That's so dope...

Happy Monday kittens! I'm obsessed with this new outfit combo I put together here. I discovered it looked good the other day and can't wait to mix it up with other colored tops and tights! I was pretty pleased with myself as you can see....

We had a gloomy and wet week but the sun has finally come out and I'm so happy. I really hate gloomy weather and live for the sun... seriously. All is well in the Hart household. The Mister and I visited some long lost friends this weekend. I say long lost friends because we haven't seen them in nearly 9 months or so. A lot has happened since then and it was great to catch up. They have the most adorable baby girl Lily Rose that we got to meet and hold most of the night. She was such a sweet and very easy going little nugget of love. 

It's a new work week and I'm all ready and raring to go! I have a whole list of things that I need to accomplish this week but it's all good because quite honestly work for me doesn't even feel like work. I love that I get to stay home with the puppies and crochet all day. I'm so blessed that my Husband is able to let me have that choice. I'm also thrilled that I get to devote my morning to working out and actually being able to take some time for me is very important. I can't say that I love working out or jogging but I love the way I feel afterwards and I love seeing the results. I've come along way since last year...

I cannot wait for Spring and Summer to come... I'm getting very excited planning all the little trips and adventures that The Mister and I are going to have. I'm dreaming about Port Aransas in the Summer...  laying out on the beach with the puppies and soaking up the sun. We always have so much fun when we go out there. I also want to start hiking more again and really want to try out paddle boarding. I also hope to make it out to Wimberley and Fredericksburg this year as well.

My little crochet business is doing well. I'm continuing to get orders on Etsy even after the New Year (which is usually the slow period) but I'm staying busy filling orders and keeping my stores all stocked. I'm also trying to work on my book proposal on the side when I'm not busy. It's so hard to write about yourself and try to sell yourself and your vision but I'm hoping this will help me develop and grow as a person. It's scary but I suppose everything is a little frightening if you've never done it before. 

I'm obsessed with this matte lipstick that I purchased last Summer. I forgot all about it and then re-discovered it again. It's Wet & Wild and is the most awesome shade of orange. I know, I know.... 

Wet & Wild you say..... but I love that it's highly pigmented and the price is right and the big seller is that they are cruelty free. That's very important to me. I'm also all about NYX as well.... I love their matte finish lipstick too. I'm so much more into makeup than I used to be... I wish I had discovered how to apply it back in the day... better late than never I suppose.

Let's talk about these awesome little sailor shorts that I found last Summer at Wet Seal. I simpley adore them... they were cheap and stretchy and the cool thing about them is I can also wear them as bathing suit trunks. How cute would that be with a little bikini top. They fit way better than they did last Summer and I'm so exited to wear this "little get up"in the Summer (without the tights of course). 

I don't get to play dress up all that much anymore because I work from home now and normally just wear jeans and a tee but still love to have fun experimenting on the weekends. Speaking of weekends.... I totally forgot to mention that I also got to hang out with my Sister and Brother in law on Saturday night. It was so much fun... I always have fun with them and their adorable kids Ben and Max. I just love my little Nephews and now they are st the most fun ages where we can have silly conversations with them. We ended up cooking out and watching "Guardians of the Galaxy" together.... which I hadn't seen before. It was really cute.

It was a great weekend indeed. Here's to a pleasant work week and hopefully it will pass rather quickly so that we can all look forward to Friday! 

xoxo

Top: Forever 21

Shorts: Wet Seal

Tights: Target

Hat: Mod Cloth

Shoes: Macy's 

Lipstick: Wet & Wild

The Good Hippie

My good friend Bri of The Good Hippie has the most amazing handmade skin care line that is vegan and all natural. Bri is even launching a line of products specifically for children called 

The Little Hippie. I've had the pleasure of getting to know Bri and her amazing family over the last few years and have also traveled and participated in many shows together. Not only is Bri my dear friend but I am truly obsessed with her beautiful products.  

