Fresh off thee Hook is giving away
3 Gift Card Bundles!
Ends November 8th!
Enter Here >> http://bit.ly/WihsjA
Monday, November 4, 2013
Friday, November 1, 2013
Autumn: The Perfect Time For Family Photos
 |
| Photo courtesy of K. Hubbard Photography |
It's the perfect time to get that new photo of your growing family, just the two of you, or even if it's just you, just in time for the holidays! The colors are perfect and warm; browns, golds, oranges, reds. Wear complementing colors like a forest green, purples, browns, tans and of course the colors of the leaves! Pull the vests and sweaters out of the closet. Bust out the boots, you know, the tall leather ones, not the snow kind!
We talked with Kristina from K. Hubbard Photography, she tells us, "when there's leaves on the ground, you can get natural photos of the kids playing in them, or babies discovering the leaves for possibly the first time."
 |
| Photo courtesy of K. Hubbard Photography |
Don't wait until the winter, unless of course you're specifically looking for snow! In the winter, it's cold. What happens when it's cold outside? Children get cranky. Mom's and Dad's get cranky. Photographers, well, they try not to get cranky, but they get cold! It's tough to take photos with bulky gloves on, so they often go bare-handed, those poor little fingers... anyways... Winter photos often produce red runny noses, bald trees, yellow or brown grass if there's no snow yet, not the most beautiful setting for a family photo.
Fall doesn't last long in most areas. The leaves are already starting to fall. Don't delay, book your beautiful Fall Family Session today with your favorite photographer! Plus, you beat the holiday rush for photos giving your photographer more time to spend on your session! "Be the first of your friends to send out a beautiful holiday card this year with your family photo" Kristina says! Don't procrastinate this year!
Giveaway Alert: Ivanelee's Craft November Giveaway ~ $100 Amazon Gift Card
Ivanelee's Craft & Sponsors
are giving away a $100 Amazon Gift Card!
Ends November 8th
Enter Here --> http://bit.ly/13yKaQQ
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Giveaway Alert: Kelly-Moore Paints ~ $1500 Room Make Over
is giving away a $1500 room makeover
in their Pinspiration Sweepstakes!
Including a $1250 Crate & Barrel Gift Card and
a $250 Kelly-Moore Paints Gift Card!
Ends November 2nd
Enter Here --> http://www.kellymoore.com/pinspiration
Happy Halloween!
Happy Halloween from Made with Love, Props & More!
We want to see your costumes!
Your kids' costumes!
Your pets' costumes!
Your jack-o-lanterns!
Head over to our Facebook Page and post your photos!
We'll share our favorites on our page!!
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Giveaway Alert: Giveaway Promote ~ Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR
Giveaway Promote & Sponsors
are giving away a Canon EOS Rebel T3i DSLR
Ends November 5th
Enter Here: --> http://bit.ly/18IMvJW
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Giveaway Alert: Project Management Academy ~ Microsoft Surface Tablet
is giving away a Microsoft Surface Tablet
and Visa Gift Cards!
Ends October 31st
Vendor Spotlight: The Stork House Prop Shop
 |
| The Anastasia Bonnet by The Stork House Prop Shop |
I opened my second shop, The Stork House Prop Shop, in April of this year. I found myself looking at my kids' newborn photo albums a lot, and always loved the sweetness that the little hats and wraps added to those precious images. That is when I decided to open a shop that would offer newborn photo props. It was around the same time when I absolutely fell in love with handspun thick and thin yarn, so a lot of my pieces are made with specialty artisan fibers, some that purchase from others, but some of the yarn I spin myself!
MWL: What inspires you when you create?
Sarah: Oh gosh, this is a hard one. I'm inspired by how things make you feel, like chunky softness, or silky smooth, and I try to craft pieces around that feeling. I tend to love bright, fun colors, but I have to scale that back, especially for my newborn shop where I find people like more muted neutral or softer tones. I like to figure out how to put a twist on something classic. For instance, I felt wool and make slippers in my shop that sells women's accessories. One day I was in the middle of the felting process and I had an idea... bonnets are traditional newborn props, but I'd never seen a felted wool bonnet before - a new prop was born! Stemming from the same thought process is something that is in the works and almost complete. I love working with sari silk ribbon. It's unique and beautiful and I use it to embellish a lot of my props. I thought, why not make an entire bonnet out of sari silk ribbon - and so, here is a sneak peek of my very first sari silk pixie. The texture is amazing!
