Diddle Daddle Designs

African Flower Hexagon Blanket

2012-01-25T11:49:00.001-06:00

Just wanted to drop in to say hello to everyone who stops by my blog. It's been fairly busy around here as school has started back. Homeschooling takes up a big part of the day.

I am making progress on my blanket. I haven't counted but I think I have around 100 flowers finished. I'm going to start putting them together just to get an idea of how many more I need. I really like the colors. What do you think about them?

1st Completed Project of 2012

2012-01-06T10:32:00.001-06:00

I finished my first project yesterday. This is 1 of 3 that I have been working on. I started this owl pillow on January 2 and finished him yesterday, January 5. Not too bad. My daughter wanted this for her dorm to go along with the African flower hexagon blanket I'm working on. She named him Al the Owl. Hehe.

This was an easy project from a leaflet I found at JoAnns before Christmas. I left off the wings because that's what DD wanted. The stitches used (dc in one space followed by ss in the next stitch) created a bobbly texture. Just perfect for the owl. Also the section of fpdc added a nice effect too. I so enjoy projects that look more complicated than they actually are.

First Granny Square of the Year

2012-01-04T16:00:00.001-06:00

Just finished my first granny square for 2012 and my first one for "A Granny A Day". You can find more info in the sidebar on the right. Why don't you join in?

The granny is not my first project of the year. I'll share more about that later. I've got a few minutes so I need to do some hooking.

Back To Our Regularly Scheduled Program, I mean Routine

2012-01-03T07:46:00.001-06:00

After almost two weeks of holiday celebrating, it's time to return to normal. We spent about a week visiting family in New Jersey, had beautiful weather then started back home in the south and encountered icy, snowy, wet weather. Yuck. We ended up staying overnight about 3 hours from home because the roads were not safe to continue. As I type this, we are in the car traveling the last bit of the trip.

Home is always Home Sweet Home.

Below is a picture of my kids at a beautiful stream in Pennsylvania.

Happy New Year 2012

2011-12-31T08:48:00.000-06:00

I hope each of you had a very Merry Christmas!!!! We did and are currently visiting family in New Jersey. I wanted to pop in and wish you all a Very Happy New Year. 2012, can you believe it? I remember when the calendar was going to read 2000. All the talk of computer crashes, etc. For most, I think, the turning of the calendar pages from 1999 to 2000 was smooth sailing. Now we are turning the page to 2012. May your new year be filled with love, peace, joy and all the goodness of God.

Quick Gift

2011-12-19T18:04:00.001-06:00

It's that time of year. You know, when we are down to the last few days before the BIG Day. Time to finish up all the shopping and rest. I'm not there yet but almost.

If you're in need of a quick, easy gift, I've got one for you. How about initialed hand towels? I really enjoy these around my home. Whenever I purchase new towels, I like to embellish them with our initial. All you need is purchased hand towels, Heat N Bond Lite or any other appliqué adhesive, a small piece of coordinating fabric (I used a piece of a vintage sheet), your computer to print a letter out (don't forget to set the printer in mirror image), an iron and a sewing machine.

Trace the letter onto the adhesive, iron it onto your appliqué fabric, cut it out, center it onto your towel and press. Now you're ready to stitch it down. I use a blanket stitch but you could use a zig zag or whatever stitch you are comfortable with. If you haven't appliquéd before, practice a little before working on your towel. I promise you can do it. That's all there is to it. Now you have a personalized gift and it was so easy.

Sock sock, Christmas Sock

2011-12-12T11:22:00.001-06:00

Just giddy!!! I just finished my first Christmas sock using Lemondesucrette's pattern. I'm using mine for gift cards.

Happy Wednesday

2011-12-07T14:38:00.001-06:00

Wednesday, yes the middle of the week or hump day. We woke up to a drizzly rain snowy day. No accumulation. Just Christmas like weather. The sun is trying to peek out now.

Saturday night, we attended a candlelight service at a cemetery. Every grave was lit with luminaries. It was soooo pretty.

Also, I've updated my Etsy shop with a few more items. You can get there from the link on the right. To get 10% off, enter DECEMBERREWARDS.

Blog Love

2011-12-01T10:37:00.001-06:00

This morning I came across the blog Everything Etsy. Go visit. One of the lists she has compiled is Handmade Ornaments. There are several other lists of tutorials you might want to take a look at. http://www.everythingetsy.com/

First Quilt

2011-11-30T09:40:00.001-06:00

Yesterday I was pulling out more decorations and found this little quilt. This was the first quilt I ever made. I remember very clearly making it. I had so many blocks made with high hopes of it becoming a bed quilt. Being a beginner my blocks did not all end up the same size. I had a lot to learn about 1/4" seam allowances. I opted for a small wallhanging or tabletopper. And the way I put the binding on!! I had no idea about mitered corners. Actually, hand sewing the binding down on quilts is one of my favorite parts. It is so relaxing to me. That has been over ten years ago. Unfortunately, I didn't know the importance of labeling my quilts so there is no date on it. Even with all the quirky wonkiness of this little quilt, it will always be special to me.

Good Tuesday

2011-11-29T09:56:00.001-06:00

Happy Tuesday!! It was a little hard to get back in the routine of things after the long weekend. For the past few days it has been very cloudy and rainy here. This morning we woke up to a little falling snow, it wasn't sticking but it was pretty.

I finished up this scarf last night and will add it to the shop today. Ireally like these ruffle scarfs.

I just saw a bumper sticker that read "If nothing changes, Nothing changes". Got me to thinking. Seems so simple but really those five words are quite profound.

TA DAH

2011-11-28T09:31:00.001-06:00

I put this wreathy man together yesterday. It's my version of this. This was a simple project. I used floral wire to attach the wreaths together. Purchased the gloves and hat for less than $4. Made the pom pom for the top of the hat. He had to have a pom pom. :) Hot glued the hat and gloves on. Wrapped a flannel piece of fabric around his neck and TA DAH, he was ready. Are you pinning yet? If not, you may want to check it out. www.pinterest.com. There should be a warning attached though. ADDICTING. I would suggest setting a timer for yourself. Otherwise, you could be there longer than you planned. Also don't forget the sale going on in my Etsy shop. Today is the last day to receive 10% off your purchase using the coupon code LEFTOVERS.Have a great day and wonderful week. We actually have snow in the forecast this week.

Spreading JOY

2011-11-26T11:15:00.001-06:00

One of my family's favorite parts of Christmas is the yard decorating. Me and daughter do not participate in the actual decorating but we enjoy the fruits of the labor of husband (dad) and son (brother). Actually I do participate a little as decoration director. (I tell them where to put everything).

This year we added another yard decoration. I've been super excited to put this out since last Christmas. My father in law made it for their yard but gave it to me last year. Yes, he is a master wood genius. His work is beautiful!!! So, this year JOY stands right in the center of my front yard spreading the Reason for the Season. It is spotlighted at night. This reminds me of the star that led the shepherds to see the Baby Jesus. The Messiah had come.

Every year our yard is lit up with lots of lights and yard decorations. It is my family's gift to our neighbors and any who pass by. As a kid, I remember being so excited for the night that we went "looking at lights". You may give cookies, candies or other gifts to your neighbors, maybe you decorate your yard, whatever it is, spread the JOY of the season. JESUS is the Real Joy.

Sales, Sales & More Sales

2011-11-25T09:03:00.001-06:00

I hope your Thanksgiving was as wonderful as ours. We have had a lot of changes in our lives this year. As we reflect back over 2011, our family can truly say GOD is so good to us. It could sound like a cliche, but it's from deep within my heart, GOD is so good!!This is the first year that I didn't get up with the chickens to hit the stores. I did, however, go to Walmart at 10:00 last night to get the Paula Deen cookware they had on sale. Did I get it? No, actually I made my way around the store and that was not an easy task, called my husband who was parking the car and then exited the building. I think the whole town was in there. No kidding. I have never seen that store so busy. There were lines everywhere. It would have taken two hours to check out. Even though I wasn't willing to wait that long, many people were with shopping carts overflowing. It was a good sight. I hope today helps business small and large alike.Don't forget the sale going on in my Etsy shop. 10% off everything in the store using coupon code LEFTOVERS. the great thing is, you don't even have to leave your house.

Happy Thanksgiving

2011-11-23T16:51:00.002-06:00

I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. Enjoy everything about the day. We have so much to be thankful for. As I mentioned in my last post, my shoppe will be participating in Black Friday and Cyber Monday. I am offering 10% off to my blog readers. All you need to do is enter LEFTOVERS in the coupon code. The sale will run from 12:00 a.m. Friday morning until 11:59 p.m. Monday night. The dates are November 25 through November 28.

