Else's Bellas Artes

Doggie with Mushrooms

2009-11-10T08:00:00.002-06:00

Here is my latest cross-stitch, back from the framers. I couldn't resist stitching this cute pattern that reminds me so much of the amigurumi stuffies I like to crochet. I changed the colors somewhat, and also added some beads and a charm, which you can see a little better if you click on the picture to enlarge it. The orange color of the frame brings out the fun little mushrooms. All of it is so kawaii! (That is, "cute" in Japanese.) Thanks for visiting!

Arbor Lake in Fall

2009-11-09T08:00:00.002-06:00

Only a block away, in my residential neighborhood, is an open land that the village of Orland Park, Ill. has named "Arbor Lake." This little lake has afforded me much pleasure over the years as I've driven past on my commutes, as I've seen all manner of wildlife there, including a beautiful buck that raced across the prairie ringing the lake one foggy morning.

This summer the village completed some graveled paths along the lake, along with a shelter area with benches. So, during this past weekend's beautiful weather, my family and I set off on foot to see up-close what we could only see before from the car window.

Though fall is almost over, there was plenty for your faithful photographer to snap on.

One reason fall is my favorite season is COLOR. Fall colors are comfort food to our eyes, and a fitting way to see out the year and proceed into winter--one final, glorious hallelujah by the trees towards God.

Seen up close, this milkweed seems like wild cotton, reminding me of my years in South Carolina.

Finally, as we traveled along on one of the paths, an worn wooden cross rose up with the prairie grass. There seemed to be a path beaten to it, so out of curiosity, I followed. There I found the well-tended grave of someone's canine friend, decorated with flowers and dog toys. "Julius, we'll miss you" was scratched on the cross. Nearby was a smaller grave with toys and flowers, unidentified, but again, a doggie friend. I can imagine they enjoy being there, probably having enjoyed many mornings sniffing the "sniffs" that all dogs love as they walk with their masters.

Have a blessed week, dear readers!

Chair cuteness

2009-11-06T08:00:00.003-06:00

Okay, I just had to have this cute primitive wood chair to show off my little cross-stitch pillows. Here it is by my hearth. Love that autumn look. See a close-up here. See ya later!

Mysteries

2009-11-05T18:38:00.007-06:00

Why are these daisies blooming in November? And for that matter, blooming for the second time this year? Answer: global warming.

Why is this deer white? And why is it staring? Answer: This deer is living on Argonne National Lab's campus. It is NOT radioactive. It is a rare-breed white fallow deer, the descendant of an original pair imported from the UK. I was taking pictures and it was mesmerized!

What's under here? See below.

Under the blue knitted thing, otherwise known as a tea cozy, is my new ceramic teapot with shamrocks. I love this pot and its dainty design. The cozy is of my own design, knitted out of super bulky Lion Brand yarn in my favorite seed stitch.

Thus end the mysteries for today! See more fun photos on my flickr. Enjoy!

Mostly Weaving Sale

2009-10-31T21:17:00.006-05:00

While visiting my friend Michelle in Minneapolis earlier this month, we hopped on over to the Mostly Weaving Annual Sale. This Prospect Park group of crafters has one sale per year, in the fall, where they show off and sell their wares -- everything from weavings, to knits, to potter, to jewelry and calligraphy. Handspun yarn was also to be had. The day was cold as it had snowed during the night, and all the crafts were displayed outside on blankets or in Mostly Weaving's outbuildings, one of which was lit by a lovely wood fire!

Here you can see pottery, teapots, weavings, and tea cozies that are woven and knitted. Everything was so textural and lovely!

This basket of handknit slippers was a welcome sight that snowy morning. I plan to find a pattern and knit some for myself.

These lovely Minnesota leaves mixed with the first snow of season--a surprise to Minneapolis that day! Michelle told me that it was the earliest she remembered it snowing in many years. However, this did not stop us from picking up some lovely treasures at Mostly Weaving. Our visit was a real treat!

See more of my Mostly Weaving and Minneapolis photos on my flickr. I'll slowly be uploading all my photos these next coming weeks. Enjoy!

