You know how you read about people who make money with surveys and stuff? You think, "Whatever. That doesn't happen." Well it does. Now I'm not saying you can make a living at it but I have a few places where I do stuffs and rack up points so I'm gonna share it with you guys.
Before you sign up for these things, keep in mind that they will be emailing you. A lot. The best thing you can do is go to yahoo or gmail and create a new email account JUST FOR THIS. Name it SurveyJane@mail . yahoo . com or whatever. Something you'll remember and check. Read about them before clicking the links though and feel free to google info about them. I'm not paid to post this so I have no reason to make any of it up. This is just my experience with a few. I have never given any of them a phone number and have never been harassed. Just so you know.
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MindField Online Internet Panel is a place that actually pays out cash for their surveys. No, I've not gotten a pay out on this one and I'll tell you why. 1) I've been with them since 2006. I don't take a lot of surveys. I just deleted them from my email because I signed up but didn't have time for it because Lil Bit was a year old. Don't take them, don't get paid. 2) Sometimes I get between one and 4 emails a day from MindField. So I don't always click them or only click one.
Pros : You can make money if you take the surveys. Some of them vary from $0.50 -$5.00 surveys. The emails are clear and easy to follow. They send you a Study link, you click it and begin the survey. They also tell you how long the survey should take, how close you are to your pay out and they offer you more surveys at the end or if you don't qualify. By clicking the MindField link above and signing up, I think I get a $1 for referral. Each email has an Respondent ID and that should be you. By using the link above and putting your ID in place of mine, you should be able to get $1 for everyone you refer that signs up.
Cons : Some of them are lengthy. They say 15-20 minutes but that's if you have time to stick with it. If you are in and out because your kid thinks you need to run up the stairs to watch a 15 minute video of a minecraft parody then it takes a lot longer, you lose interest and just close the window (ie another reason I'm not paid yet). These surveys fill up quick. Sometimes within an hour their quota is met and you don't even get to take the survey. They don't offer you a $0.25 cent compensation for clicking the link or attempting the survey like some others do. The longer the survey, the more chance there is that you will time out or just get bored and close it.
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e-Rewards is one you can't really join but if you get an email asking if you'd like to join them, take it. I think mine came from adding Alaska Airlines to my affiliate program list. I get occasional emails from them offering me between $2 and $6.50 per survey. I get a quarter for filling out profile information and doing smaller surveys. I have yet to be in one that I have had a problem with or timed out of. I don't get them as frequently but they are worth it. They tell you how much money you have made with them and you can cash it out with their high end partners. Magazines, hotels, airlines and my favorite Gamestop's Power Up rewards program. I finally earned the equivalent of $50 on their program and cashed out to Gamestop. That gives you 12,500 points in Power Up to spend as you like. I can think of no cons. They send the info directly to power up and your points are added.
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Gamestop Power Up Rewards - Not a survey place. It's Gamestop. If you have not signed up for this yet, you should. ( Faq's ) It's free. They track what you buy in the store and online and give you points for them. If you get in on a special event or use certain coupons they offer (and tell you about) then you get more points. I strongly suggest going PRO as well. It's $15 a YEAR. You get deeper discounts when you buy things and more points. The points add up. In the two years I've had Pro I have gotten 4 shirts and a pack of wii remote locking wrist bands. I don't even pay shipping. So you get games cheaper than you ordinarily would, earn points and get free things. Win Win.
MyPoints.com is one I've been with probably since 2002 or so. I used a lot of points just donating to the Red Cross for a few years. They email you. A LOT. Especially, around Christmas.
Pros : Some of the emails offer you 5 points just for clicking the email and letting a page load. That's it. You can go to their site and do surveys for points. You can let them mail you things for more points. Some of the emails you sign up to their ad sites and receive 100+ points. Each email will show you an ad, example :Allstate Insurance, Respond to this offer and receive 100 pts. Scroll to the bottom of the ad. Always. It says Get Your Points! Then it tells you what you get. If you click you might get 5 pts. Some do not give you any for click-thru. This one says "Once you get to Allstate Auto Insurance, request a quote and Receive 100 Points" For Walmart ads you get 8 points per $1 you spend on their site after clicking the link. You can also do that with other sites via the My Points Website. They have THOUSANDS of online retailers that give you points so check them before you buy anything online for more points. You can cash them out for fuel cards, restaurant cards, amazon and TONS more. You can sign up for free, of course, but if you message or email me I can refer you. Another Pro for MyPoints is that if I refer you, I get 25 points. If you refer someone not only do you get 25 points but you and I both get a bonus of extra points every time THEY click emails or when THEY buy from the MyPoints emails or lists. Yep it's kinda pyramid but there's no scheme to it because it's something you're already using for points to get rewards anyway. I can tell you now I've never bought from MyPoints. I have only clicked emails and I've cashed out a lifetime amount of nearly 15,000 points. :) I don't even try. If I did I'd have loads of freebies. Did I mention you can also play games and things on GSN for points and use groupon and such for more? Yeah, awesome right!