MWL: What is your favorite item that you've created?
Sarah: My favorite piece is the Anastasia Bonnet. It's a sweet little sweater knit bonnet, with a lovely tulle flower and brown satin ribbon ties. It's understated, but full of texture because of the little "pills" on the knit fabric. It's got an innocent, nostalgic vibe - reminiscent of the 30's.
MWL: Changing gears a little, your crafting space - OCD or organized chaos?
Sarah: My crafting space, GAH! Organized chaos for sure! I have a corner of our office as my crafting space for sewing. Crocheting usually happens on the sofa next to my hubby at night.
MWL: Name 3 things you'd like to have in your dream craft room.
Sarah: Lots of built-in space with bins to store my supplies.
A large work table with enough space to have multiple projects laid out at one time - I can't work on just one piece at a time.
An inspirational vibe, because my husband's Red Sox memorabilia just isn't cutting it! Something like this!
MWL: Oh all that is holy in the crafting world, this is gorgeous! Any crafters dream for sure!
MWL: Are there any crafts you'd like to learn how to do?
Sarah: I'd love to learn how to knit, but the multiple loops scare me! And I would love to learn more DIY stuff, such as refurbishing furniture, how to distress paint finishes, etc.
MWL: Do you have any vendor crushes?
Sarah: Yes, I do. I love the layer/tieback sets by Simplistic by Sondra, and I love No. 2 Willow Lane, they make the most stunning Victorian-esque bonnets.
Sarah has recently joined Made With Love, Props & More as a full time vendor. She is always bringing in new and fresh designs as well as her takes on the classics. She says, "it's important to make sure your props are crafted with quality materials and great care to ensure that they are well made. I'm ok with a small profit margin if I need to spend a little more on making sure that the quality is there." She takes great care in building relationships with customers so that they keep coming back, she does that by making certain her products are well made. "I don't cut corners, and I don't work quickly - I work diligently and carefully" she says. You'll want to make sure you follow her pages, The Stork House Prop Shop and Two Sparrows Boutique - we're excited to see what she comes up with next!
MWL: What inspires you when you create?
 |
| A sneak peek at Sarah's first sari silk pixie |
Sarah: Oh gosh, this is a hard one. I'm inspired by how things make you feel, like chunky softness, or silky smooth, and I try to craft pieces around that feeling. I tend to love bright, fun colors, but I have to scale that back, especially for my newborn shop where I find people like more muted neutral or softer tones. I like to figure out how to put a twist on something classic. For instance, I felt wool and make slippers in my shop that sells women's accessories. One day I was in the middle of the felting process and I had an idea... bonnets are traditional newborn props, but I'd never seen a felted wool bonnet before - a new prop was born! Stemming from the same thought process is something that is in the works and almost complete. I love working with sari silk ribbon. It's unique and beautiful and I use it to embellish a lot of my props. I thought, why not make an entire bonnet out of sari silk ribbon - and so, here is a sneak peek of my very first sari silk pixie. The texture is amazing!
MWL: What is your favorite item that you've created?
Sarah: My favorite piece is the Anastasia Bonnet. It's a sweet little sweater knit bonnet, with a lovely tulle flower and brown satin ribbon ties. It's understated, but full of texture because of the little "pills" on the knit fabric. It's got an innocent, nostalgic vibe - reminiscent of the 30's.
MWL: Changing gears a little, your crafting space - OCD or organized chaos?
 |
| A peek into Sarah's crafting space! |
MWL: Name 3 things you'd like to have in your dream craft room.
Sarah: Lots of built-in space with bins to store my supplies.
A large work table with enough space to have multiple projects laid out at one time - I can't work on just one piece at a time.
An inspirational vibe, because my husband's Red Sox memorabilia just isn't cutting it! Something like this!
MWL: Oh all that is holy in the crafting world, this is gorgeous! Any crafters dream for sure!
MWL: Are there any crafts you'd like to learn how to do?
Sarah: I'd love to learn how to knit, but the multiple loops scare me! And I would love to learn more DIY stuff, such as refurbishing furniture, how to distress paint finishes, etc.
