I am a huge fan of Games of Thrones – both the books and the TV show. In both, the Starks worship the old tree gods. There are these large, white trees with red leaves – reminds of a red oak but with huge trunks. It also seems like the trees have faces in them that ‘weep’ or show emotion. In the amigurumi book is a cute tree pattern which I plan to do several to create a Stark gods’s wood. It feels good to do a project that is for me.

I also plan to work another pattern from the book – it’s a kitten with a kitty bed. It’s a request from my daughter but one I had planned on doing for her anyway since she has been mentioning kittens a lot lately.

Right now all I have is the beginning of the trunk for one tree but hope to have the tree and the kitten(with accessories) done by the end of the weekend.

About a week passed and I was inspired to start a crochet project – trouble was I could not remember where I put the tote or what I had done with the yarn. It was maddening. Also I could not find any crochet hooks. Most of my crochet hooks are in a cigarette case holder that I found at the thrift store for 50 cents. It is the perfect length for crochet hooks and a lot will fit into it. Plus I remember my grandmother had a case like this for her cigarette packs and lighter. I always loved it but I have never smoked – so it would be silly to have a case for something I do not use. But now the case has purpose in my life thanks for crochet.

So I could not find this case anywhere. I looked with the craft supplies – knowing I had put is somewhere but drawing a blank as to where that somewhere could be. A few weeks passed and I still do not know where I put my yarn or my crochet hooks. I did a sweep through storage and did not find a storage box. I was about ready to go buy some more hooks and a skein of yarn just so that I could crochet to take away my frustrations.

Well a few days ago, I am rummaging through some items I had put back to sell at a consignment sale when I find my tub of yarn – on my dresser. Man I felt dumb. Had it been a snake – well you know the rest. I was right in front of my face the whole time! However, the tub of yarn did not have the crochet hooks. So now the yarn was taunting me because I knew where it was but not a hook in sight. Last night I remembered that I had placed some yarn in a yarn basket. When I checked there I found my case of crochet hooks. Glory be!

So now that I know where my yarn and hooks are I can get started on the several crochet projects that are swimming around in my head. I usually crochet less in the summer because it is so hot and the yarn is so warm. But this year I may try to do more since I did so little this winter. I miss it and am ready to create something with yarn.

Maybe National Crochet Month is exactly what I need to get back into crocheting more. I used to look forward to crocheting every day. I still want to crochet but just seems life has gotten very busy. Working full-time outside the home is bringing me down. There just isn’t the time at home to do all that needs to be done.

So many crochet projects, so little time! Maybe National Crochet Month will help me set my priorities. Crochet has to be one of them.

In Sunday School, we made these cute St. Valentine’s puppets. It’s simple so it was a perfect craft for pre-schoolers. On the website Catholic Icing, she used black pom poms for a beard – not using white so it wouldn’t look like Santa Claus. I could not find black pom poms, so I improvised as any crafter would – I crocheted a beard.

I started off with a chain of 25 stitches and then single crocheted into each one. I then did a popcorn stitch followed by a chain in every third or fourth single crochet – just to give the beard some fullness. Quick, easy, and cheap since I already had black yarn.

It’s great when crochet can help you out of a jam. Just create what you need when you can’t find it.

I also want to make a unicorn amigurumi for my daughter for Valentine’s Day without her knowing it. This is hard because I have to crochet when I’m not with her. It would be wise to just use some of my yarn stash but I so want to buy yarn she hasn’t seen before. I know I’m so bad. That is why I have too much yarn as it is. I will probably just stick with my stash yarn though even if I really want new yarn.

With my Kindle reading and other distractions, I have been doing less crocheting these past few months. Hopefully I can get back to crocheting more and maybe listening to books. I hope to finish something that is currently on a hook by the end of the month – hopefully a scarf hoodie since I want to make several of those this year.

Since my stash has gotten so large, I try to use what I have for projects although that doesn’t always work. I may need a certain color and have to buy some yarn only to use half a skein for a project. Now I have half a skein to add to the stash. So my yarn stash goes and also becomes harder to use in projects.

For amigurumi, a half skein works well since you really don’t need a lot of yarn for small toys. Still I have way more yarn than I will use this year. I plan to decide just what I will use and donate the rest. It will feel good to have a small yarn stash and just buy yarn for projects again.

Next Christmas I plan to give a lot more crochet gifts. Several people did receive handmade gifts and loved them. My biggest problem is deciding on what to make. I do plan on making some scarves and hats – with possibly some amigurumis. That is so vague but really is the only plan I have right now. I just plan to crochet and finish projects – then decide later on giving.

I have so many patterns I want to try and plan to in 2012. My goal is to crochet more and so some original patterns as well. If I can stay organized and focus, then 2012 is going to be a great year.

I started by chaining eight and then joining to make a circle for the ‘flame’ to fit though. Then I just did an increase round until the piece fit over the top and from there I did a few even rows – even to cover the base. It worked up pretty fast. I think the kids have enjoyed being able to ‘light’ the candles for the Advent wreath and also play with the tea lights. The tea lights were a bargain – 10 for $6 plus ten batteries. Each tea light already had a battery so they were sold with extras. So I can see this Advent wreath lasting for years to come.

I had wanted to make a crochet Christmas wreath since I had seen one in Crochet Today. They had taken a styrofoam wreath and placed crochet roses on it. It was cute but I could never find a styrofoam wreath. I did find a yarn wreath at the thrift store. It had some decorations on it that I took off. I made some of the crochet roses and an Irish rose for the top center. I did some simple chains for added decorations.

It turned out better than I expected. I really was pleased to find a yarn wreath since it makes a great base for this project. The yarn wreath has a wire clothes hanger as its base. You then tie looped yarn(like how you might make a pom pom) around it until you have it full. It is time consuming but does make for a pretty wreath. Glad I found mine secondhand though.

This week I am working on a few small crochet projects for Christmas. Might as well get those out of the way and then I need to decide on hat patterns. I’d like to do a few hats but really have to decide which patterns would be best for my yarn. If only there was a program that would show you the finish product – kind of like the hair style computer programs that show what a certain style would look like on you. Using the right yarn is so important to getting the right results.

It is nice to be back regularly crocheting. Now let’s hope I can finish all these projects for Christmas.