Regarding Ravelry, Different is Good!

Sometimes the 'creativity bug' is nowhere to be found and then, it just jumps up and bites ya! Currently I am focusing on making my Etsy shop products stand out from the crowd. The most important question as an Etsy seller is:  "What reasons am I giving potential customers to choose my product over another?" So far, I've received my greatest response yet on this perfect little storage option that fits in seamlessly with any décor:


 

Large Basket $35

What makes my basket different from the pack? It is large enough to fill with 2-3 small blankets or throw pillows, stands up on its own once filled, and is machine washable! I am currently working on a camo version, and a dark tan flecked version using a more fuzzy yarn! I am almost done with a lavender and cream striped one too!

Coming soon!

Other things I'm working on include a scrap yarn throw blanket, which any crafter worth her salt knows is a must-have item, considering the hard-core ones are always getting stuck with project leftovers! This one I might just have to keep for myself ;) I love the colors!



I used to not really "get" coffee / tea cozies, but today as I burned my fingers on a portable ceramic coffee mug with no handles, I changed my mind. I've been churning out lots of cute versions, some for mugs with handles, some for both, and some for those portable disposable cups. What sets mine apart in the sea of cuteness? Depending on the size of your wrist, most of my Cozy Cuffs will double as a wearable bracelet! I kind of like the idea of not having to track this little helper down when you need it, and that it can add a soft, comfortable 'accessory' element to your style. Here are a few versions:

 

I am one of those weird people who crave hot soup in Summer. That might explain my strange desire to crochet thick and heavy slipper socks when it's over 80 degrees out! I made these as a gift:

What makes mine different from the others? I dot the soles with puffy paint to give them a little bit of non-slip grip or tread. The denim blue socks pictured below (fits size 7-9) are available now for $35. I welcome custom orders for one size up or down and virtually any color:

I am having a lot of fun learning wire crochet and wire wrapping because of all the endless possibilities! For me, it just reinforces the idea that you can crochet just about anything, making it kind of a 'life skill.' And with that, we'll end on an even more positive note! I asked Coquesia Belle's Great-Great-Granddaughter to pose for this picture of her sewing her very own quilt:

Sadie (left) is named after someone on my husband's side & 

Cavin (right) is a name we got from my side of the family!

 

We had the opportunity to send Sadie north for a couple weeks to visit her grandmother, my Mother-In-Law, a.k.a. fabric-hoarding crafter. (P.S. No complaints here, she keeps us in personalized pillowcases!) After seeing how quickly she got my 10 year old off and running with the sewing machine, I might have to book a 'class' myself! Sadie has strong crafting genes flowing down from both sides of the family, and as a result she is much better at sewing than I am! She is saving her quarters to buy 'fat quarters!' I'm sure ALL the grandmothers are glowing just a bit about that!

Memorable Quotes from Coquesia Belle's Past Facebook Statuses

Make-up needn't be seen as a corrective or something to hide behind. I see it as another form of expression and acceptance, even pleasure, of being in one's skin.
-- Kay Montano (make-up artist), Sunday Times, "Style"

 Pretty is something you're born with. But beautiful, that's an equal opportunity adjective.
-- Author Unknown

When you look for the good in others, you discover the best in yourself.
-- Martin Walsh

The secret of getting ahead is getting started. The secret of getting started is breaking your complex overwhelming tasks into small manageable tasks, and then starting on the first one.
-- Mark Twain

Beauty lies in imperfection.

 Enthusiasm is the best protection in any situation. Wholeheartedness is contagious. Give yourself, if you wish to get others.
-- David Seabury

Each day is a new canvas to paint upon. Make sure your picture is full of life and happiness, and at the end of the day you don't look at it and wish you had painted something different.
-- Author Unknown

Three Rules of Work:
Out of clutter find simplicity;
From discord find harmony;
In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.
-- Albert Einstein

Never be afraid to try something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark, professionals built the Titanic.
-- Author Unknown

People of high self-esteem are not driven to make themselves superior to others: they do not seek to prove their value by measuring themselves against a comparative standard. Their joy is being who they are, not in being better than someone else.
-- Nathaniel Branden

Mistakes are part of the dues that one pays for a full life.
-- Sophia Loren

Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.
-- Coco Chanel

"It doesn't have to MATCH, it has to GO!"
-Stacy London & Clinton Kelly from TLC's 'What Not To Wear'

If I NEED to do something, it never comes out right. If I WANT to do something, it's from a creative, organic, passionate place, and it's amazing.--Jennifer Lopez

Elegance is a question of personality, more than one's clothing.
-Jean-Paul Gaultier

And the best ones of all:

Dress shabbily and they remember the dress; dress impeccably and they remember the woman.
-- Coco Chanel

"To drop a plumb line into the depths of life, to find thereby the great emotions common to all mankind and to express them so that all mankind will understand the expression - This, I think, is what art is for." - Gutzon Borglum, Artist & Sculptor of Mt. Rushmore

I don't understand how a woman can leave the house without fixing herself up a little - if only out of politeness. And then, you never know, maybe that's the day she has a date with destiny. And it's best to be as pretty as possible for destiny.
-- Coco Chanel