"Imagination is more important than knowledge." ~Albert Einstein

Monday, November 16, 2009

Giveaway Winners!

Are you excited?? I am! Ok so you know the process, i pledge to you honesty. I rechecked my running list to be sure i knew everyone's number of entries. There was a total of 21 Entrants and a total of 42 entries between them all. All names were written in pencil on squares of paper that were all the same size, then balled up and tossed in a jar. They were shaken and stirred. My three year old was the one to reach in and randomly hand me three with no hesitation. The winners are placed by number of entries, so the one with the most will be in 1st place.

Are you ready to see the winners? Ok here there are! In this order.
1st: Turtlevillage 2nd: ItsfromArizona 3rd: CraftyJemima

Yah! Give the winners a round of applause :D Ok winners, feel free to take sometime and browse my shop. You may choose any item you like, either tweet me the item of your choice or leave a comment below. If there is a discrepancy i will let you know and the item will go to the higher rank winner.

Everyone else who participated big thank yous and don't be disappointed your name will remain in the pot for the next giveaway! Show the winners some tweet love?
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Friday, November 6, 2009

Happy Friday!

It's a beautiful Friday morning! I'm sipping an eggnog latte, updating the giveaway entries and looking over my calender. There are 10 more days to enter the giveaway, which means 10 more days to tweet tweet tweet for even MORE entries. I am really excited about it so don't miss out!

I've added a new listing as well. The Ring Around the Posie Hat in Bluebell. So sweet! Love it, love it! The next color in line i am actually almost done with and it is a darker purplie color, i am trying to decide whether to call it plum or fig. Maybe I'll run a poll.

Also I'm offering free shipping this weekend in the shop along with the 10% + $3 sale! Good deals, better jump on it!
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Wednesday, November 4, 2009

It's a CoSwap!

I was thinking of random things and this popped in my head. A CoSwap! what the heck is that you ask? It's coupon swapping!

So it's a little more in depth than it appears at first glance. What I mean by this is to have a collaboration among a few sellers(at least), maybe i'll start a twibe for it or something... What would happen is this, a group of sellers would swap "coupon" cards. I don't know about the rest of you, but i have little thank you cards that also have a 10% off coupon for their next purchase. So what would happen is each seller would send some of there coupon cards to each of the other sellers. When sellers are packing up sales they should include like 3 other coupon cards along with their own, rotating if need be so everyones card has a fair chance.

These coupon cards should be not so much an advertisement as an additional thank you, and no more than 3 because you don't want to bombard the customer. This would give sellers a chance get some more exposure as well as keep the customers coming back. Whether or not they use the coupons they are going to remember getting them, or maybe they will give them away to friends. I think this would be good for everyone involved. What do you think?
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Thursday, October 22, 2009

Quick Update!

Hey everyone one! Things are going good so far, trying to spread the word around. Don't forget that every tweet gets you another entry, so far Itsfromarizona has the most. I have a few items that I am finishing up that should be out before the end of the giveaway. If all goes as planned at least.

I am going to amend that you can use whatever message you like for your tweet, i mean word it however you want. Just as long as it has '@peppermintknits' and the bit.ly link so I can keep track.

As always i am here if you have questions, again good luck and thanks for participating!
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Monday, October 19, 2009

Giveaway! (CLOSED)

Yah! It's time for Peppermint Knits first official giveaway! In combination with the giveaway there is a sale. The sale starts today Monday, October 19th and runs for four weeks ending on Monday, November 16th. I've decided to hold this event to celebrate my daughter turning 3 and hopefully kick-off the holidays. You will receive a 10% discount plus $3 off of all purchases. I know what you're thinking, What about the giveaway??



Terms for the giveaway are:

1)First you need to become a follower of the blog. This makes you eligible for the giveaway as well as counts for your first entry. This is also where I will update the progress of the giveaway. Go ahead and leave a comment below what your twitter identity is.

