In Crochet::purses and bags

Over the last few months I've developed an affinity for Pintrest that I wasn't entirely expecting. Maybe it's because my best friend just got engaged and it's the easiest way for us to communicate wedding ideas (she's in NYC), or maybe it's just the idea of escaping from my giant stack of papers to grade for a little while? Either way is fine with me. I have been pinning a lot of crochet projects I want to try out now that the sun is setting earlier and I'll be spending more hours indoors. Here are a few I thought I'd share with you!

I'm smitten over these bags from Bamba, an independent crochet artist from Buenos Aires, Argentina. This is the crocodile stitch at it's best! I've often heard that Buenos Aires is a yarn wonderland--city blocks full of yarn vendors! What a DREAM!

I've also been eying up this Ribbon Accent Bag from Pierrot yarns on Ravelry. What an adorable statement. I love the idea of this bag in black with a red bow or with a black bow mixed with metallic thread. Either way, it's so chic! You know, the best thing about this bag is that it would make a really cute gift to a bff or sister-in-law this holiday season!

The Salmon Lace Bag from Chalklegs on Ravelry is so chic and romantic I just can't stop looking at it! This would be a great year-round bag!

Follow me on Pintrest to see what other fun crochet creations I find!

xo,

Craftspiration: What You Should Read Right Now

Let's be honest, we're always looking for inspiration. We're always waiting around waiting for that one brilliant idea to come about, or that color combination that sparks a genius idea (or any idea!) for our next project. For me, a lot of inspiration comes from reading. I tend to fly through craft biz books on a regular basis because I think it's extremely important to keep your skills and perspective as sharp as possible when trying to establish an indie biz. This is why I'm sharing with you two pieces I've read recently that I think you'll really enjoy!

1) In this month's issue of Martha Stewart's Living I stumbled across a two page article called "This is Your Brain on Crafts." The article is not available online yet, but I'm hoping that this post might inspire you to pick up a copy next time you're checking out at the grocery store or sitting in a doctors office. I love MSL magazine for a myriad of reasons, but mostly because it makes me feel good about myself. I love MSL's aesthetic and it seems like it was designed with people like me in mind, which is nice, because I don't usually feel that way with magazines. MSL inspires me to bake from scratch, to try new herbs, to learn how to weatherize plans (I mean really, if it weren't for MSL, I'd have no idea what weatherize even meant). I just sorta love this magazine, to be honest, but this article really hit home.

When I saw the faux embroidered image partnered with this article, I was intrigued. It was a good thing, too, because it completely validated the time I spent sampling a new yarn yesterday instead of grading papers. It made me feel much calmer about the idea of needing time to crochet and be creative instead of attempting to maximize every second I'm awake during the day. Ultimately, this brief article is worthy of the 10 minute break to read and have a private conversation within yourself regarding how much time you spent crafting or creating and how that should be just as important in your daily routine as eating balanced meals and exercising. I loved it! It's already torn out and on the cork board in our office!

2) Hello Craft's Handmade to Sell was just published last month and has been flying off the DIY bookshelves. I picked up this book on a whim last month when I knew I wouldn't be able to get to it for at least a few weeks. Fortunately, I'm able to squirrel in a few pages every now and then before bed and I'm so happy I have it as a positive, thorough tip-of-my-fingers resource. My favorite component of this book is that it uses real, successful shops instead of fabricated imaginary shops (pun not intended ;)). Kelly Rand certainly gets to the point and explains the what's what extremely well and in a very positive manner. The other thing I really enjoy is that Kimberly Dorn, cofounder of the local (and amazing) Crafty Bastards and Handmade Mart, also contributes to this book, which tells me that it's extremely up to date and applicable for people like me (I was accepted to Handmade Mart last year, but couldn't attend because of other plans)! I appreciate the jump start this book offered me as I look down the remaining days of 2012 and begin to think about how I want to advance my small biz on 2013!

What have you read that has given you craftspiration? 

Review: Fancy Tiger Crafts of Denver, CO + Chiaogoo Crochet Hooks

When Cory and I were on our summer road trip we stayed in Boulder, CO for a few days. Having never been to Colorado, I was pleasantly surprised because they have a thoroughly established handmade community. I had been given a recommendation by my friend Whitney to stop by Fancy Tiger Crafts on our way through Denver. I'm so glad we did because not only did I fall in love with the store, but I also picked up a few Chiaogoo crochet hooks in the process! So here you go, a two-in-one review!

