Spring Cleaning

Welcome!!! And a very happy monday to everyone out there in cyberspace. Today seemed like the kind of day for clearing some space and removing some clutter. So I've discounted several of the items in my etsy shop!!! Here is the link:
Or you can just go to my etsy shop at www.luvbuzz.etsy.com and click on the section marked "SPRING CLEARANCE". I figured, the winter chill is starting to die down (sort of) and the world is starting to think in warmer terms so why not mark down a few of my cozier items. Oh if only every part of life was so simple. I'm gearing my crafting focus more towards my purses, wallets and crochet dolls. I also plan on making a lot more macrame/hemp jewelry in the coming months. Purses and jewelry just feel like good summer projects. Anyhow, here are a few pics of some of the items I have marked down......

ENJOY!!!!!!!!!!!

Loose Ends: Granny Square Purse

Hello and happy Sunday! While I was getting my house clean a few days ago I came across several unfinished projects of mine. Every now and then I get this wacky idea that I'm going to crochet an afghan. So I start making granny sqares and then I grow bored with the whole process and I never finish. I should have learned by now that I just don't have the kind of patience it takes to make a project that big. I become restless when I'm doing the same exact thing for too long. And making granny squares is about as redundant as it can get! So, I now find myself in possession of several different piles of granny squares that I have no intention of making a blanket with. Well, it seems a shame to waste all of the hours of my time already spent making said squares. And so, I have made it my goal to do something with each set of squares. My first project is this granny square purse I created yesterday......

First I crocheted all of my squares together in the desired size and shape, making two rectangles (front and back sides). I then crocheted the two sides together. I had purchased these plastic rings to use for purse straps some time ago. I crochet the first part of the strap on either side that would hold the rings directly onto the purse. I then crocheted the rest of the strap seperately using double crochet until I had the desired length. I lined the purse with some striped flannel material, wich I simply cut one long piece of (making the full length for both sides). I then folded the flannel in half, wrong side out, and folded down the top edges to create a clean edge. Then I just sewed the two sides together by hand and inserted the lining into the purse. I used embroidery floss to attach the lining to the purse along the top edge. After the lining was secure, I made a long crochet strand and weaved it through the top of the purse. I tied it in a knot where the begining and end meet and strung wood beads in an alternating color pattern onto the remaining cord of yarn. Now I have my completed tote purse! I plan on making a matching wallet with my remaining squares. Once the wallet is finished, I'll post more pics and then it will be added to my etsy store!
I hope you enjoy my little project. It's a fun and functional way to utilize unfinished projects and turn them into something new!
UPDATE: Here is the finished wallet to match!!!

And the link for etsy.... http://www.etsy.com/listing/71892889/granny-square-tote-purse-with-matching

Thursday Cleaning

Alright, well I missed a day in there but it happens! Today my focus is getting my house back in order. I haven't been able to keep every room clean at the same time since the day my son was born. When I was still pregnant I had the laundry washed and every inch of the house was shiny and clean at all times. Now it's just choas that moves from one place to another it seems. I clean as time ( and energy ) allow. So today I am on a mission to get the entire house clean and maybe have time to prepare dinner when I'm done. Now to my son's birthday cake, Spongebob turned out pretty good. Of course there's always room for improvement. I had to substitute blue pants instead of brown because I simply did not have the time to mix up chocolate and white. He didn't know the difference anyhow. Here are some pics of the cake as promised and a few of him eating it as well.

There's nothing like that first birthday. And I stuck to my guns and only had one very small piece of cake. Somehow I've even managed to lose 3lbs. in the past few weeks! Hopefully the numbers on the scale keep counting backward. Well, I'm off to clean some more. Have a happy thursday.
Oh and please feel free to link up to my party. I'd like to start using this service all of the time but I really need people to post stuff to make it worthwhile and please pass it on......

Tuesday with Slippers

Alright, happy tuesday! I finally completed those pesky slippers I've been working on. Truth be told, I was taking my sweet time. Here are my newest creations now:

Alright! Now I just have to decide which project I've been dreaming of to begin next. I swear, I can't keep up with my own ideas. If I was 10 people I might get everything I wish accomplished! Also, today is my son's first birthday!!!! This year has gone by so fast, it seems like just last week I was in the hospital recovering from my c-section. I'll be making him his Spongebob cake later today, if it comes out nicely I'll post some pics of that too. Of course this cake is in direct conflict with my diet plan but I'll practice some self control and just have a really small piece.
I'm also very happy to say that I recieved my 30 votes for Heartsy.me so now I just wait while they consider me further. I'll let you know if they decide to feature me. I sure hope they pick me, that would be so exciting!!! Well, for now I'm out of things to say so enjoy the rest of your Tuesday!!!!

