Cupcake Ornaments

This weekend I decided to make some ornaments for the holidays, but what to make? Last year I made little kokeshi doll ornaments, but I wanted to try something different.

Have you seen those adorable amigurumi baked goods? Cute crocheted cakes, cookies and cupcakes. Well, they're cute, but what do you do with them? Hmmm, maybe perfect as an ornament????

I used a free pattern from Red Heart yarn here and embellished them with beads and sequins. Don't they look yummy?

Catnip Fishies

Okay, time for a free pattern!
These are easy and fun to make, and your cat will appreciate them too. They are little fishies filled with catnip, an herb they go nuts over. I like to make them with 2 colors of Lily Sugar and Cream cotton yarn. I crochet both colors at the same time. It's a great way to use up scraps of yarn.

Supplies:
Lily Sugar and Cream cotton yarn in two colors or your choice. Scraps work great!
"J" crochet hook
a little bit of polyfiber stuffing or cotton balls will work
catnip
yarn needle

CATNIP FISH
Crochet 2 strands of yarn at the same time.

Make magic ring*, ch 1
Round 1: 4 sc in magic ring (4 st)
Round 2: (1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next st) 2 times (6 st)
Round 3: (1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next st) 3 times (9 st)
Round 4: sc around (9)
Round 5: sc around (9)
Round 6: (sc2tog, sc 1 into next sc) 3 times (6 sc)
Start forming tail
Round 7: sc 2 around (12 sc)
Round 8: (sc 1 into next sc, then sc 2 into next) 6 times (18 sc)
Join with sl st to next st. Fasten off, leaving long end of yarn.
Stuff lightly with poly fiberfill. Put a pinch of catnip inside the fiberfill.Sew the tail together with end of yarn and yarn needle.

* How to make a magic ring http://www.ehow.com/how_4750999_crochet-adjustable-magic-ring.html
Enjoy!

It's a new litter of kittens!

For those of you who think I'm not really working...think again! I've got a new litter of kitties. As usual with alley cats, you end up with a mixed litter. There are black ones, gray ones, orange ones and even pink ones! They are all different from the tips of their ears to the pads of their paws.

These little kitties are crocheted with acrylic yarn and they stand about 3 1/2 inches tall. They have cute little cat eyes, a yarn nose and yarn whiskers. I've been making these kitties for a few years now and they are from my own pattern. If you would like to make one, check out my pattern shop at
www.mutts.etsy.com.

Now it's time to work on the mutts...