I Love Yarn Day - October Fun for Crafters

Yarns

 The Craft Yarn Council (CYC), which represents the leading yarn companies, accessory manufacturers, and magazine and book publishers in the yarn industry, created I Love Yarn Day to share their affection for yarn and “stitch it forward” by teaching at least one newbie to knit, crochet, weave, spin or bomb.  It's a way to honor all those who create in the fiber arts and is held on the second Saturday of October.

My favorite crafts involve yarn – thus, there's nothing I like better than to talk about the projects my fellow fiber fans and I love to create.

The Crochet Crowd

My main (and favorite) yarn craft is crochet, a craft I've been doing for more than 40 years.  I taught myself to crochet as I am left-handed and no one could seem to teach me as everyone I knew who crocheted did it 'backwards'. (Well, maybe I'm the one who is backwards!). :) 

Plush Soft Toy Penguin

My favorite items to crochet are plush animals, especially soft toy penguins.  I make them in all the colors of the rainbow, including the actual black and white tuxedo penguin. 

Penguin is crocheted in a round and roly-poly Amigirumi style and measures about 5 x 5 inches.

Handmade penguins in this round style are very popular as a child's playtime pet plush animal, as it's just the right size for little hands to hold. This one is particularly adorable!

My plush penguins can be found in my Etsy Shop (Coastal Crochet Crafts), along with a whole bunch of stuffed animals and plush toys. 

Crochet Your Own Plush Animals

 

If you love to crochet plush animals, this pattern book called Edward's Menagerie has over 40 patterns for soft and snuggly toy animals in four different sizes, giving you 160 different possibilities.  The patterns use simple crochet techniques with step-by-step instructions which enable even a complete beginner to get started right away.

It's available on Kindle and in paperback on Amazon. 

The Nifty Knitters

I've tried knitting in the past, but will never be as expert at it as these knitters whose work I admire.

Lots of knitters make handmade hats and scarves, afghans and sweaters, but a few make really unique and one-of-a-kind items.  A group of Australian crafters (two daughters and their moms) have banded together to produce a a shop (Made with Altitude ~ the "Store Where Your Imagination Will Soar!") filled with four different crafts from 4 unique individuals whose stories and perseverance will amaze you.  My admiration for them and their work amazed me when I read their story.  

Smiling Sunshine Flower

Since this is an article about yarn crafts, I chose to feature here the shop's unique knitted item called Smiling Sunshine Flower, a flower toy hand-knit with a splash of love, and a little ray of sunshine.  Flowers always bring smiles and delight, and with this handmade knitted flower you can have flowers all year through.  Smiling Sunshine Flower has big full blooms measuring 9 ½ inches across, and is 15 inches long.  A wonderful gift to brighten someones day. 

Plastic Canvas Projects

Crafting designs on plastic canvas with yarn is a fairly new endeavor for me.  I began just a few years ago when I realized that my little balls of yarn leftover from my crochet projects were filling up an entire plastic bucket.  Since plastic canvas crafts, such as coasters and tissue box covers, take only a very small amount of yarn, this craft is a great way to use it up. Waste not, want not… as they say! 


The most enjoyable part of working with plastic canvas is watching the design come to life as you stitch with various colors.  My favorite project to create in this medium is beverage coaster sets. 

Pineapple Beverage Coasters

This is a set of four (4) beverage coasters with a design of a pineapple. The pineapple is a symbol of hospitality and friendship, particularly throughout the South, so using coasters with this design in a social situation is perfect.

Pineapple coasters measure 4 x 4 inches. Created in acrylic yarn colors of yellow, gold and green for the pineapple design on an eggshell white background. Each coaster is trimmed in light green. The pineapple design is outlined in embroidery black outline stitch with crochet thread.

A pretty set of Pineapple coasters for your tabletops. They also make a lovely hostess gift for a holiday dinner invitation or a housewarming gift. Lovely home décor for any home.
The design is created on plastic canvas using acrylic yarn in harvest colors. The set has since sold, but you can request another in a custom order in my Etsy Shop, Coastal Crochet Crafts.

