Captive Embroidery and Crafts

Custom Butterfly Shawl Finished!

2012-04-13T10:00:00.000-07:00

This was a very fun project to work on, and I think it turned out marvelously!

The Butterfly Shawl custom ordered, customer chose the colors, is about 7' wide. Lovingly crocheted in around 20 hours from a grid pattern.

It is warm and cozy, and quite the fashion statement.

I quite like it, and am deciding what colors to make one for myself in.

My son was kind enough to take these photos of me modeling the shawl before shipping it off to the UK.

The customer who ordered this shawl is a super sweet lady, and I hope she enjoys the finished product as much as the photo of it I sent her.

I've already started another butterfly shawl, and have designed up 3 different styles that I am looking forward to testing out and offering in my shop.

Mouse Pad Giveaway {ends 4/18}

2012-04-12T22:18:00.000-07:00

Have you entered to win my mouse pad giveaway yet?

Head on over to my Facebook page and enter today!

Custom Shawl in Progress

2012-03-23T16:06:00.000-07:00

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I received an order for a shawl which I had posted as the cover photo on my Facebook page. The shawl was a gift I had made for my cousin which I wasn't actually planning on making more of, but was happy to do it when this customer contacted me. After discussing with her and workout out the logistics, I excitedly ran to Hobby Lobby to pick up the yarn. A lovely variety of black, white, lavender, and hot pink.

I grabbed my pattern and got started. After the first hour, here is how far I got. You can see the bottom tips of the butterfly starting.

After 2 hours, much more of the lovely butterfly is showing, and more colors are introduced.

After 4 hours, the lower part of the butterfly wings are really starting to take shape.

I'm figuring it will take about 15 hours to complete, and I'm already thinking about what colors I want to do next, and have designed a couple different shawls to try out. I forgot how much fun this type of crochet is!

Walk & Work With Style

2012-03-01T14:33:00.001-08:00

Welcome to the Mega Prize Giveaway

Walk & Work With Style

March 1-18, 2012

Sponsored by:

The Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research

And Hosted by:

Celebrate Woman Today

The Modern Babble

Adventures of A Couponista

The Prizes You will be competing for:

Sony Wi-Fi Camera ~ 2 Winners

Kingston Wi-Drive 32GB ~ 2 Winners

Sports Watches with Rhinestone Bezel ~ 4 Winners

We live in times when comfort and style really matter. That's why we chose to go with the prizes that are very handy for anybody in this busy life. These products will definitely contribute to your work, to your hobby, to your creative projects.

All this is possible with the help of The Amazon Center for Environmental Education and Research. What is it? It is closer to home than you may think. This non-profit Foundation puts forward all its resources into education and active involvement of people like you and I in the conservation of the Rainforest. It does it with workshops, trips to the Peruvian Amazon, connecting educational institutions with each other, and supporting indiginous people.

Do we really care if the Rainforest vanishes from the face of the Earth? You bet. And you'd better be proactive NOW. If all of the Rainforest goes away, we will be experiencing one of those cataclizms like in a horrific movie.

We want to continue to live, and to blog. And blog happily.

Let's celebrate our connections with each other and with Nature.

Let's Walk & Work With Style, while always caring about the interconnectidness of this Universe.

We would love to Thank All These Great Blogs who came through strongly with their support for this occassion. Our applause to each and every one of you:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Estes Park Vacation Giveaway

2012-02-27T15:52:00.001-08:00

Being practically in my backyard, I am excited to participate in this giveaway and bring my readers the opportunity to visit Colorado. Are you ready to take some time away from it all and enjoy the scenic views? I know I am!

Enjoy a 2 night family vacation in Estes Park, Colorado any time between April 8th – 22nd for a family of up to 6 people (a value over $550) in time for Spring Break!!!

This event was put together by Two Little Cavaliers the prize is being provided thanks to our sponsor Estes Park Central. This event is open Worldwide however you must provide your own transportation.

Experience luxurious accommodations, breathtaking views, cozy fireplaces and the ultimate Premier Vacation Rental. The Home to the Estes Park Premier Vacation Rentals Source was established in 2007. Estes Park Central holds the highest standards in private luxury vacation rental properties and guest services. With our Estes Park Vacation Rentals service and cabin rentals, we offer personalized lavish vacation rental accommodations to meet your individual needs. All our Private Vacation Rental Properties feature top of the line appointments, fully equipped kitchens, TV and DVD, fireplaces, cozy living areas, free wireless Internet, twin/queen/king beds with luxurious bedding and views of the Rocky Mountains. You will truly have an experience to remember with any of our prime Estes Park Vacation Rentals.

