Procrastination: Finally Getting Inspired for Valentine's

As a single parent, I'm going to have to admit that Valentine's Day rarely looks like the lovey-dovey day of romantic bliss that other people are going to be experiencing. Not that V-Day with the monsters, er... kids, isn't great. What with heart shaped cookies, and sticky cards, and shoebox mail boxes. I just can't get that excited about my kids being all hyped up.

But this year, I'm actually kinda feelin' it. Maybe it's my reunion with the Dolla and recognizing a reason for people to spend money, but I have been feeling rather Valentine Crafty lately.

Last night I finished this crochet rose brooch and I'm dying to keep it. Hopefully that means someone is dying to buy it.

Key to the Rose Garden - Crochet Brooch


I just got these fantastic chrome pinking sheers off eBay and they cut through my suede leather like a hot knife through butter. All the beads and jewelry bits (except the antique style safety pin) came from the local vintage and thrift shop, as did that fabulous chunky red acrylic/wool blend yarn that the rose is crocheted out of. I used a generous piece of stiffened felt for the backing and sewed a hinged brooch pin to the back. I love how sturdy the whole piece feels without losing its femininity. Excuse my ego, but I'm pretty proud of this one.

But not just what I've done, look what someone else is doing!

Once again, my favorite blog, Little Birdie Secrets, is sharing something awesome with all of us.

This Thursday, February 4, (tomorrow? tomorrow!) the lovely ladies of Little Birdie Secrets will be having their first meet-and-greet at Lasting Memories Scrapbooks in Lynnwood, Washington.



We'll be making the Valentine garland pictured in the notice above. How fun is that? I'll be sure to blog all about it on Friday.

Also, from the Little Birdies I learned how to crochet hearts yesterday and I'm just brimming with ideas about what I can do with them. They had a wonderful video tutorial that made learning to crochet the hearts super easy. If you'd like to watch the video, check out their awesome tutorial blog post right here.

Hope to see you tomorrow night in Lynnwood.

Up On Deck: Some This'N'That

Once again Thoris Designs is feeling the Etsy love and has been featured in another Treasury. I'd love for you to take a moment to leave a comment there for the lovely curator, Dori Jenn, who also makes some really beautiful and unique jewelry. See Serendipity Treasury here.

I'm really taken with her Galaxy Necklace 3.



I think it would look just smashing with one of my strapless summer dresses that I'm always wearing when the weather warms up. I easily could have spent all night adding photos to this blog of all my favorite items she's got in her shop. Truly lovely. And even though she's based all the way in Israel, she's got fantastic shipping prices.

Also, I've listed another hat. My Amethyst Violets Fleur d'Lace Beanie turned out just stunning. I knitted it as a gift for my friend that did some modeling for me this past Autumn. It's based on the same design as my other Fleur d'Lace beanies, but knitted with two strands of yarn instead of one for an extra snuggly fit. I love how the bulkier knit made the lace design stand out more. To make it extra special, I designed and crocheted a two-layer flower, each flower having six petals and then beaded it in a variety of green glass beads and fixed it with a silver-tone safety pin.



Of course, the hat turned out so well I didn't want to give it to Jen Darling, but I did anyways and she loved it, and so did everyone else. Makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Really. Also, I had to share it with all of you so you can buy one (you know you want to) from me and look as stylish and gorgeous as Jen does. Best part? I can make these in just about any color. Good times all around.

I'd love to hear what you think.

Seasonal Snowflakes

I remember the magic of being taught how to cut out my own snowflakes. How easy, and yet rewarding it was to carefully fold a piece of paper and then cut tiny shapes out. My inner perfectionist, always hard at work when it came to crafting, even as a child, loved to try to make infinitely more delicate and complicated snowflake designs.

I have to admit now that I haven't taken the time to really make some great cutout snowflakes, but I still love them and anything else that has to do with snowflakes at all, really.

In celebration of this wonderful little natural geometric phenomenon, I'd like to share with you a few of my favorite snowflake inspired items that I've found on Etsy.

Winter - 5 Cards and 5 Recycled Brown Kraft Envelopes


These beautiful greeting cards by Interrupt Designs are eco-friendly and perfect for sending off a sweet greeting to friends and loved ones.

Whimsical Snowflake Gingerbread Cookies


These sweet gingerbread cookies by Just-Iced would be great gift or treat for Valentine's Day and look absolutely scrumptious. I love that the snowflakes are decorated with bright colors and not just the usual blues and grays that are so commonly used for snowflake designed items.

