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Sunny Bunny X
Crochet Stuffed Animal 24″ Tall
Featured in March/April 2009 Creative Home Arts Club Magazine
Designed by Deb Richey

First off I think Bunny X is larger than 24″ – more like 26-28″. The direction in the magazine for the legs are not entirely correct as an Email correspondence  proved.
Supplies:
* 6 skeins of yarn (I used multi-colored instead of multiple colors, that way no need to change during crocheting.
*Size G-6 crochet hook
*A stitch marker – since you are crocheting in rounds -  I used a paperclip
*Polyester fiberfill
*6 1 1/4″ buttons – for connecting Ears/Legs/Arms Plus two for the eyes
*6″ upholstery needle and Size 10 Crocheting yarn, for connecting the arms/legs
This was a lot of fun to make, although I felt like Dr. Frankenstein collecting body parts. Huge body parts! There were a few Ah-Hah! moments, well for someone who hasn’t crocheted in a long time, as the directions began to make sense as Bunny X progressed. The individual body parts work up quickly, but do pay attention to your counting because of all the increases – decreases.
The body parts can be just sewn onto the body, but then Bunny X is not as easy to pose . Eyelashes were added using eyelash yarn, and a final touch of a ribbon around the neck.
Bunny X will remain unnamed until our granddaughter receives it and gives it a name.

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Summer Card Crafting
Simple Homemade Summer Cards
Materials: Card Stock, Paper Stash, Item Stash, Computer Card Program

I have made cards for the grand kids. Calling them “Summer Cards” at this point in time is wishful thinking! Yesterday and today 50’s and rain! The first of June is only 3 days away!
The front cover is a collage, Found a different “summer” image for the base of each card, then added other summery elements; cutouts, transfers, and silk flowers. Each card got a girl or boy figure, depend on the grandchild it was for.

“Kickback Relax” inside the cover used a computer greeting card program for the words. Printed out what was needed then pasted them on the pictures of sleeping animals. The pictures came from my “Paper Stash”  this particular one from a newspaper.

“Its Summertime….”, again computer generated, cut out and pasted on the message page. The fairies from a sticker book and the feathers go back 20 years to Steve’s Cub Scout leader days.

“Logo” on the back came from a recently discovered part of the computer program. If you have a greeting card program on your computer and you haven’t explored it, Do So. Think outside the box, and don’t be afraid to experiment.

If it doesn’t work DELETE-DON”T SAVE. Work with “from scratch” or “blanks” it then becomes your original design – and there is a great deal of satisfaction in giving “Handmade”. Spend some time collecting your paper stash-Sales Fliers-Catalogs-Old magazines-newspapers-old photos-etc…. Then when that need to create hits-then the fun can starts!

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A funny thing happened on the way to the Forum
Original Design
All in pieces

Right now we are sort of between Quilting an Crafting projects. My Quilt is being hand quilted, slowly. Carol’s new Quilt has all 210 squares appliqued, and six rows have been sewn together. The Quilt is 11 squares across each row and 20 rows long.           All of the birthday cards are made for the present. Some summer cards for the grandkids are in the planning and collection stages.
So I figured I would revisit Quilting & Crafting forums again to see what everyone is up to. Then I got hooked into Facebook by my daughter. I have joined the Quilt group and I have put up my page plus a page for my web site.
I am still looking for a job – nothing yet!
I have started a new craft project – inspired by a newspaper article I am attempting to build a Fairy House for our front garden plot.
For some strange reason I have yet to revisit my Quilting forums! Oh well maybe tomorrow I make time. In the mean time don’t let me slow you down. Quilt on!

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The Yearbook
Original Design

A Multi-media collage homage to the year. Each page including the cover has a paper doll and a wizard.
I started each page with a piece of card stock. Onto this I glued a seasonal appropriate picture from old calendar. Since they weren’t as big as the card stock I framed them with paper. I then randomly glued on tissue paper, again seasonally themed.
After the base work I added; collage pictures, words, postage stamps, tissue paper etc.. The paper dolls were altered by cutting their hair from the heads, the body being covered by decorative paper. I then put the hair back on and a dress glued on.The doll was then glued to an ink dyed wet one and framed.
The final layer of buttons, earrings, pins, lace ribbon was then glued on. The pages are edged with lace yarn and beads.
I then punched 3 holes on the opposite edge from the lace/beads. I used key rings to assemble the book, and tied ribbons onto the rings in clumps.
Local thrift shops are a great place to find seasonal earrings and pins, also paint, and other craft supplies. Finding a $6 bottle of metallic paint for 10 cents can’t be beat! Although I do sometimes wonder who bought those hideous earrings in the first place.
As with most all my projects, after individually gluing meant “ungluing ” my fingers took up almost time as the project itself. This is a great project for trying out new techniques and new visual presentations.

