Imbolc calendar day 30

Three days left.

Here's a button heart pillow

I like this cropped cardi - I think other girls like it too. Boys might think it looks like something a granny would wear... ;-)

Very nice felt things

Imbolc is also a dragon feast. Dragons are familiar to both the Celtic world and to the Chinese New Year's celebration.

Here's a simple paper dragon

Here's a couple of demos of not at all simple paper dragons... chromatic and metallic - you can buy the patterns from penguin labs

Canon's papercraft lucky dragon

Dragon illusion paper craft - it will keep looking at you, where ever you go ;-)

Make a dragon piñata

dragon table topper

Fierce but friendly crocheted dragon

crocheted baby snow dragon

crocheted dragon

knitted dragon - Norberta

dragon hand puppet

phoenix and dragon finger puppets
fairy tale finger puppets - dragon, prince, princess, horse
pig and lion finger puppets
"pocket potter puppet pals"
witch finger puppet
farmyard finger puppets - cow, chick, duck, dog and pig

knitted dragon bookends. Education is also an Imbolc theme... ;-)

Imbolc calendar day 29

I'm sitting here and listening to John Doan. A man with a 20 string harp guitar... One gets a bit dreamy :-)

Now, there's two needle mittens with snowmen

lacy crocheted snowflake

Very nice "beige set"

Valentine's Day dishcloths :-)

Imbolc calendar day 28

Great Imbolc wreath idea.

Valentine tea bags

No sew heart garland - you can use any shape

Polymer clay pebbles - really beautiful, and stones are Imbolc theme

stamped candy bag

K's mom's family valentine traditions

Whimsical knitting designs - a lot of patterns for socks for guys :-)

Imbolc calendar day 27

Internet is not working well... I suppose my computer is full of all kinds of cookies and tracking thingies... it's like working in syrup. Blah.

So, not so many links today:

It's Obama fingerpuppet, but why limit yourself? Make yourself a whole set of Imbolc puppets, Brigid, angels, wolves, bears, Lucia...

Wastepaper basket

Aurora Borealis - Northern Lights shawl

Northern lights doily

Shining lights washcloth

Midori scarf

Imbolc calendar day 26

Now just a week left. Are you ready? ;-)

Some paper heart doilies

chili cacao Mayan cupcakes - very imbolcy - black and white, chocolate, vanilla, chili...

penguin pins to crochet

beeswax heart garland

stones are also Imbolc theme - here's a tutorial to how to cover rocks

Also, it's the groundhog day in USA - the groundhog will peek up from its burrow and check if it can see its shadow...
so silhouette cutting is a great activity for this day

Imbolc calendar day 25

Print your own t-shirts

Nice art case

Happy everything banner

I spy pillow and bottle

heart shaped pompom

Ariosa wrap cardi

Brigid larkin

Brigid socks

Brigid cross

Vine lace belt and cuffs

Cup cozy

Imbolc calendar day 24

9 nights left to sleep...

Someone said the newest Popknits has been published. Nice.

Make your own wool dryer balls - to replace both tennis balls and dryer sheets filled with chemicals. Will keep the things dried fluffy and free from static electricity.

How to sew a fabric bowl in the native rootwork technique. Nice way of using rags and leftovers.

Mizuhiki heart knot - either cards or decoration for packages or ornament

Bleeding heart cupcakes and pie

I really like this picture with crocheted hearts, old rose china and pastels... Sweet :-) I wonder what my hubby would say if I decided to decorate our kitchen in this style?

egg carton heart - and if you turn it the other way around, you get 12 little holes you can fill with stuff, like the heart icecube form or... something else I saw recently... what was it? Yes! Someone had made a calendar out of the grey, dull stuffing/support/what-ever in computer boxes by filling the holes with things!

More on "modular crochet" - I mean... GEESH! It's called Irish Crochet, not "modular"! Why invent new "fashionable", "hot", "cool", "hip" names to something that has existed hundreds of years?

sea glass mosaic candlesticks - there's something fascinating in these...

festive felted garland - more snowballs... now with Imbolcy red details

make your own vanilla extract - vanilla is a very imbolcy spice. It comes in pods and you use the seeds, it's black and aphrodisiac...

