Up to 50% OFF All Online Classes at Craftsy! Exp. 11/1

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links meaning I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking my link. 

Save Up To 50% OFF ALL Online Classes! 

Is there a new hobby or craft you'd like to learn or improve your skill in? Craftsy has so many different online classes for just that! These classes range from Sewing and Quilting to Paper Crafts, Photography,  Jewelry and so much more. Don't miss out on this great off of 50% OFF All Online classes! Check out Craftsy's online classes here and purchase a class today. You may even get the hang of it and be able to use your new talent to make Christmas gifts this year. 

Craftsy Online Classes! 

50% OFF offer expires on November 1st.   

Creativity Never Stops Giveaway! 2 Winners - $263ARV TOTAL US 9/13

Young, Old, or Somewhere In-Between
We all need a way to express our creativity.

Coats and Clark Grand Prize Package

Make It Coats is the place to discover all that Coats and Clark, the world’s largest supplier of crafting products, has to offer. If you love textile crafting, this is a place especially for you. Feed your creativity and be inspired. Whether you’re a beginner, casual hobbyist or seasoned professional, there will be something for you here.

The Crochet Lovers Prize Package

TIE DYE - a brilliant, gorgeous rainbow blend! This Expression Fiber Arts signature sock yarn is perfect for hand-knit socks, shawls, modern baby clothes and hats, accessories, mittens, stuffed animals and anything else you can think of!

With the nine Love Arts Crafts ergonomic crochet hooks in this set you will be able to create many beautiful gifts for your friends and family. The handles allow you to crochet longer without the pain or hand cramps that you often experience with regular hooks.

Because of these great sponsors you have a chance to win 
two great prize packages that are sure to get your creative juices flowing!

What will you create?
Need some inspiration? There all kinds of ideas on my Pinterest Boards!

Follow PaulaMS' Reviews, Giveaways, & Freebies's board You Can Do It! - Crochet & Knit on Pinterest.
Follow PaulaMS' Reviews, Giveaways, & Freebies's board You Can Do It! - Arts and Crafts on Pinterest.

Welcome to the
Creativity Never Stops Giveaway

Hosted By
PaulaMS' Giveaways, Reviews, & Freebies

Co Hosted By
The Minister's Wife
Deliciously Savvy
Beyond Attachment Parenting
August 21, 2015 at 12:01 am EST through August 30, 2015 11:59 pm EST

2 Prize Packages
1 Coats and Clark Grand Prize Package $200 RV
1 Crochet Lovers Prize Package $63 RV

The items in this $200 prize package are:

Coats & Clark Dual Duty thread 50 spool assortment Make It Coats Bag Make It Coats Mug 2 Make It Coats pens Free Spirit Fat Quarter Bundle Rowan Kaffe Fasset Design Roll Susan Bates Digital Row Counter, Susan Bates Cable Stitch Holders & Handi Tool

Susan Bates Yarn Essential Kit Susan Bates Aluminum Stitch Holders 5 Coats & Clark zippers 3 balls Red Heart Boutique Unforgettable 3 balls Red Heart Sparkle Soft 3 balls Red Heart Grande Red Heart Tape Measure

The items in this $63 prize package are:

Skein of Tie Dye Resilient Wool Sock Yarn from Expression Fiber Arts LoveArtsCrafts Ergonomic Crochet Hook Kit

I would like to give a big

to all the blogs participating!

By following us on our social networks and by email we are able to bring you the best giveaways possible! Please take a minute to “like” us on Facebook!

Chances of winning depend on entries received.
Open to US residents 18 years and older
Winning entry will be verified

GOOD LUCK!

Creativity Never Stops Giveaway

 

Disclaimer: PaulaMS' Giveaways, Reviews, and Freebies nor any blog promoting this giveaway, is not responsible for the awarding of the prize. Sponsors are responsible for prize fulfillment.Any Questions about this giveaway? Email Paula At paula_stewart (at) ymail (dot) com.

