7 Quick Takes

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1.  I know Thanksgiving is next week, but I was browsing through some vintage postcards on Pinterest and thought that this one was timely.  My five year old wants to know why we don't send Thanksgiving cards.  I told her it just isn't part of the Turkey Day Tradition, but after looking through all of the postcards I wonder if it's lost tradition.  Have you sent Thanksgiving cards?  Would you if it were "normal"?  Would you think it strange to receive one?

2. The kids have been having "Pretzel Time" this week.  It's actually pretty darn adorable.  They sit together in little chairs and a makeshift table.  The table is actually one of these.  It was totally one of those "Mommy-wanted-one-as-a-kid-and-never-got-one-so-you-can-have-it" yard sale purchases.  Totally worth the $1 we spent on it.  What did toys reach out to your unfulfilled inner child?  

3.  Coloring.  It's not just for kids.

4. Who is making Christmas gifts this year?  There's something about using the Advent season, a time of preparing, as a time of handcrafting gifts for loved ones.  There's also something about those who don't plan far enough ahead and are trying to calculate how many of these projects will actually be completed before The Big Day.

5. I've been doing a bit of sewing recently.  I'm totally loving having a serger!  I have a backlog of projects to photograph and share!  I've also jumped into the black hole of custom printed knits.  My first package is due to arrive today.  I'm excited and nervous.  Have you ever sewn with custom fabric?

6.  Dominic has just discovered that he loves storytime.  Goodnight Moon and Hippos Go Berserk are read about 7,962 times a day right now in my house.  His favorite pages just happen to be the ones with balloons.  What stories have your children made you read over and over and over and over and over?

7.  If you, or someone you know, likes yarn then you should enter the giveaway that I'm hosting!

I'm linking up with Kelly.

Hand Dyed Yarn Giveaway (End 11/30) US

Can yarn be dyed to look like a Christmas tree?  I think the answer is YES!

November's sponsor for the Yarn Fanatic Party is The Rainy Apple Shoppe.  Please come over to the party and share what you've created with yarn recently!  I know a lot of us aren't sharing current projects online right now because they need to be kept secret until after the holidays, but surely you can share something, right!?  (If you're anything like me, you've got a million projects going at once!)

One winner will receive a skein of her Christmas colorway, Tanenbaum  The winner will be able to chose between worsted or fingering weight.  The worsted is 220 yards/100 grams of 100% Peruvian Highland Wool and the fingering is 463 yards/100 grams of super wash merino/nylon 75/25.

Fine Print and Details: Giveaway ends November 310 2015 at 11:59 pm EST. Entrants must be 18+ and US residents. The winner will be picked via Rafflecopter, so use the form below to enter. The winner will have 48 hours to claim the prize. Void where prohibited. The Philosopher's Wife is not responsible for prize shipment or fulfillment.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Crochet Hat Patterns for Women Using Lightweight Yarn

I love yarn. If you've read more than one of my blog posts you've probably already figured that out.  I also really like hats.  I've been on the hunt for some nice crochet hat patterns for women to use with lighter weight yarns, especially now that I live in a warmer climate. I've been sadly disappointed with how few I've been able to find. (I'm putting together a crochet hat pattern using sock yarn this week! I can't wait to show it to you when it's finished!)

These hat patterns all use lighter weight yarn.

1. The Yenni Slouch Hat 

I can't tell you how much I love the look of this hat by Little Monkeys Crochet. When the pattern came out in October I was drooling. I did promise myself that I would finish my current project list of time sensitive projects before I would crochet this hat for myself.  Did I mention that it's free?

2. Lace Hat

This easy (free) pattern uses Red Heart's Heart & Sole yarn.  (Get it? Sole?)

3.  Linda Permann Petal Beret 

This one is a paid pattern, but just look at how gorgeous that design is!  Wow!

4. Pizzelle Beret

Here's another one by Linda.  This one also calls for lace weight yarn.  Again, a paid pattern.

5. Turquoise Mandala Slouchie Beanie

I have yet to crochet a Mandala of any kind.  It's certainly on my crochet bucket list.  This hat is a pretty awesome way to showcase this form of stitchery.  Kim is such a talented designer, and she generously offers this pattern for free.

Also worth mentioning, Cream of the Crop Crochet has a great (free) Short Slouchy Pattern.  It's a very basic crochet pattern using fine yarn.

How about you?  Have you crocheted a hat using lightweight yarn?  What patterns have you used?  Please tell me!

*Be sure to check out November's Yarn Giveaway!*

Yarn Fanatic Party #53

This is a place to share your crafty projects that use yarn, see what others have made, support one another, and sometimes even enter a giveaway!

Feature

There were so many beautiful projects linked up to last month's Yarn Fanatic Party.  I hope you took some time to look around.  I wish I could feature everyone, but alas, I can't.

This Red Wine Scarf has a great combination of color and whimsy.

Don't forget to stop by my co-host's blog, EyeLoveKnots!  She just released a free pattern for a lovely cowl.  She also has lots of fun details about the previous Yarn Fanatic Party, such as who got the most clicks.

