Art, Craft and Needlework, December 2014

A place for Artistry, Crafts and Needlework; Decorating and Holidays.
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Harriet
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Art, Craft and Needlework, December 2014

Postby Harriet » Mon Dec 01, 2014 10:15 am

December is a month that points out our creativity. We may have deliberately put away some crafts and gift-making (the way sensible holiday plans tell us to!), or we may be blithely continuing on with happy creative messes threatening to pile up in the way of holiday prep!!! :D

We will delight in our own choices of cards and wrapping styles as well as others' choices as they come our way through the season. Children will say: "help me make... ... " and we will drop everything! :lol: We'll decorate (Cool!). And, perhaps best of all, someone will say, "thank you, I really love it", and make our efforts toward bringing creativity to others all worthwhile!

What's happening in your art, craft and needlework life this December?

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Nancy
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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, December 2014

Postby Nancy » Mon Dec 01, 2014 11:21 am

Weaving I have the heddles threaded for my small table loom. Still not sure what I will use for weft yet.

Knitting on some hand spun to see how it does. Not totally convinced this is what I want to do with this because I am not sure I have enough for a shawl.
Last edited by Nancy on Sat Dec 06, 2014 9:42 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, December 2014

Postby FelineFriend » Tue Dec 02, 2014 12:15 am

After I crochet DGS-5.5's bath tub puppet, get it wrapped, along with 2 other puppets, I'll wash/dry/wrap 3 kids' afghans.

Next on the list, for crochet are:
1- a January b-day vest for DGD-turning 2 years old, (have the supplies/pattern/button),
2- crochet a Feb. b-day hat, for DGS-turning 6 years old,
3- crochet an April b-day hat, for DGS-turning 4 years old,
4- crochet 1 pair of potholders for a March b-day friend, who's sending me a box of handmade gifts for Christmas,
5- crochet "something" for a DFriend in VA's b-day in March, but WHAT???? :?:
6- crochet "something" for a Dfriend in SC, for her March b-day, TOO!!! But WHAT???? :?:

The VA dfriend got 1 pair of red/white variegated origami potholders and a red/white snowflake hot pad, from me, for Christmas. Her kitchen colors are red/white. I might crochet her a hanging dishtowel, for her b-day and send her a small book, on faith, too.

Also, the SC friend got 1 pair of yellow/white variegated origami potholders from me, with a yellow square hot pad. I'm uncertain if I should make her some dishcloths, in yellows, yellow/white variegated, OR a hanging dishtowel. I think the dishcloths go faster for me, would be great for cleaning,.....

AND, I may make the same, for my VA friend, TOO! :idea: :!: :mrgreen:

See what you gals do to/for me? :idea: :!: :P You POST, I read, and THEN I plan, think aloud, and it makes my life so much easier, because you ARE MOTIVATING ME! It's like I'm sitting in a craft class at Joann's Fabrics and Crafts, at a table, discussing what projects I can do, when, and for whom! YOU ARE SO WONDERFUL!!!!! ♥
"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." ~ Arthur Ashe

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, December 2014

Postby FelineFriend » Thu Dec 04, 2014 12:40 am

I finished crocheting bath puppet #3 today!

Now that ALL the Christmas crochet is done:
1- I've got out DGD's vest yarn/pattern/hook,
2- I'll make 2 DGS's hats on Saturday,
3- I WANT to make myself a grey hat w/matching scarf, (yarn's out, need to find pattern in the main office, it's in a basket in a page protector, I know where it is,)... BUT I need to figure out what I want to do for a scarf. I want something that's not stiff. I'm considering using a larger hook, with 1 strand of yarn, for a more holey look. The hat will be the "Ugly but Warm Hat," done with an "M" hook with 2 strands held together,
4- AFTER the hat/scarf set are finally done, I want to continue adding the last black main color round on Granny squares, will join them, edge it and have myself an afghan I've ALWAYS HAVE WANTED, HAVE SEEN ON TV, HAVE LOVE-LOVE-LOVED, SO DECIDED TO DO THIS FOR ME-ME-ME!!! :oops: :lol: ;)
"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." ~ Arthur Ashe

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, December 2014

Postby Nancy » Thu Dec 04, 2014 1:07 am

One jumbo bobbin full with single wool for yarn, started another one.

