@CraftyChica Design Team: #Crochet Fabulous Milagro Market Tote Tutorial

Welcome to Crafting by the Pool  

with Cami from Artlikebread.com

 It's so exciting!  I applied for and was chosen to participate on the Crafty Chica Design Team! The purpose of this post is to show you how I used one of her cool, new, Dia de los Muertos-themed products in an original DIY project.  Before we begin, take a look at this fun video where I show you all the materials I used!

And don't worry. In case you're viewing this on a mobile device or don't feel like watching the video, I'll do a play by play right here with still pictures.

HERE WE GO!

31 Crafts for March, National Craft Month!

March is National Craft Month!

What will you do to celebrate?

For me, crafting is not a special occasion.  Crafting is a way of life.  I feel very fortunate to have a useful hobby that I enjoy and something that I can do every day.  Crochet comes with me in the car on my morning commute (in which I am a passenger, don't worry!).  I take it on road trips.  I've always got something in my bag to pass those minutes spent in line at the bank.  You'll see me out at cafes with hook, yarn and latte.  Although I feel completely capable of participating in a meeting or monitoring a test while stitching, I draw the line there.  The only stitch time I sneak in at school is during recess duty.


Were it not for being open to new crafts, I may have never found this wonderful hobby, which is practicality, art, and craft all wrapped up in one.


In order to share some great ideas, but also remind myself of projects I'd like to do, I am linking to 31 high-quality craft tutorials to fill your National Craft Month.

Enjoy!

A floral adornment to my new stash bag.
Pattern Link (to Crocheted Stash Bag)

Accessories

 Crocheted Daisy Earrings at Thread Bear's Picnic

Knotted Rope Flower Hair Clip by Craft Snob

Last-Minute Dressy Cuff by Sew A Straight Line

Super Sash Crocheted Belt by Double Stitch for Red Heart

Milk Carton Coin Purse by Connect the Dots Crafts

Washer Necklace by One Scrappin Johnson

Gifts

Crocheted Button Bookmark by GoodKnits

Mini-Fold Book by Poppy Paperie

Laminated Luggage Tag by Mark Montano

One-Hour Sewn Bag by Skip to My Lou

Home

Wooden Beaded Trivets by A Merry Mishap

Bulletin Board Organizer by Paper Source

Glittered Coke Bottle by the Modern Surrealist

Teacup Pin Cushion at You Can Make This

Sew a Business Card Holder by Quilt In Progress

Spoon Poetry by Ephemeral Alchemy

Sewn Mail Organizer by Noodle Head

Tea Wreath by Kojo Designs

Collapsible Storage Baskets by Sew 4 Home

 

Food & Drinks

Skinny Girl Mock-a-Mole

Lemon Basil Vodka Gimlet by Well Fed

Blackberry Smash by Bless Her Heart

Paper Goods

No-Sew Pencil Case by Craft Jr.

Origami Nesting Boxes by Martha Stewart

Cards Adorned with Purses by Little Birdie Secrets

Envelope Clutch by The Hybrid Chick

Make Lots of Cards from Just 2 Punches by CraftyPod

Clothing

Sweater Turned Shrug by Venus Zine

Yarn Crafting

Crochet the Alphabet! by Amamzing

Finger Knit Basics at WikiHow

Introduction to String Art and Patterns at String Art Fun

Bonus craft!  

Purl Bee Crocheted Stash Bag



Tulips at Old Orchard

On my recent trip to Chicago, my sister and I were on a mission. A shopping mission. So where did we decide to go? The mall!!!

mall plants

My mother tells me that Old Orchard in Skokie, IL was the first mall in the country. It's a gorgeous, open-air mall. This is where you can tell that it was one of the first malls: Who in their right mind would plan an open-air mall in Chicago? Lovely in the spring, as you can see here, but the winter...?

I've been lucky lately. I love traveling to the U.S. I don't usually get to travel very often.

photos by Cami

Sewing Project!

I found these cute felt flowers at the Windy City Scrapbook store of all places! (They were just four individual flowers before I made them into pins. I am posting them on Threadbanger Forum as my first post. (You can get the full story there when I remember my password!)

Yay fiber!