things to note on a monday...

thing to note #1:

my crafty cogs have been churning nineteen to the dozen. 

they are whirring so fast i am having quite the trouble focusing on anything else.

thing to note #2:

i have the urge to purge. 

alas and alack i have done nothing about it

thing to note #3:

i made a little crocheted hat for my little stool following this here bit of information.

thing to note #4:

my picture book is still in my head and not my hands, darn and drat it

thing to note #5:

i have had my new specs on for 5 days now. 

they are old but new to me frames from the 50's i believe. 

the lenses are stronger 3 in 1's and it was a little tricky for a few days. 

i like them muchly except for the fact they keep sliding down my nose, then i don't like them muchly at all.

thing to note #6:

mister muchly went out in the snow yesterday, he did a terribly good job at building a snow man.

 really for one so small he is incredibly mighty

thing to note #7:

i feel sorry for my man at the moment. 

i am a bah humbug, alas and alack (yes more woe) he is at the receiving end of my bah humbuggish ways. 

thing to note #8:

last night, Miss Ethel and i got busy. 

it was quite the tearful reunion.

 she kindly forgave my wayward yarny ways of late and i, in turn, forgave her rusty dusty ways

thing to note #9:

i am plotting and planning to go to a knitting convention. 

i am debating whether to wear my crochet knitty sweater vest or not... it will be full of knitty folks, i must confess to feeling quite apprehensive

thing to note #10:

i cannot stop taking photos in square shapes. 

rectangles look all wrong to me now. 

a hanging 'heart~catcher' how~to...

i made these heart~catchers last year, 

i thought as we were in february and folks like to make hearts, i would share them. i do believe hearts are not just for valentine but all year so i would not call these valentine hearts nor suggest you can only make them with valentine in mind.

 i would suggest you make one and hang it above your bed perhaps, just like a dream catcher and see who's heart you may just catch 

("what is she waffling on about?" i hear you cry, "i have no idea" say i)

easy peasy lemon squeezy. 

(the pictures really speak for themselves). 

you will wish to have in your mitts and your crafty kits

* wire coat hanger

* strips of frayed cotton fabric about 3/4" in width

* embroidery thread in happy colours

* old bits of lace or doilies

* charms, beads, bits and bobs

* mod podge or fabric glue and brush (if you need it)

* needle and pins

take your wire coat hanger and bend it into a heart shape, you can be a perfectionist with your heart or you can be a little more squiffy. i think heart makers fall into two camps, perfectly perfect or squiffy, i am the later but there is no right nor wrong way. take the hook of the hanger and fold it over to make a loop

start wrapping your little heart hanger with your frayed strips. knot them together and continue until the whole heart is covered and carefully pop a pin in place to stop everything unraveling. if you are having trouble with the fabric slipping, you could put a bit of mod podge on the wire hanger before wrapping it.

take your  needle and a length of embroidery thread (if its the sort that splits into strands, use it whole) and remove your pin and do some natty bits of stitching to keep things in place. see where the other knots are, if frayed ends are sticking out too much, stitch them down too. you may wish to just stitch all the way around or you may not.

take your old bits of lace and start to put in place, pin down and begin to stitch being sure to keep things taught. add another piece. 

if there are gaps between them and the wire frame then use some embroidery thread and do long stitches to keep things in place. consider adding beads or even a trinket or two. think of it as caught in the heart catcher and just keep on stitching away to your hearts content until you have filled in the whole of the heart space

(study pictures for details)

wrap some lace or fabric around the loop. again, stitch in place 

(use mod podge if need be)

add a dingle dangle from your heart with some beads and thread

hang your 'heart~catcher' up above your bed or anywhere else you may wish to enjoy its hearty handmade goodness

rambling elsewhere today...

i am not here today, 

i am over there instead. 

i know i said i would not talk about yarn this week, 

however i am thinking it does not count

 as i am not talking about it here,

but over there...