EtsyHooker Profile --- The Colorful Bee

If you are looking for a place to shop that features cute, yet inexpensive novelty gift items, then look no further.

The Colorful Bee features crocheted novelty purses, hair accessories, doilies and much more. Most items are priced under $25.00 and are ready to be shipped out ASAP.

Custom colors are available and custom orders are accepted. (see website for details)

All items are made with lots of love by me *The Colorful Bee* in my home.

Holiday decor and gifts coming in late summer! Start your holiday shopping early to avoid the mad rush later on!

Look for my "Jumpstart to Christmas Sale" in October. Great gift ideas and great pricing during this event!

Kim Luxich

*The Colorful Bee*

EtsyHooker of the Week ---- Smudgekitty

Smudgekitty has found a really cute model for her beaded beanie hat. It grabs your attention and then you get to check out the lovely crochet and bead work in this hat.



One of Smudgekitty's best sellers are her eye makeup remover pads and matching bag. She has several sets of these on sale right now in her "Stash Busting Sale" section.



I think my favorite in Smudgekitty's shop is this set of amigurumi for your favorite movie goer. It makes me crave popcorn, a soda, and holding hands in the theater.

Creative Challenge No. 2 Rainbow Theme Winner

And the winner is . . .

DebzCreations Rainbow Puzzle Hand Bag

For this Rainbow themed Challenge, members were asked to create an item using at least 5 of the 7 colors of the traditional rainbow; red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet. They were also asked to describe how color influences their designs.

This winning design by DebzCreations is not only a colorful and creative entry, but it has a special theme, close to her heart, that ties in beautifully with this Challenge. “This bag was created as a tribute to my incredible 14 year old autistic daughter . . . Autism is a puzzle. Currently 1 in every 150 babies born have some form of Autism. The rainbow of colors represents the wide diversity of the Autism Spectrum.”

I hope you’ll take a moment to read her full description here.

With an amazing attention to detail, and the carefully crafted puzzle edgings, it’s not hard to see why this entry caught the attention of so many voters. You can see that same attention to detail in her shop items: shawls, ponchos, wraps; appendage warmers; brain warmers; afghans and much more.

Purple Peacock Lacy Crochet Wrap Cape Throw

Earth's Bounty King/Queen Crochet Coverlet Afghan

Cotton Crochet Hobo Shoulder Tote Bag

Congratulations to DebzCreations for winning the Rainbow Challenge!

Already, members and myself are eagerly awaiting the next Challenge (which will start in August), and as the winner of this Challenge, DebzCreations will get to choose the theme for the next one, and I can’t wait to see what creative theme she comes up with!

I would also like to thank NoraDora, for creating the Rainbow theme. And thank you to all the members who participated and entered - you are all winners! With 43 amazing entries and 321 votes cast, you have made this Challenge a huge success - thank you!

Team Versions of July Pattern of the Month

RedBerryCrochet took up the challenge to create a cell phone bag based upon cowgirlcrysi's pattern. Since we all tend to have a little different gauge, here is RedBerryCrochet's interpretation of cowgirlcrysi's pattern for her phone:
Materials:
Size G (4.0 mm) hook, acrylic worsted weight yarn, 7/8" button
Gauge - 4dc = 1"
Finished size 3 5/8" wide (including edging), 3 1/2" tall with a 14 1/2" strap.
Directions:
Row 1 (RS): ch 13, dc in 4th ch from hook and in each across. (11 dc incl ch 3)
Row 2-14: work even in dc.
Row 15: ch 1, turn, sc in next 5 dc, (sl st, ch 20 for button loop, sl st) in next st, sc in next 5 dc. Fasten off.
Turn so WS is facing and fold Row 1 up to Row 15. Starting at bottom right corner, sc evenly through both thicknesses to top. Ch 60 for strap. Sc evenly again through both thicknesses on other side. Fasten off, weave in ends, sew button to front.




The Colorful Bee (aka Kim) also took up the challenge to create a cell phone holder. Her version is very colorful, just like her shop name. She has an Apple I-Phone, so she changed the pattern to make it fit her phone; she also designed it for the phone to lay on its side.

Kim used worsted weight cotton yarn and a size H hook. Her pouch is 16 double crochets wide and 12 rows long. Instead of sewing her holder closed, she chose to single crochet all the way around with a medium length single crochet strap.

Crochet Pattern of the Month --- Cell Phone Bag

Thanks to Crystal of Crochet Creations by Cowgirlcrysi, the EtsyHookers blog has its first pattern of the month. Make one and share a photo with the team and we will add your version to the blog!

Cell Phone Bag

Materials:

Sugar and Cream cotton yarn (or other worsted weight cotton yarn)

button

tapestry / yarn needle

H- hook

I have a LG phone slim phone, so this is based on that sized phone.

Directions:

Chain 24 and measure chain across the phone to see if its wide enough; if its not add a few ch stitches and check to see if it's wide enough. When it is wide enough across, add 4 more chains to make room for a seam.

Dc 28 stitches (or number of chains needed for width),chain 2. Turn.

Make 30 rows of dc. (Check against phone to see if it is twice the length of the phone itself. If it is continue until it is, ending with an even number of rows. Tie off; weave in ends.

Fold the piece in half; it should be long enough for the phone to be covered front and back. With a yarn needle sew the sides up leaving the top open.

Make a strap to carry by chain stitching the length you want it to be. Tie ends off and sew to the pouch.
Turn piece right side out.

You can add a button like I did or use yarn to make tie top .

The example is done with Sugar and Cream in lime.

Embellish with fun fur or whatever. The sky's the limit :)

created by crystal calandra