it was easy for me to figure out the right length for her. Pattern is from Twinkie Chan's book Crochet Goodies for Fashion Foodies.

Now to start on other Christmas presents. I started working on a strawberry and kiwi scarf for other best friend B. I'm completely making up the pattern as I go along which has taken longer. I did finish figuring out the pattern so I should be able to start the scarf soon.


I also got everything together for my next epic cross-stitch project: Mario Thru the Ages. The cross-stitch fabric I have is huge and it's a 22 count. I started with my stitches today which is proving a pain to keep count of. I now have a notebook handy to write down every 10 stitches I cross-stitch to keep everything straight. I have started though which is usually the annoying part. Trying to count where the first stitch will go. Counting over and over again to make sure I'm right.

Birthday and Swaps

Today is my birthday! Here is a amazing card I got from my brother and sister-in-law. They know me so well and my love of guinea pigs. I only wish I could get mine to stay that still without putting goodies in front of them.


I also got another swap in the mail which I was highly excited when I opened the package! It's a FLUFFY unicorn!! I love it! Krista over at Krista311 created this lovely unicorn. She does amazing work and I highly suggest checking out her Etsy shop. I love all her crocheted items!

Swaps and Commissions

I was commissioned by TheSugarMonster to create these two pieces for her. Heidi is someone I have been reading about for years on her blog. When I first got a message from her I was rather shocked she would ask. The finished pieces are pictured and I like how they turned out. I had her send me the text she wanted on the fabric and I transferred it over. From the last email she was rather happy with the outcome.

It's funny because I never think my work is amazing. Maybe that keeps me humble? I always find little errors on whatever I create that most people don't see. I'm always willing to improve on my work because I don't think you can be "perfect" when it comes to creating items.


I also recently joined Swap-Bot again and have been joining the swaps for craft items and penpals. I guess my only biggest annoyance is when people don't have a well filled out profile. Just writing out that they like "anything" really bothers me. If I create something for that person I want to create a item they will enjoy. If there really is nothing written in there profile then I pretty much throw something together.

Now to completely get off my soap box and share some of the amazing craft items I have had sent to me so far through swaps on swap-bot!
DeeDee over at CreateToFeelGreat sent me this bag. I'm in love with it and I love how there is a pocket inside and outside of the bag. I'm all about bags and have a closet full of them.

Stephie over at Stephie's Stitching sent me these lovely cross-stitch pieces. Can you believe these little ones are the first cross-stitch pieces anyone has ever given me!? I was so excited to see her work. I guess most people think I would not be interested in any cross-stitch or embriodery pieces. They are completely wrong!

Salvation Army Fabric Fair, Craft Swap, and Shopping.

I got this awesome yarn from the Salvation Army Fabric Fair and knew I had to do something with it! I then got the idea to create a headband for me.The finished project and I had fun wearing it. I also came up with the ideas for flowers and buttons. It fits around my big head and thick hair so I'm happy. I'm having a blast coming up with new ideas for crochet projects.

I got my half of the craft swap from Lisa at Ambitious Love last week! I was so excited to see the finished plush of Alistair from Dragon Age: Origins. Lisa does such amazing work with her sewing. Alistair now stands on my nightstand by my bed watching over my comics.

Here are my goodies I got from the Salvation Army Fabric Sale. I can't wait to start on a few of my projects. I can't wait to create that strawberry purse I found too!

Craft Swap - Quick Post.

I can't believe it's May! I have been a busy bee the whole month of April and sadly I did only one craft project. One of those months when life takes hold and everything else takes a back seat. It was for a craft swap with a lady I have know online for awhile now. I was happy to hear Lisa over at Ambitious Love loved it! I'll keep to myself what she made as her end of the craft swap since I have yet to get it. I'm excited though!
Just a quick post! I'll be back with more of course.

Already April!?

I can't believe we are already in April! Life just seems to be going faster and faster. I wanted to make a quick post of the fabric I got while back home in March; cupcakes, doughnuts, junk food, pixie sticks, burgers, and sushi!