Giveaway

November's sponsor is The Rainy Apple Shoppe.  She is generously giving away a skein of her Christmas colorway, Tanenbaum, to one lucky winner.  The winner will be able to chose between worsted or fingering weight.  The worsted is 220 yards/100 grams of 100% Peruvian Highland Wool and the fingering is 463 yards/100 grams of super wash merino/nylon 75/25.  Either would be amazing in my opinion.

This yarn really looks like a Christmas tree, doesn't it?

Be sure to check out the shop on Instagram and Facebook.

Fine Print and Details: Giveaway ends November 310 2015 at 11:59 pm EST. Entrants must be 18+ and US residents. The winner will be picked via Rafflecopter, so use the form below to enter. The winner will have 48 hours to claim the prize. Void where prohibited. The Philosopher's Wife is not responsible for prize shipment or fulfillment.
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Link up Your Projects

What have you created with yarn?  It could be something you crocheted, knitted, or anything that used yarn.  It can be a new project or an old one.  (I would appreciate it though if it had not been linked up to a previous Yarn Fanatic Party.)  I can't wait to see what you've created!

The only rule is that everything you link to must be family friendly.

I would appreciate it very much if you:

• Add my Yarn Fanatic Party button to your post or party page.

• Follow The Philosopher's Wife and Eye Love Knots.
• Check out some of the other yarn goodies people have finished.
• Leave comments here, there, and everywhere.  (Please, take a moment to visit at least other blog and leave a comment.  I want this to be a supportive community of yarn lovers.)  
• If you're not a blogger, but want to participate, feel free to upload a picture from Flicker!
• By linking up you are giving me permission to share your photos, with the appropriate credit, of course!
• PLEASE NOTE: Per InLinkz guidelines, listings linked to purchase options isn't permitted.  This means that you cannot link directly to Etsy listings or Ravelry pages where there is an option to buy the pattern. You may link to a Pin, or a Facebook page, or a Flickr page, etc.  Links to where to buy the pattern included in a blog post are permitted.
An InLinkz Link-up

A Shoe Review: ja-vie Flats

This post contains affiliate links.  I received a pair of shoes in exchange for my honest review.

I had received these Shimmering Black Lurex flats from  ja-vie just before we moved, and somewhere in the moving craziness they were misplaced.  I was very excited though to find them just in time for my college reunion trip.  It was a great trip, although a little bit of a whirlwind, and these shoes were perfect.

We were away from home for just over two days.  The trip included two flights, guiding two children through the airports, middle of the night car rentals, a reunion luncheon, a fancy alumni reception, dancing, church, the Homecoming football game, ultimate frisbee, and more.  I wore my ja-vie flats for everything -- except for frisbee.  These were the only shoes I brought with me, the frisbee shoes were graciously loaned to me by a friend.

Generally speaking, it's certainly a good idea to break in a pair of shoes before you wear them for two days straight -- especially when there will be lots of activity!  I didn't do that.  The first time I wore them was on the way to the airport.  Did I end up with blisters?  Nope.  Were my feet screaming for release?  Nope.  One baby toe got a teeny-tiny bit sore . . . but that could have happened while dancing or playing frisbee, I'm not exactly sure.

What makes these shoes so special?  As the website states, "these flats combine the softest double-ply mercerized cotton knit "sock" with lightweight jelly out-sole and cushioned leather insoles".   Guess what!  These shoes are machine washable!  (Not the leather insole, but the rest of it is!)

April 2016 Update: I still wear these shoes constantly.  Sometimes after church on Sundays the family and I will visit one of the Disney parks for a couple of hours.  These shoes are perfect for that!  (Although, I wouldn't recommend them for an all day visit at Disney -- while they are an incredibly supportive flat, definitely go with super-supportive athletic shoes for an all day visit!)

These awesome flats can be purchased directly from ja-vie, or from Amazon for faster shipping.Three cheers for Prime shipping, right?  Join Amazon Family 30-Day Free Trial

Navy Khaki Baby Dots

Black Cap / Cranberry

Parrot Green Cap/ Bluebird

Seven Quick Takes: The Week in Review

This page includes affiliate links. 

1.  As some of you may have seen on Wednesday, we went to a Pumpkin Patch!  'Tis the season, right?   This was more than just a pumpkin patch though.  In addition to the traditional hay ride there was a petting zoo and a train ride.

2.  It's no secret that I love a good thrift shop find.  We stopped a Goodwill outlet while the car was being serviced on Saturday.  (The AC in the car is officially caput -- kind of a shame since we're still hitting high eighties.  Oh well.)  The kids both have three new shirts each, I have a new shirt and pants, Peter found a nice overcoat and a Halloween prop, and Dominic now has a Cars sleeping bag.  Our grand total?  $6.36.

3.  Sunday was my birthday.  We enjoyed a lovely day at Disney.  I rode my favorite ride a non-excessive ten times.  Do you recognize it?