If you're like me and tend to have "problem skin".... which is a nice way of saying you have the occasional blemish, than clarity is the line that would most likely be for you. I'm all about Bri's toner... I literally use it every night after I wash my face and right before I go to bed. It's so clean and refreshing, it leaves your skin super clean without stripping your face of all your oils. Which is great because you don't want to have really dry, flakey skin. 

I keep my little scrub bottle in the shower. I use it after I wash my face with a gentle cleanser. It's great to exfoliate and the ground up herbs smell soooo good!

Remember how fun it was when you were a teenager and used to give you and your girlfriends facials during sleepovers? Every time I apply a facial mask I transform back into a fourteen year old girl. I put on my mask, make some hot tea and grab a "trash magazine" to read as I paint my fingernails. Just sayin'. I love to wear my mask while I'm indulging in my favorite guilty pleasure..... like watching a TV show that the Mister would never want me to watch. Ha ha! 

 I keep the cleansing grains in the shower too. At first it's kinda weird to use a product that doesn't have a lather.... but you get used to it.  I just love the cleansing grains. Speaking about love.... I'm really falling hard for Bri's beautiful packaging. Nobody wants to have plastic bottles laying around the bathroom. I keep mine out on full display. I also love the fact that they are hand painted and you can keep the bottles and re-purpose them. Bri does everything by hand with tender love and care.

It's Sophie approved! Just look at her gorgeous packaging! You can buy these products individually or buy the whole skincare line and it comes shipped to you like this.

I also wanted to add a little something about the peace spray.... I've been using it for over 2 years now and absolutely love it! I use it just before I go to bed every night.....it's literally on my nightstand. I spray a few puffs over my head and face and even my pillow. It's so calming and soothing, it really helps me un-wind from a hectic day. It's become my bedtime ritual.

I don't advertise or promote products that I truly don't believe in. I don't like to use anything that is 

unnatural or that is tested on animals. I also would rather pay a little bit more for a product that I know is hand made (rather than a factory) and have that money go directly into the pocket of the maker themselves. I can't stress enough how important it is to support the makers and crafters of the world. Being a small business owner myself I know how important it is to support local vendors, helping  create a strong sense of community as well as stimulating economic growth.

See The Good Hippie's list of other links below...

Instagram

Facebook

Pinterest

xoxo

One less problem...

Happy Monday kittens! I'm keeping this blog post rather short today.... as I have a ton on my mind lately. This is kinda of an older photo shoot I did a few weeks back and never got around to publishing it till now. I love this shirt that I purchased from Forever 21. It pretty much sums up how I feel about life right now in general... I've been super stressed out and emotional these last few days and haven't really been able to really "keep it together". 

I have some more recent health issue that have popped up. To be honest, I'm just completely sick of being sick. I felt like I was finally at a point in my life where I was feeling good and had no real concerns with my physical health.... in fact the last year I've devoted a lot of my time to getting back into shape physically and mentally. I hate being the victim and never try to act helpless or ever ask "why me?" because that's just a waste of time but I literally feel like I've been defeated. I get up just to get knocked down again and again and I'm getting really tired of it.  

I don't want to be a "Debbie Downer" ... so I'll say nothing more of that subject. In other news, I've been crazy busy with doing research and writing a book proposal and even a marketing plan 

(which is pretty stressful). I don't even know where to begin some days.... I also have a bunch of orders on Etsy right now. Whew! 

Molly (our chicken) is getting better and literally had to learn to walk again. She is still hobbling around but I'm sure she'll get it right soon. For those of you that don't know... our chicken Molly got her claw caught in between two boards on our deck and snapped her little claw off. Well, they removed her claw at the vet and now she is left with a little stump and her claw will never come back. She's a little off balance right now... it's kinda cute. I've never spent so much on a chicken before! I can't believe how much the vet charged us to remove and clean her up. I also had to take her back on three separate occasions to have them check it out and re-wrap it each time. We also had to give her pain meds and antibiotics (which is pretty hard to give a chicken).

Then this morning I got up to get ready for a very important doctors appointment and feed the dogs and was sitting them on the couch (checking my e-mail) and went to give Lucy a kiss because she looked so cute and she bit my nose... like really hard. I'm literally on edge and can't handle to most simple of tasks or situations right now so after she bit me I ran upstairs and cried. 

