I Was on the Bhooked Podcast!!

When one accomplishes a lifelong goal it is only natural to bake a big fat yummy chocolate cake to celebrate, no? For me, being on the Bhooked podcast was definitely a lofty ambition and there was no better way to memorialize it!

Have you ever had an aspiration, but honestly never thought it would happen? Ever been so excited that you then had to make a decadent dessert to celebrate? Well today a big dream of mine came true and then I cooked up a ginormous ole calorie-packed chocolate cake to commemorate the occasion!

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Knitting Toys on Double Point Needles

Ever since I made my sweet bunny from Little Cotton Rabbits I have been obsessed with knitting toys. I regularly go through spells of falling in love with learning new techniques and I’m falling hard for this one. I think part of it is the enchanting world that Julie (the creator of Little Cotton Rabbits) breathes into existence with her designs, and her blog in particular.

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Traveling with Handmade Projects

The beauty of crochet and knitting is that they are portable. You can partake in yarny adventures whether you’re at home, waiting in a car line to pick kids up from school, or even at 30,000 feet! Recently my husband and I went on a short trip to see our daughter graduate from the University of Oklahoma with her Masters Degree. We couldn’t be more proud, but the trip wasn’t going to be a long one. I debated whether or not it was even worth traveling with any handmade projects. But ultimately the thought of being stuck on an airplane without anything to do pushed me to take one with me!

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Amigurumi 101: Part 3 – Basic Skills

Every craft has basic skills that must be mastered before the individual can move on to more advanced techniques. Think of the ballerina who spends years at the barre perfecting the five positions of the feet. She cannot star as Clara in the Nutcracker until she knows those basic skills up and down, inside and out. This is also true for crocheting amigurumi. The fundamentals matter and once they are mastered the possibilities are endless!

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Amigurumi 101: Part 2 – Choosing a Pattern and Color Palette

Are you caving in to the peer pressure? Have you dipped your toe into the incredible world of amigurumi yet? Before diving into Part 2, Choosing a Pattern and Color Palette, make sure you visit the last post. In Part 1 of Amigurumi 101 we discussed the most important skill you need to possess before crocheting your first toy. Not to be all doom and gloom, but seriously do not skip this step! I believe that if you skip this essential skill you are setting yourself up failure! And ain’t nobody got time for that!

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Amigurumi 101: Part 1 – Never Give Up

This is the first post in a four part series all for the amigurumi newbie! Part one of Amigurumi 101 focuses on the most essential skill any beginner must have and that is perseverance. The following three weeks will describe and demonstrate the fundamental techniques that you will need to master and become a confident toy maker!

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Carolina Springtime and the History of the Humble Granny Square

Confession time! I have always wanted to be a quilter. There, I said it. Many years ago I even took classes, bought a bunch of expensive fabric, and attempted to make one. But here’s the thing, I despise measuring and sewing machines hate my guts. So for years I just believed that I had no ability to make beautiful blankets, that is until I discovered the humble granny square!

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Believe, Bloom, and Balance: Cultivating Your Creative Potential

I’ve been thinking a lot about balance recently and how to attain it. As a creative person I find myself vacillating wildly between working with extreme focus or wandering aimlessly from one idea to the next. Although the past few months have been quite productive, I have felt a little like a chicken running around with its head cut off. Actually that’s not even an accurate description. A mutant, crazy eyed fowl jumping from one frying pan to another sounds more like it! But I’ve discovered an approach that is working for me and maybe it will help you too! I must believe and bloom to be able to achieve balance. This may sound like nonsense, but I love alliteration and I do have a point!

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