Disclosure of Material Connection: PaulaMS received the product mentioned above for free to facilitate the writing of the review. Some of the links on this blog post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I may receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, she only recommend products or services that she uses personally and believe will add value to readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.

Craftsy's Creative Escape Summer Closeout Sale! Exp. 7/27

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links meaning I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking my link.

Summer Closeout!
'Creative Escape Summer Closeout' - to gear up for fall inventory, Craftsy is dropping pricing on current supplies. Wednesday, 7/22 @3pm MT through Monday, 7/27 @11:59PM MT.

Creative Escape Summer Closeout Sale at Craftsy!

Craftsy's Spring Sale! Up to 60% OFF Yarn, Fabric, Kits, etc! 4/24-4/26 ONLY

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links meaning I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking my link. 

Spring has officially sprung!

Have you treated your stash to any fresh picks yet? There’s no better time than today, now that you can save up to 60% on top kits, fabric and yarn on Craftsy! Florals, pastels and on-trend spring selections are just the beginning, so go ahead, pick yourself a beautiful bouquet of new supplies while the savings last. 

Knitting

Crocheting

Sewing

Quilting

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Hurry, offer ends Sunday - shop now!

Craftsy's Spring Blowout on Yarn & Project Kits! Exp. 3/30

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links meaning I will be compensated if you make purchase after clicking my link. 

Craftsy's Spring Blowout!

Spring is in the air, and with Craftsy’s Spring Blowout, so are amazing savings! For a limited time, ALL yarn and related kits are on sale at the lowest prices of the season and we both know you need some fresh new finds for warm weather! 

Yarn
Knitting Kits

Crochet Kits

Explore these amazing deals while they last. Offer ends Monday - shop now!

Craftsy's BIG Summer Sale!! Up to 50% OFF on ALL Online Classes!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking on my links

Craftsy's BIG Summer Sale: Save Up to 50% on ALL Online Classes!

Want to learn a new skill or brush up on an old one? Now is your chance! You can save up to 50% off on ALL online classes at Craftsy's BIG Summer Sale! 

 

Cooking, cake decorating, sewing, gardening and so much more... all up to 50% off, with some classes starting at just $9.99! This is a sale not to be missed, so make sure you hurry because it ends at 11:59pm MT on Monday, June 9th.

Craftsy Class Giveaway! WW 3/24

Craftsy is offering one lucky reader a FREE Craftsy Class in this great giveaway! Enter through the link below. Craftsy has tons of classes to offer including;

• sewing with different fabrics 
• cake decorating
• cooking
• knitting
• crocheting, etc.

Enter to win a Craftsy class!

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links.

Holland Designs Crochet Patterns Review! Modern Toddler Loafers, Ice Princess Headwrap & Ladies Knit-Look Sweater Boots!

Holland Designs was created by Lisa who learned to sew at just 3 years old! How amazing is that? Lisa is originally from Wisconsin, hey that's where we live! She now lives with her husband and their three beautiful young girls in New Zealand, near Auckland. Holland Designs is named after their eldest daughter, Holland. Holland, Madison and Adelaide are all beautiful models for Holland Designs. Lisa's husband, Gilbert is fluent in Dutch and English, he is trying to teach his daughter Dutch as well, but they carry their mother's American accent. How cute! Lisa creates beautiful crochet patterns which what she sells in Holland Designs.

Ezio, my two year old has been showing an interest in trying to crochet and he mimic hand motions I make while crocheting... I might have to try giving him a crochet hook and see if I can teach him how to crochet. That would be so amazing!  

 Modern Toddler Loafers Pattern 

Photo Belongs To: Holland Designs

 Modern Toddler Loafer pattern ($5.50ARV) is an Intermediate skill level pattern. It is available for purchase and immediate download at Holland Designs. This pattern is for toddler sizes and comes with the pattern for shoe sizes 4 through 8. They are worked with two colors of your choice of worsted weight yarn and an F size crochet hook is needed as well as two buttons, sewing needle and thread. Although Lisa and her family are in New Zealand this pattern is written in American terms. 

