Pimp Your Brilliance Podcast, with guest: me!

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Monique from the blog Keep Chasing the Stars invited me to be a guest on her podcast Pimp Your Brilliance.  We talk about how I got started as a crocheter, why I decided to create food-themed accessories, my initial reluctance to becoming a YouTuber, and how I’ve maintained longevity in the handmade industry. Please pardon all my “uhhhhs.” Apparently I also say “you know” a lot!!! Being on people’s podcasts also helps me learn how to be a better speaker :P, so I learn from them, too! Thanks so much, Monique! It was a lot of fun chatting!

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“Supersize Crochet” Giveaway!

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I have a fun giveaway for you guys! THIS GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED! Check out SUPERSIZE CROCHET by Sarah Shrimpton. I had the honor of receiving an early PDF of the book. It’s filled with 20 projects that all use super giant chunky yarn! Fun, right?! You can buy the book directly from the publisher F&W or from Amazon (affil. link). The twenty projects inside range from big, colorful rugs, to oversized cowls, to humongous blankets, and more. The bonus part is that the patterns are fairly simple, so even beginners can enjoy the max out of the book (please note that the book is in UK crochet terms rather than US, but there is a handy chart at the back for conversion). Sarah also provides a Top Tip for each project, and there is a section at the beginning of the book that focuses on general tips for working with gigantic yarn. I decided to make the Cocoon Shrug and show you guys. Disclaimer: I wanted to buy the exact yarn that Sarah used (Rico Fashion Gigantic Mohair), and I could only find it from the UK, AND THEN… I didn’t order enough balls because I spaced out, and there wasn’t enough time to ship more from the UK. So my first effort was kinda more of a bolero … which was fine, but I really wanted a full-on cocoon! Here’s my rainbow bolero. Rainbolero.

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I’ll be at TeeCon in Washington D.C. this weekend! Come say hi!

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I just packed my bags for a quick trip to Washington D.C. for Tee Con at the Washington Convention Center. At noon, I’ll be speaking about using YouTube and your blog to promote your brand. I’m also bringing a suitcase full of goodies with me to vend, so you can find me at my table from 9am until probably 11:30ish before I speak, and then maybe from 1pmish until 3pmish before I have to pack up my bags and head back home in time for Mother’s Day. Hope I see some of you there!

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My Craftcation 2017 Weekend!

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I spent this past weekend in the whirlwind known as the Craftcation Conference in Ventura, CA! It’s an annual event put on by the team at Dear Handmade Life, packed full of craft workshops and creative business classes. I sat on two panels – one about licensing and one about writing/publishing a book – and taught two crochet classes – Beginning Crochet and then a more project-based class to make flower headbands. I made a lot of new friends and also met a lot of people I’d only known on the internet, like Jenny Hart and Mei Pak. I’ll start with one of the high points of the conference for me: my flower head band class. It was the first time I’d ever taught this class, and everyone finished a head band (someone even finished TWO!) during the 90 minute time slot. This was Sunday, the last class period for the entire conference, and it was the perfect finale. We had absolute beginners who were a joy to teach, and we had some experienced crocheters who just wanted to hang out and make something fun. As a teacher, I really learned that 30 people in a class is too much for me to be able to give everyone individual attention. Our smaller class size here helped to keep everything relaxed and happy. Here are some close-ups of people working on their projects! I was so proud of everybody! I also ended up taking the train to the airport with two gals from my class, so that was extra fun, too. Okay, I have to show you the pop-up shop. It was Willy Wonka themed and stocked full of books and kits and crafty goodness! I snapped a few photos after the shop was closed. Normally it was pretty busy with a long line! So the conference started on Thursday, and I flew in on Thursday afternoon. My friend Truck from 100% Soft said he could give me an hour-long ride to Ventura, so that was super nice to chat with a buddy along the way. Plus I tried La Croix for the first time. As soon as I arrived, I checked into the hotel, brushed my teeth, and then tried to figure out the dinner situation. As it turned out, I hopped onto a school bus which was our trusty shuttle, and off we went to the dinner location. People don’t like to believe me when I say I am shy and an introvert, but those things are true, and I get nervous about not knowing anybody in a big group situation. Luckily, someone stepping onto the bus was like OH HI TWINKIE CHAN, and then Pia became my bus buddy. Dinner was outside, and I also signed books with some other crafty authors. At some point, I also got bit by a mosquito in the middle of my forehead, so if you saw me and wondered… THAT WAS A BUG BITE. NOT A ZIT. I was sharing my hotel room with […]

