Fabulous...that is the word for the day...

How are you? FABULOUS I hope! How am I? FABULOUS!

How can we not be during Crochet Month! (International/National/heck why not UNIVERSAL!)

I'm blogging on a Saturday! That means I'm up to my old Fearless Leader tricks!
Getting everything set and polished for Monday night's Flamie Awards! You'd better show up folks, you gotta see the talent! See who won! I'm so excited I could "squee"...

I'm also getting ready to start the second book in our little CLF series! The adult themed book, working title being "Crochet in Chains~ the clf all growed up!"

So excited! There are some beautiful patterns, silly patterns, fun patterns, and yes, it is indeed adult themed! But last I checked, that really isn't a market served now is it? It's like some how (I'll spell it out so we don't say it...) S. E. X. is bad and awful...Last I checked if it weren't around neither would be my kids :)

It's been interesting to see what the various interpretations of Adult themed were in the submission process!

This book will be smaller than the CLF First Ever Book, which may I remind you is still for sale on Amazon.com or on the CLF Website and NOW as a PDF for only $9.99 on Lulu.com. The more you support the CLF in purchasing the books the sooner we can start actually paying some real money to designers! And take over the world...but that's a secondary goal :)

Enjoy your National Crochet Month, and DO NOT FORGET THE FLAMIES!!! TWO DAYS!
http://www.blogtalkradio.com/mary-beth-temple Monday Night 9pm Eastern/6pm Pacific!

March: In like a Lion out Like a Lamb...

Well the wind did howl as March first came...and so did the wirlwind of voting for the Flamies!
The votes are in, and tabulated, now dear Ms. Fignations (Darlisa) will be a busy bee engraving names onto the plaques for the winners!

Ooooh, this should be just nerve wracking for all of the nominees! Egads, I'm sure glad I'm not them! (*evil chuckle*)...oh, did I make it worse? MUWAHAHAHAHA...

Ok, I'll stop and be nice, I won't torture the nominees (much) in the ensuing weeks :) )

In the mean time please remember that the CLF First Ever Book is available for sale via Amazon.com, our CLF Website, and now in PDF version on lulu.com.

Last year I was so busy putting life together in March, I didn't get a chance to do the Natcromo Free Form Game hosted by Kaet, I'm making myself do it this year! She's working via inspiration, and it's been fun so far! Especially to see how everyone interprets her "prompts".

If you are ravelry, check out our projects! If not, you can see what I'm doing on my personal blog. March 3rd is kinda funny....at least it was at 11:30 pm when I was trying to photograph my stuff and a certain feline got into the act! Egads!

Just Postulating...Don't Shoot the Postulator...

Ok before I postulate or pontificate...or get on my big soap box...let me first say this....

The revised version (third time round :) ) of the Crochet Liberation First Ever Book is now available for your humble purchase through Amazon.com or via the Crochet Liberation Front Website ($24.50 through Februrary 16th)... So if you want fast shipping use amazon, if you can wait for about a week and a half chose the CLF website ;) YAY...

Now on to the postulation...

We've had this discussion about how the industry has statistics about needle arts, and how the pointy stick users will buy more, and pay for yarn, patterns etc....I've had a different experience, both as a crocheter, and as a vendor of quality art yarn.

As we discussed the matter on Ravelry I paused for thought (I know oh shock of shocks)...What if we crocheters don't do these things because we are not that market...what if we are something totally different...What if we want different things? What if we need something else? What if they aren't serving us because no one asked the right questions?

So let us ask those questions...HERE...and see what we have to say for ourselves... It's only 7 questions long, and I'm just kind of curious to see what answers we get! Yeah it's not scientific, yeah it's not developed by some polling company, but lets see what we say here...and test our own waters...

I know what I really should have put...how many of us are sick of the "knitting ads" in the CLF Group on Ravelry? I mean, I've ranted on this one before and many companies listened, I guess I'm gonna have to rant again :)

Please take the survey even if you aren't involved with the CLF ravelry group :)

CLF First Ever Book on hold for a little bit...

Well, I've made some corrections to the CLF First Ever Book...so as I was going to do the third upload during the week before Christmas, and um...well...cough...got snowed in! Now I shall do it, so for those of you who have been waiting to purchase the book with all it's corrected glory, you can do so in the next few days! Probably by Monday, if not sooner :)

Thanks for your support in this very first endeavor. I am so looking to the next two books to use all of my new found knowledge and skills, and man it's gonna be great!

So, stay tuned, I'll let you know when the CLF First Ever Book is up and for sale once again :)

Hooks Raised, CLF Salute!

Book News...CLF Talkin

Well, we're doing well with the book, getting copies out as fast as I can, I'm waiting on the other royalties to hit my account so I can send books overseas....

The book remains in steady sales which is great...especially since we're independant, and don't have an agent, or PR person, or anything but our own little selves...As I work on these things I just remember how much I love the "Little Engine that Could" story, and mutter, "I think I can, I think I can..."

I would love us to hit 10,000 copies...Being that the ultimate goal is to pay for patterns...and pay well...That would be so cool....

I could also use some good equipment etc :) LOL...Some day...Some way we'll make it happen.

