Back to School - Wrangling Up Your Writing Tools

Today's finds are based on your writing utensils!

First of all, you need a great pencil.  One that writes clearly and doesn't break every time you touch it to paper.  I think these from missisaau are so cute and unique, but she has many other varieties if you want to see what other pattern choices you can find.

In order to keep those pencils in tip top shape, you'll need a portable sharpener.  Is there a cooler vintage sharpener out there than this neato Stage Coach one from penorus?

To make sure that those pencils don't disappear to the bottom of your bag and get lost, they'll need a bag to keep them safe and on the top of the pile (or at least easily distinguishable at the bottom).  I'm loving this scooter one from jellytoastkids.  If it were only a bit more yellow it would look like my scooter, Daisy.

Don't Forget :)

My giveaway ends tomorrow! Click here to go sign up and be eligible to win a box full of prizes :D

Giveaway!

I reached 100 followers over the weekend and to celebrate I am have a HUGE GIVEAWAY!

What you can win:

• A Beanie - knit from super-wash merino and a fuzzy acrylic blend in a nice wide rib pattern so ensure that it will fit snuggly on many different head sizes and keep you warm and happy J
• A Cellphone/ipod/kleenex pouch – or whatever else you want to use it for! It has been knit in such a pattern so that it will keep whatever small item your heart desires safe and scratch free
• A Hacky Sack or Bean Bag – knit from a durable acrylic yarn and filled with beans, my hackysacks have been approved by a long-time hacker
• A book containing 10 love poems by Pablo Neruda – very sweet book, not necessarily your typical love poems, there is also a movie out Il Postino, that focuses on his work
• A half-pint of our very own Prickly Pear Syrup! – perfect for pancakes, waffles and whatever else you put delicious syrup on J
• A random assortment of teas – all very delicious and addicting
• And a few other random knick knacks that I think you should get

Whew, that’s a lot of stuff!

Want to find out how you can win?

• Visit my shop, find your favorite item and come back here and tell me what it is, or give me a critique, something constructive ;)
• Follow this blog (if you already do, please be sure to mention it in a separate comment)
• Post about this giveaway on Twitter with a link back to this posting and tell me about it
• Post about this giveaway on your blog with a link back and tell me about it

Please leave each of your entries in different comments so I know how many to count you for and please leave me a way to get a hold of you so that if you do win I can tell you! J There are 4 different ways to gain entry so hop to it!

This giveaway will be open until October 1st and on that day I will draw the winner out of a hat and email them :)

Pouch from Hello.Lollipop

Last week I was informed that I was the lucky winner of Hello.Lollipop's giveaway! The pouch arrived on Monday (which is great because Mondays and I don't always get along so getting a surprise gift on Mondays is always nice:)).

Here is the pouch:


It is very well made, the colors and fabrics work wonderfully together. Right now it is home to a small knitting project I am working on.

My favorite part of the pouch is the button, it is so cute!

Thank you Hello.Lollipop!

New Items in My Shop

I know I said that one of my July Goals was to start "streamlining" my shop and I know that listing things other than hats and beanies seems to go against this goal, but it really goes toward it as I have to list everything that I have waiting to be listed and sold before I can get into the "streamlining" part of it all. So anyways, here are some of the new things I have up in my shop :)





clicking on the pictures will take you to their listings :)

Anatomy of a Skirt

I heard about Anatomy of a Skirt long ago in a magazine that I still receive. One of her bags was featured in it (a yarn ball skull and cross needles design) and I just had to have it. I was lucky enough to get it as a birthday present and I have had it for three years now and still use it, actually I used it today, and yesterday, and the day before to carry my books to class along with my latest knitting project. Her wares are very durable (I speak from experience, I have put mine through quite enough), animal friendly, and with a sustainable mind.

She has since had a robot invasion and they have completely taken over her shop, alas, I may not be able to find a replacement bag when mine bites the dust (in another ten years or so *crosses fingers*) but her robots sure are cute!

Orange Creamsicle

The other day my momma asked me to send her friend a phone pouch as a gift from her. I didn't have anything in my stockpile that I thought would suit her needs so yesterday I whipped up this one real quick since it was my day off.

This morning my momma asked for two more, so I see pouches in my future hehe.

What To Blog About...And a Giveaway! .... evidently hehe

After reading this excerpt of Tim Adam's hints and tips for us Etsians, it made me ponder what would my readers like to hear about on this blog? On the one hand I could very easily blog about my design process, the reasons I choose certain colors or materials, certain textures, certain vendors. I could also blog about some how-tos of my design process, I could post a tutorial on how to dye yarn, or knit a certain stitch or project. I could post scheduled events, Friday Finds, or Tuesday Tutorials or Wednesday...W...somethin or others. I could also always blog more about my personal life, but I don't want to bore you all too much ;)

So what would you, my reader, like to hear more about? Do you have any specific questions you want me to answer or any tutorials you want to read? Please tell me :) give me some feedback. Actually...I think that I will give away a pouch to a random commenter...here, one of these pouches...you get to choose which pouch if you win...so you should probably leave me some way to get a hold of you, Etsy shop name or email or something. Now get to suggestin'! *Please* :)

*should mention that the time to apply for the giveaway will be Wednesday, midnight, mountain time*

Soon to come...

So just as soon as I have time between classes, finals, work, and everything else going on, I will be listing the remaining items from the show that have yet to make it into my shop. Some of these items include hackysacks, pouches, an earband, some beanies, you know, the basics and some new stuff :) Here's a prequel.....

Lavender and Black Pouch, Quirky Heart

I added two new items to my shop yesterday, a custom order from a repeat customer (also a family member hehe, the best kind of buyer!) and a new pouch.

The pouch is knit from a combination of wool and superwash wool yarns, meaning that if you throw it in the washing machine in hot water it will only partially felt. I love the colors and the checkered pattern that they make together. This would be a perfect pouch for just about any small electronic device or for tissues or other randomness.

This is a poncho that my cousin requested; blue and green stripes with a dark blue heart in the middle. I think it turned out super cute :)

New iPod Cozy!

Who's got an ipod? Or a zune? Or a massive cell phone? Or some other kind of high-tech device that you want fashionably protected? I've got just the thing!

I have knit up a small pouch in which to hold said gadget and not to boast, but it is awesome! In dusty pink and deep black yarn, this cozy is perfect the edgy punk lady in your life or your girly girl. And who doesn't love argyle prints?