WIPS: Pretty Similar to Last Week's

I've made some more progress on my sweater.  (*Sigh*.  This yarn is finicky to photograph.  It really is blue, but I keep getting a grey-ish color.  Of course, I am inside and even though I'm next to an open window it is cloudy right now.)

I blogged about my Baby Bulldog Hat.  Here's a teaser:

This giveaway for a Knit & Crochet Notebook ends August 3, 2014!  

Frontier Dreams with Nicole

Work In Progress with Tami

Yarn Along with Ginny

A Crochet Project: Baby Bulldog Hat

I recently had an occasion where a Baby Bulldog Hat would be the perfect baby gift.  (Or at least a pretty decent gift.)  This is my end result, what do you think?



Materials and Equipment:

• Size H crochet hook
• large needle (for stitching the mouth and attaching all the pieces)

I used all Caron Simply Soft Yarns in the following colors:

• Blue Mint
• Grey Heather
• Black
• Off White

Additionally I used two brown buttons for the eyes.



Sarah's Puppy Hat Pattern was my inspiration.  My crocheting seems to be tighter than hers, or maybe it's just that my kiddos have large heads, but I made the 6-9 month size and it fits my four month old perfectly.

To make it more "bulldog-ish" I made a few changes to Sarah's pattern.  I did not add an inner ear color.  I made two "eye patches" in off white and used them as part of the eyes.  I attached the nose and stitched the mouth on a large oval.

My handsome little model was more interested in blowing bubbles and playing with his feet than smiling.  He's still pretty cute though, isn't he?

Thanks for stopping by my little blog!  I love joining various parties around the web, like these and Hookin' On Hump Day!

 

Rachel: The Philosopher's Wife

7 Quick Takes . . . Actually, Only 6

1.  I love yard sales.  Do you go yard sale-ing?  Here's this past weekend's haul.  Check out all of that Thomas stuff!  We got all of this for $50.  (Missing from the pictures is a giant Dora the Explorer floor mat puzzle.)

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2.  Catherine wanted a picture where I was holding her, so here it is!  This girl is getting so big so fast.  (And yes, that is my ridiculous photo face.  Why can't I ever look normal for a picture?)

3.  I am excited to say that I am wearing clothing in the above picture that hadn't fit in a couple of years.  Yea for getting healthy!

4.  I picked these cute buttons up at JoAnn's.  Catherine wants me to knit her a pink sweater and add these buttons.  I haven't picked the pattern yet (any suggestions?) but I have already named this sweater "Pink Elephants on Parade".

5.  I finally got my hands on this book!  So what if it's from the kid's section of the library!

6.  Do you knit or crochet?  Then check out this giveaway!

Check out more Quick Takes! 

PS: Yep, there were only 6 Takes today.  Life interrupted me.

WIPS: Sweater, Bracelet, Giveaway, and a Pattern

My sweater is coming along nicely.  (The color is rather off in the above photo.  It's a very pretty blue.)  I'm using this pattern.  

I took a little break from knitting the sweater to learn how to do cables.  Much to my delight, they aren't really difficult!  (At least the ones I was working on.)  I also took some time to make a bracelet.  (Which will probably get a post of it's own in the near-ish future!)

Make sure to come enter my giveaway to win The Knit & Crochet Notebook from Mama's Notebooks!  These are great notebooks and I'm sure that you would benefit from having one.

And finally, check out my pattern for an easy crochet scalloped headband!

What are you working on this week?  Did you start something new?

 Frontier Dreams with Nicole * Work In Progress with Tami * Yarn Along with Ginny

Strider Sport Balance Bike Giveaway (Ends 8/6) US

 

 Welcome to the Strider Sport Balance Bike Giveaway! 

Hosted by: Momma Lew 

Co-Hosted by: A Life In Balance 

 Do you have a child who is struggling to learn to ride a bike? Did you know that a Strider Sport Balance Bike can help a child as young as 18 months learn to ride a two-wheeler? You can read Momma Lew's review here to find out all about this great bike to help your child gain the balance and confidence they need.

