Christening Outfit

    Well Elijah has officially been baptized and so now I am willing to share some pictures of the outfit. I was very happy with how it came out and plan on offering some similar sets on my Etsy shop (can't be identical cause his is special). 

   Making things like this, knowing they are for very meaningful moments in our lives, brings me such joy. I want it to be perfect and unique and look amazing! As I was crocheting it I also was filled with thoughts and prayers for both Elijah and his wonderful parents!

  My hope is that if I am blessed to be able to make more items in this genre I would be able to pour out heartfelt prayers as I work, whether it be for a family member or a stranger. Something similar to the old time "Prayer Shawls" which I humbly admit I used to think meant a shawl you wore when you prayed. I discovered that it was actually a shawl (or any item) that the entire time you were making it you prayed for the person that it was for! What an amazing thing to do! Looking forward to more opportunities like this one.

Sneak Peek

  So I have finished the Christening Set for the newest grandchild, Elijah, but until I show the proud parents I will have to wait to share the pics online. I do, however, have some pictures of a few of my newest designs that I am eager to share. I am very happy with the results so far and soooo eager to work on the rest of the ideas in my head. 

  I am making some changes in the focus of my handmade items. I have been a long time lover of Antique patterns and the idea of Heirloom items worthy of being saved and passed down thru the generations. With that in mind, the majority of my new items will be for Special Occasions-- i.e Weddings,Brides, Proms, Baptisms, Christenings etc. 

  I have a million ideas in my head which, of course, come faster than my hands can crochet them. The first few items are for the Bride- both the traditional and those who follow their unique ideas. They were inspired by Vintage patterns. My desire is to create unique one of a kind pieces with the exception of Custom orders for Bridal Parties (of which I am always open and willing to customize to any ideas).

   The first Headpiece was crocheted out of a baby fine yarn with a hint of a sheen to it. It is called a Flower Bandeau Hat. It has white roses on each end with tiny beads handsewn into the center of each bud. Rayon thread leaves were crocheted and handsewn onto both sides with the edges hanging free for a special look. I hand sewed seed beads to both edges of the hat and threaded a thin wire through the edges to give it a bit of shape that can be fitted to the individual head.

      This next design is a Juliet Style Lace Hat with dangling beads hand sewn to each point around the edge of the Cap. It is a champagne colored mohair yarn which gives it a bit of a halo effect when crocheted. I added hand sewn champagne colored beads to each picot stitch all over the cap. The overall effect is quite beautiful.

This last one is still a work in progress.. it was crochet in a white rayon thread in a Vintage Headband/Hat style and then I hand sewed a fine mesh gathered Tulle across the front. It will have tiny rhinestones added to the short veil and two Vintage rhinestone adorned hat pins to hold it in place. It has a bit of a mod feel with the short veil. 

As usual my pictures aren't the greatest but hope to remedy that soon :)

Fun Stuff

   Sooo I am finally finished with the orders that all came in at once and am back to working on the Christening Outfit for the newest Holland :) Thought I would share some photos of what has been occupying my free time (is there really such a thing??)
Custom Orders for a newborn photo shoot :
Newsboy Style Cap and Fun Elf Hat

 

Chihuahua Coats:

Having a great time but seriously dying to start on my newest brainstorms!

Gunniisack Photography

     A few months back I received a few custom orders from Brendyn Gunn of Gunniisack Photography. We had a great time working together and I designed a couple of original hats for her from some pictures she sent. We worked out a deal where we both got blessed- her with some free/ reduced cost props and me with pictures!

 

    Recently I reworked one of my Photography props from a circle cocoon shape into an oval shape. I asked Brendyn if she would be willing to use it in one of her shoots and she graciously agreed. These are the resulting pics and they are too sweet! 

     Can't wait to add these pictures to my listings! Check out her site when you have time. She has some wonderful pictures!!

Soo Busy.......

