Creating Me

Crochet Granny Square Cowl

Posted on November 4, 2022 by Anita

Hi friends,

Granny Squares are everywhere right now! There are blankets, bags, sweaters, scarves…all kinds of pretty patterns and projects! I thought it might be fun to make a simple cowl using a basic granny square pattern and I love the way it turned out. 😊

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I used this basic granny square pattern from Hopeful Honey. This particular pattern turns at the beginning of each round – this keeps the square from getting a little wonky and crooked looking.

I used Yarn Bee Soft & Sleek yarn in Ivory, Viridescent, and Dark Gray with an H/5mm crochet hook to stitch up my granny squares. I started my square with 2 rows of Ivory, then I stitched 2 rows of Viridescent, and finished it with one row of Dark Gray. I made a total of 6 squares. My squares measured about 5.5 inches.

I connected my squares together with Dark Gray using single crochet to add a little texture to the cowl. Once all the squares were stitched together, I added a row of single crochet around both of the outside edges to give it a more finished look.

The Crochet Granny Square Cowl is super easy to make and works up quickly! If you want it to be longer, simply add more squares. And your color choices are endless! Crochet cowls make great gifts, too. 😊

Anita

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Tabletop Pumpkin Crate

Posted on November 1, 2022 by Anita

Hi friends,

Did you pick up any of these little velvet pumpkins at Dollar Tree? I got them a couple of months ago when I shared this post with my Fall finds. I haven’t had a chance to do as much Fall crafting as I had hoped, but I pulled out these cute little pumpkins the other day and made a fun Tabletop Pumpkin Crate to add to my Fall decor.

The pumpkins had clips glued to the back so I just pulled them off. (I forgot to take a picture.) I had my little square wood crate in my craft stash – I think I got it at Target – but you can find similar crates at craft stores.

I used white paint with a foam brush and painted a light coat on the inside and outside of the crate. I didn’t worry about completely covering the crate because I wanted it to have a more rustic look.

Then I used a stiff-bristled brush to dry brush brown paint onto the crate. A little tip for the stiff-bristled brush…I took a chip brush and trimmed the bristles to about 1-inch long. This makes them stiff enough to use for dry brushing.

I trimmed a piece of floral foam from Dollar Tree and hot glued it to the center of the crate to add some height. Then I hot glued Spanish moss, also from Dollar Tree, around and over the floral foam.

I hot glued the pumpkins into the crate and added a bit more Spanish moss.

The wood “Give Thanks” on the front of my crate came from Dollar Tree, too. It came in a package of 6 different Fall phrases. I painted it with one coat of orange paint and then dry brushed it with brown paint. It’s hot glued onto the crate.

This was a fun little project that probably only took 30 to 45 minutes to make. My crate measures about 6 inches square and about 2.75 inches tall. It’s the perfect size to tuck onto a table or mantel. And most of my supplies came from Dollar Tree so it’s very budget friendly! 😉

I hope this inspires you to look in your craft stash and create something fun!

Anita

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Halloween Greetings – Handmade Card

Posted on October 31, 2022 by Anita

Hi friends,

Just popping in to say Happy Halloween! 🎃 I hope you get to eat all of your favorite Fall treats today!

Here are the details for this sweet Halloween Greetings card. The cute cupcake is from the 31 stamp set and the sentiment is from the Cuddlebug Bat set, both from Unity Stamp Company. The cupcake is stamped with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white card stock, colored with Copic markers, and cut out. I added a strip of patterned paper to a purple card and added a piece of green card stock embossed with the Cuttlebug Spots and Dots embossing folder. I punched a circle from orange card stock and attached it to the card. The cupcake is attached to the card with foam tape. The sentiment is stamped with black ink on white card stock, trimmed, and attached to the card.

Enjoy your day and all your sweet treats! 🎃

Anita

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A Merry Christmas To You – October Christmas Card

Posted on October 28, 2022 by Anita

Hi friends,

I almost missed it – but I managed to get my Christmas card for October designed and made! 🎄

You can find the other cards I’ve created this year in these posts… January, February, March, April, May, June, July, August, and September.

I used the Making Spirits Bright and Christmas Express stamp sets from Unity Stamp Company for this month’s card. I love the vintage look mailbox! We had one on the corner across the street from the house I grew up in (although it was blue 😉). I used to love mailing things for my mom when I was little. 🙂

I stamped the mailbox image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white card stock and colored it with Copic markers. I used the Wonky Stitched Rectangle Dies from My Favorite Things to die cut around the image. I inked the edges with blue ink using a Blender Brush from Taylored Expressions.