I'm pretty sure I'd rate my crocheting skill level at about Intermediate, not quite Advanced or Expert. The pattern was fairly easy to work up, but I'm not quite so fond of how my pair of shoes came out, which doesn't have anything to do with the pattern it's self, but how I crocheted them. The loafers didn't take too long to work up either. 

The ones I made are not perfect, but they fit Ezio and he seems to like them! Plus, this was my first pair, I will be making at least one more pair of these and they should turn out much better not that I've worked it once before. 

They FIT! That was pretty much my whole goal, to make a pair of crocheted booties/loafers for him that fit him. I've tried many of the free patterns available online and none of them have come even close to turning out for me! The sole for the Modern Toddler Loafer's pattern is much better then the many different variations I've found online for free as well. After I make a second pair of these for Ezio, if they turn out better, I will be trying my hand at expanding this pattern to a size 11 for Cade. I think I've figured it out for the most part in my head, but I still have to see if it will turn out correctly. 

Thumbs up for this pattern!

Ice Princess Headwrap Pattern

Photo Belongs To: Holland Designs

The Ice Princess Headwrap ($5.50ARV) crochet pattern is an easy to intermediate skill level and is also written in American terms. It is also available for immediate download and comes in all sizes. The way this headwrap is worked gives it a beautiful knit-look. One of the great and sort of fun things about this pattern is that you can use any type of yarn and any hook size! In Holland Designs headwrap above and mine below we both used two strands of DK weight yarn held together and I also used an I hook, same as Lisa did. Included in this pattern is a size chart for standard head circumferences so you can make this headwrap for any size and age.

Well here is my Ice Princess Headwrap... I know my picture or maybe the colors I used don't show the cinching of it like at all, but I promise it did cinch! My flower isn't the greatest, flowers are super easy to make, but I didn't stretch mine out nearly enough when I sewed it on. The pattern was super easy to work up, I'd probably rate the skill level at easy or beginner until your get to the back/finishing of the headwrap then it can get a little tricky. This is the first thing I've ever made with two strands of yarn being used, but it wasn't nearly as difficult as I had thought it would be. 

I gave Jedilynn her headwrap I made her and I asked her to smile nice so I could take a picture for the review and above is the lovely "pose" I guess you could call it, that I got from my daughter. She is so silly and can be quite sassy. Yes, this is her being sassy because now I have a silly picture for my review instead of nice or more formal photo. I love her either way. She loves her headwrap and one of the boys got something on it so while she was impatiently awaiting it to be out of the wash she decided to ask me to make her another one. Silly girl, it will be done in like 20 more minutes! She ended up going to play with her brothers and before she even realized how much time went by it was done! When she wore this to school for about the first week she kept coming home telling me that several of her friends wanted headwraps too. I felt bad when I told her no, I just couldn't make and giveaway the amount that she wanted and I didn't want to put her in a sticky situation of choosing just two or three of her friends that she'd like to have given one to. Anyhow with using two strands of yarn you get a nice thick and very warm head wrap! I felt confident in sending Jedilynn to school with her headwrap to keep her ears warm in our super cold Wisconsin winters and this year it was probably the coldest I ever remember our winters being with all of the Arctic freezes and such that we've had. 

Thumbs up for this pattern as well!

 Ladies Knit-Look Sweater Boots Pattern

Photo Belongs To: Holland Designs

Ladies Knit-Look Sweater Boots ($5.50ARV) pattern is an easy to intermediate skill level. It is available for immediate download as well. This pattern comes with a USA womens shoe size chart so you can fully customize the length of the sole to get the perfect fit for your self! These sweater boots are stylish and trendy and will keep your feet warm and cozy. The cuff for these sweater boots has an awesome design that makes a knit-look which is stretchy and ribbed, you can make this too any length you wish and the ties around the ankles are for an added secure fit.