My Labor Day Weekend

2009-09-08T19:33:00.007-05:00

I had an awesome extended Labor Day weekend. First, I finished this "casita" from a pattern by Ana. Can you tell it's a mushroom? The little wooden 'shrooms are Etsy finds, and the little flower doll was created several years ago from a project in Wee Felt Folk: Enchanting Projects by Sally Mavor.

I also FINALLY finished this Blessed are the Meek cross-stitch project from a pattern by Little House Needleworks. I took it to the framers this morning and hope to see it back soon. I'll hang it right next to Cherry Hill over my front hallway coat peg rack.

The sleeping beauty above is a resident of Brookfield Zoo. We went to visit the zoo on Labor Day--the crowds were mild and the weather was gorgeous. My back also tolerated the almost-four-hour outing, too. It was great to see all the creatures, who were also enjoying the weather!

This little fellow was making a show of himself, jumping from rock to rock in one of the animal pens. He stood still long enough for me to zoom in and capture this shot. Unlike Alvin, this chipmunk didn't sing, but the crowds sure enjoyed him!

We visited Australia House in the zoo, where we could see wombats, echidnas, kangaroos and other Australian marvels. But before we entered, we had to educate ourselves in Oz-speak, above.

Finally, I have to say that Brookfield Zoo has everything, including a brontosaurus sunning himself in front of the main fountain. He bobbed his head at visitors and wagged his tail in a friendly manner. I could almost hear the Jurassic Park theme music playing in the background...

Retro the Owl

2009-08-31T18:54:00.005-05:00

UPDATE! Pattern now available for sale in my etsy store!

Here is my newest amigurumi, Retro the Owl. I love his big eyes and tiny beak. I crocheted him from my own pattern, inspired by little funky art images of owls from the 70s. Retro loves his little hat, but doesn't like it when people stare at him. He also likes ice cream and the moon. Retro doesn't know that I'll soon have a pattern to make him in my Etsy shop!

To make Retro, I used a variegated wool yarn for felting from Lion Brand, and a black acrylic yarn from my stash. His wings are mini granny triangles that look a lot like feathers! A cardboard disk in his bottom keeps him steady, and I stuffed him a third of the way with dried beans to give him some weight. His little hat is from my miniature stash.

Witchy Corn has also been joined by another amigurumi candy corn all dressed for Halloween (below). You can purchase this little corny flower power sibling in my Etsy shop now!

Witches' Tooth for Sale!

2009-08-23T17:04:00.003-05:00

The next-best thing to candy corn is candy corn with chocolate--witches' teeth! Here's my interpretation as a tiny amigurumi toy, complete with a witches' hat that comes off. And this little cutie is now for sale in my etsy shop! Won't you adopt him?

Hobbit "Casita"

2009-08-23T16:59:00.005-05:00

Can you tell I am a Lord of the Rings fan? Here is a hobbit house I crocheted for a tiny Frodo play figure, complete with a round hobbit door. I made the house, or "casita," from a pattern by my friend Ana! The crochet is in the amigurumi style--in a spiral.

I used wool yarn and felt for this project, and created the flowers out of beads, embroidery floss, and some tiny commercial paper scrapbooking flowers.

I'm very happy with how this little house turned out. I've got another one on my worktable ready to decorate in a mushroom theme. I hope to show you that soon!

Cornie Amigurumi Pattern and Custom on Etsy!

2009-08-17T12:57:00.004-05:00

You can now get a pattern to make this little candy cutie in my Etsy shop! It's a low-cost pattern, easy and fun. Just in time for Fall and Halloween. He is about 3.5 inches tall. Make several and have them gather in a wooden bowl on your Fall table!

I had fun making this little guy. I used bright acrylic yarns from my stash, and I added the kawaii felt cheeks for a special touch.

AND--if you'd like ME to make one for YOU, I will! Simply select the made-to-order listing, also in my Etsy shop, and this little "Cornie" can come home to live with you!

I'll be adding more listings to my shop in the next two weeks. Stay tuned, and thanks for visiting my shop!

Ladybug Crafts

2009-08-07T13:09:00.006-05:00

I heart ladybugs. Though many folks I know think these are the worst of pests, whenever I see one, I feel blessed. I don't know if it's their happy, cheerful red, or because they are so perfect and tiny.

