Monarch Post

have needle will travel

 

Made a few strawberry pincushions last week while sitting in the car waiting to pick up kids from school. They're in my Etsy shop now. The one with the vintage earring "blossom" sold. But there's another one and a kit. I've come to the conclusion that making something a few times is fine, making something more than a few times usually bores me to tears. Kits are a great idea-- there will be more of those in the future. I think creativity kits for kids sounds like a really great idea, haven't seen too many of those that are anything wonderful.

Anyways, today I have half a day to get busy and creative. I'm going to crank out some new business cards, and get my brain cranking on a licensing plan that's been brewing along time... I'd tell you more, but I've heard there are some pirates in these here internet waters;) I'll let you know when something comes of my big ideas.

 

For the past few months I've been spending Tuesday and Thursday afternoons caring for my Mom. As I mentioned awhile back, my Mom is suffering from a rarer form of dementia. She's in hospice care at home right now, but probably not for too much longer. Nursing home options are being evaluated. It's been a very tough and long couple of years for our family, especially for my Dad who is her caregiver.

My saving grace these past few months has come in the way of some very wise email advice from an artist blog friend. She told me not to lose myself in all this; my Mom wouldn't want that. (She's right). And she told me to take along a basket of craftiness when I'm with my Mom. I will tell you, I'm never now without a basket of simple things to work on. (Simple and repetitive seems to = meditative).

Yesterdays' basket held wool teddy bear baby gifts to handsew and aqua dishcloths to crochet for Ainsleys' '50s blue kitchen. I didn't get time to work on any of those projects, but I knew there was a basket of calm waiting for me if I really needed it... maybe tonight while Jesse practices before his baseball game I'll get to my basket.

Lots of love,

Kelly

car crafting & a blast from my '70's past...

   The '70's were good to me....  cruising around on my banana seat bike, wearing my smiley face T-shirt, cutoffs, no shoes, checking my mood ring to see how I was feeling... Oh, the life I led.

I don't quite know what's going on with me, but lately I've been thinking a lot about my childhood.  Maybe in part it's because my two youngest children have entered into those prime kid ages. 7 and 9.  Anyway, thinking back, I remembered having one of these crochetted doll bassinet/purse doo dad things.  All the moms were making them, and every girl seemed to have at least one.  I haven't crochetted a single stitch since my B.C. era (before children!) over twenty years ago, but I thought I'd try and see if I could come up with one of these crochetted wonders for Sophey's baby dolls. 

 So this baby is what I came up with; sitting in my car, crochetting away, waiting to pick up kids from school.  I found the most tie-die-alicious cotton crochet thread and worked it in single crochet stitches.The bottom of the bassinet is a detergent bottle; cut off and then cut out with paper punch circles around the top.  The yarn is attached to the detergent bottle by crochetting in and out of the circles. About 16 rounds of crochet stitches forms the main portion of the bassinet cover.  The top "hood" of the bassinet was crochetted after the main portion.  Of course I didn't write a pattern, that would have just made it all too easy, now wouldn't it?  But if anyone is interested, I'll try and decipher what I did a little bit more. 

 And I promise I will never EVER make or post crochetted toilet paper covers, poodle dog air freshner covers, beer can covers, or dice for my rear view mirror.  The Kitsch stops here folks!  But I do like this kitschy-craft, and Sophey's eyes lit up (after explaining what it was, and that I had had one in the "olden days") when I gave it to her.  So that works for me... 

 

Complete with '70's inspired bedding.

 

Flip the whole bassinet skirt up... and VIOLA!   Seven-year-old-purse-tote chic-ness for you!

Take care and have a VERY GROOVY day :)

Love,

Kelly