I Wish I Was A Blogger That Did Outfit Posts

Like the title says, I wish I did outfit posts. There are a few reasons I don't, the main, most important one, is that most days, I just throw on a t-shirt and jeans, if I bother getting changed at all. The second is body image issues, but that's neither here nor there.

Anyway, there is a really good reason why I wish I did these. It's awesome. Super, super awesome. Remember a couple weeks ago, when I did that aqua Monday Magic post? Well, I got the ring from MijuAndYou! I am so excited. I received it last week, but I find myself with time today to finally blog about it.
We have a P.O. box, so almost everything larger than a standard sized envelope has to be picked up from the desk. Rick went in to grab the mail, and brought out two parcels for me! I was so excited. One was supplies for more earrings, and the other was a little cardboard box. I opened it up and out came this wonderful ring! It fits perfectly on the ring finger of my left hand (which is a 5.5, in case any of you folks are interested in getting one) and looks fantastic there.
You should definitely take a look at their shop, there are some gorgeous pieces available.
Who knows, maybe one day I will do outfit posts to highlight awesome items like these...

Awesome Thursday: March 29, 2012

Finally! All moved in, and I can get back to blogging! These are the awesome things going on lately:

• We're done moving! That's the biggest relief. We still have a lot of unpacking to do, but no more back and forth from Windsor.
• I had a small sale on my flower earrings yesterday that went well.
• We went out for sushi last night, and it was pretty tasty.
• I received some supplies in the mail that I ordered a while ago, and made a bunch of earrings already.
• I ordered findings for about 700 more pairs of earrings. I'm running low right now, so I figured I should order them sooner rather than later.
• Blogger has a new layout that is slightly confusing, but looks really good!

Life is good! How are all of you, dear readers? I've missed you!

April Call For Sponsors!

It's almost april, people! Where has this year gone. These past couple weeks have gone by extra fast for me especially; with packing and moving, time is just whipping by!
It's time for me to remind you folks that I have ad space available next month! You can check out my advertising page Here for the sizes and rates. You can get a free ad, or pay the low price of $2 for a larger ad.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me, or leave a comment!

March Swapper Round Up

This month was the first that I offered free ad space on my blog. These are the ladies that swapped ads with me.

I chose the username randomcreative because I have always enjoyed random creative projects using all different colors and materials. My current passions include jewelry, counted cross-stitch, and cards. On Etsy, I sell beaded and button bracelets, earrings, pendants, and necklaces as well as glass and metal charm sets, greeting cards, and PDF patterns of my original designs. At craft shows, I also sell button pins, magnets, and hair pins and glass magnets. I am proud to have been featured in three issues of Bead Trends magazine: Feb 2011, Feb 2012, and March 2012. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to ask!

Facebook ~ Etsy ~ Pinterest ~ Twitter ~ Blog

My name is Jess and I am the proprietress of a vintage shop and blog, both named Scarlet Begonia Vintage. I love collecting vintage cameras and taxidermy. Oh, and I can never pass up a good bargain!

Blog ~ Shop ~ Facebook ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram scarletbegoniavintage

My name is Lish and my blog is Imprintalish. To put it simply, my blog is where I share my impressions, inspirations and imperfections. It's loaded with photography and collections of pretty things I find a long the way, plus tons of tales of life with two little boys. I'd love for you to stop by and join me in my quest for finding balance to life, creativity and being a WAHM.
Blog  Etsy  Facebook  Pinterest

Hi loves! My name is Sam, I'm a 22 year old vintage shop owner, stylist & blogger. I'm originally from a state shaped like a mitten but now live in the beautiful state of Montana! I love fashion & mountains.. strange combination, I know! I collect vintage treasures & sell them on RoseVintage! I also have a blog where I love to write about what inspires me! It's called Threadesque, which means a lifestyle inspired by fashion.

Blog ~ Shop ~ Twiiter ~ Facebook

March Sponsor Round Up

I'd like to thank these fine ladies for sponsoring Knit, Nicole, Knit! this month.

I have been crafting for most of my life. I love learning new techniques. I usually let the inspiration guide the technique rather than vice-versa. I have a background in biology, specifically animal behavior, and I have been inspired by the beauty of various bird species.  When I am not crafting, I enjoy reading and baking, as well as spending time with my wonderful husband and orange tabby Milo (he likes to try and help with my crafts by chewing on things-the cat, not my husband).