Today I googled ladybug crafts and found some really fun, small projects you could do in a weekend. Here's what I found:

A ladybug tag whose wings open to show a message
Simple-to-paint ladybug rocks
A plush ladybug made out of fabric scraps
A ladybug needlecase
An origami ladybug to fold

And finally, you can crochet this little cutie:

from my own original amigurumi pattern, downloadable from the Free Patterns category at right! :)

In September, I'll be offering these ladies as custom items in my Etsy shop, and I'll have a few ready-made (in different colors) for you to buy right away. Hope you'll adopt one and take her home!

Nature Moment: Lynx rufus

2009-08-06T15:24:00.004-05:00

I just love that species name: lynx rufus. Sounds so regal and stately. Much better than "bobcat," which makes me think of a redneck biker.

I happened to see this svelte animal cross the road, not two feet in front of my beetle car, on my ride to work this morning. We both kind of surprised each other! He stepped into the road, we both noticed each other, I slowed down (luckily I was driving like an old lady), we looked at each other, and when he saw I had stopped, he finished loping across the road.

He was beautiful. This was my first bobcat encounter.

Learn more about bobcats here and here.

A Russian-inspired Amigurumi!

2009-08-04T21:45:00.001-05:00

Here is my newest amigurumi! My friend, Sana, introduced me to this sweet character from Russian children's literature and I was inspired!

This was my first project using Vanna's Choice, a yarn by Lion Brand. This is a very soft, thicker-weight acrylic worsted yarn that gives wonderful stitch definition and a nice, heavy crochet fabric--perfect for amigurumis! It comes in some lovely colors. I used chocolate brown and honey for this project.

I am going to offer a pattern for this sweetie in my Etsy shop soon. I am making some major changes to my shop, including "rebranding," and I will be offering made-to-order items, patterns, and one-of-a-kind handmades beginning in September this year. I hope you'll remember me as you begin your holiday crafting and shopping!

More news on my Etsy shop and art soon....but for now, be blessed!

A Stone for Daisy

2009-08-04T21:34:00.003-05:00

It's been a sad summer for me. At the end of June, my doggie Daisy passed away. She was 15. Her ashes are buried in my meditation garden, and I painted this stone for her. Whenever I was working on this small garden patch, Daisy loved to walk over everything just to get my attention. It seemed fitting to put her in this special place where she kept me company when I was gardening.

I wanted the stone to be cheerful and happy, just like Daisy was. I added the cross for blessing and victory over the grave (NIKE=victory). I know she is waiting across the Rainbow Bridge! I added a small painted portrait of her sweet face, and lots of daisy flowers.

Daisy always inspired my art and her company was precious to me as I worked in my art room. You can see some arts and crafts starring Daisy in her flickr set. I miss her peaceful presence as I craft and go about my daily activities. She was always so patient, waiting as I made "one more stitch" or stamped one more stamp. May the angels watch over her until I catch up with her!

I'm back--Blogging without Obligation

2009-06-17T19:13:00.015-05:00

Go to this site. I am going to try to blog again, without obligation. This site helped me understand why I blog--and it's given me the confidence to stick to blogging without sticking to it, in a way.

Blog Discovery
I've found a new favorite blog, Resurrection Fern. This talented lady is a doctor and an artist. She crochets lace covers for rocks (among other things) and her blog is a delightful commentary on crafts, nature, and this-and-that. Please visit her! Her art is beautiful.

New Book
Look what I got! It arrived in today's mail from Amazon.com. It's Ana's new amigurumi book. Her designs are delightful and easy to make. I'm also glad to call Ana my friend.

Latest Projects
Here are some projects I've recently completed. First, an amigurumi dog for my friend Vicki. He's named Scooter and you can find directions for him in Amy Gaines' delightful book.

I'm also doing some stitchery. Here's a pillow I made for my aunt from a PatternBee pattern. And one of two Mexican motif towels for my dad.

I've spent a lot of time reading lately. Some of my favorite reads have been "The Making of a Marchioness" by Frances Hodgson Burnett, "A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeleine L'Engle, and "Postcards from Across the Pond" by Michael Harling. "Postcards" has kept me laughing to tears; I heartily recommend it if you are an Anglophile.

The End

2009-04-27T11:28:00.003-05:00

Sometimes we have to admit that we can't do everything.

