More Yarn!

Would you believe how often my husband says to me, "Do you need to get any more yarn today, dear?" :) He's so good to me!
This is part of my current yarn stock...I do have another messy bin of yarn that I need to tidy up--you know how quickly it can get tangled up! But I do try to keep organized. I also bought some pretty yarn to make Holland a few sweaters for this fall and winter...so that'll mean some more designing of course!


Our 2nd wedding anniversary is coming up in March and I got my Dutch hubby an early anniversary gift. I had a custom t-shirt made by
http://www.precisionengraving.etsy.com/.
I highly recommend their shop!

Calendar Baby Bear Hat

Holland's nose is all better now and she was willing to model a few hats for me this week. The first one was a hat my friend Janis designed and the latest one is my latest design, my Calendar Baby Bear Hat.

In this photo, she was just about to take it off and I was able to capture the photo just in time before she did. :)

Review Holland Designs

A lady named Dorothy convo'd me on Etsy today and said...

Hello,

I've added your shop to my website which introduces handmade shops and allows buyers to review them. Please come to have a look and encourage your customers to submit comments about your shop !

http://www.rodmas.net/dreammistland/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=196&Itemid=40

So, if you'd like to review my Etsy shop, click on the above link.

www.foundhandmade.com

Spa of the Moment Ballet Flats featured on http://www.foundhandmade.com/

On January 27, 2009, http://www.foundhandmade.com/ featured my Spa of the Moment Ballet Flats pattern on their website under their "Finds of the Day" section in a post entitled, "Warm Up the Cold January Days." The heading read: "These pieces will keep you warm and toasty while brightening up cold winter days with a fun punch of color." This pattern has been one of my most-popular to date.

Now on Ravelry!

I recently discovered and joined http://www.ravelry.com/! It's a crochet/knitting forum and an awesome website, especially for designers. What a cool way to introduce my patterns to more crafters and then get the added bonus of being able to see the completed projects they've made from my designs. I was so thrilled to actually be able to put up the picture of the wedding top I made and then contact the lady who had originally designed it! She emailed me back with the sweetest comments--such an amazing lady & designer!

One lady who bought my baby 2-button ballet flats pattern made hers in a gorgeous shade of red, which looked even nicer than the color I'd used. :) I took a cue from her and have now made a red pair for the photo in my shop (and also as a gift for a new baby girl named Emily!)

February Designs - What's New

I've added a few new designs recently...my "sporty-casual" collection and also my pretty pleated mary janes. I want to use the same concept to create a pretty pleated baby hat and also adult slipper version...when I find the time! I've got a few other made-to-order projects to finish also...not to mention the vacuuming, dishes and other housework. My husband is very understanding...but I know sometimes the crochet hook needs to be put down so the house doesn't get neglected! :)

Holland won't be doing any modeling for me for a while, as she fell down on the way to the mailbox on Monday and now has what I call her "sad nose."

Just Like Aunt Mary!

Yesterday I designed a baby version of my adult Skimmer T-Strap Ballet Flats pattern. They turned out so sweet; I made them to fit my daughter, Holland, rather than making the usual newborn size. This pattern is so easy to adjust and can fit baby age newborn to 12 mos +.

Holland just learned to walk and that makes these slippers extra special! When I tried them on her, she sat still so nicely for me and seemed so pleased! She just knew these were her special slippers...just like the ones I had made for her Aunt Mary...only smaller. :)
When I took photos of her wearing them, she was so good! I remember when she was a baby and she'd kick her feet so much, all the photos would turn out blurry. Now she seems to know that mommy is doing a "photo shoot" and sits still and enjoys having her picture taken. Now if only I could get her to smile instead of looking so serious! :)

At the Beach

We took our daughter to the beach for the first time this past weekend. It was beautiful, but Holland didn't think too much of it! The water was a little too cold for her and she didn't like the sand either. Maybe in another year she'll enjoy it better. :)

My Favorite Wedding Photo

We have just had a beautiful long weekend together as a family - my husband, my daughter and I. The weather has been gorgeous...well, a bit muggy...but we can't complain! Summer is so lovely here in New Zealand.

I was going through a few photos and found this one of our wedding - March 11, 2007. I crocheted the jacket I am wearing by hand and it took me a few months. It cost me $5 to make the top and I found my dress at Ross for $20, and I just added some lace to the hem to lengthen it. I love the old-fashioned clothing styles of the regency era and couldn't find anything I liked among modern style wedding dresses. Besides, it was nice to save $ on the dress and spend it on our honeymoon in Rarotonga instead. :) (That's one of the Cook Islands - about a 3 hour flight from New Zealand - think a less-commercialized version of Tahiti!) :)

On the move!

My daughter, Holland, is now 8.5 months old and is officially crawling...and pulling up and getting into everything. :) This includes mommy's yarn and crochet projects, if I don't keep a close eye on her. Today I was working on something, left it on the couch and walked into another room. When I came back, this is what I saw...

It was so adorable I had to take a photo. Who knew a crochet hook was good for teething? :) Yes, probably not the best option, so I quickly took it away from her, much to her disappointment!

I am just a little bit thrilled though that she seems to be interested in my crocheting...maybe she'll want to crochet herself when she's old enough (read "3") :) That's when I began to learn! :)