Talking about What I Love to Crochet; Rag Rugs

I thought I would talk about one of my second favorite things I love to do, which is to crochet. Many years ago I wanted to crochet and I had a friend who could really crochet up a storm and really win big for her crocheting. Well to say the least this really inspired me to learn how to crochet. I was left handed and she was right handed and so teaching me was hard; if you are left handed you will know what I am talking about everything was the opposite.

So my good friend learned how to crochet left handed in order to teach me, basically I just learned some easy stitches and that was that. So for a really long long time I never crochet until my aunt came along and taught me that fancy crocheting was not that big of a deal! God bless her!

She taught me that by just using a simple basic stitch one can make crochet rag rugs with yarns, recycle sheets, or other fabrics.

Most of all she taught me no fancy patterns were needed just go until you like what your getting, and if you don't you can undo and start over.

Let me tell you I have had lots of fun creating this way; one of my favorite rugs is the one pictured up above. I found some really thick green wool yarn and dark orange yarn and began creating this rag rug just using a basic stitch and I think it came out really nice looking, I did not use a pattern guide but just a thought or idea of how I wanted it to turn out, when I was finished I thought it needed some tassels and so I added those on a little later on. Since then I crochet with a fever using all kinds of fabrics, I will say sheets are the funnest for me, easy to tear into strips and knot together, and second cotton fabrics too. I guess my whole point is crocheting never has to be hard it can be lots of fun even when you only know a few basic steps.

Doing up Another of My Favorite chicken Pie Recipes

Once again I made up my favorite chicken pot pie but I did a little different this time around; I used 3 cans of canned chicken, 2 cans of cream of mushroom soup, spinach, packaged American cheese, 1 egg, 1 cup of milk and Bisquick baking mix also add salt, pepper and some celery salt for taste.

In a large bowl add the the chicken un-drained, soup, and package of instant potatoes, in this case I used extra buttery and creamy. Mix it all well together, you may have add a little water to thin it just a tiny bit, now add the fresh spinach that you can buy in a bag this is and works the best I think and mix well again this mixture should be thick enough just to spoon in and spread. I love using my large cast iron skillet for this but any baking dish will work; once you have those items mixed thoroughly then spread into a well greased skillet or baking dish. Then add the American cheese on top. You last step is to add 2 cups of Bisquick making mix to a small bowl, the egg and milk, about one cup or a little more than one cup, you want the batter to be thin enough to cover all the items and make a crust on top, so start with a cup of milk and add a little more if its not just pouring over all the ingredients. Bake this until the crust is done on top and turns a light golden brown color about 35 min at 350.

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Sharing just some Pictures taken of the new toy and a few scences

My son on the new bike, right now hubby and son will be sharing it but if my son gets good grades the rest of this year and his senior year the bike will be his.

I was able to finally get a fairly good picture of my little blue jay that comes around to eat ever so often.

Just a picture of the woods and a small creek one tree had fallen over and I thought it was a pretty creek.

These ducks were just right across my street in the neighbors yard, can you tell we have gotten lots of rain on the Oregon coast?

I just thought this little shed was colorful and so I took some pictures of it, playing around with the camera and down before is a very neat hillside that I just felt needed a picture taken of it. I have been doing a bit of photography around the area of Oregon and just thought I would share a bit of it this week for everyone and do a little something different this weeks.

Fabric Bowl and some Tiny rag cloth doll Rabbits

I just finished these guys and the bowl a few days back. The fabric bowl is a green cotton fabric that I created using a brown thread for contrast on the bowl and added a plaid ribbon around the bowl and for the handle of the bowl.

The tiny rabbits are made from muslin that I painted with acrylic paints and sealed. I filled each tiny rabbit with fiber fill and added ribbon to their necks.

I did not use any patterns, the bowl and rabbits were just an idea I had in mind and actually the rabbits are a cartoon I had drawn a long time ago and just sat down and re-drew them and cut out the image and traced it onto fabric.

On the fabric bowl no patterns were used I just got on my sewing machine and began sewing until I got the shape and size of the fabric bowl I wanted; as usual I torn 1 inch strips of fabric and wrapped it around cotton cording to sew the bowl. In a few days I will be adding them to the art fire store.

Cooking up Homemade Black Eyed Pea Stew with Elk Meat

I love Black eyed peas! and this is one of my favorite ways to make it. First I throw a bag of uncooked black eyed peas into a crock pot and add cut up onion; my guys like the onion sliced this way, but you can slice anyway you would like. I add a bit of salt and pepper into the pot also.

Second I begin browning the elk meat in a small frying pan with about a tablespoon of real butter and I add celery salt to this for more favoring to the meat and stew later on.

Once the meat is browned I just toss it all into the crock pot and add 3 cans of veggie broth or stock and 2 cups of water and I set the crock pot on high for half the day and low for the rest of the day, so start this in the morning and by evening time it will be ready. The done stew should be thick and the peas nice and tender, then I serve it with hot corn on the cob and corn bread muffins with cheese baked into the muffins.

The Finshed rag cloth doll rabbit 18 inch Miss Surefooted

http://www.etsy.com/listing/68736269/18-inch-rag-cloth-doll-animal-rabbit

This is Miss Surefooted as she is now completed and in the Etsy store for sale. I think she came out pretty cute, I love her big feet and that is why I named her Miss Surefooted.

I plan on making another one but he will be male and I may make him an entire different way. There is lots I can do with this simple pattern.

What I am working on for Tuesday, rabbits

I actually started this Monday evening but I am continuing and will finish the the rabbit later today. I am using a wonderful old pattern from my collection called "floppy friends". The pattern was created in 1995. I am only using the body design of the pattern and making the rabbits my own way.

I designed my own facial features for the dolls and I am making my own clothes for the dolls. I am using Onsburg once again; I am also dry brush painting the fabric around the face in browns and a bit of light gray and pinks for the ears. The paints are acrylics, yes I just love my acrylic paints! I am making a dress with a applique flower on and green pantaloons you can see the dress in the photo it was some second hand fabric my aunt gave to me, a dress she was going to make( fabric was already cut out in a dress form). When I am finished the doll with be about 18 inches long.