Kerry's Creations

Abort - Upcycled with a Cause

2011-04-29T12:02:00.000-07:00

I bought a bunch of T-shirts from the ministry Abort73 a year or so ago and love every design! But one of the shirts is a different fit; and I never wore it because it was uncomfortable. So, now I'm turning it into a bag! Something I'll be able to use, and still support the cause, and not have another shirt that I don't wear taking up room in my closet.

I'll try to post pictures of the completed bag as soon as I can!

I'm really getting into making fabric flowers... what do you think? The t-shirt fabric makes pretty cute ones!

-Kerry

Happy Valentine's Day

2011-02-14T12:36:00.000-08:00

:hangs head:

So, I kind of took a little time off blogging... Okay, I kind of took a year off from blogging. I'm still alive, and I'm still creating. How have you been? I'd really love to know.

Don't worry, I haven't stopped making things. On the contrary. Just take a look at this new head band ear warmer I finished last night! I designed this particular pattern for a cousin using black yarn. I had so much fun making it, and she liked it so well, I had make another one. There was just enough of this electric pink color to make one [there may even be enough left to make another one; score!] so I blazed ahead and made a second one.

I'm working on writing out the pattern. Would you be interested in it to use and make for yourself? What would you pay for a single knitting pattern? This was pretty simple to make, once you understand how cables work, it is a blast.

This new year has brought many new things my way. The biggest thing is I now have a store front on Etsy! I'm very excited about it, and I hope you will check it out and let me know what you think!

Simply Natural Designs

Do you like the items that are listed? What kinds of things would you like to see come from this kind of shop? I am very interested to hear what you all think.

On those lines, I created another blog for this business, you can check it out here. What do you expect from a business blog?

Thank you for reading, following, and for your advice. I hope you are having a marvelous Valentine's day, don't forget to tell someone you love them. ;^)

"This is my commandment that you love one another; that your joy may be full"

God bless you today!

-Kerry

PS - Check out the listing for this headband, it could be yours!

PSS - See you all next Valentine's day... lol... :wink:

Happy St. Valentine's Day

2010-02-18T10:03:00.000-08:00

What better way is there to show love then a heart shaped chocolate cake?? Well, the week before Valentines day, my Mother and I were invited to a friends home to learn all about chocolate. Melting, mixing, icing, molding, decorating, cooling, and my favorite part; Tasting. The cakes pictured above were baked the day before and our wonderful instructor, Kay, was there to guide us as we made chocolate Ganache (If you didn't already know, it's pronounced; Ga-nosh) to ice them with.

Cutting up the chocolate was a lot harder then it looked. But it helps it all melt quickly and easily to be a smooth and rich liquid.

We made a batch of Ganache and poured it out in a pan to cool so we could make truffles later.

While that cooled and we waited for the second batch of Gonash to melt, we all enjoyed a cup of Chocolate Punch. (Yes, CHOCOLATE PUNCH) Mmmm....

With the Ganache melted and warm, we spooned it over the cakes.

It was difficult to get all the edges covered well, but other then that it was fun.

Then we could decorate them with what ever we wanted. There was toasted almonds, toffee bits, red and white sprinkles in all shapes and sizes, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder.

Bethany (of http://bethjoy.blogspot.com/ ) and I with our iced and decorated cakes.

After enjoying a pleasant lunch with relaxing fellowship, we got right back into it with the dipping chocolate. This was really fun and a bit crazy as we were all reaching across each other to grab pretzel sticks, marshmallows, strawberries and dried fruit to dip in the pots of melted chocolate and decorate with the afore mentioned decorating items.

The chocolate-marshmallow forest.

A simple cup of pomegranate tea and a chocolate raspberry pastry was a perfect end to a day full of fun, food, friends, and fellowship. Thanks to our teacher, Kay, for her willingness to share her knowledge, and to our hostess', Mrs. McAdams and Morgan, for all your hard work to put on such a wonderful party!

Lace Applied

2010-01-26T11:26:00.000-08:00

Before I attached the lace to my curtain....

...And after!!

I've been tagged...

2010-01-20T08:01:00.000-08:00

Here are the rules:

1, Do quick post about the person that tagged you saying thanks

2, Answer the 10 questions

3, Follow 3 new blogs and list them.

