Cowl Crochet

Hi friends!

Recently I moved from Southern California to Eastern Washington. As you can imagine there is a big change in weather from the two states. So.CA has warm and perfect weather year-round...and Eastern WA has definite seasons, including snow!

I've been here a few weeks now and it has snowed twice already. This week's forcast is said to be in the 30's. It has been fun being able to bundle up, but it got me thinking about crocheting again. It has been so very long since I last crocheted, but I thought it would be a perfect time to get out my needles, find a cute pattern, and get busy making something to keep me warm in this cool weather.

When I found the pattern I liked for a cozy cowl scarf, I got started. I spent a few hours working on it, and trying to refresh my memory on how to crochet again since its been forever since I'd last made anything. I've made a couple beenies, scarves, and afghans in the past but the stitches were basic and I didn't add too much too them. This time the stitches were still pretty simple, but I learned how to make button holes! It was actually easier than I thought it would be, but I'm still happy I could do it! :) So now my lil neck will be cozy and warm this week with the cooler weather rolling in...

Two different looks:





PS... This pattern was found online at Ravelry and it was free!

beach beauty

Sometimes you can find inspiration just strolling along...

A few days ago I was strolling along the beach with my boyfriend and saw something shimmering in the water. I of course had to stop and check it out! :) I bent over and found this beautiful broken piece of an abaloni shell. I'm pretty sure Dave thought I was crazy to fall in love with that little treasure, but after I explained my vision, he understood. So I pocketed the beach beauty and a few days later went to work.

As soon as I found the abaloni, I knew I wanted to make it into a necklace. It would be a special necklace too...one that every time I wore it would remind me of Dave and our first stroll along the beach together on that cool, windy, summer day. I began by picking out a couple beads that would accent the abaloni, then took some wire and did a bit of wrapping. And here is the final product...I just LOVE it, and I love the memories that go with it.

flea market frog art

My sweet friend, Thiam, and I spent the day at the Long Beach Antique Flea Market yesterday. The day started off with some rain, but turned into a BEAUTIFUL sunshining day! The two of us strolled along the rows and rows of vendor booths, looking at all the fabulous items we'd love to have but refrained from buying. We were very wise with our money (I don't have any to spend right now anyway! lol). I did, however, buy a couple items that I haggled for.

* never buy anything at the asking price at flea markets...they will always go down if you ask, even if its not as low of a price as you'd like. But don't offer too low of a price, you don't want to offend them...then you definitely won't get it at the price you hoped for.

At the beginning of our day at the flea market, Thiam and I saw this booth that had the cutest little crafts. At $20 a pop, we decided it was something we could make ourselves at half the price. So we were determined to find the pieces as we continued on our hunt for the day. Low and behold, we found all the supplies we needed. Thiam found enough to make each member of her family one, and then I found what I needed too.

And here it is...my vintage frog art:


If you don't know what a vintage frog is...its the base of the piece with the spikes. It is known as a flower frog. You put them in vases and then the stem of the flower when being arranged is pushed into the frog spikes...that way the arrangement will stay exactly as you designed and won't move around at will. Frogs range in price depending on the size, age, material, and uniqueness. I was able to get this one for $3 (instead of the asking price of $5).

We had to dig through boxes of letters to find the ones we needed to make our names...it took awhile, but it was worth the work. Because of the number of tiles bought, he gave us a good deal. Me = instead of $8 he asked for, he gave it to me for $3. Thiam = istead of $50 he asked for, he gave it to her for $30. I'm so excited to see all the ones she makes for her family. I decided not to write out my name 'Jody' because the o and d looked too similar, so I did my initials...I thought it looked more unique too.

So to wrap up...instead of buying a $20 item at the flea market, I made the same thing, customized to me, for only $6!! It literally pays to be creative and make things yourself! So get out there and get crafting!

Mother's Day

When Mother's Day comes around what do you want to do...See your mom, right? Well, since my mom lives in another state that wasn't possible for me. We did get to talk on the phone for a bit, that was nice. So since I didn't have plans with my mom, I decided to bake her a cupcake...and of course eat it in her honor since I can't really ship it to her lol :) I have the BEST mom in the whole world and I love her so very much!