Visit my blog for tutorials and crafty inspiration
Visit my shop to buy the goods
Visit my facebook page to...face the page?
Visit my twitter to chirp away

The artist behind N. Fallon Design Studio is Nancy: a knitter, blogger, newlywed, and cat mom of 2.  The shop houses a whimsical line of knit purses, wallets, and knitwear.  She also dabbles in watercolors, mixed media sculpture, and poetry. You can read more about her life and work on her blog One Loopy Knitter.

Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Flickr

I have always been a maker of 'stuff'.  Even as a kid I was interested in Origami, friendship bracelets, macrame, perler (Hama) beads and anything else I could make or create.  And then life took over for a while and I had a career as a software engineer so I barely made anything but when I stayed home to take care of my then new born daughter I started looking for things to do again.  I somehow found myself crocheting, then knitting then purchased a sewing machine.  I started making up my own patterns and with a little encouragement from ravelry buddies I started offering the patterns for free then for sale.  I love simple designs that look more complicated than they really are.
Blog ~ Twitter ~ Facebook ~ Etsy ~ Pinterest ~ Ravelry

Ever since I was little, I have been drawn to trees and nature. I have always felt the need to represent that in my art. Making art brings me back to a childhood of climbing trees, digging in dirt, and building Fairy Houses from stones and twigs. This is something I try to convey in each piece, an individual, unique childlike wonderment.

Making art is magical,  each brushstroke is a way down the rabbit hole, each pencil, the key to a secret garden. Transforming a blank piece of paper into a beautiful story is like finding Neverland. 

Blog ~ Twitter ~ Shop

She Makes Hats is where Robyn (that's me!) shares her journey towards making 10,000 hats for 10,000 people!

blog ~ facebook ~ twitter

Awesome Thursday: March 15, 2012

These are the awesome things going on in my life lately:

• Our building manager is going to let us use his van to move stuff to the new apartment. It's not a huge van by any means, but it will definitely help with moving some of the medium sized stuff.
• I went out for lunch yesterday with two of my friends. It's always a riot hanging out with them.
• I went for coffee on Tuesday with my aunt. I haven't seen her since Christmas, so it was nice to catch up with her.
• Rick and I went to a friends place yesterday for a couple drinks. That was more fun than I thought it would be, because I was exhausted, and half expected to fall asleep.
• I won ad space on a blog I follow. This is super awesome, because I was actually going to buy a space on there sometime in the next couple months.

What awesome things are going on in your lives lately?

Busy, Busy!

Posting has been on the light side lately, and I really wish it wasn't. As you know, Rick and I are moving at the end of the month, and I have been pretty wrapped up in packing and getting ready to go. We have a lot of stuff to move, as well as a lot to get rid of.
Once we're all settled in, I promise I will have fun new stuff to blog about. I'll hopefully have my knitting machines set up in the next couple months, so that is definitely going to be awesome!!!
Please don't stray far, I will be back soon!

Monday Magic: March 12, 2012: Aqua Jewels Edition!

Every Monday, I post a few items I've come across on the internet that I really like. This week, it's aqua coloured jewelry from Etsy.

This ring is amazing. I came across it not long after joining Etsy, and I've been in love with it ever since.

I'm a sucker for post earrings. I love the combination of turquoise and copper, and these really show it off so well.

These earrings from PulpSushi are super sweet. I love the flowers, and the keys just give it that extra vintage-y look. Love them!

Awesome Thursday: March 8, 2012

It's Thursday! In case you're new, every Thursday, I post about awesome things that have happened in the previous week. Studies have shown that grateful people are happier, less depressed, less stressed, and more satisfied with their lives, and I could use a little of that!

• I got my hair cut on Friday. I finally have bangs again, and even though I am not totally in love with them, they can grow into something I do love
• I received my skirts in the mail from Carousel Ink. I bought one through tophatter and I got a second after taking a look around the shop on etsy. I wore them both on Monday when I got them, but sadly, I ripped the seam in one of them.
• I went the following day to see my friend Jodi with skirt in hand, and she fixed it up super quick (after changing the thread in the machine a couple times to get the colour right) This makes me so happy!
• I've been knitting some awesome bows, and cranking them out like a factory. I have a few friends who are going to test them out for me to see how they wear, and are received.
• I'm taking care of my friends cats while she is away. They are hilarious.
• Apple released the new iPad, and I'm considering getting an iPad 2. Yeah, not the newest tech, but not bad for the price.

What sorts of awesome things are going on in your lives?

A New Old Project, Of Sorts

If you've been following my blog for a while, you may remember that a couple years ago, I made a bunch of hair bows to bring to Made In Windsor. I decided to bring the bows back so I have some variety at my spring/summer shows. I'm making them a little differently this time around, which is making them a little quicker to make. They're pretty simple, but I think they're super cute.
I'm hoping to have a whole rainbow of these made in time for my April show.
I'm planning on looking through Ravelry for some inspiration for other smaller items that are warm weather friendly.
Any suggestions?