4, Tag 6 people

5, Challenge one person to do something fun or crazy

Ashley is a cute country girl who always makes me smile. Thanks for the tag, Ash.

Here are the 10 questions:

1: Have you ever been to a rodeo? Yes.

2: Have you ever tried to ride a cow? Mmhhm.

3: Have you ever milked a cow or goat? Yes, many times.

4: Have you ever been to a Demolition Derby? No, but it sounds like fun.

5: What is your favorite Country song? Crying for me

b: Who's the artist? Toby Keith
6: Do you like to hunt? Not really...

7: Have you ever cooked your breakfast over an open fire in your backyard? Yep, though technically I think it would have been my front yard.

8: Have you ever thought that the muck was shallow and when you stepped in it, you sank knee deep? Haha, yes.

9: What is the hardest thing you have ever done? Sang at my cousin's funeral.

10: (The question is optional) What's one of your most embarrassing moments? I've had too many to mention.

Blogs I've recently begun following:
Bethany at: http://bethjoy.blogspot.com/ Just started a blog to glorify God - go check it out, follow and enjoy.
Jasmine at: http://joyfullyathome.blogspot.com/ Become captivated by this writer as she writes from her heart.
Mia at: http://aspiring-homemaker.blogspot.com/ Learn valuable homemaker skills and enjoy fantastic photos.

I don't know who to tag, so if you read this and want to do it, go ahead!

And I challenge Ashley at http://farmgirlathome.blogspot.com/ to play hopscotch with someone, document it with photo proof and then create a blog post about it for us all to enjoy. :^) Don't forget to have fun while doing it...

Crocheted Lace

2010-01-19T12:36:00.000-08:00

So, I started this lace project years ago and recently found it again. Decided to try to figure out what I was doing and finish it.

After a bit of trial and error and looking through my crochet stitch bible, I was able to continue.

Tiny, tiny hook and yarn...

Then I sewed it on to the curtains that make the walls of my closet. I've got before and after pics somewhere... will post later. :^)

Six Scarves

2009-12-28T18:21:00.000-08:00

Instead of five, I made six scarves for my grandma to give as Christmas gifts. They turned out pretty good. (If I say so myself).

On the 5th day of Christmas...

2009-12-03T20:51:00.000-08:00

My true love gave to me, 5 Hand Crocheted Scarves!!!

I was asked to make five scarves for my grandma to give to as Christmas gifts. These are the yarn skeins she chose. I'll post pictures of the finished scarves soon.

Buttons for the Bluse

2009-12-03T20:24:00.000-08:00

I use a quilters pencil to mark for button holes after I've sewn on buttons

Each stitch by hand; small, even custom button holes.

I use a seam ripper or a small pair of pointy scissors to cut the hole out.

Perfect fit!

I think these red daisy buttons are so cute!

Klied Construction

2009-12-03T19:32:00.000-08:00

I started working on the dress for the German costume. Here's how it went.

Bodice front and lining front.

Buttons down the front with hand sewn button holes.

Button detail.

Completed dress and blouse.

Bluse Construction

2009-11-19T13:41:00.000-08:00

Having finished the apron/schurze yesterday for the German costume I'm working on, I started on the blouse/bluse today.

I got going on it and realized that I would need some lace. I choose an off-white eyelet that went well with the tan fabric of the blouse. I hope my costumer likes it!

I didn't have time to finished it this morning, but I think I will work on it again tonight.

Bodice with completed with eyelet collar.

Creating gathers in the sleeve, preparing it to be attached to the bodice.

Easing the gathers.

One sleeve attached to bodice!

Sewing in German...

2009-11-18T21:25:00.000-08:00

I've recently been asked to make a German costume. Blouse, Dress, Apron. The catch? The pattern is written completely in German! I started with the apron today. I've decided that sewing with a pattern in a different language is like putting together a puzzle without looking at the picture. :^) I am actually having fun with it.

Say what?!?

Making sure the pin tucks are even. It's never good to have uneven pin tucks!

Ah! The completed apron. Or, schurze...

Pin tucks. (Though they are time consuming and can sometimes be frustrating, I really like pin tucks).

