Keepsake Box

I made this box to hold all the special trinkets.

This is a plain wooden box that I used various scrapbook paper and mod podged to the box. 

This is the inside of the keepsake box

I added a latch to the front of the box to keep everything secure



Painted Rocks

Over the years I've collected many neat looking rocks from our vacations and have displayed them in glass containers.  I love being able to dress them up by writing inspirational sayings and painting on them to show them off.  Very simple project

Crochet Bunny

This pattern came from allfreecochet.com.  This is such a an awesome pattern and only uses one skein of yarn!

Materials:

• One skein (100% acrylic; 16 oz)
• One size US G-6 (4mm) crochet hook, or size to obtain gauge.
• Stitch marker ( I used a plastic coated paperclip)
• Two safety eyes—18mm diameter (or buttons)
• Polyester fiberfill
• Scraps of pink yarn (for nose) and brown yarn (for mouth)
• Yarn needle

GAUGE

Gauge is not critical for this project. Work tightly to ensure that the stuffing will not show through the stitches.

STITCHES USED

Chain (ch), double crochet (dc), half double crochet (hdc), single crochet (sc)

SPECIAL TERMS

sc2tog: Single crochet 2 together—[Insert hook in next st, yo and pull up a lp] twice, yo and draw through all 3 lps on hook.

hdc2tog: Half double crochet 2 together—[Yo, insert hook in next st and pull up a lp] twice, yo and draw through 5 lps on hook.

lp st: Loop stitch—Wrap yarn around index finger twice and hold behind work, insert hook into indicated st and between the yarn wrap and your finger, pull all lps through st, yo and draw through all lps. Note: Loops form on side of fabric that is facing away from you.

NOTE

1.Bunny is worked in continuous rounds; do not join and do not turn at the ends of rounds. Place a stitch marker to indicate the beginning of rounds and move marker as each round is worked.

2. Stuff body, head, arms, and legs as work progresses. Do not stuff ears or tail.

3. When fastening off, always leave a 12-18"/30.5-45.5cm long tail for sewing.

BODY
Rnd 1: Ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook—6 sc.
Rnd 2: 2 sc in each st around—12 sts.
Rnd 3: [Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] 6 times—18 sts.
Rnd 4: [2 sc in next st, sc in next 2 sts] 6 times—24 sts.
Rnd 5: (Sc in 3, 2sc) around (30)
Rnd 6: (Sc in 2, 2sc, sc in 2) around (36)
Rnd 7: (Sc in 5, 2sc) around (42)
Rn 8: (Sc in 3, 2sc, sc in 3) around (48)
Rnd 9: (Sc in 7, 2sc) around (54)
Rnd 10: (Sc in 4, 2sc, sc in 4) around (60)
Rnd 11: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 12: [Sc in next 9 sts, 2 sc in next st]—66 sts.
Rnds 13–18: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 19: [Sc in next 9 sts, sc2tog] 6 times—60 sts.
Rnds 20–23: Sc in each st around.
Rnds 24: [Sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts] 6 times—54 sts.
Rnds 25-28: Sc around
Rnd 29: (Sc in 7, sc2tog) around (48)
Rnds 30-33: Sc around.
Rnd 34: (Sc in 3, sc2tog, sc in 3) around (42)
Rnds 35: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 36: [Sc in next 5 sts, sc2tog] 6 times—36 sts.
Rnd 37: Sc around. If using beans to weigh down bottom, insert panty hose inside. Fill pantyhose with approximately 8 oz of beans. Tie hose in a knot and drop to the bottom of the body. Begin and continue to stuff.
Rnd 38: (Sc in 2, sc2tog, sc in 2) around (30)
Rnd 39: Sc around
Rnd 40: (Sc in 3, sc2tog) around (24)
Rnds 41 and 42: Sc in each st around. Fasten off.

HEAD
Rnds 1–6: Work Rnds 1–6 of body—36 sts.
Rnds 7 and 8: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 9: Sc in next 17 sts, 2 sc in next 2 sts, sc in next 17 sts—38 sts.
Rnd 10: Sc in next 14 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 8 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 14 sts—40 sts.
Rnd 11: Sc in next 19 sts, 2 sc in next 2 sts, sc in next 19 sts—42 sts.
Rnd 12: Sc in next 18 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 4 sts, 2 sc in next st, sc in next 18 sts—44 sts.
Rnd 13: [Sc in next 10 sts, 2 sc in next st] 4 times—48 sts.
Rnds 14–24: Sc in each st around.
Attach safety eyes in Rnd 11, 3 sts before and 3 sts following the 2 sc increases.
Rnd 25: [Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts] 6 times—42 sts.
Rnd 26: [Sc in next 5 sts, sc2tog] 6 times—36 sts.
Rnd 27: (Sc in 2, sc2tog, sc in 2) around (30)
Rnd 28: (Sc in 3, sc2tog) around (24)
Rnd 29: (Sc2tog, sc in 2) around (18)
Rnd 30: (Sc, sc2tog) around (12)
Rnd 31: Sc2tog around. Join and finish off. Sew up hole. (6)

