Happy Memorial Day

Special thoughts to all those troops  who have passed. Thanks to my grandpas, my dad, my uncles, and my brother!

 Northport, NY 2012

Nine-Patch in the works

I made the 9-patch part of this a year ago, after buying some 'end of the season' fabric. This year, I took it down from the attic and cut it up, then sewed it back together again. As you can see, some of the pieces didn't line up. But the solution is easy--I'm just going to add some big star appliques to create the illusion I knew what I was doing.

This won't be done by Memorial Day, but I sure hope to have it finished by the Fourth of July, so I can hang it over the back of my couch.

I am linking over to Terri's Blog (Hearts in Service) for her Friday "Crafty Things." Check out her cute stuff!

http://heartsinservice.blogspot.com/2012/05/crafty-things_25.html#comment-form

Another Apron

Can you ever have enough? Actually, I only have the fabric put together to make one. As you might be able to see from the photo, I have sewn the pieces wrong sides together rather than right. Why? Because then the piece is 'finished' in the back. All  you have to do is lay some pretty trim over the raw seams on the front!

Pinterest

Finally learned how to use Pinterest! I only have a few pictures pinned, but if you visit just look me up at "C l a re P as t o re"--no spaces. I'm not sure if it's true, but I've read that 'bots' scan these posts.

Covered Cookbooks

I was at the dentist with Nick today and saw an idea in a magazine that I liked: a set of books covered to  look like a set (even though they were different titles). Expensive, too: over $100 for five or so books. I'll hit the library for my classic novels, thank you very much.

But it got me thinking of the mess of recipes and cookbooks* I have. So, I got out some good-quality wrapping paper I'd bought a long time ago. It's a little heavier than what you'd usually buy and actually came in a kind of 'book.'

*Okay, I really don't have  a mess of cookbooks. I have three since I give them away. I don't buy them often because I don't see the point of paying $15 or more for something that's going to give me 4 recipes I like. So here are the three, nicely wrapped like pretty schoolbooks. If I can find more of my fancy paper, I'll make a binder to match for all the loose recipes:

Little Containers

Here are some containers I've made recently. This photo shows them partially done, but I've finished them since. The taller small container comes from "Crochet to Go Deck" by Alicia Bergin and Julie Toy. The other small one is the same pattern, only I forgot to count and kept making the rounds bigger, so I ended up with a cute little bowl, LOL!

A Baby Dress

Here is a little pink baby dress that I crocheted. It comes from Crochet Today Baby and Kids Book, Spring 2012. (It's actually a magazine, not a book.) It actually went together pretty quickly. Sorry for the dark photo. It's hanging in a closet in my crafts room.

A Little Owl

Here is a little owl I made from a free pattern I found online (link below). He was originally going to be a Valentine's Day owl, explaining his red color and pink wings. I think I'll attach a little flag to him in July and make him patriotic, LOL!

Don't you just love the "Betty Boop" eyes? 

Here's a link to the site where you'll find the pattern:

http://ashbyfamilyblog.blogspot.com/#axzz1td4Mr3OS