Do you have Blog Button?

I came across this wonderful blog tutorial on how to make a blog button. Now I had been craving a blog button for a while now, and just didn't understand how in the world to go about creating one. Well DP Nguyen from http://www.mypregnancybaby.com gave me what I needed. She has a few how to tutorials for bloggers.

Now I do have to say that if you are not familiar with how to work with html code it can be a little scary. I do encourage you to try it. The most you can lose is a little of your time. I thought I would give it a shot since I also think working with HTML code is scary.

Needless to say I forged ahead and after a few errors I finally got my button to look like I wanted it to and include the code for you to copy to your blog or website. If you look to your right that is where you will find them but if you still don't know what I am talking about, here is what mine ended up looking like.

Watermarking your photos

So I was at a point in my craft when I had accumulated a lot of pictures of my work. I was at the verge of paying someone to create a logo and a watermark.

At the last minute I decided to do a little research and see just how hard it was to create a watermark first. I found a few videos on how to create your own watermark but the best help I found was this blog, http://temptingthyme.com/2013/03/25/how-to-create-a-transparent-watermark/.

It went step by step and so easy to follow that I immediately started creating my own. I will try to post them here so your can see all the ones I created in a matter of a few minutes. The first 6 watermarks I made using Picmonkey.com and the last 2 I created with Ribbet.com. Because the watermarks are transparent and white I went ahead and edited them again with paint so that you would be able to see them clearly, but originally the background is white(transparent actually).

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 These are some of the few watermarks that I made for the holidays. I still have a few holidays to work out but I am really loving it.

 I will soon post a video tutorial on how I did my watermarks. A very special thank you to Shauna Tafelski for a wonderful tutorial on this topic. If you want to learn how to do other things for your blog or website, visit her blog.

No mistakes just great opportunities!

So I joined a group on Facebook called "Hookahs Day Out" and we challenge ourselves to create crocheted items or stitches that we have never done before. So our first project we used a stitch called "picot" stitch and we followed this video
by New Stitch a Day on YouTube  on how to do that. Here is a picture of a before and after steam blocking.


The challenging part of this pattern was  that we found this image on the web but no pattern. Well not until later that is. I searched with google image search to find out where it originated from and I found it on a picasa web album. So off we went to recreate this shawl.

I made a few videos explaining the process to some of the members so they would not feel so intimidated by the whole thing. I was doing great on my shawl or so I thought and when I finally finished I discovered that my shawl just didn't lay correctly. I tried it several different ways but no go. Finally I was about to frog it when I realized that I could actually turn the shawl into a shrug. This is how it came out.

 Needless to say I was very happy with it. I did how ever have to make a second one because I could not give this one away.

So, now we move on to our next project, a skirt! I have never done one before but I am very excited to get it done and try it on. If you would like to join our group visit us on facebook at Hookah Day Out.

Is Threading Beads Delightful? Maybe! You be the judge.

So I have a video on how to crochet hoop earrings and in that video I used beads with my thread. Now if you use beads when you crochet then you know that sometimes it.s difficult to find. Well in my internet surfing endeavors I came across a Nice lady, Brenda. She commented on the video about a certain needle we could use. My interest was peaked and so I went to her blog and looked at what it could be and this is what she was talking about.

The product she bought was GUM ease. It is a threader for your floss to clean between dentures or braces. Here is a picture of what they may look like.

This is fantastic, I think, since I always have trouble getting my thread through my beads. I have not tried it yet but will definitely be purchasing some in the very near future. For now this is what I also found useful is Beadalon. This is just regular beading wire used for jewelry making. I cut off about 6" piece and crease it in half. Then open it back up and slip in my thread between the two pieces and start threading on my beads. 

I got mine at my local Walmart and it is inexpensive and now has multiple uses. I keep it with all my other needles in my magnetic needle case also from Walmart. (Are you noticing the theme here) Here is a picture of what I have.