Imbolc calendar day 23

St. Albans Valentine cable scarf - with Xs and Os - hugs and kisses :-)

Soup can sleeves

Fan mail dress

Flowers, vines and hearts shawl

recycled card kitty pad

pompom scarf - made with white yarn and get a snowball scarf
pompom rug
pompom wreath

heart shaped marbled polymer clay cane

Heart pops

Scrapbooking ideas... I especially like what she did with the heart icecube form

a little Valentine idea

Make and takes - ideas and crafty tidbits for home, family and fun - an inspiring blog.

Imbolc calendar day 22

needlefelted hearts

paper stars garland

coconut delight

recycled sweater snowmen

ms felted slippers

Pixie Kittens rubberduckie, Love and I-heart-U

Imbolc calendar 21

a cute handbag

"to grow hope" - or love, or anything you like

Nice idea - you can make a huge heart on your wall, or snowflake, for Imbolc

Desk calendar out of an old CD holder.

Make your own board games

Baby shower ideas - fit well for Imbolc

Imbolc calendar day 20

Darn, I feel bad... just had an asthma attack. I hate it, but I hate even more the fact that I will be totally off the rest of the day. No energy to do anything, no interest either.

But - I love these little Koi Noboris :-)

This little display of snowglobes is lovely

I like the look of this shawl - I can easily imagine Anne of Green Gables wearing it :-)

cocoa butter massage bars

snowman cookies

snowflake oreos

snowy crafts from Better Homes and Gardens

melting snowman cookies

lace and ice - very beautiful lacy decorations for outdoors - perfect for cold days

Whimsical little knits

Imbolc calendar day 19

"How many days are there left to that --- Imbolc!" you might scream. Fair enough... exactly two weeks. Imbolc is on Monday 2nd of February.

I don't know how many of you know that I am on a diet right now. I'm proud and happy to say I've lost 15 pounds so far (7 kilos) :-) I'm on a low-carb diet and I AM DYING TO GET SOME SUGAR!!! I don't know how many of you know but I am a rather ok baker... Bread and pasta are the secrets of my wonderful obese figure. And I may not eat any of that stuff now! AAAAAARGH!!

Anyway, here's some guilt free sweets...

glazed donuts
and another glazed donut
and a third
and a fourth
and some jelly donuts too (Ich bin ein Berliner :-))

giant chocolate truffel - or chocolate muffin... what ever :-)

bakewell tart
fruit tarts

pumpkin pie - make with brown and get chocolate pie.
piece of cherry pie
piece of blueberry pie
piece of lemon meringue pie
cream custard pie

Different sweets, like strawberry spongecake and fairycakes
more such

Tea party treats

box of chocolate

chocolate covered strawberries - no pic

petit fours for peeps
playtime petit fours

Buttercream cake plate warmer
Mother's Day Cake - no pic
Another cake
piece of cake
another piece of cake

moldy cupcake - leave the eyes out and make it of another color and you'll have a quite presentable cupcake
Think Pink cupcake
Strawberry swirl cupcake
guiltless chocolate cupcake
fancy cupcake
cupcakes
more cupcakes
and yet more
and these too
don't forget these
nor these
this might be interesting
or this
or this
"A knitted high tea" - cupcakes (I have to point out here that "high tea" is actually the tea supper, and tea with sandwiches and cakes is a "low tea".)
cupcake egg cozies and chocolate cake teapot cozy

strawberry glazed cake - or bun

cinnamon buns
cinnamon roll
iced chocolate bun with cherry

jam swiss roll

cookie coin purse - sew both sides together, and you'll get a cookie
cookies
cream filled cookie fridgie
Santa's cookies
sugar cookie ornament
oreo cookies
knitted biscuit (sandwich cookie, oreo)
cream biscuit
I really like gingerbread. I don't care it's not Yule.

Mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows

Imbolc calendar day 18

"snow mittens" - really cute children's mittens with snowmen and snowflakes

snowflake dinner set - vintage pattern, snowflake doilies, tablemats, coasters

knitted lace snowflake

Norwegian sweater with snowflakes and reindeers

"snowball's chance in hell" - armwarmers

Bo the snowman ornament

cabled snowman in mittens

snowman washcloth and grandma's favorite with embossed snowman
embossed snowbaby washcloth and bib

Jean Greenhowe's snowman doll

snowman potholder

child's snowman hat

felted snowman - in German

snowman ornament or applique or fridgie

snowman teacozy

abominable baby slippers

crochet snowpeople
knit snowpeople

snowman filet crochet chart

Imbolc calendar day 17

Bear headband

easy, cute little bear

"bearie precious ladybug" - teddybear with ladybug coat

heartfelt bear - the cutest little pocketbear with a tiny heart

"Beary Jackson"

Bevs bear beanie

Baby blanket with bears - filet crochet

Icicle mohair bear

then a couple more snowflakes...

snowflake tam

very intrigate looking snowflake afghan square

picot hem snowflake hat

Imbolc calendar day 16

Pretty lacy snowflake

10 different snowflakes

6 different snowflakes

I am planning on making curtains of snowflakes... it would look really nice to have lots of strings of hard snowflakes... perhaps white, thin curtains underneath.

snowflake afghan

cute ornaments

snowflake star

snowflake - hexagon, use as washcloth or make an afghan

snowflake garland

"the incredibly versatile giant snowflake"
"By poking your arms through the various holes, this cuddly snowflake can be worn as a capelet, scarf, wrap, or shrug. You might find other ways too…"
- well... it's interesting.

Imbolc calendar day 15

Blue flower socks - marimekko inspired finnish pattern

"world's largest collection of smalls" - small cross stitch items, ornaments, pin cushions etc.

Enfys' Rainbow Valley - I love her designs :-D

Very beautiful Shetland shawl

Paperback totes - wonderful idea and nice pattern :-D

"textured hearts" kitchen set - potholder, hotpad and dishcloth :-) Really cute :-D

crocheted angel bookmark

snowflake fridgie or ornament

Imbolc calendar day 14

Bears are Imbolc symbols, and black as soil and white as snow - so panda bears are excellent decoration theme for Imbolc :-D

I like this scarf

pair of mittens for lovers - or three mittens for two lovers. In norwegian.

Make a heating pad at home. Works like Jo's apple pie - warm it and put in your pocket in cold mornings, it will keep your hands warm :-D

Some heart washcloths/dishcloths
knit heart lace cloth and another
knit heart shaped cloth and another
"embossed hearts all over" and another ;-) and a third and a fourth and a fifth...
lattice hearts - one could say this too is "embossed hearts all over"
lacy hearts all over
4 embossed hearts
Mason Dixon washcloths, Ann, has embossed hearts too
grandmom's favorite with embossed heart
two nice embossed patterns
"a piece of my heart"
and here's a long list with hearty cloths

Love this skirt

and these penny pockets are very pretty... one could make them of hearts...

heart shaped tea bags. Though I haven't ever seen infusable teabags...

Imbolc calendar day 13

Really cute polar bear hot pads

"vintage style" heart ornaments - great use of all the bits and bobs you've been saving.

Crochet a really pretty heart shaped potpourri sachet

Nice filet crochet heart pouch - make as many as you want for your countdown calendar and fill with nice things

Or these heart shaped purses, or these, maybe these, or these, or why not a combination? All kinds of heart purses, bags and pouches, different sizes and styles, and create a hearty wreath. You can use also these hearts - or these knitted hearts - to decorate it with...

Very nice ideas - I especially love the card with a very fat bear holding a heart - very Imbolcy. :-)

To make pink and white marshmallow hearts:
Cooking for engineers; marshmallow
Hundred and one recipes and more info on marshmallows

You can make it either by coloring half of the marshmallow dough pink and pouring both doughs on the pan zebra striped, and then use a heart shaped cookie cutter to cut the marshmallows; you can also get heartshaped mini cake forms and pour in first pink dough, then white, or sugarcoat the marshmallows and paint them as you like :-) I'd choose the first option. Use powdered sugar to "flour" the cookie cutters.

Imbolc calendar day 12

Lisabee has very nice designs :-)

Very nice recipes and inspiring photos... The Omnomicon

Vanilla bean thins - a very suitable recipe for Imbolc

Imbolc calendar day 11

I know it's a menu bottle, but it works fine as Imbolc tree too :-) Beru Betto has a lot of nice stuff.

Soap Wings - really cute. You can use them to decorate basically anything, like a box, chocolate, pair of socks...

"prick and stitch" candle

Woven fabric basket

Chocolate is imbolc food - brown as dirt, aphrodisiac, made of "beans"...