I randomly stamped 3 of the postmark images from the Christmas Express stamp set on white card stock. I added blue ink with a Blender Brush and attached the piece to a white card. I attached the mailbox image to the card with foam tape. I stamped the sentiment with black ink on white card stock, punched it with a label punch (my punch is discontinued, but here is a set of similar dies), and applied blue ink. I attached it to the corner of the mailbox image.

I love how these 2 stamp sets go perfectly together! They make such a cute Christmas card!🎄

Anita

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Little Halloween Treat Bags

Posted on October 26, 2022 by Anita

Hi friends,

You still have time to make up some Little Halloween Treat Bags for those special trick or treaters. 🎃 Pull out your favorite Halloween stamps and make some quick little tags to attach to small clear treat bags filled with yummy goodies.

My adorable candy corn stamp is from the 31 stamp set from Unity Stamp Company. The set has 13 little Halloween stamps that are perfect for making tags. I’m sure you have some cute Halloween images in your stash that will work.

I stamped the image with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white card stock, colored it with Copic markers, and punched it out with a circle punch. I attached the stamped image to a larger decorative circle punched from green card stock. (This is a similar punch.)

I used my Crop-A-Dile to punch a small hole in the tag. I tied the tags to small clear treat bags filled with treats using orange and white baker’s twine.

These fun little tags are so quick and easy to make! You can also make cute tags using stamps for any season – Thanksgiving, Christmas, Easter, or Birthdays. Any smaller images you have would work great for making tags. 🙂

Anita

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Trick or Treat – Pooh & Piglet Card

Posted on October 25, 2022 by Anita

Hi friends,

I couldn’t resist making another Halloween card using this adorable Winnie the Pooh: Trick or Treat stamp set from Unity Stamp Company! 🎃 You can find my first card using these cuties in this post.

I stamped Pooh & Piglet with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white card stock, colored them with Copic markers, and cut them out.

Using the Wonky Stitched Rectangle Dies from My Favorite Things, I die cut a piece of polka dot patterned paper and attached it to an orange card. Using a smaller die, I cut a wonky rectangle from white card stock. I applied black ink to the die cut piece with a Blender Brush from Taylored Expressions and attached it to the card at an angle. Then I stamped the sentiment with orange ink on white card stock, trimmed it, and attached it to the card.

Pooh & Piglet are attached to the card using foam tape. Aren’t they just the cutest?!?!?

I almost wish October would last longer so I could keep creating with these cuties! 🎃 But no worries – I have more Pooh stamps to ink up for other fun cards! 😉

Anita

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Happy Halloween from Pooh & Piglet

Posted on October 21, 2022 by Anita

Hi friends,

What could be more fun than Winnie the Pooh & Piglet all dressed up for Halloween? 🎃

Unity Stamp Company has done it again with this adorable stamp set called Winnie the Pooh: Trick or Treat. Pooh is dressed up as a mummy – of course holding his honey pot! And Piglet is a cute little ghost perched on a Jack-O-Lantern. The set also includes 2 sentiment stamps.

I stamped Pooh & Piglet with Memento Tuxedo Black ink on white card stock, colored them with Copic markers, and cut them out. (I love these detail scissors!)

I wanted to mimic the mummy costume Pooh is wearing for my background. I tore strips of white card stock and applied dark gray ink to the edges using the Blender Brushes from Taylored Expressions. I attached the strips to a white card, overlapping them.

I stamped the sentiment with orange ink on white card stock, applied gray ink with a blender brush, and layered it to orange card stock. I added Pooh, Piglet, and the sentiment to the card using foam tape.

Pooh & Piglet are the cutest way to wish everyone a Happy Halloween! 🎃

Anita

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It’s Fall Y’all Crochet Dishcloth

Posted on October 18, 2022 by Anita

Hi friends,

I had some cotton yarn leftover from other projects and the colors reminded me of Fall. So I created the It’s Fall Y’all Crochet Dishcloth pattern! It’s super quick and easy using simple stitches.

The dishcloth is worked in the Lemon Peel stitch with a border of single crochet. Don’t let the name of the stitch scare you – it’s simply alternating single crochet and double crochet. It creates a beautiful texture!

I used I Love This Cotton yarn and an H/5mm crochet hook to stitch up my dishcloths. The simple pattern is below along with a link to a free PDF if you’d like to print it.

It’s Fall Y’all Crochet Dishcloth

100% cotton yarn – I used I Love This Cotton Yarn in Aqua, Brown, Taupe, Curry, and Glowing

H/5mm crochet hook

Stitches used in US terms:

Chain – ch

Single crochet – sc

Double crochet – dc

Slip stitch – ss

Chain 21.

