Happy Birthday Mama!

My Mother's birthday is on Monday. I wanted to make something special just for her, and have been thinking about it for awhile. I bought some Elvis fabric nearly a year ago thinking I would make her a pillow or a lap quilt using that...well, that did not happen. Instead I turned to my crafty passion of crochet and made her a purse!

Here are the photos:

Side View

 Inside View

The clip I added to easily find keys

Finishing Mom's birthday gift is not the only thing I have been up to today...I also made these!

Four of the six phone holsters that have been ordered.  I just need to find the perfect button for the one on the left...

Through it all, I have my cozy companion Max to keep me company (the kiddos are asleep). Max usually takes advantage of my empty lap while I blog. Smart cat! Sorry, but as soon as he saw the camera he refused to look in my direction. He is quite camera shy!

A Little Something for a Little Something

So, what do you do when you face a problem and can not buy a suitable solution to it? Well, if you are like me, you craft your way through it! What was the problem, you may ask...well, I am continuously turning on the internet or other random functions on my phone while it is in my pocket. Of corse these acts go unnoticed by me until the phone begs for mercy in the sound of an annoying beep that lets me know that the phone is going to die, and soon. Oh, by the way, I LOVE my phone! So I went on a quest to find the perfect holster for my phone, only to find that, well, I could not find one. Oh, there were some available, but they were so blah! So, what is a crafty person to do but make their own!

Front view...

Back view...

Side view...

I chose to make this holster out of 100% cotton yarn with a few stripes running through of fun fur. I added a loop and button for secure closure (I teach Preschool and one never knows) and a loop to the back to thread through my belt. I will also have a clasp that can be added to the back loop so this can strapped onto a purse handle or belt loop. I tried it out today, and I LOVE IT! My phone did not get accidentally turned on and it was near by (no hurried searches for it).

I showed this to some of my co-workers and they loved it. I already have orders to make three more! Not bad for a project invented to solve my own frustration!

Yes, it is another hat.

So, apparently I am not yet tired of making hats! My squeeze it in during the week; finish up on the weekend project has been a hat for one of my assossciates. It turned out really cute and is a design of my own, so I am quite proud of it. Her coat is the same shade of green, so I think they will go nicely together. This was also the second go for this hat as I miscalculated the size the first time around and ended up with one that is a perfect fit for my toddler. For his, I added a pom-pom to the top and left off the snowflakes.

Me 'modeling' the hat...

Another view (still me)...

I like this pattern so much. It works up fairly quickly and is quite warm.

Someone would like to say hello (Ok, a couple someones)....

This is Maxwell Smart. We call him Maxi. He is a 'Havana Brown' and I rescued him last year. He is a great help at keeping my lap warm while I 'work' at the computer, or anytime I sit down really! I do not think he was too impressed with having me take his photo.

This lovely "little" guy is Mr. Beefy. He is an old english bulldog and has been with us for eight years now. He loves to have his picture taken and will ham it up as soon as he sees me with the camera!

This is Frank or Franky as we call him. He is a Pug and has been with us for seven years. He is currently featured in his favorite spot. Nestled on my favorite blanket and 'guarding' my current crochet project! He looks sweet and innocent, but turn your back on him for a moment and he is into one form or mischief or another....reminds you of children doesn't it!

Speaking of children...

A picture of the non-furry variety.

He looks so grown up in this photo!

Little Miss painting her nails with the pretty polish brought by Santa.

I think this is his "please" face! Can you tell he likes pudding!

My Student's Gifts

So, although these hats have been finished for a while now and have been gifted to the children in my class, I am finally getting the pictures of the student's gifts posted to my page! I took a few pictures...

The perfect circle...

All fanned out...

Getting lined up... 

 Stacked up and ready to wrap...

I absolutely love the colors all laid out together! They were a lot of fun to make and I had the pattern memorized by the third one! It was really interesting to see how the different varigated yarns worked up. My personal favorite was the one that looked like moons. Now I just need to start thinking of what to make my new group of students next year. Hmmm.... perhaps scarves ot teddy bears... any suggestions?

Ready for Some Football!!!!

As promised, here it is! This pillow was a big hit at Christmas and I am making another one for charity!

This is the front...

Here is the back...

This pillow ended up being the perfect soluition to what to get for a 12 year old boy for Christmas! He seemed to really like it! I personally love it! Not too bad for a 'last minute' gift.



With a Snip Snip Here and a Snip Snip There...

Do you have some kiddos at home, or in your classroom perhaps, that claim they do not like cutting but need the fine motor skill practice? Well, I too have had this issue and the solution I have found is....

A CUTTING POOL!!!

We place scrapbooking scissors into a carrying tote, place odds and ends of a variety of paper into a shallow 'kiddie' pool, and presto! No more complaints! Plus, as an added bonus, my complaining cutters are more than happy to practice cutting away while seated in the cutting pool! YAY!!!

Elongated Cone Hat Pattern

So....I have had a couple of requests, from people who have seen my elongated cone hats, for my hat pattern.  Remember these?

Well, if you would like it too, here it is!

Elongated Cone Hat

Using a size I crochet hook:

Rnd 1: Form an adjustable ring or “magic circle”, ch 2, 5 dc in ring, join w sl st in top of 1st dc (6 dc).

Rnd 2: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (6 dc).

Rnd 3: Ch 2, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (9 dc).

Rnd 4: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (9 dc).

Rnd 5: Ch 2, 1 dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (12 dc).

Rnd 6: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (12 dc).

Rnd 7: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (15 dc).

Rnd 8: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (15 dc).

Rnd 9: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 3 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 4 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (18 dc).


Rnd 10: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (18 dc).

Rnd 11: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 4 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 5 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (21 dc).

Rnd 12: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (21 dc).

Rnd 13: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 5 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 6 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (24 dc).


Rnd 14: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (24 dc).

Rnd 15: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 6 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 7 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (27 dc).

Rnd 16: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (27 dc).

Rnd 17: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 7 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 8 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (30 dc).


Rnd 18: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (30 dc).

Rnd 19: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 8 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 9 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (33 dc).

Rnd 20: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (33 dc).

Rnd 21: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 9 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 10 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (36 dc).

Rnd 22: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (36 dc).

Rnd 23: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 10 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 11 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (39 dc).

Rnd 24: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (39 dc).

Rnd 25: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 11 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 12 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (42 dc).
Rnd 26: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (42 dc).

Rnd 27: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 12 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 13 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (45 dc).
Rnd 28: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (45 dc).

Rnd 29: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 13 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 14 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (48 dc).

Rnd 30: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (48 dc).

Rnd 31: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 14 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 15 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (51 dc).

Rnd 32: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (51 dc).

Rnd 33: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 15 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 16 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (54 dc).

Rnd 34: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (54 dc).

Rnd 35: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 16 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 17 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (57 dc).

Rnd 36: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (57 dc).

Rnd 37: Ch 2, 1 dc in next 17 dc, 2 dc in next dc, * dc in next 18 dc, 2 dc in next dc, rep from * once, join as before (60 dc).

Rnd 38-40: Ch 2 dc in ea. dc. Join w sl st in top of 1^st dc (60 dc). If you would like to change colors for the brim of the hat do so at the end of this round.

Rnd 41-45: Ch 2, *dc in back post of next dc sp, dc in front post of next dc sp* repeat from * sl st in top of 1^st dc. (60 dc)

Tie off and tuck in tail.

Make a pompom out of same or desired color of yarn and attach to the top of the hat.
Enjoy!