I think I posted this in December as well, but at least the evergreens and snowflakes fit Imbolc theme very well too :-)

Imbolc calendar day 10

Imbolc is generally considered as the most Celtic of Sabbaths. Probably because of the Brigid connection.

So here's some Celtic braids ;-)
Kiss cable pullover

Cabled mitts

Rosebud cardigan. Really pretty :-)

Little bird told me bag :-)

Fern Glade lace beret (tam ;-))
three tams

Fish hat :-D

knitted fish toy

fish potholder

crochet goldfish
crochet goldfish cat toy - the kitty-friends must also be remembered during this time of the year :-)

Imbolc calendar day 9

Really cute fir branch socks :-)

Tree of life afghan - requires registration
Love this Angband sweater :-) She does have a chart for the tree :-)

Row of trees afghan square
lot of trees

Little crocheted tree

Chinese jade lace - would look imbolcy in fire colors
Flickering Flames

Imbolc calendar day 8

Cute bag

Icicles for your imbolc tree. If you have one. You can use a brown, "dead" branch, fits perfectly Imbolc themes.

Nordic light socks

Really cute snowmen :-)

Thrummed socks - really cute when thrumming is done with different colors

Knitted felted beads - made in white will look like snowballs...

"Lovemeknot" socks :-)

Imbolc calendar day 7

Cute heart brooches with a nice story

Bella OnLine has also some suggestions about crocheting for Valentine's. It works fine with Imbolc too.

Crochet a snowflake

Frugal living: last minute Valentine's gifts

Really nice patterns :-)

Very pretty snowflake hat

I was surfing and...

got struck by envy. Once again. Sew Liberated (formerly known as Montessori by Hand) had a swap round-up in her blog.

So - a short list of a couple of blessings in my life.
We have been paying tzedakah today. :-) 1/10 of our income to people who have even less than we do. And I can tell you the joy of it is well worth every penny :-)

Also, I have lost 10 and half pounds this year :-) And I have been exercising and drinking water, so it cannot be all muscles and water. :-)

Sew Liberated had a very nice looking blog. I just have to get over my swap envy :-D

P.S. I have knitted my first pair of socks this year.

Imbolc calendar day 6

I like this little heart chest :-)

You can also crochet any of these angels :-) Angels are actually an Imbolc theme :-)

Very pretty shawl

XOXO hat :-)

Double brested seed stitch baby jacket :-) Really sweet

Peach blossom baby jacket :-) Chinese style. As the Chinese New Year occurs around this time, Chinese theme fits Imbolc quite well too.

Kimono jacket for adults :-)

Imbolc calendar day 5

There really is an ocean of ideas and projects suitable for Imbolc out there.

Countdown to Greener Valentine at Environmentalist
day 1, 2, 3, 4/5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10

I love these Scrumdilly-do's puffed hearts. I also love Jek's heart shaped crayons and wee valentine trinket boxes :-)

This sheep card is perfect for Imbolc! You really don't need some special stamps and cutters and stuff.

Isn't this sweetie pie box absolute sweetie? LOL

Nuts for you

Imbolc calendar day 4

Some nice ideas with heart template
You could make "10 things I love about you" to your husband, sister, mother, father, brother, daughter...

Martha Stewart's Valentine's day ideas. I don't like her, but the ideas are damn good. :-(

I also like this mini album... more precisely "Your Last Chance to Redeem Yourself Because Valentine's Day is Less Than A Week Away Movie Quote Mini Album" :-D
Just take quotes on love you love :-) Like

"I love thee to the depth and breadth and height my soul can reach..."
--Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Or use song lyrics. It's not supposed to be a family heirloom, just a little token of your love, just a little something to remind people of what is important here in life :-) Love is a wonderful thing, you know :-)

You can also make some Valentine inchies :-)

I also like this bottle of candy idea. We don't have these "hot tamales", but one could fill the bottle with red, white and pink jellybeans or other candy. :-)

Imbolc calendar day 3

Both the Pagan winter feasts, Yule and Imbolc, are about family. In cold winter days, with a little light (even though days are longer than a week ago, they are still short.) there wasn't much to do, when people depended on candlelight. Now-a-days we have electricity and computers, televisions and all kinds of things that makes the seasons very similar.
Nevertheless, I believe there are some memories left in the human mind... memories that make us want to sit inside and be with friends and family in the winter time, whether it is cold or not, dark or not.
But I am Finnish, live in Sweden, at the height of Alaska and Siberia. It is warmer here than in both Alaska and Siberia, but still cold and dark in winter. Sun rose quarter to nine A.M. this morning and will set about 3 P.M.