Cons : Can't think of any. No, really. Aside from the massive amount of emails, no cons. That's why you create a new email account for all these.
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Okay, I think that's about all I have for now but if you have questions or want in on one of the referrals (please) email me and I'll getcha rockin!
OH and my Thankful For for the entire week I guess (because I'm a slacka) is that through e-Rewards/Gamestop I'll be able to get both my boys a little something extra for xmas and also from MyPoints/Walmart I got a $50 online gift card too...which is why I shared this post with you. :) I'm pretty darned thankful :D
Saturday, November 22, 2014
Saturday, November 8, 2014
Only thankfuls today
That's right, no crafts, just blessings.
Nov 7 : Yesterday was awesome. For yesterday I have to say I am thankful for the hospital. The hospital visit the oldest kiddo had in February, that was paid mostly out of our pockets because insurance lost the kids in the system, finally said "oh yeah we will bill the insurance and give you a refund on what you paid in." That enabled us to buy groceries DURING mortgage week (which doesn't happen. ever.) and it also allowed us to repay 1/2 of a debt. I'm thankful my uncle was able to help us and we could send him 1/2 back. I'm also thankful that on Nov 7 some 22 years ago my niece was born and yesterday another niece was born. John's sis Kate had her second child, a girl. Both are healthy and happy.
Nov 8 : Today's blessing is friends. John and I don't have people over really. We had my sis and fam over a few times to eat dinner and chat and once we had a couple of friends but they've never come back. Today we had company! John worked on potato salad, cucumber salad and cookies today to prepare for our friends arrival. Leila and Earnie got here just before dark and the oldest two kiddos chilled in the living room with Legs while Lil Bit had the other three young ladies. They ran and played for nearly 5 hours! Then the youngest three went to the basement and played various guitars and ukeleles as the grown up daddies played guitar and bass. Leila sang beautifully. I just sat back making videos and taking the occasional picture. I am thankful we were able to have them over and could afford to feed them too. It was an awesome night. I hope we get to do that again soon.
Nov 7 : Yesterday was awesome. For yesterday I have to say I am thankful for the hospital. The hospital visit the oldest kiddo had in February, that was paid mostly out of our pockets because insurance lost the kids in the system, finally said "oh yeah we will bill the insurance and give you a refund on what you paid in." That enabled us to buy groceries DURING mortgage week (which doesn't happen. ever.) and it also allowed us to repay 1/2 of a debt. I'm thankful my uncle was able to help us and we could send him 1/2 back. I'm also thankful that on Nov 7 some 22 years ago my niece was born and yesterday another niece was born. John's sis Kate had her second child, a girl. Both are healthy and happy.
Nov 8 : Today's blessing is friends. John and I don't have people over really. We had my sis and fam over a few times to eat dinner and chat and once we had a couple of friends but they've never come back. Today we had company! John worked on potato salad, cucumber salad and cookies today to prepare for our friends arrival. Leila and Earnie got here just before dark and the oldest two kiddos chilled in the living room with Legs while Lil Bit had the other three young ladies. They ran and played for nearly 5 hours! Then the youngest three went to the basement and played various guitars and ukeleles as the grown up daddies played guitar and bass. Leila sang beautifully. I just sat back making videos and taking the occasional picture. I am thankful we were able to have them over and could afford to feed them too. It was an awesome night. I hope we get to do that again soon.
Thursday, November 6, 2014
Owl Baby Sets and 3 days Thankful ;)
Aw Owl babies! All 4 of these are were infant sized hats and I did end up doing diaper covers and booties with them too in the same color patterns. Hot Pink and Heather Grey, I don't know what the light pink is as it was clearance with no label and Heather Grey, Light Sage and Sagey Green, Country Blue and Buff Fleck. I think that one's my favorite. Any of them can have bows put on for girls but they're still adorable.