MWL: Do you have any vendor crushes?
Sarah: Yes, I do. I love the layer/tieback sets by Simplistic by Sondra, and I love No. 2 Willow Lane, they make the most stunning Victorian-esque bonnets.
Sarah has recently joined Made With Love, Props & More as a full time vendor. She is always bringing in new and fresh designs as well as her takes on the classics. She says, "it's important to make sure your props are crafted with quality materials and great care to ensure that they are well made. I'm ok with a small profit margin if I need to spend a little more on making sure that the quality is there." She takes great care in building relationships with customers so that they keep coming back, she does that by making certain her products are well made. "I don't cut corners, and I don't work quickly - I work diligently and carefully" she says. You'll want to make sure you follow her pages, The Stork House Prop Shop and Two Sparrows Boutique - we're excited to see what she comes up with next!
Monday, October 28, 2013
Giveaway Alert: Designed by M ~ Macbook Air
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Giveaway Alert: Spaceships & Laser Beams ~ $1200 Fall Fun Cash!
Spaceships & Laser Beams and Sponsors
are giving away $1200 in CASH!
Ends on November 14th!
Enter Here --> http://bit.ly/16lvIZF
Giveaway ENDING SOON: Forty Toes Photography ~ $3500 Visa Gift Card or Canon 5D Mark III
Forty Toes Photography & Sponsors
are giving away a $3500 Visa Gift Card or
a Canon 5D Mark III
Ends TODAY!
Enter Here --> http://bit.ly/11Nnh8p
Saturday, October 26, 2013
Giveaway Alert: Savannah Latour ~ Kindle Fire HDX, Gift Cards & Vendor Prizes
Savannah Latour & Sponsors
are giving away some amazing prizes to celebrate 1,000 fans!
Prizes including an all new 7" Kindle Fire HDX,
Gift Cards to Children's Place, Build-a-Bear, Disney Store, Lego Store, American Girl and many vendor prizes!
Ends at 11pm CST October 30th!
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Giveaway Alerts!
Did you know
that you can sign up to receive Giveaway Alerts
straight to your email every day!
You won't miss a great Giveaway ever again!
(assuming you check your email!)
Sign up here -
It's Free - It's Fast - It's Easy!
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Vendor Spotlight: Aubrey Lee's Bowtique
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| Kristina, owner of Aubrey Lee's Bowtique with her daughter and husband. |
We said we'd go back to CA when she had recovered, but my daughter has since started school in Reno and I have established clients in my photography business that I started 2 years ago, so we're at odds about staying. Hm, we'll see what happens I guess!
Since I was so used to working full time in a fast paced environment, I had trouble adjusting to not "working" (even though caring for an injured adult who cannot walk is "work" in itself), so I started my photography business. It drives me crazy to not be busy doing something...anything. The money that I make after taxes, supplies, props that I buy from others for my photography projects, ext goes directly into a fund to help pay my mom's medical bills and a college fund for my daughter.
MWL: What made you decide to start making props?
Kristina: I started making hair bows for my daughter when she was a baby and I have tons of extra ribbon, so I started selling bows to get rid of it. I was very successful with Made to Match Gymboree bows especially. Eventually, I ventured into tutus, hot fix rhinestone embellishments on shirts, pillowcase dresses and more. A couple of years ago, I was building my photography portfolio and shooting for free. I didn't have a lot of extra money to spend on props and many of the props i came across while shopping were things I could make myself for much less, so I did. I already have many of the supplies needed to get started. My prop collection was growing, but I wasn't booking many babies to put the stuff on, so I decided to add some of those items to my shop and people immediately started swiping the items up. I don't make many bows etc anymore because I'm way too busy with the prop-making and my other love - photography.
MWL: What kind of props do you specialize in?
Kristina: My upcycled sets are my most popular items by far. They're unique and adorable on babies AND the added bonus i that I'm doing my part to save the environment by re-purposing old sweaters, jeans, shirts etc.
MWL: What inspires you when you're making your creations?
Kristina: Textures and colors. I am drawn to a sweater if it has a neat pattern in the knitting, if it's bumpy, super soft or a beautiful color.
MWL: Your craft area: OCD or organized chaos?
