Learn How to Crochet a Pentagon

Are you a beginning crocheter looking for step by step tutorials?  Have you ever tried to crochet a pentagon but couldn't get your proportions even?  Never fear, it has all been done for you in:  Learn How to Crochet A Pentagon. This free crochet pattern will help you create your own five sided pentagon shapes and motifs for use in your own crochet projects!  With quick and easy to follow instructions, you can crochet along with simple steps and clear, detailed photographs.  Go on over to HandmadeNews and check it out!

And we have a winner! Or WINNERS, I Should Say!

There were over 30 total entries for my first "What's in the Box?!?" giveaway (I think that's an awesome number for a first giveaway!) We placed everyone's names into the Magic Goldfish Bowl of Plenty and pulled out a winner:

Congrats to Aurora's Garden! (Please email me with your mailing address so I can send it to you!)

(Sorry for the shoddy photography but I didn't have time to get the light tent out because we have family over this weekend.)

I also decided to have a surprise secondary drawing from the entries, and Congrats to Bee Perkins and @cutoutcollect for each winning a coupon for $5.00 off your total order from my Etsy shop!

I'll be contacting each of you for your mailing addresses soon!

Again, thanks to all who entered! I will be having another "What's in the Box?!?" drawing with a different prize starting July 4th! Spread the word, you never know WHAT you might win!

WHAT'S IN THE BOX?!? Blog Giveaway

Yes ladies and gents, I have decided to hold my very first blog giveaway!

So, tell me, who doesn't love free stuff? I know someone who liked winning things so much that once she entered a contest for a year's supply of free denture cream and she had perfect (real) teeth!

So in the spirit of people who love to win things, you can win this lovely handmade box (origami'd by yours truly) and of course, the handmade contents in it.

So, what's in the box?!?

*Ahem*
I know some of you have been waiting to see what was inside the box before you entered. Without further adieu.... Drumroll Please...

It's an Original Kellibeans Fortune Kit!

The Fortune Kit is my newest product, a totally original gift set (some are themed!), and they'll be available in my Etsy shop starting next week! You can't get these anywhere else, folks!

Inside the winning kit, you will find:

Your very own Fairy Beans mini doll,
purveyor of all things awesome and mascot of mojo magnificence.

And a Set of 7 Handmade fabric fortune cookies,
complete with fortunes divined from the genius that belongs to yours truly.

So here is how you enter to win:

1. Go to my Etsy Shop
2. Come back here and comment under this post as to which of my listings you like best and why.

(You MUST enter this way first, unless you are having technical difficulties with Blogger, and if you are, you can contact me via an Etsy convo/private message to enter.)

The contest ends on Saturday, June 20th. Everyone's entries will go into the Magic Goldfish Bowl of Plenty here in the studio, and Mr. Beans will be the one to draw out the winning ticket. I will post the winner here at 12pm (Central Time) Saturday morning, and will also tweet the results to my Twitter followers.

BUT WAIT---THERE'S MORE!

You can earn one extra entry for doing each of these things, each time you complete a task, come back here and drop me a comment to let me know you have completed them.

(Remember to leave a comment first or else I don't know whom to give extra credit to!)

So on to the deets for extra entries. You can:

1. Buy an item from my Etsy shop.
2. Follow my blog. (applies to new followers only)
3. Post about & link this giveaway on your blog.
4. ReTweet a link to this blog post on Twitter, using @kellibeans so I can find you.

Again, good luck to everyone and get to entering!

Paint Chip Swatch Needle Book

I love those handy little matchbook notebooks you can make from cardstock, they seem to do the trick when you're out and need to write a teensy note (or to substitute these for business cards to promote your blog or something...tee hee). So while doing my usual "sift through the art supply closet" at three in the morning for a doll needle I came across some old paint chip swatches (I couldn't toss those out either, and no, Mom, not the kind of paint chips kids eat...LOL) in a basket. Crafty gears started turning...

Ding! We have a winner!

I think this made the cutest little needle book. It took me all of five minutes to make (three if my inner voice hadn't insisted on using one of my fancy cut rotary blades on the felt).

I think if one were distracted by the paint info on the reverse side of the chip these little books would also look great with some decorative paper slapped on there with some glue. Take that one step further and add a tiny card of thread and tack in a couple buttons and you have yourself a purse-friendly (or pocket!) emergency sewing kit!