Tuesday, March 22, 2011

Crafting......yes I still do that!

Well, since we have officially moved into the new house, I have been slowly getting my craft room back in working condition.  And it's about time.  I was going through some serious withdrawls!  I have been able to get back to stamping and crocheting.  A friend of mine on facebook decided to get a group of people together to do a card swap, so I am actively stamping for that.  I just finished the two cards that will go out in the mail this week for the ladies.  I had alot of fun making these.  If anyone wants directions let me know!

I have also been spending some time with a hook in my hand.  Actually quite a bit!  Eric asked me if I would make a thank you afghan for the gentleman he stay's with out in Mekoryuk when he goes Musk Ox hunting.  Since widlife in general is in all of the Native's blood, we decided to go with something I've never done before.  Behold a walrus on an iceberg!  This is the "before".  I use this type of graph as a pattern and work from there.  I was a little skeptical of the design at first because I had a hard time finding a piece of clipart that would work and capture the being of the walrus.  Most of my afghans are for kids/babies so I can usually just go with something cute and baby-like.  Not this one.  I don't think a 6o-something guy would appreciate or use something like that. Anyways, I was thinking I had at least 3 weeks to work on it, but nope!  Eric decides that he is going to go out a week earlier than planned, so I have been hooking my butt off trying to get this bad-boy done.  And finally it has come to an end.  I'm really excited in how this turned out.  I'm hoping that the gift is well receive, which I'm sure it will be.  Turns out he was more than appreciative.  He immediately went and put the afghan on his bed!

Next up was a baby afghan (yay!).  I love doing these because they are so much fun.  A friend of mine asked me to make a blanket for a fellow co-worker of hers who just recently had a baby girl.  They live in Nome, so wildlife is once again people (they work for the Alaska Division of Fish and Game).  I originally found a clipart drawing of a penguin, moose, bear and fish totem pole, but I knew that wouldn't work considering penguins DO NOT live up here.  I decided to rework it a little and get rid of the penguin.  Design turned out great, but I was informed that they REALLY wanted a Musk Ox in the design.  I had fun re-creating the design by hand drawing (okay, light table coping) of the Musk Ox and the bear and fish from the totem pole.  Here is what I came up with!