Sugar Skull Pumpkin

And now for something completely different...

With the beautiful fall weather we're having I decided to change things up a little with this week's post.  While the crocheting is still going on in the background, the focus here will be on drawing/decorating. This has always been a challenge for me. I could never get the design in my head to channel it's way to my hand and onto the paper, etc.  I am in awe of those to whom it comes easy. (You know who you are.)

So, armed with a pumpkin that I had carefully selected during our annual apple picking outing, I began to devise a plan. Said pumpkin was chosen specifically for its skullish shape - narrower at the bottom and wider at the top.

I went with sharpies to draw my design versus actual carving. The pumpkins seem to last longer uncarved and I wanted to use color.

 

I think it looks good!  Not scary.  Kind of Grateful Dead-ish.








To learn more about the history of sugar skulls, click here http://mexicanfood.about.com/od/history/a/dayofthedead.htm

I'd love to see the pumpkins you've decorated this year!  Add a photo in the comments section if you have one.

CAL lessons learned

Well, here's the whole family.  I can just tell that the little one is going to be a handful - look at the mischief in that expression!

Since this was my first Crochet Along (CAL) I'd like to share what I've learned from the experience.

1.  I liked the sense of team membership, working with other crocheters to create a common product.

2.  I looked forward to the regularly scheduled posting of the current week's pattern steps.

3.  I enjoyed the creative freedom of choosing colors for my creations based on the instructions given and seeing the interesting combinations that other crafters had chosen.

4.  I learned that I do not like embroidery.  At all.

5.  I realized that if I'm not enjoying a project I should just move on to something more satisfying as opposed to trudging through it just to get it done.  There are too many other options available to spend time on a project that doesn't make me happy.

Having said that, I think the pattern was expertly written and easy to follow.  I loved the whole CAL concept and plan to continue joining these creative bandwagons.  I just will not embroider to add embellishment, but perhaps use variegated yarn or cute buttons, etc.  Time to move on....

Nesting doll CAL week 2 complete

This week's crochet along pattern segment was for the medium nesting doll of the set. She's shorter and slimmer than the first one so that she'll be able to fit inside the bigger one. Next week's doll will be even tinier still to fit in this one!

I like that the pattern mimics the indented narrower area of the doll bottom where it meets with the top section.  Realistic touches like that really make a project stand out.

I'm looking forward to next week's pattern segment to see what colors the littlest doll will be!

Did you have a set of nesting dolls like this when you were a child?

Owl coffee cozy

Better late than never, right?  Here is my owl button coffee cozy. It's just a straight forward ribbed cuff in a cream (half and half?) yarn stylishly accented by Mr. Owl.

I have one more owl project in the works!

Nesting Doll CAL week 1 complete

Well here is the first doll of the nesting trio.  She is the largest of the three.  Fairly simple and straightforward to work up the red top and blue bottom.  As always, the detailing is the time consuming portion of the project.  Note to self:  continue practicing making french knots until it's second nature.....

I'll be working on the second of the three dolls once the pattern has been released for the crochet along. Stay tuned for more progress updates!

You can find the pattern at www.petalstopicots.com

My first crochet-a-long

I'm excited to participate in my first crochet-a-long (CAL)!  This is when someone selects a project to crochet and invites others to complete it as well at the same time.  I have chosen to join the Petals To Picots CAL for the August nesting dolls project.   I will post photos of my progress as I complete it.  Stay tuned!

Here is the link to the project

Golfing thoughts

Today was a golf day!  Gorgeous weather outside made me decide to dust off the clubs and play 9 holes.  Let's just say that I didn't keep score, but did okay and only lost one ball.  Naturally it's beneficial to really focus on the game, your setup, etc. whilst golfing. However, here are a few of the places my focus drifted off to:

*  I think I need a new golf glove, my thumb is poking out of this one

*  When a golf ball has been run over by the mower it looks like a hardboiled egg yolk inside

*  This stupid visor is squeezing my skull!

*  Where are the geese, squirrels, woodchucks, what-have-you this morning?

*  Big toe on left foot is uncomfortable.  Time for a pedi?

*  Oooh!  There's the snack cart, better grab a vitamin water.

*  Call me crazy but that cloud looks EXACTLY like George Washington.  He doesn't look impressed.

*  I wonder how Tiger's playing today...

Oh well, it was a nice walk and I got some great pictures!  (None of President Washington though.)

