Her # BBSwap Basket, and a New Look!

Good Morning my friends.

I have my Easter Basket Blogger Swap to show you this morning.

Yesterday I showed you the basket that I got from my partner Mary @ 

JINGLE, JANGLE, JUNGLE

I emailed my partner yesterday and I have not heard from her, not to tell me the box got there, that she liked it, nothing. I can only hope she is ok, very busy, or is waiting on today for the reveal.

Here a pic of what I put in Angela's box.

The only thing I cant find a picture of is the little container.

The little what-not holder on the far right, is in RHSS Artist. 

It turned out so cute, that I made a few and sold them.

Since I don't have the picture I want to leave the link for all of you to make your own. You will be so happy with this little box.

You can find the pattern HERE

Here is a little crochet envelope I made. Really simple, found it on Pinterest. Took maybe 1/2 hr.

Here is what I worked hardest on. I made, re-made, pulled out, started over, changed buttons and clips over and over....

but these little crochet flower paper clips turned out so cute that I made a set for myself and for my friend.

The buttons were last minute, and do you know how hard it is to find paper clips in the colors you need? HA! Finally I had to let go a little and make it work.

I also found these little beauties on Pinterest. I started out with ice cream cones...

they looked cute but were a little hard for me to get the paper clip hid on the back, so I kept that one and moved on....

They turned out so cute and I hope Angela @ BABY STEPS THROUGH LIFE likes them as much as I do and I hope she puts them to good use. No use putting them in a drawer to save them. Use them, let people see, they will brighten your day every time you see them on something.

I also made Angela a little lipstick case. I put a berry Aquafina lip gloss in there, first off because I cant chose a lip color for her, and second who doesn't like soft, shiny lips. This was an easy pattern, for nimble fingers though! The little circles on the end had mine in a cramp. It turned out cute, and I hope she just throws it in the bottom of her purse. That's what it's for :-)

I made Angela a chocolate bunny made from a pattern from TWINKIE CHAN's website. This was a super easy pattern. It made a lovely plush toy. I stuffed it, and tied the ribbon on. 

I really think it turned out cute. 

I also made a crochet Easter egg to go with it but for some reason I cant find the darn pictures. I have 2 missing. Grrrr....

Here was my last contribution to the basket. I got several silver hoops in and have been looking at crochet earrings. I made a pair from RHSS but these are made from DMC Thread. They turned out so pretty and delicate. I really tried to make these pretty. I had not intended on giving them to Angela but they were so pretty I wanted to share them.

I am really proud of these, and as soon as I find the right thread I am really going to concentrate on making a few pairs. I think they will make great gifts and might sell well. One can always hope!

Other than a few chocolates, and an Easter card that was it for my basket to Angela. 

I had a lot of fun getting to know my 2 new blogger friends and the little blog piece of their heart.

You can find Mary's blog here @ JINGLE, JANGLE, JUNGLE

You can find Angela's blog here @ BABY STEPS THROUGH LIFE

Rebecca @ RE*SOLVE 

and

Aleshea @ GLITZ N' GRITZ

for hosting such a fun event. 

It's nice to get to know the people behind the blogs that I read or see.

I would do this anytime anyone asked.

It was fun, and I hope my partners loved theirs as well.

I just wanted to share.

I just found a new crochet project this morning and since I am bed-ridden at the moment it will give me a good head start on something cute, and something to take my mind of the pain and the monotony of sitting here in bed all day by myself in the quiet. Hey? When I put it that way it doesn't sound to bad, does it? Maybe I need to go back and take a good look, and be thankful. 

The sun and the birds woke me this morning. So happy it's spring.

Well....What do you think of the new look?

Joyce @ PERFECTLY IRRESISTIBLE made it for me from a prize I won from the Irish Blog Hop back in March. It was a great prize, and I still have facebook, and twitter headers to go along with it. I am super excited about it. It's clean and neat.

Thanks so much Joyce!

That's it for right now. I have to kick back and relax this leg.

Thanks for hanging out with me for a few today and sharing in my #BBSwap fun!

#BBSwap

Good Afternoon!

I have something I have been wanting to share but I had to wait. Now that everyone has got their basket from the swap I can go ahead and tell you all about it. I have been really wanting to share for weeks now, but couldn't. 

First off, let me say if the blog looks strange, its getting an overhaul and I am not pc minded so who knows what it will look like when I get done with it. Thanks for Joyce's help from PERFECTLY IRRESISTIBLE. If you need a blog overhaul contact Joyce. She has been super helpful and gave me a few great choices to pick from.  

