Friday, September 12, 2014

Happy International Crochet Day!

Happy International Crochet Day Everyone!!!!

What better way to celebrate this day, then with a sale?! Well how about a DOUBLE WHAMMY???  Not Only am I having a sale on my patterns in Ravelry, but I'll also have a sale on Any order made now (Sept 12, 2014) through Sunday night (Sept 14, 2014) til 11:59pm CST!



So head on over to either my Facebook Page to place an order for any crochet item, or an order for stitch markers/clay covered handles.

OR

Head on over to my Ravelry store, and use coupon code: LOVECROCHET at checkout.


EITHER WAY, YOU'LL BE THE LUCKY ONE GETTING 30% OFF!


Happy Hooking :-)

Friday, September 5, 2014

G+ ruined my Scavenger Hunt!

So, I recently had a Scavenger Hunt on my blog (and eventually also my facebook page) for my fans.  Not until after 2/3 into the hunt did someone notify me that no matter how much they tried they couldn't leave a comment on my blog. Stumped as to why, I decided to log out of my Google account, and try to comment on my own blog without a Google account. Guess WHAT?!  I COULDN'T DO IT EITHER!  Every time I tried to comment, a new web page would pop up wanting me to sign into a Google account to continue.  But I THOUGHT I had my blog set to public so everyone could see my blog and comment freely (well, within reason).

So oddly enough, I turned to Google to search for "How to disable G+ comments in Blogger."  Luckily, many others have had the same issue, and I stumbled across a photo tutorial on how to fix my problem. But while reading that tutorial I learned Another new fact about linking your G+ to your Blogger.  This little factoid is a MAJOR PROBLEM FOR ME!  You see, the way it was set up was that anyone with a G+ account (but not anyone else) would be able to comment on the blog. That was the first blow. The second blow came when I learned that even some G+ account holders would be able to comment on my blog, but I wouldn't be able to view their comment due to their personal settings in G+.  SAY WHAT?! You mean that because I'm not in that person's G+ circles allowed to see their comments, that I can't see what they comment on MY OWN BLOG?!  Yup, you read that right!  If a G+ user didn't have their comments set to public for viewing, then there was NO WAY for me to know that they even commented on my blog!  So thanks G+ for any ghost posts that I may have missed!

After learning all of this, I have a few things to say: 

First off, I'M SORRY TO ANYONE THAT COMMENTED ON MY SCAVENGER HUNT, AND I COULDN'T SEE YOUR COMMENT BECAUSE OF THE SETTINGS THAT WERE ON DURING THE HUNT!!!!

Secondly, THE PROBLEM IS FIXED NOW!  I disabled G+ comments for my blog. So now ANYONE can comment on my blog :-)

Thirdly, I WILL HAVE ANOTHER SCAVENGER HUNT IN THE NEAR FUTURE TO MAKE UP FOR THIS BLUNDER!


I'm so Glad that I now know why my scavenger hunt was viewed over 80 times, but yet I only had 3 visible comments on my scavenger hunt to me.  I'm happy now that my settings are back to how they should be, thus letting any fan be able to comment on my blog :-)


IF by chance you have a Blogger account of your own and you want to make sure your G+ comments are disabled, then just look to the 2 photos below. It's only 2 steps ;-)




Madly Mahvelous Scavenger Hunt

Are you ready for a Scavenger Hunt???
HUNT IS NOW CLOSED; THANKS FOR PLAYING!

Here's what you'll be playing for:


Here's how it works:

There are 8 questions below that are all worth different amounts of points. Each question pertains to a different topic, and can be found on various sites that Looping with Love can be found; such as on my blog, my Ravelry Shop, my Facebook Page, my Craftsy Shop, my Pinterest, and my fb group: Looping Crazy for a possible 35 points!  

Now some questions are easy to answer, others are giving you a task to complete, and there's a few that you'll need to do some investigating, but I hope you enjoy the hunt!  

Once the scavenger hunt is closed (7 pm CST, Fri Sept 5, 2014), I will look to see if there's a clear cut winner having the most correct answers, thus having the highest points earned. If by chance there is multiple entries with the same amount of points earned, then I will then use a random pick generator online to choose the winner.

Simply comment below with 1-8 (so I know which question you're answering, and how many points to award a correct answer) and then your answer.

So, Here We GO! Good Luck!!