About the Condo:

This is a newly constructed, luxury, two bed/two bath condo with gorgeous mountain views overlooking Marys Lake and only 3 miles from the entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park. Our Estes Park vacation condo rental is fully-equipped with a Jacuzzi bathtub, King-size and Queen-size bed, Queen-size sofa bed in the living room, gas fireplace, washer and dryer, TV with Cable, DVD and a gourmet kitchen with granite counter tops. A private hot tub on the deck overlooking the mountains enhances your relaxation. The historic Marys Lake Lodge is located on this unique property. It has been totally restored to its original grandeur.Marys Lake Lodge offers 2 separate dining experiences for your pleasure. Grandmaison’s Chalet Room offers world-class international cuisine with a European flair in an elegant ambiance. The Tavern serves delicious meals in a casual atmosphere with live music every night all summer. The rest of the year the live music continues Wednesday through Sunday evening. The Escape Spa and Salon offers a complete salon experience to rejuvenate your mind, body and spirit.

*While this particular condo is not pet friendly they do offer other condos and vacation homes under their management that that are pet friendly.

Activities and Attractions: Hiking year-round, viewing the incredible sights of Rocky Mountain National Park, bicycling around Lake Estes, the Town of Estes and looping past Mary's Lake Lodge, wildlife-viewing, fabulous Shopping,cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, sledding and downhill skiing at Eldora Mountain Resort, a 45 minute drive. The town offers fishing, boating, and indoor/outdoor rock climbing, and horse-back riding.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Luck of the Irish Giveaway - Calling all Bloggers

2012-02-27T10:00:00.000-08:00

The Coffee Chic and Africa's Blog, are currently accepting sponsors for the upcoming Luck of the Irish Cash Giveaway. The event will go live on March 10 at 12:01am EST thru March 17th at 11:59pm EST. This is in line with the celebration of St. Patrick's day.

Calling all bloggers to become one of the co-hosts for this exciting giveaway!

The fee to participate is $3.00 for the Mandatory Facebook link ($2.00 to go into the prize and $1 admin fees for setting it all up.) For each additional link of Twitter and/or Google+, there will be an additional $2 charge each. The maximum cost for each blogger is only $7 for three links. Sponsors will also get back links!

All participation fees will go to the total cash prize. Depending on the number of bloggers participating, we might split the prize into a first and second prize option, giving your readers TWO chances to win. Sign ups will be closed on March 6, 2012.

Click the button above for details and to sign up. Be sure to mention that Captive Embroidery and Crafts sent you!

Joining the 2012 Yarn Destash Challenge

2012-02-26T12:45:00.001-08:00

Found this challenge over at The Spring Mount 6 Pack. It's a fun way to encourage yourself to work through your yarn stash. The challenge works on a point system, you get points for using up yarn, and you subtract points when you buy yarn.

I'm starting with a skein of green that I started making Shamrock Dog Toys out of, since each one does not use up a full skein, I'm going to make as many as I can get out of one.

Vacation Giveaway for Bloggers Facebook Event

2012-02-24T23:30:00.000-08:00

Free event for bloggers! Just post about the event sign up & the event itself in your blog. Our friends at Two Little Cavaliers are giving away a 2 night stay in Estes Park, Colorado. Good for a family of up to 6 people between April 8th & April 22nd.

Each blog that participates will receive 1 Facebook link on the Rafflecopter for the event.

"This prize is being provided by our sponsor Estes Park Central Experience luxurious accommodations, breathtaking views, cozy fireplaces and the ultimate Premier Vacation Rentall. The Home to the Estes Park Premier Vacation Rentals Source was established in 2007. Estes Park Central holds the highest standards in private luxury vacation rental properties and guest services. With our Estes Park Vacation Rentals service and cabin rentals, we offer personalized lavish vacation rental accommodations to meet your individual needs. All our Private Vacation Rental Properties feature top of the line appointments, fully equipped kitchens, TV and DVD, fireplaces, cozy living areas, free wireless Internet, twin/queen/king beds with luxurious bedding and views of the Rocky Mountains. You will truly have an experience to remember with any of our prime Estes Park Vacation Rentals."

Head on over for more info and to sign up.

Giveaways & Auctions

2012-02-15T21:20:00.000-08:00

Our friends at Flawless Fashions & Gifts are hosing a bunch of giveaways and auctions in celebration of a fan milestone. Stop by, bid on an auction if you'd like, and enter to win the products up for giveaway. I have 4 products listed in their celebration.

