Confucius says...

...it's time for some good fortune!!!

I was enjoying some precious alone time in my favourite Barnes and Noble hide out when I stumbled across a craft suggestion for some felted fortune cookies. Since I couldn't justify spending $17.99 on a magazine I thought I would commit the project to memory. Ha! I have a memory of a gold fish. It's only good for 5 minutes then I get distracted by something shiny and it's all downhill from there.

Soooooooo I made some felt ones from memory and remembered that in the magazine they used snaps to keep it closed in the center. I tried that and the result was less then satisfactory, hence the facial expression. Poor little guys.

Then I had an A-HA moment and thought that I could crochet some Amigurumi style. My first one looked super cute but a little smooshed then I switched from worsted weight yarn to cotton but couldn't find any tan coloured cotton so I went with white. According my wonderful sister she says they look like pierogies. Great. Now I'm craving Pierogies.

After a few more prototypes I think I finally got it right. I love how kawaii they look. And since I can't keep cuteness to myself I jotted down the pattern I made up in my noggin to share with my awesome blog readers.
**Please note that this is my first ever pattern and if there are any mistakes just let me know and I'll correct them. I tried. That's what counts right?

Materials:

Terms:
Ch=chain
Sc= single crochet
Sctog= single crochet together
Slst= slip stitch

Work in continuous rounds unless otherwise stated. Mark your ending stitch with a paperclip or stitch marker to keep your place.

The Circle:
Make starter loop and ch 2
Crochet 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook (6)
2 sc in each sc (12)
*Sc in the next sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat * all around (18)
*sc in next 2 sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat * (24)
*sc in next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat * (30)
*sc in next 4 sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat * (36)
*sc in next 5 sc, 2 in next sc* repeat * (40)
chain 1 

Find where you would like to add your little face and using either safety eyes or embroidery thread, stitch on your little face. Please keep in mind that you will be folding the circle in half. I placed my eyes approx 2 stitches apart near the last two rounds.

Next fold the circle in half and poke the center part of the semi circle with your finger while pulling the sides down and together.
Sctog across the top seam for 14sc stopping about 6 sc's from the end leaving a small opening at the end to tuck your little fortune inside.

Continue to sc along the top side for 4 sc (not crocheting together for these stitches) then Sctog 1 sc, Slst and fasten off leaving approx 6 inch long tail for stitching the center together. I added extra photos of this part in hopes that it would make sense.

Using the long tail sew a few stitches in the center to keep the shape. Insert your little fortune and you are done.

Of course you can adjust this pattern to make a larger cookie by continuing with the pattern of increasing the stitches every round until you have it as large as you want. The size will also vary with different sized hooks and the yarn you use. If you use a smaller hook, your little cookie guy will be smaller too and vice verse.

  Aww so kawaii!

Have fun making your little crocheted fortune cookie guys and please please pleeease share your finished projects with me so I can leave you some love.
Happy hooking!

>^..^<

y'know what I'm craving?

Hello all. I just wanted to give a little peek at an upcoming tutorial.
I think I know what I'm having for dinner...
See y'all soon :D

>^..^<

it's a start

I have always wanted to make a baby blanket but seeing that I never got into crocheting until well after Maribel was born, I now have an excuse to try my hand at baby mankies because my sister is expecting!!! We all are super excited especially Aidan and Sherry. But this time they get to see the tummy grow instead of being on the inside and when Aidan and Sherry told their mommy that she was getting fat, poor Vic retaliated with
 "Well that's because I've got a human growing inside of me! Sheesh!"

<< Heehee growing human bump!

Don't worry Vic, you won't look chubby forever.

Remember, big sisters are the crab grass of life. No matter how hard you try you can't get rid of me ;0)



>^..^<

sometimes I just can't help myself

My sweet sister in-law had surgery this week to have her Gallbladder removed and I don't think I have ever met anyone so excited for surgery before her. And since I have a warped sense of mind, I made her a little Gallbladder buddie that she can carry with her so she won't feel so empty. ;0)


hee hee I couldn't resist

How 'bout a nice juicy steak? My treat!
Get well soon sweetie!

j

>^..^<



Know anybody who is having some sort of organ removed and you want to send them cute substitute? I'm for hire. LOL ;0)

two little cuties

Little over a month ago I received a call from my sister, telling me that she has a very sad little girl. It turned out that Sherry forgot her little crocheted Sherry doll that I made here awhile back in the movie theatre. :'0(
Vic searched the theatre high and low for the mini Sherry. She inquired at Lost and Found, picked through the garbage, what a mommy trouper, asked everyone around, and finally left her number with the manager just in case someone finds the little doll. Poor Sherrykins was so sad it broke my heart to hear her sniffle in the background.

So here we are to present day with a new Sherry.


I added more details to this one with a flower, hair ties and I made her with a purple dress instead of pink. She even has matching panties hee hee

Of course you can’t make for one and not the other so I now present to you...