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Free Crochet Pattern: Cactus Egg Cozies

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When Creativebug asked me to come in and shoot an Easter-themed project on their Facebook livestream, I wanted to bring something just a little bit unconventional. I have a tiny love/hate relationship with the cactus/succulent trend in the craft world, so I decided to embrace it and make some cactus-themed egg cozies. I love how they turned out, and the pattern is so easy! It’s a colorful cactus egg-stravaganza (and really the perfect hiding spot for your Easter egg hunt)! I totally can’t wait to see all your individual takes on this project. I know you’ll have a lot of fun with it! You can also easily use this pattern to make a lil cactus that doesn’t have to have an egg inside. I made a PDF for you, and here’s the link! Pattern and photos are below, too! If you want to watch me do this live and be totally dorky at Creativebug HQ… here is the link! (I think?!)

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Photos from my book signing & exhibition at The Knitting Tree LA

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I’m a teensy bit back-logged as far as blogging, and I wanted to take a moment to post photos from my book signing and exhibition at The Knitting Tree LA from back in October! I met Bruce and Annette at Vogue Knitting Live (which I also need to blog about!), and they invited me to celebrate the opening of their new location with them by signing books and showing some of my work. Coincidentally, my cousin in Hong Kong was passing through L.A. so this was perfect timing for family time and fun-work time! Can we talk about #relationshipgoals for a sec!? Owning a super cool yarn shop and fiber art gallery with your partner? YES PLEASE, UNIVERSE, HEAR ME. One side of their space has all the their yarn and goodies. The other side is their gallery space, which they dedicate to fiber arts. I shared the space with two other artists. Here’s a pic that Annette took of me in the exhibit. Here’s Emily whom I got to meet in person!! She crocheted a bunch of amazing plants for a production of Little Shop of Horrors which I blogged about here. I was so honored that she made the trek from Vegas to say hello! Here’s me and my friend Pat Ahern who is an amazing crochet artist and does a lot of freeform crochet portraiture. We walked outside in the burning hot heat to find a coffee shop which ended up not existing anymore, and then he was super nice and drove to Starbucks or Peet’s for frosty blended coffee drinks. A lot of people brought me presents, and everyone was super nice. Also we sold out of books! Success! It was such a great day! I love our fiber community so much. There were a ton of people sitting around a table knitting together, and The Kniting Tree hosts regular meet-ups with snacks. It’s such a magical place, and I was so delighted to be able to experience it.

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Be a part of The Knit Show with Vickie Howell!

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Vickie Howell’s “Knitty Gritty” was the first knitting show I ever watched on TV. She is a legend in the knit/crochet community, and I felt so lucky to meet her at Vogue Knitting Live last year (and I was also a guest on her podcast Craft*ish!). “Knitty Gritty” ended in 2009, and Vickie has continued to receive messages every day from viewers saying how they miss having a television show that speaks directly to the knitting & crochet community. She just launched a Kickstarter campaign for The Knit Show, and you have a chance to be part of it! The Knit Show will be the first community funded and internationally accessible episodic how-to knitting web series. Vickie says,“While easily accessible craft-based television shows have all but disappeared over the years, TV and cable network entertainment has evolved, but so has the web. There may not be a place at the table right now for niche, how-to programming amidst all the reality programming and scripted series, but thanks to today’s technology we can make our own table. Now, we can literally DIY our own DIY programming, push it out on the web and reach an even bigger audience around the world. These are exciting times, and we want to be at the forefront of the next wave of craft programming!” I don’t usually post about people’s crowdfunding projects here, but this one is particularly close to my heart. I love supporting our craft community and am excited to back The Knit Show! You can watch more about it in Vickie’s video on her Kickstarter page. I hope you check it out! P.S. Here’s my “that one time I met Vickie Howell and we took a selfie” photo.