A Favorite Etsy Yarn Crafter

 

Halloween Treats Tic-Tac-Toe Game

Gail of Gails Crafts on Etsy has a very clever line of Tic-Tac-Toe games created with plastic canvas and yarn.  She makes these games for a variety of seasons and holidays and each one is cute and creative.  


This set includes a game board and 10 game pieces (5 each Jack-O-Lanterns and candy corns) and two fabric storage bags.

Game board is made from 7-mesh plastic canvas and 4-ply yarn. Game board is a 7”square  This and other sets, along with a wide variety of plastic canvas projects and other creative crafts, can be found in Gail's Etsy Shop called Gail's Crafts. 

Helpful Hints for Yarn

Beverly Owens, one of our creative crafters here on Review This, has reviewed a very handy tool every yarn crafter needs ~ the Stanwood Yarn Ball Winder.  If you have a large 'stash' of leftover yarn, like I do, this tool is perfect!

Now that you have your scraps of yarn neatly wound, check out these ideas from Favecraft on ways to use up those scraps. You don't even have to be a knitter or crocheter to find creative ways to use yarn.

50 Yards of Fun

This book is perfect for using up your yarn stash.  There are patterns for a delightful collection of over 30 irresistible toys and each project uses only about 50 yards of yarn!

Knit just five basic body shapes, each shown in several variations, to create knitted animals, robots, monsters, and characters of every description.

Celebrate I Love Yarn Day

So, for 'I Love Yarn Day' or any day, grab your skeins and balls of yarn, your knitting needles, crochet hooks or yarn needle and begin a new project.  Hand-crafting with yarn is a very relaxing hobby and your finished projects are a delight to behold.

*I Love Yarn Day was written by Wednesday Elf

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Harvest Time Home Decor Review

Fall Trail Photo by Creation Photos

Harvest Time is a great time of year to decorate your home in Autumn colors that reflect the gorgeous changing leaves of Fall. It's also a time of holidays like Halloween and Thanksgiving that include the lovely harvest-related colors of orange, brown, yellow and red.

There are many beautiful items that show off the bounty of the harvest season. Among the most unique are those that are handmade by clever crafters or created by fabulous Indie-Artists in art and photography.

For a very unique touch to your Harvest-theme décor this Autumn, come look at some of these clever, and often one-of-a-kind, handmade items available on Etsy.... and elsewhere across the web.


*The beautiful Fall photograph in the introduction can be found on Zazzle. 
 

Harvest Time

 

Harvest Time is the time of year when crops are harvested, especially autumn.

Harvest Wall Decor

Pumpkin and Gourds ~ Autumn Fall Gourd Pumpkin Art Photo / Print by eball photography on Etsy.

Bring a bountiful Pumpkin Harvest into your kitchen or family room with this outstanding photo to frame and hang on the wall for a lovely Autumn décor.

*Photographed by Earl Ball of Delaware for his Etsy Shop.

Pumpkin Coasters

Pumpkin Coasters on Etsy

Pumpkin design beverage coasters are perfect for home decor in the Harvest-time-Autumn-Fall season, or fun all year round for anyone who likes pumpkins.

This set of 4 drink coasters, each with a pumpkin design, measure 4 x 4 inches. They are created using plastic canvas and acrylic yarn in two shades of orange, plus brown and green on an off-white background. Perfect colors for your Harvest time decor.

Pumpkin design drink coasters also make an attractive and useful  hostess or housewarming gift. 
 

Pumpkin Patch People!

Pumpkin Patch People Pattern - Amigurumi Dolls in Crochet

If you are a crochet crafter, you can create your own Pumpkin Patch for Harvest Time.  This set of cute crocheted pumpkin patch people is perfect for your Harvest Season décor. Decorate your table throughout the Fall, or use for a Halloween Party decor.

Created by Janine of Worchester, England, it is available as a pattern to create your own harvest décor. Pattern includes "Pumpkin Patch Pete and Polly" dolls, along with pumpkins, ghosts and a black cat. This pattern is just one of a selection of original and fun Amigurumi crochet patterns found in her Etsy Shop she calls mojimoji design.