So here's some family things:

Build family mail boxes - they will be really cute decorated with Valentine paper and scrapbooking ideas, and you can leave a loving message to all you hold dear the whole month.

There really are tons of self made Valentine's card ideas on-line.

You can also make games with 9 pictures:
Don't Eat Val or Bingo. These are really easy games that are quite fun and can be played by almost everyone. Use your favorite pics of your loved ones and make the playcards in scrapbook style yourself. Something like with these photo blocks. It really doesn't need to be complicated and advanced.


Another fun game you could make is Pass the Piggies... Pigs don't have anything to do with Imbolc, but they are pink and cute... You COULD make them white and claim them sheep ;-) :-D

I like these Valentine's blocks - quite easily made, if you want some too.

Crocheted top

My sisters and I decided to crochet a top - or a detail for a top - or something, that combines a top and crochet.

I am having difficulties.

SHE looks like a fairytale princess with a blouse made of rose petals. I would probably look like a rose bush in heavy wind.

Imbolc calendar day 2

Some yummy Imbolc recipes - and some for incense and oils and such

Imbolc, Candlemass, would be a nice time to make some candles. Here's some interesting ideas. The pine cone firestarters are really cute :-)

You can also crochet an "emergency" candle - you could fill the candle with little gifts, use it like a Yule stocking :-)

If not, you could make crochet different brass candles.

Imbolc calendar day 1

I am Pagan, and I have chosen to celebrate the eight Sabbaths of witches. Next in line is Imbolc. Imbolc is the first day of spring and it has been replaced in the Xian culture with the festival of light, Candlemas. It is Valo's nameday in Finland. Valo naturally comes from Valentinus, but in Finnish Valo means light. St. Valentine's day is celebrated usually 14th of February, not 2nd, but the traditions, symbols, colors and everything fits well in Imbolc.

"The holiday is a festival of the hearth and home, and a celebration of the lengthening days and the early signs of spring."

Frankly, I don't intend my blog to be educational, so I am just expecting that everyone follows the count down for their own reasons, takes what they like, discards rest. None of what I am going to present has religious significance in itself. You make your things holy, the things don't make you holy - or unholy.



CF Projects: Steampunk Heart

I love the idea of steampunk... I like the Victorian and Edwardian styles, but I wouldn't like to give up any of my comfortability or the modern inventions. Steampunk kind of combines these two. Just look at this computer... I especially love the old typewriter keys... *sigh*
I wonder who'd make me one of those ;-) Come on, now, it's my 40th birthday in 3 2/3 months!

Really cute Valentine's ideas

Knit a heart
"This quick and easy knitting pattern makes a cute heart to stuff with batting or fill with herbs for a relaxing aromatherapy pillow next to the bed or as a sachet to keep your drawers, closet or car smelling fresh. "

How to make a herbal bath bag
You could fill your heart with something like this... have a bowl in bathroom with some bath sacks and wash cloths and such...

You can also make your own bath bombs. You can make them heart shaped ;-)

Make your own bath salt - don't use table salt.

Suitable scents for Imbolc are the evergreens; pine, cypress, spruce, juniper and citrus fruits, like orange and lemon. (Yes, it's not a coincidence that cleaning products are often scented with these :-D)

Little cross stitch angel for you

It's copied from a vintage doily :-)

It can easily be altered, just change the hair color and style a bit, color of the eyes, give her a candle in stead of a bell, perhaps a dove, use another simple form to decorate her skirt, perhaps just stripes - and you can embroider an angel on each side of a square doily or a row of angels on both ends of a runner... :-) She's perfect for an ornament or as a card decoration.

