When I was young my great-grandmother, Bula was the family creator. She hand sewed Christmas stockings for all us kids. She crocheted slippers for Christmas. She was just amazing.
I used to sit and watch her crochet. I was completely enamored watching her twist and knot this scratchy yarn with a hook and cloth being made from it. It was magic to me and I wanted to do magic too. When I was 7-8 she tried to teach me to crochet. It was a disaster. She was right-handed. I am left-handed. She got so frustrated with me she told me I would never learn it and that was that.

She was the typical great-grandmother. House permanently smelled like pan gravy and moth balls. She always had a dish of wrapped candy on the table. The most unique feature in her house was in the guest bathroom. My straight-laced old-school grandmother had a crocheted skunk air freashener holder in the bathroom. A WHAT? I know, I know.... It was a mouthfull. Let me explain; it was a crocheted tube, decorated like a skunk. You slipped in a can of spray air freshener and when you dispersed the spray it was like the skunk was spraying.
Everytime we went to see Grandma my sisters and I would fight over that damned thing. We would all race to the bathroom to spray the skunk. It was THE thing to do at grandmas. ( Keep in mind this was before cable, Internet, cell phones, video games... this was way back in the 80's)
I think I was 12 when my grandmother died. I was asked if there was anything of hers I wanted.... anything at all... and guess what I asked for? That damned skunk! Out of a whole house of amazing stuff... I asked for the skunk. ( I am weird, what can I say.)
So fast forward a handful of years... I finally learn to crochet... fast forward a couple more years... I have an 8 year old son, a stinky boyfriend, my own house... and... we find the skunk packed away in a box.

MY son loved it, my boyfriend loved it... so skunk is officially out of retirement. Everytime one of my boys comes out of the bathroom, the running joke is to "skunk it." I actually buy canned air freashenor JUST so my boys can use the skunk. It must be 35 years old but its still MUCH loved. My wonderful little niece likes to come over and she heads straight to the bathroom for the skunk just like we used to do when we were little.

Well, I decided I needed to make a new one so the one my grandmother made would not be ruined. I started looking for a pattern online... low and behold... none exist. So I had wing it... but the new skunk turned out pretty good.

My sister just bought a new house. I sent her the new skunk as a house warming gift. My niece was SO happy. ( My sister probley less happy. LOL.)

Anyhow.... the old skunk is on the left, the new one on the right.

I will be making a few more cause I think everyone in the family needs one now! LOL! In fact, I don't think any home is complete without a skunk in the bathroom .