Happy Easter!

Happy Easter to all!  Besides eating a very nice dinner, I got to spend some time crocheting.  My sister-in-laws knit and we all usually spend some time when we're together at holidays knitting.  I was working on a crocheted summer hat for girls out of colorful sock yarn.  I think it will turn out nicely.

I've been busy the past few weeks with work (Commencement is only 3 weeks away) and trying to get things ready for a craft show on May 7 at the VFW in Forest Lake, MN.  I also made some Easter baskets for a co-worker (see below).

Some of the things I'll have at the show include some e-reader covers, trellis necklaces and dish towels and dishcloths.  I still have much more to make though, so I'd better get busy!

Dear Blog: My first exercise class ever!

Dear Blog:
Tonight I took my first exercise class ever, and I don't think I made a fool of myself! I actually rather liked it and I think it might work out.

I've never been interested in organized exercise or going to a gym. Mainly because I don't want anyone to see me exercising. Too embarrassing. But after years of working in offices with phones and computers and then spending more hours knitting and crocheting and cleaning house and doing laundry, I've become stiff and not very flexible. It's not that I don't exercise. We walk every evening (weather permitting) and I have an exercise bike (which I should use more regularly). I do a lot of outdoor work in the summer and shoveling in the winter. But apparently I need to do something different.

So I thought about yoga. I thought about Pilates. But still a little too worried that I would look completely foolish and out of shape. Then the community Ed catalog came in the mail. It listed Tai Chi and talked about stretching and flexibility and approved by the arthritis foundation. Sounded like right up my alley. Maybe it would be a class of older people and I wouldn't feel outclassed. So I signed up.

The class had a mix of ages and I think my 50 year old self fell right in the middle. I didn't think it was too hard and I actually followed most of the moves. And I actually felt good afterward! My back, neck and arms have hurt lately and this evening my arms feel good and the back isn't so bad. So I'm going to go again next week!

Now it's time for any readers out there to chime in--what kind of exercise helps you avoid neck, back and arm pain? Does massage help? I do a massage once a month and I love it! But it's expensive!

Some More New Items

I did a knitted version of the preemie baby hat and listed it at my Etsy store.  http://www.etsy.com/shop/brendascraftstore  I think I like the knitted version better than the crochet version.

And I listed another necklace at Artfire http://BrendasCraftStore.artfire.com  I really like the colors on this one.  The yellow really stands out.  This is one of my favorite colors so far.

I spent part of the evening working on a crocheted dish towel.  I had tried one a week ago with this pattern but didn't like how it came out, so I'm trying again with some modifications.  We'll see how it goes.  I watched the Academy of Country Music Awards while I crocheted.  They had some good performances.  All the women looked gorgeous in their fancy dresses.  I wish I were that skinny!  I'm going to start an exercise class tomorrow night through our community ed program, so maybe I'll get a start on fitting into one of those dresses!

New Shop Listings

I've finished some new trellis yarn necklaces in a pretty spring color--they have lime, pink, blue and copper in them.  They'll go well with all kinds of different outfits.  Here's a photo:

 
You can find one on my Etsy shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/brendascraftstore and on Artfire at http://BrendasCraftStore.artfire.com.

I also tried a new item--a preemie baby's hat.  The pattern I was using was a free pattern from Bernat and it gave no information about the circumference the hat should be.  I found it really frustrating.  My son is 19 years old, so it's been a long time since I had a baby around, and I really don't remember how little a baby is.  So I googled newborn baby head size and there were several things that came up.  I stumbled onto a website called http://www.bevscountrycottage.com/.  She has all kinds of stuff on there, including a size chart for preemie, newborn, toddlers, children and adult hats.  I love it!  It was really helpful to me so I'd like to say thank you to Bev.  She also has a lot of hat patterns for babies and children.  I believe she does a lot of hats for donations, which I encourage everyone to do.  It's a worthwhile cause.  If you're in Minnesota in the Twin Cities area, we have something called Bundles of Love which makes afghans, booties, etc. for newborns of mothers who need help.  If you would like contact information for Bundles of Love, please let me know. 

