CPSIA - Small Business Meeting CANCELLED

Say what?

Yes. The hearings on CPSIA by the Subcommittee on Regulations and Healthcare of the House Committee on Small Business have cancelled their meetings. I'm not sure why, as I just heard this news and knew that it needed immediate reporting to other Etsians and handmade artisans. Please read the blog entry by Rick Woldenberg, the Chairmen of Learning Resources Inc., in Illinois.

Still Winter

Since it's still winter, and Audrey's birthday is coming up on March 1st (she'll be 5!) I wanted to search Etsy for some wonderful gift ideas.

Click on the picture to be taken to that store!

"Dog Cowl"
Made by forthetiny.etsy.com

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The Cathedral of Notre Dog
Made by homedog.etsy.com

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Melrose White Dog Collar
by nolaandspencers.etsy.com

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Rockabilly Hot Pink Black Polka Dot Dog Puppy Hair Bow
by ProperPuppy.etsy.com

Tutorial: Fabric Lining in Crocheted Handbag

Found an awesome tutorial from FutureGirl that shows you how to sew the lining for a crocheted purse/handbag and how to sew it ONTO the actual bag. I wish someone would have told me before I had to make a bazillion errors!

Click here for the tutorial on lining.
Click here for the tutorial on sewing it ONTO the bag.

Purities @ Etsy

Apparently I am this weeks featured Giveaway Artist on this blog entry! :) Yay! What can you win? $25 gift certificate at Blue Wings, and a free soap from my new soap shop Purities! If you ask me, it's a fantastic deal. All you have to do is comment on the entry with your favorite item from EITHER shop (or both) and you are entered to win in the contest. It's amazing. It's easy. And ... you better do it :)

I'm still working on the Noah's Ark blanket for my friend. I've been a bit lazy in the crochet world, but I'm getting pumped back up. Soap making has gotten me a bit pre-occupied but I'm missing crochet like crazy. Today I bought a few skeins from Vanna White at Michaels for a throw I'm going to make for our home. The one my mama bought for us is coming apart after just a year of using it, despite it being $80 at Hobby Lobby, and so I'm determined to replace it with something homemade. The love will warm us up more than the other one, I figure :)

Got some beautiful rose scented soaps coming up today at Purities.etsy.com. They're gorgeous. My guest bathroom smells like a huge bouquet of fresh roses, and I'm sad to have to give the soaps away just because they smell so lush. Some of them feature dried rose petals (thanks hubby for the roses for V-day! You've given me petals for my soaps! LOL) and they just look... wonderful. I'm being humble, that's how wonderful they look - lol.

So go! Run! check them out!! :)

NEW SOAP SHOP:
Purities.etsy.com

Just Another Day in Paradise

One of my husband's co-workers found out his wife is pregnant. I love this girl and am so happy for her! She has been trying to conceive for a good few years now, and I know that she is so happy about this. I normally don't push my crocheting out on people that he works with (as some of them think of it as "granny hobby") but since we're good enough friends, I know how much she and her husband will appreciate this.

My husband and I weren't yet trying to conceive when I found this wonderful Noah's Ark blanket from Crochet! May 2008. I was eagerly awaiting for one of the wives, or a friend, to tell me that they were pregnant so that I could make this for somebody! I needed to make this for SOMEONE because I couldn't wait long enough to make it for when I get pregnant, lol. I just think this is the absolute cutest blanket in the entire world. So... I've begun the ocean part and am pretty much finished with the blue (ocean) part of the blanket. As cute as it is, I think it's fairly easy. It's basically just a wave pattern for the blanket, and with all my amigurumi training, I feel so confident once I reach the point of making the boat and animals. However, it will be the first time I'm attaching something to a blanket so we will see how that goes...

Since I'm finally finished with the wholesale order of The Claire Doll, I have had a ton of free time to create new things in time for Easter. I've posted up a Breast Cancer awareness ribbon which I have NO problem accepting wholesale orders for and giving a hefty discount per ribbon for. If we had a little bit more money (ha!) I would do it for free since it's for a great cause. In any case, I've finished the Claire Doll's and would like to tell you guys about the website she'll be featured at!

The lady has yet to post the website up, as she is still working on the entirety of it (do you guys remember how hard it is to make up a new website from scratch!?). I have the link, so check back for it ;-)

I've had this idea in my head for a while now and am not sure if I want to do it. And if I do create it... should I sell it or just give it to a family member's kid? There's push music buttons you can purchase, and I bought one just for this idea. Once pressed it sings, "Jesus Loves Me". Can you guess? Yes, I want to make a Jesus amigurumi! I would like to do it entirely from my own pattern. I can see it in my head! What do you think?

Aside from that, I need to get to listing up the tiny amigurumi sheep I made. It's from luxuriously fuzzy yarn which was HIGHLY difficult to crochet with, seeing as I can't see the darned stitches with that stuff. But the end result is oh-so-cute!

Creative Christmas

Christmas is always fun, but I was especially ecstatic this year with anticipation. Unlike in my childhood, this anticipation came from giving my mother a crocheted nativity set. I wasn't as thrilled with the outcome, then again am I ever?! :)




Thankfully I had come up with the idea of making my cousin's little girl a look alike doll. Steadily I worked on The Claire Doll before the 1st of January (her birthday). Fortunately I also received a wholesale order for The Claire Doll because the lady thought it was so cute! :) Of course this makes me so happy, and I do hope that other little girls enjoy the doll thoroughly.

Other new items have kept me busy as well. I would love to start a new Eco-Friendly line of household items and perhaps one day fashion! (*gasp* yes, I'm studying how to actually make clothing!) So for now Etsy is only embellished with two of my Eco-Friendly items. The bath set (with a free pouf!) and the washcloths. I'm working on some beautiful yellow ones for the springtime, which are fantastically soft!

There's a few more orders I've got to work on, so I really must be going. I do hope you visit the store in time for spring!

- Brittany

Fuschia Debut

I believe it's about time for a bit of an update, as I've pretty much left any readers stranded after the welcome message, lol.  

Of course I will always be obsessed with making amigurumi, but my newfound love is the sewing machine my mama passed down to me when I got married.  Purses, aprons, pillows, dresses, skirts... I'm attempting them all!  I love it, and I have recently been incorporating them into two new purse designs which are being sold on my Etsy shop.  

 

I absolutely love that fuschia purse. I really do. 

 It's hard for me to put it up for sale, but oh I must!  After purchasing my husband's birthday gift, I'm determined to at least pay for half of it (can't tell ya in case you tell him! :P)

I'd show you the other picture, however it's a surprise gift for my mama and I could see her browsing over to the blog and having a look at it before she opens it in a few days!

Today I'll be working on an Alchemy order for leg warmers for a Chihuahua.  I imagine they'll work up quickly since their legs are precious and tiny!

Did a wonderful trade off with Etsy seller ZenDesignStudios.  I made her (and her daughter) Agatha's Celebration in trade of a business logo (see it decking the blog?) and business cards which I'm ECSTATIC to see!  Connie does an absolutely excellent job at computer designing, and I completely recommend her to anybody looking for logos, cards, or help with revamping your 'sites.

In other news, Harriet is... not okay.  Waiting on test results today for her, erm... poo-poo.  Excessive diarrhea has us terribly worried, and thus have resulted in locking her into the upstairs bathroom so she doesn't possibly infect our dog and other cat.  

Until next time, have a wonderful day and go look at my shop for some wonderful Christmas gifts :)