Congratulations, Planet Nomad!

Apparently, if you want people to enter your contests, you have to both give away something people want and actually have readers who visit regularly. Dang.

After I swept myself up off the floor that only ONE PERSON entered my book giveaway (dramatic sigh, "Nobody loves me!"), I decided to go with it and look on the bright side. This saves me the trouble of visiting that random number website to choose a winner.

Congratulations to Planet Nomad, and many thanks for making my giveaway a success. If you would please shoot me an e-mail with your contact details I will be happy to get your book in the mail.

Tell your friends ... I'll be here all week ...

Read, Pray, Win: A Book Review and Giveaway

Praying for Your Future Husband
by Robin Jones Gunn and Tricia Goyer

Let me start by admitting (1) I never prayed for my future husband before I met Adam and (2) as I prepare to celebrate my seventh wedding anniversary, I'm pretty clearly outside the target audience for a devotional aimed primarily at teens to young unattached twentysomethings. Which, I suppose, begs the question, why exactly did I read this book?

Frankly, the top name on the front cover captured my attention. I counted today and was slightly surprised to discover I've read more than four dozen books by Robin Jones Gunn. She's written more than 70, mostly my favorite kind of novels: fun, fast-paced stories that direct readers' attention to God's love, grace, and unfathomable nature without announcing, "Hey, look; there's God! Now let me tell you all about Him ..." Robin's co-author, Tricia Goyer, has written more than 25 books herself, but I hadn't picked one up before now.

While there are a lot of books intended to offer suggestions for what to do while you wait, Praying for Your Future Husband seems to provide a unique framework for purposeful waiting that directs the reader to seek God and gives practical activities to enhance relationships, with both God and her husband-to-be. Each chapter is written around a single prayer focus, such as protection, faithfulness, contentment, even "The List" (qualities you want your husband to have). In addition to personal stories, poetry, and pertinent Bible passages, every chapter includes two prayers, one for the reader herself and another to pray for her future mate.

Perhaps the subtitle, Preparing Your Heart for His, should have clued me in, but I was pleasantly surprised to see as much or more of the text encouraging women to pray for their own edification as for their someday husbands. I also really appreciated the authors' choice to share their own love stories, the joys as well as painful missteps along the way. Some of my favorite moments in reading Robin's story involved learning about the real-life experiences that inspired fictional events in her novels.

Much like Passion & Purity by Elisabeth Elliot, which I read as a single woman waiting for a husband, Praying for Your Future Husband is a wonderful blend of personal memoir and practical guidebook. As a singleton (and remembering those years now), I was encouraged to read that now-married women had experienced the same emotions and worries and fears--and sometimes made the same poor choices--that I did. However, this same perspective that worrying and waiting are small in light of the rest of life, while accurate, can come across as slightly dismissive to a woman feeling alone, wondering if God has forgotten her. This is not necessarily a shortcoming of either book and may simply reflect an area in which I am particularly sensitive. Robin and Tricia acknowledge that, though a majority of women get married sooner rather than later, some will never marry and others wait many long years before their dream weddings become reality.

Overall, I liked it very much. The writing was engaging, by turns serious and laugh-out-loud funny. The authors have tackled relevant, sometimes delicate subjects with sensitivity and humor. My rating: five of five smilies.
☺☺☺☺☺

Praying for Your Future Husband will be released May 3rd. You can preorder a copy at Amazon.com or you can enter to win one right here!

Giveaway

As I've mentioned, this book really wasn't written for me, but maybe it's for you or someone you know. I'm giving away my gently read copy to one of my readers. For your chance to win, please leave a comment below; make sure I have a way to contact you. Link to this post (using the URL http://expimag.blogspot.com/2011/04/read-pray-win-book-review-and-giveaway.html) on Facebook, Twitter or your own blog for additional entries. Please include a link to your post or tweet. I'll leave comments open until 9:00 PM CDT on Thursday, May 5th and announce the winner Friday, May 6th.

I participate in the Blogging for Books program. WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group provided me with a free copy of this book for my review. Please click here to rate this review.

