An Altered Attitude

Way back before I  joined up for facebook, a blog and my madeit shop, I use to do craft projects just for me, gifts for friends and for things around my home.  Therefore I would start a project and finish it before I moved onto another one.....in short, a WIP pile was something I never had or had to think about.  

These days, things are vastly different.  The more I create, the more I want to create and the more ideas there are in my head screaming waiting to come out.

I now seem to have an ever increasing work in progress pile, that I swear multiplies when I am not looking.   Even when I would finish one, there would be two more to take its place.

It use to get me down and make me feel completely disorganised, until.......I worked out a better way of thinking about it.

I am not a disorganised, obsessive crafter with too many unfinished projects - I am a mega multi-tasker, just brimmng with creativity (sounds better to me anyway lol)

So with the altering of my attitude, I figured I would share this thought with you in case you need to adopt the same way of thinking, to keep sane about that pile lurking in the corner, cupboard or assortment of boxes.

Having justified my WIP pile, let me share just a few of my current ones with you.

A Granny Square cardigan - The back and half the front are finished.  The last one I made was too big, so I felt the need to get it right.

Cute crochet shapes - they are waiting to be made into hangings. 

Mandala Drawings - I haven't even finished the first one, but have already drawn up the second one.

Shell Scarf - I wasn't happy with the flower one I did last week, so HAD to start another one - it is cold after all!!

Doilys and Coasters - I discovered this lovely pattern on Pinterest.  It is for coasters, but I just had to have a play around with different size wool and hooks.  The pattern can be found at http://crochet.about.com/od/vintage/ss/aa052606.htm

Waffle Pattern Bath Mat - We need a new bath mat and I wanted to learn Waffle stitch so I combined the two - makes perfect sense to me.

Flower Panel

Do you remember last month when I spent over 40 hours on a Bird Panel drawing?  (See post here)  and how I said, that at times I thought I would never get it finished?  Well, obviously I did and then once it was done, I started on another one!!!  This one is a Flower Panel and here is how it all came together.....

  Getting it out of my head and onto paper

Inking up the basic design 

Detailing the main flowers

Collage colour added and working on patterns

 Really starting to come together and already thinking about the next one :)

And there you have it.  Flower Panel all finished - so much detail - so much fun!!! 

Funky the Owl Giveaway

It's giveaway time again........

This A5 hand drawn and coloured little girl is looking for a new home.  All you need to do to be in with a chance to win her is go to Sugarbird's facebook page, leave a comment and share the post.  If you don't have a facebook account you can leave a comment here and you will still be in with a chance to win.

The winner will be picked at random and will be announced Friday night (28th June 2013)  Easy!!!!

Introducing Funky the Owl

Let me introduce you to my ongoing latest creation.....this is Funky the Owl and she is going to be a giveaway when she is finished.  Stay tuned for details, once she is completed. 

She is being coloured in Faber Castel Polychromos and Dewent pencils.

Joey

Have you met Joey?  

He is the resident furry feline here at Sugarbird.........and as you can see, like most cats, he likes to sleep a lot.  He is quite a character and loves to hang out with me either in my work area or when I am working on the lounge.

Pretty Pebbles

As you may have figured out by now - I am obsessed with doodling........I will basically doodle on any thing as long as there is a pencil or pen around.  This has led to permission slips going to school adorned with doodles (much to the embarrassment of my kids and the delight of their teachers).  The shopping list is always rather creatively decorated, as are phone bills, messages and shopping receipts. 

So it seems completely logical to me to draw doodle on the pile of pebbles in my candle holder on the coffee table!!!!  Here is what I have come up with so far :)

These were the ones I started with........

An order for a lovely lady 

Another order for another lovely lady

Pens & Hooks

There just never seems to be enough time for all of the craft and art things that I want to try, master and just generally have fun with!

I have far too many projects on the go........but I probably wouldn't have it any other way.  I cant remember the last time I was bored - not because I have so much that I have to get done, but rather, I have so much that I enjoy doing.........Having said all of that, here are a few things that I have been working on this week.

This is a sneaky peek at a logo that I am doing for a lovely lady.....it is something I have never drawn before and it is coming along nicely.

Some more paint colour sample based gift tags.

This is my most time consuming work in progress at the moment.  It is A4 in size and is chock full of fiddly little details.

After crocheting numerous pairs of socks, owls and a couple of cardigans, I thought I would use up the left over wool by making a basic granny square rug.  I am enjoying doing it and Joey is pretty pleased with it too.

Crochet Owl Brooch Pattern

These cute little guys at around 5.5cm high are the perfect size to make into brooches, bag tags, magnets or anything else your heart desires.  

Note - this is a free pattern.  You are free to make as many as you like, as they would make great items for Christmas, fetes, etc.  I only ask that if you share this pattern online that you please link back to Sugarbird - thank you :) 

This pattern assumes you know the basic of crochet.

And as this is only the second crochet pattern I have ever written, I would appreciate any (constructive) feedback.

Materials

2 colours Bella Baby Bambini wool (or any scraps you have of baby wool)

2.5mm crochet hook

2 buttons (for eyes)

Brown felt (for beak)

1 brooch back

White thread for eyes and brown thread for beak

Polyfill (for stuffing)

Normal needle for attaching eyes and beak

Darning needle

scissors    

Terms

ch      chain

sl st   slip stitch

sc      single crochet

dc      double crochet

Make three ch and sl st into first chain to form a small ring

Row 1    3 ch to count as first dc.  11 dc into ring. Sl st into first 3 chains  Total of 12 dc 

Row 2    Change wool colour - sl st into first space BETWEEN the stitches in row 1.  3 ch to count as fist dc. Dc into same space.  2 dc into each remaining spaces.  Sl st into first 3 chains  Total 24 stitches

   

Row 3   Change wool colour - sl st into first space BETWEEN the stitches in row 2.  2 ch into 1st space.  sc into each remaining space.  sl st into first 2 chain.

ROW 4   Work this row into the stitches of Row 3. 2 ch - counts as first dc.  2 dc into next stitch - 1dc - 2 - dc - 1dc - 2 dc - 1 dc - turn work

  Row 5   Work this row into the stitches of Row 4.  2 ch - counts as first dc.  2 dc into next stitch - 1 dc - 4 sc - 1dc - 2dc - 1 dc

Make another owl exactly the same as the first.  Finish off threads.

Beak   Cut a small triangle of brown felt and stitch onto one owl, with matching thread.

Eyes    With white thread stitch on the eyes.

 Brooch Back    Attach brooch back with yarn to the other owl piece.

With matching yarn, stitch owl pieces together with wrong sides together - leave a small opening to insert polyfil and then finished stitching the pieces together.

And there you have it!!!  One cute little owl brooch - see if you can stop at just one!!!!!!