Sorry, It's Been Awhile

I decided I would try to make at least one craft item a day; however, I somehow managed to pick things that took more time. On top of that I've been trying to write an article a day to put up on a future site. Add to that mix more pain than I could handle due to a fall. Well, you can see why I've been missing a week or two.
So, today I have hats I crocheted. I love to make hats and am going to try to get one sewn soon. When I was a kid I could wear any hat handed to me and look really good. Not so much now that I'm 50 but that's what happens with age.

The hats I crocheted are slouchy berets. This one is a very simple tam that is simply one basic stitch throughout. It sits on the head much like the popular slouchy hats you see on television these days. I'm selling these hats for $20 and I can make any color you might want. Just email, or message me, with details. There's no extra cost for specially made hats.

This one is a pattern I found on the site www.allfreecrochet.com. I love the flower  It is currently listed on www.listia.com for free. There is a small shipping fee.
Over this past week I also managed to finish decorating my kitchen. I will try to get those photos up soon.

In the meantime, I'm headed back to the sewing machine for a couple of hours, then back to the computer to write. I do like being busy though. The months of recovery from my back injury made me stir crazy.

Cat Pudding

At the beginning of this blog I introduced you to my two feline assistants, Fiona and Rory. Obviously, they get paid well for their services even though said services consist primarily of pestering me while I'm trying to write. In that vein, I was trying to find something that would show them how much I care without having to shell out much money. They already eat well but, Rory especially, seems to think he wants whatever it is I have; often, even if it isn't edible.

I decided I wanted to find something that might make them think they were getting a real treat. I could give them the packaged treats but those aren't anything other than dry cat food as far as I can tell. They certainly aren't a treat that's really different from what they eat regularly. And so, as I was looking for this special treat I discovered Thriftyfun and Cat Pudding.

It is incredibly easy to make, although it took far too long for Rory's tastes. He stood beside me complaining the entire time and even tried to jump up on the stove to help with the gelatin. That kitten is going to lose a few of his nine lives before long. There is a reason for the saying, "curiosity killed the cat."

In the end, I didn't have the heart to make them wait until the pudding set and gave them a taste immediately. I then asked them a series of questions, such as, "would you recommend this to your friends?" and "how would you rate it on a scale of one to ten?" I never did get a response but they lapped it up in no time flat. Fiona finished first so Rory then settled in to a rhythm of taking two laps out of one bowl then two laps out of the other. Not only is he going to get himself killed with his curiosity, he's probably going to go out with a large tummy.

If you do make this for your cat, and manage to get him to fill out a comment card, please let me know.

So Many Crafts, So Little Time

I have so many things going at  the moment it's difficult to know which one I should be telling you about. I finished another skirt, a longer version this time.
These skirts have gotten me some nice publicity. As I told you, www.allfreesewing.com featured the other skirt in their newsletter last week. Well, I got the idea for that skirt from a couple of books I picked up in the local library so I told them about the skirt being featured. To make a long story short, the library asked me to have my picture taken tomorrow to be put in the local newspaper.

In the meantime, I've been working on making my apartment seem more like home. Nearly everything here has been either donated or given in some form or another. While it's been nice of everyone, I have ended up with an eclectic collection of everyone else' tastes. Trust me, I'm eclectic enough all on my own. In fact, one of the items I added to my kitchen last night was a small rug sewn from fabric strips and squares.

To make it I simply gathered all the bright fun fabric strips I could find and stitched them together. I then sandwiched some batting between the finished object and some plain green cotton. It goes well with some of the other changes I made such as putting my dishes out to display rather than keeping them hidden in the cupboards.

I'm still working on redecorating this area so I will post more pictures when it's all done. I will also post the "before" pictures up on my flicker account. When I am done I move on to the bathroom.
Over the next few days I will be working on some articles and ideas for a new website friends and I plan to unleash on the world soon. As soon as it's ready, you'll be the first to know.

In fact, if you're into crafts, and are a decent writer, please contact me. We're looking for people to create articles, how-to's and other informational content. In the near future you will also be able to sell your own creations on the site.
The interwebs feels slightly lonely right now. I do think I'm the only one hanging out in cyberspace while everyone else is watching the Superbowl. Please, don't tell anyone I'm not paying attention, I don't want to be kicked off the face of the earth! In fact, I'll go pretend I'm watching now.