Dearest Crafting,

Oh, how I miss you, Crafting. I am sorry that I have been so distant; I promise that I will return to you one day soon. Until then, I think of you often and I long to have you near.

Love, Emily

RogerRuth

Our new blog for Roger Ruth Photography is up! Go there NOW!

rogerruthphotography.blogspot.com

Mary Jane baby shoes (with matching headband)

Ya, I know. Cute, right? I want to make more... and when I do, I will totally post a tutorial with the pattern to go along with it so you can make your own. As for now, you will just need to sit there and admire mine!

lion

The Original Sock Monkey

I am pretty sure that this is the monkey that started it all.  This vintage workman's sock and timeless design has made him a classic.  He is definitely the inspiration for all the other sock creatures out there (many of whom are displayed on this blog), and he has made his mark in pop culture as well.  

So it was only a matter of time before I made my own...

And here he is!

Charlie's Room

This is what I've made, folks.  

It was ages ago and I'm sorry that it has taken me so long to post pictures... but that's my life, and this is how I roll.

Guitar: inspiration from >>{this}<< website.

Crib bumper and bed skirt: fabric from Ikea, pattern by me.

Business?

So I've seriously been considering how I could make money selling hand made items.  I know I could go to the usual places like Etsy or boutiques, but what should I even do?

Any suggestions?

Raggedy Ann & Andy

These are for my mom.  I love my mom.  (Who doesn't love their mom?) Anyways, my mom collects these dolls.  She has a whole bedroom decorated with different sets of Raggedy Ann & Andy dolls.   I made Ann as a Mother's Day gift, but I didn't finish.  I gave the uncompleted gift to my mother, but after she opened it I told her that I needed it back to add the finishing touches.  

That was 3 years ago.  Ann sat at the bottom of my closet waiting and waiting until the end of this summer when I finally got around to completing her.  Yay! she was done, but she was lonely... so along came Andy.  Now they are a pair and they are happily on display at my mother's house if you would ever like to see them.

(So mom, happy Mother's Day/birthday/Christmas/or whatever!)

Pen-Gwynn and Yellophant

I recently took up crocheting specifically to make this penguin.  I first found the little guy on the cover of a Joann's mail flyer, and I thought to myself, "wow! he is really cute.  I'd like to make that one day", but that was the last I thought of it.

A few weeks later, I was at the book store perusing through various magazines where I came across this same penguin in an add for Lion Brand yarn... well, short story shorter: you can down load the pattern for the penguin here, along with a ton of other cute things to make at lionbrand.com.  I was super excited to find the pattern, but then I actually read it and I realized I didn't understand one thing it said.  

So I learned how to crochet; yay for me! and now our home is filled with 2 more toys...

Gwynn with her bestie, Charlie.

'Ello yello elephant!

1st Halloween

So this was Charlie's first halloween.  I put off starting this costume until October 30th, and as with anything that has a deadline, I stayed up for hours trying to get it completed in time.  

No pattern; just my pure genius and a little inspiration from my husband.  I think he was the cutest turtle around.

the shell:

the shoes: 

(It's all in the details)

the complete package:

Sock giraffe

Here's another little guy that I made from a sock... he was a gift to my new nephew, Rowan.  The giraffe was an idea from home made by jill, but the pattern wasn't in Sock and Glove, so I had to figure out how to make him by just looking at a picture.

Pretty hansom, isn't he?

Hoot Hoot

Owl & Blanket for Wendy: Several months ago I came across this owl print flannel at the fabric store and I needed to buy it.  I had no reason to purchase it and I had nothing in mind to make out of it, I just thought it was really cute and I liked it so I bought some of it.  I knew that my unborn son wouldn't appreciate the sweet pink and gold owls, so this was destined to be a gift for a little girl.  

Then along came Wendy, daughter of my friends Ryan and Heather.  I was invited to a baby shower for her back in March and she became the perfect recipient for the flannel owls.  I made a small baby blanket with the fabric, but that didn't seem like enough, so I made the owl to match.  I patterned the owl after one in the flannel's print and she turned out really awesome!  My favorite part about her is her wings and tail (I wish I had a close up picture to show how cool they are).  I pieced each feather on individually and I like the effect.

Diaper Cake

I also made this diaper cake along with my sister-in-law, Melissa for Shelley's baby shower.  Thank goodness Melissa was there, because if I tried doing myself, it wouldn't have turned out half as cute. Here is a good tutorial from home made by jill that explains how to put one of these together.

Bird Mobile

So I totally copied this idea from Spool, and they even gave the pattern for the birds.  I made this mobile for my sister-in-law, Shelley who is expecting a baby girl any day now.  It was really fun to make and I am super happy for the way it turned out... I am pretty sure I will be doing more of these in the future.

Sock and Glove

Buy this book!

Jason gave this to me for my birthday earlier this year and it has opened up a world of excitement for me.  I love it, and you will too- even if you don't plan on ever making a stuffed animal in your life, the book itself is fun to look at.

Here are a few of the sock animals that I have made so far (I will post more at a later date.)

"Peter the dog"... for Jack

Notice the initials stitched into the rear end.

A small horse for Christy's new baby boy:

This horse was actually the first animal that I made from Sock and Glove.  He ended up being so cute that I didn't want to give him away, but then I wouldn't have had a gift to bring to the baby shower...

Again, my mark in the butt.

Hooded frog towels

These are the first of a line of hooded bath and beach towels that I would like to make (if I ever get around to it).  I actually stayed up all night making these (along with other things) the night before I went into labor with my baby-boy-Charlie.  I made four at once with the idea of using them as gifts some day, but right now they are still sitting in the back of my closet...  I didn't plan who I will be giving them to, so if your child receives one, act surprised like you've never seen them before!