Aidan


I asked him what colour he wanted his 'Aidan's' shirt and he replied, "Blue with a Spiderman on the front." That's totally doable only I didn't notice until he was all done that I reversed the colours. Oops! I don’t think he’ll notice-I hope. I also gave him a little Mohawk which took more time then originally planned but worth it in the end. He’s so cute in real life it’s only fitting that he would be just as cute in yarn. =)



I have so much love for these two and miss them more then words can say. My wish is that we all lived closer so Maribel could play with her real cousins instead of stealing the doll ones from me when I'm searching high and low for them only to find them buried in blankets and being told they are going “nigh’ nigh’”. I can see I’m not through making these dolls yet...

So their bags are packed and now ready for their long trip to their new home in Lethbridge, Alberta Canada.

Have safe trip you two! I wish I was going with you :'0(


<3 your Auntie Jenn

september finds

It's that time again for my monthly finds for September which has turned into my favourite things with some good deals thrown into the mix. I have been drawn to purple and green as you can see ;0)


I love a good deal but lately I have developed a greater appreciation of what I already have. I believe it’s due to Joe still searching for work in this tough economic time and rediscovering lost things whilst throwing out the unwanted clutter.

But I couldn't resist picking this flick up-on sale of course. If you are a fan of Tim Burton's Nightmare Before Christmas, then you would enjoy one of Maribel's movie choices of the month, Coraline. I think the record for the most watched in the day is 5 times. I really don't mind but when I'm about to brush her hair, she will cover her eyes with her hands and say, "You not sewing buttons in my eyes!" it's time to cut back. So we watch it 2 times a day now instead of 5.



Top left: We've been making a lot of cookies lately and this new gravestone cutter will be making an appearance this coming month. Along with the cute mini loaf pan that's holding my new fave mustache necklace.
Top right: Georgie was one of the first of Owlishly's little guys I made. I love his little grape suit, despite it taking me forever ;0)
Bottom left: My sister introduced me to this little book, and it explains a lot. If you are a Tim Burton fan, then you would enjoy this twisted story book. At least it gave me a better understanding into my sister's brain-HaHa
Bottom right: Another mini loaf pan (found at Michaels for $1) that will soon be filled with some delish Pumpkin Bread-yum! For now it holds buttons that Maribel keeps getting her little hands into. Again, I don't mind.

It's been so refreshing as I get rid of the clutter, that I have noticed that there is more going out then coming in. Ahhh I finally get it!

j

Other favourites and finds include: drinking hot chocolate in my Mike Wazowski mug; New wallet and hobo bag (the bag was on wicked clearance but the wallet was regular price so together it averaged out to be a good deal. At least that's how I justified it in my mind); chewing 5 gum; New crochet hooks with a bamboo handle-much more comfortable; New rosette heals (on clearance at Ross-love it!); tissue cozy I sewed with some cute clearance fabric; Coconut Lime Verbena hand sanitizer (I cant' get enough of that stuff); and of course watching Coraline in 3D!

meeting lincoln

and here I thought I'd be able to slap Abe on the knee....yeah not even close

This is the layout I did for SkrapnChat's August LO Tag. It seems that the only pages I have been able to do lately have been for the monthly LO tags, but hey, at least I'm getting some done!

On another note, I have another crochet project on the go. It's the only thing that I can do in the same room as DH. He's so chatty at night that it messes my scrapping mojo but I found that I can crochet with him while we watch movies. So bring on the yarn and hooks!


I can't wait to finish this one! I keep sneaking in stitches every chance I get.

Stay tuned!

j

august finds-and giveaway winner

I wanted to share some of my favourite things this month plus some good deals. With Joe still out of work, we've been watching our pennies but I can't help myself when I come across the "too good to pass up" deals. It also seems that red is my colour for August.



Mastering the Art of French Cooking; Throw out 50 Things; new Martha punch (love hoe it folds up for easy storage); Dr Martan's for $15 at Ross I remember paying $120 for my oxford docs several years ago; strawberry purse I crocheted for Maribel; stackable measuring cups from Anthroplogie; strawberry dish from Joann's; pin cushion that was my mother's; crocheted fruit from Ana Paula's book "Seriously Cute Crochet"; Sassafras "Me Likey" pp line; and Tucan earrings my dad bought me one business trip

And the winner of my lil giveaway is.......



YAY! Send me an email (the address is on the side) with your addy and I'll get this little sussie in the mail pronto!

just a little turt

I Y to crochet! Not only does it keep my mind sharp, but it also relaxes me. I especially love crocheting for other people. I made this cutie with my dear friend in mind. She *hearts* turtles and I can't wait to give this little guy a new home!



Happy Humpday!

Shroom

This is a mushroom I crocheted the other day. I just love this pattern because A: it's cute and B: it has the added bonus of a lid.

I got the pattern from www.crochetme.com one of my fave crochet sites. I have had the crochet bug a few weeks now and I was tired of making scarves! I live in Florida for pitty's sake so I wanted to learn to make something else. That's how I discovered Amigurumi style! I stinking LOVE all the cute little animals and such you can make! So cute!