Let the Wild Rumpus Start

As a child, I was never really a big fan of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are. I don't know if I was too sensitive or imaginative or what, but I found it scary. Nonetheless, the idea of creating my own "wild rumpus" sounds like fun. Especially if I'm looking for a way to celebrate my 500th blog post.

Yes, folks, it's true. This is post 500. I've finally gotten a high enough count that I would have to look up the roman numeral to cover it (in fact, I did: it's "D").

To keep my rumpusing on the wild side, I am hosting a secret giveaway! I don't actually know what I should give away, so to enter, you need to leave a comment recommending a fabulous, but, ya know, smallish, prize that you would like to win. As always, you'll get an extra entry for linking to this giveaway on your own blog (leave me a second comment if you do this, please). I will choose one winner at random from among those prizes I can accommodate. Comments will close on my blogiversary, Friday October 16th at 11:59 PM CDT, and I'll announce the winner the following week.

Good luck!

Back-to-School Giveaway

Well, okay, it's not MY giveaway, because nobody's offered me anything this cool. However, if you go visit Mary at Owlhaven, you'll see she's giving away a laptop. All for the low, low price of telling her how your back-to-school rituals with your kids vary from those you had as a child.

On that ... we don't really have any rituals here. This is the first year I'm trying to do anything schooly, so we don't really have any traditions about it yet. Ooh, although, I do plan to watch the sale fliers next summer and see when all the really cheap prices are on school stuff in the coming years. I accidentally stumbled upon the big sale at Walmart this year and stocked up on 15¢ notebooks, 20¢ crayons, and 50¢ pencils. Now all I need is discount computer paper and printer ink. Sadly, that wasn't on sale last week.

When I was a kid, I don't really remember much about back-to-school doings. We'd do some clothes shopping and pick out some folders, or during my late elementary years the spiffy new "Trapper Keepers" (and if that sentence right there doesn't date me, I don't know what does). We never had the huge lists of supplies that schools put out now. Our school provided crayons and purple-printed mimeograph sheets. We didn't start having to start buying our own supplies until about third grade, and by then, it was just some notebooks and folders--whatever kind we wanted, no colors specified.

Now that I've bored you with my memories, go share your own and see if one of us can win this way-cool prize!

I Almost Won Something

I got an e-mail last night that I am the third runner up for Scribbit's April Write-Away Contest! My almost-winning entry is Clothes Make the Mom, way back from my first year of blogging.

Click on the winner button above to see the whole list of entrants and read more about this month's theme: Mom.

Contest Links

It's snowing outside. We're under a winter storm advisory (wait, they've upgraded us since I checked last) blizzard warning through tomorrow afternoon. Apparently somebody didn't get the message about it being SPRING. Sigh. On to happier topics ...

For Writers

Do you read Scribbit? I can't remember how I first found Michelle's blog, but I would guess it was through the Thursday Thirteen meme (which is apparently down for the count). In any case, she holds this writing contest every month. I entered once before, but, sadly, didn't win.

This month the topic is "Mom." Finally, a subject on which I have some serious posts! This month's prize is a custom-made glass pendant from Glitzy Glass Stars.

You can join the fun, too. Just check out the instructions here.

For Music Lovers

The Roseville String Ensemble is an amateur orchestra based in the Twin Cities area funded almost entirely by donations. At present, they do not have the funds to continue into the 2009-2010 season. One of their members has set up a unique fundraising drive on her blog: She's having a drawing for three fabulous yarn and accessory giveaways. To enter, all you must do is comment; of course, all commenters are highly encouraged to make a donation to the ensemble.

Check out the details here and consider supporting this unique group.

Drumroll, Please

Thanks to all of you entered my 400th post contest. The winner of my pink and blue handiwork is ...

Lillian
at
Joy Quest Journal

Congratulations, Lillian!

For those of you who didn't win this time around, I have written up the pattern so you can make one for yourself. I'll post it later today.

Four Hundred

Welcome to my 400th blog post!

I apologize for the delay; I was unable to publish for a few days as my computer was recovering from a minor keyboard flood. I've managed to pull back into action an old keyboard I found packed away in a box. I am ecstatic to be able to type spaces again, but I'm finding it a bit tough to get used to the feel of this configuration. It's an old Dell keyboard from the late 1990s and every time I press a key, it clicks. Oddly unnerving.

