Now, I'm not planning on making regular posts about food here. I've been there, done that, with a food blog, and frankly, I just can't afford the ingredients to keep making blog worthy food every week. But there is a certain expectation, when you are known as "the crafty one", to show up with more than just a box of savoury shapes when you are asked to bring a plate, and that's what I want to help you with.

After all the hustle and bustle of Christmas, and the last minute, frantic, late nights desperately trying to finish those hand made gifts, you just want to kick back and relax right? Well, the Silly Season isn't over yet, because now you have to brave NYE. This is a clever idea I got from Pinterest - it makes you look like a genius, takes half an hour to prepare, and is great for kids or drunken grown ups alike!

Vegie sticks in disposable shot glasses, with dip/dressing in the bottom. No more double dipping fears!

Just buy a pack of disposable plastic shot glasses ($2 for 20 @ Coles, and 20 is plenty) and put about 1cm of dip or dressing in the bottom of each glass. I used ranch dressing, but any dip like thing would be fine. Make sure you keep your crudites (fancy name for vege sticks, now your plate can stand up to the antipasto platter!) fairly short - taller than the glasses, but not more than double the height, or you'll have trouble with them falling over. If you are using dip instead of dressing, it's probably a good idea to test the level needed in one glass first, before filling them all, as the dressing I used was fairly runny, so it moved up the glass a fair way once I'd added all the crudites. Just experiment a little, it's not rocket science. And two carrots, two celery sticks and half of each colour capsicum later, plus half an hour of chopping and arranging, I had a spread like this:

While I am lazing on a beach, celebrating Summer Solstice with my family, I want you to know it's not too late to whip up a last minute 'little something'. All the projects I'm sharing today take an hour or less to make, and better still, are all free patterns!

Fairy Ring. The pattern calls for a 2.75mm hook to fit a child's finger. I used a 3.5mm hook to fit an adult with great success. I made these two after lunch on Teachers Day (because my kids forgot to tell me until we were at school)

Teeny Tiny Hearts. If you make these using the magic ring method, you won't get that annoying big hole in the centre hers have. A string of these could make a nice bracelet or necklace joined together with a few chains for tying.

My Tiny Bunny. You'll need a Ravelry account to get this PDF download, but an account is free and gives you access to thousands more patterns in a searchable database.

Teeny Tiny Lobsters. This is another Rav download, but c'mon - tiny lobster! You just can't tell me that's not adorable! This pattern is a little trickier than the others, so if you are a beginner, leave yourself a little more time, and check the notes other people have made on their projects in the Projects tab on the Ravelry pattern page. It's a very helpful spot to check to see if a lot of people have had the same problem, and what they've done to solve or get around it. That said, remember I've only been crocheting for a year or so, so don't let all this put you off! Give it a go - if you just can't get it, you've only lost half an hour, and the designer has other teeny animals that might be easier too!

While we are getting down to the nitty gritty end of things now, there is still time to whip up a cute Teacher appreciation gift. Remember when we were in primary school, the last week of school was always spent watching movies and making Christmas decorations - namely paper chains. So many years I dragged yards of those silly things home, but they did have a way of making things look festive and bright, and they worked up quick.

So do these scarves. While I wouldn't recommend trying to make three of them in time for school break up on Friday, if you are just trying to make one you should be able to do it. I can make one link in about 15 minutes, so that's 7 hours for a whole scarf of 28 links. It's simply a chain of 28, ss to join, and chain 2 up, then hdc around and repeat for four rows. Couldn't be simpler!

These could be done in any colour scheme you choose - while I am, of course, partial to the rainbow myself, a simple red and green repeat would be very effective too. If you are only doing two colours, make all the links of one colour first, and then join two together as you make your contrasting link. These have to be joined as you go - there's no sewing, just make sure you tuck your ends under as you go and you'll be set.

And just for a laugh, Master Three trying to wear all three scarves :)

Here's a quick gift you can knock out with a day or so notice. The pattern comes from Bubble Leg Monster on Craftbits. I did not design this, but I did read a few comments from people having trouble with the pattern, and thought I'd rewrite it to be a little easier to read. I've also tried to cut down on some of the sewing as well.

HORNS (make 2)

1. 6 sc in magic circle
2. Sc around. Finish with long tail to sew to head later

ARMS (make 2)

1. 6 sc in magic circle (6)
2. Inc around (12)
3. *Inc, 2 sc* around (16st)
4. - 8. Sc around (16)
9. *Dec, 6sc* around (14)
10. - 12. Sc around (14)
13. *Dec, 5sc* around (12)
14. - 18. Sc around (12) Finish and end with long tail to sew to body later. Only stuff tips of hands.