Meme, in Finnish

Ota lähin kirja, käännä sivulle 21, etsi rivi neljä. Kirjoita ylös, mitä siinä lukee:

Ojenna vasen käsivarsi mahdollisimman pitkälle. Mitä kosketat ensimmäisenä?
"Jouluun on kautta aikojen kuulunut runsaus"

Mitä viimeksi katsoit TV:stä? "Coupling" BBC Entertainmentiltä

Arvaa katsomatta paljonko kello on? Arvaisin että noin kakskyt yli yksi

Katso nyt kelloa, paljonko se oikeasti on? 13:11

Mitä kuulet tietokonetta lukuunottamatta? Liikenteen ulkoa. Pitää varmaan laittaa joulumusiikki soimaan :-)

Milloin viimeksi kävit ulkona? Mitä teit? Koiran kanssa aamukävelyllä muutama tunti sitten.

Mitä nettisivua katsoit ennen kuin tulit tälle sivulle? Kävin läpi Pienten ilojen joulukalentereja

Näitkö viime yönä unta? Totta kai :-)

Milloin viimeksi nauroit? Tänä aamuna, kun koira on niin ihana ja tuppaa suuhun :-D

Oletko nähnyt mitään omituista viime aikoina? Muutakin kuin oman naamani peilistä? Njaa... enpä osaa mitään omituiseksi nimittää.

Minkä elokuvan viimeksi katsoit? 51st state. Uudelleen. On se ihana :-D

Jos sinusta tulisi yön yli monimiljonääri, mitä ostaisit ensimmäisenä? Voi että... tämä tuli niin äkkiä, mutta jos kysyisit kahden kesken, vastaisin "kyllä"...

Pidätkö tanssimisesta? Kyllä vain :-)

Voisitko koskaan harkita ulkomailla asumista? Eh... asun Ruotsissa tällä hetkellä, joten vastaan "kyllä". Koti-ikävä on kyllä suunnaton.

Mitä on sen huoneen seinillä, jossa nyt olet? Vaikka mitä. Hyllyjä, valokuvia, tauluja, kuvia, omia piirroksiani, kortteja, lampetteja, muistitaulu, joululautasia, enkeli, koristeita...

Mitä olet tänään syönyt? Juustovoileivän.

Koska olet viimeksi halannut äitiäsi? Marras-joulukuun vaihteessa, kun olivat täällä käymässä :-)

More Yule links

Garnstudio Drops has a nice knitting/crochet pattern advent calendar
I like the things they give patterns to - except for the doggy jacket - my hubby would kill me if I tried to do something like that to our dog LOL

Tip Junkie gives tips on sites that give instructions or patterns for ornaments

Folding Trees gives instructions on kudusama balls, the Japanese paper folded flower balls.

Ellit gives a pattern for a felted heart pocket, in Finnish. (It really isn't brain surgery or rocket science, give it a try.)

P.S: I have never thought much of quilling... it has had a "kiddie craft" label on in my mind... but then I saw Yulia Brodskaya's quilling work... Oh my...

P.S.S. Go and see Elizabeth St. Hilaire Nelson's wonderful collages, they are amazing! Get ideas of what to do with wrapping paper... ;-)

A little inspiration

Gingerbread Snowflakes is a lovely blog... I could spend there hours :-)

Have a Polar Express Day - or any other movie day.

Crafty Synergy... I love Reya Feltman's rug idea... would suit perfectly my sister. :-)

Sew mama sew's handmade holidays

Handmade Holidays at get crafty

Today's Creative Blog offers something to see

Crafty Chica's Holiday Projects roundup

Sharon from In a Minute Ago has moved to Pin Tangle

Crafty Pod is also interesting...

Daisy Yellow isn't just for kids, neither is the Crafty Crow

How about Orange suggests ornaments to make

Red Shoes blog

Don't miss Lime and Violet's advent calendar!

The Blue Blog is always interesting, even though sockapaloooooza keeps waiting itself...

Green Kitchen presents a solstice calendar

Ho! I have been challenged!

Of course, San, I'll accept :-D I happen to like memes. They are like writing memes, and heaven knows I need those LOL

This is the challenging blog entry

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. Write six random things about yourself.
4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them.
5. Let each person know they've been tagged and leave a comment on their blog.
6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Six random things about Ketutar

1. I'm a recovering over-achiever... procrastinating 90 % of the time and bashing myself for it.
2. If I had a shield it would be red, green and silver
3. If I was an animal I'd be a phoenix. Or a dragon. Or a tiger. Or a...
4. I'm a cat person, but I love our dog. He is the smartest, kindest, sweetest, funniest, best dog ever. I didn't even know they make dogs like our Boris :-)
5. I wish I had a lot of money and a huge craft room, so that I could by all the crafting supplies and tools and craft all day long.
6. I like baking

Here are the blogs I would like to read answers from:

This part I hate... I usually don't forward chain letters either. But I think I'll choose:

Maria pysslar och ler
The Holly Tree
Psychedelic Armadillo
Kaisan Kerällä
Made By Myself
Whimsical Bohemian

Also people I appreciate and whose blogs I read as often as I can :-)

O Tannenbaum...

