It's Crochet Season!!

The heat index might be 100 degrees here in New Orleans, but I realize the rest of the northern hemisphere "might" have started cooling off by now.  I'm definitely seeing a pick up in crochet activity, so I figured it was time to get the yarn out of the attic, crank up the air conditioning, and start moving on some projects that have been hibernating during our 10-month long summer.  All for you, my fans.  You who live in cooler climates.  Hopefully a few sales will help accommodate for my higher electric bill to satisfy the masses with more patterns.  :)

So, what do you guys want this season?  Right now I'm working on a LYLAS cowl... yep, you heard right... Love You Like A Sister cowl.  It's actually two interlocking cowls that you can work on with a friend or simply make 2 and share with your non-crocheting best friend like me.

THAT should be coming soon.  But, what should come NEXT?  Give me some ideas.  I have a few, but I'd like the People to have a say.

Some ideas I'm contemplating right now:

• Another man scarf.  You guys seem to love these.  Maybe there aren't enough in the marketplace.  The new idea is more drapey, single-color, and light to show off a textured pattern.
• Fleur de lis beanie hat using cables.  I have yet to invent how this would actually work, but whatever will help my Saints, I will do...
• Poop bag holder for my fellow dog-owners.  I need some fun ideas for this though.  No serious poop bag holders here.
• Pillow cover with a textured scene, and eventually a complimentary set of squares that could be made into an afghan.

Which ones do you love/hate?  Any special requests?  Special requests that get made will get a free copy of that pattern or any other in my etsy shop.  :)

Sneaux Day Activity: Pups in Cups

If you don't already know, we are in the midst of a sneaux-pacalypse in New Orleans.  Thanks to facebook, I discovered one activity to keep our household busy -  Mutts Muggin, or as I like to call it, Pups in Cups. Here is our attempt - it's much more difficult to achieve than it looks.  :)

Happy Sneaux Day!

NOLA Christmas Baskets

One great advantage of living in New Orleans and having all your relatives elsewhere is that you can make super easy and pretty cheap gift baskets with various New Orleans/Louisiana/Creole type products.  Here is a basket I made which is easily customizable with your own preferences:



"Ingredients" all from Rouses:
$2.79  Slap Ya Mama spice mix
$1.39 French Market beignet mix (small, and not shown - I used CDM beignet mix in that basket)
$1.29 Shrimp Fry
$5.99 Community Coffee
$1.39 Jambalaya rice mix
$0.79 Crab Boil
$1.29 Creole-style red beans
$0.89 Crystal hot sauce
$0.99 Zapp's chips

Basket Kit
$4.99 from World Market

Total Cost = $21.80

I wrote "Joyeux Noel" on the tag as well as the English version, and attempted to draw a fleur de lis.  I also bought a few tea towels with "Gumbo" and "Bread Pudding" written on them, but that's just extras.  :)  Note:  I don't even use most of these products, but I wanted to give my family a good cross-section of the homemade food options.  Maybe some of you can use these ideas.  :)

New Orleans=Not Crochet Friendly

It's been a while since my last update.  I've moved from a chilly northern Dallas to the tropical south of New Orleans.  Okay, so it's not so much further south, but for some reason I can't fathom wearing scarfs and other beloved crochet-friendly projects except for maybe 15 days out of the year.  So, I'm looking for heat-friendlier patterns. 

My first project in this mission will be Vashti Braha's Aero Tunisian Filet Lace Wrap (for non-Ravelers, you can also find it here).  I have a general fear of wraps - I'm not trying to look like a grandma before my time.  Heck, I already act like one with the crochet and gardening.  But, I think this one will be nice, and I just niftily happen to have some Handmaiden Sea Silk in a gorgeous earthy/ocean tone:


Wish me luck!

Big life updates...

Sorry for the delay in writing... I've been preparing for a big move to New Orleans!  I will be working for a charter school management organization, helping to improve student achievement in the public schools (more good kharma stuff).

I'll try to get back to more crochet and travel writing soon, but in the meantime, check out my cute new home - a remodeled 1/2 shotgun - perfect for adding little crochet touches here and there: