My Winter Obsession

Greetings peeps!

Just like me, I hope all of you craft artisans and yarn addicts out there are having fun this busy Christmas season. :) I've gotten so many requests this year that it's hard to keep up! I love it though and I thought I would share a couple things that I've been working on.


I'm generally always working on something that I don't have for sell in my Etsy shop. I like to make it, wear it or give it to someone else to wear and then bother to take pictures and such if I feel like it would do well on Etsy. This is the case with this handkerchief scarf. I've been working on it since last year and kinda lost interest in it until now. Since it's finally done, I've been wearing it like crazy! This one is brown & creme and has a sweet big brown button closure in the back. It's nice just to have a little something there around your neck for protection. I have sold one of these and gotten a good response from it. I'm on the fence about adding it.. What say you?

This little hat, I've made a million times before and is already in the shop. You can run and see it by clicking here! I like throwing in a little criss-cross action in the middle there. It kinda of breaks up the monotony of it all and gives it more detail and we all know detail is important. :)

The motherlode of this season has been this awesome houndstooth scarf!! I like taking pictures of the beginning stages so I can look back and see how far I've come. This scarf was a custom request from a guy at work for his wife and I was very happy to do it. Most of the time when people request something custom, they typical pick out (in my opinion) the most boring and blah colors and shapes. This time for me was different! Even though black and white could be considered boring, I don't think it was in this case because it was houndstooth. I'm a fan from way back of houndstooth so I was totally geeked at trying a new stitch AND being able to add tassels!! #swoon.

With me being a fan of houndstooth and it being very trendy right now, I think I'm going to make another scarf (with tassels of course) for Etsy and make one for me in black and red. It's gonna be awesome people. Simply awesome.

So all you Etisans, artisans, and crafters alike, what are you working on right now? Did you like the customs orders that you've made?

Ciao!

Purple Crochet Goodness

Salutations!

So, a while back now I got a little crochet happy and banged out like 5 headbands. I'm happy to say that I'm finally sharing them with the world and posting them to my Etsy shop! Today, I'm excited to share the first one here with you!

I took a poll on Facebook and asked what color I should make a headband in and someone suggested purple. So Ta-Da! The newest Sparkle Baby to the family is this purple turban headband! I must admit that I love it. I can’t really get down with wearing a turban. It really just reminds me of little old ladies at the grocery store wearing those pleated ones with their fur coat and comfortable orthopedic shoes one. #Ijustcan’t

The compromise is the headband. You can still be stylish without the granny connotation! Can’t beat that, right? The best thing to me about a headband instead of a hat/turban is that you can wear your hair in a ponytail or down. I’ll be sporting my own headband here soon, since it’s suddenly jumped to winter!?! Just two weeks ago we were in the lower 60’s.... Now it’s a high of the 40’s. Le sigh..

Instead of just doing a plain double crochet stitch, I try to add a little personality to all of my Sparkle Babies. On this one, I thought the crisscross texture would be a nice touch!  

When you order one you can choose large or small and can customize it by choosing your favorite color. If you don't see a color you want, then just let me know and we can make it happen capt'n! If you're ready to be street chic, then you can order one by clicking here and it will take you to my Etsy shop! 


Have a great day! :)

Ciao! 

Weekly Wishes #8

Greetings!

Its that time again for weekly wishes! Did you set any goals for last week? If so, how did they go? Are you just joining me? Let me explain what happens for Weekly Wishes..

The Happenings: You share your weekly, monthly, or yearly goals/wishes/achievements and you get to be a part of this big group of people that are doing the same thing. Yay! Wanna join in? Check out The Nectar Collective.

_____________________________________

Well friends I don't know about you, but I'm off to a stellar start for the week. Not for any particular reason. I just feel good, rested, and in a fairly cheerful mood! Well no, I take that back... I'm really geeked, because although it seemed like it took foreverrrrrrrrrr, I finally have my new domain name up and running!!! (Thank to hubby to be!) YAY! I was Life Happens and now I'm A. Sparkle Says! Go ahead and take a look at the address bar and you'll see it. :) I'm chair dancing as we speak.. So without further ado..

Last Weeks Wishes

* No meat for one week - I did it!! I really really did it! This is a total big deal for me. Never did I think I could go even one day without meat and I did a week! I learned a big lesson in doing this that I didn't expect at all. It's like facing a fear and ripping it to shreds! It feels damn good I tell ya! More info on the next blog post about this.