I realize I haven't posted to this blog in months, and I haven't been up to much worth reporting, either. I am not doing much crafting, simply dabbling. I have health problems that sap my energy, which I have to save for work and home. I have my hands in too many pots, and have to choose only one or two things to focus on outside of work and family.

So, much like Bilbo, I wish to make an announcement. I regret to announce that this is The End. I am going. I am leaving now. Good-bye!

A cozy spot

2009-01-31T16:45:00.009-06:00

Here is my new cozy spot. Since I developed sciatica, my hubbly and I had to shop for a firmer (but cozy) chair for me to sit in while I read, knit and embroider. I became inspired and added a new Charleston Ott Light (my eyes really needed this improvement) and a sweet blue table from LLBean.

No chair is complete without a hand-knitted pillow and a blankie (this one was my very own crib blanket from long ago--it is 100% Scotland wool and is lap-blanket size--after 50 years it is still in wonderful, usable condition). You can also see my knitting basket on the floor in in front of the blue table. Behind the chair you can see my red ladder shelf with my collection of Tom Clark alphabet gnomes and some Shelia houses on the top shelf.

Here is a close-up of the LLBean table. This is a great little piece, about 24 inches tall in "porch blue." Wonderful for my newly blue-painted blue living room. Current goodies stashed on the table's shelves include: needlework frame with "work in progress," basket holding embroidery gear, my Bible, my latest Persphone book, my book annotation gear (pouch on 1st shelf), some more books (Writing stories for children, The art of domesticity, Cherry cake and ginger beer), and on the bottom shelf, a pink-lined basket full of knitting, sewing and crochet tools and bits. I can sit in my chair and have everything at hand!

Finally, here is a papercutting I made many years ago. It's a Quaker saying and I take it to heart. I framed this in an inexpensive 8 by 10 inch frame from Walmart. I've hung it in my kitchen where I can see it every day. The cutting is from a kit by Papercuttings by Allison. She's is an amazing paper artist and with her kits and expertise, you can easily learn papercutting, too. It's a lovely vintage art and very inexpensive.

I hope you have a blessed week! More art soon!

Happy 2009!

2009-01-16T18:18:00.013-06:00

Humphrey the polar bear greets you from his new home on my friend Renee's desk. I finished him over my holiday vacation as I was sadly behind on my Christmas crafting. He's made from a PlanetJune pattern using Herrschner's acrylic holiday yarn--white with a thin strand of silver sparkle throughout. Humphrey's not too keen on the cold we've been having lately--20 to 40 below zero Fahrenheit (with wind chill) here in the Windy City! Now if he was made of wool, it might be another story...

If you like mushrooms, you can see them anywhere, as evidenced by this one in my front garden.And it's hard to keep warm if you live close to the floor, as Daisy does. I remedied that with a handknitted blanket I made for her several years ago--cozy!

I've added a new set of links at right called "Britishness." I realize I've turned into an Anglophile these past few years so I want to feature some fun links I've found. Persephone Books is exceptional and I recommend them--they reprint books for women, written by women, from the late 1800s to mid-1900s. I especially love this age of writing so I feel lucky that I found them. I've ordered my first volume from them--Miss Buncle's Book--and can't wait to read it.

My latest read is The Gentle Art of Domesticity by Jane Brocket. It's full of all kinds of interesting goodness: baking, knitting, homekeeping, quilts, art, nature, books and more. The photography is superb, and the essays (one to two pages long at most) are entertaining and make you feel as if a best friend is telling you about her day. If you are a "house mouse" like me, you'll enjoy reading all these homey bits. Jane has a lovely website, too.

I decided not to make any new year's resolutions this year. In the past, resolutions have made me feel trapped and the list makes me feel obligated to "achieve" and "meet goals" until I feel like a failure if I don't do them! Instead, I'm going to be more of a day-by-day person, enjoying my crafting and reading as it comes, planning (but not too far ahead) and trusting God more for the outcome, for He does indeed hold us in His Hands, and "all things work together for good for those that love God."

Have a happy new year, and stay tuned for more posts!

Bear Amigurumi Doll Hat--FREE Pattern!

2008-12-27T16:31:00.001-06:00

The Dolly sisters are having a spot of post-holiday tea in their cozy cottage front room. They are wearing their bear hats because they feel like hibernating, it's so cold! Brrrr! But the hats will keep their heads warm.

