Celebrating 100 sales!

Had my 100th sale on Etsy last night! We have cause for celebration!

To help celebrate this momentous occasion, there is a special coupon code on my Facebook fan page that can be used at checkout to receive 15% off of your total order.

Thanks to my amazing customers!

L.Peek Designs

Workin' My Booties Off!!

Ahhhh.....it's so nice to be loved. :)

L.Peek Designs on Etsy has been closed for over a month. Just didn't feel like running the shop, and we went on a short vacation and I just didn't reopen it afterwards. But yesterday I got on Etsy to look for something and I realized that I was missed! I had 3 messages from 3 different customers requesting that I reopen the shop because they wanted to order! It was pretty exciting, and I now have 3 new orders to fill. I was happy.

So there are some updates of sorts.

The shop will be open on and off. I will take orders, shut the shop down, fill the orders and then reopen.

I might have a full-time job as soon as October 1st. That will affect my ability to fill orders as well, which is why I make them to order now.

I SWEAR I am working on new designs. I have been trying and trying to get them finished and listed, but seriously, between work, piano lessons, the garden and the orders for the baby Chucks, it's been challenging at best to get anything finished and posted! I have been dying to get a few new designs up, including some hooded scarves, shrug sweaters and crocheted creatures. It's just not going as quickly as I would like it to.

Fall seems to have arrived! And time marches on....

Not Really Looking

I have an interview for a full time position at a local credit union this morning.

I put in my application and resume kind of on a whim. I did not have high hopes or expectations. I wasn't frantically checking my email 3 times a day waiting to hear back from them. But after two weeks, they called and said they wanted to interview me. I agreed, because what harm could it do to interview?

It is a full time position, which I have never worked in my life. Now, there have been times where I have worked 3 part time jobs at once, but never one full-timer. That would be a new and interesting experience for me. It would also speed up our hopes for a great vacation next year and our application process for becoming foster parents.

And my interviewer's name is also Lindsey, spelled with an 'e' - the right way. :)

So send positive thoughts and prayers my way today. I am a bit anxious. I am always a bit anxious though. This could be just another notch on the block, or it could be a game changer. Either way, I know that my Father never leaves me or forsakes me, and I am quite certain that He has a purpose for me in this.

A Stitch in Time

As fall quickly approaches Northern Indiana, I've been scouring the consignment shops and secondhand stores for new additions to my wardrobe. So far, my darling husband has been the genius in that situation, scoring 2 skirts and 2 blouses - 50% off too! - at our favorite little shop, Twice As Nice in Goshen, IN. She takes in the 'good' stuff - names brands, barely worn more than once, etc.

And on top of that, as it's getting to be sweater season, I decided that I needed to stitch myself up a nice little cardigan. I do more than just crochet baby booties and afghans you know!

I caught sight of this pattern on the back of a Crochet Today magazine that I picked up at (where else?) Walmart. (I do not condone shopping at Walmart, but when they're right across the street from work, and you need yarn quickly, where else ya gonna go??) It was a free pattern available from redheart.com, which I have conveniently linked you straight to. So go download it, quick, and then come back and finish reading what I have to say!

This cardigan pattern was listed as being for advance/experienced crocheters, but personally, I would have labeled it intermediate. It really only has two types of stitches - half double crochet and single crochet. The 'tricky' part, if you want to call it that, comes in the HDC F&B pattern. Half double crochet front and back. In other words, you work your HDC in the front loop or the back loop (alternating) of the row you're working in. There is quite a bit of increase and decrease as well.

I will warn you that there is an error in the sleeve pattern. You have to increase on BOTH sides of the sleeve when stitching the increase rows. Otherwise, it will come out increased on one side only and pretty wonky and ugly, resulting in the tearing out of 3 hours worth of stitches. (Experience speaking here.)

The yarn is Red Heart Sparkle, which is a pretty acrylic yarn, probably not ideal for wearing right against your skin, but soft enough. The names come from a single strand of sparkle that runs through the yarn. I chose chocolate brown - boring banker color - rather than lime green as the pattern suggests. Any of the Sparkle colors would be more than appropriate though. It all depends on your tastes. I am hoping to add blue, black and magenta to my wardrobe over the course of the winter.

I usually purchase my yarn from knitting-warehouse.com, who seem to have roughly the best sale prices, usually $1 or more cheaper than the stores, depending on what you are purchasing. This pattern only requires 4 skeins, so it's also inexpensive and economical to make. I put about $20 and a couple days worth of work into mine - minus the 3 hours of stitches I had to tear out. :)

Anyway, I'll post a picture this afternoon, when Alex comes home and can weild the camera for me. I don't find pictures I have taken of my reflection in a mirror to do justice to something I worked so hard on. Ciao for now!