LOVE YOU MOM!!!

cinco de mayo

I'm not totally sure why, but I LOVE Cinco de Mayo! Maybe its because I always make homemade tacos that are greasy and super delish!! Not only did I make those today, but I also made the cutest cupcakes! I was brainstorming on what I wanted these cupcakes to look like for this holiday and decided to make them look like little margaritas! I just love them!!

Feliz Cinco de Mayo mis amigos!!

Easter festivities

Spring has sprung and we celebrate Easter this day with cute baskets full of decorated eggs, candy, and sweet cupcake treats. Last night I spent the evening with my Aunt, Uncle, cousins, and my Gramma. We had lots of fun decorating eggs! We are a crafty bunch!

But the real reason for this holiday is not because the Easter bunny comes...we celebrate Jesus Christ's resurrection! May God bless you as you celebrate with your family and friends!

He is Lord, He is Lord
He has risen from the dead
And He is Lord
Every knee shall bow
Every tongue confess
That Jesus Christ is Lord

autism speaks

A couple months ago I was asked if The Clever Corner would like to donate some cupcakes for a good cause. The event was a fundraising mixer & silent auction benefiting "walk now for autism speaks" in support of two young boys who have Autism, and to raise money for research to find a cure for Autism as well as to spread awareness on this growing developmental brain disorder. I was glad to be a part of the cause and donate some cupcakes for the event. I delivered the colorful cupcakes and setup the display yesterday, and they gave me this nice Certificate of RecognitionAutism affects 1 in 110 children and 1 in 70 boys! If you would like to find out how you can help or donate towards this cause go to Autism Speaks and see how you can help in the search for a cure!

St. Patty's Day

I just find St. Patrick's Day to be so much fun! Wearing green so you don't get pinched...or wearing red so you get kissed! Fun times! Here are some cute cupcakes I made to celebrate this holiday They are of course green and then topped with gold sprinkles to represent the luck of the Irish! Yummy and Cute...can't beat that!

the girl in the green scarf

The last few days I have been treasure hunting across Washington and Idaho. Yesterday I was in search of something green to wear today for St. Patrick's Day. I was pretty excited when I found this green scarf... It reminded me of the movie "Confessions of a Shopaholic", which is absolutely what I struggle with....shopping! But I must say, when I shop its for bargains...you won't find me in those high priced department stores, no way! I love the hunt at thrift stores, flea markets, and yard sales!
And this adorable green scarf was a total bargain at $1.
Today I was "the girl in the green scarf"
and loved every minute of it!
Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

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highchair downpour

I was driving around Spokane, WA this morning and came across a vintage highchair in front of someone's house with a FREE sign...so of course I stopped to pick up the fabulous find!! It was sitting up on a brick wall, and when I went to bring it down the tray tipped and DRENCHED me with water! Hair wet, clothes wet, and cold!!! Not a happy hunter anymore! It must have been out during the rain the night before. What bummer...I had just gotten ready for the day. Oh well, hopefully I will make some money off this find and all will be grand again! :)

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my crafty grandma

My family is going through a tough time right now as we say goodbye to our beloved Grandma Hyde. Six months ago we mourned the loss of our Grandpa, who is so dearly missed, and Grandma has now joined him in Heaven. My sweet Grandma was very crafty! She did a lot of crocheting of afghans, doilies, pillows, and crocheted purses for me and my sister when we were little girls, as well as dolls for us. She also was crafty in embroidery, needlepoint, painting, baking and decorating cakes...she was so talented and creative!! (I'd like to think that I got some of my creativeness from her)

One of Grandma's paintings that I inherited and LOVE!!!One of Grandma's needlepoints that my mom now has...When I was younger and my Grandma got to the point where the arthritis was too painful for her dainty hands, she passed down to me her crocheting hooks & needles, and her (now vintage) yarn basket. I have since crocheted 3 afghans!

My Grandma baked and decorated cakes for different events and gatherings, including weddings. Kind of awesome that I now bake and decorate cupcakes for special events...and I use her old (now antique) cupcake pans to bake them in!!