I've also done them in a bright orange, off white and yellow for a Candy Corn look. This one comes with the hat, diaper cover, booties and lovey. It's $40 for anyone asking but it's not on my Etsy shop so you'll need to email me. You see I have a friend locally who is selling the hats in her storefront. However, we do live in a small town so it's not always easy to get stuff sold.
Now on to things I'm thankful for:
November 4th : I was thankful that I sold a pattern. I was still setting up the bank and paypal information so it took a while to get that fixed but still, every little pattern helps. :) Also we received a text from the woman who saw the table Saturday and she wants to wait. It stinks but I'm thankful that there's still the opportunity to sell it to them later or someone else. I did, however, forget the boys eye doc appointment but they were happy to reschedule.
November 5th : Sold a table! John had been asked if he could do a table without stain or finish so they could save money on it. That's just what we did. The woman and her daughter came to get it and though it was in the rain (which made us anxious because it's an unfinished table) AND they loved it so much they're considering a table for the daughter and two possible coffee tables in large squares. Even if they don't want what they mentioned, they were nice and we got $275 in grocery money. :D
November 6th : Today was grocery day and we got word about having friends over Saturday. Not only that but my sis in law finds out today if her baby girl is coming out tomorrow, if it will be CSection or Natural birth. AND I have two possible hat orders. Feeling truly blessed. :D
Monday, November 3, 2014
More Who? Why, Yes thank you.
Several posts ago I had written about my Doctor Who love. A few months
ago I used some of the beads and things I had gotten with the first
necklace I created and made a lovely keyring and necklace. The keyring
has the sneaker for Doctor 10, David Tennant, the Tardis of course and
the wolf for Rose Tyler who was... SPOILER... the Bad Wolf. The
keyring is on my Etsy site. I only have one of these currently but more could be made with what pendants I have remaining. I also have a necklace similar to the first one but this necklace has the converse sneaker for #10 and the banana is for Doctor 9, Christopher Eccleston. In episode 10, Season 1 Doctor 9 says "There's a banana grove there now. I like bananas. Bananas are good." and later tells Jack "Go now! Don't drop the banana! Jack: Why not?
The Doctor: Good source of potassium!" and in a later season Doctor 10 says "Always bring a banana to a party" Season 2, Episode 4. The necklace is also on my @Home Ninja shop, Necklace v2.
Last, but not least, is a Doctor Who lantern. This is not an actual Doctor Who product but fan art. I found this corrugated metal lantern, primed and painted it in a color similar to Doctor Who blue (the image is a bit brighter than the actual finished product). It also has glass on all 4 sides and I put in a battery powered candle. Unsurprisingly, the lantern is on my Etsy shop and the price is negotiable if you message me.And now for my Thankful For!
Nov 3 : You guys! Every one of you that have been checking out my blog and my crafts. Shop handmade. If not with me, then with someone else. I hope in the coming days to compile a list of people who hand craft items and share those with you. The holidays are coming and you will love giving gifts that someone created with their own hands. Promise. :)
Sunday, November 2, 2014
Thankfuls for Nov 1st and 2nd
Crochet isn't the only thing we do around here. The Hubs is super crafty as well. Hell, he's great at everything he touches but he refuses to say he's talented. He can't even take a compliment and say "Thank You, you know it is quite good". :) He is a great musician, computer tech, web design, construction worker, construction biz behind the scenes guy and carpenter. He's a superb husband and father too and my first Thankful For is for my Hubs. I'm thankful to have someone who loves me and the boys and gives me the opportunity to stay home and take care of the homeplace and crochet. That being said though, I love him more. :D
So, Nov 1st : Yesterday we had a young woman and her grandfather come over to see a table Hubs made to sell. It is a gorgeous table. 6 ft long and lightly stained in Oak. Two of the 12 ft boards ended up much darker and the breadboards on the ends look like they didn't stain at all. It is so pretty we wish we didn't have to sell it. Truth be told we already have an 8 ft table so we'd need to take it out for a smaller table or try to make enough room for both, which simply couldn't happen. ( Also anyone looking to buy it can email me or go to GoLSN between now and November 24th ).