2)From there you can gain additional entries every time you tweet the following message: @PeppermintKnits is holding a Holiday kick-off sale and Giveaway! Check out the blog for details http://bit.ly/2WWCVB
(you may do some slight editing if you need, but you must leave @PeppermintKnits so I can keep track of your giveaway entries) -NO SPAMMING- Update: You can tweet whatever message you like but you Must keep '@PeppermintKnits' and the bit.ly url in it so i can see them to keep track. This will determine your number of entries.

3)For those of you who don't have or use twitter but are on facebook you can still enter too. First become a fan of the fan page for your first entry ( http://bit.ly/3OvYOU ). Then post the previous messege to your news feed for additional entries.

3)Purchases also give you additional entries for each item purchased.

4) At the end three names will be drawn as winners for the giveaway.

Now that you know the terms, I bet your wondering what items are being given away. The three winners will be able to pick an item in my shop! Any one item they like or can make a request based on items already in the shop (example: if you'd like something in a different color). The winners will be ranked based on number of entries. The one who had the most entries will be first to pick and so on.

I hope you all are as excited as i am about this giveaway! Spread the word and good luck! If there are any questions don't hesitate to ask!
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Tuesday, September 22, 2009

Cozy Cowls for Fall!

Cozy Cowls
I am in love with these cowls. They are available in 3 sizes and 6 colors with more coming. The sizes are as follows: Tall (approx inches), Short (approx. inches), and Squat (approx. inches). The colors so far are Forest (pictured), Sea (pictured), Black (pictured), Poppy (red), Cream, and Tickled (pink). I've chosen a heavenly soft bamboo yarn that is perfectly warm and snuggly. I am building stock so most will be made to order right now while I do, though the delay should only be 2 to 4 days before shipping. If you have questions let me know!

Tall Forest CowlBlack Short CowlSea Squat Cowl
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Sunday, August 2, 2009

Autumn and Posies

Anyone that has known me for any length of time will know that fall is my favorite season and with that a heap of love for the holiday's (which by the way I can't wait until the welcomed cool days of fall). Perhaps that is where my love for knitting comes from. Since deciding to group and release my new projects together I've been making a goal of building stock. The idea of have "stock" was always something that scared me, even if i wouldn't admit it before. Because it meant spending a chunk of money and taking a chance that it would be along time before i made that money back. It was also an excuse for me to tell myself that this wasn't really my "business" but something i did for fun. But the truth is my own business it what i've wanted for a long time. So it's time to invest some money and the extra time to build up that stock. I also took some time this week to explore better ideas for how i'd like to wrap/package my items to ship. A few things i have firmly decided on like investing in some woven labels, the rest still a bit up in the air. Most all of it has to be ordered and put together and i know my customers will appreciate the personal touch.

The new items are due to be released the last week of August or the first week of September depending how things go. My favorite is a hat I've decided to call Posie. I am super excited about this one, it is just too cute. I will post some teasers this week. I will also be bringing out some arm warmers to match the luxury neck warmer, can I tell you this yarn is just delicious. I'll also have a few simple scarves.

On a random tangent, I found (quite accidentally) one day while having a Nutella craving that a smear of it between 2 vanilla wafers tastes amazingly like a Pepperidge Farm Milano cookie. Then I got this crazy idea that we should put together a bunch and dip them in white chocolate. Talk about creating a new weakness! When i get around to putting those together I'll let you know how they turned out.

UPDATE! Sept 20, 2009: The Posie hat is finally out! Sorry it took so long, my timeline got thrown off with all my school stuff. Without further delay here it is!

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Sunday, July 5, 2009

I am ashamed

I have been so neglectful, there is no excuse but really I just forget. That or I have a wealth of ideas and they all sound so much better in my head because when I get to the computer to post about them they are short and lame so I just don't post at all.