  .... which is probably the slogan of 90% of everyone I know but so applicable it simply must be said! I have had a brainstorm of ideas and a new direction I want to go with my crocheting and am SOO EXCITED! I have been collecting patterns and embellishments, researching and planning. Problem is I am too busy to get started on it :)
   Now mind you this is not all a "bad" kind of busy. Actually on the crochet front NONE of the busy is bad. I have two orders for gloves- one of them is the new Victorian Punk Rock Style Gloves with 18 buttons which are amazingly cute! And the other is for a child size pair of fingerless gloves. I am also working on a custom order for 6 doggy sweaters for a lady who fosters Chihuahuas. My first animal order I must add :)
  The BEST thing I am working on right now is a Christening Outfit for my Step-daughter's "due any second-literally" first child. His name is Elijah and the anticipation of his birth is thrilling for the entire family. I was blessed to be given the opportunity to create a special outfit for his big day! I have the booties and cap 99% completed. I started on the main outfit and have the legs and part of the body complete. It is soo sweet so far. I had an idea for the buttons and found some on Ebay I think will work and am anxiously awaiting their arrival! I can't wait to finish it! I am hoping it exceeds my expectations and hopefully, Elijah's parents expectations too! Pics will be coming soon
    So until I finish all the above.. my newest, can't wait to try ideas will just have to be on hold. That's the biggest downside to crochet- there is NEVER enough time to get it all made! In any event look forward to some big changes to my current offerings. Hope you will love them too!
 


  

Lost Art(s)

    In our Thrift Shop I have an area in a display case where I sell some of my baby items. Yesterday someone was looking at them and said " Oh did someone's grandmother make these?" I get this comment all the time :( and I find it so sad. Not so much because I make the items but because most people think no one makes these types of handmade items anymore. It is considered an archaic art. Actually that is usually the second comment.."No one does this anymore" Sadly they are right -kind of.

  Kind of because I DO make them and so do more "younger" folks than most people realize. I believe hand made items are making a comeback, at least in some circles. I find it so sad that the legacy of passing down handmade items thru the generations has been lost for the majority of us. Even sadder is that when something is made and given it isn't valued as in days past. 

  However, I do notice that, more and more, this is changing. A greater desire for hand crafted items of any type are becoming coveted again. The huge success of Etsy is a testament to this. If you haven't ever had a chance to browse around the site YOU REALLY MUST! Never I have I found such an amazing compilation of the most creatively beautiful handmade gifts. Every media you can think of and such wonderful things I would never think of but absolutely adore (and wish I had)

  Look around and see what you are missing. See things you will never find in a department store! Who knows, it may spark your own creative juices?! Some legacies are worth holding onto!

 

On the Lighter Side

   So a dear friend (Christina Main of sweet lavender bake shoppe) introduced me to a newer site called Pinterest. It is the most fun site!! It is a social network with a twist. Each member has their own page like Facebook et al but everyone "pins" pictures of things they love.
    You create your own "boards" where you pin your pictures. You can use the default topics like..My Style, For the Home and Products I Love or you can make up your own topics. You get a Pin It icon to post to your tool bar and when you are surfing the internet and find a picture you love you click the Pin It and choose where it goes.
  You can Follow anyone's Pinterest that calls your name just as you would a blog. You can repin other folks pictures that you like too. It is so much fun and the things people post are amazing! As they say "A picture speaks a thousand words"
  You can view mine here -mind you, it's a work in progress. Look around and see all the other peoples Pins and if the site appeals to you too then become a member. If you do join please post your Pinterest link here so I can see your choices. Can't wait to see what gets pinned next!!

Life is so Precious!