Happy Tuesday

2011-11-22T15:26:00.001-06:00

Well, Thanksgiving is less than 48 hours away. Have you started your cooking? I'm sure some of you have especially if you are responsible for the turkey. My mom does most of the cooking for our Thanksgiving celebration. Everybody else brings a few things to compliment. If your family is like ours, the same things appear on the menu every year. I'm not complaining, because all of those dishes are some of my favorites and Thanksgiving is the only time I eat them. Things like my mom's cornbread dressing. So moist and seasoned perfectly. Dumplings just like my Nannie used to make. Sweet potato casserole so delicious it really is a dessert. There are many other favorites too but I'm getting hungry just typing them. I found a few recipes that I would like to try this year between now and Christmas.

A couple of things that I wanted to mention, first I took the plunge and am officially a Tweeter. So if you tweet, come follow me and I am happy to follow you too. You can find me here:

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The other thing, I've been updating my Etsy shoppe with some new items. I hope you will pop over. You might find something you really like. Starting Friday through Monday, I'm going to join in on the Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales. I will post more information Thursday night. The picture above and below are two of things recently added.

Don't forget to drop back in Thursday night for more information about the sale.

Nap Time

2011-11-20T15:00:00.001-06:00

The best day for naps is SUNDAY afternoon especially a rainy  cloudy  Sunday. I'm not the only one who thinks so.

I hope you enjoy your Sunday too!!

Making Me Smile

2011-11-17T09:49:00.001-06:00

It really doesn't take much to make me smile. Basically, I'm a simple sort of girl. Two things bringing a  to my face today.

1. Our sweet little dog, Maisy, as she sits looking out the window barking at all the doggie passerbys.

2. A new tube of Mary Kay foundation. Arrived in perfect time and I purchased for a fantastic price.

See, I told you I was simple.

Paper Stitching

2011-11-15T12:07:00.001-06:00

As a girl, I used those embroidery cards with holes punched in. Instead of crayons, it was all the wonderful colors in floss or maybe it was yarn. I don't know why, but something about pulling the string in and out of the holes was very intriguing. Even today, paper stitching is fun to me. These days I do this by machine. This morning I made these gift tags using simple supplies. Paper, thread, ribbon, and bits of fabric. I even crocheted small circles for the top of the tags. I made a star for one too.

Just downloaded Pandora to my IPad. Have you tried it?

Gray, Butter Yellow and Ivory

2011-11-14T17:59:00.001-06:00

Yummy colors on the hook today. Looks like it could be a ripple blanket but its not. This will be a scarf. I really like this color combination. How about you?

After seeing everyone's pins, I've requested an invite to Pinterest. I like the way you can categorize pictures that inspire you. I never seem to be able to remember where I saw that special project that I wanted to try next. Tell me I'm not the only one. I think it is because there are so many wonderful places of inspiration.

One more thing for today, do you tweet? I'm thinking of opening a Twitter account but would like some input first. If you would like to tell, I would love to hear your experience and how you use Twitter.

Bye for now. Have a great day!!

Christmas Spirit

2011-11-14T07:22:00.001-06:00

Yes, it's true, Christmas decorating has begun here at our house. I know, I know, Thanksgiving is still more than a week away. I'm excited about Thanksgiving too but I figure we can enjoy both and not have the hectic Friday that usually follows Thanksgiving Day. All the decorations haven't come out but the family tree is up. Last Friday was such a fun day. Me and my son surprised my husband and daughter by getting the tree up. We turned the Christmas music on and started the assembly. Such memories pulling out the handmade ornaments from year's gone by. My son says to not use those but that's not happening.

On the crochet sewing (yes, I did say sewing) front, these are a few of my projects. My daughter, a junior at Western Kentucky University, is a member of Future Educators of America. There is a tree competition on campus tomorrow and all the groups, fraternities, sororities, etc. decorate an outdoor tree. Dear daughter asked me to make a tree skirt for their tree.

The theme for FEA this year is "A Big Red Christmas". Big Red being WKU's mascot must take center stage. This is how it turned out. I'm pleased and daughter is too. Mission accomplished. This project took at least 10 hours because of the appliqué involved. I think 10 hours is actually on the conservative side. Planning, tracing, ironing, cutting and stitching.

On my hook lately has been a hat, some scarfs and bookmarks.

Did you see this post today? Aren't they cuuuuute? I think Angie is going to write a pattern for them. Be sure to pop over and look. Happy Week!!!! Thanks for dropping by.

So Neglected

2011-10-21T09:32:00.002-05:00

Sunny Spread blanket
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

This little space has been so neglected. An entire summer has slipped by since the last post. I hope to do better.

This is one of my last completed projects. I used the Sunny Spread pattern over at Ravelry for this one. This blanket was a baby shower gift. Odd colors but the nursery was done in a jungle/monkey theme. It matched perfectly. I so so enjoy this pattern. If you haven't seen it or given it a try, you should. It's easy and the results are so pleasing.

Bye for now.

Whatcha been doing in the crafty department?

2011-04-19T10:05:00.002-05:00

Crochet Afghan
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

In the crafting department this is what I have been doing. Putting this beauty together, along with a few others. You can click on the picture for more information. These blankets are a labor of love. Although I'm thinking LABOR is not really the right word. I sometimes think of LABOR as not an enjoyable thing. Not so for this endeavor. Each blanket is covered with much much prayer and lots of love. We expect wonderful, to God be the glory testimonies as a result of these blankets.

I have to thank Sue of SIBOL for the inspiration. Not familiar with SIBOL? Google and you will find her. You will be inspired too.

Via Flickr:
This is our 4th blanket for our Hands of Kindness group.

Please visit our blog at www.handsofkindnesscrochet.blogspot.com

The Basics Charity Challenge

2011-03-08T08:17:00.002-06:00

On February 22, I posted about The Basics Charity Challenge. I wanted to give a little update. My kids were out of town until last night so yesterday was a great day to meet with the local advocate for one of the domestic violence shelters in the area. I delivered a bunch of stuff. Use those coupons ladies. I do wish I would have taken a picture. No exaggeration here, I probably delivered at least $300 dollars worth of groceries for no more than a total cost of $50 to me and BFF. What a blessing to be able to do that. No kudos to us because anybody can do it.

I was so honored that the director allowed me to actually visit the shelter. She gave me a tour and we chatted for about an hour. I am in awe of the work they do. I was so impressed with every aspect. It's way more than putting a bandaid on a problem. One thing encouraging is that they are trying to educate teenagers to prevent them from finding themselves in a domestic violence situation. She brought things to my attention that I had never thought of. I consider myself to be well aware of dangers to our young people as I have two teenagers and am a very involved parent. My daughter who turns 20 this month now appreciates my "very involved parent" role. My son who will turn 15 in April thinks I'm a too involved parent. That doesn't deter me at all. In a few short years, his opinion will change. Also, my husband and I are youth ministers at our church. This alone causes us to be aware. Both roles, parents and youth ministers leads us to much prayer and involvement. I'm not sure why I said all of that but I did and will close with this, Parents Be Involved. Know what they are looking at. Know what is coming through that phone. Know who they are communicating with on Facebook and Myspace. Those forms of communication can be very dangerous to your children. Remember, You are the Parent, not the nosy neighbor.

I don't normally use my blog for such serious matters but after speaking to the shelter director I felt I really should for this post.

My Current Work In Progress

2011-03-05T09:00:00.002-06:00

japan flowers
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

This is my newest project. This will be ongoing for quite a while. When finished, it will be a bed coverlet to brighten up a very drab gray room. These Japanese flowers have been popping up everywhere. They are very quick and easy. The pattern is an easy one to memorize too. A little blooming has taken place since this picture but not too much. I will snap photos here and there to share my progress.

A Tug At My Heart

2011-02-22T17:22:00.003-06:00

This morning I came across this blog and her challenge and experienced a tugging of my heart. I knew this was something I wanted to participate in.

I am an avid couponer and this sort of thing is why I spend the time that I do sorting and cutting. Me and my BFF Angie (no blog) have been able to combine our goods and bless so many people. We have literally given away hundreds of dollars of food and personal items over the last year. Oh my goodness, it has been so fun and worth all of the time put into it. I hear so many people say that they don't have time to coupon. I used to say that too. But everytime I have the opportunity to give to someone else, it makes all the time worth it.

After reading about the challenge, I contacted a local advocate. I am awaiting her response now. It looks to me a lot of bloggers are getting involved with this challenge. Please go over and read about it. I think it will tug at your heart too.

If you don't clip coupons, this may be a good incentive.