Dollhouse Tree
crocheted tree I
crocheted tree II
crocheted tree III
crocheted tree IV
crocheted tree V
crocheted tree VI
crocheted tree VII
crocheted tree VIII
crocheted tree IX
crocheted tree X
crocheted tree XI
crocheted tree XII

More Yule patterns

really cute gnome - tonttu

Lion Brand's crocheted gnome

Alicia's gnome - she has also other cute patterns :-)

Yellow House's gnome

Sleepy Sarah - passes as a gnome too :-)

I really like Carolyn Christmas' patterns - they are not free though

Gangamoo knits free patterns

Crafttown's free christmas patterns

Crochet Pattern Central's Christmas patterns
and miscellaneous...

Roxy Craft - love the Santa Baby and Bo the Snowman

Sarahanns - very nice crochet patterns

Ana Paula's amigurumis

Then some dolls you can crochet - the outfit is optional, you know... you can use the doll pattern and dress the doll as you wish, for example to Dr. Who, Professor Snape or Jayne from Firefly...

lilwitch
Bethany Ballerina
Starlight the Pop Star
Mrs Claus
Hula hula Lula
Alice in wonderland
Amanda Jane
Amigurumi doll
Lion Brand's Bryan and Shelly
Peter and Pernille
Little Dolls
Stuffed Clown
Scarecrow
Ragdoll
Small ragdoll
Raggety Ann
"Captain Andrew"
Victorian doll
Goldilocks
"too cute" dolls
Topsy Turvy Dolls - these have skirts...
Tiny Granny/Red Riding Hood Topsy Turvy
Sprite
Snuffykin's Dr. Who dolls... Master Simm, Rose...
Little Princess
Party Girl
Sugar n Cream Lily
Lily doll
"Mega Man"
"Link"
Astronaut
Fantasy castle with characters
Sheila the Aussie Troll
another Troll
"Pretty Prunella"
Harry Potter doll

Then there's the bunnies, bears, cats and other amigurumis, that work as doll bases, if you just leave out the specific ears, tails and muzzles :-)
Bunny
Monkey
Mint Chocolate Bunny
Mr Funky Bunny
JoAnn Monkey
Chenille Rabbit
Heartfelt Bear
Beary Jackson
Amigurumi base
Tiny bear

Darncat Crochet has really nice amigurumi patterns, both free and buyable

Paper

Iris folding - really nice stocking ornaments done with this technique

tea bag folding - make pretty rosettes, medallions and stars from teabags

cone ornament

paper embroidery Christmas ornament - reminds me so of my childhood - at the 70's this kind of thread-cat-craddle-artworks were very popular :-)
You could use the shrinkydink ornament forms from yesterday.

Paper ball ornament - origami style

another

icosahedrons and other forms you can make of old holiday cards and magazines and wrapping paper scraps and what not

Paper polyhedra

"Greek Paper Ball" - we used to make these of straw

"Super cool" paper star

snowflake tree ornament

Using the wrapping papers to make ornaments

Paper ribbon star

Woven paper hearts - with many patterns :-)

quilled paper ornaments

Martha Stewart makes a stacked paper tree - use bamboo skewers in stead of knitting needles.
If you don't have the polymer clay or such, you can make your own salt dough.
P.S. I don't like MS and I don't like "condoning" - or recommending - her site, but the craft ideas are great. Unfortunately. I love the ginger dough birds. *sigh*

and a really cute crocheted baby penguin - not of paper ;-D

More finds in the internet

The Crafty Chica's Holiday Project Roundup

mmmcraft's paper ornaments - I love these :-)

Sugar n' Cream's Crochet Stash Baskets

Peppermint candy wreath

Crocheted pears

Stacy Sews tutorials

Crochet dilly pickle - works as Christmas Pickle :-D

Clogs for an elf

Shrinkydink ornaments - work even for cardboard or wood, if you don't have the shrinking plastics... though "they" say any plastic shrinks the same way in oven.