Harvest Moon

Harvest Moon. Source: Wikimedia Commons

Useful and Attractive Kitchen Decor for the Fall

 

Autumn Leaves Cluster Embroidered Hand Towel

Embroidered towels with Autumn scenes  continue the Harvest Theme...

Beautifully embroidered Autumn designs on towels for the kitchen or bath set the scene for Harvest Time. Brilliant Autumn Leaves Cluster makes a perfect design for Fall.

This is the design of Embroidery Everywhere of Oakland, California. Visit all her lovely embroidery designs in her Etsy shop.

Bountiful Harvest Cornucopia Magnet

by Sandyspider

Harvest Time Refrigerator Magnet

Even the magnets on your refrigerator can be changed for the Autumn Season. This 'Bountiful Harvest Cornucopia' magnet is from the Zazzle store of Sandy Mertens, who is SandyMertens and Sandyspider on HubPages! Sandy's designs are created using a variety of vintage and modern photos and drawings.
 

 

 

 

 

 

THANKSGIVING

Handmade Turkey Beverage Coasters

Harvest Time includes the Thanksgiving holiday. These handmade drink coasters with an attractive turkey design make a perfect accent for your Thanksgiving table. 

Lovely Autumn and Harvest time Seasonal Decor and a terrific hostess gift for a holiday dinner invitation.

The design is created on plastic canvas using acrylic yarn in harvest colors. The turkey design is done in tans and browns with a touch of orange for the beak and legs. Turkey sits on a pretty yellow background. 

These harvest colors coasters measure 4 x 4 inches and are available in the Etsy shop of Coastal Crochet & Crafts.

The Harvest Time Season is Special

Get in the spirit of the season with a variety of seasonal decor.  

For more Harvest-Time suggestions, check out these reviews by our Review This contributors.



© 2011 Wednesday-Elf. Updated for Review This Reviews on 8/30/2022

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Unconventional Christmas Decor to Serve Your Inner Wackiness

Elf Table Leg or Chair Leg Covers

Find them Here

You're not conventional. Everybody knows that about you. So don't disappoint them, go ahead and add these three odd-ball Christmas décor items this holiday season.

Elf Leg Covers for Your Chairs or End Tables

If your goal is hearing your guests let out a belly laugh when they see what crazy décor idea you've come up with, then Elf Leg Covers should do the trick.

The set comes with four leg covers - enough to do one chair. However, they're not expensive so budget permitting, get enough to do several chairs.

If the budget allows for only one set, then you could plan to use them on a hallway end-table or an end-table that's clearly visible in a room.

When a Full Blown Santa Suit isn't in the Cards, Greet Your

A Santa Sweatshirt for the Hostess

Guests Wearing a Santa Sweatshirt

If two of you are hosting a Christmas gathering or party, greet your guests wearing these festive borderline ugly sweaters. They don't qualify as full blown ugly because, after all, they do honor the big guy.

You won't have a problem finding your size, as they range from Small to Triple X.

This sweater is a standard pullover with a round neck and cotton liner. Also, there are two convenient pockets on the side. Double check the size chart because sometimes it's better to order a size up.

A Santa Sweatshirt also makes an excellent hostess gift. It's original, funny and best of all, useful for the season.

Decorate the Toilet - Show Off Your Goofy Side

Turn the Toilet into a Snowman

Why not? Go ahead. When else do you get to decorate the toilet? Go full-on-tacky with your washroom décor. Forget classy, go for the laugh.

This funny snowman toilet accessory is just what's needed when your guests open the washroom door to do their business - snowman eyes looking right at them. A relaxed bathroom-goer is a happy bathroom-goer.

Less tension, more smiles helps to ensure everything comes out ok.

The set comes as seen in the photo: With the mat, the toilet seat cover and the tank cover. It doesn't list washing instructions, but if it were me, after the party's over, I would wash on delicate and hang to dry.

Have fun, get silly for the season!

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Review of a Quality Mini Blender-Chopper

Check Out This Brand of Mini-Chopper for a Quality Product

I recommend this mini-chopper because it's lasted us nearly fifteen years.