Ladybug Baby Gift

2011-02-17T10:08:00.003-06:00

Ladybug Baby Gift
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

This is my most recent completed project. I always enjoy projects with a theme. The theme for this one was ladybugs. The ladybug antennae were a little challenging but overall I'm pleased. It was very exciting when I received the invitation and all the colors were what I had picked out.

We have had spring-like weather around here for the last few days. I think it might be a little too early to get spring fever.

My heart is so full

2011-02-14T11:46:00.004-06:00

My heart is so full
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!!

Today we celebrate the day of love, enjoying the romance and the joy of being loved.

On the other hand, as I celebrate this day with my loved ones, I am mindful of those who may not feel they have a reason to celebrate. To you, I offer the greatest love story ever told - the day when Christ redeemed us from all sin, and we are made alive in Him to live, to love, and to rejoice! Here are two scriptures that remind me of this redeeming love:

Jeremiah 31:3 - "The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, [saying], Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee."

John 3:16 - "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life."

Purple Ruffly Scarf

2011-01-11T16:11:00.002-06:00

Purple Ruffly Scarf
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

Don't you like it when a project looks more time consuming than it really is?

This scarf came together QUICK!!!!!

Fox

2011-01-07T20:20:00.002-06:00

Fox
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

I admire all of the amigurumi creations on Flickr and Ravelry. They are just soooooo cute. Today I was able to finish up this little guy. He is the third animal I have made from patterns from this Etsy seller. This one is my favorite. I didn't get pictures of the other two for some reason. One was a dog and the other a bear. All have a special home that they will move to but not quite yet.

Have you tried amigurumi? Haven't the slightest idea what amigurumi is?

This is one explanation that I found. Amigurumi is the Japanese art of crocheting small animals or toys. The dolls are done in single crochet in the round. The rounds are never joined, instead being worked in a spiral. Amigurumi are made up of parts that are crocheted, stuffed and sewn together.

Happy New Year

2011-01-04T08:13:00.007-06:00

I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. We certainly did. We spent time with friends and family in the days leading up to Christmas. After Christmas we traveled to Pennsylvania and New Jersey right behind the winter storm that they received on December 27. It is always so much fun when you get to do things with people that you would normally not have the opportunity. Like sledding down the hill at DeSales University. It was so fun.

Seeing my husband use the snow blower in his parents' driveway and my son shoveling the driveway with his cousins.

Being from the south, this is something we never do. Actually I have never seen that much snow. It was beautiful.

I'm a little late in getting this posted but I wanted to share our advent calendar after all of the ornaments were hung.

Here's a closeup:

Now it's time to pack up all the decorations. Usually I'm ready for them to be taken down but not this year. Nevertheless, they go into hibernation until next November.

Sneaking A Peek

2010-12-01T07:54:00.003-06:00

I was able to snap a photo of the marathon project I worked on over the weekend. I can say now it is FINISHED. Yipppeeeee. I do hope it is loved and enjoyed.

Today is December 1. One ornament goes up today on the Advent Tree.

Busy But Fun Fun Fun

2010-11-29T09:23:00.004-06:00

I hope all of you had a wonderful thankful Thanksgiving. We did. It was a busy 4 days with cooking, celebrating, decorating, shopping, more decorating, sewing, wrapping and yes, more decorating. Oh, I do feel so accomplished. In between my sewing, I was wrapping. I put myself on a pace of a row of sewing, a wrapping of a gift. It made both processes more enjoyable. My sewing time is very limited these days but I'm working on a project that I needed to make substantial progress on this weekend. And progress I made. I am down to the final two steps, sewing the binding on and hand stitching it down. If you're a quilter, you probably recognize that as being a quilt. You are partially right. This project has all the quilting elements, fabric, blocks, batting, backing and binding but will not be used as a quilt. That's all I need to say about it for now. Maybe I'll show a sneak peak next time.

We really enjoy Christmas decorating around here. Most of the inside decorations consist of trees. Trees of different sorts, wooden, thin pencil trees, medium sized trees and of course the large window tree. Every tree is decorated and lit differently. I guess my enjoyment of the trees is what led me to create our advent tree wallhanging this year. Which in two days will begin to be decorated with mini ornaments. Oh, I'm so excited. My kids will receive their annual advent gift of a Hallmark ornament. My daughter's is a Cinderella dressed in her beautiful blue gown. My son's is a guitar as his new passion is playing guitar or bass for Jesus. I am so proud of him. Giving every portion of our live's to Him. Yes, that is really the REASON for Today and Everyday.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-24T13:18:00.002-06:00

I'm in the kitchen today as probably most of you are if you live in the U.S. Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day here in the states.

It's raining here, perfect cooking weather. The Christmas music is playing and candles are burning. Ooops, my walnut pie just got a little too brown. I better get off of here and pay closer attention to my oven.

I do wish you a very Happy Day of THANKS. We do have much to be thankful for.

Keeping Warm With Granny

2010-11-20T08:51:00.005-06:00

This is my latest finish. A granny square scarf. I love the softness of the colors. Sort of reminds me of cotton candy. I don't usually use this color palette but seeing all of the green, pink and yellow pea coats that are so popular right now inspired me. Even though most of those coats are more brighter shades of pink, green and yellow. I'm seeing this scarf with a creamy white, pink or yellow sweater. Note the word CREAMY. Makes me think of creamy butter or creamy mac and cheese.

Simple enough to make, as the whole thing is just grannies with two single crochet edgings topped with a bobble edge (from Lucy). One other Lucy inspiration is the way I put the whole thing together. Joining As I Go. It took me a few minutes to really comprehend but WOW, what a time saver. Thanks Lucy, you have brought so much hooky inspiration to so many of us.

Why Didn't I Think Of That?

2010-11-19T07:45:00.004-06:00

For all of you crocheters and knitters, this came to my email from Lion Brand. In case you didn't see it, here it is:

When working a pattern I put each row on a 3x5 file card. As I work each row I put that card in the back and work the next row. This is very convenient for complex patterns.
- MaryEllen B.

Wish I could say I thought of that one. You can be sure I will be using it. I will be putting my cards on a spiral ring as well to keep them all in one place.

Giveaway Winner

2010-11-15T17:18:00.002-06:00

CoNGraTuLaTions to Lori. She was the winner of my giveaway. Thanks to everyone who participated. As soon as I hear from Lori, I will be putting her prizes in the mail.

Christmas Quilt Reveal

2010-11-15T09:54:00.007-06:00

Yesterday I showed you a sneak peak at what I had been working on. Today, the whole thing. Sorry for the bad pictures. Not the best days for pictures. In the above picture, the binding was on but not sewn down. The binding is completely finished now. I am really happy with the way this turned out. Just wish the pictures were better.

It's a Christmas Tree Advent Wallhanging. Everyday, starting December 1, another ornament will be hung until the last one is added on December 24. Every year, I try to do something a little different for our Christmas Countdown. This is what I came up with this year. I like it and it especially makes me warm and fuzzy inside thinking about the fact that this little piece of art will hopefully become a family heirloom.

Note to self: Put a label on the back. Hmmmmmmmmm. I really should do that now before I forget. What about you, do you always remember the label? The documentation is so important.

I participating in SewGalCal's Christmas Quilt Show.

A Sneak Peak

2010-11-14T22:01:00.004-06:00

A sneak peak at something I am working on.

Since the picture was taken, I have finished the applique and most of the stipple quilting. It's just about ready for the binding. As soon as I finish I'll share a full picture.

If you haven't signed up for my giveaway, you have just a bit more time before the drawing.

Giveaway Time

2010-11-10T07:53:00.004-06:00

Time for a Giveaway. I do hope you will comment to be entered into the drawing. I am leaving it open until Monday a.m.

The winner will receive this lovely pillowcase made from a vintage sheet with crochet trim. I must say these beauties are showing up all over my house.

The second part of the prize will be three crocheted potholders/hot pads. One representing Fall, Christmas and Winter.

To enter, all you need to do is leave a comment on this post. Make sure I can reach you by email.

Be sure to tell your friends.

Upcycling

2010-11-03T13:10:00.005-05:00

I finished another pillowcase made from a vintage sheet. I was really excited about this one because the floral pattern at the edge is really beautiful. I wanted to be able to preserve it and use it on the pillowcase. Fortunately, I was able to do that. The sheet had some tears but I was able to work around those. For the finishing touch, I added more crochet trim in a buttery yellow thread.

Using up some more of my sheet scraps, I made this mug rug. What is a mug rug? It's something like a coaster but a little larger. Just the right size for your coffee or tea and a cookie or two. I made this one using the cup as my inspiration. I have put this little treasure in my shop.

I am thinking of doing a giveaway next week. This giveaway will include the above pillowcase and a few crocheted kitchen accessories. Interested? Please please please check back next week.