Sunday and Heartsy listings

Hurray, it's sunday!!! I'm almost done with my slippers, FINALLY!!! As soon as I wrap those up I'll ad some photos. But the thing I'm really excited about is this website a fellow etsy seller told me about. It's called Heartsy and they're basically a site for handmade sellers to possibly be featured to help promote their shop and amp up sales! The url is: www.heartsy.me ! All you have to do to sign up is enter your shop info and upload a few pics that best represent your work. The site offers buyers discount packages for credit in your store, so you set the initial savings (of at least 50%) off and then if they decide to feature you, they'll work out the final offer. Once you've submitted your shop application they post your pics annonymously and other site users vote on weather or not they would buy from you. You need at least 30 votes of "yes definitely" to be considered. Your shop is then reviewed by their pannel and if they think it's worth while for all parties involved, they offer you a deal! I'm so excited about this. I think it's great to have all of these different avenues to network and market myself and others. I just put in my first submission and I'm hoping to get my 30 votes. Here is the link to my listing, http://heartsy.me/deals/1251/like ,if you read this and you're feeling generous please vote YES DEFINITELY for luvbuzz!
Thanks for your time and I hope you find heartsy to be helpful for your needs as well. In a perfect world we would all have great success at whatever we set our minds and hearts to achieve!
That's all for now, I'll put up some slipper pics later and if you feel like joining the ongoing link party you can find it in an earlier post. So far it's just me linking up and that's just not much fun! I'm trying to share the love so maybe you can pass it on!!!

Saturday Sunshine

Happy saturday!!! Who says the sun never shines in the Pacific Northwest? I awoke this morning to birds chirping and the bright April sun shining in our bedroom window. Of course, it would have been nice if we had this weather yesterday. We had to postpone the bike ride as it started raining really hard up until sundown. Oh well, there's always some other day. I think today I'll take advantage of this beauty and go for a walk with my little man after his nap. I've been pushing myself to get some form of exersize in everyday. So I still miss some days but trying for everyday allows me to get it in at least 3-5 times a week. I'm still struggling to get back into my pre-pregnancy shape. Pryor to having a baby I was one of those people that ate whatever, never worked out and just stayed naturally thin. Now I find I'm having to work at it and eat much healthier food and it's the pitts. But in the long run this will make me a better parent. If I change my entire lifestyle to a much healthier one by eating ballanced meals and getting lots of physical activity throughout the day, my son will grow up in an environment that encourages good, healthy habits.
Anyhow, I'm still working on that second pair of slippers. I lost a little of my motivation yesterday when I realized I'd have to start from scratch, so the going is pretty slow right now. In the meantime, I'd like to share a few of my past projects that I'm particularly proud of, enjoy and have a wonderful saturday!

All of these purses are hand crocheted without a pattern and lined with hand sewn flannel in fun prints. I also sewed the lining into the purse by hand and added snaps to all but one. The purses are what I love making the most, it's just such a fun process!!!

Friday.....

So It's friday, which for me is about the same as any other day. We went and bought our son the little tikes Cozy Coupe with the egift card his grandmother sent him for his birthday. My husband is assembling it as we speak. We're planning on a bike ride later today, despite the mist. Hey when you live in the pacific northwest you just live your life as usual, rain or not. It happens so much you'd never leave the house otherwise. And a little mist never hurt anyone. I'm a little bummed with myself because I was almost finished with my latest pair of slippers when I realized that I mis-calculated the sizing and I now have half a pair of women's slippers that are so big, my husband could wear them. Sooooooooooo now I have to start all over again from scratch. But that's how crafting goes sometimes. Everything is trial and error and sometimes starting fresh is the best option. I'm also trying to locate a box of about 20-30 various pieces of hemp jewelery I made a while back. I intended to sell them on etsy eventually but hadn't set up shop yet at the time. So I stored them away "safely" somewhere until I was ready. Now I just have to figure out where the safe place was that I hid them from myself. Wish me luck.
And now, in the spirit of friday (and because I don't have a finished project to share) I will share with you a few pictures of the beautiful state of Washington where I am so blessed to live. I took these on one of our many adventures in the great outdoors, I hope you enjoy them immensely!!!!! Happy friday to those of you who work outside of the house......