As most of us know, it's rare for any appliance to last that long. 

What makes this mini-chopper special isn't fancy features; in my opinion, it's the company that makes it. 

A Black & Decker Product - In Business Since 1910

We've always been a fan of this company and its products. They established their beginnings in 1910 in Baltimore, Maryland, as a small machine shop. Their products range from heavy equipment, hardware, home accessories, fastening systems, power tools, and home appliances. A Black & Decker drill was even used on the moon in the early 1970s for the Apollo 15 and 16 missions. In 2010 they merged with Stanley Works to become Stanley Black & Decker.

On a personal note, my mother worked for their company in the mid-1970s. Where I'm from, Black & Decker has been known for manufacturing solid products.

What's the Big Deal About a Mini-Chopper Anyway?

I'm not one for a lot of counter appliances. I find hauling out an appliance to be time-consuming. I prefer to cut, chop and mix as much as I can without a lot of extra equipment to store and wash. However, I've made an exception for this one product. 

Our Black & Decker Mini Chopper - It's over 15 years old and still going strong

I use the mini-chopper for anything that needs shredding, cutting, or chopping. I especially like it for chopping garlic and onions. I'll chop one, two, or three heads of garlic in one go. Tonight was a chicken broccoli casserole, and its main feature was lots of garlic. Thanks to this handy item, I can dice a lot of garlic at once.

In our house, we've had to replace numerous appliances over that same time period. However, not this mini-chopper - it has never broken or needed any type of repair.

Our 15-year-old+ Black & Decker Mini Chopper

Not repairing or replacing an appliance for over fifteen years automatically earns said appliance a five-star rating. This little gadget is well made!

If you're looking for an affordable hostess gift or a small gift for someone, don't hesitate to choose the Black & Decker Mini Chopper. It's something that will absolutely get used, and best of all, last.

You can find the mini-chopper here on Amazon. You'll notice that our mini-chopper has a completely different look. Of course, the reason being, it's fifteen years old!

Don't hesitate to choose this product. Five stars.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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Fun Holiday Review for "Water a Flower Day" ~ May 30

Source: Pixabay

We are all familiar with the rhyme “April showers bring May flowers," so having May 30 designated as 'Water a Flower Day' seems appropriate.

No one knows the origin of this day, but gardeners and flower fanciers are glad someone created this day.

A World of Flowers

There are over 400,000 types of flowers in the world.  I found this list of the top 12 most beautiful flowers in the world:

Butterfly and Rose of Sharon Postcard by Sylvestermouse

1. Rose
2. Bird of Paradise
3. Calla Lily
4. Magnolia
5. Water Lilies
6. Tulip
7. Orchids
8. Dahlia
9. Chrysanthemum
10. Plumeria
11. Gazania
12. Passion Flower

It's not surprising (to me) that the Rose is Number One on this list.  What is YOUR favorite flower?  As you can see by the above postcard photo (available on Zazzle), Cynthia Sylvestermouse of the Review This! blog likes the Rose of Sharon.

My Favorite Flower is the Lilac

Lilacs by the Water Classic Round Sticker by mbgphoto
 

I have always loved Lilacs.  As a child, the back door of our house had lilac bushes on either side, one white and one lavender. To this day I can remember the lovely lilac scents in the Springtime.  

And our city, Rochester, New York, is famous for the Lilac Festival held every Spring in May in Highland Park where over 1200 lilac shrubs and bushes can be found.  Mary Beth Granger (mbgphoto) here on Review This! offers this lovely photo of Lilacs by the Water in her Zazzle Store.

Crafty Flowers

Floral Coasters on Etsy

I like to craft and I love flowers, so it was natural to me to create a few floral beverage coasters as a way to keep flowers in your home year-round. And these flowers never need watering! These, and a variety of floral design beverage coasters, can be found on Etsy in the Coastal Crochet Crafts shop.

Pansy Coaster

Pansy Beverage Coasters

Pansies are lovely on your tabletop as beverage coasters.