In any event, I crocheted the preemie hat using Bernat Softee baby yarn and it came out pretty well. I ended up using my old Baby Pat a Burp doll as the model.  She has a 13" circumference head and the hat fits loosely on her.  So it should fit a preemie.  Here's a picture:

I only used 1/2 of the skein so I'm using the other half of the skein to do this hat in a knit version.

My other new project didn't come out so well.  I tried a new pattern for a crocheted cotton dish towel, but even though I checked my gauge, it came out too wide and too long and I just don't think it looks good enough to sell.  So I'll use it at home because I can't stand to waste yarn.  The perfectionist in me is irritated though, and I'm going to try it again and see if I can get it right. I can't let that pattern beat me!  (Is anyone else like that?)

I Have Spring Fever!

I'm back from vacation in sunny Florida and now I have a serious case of spring fever.  Here in Minnesota it was 50 degrees yesterday, but today only in the 40's.  And there's still plenty of snow on the ground.  But Florida inspired me and I'm ready to start making something other than hats and scarves.  I knitted a very springy green/yellow/turquoise dishcloth on the plane.  I think I'll do a yell one and a turquoise one now and list them as a set.  I have a couple of cute bunny patterns so I think I'll start doing some bunnies for Easter.  I'll post pictures and links as I get them done.

Making Money

I found a link to this article on making money from a seller on Artfire.com (http://www.artfire.com/users/AbsintheDragonfly).  I read the article and thought it was pretty good and wanted to share it.  So take a look.

http://www.inc.com/magazine/20110301/making-money-small-business-advice-from-jason-fried.html

Lots and Lots of Patterns

Dear blog:

This entry will be about patterns.  I LOVE knit and crochet patterns.  I order them from catalogs, on-line from sellers on Etsy, etc. and print them off the internet. I have file cabinets full of patterns.  I have plastic storage bins full of patterns. And I have a pile under the coffee table in the living room and patterns and a pile of patterns on top of the coffee table.  And I have crochet magazines piled on top of the coffee table in the family room.  Does anyone else have as many as  I do????

I wish I could say they were all organized.  The ones in the file cabinets are.  But alas, the piles are not.  The closest to being organized are the ones in a pile on top of the coffee table in the living room.  That's where I've been putting the ones that are for things I really want to try soon.  It's only about 7" high.  So today I was going to pick a new craft project to start on.  I decided I should go through that 7" high pile and narrow it down to ones that I really want to do now and would be appropriate for the season or things that I think will sell.  I figured I could narrow it down to a few things to concentrate on.  WRONG.  The new pile is still about 2 inches high.  I guess I'd better get busy! 

And to top it all off, in today's mail came the Patternworks catalog.  I love looking through that catalog.  Most of their patterns are for knit projects, but they have some crochet ones too.  And they have lots of very nice yarns.  I marked a few patterns I want to order!  If you haven't seen their catalog before or their website, you can find them at www.patternworks.com.

Some of my other favorite pattern places are www.knitpicks.com, www.anniesattic.com, www.lionbrand.com (lots and lots of free patterns), Bernat and www.bernatcares.com.  There are also a lot of sellers on Etsy.com who sell their patterns and there are some really cute ones.  Very creative people there.  Joann.com also has project patterns but I find their's rather hard to search and find what I'm looking for.  Herschners and Mary Maxim also have a lot of patterns that come as kits with the yarn.

I'm always looking for new patterns, so if you have a favorite place for patterns, please post them in the comments.

I also have to mention a new website I found courtesy of a seller on Etsy.  I bought a pattern for a crochet bath mat from her and she used 8 ply Peaches n Cream cotton yarn.  Now the only place I ever see Peaches n Cream cotton yarn anymore is in Walmart.  And our Walmart barely has any yarn or craft items anymore--maybe 1/2 an aisle's worth.  They eliminated all their fabric and everything.  And the only Peaches n Cream they have is 4 ply which I use for dishcloths.  I asked the seller where she bought 8 ply Peaches n Cream and she directed me to this website:  http://www.elmore-pisgah.com/.  They have regular 4 ply and also 8 ply in balls and cones.  The price doesn't seem to outrageous.  So I've ordered some and I'm waiting so I can start that bath mat! 

I also have to plug that I sold a trellis necklace on ArtFire today (thank you!).  And I listed a new pink crochet headband.  It's really a pretty pink and is just the right color to promote breast cancer awareness.  Here's some pictures: