Recycled Christmas: The 4 Gift Rule

It is the thought that counts. 

This sentiment has caused much debate throughout the generations, but I believe it is a true sentiment. It is the thought that counts. The size of a gift doesn't indicate the quality or the thought put into it. A small gift, when unwrapped, can mean the world to a person and serve as a reminder to the person just how loved they are. While a large gift can serve as a reminder of just how little the person actually knows them. Again, it is the thought not the size, quantity, or expense of a gift that matters. This is where The 4 Gift Rule comes into place.

The 4 Gift Rule is a limit that is put on gift giving that limits a materialistic culture while improving the overall quality of the gifts. The 4 gift categories are something they want, something they need, something to wear, and something to read. The want category is defined by anything the person really wants and is something that would be listed on their Wishlist. The need category is anything they need, but might not purchase for themselves. The wear category is anything that the person can wear, including accessories. The read category is any form of writing that is meant to improve a person's mind. References to The 4 Gift Rule can be found all over the internet. Another version, used by churches, limits the gifts to 3 to symbolize the 3 gifts Jesus received: Gold, Frankincense, and Myrrh.  The gold gift is the gift the person really wants, the frankincense is the gift that they can wear, and the myrrh gift is the gift that improves their mind. These gifts are wrapped in the colors gold, purple, and green. Regardless of which version you choose, limiting the amount of gifts you give allows you the opportunity to purchase well-thought out gifts. 

This doesn't mean that everyone on your gift list has to receive 4 gifts, but that we limit the gifts we give to those who do receive multiple gifts, such as our family. Since this year is a recycled Christmas I am embracing this 4 gift rule for my own family. Picking out the 4 gifts is challenging, but rewarding. I am having to think about the members of my family in different ways and imagining what they would like in each category. Limiting my gifts to 4 has allowed me to free myself from the pressure to buy more and more. I know that I am done when I have checked off each category and I don't have to be tempted to buy something else that I think they might like. The 4 Gift Rule is not without its challenges.

The most challenging part is filling each category and if your family is like mine then you will have an assortment of categories checked off for each person, but be stuck on various other ones. I am trying to purchase most of my gifts from eBay or Etsy and make the rest myself. I have bought some things new, but I am trying to limit the amount of products that will be replaced by companies after purchase. The bulk of my family is A's fans so finding at least one of their gifts has been easy with eBay. Some of the A's gifts I have bought include mustache socks, nail decals, and a Mark McGwire bobblehead. These items were giveaways at games, which mean they won't be reproduced, and are items that I know my family members wanted, but were unable to receive at the baseball games. Other things I have purchased include a devotional book for when you have trouble sleeping and some pencils for a lap desk that I am going to make. The gifts I plan on making include honey-dipped spoons, tea, and a scoodie. I am currently working on a few gift tutorials that I will be posting in the next few weeks.  All of the projects I am choosing are quick and include the use of materials I already have.

Hopefully my ideas for my own family will give you some ideas for your own family. What are your favorite gifts to give? 

Recycled Christmas: Gift Boxes

It is officially October, which means Christmas is now just two months away! There is still a lot to be done, but making your own gift boxes is a great way to finish some of your wrapping needs. Gift boxes are a wonderful solution for those who have difficulty wrapping presents perfectly and to stop peeking. However, gift boxes can be pricey and depending on quality, as well as use, are prone to tearing. Plus it isn't always easy to find gift boxes that match your theme. Yet, I bet that you probably have a lot of cardboard boxes lying around your house or leftover after grocery shopping. These cardboard boxes are usually sturdier than traditional gift boxes, which is why I prefer them to gift boxes. The cardboard boxes don't look like much at first, but with a little wrapping paper and tape they can turn into cute gift boxes for Christmas. I just started making these gift boxes so I have only made two, but these boxes are already proving functional.

I have used both a tea box and a candy box. The tea box is currently storing Christmas cards, labels, and stickers until I am ready to start my Christmas cards. This allows me to store the box, but still maximize the storage available in my Christmas box. The candy box will be used to store homemade goodies and will allow me to ship them more easily. When I first wrapped these boxes they still had their contents, but I stored the contents elsewhere because I liked the boxes and thought they would make wonderful Christmas gift boxes. You can use any boxes you want as long as they have either a lid or are able to close. Another option is to seal up the ends of a box and cut your own lid out of a side on the box. Keep in mind that these boxes need to be functional as gift boxes. 

Choose wrapping paper in a color or theme that you want and use clear or decorative tape to wrap the cardboard boxes, turning them into gift boxes. I used the edge of a ruler to score the wrapping paper on the edges of the boxes. Depending on the box you might need to cut triangles out of the corners to make the edges lie flat. I didn't use wrapping paper on the inside of the box, but this is definitely an option and something to consider if you don't plan on using tissue paper. I have a lot of cardboard boxes left so I will be making more gift boxes in the next few weeks as I purchase more gifts. 

 I love how these boxes look and that they are recycled! Each box is perfectly matched to my theme and allows me to recycle the cardboard boxes that are already coming into my home. The only caution I have is to make sure you match your boxes to your gifting needs so that you don't waste materials on a box that you are not going to actually use. If you have boxes to recycle, but that don't meet your Christmas needs, make sure to check out Pinterest for great ideas to reuse boxes in your home. I have seen many wonderful posts where people turned diaper boxes into storage boxes that looked store bought so the options are endless. 

Gift boxes are not the only option for gift wrapping and are not necessarily useful  for certain items. For those odd shaped items gift bags are a wonderful solution. Next week I will show you how to make a gift bag from wrapping paper and other gift wrapping ideas using recycled materials. Do you have a favorite gift wrapping method? Or ideas to use recycled materials in gift wrap? I can't wait to hear your ideas for having a recycled Christmas!

Recycled Christmas: Christmas Card Planner

Today is the last day of September, which means there are only 2 months between now and Christmas. I don't know about you, but I still have a lot of things to do before I can consider myself ready for Christmas. To keep myself organized and hopefully finish everything in time, I have made a planner using a Christmas card. This project is the first tutorial in the Recycled Christmas series and I am excited to share it with you.

Christmas Card Planner

For this project you will need: 

*A computer

*Microsoft Office or another word processor

*Computer paper (I used resume paper for a vintage appearance)

*A printer

*A Christmas card with envelope

*Ribbon

*Glue

*Tape

*Scissors

Planner Pages

The first thing I did was create a template of the inside pages on my computer. When I first created my template I wasn't sure of what pages I would want to include or how the pages would be ordered when I printed them out. This meant that not everything I have in the finished project were included in the original template and assembly proved a bit challenging. If I were going to make this planner again I would order the pages on my computer first and then print them out differently so that assembly was easier. If you have access to a card template on your computer I recommend using that template to create your pages because my pages didn't print the size I needed them to be, which meant a lot of unnecessary cutting afterwards. The pages in my planner are tabbed for easy access. The tabs are Calendar, Gifts, Cards, and Notes. 