For some reason, my pc will not back up bloggers templates or posts. I don't know why my pc will not open them. I am so aggravated. It's all I can do not to shut the darn thing, and leave it just like it is. If Joyce had not worked so hard on it, I would say the H+ll with it. I want a new look, and to move forward, so I put it behind me for a bit. I'll relax, and write this post. Maybe it will help with the stress. Not to mention, that I am on edge from the pain from hip to toe.

One to happier things...It's gorgeous out today. Finally I feel like spring has arrived. Bring It On!

Last month I signed up for an Easter Basket Blogger Swap through Rebecca from Re*Solve and Glitz N' Grits. They paired me with another blogger. My partner's name was Mary and her blog is Jingle, Jangle, Jungle. Mary was sending a basket to me. I got Angela, her blog is Baby Steps Through Life. It was so much fun and I had to share.  We show the boxes we got tomorrow with #BBSwap. So excited! Here is the box that Mary sent to me.

The opening...

This is the cute card Mary put in the box. I loved the lilac Easter grass. I forgot to put some in my box, forgive me Mary. 

First off, I pulled out this beautiful infinity scarf in turquoise, pink and grays. I don't know how Mary done it, but those are all my favorite colors. She could not have picked a more perfect gift for me than that. I love it. I have worn it a handful of times already. It goes with everything, but looks bad ass with a jean jacket, and matching jeans. I adore spring. I adore clothes when I don't look like Stay Puff the Marshmallow off of Ghost Busters. Seriously, that's how I feel in the winter. Like Stay Puff!

MARY, I ADORE THE SCARF! <3 <3 <3

Isn't the chevron just perfect? Love it!

Here are a few of the goodies that Mary knew to send, well, I filled out some questions for her. I have to say, she made all the right picks. I love tea. I have been drinking it since I was old enough to stand at the stove and boil water. No microwaves then, nope. (I am 42) ;-)

The peppermint tea I have always drank. I always have a box of some kind of mint tea. Its a nice pick me up and did you know that it will de-puff your eyes? Its herbal, no caffeine but the mint will do the trick. Chill them for a bit and let them rest on your eyes for a few. It works for me, yes, I do this at home. 

There was also a box of Tazo Chai tea. I just found out how much I like Chai tea recently through a Tazo House Party. You make it with milk, its Indian tea and it is delicious, its just not the usual spice tea I am used to drinking. My exotic food pallet is not that refined...HA! I say that like I have a pallet. I think orange cheese is a food group :-)

The last and the best of all is the Double Dark Chocolate Ghirardelli Hot Cocoa. This was so delicious. Made with milk and frothed a bit, it was heaven in a cup. I had to add a tad bit of vanilla, and a dash of sugar and it was perfect. I did not put topping on it. I wanted too but the red bathing suit I just got in the mail was looking right at me. I didn't do it. I STILL want to, thank goodness that bag of hot cocoa didn't last long! HAHA! 

All of this heaven in a cup was special to me. Every time I get out a tea bag I think of Mary and what her blog is featuring. I love Mary's blog, its about all kinds of music. I learn, remember and sometimes go listen after visiting there. She has awesome giveaways too, go check out her blog. I know you are going to enjoy it as much as I do.

JINGLE, JANGLE, JUNGLE

Here is something else that was in my Easter basket from Mary. Its a pretty purple, pink, and blue yarn. I have already used it. In a previous post HERE I told you I made a netting to hang my yarn (like you make for toys). This is the yarn I made it with and I am happy to say it's still hanging, not stretched out and I am very happy with it. 

It's always a great day when I get new yarn! Any yarn. I have so little that every little ball helps. I appreciate it so much, those of us that crochet for stress know how much a yarn stash means, as I am sure does every crocheter, illness or not. She also sent me a little bag full of stitch markers. Those of you that read and follow may know that I have a hard time crocheting in the round. Thank goodness for these little pins. I love these kind best because the actually close, the ones I have slip off. I was super happy with these little bits of crochet heaven. <3 <3 <3

So all in all, here is my haul....;-)

I want to say thank you to Rebecca at RE*SOLVE

and GLITZ N' GRITS for hosting such a fun blog swap. I would do it again in a heartbeat. I got to know a few new blogs and bloggers and really, that's what it's all about. Sharing our blogs (and a piece of ourselves) and getting out there. We write, and blog to share with you. I enjoy writing, and I know I am not an English Major but I love it. I love a comment when they come, its like I made a new friend. 

Come visit here, and the blogs above. You will learn something from each one of them. 

Tomorrow is the reveal on twitter @ #BBSwap so I am going to wait for before I reveal what I got for Angela. I don't want to ruin the surprise.

