markets, fairs, and shops, oh my!

Last week was a really crazy and busy one for me business wise. But it was also a very exciting one and an important new step for me and the biz.

Early in the week I finished up the large consignment order for NoFo and dropped off all the slippers. They immediately put them out on the floor for sale, so I can now officially say that you can find original Broken Hallelujah Accessories designs at NoFo in the Forum!

It's still a little bit unbelievable to me that I can say my items are for sale in a brick &  mortar shop here in town, but it's true. I stopped by on Saturday to see how things were going and to grab a few pictures of my items out on the floor. And it looks like they may have already sold 3 or 4 pairs of the slippers in just the past few days. Always good news to know a new adventure is going well.

I also had my very first craft fair on this past Thursday. It was held on the UNC Wilmington campus and was part of a fund raiser for the creative writing department. It was a brand new show, and I was brand new at doing shows, but I think it was a success for both of us. There was a nice turnout of vendors from the local area and I got to meet so many nice people including the lovely ladies of Glynne's Soaps who I had been twitter friends with previously and a fellow Etsian, Heather, who runs Sawgrass Candles.

Here's a quick picture I snapped of my very first craft show set up:

And me working the table:

I also started my season at the Carolina Beach farmer's market on Saturday, which was even better than I had hoped for! So many  nice people stopped by to compliment my work and I had a great time selling. I hope the rest of the season is even better. I didn't manage to snap a picture of my set up at the farmer's market before things started to pick up. But each show has been a learning experience and I'm adjusting my displays, table set up, "sales pitch", etc. as I go.

Now that the craziness has calmed down a bit, I think I'll use today to relax and catch up on some overdue Etsy orders that need to be shipped out.

now available at NoFo

I had a meeting last week with the product manager, Kima, for a local boutique called NoFo to discuss consignment possibilities for my slippers & headbands. Well, the meeting went fabulously! I ended up leaving almost all the products I brought to show with Kima that day to be placed in the shop immediately.

That's right! You can now find my crochet accessories at NoFo at the Forum here in Wilmington. NoFo is a North Carolina based gift shop, market, and cafe with locations here in Wilmington as well as Raleigh and Charlotte. They are proud to support local artists and make a point to buy locally which is something I'm really happy to support.

My headbands go on sale immediately & I'm currently working to fill the big slipper order they placed. I'm hoping they will be finished at the end of this week and will be available early next week.

Next week will also mark my first craft show on Thursday & my start at the Carolina Beach farmer's market on Saturday. Lots & lots of crocheting going on in my part of the world.

spring among us.

Spring has definitely arrived here on the Cape Fear coast. We've had gorgeous blue skies, temperatures in the 80's, and lots of pollen covering our cars this week. Here's a couple fun photos of our adventures in Wilmington last week:

Some lovely ferns uncurling themselves in the wildflower preserve on the UNCW campus.

 Venus flytraps - in the wild. This area is the only place where they grow out in the wild.

Pollen feet after our hike.

Searching for buried treasure on the beach. (Actually looking for a shark's tooth. No luck yet.)

Enjoying a day at the beach - all sun & fun.

I hope everyone else is enjoying spring. It's finally here!!

Long time, no blog.

So it's been a bit since the last time I blogged here. Wow, sorry about that. Things just get hectic & you get pulled away by life, but I have missed blogging & connecting with the people who read my blog. So I'm really going to try to keep this thing updated a bit more lot more than I have these past several months.

Lots has happened around these parts in the past months. The most exciting of which is in January, Andy & I got engaged and we're planning on getting married this July. The wedding will be here in Wilmington, NC at the gorgeous Bellamy Mansion. I have a full-fledged wedding blog set up all about planning the wedding, my DIY projects, and the fun, stress, headaches, pocketaches, and joy that come with planning your own wedding. You can visit my wedding blog here: http://longvelten.wordpress.com.

The business is still going strong! I've recently opened up a shop on Zibbet (visit me here!), and I'm still doing lots of business on Etsy. This Thursday I've actually got a meeting to discuss doing consignment with a local business owner, and on April 22nd I'll be attending my first craft fair. I'll be sure to blog about how those two events go.

But for now I'm just working hard, playing harder, and enjoying my days. I hope all my dear friends out in blog-land are also doing well & I hope we catch up soon. I'll leave you with a lovely picture of Andy & I enjoying a day at the beach a couple of weeks ago.

and the winner is...

And the winner of Broken Hallelujah's fall give away is.....

Joann Temple Congrats!!!

