They're ba-a-ack!

The tree swallows that is. Swooping in front of our house, and hanging around the same birdhouse on our porch where the couple raised their young last year.

I've had several projects in mind, just finished one, and will be starting on the next one this afternoon. That's the one I'm excited, yet nervous about. It's something I don't think I've seen before, and I'm not 100% sure how to go about what I want to do...

I know many people look for free patterns (heck, don't we all!) and I know many people do so because buying patterns would eventually put them in the poorhouse. I do try to price my patterns for sale reasonably, and this morning had an idea for a not-so-secret secret sale.

Not-so-secret because I've just told you about it! Secret because I didn't say exactly what it is. This month. I'll be changing the sale monthly, and each month will be like a treasure hunt. Large buttons are put on a few pages of my website: one button will be on the category page which is involved in the sale (there's a hint!), the other 3 buttons will be on other pages. If this works well, or gets some good comments, I will continue with different sales each month.

Start the not-so-secret secret sale hunt.

March is more than half done...spring is just about here...I swear I can hear her footsteps around the corner. I can certainly smell her perfume now and then: it's faint, but there nonetheless.

Projects for this month were Easter. I vowed last year to put the seasonal patterns out the month BEFORE the holiday, gives people more time to make them. And so far, I think I've done pretty good keeping up with that. The patterns are all on my sale page, which is where all new patterns go at introductory prices. My fave this month is the firefighter teddy bear from my previous post. I know, not Easter, but I (and I'm sure I'm biased) think he's adorable.

The duck's butt did get done. Not as curvy as I wanted, but it works:

Also new are Meet the Bulbos (a recycling idea for lightbulbs--but NOT meant as a toy) and two more Egghead Buddies.

Next month? Believe it or not, I am BEHIND. I have an afghan started, I'm almost afraid to mention when it was started....(October). Now that I'm getting rolling on it again, I find I'm in dire need of more yarn. It is Red Heart, but even with no dye lots, I can't guarantee the cream colour will still be the same.

I just started working on beads today...don't want to say too much, but I think I'm going to have fun with these. But then, isn't crochet always fun? Uh...no, I don't want to hear about last minute rushes to finish gifts that just HAVE to be done...NA-NA-NA-NA-NA...I'm not listening!

And more than 4 months later...

She's back. At least for a short time.

What's been going on?

Well, the same ol' same ol' in my disfunctional family. But, you don't want to hear that!

On a crochet note, which is more likely what you want to hear, I have been doing several smallish items. And a larger one on the go.

I am currently fighting with...I mean, working on, a duck's butt. Yes, duck's butt. At a suggestion from a visitor to my site, I am designing a rubber ducky toilet tissue cover. That butt was giving me a hard time. Three tries, and I was still unhappy with the results. The 4th try, well, if I say much, I might jinx it. So I'll stop there!

I did finish a firefighter outfit for 6-8" teddy bears. I thought he/she turned out quite well. Modelling the outfit is none other than my pal Custard. Friends for Custard can be made using the pattern available for sale on my site. The two above patterns as well as two other 'sets' will be available March 5th. As long as I finish Mr. Duck's tush.

I'm slowly (very slowly) working on re-vamping my site. Apart from creating a page that lists ALL the free patterns together (no pics, just links), I'm still at the thinking stage. Sometimes that's the longest stage for me. I do want to create new categories to help people find patterns more quickly.

Before I go: a peek at the firefighter outfit. Custard's pattern will also be available at a special price for those purchasing the firefighter outfit. I'm seeing Custard as...a surgeon. Think I might even have that green colour...