February Goals

Let me start by updating you for January... I didn't come even close to my goals but I did try to make my best attempt. I learned how much Life and God may have other plans for me that differ from the plans that I have made. I created a new item for my shop: Crochet Loop Scarf Cowl which has become so popular with my local customers that I got new 1 order every week in January! My daily listing and blogging fell very short but I will attempt to do better this month...

With that said here is my goals for February:
1. Have 50 items listed in my shop
2. Introduce my Crochet Leigh String Bag
3. Blog at least 3 times a week
4. Create a cool item for my Daily Sweeets February challenge which is CROCHET!!!
5. Continue to work on my Pattern Challenge

Monthly Challenge ACEO

I love to draw and sketch and about 8 years ago I was introduced to charcoal sticks. Ever since then, I was amazed and mesmerized by the things I could create with charcoal sticks. As I became more comfortable with the charcoal, I began to add graphite to my charcoal creations. Well as you have heard me talk about my Daily Challenge group before, for the month of January we had the challenge of creating an ACEO. An ACEO is an art trading card that measures 2.5" x 3.5" and can be created with any medium.

Well the different mediums and designs throughout the group has been amazing. From paintings to sewn ACEO and everything in between, I really wanted to get out of my normal fiber comfort zone for this. Year ago, I used to draw pictures from photographs and add my own little uniqueness to it. So I decided to create my ACEO out of graphite, charcoal and a colored pencil from a picture of my boyfriend's cat wrapped up in my yarn. I was crocheting an afgan for his Christmas present but he had no idea it was for him so it allowed me to crochet in front of him! Well one night the cat came over and got herself completely tangled in the yarn and I took a cute picture of it. So here is my ACEO:

Ophelia's Apothocary for a Relaxing Night In

I just had to share with my readers the wonderful bath items I just from Ophelia's Apothocary on Etsy. I started using the 3 in 1 (shampoo, body wash, bubble bath in 1) from Ophelia's many months ago and I have been hooked. Since my first purchase I have bought the sugar scrub, lotion, fragrance samplers and the 3 in 1. All were in different scents but I have completely fallen in LOVE with Lovespell. I think from now on I will only buy her products in that scent!

So last week I bought myself a 3 in 1 in Lovespell (of course!) and the Men's Line Bay Rum Foaming Shower Scrub for my Boyfriend (yes they sell for men too!). See a few months ago my boyfriend started using my 3 in 1 in the shower when I only had less than 1/4 bottle left and I nearly had a heart attack. I told him that it was off limits and bought a men's wash from Walmart. Well he wasn't happy with that so I am going to surprise him with his very own Ophelia's bottle!

The shop is filled with everything from lip balm to bath items for Men, Women and Babies! So check out Ophelia's Apothecary on Etsy.

Crochet Cowl Project plus Incomplete Project

Well last week I blogged about how I was looking to complete my 1000s of patterns but as the unexpected usually pops up in my life it roared its ugly head again....

I had every intention of starting that great looking cable knit scarf with pockets pattern Thursday evening except on my way to my day job that day my car died. Literally, as I was pulling into the bank parking lot the power to my car died and I was stranded. Lucky for me a co-worker picked me up and my wonderful boyfriend paid for the towing and mechanic to fix it which is ironic since he is a mechanic! (Kinda like the shoemaker's kids not getting any shoes!!!) This also meant that I was stranded at my boyfriend's house from Thursday until my car was picked up today (Monday) with no pattern but I did have yarn! (what girl leaves home without yarn in her bag?)

So this is what I was working on for the weekend:
Crochet Loop Scarf Cowl
I had made myself a Crochet Loop Scarf Cowl about a month ago and have gotten tons and tons of compliments on it plus I absolutely love it! It is warm and the yarn I used is so soft and comfortable. I have even gotten a request for the pattern. So I am using the pattern I created to make my Crochet Loop Scarf Cowls to sell in my shop. The one in the picture is modeled by my adorable sister and is available for sale in my shop now!

Time to Tackle my Patterns

1000s of Patterns are taking over my space! As a knitter, crocheter or sewer you know exactly what that sentence just said. I literally have 1000s of patterns to create many wonderful items sitting in drawers, baskets, bags or wherever I could find a space to put them and now is the time for me to actually put them to work...

So this is my challenge to myself:
Every Thursday I will pick a new pattern to create and debut the finished product on Monday's blog. I picked Thursdays and Mondays because it gives me the weekend to work on the project which when I have the most free time. This is exciting for me because I can try my hand at something new and change up my life a little bit!

