30th Birthday Pattern Sale and Giveaway!

 I am turning 30 on Sunday!  Eeek!  

So, for my birthday, I want to offer all of you something!  Sounds good, huh?

My May sales will end at the end of the day today (Ravelry: Buy 2, Get 3rd Free!), and I will be starting a new sale at midnight.  Starting first thing (12:01am EST US time) June 1st, all of my patterns in my Ravelry shop will be 30% off!!!!

Just use coupon code: BIRTHDAY30

Get the theme?

Great!

 Now this sale applies to all patterns in my shop, but I wanted to do something else special for you.  A sale just didn't seem like enough.

So, if I sell 10 patterns this weekend (starting today), I will give away a FREE pattern of winner's choosing!
If I sell 20, there will be 2 patterns given away.

Here's how you enter:

Go to this post on my facebook page, LIKE and SHARE it (publicly so I can see it!), and you are entered!  It's that simple!

 The more LIKES and SHARES, the greater your chances for a giveaway, and for more than one winner!

So SHARE, SHARE, SHARE!

 If I get 30 sales, guess what?

 I'll choose a third winner!

 Here are just a few things I have been working on this week.  The above Granny Bag, which I plan to finish this weekend with a strap and lining.

 This pink sweater is for my daughter.  It's the capped sleeve cardi that I have made before, here and here, and a few more times.  This is such a fun pattern to do, and I usually don't like to make the same thing a lot.

 Here is another one in purple tweed cashmere/angora/wool.  I will be adding some of my grandmother's vintage buttons to them this week, and will probably be listing the purple in my shop as well.

 Some cute newborn hats!
Perfect for photo props!  Plus, if you are a professional photographer and you purchase a finished piece, I will give you 30% off future orders if you give me photos I can use!  Contact me for more details!

I will also be adding this skirt (my Leilani's Lace pattern slightly altered), which is toddler sized.  Crocheted in a supersoft superwash merino wool from Expression Fiber Arts (LOVE HER!), this is a gorgeous piece!

So please check out my pattern sales, my new items, and don't forget to enter for a chance to win a free pattern!

Vintage Treasures

As I mentioned in my last post, we are planning on moving soon.  We have been busy cleaning, organizing, and packing as much as we can for the time being, so that when we find a place, we're ready.
I haven't accomplished much in the realm of crafting lately however.  Between constant cleaning, stressful home repairs, and work I have been somewhat exhausted.  I go to pick up my hook and yarn at the end of the day, but can barely keep my eyes open.  In times like these, when I can't craft much, I find myself frequenting crafty blogs and Pinterest even more.
Lately I have been noticing quite a few crafters using lovely vintage buttons, or better yet, displaying lovely vintage button collections.  Not that I don't have enough collections already, but I found myself wanting my very own vintage button collection.  I have pondered checking out some antique shops and thrift stores.
Well imagine my ultimate delight when I came across this spectacular find!

First of all, aren't the tins fabulous?!  Love them!

And inside were all of these magnificent buttons!  Teeny tiny ones, medium ones, large ones.  Buttons covered in fabric, wooden ones, and really old handmade ones.  One can only guess at how old these buttons are.  My grandmother (born in 1918) had been accumulating them for quite some time.  They were just tucked away in her sewing table, with many other treasures, including some wooden spools.

I wonder if some of them, like these (below) could be much older than she.  Perhaps some buttons were from her parent's clothing, maybe some passed down from her grandmother?  I will never know, but I am beyond thrilled to have them!

I see many of these going on some lovely crocheted sweaters.  Like these cute flowered ones:

Some may become closures or accents on purses, some on a pea coat for my daughter, some on hats, and many more that don't yet have a destiny planned for them.  One thing is for sure, I will never run out of buttons!

Do you like to collect vintage things?  What kind?

An Unexpected Move

Due to a large pile up of astronomical house problems/repairs, we have found ourselves needing to move.  This saddens me, as we were so happy when we originally purchase the home.  It was just the hubby and I (back in 2009), and we made a large down payment on what we thought would be a great "forever home" in the middle of the woods.

However, it seems that each year brings many problems and expenses to the point where it has just become too much.  I fear we bought a money pit.  If only we knew then what we know now.  Our first home purchase was a failure, and I only hope we can make it out with a small amount of cash and credit in check.

Money is horribly tight these days, and we have got to find a new place to rent soon.  We will need a lump sum up front, so I am trying to sell as many things as possible.  We are getting rid of our fancy thousand dollar vacuum, our snowblower, and lawnmower.  I am trying to sell off some of my daughter's old things that she outgrew, and I am having a major Destash Sale on my facebook page!

I have listed yarns, fabrics, and some finished items so far.  I also plan on adding some ribbons, jewelry making items, and more!  Please check it out.

I am still offering my May sales throughout the month, and I am hoping to add a few more finished pieces to the website.

I have not listed any of the children's clothing yet.  I was planning on selling that on ebay, but if anyone here is interested in some clothing items for a little girl.  I believe it's mostly 12 month, 18 month and 2T items, please comment below.  I have a lovely winter coat that is in perfect brand new condition and snow pants too.  Some spring and summer items and more winter clothes.