Linking with:

Blue Cricket Design Show and Tell

Someday Crafts

Vintage Sheet Pillowcase & Sew & Tell

2010-10-14T19:53:00.005-05:00

Vintage Sheet Pillowcase
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

Another project using vintage bed linens. A pillowcase with crochet edging.

There are so many projects that can be made with bed linens but pillowcases are instant gratification. There is a fantastic tutorial over at You Go Girl's blog.

I'm linking with Sew & Tell. Go check out all of the wonderful projects over there.

Shop Update

2010-10-14T07:40:00.003-05:00

Cutting and stripping, cutting and stripping, that's what I've being doing in my spare time.

Yesterday I was able to get a couple of things in the shop. I do hope you will take a look. More coming very soon.

Dont Miss This Giveaway

2010-10-13T07:38:00.002-05:00

Karen over at Badland Quilts is hosting a giveaway for the Accuquilt GO! Cutter. Today is the last day to get entered. Hmmmm, maybe I shouldn't be telling you about this as it reduces my chances of winning, hehe. Just kidding. Don't miss out.

Hello

2010-10-12T19:06:00.004-05:00

Hello!!! It's been almost a month since I last posted to this neglected blog. Just like you, life has been busy and unfortunately, my little blog takes a back seat.

I've had to take a little break from my crocheting but I will be back with the yarn and hook in my hand. Something about the hook and yarn gliding through my fingers is so relaxing to me. While taking a break, I took some time to do a little sewing. I was able to put together this quilt top using some of my favorite fabric, aka, vintage bed linens. I have made several quilts using bed sheets as the backing but I wanted to do something different this time. I chose this simple pattern using 5" squares. This top went together very quickly. Now I just need to quilt it up. It's not very big, 40 1/2" square. I should be able to manage this using my sewing machine. I don't usually enjoy the quilting process and usually send them out to be quilted but I'm going to do this one. I will probably do an all over meandering. But first, I will need to do a little practice. My quilting skills have become very rusty. I do love how they look when they are finished and put in the washer for their quilted goodness to really shine. This little quilt will probably be used as a table topper.

My stash of bed linens continues to grow so I've decided to cut some of them up into fat quarters and squares. I also have a few sheets that I just cannot bring myself to cut into. These would make perfect backings, totes, pajama pants, table napkins, etc. Oh, the possibilities. It makes me giddy thinking of all the crafty goodness that can be done with these vintage treasures. I figure you might want to enjoy some of these too so I will be making them available in my Etsy shop within the next day or two.

I would be interested to know if you use vintage linens and some of your ideas.

Granny Goodness

2010-09-13T07:53:00.001-05:00

Granny-Potholder-7
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

I'm thinking Christmas, gifts in particular. What about you? Has your crafting turned that way yet?

This Will Definitely Change Your Perspective....It Certainly Did Mine

2010-07-24T10:31:00.005-05:00

This poem was shared last Sunday at church. It so stirred me that I wanted to share it with you.

If I Knew

by: Norma Cornett Marek

If I knew it would be the last time

that I'd see you fall asleep,

I would tuck you in more tightly

and pray the Lord, your soul to keep.

If I knew it would be the last time

that I see you walk out the door,

I would give you a hug and kiss

and call you back for one more.

If I knew it would be the last time

I'd hear your voice lifted up in praise,

I would video tape each action and word,

so I could play them back day after day.

If I knew it would be the last time,

I could spare an extra minute

to stop and say "I love you,"

instead of assuming you would know I do.

If I knew it would be the last time

I would be there to share your day,

Well I'm sure you'll have so many more,

so I can let just this one slip away.

For surely there's always tomorrow

to make up for an oversight,

And we always get a second chance

to make everything just right.

There will always be another day

to say "I love you,"And certainly there's another chance

to say our "Anything I can do?"

But just in case I might be wrong,

and today is all I get,

I'd like to say how much I love you

and I hope we never forget.

Tomorrow is not promised to anyone,

young or old alike,

And today may be the last chance

you get to hold your loved one tight.

So if you're waiting for tomorrow,

why not do it today?

For if tomorrow never comes,

you'll surely regret the day,

That you didn't take that extra time

for a smile, a hug, or a kiss

And you were too busy to grant someone,

what turned out to be their one last wish.

So hold your loved ones close today,

and whisper in their ear,

Tell them how much you love them

and that you'll always hold them dear

Take time to say "I'm sorry," "Thank you," "Please forgive me," or "It's okay."

And if tomorrow never comes,

you'll have no regrets about today.

Fruit Bowl

2010-07-08T09:22:00.005-05:00

Not a real fruit bowl but a bunch of yarn reminding me of a large fruit bowl filled with watermelon, cantelope, cherries, white and red grapes, mango, bananas and pineapple chunks. Summertime refreshment for sure. But the fruit bowl I'm talking about is my latest project. It's another crocheted rug made with fruity colors especially red and yellow. You know, I've been partial to those colors as of late. I'm making this rug from Sugar and Creme cotton yarn. Two strands held together, single crocheted in the round. I'm adding a new stitch every other row. Everytime I sit down to work on this, it just makes me smile. I do wish I could offer you some real fruit but this picture will just have to do.

I made one of these rugs in August 2009. Different colors and different yarn. I made that rug from acrylics which is not really suitable for rugs even with two strands unless you don't mind straightening up all the time. So this rug has turned into a blanket. The whole family loves it for its warmth and snuggly heaviness. It has been used a lot and it still looks great. I think my fruit bowl will be a little more suitable for a rug. The cotton is much for substantial.

Next on my large project agenda, I really really really want to give a t-shirt yarn rug a try.

Pinwheeling

2010-07-01T11:40:00.008-05:00

I thought I would show you one of my latest projects.

We have a 33 X 18 above ground pool with a full deck around it. The deck is very large. Nice for entertaining but all the wood can be very boring to look at. I have pots of flowers around but my thumb is not always green. To add color, I made these pinwheels out of scrap fabric and posterboard. The posterboard makes them very sturdy. They will only last for the season because of the elements but that's okay, we will enjoy them while they last. We have had one good rain and it didn't seem to bother them at all. Unfortunately, they don't spin. :(

Linking to:

Thrifty Thursday

Favorite Friday

Feature Yourself Friday

Get Your Craft On

Make It Yours

Porch Pictures Finally

2010-06-26T15:43:00.004-05:00

We finally got the fallen tree out of the front yard so I snapped a couple of pictures of the porch. I am so pleased with this project.

Porch Projects

2010-06-16T07:20:00.010-05:00

I think I've finished my porch projects. I hope to get a picture of the whole porch soon. We had heavy winds a few nights ago and lost part of a tree. :( The tree fell right in front of the porch.

I painted this old can black and had a yellow vinyl letter "A" made from a local embroidery shop. It's my understanding if you own a Cricut machine, you can print these yourself. The black adds a special punch to all the red and yellow.

I also made this red and yellow yarn wreath to adorn my front door.

My mom asked me to make a wreath for her to give as a gift for a friend of her's. This was the finished product. So cheery and full of summer brightness.

These pictures were taken with my IPhone. While my IPhone takes great pictures for a phone, they are not the best for my blog. But, oh well, the phone was handy.

Linking to:

Trendy Treehouse
Show and Tell Wednesday
Spotlight Yourself Wednesday
Look What I Made

Loving the Red and Yellow

2010-06-08T09:43:00.007-05:00

We have a somewhat large front porch. It extends the whole front portion of the main part of the house. I've had furniture out there but the cushions were rather dull and did nothing for the curb appeal. My mom recently made me the water can flower arrangement sitting between the two chairs. She mentioned that I should add some more yellow out there. Mothers always know best, right? But I couldn't just stick with yellow, oh no, there had to be some red too. I was going for the POP. I really enjoy bright colors and the front porch was the perfect place to use some of them. Remember in my last post I said there was a surprise. See the appliqued tree on the middle pillow. I ran across the tree idea from Cluck, Cluck, Sew. This was something I just had to do.

Also remember this:

I liked it at first, but I like this soooooooo much better.

I'm still working on a few more projects, ie. a yarn wreath. Yes, I just could not resist. And we have an old watering can that will be painted. Still deciding on the color. I'm going to put a large "A" monogram on the front of it too. Pictures of those projects as they are finished.

Participating in: Show and Tell Wednesday

Pillows and Cushions

2010-06-05T08:57:00.007-05:00

I just finished two chair cushions for our outdoor wicker furniture. Now, I just need to make three pillows for the love seat. The furniture is white and really needed something added to it to give it some pizaaz. How about yellow and red? Yep, that should do the trick. It is so satisfying to use up some of my fabric stash. The only cost involved with this project is the three pillow forms. For the cushions, I just covered the old cushions. Two of the pillows will be yellow, the other red with a surprise. I can't show you yet because they are not finished. We have a wind issue here in my neck of the woods, so I'm going to add a bag of something (not sure what yet) to the inside of the pillows to keep them from blowing away. Ask me how I know I need to do this?

