#VOXoxBox Reveal

Good Morning my crochet friends.

Today is the last day to enjoy my heart garland on my little tree. All my little trees come down today, to make room for Shamrock garlands!

Since I am so new to crochet I have never made a Shamrock before, although, this is my youngest sons birthday month but sadly I didn't know how to crochet when he was small. 

Anyway, I am sorry for the lack of posts.

I know I have thrown a few reviews in but I cant possibly keep up with 2 blogs, and I hope my friends (followers) know that. My real-life friends know that that's not possible. lol

I have had a case of the blues. I haven't had anything on my hook for almost 2 weeks. I haven't been in the mood. Apparently, somehow I hurt my best friends feelings, and I guess bad enough (I wouldn't know, because she hates confrontation and wont tell me what I done to deserve to lose one of the most special people in my life.) So I have been extremely upset with her and myself (although, Idk what I done, isn't that terrible?) She was my crochet buddy and now I have no one. So, its hard to crochet alone, with tears in your eyes, and no concentration. Then I chopped the end of my pointer fingernail off WAYYYY past the quick and no amount of anything is going to stop the pain so I couldn't crochet if I wanted, plus its too darn hard to type without your lefty pointer.  So I apologize ahead of time for the non-crochet posts. 

I have came out of the funk, woke up yesterday with a new attitude (Patti LaBelle song, insert right here) I cant let others peoples feelings get me down. If she cant be honest with me, then what kind of friendship did we really have? It could have been easily fixed, but I say that not knowing (honestly) how I hurt her feelings (thats what she said) but she could have at least let me know why.

 Anyway, I got out my hook and yarn 

and late, late last night I finally finished my Cambridge Tweed Hometown Masa bag. I just have the folding left and I just realized I haven't made the handles yet, lol. That my project after I am done taking to all of you.

I need a button. I am somewhat of a collector, but I am looking for that special button, the one that's going to pull my bag together but alas, no luck yet. Its going to have any kind of button because I want to show it off. This one turned out thick, and just gorgeous.

That's a reveal for another day....SOON.

The reason for my post this morning....

As my little badge says on my sidebar that I am an Influenster and my long and much awaited #VoxoxBox came yesterday.

If you dont know what influenster is go check it out. You gotta rewiew your box on social media, just like everything else these days. I got no compensation from the sponsors or Influenster, just a great box of goodies to review.

This month was their Valentine Box. I was really looking forward to something sweet, but to my alas, no chocolate. How can you get lingerie and no chocolate to go with it?

Here are a few pics of my box and its goodies, after the pics, I'll break down the prices for you. Your not gonna believe how much this box retails for!

This is the pretty box I had been waiting for (oh, they send tracking, which made it even better!)

Here are all the goodies inside my box. 

Here is a quick run down....

Tide Pods~10 count $4.99

Colgate Optic white toothbrush (with a whitening pen at the end of it) with the matching toothpaste. $ 14.99 (only brush & pen), the toothpaste in 3 oz is $4.99. I got 2 John Frieda packages of products. This made me extremely happy, I love John Frieda. I got his Luxurious Volume, 7 Day Volume In Shower Treatment @ $9.99, and his beach collection. I finally get to try a sea salt spray and not have to purchase a whole big one. I was super excited to see this. It had shampoo, conditioner, and the texture spray. It's $9.99. I got a little 1 0z tube of Skinfix Inc Hand Repair Creme. This is good stuff for our rough WV winters. It makes these rough hands soft and silky @ $10.00. That was all the tangible items.

I also got a $25.oo gift card to ebay, a free set of VIP lingerie from Adore me, and $25 off $100 is a coupon I wont use but I do love Lands End. It's my kinda style.

@SkinfixInc facebook.com/skinfixinc #SKINFIXED 

My fave yet, my John Frieda products. 

@JohnFriedaUS facebook.com/johnfriedaus #LoveMyJohnFrieda

This together was almost $20

@opticwhite #brilliantsmile

 Here are my coupons and vouchers.

Well, what do you think of my VOXoxBox? I was happy with this one. I had never gotten anything from Influenster so I was not sure what to expect and for free they sure didn't disappoint. 

If you want a surprise in the mail sign up!

INFLUENSTER SIGN UP

I will be back with you later on once I get my Masa Bag done. I really want to bring the blog back to crochet although I still have a review or 3 to do :-)

I hope you have a great weekend. I am going to spend mine making roses and button flowers for my crocheted spring wreath. I didn't want to work on it because it was a best friend project that we were going to do together. Oh well, her loss. I am going to have a beautiful wreath.

