You say Tomato.. I say tomato... What the hell? It's spelled the same!

Some say "toe-MAY-toe", others say "toe-MAH-toe", either way you're never sure if it's a fruit or a vegetable... you just eat it. That happens also with people. Some are very practical and others thrive for functionality. And I, as a person that doesn't like confrontations or imbalance (ohhh Libra) do my best to please everyone. This brings me to my favorite project "fun with fruit"(cheesy title...get it?).

I was looking through books at Borders when I found this one that had only crochet food. From fruits and vegetables to junk food, anything you can think of. Then I saw one of my favorites food groups: PopTarts. I still buy them for my girls (yeahhh right) and they haven't changed a bit. The only one that has, thanks to them, is my waistline. Flipping further, one of my daughters saw her favorite: Sushi. Right there I discovered my next project. I read along and hurried home to start right away. They turned out super nice. But then, my functional side said: "Now... they are good for....? Nothing? I won't believe that! So I started brainstorming and figured that the PopTart would do a nice iPod cover... that one was easy. Minor alterations were needed and soon the first PopTart was being used by my daughter. Go figure. But then I took a long look at the sushi. It turned out beautifully; I had a blast making them; my daughter loved them but since I didn't like sushi I didn't know what to do about it.  The only thing I knew was that my daughter wanted them. That's when I had to put my foot down. I'm creating items for my Etsy store (Yes it's OPEN... Yeahhh!) and she wants everything. I felt so used.

But something funny happened days later when I go to my favorite metaphysical store GAIA* to get some crystals for my crochet crystal bags (Listing # 34102206 , # 34099824). I proudly showed my friend Tere, the owner, all the things I've done and the ones that I'm working on. She gave me compliments one after another until I took out the sushi. "Ohhh it's sooo cute " she said, great, but the next thing that she said would floor me. "What's it for?" she asked. I went blank. I started to look around the place and around my body looking for places to put it. Then my transparent being opened my mouth- "I'm not sure, but I had a blast making them and I don't even like sushi" I said with a smile.

Probably, I looked like a weirdo, but I truly had fun doing them, and when you create things you love doing, they become impregnated with great positive vibrations. I know somebody will love them (Thanks Mellissa : sushi)  as much as I (and my sushi less daughter) do. That's the secret about my work. No matter if it's a functional PopTart lover (Thanks Jill) or a slice of crochet pizza that hangs over your desk, there's plenty of love to go around.


FYI: To•ma•to is a pulpy fruit that is typically eaten as a vegetable. They must be Libra.

Shameless plugs: Yey! My Etsy store is now OPEN! Go to Craftingjunkie store Thanks to all the people that have shopped, stopped  and looked for supporting this craftingjunkie. Stop by frequently because new and old favorites item will be added shortly.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/craftingjunkiestore

Also, my Apple Green Tarot card bag have been featured in the Treasury Tuesday Elite Eight blog from C and O productions. Read the blog at: http://sandoproductions.blogspot.com/2009/11/treasury-tuesday-elite-eight_10.html   Thanks a lot Olivia!

*And my favorite Metaphysical store : Gaia... movimiento positivo : Ave. Hostos #432, San Juan, PR. 00918 Tel: 787-405-2971 email: gaiasanapr@hotmail.com

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No Paparazzi! Please!

Kids are wonderful. I just love to replay all the things that my mother did for me. Sew her dresses, make costumes, teach them how I learned from my mom (and grandma). Those make for what we call "Kodak Moments".  And in the first chance we get to embarrass them, we definitely go for it. So, I was going to show the crochet cap I knitted over a couple of "school duty " days but my model was a tough one. Impatient and cranky, she fled the shooting. "No more pictures! No Paparazzi please!..".  Those were the words of my Miley wannabe when I was trying to get my 25th shot of her head. So, what was I going to do? The obvious... chase her around taking flash pictures in her face and making her life miserable. Like the paparazzi she secretly fantasize with.  What? I will only have her home until she goes to college! 

Well, in the other hand I have to thank her, she's the one that will wear everything and anything (sometimes at the same time) if it's pretty and chic. Don't get me wrong.. she's got style... it's just, too forward. 

Anyway, this cute hat was made with regular crochet thread 

(Fushia) starting with a circle made of chain stitch and double crochet, adding 2 stitches per stitch 

for about 3 rows. After that I continued double crochet in every 3 stitches and when you 

are starting to get to the hairline, on every stitch, reduce (evenly distributed) 4 stitches in each row until you reach the length desired. On the last 2 rows I used single crochet to make kind of an edge to the rim. I really eyeballed this piece so no complete set of instructions are included here. 

Sorry. I'm one of those who skips the manual until completely confused. Then I open the instructions. If you want a complete set of instructions go to this link: http://www.lionbrand.com/patterns/BK4K-0612011.html?noImages=   where you'll find a pattern for a similar crochet hat. Remember that this is an open stitch for a cool hat. Cool like in light, fresh, not cooking skulls here hat. The pattern in the link is made of wool and is a close stitch for the winter type of hat.  Much of the wearables knitted here (in the island) are open stitches so it's breezy and cool. I'm lucky. If there is money involved, she'll wear it, at least for a moment. But I don't care if I get blackmailed. There are pictures taken, videos filmed, ready to resurface at any given time, whenever she least expect it.  Maybe to a future boyfriend. Sweet Karma.

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