In happier news I got to hang out with some old friends I haven't seen in almost a year last night. My really cool buddies Pip and Supana had us over for Dinner and to meet their adorable new daughter Saya. I say new because I've never seen her or met her before... she is about 8 months old and is literally one of the cutest babies I've ever seen. She has the most gorgeous jet black full head of hair! It's long.... like you can put her hair in little piggy tails already and she's only 8 months old. She is just a doll and it was so good to catch up with them. 

I plan on keeping things low key throughout this work week and into the weekend. I've gotta try to manage my stress as best as I can by jogging and eating right. I don't want any seizures to start creepin' in on me again. I've got a lot on my plate right now and need to stay focused and keep my eye on the prize.

Hope all you kittens had a wonderful weekend. I'll be crocheting my little heart away while I watch some Hulu and Netflix. Weeeee!

xoxo

Shirt: Forever 21

Cardi: Target

Jeans: Old Navy

Shoes: Target

Hat: Amazon

Egg magnet Brooch & headband pattern...

These are the materials that you will need for this project...

1. yarn (white and yellow)
2. polyfill
3. hot glue gun 
4. felt in white or cream color (one sheet will do for this project)
5. floss in a pink or red tone (if you want to make the face)
6. magnets (the heavier duty kind)
7. crochet hook 4.0 
8. plastic doll eyes (if you want to make the face)
9. Darning needle
10. crochet marker
11. (not shown in image) thin metal headband

Starting with the yellow yarn for the yolk working in the "magic circle".

 Chain 2

Row 1: 6 sc into the 1st chain from hook.

Pull circle closed tight.

Row 2: *2sc into each sc* = 12 sc.

Place stitch marker in last sc (the one on the crochet hook).

Row 3: *1 sc in first sc, 2 sc in the second* repeat around. = 18 sc.

Remove stitch marker and place it back on the last chain on the hook.

Row 4: *1 sc in each first two sc, two sc in 3rd sc.* Repeat around. = 24 sc.

We are all done increasing our rounds!

Row 5-7. Sc in each sc all around. = 24 sc.

By now your yolk should look fully developed. Slip stitch into next sc and pull yarn through leaving a long tail left over.

 If you want to take your egg brooch to the next level of cuteness then follow along to see how. If you want your egg to be "sunny side up" then skip this step.

Making the face on your yolk.

For this step you'll need a set of plastic eyes with the backings, pink colored floss of your choice, scissors and a darning needle. All these items can most likely be purchased at your local craft store. I purchased all my supplies at Hobby Lobby. See list of resources, including links at the end of the post.

Step 1: Place the plastic doll eyes in yolk as close or as far apart as you like. I prefer mine to be closer together like so:

Step 2: Snap the backings onto the reverse side of yolk making them secure.

Step 3: Cut a piece of floss about 6-7 inches long and (using your darning needle) sew a little "V" as a smile into the yolk like so:

Tip: Don't forget to tie a knot at the end of your floss! Finish by tying and cutting off the remaining floss. Set aside.

Now it's time to get started on your egg white!

Using white yarn, chain 2.

Row 1: 6 sc into 1st chain. Once again we are working "the magic circle". Pull hole shut tight.

Row 2: *2 sc in each sc* all around = 12sc.

Mark the last sc on your hook with a stitch marker.

Row 3: *1 sc in first two sc, 2sc into third sc.* Repeat around. = 18 sc.

Are you starting to notice a pattern? After each row you should have 6 more stitches.

Row 4: *1 sc in first 3 sc, 2 sc into 4th.* Repeat. = 24 sc.

Tip: Keep your tension super tight... this is key for making these little guys. If you are a beginner don't worry, practice makes perfect!

Row 5: *1 sc in first 4 sc, 2 sc into 5th sc*. Repeat around. = 30 sc.

Row 6: *1sc in first 5 sc, 2 sc into 6th sc*. Repeat. =36 sc.