EYE CIRCLE (make one in secondary colour)

1. Chain 4, ss into first chain to make a loop.
2. Chain 3 and make 13 tc into circle. SS into 3rd st of the chain to join. End with long thread to sew to face later.

LEGS (make 2)

1. 6 sc in magic circle with secondary colour (6)
2. Inc around (12)
3. Inc around (24)
4. - 6. Sc around (24)
7. Change colour to main colour, Sc around (24) (alternate colour every round)
8. Sc around (24)
9. *Dec, 4sc* around (20)
10. -12. Sc around (20)
13. *Dec, 3sc* around (16) Stuff feet
14. - 17. Sc around (16)
18. *Dec, 2sc* around (12)
19. - 22. Sc around (12)
23. Switch to main colour only for these last two rounds Sc around (12)
24. Sc around (12) FO (first leg only)

Hide ends inside leg. Leave the last inch of the leg unstuffed. Do not cut yarn on second leg!

JOINING LEGS AND CONTINUING BODY
Arrange legs how you want them to sit.

1. Ch 1. Crochet 3 sc on the second leg where yarn is still attached, in the direction of the first leg (turn first if you need to). Ch 1, turn.
2. 3 sc. Ch 1, turn.
3. Align legs together.
4. 3sc through the loops of the row you just made and the corresponding sc on the first leg, joining the two.
5. Place marker and sc around the outside of both legs (including the edges of the 3 sc you just did). (24)

If all that is too complicated, you'll need to make a gusset piece before crocheting the second leg. Using your main colour, chain 4, sc in 2nd chain from hook, sc across (3). Ch 1, sc aross. (3). Leave long tails to sew onto legs. Continue from step 5 above.

6. *Inc, 3sc* around (30)
7. *Inc, 2sc* around (40)
8. - 12. Sc around (40)
13. *Dec, 8sc* around (36)
    
14. - 18. Sc around (36) Add face. Take eye circle and poke safety eye through middle and then poke the safety eye through the body before fixing on the back. Fix on other safety eye and sew a straight line for the mouth. Stuff body.
19. *Dec, 4sc* around (30)
    
20. *Dec, 4sc* around (25)
21. *Dec, 3sc* around (20)
    
22. Dec around (10)
23. Dec around (5) FO, hide ends in body.

I skipped the horns for mine, but used my "special" yarn, as it was a gift for under Kmart's Wishing Tree.

In 12 days it will be Christmas Eve. Yeah, I know you don't want to hear it, but it's true. No doubt you've already been getting invitations to work parties and 'bring a plates' from childrens activities.

Perhaps you've been clever and spent months stocking the gift cupboard with little thoughtful handmade things for teachers and group leaders. So why go to less impressive lengths with your plate? Sure, you could do the 'white chocolate, jaffa and spearmint leaves on top of a chocolate Royal biscuit' route, which look great, but that's so five years ago, and people are starting to clue in. Why not take advantage of the beautiful ripe strawberries that abound this time of year to pull off an impressive plate that is simple to do, and also makes a nice change from all the sugar laden biscuit trays that turn up at these things. This was inspired by, you guessed it, something I saw on Pinterest, although I was all out of whipped-cream-in-a-can (because I never buy it lol) so I made hats with chocolate, instead of santas with cream.

It's pretty simple really. Start with hulled strawberries, trimmed to sit level upside down. Either melt some white chocolate and put it in a piping bag with a very small tip, or just cheat, and pick up a tube of white writing icing. Put a blob on top of each strawberry, and a ring around the bottom. Don't worry too much about how perfect you get them - this chocolate is representing fur after all, so it won't be a straight line. Just make them look "fluffy" if you can. So simple, you can whip a plateful up in half an hour (with writing icing) and everyone will gush over how clever you are! ;)

Need festive wearables for work or parties but don't want to shell out the big bucks? Too hot (in Australia) for felt or knit hats? Need to show off your hidden geekery with a Christmas flair? Try this double tailed Santa Hat from AprilDraven's Etsy Store. The pattern is only $3, and works up in a few hours. Ok, maybe a day. I took three days, but I was working on three other projects at the same time. The cabling is pretty straight forward, so don't let that put you off. And because it is worked in double crochet, with a large hook, it not only works up quick, but produces a lacy effect that is perfect for our hot Summer. It may not make you look as cute as Master Three, but then, what could? :P

But what is so geeky about this you may ask? Well, the sharp eyed amoungst you may have already picked it, but for everyone else, there's a non embeddable clip on YouTube. It's Penny's hat from the third season Christmas episode of Big Bang Theory!