"Secret Admirer - Icons" Cards

Sunday already and I finally (almost) finished making the cards with my complimentary stash.

Not the style of toppers I would normally use - so I had to challenge my creativity a bit, but without further ado, here they are:

Off to tidy my craft room a little as it looks as if a train hit it - maybe I will first take a swim and ....

Cupcakes

Haven't got started on my new cards yet..

Cleaning up one of my memory cards last night I came across some photos of cupcake themed cards I had made ages ago:

This made me feel like cupcakes - so I baked a batch for our tea later this morning (yum wish it was ten already!)!

Now for a quick cuppa (I'm not going to have a cupcake with that) - and then to get started on those cards!

Diagonal Box Stitch Afghan: Blueberry Cheesecake

After the most horrid heatwave it finally rained (a lot!!) in Johannesburg - it was quite wonderful!   We decided to have a completely lazy weekend and do absolutely nothing (well absolutely nothing for me usually means finding something to keep my hands busy anyway!!)

My latest crochet obsession is the Diagonal Box Stitch.  I've been stewing on an idea for an afghan for a while and the rainy weather provided the perfect opportunity for me to get started (and finished) with this project.     Chose a bunch of blues whites and purples for my project (sort of reminded me of the Blueberry Cheesecake Swirl Ice Cream I just cannot get enough of!!)

I made four identical squares using the Diagonal Box Stitch and sewed them together for the center.   Then worked around them in single crochet.     Added an outer row of identical granny squares and finished with a border of single crochet, double crochet and then single crochet again.     Quite pleased with the result:

Nerve finally decided to "un-pinch" so I can actually sit comfortably again.    Time to get some papercrafting in!      Received an e-mail in December from Papercraft Essentials - they would feature an e-mail I had sent them (Christmas Cards made from a freebie in one of their previous issues)  on the letters page of Issue 89.    Received a lovely little gift in the mail from them.     So I have some inspiration to get me going ......   watch this space

African Flower Crochet Bag

This lovely African Flower Crochet Motif was posted on one of the Facebook pages I "like" - I just had to make it as soon as I got the pattern - did not have any idea what I was going to use it for at that stage!

Then the other morning after being lugged to the shops by my beloved (can't drive myself because of the damned pinched nerve #$%@) I quickly turned it into an African Flower Crochet Bag (between swimming and unpacking supplies and brunching and swimming ........ tough life I have!!)

I made two large squares with the African Flower as the centre.

Crocheted a gusset / strap in dc.     Joined the squares to the gusset with slip stitches.

Made a flap with a buttonhole (which I also joined with slip stitches).

This was one of those projects that could not wait - unfortunately there are no in-progress photos.    I also did not write down the pattern as I went.  The bag as it is here is unlined - I should probably line it ....... at some stage - but it doesn't look too bad for a first attempt!

Vintage Style Crochet Afghan

Now that the Holiday Season is well and truly over its time to get some work done!     Haven't been doing any papercraft or beadwork for a few weeks now - I have a pinched nerve which is causing me serious discomfort.     Have to sit with my legs on the same level as my hips otherwise I know all about it!!    Bit difficult to be doing any papercraft or beadwork that way - as I tend to move around quite a bit while making cards etc.

What to do????

Luckily I had cleaned out all my various craft stashes pre pinched nerve - so everything was nice and organised.     The only thing I could really do with having to sit quite still (something I manage with extreme difficulty) was to knit and crochet!

Made a vintage style crochet afghan for our Caravan!

Saw the idea for a vintage style throw on the cover of  one of those learn to crochet magazines - didn't have a pattern or anything with this one.   Just started out by making a bunch of random granny squares and then filling it out from there.

I tried to use colours I wouldn't normally use / mix together.   Think it is quite a happy looking afghan (and it is super snuggly)