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, December 2014

Postby Nancy » Thu Dec 04, 2014 9:15 pm

Had to replace the tensioning string on my wheel. Knit a few short rows. Yarn meeting went well.

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, December 2014

Postby Harmony » Thu Dec 04, 2014 10:10 pm

I don't think I've posted about this, forgive me if I have....

Last month at DD's she gave us the boys' room to stay in. They went upstairs to sleep in the family room. She had brand new twin beds in there and we got to sleep under two of those quilts I made. Such fun! I was able to see that they weren't too hot and were quite light and worked nicely with the other comforter she had on their beds. I sure enjoyed that!

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, December 2014

Postby FelineFriend » Thu Dec 04, 2014 11:58 pm

Harmony , That's so nice! It's good that you had the opportunity to sleep under them, too. :D :D

I cannot make too much $, because I'm on Medicaid for my healthcare and I now get S. S., too. I've decided to write less frequently, only submit 1 story a month- if I chose to- or not submit anything at all, on some months. I have these interests, which I would love to pursue for the first time, or again:
1- Crochet some more,
2- Do more beading,
3- Start rubber stamping again,
4- Get back into scrap booking, which I never was much dedicated to doing before anyway,
5- Get back into my art, with pencil, conte crayon, and pen 'n' ink,
6- Get back into dry embossing with stencils and paper,
7- Get back into calligraphy, and actually get very good at it again, too,
8- I'd love to learn how to lap quilt AND quilt by machine,
9- I'd love to learn how to knit,
10- I'd love to learn how to make yo-yo's by hand, too.
11- I'd love to get back into gardening, too,
12- Read more....
13- Master Tunisian crochet, (I have the hooks and patterns!),
14- Master Broomstick Lace, (I have the "broomstick" and patterns!).
15- Master Crochenit/Cro-Hook, since I have pattern leaflets, double-ended hooks, etc...

I have several books on quilting by machine/by hand, and leaflets, too. I have pattern leaflets on yo-yo projects and Pintrest is full of ideas, too. I have knitting needles, print-out patterns, 2 how-to beginner books on knitting, and there is, of course, You Tube for video demos, and I just would love to do more creative things.

I've been freelance writing professionally for 10 years, come 2015, I'm tired of it, I want to do other creative things, which bring such joy to me and make great gifts, and sometimes, we're led to "change" our path, try different things, and I'm at the age where I can take the opportunity to slow down and do things I want to do. I'm very excited and look forward to 2015. In 2017, when I turn 65, I'll be on Medicare, and at that time, I can write more often, make as much $ as I want to- if I do choose to. The future is an oyster. Life's journeys are the pearls. :idea: :arrow: :P
"Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can." ~ Arthur Ashe

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, December 2014

Postby Nancy » Fri Dec 05, 2014 2:20 pm

Working on the last ball of cotten 2 dish clothes for gifts. :mrgreen:

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Re: Art, Craft and Needlework, December 2014

Postby Harriet » Fri Dec 05, 2014 9:56 pm

This is a post from the Holiday thread about how I label backs of photos and (this year) make our own envelope seals. Also how I keep a record of cards, photos, seals sent.

I just started thinking - it is really as much about creativity as holiday, so I thought I'd post here, too.

I always keep a record of cards by printing out a Household Notebook blank lined page like this one. This year I used the "computer fillable" feature below the image, that allows you to type into the lines, and it worked very well for me. I was pleased. I just tabbed over to make a second column of names. I typed in the ones from last year's list and there was room to write in more if needed later. I put the paper back through to print "Christmas Card List, 2014" in a pretty font at the top.

I just use a ruler to make lines down the page for spaces to put notations such as which card (this year "s" was for "stable card" and "l" was for "landscape card"), which photo enclosed, even which seal on the envelope if important to me.

This year I was so dissatisfied with seals I could find. I had a few from previous years which were fine, but ran out. So I just went to my old standby, Avery copier label paper in full sheets rather than pre-cut label shapes. I love this product for labeling the backs of family photos sent to those who seldom see us. It is a LOT of help for a family with so many grandchildren near the same age. But really anyone appreciates labeled photos. Anyway, I googled some free printable simple images that I liked and copied a bunch onto a drawing program and just printed those, too. Tada! Nice envelope seals.

Btw, scissors work fine for cutting apart the Avery sheets. But if you have a rotary cutter and mat, it does make it fast and neat.


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