Crafts/DIY

We love St. Patrick’s Day in our family! It’s a fun day of food, drink, and remembering our Irish heritage. The focus is mainly on the food, but little kids…

If you are like me, you scramble the night before the kid’s school parties and eventually just pick out some over priced box of Valentines from Walgreens on the way…

Originally posted at our old sister site, MommyNeedsABreak.com, Catherine Moss of Evolving Motherhood shares a quick, easy, and adorable Valentine’s craft with items found in the Target Dollar Spot. Since…

Years and years ago, I used to sell Close to My Heart scrapbooking and paper crafting supplies. There were so many workshops I’d run for friends on how to mass…

Even though I’m in the tech world, I’m a pen and paper kinda gal when it comes to staying organized. Here I’ve created a free printable for daily organization. I…

Going through all of my knitting patterns, cleaning them up, dusting them off and sharing them with you all for free! 🙂 I hope you enjoy these as much as I do. Hey, if you are on Ravelry, look me up! I’m ColoradoMoms over there.

Click through for the full pattern and pictures of Brady (AKA “Chewy”) when he was just a year old!

Fat Tuesday is upon us! It’s the day of green, gold and purple. Here are 10 crafts you can do with your kids to celebrate! Why not make a Jester…

Valentine’s day is Thursday already! Where did the year go?! If you are like me, you want to do just one more cute idea to put the other parents to…

The iPhoodie. Hoodie for your iPhone. It’s getting to be fall so don’t you think your iPhone deserves to be cozy? (If this looks familiar to you die hard knitters……

Or maybe I should title this, how NOT to do it. I loved this pattern by Alan Dart Devilish Dragon. He does look quite intimidating. Not just his scary eyes,…

Inspired from many many a cable hat, I couldn’t find one I love, especially one knit in the round, so I made my own. Enjoy! mama needs a new hat…

I’ve been knitting and crocheting up a storm. To check out all my recent projects, follow me on Craftsy! This week I’ve written up a pattern to my favorite phone case. It’s a simple crochet phone case that you can modify to fit any phone. Add a decorative button or a crochet flower to give…

If you are like me, you wait until the last possible minute to think of something fun to make for family and friends. I can’t very well start a blanket…

I’m bi-crafty. I knit. I crochet. Some knitters can’t crochet and some crocheters can’t knit, but I love both and highly suggest learning one if you do the other! Case…

I’m pretty crafty, but with the recent move, I’ve lost my crafty mojo! To find it again, I’m scouring sites like pinterest and spoonful to get ideas of fun things…

I’ve been knitting again. It’s super therapeutic for me. Watch some cheesy chick flick while knitting. Makes my stress melt away. My best friend Kate and I went to Fort Collins recently…

I used to have a laptop desktop that was so full of folders and random documents, I felt like the TV show Hoarders was going to come and yell at me for it’s condition. Really, it should have been condemned. I would be embarrassed when others would see my laptop.

Then I saw on Pinterest some desktop organizer images. What are these amazing things??!! I saw many that had different categories, calendars, photos and more. I thought to myself, “Self, You have photoshop and love to tinker around… You should make your own!” And that I did.

I’m pretty proud of this bad boy. But I didn’t want to keep it just for myself. 🙂

You can download one for your own computer. The dimensions are 1280 x 1000. You can clip, stretch, crop to fit your desktop. To download the full size image – click the image below. You can paste in your own photo to personalize it even further, the dimensions for that are roughly 280 x 400.

Click through to see the images and download your own desktop organizer!

I’m all about instant gratification. These super quick crocheted projects are just that! Each took just an afternoon to make, the salamander bookmark actually took less than an episode of Jerseylicious! All…

Ever wanted to learn a new craft? I’m starting to post more and more crafty things like knit and crocheted items and soon will be posting patterns I’ve written. While a lot of my readers may already know how to knit and crochet, I’m sure a fair amount of you haven’t tried it yet, so I’m here to help.

I use crochet  to relax. In the beginning, when you are first picking up a hook and some yarn, it might not seem so serene and calming, but after a bit of practice, it can be quite the soothing craft. I crochet while watching a movie with my family or waiting in the car pool line at the school. I love to bundle up under a warm blanket and crochet when it’s snowing outside as well, which, living in Colorado, I get plenty of chances for during the winter and spring.

Instead of just telling you how to crochet and pointing you to some books, I’ve made a series of videos that will have you going from just learning what a crochet hook is, to completing a washcloth (or dishcloth as I love to use these in the kitchen). In the future, I’ll have a video on how to make a scarf, cowl, headband and possibly a baby blanket. If there is something you’d love to learn how to make, comment below and I can either find a pattern for you or show you how to make it.

I do hope you enjoy this as much as I do and forgive the terrible state my hands are in, in the videos. I am a mom to three VERY possessed rambunctious boys, so no time for a manicure!

Materials needed:
basic cotton yarn (found at most hobby/craft stores)
size H8 or I9 crochet hook
yarn needle

How to Crochet: Step 1 – Basic Chain

How to Crochet: Step 2 – Single Crochet

How to Crochet: Step 3 – Double and Half Double Crochet

How to Crochet: Step 4 – Make a Washcloth (or dishcloth)

Pattern for washcloth:

chain 22
row 1 – half double crochet (HDC) in 3rd chain from hook. HDC in remaining chains across to end. turn.
row 2 – chain 2 and HDC in each stitch across. turn.
repeat row 2 until your cloth measures 6 inches or the size you would like.

[divider]

Crochet is the new Knitting. No?! Well, it should be anyway. I love knit items and love to design things with knitting, but crochet is something I can do in my sleep.

I found this super cute washcloth pattern on ravelry years ago. I made a couple but they just sat in my “things I made and are pretty so I just like to look at them” pile. Lately Brady has been breaking out more from the bath and I thought it might be due to the scratchy washcloths. I whipped up these three during the premier of The Bachelor (don’t judge, I know it never works out but it’s soooooo addictive!).

Click “Read” to get the pattern!