Everyone was entered in the contest based on the date they submitted a comment, note, or message to me and I used a random number generator to produce the winner. Out of 17 entries, number 2 was selected. So congrats, Joann!! Be on the look out for Broken Hallelujah's winter giveaway coming soon.

fall giveaway!

It's time for a giveaway! In honor of the first day of fall, I'm having a fall giveaway.

With this giveaway you have your chance to win a custom pair of mary jane slippers made out of your favorite two-color combination and a matching coffee sleeve (like those pictured above). The slippers will be made specifically to your color request and shoe size if you are the lucky winner.

This contest will run until 12:00 am Eastern on September 30th. A winner will be drawn at random from the entrants on October 1st and will be notified by email of their win.

So if you are ready to keep your toes cozy and your fingers comfy this fall, here is how you enter:

• Visit Broken Hallelujah's facebook fanpage and become a fan. This will earn you a single (1) entry. Leave a comment linking to your facebook profile so I can verify your entry.
• Visit Broken Hallelujah's etsy studio and leave a comment with a link to your favorite item and a small blurb about why this item is your favorite. This will earn you a single (1) entry.
• And if you tweet about this giveaway including a link to this entry and include a comment with your twitter username you will earn another bonus entry.

Everyone can enter using any or all of the above methods for a total of three (3) entries per person. In your comment please be sure to also include your email address so I can contact you if you win.

Good luck! And happy fall.

cozy up!

A shop update!! I've got a whole new line of items being introduced in the shop as we blog. New this fall in the Broken Hallelujah shop are these coffee cup cozies.

They are perfect for any coffee or tea lover who just can't resist heading out to your local coffee shop and indulging. Believe me, you aren't the only one.

If you are like me and can't resist a good cup'o'joe every day, then this is the item for you! These take the place of those cardboard sleeves you pick up at the counter. With this sleeve you are not only drinking your coffee in style, but it's also an eco friendly solution to your burning finger tips.

I've made a bunch of these up in lots of different colors, patterns, yarns, etc. You can see the whole collection now in my shop. And of course, custom orders are always welcome.

And if you have any suggestions for color combinations, please share! I'm always open to new ideas.

share the love.

Broken Hallelujah is being featured in some very cool places right now.

You can catch us in this beautiful red inspired treasury on Etsy. Besides featuring one of my headbands it has some really great items to gawk at.

Speaking of gawk, you can catch some of our items on craftgawker.com . The site features beautiful handmade items and is a wonderful way to see all the talent the web has to offer (and empty your wallet at the same time).

And, I'm very excited to share that Broken Hallelujah has also been featured on the Funky Finds blog (see the feature here). It is a very sweet little write up, so go show some love and leave a comment.

Lots of new items are being added to the shop, so check back soon for an update! Have a great weekend.

falling in love with handmade.

I have been busy this week, man o man. It seems like fall is really gearing up here and sales are reflecting it. But I haven't been too busy to look a

round Etsy and Artfire and find some of my favorite items that are perfect for fall.

These gorgeous earrings are made with crystal and aged brass and are bound to be the prettiest acorns on the block. Simple and elegant, I think these would make a great accessory for any autumn wardrobe. You can find these wonderful dangling acorn earrings in ellejewel's shop for only $13.75.

Another thing I love about fall is bringing out the cold weather wear. This gorgeous scarf is bursting with fall color and looks so snuggly and warm. It's perfect for women or men, and you can find it in loriloom's etsy shop on sale this weekend for $32.

And finally, you can't have fall without having a spicy candle that captures all the scents of the season. Pumpkin, apples, cinnamon, and more, I love this time of year when I can find an abundance of wonderfully spiced, warm scented candles that can just warm me up with one whiff of their delicious scent. Blisscandles has many assorted fall scented candles available in your shop for very affordable prices, like this 16 oz candle for $34.

fall makeover.

September is here and fall is coming! Broken Hallelujah is getting ready.

Both the Etsy & Artfire shops have gotten a make over to reflect the changing seasons. Changes have also come to the Broken Hallelujah fan page on Facebook. Lovely new fall oranges, blues, reds, and greens are taking over!

Plus there are lovely new fall accessories in the shop with more coming soon. Scarflettes, hats, and of course my mary jane slippers are perfect for keeping you warm and fashionable this fall. With these quality, one of a kind items, you are sure to make a statement on campus, in the office, or out with your girl friends.

Stop by the shops (Etsy or Artfire) today and see all that is new with Broken Hallelujah accessories!

long live the coupon.

Artfire has stunned us again with another great feature available to it's sellers - coupon codes!

Just in time for the holidays, you can now use a coupon or gift certificate in Artfire shops (participating shops only) to receive discounts, free shipping, free gifts, or more! No more waiting for modified invoices to receive a discount. At checkout you simply enter the coupon code you have for that shop & the rest is done for you.