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1st Bento Buddies pattern release: Hot Dog Octopus!

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This little hot dog octopus (or tako wiener) crochet pattern is now available in my Etsy shop! They are really cute and little and stand about 2.25 inches tall. I do plan to release collections of Bento Buddies patterns for people who want to buy them more in bulk, but I’m still undecided as to whether I will release one big “booklet” of EVERYTHING, or split them up into maybe 2 or 3 groups, like “meat/proteins,” “fruits/veggies” or “rice ball extravaganza.” I’m not sure yet : X. Cuz, like, if you put hamburgers in the “meat/proteins,” then do you put the french fries in the “fruits/veggies”? I think people would be mad about splitting them up like that! If you have any feedback or wants/wishes, I am so open to hearing them!

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My crochet cottage in Inside Crochet Magazine

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Thank you, Inside Crochet, for the news mention in Issue 87! You can find the free crochet pattern for the English cottage paper towel box cozy right here on my blog 🙂

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Cactus and Teddy Bear Patterns for Classes at Michaels Stores!

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I’m excited to announce that I wrote two new crochet patterns to be taught in Michaels Stores! The Craft Yarn Council asked if I could create some beginner amigurumi projects for their CYC Discover program, and we decided on a little teddy bear and a little potted cactus. If you search your local Michaels Store and neither of these classes is listed, please call or visit your store to put in a request! These patterns are available only in these classes, and I cannot release them anywhere else. If you get a chance to take one of these classes, I hope you have a super fun time and learn some new crochet skills! Hopefully, I’ll be able to see some of the projects you’ve created!

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Sweet Pink art show at Q Pop in LA!

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Heads up to my L.A. readers! There will be a super cute and super pink art show at QPop opening next weekend on Saturday, February 18th, 7pm-8pm, curated by Messy Pink. I’ll have two pieces in it, and they are more bento boxes cuz I’m still all up in that crochet bento zone. I wanted to stay in the realm of the “pink” theme… although my pieces are definitely in the “savory” category. They have sweet personalities! There’s a Valentine Onigiri Bento Box and a Spam Musubunny Bento Box. They will be available for sale at the show as well as online when the show goes up! I hope you can check it out if you’re local, cuz it’s gonna be a lot of fun!

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Last day to register for Craftcation with regular pricing!

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Gang! Today is the last day to register for Craftcation 2017 with regular pricing before the price goes up. Craftcation is four days of creative business classes and hands-on craft + food workshops on April 27-30, 2017 at the Ventura Beach Marriott in Ventura, California. I’ll be teaching two beginner crochet classes, and I’ll also be sitting on two panels. You can see my class/panel schedule here: Twinkie’s Craftcation Schedule. And you can check out the main page for Craftcation to learn more about the rest of the conference. On Friday, I’ll be on one panel about licensing your work and another about writing and publishing a craft book. On Saturday, I’ll be teaching Beginning Crochet. I’ll show you the basics and everything you need to get started, plus we’ll learn how to get the yarn on your hook, chain, single crochet, and weave in ends. On Sunday, I’ll be teaching you how to make Daisy Chain Crowns! They are super easy and beginner-friendly, and all you need to learn is how to make a chain with crochet! I can’t wait to hang out with you guys! I think I get to take some classes, too. If you’ve been thinking about attending, grab a spot really soon before they run out!

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FreeFor24Hrs: Heart Donuts Crochet Pattern (and video!)

