W.I.P. Wednesday - getting healthy

This week's post will not be a very fun one sadly. This week I came down with the flu very suddenly. Vincenso and I went to visit my family and I ended up sick by the time we were there, and we had to leave very shortly after. I became so ill so fast, that by the end of the night Vince had decided that I needed to go to the ER , and reluctantly, I agreed. When I say reluctantly, I really mean crying cause I'm a baby and having Vince calm me down and reassure me they wont find cancer or some other terrible thing wrong with me. I kind of have grown to have an irrational fear of hospitals and doctors. Please don't judge me, lol. Once I was seen at the ER they did some blood and urine tests and found that just from being sick that day, I had completely been drained of my fluids, the doctor's exact words was, "bone dry". They then hooked me up to an IV and I received two bags of fluids, and was able to go home around 1am instead of staying over night like they originally suggested. Now I am on a clear fluids diet by my doctor, as well as bed rest I guess, and I was given a prescription for nausea, but I'm starting to feel better already.  So the work in progress this week, is getting healthy. Sorry for the unexciting post, but if I don't get better, I wont be able to finish all my school work by the end of finals week. For future reference, I can almost guarantee I will not have time to post during next week because I'll be too busy with my finals, but you can look forward to having me back the following wednesday :]

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W.I.P. Wednesday - mustard hat and headband

I can't believe it's Wednesday again already! Its crazy how fast time flies! But I'm still terribly excited, there's only about 2.5 weeks left before I move back home for the summer. It seems so crazy to think that its time for summer again already. Whats even crazier is thinking soon I wont be seeing Vincenso on a daily basis anymore. I'm really going to miss that, the only plus side is that I'll be able to dive full force into the business and really get things rolling before I start working full time again. Anyways, not that I've got all my rambling out of the way, here's this week's WORK IN PROGRESS:

I'm very excited to say that I've already begun a steady list of items to be photographed already. I have a decent amount that needs to be listed on the store, as well as have labels sewn in. To top it all off, I've already finished two projects since the photoshoot, and I'm working on a third :]  The projects I completed this week was a triangle stitch slouch hat in yellow, as well as a headband in yellow, orange and coral.

The yellow slouch hat was more of a test run, I never use to take notes on my patterns at all, and I found a while ago that its rather hard to come back to an item made months ago, when I only made it once or twice and be able to recreate it without a problem. So now, I'm going back and figuring out  my patterns since all of them are my own, and taking notes. The yellow hat didn't come out quite as big as the one I was trying to follow, but I believe that was a hook mix up. I've had issues with that lately, including completely finishing a puff stitch hat entirely, trying it out, and realizing I made a HUGE mistake in hook size. Even Vince knew that, and I didn't listen to him, lol. Big mistake! But I've figured out the hat again, and I've fallen in love with it all over again!

The second completed project was a simple headband using three threads at once, simple single crochet pattern, but I just LOVE the looks of these. I liked them a lot before, but absolutely fell in love at the photo shoot and wanted to make more :] I really love the colors in this.

Now my actual project I am currently working on is a Jellyfish bag! I'm in love already and I only have the bottom done. I really wish I had the time today to do more, but as it is, the work I did get done, was done during class. I just can't wait to see it finished! I don't want to say anything else till its done, because I have plenty of plans for it, but my plans tend to develop into other ones before any project is done with a new pattern. Since I have to be up early tomorrow, I am going to leave it at that! Can't wait for next week! ;]

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Photo shoot!

Today's photo shoot started off rocky. We had planned to shoot pictures of the accessories outside around campus, but the day started out raining! I was bummed thinking that we wouldn't have anywhere to shoot, so on the way to pick up our models, I started brainstorming with Jenna, my little sister and photographer, and we decided, that upstairs in the library between the  "stacks" would be a good alternative to outside since the sprinkle had increased to a heavy rain.

When we got back to Vincenso's which was our headquarters for the day, we discussed the game plan, and started looking at the clothes they had brought and passing out accessories that would match accordingly. We assigned all the pieces pretty fast, and when I went to tell Vince the game plan, he made a great suggestion to take pictures by the little coffee shop in Franks, a classroom building on campus, and so we brought some mugs and headed out on our way.

To start off we took pictures of all the girls together to help them warm up and feel comfortable. It worked really well and it seemed to help keep them from feeling nervous. Then we dove right in! It went so fast I was shocked, I'm use to working with just one model, so the photo shoots usually take so long, and that's probably why I had such a bulk of products that needed to be photographed. It went so smoothly being able to let Jenna control the photos while I got the next one ready to be shot, occasionally stepping in to fix hair or something on the current model. 