In honor of this exciting new feature Broken Hallelujah is offering a special (and it won't last long!). On order totals (including shipping) above $35, receive 20% off! No items are excluded.

Use coupon code letsgoshopping at checkout to receive 20% off orders of $35 or more.

Available for a limited time only. Offer not applicable with any other specials or sales.

Now let's do some shopping!

back to school.

Everyone seems to be headed back to school around this time of year. While I'm not headed back myself, I still love shopping through fun back-to-school items. Here's some great handmade items perfect for heading back into the classroom (or just oogling).

These adorable apple name tags are perfect for labeling items on the way back to school and making sure nothing is lost. Plus they are so bright & cute! You can find them in MiChiMa's etsy shop for only $3.

Sleevy's beautiful crochet notebook sleeves are officially drool worthy. They are offered in wonderful, sophisticated color schemes and heading back to school is the perfect excuse to pick up one today. You can find them in sleevy's shop for $50.

And finally, you can't go back to class without a great notebook to doodle in. This one Baghy is gorgeous leather embellished with a wonderful flower-esque design. You can find this (and other wonder journals) in Baghy's shop. This one is only $32.

weekend fun.

This past weekend I had a really great time exploring some of the goodies Wilmington has to offer.

I finally remembered on Saturday morning to head to historic downtown Wilmington to check out the farmers' market that runs through December. The market offers a lot more than just farm fresh produce, however. I found fresh bread, beautiful cut flowers, and even craft booths. I picked up some wonderful fresh produce - including green tomatoes to try making my own fried green tomatoes - and some beautiful cut flowers to brighten up the apartment.

After the market I headed off to the beach. This weekend Hurricane Bill was blowing by off coast. Luckily we didn't have any real impact from the storm other than some major surf and currents. I wanted to comb the beach and see if Bill washed up any good shells, but sadly didn't really find much. Even though I went at low tide, the large waves kept the water above the shell line making a bit difficult to spot shells. It was a beautiful day at the beach though enjoy the waves and the sea breeze.

It was a lovely weekend, and I'm already counting down the days till the next one. I hope everyone else had a nice weekend and has a great week ahead.

keep it colorful.

Brand new in the shop! A new line of coin purses that includes these adorable little mini purses.

These fun purses were an idea from my mother who found some fun crochet coin purses on the internet and thought I should give it a try. So I researched the little frames (which can be quite expensive!) and bought some bright, tropical yarns to make fun patterns and color combinations. And these little purses were born!

Although they are small and adorable, they have an unsurpassed durability. The tight knit and durable yarn means these little pouches will last through many shopping sprees while keeping your purse just an tiny bit more organized. They hold a good deal of change so you won't be digging around the bottom of your bag looking for direct change. Plus, they're small size makes them great stocking stuffers for the upcoming holidays!

And already I've had great feedback about these little purses. The first couple I listed in my shop have sold right away, so I have more planned and already ordered a few more frames which should be arriving soon.

I've had so much fun designing and making these little pouches and I can't wait to continue. Check out the Artfire and Etsy shops to order your very own mini coin purse today!

riding the train.

Today and tomorrow I'm riding the Artfire Crazy Train. It's a great promotional tool where members of the crazy train work together to promote one Artfire Artisan for two days. We all get together and promote for each other using blog posts, twitter updates, facebook sharing, and other great promotional techniques. And it's finally my turn! Horray!

A few people have already written wonderful blog entries about me (like here and here) and others are sharing items in the Artfire forums (here).

It's all very exciting and it really gives you a warm and fuzzy feeling to see others working to promote you and your work. A big thank you to everyone involved in the Crazy Train. I can't wait to see where this ride will take me.

august showers

August is one of the rainiest months here in North Carolina and my flowers are loving it. I picked up some new flowers when I moved to town because I couldn't stand to have a bare deck even if it already was August. Luckily, Wilmington's long growing season meant there was still a bit of variety to choose from before the winter pansies had arrived. And now they are soaking up the rain and when the sun comes out it makes them sparkle.

tutorial: crochet headband with flower pin.

Some of my favorite crochet projects are ones that are easy and quick. There's an instant gratification in making something yourself in just a short amount of time. So I've decided to share an quick and easy crochet pattern with you all - my herringbone crochet headband with flower pin.

Supplies

Just a wee bit of yarn - this is a good project for left over scraps. Make sure the yarn is something comfortable to wear against your head. I used Lion's Brand Vanna's Choice Yarn (100% acrylic) in a pretty rose color.