Photo source

4.  How many of you are still sewing Halloween costumes?  I am.

Photo Source

5.  Enter my yarn giveaway!

6.  I'm finally going to get a serger!  I'm pretty excited about this.  All my seamstresses, can you give me any tips?  Advice?

7.  Catherine is very unpredictable when it comes to what rides she will and won't do at Disney.  She'll ride Star Tours non-stop without blinking an eye, but Ursula on the Little Mermaid ride give her tremors (although not as much now).  I was shocked this week then when she exclaimed that she wanted to ride Tower of Terror.  And she did.  I think it might be a while before she rides it again . . . but I was so proud of her for following through and doing it.

Photo source

Linking up!

WIPS

I have a box of Works In Progress that still haven't been unpacked from the move.  I untaped the box, looked inside, pulled out a couple of projects, and pretty much left it.  The box is conveniently sitting to the side of my crafting space.  (Which is currently covered in Legos.)

I'm still knitting my Traveling Woman Shawl, although it has taken a back seat once again, poor thing, but I'm hoping to get working on it with earnest very soon.

Here's a little teaser of a crochet project that I'm just about finished with.  I need a teeny tiny amount of black yarn, and I can't find any!  I literally have boxes and boxes of yarn, but I can't find even a couple of yards of black.  I suppose I will HAVE to go yarn shopping.

Oh, I'm also planning on sewing Catherine's Halloween costume.  And the treat bags.  I should do that.  Soon.

What are you crocheting, knitting, or sewing?  Anyone else still have Halloween sewing to finish?  Or (*cough*) start?

This yarn could be yours!  Enter the easy peasy giveaway. (Ends 10/31/2015.)

I'd love it if you could show the sponsor, Chaleur Hand Dyed Yarn, some love.  She's been super sweet to work with and I want her to know how much we appreciate her generous giveaway prize.

Maybe we could help her get to 1,000 Facebook fans?

Linking up with Small Things and Frontier Dreams.

Wordless Wednesday: Pumpkin Patch

Share your own family friendly Wordless Wednesday posts.

An InLinkz Link-up

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday: Catherine's Art

This post may contain affiliate links.

Catherine created these works of art using Drawing Pad while we were on a plane the other night.  I love them.  Can you identify them all?

Share your own  family friendly Wordless Wednesday posts!

An InLinkz Link-up

(Almost) Wordless Wednesday

An InLinkz Link-up

Wordless Wednesday: Dumbo

An InLinkz Link-up

Yarn Fanatic Party #52

This is a place to share your crafty projects that use yarn, see what others have made, support one another, and sometimes even enter a giveaway!

Feature

I wish I had learned to knit before Catherine was born, because then she would have a dress like this adorable one!

I'm always a sucker for a cute granny square pattern, like this one from my co-host EyeLoveKnots.

Giveaway

Our October giveaway sponsor is Chaleur Hand Dyed Yarn.  She's also on Facebook, and I just love when her yarn photos come through my feed.  I've been following Jessica for a while now and I think you would enjoy following her as well.  Also, just so you know, anyone who signs up for the Chaleur Hand Dyed Yarn Newsletter gets a coupon code for 15% off their next purchase.

Don't you just love this yarn?  It's named "Caribbean Waves". It's a sport weight yarn, 75% superwash wool/25% Nylon, with 274 yards/100 grams just waiting for your creative input.  This wonderful prize has a $22 value.

Fine Print and Details: Giveaway ends October 31, 2015 at 11:59 pm EST. Entrants must be 18+ and US residents.   (Yarn will only be shipped within the US.) The winner will be picked via Rafflecopter, so use the form below to enter. The winner will have 48 hours to claim the prize. Void where prohibited. The Philosopher's Wife is not responsible for prize shipment or fulfillment.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Link up Your Projects

What have you created with yarn?  It could be something you crocheted, knitted, or anything that used yarn.  It can be a new project or an old one.  (I would appreciate it though if it had not been linked up to a previous Yarn Fanatic Party.)  I can't wait to see what you've created!

The only rule is that everything you link to must be family friendly.

I would appreciate it very much if you:

• Add my Yarn Fanatic Party button to your post or party page.

• Follow The Philosopher's Wife and Eye Love Knots.
• Check out some of the other yarn goodies people have finished.
• Leave comments here, there, and everywhere.  (Please, take a moment to visit at least other blog and leave a comment.  I want this to be a supportive community of yarn lovers.)  
• If you're not a blogger, but want to participate, feel free to upload a picture from Flicker!
• By linking up you are giving me permission to share your photos, with the appropriate credit, of course!
• PLEASE NOTE: Per InLinkz guidelines, listings linked to purchase options isn't permitted.  This means that you cannot link directly to Etsy listings or Ravelry pages where there is an option to buy the pattern. You may link to a Pin, or a Facebook page, or a Flickr page, etc.  Links to where to buy the pattern included in a blog post are permitted.
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An InLinkz Link-up