Kristina: A little bit of both. HAHA! It started out OCD, but I ran out of space to store supplies, so shelves and drawers have items together that I would prefer having separate. But it's not the end of the world I suppose.
MWL: Tell us 3 things that would be in your dream craft room.
Kristina: A super fancy sewing machine/serger combo. A clone of myself so that we can create MORE items. And a massage chair so I can take a relaxing break when my neck starts aching from looking down for too long.
MWL: What is your favorite item you've made?
Kristina: I have lots of favorites, but the one that pops into my mind first is a little teal hat and pants set with suspenders and little shabby patches.
MWL: Are there any other crafts that you'd like to learn how to do?
Kristina: Eventually, I want to learn how to crochet. I'd also like to upgrade my cheap sewing machine to a nicer one and actually learn to sew more than just a fairly straight line.
MWL: Do you have a vendor crush? You can tell us!
Kristina: I have lots of vendor crushes! The "hookers" for sure. I've always been good at just being able to look at something and make it myself, but crocheted items are like my kryptonite. I can't just dissect it with my eyes and figure out how it was made like I can do with other things. I'm sure I could crochet if I gave it a try. I might get addicted to yarn and spend all of my time crocheting though! I don't have space for yarn and I don't have time to crochet!
MWL: What advice would you give other vendors?
Kristina: Advice...as a photographer, I look for items that won't break the bank AND are unique. So my suggestion is to make your items affordable (without compromising the cost of your time, of course) and different from items other vendors are offering. The prop market is heavily saturated, so you have to stand out from the crowd if you want to be successful.
Kristina has done so well selling extra props (she can usually make 2 upcycled sets out of one sweater, so she keeps one and sells the other) on Facebook that she has somewhat put the bow-making business on the back burner and has stopped listing her items on eBay and Etsy. Her business has grown from 129 likes to 715+ in just 6 months and she couldn't be happier that she's providing fun stuff for others to use in their photography projects AND keeps herself busy. She says, "between her props, bows, photography, ballet, Girl Scout Daisies, and both my daughter and I playing softball (and I coach her team), I also work at a flower shop." She did say she likes to keep busy right? Just call her Super Mom... or Wonder Woman. "Because I DO make people wonder... 'Is she a photographer? A crafter? A Psychologist? A floral designer?'" says Kristina. Among all of that, she does have more fun stuff in the works. New concepts and designs will be introduced into her shop soon, and we just can't wait to see what she comes up with next!
Giveaway Alert: Jamberry Nails!
is giving away 4 awesome prize packages
including a half sheet of Jamberry Nails
and mini prizes with each sheet!
Enter Here:
Ends on October 31st!
Saturday, October 19, 2013
Giveaway Alert: Tout Mon Amour - AMAZING Giveaway!
Tout Mon Amour is giving away 1 pavilion, 2 large playhouses and 1 small playhouse!
These are absolutely stunning!!
Open to entries worldwide!
Enter Here:
Ends Friday, November 1st 5am CDT
Get your entries in for this FABULOUS giveaway!
Giveaway Alert: Custom Christmas Card Design - ENDING SOON!
Seidel Designs is giving away a Custom Christmas Card Design
and SHARE the photo publicly on your Facebook page!
Link to Enter is HERE!
Winner to be drawn at 9am Sunday, October 19th!
Hurry Hurry Hurry!!
Friday, October 18, 2013
Giveaway Alert: $1000 B&H Photo & Video Gift Card AND MORE!
Handcrafted Crowns & Sponsors are giving away three AMAZING prizes!
First Place: $1000 B & H Photo and Video Gift Card
Second Place: Caramel "Ginger" Epiphanie Bag
Third Place: $75 Handcrafted Crowns Gifts Card
This is a big one - you don't want to miss it!
Enter Here:
Giveaway Alert: 10 $100 Etsy Gift Cards - ENDING SOON!
Ending Soon!
Nat's Niche & Sponsors are giving away
10 $100 Etsy Gift Cards!
But hurry! It ends tonight at midnight PST!
Enter here:
Thursday, October 17, 2013
Auction - Friday October 18 6pm - Sunday October 20 9pm
We're having an Auction!
Our vendors are ready to destash and make some room for more fabulous handcrafted goodness!
That means - YOU get to reap the savings!