Tied in a bow in the front. Just like the picture. (Cause I didn't read that it's supposed to look like that!).

I'm sure if someone - a German, perhaps - were to read the instructions they would find faults with the way I did it. I hope it's not too far off, but, I did the best I knew how. :^) And had fun doing it!

One and a half year old project...

2009-11-16T16:31:00.000-08:00

Today my mom was going through a few baskets, and found a knitting project that I had started about a year and a half ago.

It was a shawl in white cotton, in a sort of lace pattern.

I finished it today! :^) About time, ay?

Red and Gray Shawl

2009-11-15T22:14:00.000-08:00

I recently completed a shawl on our Triangle Frame Loom. Here's how it turned out, let me know what you think.

I took pictures before I was totally finished. I also added fring on the to side edges.

It is all hand spun wool. The red was hand dyed, the gray is natural, and the pink Leno lace sections in the gray were hand dyed.

Will post pictures on a model after it is washed and blocked.

Removing from the loom.

18th Century Embroidery

2009-10-21T17:50:00.000-07:00

After purchasing a beautiful book from Michael's showing how to embroider like women did in the 18th century, I was awed and.... overwhelmed. I put it on a shelf only to be pulled down now and again to leaf through and admire the tight small stitches in an innumerable amount. Full men's dress coats, long women's bed gowns; covered from seam to seam in ornate stitches.

Well, I finally decided to try some out, and just to be sure I wouldn't freak out too much, I started only with the corner of a handkerchief. It wasn't so hard, only time consuming.

1900-05 Blouse

2009-01-31T07:41:00.000-08:00

I recently watched a delightful film, Miss Potter, which inspired me to create a blouse similar to the one Beatrix Potter wears at her families Christmas party. Here are my results.

The sleeves on my blouse go to the wrist, the one on Miss Potter only go to the elbows.

Cuff Detail. I loved making these cuffs! Hand-sewn button holes, of course.

Back Detail. High collar with buttons down the back. The blouse Miss Potter wears had a more delicate lace yolk and was made of a silky fabric both in an off-white color. I just used white cotton since that's what I had.

Miss Potter's also had more gathers in front at the bust line and had vertical pin tucks under the yolk seam.

I hope to make a skirt and belt to go with this someday, so be looking for a post on that in the coming months... or years... lol...

Party Pinata

2007-11-08T12:32:00.000-08:00

My cousin Sara is turning 1 and were having a party for her on Sunday, I made a Bunny Pinata for the occasion.

Dipping strips of newspaper in the flour and water glue.

Evenly placing sticky strips of newspaper to prepared balloon.

First layer drying. (Note: Bunny is upside down)

First layer drying. (Note: Bunny is now right side up, but ears are doing crazy things!) At this point, my family's encouraging words have been, "Is that a pig?", asked my brother, "No'' my mom replies, "It's a pig with rabbit ears!". Needless to say, it has been the end of more then just one joke.

The painting begins.

And continues.

Until it's done!

Now the filling! I crumpled up crepe paper and layered that with the candy so when it brakes it wont just 'plop' out, it will slowly fall. Maybe. Hopefully.

Putting candy in the rear of the bunny. (Hhmm... when ya think about it, that's kind of weird...)lol

Lastly, I put a fluffy tale of white crepe paper over the rear hole.

TADA!! Complete with wire hanger! :^)
Even has cute bunny paws.

Do you think you can make one as well? Here is a great video to help you out: http://video.about.com/familycrafts/How-to-Make-a-Pinata.htm#t

Gradation of Color

2007-10-31T13:21:00.000-07:00

I had a small roving of white wool, and I decided that I would hand paint it. I used food coloring for the dies, and it turned out to be a pastel rainbow. I wanted to spin it so that it kept it's graduation of color, so I spun it from end to end, rather then pulling batts off the roving. Then, in stead of two plying it I navajo plied it, so it continued that graduate of color. Then I wound it on the ball winder, again, still keeping the color changes. And now I am knitting it in to a head band (for there is not enough to do much else with it), continuing the graduating colors. (I will post photos of the finished head band later).

A Spinning we will go...

2007-10-31T13:06:00.001-07:00

I'm going to a festival tomorrow, here is all my stuff ready to go...