So I'll work on that, I could share my newest treasury Memories of Morning


At the moment it's rainy and cool outside so I'm taking advantage of nap time to work on building my family tree on ancestry dot com.
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Monday, June 1, 2009

I'd like Neapolitan please!

It's a little overdue and a lot of cuteness. This might just be my personal favorite so far. Ok enough talking here it is!



The baby version will be discounted because I was experimenting with the colors and it's not exactly how I will be making them in the future. I've also decided to change the ribbing a little and make the hat a little more like a tam. My plan is to work on a whole troop of Bee My Honey hats with the changes I've made to the pattern. Then some time near the end of the summer have a sale on the old style just in time to post all the new ones for Fall.
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Sunday, May 24, 2009

Making the Switch

I have been an avid firefox user for quite some time but lately i've been having a few technical issues with it that I haven't been able to correct. Even by reinstalling so i decided to look into and try out some other browsers. Right now I'm using Flock (2.5 Beta) It's also powered by Mozilla and works very similarly, though it has add-ons that allow you to see whats happening on facebook or twitter (and others) while you're browsing. So we'll see how it goes.

In other news I've had to put the lacy gloves on hold. I found out that the cashmere blend yarn I've been using (love) has been discontinued. So the search is on for a comparable yarn. I already have a couple ideas, may just have to buy a couple different skeins and swatch in pattern. In the mean time I am reworking a neapolitan version of the Bee My Honey hat. I know I'm bad about updating but look for pictures soon!
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Wednesday, May 13, 2009

SEO for Etsy

I've been reading a fair amount lately on marketing, advertising and other things to help build my {tiny} business. I love my Etsy shop, truthfully I just love Etsy. I love all it has to offer as well as the standard to which it is run. Not to say that other sites in the same category are bad or not doing it right. They all have their own method, I simply prefer Etsy's method. Since opening my shop I can't tell you how valuable the emails are, especially to new sellers. I've spent this afternoon reading about SEO (search engine optimization - makes it easier for google, yahoo and other search engines to find you). I knew some about SEO previously but I hadn't realized the steps Etsy had taken to allow it's members to take full advantage of it. Tonight and tomorrow I plan to finish up tweaking in my shop. If you are interested here is the Etsy article on SEO.
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Monday, May 11, 2009

Aloe Vera Transplant

A few years ago bought a silly little aloe plant. I was really buying it because i liked the decorative little pot it was in. This poor aloe plant has been through so much, it's been ignored, shoved onto the shelf in the garage, sunburned, over watered and just all around uncared for. But it has not giving up life yet. It has managed to survive through (what i thought to be) numerous "deaths" while actually sprouting 4 baby aloes in the mean time. They are all still crowded into a pot really only barely big enough for one. So today is the day I decided to take pity on that poor tortured aloe by transplanting it's babies and giving it a good dose of fresh soil. Who knows maybe we will end up selling a troop of aloe in a few years.

Here is a picture of it a couple years ago the first time I took pity on it and let it out of the 3 inch pot it came in and into a 6 inch pot. (Don't be fooled by that huge ceramic pot, the real pot is just set in there, dad thought it would look nice.
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Thursday, May 7, 2009

Rain and Lace

Working on these couple of projects is becoming frustrating. Possibly because of the perfectionist in me, the little critic in my head that is always most critical of the creative works I allow to come out of me. I find myself continuously frogging and starting over. As a result I feel that I can't effectively empty my soul of this creative energy, it's starting to run rampant and become destructive.

In other news I did finish the lace hand warmers I was working on. It is has been raining almost everyday here. I love rain, but it makes me quiet and thoughtful. Then I get a fair amount of static from friends about it, I can't help it if I'm an ambivert. I also decided to give ArtFire a try. I have only ever known Etsy until now, I would like to try artfire on and see how it feels, how it flows and where it takes me. I will most likely keep both however I am not completely sure I will be able to maintain both in the long run. However I will cross that bridge when I come to it.
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Wednesday, April 29, 2009

Plenty To Follow

Lately I've been trying to work out the kinks with the appearance of my blog and shop. I am probably shooting myself in the foot by doing that instead of concentrating more time on creating new items. There is always a wealth of creative ideas flurrying around in my head, which I am sure is common among most of us crafty types.

