Store update/ A horrible experience

Over the past week and a half, I'd been applying for new jobs pertaining to Administration. One company in particular called me back the very same day that I had put in my application. I was so excited that they had called me back. I scheduled an interview and everything went awesome. They seemed like a legitimate marketing firm and I was really happy that they chose me to do a 2nd round interview, which was a job shadow.  

Yeah...no. 

As it turns out, they lied about their posting. It wasn't administration work at all. They wanted me to go door-to-door selling AT & T U-verse to housewives and the elderly who were home.
Hell to the NO. 

So the woman I was shadowing was also playing 20 questions with me as she took me 30 min away from the city and into a suburb to knock on doors with her for 4 hours.
They called this "meeting with clientele". Here I was thinking we'd be in another building meeting with other companies or something...mmm nope.
So not only did they lie about the job posting, but also about what the job actually entailed and how much it payed. It was a ladder scheme as well - Everyone started off at "entry-level" and within 8-10 months could work up to a "manager" level...Also the "entry" level wasn't full-time, it was over time. They work 11am-8pm Mon-Fri, and 9am-5pm on Sat. No thanks.

I mean really....what the hell. It was also commission, so whatever people you got to sign up for U-verse, is what you made that day...oh, also the managers take 10% of whatever the office makes in a day...and they're on salary...

Just be wary you all. They reel people in thinking they're getting a great job, but then take you out into the snow and cold to go knock on doors. 

It really should be illegal. 

If you do suspect that you may be dealing with a company like this, always check them out first- see if their webpage looks legit and describes exactly what they do and how they do it. 

So I'm still stuck in my part-time job...*sigh* 

On a lighter note, I've finished all of my Christmas knitting! :D Huzzah!
Also, I've updated two items into my Etsy shop! 

Here

And here

Hope everyone is having a good week!
(And yes, I dyed my hair blonde!~) 

The Bitter Cold Of Fall

It's freezing here in Indy. Why.
The news claimed that it snowed overnight 3 days ago...It's not even Winter yet! It's currently 39 degrees and raining. Gross.

So. Knitting.
I haven't really had much time to work on anything these past few months. I've been extremely busy with my two jobs. I had to quit at Michaels due to it just being too much work for me- plus getting up at 3:30am to go to work is no fun. No sir. So it'll be just Scrubs and Beyond for now...until I find a more stable job with a salary and benefits. *sigh* It really is hard knowing that your parents spent thousand and thousands of dollars on you for college, and yet I'm stuck in this rut where I can't get a nice job because all major companies want employees with experience, which I can't get unless I work for free (internship). And that's not happening because then who's paying for my food and bills?
So until Ty will be able to start his internship at the hospitals, I'm kinda stuck just working. Sucks, but I look forward to the day where I'm retired and living beach-side! Nothin' but hammock naps and Pina Coladas! Haha.

So, I've been really naughty with being enabled by my two favorite Podcasters- The Knit Girllls.
They keep recommending these awesome items and I keep wanting to buy everything! I bought a travel size kit of S.O.A.K. wash for my knits and yarn to soak in. But, honestly, I can't smell anything. It says use 1 tsp. per gallon of water...I dunno if I'm not mixing it up right or what, but when my items dry, they don't smell any different then before I soaked them. I have 6 more packets left and then I'm going to buy a bigger bottle of the Celebration scented- my favorite.

I also purchased a Lo-Lo Bar solid lotion from Bar-Maids in the scent Spiced Fig.
If this one works for my nasty cracked hands, the whole family is getting one (as Christmas gifts). And I swear I've used almost every kind of lotion out there and nothing works. It just all feels greasy and oily on my hands. I think I might make them all something as well. I'm not sure at this point but I have quite a nice yarn stash building...maybe cowls or hats?

Anyways, back to knitting. I've finished one item so far- a hat for a coworker. She requested it, so it's a Christmas gift essentially. Then as soon as I handed it over, another coworker got jealous and went off about how cute it was and how she wanted one. I used good handspun yarn for the previous hat...and I didn't have much of it left for me, so I'm currently working on another hat from store-bought wool (Paton's Classic Wool in Neutral Mix) and some handspun wool (Teal blue with purple spotting). It's turning out super cute, but I liked my first hat the best. Anyhoo, enjoy some pictures. :)

The first hat I made from handspun silk/merino blends. 