Row 7: Sc in every sc all around. = 36 sc. Slip stitch into next sc and tie off leaving a little tail to weave into the backside of your egg white. Use your darning needle for this step and don't be overly concerned what the back of your egg white looks like as it will be covered by felt in the end.

Tip: Don't have your tension super tight for this step. Make it a tad loosey goosey so that your egg white doesn't start to curl under on you!

Now comes the fun part! Now it's time to stuff your egg yolk. Using polyfill, stuff egg yolk part way. Using your darning needle you are going to sew the egg yolk onto the egg white. Don't worry if you mess up, you can always take out the stitching and re-do it.

Tip: I think it's adorable to place the yolk just a tad off center. Feel free to place the yolk right in the middle though. Once you get 3/4 of the way done with your stitching stuff the remainder of your polyfill into the yolk to make him extra fluffy!

Once you are all finished sewing on your yolk and tying it off, go ahead and cut the remaining yarn short. Now it's time to decide if you want a magnet brooch or headband. Get your glue gun all hot and ready to go! 

To make a magnet for your fridge or magnet brooch. If you're like me, I hate pinning brooches through the fabric of my nice sweaters and shirts. Instead make a magnet brooch! You need two magnets for this. If you're making a magnet for your fridge you'll only need one magnet. 

Step 1: Hot glue one magnet directly onto the back of your egg white. Make sure the magnets are both facing on the sides that are "attracted" to each other. That's pretty important.

Step 2: Hot glue the entire back side of the yolk down onto the felt. I'm using white felt but you can use cream colored as well. Anything that won't show through the white yarn is good.

Tip: Make sure you hot glue to the very edge of your crochet work. It's totally okay if some hot glue squishes out. You'll be cutting around the egg anyhow.

Step 3: Using sharp scissors cut around as close as you can to your crochet eggy making sure you don't actually cut into your crochet work! That would be a bummer. You're going to cut all the way around you egg so that the felt comes completely loose. Voila! Now you have an egg magnet. For the brooch just take the extra magnet and place it on the inside of your shirt so your brooch won't slip or come off.  You can even put it on a hat as a crazy cute accent! There you have it.

For questions please e-mail me directly. I'd love to hear your comments as well. Check out my resources below.

Just look how cute the finished product is!!! You can even add it to your favorite hat!

To make the headband you skip the step where you hot glue the magnet to the back and simply hot glue the back of the felt directly on to the little metal portion of the headband 

(it's cute to do it off to the side) and then cut out another circle of felt roughly the same size 

(or a tad smaller) of felt and hot glue that peice of felt to the back side of the egg so it secures the egg onto the headband. 

Here's what the headband looks like!

I purchased all my products at Hobby Lobby but you can find some of the supplies at Michaels and JoAnn's. 

I love this yarn (medium 4, acrylic) in white and yellow.

Felt 

Magnets

Floss (sold individually in store)

Polyfill 

Doll eyes
Headbands

Instagram Lately....

Happy Monday lovies! I haven't done an Instagram post in awhile so I thought I'd let everyone in on what's been going on in my life lately. I'm sure you all know by now that I've found an amazing Agent to help me with my dream of publishing a crochet book. It's been a long journey 

(and it hasn't even started yet) and I'm excited and scared for what's to come. I really don't know what to expect... since I've never traveled down this road before, but I'm thrilled that my small fiber art business is taking this HUGE step in the right direction. 

I'm happy that even though the busiest time of year is over that I'm still receiving orders on Etsy and am selling in local boutiques. Last year right after the Holiday I had absolutley no orders and I was afraid that this year would prove to be the same. Although my sales have slowed down... they haven't stopped and that makes me know that I'm doing something right. These guys are pretty popular right now.... the smaller size seems to be more affordable and are quicker to make than the larger Hippo and Rhino. 

We've been having the most glorious sunsets lately and it's really made me anxious for Spring to arrive. Since I captured this image the weather has drastically changed. We are in a cold spell with non stop drizzle. It's quite depressing and I miss the sun. 