In honor of spring I am working on a couple lighter pieces.



Both are lacy and made with light breathable yarns rather than a heat holding wool. The first is a twist on a vine lace pattern, my dilemma with this one is whether to make it a cowl, shawl or scarf. I think that I will make it a long cowl that can be pulled down over the arm and shoulder to show off the detail.

The second is a fingerless glove. I've chosen a soft blue yarn that I love and is actually a cashmere blend. This one is taking shape as it grows on the needles and I've still not decided how I will finish off the cuff and how long it should be.

In among these I still have winter ideas popping up that I am trying to take in stride. Though winter is over I want to bring these ideas up and keep track of them. That way once fall rolls in again I'll be ready with fresh ideas.

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Friday, April 17, 2009

My First Etsy Treasury

I am super excited that I got to put together my first ever Etsy treasury. I have attempted it a few times but never did get to do it. So in honor of that I thought I would just share the excitment!

Hear is lovely treasury #1

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Tuesday, April 14, 2009

Great Product for Kids

Parenting is about 30% existing knowledge and 70% continuing education. As a first time mom, so far every time I was sure I knew what was next I was completely wrong. Learning to go with the flow is essential along with taking difficult situations in stride. Sometimes the littlest gadget can make things a world easier. Here are some of my favorites.



When my daughter first started daycare one thing that annoyed me was how they labeled juice cups. I had been looking for something significantly defining to put on the sippy cup but was having no luck. Writing in permanent marker on the bottom of the cup didn't work as it came off in the dishwasher. Letting the daycare mark the cups wasn't always a good choice. You never know what you'd get, You might get masking tape (which I wasn't thrilled with but at least it would remove easily). Other times you would get a regular paper address label! Not only did it not want to come off, but even months after the label was "off" there was still very sticky residue. She didn't need to hold the cup the cup just stuck to her. I was really irritated that they had pretty much ruined our juice cups.

Then I finally found the perfect solution! I found a site that sells rubber labels that are made similar to the colorful bracelets that have become really popular the last couple years. They come as a pack of 4, are customizable up to 2 lines and you can include a little icon like a heart, star or flower. There are 4 colors to choose from and they fit pretty much any bottle or sippy. You can get them from inchbug.com and from now through 4/30/09 you can save 10% on your purchase! Use coupon code APR430AB at check out.

Another great little helper is a bath thermometer that warns you with a beep and a read out if bath water rises above 100 degrees or drops below 89 degrees. I originally though that bath thermometers were really only useful for tiny babies. However my daughter loves bath time and I have no qualm about allowing her to play for a somewhat extended period while I get ready for bed too or fold and put away towels (always staying within range to see and hear of course). We always start with a nice warm bath but on a few occasions the water has pretty much gone cold and i had no idea until i went to wash her. You can get the Aquatopia Sefety Bath Time Audible Thermometer from Amazon for about $15. Not only is it functional, it's flippin adorable.



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Monday, April 6, 2009

Luxury Bamboo


Anyone who knows me personally probably knows that above all I like soft, fuzzy, comfortable things. Not just in clothing but anything that is going to come in contact with my skin. My skin can be pretty sensitive so I tend to be picky about what I allow next to it. I am just as picky about my yarn, it definitely has to be soft, though I am a sucker for yarns so finely soft that you can barely feel them. That's how soft this bamboo yarn is, it is near the top of my list as far as luxury yarn. It is silky smooth, it warms with your skin and drapes like silk with a comfortable weight. I almost kept this neck warmer for myself, the main reason i didn't was because i wanted to share it with everyone. I am now trying to plan a couple patterns specifically around this delicious yarn.
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Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Spring Clean Yourself a Little Green

With the current state of things everyone is looking for all the little ways to save or make a buck. Spring cleaning is the perfect time to not only purge your home of the excess, but make a little money too. Then you could use that money to buy to organizational tools for the areas that always gather the clutter, or put it toward taking a family outing.