Would you like your dolly to have a bear hat, too? Then pull out your bits of yarn and make one! Here are the instructions.

Bear Amigurumi Doll Hat
Fits dolls with heads of 5.5-6 inches around (14-15 cm)

Supplies
Worsted yarn
Size US “F” crochet hook
Stitch marker
Two 6 mm safety eyes
Floss to embroider snout
Felt for snout

Abbreviations
St – stitch
Sc – single crochet
Inc – increase (crochet 2 sc in 1 sc)
Dec – decrease (crochet 2 sc together)
Sl st – slip stitch

Hat
Rd 1. 2 sc, 5 sc in second st from hook (5 sts). Place marker.
Rd 2. Inc in each sc (10 sts)
Rd 3. (inc, 1 sc) five times (15 sts)
Rd 4. (inc, 2 sc) five times (20 sts)
Rd 5. (inc, 3 sc) five times (25 sts)
Rd 6. (inc, 4 sc) five times (30 sts)
Rd 7. (inc, 5 sc) five times (35 sts)
Rds 8-10. Sc in each sc around (35 sts)
Rd 11. (dec, 5 sc) five times (30 sts), sl st in next sc, bind off. Weave in end.

Ear – Make 2
Rd 1. 2 sc, 5 sc in second st from hook (5 sts)
Rd 2. Inc in each sc (10 sts)
Rd 3. Sc all around (10 sts). Sl st in next sc, bind off, leaving a 6 inch tail for sewing.

Finishing
Sew ears to hat.
Attach eyes.
Cut out an oval of felt so it fits between the eyes. This will be the bear's snout.
Using floss, embroider nose and smile. Sew snout onto hat.
Optional: decorate the hat with flowers, a ribbon around an ear, or whatever seems cute to you!

You are done! Put the hat on your dolly. Doesn’t she look delightful? Give her a hug!

Be fair and honest! This pattern is protected by copyright. Please make for personal or gift-giving use only. Do not copy, distribute or sell this pattern. Link to this post only. Thanks!

Thank you.
If you've visited my site this year, thank you and bless you! I hope you've had fun and the patterns have been to your liking. This is my last post of the year. Happy 2009 to all, and may all your crafting dreams come true!

Happi Mushroom Amigurumi--FREE Pattern!

2008-12-22T13:12:00.006-06:00

Merry Christmas to all! Here's a holiday gift for you.

Happi Mushroom Amigurumi Pattern
Finished size: around 3 inches tall

Supplies
Worsted yarn in red and white/ivory
Size US “F” crochet hook
Stitch marker
Two 6mm safety eyes
Black floss for embroidering smile
Small white buttons for “spots”
Stuffing

Abbreviations
St – stitch
Sc – single crochet
Inc – increase (crochet 2 sc in 1 sc)
Dec – decrease (crochet 2 sc together)
Sl st – slip stitch

Cap
With red worsted
Rd 1. 2 sc, 6 sc in second stitch from hook (6 sts). Place marker.
Rd 2. 2 sc in each sc (12 sts)
Rd 3. (Sc, inc) 6 times (18 sts)
Rd 4. (2sc, inc) 6 times (24 sts)
Rd 5. (3 sc, inc) 6 times (30 sts)
Rd 6. (4 sc, inc) 6 times (36 sts)
Rd 7. (5 sc, inc) 6 times (42 sts)
Rds 8-12. Sc in each sc around (42 sts). Sl st in next sc and bind off, leaving a 12 inch yarn tail for later sewing-up. Set cap aside.

Stem
With white or ivory worsted
Rd 1. 2 sc, 6 sc in second stitch from hook (6 sts). Place marker.
Rd 2. 2 sc in each sc (12 sts)
Rd 3. (Sc, inc) 6 times (18 sts)
Rd 4. (2sc, inc) 6 times (24 sts)
Rd 5. (3 sc, inc) 6 times (30 sts)
Rd 6. Sc in back of loop only all the way around (30 sts)
Rd 7-15. Sc in each sc around (30 sts)
You will now make the underside of the cap.
Rd 16. In front loops only, (3 s,c inc) 6 times (36 sts)
Rd 17. (4 sc, inc) 6 times (42 sts)
Rd 18. Sc in each sc around (42 sts). Sl st in next sc and bind off. Weave in tail.