I had so much fun, thanks again to all the hosts. I loved it! 

If you have a pen pal, or belong to a group that does stuff like this let me know! I am always up for a fun swap and getting to meet new people. Fun thing about this swap? My blog is basically crochet, and a few reviews when I feel like its something I will use or am interested in, but Mary's blog is music. It's really nice to have the change of pace. 

I forget that not everyone crochet's.....

My most heart felt THANK YOU to all involved and to my readers too. I wouldn't be here if 20 of you were not reading, lol

THANKS!

~Crystal

My Cleckheaton Yarn, and a few updates...

Good Morning my friends! 

I have a few things to share with you this morning. 

I have had a lot going on and at the moment I am bed-ridden, Yup, you heard right, bed-ridden. Somehow I pulled a muscle in my back and its affected the sciatic nerve. I have never had anything like this, its painful. 

So I have been in bed since Monday with no relief in sight. There is nothing you can do about a sciatic nerve. It's horribly painful. It feels like a charlie horse all the time. It has affected my attitude. Its hard to be sunny and smile when you are in pain 24-7. 

Anyway, on to better things....

I finally received my win from Little Things Blogged. 

I was super excited to get this as I have won things but never yarn. 

Look how nice it is. 

This is the picture of the giveaway prize....

Here is the Merino Superfine Wool....

Its in ice blue, and burnt orange.

I have never worked with such a nice yarn. I am thrilled to have it. I haven't used it yet.

Here are the tags that came on both balls of yarn. So classy. You can take the fabric tag off and use it for your beanie or whatever you make with the yarn. Just sew it right in.

I love that it came with its own bag. This is something I will keep. Nothing like a dust jacket for yarn. Just like my Coach bags. Everyone needs a jacket. 

This is how it came packaged. The only thing that I could not use? It came with knitting instructions instead of crochet. I can knit, but not enough to make a beanie. That's way over my skills. 

I have no clue what to make with it. I have found that I am less apt to use my nice yarn. I am somewhat of a hoarder. I know it does me no good just sitting there but I cant decide how to use it, and its just so nice that I just look at it. Maybe someday the right project will come along and this lovely wool yarn will turn into what its meant to be.

Thanks so much to Little Things Blogged! I appreciate it so!

Now, on to another win....

I also had a great win from another blog this past month. The blog is called Divas With A Purpose. They have a lovely blog empowering women. I entered their giveaway, and I won! I was super excited. Here is a look at what I won from Michelle....

It came with a nice V-neck T-shirt, a cup, a sticker, a journal, and $10 Amazon gift card. This was a great win as well.

I know you think I win all the time, and honestly I don't. I have never won a darn thing. EVER. March and so far April have been really lucky for me.

Since I have felt bad there was a few days that I didn't look at my email. Well, as soon as I don''t do that something great happens with a time limit on it. That's what happened to me this time.

I won 3 patterns from 3 Sweet Potatoes Etsy Shop and only had 48 hours to notify and I didn't. By the time I got to her, luck was on my side because she had not chosen another winner yet so I got my patterns. I was excited to have my pattern pile grow.

On to my last win....

Yesterday I got an email that said, "Congratulations! You won Dexas!"

I don't know about you but that doesn't tell me a darn thing. I had to go back and look thru the contests and giveaways I entered and see if I could figure it out. 

Once I did I was super excited...Here is what I won. I remembered filling it out as soon as I seen the blog header...

I won right at $100 worth of kitchen items. I am a vegetarian. So there isn't anything I could have won any better than these items to make salads. It comes with all you see here. Isn't it great? The cutting boards, and the big salad bowl is what I was most excited about. I have never had a salad spinner, when I think salad, I don't think I have to spin it first but I can give it a try. I know my gran always washes and dries her's when she comes home from the store.

I won this prize package from Being MVP

Ok, I know many of you are wondering how I have managed to win all these nice thing the past month. Well, once you find a few review blogs on Bloglovin enter their contests. You will soon find that once you follow one person one time, the next contest you enter you will have less pages to go to, and less people to follow. You have already done it. So it doesn't take as long to fill out the entry forms. I also go to 

Tight Wad In Utah low entry giveaways and enter them. She has them in categories so you know how many entries the contest already has. I don't fill out the forms that have 60 entry's, I just fill out the ones that are easiest for me and forget the rest. I don't want my Pinterest filled up with other peoples random stuff. So I am funny about who and where I follow. 

Its worked for me. I go weeks and don't win a thing, and when I do win it seems like I win a couple things at one time.

I cant complain. My paypal and amazon account is richer because of my past few wins.