To celebrate the bits of spring that are starting to appear outside, I designed this navy and pink crocheted purse. I call it "Hints of Pink." In honor of my 400th post, I have decided to give it away to one lucky reader. I am opening this contest to everyone, regardless of location, so those of you who live outside the US may enter as well. Click on any photos to view a larger image.

The purse is worked in the honeycomb stitch, so bits of the crocheted pink lining (right) show though the fabric on the outside. Note: Photos of the whole purse (left and above) were taken with the purse full.

The button is crocheted (far left) from the same pink yarn and can fit in any of three button holes (left). The purse measures approximately 7" high and 8" long, flat. The strap is about 25" from end to end, but will stretch out nearly as far as 36".

How to Enter

Tell me your favorite springtime memory or tradition. You can simply leave a comment on this post for a single entry, however, if you'd prefer to write a post on your own blog and link to this page, you can do that, too, and earn an extra entry for your trouble. Just leave me a second comment with a link to your post. The deadline for entries is this coming Thursday, March 26th at 10:00 PM, CDT.

Wanna Win a Free Tee?

Michelle over at Psalm 104:24 is hosting a giveaway to celebrate her 100th post! Michelle designs two different T-shirt lines: Little Earth Angels, celebrating natural family living, and Hippie Love Child, where she encourages "labeling" our children in positive ways.

She's offering an entry for a free custom tie-dye from either site to anyone who comments on this post.

Good luck!

Remember That Doll?

You may recall I had that contest and the winner wanted a crocheted doll for her daughter. I mentioned that I would keep everyone updated on the progress of said doll. My bad.

I finished her about a month ago. I think she turned out pretty cute.

The doll's body and dress are based on patterns I found on Ravelry (here and here, respectively). I used the same shell stitch for the slippers that is in the skirt, but otherwise didn't follow any particular pattern for those. The hood and mitts I made up as I went along (and forgot to keep notes again, sorry).

All it all it was a lot of fun. I'd made a few stuffed animals before, but never a doll. I really dislike tying ends in and sewing pieces together, so I've been thinking about how I might be able to cut down on the number of seams required by the pattern above. I especially liked making the doll's clothes and accessories. There is just something wonderful about small projects that can be completed in one sitting; it does wonders for my instant gratification cravings.

In Which I Announce the Contest Winner

Congratulations to Danielle from Two-third's Red! Danielle has chosen for her prize a small crocheted doll wearing a doggy hood and paws--a gift for her daughter. I'll post updates as I'm working on it so she, and all of you, can watch the project progress.

So far, the only progress I've made is to look at patterns. I am inspired by these patterns I found on Ravelry (you can see pictures if you click on the links):

Morgan - Unisex Amigurumi Baby Doll (PDF) by Rowena Holt
Peach Delight Baby Doll Dress by Christina Budd
Baby Girl Sleeper Set by Abigail Goss
LollyPup by Rachel Crowthers
Dog/Puppy Doll by Ally W. (I can't seem to get the pattern to load, so I'm linking to a photo from someone who made the doll)

I Won!

I won a giveaway! I can't say which one, since the prize just might be used as a Christmas gift for someone who reads this blog, but I can say it was from Michelle at Scribbit. Thanks, Michelle!!

*happy dance*

Now, you still have a chance to win, too. My 300th post/10,000 visitor custom crochet contest ends TODAY. Enter here. Good luck!

Recycled Giftwrap

This year, as I was thinking about what it takes to make a frugal, green Christmas, It occurred to me that I could combine recycling, crafting, and gifting!

If you're looking for money saving holiday tips, you can find a whole bunch over at Keeping the Kingdom First. There is a contest for the most creative frugal idea, with a $500 gift card to Wal-Mart as the prize. Head on over to the contest page and check it out!

click photos for larger images      

Materials

• 25 plastic grocery bags made into plarn (plarnmaking instructions from My Recycled Bags.com), using only the solid color portion of the bag (if you want to use both the solid and printed sections of the bags, you'll only need about 15)
• A few yards of contrasting scrap yarn or plarn for embellishment (optional)
• 2 contrasting plastic bags for wrapping (I used bags from Barnes & Noble and Target for green and red)
• Handles from approximately 10 bags and one bottom seam for bow
• Size H (5.00 mm) crochet hook

Instructions

Box

Note: most rounds are worked continuously, do not join rounds with a slst unless indicated.

