... Bebe the giraffe

Bebe the beautiful giraffe was made for a little girl who outstrips Bebe in the cute stakes by a mile and Bebe thinks she is pretty damned cute! She is the sister of Gilbert the giraffe who some of you may remember from last year - check out this post if you haven't met him before - http://debbiemade.blogspot.com/2009/12/gilbert-giraffe.html

I know, I know, giraffes are not really blue and pink but if small children love them all the more for it who are we to argue?

... a pair of cups

These little beauties were made for a friend who has wanted a crocheted tea service for ages. I love making things for other people and am especially lucky to have friends who really appreciate it when I make them things - happy all round!


There is a possibility the cups might get added to soon but any more information than that and I would be giving too much away this near to Christmas.......

... a beach bag

This is one of things I aluded to that I made over the summer and didn't get round to blogging. I think I felt like blogging something as I have just finished a project but can't post it anywhere as it is a present for a friend and therefore meant to be a surprise.

This bag was made to take all of our stuff to the beach as we basked in the glorious sunshine on our hols this year. As we went to North Wales for a week it did not as much sunny beachy laziness as it might in warmer climes but it did get to see some beautiful beaches and spectacular scenary. It was really useful - it is huge!

This was another reclaimed project - red fabric from an old sofa cover, calico lining donated to me by someone, cotton came free with the machine, the strap and metal bits come from an old belt and the binding bits left over from another project. So about as free as it gets. Super bargain!

... a skull

It's Halloween and in line with my tradition (well, I did it last year and I have done it this one so now it is a tradition) I have made something for Halloween, on Halloween. I always loved Halloween as a kid as there is lots of craft and to my childhood mind at least, the best of all craft activities, pumpkin carving. So I guess I have always associated halloween with crafts which might explain my newest tradition.

I made this little fella from a pattern on Lion Brand who have loads and loads of free patterns and best of all an app for my new ipod so I can crochet without little bits of paper floating around everywhere and getting lost.

I have made loads of things I have not blogged yet but I will try to get them up soon!

... cakes

The only problem I have found with making crocheted cakes is that it makes you want to eat cake all the time. Which makes crochet potentially an unhealthy activity!

These were made for 2 reasons -

1) my friend Nicky gave me a beautiful knitted cake as a gift which i loved and it made me want to make crochet cake

2) I needed to occupy my head with something that would take my mind of my impending Ofsted inspection. I know, I know, crocheting cakes is not everyone's first choice of relaxation activity but it worked for me. I can't think about other things when I am counting stitches!

These were made from patterns by Norma Lynn - http://www.normalynn.info/freepatterns.html. She really knows how to crochet cakes!

... Sanchez

Sanchez is a proud Luche Libre (Mexican Wrestler) and brother to Rodriguez. Sanchez himself was made just after Rodrigeuez but he did not get his natty Lucha Libre grab until recently. It was another one of those 'I know what I want to make but I just don't seem to get round to it' jobs. There was obviously something about getting back into making things after hurting my thumb that made me what to clear my head of all those unfinished jobs. Anyways I got a cold, couldn't move and made all the bits one day.

Sanchez recently visited his brother Rodriguez and below you can see them posing together for a family snapshot.

...easter treats

These cute little fellas were made as Easter gifts for Dan's nephews who are both serious cuties themselves. Dan has 3 nephews but as the youngest had only just been born when I made these he was probably not quite ready for the cream eggs that are hidden in each one (and I had left it a bit late to get 3 made).

... lavender bags

Well, it has been a long gap between posts......

I had some time off as I managed to chop the end off my right thumb which, it turns out, makes it hard to do, well, almost anything - especially crochet! Once my thumb was better I got started again by making these lovely Lavender bags for my Mum. I have been planning on making these for ages - you know, one of those ideas which you keep meaning to do but you don't quite get round to.

Anyway, finally it came out of my head and into the real world and I was really pleased with them and I think my Mum was too. They are filled with home grown lavender and hopefully will make all they are near smell lovely!

So I made these in March and have only just got round to posting them up - very shoddy blogging. More things I have made and failed to blog in a timely manner coming up soon.

...a thing?

Ok I really don't know what this is but there was a bit of sock left after making Calista Fashionista's legs and this little fella sort of happened on Sunday as I was sitting round watching the skiing. Anyone who knows me well knows that I am almost incapable of actually just sitting and watching tv - I often have something else on the go as well. So in between the downhill, some slalom and a bit of bobsleigh (loving Eurosport's winter sports programme) he evolved into something quite cute, if a little pointless. Name anyone?

...Calista

Calista (or Calista Fashionista to give her her full title) is my newest sock creature, made for my friend Nicky because she has been a bit under the weather recently. Calista is a lover of fashion making her the perfect companion for Nicky as she is too!

... a crochet hook case

This is my new crochet hook case, I absolutely love it!! Up to now I have been keping my hooks in a funny little case I made when I first started crocheting. It was ok but this is really nice - I can find my hooks much easier and I don't end up playing pick up sticks with my crochet hooks when they have fallen out all over the floor as they were prone to do. ther is even room for my row markers and favourite needle (future developments will include space for scissors and other accoutrements).

It required a bit of improvisation as I did not understand the pattern for toffee at times and I am not sure it helped that I went wrong somewhere along the line making the pattern totally nonsensical! Anyways it all turned out nice in the end so i am off to plan what to make next with my newly organised hooks.

... Rodriguez

Rodriguez is my first ever stray sock creature and it was love at first site with us. He was made especially for my friend Sandra who bought me a most wonderful book for my birthday called Stupid Sock Creatures . I love his lovely button eyes and his wavy scarf. Rodriguez is going to undoubtedly be the first of many sock creatures. For three reasons - he was lovely to make, he is adorable finished and now Sandra has leant me another sock creature book and I am fighting off the urge to shelve my current project to make more!

... an apple cozy

In the process of searching the crochet pattern database on the new website love of my life - Ravelry I came across this pattern and felt compelled to make Dan it for Christmas. While I am aware Dan will never use it, it was funny to us due to a long standing joke regarding fruit protection in one's work bag ......