Envelope Pocket 

On the inside front cover of the card I glued the card's envelope to the inside and trimmed off the excess. After I trimmed off the excess I had to go back and glue the edges of the envelope together so that it once again functioned as an envelope. Adding the envelope to the inside front cover provided me with a pocket, which I will use to store receipts or coupons that I need to reference later. I then assembled my pages in the order I wanted and used a hole punch to make two holes on the edge of the pages. I then used these holes to mark where I wanted the pages to lay on the inside of the card, which I marked using a pencil and then used the hole punch to make the holes. 

First Page of Planner

I would have liked to have used a ribbon that matched my card, but since this is a Recycled Christmas I used ribbon I already had to thread the pages to the card. I then taped the edges of the ribbon to the back of the card. You could also use more ribbon and secure the pages to the card using a bow. I decided to use tape and to not make a bow because I wanted my planner to lie flat when closed. The finishing touches to my planner were made using the pieces trimmed off of the envelope. I used the envelope flap to decorate the first page and the remaining pieces to create tabs for the different page types. I then began to fill out my planner using gel pens in colors that matched my planner.

The compact size of this Christmas planner means that I can easily tuck it into my purse and take it with me. I have tucked mine into my existing planner so that I will reference it regularly and stay organized this Christmas. Since this year is a Recycled Christmas, I am trying to purchase my gifts from eBay or to make my own using existing supplies I already have. The calendar pages in this planner are useful for tracking ending dates on eBay, as well as providing me with a written timeline for completing projects. While the gifts section allows me to keep track of the gifts I have already purchased and to record ideas for gifts I want to purchase in the future. This will also be useful in tracking gifts when the packages come in and I may have forgotten which item went to each person. Let me know if you are interested in the templates I used in my own planner as well as your own ideas for staying organized at Christmas. 

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle: A Recycled Christmas

Fall is officially here and I realized I haven't done a Christmas post this year. Ordinarily I have already posted an idea or project to implement for Christmas and have already started my own Christmas planning, but this year I am behind. I know that it is only September, but Christmas is approaching fast. I was at the store yesterday and the clerk reminded me that there are only 88 shopping days until Christmas. In the last few weeks I have received a dozen or more Christmas cards from various charities so yes, Christmas is right around the corner. As I started to put these Christmas cards away in my card box, I realized how many I had received over the last few years. The sheer number of cards that I hadn't used gave me the idea to have a recycled Christmas this year. 

In past years I have always picked a theme early and then used that theme to create photo cards to mail out to family and friends come Christmas time. This year I have been slacking in my Christmas planning and didn't pick a theme or create photo cards. Part of me is grateful for that because it gave me the opportunity to realize the abundance of Christmas items that I have left from previous years. I have so many items left over that I no longer have room to store the planning/themed supplies in one bin. In an effort to reduce clutter and stay organized, I am trying to adhere to a one bin rule for seasonal items, which includes Christmas, Halloween, and summer activities. I had been able to contain Christmas to one bin with the exception of my Christmas ornaments, which are stored in a separate container to keep them safe. 

I don't need to inform anyone of the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" movement or our culture's tendency to have excess and honestly that's not the point. The point is how I am planning my Christmas and these are my ideas for a recycled Christmas. My goal in sharing these ideas is that other people would find them useful and be inspired, especially when ideas for a recycled Christmas are limited. If you've never looked then trust me they are very limited! Recycled Christmas isn't exactly a theme. This means that if you begin to tackle your Christmas planning with only recycling in mind that you can quickly become overwhelmed and your Christmas will appear messy. Maintaining a theme while also keeping recycling in mind is tricky, but allows you the opportunity to be creative and exercise your brain.

In choosing my theme, I inventoried my existing Christmas materials and thought about a theme I hadn't used in previous years. The Christmas cards in my box that I treasured the most were the cards that were rustic or images of childhood happiness. Initially I had trouble discovering a theme that would be able to incorporate both types of cards, but a review of the wrapping paper I had, although never used, helped me to envision my theme. Keep in mind that my overarching goal is for my Christmas to be recycled, to use the supplies I already have, and to reduce future clutter, which means that my theme is not going to be executed cleanly. My theme this year is a Moose Riding A Train, which incorporates both the rustic (moose) and the childlike (train) aspects of the Christmas cards. I already have the wrapping paper, which is quite literally a moose riding a train, and I will use the colors in the wrapping paper for everything else I create this Christmas. I will post a picture of this wrapping paper in a future post, where I will also show you how to recycle cardboard boxes using wrapping paper. 

Upcoming posts:

September 30th, 2015 Recycled Christmas: Christmas Planner

October 2nd, 2015 Recycled Christmas: Christmas Gift Boxes

Welcome Fall with a Crochet Door Bumper

Disclaimer: This is only a pattern review. The original pattern is not mine and can be found here. Changes I made to the pattern are given in this post as well and these changes are mine.

Fall is here and the weather is beginning to change, although in my hometown the changes are harder to feel. As the weather begins to cool, the wind blows, and the doors in the house begin to bang when they are closed. Well maybe not if you live in a newer house, but if your house is older then you will understand and appreciate this post. My house was built in the 70's, but the doors still have a tendency to bang due to poor construction or a crooked foundation. There is one door in particular that can be heard with a loud bang every time it is shut. Despite how annoying this is, I actually didn't go in search of this pattern, but stumbled across this pattern while searching Pinterest for quick yarn stash busters. A pattern for a door bumper came up in the search and I had an idea: I could use up some of my yarn and solve a problem. I quickly grabbed my supplies and made the door bumper in 10 minutes.

As I mentioned I found this pattern on Pinterest as part of a collection of patterns posted, but the original pattern was written by Crochet Dynamite and can be found on her blog Crochet Dynamite!. In her post she speaks of living on an old farmhouse and the creaking of doors, which is the inspiration behind her pattern. She also included a revised pattern to make a different style door bumper, but I chose to use the simple pattern because I wanted a quick project.