Owlies

Here's a tutorial on a really cute owl ornament
Scrappy owl bag tutorial - make a mini for the tree
Zakka style owl pennant - individually pass as tree ornaments
owl egg cosy
owl pillow - make a mini for the tree
owl tutorial
tutowlrial - you can have the owls spell anything you like...

Really nice stuff

Softies Central

How to get rid of bad memories...

The "bitch" is having "bad luck"... Wonderful. I'm so evil I'm actually enjoying for her misfortune.

But I'm still chewing her. I just can't seem to let her go and vanish into the whiny reality of an overachiever who is unable to take any responsibility of the consequences of her own actions and choices. That's her "bad luck", not some hex or curse or evil spell. She would get rid of it with some gratitude and counting her blessings.

So - I'm blessed by not needing to have anything to do with her. I'm blessed with her not being a part of my life, unless I myself choose so. Unfortunately I keep choosing so.
I'm blessed by being able to be happy about nothing but a pair of candles to celebrate the independence of my country. I don't have a house to decorate, I live in an apartment, and I'm happy not to need to worry about the loans, mortgages, upkeep expenses nor broken things. When we move, all my belongings will fit into a couple of boxes. My rental apartment is big and provides me with shelter from rain, wind, heat and cold, and clean water and indoors toilet with plumbing so that I don't need to care one bit about what happens to my "waste" after it leaves me. I lived in a house with no plumbing from age 7 to age 17 or so, and I know what people need to do to their "waste" with no flush toilets... and no day passes without me being grateful for the geniuses who invented the thing.
I'm blessed not to need to worry about swap packages being ready in time, getting "there" in time and the receiver being satisfied with what she got. It is lovely to get packages, but it is not nice not to get packages, and getting questions answered by nothing or a bucketful of abuse... Never again... :-)
I'm blessed with having a Paypal account that makes it possible for me to get quite a lot of things I desire.
I'm blessed with having enough money to be able to give to people who have even less than I do.
I am blessed with understanding, gentle and loving husband...

Now, I have been a bad girl and not posted about the sock club:
my hubby has seen that I got a replacement needle for the one I broke - ebenholz
He also got me some rosewood needles and Knit Picks Harmonics.
He got me a clover thread cutter which I have been drooling after for years.
He got me the cutest little silver sheep stitch marker, which I have managed to displaced, and some classy sock yarn, which I have displaced as well... I'm not too good at taking care of my stuff. Poor hubby.
I also have Anti-Craft book and two German sock books with multidirectional socks.
The first sock club pattern was Thuja.
There possibly is more, but I can't remember it right now.
Also, no pics, because I can't find stuff.

I managed to finish hubby's Yule Stocking. :-)

You could visit the Holiday Ornament Swap groups at flickr to get inspired :-)
2008 - 2007 - 2006

Also, read Joss Whedon's interview.
Jayne Hat
Here's some fandom crafting LOL

Another round in the internet

My Picot has really nice Yule patterns. Snowflakes and cute Yule tree.

Knitting pretty

Interlocking filet crochet - creates quite an interesting fabric - would do as a quick Yule gift scarf.

Thing-a-day Owl Package

Book of stars / Star Diary

Paula's Christmas Journal 2007

Santa Claus is coming...

I'm not whiny anymore. I apologize for the long lasting depressing title.

Here's some finds from an internet round today, 8th of December 2008

12 Days of Christmas Ring and Run

BTW, turtledove has nothing to do with turtles. It should be called turturdove, as it's Latin name is turtur. The bird is named after it's call, which can be imitated with "turr... turr...". Turtledove is a symbol of solitude, grace, harmony, affection and faithfulness, so giving a gift of a pair of turtledoves is a very precious token of love indeed...
So to me the ornaments and cards depicting a chimaera of turtles and doves are offensive. But - what ever rocks your boat. You don't need to mind me. I still love Christmas Krinkles.

tip junkie has lovely ideas and such.

Lime and Violet's Daily Chum has a Christmas countdown calendar thingy going on.

Arctic Stamper, Sari, has an interesting idea for a Christmas countdown calendar

Here's Ann Albers' Visions of Heaven advent calendar - a nice thought, affirmation, quote for every day.