Here is an inspriation, its all my fave www.Attic24.com again! Love her work!

I will update more soon, have a great last day of Feb!

Spring is right around the corner!

All my crochet dream stitches in one place <3. 

I'll be back to chat again soon, I enjoy comments. Leave me one!

HAPPY HOOKIN!

My win from Here We Go Again, Ready?

I was super excited when I got this in an email.

Re: You won the "Tootsie Roll Hot Cocoa K Cup Sampler Giveaway" giveaway!

This was from HEATHER BAKER @

HERE WE GO AGAIN, READY

At first I was disappointed because I thought I had made a mistake and entered a giveaway for a Keurig and unfortunately I cant afford one because my bf drinks about 2 pots a day, can you imagine that in a Keruig?

I sat down, wrote the thank you email and gave them my info.

Well, when the box came it was big. There are (were, lol) 40 little cups in this box. It makes a full 8oz mug of hot chocolate.

but it did have my favorite candy on the side that I looked at. Who doesn't love Tootsie Rolls?

Once I got to looking through the box I started seeing all these little cup of candy that I ate when I was a kid (besides Tootsie Rolls). Jr. Mints, Sugar Babies, Charleston Chews in 3 different flavors. Chocolate, Vanilla, and Strawberry (which I still cant bring myself to drink). Normally I am a tea drinker, but I can do the occasional latte or coffee. Hot chocolate was something new for me but I am up for anything that makes hot candy in a cup :-)

To my amazement, you just heat the water, open the little cup, pour it in, and you have hot cocoa in all these wonderful flavors. (That sounded like I was amazed that I could boil water, lol)

What a great prize, and what a great morning drink.

Every morning I wake up, and my first thought is what kind I am going to drink today. (ok, all but the strawberry, lol) There is something about the strawberry that just seems wrong to me. I cant bring myself to try it but my bf says its really good. 

Notice what I share my morning routine with, crochet and candy hot cocoa! If I have to choose a favorite flavor then its got to be the Tootsie Roll, then the sugar babies. The Jr. Mint's pretty good too. Oh heck, who am I kidding. I l loved them all but the Tootsies are gone :-(
They were my favorite.

I want to send a HUGE 

to HEATHER BAKER @

http://herewegoagainready.blogspot.com/

HERE WE GO AGAIN, READY?

I was so surprised, it made my day and is still making my mornings.

I always enter giveaways because I love to look at all the blogs. We need to support each other if we want to reach people. It takes me about an hr or 2 of a morning reading and entering giveaways but that my time and I enjoy seeing all the crochet and all the great giveaway blogs. If I find one I like, I enter it. If I find a blog I like I follow. Gotta love link love. <3

Please go to Heather's Blog, Here We Go AGAIN, READY? and check it out. Its full of great giveaways, and TONS of other great stuff.
 http://herewegoagainready.blogspot.com/

I got lucky this time!

Thanks again, Heather

I follow and share! ALWAYS! :-)

Another Rescued Throw....

Good Morning my crochet friends :-)

Today I thought I would show you what I have going on. 

RECYCLED YARN

(yes, again)

My bf found this throw in an alley in an ice ball. Isn't that sad. Someone sat and actually took time to make it for someone and they throw it out in the street. Its a shame and it just had to be rescued. My bf knew if he didn't bring that home there would be hell to pay so he brought it home (lol), I threw it in the tub, turned the shower on hot and thawed it out. Then washed it on the hand wash cycle and it actually turned out really nice. My girlfriend didn't want me to unravel it.  

Here is the throw....

See its not too bad, its pink, white and green. It has some kind of loopy edging that was a B***h to unravel so I had to snip it off. The rest, once I figured out that I had to unravel a row below it got going pretty good.

Here is some of my progress....

Look at the balls so far....not to bad.

Make sure that you start balling it up or it will be a tangled mess. See how it comes out all lacy looking, if that gets knotted, I feel for you.

I am getting there. I don't have but 6-7 rows left and I am going to have about 18 balls of yarn. Once I put them all together they are going to make a nice big ball of yummy yarn goodness.

Now, I have a plan for all these recycled afghans and throws.

Here is the way of the recycled yarn....

This is what I plan to do with them.

Not these exactly, but the inspiration is there.

I love a gorgeous front door and entry way. I love crochet wreaths. I have always loved wreaths. I have been making them for years but never with yarn. What a great idea! I was in love as soon as I seen at 

http://attic24.typepad.com/

The bottom pic is those garden flag holders. I think this is a great idea and I don't think I need a pattern. This is a pic that I found on Etsy that I fell in love with. Its just a super great idea, and it will make my yard special. I collect those little flags and crocheted ones sound even better to me.