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EDIT: The Heart Donut pattern is now available in my Etsy shop. Thank you!! <3 But also…now there’s a video tutorial! YAY! And p.s., it seems like this pattern, out of all my patterns, is getting some comments from people who are having trouble getting the right result. It would seem that a common issue is that people are not reading (3 sc) as “3 sc in the next stitch.” In my abbreviations, I note that anything inside of the parentheses is to be worked in the next stitch, just as (2 sc) is how I denote a regular increase. So please do read through the abbreviations and special stitches before beginning this or any of my projects. Thank you!  I wasn’t planning on putting this on my blog for a FreeFor24Hrs promo, but in light of some bummer personal news today as well as a general state of WTF political affairs,  I thought it would be nice to spread some free love. Be kind to each other out there. <3 Here’s the link. It will only be available for the next 24 hrs, and then off the pattern goes to my Etsy shop :).

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Small Biz Rant: Do Crocheters Support Their Own Craft?

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“Crochet books don’t sell as well as knitting books.” “Crocheters don’t spend as much money as knitters.” “Crocheters don’t spend as much money on yarn.” “Crocheters don’t want to spend money, period.” Do you find any of these statements to be true, as a crocheter? When I first started to get more into crocheting in 2005, I would hear things like, “Knitters are snobby toward crocheters,” or that local yarn shops cater to knitters more than crocheters (i.e. not carrying as many crochet hooks or crochet books). What at first seems like elitism or snobbery becomes more interesting when you talk to a store-owner about it. “In general, crocheting a scarf takes up more yarn than knitting a scarf, and the yarn-expense turns off crocheters from spending money on more high-end yarn.” I have to remove myself from this equation because I LOVE YARN. I love to look at yarn and touch yarn and buy yarn and hoard yarn (obviously, if you have seen my yarn wall). There is some yarn that I consider a prize, or art, and I just like to possess it and look at it and be happy that I own it (creepy?). But I know not everyone is like that. A lot of people are more practical, and if they want to make a blanket for a newborn baby that a baby will probably barf all over, chew up, and get poop on, they don’t want it to cost $100+ in yarn only. I get that completely. As a crocheter who sells her crochet goods, I do have to try to keep the cost of my supplies down since the cost/time of labor is so high, and usually that means you can’t crochet with the fancy stuff. In my journey to publish my second crochet book, my agent and I encountered a lot of the statements that I started this blog entry with: crocheters don’t spend money, i.e. nobody wants to buy your crochet book. Or, if a publisher is looking for crochet books, they want stuff that is less weird than my stuff, like “25 striped hats for your kids,” or “25 kinda okay scarves for the average 25 – 45 year old lady,” etc. Because, this is what people buy, and this is what makes money for publishers. I totally get it. Even though my audience had grown substantially since selling my first book, my numbers were not enough to sway many of the publishers we approached. It was an extreme uphill battle that I never blogged about. Now, I’m really only talking about big/traditional publishing, and they are businesses, and they have a bottom line, and they want to make money, and they can’t really be bothered with much else, like, championing the unique or the underdog. That ain’t their problem. So we have places like Etsy, or Ravelry, or Craftsy, to sell our patterns or e-books or self-pubbed books, and the books can be as weird and wacky as we want them […]

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Goodbye Christmas, Hello New Year, with Treetopia Tree Bags!

