Grow Your Blog

For those of you visiting my blog from the "Grow your Blog" linky event, 

 "Welcome" 

I started my blog in 2007. It has been a lot of fun over these past seven years finding different things to post to my blog. It is like a journal or a time capsule of things that I have made so it keeps me pluggin' along. I like to do everything! I like to paint....

I like to make jewelry out of old silver plated silverware. I have made a lot of rings....

I have flattened some and stamped on those....

I have also used the bowl part of the spoons to make pendant necklaces.
I really-really love to repurpose things... Here I took some old door knobs and made some photo holders.

I like to crochet too, it is my "go-to-craft" when I want to make something but have no clue what to make. Just recently I made a pattern for a Sweet-tooth Voo-doo doll.... just because I thought it would be funny~ (I shared the pattern I made *wink*)
I also love to play with old vintage jewelry and repurpose that into new jewelry pieces.

Other times, on my blog, I like to show off some of the amazing purchases I buy on the weekends. This entire box of vintage horse ribbons was only $1.00!

Every now and then, I like to do things to my house. I tore out the sink in my bathroom and replastered the walls and put in a new floor and sink. I love how it turned out-- although the first few days I wasn't so sure I would ever get it completed.... slow and steady, slow and steady.... just keep trudging along gets the job done!

I have also made a Barbie house for my grand daughter. I gave tutorials on how I did a lot of the things to create this Barbie house. Soon, I am going to start working on two miniature houses as well. One is a log cabin which I am going to turn into an old store, and the other one is a two story miniature house. 

On the right hand side of my blog you will see the most popular posts from my blog... that will roughly give you an idea of what your likely to find at any given time on my blog. I am all over the place with different things I like to create. My blog has many facets to it... mainly because I get bored easily and I have to mix it up! My studio is a hot mess of tubs full of practically finished fabulous stuff---- I get bored and have to pop a lid on it and "shelf" it until I get "un bored." I am always amazed at how close I am to finishing something then stop working on it cold turkey and put it aside.

I am always working on my pirate themed backyard. Here is a photo of some rum and whiskey boxes that I made out of some old discarded drawers that I got for free.
When my grandson was born and while holding him for the first time... he looked at me with one eye, closed it, and then looked at me with the other eye... at that very moment I proclaimed he was a "pirate!" So, every year I have hosted a pirate birthday party for him, and his little sister too. She is a pirate by proxy *wink* I am currently working on building another Pirate store (number 2) and a rubber band shooting gallery and also a 25 foot buffet table... This year will be the eighth year of pirate festivities for my two grand kids. I look forward to it as much as they do... as do all their friends!

I hope you have enjoyed visiting my blog and having a look at the things that keep me happily busy. I hope you will consider visiting again. Vicki, who's blog is "2 Bags Full" is hosting this Grow your blog linky event.

big hugs,
 

Sweet-tooth Voo-doo Doll

While still in the month of January and of course having one of my new years resolution to lose weight.... ahem.... I thought that I could use some added help. Sooooooooooo I created a pattern and whipped up a Sweet-tooth Voo-doo doll~
So far, all I've lost is 2 hours... 2 hours of sitting on my butt crocheting... but its a loss. *wink*
Here is the pattern if your needing another tool in your weight loss arsenal.
  
Sweet-tooth Voo-doo Doll
Materials: 
- White and black worsted weight yarn
- Size F crochet Hook
- Buttons
- Tapestry needle
- Straight Pins

Abbreviations:
sc = single crochet stitch
dc = double crochet stitch
sc inc = single crochet increase
dc dec = double crochet decrease
sl st = slip stitch

First root/leg
Using white yarn...
Round 1: Magic ring, 4 sc in ring, sl st in first sc made. (4 sc)
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch. (8 sc)
Rounds 3 - 7: 8 sc around (8 sc)
Fasten off and stuff firmly leaving room so you can crochet the stitches at the top of the root/leg when it is added to the doll. Tuck the extra yarn into the root/leg to hide.

