more rag blankets

I completed these a few weeks ago but finally got around to washing them yesterday. They look lovely! And only a few seams tore. I think washing them at the laundromat is rougher than washing them in our washer here. Oh well, no biggie - a few seams are easy to repair. Nothing like the misadventure of my brothers blanket, these are dainty little baby blankets.

The lavender one is for Ducky, the peach & white is for one of my pregnant friends.

flowerseed necklaces!!

I completed these darlings a few weeks ago, but finally got around to writing about them and convincing the photographer and model to cooperate. Artist-types, let me tell you!!!!! So here's the fancy description (you'll see the same stuff on my Etsy page):

Flower - the beautiful and lovely scented reproductive structure of a plant. (mommy)

Seed - the tiny embryonic part of a plant. (baby)

Pregnant darcetta, surrounded by beautiful herbs and gemstones and natural aromatics, decided she would create a special body adornment to help keep her little babyseed peaceful in her cozy womb. Thus the inspiration for the flowerseed necklaces. Not only are they pretty, but the the specific properties of the gemstones provide balance and joy to both the mommyflower and babyseed.

The perfect adornment for a pregnant, or soon-to-be pregnant gal. This necklace helps encourage fertility as well as the happy and healthy growth of a baby while keeping mom calm and feeling beautiful. And, unlike ugly maternity jeans, these necklaces can be worn happily for years and years.

For now these will double as maternity and fertility necklaces, until I create some simple fertility-enhancing necklaces.

And here are some photos!

The original flowerseed necklace, which hangs kinda lopsided but I love it anyway and wear it constantly:

The pearl one:

The really really long silver one:

Ducky fashion

I embroidered a peaceful lotus flower on a scrap of peach flannel recently, and yesterday I turned it into an applique and put it on a newborn t-shirt for Ducky. For the detail on the lotus petals I used a running stitch, but practiced with it like I was quilting. I figure I need all the practice I can get quilting, that duck quilt is going to take some time!

Cute! I'm going to make some more little appliques this week. Oh, and also some pregnancy/fertility necklaces....

Here is Luna modeling the Ducky Shirt. Behind her is a stack of flannel square sandwiches waiting patiently to be sewn into a baby rag quilt... I'll get to that later this week. Along with hemming the silk pj pants that Luna is holding down.

















And a close-up of the lotus. Darling Husband made the stencil for me, so it was a group effort.

snuggly!

Crochet project #2 - crochet edged fleece baby blanket. Super soft!!

My crochet stitches are much more even on this blanket. I think for the next one I will actually build up a row or two and do a scalloped, lacy looking edge! Rounding the corners is nice, too... everything flows better that way.

crafting Manifesto Rule #2

It's going to take a while to create the full Manifesto for my crafting, but here is my first rule. Ok, so it's actually going to be considered Rule #2 because I'm sure something amazing will come to me that absolutely must be Rule #1.

Rule #2:
If it can smell good, it should. Not only should the smell be pleasant, it should bring about a good feeling or help with a purposeful intent.

Today I made incense for the first time in at least a year. Really, I can't recall making incense at all while living in The Happys (what our neighborhood name loosely translates to). So I dusted off the old incense-making machine (me) and pulled some supplies out of deep storage and got to work. Lucky me - I have a stash of damn good incense materials, so the challenge was paring down and working simply. In the past I've gone overkill and added too many different elements, ending up with cones that didn't burn well, or powder or cones that just didn't smell good. I've almost learned my lesson in too much isn't necessarily a good thing with my essential oil creations, so I'm carrying that over to incense as well.

Today I made 1 non-combustible powder incense to be used with charcoal and 2 types of combustible cones. One cone is a groovy blend of opoponax, frankincense and sandalwood, the other is relatively plain which I plan to scent with essential oils as an experiment. The powder is amazing -- juniper with clove and some resins.

Below, left to right: completed powder blend, frankincense resin, opoponax resin.
















Completed cones (which need to dry/cure for a week).





















Luna, the assistant/familiar!

manifesto?

Okay, I just read this post on Crafting A Green World:

http://craftingagreenworld.com/2008/10/21/a-green-crafting-manifesto/

and now I'm inspired... To make more stuff? To try my hand at yet another craft? To finish UFO's (unfinished objects, neglected projects)? NO. I'd like to write a manifesto for my crafty self. Not today, though. I have some crocheting to do and a pair of lovely silk jammie bottoms to hem.

Here are some necklaces I made yesterday and posted on Etsy. For some reason I can't seem to find my stuff after I post or re-list. Just today. Strange and frustrating. I think I'm going to apply to a few Etsy groups, get acquainted with local Etsy-ers and maybe even post some questions on the forums. (GAH! Dreaded forums! I'm such a forum lurker, not really my style to chat and rant on those things. Rather do that here, I suppose!)

crochet-edged receiving blanket

Yipee!!!! I finished my first ever crochet project.

About 6 months ago I decided I would teach myself how to crochet. Using library books and some online tutorials I fumbled with the basic stitches - chain stitch, slip stitch, single crochet stitch - and was ok. Then I set the yarn and fancy bamboo crochet hook aside and promptly forgot all I had learned. When I found out that Ducky was coming I decided it was time to figure out the crochet thing again. Luckily, my craftygoddes friend Delilahh was around to help guide me through the basics. Let me tell you, it's much easier to have someone help you than to try and figure it out on your own!

My first project is a flannel receiving blanket for Ducky with a crochet border. Very pretty. I learned a few things... to pay greater attention to yarn/thread gauge and to determine your stitches accordingly. The yarn I had was thicker than I would have liked for the weight of the flannel, and the pattern I was following was (of course) for smaller yarn and therefore called for a greater amount of stitches per inch... I figured it out as I went, but aren't all craft projects learning experiences? :)

The blanket kept me busy during our SF Honeymoon #1, Darling Husband drove lots and I was the crafty co-pilot. Note the bottom right corner of the photo -- Captain Henry's whiskers!