This is the cover page

Jan

Apr

Can you guess which month? Sorry about the fuzzy, made the print with scanner

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KudoSurf Me!

          

Cards, Cards, Cards

The new year has started. The new calendar marked with birthdays and anniversaries for the year. The grandkids birthdays have their age next to their names. I also mark the kids anniversaries with the year.
For this years birthday and anniversary cards I’m using a paper (all from my paper stash) “Windmill quilt square. A 4 1/2 ” back round square, a 4 1/4″ layer square, then 2 2″ squares of back round and 2 2″ squares of contrast color.
Glue the 4 1/4″ to the 4 1/2″ square. Cut the 2″ squares in half corner to corner so that you have 2 triangles.Glue on top of the base to form dark/light/dark/light Windmill vanes. I then cut 1/4″ strips  from the layer color to cover the “seams”. I then add a small medallion “picture” to the center. Something theme oriented or seasonal. Glue the completed unit to another piece of card stock slightly wider and longer. I fold back the top of the card stock enough to hold a hanging cord. I then glue a pre-printed greeting to the bottom front.
The grandkids Valentine’s cards (regular folded cards) started with a computer generated back ground. I then fancy edge cut and glued to card stock. Then I cut dolls from magazines and glued one to the front of each card. I also used a computer  program to print out 3 different sized hearts on pink paper. Each doll is holding 1 or 2 hearts.
Inside the card I printed Happy Valentine”s Day on decorative back ground paper. I cut a fancy edged heart from pink paper and then a slightly smaller heart shape with the greeting on it. Glued smaller onto the larger then that into the inside of the card. (Tip: use old magazines/junk mail as surface for gluing). We save the card envelopes that we get from junk mail to send out our homemade cards.

          

Bottle Snow People 2008
From November/December 2008
Cloth, Paper, Scissors Magazine

These were a delight to make, and addictive. Sue Pelletier lists the following supplies in her article(mine are thus)
Vintage or vintage looking clear glass bottles (check local thrift stores, bud vases work also), Gel medium, Self-hardening white clay (snow painted styrofoam balls), Brads, Nails, Copper foil, White beads (white, clear, silver, clear light blue, light purple Beads), Inexpensive pearl garland, Vintage pastry bag tips, jewelry (buttons, pom poms, fake fruit, mini grommets), Stickers, Glitter (Glitter Glaze), Glitter Spray, Garland – Gold, Silver, Felt (Clear Shred)

Put beads & shred in the bottle, glue on head, decorate. No rules just have fun!

          

Santa Boxes

Supplies: Small Box (Tea bags come in) Christmas/Winter pictures from magazines, catalogs. Beads/Buttons/White Tissue/White eyelash yarn. And any other Santa figurines, Small Trees, White patterned paper, Glitter Glue, Glaze, Decoupage Glue, White Clue that you can use to embellish with.

Collage inside and outside of the box with paper pictures, white tissue. Add glitter glue & glaze. Embellish outside with brads, beads, earrings for the door knob (from thrift shop/dollar store). I added little figurines to the top. Inside i used left over 3D puzzle pieces to build the base for the tree and covered them with snow paint. Next glued the tree to the base then all that inside the box. Last I added the yarn and the santa to the inside. I finished off the box by gluing beads to the bottom of the box for the feet.
I have also made Godzilla,Sponge Bob & Patrick,Return of the King boxes – they lend themselves to all sorts of keepsake boxes for all occasions – and there fun to make!

          

Christmas Cards 2008

I used a scrap booking technique to make the front of the card. Four recycled cards were used to make the two different fronts. One card is background and is not cut, the other foreground one is cut. Putting the foreground cards face down on the bathroom window, i used a ruler and a pencil to mark the corners of the center motif. Still using the ruler and pencil connected the dots. Then on a flat surface, on the back of the card, move the ruler 1/4″ and make another square – then repeat, repeat. The design may stay symetrical, see santa, or not see angel.
The next step was scanning into the computer so i could do some more enhancements with Print Shop program. Then I printed out copies (two per page), turn the paper and printed again. I then added one layer of glitter glaze.
Finally fold the card stock, edged with gold metallic paint, glued the “face” to the front. Inside I used a snow flake stamp, flying reindeer & deer stamps. The message was printed using a blue snowflake background.
Use can use the same processes to create cards for any seasonal greeting, just change your themes to match up. Have fun.