Yesterday's thankful is that we had someone look at it that may want to buy it. Not just that but it would go to someone who truly loves family. She has two kids and her husband has three and while they don't have them all the time, when they do they want a table for all of them. They do wish it had seat backs and that it was a high table, so they may not buy it. Just the fact they responded and came a long way to look sure meant a lot.
Nov 2nd : Today I woke to our first hard frost. It was such a great reminder that I am thankful for so very much. I've had a terrible cough for two weeks now but I'm thankful I was able to sleep last night without a dose of nyquil. I'm thankful I was able to get up and walk down the stairs with no knee pain ( I was playing with the dog and "slid into home" when I forgot I was wearing wet shoes, hit the just washed linoleum in the hall, slid and slammed my right knee into the air vent protector and sliced up my knee ... genius! ). I am thankful that we finished digging and plowing up the garden extension before the frost. I seriously can't take credit for that though, Hubs is a pretty awesome farmer too and has worked his butt off on the garden this year.
I am also crazy thankful that around 11 ish (maybe 10, I dunno, time "fell back" today) that I gave in and took an Advil Cold and Sinus. (With all the new laws in place to keep methheads from buying up cold pills for drugs, I have a hard time getting the only med that helps. The pharmacist requests that I get a prescription for an over the counter medication, makes copies of my drivers license every time even though I have all that in their file and I only go 2-3 times a year for a box anyway but when I do have it I have to really treasure it, I mean when I'm sick I have to ask if it's sponge worthy!). I took the med and continued to feel dizzy and sick for a while. I did the dishes and went downstairs to see if I could help the Hubs on a new table he's building and started some laundry. Sometime in all that I caught my first real wind of the day. All in all I swept the entire basement and the outside concrete slab clean of all leaves (and saw our first baby bat sleeping under our back porch which was weird and cute), 3-4 loads of laundry, cleaned up boxes in the basement, swept the kitchen and dining room, moved things around and scrubbed all my counters. Then I cleared off stuff in the dining room, scrubbed the table and on top of the china cabinet. I even put away some of the laundry and cut the teenager's hair. I was on FIRE! And now Hubs and I are watching the Steelers kick some booty.
OH OH and I got word from my cousin that she got the Fox Hood for her little boy and he also LOVES it! Such a blessing, really. I love to crochet but just watching people get excited when they get it makes it worth while. To see a little guy so flipping cute wear it and LOVE it that much... I'm so glad I am able to give that joy to others. :D Little B here is a cutie patootie and I'm so glad he likes it.
I love November because every day we should remember what we are thankful for, not just Nov. While Thanksgiving was never what we learned it was, it's all about being thankful and spending time with loved ones (and eating enough to be able to fit in the Manatee Grey clothes at Target and hibernate till spring...or at least Christmas). Every day this month I hope to post things I am thankful for so stay tuned and comment your thankfuls!
So, Nov 1st : Yesterday we had a young woman and her grandfather come over to see a table Hubs made to sell. It is a gorgeous table. 6 ft long and lightly stained in Oak. Two of the 12 ft boards ended up much darker and the breadboards on the ends look like they didn't stain at all. It is so pretty we wish we didn't have to sell it. Truth be told we already have an 8 ft table so we'd need to take it out for a smaller table or try to make enough room for both, which simply couldn't happen. ( Also anyone looking to buy it can email me or go to GoLSN between now and November 24th ).Yesterday's thankful is that we had someone look at it that may want to buy it. Not just that but it would go to someone who truly loves family. She has two kids and her husband has three and while they don't have them all the time, when they do they want a table for all of them. They do wish it had seat backs and that it was a high table, so they may not buy it. Just the fact they responded and came a long way to look sure meant a lot.
Nov 2nd : Today I woke to our first hard frost. It was such a great reminder that I am thankful for so very much. I've had a terrible cough for two weeks now but I'm thankful I was able to sleep last night without a dose of nyquil. I'm thankful I was able to get up and walk down the stairs with no knee pain ( I was playing with the dog and "slid into home" when I forgot I was wearing wet shoes, hit the just washed linoleum in the hall, slid and slammed my right knee into the air vent protector and sliced up my knee ... genius! ). I am thankful that we finished digging and plowing up the garden extension before the frost. I seriously can't take credit for that though, Hubs is a pretty awesome farmer too and has worked his butt off on the garden this year.
