Summer Projects, Wind Sock, and Small Gifts

Outside my pond is flowing over with new growth....but I love it. All the butterflies and birds are flittering around and the sound of the water is oh so relaxing.... In my house I have an 80 gal fish tank...in it I have 3 fish, because they are so big, one is 18" long, I have had the Oscar since 1994...here 2 of them...

I made a post card for a swap friend for "at the beah" days....and she sent me one...I love hers...

it is old fashion with the girls swinging together, and on the back she even included a little song...I wrote a saying that I thought up about summer and the ocean...

“It’s hard for one to put into words

why you might be hypnotized by the beach,

the sound of the waves,

and the laughter of children distant in the wind.

Everything about it is refreshing,

regenerating, and almost like therapy...

Beach Therapy”
by PBD 6/2009

I love making these scrubbies....they are easy and fun to make and make wonderful little gifts...the napkin rings are too...in the little net bag is a flag pin made with pins...

I just made this last night, it is a Musical Flag Hanger it was pretty simple I followed this pattern and had fun putting it all together, I changed the stars as I actually was at JoAnns and found little star beads and they worked out perfect!!! Something else to add to my patio...

now I think I am going to make another wind sock from an ice tea can or you can use an oatmeal box too....I made one last year for a swap friend and I loved how it turned out...

Here is what you will need:

Crocheted Windsock

• one small round can [oatmeal or ice tea]
• yarn 4ply WW any color [I used a tan]
• some felt of colors you will use to make your designs [I made a house and birds and used blue,red,dark green, brown, yellow,blue, tan, black
• button flowers
• pre-cut flowers
• buttons for embellishments
• alpha beads
• ribbon
• glue
• a plastic tablecloth cut in 2" strips to the length you wish it to be [I made mine 5' long

1. Clean out your can and leave empty
2. **crochet a round see directions below
3. cut tablecloth into long strips 2" wide x 5' long
4. glue on precute felt flowers [JoAnns or any craft store]
5. cut out your bird and bird house from the felt and then glue onto can
6. cut out a tree from the brown and green felt and glue on can as shown in picture
7. glue on the buttons onto the tree to make your design
8. cut out bird house with red and beige felt and glue on other side of tree[see photo for pieces to cut] I made a round hole with black felt and cut a few yellow squiggly pieces to glue on the foof area, you can make it any way you want, personalize it and add a name on the other side, gluing alpha beads on a ribbon
9. attach cut plastic to bottom of can by tieing a knot in every 2 stitch,
10. cut strips to desired length
    
    
    
    
    
    
11. See how it moves when the wind hits it. This is an easy project and one that is fun and can be embellished any way you like. Try your artist abilities and make yours and be sure to post and link to your designs so I can see what you came up with!

**Crocheted windsock pattern:

• crochet a round with color of your choice, ch 4, ss to join, ch 1, 12 sc in circle, ss to join in 1st sc, ch 1, do not turn
• 2 sc in each sc around, ss to join , ch 1
• sc in same st, [2 sc in next st, sc in next st] repeat around, ch 1
• sc in same st, [sc next 2 st, 2 sc in next st]rpt around, ch 1
• sc in same st,[sc next 3 st, 2 sc in next st] rpt around, ch 1
• rpt around till fits top of can top you have used adding 1 more sc and then 2 sc
• next row sc around in back loops only around, ch 1
• sc in both loops around ss to join, ch 1
• rpt around till you reach the bottom of your can
• then sc in back loops only around ss st to join, ch 1
• sc dec in 1st 2 sts, sc around leave last 2 st then sc dec in last 2 st, ss to join, ch 1
• rpt last row around and then ss dec last 4 sts, fasten off
• at top of can attach with ss to any top sc st, ch 10, fasten off
• do this 3 more times spacing according to photo
• attach yarn to ring and sc around, 12-15x, fasten off
• attach 4 ch to loop with a ss joined in the middle, see photo

Post Cards and Goodies and Feeling Better

Ok so today it is raining outside, sun is trying to peek through and I feel better than before, still not 100% but getting there.. :)

I went to the PO yesterday, house "buggy" and I was pleasently surprised with PC and other goodies...I need to get back to making PC...

So here's a look..this beautiful handmade post card was made by Laura aka LadyDoodleBug from a group on Flickr "Handmade Theme Post Card Swap" She is so artistically inclinded and they are always so pretty...now she forget to follow the theme...lol...but who cares with an art work such as this one! I loved it!!

Next are 3 wonderful PC made from my friends in another personal swap group ran by Brenda....they are always a joy to receive... Rhonda made me a beautifully embroidered PC for Vanentine's Day, Vicki designed a lovely one with rhinestones of star bursts, and Carol made the cutest flying cat, ...I do love bling!!!

Next I got a package from Joy that is in my "Yummy Recipe Swap" group and she made me a recipe for the theme "Gifts in a Jar" it was our Jan theme... The recipe is Hummus and she sent me an ingredient, a recipe book, a handmade mat, and a decorated recipe car. so much talent and I loved the recipe..oh yeah and the corn on the cob holders.. :)

Next was my button's package, That Cindy sent me...look at all the great buttons I get to play with...All for the "Winter White" theme.. :) along with a cute purse size sewing kit and darning needles..always need those.. :) Last was from Diane, what a great card she made, it is my Fat 1/4 swap bot swaps, and again it was Winter White, I got the cutest kitty buttons, and 4 fat 1/4 in WW and note cards..yummy!!! I had a surprise at the PO with all these wonderful gifts.... I am a happy camper!!!

Handmade Post Cards

Some were from Dec and some from Thanksgiving and Halloween...Brenda, Vicki, Carol, Rhonda, and holly...thank you all.... mostly but these are from 2008 also from my post card swap too....

Birhtday Cake, Swaps, and Handmade Post Cards

This is a "chimes" I made recently for a swap friend over at "All Around the House" Yahoo group....I used a plastic table cloth cut in strips for the tails. I left them long so she could cut them to the length she wants. It blows perfectly in the wind....let me see if I can sho it a little lighter...this photo was untouched...

This is the cake I got my g-son for his 12th "B"B day...he loved it because he got his own indiviual one and then we all got the cupcakes... :) and the candles are the ones that keep coming back on when blown out... hee hee ...he loved that too... :) I joined a handmade post card swap over at Brenda's blog The Quilt Journey and here ar 2 more fantastic embroidered handmade postcards from my postcard group....these are from Brenda and Holly...thank you....I love them...they are so talented...I am still trying to make my 1st one.. :( I love the ladies...so cute.... and the embroidered one is fabuous...