Herb Gardens

For mothers day I prepared some herb gardens for the 2 main mothers in my life, my mom and mother in law. I bought the herb plants, each pot contained 3 plants, so I separated them. I also found the cute planters. You can get herbs at most farmers markets and local farms. This is a great time of the year to start one. They you just bring it inside when the weather gets cold and you have fresh herbs all year long. Don't forget to water them!


The herb gardens turned out really cute, and I was excited to get them each something they did not already have. Each garden held basil, thyme, cilantro, and sage, which I labeled with some cardboard cutouts and permanent markers. I have been wanting an herb garden forever, so of course I made myself one too! They made great presents, I think it was probably around $20 for each garden. Here are a few more photos.


I also potted up a few aloe plants for my sister and sister in law. I figure those are pretty easy to care for and they are useful for minor scrapes and burns. They were under $8 for each plant and pot! Really affordable gifts!

Andy Warhol- Picture Person Project

boys testing out my art project for picture person, originally uploaded by cocomama1.

Today I went to my son's kindergarten class as Picture Person, to talk about Andy Warhol. There were lots of artist's we could pick from, as Picture Person, and Andy Warhol was NOT one of them. I wanted to do him anyway, because he is one of my favorite artist's and my son really likes him too. So i searched around town and ended up calling our local museum, Lakeview. Even though they did not have a copy of the print I wanted, they were very nice and printed me a good color copy of the print, Grevy's Zebra, along with some info on it.

For the project, I wanted to let the kids decorate their own Zebras. I traced a simplified version of the Zebra onto a thin piece of cardboard, then using am exacto-knife, I cut out a stencil. After the stencil was done I used white acrylic gesso and painted the image onto black paper.

Once the copies were dry, I let the kids test out their some different things on the paper. They tried multi-colored chalk, bright crayons, glitter glue, and bright colored puffy paint. Everything worked well except for glitter glue. Crayons showed up best on top of the white lines. The puffy paint really added a lot to zebra, traced along some of the white lines. We made sure and did the paint last. For an added texture effect we took a comb and went over some of the lines.

Here is the end result. The kids in my son's kindergarten class really enjoyed this project!

Multiple child family portrait

11 grandkids!

This past holiday I did a portrait commission for a friend of mine. She wanted a portrait of all the grandchildren in her family, for her mother. This is meant putting 11 kids from 11 different photos into one 18 x 24 sheet of paper. We went through the photos and picked out the best ones of each child. Then i scanned each one, cropped I started by lightly (almost invisibly) sketching the shape of each head onto the paper, just to get the space divided evenly, and making sure I can make them all fit proportionally.

Honestly as portraits go, this is one of the hardest thing to do, in my opinion. Taking different photos and combining them into one portrait offers many options, but also lots of challenges. Photos are often different sizes, colors, and light/dark levels. This is one reason that i scan each photo and then adjust the contrast, color, and crop them to make them each a little more similar. It is easier for me to see the drawing boundaries when the photo is cropped, otherwise I often draw too large.

The last 2 portrait commissions I have done, have both been like this. They have turned out well, though I still like a couple portrait or single child portrait, they are just simpler projects.

8 Grandkids

Mr. Panda Crochet Pattern

This is the first pattern I am putting out there for people to use! Hopefully it is well written and it turns out for you, like it did for me. Feel free to add comments or questions. If you see a mistake please let me know!

It is pretty basic amigurumi style animal. The parts are all separate and you have to sew them together at the end.

1 skein white worsted weight yarn

1/2 skein black worsted weight yarn

F (3.75mm)hook, yarn needle, poly-fil stuffing, 2 safety eyes, 1 safety nose-you could also use buttons, or felt shapes and embroider those on if you are planning to give this to a baby or young child.

Head
sc 5 into magic ring
mark first stitch to indicate beginning round
2 sc in each stitch around (10)
(sc 1, 2sc into next stitch)around (15)
(sc 2, 2sc into next stitch) around (20)
(sc 3, 2sc into next stitch) around (25)
(sc 4, 2 sc into next stitch) around (30)
(sc 5, 2 sc into next stitch) around (35)
sc around
(sc 6, 2 sc into next stitch) around (40)
sc around 6 rounds
(sc 6, sc2tog) around (35)
sc around
(sc 5, sc2tog) around (30)
(sc 4, sc2tog) around (25)
(sc 3, sc2tog) around (20)
(sc 2, sc2tog) around (15)
(sc, sc2tog) around (10)
(sc2 tog) around (5)
fasten off. leave long tail for sewing head to body.

Body
sc 5 into magic ring
2 sc in each stitch around (10)
place marker to mark 1st stitch
(sc 1, 2sc into next stitch)around (15)
(sc 2, 2sc into next stitch) around (20)
(sc 3, 2sc into next stitch) around (25)
(sc 4, 2 sc into next stitch) around (30)
(sc 5, 2 sc into next stitch) around (35)
(sc 6, 2 sc into next stitch) around (40)
next 2 rounds~ sc around (40)
(sc 7, 2 sc into next stitch) around (45)
next 6 ROUNDS sc around
(sc 7, sc2tog) around (40)
next 2 rounds sc around
(sc 6, sc2tog) around (35)
(sc 5, sc2tog) around (30)
(sc 4, sc2tog) around (25)
(sc 3, sc2tog) around (20)
(sc 2, sc2tog) around (15)
(sc, sc2tog) around (10)
(sc2 tog) around (5)