Owl cutie #2

I decided to change things up a bit for my second owl creation. Working without a pattern (winging it?) I made up the body and wings based on what I've done for previous animals.  (Just call me Dr. Frankenstein - "it's pronounced Frahnkensteen!").

Since I was so pleased with how owl #1's eyes came out, I kept those the same.  It seems like owls need "ears" or some distinguishing characteristic on their heads for identification purposes so I opted for the sassy tuft look.  I used the same yarn color scheme for both owls but this little one has an orange beak so it stands out a little better.

An owl-themed coffee cup cozy is still in the works.....

Pumpkins!

I've decided to take a little break from owls to try to get ready for the fall season a little bit earlier this year.  I had made a few of these little pumpkins last year and they all sold out, so I decided to create a few more.

They have two different looks, hopefully something for everyone.  The one on the left is a cute, amigurumi pumpkin with a sweet grin and bright eyes.  On the right, a more traditional, realistic version complete with ribbed sides and stem.

Which do you prefer?  I love them both!  See more photos at the Grinning Piglet etsy shop.

Owl cutie #1

For my first owl-themed project I chose this little guy.  I got the pattern from cre8tioncrochet.com which is a great source for all things crochet.

Due to the small size of the owl I was able to use some scrap yarn I had left over from various other projects.  The center of his body is worked from a pink camouflage variegated yarn. (Refer to my previous post regarding my love of variegated yarn.)  Next I used a pretty pink yarn followed by the taupe color around the edge of the front and the entire back.   I also made the beak out of the taupe yarn. I was considering an orange beak but decided that might be a harsh color contrast. 

The things I'm most excited about are the eyes. I prefer using black plastic safety eyes for my amigurumi but when making toys for a baby I try to use only yarn. I have endured much frustration trying to create yarn eyes that are cute, to scale for the project, etc.  These eyes were easy and they look great. I'm hoping they'll be adaptable for other projects and not just owls. 

My next owl creation has not yet been determined. Stay tuned!

And Missy would like to say "hello". 

Whooooo's loving owls?

It seems like anything with an owl theme is really trending right now. You see them everywhere - on clothing, dishes, bedding, accessories, the list goes on.

I have always liked owls and am delighted to jump on their bandwagon!  I think it's their big, wise eyes that I like the most. 

So with that in mind, my next few projects will be owl related. I'm thinking about a stuffed backpack buddy, a fleece lovey blanket, coffee cup cozies or maybe a bib.

I recently picked up this cute pack of craft buttons at Jo-Ann's and can't wait to embellish with them.

Beach day for Missy

Lucky me!

Check out the gorgeous items I won in Day by Day Crochet's giveaway!  The blinged out hook and set of three stitch markers are cute as well as useful. I was surprised at how light the clay is and the detail work is beautiful.

I'm currently on the waiting list to order a custom hook so it was such a nice treat to win this set while waiting for my turn.

Missy at the cow farm

It varies.....

While it's true that I love most yarns, the variegated ones are definitely my favorites.  They add an effortless burst of color to my projects without the added time required to switch between yarns for striping or color changes.

Tiny turtle

Fingerless gloves

Here are a few examples of items I've crocheted with this fun yarn.

Rainbow fish

Oatmeal fleck iphone/ipod case

Camouflage bear

Washcloths

My Mona Lisa

After yet another extended absence from the blogosphere, I just had to return to post about my latest creation.  This is the "Chiffon Cake with Fruit Topping Tissue Box Cozy" that I just completed making.  I absolutely love it.  The colors of the fruit just seem to jump out off of the "cake".  Vibrant red for the strawberries with their kelly green tops, navy blueberries, and gorgeous kiwis with white centers and black seed detailing.

I knew that I would have to create this masterpiece after seeing it listed on the Michael's website.  It's designed by the incredibly talented and creative Twinkie Chan who is a crochet inspiration for me.  Broken down into bursts of crafting time, it took 11-1/2 hours total to make and assemble.  That is definitely the longest I've spent on any one project! However, this is due to the wonderful detail of the individual pieces that combine to create this cozy.  There are 6 of each type of fruit and seperate layers of "piped frosting" trimming the top and bottom.

Missy relaxing in the shade

Sorry it's been so long since I've posted!  We just had another snow day for school here and I'm ready to be done with winter until December.