Option Two: Button Closure

When I am trying a new pattern, I don't read over the entire pattern prior to starting so I don't know if there is a problem in the pattern until I have already started, which can potentially be problematic. However, this pattern was well written and easy to follow. I didn't find the need to make any adjustments until the very end and then I only made a single adjustment to the closure. The original pattern calls for a tie closure on one end, but even the creator said the piece has enough stretch that you don't need the tie closures. If you don't use the tie closures then you have two options. Option one is to sew the ends of the pieces together to create a loop for the door. Option two is to create a loop on one end and sew a button on the other, which is what I chose to do.

These finishing options are my own original ideas and are not a part of the original pattern. An alternative option, that I thought of as I was writing this, is to connect the loop as you construct the entire piece. The pattern for this is listed below:

Alternate Pattern 

Chain 36

Round 1: Single crochet in 2nd chain from hook, single crochet in each chain across, chain 1, turn.

Rounds 2-4: Single chain in each single chain across, chain 1, turn.

Round 5: 2 single crochet, chain 10, skip 10, 13 single crochet, chain 10, skip 10, 1 single crochet, chain 1, turn.

Round 6: Single chain across, 2 single crochet, chain 1, turn.

Rounds 7-9: Single chain in each single crochet across, chain 1, turn.

Round 10: Single crochet across, 3 single crochet, turn, continue to single crochet around entire piece with 3 single crochet in each corner, slip stitch to join, fasten off.

Weave in loose ends.

In the alternative pattern I used the stripe pattern Crochet Dynamite used. I made mine using the Oakland A's colors. As you can see there are so many possibilities in making these in your own favorite colors or to fit a theme. I think these would be great for a nursery and would make great baby gifts. If I made them for a nursery I would use the button closure option and then use a cute button that matched the nursery theme. What colors would you use?

Hello Kitty

Happy birthday to my sister! My little sister turns 23 today and next week we are going to be celebrating her birthday at a baseball game. If you are a frequent visitor to BooBear Designs then you know that my family and I are huge Oakland A's fans. For those of you who don't know, the Oakland A's are a MLB baseball team located in California, across the bay from the San Francisco Giants. Anyways, my sister is also a huge A's fan and she also loves Hello Kitty. For her birthday, besides the ticket to the baseball game, I decided to make her a Hello Kitty A's t-shirt to wear to the baseball game. The t-shirt also matches a coin purse I bought her a few months ago. 

A few weeks ago I posted my tutorial on designing and creating t-shirts using freezer paper. In the post, I mentioned that it was helpful to use markers to outline the template or to color in pieces that you wanted to keep, etc. This was a necessary part for creating the stencil for the Hello Kitty t-shirt. When I designed the template and traced the stencil on freezer paper I hadn't considered how I was going to cut out the pieces and make a usable template. Outlining and coloring in the pieces of the template provided me with a visual to use when creating my stencil. I ended up cutting out each piece and then reassembling the pieces on the t-shirt to recreate the design. I fit the pieces together and then removed one piece at a time to paint. I decided on the pieces to remove based on color, going from dark to light. In general, you want to paint from dark to light as dark colors are easier to fix if you make a mistake. It is a lot easier to cover up a white spot on black then a black spot on white. 

For the most part, this t-shirt design worked up quickly and I was really lucky that the paint dried fast. As soon as I finished with one piece the paint was dry and I was able to start another piece. The face and hat of Hello Kitty took the longest because they required multiple layers of paint. The outline of black is visible on the black t-shirt, but not overwhelming. The outline was crucial for identifying the features of Hello Kitty. I was not able to make a stencil for the bow and had to freehand the outline, but I think the bow turned out well. 

Is there a sport's team or character that you can't get enough of? Combining these can lead to a truly one-of-a-kind piece of memorabilia for you or a loved one. 

Beach Zen Garden

If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram then you know that I just finished a brief vacation in Monterey. It is good to be home and to have access to my craft supplies again, but honestly I miss Monterey very much. The vacation was greatly needed and I have returned to real life feeling inspired. My mind has been racing with all of my ideas for projects inspired by Monterey or travel. I have also been obsessing over Pinterest so I will be sharing some boards with you, as well as some projects I have modified from existing pins. I have so much work to catch up on from being gone, but I couldn't wait to start my first project: a Beach Zen Garden. I miss Monterey: the sand, the shells, the water, and the wildlife. Before I left I knew that I wanted to make a beach scene, but I honestly wasn't sure if that would be a zen garden or a shadow box of my trip. Again, I obsessed over Pinterest, which gave me some ideas, although I didn't find exactly what I was looking for. With the ideas I did have, I made sure to take lots of photos and collect shells in Monterey. When I came home I had a much better idea of what I wanted to create and using existing supplies, with a few additional purchases, I created my own version of Monterey or a Beach Zen Garden. 

I apologize this isn't much of a tutorial, but I created this project quickly and honestly it was fairly easy to make. If you want to make your own beach zen garden, then the supplies you need are:

• A wooden tray or some other container to hold your garden; Hobby Lobby sells ready-to-finish wood trays for $4.99.
• A lid to a cardboard box, unless you don't mind your sand going everywhere. I used the lid to a See's Candy 1/4 lb box.
• Sand, which can be purchased at Hobby Lobby or collected from a beach trip.
• Rocks, shells, and any other natural embellishment. I already had the rocks, I collected the shells, and then bought a few more at Hobby Lobby. The shells I collected from my trip were mostly broken pieces so I supplemented them with nicer looking shells.
• Popsicle sticks, I used the standard craft kind and was able to buy a pack of 50 from Walmart for $0.88. I only needed 23 so it worked out perfectly.
• 2 plastic trays, I already had these plastic storage trays that I purchased from Target 2 years ago. I used plastic trays because they actually contain water, but if you used a resin to recreate the look of water then you could use any container you wanted. 
• Pictures of the ocean floor or the bottom of a tide pool. I used a picture I took from my trip. I printed out the picture on regular printer paper, cut out, and glued to the bottom of the containers.
• A glue stick and E6000 glue to glue the pictures and to assemble the pier.

Normally when I am working on a project, but am not 100% about how I want it to look I draw my idea on paper and then am able to tamper with the final layout. This time I chose not to draw the layout and instead dove right in, which didn't seem to hurt the final outcome. I started with the first water container and placed it into my tray where I wanted the "ocean" to be located. I then found the lid to a box that fit into my tray and the space I wanted the "beach" to occupy. The beach was going to be larger, but the only lid I could find was half of the size so I had to improvise. I filled the lid with Kinetic sand that I already had. I planned on collecting sand in Monterey, but I didn't think about it while I was there. Kinetic Sand is great for this project because it stays clumped together and is easy to shape into the beach you want. I then placed the shells into the sand. 