Arms
with black-
sc 4 into magic ring
(sc1, 2 sc into next stitch) until you have 12 stitches
place marker to begin round
next 4 rounds sc around
(sc2, 2sc into the next stitch) around 16
sc around 12 rounds
fashion off using slip stitch. leave tail for attaching to body and sewing shut.
Stuff half full.
sew shut before attaching to body

Legs (make 2)
with black
5 sc into magic ring
2sc into each stitch around (10)
(1sc, 2sc into next stitch) around (15)
(2sc, 2sc into next stitch) around (20)
next 5 rounds sc around
(2sc, 2 sc tog) around (15)
sc around next 9 rounds
fashion off leaving a tail

Eyes (make 2)
with white-4 sc into magic ring
with black- 2sc in each stitch around (8)
(1sc, 2sc into next stitch)around (12)
(2 sc, 2sc into next stitch) around (16)
fashion off, leave tail to sew onto head
add safety eye to center of the circle
make sure it is securely attached

Ears, make 2
4 sc into magic circle
(2 sc in next stitch)around(8)
(2 sc in next stitch) around (16)
(2 sc in next stitch) around (32)
sc around
fashion off, leave long tail for sewing.
fold circle in half and using yarn needle sew together around around circle
sew straight edge to head over eyes

mouth/nose
with white
sc 4 into magic ring
2 sc in each stitch around (8)
(1 sc, 2 sc in next stitch)around (12)
(2sc, 2sc in next stitch) around (16)
(3sc, 2sc in next stitch) around (20)
attach safety nose or embroider it and mouth
stuff lightly if you want to
sew mouth to face

tail
sc 4 into magic ring
2sc in each stitch (8)
(1sc, 2sc in next stitch)around (12)
sc around next 2 rounds
fashion off, leave tail
sew to body

projects....

So I hope everyone is keeping busy and warm this chilly December.

Lots going on in our house....
of course we are preparing for Christmas, which means I have been making some handmade gifts as usual. Crochet is my poision this year. So far I have 5 scarves, a few critters, & a baby doll finished. I am working on the final scarf and a guitar strap for my hubby (shhhhhhhhh).

Also I am working on a portrait commission for a girl I work with. She is giving to her mother for Christmas and there are 11 grandkids in it from 11 different photos. I have until January 2nd to get this done....and I am about 1/3 of the way done.. So I have a lot to do! I was thinking of doing a portrait for my parents, but may have to hit JC Penney's for a christmas photo of the kids instead.
One can only draw so fast!

Here are a few of the crochet patterns I have been utilizing~
one skein scarf
queen anne's lace scarf
bitty baby

And here is Charlie modeling the hat I made for Jack's birthday~



complete with earflaps


it turned out a lil big...can't remember where i found the pattern. Im sure it is on knitting pattern central under earflap hat or something.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
ps
a few of my own pattern designs coming in January!

crochet madness

lurkey, originally uploaded by cocomama1.

It's been a while since I have blogged here, and the reason is that I have been crocheting my fingers to the bone. Along with the holidays I also have my son and nephew's birthdays approaching, and all of these things call for HANDMADE GIFTS!

Before this summer I called myself a knitter. I taught myself to knit a few years ago and have made a handful of hats, bags, socks, wrist-warmers, baby items and critters. I was never all that confident in my knitting skills, though I got to the point where I could knit and watch tv, without staring at my hands.

This summer I really got into AMIGURUMI style of crochet. I bought a book, and taught myself the basics of Ami crochet and crochet in general. I am really loving it. I use the website RAVELRY a lot, it has tons of patterns and links to crochet/knit tutorials. The crochet projects use a lot more yarn than knitting, but they are much faster. I like the look of the critters also. I am just starting to stray from critters to wearable crochet: scarves, hats, etc... I figure adults will like wearable crochet items as gifts this Christmas rather than a stuffed critter. So if you are in my family, or you are one of my close friends, please let me know the color of your winter coat!

The other day I ran into my grandma at the craft store. She is a crocheter. She has been crocheting for as long as I can remember. One of my favorite memories is getting all kinds of hand crocheted Barbie clothes, as a kid. She would make use the coolest little clothes and accessories. It is nice to have another thing in common with my maternal grandmother, and also someone to call when I run into an unfamiliar stitch or pattern.

Happy Thanksgiving (almost everyone!) here is the link to the crochet pattern for the cute little ami turkey~ http://bittersweetblog.wordpress.com/2006/11/07/gobble-gobble/

The above link has tons of great free crochet and knit patterns! I also made the Bitty Baby for my niece for Christmas!

fall is in the air

halloween fall display, originally uploaded by cocomama1.

I get really excited for fall mostly because of Halloween. It is great to go to the local farm and pick out some pumpkins, gourds, and mums, then throwing them into a cool little display. I am always in awe of those great fall displays in Martha Stewart magazines and other publications. So this year I put out a few pumpkins and gourds and random little spooky trinkets on this little wire rack thing. I planted my 3 little mums in these skull pirate trick or treat buckets that I had leftover from my son's Pirate Birthday party last November.

I highly advise everyone to take advantage of after Halloween sales and use whatever you find for theme parties, birthdays, kids gifts and save some stuff for halloween next year. It is the best surprise to get out your Halloween stuff and find some surprise decorations you bought and put away!