Wedding RSVPs

    I sent out wedding invites just over a week ago and RSVPs have started coming back! Add the cake tasting my mom and I went to Saturday, and the wedding is coming together quite nicely. 

   My biggest surprise recently was when I got my first "celebrating from afar" response. It was a definite bummer! It's understandable; in fact we're planning on receiving  many regrets. If you follow general wedding planning rules, only about 80% of people invited to weddings end up attending. Though from what I've heard it's anywhere from 50% to 95%. So I guess we'll see what happens.

Big Life Changes

Over the next six months I am going to:

-buy a house
-move to a new city
-start a new job
-start a new college major
-get married

That's just a few things off the top of my head; there are also holidays, family gatherings, and the unknown to look forward to!

In light of all these changes, I've decided to lighten things up around here and gear my blog more towards the lifestyle genre. Hopefully this will inspire more frequent posts on my part, and more regular readership on yours.

I'm keeping the title because my love for others and my love of creating & crafting things are still the primary motivations for everything I do.

Hope to see you around!

#GusGus claimed ownership of my project bag. #cat #kitty #crochet #knitting #ugh

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1qGPNm5

DIY #Color matching Activity for my future NannyKid. #montessori #rainbow #nannylife #crafty

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1Awqdpq

Working on a new #scarf in please-don't-shoot-me orange. #crochet #nofilter

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1qB7yn2

Sorting #sequins into a pill case. How are you spending your evening? #crafty fun. #rainbow #colorful

via Instagram http://ift.tt/1ovssSQ

5 Crochet Stitches You Have to Try Today

Camel Stitch - Free Hat Crochet Pattern, looks like knit.

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Larksfoot Stitch How To
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Beautiful Mesh Stitch - Free Scarf Pattern

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Tight Weave Tweed Stitch. Great in lots of Colors!

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Wiggle Stitch - Great Texture, Free How To

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These Are a Few of My Favorite Pins

 I'm starting a new weekly series called A Few of My Favorite Pins. It's going to be a list of the best crochet pins/links from Pinterest out there, curated by me. 

Here's why:

  I love pinterest. Especially for crochet.  In fact, I have so many crochet boards that I took them off of my personal account and gave them their own to connect to this blog.

  The thing about pinterest though is that all too often, we pin and pin and pin, and nothing ever comes of it. We have so many pins, it's just overwhelming!

  So I'm here to pare it down for you.  Each week, I'll pick a topic or theme and give you my 5 favorite pins that fit the theme.  They could be incredible patterns, great tricks of the trade,  or designs that I think are just stunning and everyone needs to see.

  These 5  pins will also be posted to a new board I created on Pinterest called The Best Crochet Pins. If this idea sounds as cool to you as I think it is, get ready for some fun.

  This week's theme is Tricks of the Trade.

Foundation Single Crochet - without a chain. Includes multiple video tutorials.

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Wind your own yarn cake (center pull ball)with just a paper towel roll (or toilet paper roll). Here's How!!

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Change yarn with this join that's completely invisible!

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Finish off your Crochet Project with this invisible professional look.

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Make a Granny Blanket that's Rectangle (not square). Here's how to start.

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Need more to read?  Check out this post about my latest Pinterest inspired project.
Adventures in Knitting

Adventures in Knitting

 
   Although crochet is where my heart really lies, I learned how to knit about a decade earlier in second grade. The first project I started was a scarf for my American Girl doll (Addy). I say started because I abandoned it halfway through and didn't finish it up again until years later when I was more confident in my skills. In almost 15 years, I've probably made about a dozen scarves. Knitting just never got me hooked like crochet did (pun intended). Today however, I embark on a new knitting adventure.

   It all started as I was browsing my Pinterest feed and came across a shawl that I immediately fell in love with. 

Henslowe by Beth Kling

   As it turns out, even though it was posted on someone's crochet board it was actually knitted. I'll admit I was a little bummed at first. It's so gorgeous, why would someone let me love something so much without letting me know it's not my craft? 

  As a kicker,  I already had the perfect yarn. I bought it off of etsy almost a year ago and it was just screaming at me to make this shawl out of it.

Doctor Who: TARDIS by See Jayne Knit

  So knit or not, I decided to go for it. Here's my first progress shot:

TARDIS Shawl

I'm really hoping I can stick it out to the end because the shawl is just so beautiful.
~Wish me luck!!

Why Do You Create?

   Although I generally stick to my crochet these days, my large stash of craft supplies portray a much wider variety of crafting that what's limited to yarn and a hook. I've got stacks of chopped up magazines, forgotten origami paper, knitting needles, bits & yards of fabric, rick rack, buttons, jewelry wire, metal washers, beads, plastic lanyard string, spools of colored hemp, unfinished cross stitch and latch hook kits, and an embarrassing number of tabs off of my favorite energy drink. (Though that doesn't stop me from taking that pretty green tab off the can before throwing it into the recycling.)

Not sure if I'm more addicted to the drink,
or just collecting the tabs...

   I grew up creating things. At some point I realized it was more than about just making something in art class. It was for that feeling you get when you give someone a handmade gift knowing it's just for them. Knowing they appreciate the gift more because it's handmade than if you had gone out an bought them something random. Gifts that aren't about the money, only about time, effort and most importantly, the love you put into them. 

   This is where my love, passion, and arguably, skill with a crochet hook grew from. I would estimate that at least 90% of my crochet work ends up wrapped up and tied with a bow for someone I care about. It's actually crazy how much more fun it is for me to make something for some other than myself. Is that the way it is for everyone?

My latest WIP. (It's going to be a baby blanket)