Rag A Muffin Rug

I just finished my rug last night! I just love it,  colors, texture and all. I havent made a rug of this type for so many years I cant tell you. I started making them 16, 18 yrs ago? as I count the time I cant believe that its been that long. I made a few way back when to pass some time while my shop was taking off and enjoyed it so much that I cant believe I didnt keep up with it. Anywho...I've caught the bug once again and all because of a get together project for my youngest daughter and myself.

I had a great time rekindling an art that I had almost forgotten about, so much so that Im adding it to a division of my workshop.

I have now started a basket and have the bottom portion finished. I'll start decreasing to bring the sides in (im not working with a pattern so its design as I go) until it starts to look like the shape Ive got in my head :) I'm even thinking that I will make a basket for my kitty Ms Sophia! She has never liked a traditional cat bed, even though I bought her a brand new one the moment she came home to live with me. But I love her and I'll make her a bed and see if she likes this one, lol, lets hope? Cat lovers, hmm, we are a different breed ourselves.

I will get out my doll misc. this next week, im looking forward to it. I've had Zandar out almost since I moved into my new place. He's such an inspiration and guide to me. He reminds me that I love to create and that there's more waiting to come to life as well.

Have you ever looked at something that you've made and thought "how did I do that"? Well I have. I can remember feeling that way in my younger yrs after drawing/painting something. I had a teacher in Jr high ask me "so Michelle tell me how you made that painting" and I replied "I dont know" because I actually didnt feel that I could explain the process. Just an off the wall, random thought but I feel that way when I look at Zandar. He reminds me that I have a lot of creativity that is waiting to be shared with the rest of the world.

So back to the drawing board of life and what Im doing today which is a collection of things. Im first going to play with Ms Sophia who is trilling at me to stop typing, yes she trills not meows, cute though. And then I will work on my basket for a while. I would like to finish the bathroom today also so that I can put my rug in there. Its the reason I began a rug of my own after teaching Kristen how to start hers. I never mentioned that she's a lefty did I? Yes it was something to teach a lefty how to crochet :) but a good brain workout for me! Both of my girls, Andrea and Kristen are great at crocheting as well as many other artistic ventures, ahh passing on the genes, lol. I have to bring out my brag book every once in a while dont I? :D

Ok I'll stop, haha.

Talk to you soon,

Michelle

Sugar Cookies, Oh My!

I was chatting with a very dear friend of mine from L.A. this morning and in the course of the conversation she told me about a sugar cookie recipe that she's had for, well,  forever. Our conversation was about business, entrepreneurs and ideas for what sells and I was telling her about a local Farmers Market that Im interested in putting some food items in. Long story short; she gave me a beautiful Sugar Cookie recipe and I spent my day going to the market for baking misc and came home to make them. Below is the sugar, eggs & butter. Then next the flour, salt, baking soda &  vanilla.

This recipe calls for 4 1/2c's of flour! I dont bake often but I thought "wow that sounds more like a cake than a cookie". And as my girls can tell you, my cookies often come out more like crackers! I like them crisp and I like them tender but I dont like gooey cookies, so hence crackers. The dough is a bit stiff once completely combined but still pliable and needs to be refrigerated for an hour.

In the meantime I did some dishes, I really dont like having to do dishes at the end of baking or cooking so Im a clean as I go person.

They take about 10-12 mins at 350' and couldnt have been any easier to make.

They are mildly sweet and would be great with Tea, Coffee or Milk! And if you really wanted to make them a bit more decadent I could see them with a great frosting, mmm.

I've had 2 already and I think I'd better stop before I ruin my dinner, Im making some ribs in homemade bbq sauce :)

cant wait to show you my finished rag rug, its coming out so beautiful. I've even started a rag basket.

Talk to you soon, Michelle

New Projects! Crochet Rugs & Capelets

I have been working on a few things to keep me busy over the last week & 1/2, a crochet rug, a child's capelet & a much needed makeover for my dining room chairs.

The rug started out as a crafty something to do on Christmas Eve day for me and my youngest, Kristen. Somehow we got on the subject and before you knew it we were crocheting a rug. I brought out a few pieces of cotton fabric that I had in my collection of material and a large crochet hook (size 15 for Kristen and an 11.5 is what I'm using now for my rug).

The basics for it are: Chain a length of material (strips about 1inch), the size of the rug will depend on the length of the chain. Kristen decided she wanted a rug for her kitchen (oblong) and so she started with approx. a chain of 12. She then turned back on the chain & proceeded with single crochets across the entire length. At the end of the length she added 3 sc's on the last chain then continuing around in a circle.
If you're interested in the complete instructions for a crochet rug just leave me an email address and I'd be more than happy to send one out to you.

She is still working on her rug, it's pretty big now but she wants it larger so that it fits between the sink and stove. I have put a little less time into my rug but I've stopped to make a few other projects as well. And it can be a bit tough on your hands wrestling with a rug :) so interjecting a lighter project every once in a while is good for me.

I've also put together a child's capelet in a beautiful multicolored fleece, so cute. Its funny with some art/craft projects, they are so much fun and you just love looking at them so much that its hard to let them go. This Capelet will be on Etsy in my store in just a few days, I'll miss this one. But I know somewhere a child will be wearing it, with a smile and some laughter and a bit warmer for the wear.

I also re-upholstered my dining room chairs with some great fabric that Kristen & I found on one of our trips to the nearby fabric store find here in Phoenix (one of them, I did find another one that I love but the first is a bit more eclectic). They have a great selection of fabric and misc sewing needs for moderate prices.

Well I'm off to relax for a bit before bed, I hope you have enjoyed these new crafty Art projects. I will be posting a how to on a new doll sometime soon. I'm almost back in the swing of things and I'm loving it. My Art Room is coming along great.

See you soon,

Michelle