Nothing quite like a cheap redo that looks like it cost much more than it really did. But who has to know? I'm not telling, oops, I guess I just did, hehehe.

Another Wreath

2010-06-02T07:57:00.003-05:00

On Saturday, I had some free time at home. What did I do? I made another wreath. I'm not sure why I like making these but I do. Maybe it's the combination of yarn, fabric and felt all combined together.

For some reason, I'm having troubles getting good clear pictures of these. If you look very close, you can see a tiny dragonfly on the flower below the bird, the unexpected. Something you don't notice right away but upon closer inspection you see it and it makes you smile.

What I've Been Doing

2010-05-29T10:42:00.005-05:00

Wrapping up the end of the school year has consumed a LOT of my time. I wanted to show you a few gifts I have made.

First, I made this wreath as "Thank You" gift for my son's English teacher.

A couple of graduation gifts using inspiration from here. Do you ever feel GRRRRRRRRRR? Why didn't I take pictures before I wrapped these up.

Glass cloches with portions of the graduation invitation nested inside with bling, bling, bling.

You really can't tell from these pictures, but these are adorable.

Happy Monday

2010-05-10T08:21:00.007-05:00

wreath
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

Happy Monday!!!! I hope you had a fantastic weekend and all of you Moms a wonderful Mother's Day. I was truly gift blessed this year from my husband and children. I'm not a person that has to receive gifts to know that they love me, but the gifts were certainly a wonderful gesture. Thank you honey, Hannah and Daniel. I love you!!!!

I hope to be returning to a regular blogging schedule. I have really missed making regular posts.

I have been doing some crafting during my absence though. One of the things that I've made is this wreath. This was such a fun project, combining some of my favorite craft techniques, crochet, covered buttons and yoyos. Another great thing about this project, it used up some of my yarn, fabric and button stash. I think I'm seeing more of these on my craft to-do list.

Linking to:

Made it Monday

Just Checking In

2010-05-07T08:31:00.003-05:00

I realized that it had been three weeks since I posted to my blog. Bad, bad, bad, I know. Life has been busy and unfortunately my blog is what gets neglected. I did want to hop on and say hello and tell you to have a wonderful weekend.

Busy Bee Garden Yard Flag for Mom

2010-04-13T19:11:00.009-05:00

My mom asked me to make her a small yard flag. She already knew what she wanted and had purchased the fabric. Not sure how this will do in the weather. I did spray it down with a water and stain protector. Hopefully that will protect it for a little while. The flag is much brighter than it is showing up in the picture. I just might have to make one for myself.

I'm joining in on these parties:

Birthday Cinnamon Buns

2010-04-12T17:01:00.005-05:00

After talking to a friend a few days ago, I was inspired to bring out my bread machine again. The majority of the time, the machine sits at the bottom of my pantry closet. I've had it for probably 10+ years. I go through bread making spurts. Over the weekend, I made Tomato Olive Bread, Cheddar Cheese Bread and for a very special young man's birthday, Cinnamon Rolls. With the help of the machine, I can get the dough ready the night before and have the rolls ready for the oven in the morning.

After the icing

I have made these several times over the years and they are so YUMMY. So yummy that mom (that's me) does not eat even one. Why? Because once I start, I can't stop.

Happy Birthday Daniel. I can't believe my little bud is 14.

Welcome Door Wreath

2010-04-08T07:36:00.005-05:00

I made this wreath earlier in the week. The only purchase was the styrofoam wreath and the little bird, everything else came from crafting supplies around the house. I really like the simplicity of it.

I'm linking with these parties:

Sprucing Up

2010-04-06T17:34:00.009-05:00

We've been busy with some spring spruce up projects. I finished these over the weekend.

House Number Pillows

The best thing about this project is that I had everything on hand. All you need to make your own is:

sewing machine with thread

pillow forms

fabric for pillow- I would've preferred to use burlap but didn't have any around

fabric for number

Heat N Bond Ultrahold

Number pattern - I used my Microsoft Word program to create my pattern

I really like how these turned out. They give a very unique look to the front porch.

I'm linking to:

Molly The Owl

2010-03-26T08:00:00.001-05:00

Video clips at Ustream

I ran across this today and thought some of you homeschool moms or teachers might be interested. This is a live feed of Molly the Owl.

Designer WOW will return next Friday.

Fabric Note Cards

2010-03-24T13:26:00.003-05:00

I don't really talk about my Etsy shop very much. Mostly because I don't update it often because of time constraints. Recently, I've taken some time to make up several sets of note cards from my abundant fabric stash. Most of the sets are postcard/notecard style, fabric on one side and crisp white cardstock on the other. Perfect for sending a "thank you" or a simple "I was thinking of you today".

I do hope you will pop over and take a look.

Potholder Swap 2010

2010-03-21T00:00:00.001-05:00

Finally did my last bit of hooking for the Potholder Swap. Ready to put them in the mail on Monday a.m. As soon as I receive mine, I will show you. There are so many lovelies showing up on Flickr.

Weekend Wrap Up Part 3

2010-03-20T09:22:00.008-05:00

This past week has been the sort of week where I look back and wonder where the time went. We have been busy and I neglected my little space here.

I wanted to finish my Weekend Wrap Up from last weekend before last weekend became two weekends ago. Here are a few more pictures from the Bed & Breakfast that we stayed in.

The dining room table set for breakfast one morning. The food was delicious and the fellowship with the other weekend tenants was fantastic. We have stayed at probably 8-10 Bed & Breakfasts and we always meet the nicest people. On this trip, we met a couple from Minnesota that were in Nashville for a medical conference. Precious Christian people. What a nice time of fellowship we had with them on Saturday morning. Three other young women were staying there too for a girls getaway weekend. We had more time of fellowship with them on Sunday morning and they actually happened to be from around our neck of the woods. One of the ladies was a teacher and had a student recently transfer to the school that my son attends and is in his class. My my my, its a small world.

The landing at the top of the stairs showcased these adorable dollhouses.

This fireplace was in our room.

The fireplace is behind me in this picture. This room was huge.

Just to the left of the couch, was the bathroom where this beautiful claw foot tub was.

The picture below was outside our window.

I don't think I really captured the beauty of this house. If you are ever in the Eddyville, KY area and need a place to stay, I would highly recommend the Maple Hill Bed and Breakfast.

Look at how gorgeous this place is in the spring. I grabbed this picture from Bed and Breakfast.com.

We visited the National Quilt Museum in Paducah. A must see if you enjoy textile art. Unfortunately, I couldn't take pictures. Take my word for it, the quilts are STUNNING.

On a whim, we attended a play performance at what I would compare to a Children's or Youth Theatre. It was funny and quite cute.

We also had a delightful dinner at Patti's 1800 Settlement.

When we arrived, on top of our bed was a scrapbook with letters and cards from family and friends. My parents had also delivered a box of things that they were given at their 25th anniversary celebration. We laughed and had little moments of tears as we read through the scrapbook. We will treasure this book for many years to come.

The best thing about the whole weekend, I spent one on one time with my husband. Our days are so filled with day to day business, as you well know, that one on one time doesn't happen very much. Makes me look forward to the next time.

Thanks Hannah and Daniel, Mom and Dad, for a wonderful weekend. You truly blessed us.

Weekend Wrap Up Part 2

2010-03-17T09:19:00.009-05:00

Our children picked the Maple Hill Bed and Breakfast for our weekend stay. The house is stunning and the owners/host and hostess were so so hospitable.

As I told you before, it was built pre-civil war. The house sits atop a hill in a cove area. The owner told us that during the civil war you could probably see the gunboats coming down the river. The lady in the picture above the dress as well as her husband were the original owners. I don't know why I didn't snap his picture too. It was on the other side of the mirror.

This picture was taken in the entry way. This picture is part of the tiny slice that you see in the bottom right corner of the picture with the black dress. This table sits right in the middle of the entry way, giving you a gauge as to the size of this room.

Most of the older older homes that I have visited, feature this type of entry. To the left, was a sitting/living room filled to the brim with antiques. Oh, my, everytime you went in there was something new to see. Not only was there furniture pieces galore, but things like reading glasses, books, hats, a view finder (I should have taken a picture of this thing, my husband was quite fascinated with it). One very interesting item, was the wedding dress below. The lady who wore it must have been tiny in body frame and tiny in stature. It was lovely.