Come check it out!
Bidding starts at 6pm EST on Friday, October 18th
Hope to see you there!
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
GIVEAWAY ALERT! Simply FIVE is giving away Newborn Props!
Giveaway Alert!
Simply FIVE is giving away 3 gorgeous sets of newborn props to one lucky winner!
The last day to enter is Monday, October 21!
Link to Enter ------> http://bit.ly/18n5fAd
Monday, October 14, 2013
Pinterest Tried and True: A Pinch of This and a Dash of That….
What do you think of when you think of DINNER?
Lavish dishes that took all day to make?
Families gathered together around the table, talking about their days and laughing happily?
McDonalds?
In my house dinner is none of the above. With my husband working graveyard shift, and 3 kids that need help with homework, a very busy two year old and a teenage son in football, dinner is often quickly thrown together and eaten in a hurry. It seems that something always gets spilled and there is something that someone doesn't like.
But alas the “Leave it to Beaver” images of what a family dinner should be are always in the back of my mind.
Now I can cook, and I love to cook. I’m not a chef by any means but every meal I make I make with love and good intentions. 99% of those turn out great, the other 1% turn into take out nights. I can follow a recipe, but really hate those that call for items or utensils that I have to look up on Google to find out what the heck they are.
In an effort to make more meals to bring my family together and avoid the “I don’t like this “and the “we had this last week” drama I have turned to Pinterest for recipes and ideas for new meals that DO NOT take forever to prepare, and DO NOT cost an arm and a leg to make but ARE yummy and ARE made from items I already have (or can easily find at the grocery store).
While searching these three jumped out at me: Roasted Parmesan Green Beans Corn Casserole Crispy Ritz Cracker & Cheese Chicken
I was happy to find that most of the ingredients I already had in my home and only need a few things from the market.
All three of these dishes were super easy to prepare and smelled heavenly while they were baking. But the real test was yet to come, the taste test. I dished up my families plates and sat there waiting for the verdict.
Smiles began to form and the cheers of “these are awesome” “great job Mom” filled the room!!! All of them cleaned their plates and even went back for seconds. Yessss! Mom success!!!
Although my dishes didn't look exactly like the ones on Pinterest, each and every item tasted great and really hit the spot. My family has even asked for this dinner again, and we have had the green bean dish 4 other times since.
Warning: These green beans are to die for!!! You may find yourself sneaking them as you cook. They may even become your favorite snack.
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/177751516516270668/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/177751516516270658/
http://www.pinterest.com/pin/177751516516270665/
Linens and Lace and Insecurities
“Every woman is beautiful”
“Sexy is a state of mind”
“One hot Momma”
For the past few months these thoughts have been running through my mind, over and over again. Usually followed by, “Maybe I should call and cancel, wait until I’m thinner.” See I have always wanted to surprise my Husband with a boudoir shoot, nothing trashy, but pretty, tasteful and beautiful. One day I was talking to my friend Kristina (who is a photographer) we decide to go a head and schedule a shoot, it would be a first for both of us, Kristina mostly works with newborns.
So I began to think, who or what makes us long for these little small bodies? Is it the media, models, men, or…. ourselves? I thought about this over and over, looking through hundreds of photos of other women. Boudoir shoot after boudoir shoot, asking my self “what is sexy?” And I realized something; all of these women (of all different body types) were sexy, not “in their own way” but just sexy, beautiful!!! I was not looking at these other women and thinking “oh she’s too fat” or “wow she really shouldn't be wearing that” which is what I imagined others would say about my photos. But rather that the stigma of the “perfect body” was a creation of my own imagination, that it was not at the fault of my husband that I no longer felt “sexy” but my own thoughts and actions, I had stopped trying to be sexy, stopped doing my make-up and hair, besides the basic mascara and a pony tail, I stopped wearing sexy outfits, I stopped trying. I had fallen into the mom trap.