As soon as you walk into Fancy Tiger Crafts, it's nothing but color. Every item, notion, or product is available in a wide variety of colors. What I loved about this shop was that every nook and cranny was fully stocked with product, but I never felt overwhelmed. The staff was exceptionally friendly and willing to talk with me about crocheting while I picked out a new book and a small gift for Whitney. They also were very helpful while I asked them a few questions about Chiaogoo crochet hooks.

This incredible yarn-bombed deer in the back of the store is too gorgeous for me to put into words. As a person who isn't font of taxidermy, this would be my only exception. It was gorgeous!

Fancy Tiger had nearly every material, notion, or craft product I could dream of including a wide variety of Mexican oil cloth. It really made me wish I could ship boxes back home, but alas, I had to hold off to stick to my road trip budget! All in all, Fancy Tiger Crafts was a happy place. I saw many locals coming into pick out supplies for their craft projects which reaffirms that it's a community establishment. To me, it's as important that local craft stores feel as part of the community as your favorite pub or eatery.

So now to the second review: Chiaogoo Crochet Hooks!

While I was at Fancy Tiger, I stumbled upon their crochet hook selection and saw a brand of crochet hooks I was unfamiliar with at the time. Always wanting to try out new supplies, materials, etc., I picked up two different sized Chiaogoo hooks to try out throughout our remaining days on our roadtrip.

To be honest, what I like most about the Chiaogoo hooks is that they are simple. They are sturdy, smooth bamboo crochet hooks that I can imagine the earliest crocheters using. They fit nicely in my hand and I don't have a trouble gripping them like aluminum or plastic hooks. They're pricey. I spent $10 on a 25mm hook, but in my mind, it's totally worth it. As artists, we try to give our customers the highest quality product, but sometimes we need the highest quality tools to do that. If you're willing to make a life-long investment, I highly encourage you to try out Chiaogoo hooks. They would also make a really nice gift or stocking stuffer for the needle artist in your life!

What craft shop or product have you tried recently that you've loved? Let me know in the comments!

xo,

Mini Road Trip: Mini Lion Brand Shop in A.C. Moore!

As you know, I've visited Lion Brand Yarn's flagship store in New York City a handful of times because I'm lucky enough to have a friend who lives in the same neighborhood. Every time I go I gather inspiration and feel generally excited about crocheting and all things yarn. It's a beautiful spot that I wish I could visit more than just a few times a year, but I'll take what I can get! 

So when I was scrolling through my Google Reader earlier this week and read this post from the Lion Brand Notebook, I was shocked to hear that they are now opening mini-shops in A.C. Moore stores and the very first one was opening this weekend in White Marsh, Maryland! This is amazing news because I always need a healthy dose of inspiration and I happened to have no plans this weekend, so I made a mental note to allow a few hours for a mini-road trip at some point this weekend to check it out. 

When I woke up on Sunday, I knew I wanted to make the hour drive to White Marsh and decided it would be nice to just go by myself, that way I could take my time if need be. So here's the inside scoop about these pop-up LBY stores! 

So, this is me really excited about going to the new LBY store. As you can see, I am overjoyed at the prospects of this trip ;). I decided to leave my dSLR at home and just use my cell camera as to not offend the crowd I was sure to encounter. This ended up being a great strategy, because A.C. Moore was crowded and I would've been nervous about something happening to my camera. 

 As soon as I parked at The Avenue, the shopping center where A.C. Moore was located, I was surprised that A.C. Moore wasn't advertising this new partnership outside. I was expecting posters and maybe some yarn bombing, but alas, I was excited enough without the extra flare. 

When I walked into the yarn department, I was greeted by an A.C. Moore employee who gave me a raffle ticket (excuse my disgusting thumb nail) for an upcoming 12 o'clock raffle. Sadly, I didn't win the raffle, but I sure "won" when it came to the steep discounts A.C. Moore was offering on LB yarn and supplies! As you can see, I picked up a new pair of stress gloves as mine tore a few months ago. 