I hope this day turns out happy and full of goodness for everyone.

There is a Masa bag on my hook that I cant wait to finish (today, I hope). It made from Homespun tweed and its going to be gorgeous. I am on the hunt for a special button. A very special button. I cant find one and I am a collector! Another I cant wait to show you but that's another day......

Happy Hookin!

~Crystal

Do you recycle yarn?

Good Afternoon crochet friends!

I don't have a project for you today. There is one on my hook but thats a surprise. The reason for this post is about all the yarn that can be unraveled and used again.

One day last week I was at our local clothing and food pantry and I found this little square. Its not the prettiest colors but I decided to unravel it anyway. The square was about the size of a cushion on your couch.

Here it is.....

It has a little gray middle, some moss green, cream, white, purple and blue. Once I got it all unraveled (make sure you pick a fairly new afghan or it wont unravel or the yarn will knot and break).

All in all I got 3 big balls of blue, 3 balls of cream and half ball of purple. Not a bad haul for something that was unloved and in a bin all by its self.

If you can't afford to buy yarn this might be the way to add to your yarn stash. Its best to recycle anyway!

Please do this when you can. 

it keeps the yarn reused. People who can't buy it can use it this way, if you are desperate you can even reclaim sweaters and old afghans laying around.

I got around 10 balls of yarn from just this little chair cover. 

If you dont like it, tear it out, make it new!

Yarn loves to be made into many special things.

Happy day, Happy Hookin!

~Crystal

Firecracker Shrug

Good Evening my crochet friends!

I have been really busy, and have been offline for a few days. It did give me some crochet time.

I want to share with you my newest project!

PoshPoochDesigns FIRECRACKER SHRUG

I am not a shrug wearer but I just found this pattern adorable. Its my style. I figured it would look great with jeans and a tank.

The pattern is just a 30X22 HDC in a large rectangle.

IMPORTANT!!!!!

This pattern is made for a large person. I am only a size 5 and once I got this all done, I figured out that it was WAY too large. 

I looked like I had chicken wings. lol

Here are a few pics before I realized I had to be King Kong to wear it...

(wayyyyyy toooo biggggg)

(you can really see the pattern in this pic)

The 1st picture is once I had the rectangle made. I had 2 skeins of Red Heart Super Saver in Artist Print. The pattern says it takes 2 skeins. If you look at the picture, that little bit of yarn thats left is showing. This was taken BEFORE I added the 3 rows of HDC all around the edges. I would not of had enough yardage if I would have needed the size the pattern made. I used a K hook, and one strand of yarn. Its a gorgeous color combination of purples and pinks without being too feminine or full of crochet holes. Its the perfect weight. Perfect for spring though. I will make another for sure. This would be a great gift!

(R.H. Artist Print)

Here is a close up of the yarn. Isn't it pretty?

 Now, here are the pictures once I tore out 4 rows of 7. (there are only 9 rows), then it fit me fine. I should have measured for myself but I honestly didn't know how to. I just hoped it fit. I was WRONG! Always read the pattern first, I learned. Beginner mistake. The designer does tell you how to chain for different sizes, which would have been VERY helpful if I would have read the darn thing thru.

Here is the shrug once I tore out the rows. See the difference in the yarn? I swear I got half a skein back by making it fit. At least I had enough left over to make the edging. I really wanted it to match.

This is a simple pattern. The directions for crocheting it together are simple. I had no trouble and I am pretty new to crocheted fashion. Ok, BRAND NEW. This is my first wearable item.

I am pleased with it. I wore it today with a long thermal violet blue shirt and I got a few compliments on it. I was proud.

I suggest you measure from shoulder to shoulder and chain that to get your size. Its just a basic rectangle. I also kept a pair of mini hair clips to secure my armholes when I wanted to try it on in the process of crocheting it. You dont want to crochet the seams together and then find out (like I did) that it doesn't fit!

If you are looking for a stash buster project or something to do in an evening then this is the pattern for you. Its written really well, easy to follow. All in all an interesting pattern. I enjoyed making it.

Much thanks to Posh Pooch Designs for posting a FREE pattern!

This is the side edging, the neck doesn't have its edging yet. 

Now it does....

This is how to fold it, make sure your rows are going up and down. I had mine across and it took me a minute to figure out what I done wrong.

TA-DAH!

FINISHED!

What do you think? Please leave me a comment to let me know if you love it or its just not your thing. I will answer your questions too. I love when people comment. I do on all the blogs I read. We need to support each other!