Originally, I was going to use the smaller container to hold a Bonsai tree, but then I read the instructions for a grow-your-own Bonsai tree kit, again something that I already had, and it said the tree needed to be directly in the sun. I didn't intend for my beach zen garden to be sitting in direct sunlight or on a window sill so I had to scrap that idea. Before I decided to scrap the idea, I began gluing rocks to the edge of the small container using E6000 glue. Since I was already committed to the small container being covered in rocks, I decided to make a tide pool for my beach zen garden. It didn't turn out exactly as I intended, but it works for now. The great thing about assembling this zen garden in pieces is that I can redecorate it as many times as I want. 

I waited until everything was in place before I decided to glue pictures to the bottom of the containers, which I don't recommend doing because I almost destroyed my pier. So before you add your pier make sure you have glued on the pictures you want to the bottom of your containers. Then you can add your pier. I made the pier using Popsicle sticks glued together with E6000 glue. This took some time and was a bit messy. I cut pieces of Popsicle sticks and glued to the bottom of the pier to make legs. You can't see the legs, but they made the pier more secure in the tray. I took 3 Popsicle sticks glued together and glued them to the top of the pier to fill in the gap between the tray and the sand. I found this little wood boat and Hobby Lobby and I thought it would be a perfect addition to my garden. Unfortunately, it was bigger than I wanted it to be in the garden, but I think I will leave it, at least for now. I also added a sea otter magnet that I purchased in Monterey and thought the star fish looked cute placed on top, almost as if he was holding it. 

What is your favorite beach activity? What are some of your other favorite vacation spots? I would love to hear about your travel adventures and to get ideas about where I should travel next!

In Loving Memory: Memorial T-Shirts

Regardless of where you live, I feel quite certain that you have likely known or heard of someone who has passed away and the resulting "In loving memory of" items for that person. These items are for personal remembrance and sometimes for distribution to raise money for the family or expenses. Either way, these items can have a lasting impact on friends and family and can be easily created with love. This is an especially important topic for me in July because July represents the death of four very important people to me. Almost every week of July is the anniversary of the passing of a loved one and each person is remembered in different ways. This year, I have created memorial t-shirts for two of my loved ones. The decision to make t-shirts for only these two was based on the circumstances of the anniversary of their passing this year. The first being it is the first year since his passing and the second being that we are remembering her by going to iFly, an indoor skydiving experience. Both t-shirts were fairly easy to make, but were time consuming (paint takes time to dry) so if you are planning to make a memorial t-shirt then I suggest allowing yourself plenty of time. 

For this project you will need a t-shirt, fabric paints, a paintbrush, freezer paper, a computer, pencil, and Xacto knife. You will also need an iron and a piece of cardboard to put in between the layers of t-shirt. Depending on the number of colors you use to paint your shirt, the project will take anywhere from a day to a few days to make. 

1. Use a computer and Microsoft Word to create a design that you want to use on the t-shirt. I usually have the paper set to landscape orientation because it gives me more room to design the t-shirt. A single sheet of paper is approximately the size of a small/medium t-shirt so if you are making a large/x-large t-shirt design consider using multiple sheets of paper for your design. I don't recommend using pictures of the person since it would be difficult to make a stencil from their printed image. The words and graphics that you use do not need to be flipped like they do when you are using transfer paper. I like to print the page(s) in the colors I plan on using for the t-shirt as it helps me to visualize the finished project better. Print out your pages and save the finished document if you plan on making additional t-shirts. 
2. Freezer paper typically comes in a long role, as it is traditionally used in butcher shops for wrapping meat, so you will need to cut the paper down to size. I typically keep the freezer paper the same size as the 8.5" x 11" printer paper. Save any scrap pieces of freezer paper as they can be used for smaller designs at a later time. Small scrap pieces make excellent stencils for when you want to add designs to the sleeves or pockets of a t-shirt.
3. Lay the freezer paper, shiny side down, on the top of your design paper and using a pencil trace the design. I found that using paper clips at the tops of the page help to keep the pages still so the design turns out straight. Once the design is traced on the freezer paper you can either cut it out or trace the pencil lines with a marker. Retracing your pencil lines with a marker makes your design easier to see, but it also allows you to store the design without your pencil lines rubbing away. When you are ready to cut, carefully use an Xacto knife to cut out the design. Remember to save any pieces that are going to be a different color, like the middle portion of an "O". These pieces will be ironed on to the t-shirt with the stenciled design. I found it helpful to use a marker to mark these pieces so I knew quickly which pieces to save.
4. When you have made your stencil, carefully put the stencil on the t-shirt, again with shiny side down, and iron onto your t-shirt. You want to make sure the stencil is adhered to the t-shirt because if it begins to lift up while you are painting the paint will spread. The pieces you saved also need to be ironed on at this time. These pieces require individual ironing to make sure they are properly adhered. 
5. Choose the fabric paint you are going to use first and carefully begin to paint within the lines of your stencil. If you are right handed, it is easier to paint from left to right to reduce the chances of unnecessarily smudging or spreading paint. I recommend only using a paintbrush and not squirting the paint from a bottle as it creates a more even design. You will likely need to add a few layers of paint to your stencil. When the design is the color you want then lay the t-shirt somewhere that it can dry. Drying can take anywhere from 4 hours to a day depending on the fabric paint you use.  
6. When your paint is completely dry and no longer sticky, you can remove your stencil. Removing your stencil will take time so be patient. You may need to use an Xacto knife to lift up pieces of the stencil. Depending on how much paint you got on your stencil this might be a time consuming process. When your stencil is off of your t-shirt you can fill in any mistakes or begin to paint your next color. Most fabric paint recommends you wait 72 hours before you wash your t-shirt and when you do wash it to turn the t-shirt inside out so the design is protected. 

If you make a memorial t-shirt or have any ideas for projects I should make please leave a comment below. 

Gift Planning: Pick a Theme and Start Planning

Today is July 5th, which means we are just 5 days over the half-way mark of the year. For me, I think July is a good time to reflect and to refocus on what you want for the second half of the year. Do you want more time with family? Do you want more vacations? Do you want to be more creative and craft more? Whatever it is that you want to accomplish, you have to take time to refocus, and to begin to lay the foundation for the rest of the year. Summer is busy, life is busy, and time is fleeting. Plus we live with this concept of plenty of time until it is all gone and we are left with scraps, unable to fully enjoy the moment. July, and summer in general, for me is a time to reflect on the year, to think about the second half of the year's gifts/events, and to refocus on what I want to accomplish. Today, the primary focus is on the gifts and events that are on the horizon for the rest of the year.