The entire LB set-up is really nice and pleasing to the eye. It's essentially like shopping at your favorite local yarn shop, but with florescent lighting. It's actually really easy to forget that you're in a big box craft store because of the enlarged aisle space and work area. I really liked the signage and wood grain accents throughout the entire section. In true Lion Brand Studio fashion, there were plenty of sample projects, models, and assistants to help you make the most educated yarn purchase!

My favorite part of this partnership is that the yarn is finally organized in a logical manner. So many times big-box stores organize their yarn by brand and not by type, this new organization method allows A.C. Moore to organize the LB yarn by material and size (i.e. all the wool/wool blend is next to one another). 

The other great thing about this partnership is that now A.C. Moore carries so many more LB supplies! It's difficult for me to find hooks and other notions at local stores; I usually have to buy them online or whenever I visit NYC. So this entire end-cap was well organized and exciting for me to see so many options. 

If you look closely, there's a learning center much like the class area in the real LBS space. On this particular day, the A.C. Moore associates were doing a Make and Take headband using the new bon-bons! So many crafters were having a blast learning how to use the adorable little packages. Other associates were demonstrating how to use the Martha Stewart loom kit that LB released about a year ago. I actually scooped one up because they were on sale for $15.99 instead of the regular $39.99! What a deal!

Another great accent is that each bin of yarn has it's own hang-tag instead of just the regular big-box price tag. Each hang-tag offers the name of the yarn, the color, and the weight. They were extremely easy to read; much easier than those pesky little barcode stickers! 

Here is one of the displays that made me feel like I was no longer in A.C. Moore. This was a simple display that really allowed me to feel like I was in a smaller yarn shop browsing different samples. I really liked this personal touch.

So here's the bottom line: this is a great adaptation to Lion Brand's personal style you experience when visiting their flagship location in NYC. Sure, you're still shopping in A.C. Moore, but it's much more tolerable! Since their other locations have not been announced yet, if you find out your local A.C. Moore is making this transition, consider yourself lucky! I know I'll be making the hour drive to White Marsh much more frequently since there are so many more options and varieties of yarn available through this partnership!

xo,

Crochet Book Review: Crochet Boutique

Back in early August I was ordering a few birthday gifts for Cory from Amazon and a suggested product (not because of Cory, but because of previous purchases) for me was Rachael Oglesby's new crochet book, Crochet Boutique! At first I was surprised because I've followed Rachael's blog and shop for so long, I was surprised I missed her speaking about this book project. Either way, I was stoked to get a little more insight to this intriguing crochet artist.

Since I'm trying my hardest to get back into the blogosphere on a regular basis, I thought since I'm currently drooling all over this book, I'd share a review of it with you!

To be honest, this book is like a peek inside a lifestyle I can only dream about right now. It's warm, inviting, comfortable, and effortless. All the images are gorgeous and you practically want to own every piece of crochet wear plus the outfits the models are wearing. The pairings seem natural unlike other crochet books where it's obvious the models don't wear crochet or knit on a regular basis.

The models look as if they not only enjoy wearing these goods, but that they could easily be Rachael's best friends. The book opens up to a gorgeous spread and a very detailed table of contents.

If you're a fan of Rachael, it should come as no surprise that the projects featured within this book have a varied skill levels but use very simple, easy to acquire yarns that you can find at your local craft store. I'm usually all about high quality yarns, but I've seen a lot of obscure yarn published in books. Let's be honest, if you're reading this book, you're going to want to start on these projects ASAP and not have to wait around for your yarn delivery to come in within the next few weeks!

 When I pre-ordered my copy of the book, I actually ordered two books. I knew I was going to keep one, but I also had a friend that was just getting into crochet, and I knew I could trust Rachael to include projects for beginners that would have very easy-to-read directions. I was totally right. I gifted the second copy of this book to a friend back in mid-September and although she may not have the time to dig into it right now, there's no doubt in my mind that the general perception of the book is making her eager to get started!

The photo above shows the step-by-step photo directions for each of the stitches used throughout the book. The stitches are actually fairly simple for each of the projects. I like it because many of the projects I could easily make in just a few hours. Nothing beats a quick project!

When it comes to Crochet Boutique, I think it actually was the jump start I needed to get back into crocheting full-force after a crazy summer away from home!