ARM (make 2)
Rnds 1–4: Work Rnds 1–4 of body—24 sts.
Rnd 5: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 6: [Sc in next 7 sts, 2 sc in next st] 3 times—27 sts.
Rnds 7–11: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 12: [Sc in next 7 sts, sc2tog] 3 times—24 sts.
Rnd 13: [Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 3 sts] 3 times—21 sts.
Rnd 14: (Sc in 5, sc2tog) around (18)
Rnd 15: (Sc in 2, sc2tog, sc in 2) around (15)
Rnds 16–39: Sc in each st around. Fasten off.
LEG (make 2)
Rnds 1–4: Work Rnds 1–4 of body—24 sts.
Rnd 5: [Sc in next 7 sts, 2 sc in next st] 3 times—27 sts.
Rnds 6–12: Sc in each st around.
Row 13 (heel begins): Hdc in next 8 sts, turn; leave remaining sts unworked—8 sts.
Row 14: Ch 1, sc in next 9 sts, turn; leave remaining sts unworked—9 sts.
Row 15: Ch 1, sc in first st, hdc in each st to last st, sc in last st, hdc2tog along the side of last worked hdc of previous row and next unworked st of Rnd 12, turn—10 sts.
Row 16: Ch 1, sc in each st across, hdc2tog along the side of last worked hdc of previous row and next unworked st of Rnd 12, turn—11 sts.
Rows 17 and 18: Repeat Rows 15 and 16—13 sts.
Rnd 19 (heel ends): Ch 1, sc in first st, hdc in each st to last st, sc in last st, halong the side of last worked hdc of previous row and next unworked st of Rnd 12; continue working across sts of Rnd12 as follows, sc2tog, sc in next 8 sts, sc2tog, sc2tog over last st and side edge of beginning of rnd, do not turn—25 sts.
Rnd 20: Sc in next 2 sts, hdc in next 9 sts, sc in next 14 sts.
Rnd 21: Sc in next 3 sts, hdc in next 7 sts, sc in next 15 sts.
Rnd 22: [Sc in next 3 sts, sc2tog] 5 times—20 sts.
Rnds 23–66: Sc in each st around. Fasten off.

EAR (make 2)
Rnds 1 and 2: Work Rnds 1 and 2 of body—12 sts.
Rnd 3: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 4: [Sc in next st, 2 sc in next st] 6 times—18 sts.
Rnd 5: Sc around
Rnd 6: (2sc, sc in 2) around (24)
Rnd 7: Sc around
Rnd 8: (Sc in 3, 2sc) around (30)
Rnds 9–22: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 23: [Sc in next 4 sts, sc2tog, sc in next 4 sts] 3 times—27 sts.
Rnds 24–27: Sc in each st around.
Rnd 28: [Sc in next 7 sts, sc2tog] 3 times—24 sts.
Rnds 29-32: Sc around
Rnd 33: (Sc in 3, sc2tog) around (21)
Rnds 34-37: Sc around
Rnd 38: (Sc in 5, sc2tog) around (18)
Rnds 39-42: Sc around
Rnd 43: (Sc in 2, sc2tog) around (15)
Rnds 44–52: Sc in each st around. Fasten off.

TAIL
Rnd 1: Ch 2, 6 sc in 2nd ch from hook—6 sc.
Rnd 2: Lp st in each st around.
Rnd 3: 2 lp st in each st around—12 sts.
Rnd 4: [Lp st in next st, 2 lp st in next st] 6 times—18 sts. Fasten off.

FINISHING
Sew head to top of body. Sew ears to top of head. Sew arms to sides of body. Sew legs to bottom of body along Rnd 11. Sew tail to back of body. Using photograph as a guide, with pink yarn embroider nose, and with brown yarn, embroider mouth. Using yarn needle, weave in all ends.

New to Blogging

This is my first time blogging!  My husband and I are currently on terminal leave and will be retiring May 2012!!  We have been busy around the house finally having the time to finsh all those projects that were started over the years.  Our goal in retirement is to travel and just enjoy each other.  I love to crochet, scrapbook, garden and cook.  I hope to share some of our adventures and projects to others!