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I used to live with someone who wasn’t at all into Christmas decorations and who hassled me to take the tree down on December 26th. Pardon me, but that is just not going to happen. I LOVE MY CHRISTMAS TREE(S). If it were up to me, I’d have the trees up all year round. Unfortunately, the big tree is blocking the doggies’ access to the window they love to bark at, sooooooooo, the trees must shed their ornaments and go to sleep. I’m lucky to be trying a Treetopia Tree Storage Bag. Normally, I just put my fake trees back in the boxes that they came in. It’s difficult to squish all their branches back together, so the boxes don’t really close back all the way, and all year, I just sort of accept that their little branches are peeking out somewhere, waiting for the next Christmas. When Treetopia asked if I wanted to try out a storage bag, I was super excited! My big 7-foot purple tree is now all wrapped up and protected, plus, it stands UPRIGHT and is easier to store while saving more room in my garage. It does sort of look strange in my livingroom window, like, we’re hiding bodies or incubating an alien pupa, but I trust that it will all work out once Manda helps me carry it into the garage with the handy carrying straps! It looks like there’s a little bit of room left in there, so I might try storing some of my tabletop trees in there, too. The big tree is still fully assembled inside the bag, so next year, all we have to do is peel this open like a banaynay and BOOM, our tree will be ready for its decorations again! ALSO, Treetopia sent me a wreath storage bag! I was just going to shove it in a couple of garbage bags taped together, but this bag is way more protective and also has a convenient carrying loop. Okay the really cool thing about the carrying/hanging loop is that it’s attached to a ring on the inside that you clip directly to your wreath frame. This means, that if you hang your wreath in the bag, it won’t sag and warp against its own weight, which is exactly what my wreath has been doing. I honestly had no idea that storage options like this existed, so if you’ve been looking for something similar, check some of these out! Plus, Treetopia is having a big sale right now that ends January 17th!  

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Gumball Machine Doorstop in Crochet Now Magazine!

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Grab a copy of Issue 10 of Crochet Now magazine! There’s a lil chat in there with me, PLUS, a pattern for this really cute gumball machine doorstop! They approached me to write a pattern because Issue 10 is the Sweet Tooth issue. Perfect, right? When I asked them if they were looking for any particular kind of pattern, they suggested a doorstop. I don’t use them and would probably not think of making one on my own, so I was definitely excited to think of something cute, sweet, and fun for them. I love how it turned out. Here’s more info on where to find Crochet Now!

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Free Crochet Pattern: English Cottage Cozy

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So…do you guys remember how last year I sketched a project for my Auntie Mary? This is highly representative of how I unfortunately prioritize my crafting work: my friends/family come dead last, and all my business stuff comes first. So poor Auntie Mary has waited over a year for this cozy she requested for her bathroom box of disposable hand towels! I’m the worst!!! I hope she still uses them? But I think it came out super cute! I was still in kind of a rush to finish. I was sewing on the grass just minutes before she arrived at my parents’ house on Christmas Day.  I probably would have put another window on the sides of the house and worked on those green shutters, but those are pretty easy additions for future projects. I also skipped the chimney due to time, but I don’t think the finished project really needed it. I am really NOT the world’s greatest or most experienced embroiderer, but I gave it a shot with these wee flowers. It was pretty fun! I am sure you could get wildly more creative here  if you’ve done more embroidery before. All I basically know is straight stitch, satin stitch, and the french knot! I’m not sure how many people buy these disposable hand towels, but if you do, now you can make a cute lil cover for it! This reminds me a lot of fairy houses and gnome stories. I kind of want a little adorable village with different shapes and sizes of Kleenex cottages… would be a fun group project…! Here is the box in a slightly different setting. I went a little crazy snapping photos really quickly before putting this in a gift bag! Unfortunately, I don’t have step-by-step photography for this one, so please rely on the photos to figure out what goes where. I think it should be pretty straightforward! Can’t wait to see your unique versions!

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My Guest Column in Simply Crochet Magazine Issue 52!

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Oh hey, I nearly forgot to blog about my first published guest column, in Simply Crochet Magazine, Issue 52! Simply Crochet is based out of the UK, so I just downloaded my electronic copy via iTunes. Here’s a picture of the front cover and a lil peek at my column: Simply Crochet basically gave me free rein to write about whatever, so we decided I’d write about getting inspired in 2017. At the time of writing the article, I was in Japan with IggyStarpup, snapping photos of all the things I thought were cute and amazing. This was the perfect opportunity for me to personally gather some international inspiration while also gathering snaps for this article! I hope you check it out and enjoy it! I may be writing more guest columns for Simply Crochet soon, so if there are crochet topics you’d like me to talk about, just let me know!  Oh, don’t forget about my cute cupcake pencil-topper pattern from Issue 51!