Second root/leg and Body
You will be using the same pattern that you used for the first root/leg but you will not be tying off on round 7....
Round 1: Magic ring, 4 sc in ring, pull and join together in first sc made. (4 sc)
Round 2: 2 sc in each stitch. (8 sc)
Rounds 3 - 7: 8 sc around (8 sc) Firmly stuff the second root/leg you have just completed. Do not tie off. The next round is where you will add the first root/leg to the sweet tooth doll.
Round 8: pick up the previously made root/leg you made and join together with a slip stitch. You will sl st in the sc stitch that is next to the last stitch of the root/leg, pull tight. Sc in the next 17 stitches around the two legs. (17 sc) Now with the two legs joined together it is time to start on the body. Round 9: 7 sc, 2 dc, 7 sc, 2 dc. (18 stitches)
Round 10: 18 sc around. (18 sc) (At this point, if you need to increase or decrease your stitches to get to 18 sc go ahead and do so)
Round 11: *4 sc, 2 sc in next stitch* do this 3 times, 2 sc. (20 stitches)
Round 12: *3 sc, 2 sc in next stitch* do this 4 times around, 3 sc. (23 stitches)
At any point you can place a marker to help you keep track of your stitches. Just as long as each starting row is kinda in the general area keep going! It is just a voo-doo doll after all~

Round 13: 23 sc around. (23 sc) (At this point, if you need to increase or decrease stitches to get to 23 sc go ahead and do so)
Round 14: *4 sc, 1 sc dec* do this four times. (20 stitches)
Round 15: *3 sc, 1 sc dec* do this four times around (16 sc) Add stuffing to your sweet tooth doll.
Round 16: *2 sc, 1 sc dec* do this four times, 1 sc. (12 sc)
Round 17: *1 sc, 1 sc dec* do this five times around. ( 10 stitches)
Round 18:  Last chance to add a little more stuffing... At this point, continue with sc dec stitches until the hole is closed. This will take three or four decrease stitches. Tie off leaving a long yarn tail so that you can use a tapestry needle to pull down the top of the crocheted tooth so it looks like a flat molar. Weave in the yarn and cut off the excess. 
Eyes:
Using either thread or yarn attach one button to your sweet-tooth doll. The second eye will just be an "X" made using black yarn.
Now just add pins to your Sweet-tooth Voo-doo doll and let the magic begin!
There you have it... a Sweet-tooth Voo-doo doll to help you lose weight. Perfect to help you ward off any heart-shaped-chocolate-filled-Valentine-box temptations that come your way.
big hugs,

Magic ring, chain 1 and make 6 SC in ring, join, chain 1 - See more at: http://www.repeatcrafterme.com/search?updated-max=2015-01-11T08:43:00-08:00&max-results=7#sthash.YRgbTO2B.dpuf

Materials:
-Worsted Weight Yarn. I used Lion Brand Vanna's Choice in Sweet Pea.
- Size F Crochet Hook
- Tapestry needle - See more at: http://www.repeatcrafterme.com/#sthash.8m6rl2Rl.dpuf

Materials:
-Worsted Weight Yarn. I used Lion Brand Vanna's Choice in Sweet Pea.
- Size F Crochet Hook
- Tapestry needle - See more at: http://www.repeatcrafterme.com/#sthash.8m6rl2Rl.dpufbig hugs,

Vintage Crosses

I made some crosses out of vintage folding rulers. I used my miter box and saw to cut the rulers into small segments to use. They worked up surprisingly fast and they were fun to make. I have been trying to deplete my current inventory to motivate me to get back into making new jewelry. This last sale I participated in- in December was another huge success and I am now down to just one box of items left.

With only the one box left (although its a stuffed box) I finally feel comfortable with making new jewelry.... which I like to make in bulk-- so my one box will soon be ten. *wink*

I am also in the midst of cleaning out my studio. Ok, more like getting reacquainted with my supplies. I have good intentions of getting rid of things, but you know--- it is all necessary stuff.

I made some white folding ruler crosses too. I don't like these ones as much, but seeing how they were cut-- I was committed to follow through. The metal bracket on the ruler didn't have a lot of wood extending past the bracket, so the cross arm is smaller.

