It's great to have these Mother's Day cards done a bit early. We will be on a camping trip, so it seemed it was now or never to be able to get them in the mail in time. They still need inside greetings, though.

 

 

This one is for my daughter, Leslie. She is the wonderful, sensitive, loving mother of Iris, age 7, and Sonja, age 6 months.

This card is for my daughter, Emelie, who is just learning the joys of motherhood. Julia will be a little over 3 months old on their first Mother's Day.

 

For many years now, I've sent a Mother's Day card to a friend who has been an inspirational mentor to me, not as a "mother figure", but as a peer roll model. She started her family before I did, and I learned so much from her along the way.

Birthday gifts

 

Iris just turned 7 yesterday. I made her a "Books I have read" journal, as she is turning into quite the book worm. It was accompanied by a couple of books (of course) and a freestanding lace bookmark. I hope reading will be a life-long adventure for her.

 

 

 

 

 

 

And a Pippi Longstocking birthday card which was so much fun to make. The CCS motif was originally going to be a Halloween card, since her costume was Pippi, but with two babies coming along, there just wasn't time.

 

 

 

This week’s crafters’ forum challenge prompted us to get some projects together for grab and go crafting, whether it be just outside in a lawn chair or on a trip, in the car, at the park, and there’s always the waiting rooms should you find yourself in that situation.

Currently, I’m making yo-yos for future yo-yo animals. This is a great grab-and-go project. I have a box labeled for that purpose which has fabric scraps and patterns. It’s just a shipping box that came in our mail (looks like something Merwin ordered). I liked the size so added it to my box collection, and eventually found a very good use for it.

 

 

I kitted up the supplies needed to make the yo-yos (Clover yo-yo maker, needle, thread, scissors) and put them in a small designer box that I just can’t resist buying at Michael’s when they are on sale. They really come in handy for projects. I just add a fat quarter of fabric for my next set of yo-yos, and I’m off to … wherever … I keep the completed yo-yos in a ziplock bag (aren’t they just the handiest?). I only need to complete 11 more to have enough for the first of two yo-yo animals.

 

Of course I always have a small knitting project to take along, even if it’s just some dish cloths. Yep, that “mindless knitting” comes in very handy. You just can't have enough bags!

 

 

 

 

Then there’s my cross stitch. Since I primarily work on small motifs even if they will eventually combine into one large project, they are very easy to cart along. I just love these ArtBin carrying cases and have even labeled mine with a CCS motif. Recently, I purchased an even smaller case for itty-bitty CCS projects. It conveniently holds my scissors, needles, needle threader, marking/highlighter pens, stitch ripper (hardly ever used … LOL), chart and Aida.

 

 

 I find shoe boxes (from my box collection) or the clear shoe-box size (Iris) containers perfect for my take-along sewing projects. I have another ArtBin tote that contains machine sewing supplies ... scissors, bobbins, seam ripper, rotary cutter, presser feet, etc. specific to my portable machine.

So those are my on-the-go ideas. Now off I go … camping at the end of the week.



I just finished this afghan for Julia. It measures about 42x54, as Emelie wanted one big enough for an adult. She picked the yarn, which is Lion Brand Homespun in the color "parfait". The pattern has been a favorite of mine for years and years which I've made over and over again. I call it "ripple". I'm glad Emelie wanted this pattern as I think it knits up beautifully in variegated yarn. Technically, the pattern has a right and wrong side, but I'm never sure which is which, so I consider it reversible. I hope Julia enjoys cuddling with this afghan for many, many years.

• Pattern: Ripple Afghan
• Yarn: Lion Brand Homespun (6 6-oz. skeins)
• Color: Parfait
• Needles: Size 10
• Stitches: Cast on 168

Here's another April birthday card. I wanted to wait until I gave it to my friend before posting it here. I don't know if she frequents my blog.

Two of these travel shoe bags will be a gift for a friend. She also has children who moved far enough away that they have to fly there to see them. I hope these are handy for them. The other two will either be used by Merwin and I or given as gifts. I made these with rip-stop nylon fabric and $1 store shoe strings. 3/4 yard makes two bags (60" wide). I bought one more color, so I can make two more.

Here's a link to the video tutorial I followed:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4cUiqe7Wk8