Look at this GORGEOUS clutch crocheted by Sarah of Photosarah Crafts! She had a recent giveaway, and I was the lucky winner! I love the color combination, and Sarah’s work is impeccable. Please check out her blog for all sorts of fun projects, like pouches, scarves and mittens, bunting, baby clothes, cards, and quilts. You are one talented lady, Sarah! ♥
Look what I got in the mail this week! My sweet bloggy friend Sharon of Gentlestitches sent these lovely, handmade pillow ornaments for my Christmas tree all the way from Victoria, Australia to Kansas, USA! I just love them! If you haven’t had a chance to visit Sharon’s blog yet, please go take a look . . . she even has a page full of free patterns! Thank you, dear Sharon! ♥
Looky what I made! As you may know, I haven’t learned to knit or crochet yet (although my first wonky attempt at crochet DID turn into a super-cute pillow!). However, on Thanksgiving weekend my daughter-in-law Tiffany showed me how to make this frilly scarf out of the Sashay yarn I won from Ginny’s spring giveaway. The lace is already part of the yarn, so all I had to do was crochet through the openings at the top . . . easy even for me! I found out that the back of the yarn wrapper has directions for this same scarf, but it was way better to see someone model the steps in person. Thank you, Ginny and Tiffany! ♥
1. INDIEGOGO: How cute are these T-shirts??? Please check out the fun-loving, talented Sheri (center) at her creative blog Awesomesauce and Asshattery (with lots of other info and links here), and then take a moment to watch the campaign video for her innovative Indiegogo business. Hats off to your newest venture, Sheri! ♥
2. LE TRANGO: My bloggy friend Christina of Le Trango is offering this FREE desktop wallpaper HERE and (fingers crossed!) may have new ones for each upcoming month! I just love her whimsical designs and Etsy shop . . . check out this post to read more about this talented artist and find all her links. Thank you, Christina! ♥
3. Design-Her-Gals: In March, I posted that Design-Her-Gals (the fun web site where I make my gravatar gal gift cards and writing business cards) was up for sale. Long story short, they closed, then they found a buyer, and now they’re open again! And, if you’ve visited before, you’ll find all your previous “gals” still in your “dressing room” ready to go! To use Design-Her-Gals, simply pick your “you,” dress and accessorize yer, and put her on business cards, mailing labels, notecards, aprons, mugs, caps, luggage tags, and more. They also have print-order and print-at-home options available. Even if you’re not in shopping mode, you can play on their site and get on their mailing list for special offers. Click here to read about the new owner, Dawn Espinoza. P.S. Some other bloggy friends who’ve created Design-Her-Gals are Doctorate Housewife, A Ponytail Kind of Day, and Boomdeeadda. I just love them all! ♥
Through Jill of Nice Piece of Work (clear in South Africa, and the creator of my adorable owl pillow!) I found out that a lovely blogger named Tamara of Crochet With Tamara lives in my city! I emailed her, and we met for coffee on Saturday morning at Panera.
The moment I laid eyes on Tamara’s merry smile and bag of crocheted items for show and tell, I felt like I’d known her my whole life! Tamara is such a talented lady, too, including being president of the Wichita Crochet Guild. And . . . I’m going to sign up for her crochet class at Twist!
Tamara also gave me this GORGEOUS crocheted doily . . . something I’ll cherish always. Thank you for the fun outing, Tamara, and here’s to many more! ♥
My blogging friends are definitely giving me a big boost in the I-really-want-to-learn-to-knit-and-crochet department these days! First, Orit sent her amazing pdf tutorials to review. Then Ginny of My Time Stitching drew my name out of a bowl for her recent yarn giveaway! Isn’t it just gorgeous? I love the names, too, and they’re SUPER soft and have such lovely, unique textures. You MUST check out Ginny’s amazing floss storage cabinet when you visit her blog . . you’ll swoon! Here’s a photo of my new yarn in my favorite expensive free wire tray. Thank you, Ginny! ♥
My blogging friend Kayla of The Art of Creating Joy has some exciting plans!
She is raising money for a mission trip to India in the fall!
To jump-start her funding, she has opened an Etsy shop featuring these adorable handmade knitted and embroidered coffee and tea cozies.
I chose these three and can’t wait to give them as gifts!
Now she even has one in French!
Click here for Kayla’s blog and here for her shop from this post or anytime from my Shop Love! page above.
She’ll keep refilling the shop as her supporters keep ordering.
Thank you for my fun purchases, Kaylee, and thank you most of all for your vision to help the world. ♥
I love reading about my blogging friend Hannah’s projects at Hannah Ackroyd.
When Hannah’s birthday was approaching, she wrote a “22 Before 22” list.
Can you guess which item caught my eye? Yes . . . “Sell a handmade item.”
So when I saw Hannah’s first ever knitted headband, I asked if she would make and sell me one.
She did, and it’s my new prized possession . . . my favorite color, cozy for winter, and beautiful stitches and a-la-mode.
I also loved the sweet note Hannah included about her hopes and dreams for the future.
She hasn’t opened a shop yet, but I know that someday she will.
Thank you for my lovely purchase, Hannah! ♥
When my blogging friend Judy of Grandparents Plus 2 emailed me about her daughter Jennifer’s small business, I couldn’t wait to check it out! I purchased this beautiful handmade coiled fabric berry basket from the 1840 Farm Mercantile, and I just LOVE it. Plus, I found out that Judy and Jennifer use to live in my state (Kansas)! What a small world! Besides baskets, Jennifer creates and sells lovely knitted and fabric items. Please check out her links from this post or anytime from my Shop Love! page above. ♥
Here’s my new prized possession . . . a knitted cup cozy in bright red (perfect for my morning coffee in my black, white, and red home office!) made by my blogging friend Sue of Stitch Knit. Sue sells all kinds of beautiful knitted, crocheted, and sewn items in her Etsy Shop, including scarves and other accessories, gifts for babies and children, and fun things to use in your home. Her customer service is superb, too . . . she even sent this lovely yellow crocheted soap saver as a free gift!
Click here for Stitch Knit’s blog, here for the Etsy shop, and here for the FB page, and remember that you can always find these links from my Shop Love! page above. Thank you, Sue! ♥
Today I’d like to highlight four amazing WordPress bloggers’ stores where I did my Cyber-Monday gift shopping this year. Each one has BEAUTIFUL products and EXCEPTIONAL customer service! Here are their contact links along with a little photo shoot of my lovely purchases (plus a few freebies they added!). I hope you’ll get a chance to check them out yourself soon! P.S. I now have “Shop Love!” page in my header to promote my blogging friends’ small businesses. I’d love to add more, so please leave a comment or send me an email if I may feature YOUR store! ♥
(1) Lili and Mum’s: Click here for her blog, here for her FB page, and here for her store.
(2) Neecy’s Neccessities: Click here for her blog, here for her FB page, and here for her store.
(3) P.S. I Love Soap Company: Click here for her blog, here for her FB page, and here for her store.
(4) Drama Queen Seams: Click here for her blog, here for her FB page, and here for her store. ♥
PILLOWS A-LA-MODE 