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Free Crochet Pattern: Champagne Bottle

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Happy New Year! I’ve been wanting to do something champagne-bottle themed for a long time. I’m gonna say right up front, that I don’t think a scarf made out of these champagne bottle motifs would be the greatest scarf, because the thin portion along the neck of the bottle would be a weak and stretchy point, also with a tendency to twist. HOWEVER, I could not help myself but try! I am running out of time this year to complete a full scarf, but these little bottles were so cute, that I wanted to share them with you anyway. #HhookForScale My buddy Candace pointed out that you could also make a cute garland out of this motif. And champagne isn’t just for NYE. You could make a scarf or garland for any kind of celebratory occasion, and you can put whatever words you like on the labels with surface crochet, felt letters, or puffy paint. I fully intend to complete my scarf and shoot non-phone-cam pics. Until then, this pattern will be free on my blog. When I get the chance to convert it into an actual scarf pattern, I might pull it from here and add it to my Etsy shop. Not sure yet! What ever your plans are tonight, stay safe and stay warm. I think 2017 is going to be a really weird year for me (maybe more on that later), but I hope for all of us to be happy and healthy. Cheers!

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Free Crochet Pattern: Baby Bowtruckle from Fantastic Beasts

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I don’t know what it is I like so much about anthropomorphic plants from movies (baby Groot, anyone?), but after I saw Fantastic Beasts, I definitely wanted my own Bowtruckle, which is described on Pottermore as a “small, twig-like creature that guards wand-wood trees.” In my first attempt to crochet him, I tried to stay very true to Pickett in the movie images, and I wanted his long, thin limbs to be posable with wiring. However, he kept looking kind of weird and creepy to me while I was crocheting him, so I decided to shorten his body and limbs and make him cute, stumpy, and little! (Here’s an animated gif of my rough sketches.) I hope you enjoy making your lil plant babies! He’s also a good size for a brooch, so you can easily keep him on your coat for all your adventures!

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My lil cozy corner, featuring Ankit!

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Ankit sent me some fun items to show you guys, and I kept waiting for the perfect lighting to take photos, but you know what? Sometimes you just gotta roll with what ya got! I live by the ocean, and the light is terrible in my house. It tends to be kinda gloomy around here, and this bums me out when it comes to taking photos of outfits or products. But to be honest, the items that Ankit sent me are perfect for staying in when it’s rainy and for creating a cozy, magical spot in your house. If you pop over to the Ankit store, you’ll notice they have a ton of fun goodies to accessorize your home, like mugs, string lights, throw pillows, the cutest contact lens cases, wall tapestries, and a heck of a lot more. They sent me some pretty floral headphones, a pink kitty coffee mug (currently sold out!), a gorgeous iridescent white sequin throw pillow, and some adorable kitty cat LED string lights! Did they totally know what my color scheme already was, because the random items they sent are so perfect for my bedroom! They are in the middle of a “12 Days of Christmas” promo, and every day there is a deep discount on a particular kind of item. So click over to Ankit and see what’s going on! (Thanks to Ankit for providing items for this post! I loved them, especially the kitty mug! Please note that these are indeed affiliate links, which means I earn a small percentage if you make a purchase from my blog.)

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Bento Buddies now in my Etsy shop!

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I finally put my crocheted bento box buddies in my Etsy shop, and they even have their own shop category! If you recall, I created these for Renegade Craft Fair in July (photos of the bento bar here). Now you guys can create your own bento boxes online! Or, if you don’t want to put together an entire box, you can buy a buddy or two and turn him into a pin or a magnet. Lots of options! Some people already put in their orders and have assembled full boxes, and I can’t wait to put them together and take photos! I’m excited! And yes, for those asking, I am planning on releasing patterns for these. I think I will have 2 different options for electronic/pdf patterns: 1) the meats/proteins and 2) the fruits/veggies. I’m playing with the idea of printing mini books that carry all of the patterns, but I’m still pricing that out and seeing if that’s a smart move for me or not. Regardless, you will have them electronically! I just need time to take a lot of step-out photos and make samples! Until then, shop away! I also added some ready-to-ship tissue box cozies, scarves, a tv dinner tablet cozy, and I’m working on editing photos for garlands :).