Hello, Lauren!

March brings us yet another new sponsor! Meet Lauren, of Whimsical Warmth!

Tell us about yourself!
My name is Lauren and I'm the creator/owner of Whimsical Warmth. I mostly create hats for young children but I also have a line of scarves. I moved around quite a bit as a child but I call Windsor, Ontario home. I have a wonderful supportive husband who is always willing to help out in any way he can, and a energetic boston terrier who is always keeping me on my toes.

How did you start hand making?
About a year ago, I decided to teach myself how to knit using Youtube videos. I made a list of things I wanted to do in my life and learn to knit happened to be on it. My first project was a scarf that took me approximately 30 hours to do. It was straight garter stitch because that was the only thing I knew how to do at the time (and today). It felt like forever so I decided to switch over to crochet and taught myself that as well. I like to see results quickly and found that crochet worked up much faster. I also found it to be extremely relaxing and was making up to 3 hats a day. My next goal is to learn how to sew.

What do you do other than create?
I'm a bit of a nerd. I'm a total tv fangirl. I try to watch as much as I can and as many different genres. Right now I'm watching Ugly Betty. I can't believe I didn't watch it while it was on the air. I also read a lot of non-fiction. Mostly biographies.

What does your workspace look like?
I keep my hooks and needles in a black and white case. All my yarn and patterns are stored on my shelf in the office.
I'm so jealous of your organization, Lauren!
What is your most indispensable tool, that you would be completely lost without?
My I steel crochet hook. I could find something else to substitute for yarn but I'd be lost without my favourite hook.

Website ~.~ Facebook ~.~ Pinterest ~.~Twitter

The Heartsy Orders Are Out Part 1

Well, the hullabaloo of my Heartsy deal is over! And I have to say, it wasn't nearly as bad as I expected. A couple of the deals I have bought in the past have sold out in just a couple hours, and the shops they were for had such depleted stock, that I had to wait to order. I was expecting something similar for my shop, but that just wasn't the case.
One of the problems I think I had was that I couldn't change my photos on Heartsy. Since I applied, I have added a few things to my stock, most importantly the flower earrings, which are currently a pretty big seller on Etsy. I'm sure if people could see those on Heartsy, they would have been more likely to click over to my shop, and potentially purchase the voucher. Also, Hearsy announced they are closing at the end of this month. Huge sad face when I found that out! Hopefully, they, or another company, can come back with a better business plan and succeed!
Oh, well. Not much to be done now. I am very thankful for the sales I did make. I shipped them out yesterday morning, and the girl at the post office counter was so incredibly happy that I had all my customs forms filled out. The other girl that is usually there when I go showed me how to do them so I could do it at home, and not hold up the potential line at the counter.
Don't forget, you can follow me on Instagram! I'm knitnicoleknit! Comment with your username and I will be sure to follow you!

Hello again, Rachael!

Rachael is a year long sponsor of Knit, Nicole, Knit! and I love hearing from her every month.
What are your three favourite etsy shops, besides your own?
I've always been a huge fan of TheBlackApple on etsy! Her stuff is kind of what made me start selling on etsy!
I don't have any others.. they change daily!
Wow, really nice stuff in that shop! Love it!

What is your favourite green treat to consume on St. Patrick's Day? Are you doing anything fun for the holiday?
My favorite green treat is probably the drink my mom makes every year.. it involves ginger ale, and something else mysterious... I never know, but I like it!
This year I'm getting a tattoo! It's not FOR the holiday.. it's actually the day my pup Mowgli passed away.. So, I'm getting a tattoo in his honor.. it happens to be the day before St. Patrick's day.
Mowgli was such a cute pup. I bet the hattoo in his honour will be beautiful.

What are you most looking forward to with the start of spring?
I'm excited to start planting a garden!
I'm definitely excited for gardening, too!

Blog ~ Art Shop ~ Knitwear Shop ~ Facebook ~ Twitter ~ Tumblr 

Welcome Back, Robyn!

Awesome news, readers! Robyn is offering a discount to all of you for the month of March! Use the code NICOLE12 for 20% off in her shop!

What are your three favourite etsy shops, besides your own?
I love Ozetta's shop so much - her hand knits are amazing, and she's so prolific!
I also love Love and Knit  - such an amazing variety of items offered, it's how I want my shop to look someday!
Both fantastic shops!

