We've Moved!

It's  finally came to this moment where it was time to update and move onto a new blogging venue. So here Tails&Snouts blogging has moved to! Hope everyone doesn't mind this change and I’ll be bring all the important blog post over with me. :)

Stitch Fix Again

Take two of enjoying my Stitch Fix box! I decided to do the automatic box every month so my next goodie will be in August. That is unless I'm tempted to get another earlier. So for this box I asked for some nice low key dresses for a relaxed wedding coming up. They delivered on my dress request and beyond. I honestly had a difficult time deciding on what to keep and what to send back. Everything ends up fitting me surprisingly well, which makes the decision extra difficult. In the end it came down to what was most my style and if I already had something similar to it. If you want to give Stitch Fix a try feel free to use my referral link.

 The first item I tried on was the Malia Chevron Border Tunic from 19 Cooper. I also decided to pair it with the Porter Basic Leggings from Rune. Both items felt like they fit well and the leggings were so wonderfully comfortable. I however decided not to get either of them due to not being a big tunic fan. Plus I tend to only wear leggings in the house so it would seem a bit silly to get something that I'd only wear inside.

 The first of the dresses I tried on was the real star of the box. It was a lovely seafoam mint Callafia Short-Sleeve Wrap Dress from 41Hawthorn. Actually kept a shirt from them in my last box. Having a wrap dress was new to me so that was an interesting plus. It was also perfect for the low key wedding. The dress fit so well in just the right ways and would be great dressed down or up. This ended up being the keeper for this box.

 The second dress was this fun Francis Striped Fit&Flare Dress from Pomelo. The dress had some great shaping to it, but I already had a dress very similar to it already in my closet. I really liked the stripes on the bottom of the dress even if it put more emphasis on my hips, which can speak loud and clear by themselves. The top portion of the dress was lovely, but thanks to my wide shoulders it created a weird gap between my chest and arms.

The last item was a nice Henry Birds On Branch Infinity Scarf from Octavia. The scarf was nice and big, which I like in scarfs. I however can be rather particular when it comes to accessories. Nor is the weather accepting of scarfs at the moment.

Birthday Sale

 As promised the special birthday sale has arrived! From now till May 28th the shop is 21% off using the coupon code BIRTHDAY21. Enjoy the special sale while you can and I hope everyone has a lovely memorial day as well. :)

The Lazy Girls Gnocchi

Lately I've been having major gnocchi cravings, but I always find rolling the gnocchi a pain. I even have a pasta maker and was desperately hoping for a gnocchi. No such luck for me. Then I happened to come across a cleaver trick on Food and Wine, which I decided to give a shot. First time I used to suggested bakers twine with some sweet potato gnocchi dough. Either the baking twine was too thick, the dough was too moist, or I simple couldn't get the angle down the gnocchi came out "fun shaped." That didn't discourage my attempt at being able to make gnocchi without rolling. So the second time I tried out my lazy gnocchi recipe and tried the same technique, but with unflavored dental floss. While it was far more effective the steam caused the dental floss to lose its tension. So far the most effective method has been using fishing line of all things.

 The next key factor for me was finding an easy recipe to use and a resourceful thought popped into my head, "there's leftover mashed potatoes in the fridge maybe that will make good gnocchi." With that thought I managed to create easy delicious gnocchi from leftovers.

  Lazy Girls Gnocchi Recipe 

Serves about 2

2 egg yolks 

1 cup flour (may need a little more depending on mashed potato moisture) 

13oz leftover mashed potatoes (I used Simply Potatoes garlic mash)

1. Place mashed potatoes in mixing bowl, slightly heat up if stiff. 
2. Then add egg yolks and flour. Gently mix and add extra flour till dough is no longer sticky to the touch. Then place in gallon or pastry bag. 
3. String your fishing line (twine or dental floss) across the handles of your shallow pasta pot and secure. Place water in a few inches below string. Bring water to boil.
4. Once the water is boiling bring down to medium heat. Cut a hole in the tip of your bag. 
5. Place the bag perpendicular and to the side of the string. Start pushing the dough out and cutting at the desired length on the string. Don't over crowd the pot. CATION: Be careful of the steam and any hot water that may splatter as the gnocchi drop. 
6. Wait for the gnocchi to rise to the surface then pull out with a slotted spoon. Repeat steps 5 and 6 till all dough is gone. 
7. Lastly top with gnocchi with something yummy. 