 I have a bunch more cut and ready to be transformed into crosses but that will have to wait for another day. I have some leather roving that I am going to hang these from if it looks good. First, I must find the box of leather roving..... I know I have it somewhere~
 big hugs,

Recent Treasures

I really enjoy going each weekend to our local swap meet and hunting for one of a kind treasures. I always manage to drag something home with me.... which again is easy to do because I don't buy the typical items most people are looking for.  I've been wanting all of these items below for quite some time--- but the gal selling it always was asking way to much. This past weekend she was gone and her husband was there by himself. Needless to say, it all came home with me... and rather cheaply I might add. *wink*
Here is a close up of the lovely faux jade dragon.... caute!
I also snagged this huge old wooden frame for only $5.00. I saw on pinterest where someone had taken an old frame and strung wire across the opening and added photos with clothes pins... So, I'll just add that project to my ever growing list of projects.

I also got some much needed rope and other odds and ends.

A box full of rocks now reside in a golden urn.... my grand kids always beg for "just one rock" to take home from my yard. Cute.

 Seven small wooden masks rounds out my pirate loot for this weekend...

 I can never pass up bronzed baby shoes. Are these not the sweetest baby shoes ever?

 *swoon* Sweet huh?

I also scored on some jewelry. I got thirty-four brooches...
Ten pairs of earrings...

five bracelets and three necklaces.... but who's counting.
The last purchase of the day I found a large silver plated platter, five candle sconces, an old hanging lamp and some shabby chic looking clips...

 and.... two very large, very heavy pewter platters.... and a gorilla.

All of that loot came to a whopping $5.00. *score*  I looked up the two pewter platters on Ebay. I found the smaller of the two platters listed for sale with a starting bid of $30. I couldn't find any listings of the larger platter. Aaarrrrgh.... pirate treasure. *wink*
big hugs,
 

Happy New Year

I hope everyone had a fabulous Christmas and are looking forward to a glorious New Year!
I have been keeping busy in my yard during the holidays. I've got the walls up on my new shed pirate store that I'm building. The back wall facing the neighbors house is finished with a light beige paint job. The rest of the pirate store is going to be painted to look like it was built with aged wood. I found two long 5' windows that I am going to incorporate into the design so that there is plenty of natural light streaming in. I also bought a vintage chandelier for $40 to hang inside. Although, it is awfully cute--- I may end up hanging it in my house!
I've also been working on the rubber band shooting gallery that I started on long ago. It is slow going because it is so COLD outside. I don't work well in the cold! I've been saving the lids off of cat food cans to use for part of the shooting gallery. I used really small hinges that I screwed to wooden paint sticks which I then stapled to the tin can lids to create a "shoot it down" target of sorts. I think it turned out great--- so now I've got to paint and add some more targets to this one area. Here is the shooting gallery from a distance. It still needs a lot of work to get it finished, but it is slowly getting there.
The base of the shooting gallery itself was created with an opening to showcase some pirate odds and ends. This is it in the beginning stages of being decorated.... It still needs a lot of loot and other sparkly treasures to finish it off. Lastly, I'll tuck in some moss to give it an aged pirate look.

I found some small wooden barrels that I am going to stack in this one side area to be shot down. To the left of the barrels, in the next section, I drilled holes in the wood shelves/inserts and I'm going to add some golf tees to hold ping pong balls to be shot down. It is still a big work in progress.

Of course, I had to stage the top of the shooting gallery too. I have a HUGE surplus of things to pull from. I have been buying things and setting them aside to use for different areas of my yard, its nice to be able to grab stuff and incorporate it when the mood strikes.

I also painted and added some pearls and rhinestones to a skull that had been sitting in amongst some plants for years. I am going to add some green moss to the skull once the weather gets warmer. The paint job isn't so garish in person, it is very subtle~

I hear it is going to be in the mid 60's next week! *woot-woot* I am hoping to get both the windows installed and the roof on.... and the side walls put on... and... and... dare I say it? FINISHED next week. It probably won't be finished next week... but it'll be close!
big hugs,