To blog or not to blog?!

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You may or may not have noticed that I've bean MIA from the blog for most of the summer. I could tell you all about the trials my family and I have been going through and how that didn't leave any time for projects, and therefore blogging on this supposedly project oriented blog; and I wouldn't be lying to you at all. I could tell you that I really wanted to take a break for the summer to spend more time with my family and serving others, and that wouldn't be a lie either. Whether that actually happened or not is enough for a whole new post. In reality, I really thought that I was done with this blogging thing, and since I wasn't having much success with it, why even try, right? Classic failure mentality, one that I have been guilty of giving into in many areas and endeavors of my life. Honestly, I couldn't even bring myself to write anything, even to say I won't be blogging or that I may return in the fall, because I really thought I wouldn't. 

The thing about failure is that I can't usually accept it easily in my life, which is why I continued to try to work on this blog in the past - probably because of how much I hated to admit to myself that I am failing miserably. Makes perfect sense, right? This may very well be the case, except I miss it so much, and even more than that, I miss crafting and doing projects. I miss using my creativity to make something to beautify my life and that of those around me. If it's only fear of failure, then why do I long to create?!

ANYWAY, here I am laying it all out on the inter webs, in the hopes that I'll be able to figure out a way to get rid of these self imposed limitations that have left me completely unable to do something that I love so dearly.

Hope y'all are enjoying the beginning of the beautiful fall season. Lots of hugs,

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Follow Hip2Thrift on Instgram

Who doesn't love good old Instagram? To follow Hip2Thrift on your 
favorite app, 

just search the hash-tag #hip2thrift .

You know how much I love being thrifty, and I know that you guys do too. So why not have some thrifty fun together?!

If you ever DO any thrifty projects, or

TRY any Hip2Thrift ideas, 

or just want to give a SHOUT OUT...

Attach the hashtag #hip2thrift to your Instagram pictures, so we can all check it out!

Coming up: Some awesome contests with this hashtag !

Happy Instagramming!

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Crochet Farmer's Market Bag {Tutorial}

Crocheting a bag is very simple and a fairly fast project to make. It took me just one evening to make, while I was watching Arrested Development (forgive me, friends that have strongly recommended this show, I just can’t seem to get into it).  I love this bag because you can pretty much do your own thing and it’s hard to mess it up. If you use cotton yarn, it is machine washable and dryable.

It’s also pretty versatile in it’s use – take it for a stroll at the farmer’s market and it’ll fit right in with all those hipster/boho farmer’s market shopping people. It works really well as a beach bag, as all the sand can just seep through the mesh. Ok…ok…you caught me…I don’t go to the beach that often and actually use this bag for my daughter’s sand toys when we go to the play ground. Classy…I know.

Supplies:

• worsted weight cotton yarn (you can use any cotton or acrylic yarn. I wouldn't recommend wool, as it will shed and get all fuzzy)
• Size H crochet hook
• Tapestry needle for weaving in

Crochet Bag Pattern

Step 1: Start with a magic loop. Ch 3 and work 11 DC into the loop.Ch 3 counts as first DC throughout. DO NOT TURN. Do not join. Use a stitch marker and work in the round.

 Step 2: HDC in the ch3. DC in the same stitch. 2DC in next DC and all around.

   Step 3: *1 DC, 2DC* all around. Place stitch marker.

Step 4: *1 DC in next 2 DCs, 2DC in next DC* all around. Place stitch marker.
Step 5: *1 DC in next 2 DCs, 2DC in next DC* all around. Place stitch marker.

You can stop here or make the bottom as big as you want. I added a couple of more rows before working on the body.

Step 6: *1 DC in next 3 DCs, 2DC in next DC* all around. Place stitch marker.
Step 7: *1 DC in next 4 DCs, 2DC in next DC* all around. Place stitch marker.

Step 8:  Here I’m stopping the round work just for this row. To join, make a HDC, then a SC and then Sl St.

Step 9: Ch 5. Skip 2 stitches, SC in the third stitch from hook. Repeat Ch 5, sk 2st, SC in third stitch all around. (working in the round again)

 Step 10: Join with a Sl St in the beginning Sl St.  * Ch 5, SC in previous Ch 5 space* repeat all around until your bag is the desired height.

