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Tickled Pink (And Blue and Green)

Posted in Featured, Knit & Crochet, Sewing , on June 2, 2009 ,
Photo copyright to Daniella Cortez of DaniDo Crafty!

Photo copyright to Daniella Cortez of DaniDo Crafty! Get your own at http://danidocrafty.etsy.com

I’m just tickled to have been one of the winners of the lovely and talented Daniella of DaniDo Crafty‘s Handmade News scavenger hunt contest last week. I’m tickled pink… and blue… and green… because I chose as my prize some of her absolutely gorgeous Superwash Merino roving. And the colorway? Please Clap Your Hands! (Seen pictured here. Photo copyright to Daniella!) Way too fun! This excites me because I’ve been wanting to spin; if you recall in a previous post, I had purchased a top whorl (and bottom whorl) drop spindle kit that came with some plain white wool roving to work with. I’ve been so busy with Mother’s Day and Father’s Day knitting projects that I haven’t had a chance to sit down and give it a whi(o)rl. (See what I did there?) Then in walks an opportunity to work with Daniella’s beautiful Please Clap Your Hands roving, and I’m inspired to make time for spinning. No more putting it off — once this fabulous merino arrives I’ve got no excuses; I can’t let such beauty go wasted and unused. It will be loved, I tell you, LOVED! And hopefully (*fingers crossed*) spun into something that I can knit into something fantastic. I’m also a little embarrased to admit I’ve never worked with merino before; so even more reason to be excited about such an opportunity to work with something so awesome.

Special thanks to Daniella for the contest and the wonderful prizes. I truly am tickled. You should definitely check out her site, Danido Crafty! as well as her Etsy and Artfire shops. You’ll love the free patterns on her site and all of the beautiful handspun and hand-dyed yarn and roving (among other things) that she has available in her shops. She’s also a writer over on Handmade News and guess what she writes about? Inspiration! Perfect, as her contest to hunt all over Handmade News last week had me finding articles that I may not have otherwise read, and so many great ideas — all very inspiring!  Thanks again, Daniella!


Homemade Hilarity

Posted in Featured , on June 1, 2009 ,
I simply must give a shout out to the Homemade Hilarity blog. I came across Homemade Hilarity while browsing Craft Fail. There is just something funny about homemade things lovingly handcrafted that turn out to be total and utter crap. (Especially when the maker is completely unaware.) I admit I’ve had plenty of my own craft fails in the past and undoubtedly will create many more in my future, but the witty writing of the girls over at Homemade Hilarity paired with such terrible (and not intentionally made to be bad) “art” leaves me crying and/or howling with laughter. At work, no less. In front of co-workers, no less. I really shouldn’t read entries from HH while at work, because on more than one occasion I’ve had co-workers stop and be concerned about the tears rolling down my face and I’ve had to convince them that there was really nothing wrong and that I just love the Internet. The Internet that contains HH, that is. Because really, what is the Internet without hilariously bad handmade crafts on display? Not the Internet in a world I’d want to live in, believe you me.
 
Instead of just sending you over to HH all willy nilly, I thought I’d ease you in by way of sharing a few of my favorite posts. Then of course, you’re on your own. But trust me, you won’t be disappointed. Don’t say I didn’t warn you if you accidentally pee yourself while reading, though. It’s that good. So, without further ado, here are five HH highlights (I think) you simply must see.
You don’t need more reasons to get over there and check it out. I promise it’s full of funny and win. Enjoy!