* Focus on Etsy shop - Totally did this one too. I've rearranged and set things up the way I need them and I'm ready to start setting up sales with coupon codes. Anyone else ready for Mother's Day? Oddly enough, I now have been commissioned to make two sets of hats ands baby booties. I'm excited to get started. More updates to come on this later as well. 


This Weeks Wishes


* Start the Purge Process - For whatever reason I've felt the need to look through my stuff and get rid of all the things I don't need. I'm feeling a little cramped and that makes me anxious, so it's time to get this done. I'll start with at least 5 things, but the overall goal is to get rid of at least 100 items.


* Revamp the blog - I'd really like to find another template and change up some of my pages. So be on the look out for a new look. :)


* Weight Train & Exercise - I gotta put this one back on the list since I've fallen off. It seems like everyone around me is losing weight and getting in shape. It's mosdef time for me to get back on my grind, especially since Summer is fast approaching.



Welp, that's it friends! What are your wishes and goals this week? :)

Ciao! 



Weekly Wishes: 7th Edition

Greetings!

Its that time again for weekly wishes! Did you set any goals for last week? If so, how did they go? Are you just joining me? Let me explain what happens for Weekly Wishes..

The Happenings: You share your weekly, monthly, or yearly goals/wishes/achievements and you get to be a part of this big group of people that are doing the same thing. Yay! Wanna join in? Check out The Nectar Collective.

_____________________________________

Last Weeks Wishes

• Become a vegetarian - (for one week) I was a little hasty when I put this on the list. I really meant it to be for this weeks wishes. So, you know what that means... You'll see it below. However the goal last week was to do a practice run and prepare two meatless meals which I did end up doing. The Boo and I made pizza and spaghetti. I was really surprised at how I didn't miss the meat that much!! I kinda did on the spaghetti, but it wasn't too too bad.

•  Finish reading The Body Book - I was a little ambitious here! I still have quite a bit to read. I must have thought I was going to spend every waking minute reading it and of course that just didn't happen. Speaking of which.. I need a vacation. :) So let's call this a half done, because I did read it, I just didn't finish it.

• List an item on eBay - Yeah well... no this didn't get done either danggit! I haven't the foggiest as to why I can't seem to do this!?! I just have to set a time to get it done and just do it! Sigh..

This Weeks Wishes

• Become a Veggie Queen - Obviously being a vegetarian for one week was going to be put back on the list, but let's add that I'm going to kick ass doing it and not cheat in a moment of weakness!! :)

• Focus on my Etsy shop - The poor thing has been neglected for a while now, especially since we are getting into the warmer months. I need to rearrange, add, take away, & promote! This will all be done while attempting to watch some TV in the process. Ha!

To be honest with you, I feel like these two things are so big within themselves that this is quite enough to try and accomplish. Wish me luck! I have the feeling that I'm going to need it!

Ciao!

Art & Crochet

Greetings...

Happy Thursday! I've been in a super creative zone as of late and I've been riding the wave and will continue to do so until it has exhausted itself. Don't get me wrong.. I'm also creative otherwise, but there are moments when it's so overwhelming that you have no choice but to create something, anything, or explode! If you hadn't noticed, I have a new look and new name now (trying to get the domain name loaded has and still is a hassle!!), which is as you guessed a part of this creativeness oozing out all over the place. To be honest, it's been in the works for a while now. Something said, 'Do it now!' and so voila! I did. :)Did you notice that I know have tabs at the top of the blog?? Go check it out already!

I have to wonder if that's what happened in this instance with this street art. I was at Kroger minding my own business when this guy here on the pavement let out a forlorn moan. I don't know why he looks so melancholy. Maybe that's what the artist was feeling when he/she did it? I always wonder what time of day street art occurs... Is it all at 3 am or in broad daylight?

On to a little art of my own.. These are my newest yarn addiction projects. I finally made a slouchy hat for myself. I've made these for quite a few people now and I wanted to keep each one of the hats I made. Well now I can sport mine. Self-promotion, anyone?

If you've been following me on Facebook or Instagram then you'll know that this is my first Man Scarf of the season! Please excuse the rough quick pictures.

What's more manly than ribbing, right? And guess what else?? It's reversible! The guy that requested it wanted these colors, I guess for those light or dark khaki days at the office? You like it, I love it!

It's another snow day here in Atlanta and I'm pretty much trapped in my complex until tomorrow's temps melt it all away. So enjoy the day kiddies, because I certainly will!

Ciao!

A. Sparkle