Floating Flakes Irish Coffee Mugs


And to finish it off, what would be better than a cup of decadent hot cocoa served up with whipped cream (and maybe some good Irish Whiskey;) in these gorgeous engraved mugs by Daydream Designs. I even love the name of their shop.

There's something magical about snowflakes, especially in their unique and perfect geometry, formed out of the tiniest filaments of ice crystals and falling down from above like magic. At least, like magic until you're stuck in your house because all that magic is three feet deep outside your door.

But it's humid and "warm" in Western Washington, so I can enjoy the beauty... from afar.

Some Great New Items

Just a little update concerning some new merchandise. It's great to get a few new items posted and not just renew the others or relist ones that have sold.

As part of my "more holiday merchandise" resolution, I just knitted this gorgeous Valentines Kitten Cowl in Ruby Pink.



This yarn is so impossibly soft, it feels like a new kitten, silky and irresistible. You just want to wrap it around your neck the way you put a kitten under your chin when you give it a good cuddle. I found this yarn at a local vintage and thrift shop that I just adore. The best part about buying some of my supplies from them is that all the money from the store supports housing and food charity work in this country and many others. Even all their employees are volunteers and work for free! How wonderful is that?

Next up is my new Charcoal Teddy Bear Beanie. This hat was knitted as part of my first wholesale order (more resolutions that I'm actually sticking to!) to the boutique I mentioned in an earlier post. I just love the way it turned out.



The customer requested that I leave the tassels off for concerned parents. Personally, I prefer the tassels, but I think the hat looks just as cute without them. This hat is a medium weight and super soft with all that gorgeous "fur" fuzzing it up.

Another hat that's a part of the wholesale order is this wonderful Chocolate Brown Bear Teddy Bear Beanie.



Also knitted without the tassels, but still adorable. I also knitted these two teddy bear hats with slightly shorter ears and I really like the way they turned out. The beautiful acrylic yarns all go so well together and were made by the same manufacturer. I love using yarns made by the same company for a project like this because you get great continuity with the color.

I'm sure you noticed that I'm not using one of my usual adorable models (my kids), but that's because this hat is knit in a large infant/smaller toddler size and both my kids have heads way too big to fit. I know, I've really got to get access to some tiny tots for these size hats!

So, that's what's new today. I have another hat I have to edit the pictures for before I can post it, but I think I'll save that for another post.

Hope you're having a lovely weekend.

Featured in an Etsy Treasury!

I'm so excited! I just received a convo letting me know that my Lovely Legwarmers were included in a Treasury. This is the first time I've been featured in one and I'm just so happy about it.

I hope you'll take a moment to go view the Treasury and take a look at all the other wonderful items included in it.

View The Treasury Here.

Give Away: The Vintage Pearl

Everyone loves a great give away and I've come across a really great one today. The Vintage Pearl is a great little business that creates some of the most beautiful, hand-stamped sterling silver jewelry and keepsakes. I just love these baby spoons. Aren't they adorable?



The Vintage Pearl is offering you the chance to win their new Bitty Blossoms Necklace. This would be a wonderful gift for a friend, that doting grandma (if I win, I'll be giving it to my mom with my kids' initials stamped on it;), or for yourself.



You can also have another chance to win a $50 gift certificate to The Vintage Pearl's website shop by visiting Little Birdie Secrets. They've got all the information you need to enter.

Have fun and good luck!

Look What I Found: Annie's Eats

I think it's pretty obvious that I'm a huge fan of cooking. Maybe not as obvious as it should be considering I haven't reviewed or posted any new recipes lately, but that's about to change.



In honor of bringing back the various cooking themed elements of my blog (and posting regularly) I thought I'd feature this awesome blog I just (literally) found while using Stumble!.



Annie's Eats is a marvelous blog dedicated entirely to recipes. While a number of these recipes look to be on the non-recipe side (see Chocolate Waffles and Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie), there are also many healthy options that are sure to be a great addition to your family meal planning.



I'm really excited to try out the Eggplant Parmesan and, for breakfast, the Fruit Bruschetta. Don't those just look phenomenal?



I've already got my grocery shopping list made out for this week, but I'll be sure to add some of these to my next meal plan and let you know how they turn out. Maybe not the fattening ones, though. Got a new eating plan to stick to this year.