*tentacles*

This weekend I finished a new crochet piece inspired by tentacles (squid and jellyfish) and the illustrations of biologist Ernst Haeckel (I remember when I almost bought Kunstformen der Natur at the Art Institute - I should have grabbed it!).

Here are some of Haeckel's drawing that I looked at while making this piece...

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{new pics}

I needed to take some new photos of crochet pieces from the shop... something to better show the scale of the pieces. So that's what I did today!

I always feel slightly awkward taking my own photo... I never know what kind of face I'm making : )

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in which I have a cozy day

Today was cloudy, rainy, and cool in Tuscaloosa so I spent the day cozy-ing up in the apartment. There was much crocheting, cookie baking, and cat snuggling going on.

And I'm making dinner in the crockpot, so the whole place has smelled like warm, delicious food all day! Have you ever made baked potatoes in your crock pot? It's one of my favorite easy dinners!

Simply wash the potatoes (you can make as many as your crock pot will hold), pierce them with a fork, and wrap them in aluminum foil. Nestle them into the pot and cook on Low for 8 to 10 hours (or on High for 2 1/2 to 4 hours).

I like to top my baked potatoes with broccoli, one of the vegan "cheese" sauces from this cookbook, salsa, and Tofutti Sour Supreme!

What are your favorite ways to load a baked potato? I'm always up for trying new toppings!

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*follow your dreams*

Running my Etsy shop full time over the last year has been a dream come true and I'm about to reach a big milestone - 400 sales! To help me get there (3 sales to go!) and to celebrate dreams coming true I am offering a discount to all of my blog readers : )

Just use the coupon code "DREAM15" at checkout to get 15% off everything in my shop. And if you enter the words "Extra Special" in the note to seller I'll include a little package of bonus handmade goodies in your order. These codes are good through November 13 (the day I run my first 5K, another dream come true!).

"You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream."

~C.S. Lewis

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white, cream, beige

A newly finished crochet piece for the the shop!

This color palette is so zen and peaceful...

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ripple afghan (or catghan)

I have started crocheting a wavy ripple afghan to add an extra layer to my cat's upcycled suitcase bed for the fall. I'm using gold, aqua, and white yarns... I think the color palette will look pretty with the blue suitcase!

I was browsing through flickr looking at other ripple blankets - there are so many gorgeous examples! I really want to make a big bed-sized blanket, maybe I can work it in to the project schedule in the future...

1. ripple blanket #2, 2. ripple blanket #2, 3. Baby Ripple, 4. crochet - manta croche - ripple afghan, 5. My Ripple afghan on the new/old chair..., 6. Ripple Afghan 5, 7. Spumoni {ripple}, 8. Soft Waves Afghan, 9. ripple afghan, folded, 10. ripple afghan, extended, 11. Ripple Afghan, 12. Soft Waves Ripple Afghan, 13. Rainbow Ripple Afghan, 14. Ripple Afghan Started, 15. Ripple afghan, 16. Ripple Afghan, half done

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{vintage photos}

I have two new vintage photographs to add to my collection... I think they are Edwardian and I love the details on the clothes!

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sock knitting emergency

Last week I realized that I really need to knit some new socks... I really only wear hand knit socks these days so I need a few fresh pairs in the rotation! I was digging around in my yarn basket for a ball or two of forgotten sock yarn when I found this:

A pair of socks that I started last year around Thanksgiving! And such a pretty yarn and pattern... I'm not sure why I never finished but this project needs to be completed ASAP. But the good news is that my new pair of socks is magically already halfway completed : )

Oh, but the bad news is that I keep getting distracted from my knitting because I am totally addicted to building my family tree on ancestry.com! (I am not in any way a paid endorser of ancestry.com, I just really like it!) My project is getting very exciting because I have found a paper trail for two Revolutionary War soldiers in my family and I even found one of them on the first U.S. census from 1790... yes, I am a history nerd.

Have any of you researched your family history? Did you find anything unexpected?

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((snapshots))

I found this great dress at the consignment shop!

It feels like fleecy sweatshirt material : )

labradorite & moonstone bracelet...

knitting!

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yarnyarnyarnyarnyarnyarnyarnyarn

All I want to do today is knit or crochet or do something with yarn. And I think I want to make a project with bobbles... but I still have a few other projects to finish first. And chores to do around the house. But I will get to it eventually!

1. Lili and Multipass yarn, 2. luxe yarn, 3. Yarn & Needles, 4. Yarn lust, 5. Yarn, 6. Yarn, 7. brights yarn, 8. Yarn, 9. yarn, 10. yarn!, 11. Yarn, 12. yarn, 13. Yarn Pirate 'Apple'

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love this!

Have you seen these ladies?!! They are amazing!! The Advanced Style blog is great...

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creative energy zine

I found a really fun book about making zines at the library this week, so of course I was totally inspired! I made up my own art + inspiration zine and am so excited to share it with you...

... I really wanted to make something positive and encouraging, something to spread some good energy. I decided to make a zine of positive quotes and illustrations that I could share inexpensively with anyone interested. The zine is available in my shop for $3.50 with free shipping in the U.S. (and cheap shipping everywhere else!).

I plan to put together another post with tips & ideas for zine making later this week!

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huzzah!

My mini love note is featured in the latest issue of Wedding Nouveau!

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colors & neturals

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*outfit*

I haven't posted an outfit in a while, so now is the perfect time!

This is what I wore yesterday and it was perfect for running errands downtown and around my neighborhood, then coming home to get some work done for the shop.

skirt: homemade, tank: Gap, denim shirt: Gap, belt: Ellie Crimson, shoes: thrifted Kenneth Cole

"Clothes make the man. Naked people have little or no influence on society."

-Mark Twain

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drawings!

I just finished a bunch of new cat drawings! I'll be adding them to the shop throughout the day.

(and emily dickinson and edgar allan poe are back in the shop, too!)

I like the cat lady with the pink hair : )

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maps & atlases

I've been spending my time listening to maps & atlases and crocheting some fun new things for the shop!!! (Yes, three exclamation pionts... that's how excited I am.)

New colors of bow necklaces and some brand new brooches... the brooches are crocheted to look like award ribbons!

So cute!

I've been having so much fun coming up with these projects to use the colorful yarn from my stash : )

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my yarn basket runneth over

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((heart))

I just have to share this custom piece I finished this week - the buyer saw photos yesterday so I can share them on the blog now, too!

Pretty cool, huh? The customer contacted me with the idea for a heart-shaped piece and I thought it would be a fun challenge! I had to create my own base for the project, which I have never done before!

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soft sculptures // shop update part 2

Here are two more items that I've added to the shop recently! A pair of monochromatic soft sculptures in emerald green and dark pink...

This green one is on a second hand wood plaque that looks like a wood slice, so it reminds me of moss or lichen growing on a tree!

And this pink one reminds me of taste buds! : )

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bow crazy // shop update part one

I've been having a ton of fun making new things for the shop over the last few days! I went on a yarn-buying trip over the weekend and picked out some great new colors to work with. Check out my new "big bow" necklaces in crimson and mustard yellow:

I really think these necklaces are so cute! I came up with a new way of crocheting the bows to make them puffier and more three dimensional.

And I have some new gift wrap bows for the holidays (in evergreen and crimson):

I love the idea of using old lace scraps and simple brown paper with a colorful bow for holiday gift giving.

I'll be sharing some more new shop items tomorrow! Can't wait!

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