With the holidays approaching and the economic circumstances being tight, I want to remind you that you are doing the world a favor by making gifts. If you are having a hard time thinking up ideas that are pretty, and not expensive...

here are some small projects.

1) Neck Warmers/Pillows...Crochet a tube of about a yard long, (I felted mine) but you can use acrlic yarn too...make it so it has a DC edging on each end so you can run ribbon through it to tie off the ends...Using nylons or stockings, fill with dried beans/lentils and herbs if you have em...or essential oils if you have em (no harm if not) and then stuff nylon with fill into the tube, use a ribbon or cord to tie the ends...and voila...

I used two skeins of Cascade 220 to make mine and used less than a full skein each for a two color, so I would say it's a one skein of that yarn project ;)

2) IPod holders, or cell phone covers

3) Hotpads, Washcloths, dish clothes in cotton done in pretty colors and different stitch patterns, what a great way to learn how to do cables!

4) Little cotton soap bags...I just crochet a rectangle and crochet it together into a bag, put in some handmade soap (made by a friend) and make it a draw string, great for the shower :)

5) Christmas Ornaments. If you go to my Secrets of Yarn Blog I have a pattern for flannel ornaments with crocheted edging, and you can always use the Irish Crocheted Rose as an ornament...

6) Hair accessories or jewelry, earrings...that crocheted rose again works in that capacity depending on what kind of yarn/thread is used.

Don't let the economy get you down...The more we focus on the negative the more we feed it...let's be crafty and cunning and beat that market at it's own stupid game...I believe in postive thought breeding positive outcomes...some day when I write the story of my life you'll understand...(Really, no reason on earth for me to be on the planet personally...but Positive thought has made all kinds of cool things!)

Hooks raised and oooh are you so ready for Turkey? I am...

#17 and rising!!!

Wow! I just checked where the Crochet Liberation Front First Ever Book stood on Amazon.com's list of Crochet Books! We come up #17 in the search! WOWOWOWOWOWOWEEE!

That's beyond cool guys! The more books we sell, the more we can do in the future...I'm hoping the Christmas season influences our "market" a little so that I have money in the bank when we finally get to the place for submissions with book #2 that I can pay for patterns...We're getting there!

Did you notice the ticker? The $880 is what I need to reimburse my grocery money for contributor copies of the book ;) After that we get to start the ticker towards 10,000 books! If we get to 10,000 copies I will write a gift check to each person who contributed!

Like I have said repeatedly I will not be satisfied if I am the only one who benefits, it must benefit as many as possible!

Exciting News...

Hello minions!

Today I have some fun news for you. First of all, Amazon.com has discounted the CLF First Ever Book to 27.99 with the option for 2day free shipping. Feel free to use their special discounts, I had nothing to do with this, other than our marketing has been so good that for a new book (from an unknown) to sell as well as it has out of the starting gate that they think we have something! WHOOT!

So, again please feel free to take advantage of Amazon's great deal, it's cheaper than our member price and I just can't afford to offer that good a price to you all!

For LYSes please contact me directly and I DO have a special deal for you to carry the book!! YAY...Even better than I thought I could do...so it's all win win...

MORE NEWS!!!

I feel so honored! Mary Beth Temple is going to be interviewing me on Getting Loopy, Monday Sept. 29!!! CHECK IT OUT! Oooooh I feel so real :)

Reading from the book...

Hello Minions and Great Hookalicious folk!

I thought I'd remind you that not only does our fabulous hooking compendium of yummy goodness have 36 totally Picot Freeing patterns...it has 13 useful, inspiring, touching articles as well...

Since people are so used to things being "all biznez" in crafting books today, I wanted to let you know I modeled the content a bit like the old Women's Day Magazines and Work Baskets (modern approach of course). I own a ton of the vintage tomes and one of the things I've loved about them most are the articles....

So, in honor of the great articles in the book I'm giving readings of those articles...the first reading is now available on our Podcast uploaded fresh today! You get to hear my incoherent ramblings about the PDX experience (btw did I mention I got to meet Regina of MONSTER CROCHET...OMG I am so not worthy!)... I end the podcast with a reading of CLF Minion Extraordinaire: Alia Smith's (crotcheteer on ravelry) article entitled: "The Five Mistakes"...

A humorous take on the five worst mistakes LYSes can make when serving/not serving crocheters...It made me laugh, I hope it makes you laugh too! CHECK IT OUT HERE!

More about DA Book!

Ok, I got the first proof back today (the one I knew I would have to edit again due to a jpeg resolution issue)...

WOW it looks like a real live book people! I'm very happy with the layout, the paper quality, and the print quality (where I didn't under-resolve graphics...)...

The next proof should be here in a week...and once I'm satified with that, we'll have the book up for sale! Fingers crossed....I have to say I'm very happy with the imprinter...

I'm so ready it's not funny! So folks, in Portland at the CLF Booth hopefully I will have the correct proof, but if not I will have the first sample proof (which is a little different) and we'll at least show how clean and awesome the layout is!

And we'll have post cards!! Now let's see if I can get more t-shirts ordered in time ;)