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Cute yarn-lover’s giveaway from Oh Boy Love It!

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Oh Boy Love It! has been a sponsor of my blog for a few months, and I’m so happy to host a spotlight post and giveaway for them and maybe give you some fun ideas for a few holiday gifts! Find something to fall in LOVE with on OhBoyLoveIt.com! Visit them online (website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Tumblr) and find videos, games, handmade & digital items all made with LOVE and made for you to LOVE! Oh Boy Love It has two shops on Etsy: one with handmade Love (www.OhBoyLoveIt.etsy.com) full of stickers, cards, pins, and more, and the other with Instant Digital Downloads (www.OhBoyLoveItDigital.etsy.com) for all occasions. Please note that for shipping in the USA, the last day for regular post for orders to arrive in time for Christmas will be will be December 12, 2016, so get those orders in early! If you’ve already found Love and are going to tie the knot, check out their digital store for great Wedding Printables! Oh Boy Love It also Loves to give back. A portion of their profits go back to charity. Their favorites are water.org and KIVA! If Kawaii is your thing, come discover the Sprinkles ’n Ganache, Mini Petito, Shellbelles, Uniconrness & the Kokeshi Lovers!  From Mermaids, sushi, unicorns and so much more Oh Boy Love It’s got you covered! Find them on Youtube and subscribe to keep up with their latest videos. Also find great FREE games you can play online or download from the APP store (http://ohboyloveit.com/games/) to make you smile! The Kokeshi Love game is set for release early 2017! Oh Boy Love It has prepared a great Yarn Love Giveaway just for you including: Yarn Love reusable canvas bag Yarn Queen matching Sash & 2.25 inch Pin One 2.25 inch Yarnaholic Pin One 2.25 inch Yarn Love Mirror One Yarn Love Handmade card One set of six 1 inch Yarn Love pins To enter to win, just use the Rafflecopter widget below. Giveaway is open worldwide, for ages 18 & over, and will run for a week until next Wednesday night, December 14th, at midnight PST. Winner will be chosen randomly via Rafflecopter/Random.org, and winner must reply to my email within 24 hours, or I will randomly choose a new winner. No purchase necessary. If you live outside of the United States, please note that while my blog sponsors will cover the cost of the item and the shipping, any customs or duty will still be your responsibility. Good luck! Please make sure my email address can get through your spam filters! I will only be contacting winners via email: twinkie@twinkiechan.com P.S. NO giveaway accounts! Thank you! A giveaway account is a social media account that you use solely for giveaways. a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Free Crochet Pattern: Strawberry Cake Scarf

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Ask (for cake) and you shall receive! A lot of people have asked me if I could release the Strawberry Cake Scarf pattern that I put together for classes taught at Michaels in 2014. Here is my original blog post about it. The Craft Yarn Council owns the rights to the pattern now, but since the class is no longer available at Michaels, I asked if I could share the pattern here, and they said yes! Yay! This Strawberry Cake Scarf is super sweet, fun to wear, easily customizable to your favorite cake colors and flavors, and perfect for crocheters of all skill levels – even beginners! So let’s eat our cake and wear it, too! I made my first cake scarf back in 2007, and it looked like this: I didn’t change much except for the strawberry. (Should I cut my hair again!?) Unfortunately, both of the yarns I used in 2007 do not exist anymore, but I’m sure you could find similar if you wanted to. The cool thing about this pattern is how flexible it is. Pretty much any worsted weight yarn will work, and you’re basically just crocheting a bunch of rectangles :).  If you’re not inclined to crochet your own, I’m also selling a finished version of the scarf in my Etsy shop.

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