I am also crazy thankful that around 11 ish (maybe 10, I dunno, time "fell back" today) that I gave in and took an Advil Cold and Sinus. (With all the new laws in place to keep methheads from buying up cold pills for drugs, I have a hard time getting the only med that helps. The pharmacist requests that I get a prescription for an over the counter medication, makes copies of my drivers license every time even though I have all that in their file and I only go 2-3 times a year for a box anyway but when I do have it I have to really treasure it, I mean when I'm sick I have to ask if it's sponge worthy!). I took the med and continued to feel dizzy and sick for a while. I did the dishes and went downstairs to see if I could help the Hubs on a new table he's building and started some laundry. Sometime in all that I caught my first real wind of the day. All in all I swept the entire basement and the outside concrete slab clean of all leaves (and saw our first baby bat sleeping under our back porch which was weird and cute), 3-4 loads of laundry, cleaned up boxes in the basement, swept the kitchen and dining room, moved things around and scrubbed all my counters. Then I cleared off stuff in the dining room, scrubbed the table and on top of the china cabinet. I even put away some of the laundry and cut the teenager's hair. I was on FIRE! And now Hubs and I are watching the Steelers kick some booty.
OH OH and I got word from my cousin that she got the Fox Hood for her little boy and he also LOVES it! Such a blessing, really. I love to crochet but just watching people get excited when they get it makes it worth while. To see a little guy so flipping cute wear it and LOVE it that much... I'm so glad I am able to give that joy to others. :D Little B here is a cutie patootie and I'm so glad he likes it.
I love November because every day we should remember what we are thankful for, not just Nov. While Thanksgiving was never what we learned it was, it's all about being thankful and spending time with loved ones (and eating enough to be able to fit in the Manatee Grey clothes at Target and hibernate till spring...or at least Christmas). Every day this month I hope to post things I am thankful for so stay tuned and comment your thankfuls!
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
I'm baack ... and so far behind!
Just when I thought I was going to have more time to blog, life showed me how little I know and set me back a bit.
I have returned...um ... again and hope to start updating about some projects I've done this year as well as sharing links to other awesome sites I love and you will too.
Since I'm back now I'll start with my two projects of this week.
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Some weeks I have NO projects running. It's a bit of a downer but I know fall and winter are when things pick up. This week though I've had two custom orders completed and ready to send.
This was one that was requested a few weeks ago. The problem I find with many of my projects is that I don't have many stores around my area that carry the yarns I would like to use. All I have within 30 miles is Walmart. It's great for some projects I can use Red Heart Yarn for but I wanted this one to be super chunky. Lion Brand Wool-Ease would have been the greatest to use in Apricot or Pumpkin. I figured I would wait until the next time I went out of town to grab it at Hobby Lobby.
Now, just to be clear, I do not approve of Hobby Lobby using their employees health insurance options to prove their religious beliefs mean something to them. You're closed on Sunday because you love God, got it. You don't believe you should pay for your employees birth control or for the morning after pill but you will pay for viagra and buy your products from third world countries that beat and demean woman so you can sell it for a profit, got it. Now you won't hire anyone unless they sign a paper stating the unmarried employees will abstain from sex. Hobby Lobby will continue to profit and push their "above the law" rules in the name of God. I do not approve of this and hate even giving them my money.
That said, I'm disgusted with myself that I love their I Love This Yarn brand. If I could order it directly from Turkey and avoid Hobby Lobby, I would. I have yet to find a yarn that is as soft, pliable, long lasting, easily washable, low frizz and inexpensive as this brand is. I'm going to look though because I don't want to continue giving them money.
Back on subject. So I went to Hobby Lobby in the next town when I had business up there and searched for 20 minutes to find they had Lion brand and they had Wool-Ease but NO pumpkin or apricot colors. In fact they had no chunky colors in any orange at all. I thought it was bad when my local Walmart store didn't care any of our school color yarns (which is basic maroon and light grey, seriously who doesn't have light grey yarn...this gal) but it's October and you're a major chain that sells a lot of yarn for fall projects and you didn't even have a section in the Lion Brand area for the one color that's popular this time of year. sigh. The only color close in a brand soft enough for a small child was...you guessed it, I Love This Yarn. Which was also the only light grey I can find without special ordering. (BTW I would order my yarns but I need $50 worth to order from Walmart and Red Heart for free shipping and $35 for Amazon plus a long wait and I'm usually impatient :p )
SO Extremely long story short (too late) and I brought home Desert Glaze, I Love This Yarn and jumped on this project. I do not have a pattern to work with and recently have just learned the cross cable crochet stitch so I got started. I hope to work up a pattern later for this but it was super simple really. The little guy who is receiving this hat is almost a preschooler. I don't have exact measurements. The fox hood was requested without a cowl or scarf but some sort of tie. Because this tie is weaved in and out and has pom poms on the end it won't be able to be removed without cutting the tie off or taking off the pom poms. The ends are rolled up like the cowl hoods you see online. I really hope they enjoy it. :) It's not super chunky but it will still be soft and warm.
