Handmade For Less!

I've created a new website called Handmade4less to help promote fellow artists and crafters who are selling their products online. Customers can browse this site for coupons to online shops that sell handmade products. They get great deals and the shops get extra promotion! The site has almost 30 stores promoted now and it's growing fast!

If you're a shop owner, this is a very cheap and fun site to use for promotion! If you like "Buy N Stay" promotion threads then you have to check this out! Shops from any online marketplace are welcome. We already have stores with their own sites as well as shops from Etsy and ArtFire.

I promote this site on Twitter through @craftydragon. I always post with each newly added coupon.

There's also a brand new Facebook Fan Page where I'll be posting updates about the site.

So check it out and let me know what you think!

Wonderful Spooky Collection!

My candles were featured in this great ArtFire Collection. Enjoy!

Are you afraid of...

Curated By: artandjewelry

ArtFire.com

Jewelry Supplies

New to ArtFire Sale!

I finally made the plunge and joined ArtFire. ArtFire, like Etsy, is an online marketplace for handmade and vintage items.My new shop is http://DragonsDen.artfire.com

20% OFF everything in the shop!

To celebrate, I'm offering this awesome special until next Sunday (October 10thth) midnight EST. The prices are already marked down to make it easier for everyone. :)

Since this is to honor my new shop, the special only applies to the ArtFire shop, and not the Etsy shop. So drop in and help me celebrate!

Visit DragonsDen's ArtFire Shop

Crocheted Blanket in Progress

I'm really excited about this project I've been working on that is finally starting to take form. This is a small blanket/throw made up of many rectangles sewn together. So far it is about 1'4" by 2', so I've got a long way to go yet.

Since I have a hard time following crochet patterns, I do pretty much everything freeform. I watch the examples of friends' work for new ideas. So I'm sorry but I can't really provide a proper pattern, but I'll let you know generally what I'm doing.

I found five colors of the same texture of very soft synthetic yarn. I wanted to incorporate them all together somehow, and that's how I came up with the blanket idea. I like easy projects, so I thought I'd start with making a lot of small rectangles and then go from there. I said I like easy - that doesn't mean it's not tedious! Actually, crocheting is one way I relax, so I prefer projects that are very simple and repetitive.

Using the single crochet stitch, I make the rectangles about 6" wide by 4.5" long. I haven't been exact - I measure each rectangle against the last one to make sure it's the right size. I don't even count the stitches or the rows. Insert here the shocked gasps from experienced crocheters! ;) So no they are not exact, but even still, it's fitting together well.

I then put a border of beige around each rectangle. And then using the beige yarn, I sew the rectangles together.

I don't have a pattern in mind, other than keeping the colors well mixed up. I'm not sure how big it's going to end up. I still have many rectangles that need to be added, and I still need to make more rectangles as well.

So even though it's not done yet, I just wanted to show it off! I'll follow up here when it's done. And I think I might want to hunt for more yarn after and make another one! This is definitely a long-term project, but working on the little "squares" is so easy in waiting rooms or airports or wherever you have free hands. Of course it's also possible that I won't want to see another crocheted rectangle as long as I live! I'll keep you posted. :) This blanket is for my house, but if I make another it'll be a gift for some lucky friend or family member.

Featured on Etsy Item of the Day!

Today my beeswax tea lights and my shop are featured on Etsy Item of the Day. This site is beautifully organized and a great resource for all of us who love Etsy!

They included a picture of my tea lights in the gorgeous wood holders made by Peg and Awl.

This has inspired me to get back into my work on this blog! So expect to see more entries soon.

In the meantime check out this great feature!