project and photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Well…. here’s a fun and funky ‘green living’ alternative to all those scraps of paper.

Make yourself a Chalkboard Dolly to  write all those little notes to yourself instead of having a mountain of little notes.

On the one hand, those little slips of paper can get lost so easily.

On the other… they have a way of stacking up and turning into clutter.

With a few simple tools, you can make yourself a very neat Chalkboard Mamma, who will help to keep you organized.

Instead of scribbling reminders onto those bits of paper, write it on the Chalkboard Mamma.

Whats even more satisfying is when the task is done and you get to take your little scrap of cloth and rub that chore off the board! Yay!

Here’s how I made my Chalkboard Mamma Doll:

I started with a piece of 1/4 inch  smooth masonite that was about 12 inches wide by about 22 inches tall. There are other products that work well for making chalkboards, too. Ask the folks at the hardware store.  While you’re there, buy a small tin of chalkboard paint and a brush.

photo and project by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

I made a pattern by drawing 3 circles (5 inches, 8 inches and 13 inches in diameter)along the center fold of a 24 inch long piece of paper:

photo and project by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

I cut out the pattern, and decided that I wanted to adjust the pattern somewhat, to make the Chalkboard Mamma look more like a Matrouschka doll.  So, I re-drew the pattern, and when I was happy with it, traced it onto the masonite, and cut it out.

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

Then, I painted several coats of the chalkboard paint onto the doll, letting it dry thoroughly between each coat…..

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

and Voila!

A Chalkboard Mamma who remembers things for me, so I don’t forget them!

And, she cleverly doesn’t add to paper clutter in my studio, either!

photo & project by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

I drilled a hole in each of her shoulders and ran a wire through it so she can hang on my wall.  You may prefer to have her sitting and leaning against the wall.  Either way, she’ll work hard, helping you to remember without having bits of paper everywhere!

Post from: Hankering for Yarn

Wherever you go

photo by Noreen Crone-Findlay copyright

whatever you do

be happy

and know

that

I love you…..

Guess you can tell that I adore her….. LOL!

I took pics of the process of carving the one of a kind crochet hook, and have  just put them together as a video tutorial.

Remember: Always wear safety equipment and work carefully!

Carving a handmade crochet hook is a slow and meticulous process.

You will need to work carefully, using close grain hardwood that can sustain the pressure of the carving, and even more important: To be able to stand up to the rigours of crocheting later!

By the way: Be gentle when crocheting with wooden hooks! Lighten up on your tension, as you don’t want to break the hook after all that work!

When shaping the hook section, sand after every little nip of the knife, and test crochet with it frequently to make sure it is a ‘happy hook’.  If it catches or splits the yarn, it’ll make you crazy, so keep working at it until the hook flows and floats through the yarn.

And, sad to say…. prepare for some ‘fail’ …… sometimes, you’ll invest hours and hours into making a handmade hook, and the stinker will break in your hands.  Sigh…. back to the drawing board.

But! when you do achieve a perfect hook, it is just a treasure!

Here’s the video:

Post from: Hankering for Yarn