Cupcake Pillows

Amigurumi Wolf

Amigurumi Fish

Amigurumi Octopus

Loli-Goth Bunny

Amigurumi Frog

Amigurumi Nature Babies

Amigurumi Dress-up Bear

Amigurumi Panda

_________

All of these patterns are available in my etsy shop: www.djonesgirlz.etsy.com and all are very easy to make! Where do I find all the time, do you ask?  Well, my daughter and I spend a lot of time at the orthodontist office.  I have finished many projects there.  This summer we are starting another child in braces, too.  The staff really loves to see what I bring to work on every month, and I can tell the other moms in the waiting room are thinking, "dang, why didn't I bring something like that to do?" I'd go crazy if I didn't have my crocheting with me! 

By the way, I'll also make these dolls for anyone on request.  Prices are on my etsy shop.  I will also swap for yarn, or other fun crafts you're good at.  Send me a note!

Hinata

Petite Cossette

Garu backpack--I was Pucca, but I'm not putting my picture here. :)  It's the same pattern as the Chibi Al backpack.

Then I made this cute kitty backpack charm for a birthday gift--it's just like the Atashi, but a cat instead.  My daughter also requested a ruffle on the skirt.

Last of all, I finally did a swap on craftster!  I made this fluffy bunny.  Isn't she cute?  I wrote out the pattern, and you can get it in my etsy shop: www.djonesgirlz.etsy.com

A polar bear as a gift for my daughters' friend.  The scarf is a chain made with 3 strands of novelty yarn.  So Cute!!

Alien Cat and Dog pincushions--the cat is the same one as before, but the dog was made as a gift for my daughters' camp counselor who is traveling abroad.  I wrote out the pattern and am selling it in my etsy shop: www.djonesgirlz.etsy.com

And last of all, another amigurumi horse, this time in purple as a birthday gift for another daughters' friend.  This pattern can also be found in my etsy shop: www.djonesgirlz.etsy.com  .  I am in the process of making a yellow horse for my neice also and will post a picture when I complete that one. 

And here's my new Underdog wrist rest for the computer, made with the pattern in the Amigurumi collection 5, ISBN# 978-4-309-28064-6.  It was a cat, but I thought Underdog would be fun to make.  It's filled with poly pellets.  Next time I make one, I'm going do a corn heating pad.  It's the perfect size for it.

I'm almost finished with the bag I'm going to attach it to--it just needs a couple more times through the washer and dryer and it's ready!  Curious yet?

Hollyhocks

Hollyhocks are easy to grow--plant the seeds around the end of May, and the blooms will show up about the end of July. They are so pretty!  Sometimes they will re-seed for the next year if you leave them all winter.

Sunflowers

I let these grow in the same patch as my peas, so there will be something for them to climb on.  After the peas are all dried up, the sunflowers are in full bloom, so the box isn't empty.  These also re-seed well if you leave them all winter, plus they're good bird feeders.

I took these pictures this morning, then two hours later, it poured rain for an hour straight!  Some of my sunflower stalks and Hollyhocks are now decorating the ground. So sad! 

I'm actually taking a much needed break from crocheting this week.  My hands are thanking me.  But that doesn't mean I've stopped crafting!  I am switching to cross-stitch and sewing for a little while.  I can't wait to show the finished product!

New pattern!  This is my favorite so far!  I have loved the look of blanket dolls forever, and now that I am so into amigurumi, I thought I'd try making one without the plastic face and hands.  It looks so cute as a monster!  The pattern is here: www.djonesgirlz.etsy.com

I look at all of my food differently since I discovered the photography of Saxton Freeman & Joost Elffers, who made the book, How Are You Peeling? and other books.  You should check them out.  I love how the little mark on the tomato looks like an eye, and the tip grew funny and works well as a nose.

My youngest daughter has made some fun requests for crocheted items lately.  Here's the first: devil ears for Christmas.

The second was a green alien kitty for her birthday.  Here they are together.  Yeah, that's the same balloon from before.  I saved it.  It shrunk a little, but that's ok, because the headband is smaller than the hat was.

I'm going to redecorate her room for her b-day (it's going to be a surprise) and put the kitty on her bed.  I got to do a mini shopping spree at IKEA a few days ago.  She needed more storage badly. I've never been more excited about cleaning my child's room before!  I'm actually looking forward to the weekend!  (my husband may not be--he's the one who will be doing all of the assembly)

This is Atashi, from the anime, Chobits. I put the pattern in my etsy shop: www.djonesgirlz.etsy.com  She's teeny--only about 3 inches tall, but I'm going to try making a bigger version of her later with worsted weight yarn.  Now back to the scout dolls.  I should be close by Friday.

If you're not, well, it's called a spool knitter, or a corker, and many other names.  I made this with it:

The bag is made by corking long ropes and whipstitching them in a coil.  Then I crocheted the top and handles, as well as the decorations.  Here's the bottom:

So, what are the long ropes in front of  the bag for, you ask?  Look:

Rag curlers!  We used to do strips of flannel, but they would tangle when we took them out, and you couldn't really wash them because they would fray all over the place.  These are their replacements, and we love them!  They hold their shape well, and do not snag in the girls' hair.  They are washable, and easy to make! 

 Mine are about 24 inches long, but if your child has really long hair, you may have to make them about 48 inches.  Start with clean hair, and keep it pretty wet while you're working.  Spray it with a leave-in conditioner to make it shiny when it's done.  Section the hair and fold the curler in half, tie it close to the head to secure, then braid it along with the strand of hair to the end.  Secure it with a double knot--this will get easier with practice, I promise!

Let it dry for at least 6 hours or more--they're soft enough to sleep in--and this is what you get:

not brushed yet (excuse the pixelized photo)

fingerstyled--do not brush it!!!

You could do fatter chunks of hair for bigger curls.  Have the kids wear the curlers to school for crazy hair day, and the next day, they have a nice hair-do!  It looks cute pulled back in a ponytail, too.