In my work clothes. >__<

A Pug for comedic effect. <3 

This and the one below is the wool I'm using to make the next hat. It's about 80% done right now. :)

I also plan on knitting Ty some socks for Christmas. I found this awesome colorway buy Patons Kroy Socks called "Clover Colors". It's like a tweedy mix of greens, oranges, browns, and reds. It screams Fall, but he won't get them by the end of the season, haha.  

I'm still working on my Shipwreck Shawl...and holy crap, I don't know hoe anyone did this with beads. I HATE it! It was completely fine up until I started adding beads...and suddenly 1 row takes an hour to do! Horrible. It better be worth all this pain. If not I'm selling it for $200. Haha.

Hope you all are enjoying the chilly Fall season!

~ Natalie

Finally got my wheel!!!!!

I'm so excited over this! It's my first spinning wheel, and she's gorgeous!~~~
Meet my Ashford Kiwi II !

I have yet to name her, but I know that I'm going with a wood stain as a finish. Just not sure what color yet. :P 

Spinning

In pieces

Assembly!

Shipwreck Shawl

I'm starting up a new project, since I have nothing on the needles right now.
I'm going to start up the Shipwreck Shawl by Kittying Harpy on Ravelry. It calls for 1320 yards.

©CraftyGirly

 Shipwreck Shawl pattern link

*___* So it's quite a large project.
I'm using Manos Del Uruguay, Fino in the Garnet Brooch colorway. It's a silk/mohair blend. SUPER SOFT.

 I'm not adding beads to this because of the insane amount of time it would take to string on 5,000 beads. Sure, the overall look might be cuter, but there's no way I have the patience for that.

I got to the 5th round of the pattern, and noticed that I have an extra yarn over, so I frogged the whole thing and decided that I'd start over on my DPNs.
Well, I dropped one of them and the floor ate it. >:/  I swept the floor hoping to find it, and nada.

Guess I have to wait until I get home...that or try again on the circulars.

Summer Spinning

So, I've been really, REALLY, inspired to start spinning again. I took a break over winter and spring and figured I'd start learning new techniques.

I've been looking up art yarn and immediately knew that that is what I wanted to do. I love everything about it! The randomness, the think n' chunky, the utterly random things you can add to it! It's perfect!
So I went down to the local yarn store and grabbed a few bags of some basic Shetland wool. I bought pink, blue, and white bags, and figured that I'd just card them together to make a "cotton candy" type yarn, which turned out beautiful.

My boyfriend bought me a pair of Ashford hand carders for my birthday, so I put them to good use! I absolutely LOVE them!
I also carded out some mohair scrap yarn that I had from an earlier project. The yarn was too chunky for anything I'd use.
I re-spun it and...well it still turned out chunky, but looked SO much better.

"Sugar Sugar"

On the spindle

Coils

Mohair

Navajo plied

I'm now working on spinning thin singles to navajo ply later. Phew what work, and I tell you, I'm finding fiber everywhere.
I also bought a couple bags of raw Icelandic wool and a bag of Mohair locks from Paradise Fibers!~ I can't wait to start spinning that! Gorgeous, gorgeous locks!~
Cheers!

Last Day For Entering The Contest!

That's right! This is your last chance to enter the giveaway! 

In order to gain an entry, you need to go to my FB page and "like" AND comment in the post with this picture.

Click here for the link to Gnat's Knits FB page!

The winners will be announced tomorrow afternoon. Good luck to you all!

Vietnamese Dessert Recipe: Chè Chuối.

A classic dessert in southern Vietnam, Chè Chuối is, as close as I can describe it, a banana pudding of sorts. It has quite a unpleasant presentation, but delicious and semi more healthy than typical American desserts.

The Vietnamese use lots of fruits and coconut milk in their desserts, lessening the need for added sugars and high-fructose syrups.

Recipe:: yields 3-5 servings
-----------------
- 1cup of water
- 1 can of coconut milk
- 1/2 cup of sugar (you could even go with 1/4 cup).
- 1/4th cup of tapioca pearls (you can find these usually at any international market).
- pinch of salt
-3-4 ripened bananas
- Crushed peanuts (optional)


-Mix together the coconut milk (saving about 1/4th of the can for the end), sugar, salt, and water together and let them boil until the mixture starts to bubble.

