Bunny Tales

I love growing herbs! Every year I pick a few of my favorites, set aside  a few hours and plant an herb garden in a sunny corner of the backyard.  I mix in lots of heirloom tomatoes, some squash, and my favorite thing of all…lemon cucumbers.  I’ve ordered my herbs and vegetables already from White Flower Farm.  They have the best selection of quality plants.  They hold your order and ship when the season is right for the area you live in, and if a plant might not grow in your area they will tell you! 

Last year I ordered the windowsill herb garden from White Flower Farm and now I’m ready to plant it again with fresh herbs.  Just so happens that Brigette has been making the cutest little garden markers from old silverware!  Look at my herb garden now!

I even have a marker that says “Bunny Patch!”

If you’d like to make some too, we’re going to show you how!  Step by step.   Here’s what you’ll need:

1. Assorted old silverware (try thrift shops or EBay)
2. Anvil or steel block  (you can find it here)
3. Letter stamping set 1/8″ (you can find it here) 
4. Hammer or sledge hammer
5. Black Sharpie Permanent Marker, any size

Old silverware…

Steel block and letters…

Sledge hammer…

And now onto making the markers…  Place the silverware (we’re using spoons) onto anvil or steel block.

Strike with hammer until flat.  Hold hammer as level as possible and strike hard.  If your arm gets tired, ask a man to help, the more macho the man the better. 

Choose your letters and center word on flattened spoon.  Place first letter on the spoon and hit with hammer several times.  Be careful not to move the letter because it’s hard to realign. It’s fine if your letters aren’t perfectly straight.  It adds to the charm.  Continue stamping until finished.

Color in the letters with a sharpie marker.  Wipe off excess marker after it dries.  Insert into herb garden and enjoy!

That’s it!  You can make them for gifts and yourself!  Repurpose.  It’s such a good thing!

Don’t want to make these yourself?  Brigette sells them in her Etsy shop! 

Oh and in case you didn’t know already, “Snowbound” block number three is posted and can be found under Free patterns.  Have fun everyone!  Hopefully you’ll be quilting, knitting, crocheting, or making garden markers.  This is national craft month!  I’ll be back soon!

Hugs,

Anne

These socks belong to me! They were hand knit by my assistant Brigette and she gave them to me!  Brigette’s been working on them for weeks.  She knits every chance she gets, even standing in line at the DMV.   

Lots of people wanted these socks.  Some even offered to pay her to knit them a pair.  She thought about the time it took and decided these are worth about $4000.   Hopefully she’ll get faster as she goes along.

People who don’t knit, sew, crochet etc.  have no idea how long it takes to create these wonderful handmade things!  Think of the hours we spend quilting, knitting, embroidering, appliquéing etc.  We do it for the love of the craft, because if we were paid by the hour we’d all be living grand!

Brigette gave the socks to me but she doesn’t really believe I’ll wear them.  So I’m wearing the pink socks.  I’m wearing them so much she may have to make me another pair.  Soon. 

She’s working on a blue pair now.  And today I noticed she has some black & white wool in her basket.  She’s getting faster already.  At least I hope so!

And, for those of you interested in the cotton throw I’m crocheting, here’s a direct link to the kit. 

I’ll be back on Friday with block three of “Snowbound”!

Look at what I started!  I’m so excited!!!  I haven’t crocheted in years, and the amazing thing is that once I put that crochet hook in my hand it all came back!   I can’t believe that a repetition of stitches can be so ingrained I can recall it years later.  

This basket of beautiful pink, soft, pink, cotton, pink yarn is going to become a throw!  I selected three shades of delicious pink!

Here’s what I’ve done so far…

It’s a pieced throw that will end up looking like patchwork.  It’s worked in long strips, with half double crochet blocks of assorted colors.  I’m ready to add the next color!  Care to join me?  You can find the pieced throw pattern in the book called “Simple Crochet” (you’ll find it on my book tab above) and you can find the yarn here.   I’m using the softest European handknit cotton from Rowan.  And the crochet hook?  It’s one of the new ergonomic hooks from Clover.  I love it!

Don’t crochet?  You could easily knit this throw!  I’m ready to add the next color and then I’ll be back with more pictures. 

Do you have a craft that you love other quilting?  I’m betting that most of us “crafty” types have many other talents!  Applique is my passion, but working with yarn is fun too!

Next post I’m going to show you my $4000 pair of  hand knit socks that Brigette made me.  She thinks I’ll never wear them.

Hugs,

Anne