We were able to get everything we took with us modeled before one of the models had to leave for work. When we left we planned on heading to the coffee shop, but the rain had let up and we were actually able to take some photos outside. They came out so cute! I don't want to put up a bunch of photos we took today, that way I don't spoil the surprise, but I'm including a few :]

Vince's idea for the coffee shop was just so perfect! The girls looked great sitting outside it and having their coffee ;] (the mugs were empty, but they pretended. lol) I'm happy he suggested it, he's so cute, after the shoot when I told him how perfect the spot was for it, he responded with, " I just imagine people that wear those kind of things like to hang out at coffee shops..."  awww.... if he only understood how cute he can be sometimes :] <3

Having the day start out raining was a blessing in disguise! I never would of thought to take photos inside if it hadn't have been for the rain, and the girls were great! Dalana was bummed she wasn't able to make it today with some of her creations. But we absolutely cannot wait till the next one! It was so nice to finally see my things on someone besides myself. So often I make things, or come up with things in my head, but then I wonder, will someone else look cute with this? Would someone else like this, or is it just my quirky style? Today gave me that push I needed to know I'm going in the right direction by following my heart's designs and not just what I thought other people would want to buy. There's still so much to do, but I'm having so much fun! I'm so blessed to have such a great family and boyfriend to help me, and encourage me along the way!

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W.I.P. Wednesday - *BRAND NEW FEATURE*

I am absolutely thrilled to announce a new feature on the blog today, Work In Progress Wednesday! For now on, *EVERY* Wednesday (hopefully, things like finals get in the way sometimes) I will be updating the blog  with my latest project that i'm working on and give you guys a look at possible upcoming items for the store!

For week one, I have two projects. I went home this week and snatched up a couple started but unfinished projects, hoping to finish as many as I could before the photo shoot this weekend. The latest project I finished was a decorative cowl.

Its done in mostly redheart yarn, the coral color is a different brand, but the skein was older and no longer had a label with it so I couldn't tell you what it was. But the pattern is awfully pretty :] The finished look is like a rectangle checkerboard pattern done in single crochets, and double crochet I believe? Crochet is hard for me to describe sometimes. Since I taught myself, I kind of made up my own names for some stitches, but I believe it is double crochet for the rectangles. Anyways! I absolutely adore it! <3

The second project I'm working on today and a lovely little shawl. Its done in blue white and green, in Bernat Softee Baby brand yarn. Its so  delicate feeling compared to what I usually work with, and its all chain stitches! So simple, but I just love this look for my spring time shawls/scarfs. I love that they're light and fun for the spring time, yet when bulked up for a scarf they work lovely too!

 I want to create multiple items for my brand under the store Peace Craft Love ( the one I'm starting up with Dalana that will hopefully be up in May!!! ) that can be used/worn in multiple ways. I love accessorizing, I love hats, bags, scarfs, jewelry, everything and anything that can spruce up an outfit, and there is absolutely nothing better that an accessory that can be worn multiple ways. Right now the only accessories I have like this are my shawls. You can wrap them all different ways and wear them like a shawl, but then you can wear them as scarfs, and a bikini wrap as well. I love versatility, and I have a few more ideas up on the drawing board. I know at least one other multi-use item will definitely be available by the time we open, but you'll just have to wait to hear more on that one :] Can't spoil all my surprises in one post can I?

Now that our Spring semesters are coming to an end, things are moving really fast for the store, and I just can't wait! As soon as I have finalized information I'll let you guys in on all the fun! STAY TUNED <3

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One more month!

One more month till I am done with my junior year here at TU. Sounds positively crazy, but I cannot wait for what my future will bring, and I'm almost one year away from finishing my undergrad! It seems so absolutely crazy. Not only do I have only one more month before schools out, but only one month until I look at Wayne State for a program following the completion of my BA at TU. I'll give more details on that once I find out whether its an option or not. Something else to look forward to in May beside the lovely rest and relaxation time brought on by the beautiful days of summer, we are hopefully going to be launching the store in May!

I can not possibly explain how absolutely thrilled I am to be moving forward! So many little things need to get taken care of this month, but I have high hopes we'll be able to meet our set deadline :] Its only the first day following our meeting and already we're off to a good start! We have a great design for our business cards that we're tweaking the finer details of. We also have some rough sketches for our cloth labels that will be sewn onto our products. Speaking of products, today I finished a new bag, a necklace, a headband, and I'm working on a scarf! This last weekend I made two new hats, and a cupcake bag as well. They all got added to the list of more things that are needing to be photographed for the store and the blog, which will hopefully happen this weekend with the aid of my baby sister Jenna and her beautiful photography skills, and my cousin Madison and her friends.

If possible, Jenna is coming up and staying with me and Vincenso this Friday night so we can have some fun and have a photo shoot on Saturday before we head to my parents house for the weekend. I'm terribly excited for everything this week. I'm feeling so blessed to have such a wonderful family and boyfriend and to have so many exciting things in my future!

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