Råskog

I hadn't been to our local IKEA in a long time but decided to go today.  I was in search of the lovely Råskog cart.

My yarn mess was getting the best of my kitchen table and I believed the Råskog would help out.  Here is the what my kitchen table crafting situation looked like a few hours ago:

Did you notice the half-eaten Ikea cinnamon roll?   I needed energy to put this bad boy together.  If you have ever put your own furniture together yourself, you should understand.  Luckily, with hubby's help, the Råskog came together quite quickly.  I was quite impressed.  Here it is:

And now here it is filled with yarn, library books, and finished birds.  The birds won't stay in the cart long; I just thought they looked cute in the picture.  

Pretty adorable, n'est-ce pas?  And the best part about it?  The Råskog now costs $20 less than it did last September when I first saw it.  It only costs $29.  That means I might get a couple more for other items soon.  Or for yarn.  It would take several to contain my entire yarn stash.  And by several, I mean 20.  Or 50.  I'm not really sure at this point.  

Find the Råskog on Ikea's website here.  Lycklig shopping!

And here is my current collection of amigurumi birds:  

Ciao, oiseaux!  

Quality Time

I like to think of myself as a crafty kind of gal, but my prowess does not usually extend into the kitchen.  However, my kids and I decided to make some delectable things this weekend, which turned out to taste pretty darn good.  Most likely, this was due to my children's very presence.  I really enjoyed spending quality time with them.  I hope they decide to take over kitchen duties for me permanently.  ;)

My 15-year-old son and I made this yummy homemade pizza:

And my 11-year-old daughter and I made these scrumptious snickerdoodles:

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And then I made a couple of batches of soap; Twigs & Berries and Monkey Farts:

I will post more on these soap when I remove them from their molds.

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I have also been crocheting.  I made these wristers using Lion Brand Unique yarn in Harvest:

And this adorable little junior bluebird of happiness.  I will admit that he was made unintentionally small because I made an error while following the pattern.  Namely, I left out 9 rows of crochet.  But I still think he is cute!

How is YOUR weekend going?

Gros bisous!  
--J

Crochet, crochet, crochet! And a very Happy New Year to you!

The word crochet means "hook" in French. I know this because I am a French teacher and because I know what crocheting is. Well, to be honest, most people know what crochet is, don't they?


If you are still unclear, www.Dictionary.reference.com defines it this way:

crochet

[kroh-shey; British kroh-shey, -shee]  

• Examples
• Word Origin

noun

1.

needlework done with a needle having a small hook at one end for drawing the    thread or yarn through intertwined loops.

verb (used with object), verb (used without object),crocheted 

 [kroh-sheyd; British kroh-sheyd, -sheed] (Show IPA),crocheting 

 [kroh-shey-ing; British kroh-shey-ing, -shee-ing] (Show IPA)

2.

to form by crochet.

And until I read that definition, I had no idea anyone ever pronounced it [kroh-shee]! Silly Brits!

I have been doing a lot of needlework with a small hook at one end and drawing yarn through intertwined loops lately. Here is a photo of several projects I have done within the last month or two:

Lots of crocheted goodies!

In this photo, you will see scarves, cowls, hats, wristlets, and amigurumi birds. I have used single crochet, half-double crochet, double crochet, back stitch only crochet, and I've knitted with fingers and my arms. I cannot tell you how much I adore crochet. But I think you already knew that, didn't you?

Here are some of the items along with yours truly:

Cowl using Lion Brand Heartland in Hot Springs

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Scarf using Red Heart Sashay Sequins in Phlox.

Cowl using Lion Brand Landscapes yarn in Tropics.

Cowl using Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable in Dragonfly.

Cowl using Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable in Petunia.

Cowl using Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable in Winery.

Cowl using Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable in Tidal.

Cowl using Lion Brand Landscapes in Desert Spring.

Wristers using Lion Brand Unique yarn in Passion Fruit. Find the pattern here.

Arm-knitted Scarf using Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick & Quick in Claret.

For this scarf, I watched Crafty Gemini's online tutorial found here.

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I also made a couple of amigurumi from my Craftsy class Woodland Animals. It was designed by Stacey Trock. If you are interested in learning how to make these cute little guys plus a raccoon, a deer, and a bear, go here.

Me and the Bleu, the Bluebird of Happiness. I used Red Heart Soft yarn in turquoise and Vanna's Choice yarn in radiant yellow. I also used Darice craft eyes from Jo-Ann.

My son, me, and Larry, my daughter's bird with two different sized eyes. (She wanted him that way!) I used Vanna's Choice yarn in sapphire and radiant yellow. I also used Darice craft eyes from Jo-Ann.

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I also made washcloths, but I gave those away as Christmas gifts. Here is a pic:

I used Lily Sugar'n Cream solids in sage green, ecru, light blue, and sunshine. You can find those at Jo-Ann also.

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As you may be able to decipher by now, I am a crochet-a-holic. I found these great photos from a blog I've just discovered, The Little Bee. They pretty much sum up how I feel about crochet.





Well said, Little Bee. Bien dit, petite abeille!





Alas, I must return to work tomorrow after an extended winter break. I am so glad I have been able to pursue my creative endeavors this winter.


I am also changing the name of my Etsy shop from Prairie Sunshine Soaps to Prairie Sunshine Shop so I may begin selling items other than soap or those related to soap. I would like to expand to include lots of cute crocheted goodies and patterns eventually. I am looking forward to this next phase in the Prairie Sunshine story!

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I hope everyone is doing well and I hope you are staying warm wherever you are. Take good care and Happy New Year 2015!

--Jenn