Yarn Hangings

When I was eight years old I had this awesome hand loom. It had alternating action and it's own shuttle. I made a few things on it but I could never get my stuff to look right. It was years later before I was Indian weavers at work and learned that you shouldn't pull the thread to tight across so the weavings will lay flat.

By then my little loom was gone and I never went back to it. I of course still knit and crochet. But when I kept seeing these awesome weaving projects popping up on my Instagram feed I knew I had to give it another go. 

There were so many things I never really thought about before. Mixing different textures. Changing yarn gauges mid project. Adding in a splash of glitter or fringe.

I love that these projects are a great use of leftover yarn scraps. This didn't stop me from getting a few new balls of yarn. Like these gold metallic laced white, rainbow colored, and some extra chunky pinks and whites.

I love how these triangles turned out. Plus, I love a good fringe. 

Playing around with abstract patterns is a lot of fun. I love the touch of warmth these add to a rooms decor.

I made quite a few. One for Nandini's room (as soon as I can commit to a hanging up a little hook somewhere).  I put a few in my Etsy shop. A fun and unique handmade treasure. Makes a lovely gift too. 

Happy New Year | 2015 Holidays Mini

  This New Year's Eve party was so laid back and so fabulous.  It was just me in the living room with my favorite people.  Watching some Nick music show airing on east coast time. Nandini asking us to turn up Taylor Swift so she could do her moves.  Eating popcorn and drinking sparkling apple cider.  Popping a whole box of confetti poppers with Avinash, much to his great delight.

I wanted to scrap about it, of course.  But I found the idea of a full page New Year's Eve spread a little hokey.  Still in mini-album mode after all that December Dailying, I decided I needed lots of little papers bundled together in random sizes.

This one event is hardly enough material for a full mini album, I'm using a really fun Studio Calico handbook with a printed cloth cover.  I love this book and have been saving it for something really special.

 So the idea for a 2015 Holidays Book came together.  I often want to scrap holidays quickly and right away after they happen.  Not full spreads, just few inserts and pictures.  Some pretty papers too and memoribilia.

I started with a half page insert, using the January SC kit paper with the months on it.

On the back of the insert I used another black and white kit paper and the large DIY white letter stickers.

The Happy Note Letterpress page I had in my stash for a long time, thinking I would use it for December Daily, but I never found a place for it.  It adds a nice pop amidst all the black and white I had going so far. I paired it here with some silver glittery thickers.  Very festive. I love that color combo.

I am linking up this project with the Paper Issues New Year's Issue.

 On the back I just clipped on a bit of silvery stars transparency and a month label.  I love the moons in this months kit and used one here, simply.  The chipboard is from the Firsts Story kit.

 I left a space for journaling on the back.  I used a few stamps to frame it out a bit.  Another swatch of silver stars at the bottom.

 This little guy woke up early in the New Year so he could celebrate with us too.  We dressed him up a bit (well, mostly undressed) and took his picture.  He wonderfully went right back to sleep after this.  Though he did end up getting diagnosed with the flu the next morning.  That's been fun.

I actually started with the stars transparency here, just a strip to fit the chipboard and went back to add it in to the other pieces later.  Love the way it ties in all the disparate pages together.

How was your New Years?

Oh What Fun | December Daily 24-25

Well, only about two weeks late and just when everyone is completely over the whole holiday season thing. In fact, just today I saw our Christmas tree blowing down the street after it was ensnared by the garbage truck and then broke free of it's bonds.  Run free little tree, run free. 

And, here I am, finally posting my final installment of my December Daily. I so often feel like I get 90% of a mini album finished and then move on.  It took me a while after Christmas to pick up the album again.

 I added in a little spread about this being Lakshman's first Christmas.   He is such a joy and light.  I had to celebrate him a little bit extra here.

I used the Ali E story kit stamp set and this old SC page divider.  I stapled in a little tree and a silver "Santa Baby" sticker.  I stitched around it with red thread.  Hand stitched because I can't seem to machine stitch straight.  I wanted some clean lines here.

I pasted a picture of a tree I took early this month on the back.  I used some more old Crate Paper chipboard here just for fun.

I used another fabulous card from the Pink Paislee holiday line for the date.  I stamped a pattern on the back and added another chipboard piece.  I adhered it the the page protector so it floats over the page.  I love having different sizes and configurations of paper in a mini book.

 

I had to put in this half page insert for extra pictures from the 24th. This Christmas Eve picture is just the cutest thing.  I swear I was trying to keep him away from sweets until he turned one but it hasn't worked out that well.  He just knows.  He was super happy to hold this cookie and take a whole bit before we took the plate away from him.


 I stapled another set of silver stickers to a page tab.

I did my journaling right on the photos here for efficiency.  We decided to make my 'famous' Christmas Pan a day early and  I had to put in a picture of it here.  Did we celebrate the last night of Hanukkah a bit late?  We did in fact, but not due to lack of reminding Ryan on my part.  He claims the holiday confused him.

And, now for the big dance!    Christmas morning and presents and photos just seems to go hand in hand.  I stamped a sentiment on each of the photos.

I added an embellishment insert for fun in the middle here.

An old die cut, made last year, a stocking chipboard, a scattering of plastic stars and a little red heart from the kit.

 We made fake snow for Nandini.  She had wanted to make a snowman on Christmas but was pretty delighted with the smattering of cornstarch and shaving cream she saw.  Ha, it was random and fun.

I love stamping on photos, especially along diagonal lines that present themselves.  Lakshman was a big fan of all things paper and bows.

 I journaled a lot on the photos here again in last ditch effort to tell some of the stories of that day.

Share joy.  Here is to more in 2015!