I am so tempted to buy this hat for myself!

What is your favourite green treat to consume on St. Patrick's Day? Are you doing anything fun for the holiday?
Shamrock Shakes, naturally!
I've NEVER had a shamrock shake! I think I need to change this, as I've heard so many good things about them

What are you most looking forward to with the start of spring?
Being able to spend more time outside with my little man! He'll be learning to crawl just as the weather gets really nice, and I can't wait to start exploring all the local parks with him!
Owen is such an adorable baby.

Blog ~ Shop ~ Twitter ~ Facebook

Monday Magic: March 5, 2012: DIY Edition!

It's Monday once again, as it tends to do after Sunday! That means it's time for Monday Magic. Here are three awesome DIYs I've come across this week.

Chalkboard paint in any colour! I love the idea of having small chalkboards around for leaving notes, and staying organized. Being able to make them in any colour would be extra awesome!

This skirt is great. If I come across a pink/red skirt any time soon, you can bet I'll be making it into a watermelon!

These gorgeous crepe paper flowers are wonderful. I think they would make great props for baby photography, or as a wedding bouquet, as pictured.

Welcome Back, Jessyz!

Our second sponsor for the month is Jessyz, from Chocolate Mints In A Jar.
What are your three favourite etsy shops, besides your own?
I have yet to buy from these shops but I have definitely been eyeing their stuff recently and hope to purchase some stuff soon:
Yevgenia Because they have the prettiest painted porcelain travel mugs
JL Yarnworks Because the stitch markers are so cute
Martilena: Really practical camera bag inserts
What is your favourite green treat to consume on St. Patrick's Day?
Peppermint candy :-)
What are you most looking forward to with the start of spring?
Flowers and nice weather. It has been a really cold winter for Kuwait this year, not that I am complaining, I'll take the cold over a hot summer any day.

Etsy ~ Ravelry ~ Blog ~ Twitter ~ Pinterest ~ Facebook

Welcome, Jenny!

Happy March, everyone! The first sponsor for the month is Jenny, of A Bird In The Hard Art.

Tell me about yourself!
I live in WA with my husband and orange tabby. Although I studied biology in school, I have now devoted myself to my art career.

How did you start hand making?
I've been making things my whole life. I don't really remember how I started, but I know I can't stop.
I feel the same way about hand making! It was like we were born with crafting tools in our hands.

What do you do other than create?
I enjoy reading and taking care of animals. I'm also a big geek; right now I'm enjoying playing Lego Harry Potter with my husband.

What does your workspace look like?
A mess! I have a designated work table that I try to organize. But it seems like as soon as I start working, things spread out. I have paint bottles and scraps of fabric spread everywhere.
That's about what my "working area" looks like too. Yarn everyhwere!!!

What is your most indispensable tool, that you would be completely lost without?
Mod Podge. It does everything!

Blog ~.~ Etsy ~.~ Twitter ~.~ Facebook

One Quarter of My Stash

On my last post, Holly asked to see a photo of my stash. This is the closest I can get right now, because my stash is in three places. Here are four of the eight bins I have right now. I have four more bins full, as well as three 5-drawer rolling carts full, and a half dozen cardboard boxes full. This doesn't include the bin of knitted items, or the reusable grocery bag full of yarn I have been carrying around with me, back and forth between our place and Rick's parents.
I have all this yarn, and I always want more! Any time I get a Michael's email, I think that means I should go stock up on yarn again.
Now, dear readers, you need to post photos of your stash!
PS. You can find me on Instagram with the name knitnicoleknit.

Awesome Thursday: March 1, 2012

Happy Thursday, and Happy first of March!
These are the awesome things that have gone on in my life this week:

• My Heartsy deal went live yesterday. I've sold a few vouchers, and made some great sales in the shop.
• I finally picked up storage bins for my yarn from Zellers this week. Eight of them packed up most of my stash. The next time they go on sale, I will probably pick up two more, at least.
• When I went through my stash, I came across some yarn that I forgot/didn't realize I had. Some of it already has already been assigned to a project. I don't usually decide what I'm going to knit with a particular yarn until I am just about to cast on, but this one type of yarn is too perfect for what I am planning on making with it.
• My family, Rick and I went out for dinner last night for my Dad's birthday. We had pretty good food, and a phenomenal dessert. I don't see my family often, so it's especially nice when I can catch up with my brother.
• I have a package waiting for me at the post office today. Once I am done this blog post, I will be going to pick it up! I am so excited. It's one of two things, both of which, I am verrrrry excited to get.

What sorts of awesome things have been going on in your lives this week?