Crafts of the last little while....

So, I really ought to be studying for the GRE, but what am I doing instead? Looking for new ideas and reviewing old ideas. Mainly craft ideas. So, in no particular order, here are some of the crafts I've worked on in the last little while. Obviously not all of them, since I've been bad about taking pictures, but some of my favs. 

I made these mittens for my nephew after having seen something similar by Kate Spade, I thought they were so smart and witty, and my nephew certainly doesn't mind modeling my creations... most of the time. The words "Hi 5" actually are on the palms of the hands, so you can read it when you hold your hands up for a high-five. I thought they were kinda fun. They reminded me that I really need to get better on color blocking and intarsia though. I'll put that on my "to-do" list.

This is my little "A". She sure loves Elmo. She also really likes to wear hooded towels and capes. So, Aunt Emily decided to combine these things and made a hooded Elmo blanket. It's made out of furry fleece with a polar fleece lining, so it's soft and warm. The face was the hard part, but that will have to be my secret trick. She loved it.... I think...

Please excuse the poor picture quality. I have a better picture somewhere, but not sure where at the moment. This was the gift I made for the Transfusion White Elephant Christmas Exchange Extravaganza. See, you don't even have to do your hair, you can just put on a hat and make it look like you either a) actually have hair (Roland!) or b) intend on doing your hair at some point. I pretty much love seeing Roland put it on, and I hope he enjoys it during his impending retirement.

I call this one Santa Beardo. Unfortunately, you have to put up with me modeling it. I had a coworker offer to pay me $5 to wear this when I went up on a trauma 1. I told her if we had a trauma 1 on Christmas or Christmas Eve, I would do it. Unfortunately we didn't. But I sure thought it was a fun/funny idea. This one was my own creation.... aside from the pattern for the beardo. My own beard pattern ended up being too big. Darn.

This wasn't so much something I made entirely myself as much as it was an idea I came up with for my darling mother. She had to do leadership training for the ward YW presidencies, and had come up with a tool centered theme but needed to come up with an invitation to match. After finding the plastic toy tools in the dollar section at Target (best spot ever!), I came up with the idea of making a Home Depot-esque apron  with pockets for the tools and info about the leadership training meeting. The apron was actually made out of cardstock, and the ties were made of double fold bias tape, all sewed together on the sewing machine with plain old white thread. All I did besides the idea was a little computer work to print out the logo and slogan. I thought they looked wonderful! My mom is so talented! 

I made these little booties with a pattern I found on Ravelry. If any of you want the link, I'm sure I can find it for you. It was my first attempt at the Turkish knitting method, and I think they turned out pretty well (after I figured out some gauge issues). I also think the friend I made them for loved them even more because she knew I had made them just for her little girl. 

I made these slippers for my momma for Christmas. It was my first attempt at hand felting wool that has been crocheted. I think it turned out pretty well. This is also one of my favorite patterns and it's super easy to teach people how to crochet this, just ask my cute coworker/friend Nancy (mi Nancita). She's done really well at learning and putting up with my meager teaching skills.

Mothers day flowers that are edible? Pretty good idea, right? I know my mom and step-grandma sure liked them. And cake pops are always easy and delicious. 

These are our lovely little lab mascots from Lab Week 2012. They may end up living in the lab forever though. From left to right they were named Tellie the platelet, Princess Clotty the FFP/cryo, and Packer the red blood cell. I had so much fun making them and thinking of fun things to do for our lab week olympics, I'm just so glad my coworkers were all such good sports and indulged me. Now to get to work on the RBCs that everyone wants.....

This was a baby shower present for a coworker and friend who is a big fan of "Despicable Me". It's her own little minion for her darling baby girl. It has a little squeaker inside too. She said her husband got pretty attached to it before the baby came, and she had to keep reminding him that it was the baby's toy and not his. Sorry Tyson. ;)

The above two photos are of one of my favorite knitting projects to date. These are what I call the "monster bum pants". I thought they were pretty cute even before I saw them on, but seeing them in action as my niece and nephew ran around in them was probably one of my favorite moments of all time. My nephew was so excited about them (he loves monsters) that he asked "Where the shirt?" I couldn't help but laugh. I also can't take any credit for this brilliant pattern. It was the brain child of a Norwegian knitter-- Smoochie. (I linked the English version for you though.)

Okay, I better get back to being more productive. Or something. Hope you're all having a wonderful May!