I have some new beautiful yarn to work with, a new t-shirt to wear and new items for my kitchen. 

My blog is getting an update, a big overhaul tonight, this was a win from Joyce at 

Perfect Irresistible. It will have a whole new look, a professional, put together, streamlined look. I am no code writer and Joyce has some great design ideas. She was great to work with, and was patient with me thru this illness I am having. I appreciate her time and generosity. 

All in all not a bad haul.

Thanks for hanging out with me for a little while.

Next post...#BBSWAP!

Stay Tuned!

~Crystal

Amara Organics Winner~Carol Debris!

Hello! Happy Saturday!

I am updating with a winner for the Amara Organics Vitamin C Serum. 

I want to thank everyone who entered. I was so afraid I was not going to have a winner! Thanks so much!!!

Carol Debris!

The winner was chosen randomly using Tomosons picker. 

The winner has 24 hrs to confirm or the business will NOT accept the information. 

Carol please email me with your information. I do not have an email to contact you with. 

Have a great weekend! 

~Crystal

"Share Some Sun" Hot Pads from Crochet! Magazine & Feast Of The Rampson

Good Evening friends :-)

I have a little crochet for you this evening and a flavor profile for you. Ever heard of a ramp?

It's pouring the rain here, but ramp season is on us and my partner Bub has to dig 200 lbs. That's a lot when they are smaller than a scallion or green onion, so he went camping and I get a couple nights alone. I don't mind a bit, IF it's only a few days. Anything after that I get lonely. My oldest son is coming out to have dinner with me later, and I have the TV to myself along with some new yarn to work with.

I know I mentioned ramps, and I am sure some of you have never even heard of them. Have you seen a ramp? Do you know what they are?

Here they are when they are more than ready to dig. These have lots of green on the top. Us "locals" eat them before they get all the green tops. People that come to the dinner get the full ramp. They are not all that pretty in the skillet, and your not going to like the smell but wait until you taste them. YUM!

They are less then half an inch across the bulb. They really are tiny little stinkers. 

This is what they look like when they are almost too big to eat. Most people want them with just the ramp, not the tall green tops you see in this picture. Ramps, sometimes called a wild leek, is a wild onion native to North America. Though the bulbs resemble a scallion, the flat, broad leaves set it apart. 

Ramps are plentiful in my area. They can only be found in certain places and never in others. The forest I live in is plentiful. They wave in the wind when you see a big patch of them. They look like wide grass, soft and green. They love the sun, and will seem to grow overnight. They are different than a green onion. Look and taste wise, but they are in the same family. When we cook them it's a big family dinner because we all will have ramp breath. They can also make you sleepy like turkey does. We fry them in bacon grease, along with eggs, fried potatoes, brown beans, cornbread, and bacon. 

This is a picture of the dinner that our local Richwood Volunteer Fire Department puts on...

My little one red light town is famous for celebrating the Ramp.

Every year in April we have a HUGE town dinner. People come from all over. You would not believe how crazy people go for these stinky stinkers! I fry mine outside in a "ramp" electric skillet, you don't want to use your good pans. You can smell these little stinkers for miles. They STINK. The whole town stinks when its time for the big dinner. But they are so good, we just overlook the stink. When one person eats them, you better grab you a bite or you are not going to be able to stand the smell of them. I am making them sound terrible, but take it from me, they are delicious!

Look up "FEAST OF THE RAMPSON" in Richwood, WV. 

I am very proud of my little town.

(this is a picture I took, my partner dug these)

Ok, back to why we are here.

I got a new crochet magazine yesterday in the mail. This one was CROCHET! Magazine and it was full of good stuff this issue. 

The pattern I used came from the Spring Issue 2015, page 12.

It's called "Share Some Sun" Hot Pad

Aren't they pretty.

The pattern is simple. I did learn a couple new things during this WIP. I learned to do the long double crochet (long dc), and a Surface Stitch. This pattern also has Picot's in the edging to finish it up.

They start with a magic circle, and basically it's just dc the whole pattern. If anyone would like the pattern let me know here in a message and I will post it for you.

This one is my favorite. I made them out of Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton. This yarn in natural, cayenne and turquoise. 

This one is my partners favorite. Its made from the same yarn in grape, blue and black.

This one is my pastel hot pad. It turned out nice too. They will work for hot pads, coasters, set a plant on, just anything. They are too pretty to keep hidden.

They are about 9 inches. That not small, I think they worked up really nice. Its a quick beginner pattern. 

Thanks for stopping by today. I appreciate it. 

Remember! If you want the pattern let me know. I will post it here just for you!

Have a good evening!