I'm currently looking into sales venues for my creations in addition to the Etsy store.  I hope to develop a relationship with a nearby craft consignment shop soon.  Being able to actually hold and appreciate the item makes such a difference to the potential customer, in my opinion.  That's also why I'm looking forward to the warmer weather and the promise of outdoor craft fairs, etc.

I plan to begin making some cute flower barrettes to welcome Spring.

Here's a Missy photo:

I finished my Nemo blizzard project!  It's a cute bunny baby hat with an adjustable diaper cover.  It would make a great Easter gift, photo prop or costume for a 6-9 month-old (approximately).
* Pattern credit goes to Sarah at Repeat Crafter Me and Amber at Crochet a Flower. *

Missy after the blizzard

Let it snow!!!

We are expecting a bit of a blizzard this weekend! Tomorrow's tasks are to ensure we have enough milk in the fridge and enough yarn to keep me busy if we're snowbound.

My next project is going to be a bunny-themed baby hat and diaper cover set for Easter.

And here's the latest Missy pose:

Pocket scarf

This is the completed pocket scarf. Not the best photo, unfortunately. Cute idea though, functional as well as warm!

Blog Layout Updates

I've been working on the appearance of the blog for the past few days.  Having no experience with HTML it has been interesting trying to find out how to add buttons, create icons, etc.  So far have added the follow on twitter and like on facebook buttons.  Also created a "favicon" which is supposed to show a tiny Grinning Piglet icon at the top of the page at the browser address, but not sure if that's working correctly yet :-).

Plan to keep at it though and hope to be posting a photo of my latest crocheted creation - a scarf with pockets/hand warmers - soon.

Pink baby bear

I finished up the pink baby bear.  She's bundled up in her scarf to keep her warm until spring comes!  This was my first use of embroidery on felt for the nose/mouth detail.  Since this is a gift for a newborn, I used felt eyes also as opposed to the plastic safety eyes.

I plan to make another to have on hand for future baby girl gifts as well as a light blue one for boy babies.  Maybe a white one with a pastel-colored scarf for baby showers where the boy/girl issue is still a mystery!

Hey, friend!

Chocolate bunny

The chocolate bunny is done and I think it turned out really well!

I think I'll make the bunny in white also....

I also updated the Etsy shop for Valentine's Day since it's only 2-1/2 weeks away.  (Note to self:  plan for holidays at least 4 weeks in advance.) I relisted the heart fingerless gloves, revamped the tea party set with teacup and 3 heart-shaped cookies, as well as adding 2 new coffee cozies with hearts on them.

It was quite a photoshoot afternoon for the bunny, the new cozies, and two new fleece baby blankets with crocheted edging.  They are all in the shop now, and will "advertise" on the Etsy teams tomorrow.

Perhaps for St. Patrick's Day I'll make some cozies with shamrocks.

This week's Missy photo:

She has the enviable ability of being able to fall asleep anywhere at a moment's notice.  Here she is snuggled up against the hallway baseboard.

Brainstorming ideas for some spring projects. I've started a chocolate bunny and hope to try a basket also for Easter.  Maybe I'll try to create some colorful jellybean amigurumi!  Stay tuned - I'll post photos when they're done

Happy New Year!

2013 is off to a great start for the Grinning Piglet!  In January I've completed a light blue baby afghan order for a friend and am currently working on an order for a pink bear as a baby gift.  I hope this momentum continues throughout the year.

Here are a few New Year's resolutions for the Grinning Piglet:

1.  Update the Etsy shop (www.etsy.com/shop/grinningpiglet)  I have a few fleece baby blankets to list as well as a chunky infinity cowl scarf.  Also need to work on the product photos across the board.

2.  Post weekly to this blog regarding current projects, upcoming events, etc.

3.  Review sales results from 2012 shows/events.  Heritage Day and stART on the Street were very successful.  Farmer's markets and small craft shows, not so much.

4.  Consider creating some patterns to sell in the Etsy shop and elsewhere.  Expand from just production to design, as well.

5.  Look into an online shop of my own, in addition to the Etsy shop.

6.  Evaluate which products are the best sellers and focus on those creations.

7.  Find new marketing opportunities and utilize them.

That should keep me busy and somewhat focused for a while!

Wishing everyone a healthy and Happy New Year from the Grinning Piglet

And here is the first of my weekly Missy photos for you.  She resolves to get more exercise this year (me too!)