Sorry for the silence but I have actually suffered my first crochet injury!  Once this beast of a blister has finally disappeared I shall be back!  (And yes, I did have marmite sandwiches for lunch).

 This little crochet apple is a gift for a special girl.  It is 30 stitches wide in honour of her upcoming birthday, and it will hide another little gift inside.  I'll write the pattern up as soon as poss and get it on here for your delectation.

Tis the season of the boot fair, and as my little beasts had me up from 5am this morning we found ourselves trawling other peoples crazy junk at 6.30am as a means of getting out of the house and keeping everyone sane.  The little treasures that are to be found though, can't be beaten.  These are made from vintage trinkets salvaged from other peoples leftovers, that had seen better days, but with a bit of love and some modification they are now two of my favourite bits of jewellery I've ever made.   

I think tutorials might be a bit fussy, but to get the deer into a suitable shape only required a power drill and some fishing wire, (both can now be found at my Etsy shop) but I'd like to set you all the challenge of dragging yourselves to a boot fair/table sale next weekend, finding something that just needs a bit of love, and remaking it into something you just adore, then send me your pictures, no prizes but I'd love to see them! xxx

Yarr! Here they be all, crochet skulls all  bunted up!  Now you can purchase from my etsy store.  Sadly I'm also going to take the big beasts advice and take the pattern off this blog and sell it as a pdf, also on etsy :( My only excuse is that I'm finally at the end of my maternity pay and need to feed my little beasts, sorry craft fiends.  I'll leave it up for one more week...

As threatened (but much, much later than the original threat) this pattern is now available to as part of my first book!  "Crochet Dress-Up" by Emma Friedlander-Collins.  You get this totally cool pattern, as well as 35 others: pirate hat, mermaid hair, hero hat, fairy wings - heaps of dress-up favourites, all beautifully photographed, and easy to make.

Help!  A little off topic but you lovely people might be able to assist: does ANYONE have any idea when these were made?  I found them thrift shopping a few years ago, and yes, they are bonkers, and yes, my big beast HATES them, but yes, I LOVE them.  I'm guessing 1950's or 70's, they're made from plaster but that's all I know, comments very very welcome!  (Crochet skull bunting heading your way soon...) xxx

The terrifying crochet thing that has been taking up ALL my time is finally finished, sadly it's too gruesome for me to want to put it on here and show you all!  Maybe I will, but after the birthday for the person it's intended for... 

For now here's a mini-make:
- take a cereal box
- draw some glasses on it
- draw something above the glasses (castle, pirate ship etc)
- let you mini-beast colour
- cut out, ta daa!