I also had the chance to give a friend of mine her birthday gift. Another cake cozy of course. I had fun with this one and making it "fluffy" as my boyfriend calls the shag sides.
Oh! and I have another craft swap with Lisa over at Ambitious Love Blog. I think after I'm done with her tissue cake cozy I will be done with them for awhile. Not that I don't enjoy making them but I need to move on to other things. I want to start making some scarfs with food themes from the patterns I have. This is all wishful thinking and future Christmas presents...we will see if I do it.

Craft Swap

What I created for my craft swap with Holly on facebook! A Rainbow Cake Tissue Box Cozy. I was close to actually keeping this for myself but figured since I liked it so much so would Holly. She did from the message I got from her. I created this from the pattern in Twinkie-Chan's book - Crochet Goodies for Fashion Foodies.This is what Holly made for me. I love the strawberry painting! I have a love of strawberries too. The Ulala button is amazing! You can find amazing items like this in her Etsy Shop.


Over at Wild Olive's blog she is creating a few posts about embroidery basics. I would suggest anyone take a look even if you have been doing it for years. You might just learn something new! Also, I find it great for people just starting out. She should be making a few posts so it's something to keep watching for.


Time to add another project to my growing list. The Soot Sprites appear in both Spirited Away and My Neighbor Totoro. Both movies were created by Studio Ghibli and I'm a huge fan of. I would love to have these little guys in my home. Pattern can be found at Confessions of a Drop Spindle Newbie's blog.

Random Things.

I have not posted in so long here but I am still alive! I need to catch up with everyone.

Work has been taking a front seat in my life for the past 3 weeks. I took a IT certification exam last week and crossing my fingers I passed. Really think I did. The hours of studying about did me in. Still it's worth it.

I am going to jump fully into my shop again. I hope everyone is doing well! I can't believe March is almost over. I'm going to go ahead and catch up on things that needed to be posted. I fell behind and yeah....

Oh and wanted to share a recent pic. Recent buy off of Etsy from TheDarkMonkey. Great addition to my laptop.

Awesome Vday swap I got with my Etsy Team: Etsy Tea Party. My swap partner was non other then Twinkie-Chan. I was shocked and happy to get these goodies. I loved it!

This is a picture of what you first see when entering my townhouse. The big rock candy mountain there was done by Heidi from MyPaperCrane. I got to meet her for the first time at a craft fair in Philly a few years back. I am a lover of ice cream so I couldn't pass that little guy up. The guinea pigs were made after my 3 girls; Ethel, Suzette, and Ann Marie. The wonderful lady that created them from pictures I sent her is Murumoto. I need to contact her again and commission her to create one for my newest girl Abby. Oh and the one behind them is a TY beanie baby my sister sent me for Christmas.

Happy Vday & Swaps.

I'm early but I wanted to make sure not to be late! Happy Valentines Day to everyone. This lovely V-day photo card is from one of my guinea pigs Ethie.

Oh! and below are the items I worked on for my Etsy Team: Etsy Tea Party V-Day Swap. I haven't heard yet but hoping the swap partner enjoyed them.

Crafted Items for Christmas

Here are the things I was working on for Christmas!

First off I was part of a Secret Doll Swap for my Etsy Team: Etsy Tea Party. Here are a few goodies that I made.




This was something I made for Linds at SickForCute for our Christmas swap. I also made her a little scrap book. Currently uploading the movie for that and it's sllloowwww. I'll post it after it's done.


I got this cute pattern awhile ago from Jenny B Harris website AllSorts. Believe you can't download the pattern anymore. I gave this little cutie to my parents.


I made this little one with fabric I already had. My sister is a big fan of horses and I thought this would be perfect.

Tons of Goodies For Me!

Here are pictures (tons) of awesome items I either got in the mail/given to me. I love Halloween so it's always nice to find people that love it just as much as me.


As you all know I was the winner of Stitcher Scribbler's blog giveaway. I got so many goodies it was just amazing. I loved it all!

Look at all the awesome goodies I got. ;D






I also had to add her business card to my bulletin board. ;D

Then I got this awesome Halloween swap package from SickForCute!


THEN I got this from another of my Halloween swappers. Actually I lady I work with. ;D



She actually made that book for me out of a used book. She added little things inside here and there. I'm going to add more to it and turn it into a Halloween scrap book.


It also had some awesome pictures in it like below.