My style has been changing as well... I'm more into black and have been rocking a more "edgy" look these days.  I think it's all part of me growing as a person and finding my way. I love expressing how I feel through fashion. This shirt is quite literal. Ha!

Makers gotta make! Jellyfish and Cuttlefish are the most popular critters that I make. They are pretty darn cute. I've finally organized the studio that the Mister built for me in our backyard and soon it will have plumbing and be fully functional. I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out what works best and functions best in that space. I've made a billion trips to Ikea and I'm sure I'll make a zillion more. It's coming along though... I can't wait to get a little bathroom in there so I don't have to go into the house every 30 minutes to pee. 

I've decided that I want to take my blog in a different direction... I'd like to post more about crocheting and less about fashion. I do love to play dress up and document my daily wear but I also see my blog as a great outlet to show my work and to promote my little business. I will still post about fashion but I want my blog audience to grow more into the "crafty" direction. I adore Meredith Crawford of 

One Sheepish Girl and how she shares her life as a crafter and a maker through her beautiful imagery. 

More orders to fill on Etsy. I haven't made a Giraffe all year!

I finally broke down and bought a sewing machine after my last one broke about a year ago. I have all these awesome vintage dresses that are the most awkward length so I forced myself to fix one of them and was delighted that I figured out how to thread the bobbin on my own and re-vamp the dress into a sweet little mini. I wore it out to the sing along for New Years Eve. I can't wait to show it off!

I borrowed this adorable dress from Hannah of The Braided Bandit and paired it with my new black accessories that I purchased from Forever 21. I just love this head wrap and it's perfect for those cold Winter days.

This guy cracks me up... he is one of the first critters that I ever crocheted. It's supposed to be a Fox but doesn't really resemble one and definitely doesn't look as good as the ones I make today. I think this was circa 2009. It's fun to see how much my skills have improved over the years. My handiwork has improved a ton since then... but I kept him as a reminder of where I started. He is hanging in our guestroom upstairs as we speak. 

My new "edgy" look that I've been sporting recently. 

Poor Molly our little feathered baby cracked her nail when it was wedged in between two boards on the deck. I had to take her to a special Avian Vet and they removed her damaged claw and bandaged her up. Poor baby, we have to give her anti biotic twice a day and monitor her to see if there are changes in her daily activity. So far things have been good, I have to say it's been quite interesting to put a chicken in a carrying case and transport her to the vet. She's been the most well behaved chicken that I've ever seen and is growing strong and feisty each day. 

I hopped onto Instagram one day to check my feed and this popped up via Pop Shop America. I promptly reposted it. Ha ha... shameless self promotion. Wanna nominate me for the 2015 Maker Award? Jump on over to Pop Shop America's linky poo here and have at it! I sure would appreciate the support.

My studio in the backyard is finally coming together. Here's a sneak peek at my little corner where all the magic happens. Ha ha! Just kidding.... this is where I mount, label and pack my little critters. 

Super excited to receive this little vintage gem in the mail from The Braided Bandit's Etsy Shop. It's a sweet, little dusty pink nautical inspired baby doll dress. I can't wait to wear it to the beach this Summer! 

This little shipment is on it's way to a very special customer!

So excited to have a vanity once again. I love this little corner that I have all to myself. The Mister put all the Ikea furniture together for me this last weekend. It's the perfect little space to do my makeup and hair. 

Dropping off this adorable shipment to one of my favorite local boutiques that I sell at called A-Town. Check out their Tumblr feed here. It's so hard not to buy anything when I go into their store... I seriously want everything in there!

Lastly, I'm so delighted to pick up a copy of Meredith Crawford's book "Crochet with One Sheepish Girl". Meredith is such an inspiration... she is sweet as can be and has some serious talent. I had the pleasure of meeting her at the 2014 Renegade Craft Fair in Austin last year. She is also a fellow Texan as well. I can't wait to get started on these super adorable patterns!

That's about it for this gal. Hope everyone is off to an amazing work week! Follow along on my Instagram feed for more updates and fun pictures @nothingbutapigeon.

Instagram

xoxo