   My husband and I have had a very rough few years. It is amazing how all priorities change when you are in "survival mode" Things that used to be important take not only a back seat but sometimes don't get a seat at all anymore. Doing fun things becomes irrelevant and sometimes impossible. Decision making is vital.
  I remember when I was in College taking classes to become a Teacher. One class taught about the "heirarchy of needs" which states that until you have your basic needs met nothing else matters. It was very interesting to see it play out in my own life.
  This being said it amazes how even basic needs stop mattering when someone you love has health issues. For example, when my Grandma was dying and under Hospice care it never occurred to us how we were going to get me there 3+ days a week to help her. The gas money was irrelevant. The time away didn't matter. So many things just didn't matter. All that mattered was her.
  When the Earthquake and Tsunami hit Japan our life seemed good comparatively. Our meager resources seemed to multiple enough to allow us to reach out even in just tiny ways. Did you see it play out all across our country? In some of the toughest economic times since "The Great Depression" we still managed to pull together and send amazing amounts of money and help! Did it happen in your life too?
  The last few days have been especially tough. Yet again, this morning a call telling us about the precarious situation that one of our beloved family members was in changed it all. Their health and well being was all that mattered! Nothing else, LITERALLY NOTHING ELSE mattered! All we cared about was that they would be ok. Thank the Lord there is a good chance with the right medication and time they will be! But isn't it amazing what it really is all about? What really is important?
  All that really counts is life. Those people in Japan (as well as other devastated areas) aren't focused on all they have lost. I am sure is it horrible and scary and sad etc etc to lose all BUT all that really matters is did they lose someone they love? All that matters is that they are together with those they have left!
  While I do not want to downplay how difficult life can be, and how scary and unpredictable the future is at times, as long as I know those I love are well everything else pales. How to pay the bills, buy the food, get the needs and on and on and on?? For today it just doesn't matter. Today I truly have all that really counts. Would to God that I can remember that more often.
  

Favorite Things

    As with all who make things there are some that just don't work out. They fail on some level or another and have to be discarded (or in the case of crochet-unraveled) On a side note, unraveling makes my husband come unglued. Guess it brings up memories of his mom who, being an avid crocheter also, would not tolerate errors and would pull out rows and rows of work. Something about this is so upsetting to his senses though I have yet to pinpoint exactly what aspect of it gets him. Well that's a whole other blog ;)
  On the flip side there are those items that so far exceed our expectations that they quickly become our favorites. It may be the overall look, the textures, colors, shape...or maybe all these things combined? What ever is it we end up in LOVE. I am no exception and wanted to share a few of mine. (Maybe when I am really brave I will share some of my failures as well.) I definitely have a few that fall into this category and occasionally the list grows when some unexpected new item I make becomes a part of it.

 

   These bibs were probably my first truly favorite item. They are made from a Vintage pattern. Though I am not sure exactly which era the pattern is from I do know it is old. 

   The design is so sweet and the nature of it allows it to be made for a boy, girl or gender neutral. It can be dressed up with appliques and fancy buttons and left unadorned.

  I have even altered the pattern to make it doll sized for a custom order I received. There may be nothing super special about this bib to anyone else but that's often the case with things we love. I think above all it reminds of a time when handmade items were cherished and treasured, saved and passed down. 

  Two other pictures of items that are also on my favorite list:

Do you have favorites? Things you adore for any reason? It doesn't have to be something you have made, it could be anything. If you would like to share them here I would love to see them

New Blog and New at Blogging

   This blog is so I can have a place to share the good, bad (hopefully not much of this) and beautiful  world of my crochet life.  I guess, as all good blogs do, I should start by telling you who I am.
    My husband and I run two businesses (an Ebay Store & Thrift Shop) and Crocheted in Love makes up the third though this one is solely mine. Three businesses equals a very busy and hectic schedule. Add to that 3 kids (20, 18 and 7) still at home... well you get the idea ;)
    I do love our Thrift shop and Ebay is a necessary evil but my real love is crocheting. I crochet whenever and where ever I can, mostly during any car ride and evenings after the day is done. 
  I will and can crochet just about anything but my favorite is anything baby or infant related. I adore using thread to crochet and booties are my specialty. A lot of folks don't like to work with the small hooks and thin cotton but I do! I think the results are wonderful. Thread booties have a detail that is hard to achieve with regular yarn. Don't get me wrong though, I have and do offer yarn booties as well, as they can be darling but thread just has a unique quality.

   I also started making photography props-mostly infant ones- but also have made them for older children and adults. I have designed a few original cocoons, hammock style slings as well as a couple of pods and pads. I have more ideas but finding time to design is harder than finding time to make a ready made pattern so I fluctuate.

  Custom orders are my preference. I think there's nothing sweeter than asking for the color, size and style you want and then actually getting it! I think giving a gift that isn't found on any store shelf has it's advantages and generally those are the items which are saved and passed down through generations.
 So that's probably enough for now :) Please view some of my things using my Etsy link. Hope you like them