I don't know if this is just me, but I really like to think of a theme when I am giving gifts. If you have read any of my Christmas preparation posts then you know that establishing a theme is what focuses me and allows me to make critical decisions about content. Choosing a theme isn't always easy when it comes to giving a gift, but I try to start with one item I know they need or that they want. For my cousin's baby shower I chose Goofy because I knew she has loved Goofy since she was a little girl. I then utilized Google to further refine the desired contents of my gift and decided upon a Goofy outfit, which I would crochet for her. I explored various options, but decided for the time constraints that I had I would combine store bought items, such as a onesie, and handmade items, such as the beanie, diaper cover, and booties. I then added to the outfit by including another handmade item, a Goofy hat for her, and a store bought item, a Goofy plushie for her baby. The gift itself was small, but it was well-thought out and took a lot of time so I don't want anyone to think that size should matter in determining a gift for someone. 

My cousin's baby shower is just one example of how I use a theme to help decide upon and execute a gift for someone, but I can't state enough how helpful it is to have a theme. As I spend today reflecting on the remaining events this year, I am thinking of themes and planning gifts, all of which include handmade aspects. The best part about a theme and advance planning is that I get to compile the gift as I go along and in this way the gift is well thought out. I am able to find things I wouldn't have been able to find last minute or I am able to find unique items from my adventures and travels that you just can't find near the gift recipient. In a previous post on  gifts I shared an idea for storing gifts, both gifts for last minute events and for the pieces of themed gifts. Using a photo storage box I am able to store most of the items I will use for gift giving. Right now my box is full of various items that can used for last minute gifts or incorporated in Christmas, such as various lotions, perfumes, and an assortment of notepads. I also have a Hello Kitty wallet and a 49ers scarf that are reserved for specific recipients. 

My most helpful tip for gift planning is picking a theme, but I know that it can be just as overwhelming to organize your thoughts after picking a theme so here are some additional tips. 

Gift Planning

1. I created a table, shown right, that allows me to write down all of my ideas and needs when gift planning. The table is explained in tips 2-5, listed below. The table includes a generic row and then a specific row with a real example of a gift I am planning.
2. Decide on a spending limit. It is important to decide on a spending limit or you will be tempted to buy more. Making a budget isn't fun, but it will save you regret later. 
3. Decide if you want to make anything and then remember to factor in the supplies you need as part of your budget. It might not seem like you are spending that much, but the cost of supplies adds up quick.
4. If you decide that you will be making a part of a person's gift then you need to realistically determine how much time you need to finish the gift. Remember to give yourself extra time because accidents happen and there are days when you just don't feel like working on it. 
5. Brainstorm categories or types of items you want to include in your gift. If your theme is sports then you might write down sports gear or an athlete's autograph. This isn't a shopping list, but a way of helping you focus when you are looking at these types of items. 

An American Tradition

Summer is about sunshine, water, and fun with friends, but for Americans, summer is also about FREEDOM. Summer starts with Memorial Day, a remembrance of the men and women we have lost in combat, and ends with Labor Day, a celebration of the rights of laborers. In between those holidays, in the very heart of summer, is the Fourth of July, a celebration of our independence. Americans choose to celebrate these holidays in many ways, but most people choose to celebrate with an American tradition. The American tradition that my family most often chooses is baseball. After all, baseball is America's favorite past time. For me, it was obvious that my next project needed to be baseball themed, but I really wanted to make my project about America too because there is meaning behind these holidays beyond a day off to watch a baseball game with family and friends. I used Google to find inspiration for my design and then compiled various elements I had liked into my own design for a patriotic, baseball-themed t-shirt. 

Once the design was finished, I printed the design out onto regular computer paper, and then began creating my stencil using freezer paper. Freezer paper is an excellent stencil for making t-shirts or other fabric projects. I traced my design onto the freezer paper and then used an Exacto knife to cut out the pieces of the design that I would need to paint first. I then ironed the design onto the t-shirt, as well as the pieces that were free floating in the background. I will freely admit that I didn't make sure my design was straight on the t-shirt before deciding to iron it on, which means that after I finished painting my t-shirt that the design was crooked. This is a rookie mistake, but it happens and I figure it gives my t-shirt a uniqueness. That said, if I were to make this t-shirt design again I would definitely make sure the design was straight. 

Besides the crookedness of the design I think the t-shirt came out really well. I was able to make this project for under $5 because I had all of the necessary supplies except for the t-shirt. I used Microsoft Word to create the design and standard fabric paint to paint it on the t-shirt. I really do enjoy t-shirt design, this is the 3rd t-shirt I have finished, and I will definitely be making more designs in the future. In fact, I already have a few t-shirt designs in mind for the next few months. 

The other t-shirt designs are pictured below:

Stephen Vogt T-shirt Design; this t-shirt was given to him in the 2014 season. 

Sonny Gray T-shirt Design; He even signed it at Fan Fest in 2014.

Update

It has been awhile since I have posted anything on this blog. Partly because I haven't had time, partly because I haven't been crafting, and partly because I have been focused on my other blog Lessons. It is because Lessons is going so well that I have decided to reinvest in BooBear Designs. I really am amazed at the people who are able to work full time and keep their crafting blog updated. I have so many ideas and dreams for this blog, but I am just unable to keep it updated because I don't have the time. For those who don't know, I am a full time behavior technician and I am also going to school to become certified as a child life specialist. That said I am going to try to start posting weekly.

Recently, I have finished a newborn photo prop for my cousin's son. My cousin loves Goofy, her childhood bedroom was even painted in Goofy's colors, so when I found out she was having a boy I knew what I wanted to make her. Essentially I crocheted a Goofy hat, a diaper cover, and booties to go with an orange onesie. These pieces made up the Goofy outfit. I also included a Goofy plushie. My cousin's baby shower, a month ago, was a huge success and she adored the outfit. I will post a more detailed post later. 

Some other projects I am working on are a jungle-themed baby blanket, a baseball-themed t-shirt, and something super hero/comic book themed. The jungle-themed baby blanket will likely be for one of my coworkers (and friend) who is also having a boy. The baseball-themed t-shirt is for the baseball games that fall on American holidays. I don't really know what super hero project I want to make, but I'm loving all of the super hero/comic book movies that have been coming out. 

Raft Cup Holder

Last summer I was introduced to rafting and fell in love. The funny thing is I had my own raft, but never used it or went rafting before last summer. This month I have spent time patching my raft, which had a fairly large hole on the bottom, and then decided to try adding my own cup holder to my raft. If you have gone rafting then you understand that finding a place to put your soda is near impossible without losing your soda or flipping your raft. There are several DIYs for floating cup holders, but I didn't like the idea of my drink possibly floating away in a fast current. I already had this can cozy, I received it as a giveaway at some event, and thought that I might be able to attach it to the side of my raft as a cup holder.