The new Pattern for today is:
A Cabled Scarf with Pockets

I found this Pattern at Michael's and thought that the pockets would be a great addition to a scarf. I have yet to do a cable stitch but the pattern is Basic so I think I should do ok. I can't wait to show you my finished product on Monday!

Wordless Wednesday

Serene

So Much Work, So Little Time

The past few days have had me running around crazy but I can say that I got lots of stuff accomplished! The balance of personal time and business time is an ongoing difficulty for me but slowly I am figuring it out. This past weekend was my alone time with my boyfriend and it was fun and relaxing but also allowed me to knit away. All you could hear is the clacking of my needles!This is my boyfriend's cat Rouge in Danyella's lego blocks top! So cute!!

Even if my overall goal for the year is to end up blogging and listing everyday, I am going to start with small weekly and monthly goals too. Starting small is the place to start because it guides you to correctly accomplish or adjust your overall goals. So here is my goal for this week:
1. List 10 new items (so far I have 4!)
2. Blog 3 times (well this is 1)
3. Knit 5 new neckwarmers (1 is on my needles)
4. Debut my new crochet project (getting there!)

Here is my new listings:

My Goals are not Starting so Good

So in my last post, I stated my goals for the year and now I am 6 days into them. I will tell you right now, I am failing my goals with flying colors. I never knew how much life really can get in the way of, well life!

I hate to admit defeat right now so, I will say that this will be a work in progress that I will continue to strive to accomplish! I have heard before that it takes 3 weeks of doing something consistently for it to become a habit so as the days and weeks go by maybe I can make my goals into habits.

So about the life that has gotten in the way of life....
My best boyfriend ever took me out on Saturday for date night in which I tried sushi for the first time and honestly really didn't like it but don't tell him that (lol). I ate about 5 pieces just for him but in return I made him sit thru a "chick flick" (his terms not mine). We saw Did you Hear About the Morgans? and it was so cute but I am also a HUGE Sarah Jessica Parker fan!

Then Sunday was NFL Game Day and I had to put all my concentration on the Eagles vs. Cowboys game only to watch my dear Eagles lose (badly might i add). I have confidence that they will win this week though because everyone is entitled to off days at work :)

Monday night was a double date Birthday Dinner night! My boyfriend and his best friend both share birthdays this week (10th and 6th) so we had a very fancy dinner and drinks at an expensive bar. It was a great night but a very late one for a girl who likes to go to bed my 10pm.

Then Tuesday saw me working and going to bed early which leads us to Wednesday (today silly)...

So that is my life getting in the way of life story for you but stay tuned in cause I will be working on my goals and showing everyone the great new items I have been working on!

My Goal of Listing Everyday

Almost 2 years ago I came across this seller suggesting that we list something in our shops everyday and see if our sales increase. Well a group of 10-15 of us started doing this and now we have become a close knit Etsy family. Some people have come and gone through our group and last fall I took an Etsy break. I had so much going on in my personal life that I need to step away and re-group. Now I am back and my Daily Challenge family has welcomed me back with open arms! So look them up on Etsy by searhing: dailychallenge

So my goal of listing everyday won't be easy since I am not on my computer everyday so to compensate I will be doing double listings on days that I am away. Here is my listing for today though:

The Start of a New Year

So this is the start of a New Year and the start of my blog.

Lily Rose Originals was created from my 2 little girls names and my favorite flowers, Lily and Rose. My passion has always been about clothing and fashion but I have learned that fashion doesn't have to come from traditional fabrics. There is more to this world than just tradition but to be innovative and unique. I have fallen in love with my fabric of chioce: YARN!

It is funny that I for years I thought of knitting and crocheting as an elderly lady thing (which my boyfriend insist he is dating a grandma!) until I was stuck on bedrest for 7 months and needed to keep myself occupied. So I got myself a crocheting kit with a baby blanket pattern and was taught by a wonderful lady about the ins and outs of crocheting. Over the years, I have crocheted hundreds of items and have created many of my own patterns. So my next venture was learning how to knit and that is still a work in progress but I love it! Sewing and Drawing are things have done since I was young but I love endless possibilities I have with yarn. There are so many textures and thicknesses that the same pattern can look completely different depending on the yarn used.

So since it is the New Year and everyone (well almost) makes resolutions and goals here are mine for LilyRose:
+To Blog Everyday
+To make LilyRose a priority in my life
+To expand my shop with knit and crochet clothing

Well everyone have a Wonder 2010 and see you tomorrow!