1.) What is the full name of the pattern that is dedicated to my late father? (5 pts)  

2.) How many patterns are listed in my Ravelry shop? (4 pts)  

3.) What was the first crochet item I made my daughter that kick started Looping with Love? (5 pts)  

4.) Post a link of your favorite item I've made on my facebook page; whether it was a completed order, or an original pattern. (4 pts)  

5.) Repin one of Looping with Love's pins, and then post the link of your pin. (5 pts)  

6.) What # baby am I currently pregnant with? (3 pts)  

7.) Do I have the same number of patterns released in both my Ravelry and Craftsy shops? (5 pts)  

8.) Join my crochet facebook group and introduce yourself! (4 pts)


**IF YOU CANNOT COMMENT ON THIS POST, THEN PLEASE GO TO MY FACEBOOK PAGE TO COMMENT ON THE PINNED POST THERE! It's been brought to my attention that blogger has been giving some issues to some, so I made the hunt available on my facebook page: Looping with Love**


Again, comment below this blog post with your answers. The highest points collected by 1 participant Wins! You're not required to have a blogger account to comment below either.



THE WINNER OF 3 PATTERNS OF CHOICE FROM MY RAVELRY SHOP IS:

Congratulations Rita!


Don't forget to make sure you enter the for the Grand Prize at: Here at the Mad Mad Makers blog!

Thursday, September 4, 2014

Madly Mahvelous Scavenger Hunt & Giveaway

Have y'all been watching the AMAZING 23 vendor giveaway happening on Mad Mad Makers? If not, then don't worry - you still have time to be a part of some vendors' scavenger hunts, and the HUGE Grand Prize giveaway!  The photo below shows all of the Fantastic Mad Mad Makers that are taking part in this extravaganza!



Prizes include: wonderful crochet patterns, exquisite clay items, yummy smelling soaps and lotions, and amazing gift certificates!

So you may be wondering what do you have to do to win?  Well, each day until Sept 7th, there's a few ways to win! Vendors have their fans search on various pages (facebook, blogs, ravelry, craftsy, pinterest, etsy) for either a photo with the stamp below, or answer questions. The fans report back with their answers in the comment section for their entry on that vendor's page. Then the vendor selects a winner randomly through random.org, woobox, etc. when their time slot has closed.


Second way to win is entering for the GRAND PRIZE!  Now this is pure Madness, but would you expect anything but Madness from the Mad Mad Makers?!  So get this: ONE Person will Win 23 PRIZES!  Yup, 23 Marvelous prizes ALL will go to Only 1 person! Make sure you enter on rafflecopter for the Grand Prize of 23 gifts going to 1 Grand Prize Winner Here at the Mad Mad Makers blog! OR just scroll down to the bottom of this blog to enter for the Grand Prize on the Rafflecopter widget ;-)


Then be sure to check back in: 
Tomorrow Noon ~ 5 pm CST 
for my Scavenger hunt!

Scavenger Hunt Prize from Looping with Love
Hint: You'll have a chance to search for 8 answers on my blog, my Ravelry Shop, my Facebook Page, my Craftsy Shop, my Pinterest, and my fb group Looping Crazy! for a possible 35 points! The participant with the most points wins 3 Patterns of choice!






Grand Prize from Looping with Love


If you want to win $15 Shop Credit to Looping with Love (good towards any crochet or clay order) PLUS 22 other amazing Grand Prizes, then make sure you Enter the Rafflecopter below!

Friday, August 8, 2014

ppsssttt...Guess What?!

So I've been keeping a HUGE secret from everyone for quite awhile; unless you're personal fb friends with me, then you already know my news by now ;-)

So we're happy to announce that:

My husband came up with the idea of lining our boots up - after all, we live in Texas. So I had to make some baby cowboy/cowgirl neutral boots :-)


Thank you everyone for all your well wishes; we truly appreciate it! 

But some of you may be thinking - what is a Rainbow baby?  Well, a rainbow baby is a healthy, breathing, crying baby a couple has after going through loosing a child.

I don't believe I ever shared our losses with my fans - so here it goes; fair warning now: you May Need Tissues!  We were expecting our 2nd daughter to be due on 12-12-12 ~ How awesome is that due date, huh?!  Unfortunately, our little angel only made it to around 33 weeks of gestation, and I delivered Keira Reese on Oct 30, 2012. After waiting a grueling 19 weeks for the autopsy report, because she was a "special case," it proved my suspicions correct, and that she passed from fetal hypoxia. Which means that she didn't have enough oxygen in her placenta, and she suffocated to death. I know how terrible that is to read, but please know that my family and I are at peace with her passing. Looking back at my situation, and all the signs that were never taken as seriously as they should have been, I know I have a good case of malpractice against the hospital; now whether or not I decide to take that hospital to court is a whole other story, for a different place and time. I find it comforting that I was lucky enough to hold an angel while here on Earth ~ not too many people are able to say that ;-)