Topping wise for my gnocchi I like to toss them in a pan to get them a little crispy then add my favorite tomato sauce, spices, and cheese on them.

Birthday Giveaway!

                                                                                                                         
To celebrate my upcoming birthday I decided to do a double giveaway! One will be for a new colorway on my classic merino nylon sock yarn blend and the other is for a fun handspun yarn. The giveaway will go till May 31, so enter while you can. The new colorway is called Pansy Flower and is about 462 yards of purple yellow merino goodness. Perfect for knitting up some spring themed floral socks. The handspun yarn is about 291 yards of worsted yarn in mixes of greens and blues. The colorway is called Bayou and is a blend of merino, tussah silk, bamboo, nylon, recycled sari silk, and angelina. 























To enter to win just follow the featured instructions below and don't forget to check out the shop on May 25 for an extra surprise! 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Giving Stitch Fix a Try

When it comes to shopping my internal feelings tend to butt heads. Getting new clothes gives me the same warm fuzzy feeling that yarn or fiber gives me, however I hate the actual act of clothes shopping. Endlessly looking through racks hoping you'll find something you like and even if you do there's no guarantee that they'll even have your size. Plus over crowded shopping areas drive me up a wall like nothing else. My love-hate relationship to shopping ended up pushing me to give Stitch Fix a try.

The general idea of Stitch Fix is to have someone else do the styling and shopping for you. Plus the only work you have to do is decide on what to keep. When you first create an account with Stitch Fix you create a style profile so to speak. It'll ask for your usual size, what you want to flaunt or hide, what style palate speaks to you the most, and how much you'd like to pay for each item. All you have left to do is schedule when you'd like your Stitch Fix to arrive. Once your box arrives you can try everything on in the comfort of your home and anything you don't like just send it back in the prepaid envelope. What you keep is what you pay for plus an initial styling fee, which is applied as credit to anything you purchase from that box. What I find really nifty is that they send along a little styling sheet on what to pair with everything in the box.

For my first box I received an orange and pink striped maxi dress, while I loved the fit of it I just couldn't get into the colors.

The second item was an off white clutch, which again was lovely I however avoid white clothing and accessories due to how easy it is to get them dirty.

 From the box I got two tops one being a minty turquoise dolman printed top and the other being a dark navy tab sleeved blouse with white tulips on it. The dolman again fit me wonderfully, but the pattern didn't fit me or my styling. The tulip top however was possibly my favorite item out of the box. A little low with the v neck for my personal taste other than that it was comfy and versatile.

 Lastly I received a pair of black skinny jeans, which are amazingly comfy and a little miracle fit wise. Like

most people finding pants that fit well is a challenge. For myself I have a hard time finding bottoms that fit my curvy hips and the drastic change to my small waist. Thankfully theses pants have fit the best in that area. The pants were a little long, but looked cute cuffed and most of the time hidden in riding boots.

Everything that was picked out fit me great, if not perfectly. Anything that I decided to send back came down to color or style. That's to be expected with your first box, but the more boxes you get the better your stylist will be at picking out items you like. In the end I decided to keep the navy tulip top and the black skinny jeans. When everything was decided upon I simply checked out on the Stitch Fix website on what I was or wasn't keeping and why to better help the stylist for future boxes. Overall this was a wonderfully exciting and fun experience. Sure there weren't things that spoke to my style soul, but it was nice to try a few items on in the comfort of my own home without having to put in all the shopping effort.

Shop Rebranding!

For over 3 years Tails&Snouts has been represented by a cute cuddly blue elephant, but as the shop changes so must our cute mascot. Originally the elephant was intended to capture the cute knit toys that I began making at the start. Since then I've begun changing the shops direction to focusing on yarns and fibers. A elephant doesn't exactly fit that well with a fiber and yarn shop. So over the weekend I discussed with my branding designer about creating a new mascot and here she is! A lovely lamb that still captures the Tails&Snouts cute edge, but with a fibery focus. I absolutely love the new mascot. Currently this little cutie doesn't have a name yet, but there's a suggestion box on the Facebook page if you have an idea. Since the shop got a new mascot that means all the branding needed some spicing up. So keep an eye out for the new banner, business cards, and labels!