For those of you already thinking of holiday gifts, certainly add Crochet Boutique to the list. It would be an excellent gift to give a friend who wants to learn the craft or would function as a great resource for the most experienced stitchers out there!

I hope you'll check it out!

xo,

Smash* Books for Target

If there's one thing I love, it's the magical vortex that is every Target store I've ever been to. Are you with me? I can say, "I'll be back in 15 minutes!" and the next thing I know it's been 55 minutes. I have no idea what they do or how they do it--but it works. Sometimes after work, especially after a hard day at work, I'll take myself on a little stroll through our local Target just to check things out. I don't usually buy much or anything at all--which is good because I'm one heck of an impulse shopper (which I'm *crosses fingers* hopefully growing out of). 

Last week, during the craziness, I needed to pick up a few odds and ends for spring break, so I just took myself on a little Target walk. I noticed a few new items in their scrapbooking aisle from the Smash* collection from K & C Company. Usually the scrapbooking items at Target don't match my aesthetic, but the Smash* items were so lovely and fun that I instantly fell in love!

Fast forward to this Saturday at my uncle's house, where we celebrate Easter. My aunt put together handmade Easter baskets for each of my cousins (I have 6 cousins under the age of 13) and I noticed that the eldest girl, Kiersten (13 years old), got a Smash* book in her basket! Jealous! Since Kiersten didn't really understand what it was all about, I explained that Smash* functions as a fun collaboration between art journaling and scrapbooking. She was hooked! It's so good to see future crafters in my own family ;).

Well, after thinking about that beloved Smash* book for a few days, I finally took myself on a trip to Target today and picked one up for myself!

Right now, Smash* books are only 12.99 at Target (which isn't bad because I've also seen them at other stores for $15+). There are 4 options for books--4 regular sized themed books (Pretty--pink; Doodle--red; Adventure--black; and Retro--blue), and then a smaller option that comes in one theme, but I think is only $7.99 and the perfect size for your purse. Each Smash* book comes with a felt-tip black pen perfect for journaling on those pretty pages, and on the opposite side of the pen, a glue stick for sticking in those memories. Now, don't be like me and start winding up your glue stick without realizing it--forcing it inside the cap of the pen. aye aye aye.

I ended up picking up the Doodle version (red), because I liked the graphics, colors, and designs of the scrap pages better. While I was there, I also gave into temptation and bought a pack of big glitter foam stickers. I just couldn't resist the typography and colors of glitter! I could, however, resist all the other ancillary items that the Smash* Collection offers, for now at least. I have a pretty big collection of washi tape from Christmas that needs to be used and a plethora of other odds and ends around the house. Plus, the only item I truly had my eye on was that date stamp.

I came right home and made it my own. I'm pretty excited over the prospects of this thing--as I've always wanted to journal on a more regular basis, but am so easily overwhelmed by the entire process.

Above all else, I'm excited about using this book as a way to document my spring and summer! We're truly on the verge of summer around here (it's really the only thing I can think about anymore), so I'm thinking this will be a lot of fun!

How do you preserve your memories? 

xo,

Happy Easter!

 

I just wanted to hop on by (ha, get it?), to wish you each a happy Easter! 

Is it just me, or does it not feel like spring until Easter gets here? I am a strict follower of white only between Easter + Labor Day, so maybe that's why? Who knows. More importantly, I've been spending this weekend resting, reading, crocheting, and family-ing. It's been really great! Here's a look at my Easter from last year. Don't worry--I'll be sure to post about our Easter celebrations this year, too!

Maybe you're spending Easter away from your family or you don't celebrate the holiday at all. Either way, I wanted to leave you with a few simple DIY projects that might fill your time today! :)

The eggs above are from a simple, simple Purl Bee knit egg tutorial.

This no-mess Easter grass is perfect from Lion Brand Yarn blog.

Re-purposed jars + lace = magic from House of Humble.

You may want to glitter a bunny decoration, but I bet you could find something else on your shelves that needs a little glittering! Strumpet's Crumpets glitters the best!

Don't throw away those egg cartons after your egg-dying-eggstravaganza (sorry, I couldn't resist) OR after your Easter brunch! Check out all the ways you can re-purpose those pretty little organizers thanks to House of Humble.

