Art Lesson

I am teaching art to my son's class. It's a fifth grade class for IEP students in a regular elementary school. These kids are awesome! It's amazing to think of the autistic boys, all the stuff going on in their heads, all the distractions around them they have to push past mentally just to complete the project, and it shows how much they really love art that they stick to it for most of an hour to get it done. This project was one where they had photos of birds that they drew with colored pencils and then added feathers using torn tissue paper and glue. I got a couple shots of their display of the project in the hallway but all I had with me was my camera phone.
I did another project with them today. I'll get a photo of it soon and post it.

Edit: new photos added

Wall Organizer

I made this patriotic red white and blue organizer for my husband for work. His new work likes him to keep things neat and those who know him know that this is a challenge for him. I hope this helps. The pattern is in "Lily Sugar 'n Cream Kitchen Essentials (to crochet)" I especially love the cool textured porcelain buttons I found at Jo-Ann. The driftwood was from our local beach, of course.

Kitten for R. for Valentine's

I made another white kitty for R. This time I used a pattern from "super-cute Crochet" by Nicki Trench. It was super-adorable. I used a cotton yarn for the body and an acrylic for the dress. Felt nose, wool whiskers, thread mouth, plastic or rubber button for flower in ear.

Doggie sweater, matching human beret

For a friend with a cold chihuahua. :)

I knitted the doggie sweater, making it up as I went along from measurements taken by my friend. The buttons are oversize and along the underside (belly side) of the sweater, the collar is attached at the back of the neck in a contrasting color.

I crocheted the beret from a Bernat pattern in the same colors as the doggie sweater.

I hope to have pictures of them being used, I hope they both fit the respective recipients.

Jammies part 2 and 3

I made Julian some space pjs like the Scooby ones, except I took a premade t-shirt and appliqued some of the space images cut out from the fabric used for the bottoms. It came out pretty cute, and I made some for myself too with a cute cat flannel.

Controller Cozy (Handwarmer for gamers)

My friend Cheri had this great idea! Her hands sometimes got cold while playing games like Playstation or X-box and she would pull her sleeves down to keep warm. So she thought, why not make a special handwarmer? So I developed a pattern for it and made her one.

Scooby Doo pjs

I made Julian some Scooby Doo pajamas. He seems pretty happy with them and the pattern was really fast and easy. Simplicity # 3577 I'm thinking of making pajama bottoms for everyone. I will need to gather hip sizes and leg length.

Dr. Oz is missing something...

My mom was watching Dr. Oz the other day and they had this woman on who was stressed out and was taking care of everyone, her husband, kids, elderly parents, uncle and aunt, and at her nursing job, her patients and the staff. She was starting to suffer health problems of her own and gaining weight. They explained the chemical processes going on, that stress causes cortisol to be released and this causes an accumulation of fat. That was all well and good and scientific. But then, at the point where they should have been talking about how she could take care of herself by taking time to exercise and do recreational activities and get some thorough rest and how these things would help interrupt the hormone cycle, they instead said that fat was a sign that she was missing something in her life. WTF? That just pisses me off, it's judgemental, personal and not at all helpful and just the kind of pop psychology bs women get all the time to make them feel like crap.

As H.L. Mencken said:

For every complex problem, there is an answer that is clear, simple—and wrong.

Baby sweater

My cousin is having a baby and I made this sweater. It does have that handmade look, I hope not too much. lol The yarn is Tonalita, Italian wool/acrylic. The pattern is from "Knits, Knots, Buttons and Bows" by Lynda Schar. The little pea pod is my idea and made from felt and sewn on.

Lavender cuff

The pattern is from July/August '08 "crochet today!", the pattern name is "julie cuff." I used some cute flower buttons to close.

Heart Coasters

I made these while hanging out with T on July 4th, she made one too. I didn't even realize there were hearts in the design until I had finished one, although T thinks I tricked her into making something with hearts in it. ;) I should have known since the design is in the jan/feb issue of "crochet today!" and not a summer issue where coaster patterns are typically found.

Ahhhh...Tahoe

Apple Cozy

This is from a free Ravelry pattern. Sure there's no good reason to use an apple cozy, but, but, I had to have one.

Sontag

This is from a pattern in Piecework of an item worn in the mid 1800's. It is called a sontag. It is knitted in a checkerboard pattern that has a back and then two long wings that cross your chest. Then there is a crocheted edge. There are cords that come from the back corners to tie in front and then there is a button and loop on the wings to button in back. I am hoping T can help me make the traditional tassels for the cords.

Black Doily

I made this as a wedding gift. The pattern is from "Extra-Special Doilies" by Mary Werst

Historical Dress

I made this dress for an overnight field trip I'm going on with my son. The camp recreates the 1850's. I sewed the dress apron and bonnet and crocheted lace edgings for the dress.

Bumblebee

I'm meeting my friend Beez for her birthday brunch, so I made her a little present.

Shamrock Doily

From Crochet World and made with Royale Classic Crocht Thread in Myrtle Green. The green is really too bright, I mean it is very St. Patrick's-y but doesn't go with my decor. Go figure, it was all I could find when I started the project, now I can find lots of different greens.

Kitty

I made this little white kitty for my niece. It's also from the AWSCC book, though the eyes are my own.

Rachel Maddow Doll

I finally finished! Crocheted. Some embroidery. A little hairspray :).