The word Pansy means "thought" and the pansy flower is considered a symbol of remembrance.  These pansy design floral coasters would make a thoughtful hostess gift or housewarming gift. 

 A pretty complement to your home decor, these pansy coasters are available in my Etsy Shop, Coastal Crochet Crafts.



Yellow Jonquil Flower Coasters

Jonquil Floral Coaster

This is a lovely set of beverage coasters handmade using plastic canvas and acrylic yarn. The design is a yellow Jonquil flower with green leaves set on an eggshell-white background. The Jonquil flower is a member of the Daffodil family of flowers of the genus Narcissus. 

Daylily Floral Coasters

Daylily Floral Coaster

This Daylily design is on a set of four beverage coasters with a design of a single daylily on each. Although daylilies come in a variety of colors, I chose the melon shades for this set.

Handmade using plastic canvas and acrylic yarn in melon orange and peach, the daylily design sits on an off-white Ecru background. Each coaster measures 4 x 4 inches.


Black Eyed Susan Beverage Coasters

Black Eyed Susan Coasters

The Black Eyed Susan flower is part of the Sunflower family of flowers.  

This is a set of four beverage coasters with a Black-Eyed Susan flower design. 

Handmade in plastic canvas and acrylic yarn in yellows and greens with a dark brown center, the design sits on an eggshell-white background. The coasters are square, measuring 4.25 x 4.25 inches each. 

Celebrate 'Water a Flower Day'

 

Water a Flower Day is a yearly reminder every May 30 for us to show our flowers how much we appreciate them for their beautiful colors and fragrant blossoms. 

Whether you like to smell the flowers, grow the flowers or photograph flowers, never forget to WATER the flowers!

Check out the links below from some of the contributors on Review This! for advice on how to grow and photograph your favorite flowers!

• Mary Beth Granger: Creative Flower Photography
• Cynthia Sylvestermouse: Spring Flowers and Plants 
• Dawn Rae: Budget Balcony Living (Growing flowers in a small space)

Image source: Pixabay

There are many books about Flowers to be found on Amazon by clicking here. 

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Word Scramble for Teens, Adults, and Brainiac Kids - A Fun Word Jumble for the Family

This latest published word scramble is written explicitly for seniors, teens, and brainiac kids.

Designed with large print inside an 8.5" by 11" book, this word scramble is easy to hold and easy to read.

Nearly all of my 24 published activity books are designed with larger print and include various levels or challenges.

Why You Would Enjoy this Word Scramble:

It's not just a word scramble for self-challenge; it can also be played as a simple game. There's a place on each page to mark your start and finish times. Each person completes a puzzle page to see who can solve the puzzle the fastest.

There's also a place for working notes.

Here's a sample of each puzzle page:

What's Inside this Word Scramble Book

• 500 jumbled words to unscramble
• 10 words per page per topic
• There are 50 different, broad-ranging topics
• Each page is large and easy to read
• The answers are included at the back, with two answer bundles per page, making the solutions easy to read as well
• Record your start and finish times to compete with yourself or others
• Some scrambles are easier than others making it a fun activity for the whole family
• As you can see above, there's a place for notes in case you have to do further evaluations

This scramble book is ideal for:

• Personal use
• Stocking stuffers
• An affordable hostess gift for the family
• A significant loot-bag gift for teen parties
• An around-the-table game for family gatherings
• To take on trips for something to do when you're traveling
• For seniors to encourage mind exercise challenges
• For brainiac kids to keep their minds fresh, challenged, and growing

You Can Find This Word Scramble Book on Amazon or Via StumpedRiddles.com:

You can find all Stumped Activity Books on Amazon here.

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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A Review of Handmade Halloween Home Decor

Halloween is a favorite time to decorate your house and yard, most especially if you are like my daughter-in-law who goes 'all out'. Their outside yard décor is so elaborate and fantastic that they have even won local 'Halloween Decoration' contests in the past.

But it is 'inside the home' that can lend itself to creating a Halloween atmosphere limited only by your imagination. You can go scary with ghosts and goblins, skeletons and spiders, or sweetly seasonal with pumpkins, or cute with black cats and bats.