That's all for now.  Hoping I have more upbeat and crafty things to post soon.

A Little Reading

 I finally cracked open that book!

I love reading, but I find that I don't often have the time for it anymore.  I have been crocheting so much lately, that I never managed to even start this book.  I knew I would love it, because it is by one of my favorite authors, Nicholas Sparks, but I just had to find the time.
Well a couple of days ago I picked it up, and I could barely put it down!  Of course I had to for things like cooking, laundry, work and sleep, but I finished it within a few days, and it was AMAZING!
His books never seem to disappoint, and this may be one of my favorites of his.  Though I admit, I did predict  some of it, it was still chilling and moving as it all unfolded.  I do enjoy a good tearjerker, though since becoming a parent, I find I can't always handle truly sad stories.  This book combined some of my favorite genres: mystery/suspense/thriller and romance.  It really had it all and it came together so well.  I would highly recommend it!
Now I suppose after a few days of not crafting, I should get back to it.

 I began this dress for my daughter last week.  I have a bunch of my grandmother's old sewing patterns, and I have been wanting to try them out for quite some time.  I have never sewn from a pattern before, so I wasn't sure I was up to the challenge.  I finally decided to try one.  I chose this adorable fabric, A Walk In the Woods by Aneela Hoey for Moda, in pink and blue (as they seem to be her favorite colors lately).
I began by tracing the bodice pieces, but soon realized that I wasn't happy with the ruffled collar/yoke or the skirt portion.  So I am now kind of winging it.  It is coming along nicely, but I found it a bit stressful sewing a dress, and I have put it aside for a bit.
I am definitely more of a crochet gal.  Not only does it come more naturally to me, but it is very relaxing.  Although I have been wanting to sew many things lately, I tend to get stressed and a tad bit peeved with my machine.

 I am also working on the above project: patchwork sides on my jeans.  Remember these pants?  They were pretty common in my high school.  I always loved the look, and since I have several decent pairs of jeans which I have no hope of fitting my rather large(mother's) hips into, I thought I would give myself the chance to wear them again.  Sure saves in buying new pants, and I get to use up some of my fabric scraps.
I will share the finished pics when I get to sewing the strips on.

 Now that I have finished my book, I really want to start another one!  I am on a reading kick, but I must finish my shawl and my daughter's skirt for the sheep and wool festival that we will be attending on Mother's Day.  That's this Sunday!  Not much time.  Fortunately both are at least half way done.  I thought it only made sense to wear some wool to the festival, but with it being so hot lately, I chose this light open weaved look with fingering weight superwash merino from Expression Fiber Arts.

Do you all enjoy reading as well as crafting?  Any good book recommendations?  I would love to hear what you are reading these days!

May Sales!

 I can't believe it's May already!  Where is the time going this year?  Seriously feels like we just packed up our Christmas tree(so we did it a little late, like the end of January), and we also had some late snow fall too.  

Nevertheless, spring has most definitely sprung!  What better way to celebrate than with a couple of sales?

 I have begun listing my current stock of finished pieces on my site, and I am closing my Etsy shop.  All of my items listed are priced with US shipping included.

There are some great spring items: some lovely blankets (perfect for those new babies and spring picnics!), baby's hooded cape in pale yellow (oh so soft), a lovely spring set of baby cloche and dress (below),

....and this adorable patriotic clutch!

 I also have this Kindle case, perfect for a guy or gal who loves to read on the go!  It will keep your device free from dust and scratches.

 I am also adding a couple of these hats.....

 The blue is a 3-6 month and the orange 6-9 months.
They are a lovely spring time hat, crocheted in a soft pima cotton/acrylic blend.

 For the photographers, in addition to the blankets and hats, I also have this amazingly soft and warm alpaca set!  It is a newborn hat and cocoon, and perfect for a boy or a girl.
Alpaca is known for its softness and warmth, but it is also hypoallergenic, making it a wonderful fiber for baby items!

Now to the sales!

Sale #1
For the entire month of May, if you purchase any item in my shop, you will receive 25% off your next custom order with me, or your choice of one of my patterns (FREE!)!

Sale #2(RAVELRY ONLY)

For the entire month of May, if you purchase 2 patterns, you will receive a 3rd pattern of your choosing for FREE!  You must have three items in your cart for this to work, and it will automatically choose the item of equal or lesser value.  Use coupon code:  MaySale

I will be adding several more items to the shop throughout the month; warm weather does not mean the end of crochet!  Oh no.  There are many things to create for spring and summer, and I may even do a little sewing too.  I am taking a small break from pattern writing, but be on the lookout for new items: jewelry, bags, blankets, and more!
I would love your input, so please comment below with some things you would like to see.  I love hearing from you, and I love custom orders too!
Have a great May day!  

Now, off to crochet!

Crocheting for Me

 I have been working on cleaning up one our bedrooms that was originally designated as my crafts room.  It has since become a dumping ground for all of the "extras" in our house.  A storage room of sorts.  I am trying to reclaim it, and when I do, the above colorful Coastal Kaleidoscope throw will be residing there with my rocking chair.

