Granny Craft #2--The Lid Lifter

So here in beautiful Colorado, we have had three consecutive days of sub-zero temperatures.  Translation:  Spidermom trapped in the house for three days with three kids!!!  Good thing I have a huge yarn stash and a bounty of patterns!

Today's pattern comes to us courtesy of the premier issue of Weekend Crochet magazine, circa 1991:

Ok can we just pause for a moment to say, "Seriously?!?!  1991?!?!"  To me, everything about this picture screams 1970's kitchen, but maybe its just me.  That said, on to the details!

I thought the idea of the lid lifter for the Corningware pot was too adorable, and since this year Santa stuffed some fun Lily Sugar and Cream cotton into my stocking, (and by "Santa" I mean my one of a kind fantastic awesomely sweet mommy...yes I am 32 and my momma still makes me a stocking every year--jealous?) I set to work on my very own Lid Lifter.

I fell in love!  Little bit of a challenge with the squiggly bit around the edge, but it gives it a certain wow factor combined with the striped yarn,  no?  

Once I had this in my hands it just begged for matching friends, and I spent the next four or so hours (give or take!) making a set.

Fancy Potholder:

And the ever important and completely useful Handle Holder:

Ah, the lovely things I never knew I needed!

Here's the part where I confess that I absolutely hate cooking and will likely never actually use them myself.  I'm hoping that my loving ERL will put his manly-ness aside and use them at least once to appease me.

Granny Craft #1--Handy Notepad Holder

What kitchen is complete without one of these handy dandy notepad holders????  This is the original pattern courtesy of Annie's Pattern Club, copyright 1983:

 I had initially tried to stay true to the pattern, and do the adorable little strawberries and flower...but my craft ADD kicked in big time and I felt rushed to finish it so that it wouldn't be added to my ever increasing WIP pile!  (Only made worse by the huge influx of fabulous patterns and books!!!)  This is my modern take on the little memo pad holder:

At first I thought it was really awful, but now that I've given it a flower with a vintage button center, I'm quite liking it and considering making another or two in more modern/prettier colors.
Well, what do you you guys think???