- Add the tapioca pearls and stir occasionally, letting them simmer for 20-30 min. until they turn completely clear.
While you wait, you can peel and chop up the bananas into bite-size pieces.
If the mixture gets too thick, add a bit more water. Think of a "tomato basil soup" kind of texture.

- As soon as the pearls turn clear, add the bananas and let them simmer for another 8-10 min., stirring occasionally.

- Mix in the rest of the coconut milk, and let it cool for 20-30 min. until it's not too hot to eat. Add the peanuts on top as a garnish.

And viola! You have created a traditional Vietnamese dessert!


As far as desserts go, this is really quite a simple and cheap dish to make. It shouldn't run you over $8 total, and it really quite tasty!
You can store it for up to 3-4 days (I wouldn't go over a week) in the fridge, but I bet it'll be gone by the 3rd day. :)

Homemade Chè Chuối.

Free Giveaway!

That's right! A free giveaway!
"Like", follow, and comment on my FB page to gain a free entry!
Winners are chosen June 20th, so hurry!

Good luck to all you contestants!


https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=578356435529282&set=a.359963397368588.90481.353737781324483&type=1&theater

Awesome Free Giveaway!

Hey all! I'm planning on doing a free giveaway of some handmade items from my Etsy shop! 
I'm giving away a pair of earrings, a beaded bracelet, and a headband! 
All you have to do to enter is like my page and comment, here: link
Simple yeah? I think so too.  
The winners will be chosen at random of course. 

As soon as I get the items finished, I'll put up pictures. 

Good luck!

~ Nat

New, Adorable Spring Items For Sale!

I have some new headbands for sale in my Etsy shop!  

Here's the link to the orange headband: Orange Crochet Headband
And here's the link to the doily headbands: Lace Crochet Headbands

There are a limited number, so please get them while they still are in stock! Of course I'll be making more, but they are quite time consuming. :P

Hope you enjoy the rest of your day!

Thrift Stores Are Not your Enemy.

When I was in High School, I made a promise to myself that I would never shop at thrift stores. I thought they were dirty, disgusting places where people sold their old stained clothes that smelled of old  people and vomit.
However, I broke this promise during college. I was desperate for a Halloween costume (I was going as a Silent Hill Nurse) and needed a pair of old white heels and a white button-up dress. I was amazed at what great items were on the shelves, in a disarray, but still decent items!

This got me thinking...with all of those unused sweaters and buttons on clothes...why ever buy yarn of buttons from pricey craft stores?
There's a smorgasbord of buttons and yarn waiting to be used for less than what you could get at craft stores, and believe me...I work in one.  3 buttons for $1? No thanks. I'll take 300-500 yards of yarn and 6-8 buttons from a $2 sweater, thank you! 

You can reuse the sweater's yarn by simply clipping a bit at the end and pulling the whole thing apart. It'll be quite a project you'll be left with, but it's worth it. 

Goodwill has a 50% off store-wide event on May 4, 2013 from 9am to 9pm. That's huge savings!
If you go to their website, you can also view their savings calendars and other offers. You can save a sweater and also save your money! It's also a great way to recycle unused items. 

Although I have yet to do this, it was just an idea that popped into my head while at work and putting up some $5 buttons (yes, a single button, but I've seen worse at local yarn shops). Just a way of helping the environment and your savings fund at the same time.  :)

Cheers!~ 

Spring Has Sprung!

I'm soooooooo glad that the weather is finally changing! The trees are all blooming, and there are some leaves showing!~ 
I love how now I can open all my widows and let the apartment air out. I hate that winter "stale air". 

In other news, my Bearded Dragon that I got at a local reptile show passed away yesterday. :C  Poor thing had eaten some moss in her tank and impacted herself (most likely). I feel like it's my fault for not realizing that they could eat that stuff and hurt themselves. She was becoming less and less active over the past few days, and I just passed it off as brumation (as it was beginning to get chillier the past week). I should have been more cautious. It's one of those accidents that make you want to just scream and throw up- that sick-to-your-stomach feeling. It's horrible. But you learn from mistakes I suppose... 
I'm getting another one in a couple months, the breeder I got her from has eggs currently and will be ready in about two months. Hopefully this next one will turn out ok. 

