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

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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.



Free Raindrop Pattern

Have some extra yarn that you don't know what to do with? Try this simple raindrop pattern then! It knits up amazingly quick and needs less than 10 grams of worsted yarn. This pattern can be used to make a cat toy, amigurumi raindrop by adding a cute face, or even part of a baby mobile. It's all up to you so happy knitting :) They come out to be about 3 1/2 inches tall by 1 1/2 inches.

Raindrop Pattern

• 4 US 5 (3.75 mm) DPN
• 10 grams of worsted weight yarn
• scissors
• stuffing
• tapestry needle

CO 9 divide onto 3 needles and join into round

Round 1: KFB all (18)

Round 2: K all

Round 3: (KFB, K1)* Repeat till end (27)

Round 4: K all

Round 5: (KFB, K2)* Repeat till end (36)

Round 6-12: K all (7 rounds)

Round 13: (K2tog, then K till last 2 stitches on needle K2tog)* Repeat on each needle

Round 14-15: K all (start stuffing as you go)

Round 16-24: Repeat rounds 13-15 x3

Round 25: K2tog all

Round 26-27: K all

Round 28: K2tog all

Cut a yarn tail and pull yarn through remaining 3 stitches and weave ends in.

100 Sales WOOO!

I'm super excited to say that I finally reached my goal of 100 sales! To celebrate and thank everyone I'm holding a big sale in the shop for a short time. By using the coupon code "BIGSALE13" you'll receive 25% off your order. *Doesn't apply to custom orders or clubs* So if you happened to have your eye on something now is the time to get it. The sale is going on till March 3, 2013 so don't miss out.  :)

Sakura Bath and Body Scrubs

 

 

I'm always on a mission to find unique items, specifically those on Etsy. I've since reached the point where just about everything I purchase is either handmade or from a small business. It couldn't make me happier to support such lovely people and products. Over the past few months I've been on a sugar scrub craze. In my mind they're an essential bathroom product. All the scrubs I've tried have been amazing. Leaving me smelling yummy and feeling silky smooth. Truth be told I'm a bit lazy when it comes to lotion. So having a sugar scrub that not only smells good, but exfoliates and moisturizes is perfect for me. For a bit of time I've been looking for a scrub that was a mix of a floral and fruity scent. I ended up coming across Sakura Bath and Body by chance and decided to try out a few samples of their scrub. The 3 scrubs I was able to narrow it down to were Secret Garden, Wonderland, and Polynesian Paradise. All of them smell amazing! Each sample weighs about 2 oz and from my estimate will each last 5 showers. They even sent along an adorable sample of their vanilla cream perfume, which instantly makes me think of baking.

Polynesian Paradise:

Sakura Bath and Body describes Polynesian Paradise as "a unique fusion of pink grapefruit, pineapple, green apple, mango and a touch of moss to round it out!" This scrub has a wonderful sweet balance to it. Typically scents that intend to be sweet become over powering, but not this one. The overall smell reminds me of a fruit smoothie with the light moss scent to mellow out the fruits. 

Wonderland:

"Top notes of luscious strawberry, wild goji berries and ripe raspberry mingle with soft gardenia petals, frosted jasmine, and peach nectar. White amber, coconut musk, and creamy vanilla round out this soft, dreamy scent."So far wonderland is my favorite. It has an overall romantically sweet smell with light floral undertones. Just the right combination of fruit and floral scents. As you can probably tell from the picture I've already started using Wonderland. :)

Secret Garden

"With top notes of Raspberries and Peaches, this blend is toned down by the white notes of Magnolias, Lilies and Cyclamen. Not one to let a fragrance fall flat in the bottom notes, Secret Garden also has White Musk as a supporting dry down." Another lovely scent once again. Secret garden has a stronger floral scent with faint undertones of peaches.

 

Overall Wonderland was my favorite of the 3 as it was right in the middle. Polynesian Paradise held a stronger focus of sweet fruity notes, while Secret Garden was more floral. In the end Wonderland was a combination of the sweet fruity notes found in Polynesian Paradise and the mellow floral notes of Secret Garden. After using the scrub it left my skin pleasantly silky and with a mild remnants of the scrubs scent. So go and check out the other wonderful creations of Sakura Bath and Body.







Nutella Mug Cake

For awhile now I've been trying all sorts of mug cakes and cookies in a mug just to satisfy my occasional sweet tooth. Though none were truly that satisfying. They either had a bland taste or would have the consistence of a sponge, yuck! After a bit of searching I came across a recipe that looked yummy, but needed a bit of adjusting to fit my needs. Some testing and plenty of tasting later I've found a wonderful and quick sweet fix, a nutella mug cake. The cake is soft and creates a gooey nutella pudding at the bottom.

 

Nutella Mug Cake Recipe

Serves 1

Takes under 5 minutes

• 1 Large mug
• 1 egg white
• 2 Tb flour
• 2 Tb sugar
• 1 1/2 Tb cocoa
• 1 1/2 Tb milk
• 1 1/2 Tb vegetable oil
• 1/4 ts salt
• 1/4 ts baking powder
• 1/4 ts vanilla
• 1 Tb Nutella

 

1. Place the listed ingredients into a large mug.
2. Mix ingredients together till smooth.
3. Place mug and contents into microwave and cook for around 1 minute 20 seconds. Contents will be hot and a bit gooey at the bottom.

Healthier and Delicious Pizza?

This is a personally recipe for pizza that I use all the time! It's delicious and healthier for you due to the whole wheat flour. I know whole wheat flour can rub people's palettes the wrong way, but I swear you won't even notice that there's any there. I'll even admit that I'm a picker eater and I can't tell that there's any there. Anything that has a funny texture or after taste I'll stay a mile away from, but this recipe is so yummy I have to keep myself from eating it multiple times in one day. So please enjoy :)

Pizza Dough Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups warm water
• 1 tsp sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups bread flour
• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 1/4 tsp yeast

I know you must be thinking why whole wheat pastry flour? I choose whole wheat pastry flour since it has been finely ground removing the chance of the pizza dough having a gritty texture. I also like my pizza rolled out super thin and the low gluten content in pastry flour allows me to easily roll out the dough without it shrinking. I also don't let the dough rise mainly because I like thin pizza, but mainly because when someone wants pizza they'd much rather have it now :)

Honestly I usually just throw all of these ingredients into my bread maker and just let that do the work while I get everything set up. A standard mixer will work just as well. 

While you're waiting for the dough to come together set your oven to 475 degrees F, oil up a pan of your choice, flour a surface and rolling pin, and get your toppings. 

Once the dough is done roll it out on a floured counter to your desired size and thickness. Place on the oiled pan and slather on your tomato sauce of choice. Don't put any cheese on yet. It'll burn and the sauce won't cook down to deliciousness. 

Place the pizza in the oven for about 8 minutes or until the edges start to lightly brown. At that point pull it out and put your toppings of choice on. Place back in the oven for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese starts to slightly brown. Pull the pizza out, cut it up, and enjoy. 

For my pizza I decided to put on some basic cheese, fresh basil, and some white truffle oil. YUM! Mine did get a little burnt, but still oh so delicious. So please enjoy! :)