Thanks everyone!

-Elizabeth :)

Anniversary Sale!

It's hard to believe that in just a few days my little Etsy shop will be 3 years old! Boy does time fly or what? So to celebrate this wonderful 3 year anniversary I'll be having a big sale! Using the coupon code 3YEARS you'll be able to receive 30% off your order! WOOOO! This sale will last till August 20th so get it while you can. The coupon code doesn't apply to clubs, custom/ reserved orders, or items already on sale. P.S. Don't forget to enter for your chance to win a custom dyed sock yarn. :)

Thanks everyone and enjoy!
Elizabeth from Tails&Snouts

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

Shop Anniversary Custom Dyed Sock Yarn Giveaway!

I had such an enjoyable time creating the custom yarn for the last giveaway that I wanted to do it again! This giveaway is also in celebration of my 3 year anniversary as a shop. Each entry will give you a chance to win a custom dyed sock yarn either in a color combination you create or using one of my existing colorway (some existing colorways are one of a kind). The yarn will be a superwash merino nylon blend and will contain about 420 yards of yarny goodness. The giveaway will go till the 16th of August. There are some examples of my already existing colorways and if you'd like your own custom color the chart below can help you create you special yarn. Remember the more you enter the more likely you will win this lovely yarn. Once the winner has been chosen I'll make an update post on the winner and send along an email congratulation you and to work out the yarn details. Use the Rafflecopter below to enter yourself into the giveaway each gives a little guide on what to do. Good luck to everyone and happy crafting from Tails&Snouts :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Beehive Boot Cuff Pattern

Beehive Boot Cuff Pattern

 

• Bulky yarn about 100 yards and up depending on size
• 4 Double pointed US size 10 1/2 needles
• scissors
• tapestry needles

CO 38 (44, 50, 56, 62...etc depending on desired size) divide evenly and join in round
Round 1-4: *(K1, P1) Repeat
Round 5: K all, add 4 stitches evenly throughout by kfb
Round 6: P all
Round 7-12: *(K4, slip 2) Repeat
Round 13: K all
Round 14: P all
Round 15-20: K1 *(slip 2, K4) Repeat. End round 20 with K3.
Round 21: K all
Round 22: P all

Repeat from Rounds 7-22 till desired length. End on either round 12 or 20.

Round 23: K all
Round 24: P all
Round 25: K all, decrease 4 stitches evenly through by k2tog
Round 26-28: *(K1, P1) Repeat
BO in *(K1, P1) fashion

Weave in ends and enjoy! :)

Notes: Following these instructions 38 stitches fits up to 13 inches around.

Fiber Giveaway Time!

Set of Wonderland Rolags

As many of you may have noticed it's become a rather hot summer around here. So I thought a little July treat would be in order. :)

To celebrate July I'm currently having a sale for 20% off your order using the coupon code "JULY13" in the shop from now till the 14th. (Doesn't include clubs) Go and grab yourself a treat to enjoy during this hot weather!

Not only am I having a sale, but also a little giveaway. I recently created a lovely new colorway called "Wonderland" (pictured above) and I've decided to have a giveaway with them! If you haven't tried spinning with rolags before than you're missing out. They're a personal spinning favorite of mine! Easy for travel spinning and they make drafting so smooth. The set of rolags for this giveaway are made with polwarth wool and Angelina to add some fun sparkle. If you win you'll receive a set of rolags that weigh about 1 ounce or more! Just the right amount of rolags to get a feel for spinning with them. To enter this giveaway just follow the instructions featured on the Rafflecopter giveaway below. When a winner has been chosen I'll get in contact for further details.

Thanks and I hope you enjoy the giveaway!
Elizabeth :)

Don't forget to check out the shop and the Ravelry group.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Shop Sale

I currently have a shop sale going on to clear out some inventory and to save up to buy a drum carder. Using the coupon code "JULY13" you can receive 20% off your order till July 14th. Enjoy :)

Lucky Me!