Finishing
1. Attach eyes. Refer to picture for placement.
2. Using black floss, embroider smile.
3. Stuff stem firmly.
4. Attach white buttons randomly to cap. Refer to picture for ideas.
5. Stuff cap lightly. Lining up stitches on cap and stem and using red yarn tail, sew cap and stem together.
6. Tie a piece of ribbon or yarn around the base of the cap to make Happi look fancy!

You are done! Hug and enjoy!

Be fair and honest! This pattern is protected by copyright. Please make for personal or gift-giving use only. Do not copy, distribute or sell this pattern. Link to this post only. Thanks!

At the Arctic Front

2008-12-21T13:36:00.007-06:00

It's nicely below zero today, but we are cozy here inside. Aged Daisy found out that lying near the fire is as good as a sunny window!

All around the house we have a bit of Christmas.

And some Christmas miracles--geraniums blooming.

And some Christmas crafting, a newly completed hat for a certain special man in my life.

The hat is the New York Hat by I live on a farm. I used Cascade 220 Tweed in this nice pumpkin color. I made various adjustments to make this a much bigger hat for a head of XL circumference. I'll post my adjustments to Ravelry soon.

I'm happy and looking forward to Christmas this year. I have TWO full weeks of vacation. I haven't had one that long in years. It is probably the best present I've had in a long time. I plan to rest, relax, read and cast-on for a new knitting project. A couple cups of hot cocoa along the way (with marshies, of course) will be most welcome, too...

Kitschy Kristmas!

2008-12-11T14:16:00.004-06:00

Look what I got! We had our group holiday party at work today. After eating, we each joined in the "White Elephant Swap." Each of us brought something we didn't want, drew numbers, then picked and unwrapped a parcel. If you saw something someone else had received, you could take that in lieu of unwrapping another gift. Well, someone before me got a kitschy pair of horsehead bookends with gemstone eyes--and I knew I had to have them, they are so funky and fun! So when it was my turn to unwrap, I nabbed these instead. Now they are holding up the books in my office. It's certainly true that one man's trash is another man's treasure!

Llamas are Llove

2008-10-27T12:30:00.006-05:00

Over the last two months I’ve gotten the chance to get to know the citizens of Calypso Farm, owned by Kim and John Peters. Llamas, alpacas, camels, miniature goats, doggies and Portia the pig are just a few of the delightful animal friends there.

My first visit was on Labor Day. I had found Kim’s website in Wild Fibers magazine, and emailed her to find out if I could visit and see llamas in person. I love llama and alpaca yarn, and was really curious to find out more about these camelids. Kim kindly said yes, and I drove over, finding that the farm was only about 15 minutes from my home. In fact, my family and I had driven past her farm dozens of times on the way to the movie theater. We often see the llamas grazing in their field: Kim’s front lawn.

Kim walked me about her 20-odd acre place, which was neat and tidy. She does all the work herself with a helper that comes by once or twice a week. The animals are friendly and happy, and reach out to meet you. I first met the camels, which are QUITE large. They put down their huge faces to take a sniff and say hello. I met the miniature Nigerian goats with their strange slitted pupils and tiny bleats, including Desiree, who was hand-raised by Kim and acts more like a little dog-person than a goat, and follows momma Kim all over the place if she gets the chance.

Finally, the llamas. We walked right out into the middle of a herd of females. I was a little afraid but then relaxed as I saw how friendly and gentle they were. Llamas have beautiful faces and ears, which are curved like bananas. They only have top teeth. They like to be petted on their necks and backs, but not their heads. Llamas make delightful humming sounds when they are happy and contented. Many came right up to me, face to face, and “huffed” their breath on me. Kim explained this was their way of saying hello—and saying they accepted me. Delightful!

Llama hair is soft and fibrous. Kim sells yarn made from her llama children’s coats and I was able to purchase some. I’ve finally decided to knit some of it up in a Moebius scarf as patterned by Cat Bordhi in her book, A Treasury of Magical Knitting.

I was also able to see Kim’s alpaca herds. Alpacas are also camelids but their ears are straight and their bodies’ smaller than llamas. They, too, are kind and gentle but a bit more skittish. Their hair is especially fine and silky, softer than llama hair.

