Bohemian Mermaid Palace

Ohhhh it's getting close... spring is right around the corner. And you know what that means. Craft show season begins. Can't wait! So, I have my first confirmed show of the season, which is the Sebastopol Apple Blossom Festival, April 24-25. This is my first time at this show... well except once when I was working in that kid's booth in college. As I recall, it's a beautiful park setting. There's a parade and wine/beer tasting. Plus I have a couple friends I can visit in town. Should be fun! I'm sending out applications for may and june as well... I'll be adding them to my cool little google calendar (>>>) as they are confirmed. Woot!

Just thought I'd check in here, between all the crochet pattern stuff... about how real life is going here in The Palace. Still slow and wintery, but whiffs of spring are here and there. The daffodils & beach visits are up. That's certainly a sign. I have sent out 2 show applications already, and I'm filling out my calendar for the season. Yay! Have I mentioned how much I love traveling to craft shows? Probably. Anyway, I do. Love it. This season I am seriously considering at least one extended festival trip, ending in ND where my mom lives. I'd be gone over a month... starting in Eugene the 4th of July, hitting a show each weekend as I work my way up to the Seattle area. Then, cruising across the north to Bismarck for their big show in Aug. How fun would that be?! We'll see how it pans out... View Mermaid Tour 1 in a larger map I've also been working hard to get my etsy store (look over there>>>) stocked up... while working to promote t

Well I did it. I set out to make myself a Rockstar Tiara for my birthday and I succeeded. I had plenty of fun figuring it out... but it was by no means a simple little project. I did take plenty of photos and notes and will do my best to pass on my tiara knowledge in some understandable way. I'll apologize right now for using black yarn again. Not the easiest to see, but it really was the best color for the project. Materials: 3 tall Rockstar cans (I used the one above for my sample) 3 oz worsted weight yarn H or I crochet hook  utility scissors paper hole punch 60 Large pony beads yarn needle Cut out each star as shown, leaving a bout 1/2" border and rounding the tips. You'll notice one corner of the star hits the edge of the can, so you can't add a border there. We'll address this later to make the stars look symmetrical, for now just round the corner as shown in the photo. Cut out the vertical Rockstar word from 2 of the cans as shown. Le

  Another free Bohemian Mermaid crochet pattern for you, the Erica hat. This one truly is very fast and easy to make. The 'tweed' doubled yarn makes it thick and soft. See my Crochet Basics for stitches and abbreviations. Woo!   Erica's Tweed Cloche Hat   Description : Loose-fitting hat with small angled brim worked in a tweed stitch. Looks great on men and women. Materials : Worsted weight yarn in 2 colors (2 oz each), K hook.   Pattern: Instructions are for average/large adult size. Work with both colors together throughout .   Start: (Both threads on hook) Make the Base as written in the Basic Hat Pattern BUT start rows with ch2 (not ch3)  AND use hdc in place of dc. Work until the underlined number is 4. Rnd 7: Ch 2. Hdc into next st and into each st around (60 sts total). Sl st into 2 nd ch of ch2. Rnd 8 - 13: Repeat Rnd 7 , 6 times . Rnd 14: Ch 2. Hdc into same st, hdc into each of next 5 sts. *Work 2 hdc into next st, hdc into each of next

Alrighty... now that my basic Beer Can Hat pattern is being circulated, I'm inspired. I just picked up some PBR and I'm ready to get started on the PBR Pimp Daddy Hat, which I made for my brother's 21st birthday lo those many years ago. Back then, as college students, we all drank it so the cans were easy to come by. These days I tend toward bottles... not sure I'll be able to stomach actually drinking the Pabst. But the cans still hold some party magic, rest assured. I'm also working on an idea for a Rock Star Can Tiara for my birthday next week. Oh, and a granny square hat. It's way too much fun...  Hoping to have a new pattern ready by the end of this weekend. Rock on.