Then about a year later, after battling PTSD and finally feeling like myself again, I came out of my crochet hiatus and started designing again. Once I was back in my happy place, I told my hubby that I was ready to start trying again. He wasn't ready yet. But 2 months later he decided he was ready too :-)  Oddly enough, after only 2 months of trying, but not really, we beat my PCOS (infertility) odds and found out we were pregnant :-)  Of coarse we called all of our immediate family to spread the news! One of whom was my late father, who at the time was slowly declining from stage 4 Glioblastoma (a brain tumor). That was the last phone call my father was ever on - hearing that we were pregnant, after loosing our 2nd daughter. Sadly, 3 days after finding out we were pregnant, I started to miscarry at 5 weeks. Still on the tail end of my miscarriage, I drove across country (over 2,000 miles from Central Texas to Massachusetts- during a terrible Nor'easter I may add) to say my final goodbyes to my 52 year old father. I never had the heart to tell my father that I lost the baby after talking to him; but I'm pretty sure he knows now, and is watching over our 4th baby very closely for us.

So unlike most people, I have gone through a lot of tragedies in my life at a young age, more than I'm sure you'd even be interested in reading. That saying that, "what doesn't kill ya, makes ya stronger," is true for sure!  I know that my life experiences have shaped me into the woman that I am today, but I'm certainly looking forward to my rainbow!

Everybody wants happiness,
 no one wants pain; 
but you can't have a rainbow,
 without a little rain. 

My beautiful daughter is talking to her sibling to come soon :-)

Wednesday, July 30, 2014

New Pattern Giveaway!

I'm releasing a new blanket, and thought my follow hookers would LOVE a chance at winning a free copy of the pattern before it's released!  So I will gift 3 lucky winners a free copy of my new Wild Fan Blanket to their Ravelry username :-)



Need a last minute baby shower gift? Or want to whip out a few Christmas presents over the weekend? Then this is the Perfect blanket for you!  This is an Advanced Beginner pattern, and works up super quick! The pattern is sized for a finished blanket approx. 24" x 34", but I include the beginning chain multiple if you'd like to make the blanket larger ;-)



For this pattern you'll need:

  • Size K (6.50 mm) crochet hook, or hook size to obtain gauge
  • Approx. 3.5 oz of WWY of color A
  • Approx 3.5 oz of WWY of color B
  • Tapestry Needle
  • Scissors

Want to leave me a comment, but don't have a G+, LiveJournal, WordPress, AIM, or OpenID account(s)?? Then just click on the Name/URL or Anonymous options in the dropdown under the comment box ;-)


CONGRATULATIONS TO THE WINNERS!

  • Debbie McLeod
  • Tonya White
  • Kimberly Ingold

I have emailed the winners to the email address they provided to Rafflecopter, so please keep a lookout for an email from looping.with.love@gmail.com :-)  If you don't receive an email from me, then please email me your Ravelry username so I can gift you your free copy of the pattern Wild Fan Blanket.

Thank you to Everyone that participated in my giveaway!  

Because of the great turnout for this pattern release, I decided to have the pattern discounted this week!
Use coupon code: NEWBLANKET at checkout on Ravelry for a discounted price!

I'd LOVE to see your Wild Fan Blanket; so make sure to upload your finished project to Ravelry - then I can add your photos to the pattern listing :-)  Can't wait to see everyone's blankets!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, June 14, 2014

Summer Begins!

Things have been crazy here since school was let out for the summer last week!  My daughter graduated Kindergarten - I can't believe how quick she's growing up!  Anywho....I've had quite a few things "in the works" since my last post.  I played around with clay a bit. My daughter wanted me to make a present for her teacher, so I decided to cover pens and make a few different designs. I think I'm ready to tackle clay covered crochet hook handles now ;-)  Not too bad for my first time making canes, and creating millefori pens!


The bottom 2 went to my daughter's teacher, and my daughter already called dibs on the purple and silver leopard. But my favorite is the 3rd one down from the top. I think I may convert it from a pen into a clay handle for one of my smaller hooks ;-)




I've touched on amigurumi before - and as most of you know, I'm no ami master by any means, BUT I got a special request.  That request was a pair known as: The Joker and Harley Quinn.  After searching pattern libraries, and not finding what I thought was a good fit for their design, I decided to design my own.  At the time I may have bit off more than I could chew - but now I have not 1, but 2 original ami designs :-)  A sneak peak of the dolls right after their faces were painted on. Yes, I hand painted the faces on with fabric paint directly onto the yarn.


Pattern for BOTH of these dolls will be going out to testers soon :-)

Looping with Love