My best tip before starting spring cleaning is to make yourself a priority list of the areas you intend to tackle. Most importantly, only start one at a time! I can't tell you how many times i didn't make a list and i would start one area then say to myself "oh i need to do that too" then start working on that area some as well. Before i knew it, i was spread out over 3 rooms all only partially finished at 4 in the afternoon. Don't underestimate an area just become it is small, that little closet might seem like it would be a quick job but if needs more organization than purging that can turn into a very long process. If you make the list first you can keep it handy, like on a bulletin board or the fridge, then on those days when you get bitten by the spring clean bug you know where to hit next.

Once you have your piles of clothes no one has worn in 2 years, toys that your kids are to big for, a couple stacks of dusty VHS tapes, and maybe even a couch or chair... Have a yard sale! Most housing communities organize a yard sale date at least once a year. If you don't live in a community that does, organize your own. Maybe talk to a couple neighbors on your street and see if they would be interested in coordinating a yard sale at the same time.

Perhaps a yard sale is just not what you want to do. There are still other ways to sell your items you could use ebay, or amazon for anything from children's clothes or toys to books, videos, and electronics. If you have furniture that's still in good working condition, you can post them to craig's list or other free online classifieds, as well as your local newspaper (though it definitely won't be free). Also try consignment store's or maybe rent a booth at a neardy flea market that gets a lot of traffic. Used book and music stores will often buy your items as well.

Right so maybe all of that is just to time consuming or maybe you just don't have the motivation to make all that happen. I don't blame you. You still have a couple options and even though they are not directly making you money, you might see more dollar signs on your tax return. First what you need to do is make an itemized list of everything you are giving away. For example: 15 shirts, 10 pants, 20 childrens toys, 2 strollers, 1 couch... etc. When tax time comes keep your list with your W2's. Once you've done that you can begin the donation process. Some hospitals will take very gently used newborn items, as also might the department of social services. You can check online for local charities that take baby and children's clothes. A local church or daycare will welcome gently used toys. The humane society and local kennels will take your old pet items like leashes, muzzles, harnesses and carriers. Dress for success with accept gently used work/office attire. There are even charities you can donate your car too (one of them being habitat for humanity).

The upside of donating to various charities is that your stuff goes straight into the hands of someone that needs them. Instead of laying around on a shelf at goodwill for years until someone buys them. It doesn't really take that long and you can get the family in on it. It's a good time to teach your children about giving and even though they might not always see exactly who and where their donation helps, they can feel good knowing that it is going to help someone who really needs it.

Lastly if you really don't have the time or want to put forth the energy, you could simply load up your truck, or a neighbors, and haul your stuff down to goodwill. Or if don't have the time or energy for that either, there are charities (like Help Vets veteran charity) that will come and pick your stuff up for you. But you're still going to have to put forth a little energy into locating one.

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Monday, March 30, 2009

Update for Spring!

So I've done a good amount of flopping around in the name and location of the etsy shop and blog. However I feel confident now that this will be our home. So my first priority is to get everything connected and running. Then hopefully posting items within the next couple days. Thanks to anyone, if there is anyone... for sticking with me. I look forward to great things in the future. So here we go!
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Saturday, March 28, 2009

Bee My Honey Hat - Youth - Ready To Ship



This is one of my favorites! When I first picked up the yarn I knew I wanted it but I wasn't sure what to make with it. It's an alpaca blend that is soft and squishy with a slight halo. It also has an amazing amount of stretch and memory. This particular size is made to fit a child or youth and will stretch to fit an adult with a small head. The pattern can easily be edited to be larger or smaller so don't be afraid to ask!
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