For now it stays in the living room, where it actually goes quite well with my ripple blanket and the pillow I made my mother years ago.  My daughter is quite taken with it, and has been laying on it on the living room floor while she watches cartoons, playing peek-a-boo behind it, and stomping around on it.

I think it's really one of my favorite pattern designs.  Definitely my favorite of my own designs.  I began the one below a while back.  I have left it unfinished, mostly because I was out of the colors I needed, and was debating on its final size.

 I love the feminine colors of this one, and the combo of soft acrylic and warm wool.  The back is just as cool as the front, and I still can't believe it is sitting unfinished!  I have decided to give this one to my little girl.  It will look lovely in her room as either an area rug or throw on her bed.  I am going to by another couple of skeins in cream and pink(seems to be her favorite color these days) and finish it off soon.

I also started the one above a while back.  I absolutely love the yarn (it's Mosaic in Medusa), and I bought several balls of it.  The problem is, I love the yarn soooo much that I go back and forth, debating what I REALLY want to use it for.  I know I could buy more eventually(I don't need to buy anymore I keep telling myself), and I'm sure I will, but I seem to start several projects with it, and wind up frogging them.

This project is still in tact and I think I will complete it with all of the yarn I have on hand (though I will need a bit more of one of the other yarns I am combining with it, heehee).  I don't know whether it will become a Christmas present or perhaps be listed in my shop, but I probably don't need to keep it.  I'm certain I have enough of these (not really, and I really want to keep it!), and it would probably make a delightful gift for my cousin perhaps...... We'll see.

 In other news, I have finished the shawl that I was working on.  I would share pics,  but the light wasn't great, so maybe another day.  I enjoyed making it so much that I have two others in progress, and will definitely be doing more.

I find that I am enjoying the simplicity of crochet these days, without having to design a pattern, write things down, do the math, make size adjustments and countless edits.  Though I do love pattern writing, and I still have a notebook full of sketches and ideas, I find that sometimes it takes a little bit of the fun out of things.  So I am taking a little break from pattern writing.  I'm sure it will only be a brief one, but I need to get back to the pure enjoyment of crochet.

I also have been itching to use my sewing machine.  Something about spring makes me feel like sewing.  I did the same thing last year, and I wound up making my daughter a bunch of skirts as a result.  I may do another few skirts, though I think I will change my design a bit, and I would like to try some dresses too.  There are those half finished quilts that need my attention as well.

So, off to finish a little crafting for me today!  What are you working on lately?  Do you find your crafting changes with the seasons?

Modia Diapers Review

 I have been cloth diapering my daughter since she was 6 months old.  I had a friend who was doing it with her child, and I decided to research it for myself.  I was shocked to find out that the world of cloth diapering has changed quite a bit over the years.  It's not those pins and horrible rubber pants that we think of our grandparents using.
They're cute now!

I did my research and tried different brands and types over the past couple of years.  After going "big brand" to start, I began trying WAHM's instead, and I was quite pleased with the results.  

There was one particular WAHM company that caught my eye: Modia Diapers.  I don't recall when I first saw them, but it was probably about a year ago.  They were just gorgeous, and I was dying to try them out, but money was tight and I had accumulated quite a stash of diapers already.  I had lofty plans of early potty training(hasn't happened yet), and so I just periodically perused their facebook page and website and drooled (just a little).

Then something fabulous happened!  Hannah, one of the amazingly talented moms behind the company, put out a call for fellow crafters to do a Christmas time trade.  I answered.  We set up a trade in which I would get a diaper (I chose the cow print) and some sherpa/obv wipes, and I made her two crocheted stuffed animals (a hippo and elephant).
We couldn't have been happier on our end.  And I found out that their diapers were even better than I thought they would be!  The cow print diaper became our go to diaper.

 These wipes are absolutely fabulous!  So incredibly soft, and they can be used as washcloths or wipes.

We were so happy with the trade, so when Hannah asked to trade again for a hat that I made, I jumped at the chance to score some more super soft wipes.

A few weeks later, I purchased another diaper during a sale they were running.  I know she will potty train soon, but I just couldn't help myself.
This diaper, the hot pink with barnyard animals is by far my daughter's favorite!  She always asks to wear her animal diaper.

This is what the inside looks like.  You get the cover (made with waterproof PUL) with a long hemp fleece liner, and a bamboo doubler.  There is a pocket that you can stuff the liner into, but I prefer to use ours as a cover(AI2 style).  There are snap closures, as well as a snap rise to adjust and grow with your child.

 Here is a shot of the pocket

 Isn't that cow print precious?!

 I love that the cow print carries through to the inside!  So stinkin' cute!

We got these little extra goodies with our Barnyard diaper purchase.  My daughter loved the diaper cream (which is cloth diaper safe).

If you cloth diaper, know someone who does, or if you're considering it, please check out Modia Diapers.  They make incredibly high quality products and have excellent customer service!