Monday, December 18, 2023

Crochet and Bead Bracelets (re-run)

This is from the first week of my beginning the blog - I think it's time for a re-run of it in case you are a crocheter and want a last minute homemade gift idea (I updated it a bit hopefully making it a little clearer); these do not take long and are so pretty!

From September 2015:

These bracelets are pretty simple to make, I don't have the pattern to share but if you can do a single crochet you can make them no problem! 


String some beads (approx 50) onto thin cotton yarn (make sure the holes in your beads are big enough to thread onto your yarn. I tried using embroidery floss but there isn't enough in a skein to complete the bracelet and with the beads strung on before you start it would be hard to add on). You are going to keep the beads together down a ways on the yarn and pull them up one at a time to crochet them into the bracelet. 

Chain 7 with a very small hook; turn, skip first chain, sc in remaining 6 chains, chain 1, turn. SC across 6 chains, chain 1, turn, repeat until you have an area big enough to attach a button for the closure. 

Then pull up a bead to your hook and crochet it into your sc's, I alternate 2 and 3 beads per bead row so they look a little more random. After you do one row with beads and turn, just do sc's across the next row (the "back side"), turn and do another bead row so all of the beads will be on the "right side" of the bracelet. Repeat alternating a bead row with 6 sc no bead row until it's as long as you want (mine are approx 7"). Last row I chained 5 to make a loop big enough for the button to go thru. Slip stitch into last stitch of the previous row and finish off. Sew button on the beginning end and weave ends in. Done. 

Doesn't take long at all and I think they are a nice easy project - I'd wear them alone or pile 'em on my wrist. Note: you could make this as narrow or wide as you want, just add more or less chain/sc's and beads.

I wouldn't wear these 3 together normally, just showing you how they all look on!




 

Sunday, December 17, 2023

🔥 Around the Campfire (week 51)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

12/10: 🔥 week 50

12/11: tiered Christmas tree skirt

12/12: plastic hanger snowflake

12/13: paper snowflakes 

12/14: button ornaments

12/15: cupcake wreath

12/16: words

What's Cooking ~

  • meatloaf, mashed potatoes, mixed veggies 
  • baked breaded chicken, roasted broccoli, buttered noodles
  • grilled marinaded pork tenderloin, roasted butternut squash, kale salad
  • baked salmon, parmesan couscous, roasted asparagus

I cannot believe that this is week 51 already, the crunch is on for the week before Christmas!!  See you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp with how little time there is to make anything haha!! 


Sincerely ~

Jill
camp counselor

12.17.22: hoop driftwood Christmas tree hanging 

12.17.21: grilled shrimp tacos




















12.17.19: TT: powdered sugar (how to turn granulated sugar into powdered)

Friday, December 15, 2023

Christmas Cupcake Wreath

I'm looking for dessert inspirations for a Christmas party and saw this - don't know if I'll make it but it's definitely in the running! I'd make my filled white cupcakes which everyone seems to love, and either make and decorate sugar cookies to lay on top of the 'wreath' or buy premade from the store. The bow appears to be fondant which I don't like so I'll have to come up with a different idea for that - maybe fruit strips would work. I'm sharing because it's very cute and want to give you time to make this if you have a party or need a fun dessert idea. 



Thursday, December 14, 2023

Button Ornaments

Well, well, well - here's one time when my wasting-time projects actually paid off - I sorted buttons for way too long last year (click here for that post), so how happy was I when I came across this idea in my to-do folder and my time-wasting actually made this go a little quicker HAHA!


I think these instructions are from Martha Stewart, I'll attach them below but you really don't need many details - fold a pipe cleaner in half, thread both ends thru button holes creating a stack of button ornament. I made a santa and a snowman in a matter of minutes and they are actually quite cute :)


















Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Plastic Hanger Snowflake

Scott made this fun project last winter but I didn't have a chance to post it - I don't know where he got the idea but it's so creative. It's just plastic hangers, hot glue, and zip ties. 






12/12/20: how to make a looped bow

12.12.19: santa gift card holder

12.12.18: Mary's painted ornaments













12.12.2017:  snowman pillow 













12.12.2016: marquee letters  










12.12.2015: fireball hot toddy

Monday, December 11, 2023

Tiered Christmas Tree Skirt

I don't put up a full-size Christmas tree anymore, I switched to a smaller one that I put on top of a table so it's still up high and I can sit by the lights and have space to put gifts underneath. Sometimes I drape the table with a blanket, sheet, tablecloth, furry throw - this time I made a 'skirt' that fits over the table out of felt and a plastic tablecloth and I love how it turned out. This is a pretty quick and simple project if you want to try it for yourself.


I cut strips of the plastic tablecloth and hot glued them in ruffled rows one on top of the other starting with the bottom row. Pinch and pleat the tablecloth while gluing to create the ruffled effect. I did 4 tiers, you can add or subtract depending how tall your table is and how wide you cut the strips. Because there's a visible-not-very-pretty glue line at the top I covered it by gluing on pieces of raffia. 

See the pictures below for reference, but really this is a wing-it kind of project! 









Sunday, December 10, 2023

🔥 Around the Campfire (week 50)

Dear Campers ~ 

Here's a quick recap in case you missed anything at camp last week:

Posts ~

12/3: 🔥 week 49

12/4: snowman baggie wreath re-run

12/5: pumpkin deer re-run

12/6: asian salad dressing (aka: Appleby's dressing)

12/7: Quebec chicken 

12/8: santa gift enclosure 

12/9: words

I flew for the first time in a very long time last weekend, and wouldn't you know it - now I'm sick! On the up-side tho I sound like Batman which is pretty cool :) So no menu ideas to share this week (unless canned chicken soup counts haha). 

That's it for now - see you next week for more projects, crafts, recipes, whatever we can think of to make at camp - bye :)


Sincerely ~

Jill
camp counselor


12.10.21: santa gnome cupcakes

12.10.20: MSIH scalloped potato review

12.10.19: TT make a gift bag out of wrapping paper (it's easy and so handy, I make them all the time!)


12.10.17: sweetly spiced pork tenderloin with butternut and pears