The following are a few ideas to get you started. They are the creative results of fellow handmade artists on Etsy.

Pumpkins

A Pumpkin Table Runner

Halloween Pumpkins Table Runner

Decorate your table with a seasonal table runner for the Halloween season. 

This table runner is made with 2 different prewashed cotton fabrics so that it is reversible. One side has decorated orange, white and black pumpkins that are outlined in gold on a black background. It also has gold stars and the words "Boo" and "Trick or treat". The reverse side is orange with Halloween words and phrases, spiders and crows in black, gray and white. The words and phrases are "Trick or treat", "Spooky", "Happy Halloween" and "Boo".  

This table runner is 14" wide and 39 1/2" long and can be found in Kathie's Etsy Shop she calls CutePurseNalities.

Pumpkin Coasters

Pumpkin Beverage Coasters

Pumpkin design beverage coasters are perfect for home décor in the season of Harvest-time, Autumn, or Fall. They can also be fun all year round for anyone who likes pumpkin designs.

This is a set of 4 drink coasters with a pumpkin design measure 4 x 4 inches each. They are created using plastic canvas and acrylic yarn in two shades of orange, plus brown and green. The pumpkin design sits on an ecru/off-white background. Perfect colors for your Harvest time decor. 

They are available in the Etsy Store of Coastal Crochet Crafts.

Black Cats & Bats

Black Cat

Wooden 
Black Cat

This rustic wooden black cat figurine is handmade from whitewood or reclaimed pallet wood

Approximate measurement: about 6 inches tall x 4.3 inches wide.  

Handmade by Christina and found in her Etsy Shop Tinkerbinks.

Scary Bats

Halloween Bats Decor

Scary 3D bats all over the wall / window. Arrange them as you wish. You definitely want them in your Halloween Party. Comes with easy to apply style.

-Easy to apply to walls, doors, glass and other hard surfaces. For use on smooth walls -- can also go on glass

-Material: waterproof pvc. Color: black. Leave no residue or damage when peel off from wall / window. 

Find these bats at AJProducts on Etsy.

Halloween Kitchen Décor

Handy for Halloween are these decorative and useful dishcloths, potholders and refrigerator magnets for your kitchen.

Pumpkin Set

Pumpkin Kitchen Set

Pumpkin Kitchen Combo. Pumpkin shaped cotton dishcloth/washcloth with matching pumpkin potholder and pumpkin magnet

Washing dishes is a chore made easier with dishcloths made of 100% cotton yarn. This dishcloth in the shape of a pumpkin makes kitchen chores more fun.

This pumpkin-shaped handmade-in-crochet dishcloth can also be used as a washcloth in the bathroom - especially fun for kids in the bathtub. 

The matching pumpkin potholder is crocheted in washable orange acrylic yarn with a green top. It measures 9.5 x 11 inches and is made double-thick.

This pumpkin set makes a cute Halloween home décor item or can be used as a gift. (Makes a unique hostess gift when invited out to dinner, especially during the Harvest-Time season).

The kitchen set comes with a matching pumpkin refrigerator magnet.  Available at Wednesday Elf's eBay site. 

Ghost Set

Ghost Washcloth & Magnet

This cute ghost kitchen set includes a fun novelty washcloth in the shape of a ghost. A cute way to entertain children at bathtime or to make choretime in the kitchen washing dishes more fun. Or just display it in your kitchen for a Halloween decoration. It comes with a cute ghost magnet for your refrigerator. Find it at my eBay site.

Related Links:

• For more Halloween home décor ideas, check out Fun Halloween Home Decor by Sylvestermouse.
• For Halloween recipes, costumes and more decorating ideas, check out this group of Halloween articles reviewed for you here on ReviewThisReviews. 

Happy Halloween

Halloween Yard Décor (c) Elf

*Handmade Halloween Home Décor written on 10/24/2020 by (c) Wednesday Elf

Note: The author may receive a commission from purchases made using links found in this article. “As an Amazon Associate, Ebay (EPN) and/or Esty (Awin) Affiliate, I (we) earn from qualifying purchases.”

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