My mom made this counted cross-stitch for my grandparents to celebrate their grandchildren and it hung in their house for over 30 years. I look at this cherished framed handmade art that my mom made and am reminded of how blessed we grandkids are to have such amazing grandparents. The love they showered on us is priceless!! I will forever remember and love them...and will try to continue the craftiness my Grandma encouraged in our family.

I love you Grandma and will miss you immensely! And each time I look at all the things you've created, whether it be doilies, afghans, paintings, etc. I will be reminded of your great love for your family, and cherish all you've left behind.

Found it!!!

I'm soooooooo excited right now...
I finally found the newest Flea Market Style Magazine!! I can't wait to open the crisp pages and dive in! I've been waiting all year for this! Thank you, Vons, in Yucaipa CA, for carrying it!

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tie-twist-tac

I got a little crafty today...

A few weeks ago I was out shopping with my friend, Jessica, at an antique store and the girl working there was pretty crafty and making these cute tie broaches. They were pretty pricey, so I decided to figure out how to make it myself.

I found this super cute men's tie at a local thrift store up here in WA where I've been visiting the last couple weeks. It's Italian and made of pure silk. It was a steal of a deal at $0.99!! So I crafted this cute tie into a flower-like broach and topped it off with a vintage clip-on earring. Im absolutely in love with my new broach!!! :)

I will continue to make more, if you're interested in having one of your very own, let me know. I will be listing some on Etsy here soon! :)

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tweet-tweet

It's official....I've become a tweeter like all you other little birdies out there! My tweets may or may not be all that exciting, but won't the curiosity kill? Don't miss out on The Clever Corner happenings!! Follow us on Twitter!! :)
@TheCleverCorner

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Flea Market Style

I'm sitting here in the basement (when I should be sleeping) reading my favorite magazine, Flea Market Style. Its an old edition, as I haven't been able to find the newest one that just came out on shelves this month. I hope I find it soon...I'm so anxious!! :) I just get so excited looking through these magazines, getting ideas and tips...I can't wait for my next treasure hunt!! I just wish I had oodles of money so I wouldn't feel guilty about shopping! Hopefully the life of unemployment won't last too much longer so I can shop again. In the meantime, feel free to let me know if you have anything you'd like to part with for free...I LOVE hand-me-downs!!! :)

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Be Mine...

I just LOVE Valentine's Day!!
Just wanted to wish my readers a VERY Happy Valentines Day! I hope you all
got loved on today by your sweethearts like I did :) Me and my fluffy valentine had a great day!The day began wih cupcakes! YUM!
My mom and I made some super cute cupcakes for her husband (my step-dad's) office today. A lovely delight!My mom and I spent the day doing some fun thrift store shopping in her town in WA, where I found this super cute antique pedestal candy dish (for $1.89) perfect for our Valentine candy!!Later, my mom, step-dad and I had a fun Valentine dinner where we made our own individual pizzas and had a yummy treat table. We had lots of fun!!
Well, I hope you all had a great day full of love and yummy treats!

AND...

Won't you please BE MINE?!...
be a follower of The Clever Corner that is!
Click on the "Follow" button in the right column and you'll be the first to know of all my updates and stories! Exciting stuff! :)

Happy Valentines Day...
thanks for loving The Clever Corner!

Pillow Case Project

At my craft class this evening, we sewed our first in-class project. We made pillow cases! We ended up staying about an hour past the end of class so as to finish our projects, but it was worth it because I have a finished product! Its cute and Christmas themed...too bad I'll have to wait a whole year to use it! lol :) Anyway, its fun learning to sew and I can't wait for my next project!

Cupcake Zipper Bag

My 2nd sewing project ever was completed tonight!

At my craft class tonight, we were learning more about our sewing machines and how to use them properly. So when it was over, I was very motivated to make something. So I went home and got everything out and organized, and then started my 2nd sewing project.

After a couple hours trying to figure out what I was doing (lol), I finally finished my little zipper bag. The zipper was a little hard for me to figure out how to sew on...but I did it!!! Hopefully with a little more practice I can figure out how to sew zippers on faster :)

Anyway, I'm pretty excited about my new finished product...I think the little bag is so cute! Here's my super cute cupcake zipper bag (I'll probably use it as my makeup bag in my purse)...