The day of the shoot was getting closer and closer, and I was getting more and more nervous. Still questioning myself, and trying to talk my self out of it. I had asked a friend to go with me to help with my hair and make up and for moral support. I had started saving pictures to my phone of images I liked (it was a good thing my husband didn't look through my phone or he would have been very confused by all the pictures of other woman). Still thinking I can’t achieve this, these are professionals who know what angles to use to make these women beautiful, and as talented as Kristina is this is her first boudoir and I don’t know if we can pull this off. I bought some new “outfits” and got my hair and nails done, and even tried to diet but with little results. The few people who knew I was going to do this all had the same reaction “wow you are so brave, I would love to do that, but I’m to heavy, old, etc. maybe after I get into shape…yada yada yada” And I told all of them the same thing “That sexy was a state of mind, and we are all sexy” but truly wasn't believing it myself.
Before I knew it, it was time to go to the shoot. I had packed my bags and was as ready as I was ever going to be. Still thinking of these glamorous photos I had been researching and thinking, “I can never look like that.” Thinking this was going to be a huge waste of time, even the best Photoshop Pro would have their work cut out for them.
Hair done…Check
Make-Up…Check
Outfit…Check
Confidence…Um not so much.
Shortly after the shoot began I was starting to feel more and more comfortable. The three of us were laughing and having a blast. The shoot was not nearly as glamorous as I had imagined, and for that I was grateful. I was completely comfortable and at points was laughing so hard I was crying. There was absolutely no pressure and the time flew by. I quickly found that being “Sexy” was hard work and by the end of the shoot I was completely exhausted and my legs, back and abs ached. I felt like I had just spent hours at the gym. Who knew that taking some pictures would be so much work? As we packed up we were still laughing about things that were said during the shoot, “twerk” was the new word of the day, which no longer made us think of MTV and you know who, but was used to describe how I hurt my back holding a pose. “Twerking” is not for the weak. Maybe I am getting to old for this stuff??!!!!
Now that the shoot was behind me, I found myself more and more nervous, Kristina was going to send me the proofs to pick from and then she would edit the ones I picked out. I was so uneasy thinking about those photos, even though she had assured me that she liked what she had seen in the camera. When I reviewed the photos I was unsure of how I would react, I kept telling myself not to be too critical and that I had to at least pick 5 images to give to the Hubby. I clicked the link and up popped all of my photos. Wow there was A LOT!!! Good, hopefully I could find some I liked. As I scrolled though and wrote down the ones I liked I was over come with a feeling of surprise, elation, awe. The more I looked at the more I liked. Could this really be me? Could I really look like this…without Photoshop magic? I ended up liking over 20 photos.
I loved these pictures and couldn’t believe how they had turned out. No I didn’t look like a size 2 bombshell but I was pleased with the way they turned out. I looked pretty, soft, curvy, and real!!! I waited for the edited photos to see what Kristina would do to them. I expected that it would be weeks before I got them back and was surprised when she had them all done in just 2 days.
Before I knew it, it was time to go to the shoot. I had packed my bags and was as ready as I was ever going to be. Still thinking of these glamorous photos I had been researching and thinking, “I can never look like that.” Thinking this was going to be a huge waste of time, even the best Photoshop Pro would have their work cut out for them.
Hair done…Check
Make-Up…Check
Outfit…Check
Confidence…Um not so much.
Shortly after the shoot began I was starting to feel more and more comfortable. The three of us were laughing and having a blast. The shoot was not nearly as glamorous as I had imagined, and for that I was grateful. I was completely comfortable and at points was laughing so hard I was crying. There was absolutely no pressure and the time flew by. I quickly found that being “Sexy” was hard work and by the end of the shoot I was completely exhausted and my legs, back and abs ached. I felt like I had just spent hours at the gym. Who knew that taking some pictures would be so much work? As we packed up we were still laughing about things that were said during the shoot, “twerk” was the new word of the day, which no longer made us think of MTV and you know who, but was used to describe how I hurt my back holding a pose. “Twerking” is not for the weak. Maybe I am getting to old for this stuff??!!!!
I was just as nervous and anxious to open the edited images as I was before. When I saw them I literally cried, I could not believe that was me in those pictures, how could it be, that’s not the same girl I see in the mirror every day. But it was! And I felt so good about myself, I felt pretty, glamorous, sexy and most of all beautiful. It had been a very long time since I had felt any of those things and in that moment, I decided that ALL women should feel this way!! That sexy really is a state of mind. I am living proof that you don’t need to be a size 3 with long blond hair to be hot, to look beautiful, it is all in the way we perceive ourselves. And with the correct lighting and angles any woman can look amazing. Don’t just do it for your significant other, but do it for yourself, (although they will be very excited to get them) every girl needs to feel pretty once and a while.