Have a sweet tooth? Here's an oldie but a goodie from A Beautiful Mess: Homemade Candy Bars!

Here's to a Sunday full of sunshine and good memories.

xo,

Hook in Comfort DIY

Random fact: when I was 16 years old I was diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis. Essentially, my joints completely froze in place and I was unable to move very much while my doctors completed many tests to figure out what was wrong with me. I was one symptom away from being diagnosed with Lupus, but was still treated as if I were (medicinally) to be safe. Fortunately, my rheumatologist was confident that since I was diagnosed at such a young age, I might have a chance of "growing out of" the illness. I was medicinally treated for nearly 5 years, but during college, I tried to get through life without the medicine. It was scary at first, but in the end, my body was functioning just fine! Hooray! There are still a few things I need to be careful about. For example, I cannot eat aspartame as it flares Lupus symptoms and is generally dangerous for people with RA. Fortunately, my taste buds have become quite sensitive to it so I can taste it in everything from soda to cookies to gravy! I also have to be sure that I eat a lot of lean meats and fruits and veggies to keep a healthy diet. I get tired pretty easily, and for a long time, it seemed like I got sick at the drop of a dime, but I've been lucky recently (knock on wood).

What does this have to do with hooking in comfort? Last winter I could feel my arthritis coming back in my wrists. I was crocheting for at least 4 hours every day trying to keep up with the holiday demand of craft shows and Etsy sales. I loved every minute, but I was also afraid that I was hurting my body in a way that I would pay for--big time. I invested in a pair of stress relief gloves from Lion Brand that really helped me get through those last few weeks. After the new year I took a long time off--two months--from crocheting. It was nice, because now I'm ready to get back at it. This time around, though, I'm being a bit more proactive. 

I noticed this quick and cheap DIY a while back and decided to tackle it myself. I only needed to buy one item: pencil grips. This weekend, while I was running errands, I picked up a box of pencil grips from Walmart for only $2.00! A $2.00 DIY, people! Awesome!

You'll need any aluminum crochet hook that is a size 9mm or smaller and a box of pencil grips.

Wiggle the pencil grips to the middle of the crochet hook. I stopped every few seconds to make sure the pencil grip was close to where I hold my hooks naturally. I know there are a few different ways of holding the hooks--I always hold mine really close to the hook instead of in the middle.

 

Wha-la! Easy peesy, lemon squeezy. I've been stitching with my all-new comfort hooks for the last few days and it has been amazing! I will forewarn you, though, sometimes the plastic pencil grips can catch to certain fibers (ie: wool). If you know you're working with a luxe material and don't want to take any chances, I would upgrade the pencil grips so they weren't a sticky plastic.

For more ways to prevent injury while crocheting, this is a great resource.

Have you seen any other DIY ways to better your hook experience?

FiberPhiladelphia!

I've been craving girlfriend time like crazy recently. Maybe it's due to the changing of seasons and me being tired of being closed up, or maybe it's just because I don't see my girlfriends on a regular basis (probably the latter), but I have been trying to squeeze in as much friend time as possible.

My good friend Whitney, owner of The Muse in downtown Frederick, invited me on a day trip with her to Philadelphia and I was more than happy to tag along! Many of the FiberPhila events and exhibits are still underway through the end of this month (and even into early April), so if you're near by, you may want to make a day or weekend out of it! 

I'm a big fan of day trips in general, but this trip was extra special because it gave me the girlfriend time I needed, plus a healthy dose of inspiration for the spring and summer! Here's a look at our trip (and my thoughts regarding the show, too):

 

 

What do you think? My favorite exhibit was the one above that was curated on the theme of Mending = Art. There have been many times that my art has helped me mend myself. I think one could also argue that the process of mending a piece is also art unto itself, right? Maybe all art is mending and all mending is art?

Throughout all the exhibits I noticed a subversive trend regarding if craft could be interpreted as art. It's a great argument and one that I am constantly struggling with in my own life and work. Is crafting really an art? Has it always been or is it just now gaining said attention? Can we attribute the handmade revolution that has been sweeping our country throughout the last decade to this idea? Or has it been an art all along? 

What are your thoughts? I'd love to know!

xo,