This piano stood immediately to the left of the wedding dress. Not the best picture but I was taking these with my IPhone.

In the picture below, the wedding dress and piano are behind me. This room was quite large as were most of the rooms.

Another view of this room.

That's all for today, Part 3 tomorrow.

Happy Anniversary, Honey

2010-03-16T10:43:00.004-05:00

glitter-graphics.com

On Saturday, March 16, 1985, I married the person that I fell in love with. Twenty five years later, I am still married to that person, but now I feel as though I really know what true love is.

Happy Anniversary John, I love you more today than I could have possibly imagined 25 years ago.

Weekend Wrap Up Part 1

2010-03-15T09:07:00.008-05:00

This weekend we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary. Actually, our anniversary isn't until tomorrow, March 16th, but our children and my parents blessed us with an early getaway gift. What a great time we had. My children know me so well. I say me because the place they picked reflects my tastes more than my husband's. He has never really showed any type of decorating interest. If I like it, he likes it, has always been his take on it. The only thing he has really expressed an opinion on over the years is "please, don't make our bedroom too flowery". So, I have honored that and our bedroom has always been what I would classify as gender neutral.

Back to our weekend. My children picked Maple Hill Bed and Breakfast. What a great choice. The house sits in a cove area. The lake surrounds at least 2 1/2 sides of the house. It was built pre-civil war. The owner shared with us that the original owner of the house was a doctor and lost the house because he was not able to pay the taxes. The next owner bought the house because he was involved in a building project for the KY State Penitentiary just about a mile down the road. He housed the builders there during the process.

Let me tell you, I am so grateful I know the GOD of peace because when we would return to the B&B in the evening, driving by the "lit up as in the day" prison, there was an eery feeling lingering over that place. The structure itself is very "castle like".

Wonder if these were employees?

This was our view as we came down the road.

Out of time for today :(, more tomorrow.

Designer WOW

2010-03-12T00:00:00.003-06:00

I have been so excited about this week's Designer WOW. I'm not even sure how I came across this designer but I do know when I saw her products, I was in awe. Without further delay, my pick for this week is MissPrettyPretty. Her specialty is card table playhouses.

These have to be the cutest things I have ever seen for imaginative play. When my kids were smaller, they made so many forts and playhouses with quilts draped over chairs. They would have had so much fun with one of these. As a parent and keeper of the home, one of the greatest things about these playhouses is the fact that you can just pull it off the top of the card table for quick and easy storage.

In MissPrettyPretty's own words:

*Promotes imaginative play. Deliver the mail to the mailbox! Water the flowers in the windowbox! Go apple picking at the tree! Peek through the windows and say hello to your friends! Play "house"! Use as an extra special space for quiet time, story time or even nap time. Excellent for "me myself time".

Teaches colors! What color is the parrot? What color are the ships sails? What color are the palm trees?

Teaches letter and number, name and address recognition with the personalized signs.

***********************************************************************

Have something else in mind, she takes custom orders too.

Please go over to her shop and take a look.

Miniature Crochet

2010-03-11T07:10:00.003-06:00

Just a reminder about Designer WOW tomorrow. I showed my daughter what tomorrow's feature was going to be and her response was, "Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwww, that is so cute." See, I told you. Cute and clever. I know I'm teasing you but only one more day. hehe.

I told you I was doing something special with my miniature crochet mockups. I've decided to highlight them on blank note cards. Handwritten notes are so special to receive. Of course, you don't have to use them, you could just display them. If you're interested, you will find these in my Etsy Shop.

WoooooHooooo

2010-03-09T08:09:00.009-06:00

glitter-graphics.com
I received permission from the designer for my Friday Designer WOW feature. Be sure to visit on Friday. Remember, this one's for the kids but I promise the kids at heart will squeal at such cuteness.

I've been assigned to the Oscar team for the Dancin Dishcloths swap on Ravelry. So, all those dishcloths I've been making will be traveling their way around the U.S. over the next year. I am the member of the month for May which means my mailbox will be overflowing with crochet dishcloth goodness. As they arrive, I will be sure to show you pictures. I know my post lady must wonder!!!! She has seen many swap packages come through that mailbox.

I really enjoy trying new crochet motifs before commiting to a project but I've decided that I need to do something with all of these little miniatures. While not a new motif, I worked up three granny squares last night. I will be trying something new with these for my Etsy shop. I don't really promote my shop because I don't have the time to commit to new projects, etc. But I think I can manage this. I hope to have these up by tomorrow. Aren't these bursting with color?

The picture is somewhat deceiving. The largest granny is 2 3/4".

So Excited

2010-03-08T08:31:00.002-06:00

glitter-graphics.com

I do hope you took the time to view all of the Doll Quilts popping up on Flickr for DQS #8. Since I checked in on Friday, several more have been added.

I am very excited about this Friday's Designer WOW feature. I can't tell you about it right now because I am waiting to get permission from the designer. Actually, I wouldn't be telling you until Friday because Friday is Designer WOW, hehe. But I will tell you this much, this one is for the kiddos. No, not us kids at heart, although when I saw these, I felt like a real kid again. My kids would have loved loved loved this. Have I got you interested? I hope so.

Designer WOW

2010-03-05T00:00:00.003-06:00

1. it's mine!, 2. dqs8 made by Nanci - received , 3. DQS8finished, 4. DQS8 Finished!, 5. DQS8 # 3 quiltie - 'On top of the Hill', 6. DQS8 - Autumn House front, 7. Snow Dance, 8. DQS8, 9. DQS8 (front)

I decided to do something a little different this week for my Designer WOW feature. I picked 9 of my favorite doll quilts from Doll Quilt Swap #8. I participated in Doll Quilt Swap #5, I believe. I really should do another. It was a lot of fun and not overwhelming. It was hard to pick out my favorites because all of them are just gorgeous in their own distinct way. Take a look at all of these beauties.

Housekeeping

2010-03-04T10:38:00.006-06:00

glitter-graphics.com

I've been thinking about spring cleaning. Notice I said thinking. I haven't actually started yet. Although since January 1, I have been decluttering. I will probably actually start "spring" cleaning around the middle of this month.

For me, there is one particular cleaning task that I can do that just makes me feel as though the house is CLEAN. That task is mopping. Especially my kitchen floor. If the kitchen floor is clean, I feel so much better. Of course all the normal chores need to be maintained but it is just something about the floor. Probably because our kitchen is in the main traffic flow of the house. You go nowhere without passing through the kitchen. The problem is, mopping is the one chore that I do not particularly enjoy. Now, vacuuming is another story. That probably has to do with my Miele. Too bad I can't vacuum and mop with Miele. My floors would never be dirty.

How about you? Is there one chore that just makes you feel as if the house is CLEAN?

Heart Prints

2010-03-03T08:51:00.004-06:00

glitter-graphics.com

Heart Prints
By Author Unknown

Whatever our hands touch...
we leave fingerprints on.
On walls, on furniture, on door knobs, dishes and books.
As we touch we leave our identity..
Oh please where ever I go today...
help me leave heart prints.
Heart prints of compassion, understanding and love.
Heart prints of kindness and genuine concern.
May my heart touch a lonely neighbor...
or a runaway daughter...
or an anxious mother...
or perhaps a dear friend!
I shall go out today...to leave heart prints...
and if some one should say...
"I felt your touch!"

glitter-graphics.com

Let the Sunshine In

2010-03-02T09:14:00.003-06:00

Let the Sunshine In Potholder
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

The title of this post is the name I have assigned this potholder. No sunshine today in my part of the world. Actually it is snowing. I don't think it will amount to much though.

After auditioning a few patterns, this is the one I have chosen for the Potholder Swap 2010. I need to purchase my yarn. I used Sugar and Cream for this workup but I want to use something a little nicer for the actual swap.

Oh yes, I was quite skippy proud of myself yesterday. For some reason, I had a notion to bake a cake. Baking a cake, no biggie, right? For me it was, first of all cooking is not a fun way to pass time, I cook because we eat. I do try my best since I am cooking for more than me, but it is not my idea of fun. Another thing about this cake, it didn't come from a box, nope, I had to measure out flour, sugar, eggs, milk, butter, etc. My choice was a recipe called Starlight Cake from a Betty Crocker cookbook. Basically, it was a yellow cake. I even went a step further and made homemade chocolate icing with confectioner's sugar and chocolate baking squares. Let me just say, I was quite proud of my cooking creation and it looked delicious. Did I eat it? No, I made it as a gift for my parents. My kids were spending the evening with them so I wanted to send a special treat. Report came back that it was delicious. Oh, I wish I would have taken a picture.

