Tiny plastic action figures are cool! They’re even more fun when they have somewhere to play, though. So when I bought my boys a set of pirates (complete with cannons and skeletal adversaries) I knew I wanted to create someplace for them to stage their battles.

I got really frustrated when I was trying to decorate my bathroom with sunflowers. Everything I found was way too county, out of date, or just not right, so I resorted to coming up with something on my own.

Simple, stretchy, swift and easy, a shrug is a great piece for summer. Throw one on to ward off the evening chill or to add a little garden party charm to a plain top.

If there was a single step you could take to make your stitches look more even, your mistakes less noticeable, your wearables fit better, your fabric drape better, your edges look smoother, and your finished projects look overall more professional, would you do it?

Perhaps you know that you can buy fair trade coffee and chocolate and wine; but did you know that there are also quite a few small businesses offering fair trade crochet?

By Melissa Mall Model and Photos: Melissa Mall When you have a last-minute opportunity to go to the lake for the weekend, what do you do? Well, if you’re me you grab two balls of cotton and crochet a hat on the drive! Soft and shady with some nautical stripes, this bucket-style sunhat is simple […]

By Melissa Mall Model: Melissa Mall Photos: ‘Max’ and ‘Charlie’ When I went out shopping for a new shirt last month, I was surprised by one of a peculiar shape. It looked like a circle skirt, with a seam halfway up each side to form separate sections for the body and arms. I was intrigued […]

By Melissa Mall Model: ‘Charlie’ Photos: Melissa Mall Are you ready for summer vacation? Who can wait for all the swimming, catching fireflies, playing outside – and road trips? Be prepared to entertain little ones on the go with a cheerful Coloring Book Tote! The perfect size and shape to carry a few coloring books […]

By Melissa Mall Photos: Melissa Mall I don’t know about you, but I can’t remember the last time that I actually used a coaster because I wanted to protect my furniture. To me, they’re much more fun as a way to bring some color and whimsy to the table – literally! These Sunny Days Coasters […]

by Lorel Box Once, many years ago, I was blessed with a beautiful little boy. He was born in the deep heat of an Arkansas summer and we lived in a mobile home with no air conditioning, but he was strong and healthy, so all was good. On his first trip to church I dressed […]