One lucky reader is going to win their own Strider Balance Bike (ARV: $119) in the color of their choice!  

To enter, follow the steps in the giveaway form below. This giveaway is open to US residents, 18+, one entry per household. Giveaway will end at 11:59pm on 8/6 EST. Good luck!

Entry-Form

 
  Disclosure: Momma Lew and participating bloggers, including The Philosopher's Wife, are not responsible for prize fulfillment or shipment. Participating bloggers did not receive any compensation for this giveaway. If you would like to have your product featured in a giveaway such as this, email Momma Lew at reesa@mommalew.com or The Philosopher's Wife.

Mama's Notebooks Giveaway (Ends 8/3) US

I am excited to bring you another giveaway from Mama's Notebooks!  

I still use mine regularly and find it quite helpful.  (Here is my original review of The Knit & Crochet Notebook.)  This notebook is especially great if you like to customize your patterns. I always end up tweaking patterns!  However, even if you always follow a pattern exactly this is still a handy tool.  

If you're like me, you probably save patterns on Ravelry, Pinterest, Kollabora, and other sites, AND have various books and papers laying about, but with this Notebook you can save everything, including your notes and tweaks, in one convenient spot.

This notebook features:

• Project pages
• A Hook and Needle tracker
• Project wish list
• Measuring guide
• Standard weight reference

Below you can see one of my pages. This crochet hat pattern is one that I come back to again and again.  (I used it for The Orange Hat, The Cream & Purple Hat, and various others.)  As you can see, the project page is graph paper, which is super helpful for more detailed projects.  

One lucky winner will receive a copy of 

The Knit & Crochet Notebook.

Details and Fine Print: Enter this giveaway by using the Rafflecopter below.  Open to US only.  Must be 18+.  Void where prohibited.  Facebook and other social media are not affiliated with this giveaway.  The Philosopher's Wife is not responsible for prize shipment or fulfillment. 

  a Rafflecopter giveaway

7 Quick Takes: A Little Grammar Humor

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Source

2.  

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Source 

5.  

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6.

Source: This Pin.

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Source

Disclaimer: 

I know that I am far from perfect when it comes to my own grammar.  I do try though.  Honestly, I do.   

Numbers one, two, and five are my personal pet peeves, what are yours?

Visit Jen for more Quick Takes!

An Easy Scalloped Headband Crochet Pattern

I'm quite happy with this crochet headband pattern that I whipped up.  It's quick, easy, and pretty -- three things that I like in a project.

It uses only basic crochet skills, so it's great for beginners as well as more experienced crocheters.

Materials and equipment:

Hook: E/3.5 MM
Yarn: Aunt Lydia's crochet thread in white
One ponytail elastic

• Start by crocheting three singles crochet stitches around a hair elastic. Chain one and turn.
• Single crochet across each stitch (3), chain one and turn.  Repeat until headband reaches your desired length.  Crochet around the hairband again on the last row.

• Single crochet around the edge.  If you want a very simple headband you could stop here.   
• *Single crochet, skip one stitch, five double crochets in one stitch, skip one stitch*, repeat around entire headband.

Catherine wanted in on the photo shoot, so here she is with her many "photo faces".  That cheesy smile makes me chuckle every time.

I'd love if you'd add this to your Ravelry queue, or one of your Pinterest boards!

I love sharing my projects at places like these and Hookin on Hump Day!

WIWW: What I Wore Wednesday (And the Kids Too!)

This post includes affiliate links. 

It has been awhile since I've done a WIWW.  In fact, I don't think I've done one since Dominic was born!  He's a very handsome baby, and almost four months old already.  Isn't he a dapper little fellow?

Not to be outdone, my sweet girl is getting more beautiful every day.