~Crystal

New Yarn & My (yikes!) First Pattern

Good Afternoon, my crochet friends and the rest of who who take time out of your busy day to drop by the little piece of my heart.

I have a few things I want to share today.

Isn't it pretty....more on my sun-catcher, read on!

Yesterday, I made a net for my new yarn that I ordered from Craftsy. Notice how its filled with yarn other than the Craftsy order...(it had not come yet)

It's just a simple mesh or net pattern. 

Here is the pattern. Toy Storage~wikihow

Not to bad for storing all those little balls that roll around everywhere.

Now, my proudest moment in crochet yet...

My own pattern! :-)

TA-DAH!

I started on this last night. I made the middle motif which is called a Brume Square. I really liked the pattern (easy, too) so I decided to continue on with my own stitches and see what I could come up with.

This is the first time I have ever attempted to stray from the pattern. 

After a few rows of this and that, I finally got something that looked great and laid flat. 

After I closed it up, I decided I needed to make something to let it hang. I had already decided it was WAY to pretty to just lay on a table and set something on. So, I chained up, sl st into the 6th chain, and went back down the other side, and joined it at the bottom. I made this out of plain RHSS yarn. No crochet thread this time.

Wall-ah! SUNCATCHER! Maybe it's the Artist RHSS yarn, or the design itself but it said "hang me". Where better to do that?

In a window, of course! Over looking my side yard. It's gorgeous outside today. Plenty of sun, little chilly, but sunny!

So, what do you think for my first attempt at anything my own?

Do you think it looks like a SUN-CATCHER?

Ok, on to the next thing....

Those of you that keep up with the going's on here at Crochet, A Day In The Life will know I made a large order, well, large for me, at Craftsy.

This is the bag, it came today. I have never ordered from Craftsy so I was delighted to see that pretty bag come in the mail. Packaging is important. People don't realize how much your mood brightens just seeing the wrapping. That's even before we look inside! Men will never understand. Obviously a woman picked out the packaging at Craftsy :-) Love It!

Here are my goodies that the bag housed safely while they traveled...

13 lovely skeins of randomness...

Here is the Schachenmayr Original Bravo 50g ball, machine washable, acrylic. It's really soft for acrylic. I have never bought or even seen this kind before but it was marked half price so I had to try it. I got 4 balls in Neon Pink, Natural, Caledon, and Turquoise. The blues are gorgeous. I should have taken the pics outside. I am totally satisfied with the way this yarn looks and feels. 

I have been wanting to make a mini granny square pillow (obsessed with mini's). I think in these bright colors with white trim will be beautiful. I need to get to work!

Here is all my Lion Brand Kitchen Cotton. I fell in love with the color Cayenne. It's a lovely orangy-red color. I ADORE IT! My kitchen is going to me motifs in this color. Curtains and all. I am going for red :-) 7 little balls of cotton, in bright sunny colors. I am so OVER winter, I decided to get all those colors that make me feel good.

This batch of yarn is pure heaven for me color wise.

These are the last 2 balls but the most special. I live in a nowhere town, close to nothing. No yarn at all for miles and miles so I had never gotten to work with Vanna "anything". When I first started crocheting I won a pattern from Cre8tion Crochet. It was a summery tank top. Just my style. 

I bought this shimmery, neutral yarn in Goldstone just for that tank top. I have never made anything past a poncho to wear so this is going to be an adventure but the yarn is so perfect. It's also very me, I love sparkles.

This is the pattern picture from Cre8tion Crochet. I think its do-able for my skills. I have another that I want to make for myself but it's going to be my own pattern. (fingers crossed)

A thing or 2 more...

FINALLY! Those of you that read my last post about this darn #CallieBag know that this bag was a long time coming. It has been torn out too many times to count, added rows, measured and measured again and It was NOT THAT HARD! 

I am the one that made it hard, not paying attention.

Well, it turned out great and finally I am satisfied with it. It needs some finishing and the handles attached but all in all I can get this project out of the way.

I wanted to also tell you that I won a few more things. I swear I don't sit around and enter giveaways but March was my lucky month.

Besides winning a professional revamp of my blog from Joyce at Perfectly Irresistable and I also won a prize package from Divas With A Purpose that had a journal, a cup, a tee shirt, and an amazon gift card. What a great prize. I was super excited. Divas with a Purpose is a great blog. Check it out!

This morning I got an email from Rachel at The Crochet Spot and I won a pattern of my choice from The Crochet Spot Store for submitting a photo for the WIP/UFO contest. I won!

I had a really good March. It's my sons birthday month so no wonder it's lucky.

Thanks for stopping by today! I appreciate your time.

~Crystal