All of the other animals are well though! Loki (crested gecko) is quite the eater! It's so fun to watch him chase crickets, however he doesn't care for his Gecko Diet much... 
I'm down to 4 betta fish. I think I'm going to give up on fish after they pass, at least for a couple of years. I honestly love them, and love to breed them, but I've lost so many in the past year...It's just...It makes me not want to have any more pets, ya know? 

Been taking Frankie (our Pug) on runs with me now. Hopefully that'll get both of us into shape by summer.  

This is Loki, just saying hello!

Loki thinks he's Spider-Man...

Frankie, our disgruntled Pug. 

Etsy Goodness

Since I've been crafting so much, I've decided to put a few new items up in my Etsy store, so come check them out!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/128324758/custom-watercolor-painting?ref=shop_home_active

http://www.etsy.com/listing/128414694/custom-reptile-hide?utm_source=OpenGraph&utm_medium=ConnectedShop&utm_campaign=Share

http://www.etsy.com/listing/128415887/custom-magnetic-reptile-ledge?utm_source=OpenGraph&utm_medium=ConnectedShop&utm_campaign=Share

Cross-stitch...I Had No Idea It Would Take This Long!

I finally finished up the wolf pattern. D:
It took me over 7 years to complete (from start to finish). Of course, I procrastinated on it just a wee tad bit. :P
So here is what the image is supposed to look like when finished. It's about 6"(w)x 4"(h).

Aaaannndd here's what I came up with:

I'd say it's pretty decent, considering that I totally botched it up. :P (see the trees and the right wolf's legs). >__< 

Well, I like it at least, and I suppose that's all that really matters in artwork. As long as the artist his/herself is happy with the outcome, who cares what anyone else thinks, right?  :) 

Hope you all are having a wonderful day! 

~ Nat. 

Elephant and Bulldog Patterns For Sale!

Hello all of you crafty people!
This is a post for all of you who crochet!

I just put up some adorable amigurumi pattern is my Etsy shop! Come check them out!

http://www.etsy.com/listing/122144939/elephant-amigurumi-pattern?

http://www.etsy.com/listing/122144136/bulldog-amigurumi-pattern?

Hope you all are doing well! 

~ Cheers
 Nat

UGA Bulldog

So remember my last post? Well, I finished the bulldog for my sister!
Here's a pic~

Cute yeah? 

Ok, so it doesn't look much like a bulldog...but it's still adorable. :3 

Hopefully my sisters will appreciate these cute little toys and not throw them in the back of the car like they did with the last one. xD  Aw well. It was still fun to make. 

Now forwards with my cross stitching! 

~ Natalie

Current Projects

Does anyone else take on more projects than they can handle? Because I sure do.
I tend to get over-ambitious, as usual, and I want to make so many things but I have no time for it all. Hopefully I'll get al these great ideas done at some point, which I'm sure I will, but for now I'll just take it one step at a time. That's all one person can do right? :)

Well, I've been wanting to get back into my cross stitch projects again. I've had one about a third done for over two years now. I just can't seem to sit down and do it. For some reason it just seems so tedious to me. But I've only ever finished small cross stitch patterns, which I've sadly all lost along with all my family's moving around. I've been getting into Harry Potter recently. I just watched the first five movies all this weekend with Tyler, who wants to go out and get the last three. So I've found a really neat Hogwarts Crest pattern online, and I have all of the supplies I need. Here's the picture of what I'm talking about:

But I wanted to first finish the one that's a third done - which is a pair of wolves with a scenic background. It was in one of those Dimensions kits- which frankly seem to never give you enough thread to finish the darn thing. It's this one:

Anyways, I'm also working on some crochet projects. I'm making my sisters their school mascots, the AU Elephant and the UGA Bulldog. So far I have the elephant done.
Tel me what you guys think! I made it from scratch from my own pattern.

I hope everyone is having a good winter so far. (Heh, good winter my butt. It's 9 degrees in Indianapolis! Brrrr!)

~ Natalie