1. Ch 2; 4 sc in 2nd ch from hook.
2. 2 sc in ea sc around. (8 sts)
3. 2 sc in ea sc around. (16 sts)
4. 2 sc in 1st sc, *1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 times, 1 sc in last sc. (24 sts)
5. 1 sc in 1st sc, *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in ea next 2 sc* repeat 6 times, 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in last sc. (32 sts)
6. 2 sc in 1st sc, *1 sc in ea next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 times, 1 sc in ea last 3 sc, join with slst. (40 sts)
7. Ch 1, sc in ea sc around, join with slst.
8. Turn to ws; slst in ea sc around.
9. Turn to rs; sc in ea slst around.
10. Sc in ea sc around. Repeat for next 6 rows, join with slst at end of last row.
11. Ch 1, sc in ea sc around, join with slst.
12. Tie off and weave in ends.
13. Embellish as desired.

Lid

Note: most rounds are worked continuously, do not join rounds with a slst unless indicated.

1. Ch 2; 4 sc in 2nd ch from hook.
2. 2 sc in ea sc around. (8 sts)
3. 2 sc in ea sc around. (16 sts)
4. 2 sc in 1st sc, *1 sc in next sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 times, 1 sc in last sc. (24 sts)
5. 1 sc in 1st sc, *2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in ea next 2 sc* repeat 6 times, 2 sc in next sc, 1 sc in last sc. (32 sts)
6. 2 sc in 1st sc, *1 sc in ea next 3 sc, 2 sc in next sc* repeat 6 times, 1 sc in ea last 3 sc. (40 sts)
7. Sc in ea sc around, join with slst.
8. Ch 1, sc in first 10 sc, *2 sc in next sc, sc in next 9 sc* repeat 2 times, join with slst. (43 sts)
9. Turn to ws; slst in ea sc around.
10. Turn to rs; sc in ea slst around.
11. Sc in ea sc around.
12. Sc in ea sc around, join with slst at end of last row.
13. Ch 1, sc in ea sc around, join with slst.
14. Tie off and weave in ends.
15. Embellish as desired.

Wrapping

Cut handles, ends, and writing off contrasting colored bags. Use one to line box and protect gift. Wrap another around the outside of the box and secure with tape, as you would wrapping paper.


Bow

1. Flatten creases out of the handles of about 10 bags; the more handles you use, the fuller your bow will be.
2. Stack handles together, folded at seams (the very top of the bag).
3. Squeeze centers together and tie tightly with the bottom seam of one bag; do not trim ends of tie.
4. Trim off top seams and bottom edges of handles to within 2" of center tie.
5. Make ½"- to 1"-deep cuts across trimmed edges to fringe.
6. Spread out layers into a pleasing pouf.
7. Attach to wrapped gift using ends of tie.

You Make Me Laugh

Hooray, it's my 300th post! And I finally decided what to give away. Woo-hoo!

What you can win

A custom crocheted item, such as a hat, shawl, bag, or stuffed toy.

Take a look at my sidebar to see a few examples of my work, or click on the thumbnails below for larger images.

      

How to enter

I've been having a tough week. Adam told me it's been showing a bit in my most recent posts, so maybe you already knew that. I could use some fun. Your mission is to entertain me. Tell me a joke or a funny story in the comments. Link to a video of you making a fool of yourself. Share with me what has made you laugh out loud.

You can earn an extra entry by publicizing my contest on your blog. Feel free to use my blog button or the rotating image banner in my sidebar (let me know if you need the script for the banner).

As a special bonus, if you actually make me laugh out loud, you will earn a second (or third) entry.

I will be accepting entries through December 15th, so be sure to spread the word. And please, keep it clean. Confine all toilet humor to incidents involving training. (Thanks!)

This contest is open to everyone, but my international readers should be forewarned that if you win, your crocheted piece will be mailed slow-boat-to-China class, so it may take a while to arrive.

