End of May already! Plus Instagram!

I can hardly believe it is the end of May already.  Some schools in different areas of the country are getting out already for Summer break even!  Here they are making up for the snow days taken off in the Winter, so they still have another couple weeks.  I'm kinda glad (haha). :D

I continue to have difficulties with uploading photos onto my blog, which makes me sad.  I don't know if it's a blog thing, computer thing, user error, or what...?? I never had issues prior to the last couple months.  I'm going to keep working on it.  BUT...in the meantime, I finally made an account over at good ol' Instagram.   I mostly just post photos of my crafting goodies like I do on here, but much more frequently since it doesn't give me any issues like my blog does!  So if you'd like to be able to see pictures on a fairly regular basis of random crochet, clay, crafts, etc.... I am "Belleandrew" on there (as well as Twitter and Facebook).  Feel free to follow me on those! :)

I am in the middle of trying out the "plarn" idea with crochet.  Plarn being yarn made from plastic bags you get at grocery stores & such.  We'll see how that comes out and IF I can get photos to work on here, I'll post it.  :) :)  Hope you're all having a great week!

 

Bug-Eyed Owl and Rainbow Blanket (crochet)

 

Hello everybody :) How is your May starting off?  We are getting rain (as usual) but today was just sunny enough to be able to get a few quick photos taken in the back yard. 

This big bug-eyed owl toy was a pattern from a book by VooDoo Maggie. I don't have it on hand to put the exact title, but I'm fairly certain no one else has that name if you go look it up!  The book is full of unique crocheted toy patterns that don't look like everything else out there. (A plus!)  

 Second up-- a rainbow stripes blanket with fringe/tassels on each end.  This is crib-sized, or lap sized if you like.  One end has red tassels and the other has purple. I couldn't decide which color, so went with both. :D  I will be posting this one in my Etsy shop as soon as possible.  

For everyone enjoying sun right now.. LUCKY!! And for those of us in the rain.. at least we have an excuse to stay inside and crochet. :D 

 Heyyyy!!! My photos are actually uploading!  And this is after a few days of trying and giving up.  Ugh.  But now that I got it to work, I can show a couple of finished purses I've made in the last couple weeks.




Both of these granny square purses are crocheted and using up scrap yarn.  All in Red Heart brand.  The black one I used purchased handles (from Jo-Anns) and chose clear ones so they wouldn't distract from the colorful bag too much.  I didn't have a pattern, just made up squares and sewed it all together. 

This second one is with white outlining.  After I'd finished the black one above, my SO was looking at it and drew up an idea for a "lopsided" design for me to try.  So I did and this is how it turned out.  I love, love, love it!! It is big enough to hold something magazine-sized.  Even the handle (which is long enough for it to hang at your hip) is granny-square styled!  


Both of these bags are available for sale in my Etsy shop (they're already listed) if you're interested!  Pop on over and take a peek..there's also more photos. :)

Hmm...must try again later...

Well, I was all prepared to make a post but I'm having "technical difficulties" with uploading the pictures! lol...so, I think I am going to step away and come back this evening once I get that figured out. :(  Sorry about that!

Cream Cheese Banana Cake Bars (recipe!)

How many of us are really glad Spring has finally arrived?  Even though we still have the chilly morning temperatures and the occasional frost on the ground..Spring has definitely arrived.  The mid-day is sunny and almost-warm even!! Great time for making these bars as a special treat. :)

CREAM CHEESE BANANA CAKE BARS
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup vanilla yogurt (or plain)
1 tsp vanilla
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/4  tsp salt
2 mashed bananas

for the cream cheese topping:
1 (8 ounce) package of cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
roughly 4 cups powdered sugar

In a mixer, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, yogurt and vanilla.  In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking soda and salt; slowly add to the creamed mix.  Stir in bananas.
Spread into a greased 15x10" baking pan (OR use a couple of smaller cake pans). Bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near center comes out clean.  Cool completely on a wire rack in pan.

For the topping, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla.  Gradually add the powdered sugar and allow to beat until desired consistency.  Frost the banana bars. Store covered in the fridge any unused portion. :)

 

Monster and Bear Hats (crochet)

Monster Hat!!!!!!  Even though it's a monster, it's hard to not think of it as cute. :D  I was asked to make this hat for one of my nieces and I was more than happy to do it.                                                The pattern is from www.emiegracecreations.etsy.com and was well-written to follow and make it look exactly like the one in the Etsy.

I can see where it would be very simply to make variations on this hat for a million different looks. :)

And a bear hat!  This one is actually my own pattern/design.  I was asked to make a bear hat and although I have patterns for several different animal hats for kids, bear hat is not one of them.  When googling images of other bear hats to get an idea of what they look like, this is about what I was seeing...in various colors.  I like this one but I think I might like it even more if it was a dark brown with tan accents. (the opposite it is).  

This particular hat will be a give-away item on another blog soon- stay tuned for more info!! :D

Crochet Candy and Clay Gnome

Good afternoon! Wow two posting days in a week...I'm shocked at myself. :)  And I even have a bit of the flu going on today, so I'm amazed anything is getting done at all.

Well for starters, sharing a cute little candy...uh..thing.  I didn't have a pattern for this, just made it up.  It became part of one of my niece's birthday gifts last month and she can put it on a necklace or barrette or whatever she likes.  Or add it to her play kitchen foods! :)  One of these days I'll write up a pattern for it hopefully!

Another garden gnome pick to add to my growing collection! This time he actually IS a gardener, complete with watering can and a flower behind his ear. :D  I do wish I'd gotten a better picture of the back..he is one of the only ones I've made without a jacket because he is wearing over-alls with suspenders and I wanted to see that.  But anyway, he is living with the rest of the gnomes now and he makes an even dozen so far that I have managed to keep. :) I'll have to get pics of the whole set soon to share.