Valentine's Day

Quite a few new pieces of jewelry have been added to The Clever Corner's Etsy shop! Please, check it out...and make a purchase! Valentine's Day is coming...buy something unique and special for your sweetheart! And if you're single, buy something pretty for yourself! :)

The Clever Corner's Etsy Shop

learning to sew...

Ever since I was a little girl I've wanted to learn to sew. Well, this past 'Black Friday' I splurged and bought myself a Singer sewing machine that was on sale for $50. I am so excited that I'm finally going to be able to make some cool things by sewing!

Tonight I learned how to thread the bobbin and needle and started to sew! I had a few knot issues, but finally got it working. So, for the first time ever, I sewed a pillow all by myself!! :) I figured it would be best to start with something simple...like a square! LOL :) So here it is, my little mini pillow made out of vintage material and adorned with a simple vintage button on each side. I am so excited that I've learned how to sew and can't wait for my next real project! :)

Photoshoot with Danny Vasquez Photography

Yesterday, The Clever Corner did a photoshoot with Danny Vasquez Photography. Poor guy, I'm not experienced with being the focus of a shoot, but I'm glad he was able to capture this photojournalistic viewpoint of the cupcake/baking aspect of my company.

At home with The Clever Corner...

Don't forget to check out Danny Vasquez Photography

And be sure to visit The Clever Corner often for all your cupcake needs!

Princess Baby Shower

Sunday afternoon I provided Princess themed cupcakes for a baby shower. Sweet Brianna is pregnant with a little girl and is excited for her new addition to arrive. The ladies at church all got together to celebrate her soon coming arrival and to shower her with gifts and love.

There were three cupcake designs in all. As you can see below, there were white chocolate molded crowns with pink accents, white chocolate molded baby footprints, and pink meringue cookies atop the scrumptious cupcakes. Super cute!!!
If you need cupcakes for your party or event, please contact The Clever Corner.

www.theclevercorner.net
jody@theclevercorner.net

pages of history

Its always fun finding something unusual when least expected!
Recently I was at the thrift store looking through some old books. I like looking through all the old dusty books, reading covers, and finding different books on crafting, decorating, beading, painting, or anything that catches my eye. Well on this one particular day, I found a book that I just had to buy! Sometimes you've just gotta snatch the book that you never thought you needed or knew was out there! LOL :)

A New Year...A New Obsession

Today is the start of a New Year!
2011 is here...
and with it comes new adventures, treasure hunts and....obsessions! LOL :)

As you know, I love the hunt at thrift stores, flea markets, yard sales, etc. Well, I have a new obsession that I'm hunting for...

Cameos & Pocket Watches
I love the uniqueness of them, and the story behind them. Its probable that I won't find the ones of extreme value for $0.25 at a yard sale, but its fun going on the hunt. I found this vintage Lucerne pocket watch (above) at a little thrift store in Coos Bay, Oregon (while on a road trip with my mom) for $1.00! Yep, that's right, only ONE DOLLAR! It was marked $20, but since I showed the lady working behind the counter that it didn't work, she parted with it for $1. So that was exciting! Now I just need to get it working again. And this lamoge cameo broach (above), I found it at a local thrift store for a couple bucks as well.

As I realized my new obsession growing, I decided to go through all my jewelry and see if I had any others of this sort that I had forgotten about. Sure enough, I had 4 more cameos mixed in with my other vintage broaches that I had been collecting over the years.
FUN FUN FUN!!
It was a hunt in my own jewelry box! I love that!

I also recently purchased an Ingraham/Biltmore 1940's pocket watch for $10 that is currently not in working order, but I researched online and I found one going for $400 in restored/working order! Hopefully I can get it all fixed up, and either keep the fabulous find, or resell it for some profit. We shall see! :)
So, if you have any lovely cameos and pocket watches that you feel no special connection with and are willing to part with, please let me know! I would LOVE to add to my newly started collection!

* 2011 *

What better way to start a New Year, than with a cupcake?!

Sparklers...Sprinkles...and Scrumptiousness!

May your 2011 be filled with tasty delights!
(made by The Clever Corner)

Happy New Year!