Happy Monday

2010-03-01T08:39:00.005-06:00

Pinwheel Dishcloth
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns
I hope your weekend was fantastic. Can you believe today is March 1? Still seems hard to believe that Christmas was 2 months ago. Spring will definitely be making its appearance here in Tennessee. I am always surprised at my first sightings of daffodils.

I managed to crochet 3 more dishcloths between early last week and at the time of this post. I think this red and white is my favorite of the 3. They are all the same pattern but I am sorta drawn to the vintage feel of the red and white.

I'm joining in on the 2010 Potholder Swap and I finally decided on the pattern I will use. Nothing hard but I am really really liking the results. I'll show it to you tomorrow as long as I can get a decent picture. It's very cloudy here today.

Designer WOW

2010-02-26T00:00:00.001-06:00

This week's feature designer is Lisa of My Paper Garden. I love it when a designer takes an item and turns it into something not only unique but useful. That is exactly what Lisa does with vintage atlas papers and vinyl. The addition of free motion stitching makes these creations even more special. Take a look at her Etsy shop, you will not be disappointed.

My Favorite

2010-02-23T09:04:00.003-06:00

The last couple of weeks, I have been on a dishcloth frenzy. Using different patterns from different sources. Some free, some not. Out of all the dishcloths I have made so far, I think this is my favorite. I'm not sure why, but I think it's because of the texture that makes up the flower in the center. Sorta has a chenille look to it. The pattern calls it a carnation. Even when I was doing a lot of quilting, I could never really use solids. They never gave me the 'look' I was aiming for. Don't get me wrong, I admire Amish quilts and their use of solid colors. The quilts that have always caught my eye are the ones that the prints put in just the right place give the illusion of movement. Or when you have to get up close to find that what you thought was one thing was actually the thread being used as paint. I am always in awe of this type of creativity.

On a quilting note, my husband and I will celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary soon. Our children and my parents have blessed us with a two day trip to the Eddyville/Paducah, KY area. We will be staying at the Maple Hill Bed and Breakfast, having dinner at Patti's and visiting the National Quilt Museum. We have been to Patti's and the museum several times and both are such a treat. I am looking forward to this trip. My husband is so gracious that being together is the highlight for him. We will be surrounded with all of that creativity referred to above. I hope to be able to get some pictures but in the past cameras, or at least flash, were not allowed.

By the way, the dishcloth above came from this set of patterns.

Weekend Crocheting

2010-02-22T08:58:00.003-06:00

Feminine Crochet Bracelet
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

Obviously it's not a dishcloth or an afghan. It's a bracelet. I tried something a little different over the weekend. No pattern to follow. Basically I just went where the hook and thread took me. I'm happy with the outcome too. I don't work with thread very often so this was somewhat of a challenge for me. But challenge is good.

I didn't abandon my dishcloth making. In fact, I think I made my favorite one yet. I'll show that to you tomorrow.

I Spent Some Time With Pfaff Yesterday

2010-02-20T00:00:00.001-06:00

I can't believe how long it has been since I've used my sewing machine. It felt good to hear the purring of my Pfaff. Yesterday I came across this pattern by Alicia Paulson and knew this was something I had to make. I wouldn't call myself GREEN but if using reusable shopping bags is considered GREEN, then I'm GREEN. This bag is fairly large and boxy. Exactly the way I like them.

The pattern was very simple and extremely well written with lots of pictures. If you have ever made any type of bag, you would have no problem with this one. Another great thing, everything came from my stash.

I managed to finish a few more dishcloths this week. I'm not sure if I could actually bring myself to wash dishes with these, especially the green one, but they would definitely bring cheer to my chores.

And a potholder!!!

Designer WOW

2010-02-19T00:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Friday's Designer WOW!!!! This is where I get to pick out a designer whose work has wowed and inspired me.

Today's featured designer is Pine and Wine. Her blog is Up The Creek Crafts. Be sure to check out both sites. You will not be disappointed.

I'm not sure if you can really tell the size of these or not, but these are bottlecaps turned into pincushions. Small in size but look at the detail on these. Felt, beads, rik rak, floss. Absolutely adorable. I am always so intrigued at miniature type projects. These are definitely over the top in my book.

Thanks

2010-02-17T12:30:00.006-06:00

I wanted to say a very special thanks to Dawn of Sew Ritzy Titzy who took the time to take pictures and send me a special email explaining a some directions to me. Wow, Dawn, that was so sweet.

And on another note, I received a thank you card today from my son's teacher today for the Valentine's gift. What a sweet note too!!! I really enjoy handwritten notes. I guess because most of our communication involves an email, text, etc. The art of letter writing has diminished in our highly advanced world of technology. I'm grateful for the technology but it also saddens me to think of sentiments being long forgotten because they weren't actually written down.

I have a small collection of old postcards and greeting cards. Isn't this card the sweetest. The written note inside reads, "Sylvia tells me you are getting along fine and I sure am glad. Hurry & get well and come to see Sylvia and I'll get over to see you. Hope you have a Bright and Prosperous New Year." With Love, Mary Clue Page (the one who got the typewriter)

That just warms my heart.

This Get Well card has to be one of my favorites.

A dear friend made these cards for me. I do love them and don't hesitate for one minute to send them to others. That way they can enjoy them too.

I am busy making dishcloths for my swap and also for this. I did take a break from dishcloths and made this potholder.

Monday

2010-02-15T09:57:00.004-06:00

I was up very late last night finishing up some things that I was working on. Everyone had went to bed and the house was extremely quiet. I do treasure those moments. Just before turning off the last light in the house and going to bed myself, I took a peak outside to see if the predicted snow had started falling. Yes, it had. I opened the back door just to take in the beauty from more than just a window view. So beautiful and very very peaceful. There is just something about a nighttime snowfall. Its sorta strange, while the inside of my house was very quiet, outside was silent. The peace of God was so tangible during that moment.

This morning, the snow was still falling so I snapped a picture. As you can tell, not much accumulation during the night.

And another picture of some washcloths and potholders that I managed to complete over the weekend. These are soooooooo quick to make. I am loving these kinds of projects right now.

Happy Valentine's Day

2010-02-14T07:08:00.003-06:00

From Me to You!!!!!!

Happy Saturday

2010-02-13T11:15:00.006-06:00

Wow, we have a Saturday with nothing on our calendar. Seems kinda strange. There is snow in our forecast for tomorrow. I know a lot of people don't like it but it is so rare here in Tennessee that I really enjoy it.

I hope to fit in a little crocheting this afternoon.

Shells and clusters are two of my favorite crochet stitches. I really like the texture these stitches create.

This dishcloth is for a swap I am participating in.

I made this placemat during the week. Perfect atop this antique sewing cabinet.

The first picture is more accurate representation of the yellow.

Another Friday Designer WOW

2010-02-12T08:45:00.005-06:00

I think I will dedicate Friday's to highlighting designers whose work has inspired and WOWED me. So today's Designer WOW is CrochetButterfly. She actually has two shops, CrochetButterfly and Blue Moon Baby Knit. Blue Moon Baby Knit features her baby items. Her work is so feminine and elegant. Visit her shops for more treasures.

Valentine Teacher Gift Idea

2010-02-11T13:27:00.003-06:00

Need a quick teacher gift, especially since most Valentine's Day parties will be held tomorrow?

Oh, what fun!!! Sweet sweet memories of making Valentine boxes. As the room mother on many occasions, I had the privilege of being in the classroom during all of this box making. Construction paper, Elmer's glue, crayons, markers, stickers, glitter, scissors, etc., brings back so many memories. Each little one seeking approval that his or her box was just right.

Getting back to the subject of this post. My son is homeschooled but he does take a class away from home. I wanted to give his teacher a little something. Every teacher can use a pencil cup and brand new pencils, right? I thought so!!! Another pickle jar converted into a pencil cup. For a little extra sweetness, I added some heart shaped Nestle Crunch!!!!

Crochet, Crochet, Crochet

2010-02-09T22:57:00.005-06:00

Yes, I know that the last several posts have had a lot of crochet. I just can't help it. These smaller projects are just sooooooo much fun. Here's another finished potholder. I do have plans for all of these goodies.

I used a pattern called Scalloped Potholder by Priscilla Hewitt. You can find it here.

I think squirrels are so cute and furry but they are so pesky. I know we have two that regularly visit my bird feeders. I am constantly clapping them away. But somehow, they always come back.

Another Quickie Project and A Few Other Things

2010-02-08T08:52:00.008-06:00

Ohhhhhh, I am enjoying these super quick projects. These potholders look alot more complicated than they are. The hardest thing is remembering to put a safety pin (or whatever you use to mark your stitch) in the last stitch.

