So Simply Stephanie

Whew... we made it through the holidays. I was able to finish all but 1 Christmas project! (That item will instead be a birthday gift.) I had fun knitting several wearables... Caron X Pantone Knit Fair Isle  (free pattern) Sunset Hat (free pattern) Little Hearts Fair Isle Hat Copycat beanie (free pattern) and Wintered Wheat Mitts Rye Socks (free pattern) My Guys beanies (my pattern - hope to share here soon) And this adorable teddy bear for my middle son... Magic Loop Teddy  (free pattern) And here's the gift set I made for my mother-in-law... I'm blown away by the generosity of people willing to give away their patterns! Many of the items here were made using free patterns. Check out my Ravelry project page to see more items I've made from free (and paid) patterns: Stephanie's Projects . Happy knitting, sewing, and of course, Happy New Year! ~Stephanie I've joined the creative team at Tatiana's Corner on Etsy !

It's been awhile. I've been busy with normal family life, but I've also been knitting and sewing quite a bit lately. My sewing table is a mess... and I've definitely been spending way too much time on Ravelry ! I just signed up to help a pattern designer test a knit beanie with interesting colorwork. Several knit hats (and more) are ready for holiday gifts. I also have several beanies for sale in our Etsy shop :      For the holidays, I whipped up several drawstring bags /reusable gift bags (also great for cosmetics and toiletries when you're traveling) to sell.         ...and a few zipper pouches.   My friend & Etsy shop-mate created some lovely holiday themed handmade greeting cards , a pre-made scrapbook album , and gift tags .   *** Through the month of December, everything in our shop is 10% off!!!*** Merry Christmas ! ~Stephanie I've joined the creative team at Tatiana's Corner on Etsy !

This week's finds... I'd love to try hand lettering so I can add it to my scrapbook pages. I stumbled upon the How to Hand Letter YouTube channel and website . She offers LOTS of useful on her channel, and even sells worksheets for beginners in her Etsy shop .  I have some nice brush tips markers and hope to start practicing soon!   ~Stephanie I've joined the creative team at Tatiana's Corner on Etsy !

This week's Friday finds... Faber-Castell Gelatos This kit includes some other goodies to get you started creating mixed media art. They are in what looks like Chapstick containers, and have a creamy texture. You can color with them like crayons, and even add water for a watercolor effect. They can be used in many ways, so search for Gelatos techniques on youtube if you're interested. They can be purchased at Scrapbook.com, Michaels, in sets at Hobby Lobby, and various other stores. Rub-ons (like these , these , and these ) They are like stickers, but I prefer the look of rub-ons. The letters are really handy, because you can create words/phrases by cutting out the individual letters you need. To apply them, you use a popsicle stick to rub them onto your scrapbook paper. They can also be placed over photos. (There are even rub-ons that resist Gelatos, distress inks, etc. so you can create cool effects with them.) For stamping, I think a good cleaner and stamp cleani

Thanks to encouragement from my friend Tanya, I recently started scrapbooking again. I've had pictures printed and ready to go for a few years (eek). Here's one of my most recent pages... Mother's Day 2012. I create scrapbooks in chronological order, and am working on 2012. That's the year my mom passed, so it's been a hard one to create. Yet I'm reminded of so many wonderful memories even from that year. Despite her health, she was happy and smiling and enjoying life until she just couldn't anymore. I miss her so much. And here's a page I made for my friend, Tanya. We've know each other since 2000. I'm so blessed to have her in my life! Wow, some of the products have changed since I last worked on our memory books. Some of my new favorite products are: Distress Oxide Ink Pads Fun stencils and stamps Nuvo drops And I've always enjoyed working with paper flowers, embossing powder, rub-ons, and lots of fun brads and eyelets.

Over in the Etsy shop , we're running a BACK TO SCHOOL SALE! August 1st - 14th, pencil pouches will be 20% off and the other zipper pouches will be 10% off! (Custom orders and Design Your Own Pouches are excluded from the sale)    ~Stephanie I've joined the creative team at Tatiana's Corner on Etsy!

This week's Friday Finds items are... A local artist recently caught my eye on Facebook. "Located way up high in beautiful Colorado, Stacia Mann Art creates unique mixed media pieces, influenced by the beauty of the Rocky Mountain region." I adore many of her prints. Check out these beauties from her Home Town Series ... I 💗 and miss Manitou, so will be purchasing that print for sure! One of my all time favorite Colorado companies is Salus , which got its start in Manitou Springs and has grown. They sell amazing bath and body care products like soap , bath bombs,   scrubs , lotion , and much more! Some of my absolute favorite items are... Whipped Sugar Soap - it's foamy, moisturizing, scrubby and awesome! Shea Butter Cream - this stuff is a must for Colorado winters! It is so thick and moisturizing. Palisade Peach Chardonnay Soap ,  Mountain Mint Soap , Long's Peak Lavender Soap , Raspberry Sugar Soap They offer a huge selection of fragrances/e

I haven't done much personal sewing lately, because I've been working on several items for the shop . NEW! Pencil pouches - Back to School time is right around the corner, so I thought these would be a nice addition. ( free tutorial from Noodle-head.com ) NEW! Mini Messenger Bags - they are big enough for the essentials, but small enough for travel (and everyday use)! ( pattern from QuiltsIllustrated ) Zipper pouches and clutches - easily hold a smartphone, cash/cards... or cosmetics, toiletries, art supplies, or all the stuff that gets lost in the bottom of your purse. These medium pouches have SO many uses! And I'm really excited to offer DESIGN YOUR OWN POUCH ! The customer can choose the style, plus the fabric and type of zipper pull used. I have LOTS of fabric ! Whew... now it's time for a little break. ~Stephanie I've joined the creative team at Tatiana's Corner on Etsy !