A friend said she knew someone wanting a snowman hat but for a girl. I've done one with Bernat Wedgewood Ombre colors for boys. Two actually. One with black dots for eyes and mouth and one sleeping. This one I have used Lion Brand Purple Haze of the Homespun style. I must admit that I love how soft Homespun is but I hate crocheting with it. It, to me, defeats the purpose of learning to crochet. I know that sounds bonkers but you simply can not see where to put your crochet hook to make even numbered rows! If you can't learn to wing it, don't use this yarn style. I find it hard to use because I'm sooooo borderline OCD and if I can't make sure everything is even and match I twitch a little in my mind so using Homspun is like a twitch fest. I had to seriously force myself to relax! How crazy, right?! :p I made the braids extra long on this hat in case it's for photos. Long braids are just adorable and we all know you don't actually tie them anyway. :p I also gave her little eye lashes and a bow. The bow is White Sparkle and the grape band is Purple Neon, sigh, of I Love This Yarn. I know, I know, it's like an I Love This Yarn addiction I have. It's harder to quit using it than it is to quit eating chocolate! I have found there is a Hancock Fabric store in my neighboring town that may have the yarns so I'm going to check them out the next time I'm there or convince myself to suck up the $5-7 per skein shipping charges with most yarn suppliers online. EEK! ;)
I hope to have more posts coming and maybe some new patterns to share. :D
I have returned...um ... again and hope to start updating about some projects I've done this year as well as sharing links to other awesome sites I love and you will too.
Since I'm back now I'll start with my two projects of this week.
Some weeks I have NO projects running. It's a bit of a downer but I know fall and winter are when things pick up. This week though I've had two custom orders completed and ready to send. This was one that was requested a few weeks ago. The problem I find with many of my projects is that I don't have many stores around my area that carry the yarns I would like to use. All I have within 30 miles is Walmart. It's great for some projects I can use Red Heart Yarn for but I wanted this one to be super chunky. Lion Brand Wool-Ease would have been the greatest to use in Apricot or Pumpkin. I figured I would wait until the next time I went out of town to grab it at Hobby Lobby.
Now, just to be clear, I do not approve of Hobby Lobby using their employees health insurance options to prove their religious beliefs mean something to them. You're closed on Sunday because you love God, got it. You don't believe you should pay for your employees birth control or for the morning after pill but you will pay for viagra and buy your products from third world countries that beat and demean woman so you can sell it for a profit, got it. Now you won't hire anyone unless they sign a paper stating the unmarried employees will abstain from sex. Hobby Lobby will continue to profit and push their "above the law" rules in the name of God. I do not approve of this and hate even giving them my money.
That said, I'm disgusted with myself that I love their I Love This Yarn brand. If I could order it directly from Turkey and avoid Hobby Lobby, I would. I have yet to find a yarn that is as soft, pliable, long lasting, easily washable, low frizz and inexpensive as this brand is. I'm going to look though because I don't want to continue giving them money.
Back on subject. So I went to Hobby Lobby in the next town when I had business up there and searched for 20 minutes to find they had Lion brand and they had Wool-Ease but NO pumpkin or apricot colors. In fact they had no chunky colors in any orange at all. I thought it was bad when my local Walmart store didn't care any of our school color yarns (which is basic maroon and light grey, seriously who doesn't have light grey yarn...this gal) but it's October and you're a major chain that sells a lot of yarn for fall projects and you didn't even have a section in the Lion Brand area for the one color that's popular this time of year. sigh. The only color close in a brand soft enough for a small child was...you guessed it, I Love This Yarn. Which was also the only light grey I can find without special ordering. (BTW I would order my yarns but I need $50 worth to order from Walmart and Red Heart for free shipping and $35 for Amazon plus a long wait and I'm usually impatient :p )
SO Extremely long story short (too late) and I brought home Desert Glaze, I Love This Yarn and jumped on this project. I do not have a pattern to work with and recently have just learned the cross cable crochet stitch so I got started. I hope to work up a pattern later for this but it was super simple really. The little guy who is receiving this hat is almost a preschooler. I don't have exact measurements. The fox hood was requested without a cowl or scarf but some sort of tie. Because this tie is weaved in and out and has pom poms on the end it won't be able to be removed without cutting the tie off or taking off the pom poms. The ends are rolled up like the cowl hoods you see online. I really hope they enjoy it. :) It's not super chunky but it will still be soft and warm.