I finished weaving in ALL of the yarn ends on my ripple while watching the Super Bowl. I am so happy to have projects like this to do while watching television. To me, television is a huge waste of time. At least I can say I accomplished something. I was planning to add a few more rows but my daughter decided it was big enough so that project is done.

I'm not sure if I mentioned the fact that I finished my Mystery Themed Crochet Along or not, but I did. Or I think I did, Carolyn posted some border patterns on the site and I think I need to add the scallops to really feel finished. My daughter wanted us to watch Pride and Prejudice together last weekend. Guess what I did? As you can see, the cat is already enjoying it.

On another note, I wanted to do a little shout out for a sweet friend, Becky. She has recently opened up an Etsy shoppe. Take a look at all of her cute cute paper/card creations.

Becky was my daughter's 3rd grade teacher. Actually she was the best teacher my daughter ever had. She taught Hannah so much academically but so so so so much about responsibility as as a student but also as an individual. As a parent, I was and am so grateful. Even though my son never had Mrs. Welch as a teacher, Daniel and Mrs. Welch had a special bond/rivalry going on. You see, me and my family are huge NEW YORK METS fans and Becky and her family are Atlanta Braves fans (yes I did the capitalization on purpose, its my blog, I can do that, hehehehe). If you follow the National League at all, you know that these two teams are big rivals, like the Yankees and the Red Sox of the American League. So probably everyday there was some sort of kidding that went on between the two. So cute. When Daniel was in kindergarten, my husband and I thought for sure he would grow up to be a sports broadcaster with special emphasis leaning to the color man. He would play his NHL hockey game on the computer and announce EVERYTHING. Such sweet memories. Where did time go?

And yes, we enjoyed the performance of "The Diary of Anne Frank". A fun time of fellowship with friends and a great educational experience too.

Chatting

2010-02-06T07:08:00.008-06:00

After working on a couple of larger projects, I'm really enjoying some quick and easy ones. This placemat was simple although I did have to pay attention to the pattern. This pattern used at least one stitch that I had never done before, the lower double crochet stitch. I really like the look of this stitch.

I'm not sure if I will make a set of these because most of the time I just enjoy having one in the center of my table.

On a different note, my son and I along with a couple of my lady friends and their children will be attending this performance tonight.

I have always been especially interested in this part of our history. If you have any family history of World War II and the tragic events that took place, I would be so honored to hear them.

Designer WOW

2010-02-05T09:07:00.005-06:00

1. ice skating with my love earrings, 2. silence earrings, 3. rendevous earring, 4. romance bracelet, 5. picking flowers for my sweet ring, 6. golden roses pendant

I've mentioned many times before that Flickr is such a place of inspiration for me. I am constantly in awe of the creativity found there. This morning was no exception. I came upon this designer, ChilliCrab. Her Etsy shop is here. Her work is simply stunning. I think I must add one of her pieces to my jewelry collection.

Pickle Jar Cozy

2010-02-04T00:09:00.003-06:00

Pickle Jar Cozy
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

I've wanted to make a jar cozy for a while now. On Wednesday, I had a little spare time so I gave it a try. I didn't really use a pattern. Just made a circle large enough for the botton, crocheted in the back loop, then started up the sides with single crochet. Changed from blue to brown to add a little interest. Did a few single crochet decreases, then added shells for a nice border. Am I pleased? Oh yes. Once a pickle jar, now a pencil cup.

A Tip For Wednesday

2010-02-03T09:25:00.006-06:00

Maybe nobody else has this problem, but we certainly do. It is sort of like missing socks. You put a pair of socks in the wash but somehow one turns up missing. Every winter it seems that either the right or left hand of said glove comes up missing. Our hats, scarves and gloves are stored at the top of our coat closet inside of a clear storage box. There was a lot of snow playtime this weekend and after going on a hunt to find THE missing glove, I decided to do something about this problem. When everything went through the wash and was ready to be put away again, I sorted through them and safety pinned them to their mates.

So next time when a glove is pulled out of the box, it's mate will be securely attached. So simple, why didn't I think of this earlier. Another idea too, if the gloves match a particular hat or scarf, why not safety pin them to those as well.

Mystery Themed CAL

2010-02-01T10:20:00.002-06:00

Mystery Themed CAL
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

My ripply afghan is being made with all of my scraps from other projects. And any yarn scraps left from this project will be added too. But this afghan is intentional. Meaning, I picked all of the colors. This project is a result of the mystery crochet along with Carolyn Christmas over at Gourmet Crochet. This type of project intrigues me because you can't continue until the next part of the mystery is revealed. That means I can complete each assignment without feeling overwhelmed. I had a lot of hooking time on Saturday as a result of a snow storm which practically shuts down our little corner of the world. I have one more row to add then I'm going to edge it. Yay for finishes. Not there yet but I can see the finish line.

Scrappy Ripple

2010-01-30T09:54:00.002-06:00

Scrappy Ripple
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

My ripply afghan so far. Very scrappy indeed and using up lots of yarn but this is so out of my comfort zone. My daughter has laid claim to this one. She loves all the color variation.

For some reason when doing large ripples, my gauge tends to variate. I'm sure it has to do something with day breaks. I have posed this question to Flickr viewers and hope to get some response. If you have any suggestions, I would love to hear them.

Log Cabin In Crochet

2010-01-27T11:47:00.002-06:00

1. My first improv'esque quilt, 2. Quilted Log Cabin, 3. Finished log cabin on bed, 4. Top of Log Cabin/Courthouse Steps, 5. log cabin, 6. Heart_Log_Cabin, 7. Blue and Red Log Cabin Quilt, 8. Vintage log cabin quilt by my mum, 9. Swedish Log Cabin

Log cabin crochet block
Originally uploaded by diddledaddledesigns

I've always been particularly fond of the log cabin quilt block. There are so many possibilities with this humble block. I put the above mosaic together from a few quilts that I spotted on Flickr using the log cabin block. So many wonderful possibilities.

I recently purchased this book and the log cabin block was one of the motifs. I just had to give it a try. So far, I'm really liking this look.

Having Too Much Fun

2010-01-23T09:22:00.005-06:00

Yes, I'm having too much fun with my new IPhone. I am enjoying taking pictures of the most random objects and sending them to my daughter or a dear friend. Me and my daughter share the same type of random personality so we both get a good laugh. My friend, on the other hand, usually just laughs at me. I sent her a picture yesterday with a message of "Doesn't this make you smile?", her response was, "I don't get it". That makes me smile. I can't help but be reminded of the scripture in Proverbs 17:22 "A merry heart doeth good like a medicine: but a broken spirit drieth the bones." God made us to laugh and be merry. He designed our bodies to respond to a good laugh. Even medical science has much to say about laughing. I found this article very interesting.

I snapped these pictures yesterday while making brownies for a youth movie night that we are having tonight.

This pan was a one of my daughter's Christmas gifts from her grandparents. She loves to cook and my mother in law usually gets her one random cooking item. Last year, it was a mandoline. Since she still lives at home, I get to borrow some of these things, hehe. This brownie pan is a clever idea and it really works. The key is to make sure everything is completely cooled before lifting the brownies out. I am sure you could use this to make other baked bars, etc.

I was snap happy so I shot a picture of one of my favorite serving platters. My everyday dishes are this pattern. These dishes were the ones my husband ate off of when he was a child. How wonderful is that?

Veggie Goodness

2010-01-22T09:06:00.002-06:00

While making dinner last night, the colors of all of these veggies caught my eye. Shot this picture with my IPhone.

Photo includes: broccoli, cherry tomatoes, celery, red and green bell pepper and carrots. Extremely beautiful and delightfully yummy. All cut and ready for the taking.

Over The Rainbow of Inspiration

2010-01-16T09:45:00.005-06:00

A rainbow of crochet inspiration.

1. manta zig-zag blanket, 2. Thank You Karyn!!, 3. DSC01074, 4. rainbow shawl, 5. Purple lace shawl, knitted and crochet, 6. YIP 365.14 - Yes, it's crochet., 7. Pink Crocheted Hexagons, 8. Summer Hand Crocheted Bag, 9. Crochet Hexagon Pincushion, 10. Rainbow Crochet, 11. Crochet brooch - GREEN DRAGONFLY, 12. Valentine Wreath

All of this flickr goodness keeps me motivated. I am in the process of making a scrappy rainbow ripple blanket. No picture yet but soon. This means I grab a skein of yarn and hook a row, then change colors. No checking the color wheel to see if the colors are complimentary, etc. etc. etc. Just pick one up and go with it. Out of my comfort zone for sure. I decided that I really needed to destash my yarn stash. I started this before Christmas as a take along project while we were out of town. My sister and mother in law commented how they really liked it. It is growing on me. One thing is for sure, my yarn stash is disappearing.