I found this today and I love it! It fits me perfectly. I haven't bought myself anything BUT yarn in months. I'm obsessed.

Have a great rest of the evening. I will be back soon!

HAPPY HOOKIN'!

CASSANI Fogless Shower Mirror Review

Hello, my friends!

Today I have a product review for you. 

I received no compensation for this post. I recieved the product for an honest review. 

CASSANI FOGLESS SHOWER MIRROR
http://www.amazon.com/Fogless-Shower-Mirror-Nanotechnology-Exclusive/dp/B00CNOUZE2/ 

The 1st picture is the packaging. The mirror came packaged well. It was not hard to open, nor was the mirror itself.

This product can be ordered from Amazon.com as the Cassani Fogless Shower Mirror

I was super excited to receive this mirror, as we are shower people and my S.O has a full beard and mustache.

I opened the package and proceeded to see how it attaches to  the shower. It only has one square sticky tab to attach the mirror.

The top item in the picture is the razor hanger, and underneath is the part that the mirror holds on to. You can see the round hole in the mirror where it just hangs on the hook. All the pieces are Stainless too, it will look good for a long time! The actual mirror is 6 inches wide, by 7 1/2 inches tall. Its a great size, your face will fit perfectly :-)

VERY EASY INSTALLATION!

These just stick to your shower. Make sure you clean it good, and DON'T use soap to clean your mirror. All it takes is water and your fingers to clean it. This makes me happy! I don't know anyone who needs another mirror to clean.

This is the product in my shower. 

I installed it myself, and now my razor doesn't have to sit wet and get rusted and gross.

Before I done this review I wanted to use this product for a few days in my shower so I could honestly say that it worked, and didn't fog up. 

IT WORKED PERFECTLY!

I am really pleased with the CASSANI FOGLESS SHOWER MIRROR.

My S.O is happy as well.

This can be purchased from Amazon for $14.99, it has 4 1/2 stars and is a best seller. 

Go get you one. Its handy, and really nice for an inside shower mirror, lol.

Thanks for sharing this with me.

I will update more soon!

Thanks!

THUMBS UP!!!

                                                                                                                                 

                                                     

A Review Here & There....

Just a quick notice....

I am going to start doing a review or 2 on this blog.

I have been reviewing for a couple years now but not on a blog.

I have decided to give it a try here.

Sorry, If you follow only for the love of crochet.

I have a love for free and sharing, as well as crochet madness.

So, here and there I will post a review and I hope it will be helpful for all the consumers. I will also post the info so maybe you can review and get free stuff to give away, and test on your blog.

I dont mean to lose followers.

I want to gain them.

Just letting you know that the blog will soon have another focus as well as crochet.

This will be my first review on the blog.

It's coming up....

Let's go shave and try it out!

I will be back soon with a review~

STAY TUNED!

On My Hook, Kitty Cat Block

Good Morning my crochet friends!

I have had the flu for the last couple days so please excuse the lack of posts and crochet madness.

I have been searching for a pattern to use with this pretty yarn I got in the mail from Joann's at the beginning of the week. 

It's just Red Heart in Artist. Its a pretty variegated yarn in shades of blues, purples and greens.

I couldn't decide what to make so I sat down and started searching the web. In one of my last posts I made 2 heart fillet blocks and I really liked the look and the time it took. So that lead me to search for individual blocks.

I put cat blocks into the search bar and a cat block picture came up. It didn't have a link to the pattern so that put me on the hunt.

I joined a knitting and crochet forum not long ago, and as I was searching it took me to that forum, and a nice lady decided to post the pattern. Thats the only place I could find it.

I guess I could have made my own pattern but I had never made bobbles, or popcorns before so this was a new stitch for me. I don't know if I could make up my own or not because I am not familiar with crochet pattern design.

It worked out well, and I got the pattern to keep.

Here are a few pics of my work.

This block is finished. It only took about an hr or so to complete and that was with a new stitch and the flu.

The back....

They really look like popcorn :-)

(5 dc, take 1st loop off hook, insert hook into last loop of beginning 5 dc, insert back into first loop (2 loops on hook), and pull through. Popcorn created)

Inside light....

It's a super simple pattern (if anyone would like it, leave me your email addy and I will send it to you) that can be made into anything that takes a block. My block is about 9x9 and I used a G hook. 

Its thick and warm, it would make a pretty throw.

Only problem?

I don't like the yarn it's in.

I think it would be perfect in a heather gray or an alternating black and white like my kitty Jezzebelle.

So, that leads me to my next project.

I dont have one of those either.

I am off to search the web.

Happy Hookin!