More Amigurumi & Finger Puppets

You might notice that there are more Amigurumi and Finger Puppets on our entertainment center now. My daughter has chosen the 8 that will go to her grandchildren, so they are missing. Of course I've replaced them with more. Actually there are more now than when I snapped this photo~

If you are wondering why so many, they will be going to the local chapter of the Elks Club, to be distributed along with the Christmas Baskets that they give out at Christmas, to those families who cannot afford to buy gifts for their children, or food for their tables.

This is a photo of what makes up one Finger Puppet, except for the 'basket' with a handle. The little cup is one that holds Sugarless Crystal Light powder. It's rather obvious what the pill bottle is~:o) I crochet around the little cup, to make a sort of base for the FP, and slip the FP over the pill bottle, then sit it inside the base.

Here is the FP and its base;

And here is the finished project.

They are very easy to make, take very little yarn, and will make a child happy. Won't you join me in making them for children who need a tiny friend?

Invisible Illness Week

While I appear healthy, and some say that I look younger than my years, the fact is that I am not as healthy as they think.

Why? Because I have what is known as an "Invisible Illness" I have Peripheral Neuropathy in arms and legs. PN causes 24/7 pain, some generalized, some tingling, feelings of electrical shock and stabbing pain, numbness which can cause us to fall, drop things, run into things. And the most unbelievable thing for most people is that while we have areas that are numb, those same areas (fingers, hands, legs, feet, etc) can and do hurt like the dickens!

I also have Fibromyalgia. It too causes generalized pain and weakness in our arms, hands, legs, and extreme exhaustion.

Add to that the bone spurs in my spine, spinal stenosis, and degenerative disk disease, osteoarthritis throughout my body, two mal-functioning heart valves, carpal tunnel in both wrists, and a few other invisible problems, on some days I'm a walking disaster~

So Please, the next time you see a "healthy" person park in one of those special Blue Parking spots, give them the benefit of doubt. They too, may suffer from an

~Invisible Illness~

My RAK for July 26, 2008

Saturday morning we had to go into town to pick up the things I forgot to get when I went shopping. Since we were in town anyway, I got hubby to stop at Starbucks for a nice icy cold Frappiccino.

While there, a couple with two young boys came in. They appeared to be traveling through and had gotten off the Interstate for a short break, and coffee to stay alert.

I had three finger puppets in my bag, each one in its own little crocheted home, so I asked the mother if the boys could each have one. She was so surprised, and said that they were perfect and exactly what they needed. They still had several hours to go before reaching their destination, and the boys had gotten a bit bored. She thanked me several times, and the boys thanked me over and over - sometimes as themselves, and sometimes as the puppet.

It was a win-win-win situation. The parents won a break, the kids won a new toy, and I won the enjoyment of seeing how much the boys loved them and how relieved their mom was.

The "home" for the puppets is a little cup that Crystal Lite comes in - the powder cup. I crochet around it and the puppets fit perfectly. It keeps them "standing" without falling over.

After finishing our drinks, we dared the heat again to drive home. A nice morning out and a nice day to finish up at home~

Sock pattern link

Forgot . . . In case you are interested, the sock pattern is from;

http://www.crochetandknitting.com/socks.htm

Purse & Amigurumi egg projects

Today I am working on three projects, Amigurumi eggs, a pair of socks, and a shoulder bag/purse.

The eggs are just for fun. I give them to children, if their parents say that it's Ok. They are fun to make, and are cute little critters~ The egg on the back row, with a chick peeking out, is a 3-parter - the chick, and the egg in two sections.

The purse is for me. I can't find one like I want, so had planned to make one myself. Then I joined a contest, a fun contest not one that you dread competing in, to crochet purses and/or socks.

Guess I need to get another photo of the bag, because you can't really see the colors in this shot. But the eggs are in the bottom half of an egg carton, so you have a good idea of how large it will be.

This is a photo of the socks that I will be making. This pair went to my sister, but the new pair will be mine! Maybe~ After making the current pair, I plan to try a toe-up pattern. These are worked from the top down. They feel good, and wear well, but I want to try different patterns until I find the "perfect" pattern for me. Then I'll have to find the same for hubby, and I'll be making socks for our cooler weather wear~

I never knew how much better hand made socks felt over store bought socks until I did that first pair in late '07.

Hey, I hear a cup of hot Earl Gray tea calling my name~ So I'm off to sip that while crocheting a bit~

I hope all of us have a happy, pain free, and creative day today!

Cats, Amigurumi, and Laundry Day

These are our two fur-babies, Lady & Lucy.

I crocheted the round bed they are laying in and at the time it was a project bag for me!

But as you can see, with the sides rolled down, it makes a dandy place for them to snooze in front of the window in my craft room.

Today is Laundry Day~ WhooHoo! Don't you just love laundry day? I guess it could be worse though, it could be Mop The Floor Day~

Hubby was feeling nauseated this morning before he left for work, so I won't cook supper until he gets home, or calls from work to tell me if he is any better and can eat. I'd rather he felt well and I had to start cooking early, but since he doesn't and I can't help him by worrying, I may as well enjoy my afternoon by vegging & crocheting~

If you like Amigurumi, and like cats, check out this lady's pattern.

http://www.mountainweaver.com/blog/2008/07/my-maneki-neko-crochet-pattern.aspx

I have put that one on my Do-Soon list. Not to be confused with my Finish All WIP or WIM lists. They are quite long all by theirselves.

But we eat at a Chinese restaurant when we can, and the people who own it are wonderful, caring people. So I want to make it very soon, and if it turns out looking as good as hers, I want to give it to them.

The dryer just buzzed, so I have to get the next load on to dry and another on to wash~ I always get behind in everything when hubby has a 3-day weekend.

I hope you have a good Monday and a terrific week!

What's a 'Stitch 'n Frog'?

What is a Stitch 'n Frog? Well, it's me~

I love to crochet, and have a tendency to watch TV or chat with people as I work on projects. So I sit and Stitch for a while, then notice that I made an error somewhere in the last few rows/rounds. I think a not-very-nice word, and Frog back to the error so I can correct it and continue on.

Frog? That is where you "rip-it, rip-it, rip-it" out. Said quickly, it sounds like a frog ribbiting. I have been crocheting for over 50 years, and still sometimes seem to Frog more than I Stitch~ But it is my way of relaxing, and it gives pleasure not ony to me but to those I give crochet items to.

I also design crochet patterns, the one pictured here is my Superhero Afghan. It has been made and given to Spiderman fans all over the world.