Just this past week I ended up being the lucky winner of this beautiful Vera Wang necklace from Mizzrubiiee Blog. I love this blog for its helpful beauty product tips. Lets me know whether a product is a keeper or a dud! Carolyn, the blog owner, also has similar interests to my own in medicine, biology, and Doctor Who. Extra pluses in my book! Carolyn was wonderful sweet too! The necklace was wrapped with tissue paper and came with a little card about the necklace and the color. She even added a birthday card too! How sweet was that. :) Winning this necklace was a major birthday treat and it arrived just in time to wear for a lovely birthday dinner with some family friends. Ended up pairing the necklace up with my favorite Mod Cloth dress, a simple grey cardigan (it was super cold for being May), and my high heeled suede boots. Enjoyed a lovely dinner at the Black Pearl, arrr matey, in Newport. I'd like to give an extra big thanks to Carolyn for hosting such a wonderful giveaway and I'd suggest checking out her blog since it's wonderful.

Hand Dyed Yarn from the Giveaway

As you may be aware I hosted a custom dyed sock yarn giveaway a few weeks ago. I thought it would be nice to show off the lovely color combination the winner decided on. Whenever I dye something it always has a bit of a surprise element to it, which is always a favorite of mine. Since I loved creating custom colors I've made a special listing in the shop if anyone ever has a dream colorway in mind. I simply can't wait to see how this yarn knits up! :)

Hand Carders!

Just got my hand carders the other day! I love using them and have gone on a bit of a carding frenzy. Had some extra fiber that I wasn't using, carded that up for the shop. Had some dyed locks and random samples and left overs. Carded those up for me to spin later. I've just been carding and making rolags left and right. :)

Custom Sock Yarn Giveaway!

With spring right around the corner it's time to celebrate! For the remainder of March I will be hosting a sock yarn give away! Each entry will give you a chance to win a custom dyed sock yarn either in a color combination you create or using one of my existing colorway (some existing colorways are one of a kind). The yarn will be a superwash merino nylon blend and will contain about 462 yards of yarny goodness. The giveaway will begin on the 15th of March and go till the 30th of March. There are some examples of my already existing colorways and if you'd like your own custom color the chart below can help you create you special yarn. Remember the more you enter the more likely you will win this lovely yarn. Once the winner has been chosen I'll make an update post on the winner and send along an email congratulation you and to work out the yarn details. Use the Rafflecopter below to enter yourself into the giveaway each gives a little guide to what to do. Good luck to everyone and happy crafting from Tails&Snouts :)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saying Goodbye to the Wild Thing Theory

Over the years of crafting I find that I go through waves of creativity. One month I'll be working solely on knitting or try dyeing everything I could get my hands on. During the early stages of my shop Tails&Snouts I went through a sewing phase. At the time my sister had worked at the local wild life clinic where they received massive amounts of vintage coats. These coats were then used as a mother replacement for the orphaned babies. The wild life clinic is absolutely tiny and had little storage space so they had some extra vintage coats that were given to me. These vintage coats then inspired me to create these cute "monster" plush toys for fun. As usual I went on my creative wave and made large quantities of them. Some days I even managed to make 6 of the plush toys. Since the coats originated for the wild life clinic I've been donating a chunk of the sales to benefit them. Though as my motivation and supply has dwindled I've been making them less and less. As I business I'm trying my best to create a direction for my image, which seems to be turning towards yarns, fiber, and knitting. The Wild Thing Theory has drifted from my business path. They were always a joy to make during my creative moments, but I've found that it's time to let them go. They're goodbye shall help lead me to grow creatively and as a business. If anyone is interested I still have a few left of these one of a kind monster plush toys that would loves some hugs. :)

Cute Update: Lamb!

A few weeks ago I had volunteered with my sister to be on lamb watch at the local college's farm. Lamb watch was the night shift for keeping an eye on the pregnant ewes to see if any went into labor. The first night was rather quiet, everyone was rather relaxed so most of the time was spent snuggling with the lambs. On the second night one of the ewes had given birth to 3 little lambs only a few hours before we arrived. Sadly it appeared that the lambs weren't nursing so it was necessary to give a little help. One of the lambs however just couldn't figure out how to nurse. After trying for more then an hour it was determined that someone needed to watch the little guy for the night. Oh boy no one ever tells you how loud lambs could be. It was however amusing when we were taking the lamb away from the barn how all the other ewes began yelling at us, probably calling us baby thieves. For that night my sister and I took turns feeding him every 2 hours or so. He was a lazy nurser, but thankfully the next morning when we brought him back to the barn he magically knew how to nurse. For next month we're expected to rear some baby goats! Fingers crossed that they're be quiet efficient nursing babies.