The ribbed knit-look cuff for these Sweater Boots had me nervous at first and I did redo the first few rounds a few times as it just didn't look right, but then I carried on and everything turned out great! I actually enjoyed working this ribbed knit-look cuff and it was quite a bit of fun too. I often tend to get bored with doing the same thing over and over again. 

Here I have my ankle and my sole, you make the separately and then you crochet the ankle to the sole and continue working the sides of the toe as well as the top. They are pretty easy to make and a little time consuming, but I was so excited to have nice warm cozy feet!

OOPS!!! I REALLY did something wrong here! Not sure where I went wrong with these, but I do know it is my own error and not one with in the pattern, I had to of missed a round or two or three, which if you compare this picture to the picture of Lisa's boots you can see that I don't have the rows of pink under my purple ribbed knit-look ankle. And that is the part that was to tight and stopping my foot from going into the slipper. I am working a new pair of these now so hopefully this time around I pay closer attention to the pattern. My issue is that I get distracted by one of the kids and then when I look back at the pattern I end up skipping rows. Again, this issue is not due to the pattern, but user error. 


Thumbs up for this one as well. 


I love all three patterns I received from Holland Designs, now I just to correct my silly errors and I will update with much better looking crocheted items once I've had the chance to remake them all. Definitely pay attention to your pattern! Use a pen or highlighter and mark the row your on if you need to do so, then you wont lose your place as I do quite often. 


Holland Designs has tons and tons of beautiful and stylish crochet patterns for the whole family. I've never seen products or patterns for many of the patterns available in Holland Designs before! 


Connect
Holland Designs on Etsy
Raverly
Lisa van Klaveren's Blog
Facebook
Twitter @HollandDesigns

Disclosure: I received the above patterns in exchange for my honest review. All opinions and experiences are 100% my own and may differ from those of your own. I did not receive any other form of compensation for this publication.

The Hat Factory US 11/18

Now that the weather is getting colder, I know we are on the hunt for cute but warm clothing items! I am a hug fan of hats for my little man he wears baseball caps, church hats, a fireman's hat, he got from the local station and here recently this super cute Newsboy hat from The Hat Factory.

I stumbled across this business totally by accident. Georgia the owner of this shop is a reader of my blog. She recently won one of my giveaways and while emailing her I noticed her business link under her name. That is when I discovered this wonderful little company and all the cuteness that they make! They make hats for the tiny and the big.

Georgia was kind enough to offer to share her company on my blog and sent me a hat for little man to try. We looked through her business and I went back and forth for a day or two trying to decide what super cute hat I wanted to try so we went with the Newsboy hat and I have to say that I love this hat and all the simplicity that comes with it! I tried to get a picture of little man wearing his hat but every time I put it on he runs outside and I can't get a picture that is not super blurry like a crazy flash running by!

Now let me show you some of the other cute hats that they have, they also make hat and diaper covers, stuffies and dryer balls!

For the girls!

For the little guys!

For the holidays!

I just love all the cuteness they make and I know all of my readers will love them also. You can head on over to the website and see all the cuteness they have to offer. My lucky readers are going to love this giveaway.

The Hat Factory and Faith Filled Footsteps are giving one lucky readers a family set of Newsboys hats. The winner will receive hats for mom and dad and hats for up to 4 children (6 hats total!). The Giveaway will run from November 4, 2013 and close late on the evening of November 18, 2013. The winner will be chosen at random through Rafflecopter. The winner will be announced both on the Rafflecopter as well as Faith Filled Footsteps Facebook. US Only.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Disclosure: Faith Filled Footsteps and Mami's 3 Little Monkeys are not responsible for prize shipment. Must be 18 years and older. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Google are in no way affiliated with this giveaway. No Purchase Necessary.

Guest Post: Get Hooked on Crochet with Five Easy Books!

