Update Your Furniture

Hello all!

Here is a little DIY tip for updating your furniture, use contact paper to cut out decals or place over drawers and in the back of your bookshelf cases. I have seen it on the internet and in magazines and it is such a good idea if you are looking for any  kind of specific look. I particularly like the modern look. Here are some ideas for you....

Reuse Your Greeting Cards

Hello all,

If you are anything like me, you most likely have a stack or even a drawer full of greeting cards friends and loved ones have given you for your birthday, holidays and other occasions over the years. It is hard to part with them isn't it? Well, I have an idea for you!

Instead of throwing your cards out, why not make yourself some bookmarks out of them? You can cut out the message on the front, the picture or anything that you like most about the card in a rectangle shape for a bookmark. You can also glue the message they wrote you to the back of your bookmark and date it to remember what they said to you.

You can fancy the bookmark up by hole-punching a hole at the top center away from the free edge, then, looping a ribbon or yarn through for a tassel! You'll never run out of bookmarks this way and if you make some that are not personal to you, you can even give them away to the people you love.

Say goodbye to clutter and yes to a beautiful supply of bookmarks!

Postcard Templates

Hey all! I was feeling a little productive this last hour and made some postcard templates. I wanted to share with you how to do it! I hope this post helps a little even though I was not very thorough. It will require some knowledge of a vector program and using rulers.

First, find a vector program that you can measure out the size you want your postcards to be. I roughly made mine 6" x 4 1/4". Make sure you have rulers on and set them according to the document. This is what your postcard may look like when you are finished.

Crochet Hook Handles

Want a more gratifying solution and a better ergonomic crochet hook handle for yourself? Awhile back a friend, Liz, posted about a tutorial to make do-it-yourself crochet hook handles made with polymer clay. I had some polymer clay lying around and had to give it a go!

Image by Jenimartian via Flickr

Crochet Cat Ears

Cat Ears

Back, side and front of ear.

What you need:

• G hook (4.00mm) crochet hook
• 2 colors of 4ply worsted weight yarn (outside color and inside of the ear)
• scissors
• yarn needle

Make A Living Wreath

Living Wreath with Succulents

Several years back I took a few floral classes at the college. Amongst my days of learning the ropes on horticulture and design, I stumbled upon a beautiful concept. A living wreath.

A living wreath is a handmade wreath of an array of succulent plants and moss that you can hang on outdoors. Over time, the succulents spread along the moss as you train them to go where you want. Also, if you use chicks-and-hens you can spread the chicks in the open spaces until your wreath is full and flourishing!

Octagon Star Motif Tutorial By Rae

Hi everyone! Here is a tutorial I put together on how to crochet an octagon star motif from Lion Brand's pattern database. You can find the patterns from the following links:

• Free Crochet Pattern 60154 Crochet Motif I Octagon Star Lion Brand Yarn Company
• Free Crochet Pattern 60667AD Crochet Shapes Table Runner Lion Brand Yarn Company

TUTORIAL 1: Round 1 through 3.