To make this cup holder you will need E6000 glue, fabric glue, a can cozy, and Velcro. The Velcro I used was self-adhesive, but I wanted the bond to be secure so I used fabric glue to adhere the Velcro pieces to the back of the can cozy and then E6000 to adhere the other Velcro pieces to the side of the raft. I allowed the Velcro pieces to dry on the can cozy and raft for a few hours before attaching the can cozy to the side of the raft. This cup holder raft project was definitely a success and I can't wait to go rafting again this year. I imagine there will be many more DIYs that I will want to create as I get back into rafting.  

Are there any DIYs you want me to try? Leave a comment below and let me know.

Reverse Lent: He has risen!

This last week has been overwhelming and challenging, beyond trying to finish the Reverse Lent challenge, but that isn't what today is about. Today is about someone who loved us so much that He laid downn His life that we might be saved. Jesus died on the cross for all of us and if you have never given Him a second thought, I encourage you to do so now.  There is a simple prayer you can pray right now, inviting Jesus into your heart, and I'll leave it here for anyone who might want to pray that prayer: 

Dear God,

Thank You that Heaven is a free gift. I admit that I have sinned and that I cannot save myself. I know that You love me, but I also realize You are just and You must punish my sins. Thank You for Jesus who is God and who died to pay the penalty for my sins. And now by faith, I place my full trust in Jesus Christ alone for my eternal salvation. I now receive the free gift of eternal life. Come into my life, forgive me of my sins and help me become the person You want me to be. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen

If you prayed that prayer, please leave a commemt below that I might rejoice with you. Your journey isn't going to be easy, but with God you are never alone in your struggles. I have dealt with my fair share of struggle, most recently this weekend, but God has been there every step, even when I felt alone and defeated. You are not alone and Jesus is waiting to be accepted into your life that He might show you His love for you. 

That's what this Reverse Lent challenge has been about: love. God first loved us that we would know what love is. It is because God loves me that I spent the last 6 weeks, 40 days to be exact, working on baby blankets for Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Remembrance. This organization provides support to women who have lost a child. These blankets will be mailed to the organization and included into care packages that will be delivered next month. I unfortunately overestimated my ability to finish a blanket a week during Lent and only finished 4 blankets, but that is 3 more than last year so I am feeling successful. I will be trying to work on another blanket this week while I'm off of work, but I feel proud of what I was able to accomplish this Lent. Remember not to compare your results to your original expectations, but look at your results in terms of your progress. Did you accomplish more than you thought you would? Did your skills improve? Think about your progress relative to your own life and not expectations, either the ones you make yourself or those of other people. 

Happy Easter! May God bless you and your families!

Reverse Lent: Week 5

Last week's beautiful sunny, Spring is almost here, day has been replaced with cold winds and storm clouds. Yesterday morning we even had rain, just enought to wet the cars, but not nearly as much as we need. Our weather just can't seem to make up its mind. The sudden, unexpected changes in temperature this last week is reminding me of life, where anything can happen at any moment. You might have plenty of time to craft one moment and the next be too busy to do anything enjoyable. Life is unexpected and this can be good or it can be bad depending on the unexpected additions to your life. Either way, just like with the weather, we have to deal with it and adjust our lives accordingly. 

As you probably guessed it, I am still behind in my Reverse Lent challenge. However, I am only 1 1/2 blankets behind now so I might just be caught up by next week....ok, well I can still hope that is true. This Reverse Lent has been challenging, but I am really enjoying the time I have spent crocheting the blankets for Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep. The blankets have to be plain, as in they only want medium colored blankets in a single color, which has been challenging, but I am trying to create pretty blankets by changing the stitch used.

I haven't taken any pictures of the blankets I have made thus far, but I promise I will bring taking pictures soon and will upload them at the end of the challenge. I also have been thinking about new projects for Spring and will be posting new DIYs in the next month, along with Spring cleaning tips and more ideas about how to stay organized. 

Reverse Lent: Week 4

Spring is almost upon us and everything seems to already be in bloom. The weather is warm, too warm for winter, and reminiscent of new beginnings. This week I have been thinking about the end of winter and putting last year behind me. Yes, it is March, 3 months into the new year, but there is still this focus on the past. I feel certain I'm not alone in this thinking or there wouldn't be the need for Spring Cleaning. I always liked Spring, with the flowers blooming, and the possibility of new beginnings looming in the future. This week, the week before Spring's official start, I am ready for new beginnings. I am still behind in my Reverse Lent challenge and my schedule does not look any clearer in the next few weeks. I am not complaining. I know I am blessed to be busy with school and work, not everyone has a job or the opportunity to further their education, but this also means I can't keep up with all of my projects without finding myself drained.

I am, however, anticipating a brief and I mean brief period without school, which I hope will give me the opportunity to catch up on my Reverse Lent blanket challenge. I also am hoping to finish some home renovation projects and catch up on Spring Cleaning. I am ready for Spring and for new possibilities. Where do you spend the most time cleaning for Spring? What are your best tips for surviving Spring Cleaning? Leave your answers in a comment.

Reverse Lent: Week 3

They say when it rains it pours and this week has definitely taken an unexpected toll on me. I am not one to complain, but it has felt as if it has been one thing after another. Health wise it has been a continuous stream of one thing and then another, ending this week with a likely ear infection or ruptured ear drum (pending a doctor's appointment). The decline in health probably has much to do with stress, but there are certain stressors in life that are unavoidable, such as going to work. I'm not complaining, but since I'm not super woman I am once again behind on my blanket for this week. In fact, I am so behind with blanket 3 that I haven't even started it. I know that eventually it will get done, but I do feel disappointed that I was unable to stay up on the challenge for this year.

Perhaps I set an unrealistic goal. After all I am once again a student, am working full time, and trying to find time to breathe. I probably should have looked at my commitments and known that it would be too hard for me to accomplish everything I needed to get done, especially without leaving myself room to be sick or brought down by health issues. I'm not ashamed. I envisioned a big plan for myself this Lenton season and am learning to be more realistic about my goals. In different circumstances it might have been possible for me to complete this challenge and it isn't impossible now, just unlikely I will finish on time. While I don't have a blanket to show for this week, I do have a few lessons I would like to share with you.