Give these two ideas a try and let me know how it goes. Do you prefer one over the other or do both serve equally as well? Until next time. Have a wonderful day.

Wonderful Designer - Robyn Chalula

I wanted to talk about a wonderful designer who I love and aspire to be like
Robyn Chalula. But first a little rant on sharing:

I recently came across a conversation between an artist (not Robyn Chalula) and one of her fellow follower. The artist was going on about how low people were in trying to "copy" her and why couldn't they be unique like she was? Needless to say her comments rubbed me the wrong way. I  started thinking about how I get into this type of mentality when I make or create something and how I start to think that I am so smart for making something so unique, then having the wind blown out of my sails two days later when I see someone else has posted the exact same thing that I just made. So that got me thinking about this particular artist and how annoyed I was at her comment. It wasn't only  because she didn't  want to share her pattern, either purchased or otherwise, but I just couldn't believe that she was the only one on God's green earth that had thought of this technique. So I started looking and searching the Web for this technique and I found it. I found another artist who had done this technique two years before her. This new artist was even kind enough to sell her patterns on Etsy! So my search was over and I did not confront the artist who posted the comments because I didn't think it would make a difference to that person but only took on the chore of doing so to prove something to myself.
Humans have been on this earth for thousands of years, and yes some people are still inventing new and glorious thing, but for the most part man can only improve on what is already out there. So let's not think we are the only ones out there that have thought up of a concept and have "reinvented the wheel",so to speak and instead let's try to be a more kind and giving people. Lets make things better and share the love!
This is one great example of sharing the love. Here I found a wonderful new book by Robyn Chalula.
Crochet Month Designer Interview Series: Get to know Robyn Chachula! | Bernat Blog
I especially like the fact that she gives us a free pattern just to wet our pallets. If it's one thing I love is people who share their creations freely.
Don't get me wrong I know artist need to make money, but for those of them who freely share some of their work, I admire them for their generosity and kindness.

Spring Crochet Patterns

My Niece is having a birthday this weekend and we will all be attending her party. I decided to make her a few goodies. Now mind you I have no idea her measurements and, I will probably regret not getting them, but I really love surprising the birthday person.

The first item I made was from a book called the "DoubleStitch Designs for the Crochet Fashionista" by Erika and Monika Simmons. I'm pretty sure everyone has seen or heard of them by now. They collaborate with Red Heart Yarn on patterns. I picked this particular book because it has some very cool, and modern style crochet garments.

I must confess that I did goof the pattern up. It did come out nice but I was sort of winging it. I did have trouble understanding some of the pattern so therefore it doesn't look exactly like the original. I do love the way it looks. What do you think?

My second item was this Happy Days Halter. Oh the possibilities with this pattern! It comes in 3 different sizes (small, medium, and large) but can be easily altered to go smaller or larger. My daughters loved it and so I will be making one for each of them and they of course have already picked out their colors. This was a free pattern from RedHeart.com and I have posted a link directly to it.

Happy Days Halter

The third item I made was inspired by another pattern I found in the book I mentioned above from the double stitch twins. I call this my hip hugger cover.
I really enjoyed the process of not having to look up at a pattern and just going with what felt and looked right. I will be posting the pattern at a later date once I have tested it. It was very fun and fast and I really hope she likes all of the items.

http://stitchandunwind.com/spring-crochet-patterns-stitch-share-giveaway

Stash Busting Challenge Update

This is my first project for this challenge and it will eventually end up being a blanket for my one of my Daughters. She loves blues so I am trying to find all of my blue scrap leftovers to use up first.

My first color I used I crocheted until I ran out but fell short of finishing a round. I didn't like how that looked so I from then on I try to use up as much as I can and only go as far as my scrap ball of yarn will complete a whole row.

I am really liking how it is turning out, but it is getting harder and harder to use just my scrap balls of yarn. They seem to small, and the larger the blanket gets the more yarn it needs to make a complete round. I will keep going until I am happy with the size and if I do have to use new skeins I will.