Phat Fiber February Box

At the end of last year I happened to come across Phat Fiber on Ravelry. I had heard about it here and there, but had never really looked into it. After a bit of investigation it seemed like an potentially good fit for the shop. Phat Fiber boxes are specifically designed for small indie fiber and yarn shops. Each month you have the opportunity to send in a collection of samples from your shop. These samples are then distributed among boxes to be sold as a form of advertisement. Each of these boxes has a theme where you have the option to base your samples off of. Take for example the first month I participated in the theme was Nordic Culture, which prompted me to create color ways inspired by Vikings and a Norwegian sunrise.

Anyways this past February's theme was everything purple! I only sent in yarn for the month (samples pictured above), but I loved my color combos. I had Violets, which was a simple white, lilac, and deep purple, and Royalties, a pleasant mix of amethyst purple and maroon. Since I sent in 50 of these little yarns I got my own contributors box and just wanted to show the drool worthy samples.

If you want to check out Phat Fiber they're on Ravelry and here's a link to their site.

Hedgehog Pattern

Hedgehog Pattern

• 4 US 5 (3.75 mm) DPN
• 60 yards of worsted weight yarn MC
• 20 yards of worsted weight yarn CC
• scissors
• stuffing
• tapestry needle

Ears (Make 2)
CO 8 sts in CC join in round
Rnd 1: KFB (16)
Knit every round till it measures about 1/2 inches then BO weave in top end and attach to hedgehog.

Back of Body:

In MC CO 4 sts

Row 1: KFB, K2 , KFB (6)
Row 2: PFB, P4, PFB (8)
Row 3: KFB, K6, KFB (10)

Row 4: PFB, P8, PFB (12)
Work in St st for about 10 rows 2 inches from cast on, end after a purl row.

Decreasing
Row 1: SSK, K8, K2tog (10)
Row 2: P2tog, P6, P2tog (8)
Row 3: SSK, K4, K2tog (6)
Row 4: P2tog, P2, P2tog (4)

Body:
Continued from back of body
Knit the 4 sts on the needle, on same needle, pick up 10 sts around back of body, continuing around till there are 42 sts, 14 per needle
Rnd 1: * KFB, knit to the last st on needle, KFB; repeat for each needle: 16 sts per needle (48)
Repeat Rnd 1 again 18 sts per needle (54)
Knit every round alternation between pulled curl stitch and knit round till about 1 1/2 inches long. May do 1 pulled curl stitch round and 2 knit rounds for less work, doesn't create as full look. Determine the belly of your hedgehog and always knit that needle. To make a curled stitch knit into a st and pull it to about 2 inches long, twist around finger then place back onto needle. Knit normal and curled stitch together.
Decreasing Rnds continue alternating between normal knit and curled stitches
Rnd 1: * K7, k2tog repeat 16 sts per needle (48)
Rnds 2-5: K all (4 rounds total)
Rnd 6: * K6, k2tog repeat 14 sts per needle (42)
Rnd 7: * K5, k2tog repeat 12 sts per needle (36)
Rnd 8: K all
Rnd 9: * K4, k2tog 10 sts per needle (30)
Rnd 10: K all (end on curled round)
Rnd 11: Switch to CC and stop curl stitches K All
Rnd 12: *K2tog, knit to last 2 sts on needle, K2tog repeat 8 sts per needle (24)
Rnd 13-17: K all (5 rnds) Begin stuffing as you go
Rnd 18: *K2tog, knit to last 2 sts on needle, K2tog repeat  6 sts per needle (18)
Rnd 19-21: K All (3 rnds)
Rnd 22: *K2tog, knit to last 2 sts on needle, K2tog repeat 4 sts per needle (12)
Rnd 23: K all
Rnd 24: K2tog all 2 sts per needle (6)
Finish stuffing. Cut the yarn, leaving a long tail. Pull the end through the remaining sts, gather up tight to close the hole, and stitch to secure. Weave the end to the inside and trim. Sew on nose and eyes. This cute fellow comes out to be about 5 1/2 inches long, 3 inches tall, and 3 inches wide.