Lesson 1: Waiting
Waiting is inevitable. In life we are guaranteed we will have to wait. We will wait on people, dreams to be realized, and prayers to be answered. Personally, I have never been good with waiting. I don't like it. If I don't see a reason why I can't have something then I want it now and am going to be upset if I don't get it. Now, I'm not a child and so when I have to wait I don't throw a fit, but I am unhappy about it. I've noticed that the longer I have to wait the more discouraged I become. The discouragement comes from a lack of understanding. I read this great article When God Makes Us Wait and it explains why we are made to wait. Right now, this article speaks to my heart. I am in a position where I am waiting for prayers to be answered. If you're in this place too then I know how frustrated you are, but I can honestly say that waiting has a purpose. When you are made to wait, God isn't saying "No" and He isn't ignoring you, He is telling you "Not yet," He is telling you "I have something better for you," and He is telling you "I will strengthen your faith." So hold on, I know it is hard, but the answer you receive will be worth the wait.

Lesson 2: Change
Change, like waiting, is an unfortunate aspect of life. Some change we experience is good and rewarding, but change represents the unknown and is therefore scary to many people. I also don't like change and make it part of my life to avoid it, for the most part. I know some change is necessary and changes our lives for the better, even if not at first, but if you ask me I would probably tell you I could live without it. Change is inevitable and whether we like it or not, we need to learn to accept the change in our life. We don't have to like it, I don't like the changes happening in my life at this moment, but you need to accept it as reality. It is real and you can't go about your life pretending it didn't happen. I wish very much if we didn't like something we could change it back, but unfortunately we don't have that kind of control. The point is change happens and when you're unhappy with the change remember, "This too will pass." This might mean your feelings about the change will pass or it might be the change changes itself. Either way even change changes. Be patient and wait because it won't last forever.

Lesson 3: Endless Supply
Change, being made to wait, and the other stressors of life will bring you down and weigh upon you. You will face struggles and not want to go on, but you don't have to do it alone. God has an endless supply of whatever you need and He is waiting to give it to you. You just have to trust He will and then lean back to enjoy your endless supply. This week I have said more than once that I can't do this, but then God fills me up again and I can give it one more try. Yes, some weeks and some days you will have to cry out for replenishment more than once, but you will always be replenished. You might not be able to do it anymore, but God can. Remember His supply is endless and He is waiting to give it to you.

I don't know where you are this week, but I know I have been reflecting on these lessons every day and I am still learning. Some days are easier than others, but I know I'm not alone and neither are you. Have faith and be happy. You are loved. If you enjoyed this week's post, consider reading my blog Lessons detailing this journey of faith. 

Reverse Lent: Week 2

I am sitting here, on this beautiful day, reflecting on this past week of Lent. I can't help, but be reminded that this time last week I was sad and felt like a failure because my first blanket wasn't done. I was feeling sorry for myself, I was too busy, and I didn't have time, but I was missing the point: this wasn't about me. This Reverse Lent was about loving and caring about children because God loves these children and called them to my heart. Then there was also the fact that I was blessed to be busy with work, not everyone has a job or is able to work, and to be busy with school, not everyone can afford an education. I was selfish to complain. Now, I will admit they there are times when you need to complain, to vent, and to release that frustration, but it isn't healthy or beneficial to stay in that place. I left off last week feeling convicted and decided that I would finish the week smiling instead of complaining. The change in attitude proved effective because this week I am feeling blessed and accomplished.

The blanket for the first week of Lent is finished and simple, but beautiful. The blanket was made using Red Heart yarn in Grey Heather using single crochet stitches made with a crochet hook size G (4.25 mm). I originally intended this blanket for one of the All Kids Need Love comfort kits for foster children, but have since decided that the blankets I make during Reverse Lent will be donated to Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep Remembrance (Nilmdts Remembrance). This organization provides comfort kits to families who have lost a newborn or given birth to a stillborn. I was aware of this organization before, but only vaguely. This last week this organization was referred to me by my sister. She knows more about the organization and recognized their need for crochet or knit blankets to include in the comfort kits they send out to families. I knew that I had the ability to help this organization and felt convicted. As I sat thinking about this I realized that this might have been the reason why I had trouble finishing the first blanket on time. 

Yes, I still could have donated the blanket later upon discovery of the immediate need, but then the blanket would have been too large to be donated. Since I was behind, I was able to make the blanket in the size specified in the description: 16" x 16" to 20" x 20". This is significantly smaller than the blankets I intended on making for the foster care children. This much smaller size is much easier to manage. I am now back on track to finish a blanket a week during Lent while still maintaining my busy lifestyle. Even when everything seemed turned upside down this weekend, I was still able to work on the blanket for week 2, and handle the painfulness life sometimes brings. 

This week I have learned that there are times when we need to be weak, when we need to rely on our friends, and when we need to have faith that there is more than we can see or experience in our current state. I do not usually spend my posts reflecting on life or the shared experiences we have, but I feel that Reverse Lent is an opportunity to share more than just my projects, it is time for reflection. Although, the purpose of this blog is not to discuss life or the lessons we learn, I recognize the need to sometimes discuss life, after all it is a journey we all are experiencing. It would take too long to explain why this weekend was painful or why there was a need to be weak, but I can  assure you that the worst of storms will pass leaving you with a rainbow. 

I would like to leave you with a final thought, a passage from The Last Lecture by Randy Pausch:

"Proper apologies have three parts:

1) What I did was wrong

2) I feel badly that I hurt you

3) How do I make this better?

Yes, some people may take advantage of you when answering question 3. But most people will be genuinely appreciative of your make-good efforts. They may tell you how to make it better in some small, easy way. And often, they'll work harder to help make things better themselves.

Students would say to me: "What if I apologize and the other person doesn't apologize back?" I'd tell them: "That's not something you can control, so don't let it eat at you."

If other people owe you an apology, and your words of apology to them are proper and heartfelt, you still may not hear from them for awhile. After all, what are the odds that they get to the right emotional place to apologize at the exact moment you do? So just be patient. Many times in my career, I saw students apologize, and then several days later, their teammates came around. Your patience will be both appreciated and rewarded." (The Last Lecture, Pausch, pp. 162-163)

The only thing you can control in life is yourself so apologize when you need to and be patient with those who owe you an apology. You might never receive the apology you deserve, but that isn't within your control so you can't let the mistakes of others eat at you. Live your life in a way that you can be proud of when you are out of time. 