Find a photographer who is professional and that you feel comfortable with, pick out photos you like, but most of all relax and stop judging yourself, because no one else is, you are your worse critic and once you get past that everything else will fall into place.
I want to give a HUGE thank you to Kristina Hubbard!!! She did such and amazing job. Many of the pictures really didn’t need any editing!!! Any one can make a picture look good with enough Photoshop, but it takes true talent to be a GREAT photographer!! Please check out her sites and if you are in the Reno/Sacramento area you MUST book a session!!!
www.wix.com/khubbardphotography/site
www.facebook.com/khubbardphoto
Also to Stacey Sept, I couldn’t have done it without you!! Thanks for you help, can’t wait for your shoot!
Crochet 101: The Basic Stitches
By Ashly Turner & Sharon Marie
The Chain Stitch (ch or chs)
The chain stitch is used to start most crochet projects and is the most basic stitch. Often times a group of chain stitches at the beginning of a project is referred to as a base chain, foundation chain, or starting chain.
Chain stitches are also used at the beginning or end of each row to facilitate in changing rows. This is called a turning chain.
Chains can also be used in combination with other stitches to create different effects, especially in lace.
To create a chain stitch:
 |
| Create a Slip Knot and place it on your hook |
 |
| Yarn Over (YO) Wrap yarn Around hook |
 |
| Pull Yarn through starting loop on hook |
 |
| Repeat till you reach the desired length |
The Slip Stitch (sl)
The slip stitch is also a very simple stitch that is often used to join rounds of stitches. Slip stitches can also be used in surface crochet to add color and designs to your base project.
To create a slip stitch:
 |
| Insert hook into desired stitch |
 |
| Yarn Over (YO) |
 |
| Pull through stitch and Loop on hook |
The Single Crochet Stitch (sc)
The single crochet stitch is used often in crochet patterns. This is a tight stitch that is short in height.
To create a single crochet stitch:
 |
| In your starting chain inset hook into desired stitch |
 |
| Yarn Over (YO) Wrap Yarn around hook |
 |
| Pull yarn through stitch (2 loops on hook) |
 |
| YO |
 |
| Pull through both loops on hook |
 |
 |
| Your finished stitch |
The Half Double Crochet Stitch (hdc)
The half double crochet stitch is also used often in crochet patterns. This stitch is slightly more loose and slightly taller than the single crochet stitch, but slightly tighter and shorter than the double crochet stitch.
To create a half double crochet stitch:
 |
| Yarn Over (YO) Wrap yarn around hook |
 |
| Insert Hook into desired stitch |
 |
| YO |
 |
| Pull Yarn through stitch (3 Loops on hook) |
 |
| YO |
 |
| Pull through ALL 3 loops on hook |
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| Your finished stitch |
The Double Crochet Stitch (dc)
The double crochet stitch is a tall, textured stitch that has many uses in crochet patterns. The texture of the double crochet pattern combines well with other crochet stitches, making it a valuable stitch with unlimited way to use it.
To create a double crochet stitch:
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| Yarn Over (YO) |
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| Insert Hook into desired stitch |
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| YO |
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| Pull through stitch (3 loops on hook) |
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| YO |
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| Pull through 2 Loops (2 loops on hook) |
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| YO |
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| Pull yarn through the 2 Loops on hook. |
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| Your finished stitch |
The Triple Crochet Stitch (Treble Crochet Stitch) (tr)
The triple or treble crochet stitch is a taller stitch than the double crochet stitch. It also requires a bit more effort to use versus the single, half double or double crochet stitches which are more fluid.
To create a triple crochet stitch:
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| Yarn Over (YO) Wrap yarn around hook 2 TIMES |
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| Insert Hook into desired stitch |
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| YO |
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| Pull Yarn through stitch (4 Loops on hook) |
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| YO |
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| Pull yarn through 2 loops (3 Loops on hook) |
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| YO |
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| Pull through 2 Loops on hook (2 Loops on hook) |
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| YO |
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| Pull Yarn through the 2 loops on hook |
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| Your finished stitch |
Stay tuned for more Crochet 101 lessons!
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