Size G crochet hook

Metal pin back

Plastic button

Scissors, hot glue gun/thread, etc.

Stitches

This headband uses one of my favorite stitches - the herringbone half double crochet (hhdc). Here's how you do it: yarn over, insert hook into next stitch, draw yarn through stitch and first loop on hook, yarn over, draw yarn through both loops on hook.

The rest are just single chain.

Pattern

Note that this pattern is completely adjustable for different sizes of heads (children through adult) and different sizes of headbands (skinny, fat, whatever you like!).

Ch 21. (This will be the tie in the back, so make it longer or shorter if you like.) OR you can just leave a stretch of yarn un-used (as in the picture) to use for the tie. It's up to you.

Sc. in last ch. Ch. 1. Turn. (1 sc.)

3 sc. in the 1 sc. from previous step. Ch. 1. Turn. (3 sc.)

2 sc. in first sc. Sc. 1. 2 sc. in last sc from previous step. Ch. 1. Turn. (5 sc.)

2 sc. in first sc. Sc in next 3 stitches. 2 sc. in last sc. from previous step. Ch. 2. Turn. (7 sc.)

7 sc. is the width I've decided on for my headband. If you would like yours to be skinnier or fatter adjust the above steps to reach your desired width.

Now, you simply hhdc across each stitch (skipping the very first stitch as your ch. 2 serves as the first stitch of each row). Then ch. 2 and turn. Make sure to crochet a hhdc in the top of the ch. 2. at the end of the row for a total of 7 hhdc in each row. Keep repeating the rows until the headband fits around your head from the bottom of one ear to the other.

Once you have reached your desired length you have to decrease the headband down to 2 single chain.

At the end of the last hhdc row ch. 1 and turn.

Sc. 7. Ch 1. Turn. (7 sc.)

Sc2tog in first sc. 3 sc. Sc2tog in last sc. Ch. 1. Turn. (5 sc.)

Sc2tog in first sc. 1 sc. Sc2tog in last sc. Ch. 1. Turn. (3 sc.)

Sc2tog in first sc. 1. sc. (2 sc.)

Now simply chain 20 (or however many you chose to chain at the beginning) to make the other end of the tie. Finish and tie off. Tuck in the loose ends.

Now for the flower.

Ch 2.

10 sc in 1 ch. Slip stitch to first sc to form a circle.

Sc 1 in first stitch. *Ch. 2. Skip 1 stitch and sc. 1 in next.* Repeat around until you have 5 ch. 2 loops. Slip stitch in first sc.

In first ch. 2 loop - 1 sc., 1 hdc., 2 dc., 1 hdc., 1 sc. - to produce petal. Repeat in each of the 4 remaining loops and then slip stitch to first sc. Tie off finish. Tuck in ends.

Then using a hot glue gun or thread attach the pin back to the back of the flower and the button to the center.

You're done!

Enjoy! And if you have any questions, let me know.

can you feel it?

Can you feel it in the air? Autumn is coming!

Okay, perhaps you can't feel the crisp evenings coming quite yet, but I can bet many of us are wishing for the cooler temperatures and warm, comforting foods that accompany the season change.

Autumn is on the horizon, though. Soon it'll be time for kids to go back to school, ripe crisp apples, and changing leaves. I've been working hard to get my shops ready for the upcoming season change. New hats, scarves, scarflettes, and more are coming to help keep everyone stylish and warm this fall. I am working on some new designs as I type in great colors and luxurious fibers like merino wool, angora, silk, and more!

I'm also beginning to take custom orders for the holiday season. It may seem early, but it's wise to order far ahead of time to ensure I can get the order finished in plenty of time for the holidays. If you are thinking of ordering anything custom, please think about doing it soon. Custom orders are first come, first serve.

In the mean time enjoy the rest of the hot summer days ahead of us. And keep your eyes here for an upcoming fall giveaway!

We've made it!

We made it! After three days of driving we've successfully arrived in Wilmington and have most of the apartment unpacked. I'm still waiting for internet access to get installed in our apartment, so I can't count on the consistency of when I'll be online. I just wanted to update and let everyone know that we've made it safely and we're settling into life.

Both of the stores (Etsy and Artfire) are open again, also. Same great items as usual with some newbies coming soon.

busy busy!

Sorry I haven't updated all week. Been packing & cleaning & packing & cleaning. The move is coming faster than I could have anticipated - less than two weeks away and there's still a lot to pack and get organized and make sure everything fits where it's supposed to. So I may be sparse these next couple weeks. But I'll be back more regularly after the move (once we get internet access hooked up!).

Hope you all are having a great July!