Magazine & iPad Giveaway - plus Big Savings!

Hi everyone! I have news about an exciting giveaway happening at Zinio, and a blog giveaway happening here. (please read through the end of this post for the blog giveaway)

If  you aren't familiar with Zinio, they offer thousands of top magazine subscriptions from around the world. You can browse and purchase subscriptions or single issues instantly from  your computer or mobile device to read wherever and whenever you like. You can preview articles on their site even without a subscription.

The good news: they're giving away 3 iPad Minis in the next couple weeks and everyone who enters to win will get $5 towards a magazine subscription of their choice. They've also launched their Black Friday deals early. There are 230 magazine titles available at up to 50% off the already-discounted prices.
Sample titles include: Craft, Quilting Arts, HGTV, and Crochet Today!
You can view more details and join the sweepstakes on their Facebook page here.

How about a subscription to a crochet magazine? or other craft magazines?
There are hundreds of other magazines on all topics you may be interested in!

And here's how you can join my Blog Giveaway! (this offer valid till Nov.30), leave a comment here and let us know if you are interested to win a free subscription. I'll be giving away some free magazine subscriptions and announce here the winners on Dec. 1. Have fun browsing on Zinio! Disclosure: I'll be getting a free magazine subscription myself for hosting this blog giveaway.

Recent FOs - Crochet Wearables!

Hello, I'm back! Not that I left, just lost my mojo or something...

Now that I picked up my hooks again, I can't stop crocheting ;)

I'm eager to share some of my recently finished projects:

This is a child's mesh cover-up top. I omitted the hood in the pattern (Splash n Fun Cover-up by Jenny King) and also had to make it shorter since I ran out of thread ;)

This turned out smaller than the small size in the pattern, but hopefully would fit a two-year old girl.

A child's shrug I made from my own design. Pattern will be published here soon :)

A mystery shawl/shrug that I made from a friend's pattern. This will be published soon in a magazine :)

Lastly, here's a famous design from a famous designer from several years ago.

Pattern was published in 2004 by Interweave. 

A lace top that was supposed to be a dress. I used up 6 balls of Cannon thread...didn't have enough of that color so I had to finish at row 44 of the skirt. 

More details on these projects can be viewed at my projects pages on Ravelry. Thanks for looking :)

Designing Issues...

Some catching up on crochet designs

Just a random post on some designs I have made a while back...

A dog amigurumi I made last year...posing with a photo of the English bulldog puppy that inspired its creation :)

Max and max look-a-like amigurumi

Accord Publishing's Crochet Calendar 2013, is now available. Here are two of my small designs included in the calendar :

Oval basket
a one-skein basket made from Creme de la creme worsted weight cotton. This is crocheted in one piece using a textured stitch pattern

Going around in circles bracelet

a one piece bracelet made with just a small amount of cotton thread

And here's something for you - another free pattern for a mini-doily or jar topper. I've made this a while back, but only recently finished writing up the pattern.

Paper vs plastic bags

In Quezon City they recently implemented a regulation on the use of plastic bags at the checkout counter. Plastic is being blamed for most of the trash piling up and clogging the waterways causing more flooding and other problems. I wonder why they didn't make a move earlier.

Most supermarkets now mainly use paper bags and they have their own reusable fabric or vinyl bags for sale. I've been using reusable bags since 2 yrs ago, and its only now that I see that many people bringing their own bags when shopping. Still, its not enough, since I also see a lot of shoppers going home with too many paper bags in their cart. I just hope they're recycling them, or properly disposing them in segregated trash bins.

I'm more inclined to reuse paper than plastic for crafts, and can also think of more ways to recycle it at home.

I like the big paper bags which can be used to line the floor of the car, to catch dirt and absorb moisture especially during rainy season. It can also be used to line a doormat, to make clean-up easier. In the same way, you may use the paper to line drawers and cupboards. Or, use it as a placemat when eating. For crafting it can be used for paper mache, origami, pattern-making, drawing and coloring pictures, box filler, gift-wrapper, and more.

Celebrity style crochet bag

I finished my celebrity style crochet bag more than a month ago, but had to wait several weeks more for the imitation leather handles I ordered on Etsy. On my previous post, I showed the various handles I bought and I chose the one from yeahshop.
I haven't had the chance to model the bag myself...here it is on Divvy:

It's quite neat inside too, with a ready-made lining I got from an old bag. I also attached magnetic snaps.