Step 11:  CH 2;  HDC in next CH5 sp, HDC in next SC  * HDC in next CH 5 sp, HDC in next SC;  repeat from * around, join with a Sl ST to top of CH 4
Step 12: CH 2; HDC  in each HDC all around, join with SL St to top of  CH 2
Step 13:  CH 1; SC in each HDC around, join with Sl ST to first SC, CH 2

First Handle

Row 1: Ch 1, SC in each of first 2 sts leaving remaining sts unworked, turn (2 SC).
Row 2: Ch 1, SC in first st leaving last st unworked, turn (1).
Row 3: Ch 1, SC in next st, turn, until Handle measures 10″ or whatever length you like. Fasten off.
Skip next 38 sts on last rnd of  the Body, sew end of Handle to next 2 sts.

Second Handle

Row 1: Skip next 38 sts on last rnd of Body after beginning of First Handle, join with SC in next st, SC in next st leaving remaining sts unworked, turn (2 SC).
Row 2: Ch 1, SC in first st leaving last st unworked, turn (1).
Row 3: Ch 1, SC in next st, turn, until Handle measures 10″, fasten off.

Fasten off, leaving tail long enough for sewing.

Make one of these and take it to the beach, since it looks like mine is getting the toddler treatment this summer.

What would you put in a crochet bag? How would you use it?

Hugs, 

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Favorite Toddler Apps

It's no secret that kids these days love technology and it's amazing how fast they learn how to use it. Hip2thrift's very own contributor Kara is here sharing her Favorite Family Friendly Apps. Enjoy - Iuliana

Family Friendly Apps

Created using the Toca Boca Tailor App.  Take pictures of your creations, using the background captured by your camera.  This background is our flight to visit family.

With all the travel my kids and I will be doing this summer, I rely heavily on electronic devices to keep the peace and help pass the time.  I wanted to share just a few of my very favorite family-friendly applications for Apple devices in case you have a road trip coming up, or are just looking for some fun.  

1)  Toca Hair Salon 2 by Toca Boca AB

Find it here

As of this moment, this adorable app is the App of the Week, and is free. (So download it now, ask questions later.) It will be $2.99, and still worth the price.  This is an interactive toy, not a game.  You choose a client, cut their hair, style it, accessorize them, and take their pictures.  You can tell people you downloaded this for your kids, but you'll find it's a great way to entertain yourself as well.  Toca Boca has a ton of fun apps.  My next favorite is Toca Tailor.  It's such a great tool for creativity and imagination.  A "lite" free version of that is Toca Fairytale, which has fewer options but is nearly just as fun.

2) Monkey Preschool Lunchbox by THUP Games

Find it here

This simple game is easy enough for two year olds, but preschoolers like it too.  There's color matching, simple puzzles, counting, and best of all, the only thing they can touch that stops play is the home key.  The developer, THUP, has a series of monkey apps.  We have all of them, and I would recommend them to any toddler and preschool family.  Their app, "When I Grow Up" is particularly fun for toddlers.  Their math and spelling apps are great for the preschool crowd.  I believe their apps are also available for android phones.

3) Elmo Calls by Sesame Street

Find it here

 This is great for entertaining toddlers, and practicing how to make phone calls and use FaceTime with them.  My toddler loves interacting with Elmo, and seeing herself on the iPhone screen.

4)    Endless Alphabet by Callaway Digital Arts Inc.

Find it here

This is a word game where kids drag the letters to where they belong, and then are rewarded with a short animation that teaches them about the letters and the meaning of the word.  Kids don't need to be able to spell to play it, they just match up the letters to their outlines.  I know my son has a couple of words in his vocabulary that he picked up here.

Have fun everybody!  And if you're letting your kid use your apple device, I also recommend protecting it with an Otterbox Defender case.  I broke my screen when I had my phone out of my case for 5 minutes last week.  It isn't the toddler I can't trust, it's me.  When it's been in the case, I've probably dropped it hundreds of times and it never cracked.  They now also make them for iPads.