My four year old photographer, Catherine, managed to get this shot of her brother and me.  (By the way, aren't those bushes amazing?  My living room window looks out at them and I just love it!)  Now, despite my children's attire, this is just a plain old weekday and I am dressed appropriately.  Catherine has been wanting to wear "big dresses" a lot recently and I let her pick Dominic's outfits most of the time.

Shirt: Motherhood Maternity Nursing Collection

Shorts: I've had these forever.  I can't remember where I picked them up.

Headband: Made by me!

Earrings: Similar to these.

I've been having a somewhat difficult time finding inexpensive and cute nursing tops.  I have a few, but I certainly could use some more.  I did just win a giveaway in which one of the prizes was this cute Wild Flower Top Pattern.  I think I might try to modify it a little to make it more nursing friendly. 

I'm sure there are some nursing Mamas out there, what nursing apparel did you love (or hate)?  Those of you who sew, any pattern recommendations for me?

(It doesn't help that I end up changing my shirt half a dozen times a day . . . Being a Mommy is a very messy job.)

I'll be linking up at The Pleated Poppy and I Feel Pretty.

Stella & Dot Sutton Necklace - Green Stone

WIPS: Sweater and Knitted Cable

Today on my needles I have my sweater and I also have my first knitted cable.  The sweater is coming along nicely, albeit slowly.  The braided cable is surprisingly simple!  Cables have intimidated me for a while, even though they are one of the main reasons I wanted to learn how to knit.  I finally decided to "just do it".  I had pinned this Braided Headband Pattern months ago and it looked easy enough so it has become my inaugural cable.

This past Friday and Saturday I crocheted a cute little hat that I can't wait to share with you.  It's a bulldog puppy.  (I was trying to follow a theme for a gift.)  I think it turned out pretty well.

I just finished reading Wicked, and gave my two cents, I'd love to hear your thoughts too!

As always, I will be sharing my Works In Progress at the following:

Frontier Dreams with Nicole

Work In Progress with Tami

Yarn Along with Ginny

My Review of "Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West"

This post contains affiliate links.

Photo Source

Book: Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West
Author: Gregory Maguire

I loved all the Oz books as a kid, and have enjoyed re-reading many of them as an adult.

I wanted to like Wicked.  I thought that I would.

I didn't though.

It just wasn't . . . good.

To be perfectly fair, I started and stopped this book over the course of a year.  (Which I don't think I've done with any other work of fiction that I've read.)  I tried to read it while in the throes of morning sickness, all nine months of it.  That alone doesn't bode well, I suppose.  It was a real struggle to finish the book.

The basic idea of the plot I like, and there's so much potential!  I would like to know the back story of The Wicked Witch.  I would like to know what drives her.  I would like to empathize with her.  I would like to see another side of Oz.

I was even fine with The Land of Oz losing some of it's innocence.  Although, I did not appreciate all the sexual innuendo, or sex, it just came off as crass and unnecessary.  (Side note: this is an adult book, Baum's books are safe for all ages.)  Maybe I'm a bit of a prude, but I can live with that.

The writing style was a bit irksome at times.  Maguire, rather excessively, shows off his wide vocabulary.  It often felt pretentious rather than natural.  Phrases that were meant to be poetic (I think) were simply awkward and burdensome.

The plot development was rather disjointed. It was annoying that each section ended rather abruptly -- lots of build-up without real resolution.  Characters finally started to develop and then we moved on to new people.

Maguire seemingly attempts to struggle with the concepts of good, evil, religion, and god but he never really gets anywhere.  I got the impression that the book wanted to be deep and thought provoking, but instead it simply wasn't.

In my humble opinion, this was a case of good idea, bad execution.

What did you think?  Did you find the book to be a worthwhile read?  Did you enjoy the musical more or less?


PS: Despite my dislike for the book, I do want to see the musical.

You also might like My Two Cents on "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett.

Stella & Dot Sardinia Bracelet - Blue