Reverse Lent: Week 1

The first week of Reverse Lent is coming to an end and I am already behind. I knew when I set this goal that it would be challenging, but I believed I was up for the challenge. Unfortunately, I didn't anticipate how busy I would be or the sudden onset of my seasonal allergies. Apparently it wasn't just the weather that missed the memo it is still winter. Anyways, I am not giving up on my Reverse Lent, but I just don't have a blanket to share with my readers today. I was feeling down today that the blanket wasn't finished, but I ended up reading my friend's blog that followed her own lent journey and felt inspired. Her blog features a new entry for each day of lent and reflects on her day, including the new lessons she has learned about God. As I read her posts today I thought about the things I have learned as I worked on my own lent journey.

 First, a little about the blanket I am working on as this week ends. I used a single crochet stitch to crochet the blanket in Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Grey Heather. The blanket is a little over half way done and when finished will be accented with Red Heart Super Saver yarn in Turqua. The blanket will be embellished with Turqua roses. The finished blanket will be simple, but will make a sweet gift for any foster child. 

 I mentioned earlier that I have been busy this week and it has been difficult to maintain steady work on the baby blanket, this hasn't been made any easier with the increased fatigue associated with allergies. The point of this is not to complain, but to point out how easy it would be to quit. It doesn't matter the extent of our problems, whether they are little or big, but how we choose to respond to our problems. The friend, whose blog I was reading, has faced so many challenges these last few years, and yet has never given up. She has faced tragedy and loss, but never once quit. She even had the strength to inspire others who were hurting along the way. I have watched how her family has handled their challenges and been inspired to follow her lead. 

This week I choose to face my challenges with my head held high, to persevere, and to not allow my challenges to weigh me down. As I finish the first blanket and move onto the next, while still maintaining my other responsibilities, I am going to do so with a smile on my face. Not because there won't be challenges, but because I know that I am blessed. 

Reverse Lent

Today is Ash Wednesday and for protestants worldwide it is the start of Lent. For those who don't know, Lent is traditionally a religious observance that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Easter Sunday (approximately 6 weeks). Lent is a season of prayer, fasting, and simple living, but has evolved to the removal of an unneeded item from your life (i.e. giving up chocolate or coffee). Last year I was introduced to Reverse Lent. In Reverse Lent, the person does something charitable during the 40 days of Lent. Reverse Lent might be 40 days of helping a different person or organization every day or 40 days of working to help a single person or organization.

I really enjoyed Reverse Lent last year and spent 40 days working on a baby blanket that I donated to Oliviana's Closet. Oliviana's Closet is an organization that helps single moms by providing them with new and gently used baby items. This year I am going to challenge myself and try to finish a blanket a week. These blankets will then be included in care packages for foster children. Each care package or "comfort kits" will include essentials for the child as well as extras that will provide comfort to a scared child and be packaged in tote bags. For those who don't know most children enter into foster care with very few personal items and the items they do have are carried in garage bags. Comfort kits that provide them with additional items, as well as nice bag to carry the items in, are beneficial to the adjustment these children will inevitably have to make.

BooBear's Love Notes

"No one has ever become poor by giving." - Anne Frank

One of the greatest gifts we can give to children is giving them a heart willing to give freely and we give this gift to them through freely giving ourselves. Years ago I envisioned creating "love notes" for children in children's hospitals, but was never able to fully realize this vision due to several complications. The vision for these "love notes" included a note and themed art activities for children of various ages. One of the complications was how to package these "love notes", but recently I came across a perfect solution 6" x 9" Manila envelopes and finished making the "love notes" using the supplies I had purchased years ago. It was a wonderful feeling to complete these "love notes". However, it posed another complication: would the hospital administration allow these particular donations. Previously I had received mixed responses as to what the hospitals would accept, but recently I received an email from a child life specialist accepting the donations. I look forward to donating these "love notes" to the children's hospital. 

A lot of people I encounter are not familiar with the field of child life and I wasn't familiar with it myself until a few years ago when I heard about it while I was finishing my bachelors degree. Child life specialists are pediatric health care professionals who work with children and their families in hospitals, as well as other settings, to help them cope with the challenges of hospitalization, illness, and disability (Wikipedia). Children are provided with age-appropriate preparation for medial procedures, pain management, and coping strategies through play and self-expression activities. Child life specialists also provide information, support, and guidance to parents, siblings, and other family members. The field of child life is a wonderful addition to the medical community. It is also the field I am preparing to enter into this year. I was fortunate enough to be accepted into a wonderful child life graduate program at the beginning of this year and look forward to being a certified child life specialist. 

Children, who are confined to a hospital for prolonged periods of time, experience changes in their "normal" routine and this can cause depression in these children. One way to combat depression is to receive visitors and letters from people who care about them. This is why I decided to create BooBear's Love Notes and send "love notes" to children in the children's hospital. The note was a way of telling the children they were loved while the activities included in the envelope were meant to provide the children with an activity when they were unable to leave their beds. Each envelope contains post cards, velvet magnets to colors, foam activities, and crayons. These items are centered around a theme, such as cowboys or pirates. Most of the items I have used were purchased from the Oriental Trading Company. Their website has several different items in various different themes. I was able to order plenty of supplies without spending a fortune.

I have pictured the "love notes" I have made thus far and am working on more "love notes", which I will show in upcoming posts. Are there any projects you have planned to help others? Or ideas for future "love notes"? If so, I would love to read about your projects and ideas in the comments below.

Pattern Review: Crochet Cloche Hats

Crochet Cloche Hats

A few weeks ago I was challenged to make one of these hats for one of my little cousins. The picture came from a Facebook post that was shared to my page and the post included a link to the pattern. My response, as it usually is, was that I would look over the pattern and give it a try. Unfortunately, what I didn't know at the time was that the original pattern was written in Russian. The link had another link for the pattern translated into English. This link is the link I used when trying to make the cloche hat.

I spent hours trying to decipher the pattern and have the instructions make sense. Finally I gave up on the written instructions and just focused on the pictures, but unfortunately the pictures didn't show each step of crocheting the cloche hat. In trying to make the pattern work I read the translator's note, which said that the translation was considered troublesome for many people in trying to make this hat. I was very frustrated when I read this because I don't think the translator should have shared the pattern, knowing the translated pattern was done poorly and therefore unusable. I then used Google to try to find a crochet stitch to replicate the pattern, but couldn't find the exact stitch.

Since this hat was meant to be a gift for one of my little cousins I continued working on replicating the hat shown in the picture and managed to make my hat look similar to the hat pictured, although far from identical. I am still working on finishing the floral applique for the crochet cloche hat, but I think my cousin will enjoy wearing it for Easter. I still need to find green yarn to make the leaves, but then I will post pictures of the final hat. If this hat is something that you want to see more of then please leave a comment below. I will be posting more hats for Easter in the next coming weeks.

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Update: finished pictures of the Easter Hat