For vintage chic or a vintage doily, the artful simplicity of crochet is easy to master with these top five DIY books.

Learning to crochet is a versatile skill; it can be used to make anything from accessories to furnishings, or even add a vintage-looking trim to a summer dress. The techniques are easy to pick up if you have access to a good tutorial, and DIY books help you learn the craft at your own pace and without paying for several lessons. Most offer step-by-step pictorial instructions and projects to ensure you keep progressing.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nuwandalice/

by Nuwandalice

Learn to Crochet: Clear stitch diagrams and instructions, 20 simple projects to make
(Rowan Yarns, 2005) – £6.99

This portable-sized book is small enough to take anywhere, perfect for learning on the go or on holiday. The basics on how to hold a hook and yarn are shown step-by-step, as well as offering advice on what yarns, threads and sizes of hooks are suitable for different projects. Each stitch is laid out with diagrams and clear instructions accompanied by colour artwork. 'Learn to Crochet' also features 20 first time projects, such as accessories and clothing, taking you from easy to advanced to help you see results.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/kpwerker/

by kpwerker

Crochet Unravelled: A Clear and Concise Guide to Learning Crochet
(Pottage Publishing, 2005) - £6.99

'Crochet Unravelled' combines step-by-step crochet patterns, which help you master each technique and put them together to develop the craft. The book includes tutorials on how to hold the hook and yarn, make basic stitches, understand patterns and even features an American conversion chart for patterns from the USA. 'Crochet Unravelled' is full of illustrations and 11 small projects to get you started, making it accessible for children as well as adults. It also has the added bonus of providing examples for both left- and right-handed crafters, which makes it unique and a must-have for the former!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/lxavian/

by *Leanda

First Crochet
(Collins & Brown, 2011) – £7.99

This book describes itself as the 'ultimate beginners guide' to learning crochet. Combining clear instructions with modern step-by-step photographs, and even fold-out tabs with vital techniques, 'First Crochet' is ideal for quick reference. With a detailed explanation of the basics, such as how to hold a hook, this book then guides you through fundamental techniques of creating intricate patterns and individual effects. 'First Crochet' also contains over 20 projects to begin as soon as you have mastered the basics, including stylish scarves, bags and cushions.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29694534@N03/

by Crafty Kitten

The Chicks with Sticks Guide to Crochet: Learn to Crochet with More Than 30 Cool, Easy Patterns
(Watson-Guptill, 2008) – £12.99

The 'Chicks with Sticks Guide' boasts that 'anyone can learn to crochet in just a weekend'. The Chicks are not only informative; their anecdotes and wit make learning enjoyable at the same time. Leading you first through an introduction on the basic tools and materials, the book is then laid out in a range of lessons, each introducing different skills and new patterns to keep you progressing. Including over 30 contemporary projects to work on, ranging from belts to jumpers, this guide is best appreciated by those advanced beginners who have done a little crochet before or are re-learning the skill.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/29694534@N03/

by Crafty Kitten

Crochet Workshop: Learn How to Crochet with 20 Inspiring Projects
(Quadrille Publishing, 2012) – £16.99

'Crochet Workshop' takes a comprehensive approach, building on techniques learnt in previous sections to produce more intricate weaves and designs. This book takes you from the absolute basics to completing its 20 projects, through colour photographs, images and helpful charts. As the title suggests, this book is a workshop, meaning you will see results as you progress. By the end you will have mastered a range of crochet techniques and have a nice selection of items to show for it! The projects begin with hats and scarves to help you accomplish the fundamental stitches, moving on to thicker weaves, such as laptop cases, before culminating in delicate lace crochet.

With advice and designs for beginners, these books are ideal to help you see results from your skills and will become a well-thumbed point of reference on your shelves. With so many accessible books to help you master the art of crochet, there is nothing stopping you from getting hooked!

This article was written by Jenny, a dedicated crafts blogger from Leeds.

Mami's 3 Little Monkeys was compensation for this publication.