What are your favorite family friendly apps?

~Kara

Looking for more family fun tips and ideas? Follow Hip2Thrift on Pinterest

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Crochet Market Bag

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Today I am sharing a simple crochet tutorial for a Market or Beach Bag.

Head over to Craftaholics Anonymous for the full tutorial. Comment love is always welcome!

Have an awesome day!

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Google Reader is no more

As many of you know, Google Reader will no longer be after July 1, 2013. Oh how I love my Google Reader! I didn't have to make the switch, but since I don't want to lose all the blogs I'm following, I switched over to Bloglovin. 

I think it's pretty easy to use and once you sign up, you can import your existing 

blogs from Google Reader to Bloglovin.

You can register here: 
http://www.bloglovin.com/

I would really like it if continued following Hip2Thrift.  You can subscribe via email 

or follow me through Bloglovin.

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Happy Father's Day!

 

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Crochet Spa Basket Tutorial

May is a busy month at our house, and between my birthday, mother's day, my daughter's birthday and half my friends' birthdays, I have my hands full especially when it comes to gift giving. Today, I am sharing a simple tutorial on How to Crochet a Basket, which makes for a quick last minute and economical gift!

Crochet Spa Basket Tutorial

Supplies: cotton worsted weight yarn (I used Lily Sugar n' Cream) 5.5 mm hook needle for weaving in ends

Abbreviations: CH- chain ST- stich SL ST- slip stitch SC- single crochet DC- double crochet

Step 1: Make a magic loop (learn how to make a magic loop here or at Hip2Thrift). CH 3, 12 DC in the loop, join with Sl ST at the top of the CH 3.

Step 2- CH 3, DC in the same stitch as the CH3, 2 DC in each stitch around. Join with Sl ST to the top of the CH 3

Step 3: CH 3, DC in the same stitch as the CH3, *2 DC in next st, 1 DC, 2 DC*, all around. Join with Sl ST to the top of the CH 3

Step 4- CH 3, DC in the same stitch as the CH3, *2 DC in next st, 1 DC in the next 2 stitches, 2 DC*, all around. Join with Sl ST to the top of the CH 3.

You are basically making a flat circle. Keep adding 1DCs in between 2DCs, depending on how big you want the basket bottom to be. I stopped at the previous row. Make sure that your circle is flat.

Step 5- CH 1, SC into the back loop of next stitch and all around. SL ST to the beginning CH1. This step creates a ledge and makes for a good transition to the next rows that will all be going up, creating the walls of the basket.

Step 6 - regular SC all around. Join with a SL ST. You can make it as tall as you want here.

 You can make it taller and fold it over for an awesome cuff and more sturdy look.

Step 7- Weave in ends with your upholstery needle.
Optional: Depending on how loose or tight you crochet, you can spray the basket with a starch spray and iron. I love how easy these baskets are to make! If you use thicker yarn, or even t-shirt yarn, you can these up in no time. You can use two colors for an awesome color block look.

These baskets are versatile and can be used to hold spa essentials, make-up, or as storage anywhere in the house. Give it away as a gift filled with awesome spa goodies, or keep it for yourself. I have a couple that I use whenever I have guests and I fill them with washcloths, small size toiletries, and even some treats.

 Now that you know how to crochet a basket, go make some baskets now!

Hugs, Iuliana

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Don't name your kid 'Phone'

source

I hope everyone had an amazing Mother's Day! I saw this awesome video, that I thought I'd share with you. It's super cute and it seriously made me cry.



Seriously...don't name your kid 'phone' or 'corndog'. Just sayin'

Let's hug it out,

 

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Mother's Day JoTotes Giveaway Winner

I hope everyone is having a wonderful Mother's Day! Just wanted to take a minute and announce the winner of the JoTotes Giveaway.

Tammy Davis, you are the winner!!! Congratulations! We are so excited for you to get TWO JoTotes Camera Bags, one for you and one for a special woman in your life (just in case yoare wondering, I'm pretty special myself and don't have a JoTotes Bag j/k).

Lots of hugs.

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