I make you laugh

I'll get us started on the laughter. I've shared this story before, so it may be familiar to longtime readers.

I was visiting Cornwall a few years back, and I watched the local news one evening. They had a story about a nearby football (soccer) team that had gotten into trouble because their ball boy was wearing shorts on a cold game day. Some official body was giving the team management grief about it. I probably missed some of the details, since I don't understand UK organized (or should I say "organised") football, but I was under the impression that the big concern was the ball boy's age and making sure he wasn't working under unduly harsh conditions.

At any rate, the news show had an interview with the team's manager and he pointed out that the boy had been wearing plenty of other warm clothing (mittens and wool socks and a jacket and so forth) and he never even complained of the cold. The interviewer asked some question about the upcoming game and what plans had been made to be sure the ball boys kept toasty.

The team manager kept a completely straight face and said, "Well, if the boys get cold, we can just wrap their legs in red tape."

Okay, Which One of You Didn't Vote?

It's not so bad to lose, but I really didn't want to lose by just one vote! Congrats to Lisa at Crazy Adventures in Parenting for creating the winning design.

Update!

Okay, here's the deal. There have been some technical difficulties over at Inspired Bliss, so the contest is still going on!

Attention all you late night folks ... voting will now close at 7:00 AM PST--and last I checked I was only down by ONE VOTE!

Off to see who else I can cajole encourage to go vote.

No Update

Well, I was going to come back this afternoon and share the results of the design contest. Only I don't have any yet. I've been checking every couple of hours since about 8:00 this morning, but no news yet. In fact, voting still seems to be going on. Go check it out for yourself, if you'd like.

Meanwhile, we're hanging out on the couch watching Big and trying not to drip hamburger grease on ourselves. Adam was convinced to make homemade french buns this morning. YUM! I made some oven-baked seasoned fries. Also yum, even though they stuck to the pan.

After dinner and the movie, apparently we'll be playing soccer in my daughter's room. She's been really interested in soccer ever since we've started watching JellyTelly. They have a little snippet of soccer techniques that's one once in a while. Lately she's been trying to hit headers on her beach ball.

Voting Ends at Noon

Just a reminder: Voting ends at noon Pacific time.

If you haven't yet voted for your favorite Mother Letter badge over at Inspired Bliss, you only have a few more hours.

Go. Vote.

Please.

Oh, and thank you so much for everybody who has been e-mailing to compliment my design. Warm fuzzies are just flowing through the internet lines!

Crochet Happiness

I just wanted to post some pictures of crochet projects I've been working on. The orange set is actually several months old, but I'm just now getting a photo. The other I finished only a couple of days ago. Click on either photo for a larger image.

               

Please excuse my inanimate models. When I went to take the photos the other night, I didn't have access to small children as my own was already in bed asleep.

The froggy hood and mitties I came up with after seeing this pattern on Ravelry. I wanted to make a more Kermit-like one, so I started with a basic hat and added chin flaps and the neon-green collar. The mitties are a single-strand version of my Ducky Slippers, but with the flipper sewn up at the fingers (to keep them warmer) and no turn for the ankle. I really need to start writing down all my patterns as I play. I could probably come up with one for the mitties, but I'm not sure I remember everything I did for the hood. It was lots of fun, though.

The orange beaded set was just an excuse to start crocheting with beads! I took my daughter shopping with me to purchase some yarn for a gift I am (still!) working on for my niece. As I talked to her about the project, she wanted a bag of her own, so I let her choose a couple of balls for herself. She decided bright shocking orange was her color. Again, I didn't write down the pattern, though, I might be able to figure these out. Both are pretty simple designs, as I recall. Most of my crochet projects are gifts, though, so if I don't take notes as I'm working, I don't get another chance to inspect them for pattern clues.

PSA ("Promotion-of-Self Announcement"): Please remember to vote in the Inspired Bliss badge design contest. You only have one more day!

Vote for Me!

Below is the button I created for The Mother Letter Project badge design contest, hosted by Inspired Bliss.

Voting lasts through Monday at noon PST. Please go vote for your favorite design. Tell your friends!