Row 1: sc in 2nd ch from hook. dc in next stitch. *sc in next stitch, dc in next stitch* Repeat from * to * across. ch 1, Turn. (20 stitches)

Row 2: sc in first stitch, dc in next stitch. *sc in next stitch, dc in next stitch* Repeat from * to * across. ch 1, Turn. (20 stitches)

Repeat Row 2 until piece measures about 5 inches long. Do not turn after last row.

Begin working in rounds.

Round 1: ch 1. sc evenly around, working 3 sc in each corner. Join with ss to first sc.

Change to contrasting color.

Round 2: ch 1. sc in each stitch around, working 3 sc in each corner. Join with ss to first sc.

Round 3: ch 1. sc in each stitch around, working 3 sc in each corner. Join with ss to first sc.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Finished size is approximately 6.5 by 7 inches.

Here’s the link to the free PDF…

It’s Fall Y’all Crochet Dishcloth

The It’s Fall Y’all Crochet Dishcloth would make a fun little hostess gift. Just stack 3 together and tie with a cute Fall ribbon. You can also use these as spa washcloths since they are made with cotton yarn. They would be a great addition to a spa themed gift basket – and of course you can make them in any color you’d like. 🙂

Anita

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October Crochet Infinity Scarf

Posted on October 14, 2022 by Anita

Hi friends,

In October we wear Pink! As you probably know, October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and pink is the color associated with it. I designed the October Crochet Infinity Scarf in honor of all those women who have fought and will fight against this horrible disease and especially for my family and friends who have bravely waged their battles.💕

If you are a woman over 40, I encourage you to schedule a mammogram. It doesn’t take long, it’s not too uncomfortable, and it could save your life. I just had mine – now it’s your turn!💕

The scarf is stitched up using worsted weight yarn and an I/5.5mm hook. I used I Love This Yarn in Pink for my scarf. It’s an easy pattern using double crochet, chain stitch, and a little single crochet. You can find the pattern below and also a link to a free PDF if you’d like to easily print it.

I started the scarf with a row of Foundation Single Crochet. This is a great tutorial for learning this stitch if you need it.

October Crochet Infinity Scarf

Worsted weight yarn (about 7 ounces) – I used I Love This Yarn in Pink

I/5.5mm crochet hook

Stitches used in US terms:

Chain – ch

Foundation single crochet – fsc

Single crochet – sc

Double crochet – dc

Special Stitch: Double V-stitch (2 dc, ch 1, 2 dc) in same stitch – dv-stitch

Slip stitch – ss

Note: chain 2 at beginning of rows counts as a double crochet.

Row 1: work 34 fsc. Turn. (34 stitches) OR ch 35, sc in 2nd ch from hook and each ch across (34 stitches)

Row 2: ch 2 (counts as 1st dc). Skip 1st stitch, dc in next stitch. Skip next 2 stitches, work dv-stitch in next stitch. *Skip next 4 stitches, work dv-stitch.* Repeat from * to * 5 times. Skip next 2 stitches, dc in last 2 stitches. Turn. (6 dv-stitches with 2 dc at each end.)

Row 3: ch 2 (counts as 1st dc). Skip 1st stitch, dc in next stitch. Work dv-stitch in ch 1 space of each dv-stitch from previous row across. dc in last 2 stitches. Turn. (6 dv-stitches with 2 dc at each end.)

Repeat Row 3 until scarf measures about 60 inches.

Last row: ch 1. sc in each stitch and ch 1 space across. (34 stitches)

Fold scarf in half and ss ends together.

Fasten off and weave in ends.

Here’s the link to the free PDF…

October Crochet Infinity Scarf

This is a great pattern for beginners as well as seasoned crocheters. And if Pink is not your color, you can make it in any color you choose. It would also make a great gift! 💕

Anita

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Spice Jar Pumpkins

Posted on October 11, 2022 by Anita

Hi friends,

Have you seen these little spice jars in the Target Dollar Spot? They come in a pack of 2 for only $3.00! As soon as I saw them I thought they looked just like pumpkins. 😊

I decided to add a little chalk paint and twine to make them look even more like pumpkins!

First I removed the cork, then washed and thoroughly dried the jars. I applied 3 coats of orange chalk paint (this is similar to what I used) with a foam brush, making sure to let it dry between coats. Then I applied a thin coat of antique wax and wiped the excess off with a paper towel. This step helps the texture of the jar to show up. To finish off my pumpkins, I tied some natural jute twine around the top and popped the cork back in.

Such a fun little Fall project. If you can’t find these particular jars, keep a lookout while you’re out shopping. You might be able to find other fun jars that will work just as well. (You can find all the info for making the Farmhouse Mini Wood Riser pictured above in this post.)

You can also use these cute little jars without painting them. They would be so cute filled with Fall candies and tied with twine. These would be great favors on your Thanksgiving table. 🦃

Anita