Several weeks later, Kim sent me an email telling me that some “crias” (baby llamas and alpacas) had been born! I drove out soon after to have a look-see.

These babies are small and precious, all legs but feisty within hours of being born. They stay close to mom but are also tended by the other females, who are honorary aunties. John Peters caught up one of the alpaca babies, who stared at us through huge, friendly eyes. Momma wasn’t too keen on having her baby caught like that, and followed John at a small distance, making anxious sounds. But Baby didn’t mind in the least. The hair on this tiny one was as soft as down. Heavenly.

Another baby, a dark-haired llama, had been born with floppy ears that were pinned up with tape so they would grow into their correct banana shape. This llama (who is aiming at being named “Trouble”) ran along the fence, pacing my VW bug as I drove up, then ran off into the herd, scattering some of his aunts who seemed annoyed at his energy. This little fellow will grow up to be a lively one!

In the house, Kim and her husband have several Japanese chin dogs (their eyes will melt you) among others, as well as a pot belly pig named Portia, who lives on their porch. Portia’s kind of shy, but she warmed to me in a bit and I was able to feed her apples. It was fun to scratch her bristles and her grunts of happiness were wonderful. Apparently she also watches TV on the sofa with her people.

I hope to make more visits. Calypso Farm is a peaceful and happy place, and its gentle pace will slow you down. If you are in the Chicago area, call Kim and ask for a tour. You won’t regret it!

To see all my llama pictures, please visit my flickr gallery!

I've been featured!

2008-10-22T12:27:00.003-05:00

Some of my free patterns and downloads have been featured on The Best Free Craft Articles site by Linda Walsh. Check out her great sites and visit the posts that feature my patterns! Thanks, Linda!

Linda's posts about Bellas Artes:

--Card Template and Christmas Tags (October 20)
--Amigurumi and Scarf Patterns (October 19)

And as always, all my freebies are downloadable from the links in the right-hand column.

Enjoy!

Happy Fall from Chunky Punky! FREE Pattern!

2008-10-20T19:10:00.002-05:00

Happy Fall! To celebrate, I've created a special little pumpkin friend called Chunky Punky. He's made of chunky yarn and he's a wee punkin'! His face was inspired by a pumpkin image I saw in some folkart. He's easy and fun, so make lots. FREE pattern below!

Approximate finished size:
2 ½ inches by 2 ½ inches, depending on yarn and tension used

Supplies Needed:
Chunky or bulky weight orange yarn
Worsted weight green yarn
Sizes H and E crochet hooks
Two 6mm safety eyes
Scraps of white and black felt
Stuffing

Abbreviations
Sc – single crochet
Sl st – slip stitch
Inc – increase
Dec – decrease

Stem
Using E hook and green yarn
1. Chain 18
2. In second stitch from hook, sc 3, then sc 3 in next eight chains. Crochet will curl.
3. Sl st through remaining chains, break off leaving a 6 inch tail and set aside. This is the stem.

Body
Using H hook and orange yarn
1. Make 6 sc in a magic ring. Or, chain 2 and make 6 sc in second stitch from hook (6)
2. 2 sc in each stitch (12). Place marker to keep track of rounds.
3. (sc, inc) six times (18)
4. (2 sc, inc) six times (24)
5. (3 sc, inc) six times (30)
6-9. 30 sc around. Sew on face and stem. See directions below.
10. (3 sc, dec) six times (24)
11. (2 sc, dec) six times (18). Stuff firmly.
12. (1 sc, dec) six times (12)
13. (dec) six times (6)
14. Bind off by drawing yarn through remaining sts and tie off.

Face and Stem Assembly (make face after round 9, above)
1. Place 6 mm eyes as in photo.
2. Cut out triangle nose from black felt and sew on.
3. Cut out a slightly curved smile out of white felt. Sew on to face.
4. Using black thread or embroidery floss, stitch “teeth” lines onto mouth.
5. Thread stem through top of head from outside and fasten off inside head.

You may make this Punky for personal fun or profit. You may not sell, copy or distribute these instructions in any way. You may link from your blog by linking to www.bellasartes.blogspot.com, NOT by linking to the pattern or post. Thank you for respecting copyright! Copyright 2008, Else M. Tennessen.

More art soon!