A friend said she knew someone wanting a snowman hat but for a girl. I've done one with Bernat Wedgewood Ombre colors for boys. Two actually. One with black dots for eyes and mouth and one sleeping. This one I have used Lion Brand Purple Haze of the Homespun style. I must admit that I love how soft Homespun is but I hate crocheting with it. It, to me, defeats the purpose of learning to crochet. I know that sounds bonkers but you simply can not see where to put your crochet hook to make even numbered rows! If you can't learn to wing it, don't use this yarn style. I find it hard to use because I'm sooooo borderline OCD and if I can't make sure everything is even and match I twitch a little in my mind so using Homspun is like a twitch fest. I had to seriously force myself to relax! How crazy, right?! :p I made the braids extra long on this hat in case it's for photos. Long braids are just adorable and we all know you don't actually tie them anyway. :p I also gave her little eye lashes and a bow. The bow is White Sparkle and the grape band is Purple Neon, sigh, of I Love This Yarn. I know, I know, it's like an I Love This Yarn addiction I have. It's harder to quit using it than it is to quit eating chocolate! I have found there is a Hancock Fabric store in my neighboring town that may have the yarns so I'm going to check them out the next time I'm there or convince myself to suck up the $5-7 per skein shipping charges with most yarn suppliers online. EEK! ;)I hope to have more posts coming and maybe some new patterns to share. :D
Monday, January 6, 2014
Ooo la la Swiffer Sweepers
A few years ago I bought a Swiffer Wet Jet Cleaner. I got some use out of it but I didn't much care for the fact you can only get one unit cleaning solution. It's $6-7 for a new bottle. I'm cheap. I love to refill things. Plus the cleaning pads are another $6!
I crochet, darnit, certainly I could figure something out to use that thing again. I've had it hanging around the house, moved it for 5 year or more. Certainly I can use that for something.
Then I found it. A free crochet pattern for the cleaning pads to fit a swiffer. Oh sure I've seen it online before but this time, this time I was going to make it! I'm even going to point out the pattern I used so you can use it as well. Linda Permann wrote up a pattern and it is on makezine.
Ah but then it leaves me buying that stupid solution. Oh wait, but it doesn't! How to remove the cap on a Swiffer Wet Jet Cleaner!?!? YES! There it was, the answer! hee hee!
So tonight I spent my time making the cleaning pad and taking the top from the cleaner to wash and refill it with hot water and white vinegar. I did a quick clean on the roughly 550 sq ft of kitchen, dining room and hall. Tomorrow I will do the bathrooms and anything else I can think of. Maybe I'll redo the kitchen. LOL I'm excited! Is that lame? :p It was great though and I've even thought about making a dusting glove. Yeah. I'm lame. LOL
I crochet, darnit, certainly I could figure something out to use that thing again. I've had it hanging around the house, moved it for 5 year or more. Certainly I can use that for something.
Then I found it. A free crochet pattern for the cleaning pads to fit a swiffer. Oh sure I've seen it online before but this time, this time I was going to make it! I'm even going to point out the pattern I used so you can use it as well. Linda Permann wrote up a pattern and it is on makezine.
Ah but then it leaves me buying that stupid solution. Oh wait, but it doesn't! How to remove the cap on a Swiffer Wet Jet Cleaner!?!? YES! There it was, the answer! hee hee!
So tonight I spent my time making the cleaning pad and taking the top from the cleaner to wash and refill it with hot water and white vinegar. I did a quick clean on the roughly 550 sq ft of kitchen, dining room and hall. Tomorrow I will do the bathrooms and anything else I can think of. Maybe I'll redo the kitchen. LOL I'm excited! Is that lame? :p It was great though and I've even thought about making a dusting glove. Yeah. I'm lame. LOL
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