I continue to excite ongoing interest in my plastic bag yarn ("plarn") baskets whenever I appear in public with them. Most people express interest in smaller sized bags, the base of which is a flat circle about 12 inches in diameter, with a depth of about the same, and a single longish handle (good for over the arm or shoulder) or two small handles. This is probably the most useful size, not just for toting stuff around, but also for home storage or as the base of a gift basket. They are strong, durable and conversation pieces. My design uses white translucent grocery sacks as the main body, and incorporates a contrast stripe trim near the rim. I use several at home to hold crafting supplies or projects, and others to transport my goods to craft fairs. Because of the very time consuming nature of making these baskets, I propose creating a waiting list for them. Here's how it will work: You will comment here indicating your interest in purchasing a basket. I will start mak...

As promised a bunch of new stuff is now at my Etsy shop for sale. Check out the Etsy mini to the right of the page for a preview. Have fun shopping, and don't forget to check out some of my favorite Etsy shops if you are looking for other art dolls. There are some wonderful artists doing different stuff from mine there...

A nice solid crocheted bowl about 10 inches diameter at the rim, made using a big fat number 10 hook and 3 inch wide yarn. It would hold fruit or any other relatively light items. I am very happy with this crocheted basket using the J/6.00 hook. I guess I go to more trouble when I know it's for sale! 13 inches tall, 11 inches diameter and a nice wide handle. Here's a close up of the trim color. The handle is sturdy because it's wide, all single crochet and has an edging of single croche also.

In response to the enthusiasm people show for my crocheted baskets whenever I carry them or post pictures, I am bowing to the inevitable and will be offering several for sale at the SoCal Bench Project fair on August 9th. I hope all you nice folk who spoke to me about them at Swaporamarama will stop by. I will be in booth 24, which appears to be outside. Here is the first one - a humungous round bottomed basket tote with two handles, 25 inches tall sides. The pear is there to show scale. This would work very well as a beach or picnic tote including fitting a groundsheet. I use my similarly sized one when I go to Costco to haul bulky but not too heavy items like the big packs of paper towels or TP. At home I have been using it to store my stock of scrounged plastic sacks. Right now it's almost empty! It would just as well store blankets, towels, or stuffed toys. The not-very-technical specs: The yarn is about one inch wide strips of post consumer plastic bags and grocery sacks. I ...

I received a fairly big order of Wish Dolls! Here they are beaded, packaged and ready to go. My daughter Jayn helped me decorate the tea lights with polymer clay and glass beads. I love how the musk and orange essential oils make my hands smell wonderful. These are some decoupaged note cards I made for my own use with paper dolls/bookmarks attached to them. I used crayon, watercolors, markers, stamping and embellishments on luggage labels. Somehow the blue one came out looking like Bea Arthur. The button one is my favorite, although a bit impractically heavy to use as a bookmark. Perhaps a tree ornament? These dolls are ones that Jayn (8) is decorating. It is her idea to put the beads into the cheeks of the dolls. This pink one has her drawings on the fabric. (Jayn also styled the photos.) She sewed on the charms herself. This work-in-progress is one that I love because Jayn drew the face and has created a story for it. She calls it the "Nightmare Mayhem Star" doll. And this ...