For Giveaway

American Flag Mouse Pad

Straight Grip Sniper Rifle Marshmallow Gun

For Auction

I Love My Dog Pillow customized with your choice of breed.

Embroidered "Grill King" black grilling apron

The Crafting of a Fireplace

2012-02-08T23:36:00.000-08:00

	My husband and I purchased this cute electric fireplace. It's nothing special, but it works great as a heater in the family room. When it's turned on it has a light and a rotating thingamagig in the back that looks kind of like fire moving. But we decided we wanted to make it a little more us.
We started with an old bookcase. My husband cut on some plywood to create a false front, and nailed them together. I used laminate flooring tiles and cut them to different, random sizes and shapes and covered the front. Using a dark gray caulking, I did a faux grouting, leaving a texture to give it the rustic shape we like.
	Then in went the fireplace, if you look really close on the left you can just barely make out the hole where the plug to the electric fireplace goes out the back to be plugged in.
Next, my husband built a base for the bottom, out of wood scraps we had lying around.
	A 1.5" board across the top and some corner pieces for the sides went on next.
A bit more corner pieces around the inside...
	Some of the remaining tile covers the base piece, giving the impression of a granite slab. Finish of the edges with the cornering pieces again.
Final touch, since the "mantle" color didn't match the other wood, we took more of the leftover tiles and did a little checkerboard like pattern across the top to tie it all together. Now we have a great fireplace in the family room that looks more like a full size fireplace than the little one we started with.

Fiber Arts Guild

2012-02-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

As you may (or may not) know, I have a shop on Artfire. One of the things ArtFire does for it's sellers, is to have guilds, which are set up and maintained by the various artisans on ArtFire. I have recently been made an officer in the Fiber Arts Guild. There are just over 100 artisans in this guild right now, and we are working to build it up and help each other.

Our guild is made up of people who work in some way with fiber arts. In my case, that would include the crochet work (like my crocheted animal purses), and sewing work (like my personalized stockings, baby blankets, or new line of pillows).

The Fiber Arts Guild has recently started a Facebook Page, a Blog and Twitter account, where you can see all the fun stuff the artisans are creating, and learn about the artisans themselves. Here are a few of my fellow Fiber Arts Guild members:

	Meet Pirate Pixie Crew: My name is Lynne, I'm from the UK and I became a yarn-a-holic when I was trapped in bed for about 6 months due to an acute relapse of myalgic encephalomyelitis. I got a bit stir crazy, and to help pass the time I started knitting and taught myself to crochet. I've never really recovered and I haven't stopped creating knitted and crochet items since. My next goal is to learn to spin, so that I can finally say that the whole of the item is handmade by me, apart from the bit the sheep does in growing the wool fibres. The Pirate Pixie Crew grew from when all my friends started having babies and as gifts to the baby, to welcome them into the world, I made them each a hat. Most of the hats were a bit funky and alternative, because that the kind of friends I have. Lots of them looked like pirate hats and others like pixie hats. People started asking my friends where the hats came from and I got commission orders for more, so the Pirate Pixie Crew was born. Since then I have expanded the range of goods in my shop to include adult hats, hand warmers, leg warmers, bunting, bags, shawls, blankets and monsters. Along side the woollen goods there is the story of the Pirate Pixie Crew, so whenever you buy a hat and put it on your head you become a member of the Pirate Pixie Crew, and you can read all about the crews adventures. I hope to soon have a whole website of stories and pictures for the crew members to enjoy.
	Meet BooJay Knits: BooJay Knits specializes in knitted wire jewelry. Silver and copper bracelets, cuffs, and earrings with freshwater pearls, Swarovski crystlas, and glass beads. Have a specific color in mind? Please contact us so we can design your perfect item. Textured ribbon knits also available.
	Meet Purple Berry: In my studio you find handmade felt accessories . Each item is unique wearable art, created by hand using natural fibers, sterling silver, semi precious stones wich i constantly bringing from exotic bazzars throuout the globe. every single item in my collections is reminder of roads and passes walked in this world.While i calling my home now Rutland , England i lived all over the globe on East and West Coast of North Amerika, European Alps and Medditeranean coast, Central and South Americas, when i'm not global trotting you can find me hicking in beatiful land of England. Different culteres, moods and rhythms, new friends -all this you will see in my works. I hope that my creations bring joy to you .
	Meet Lil Bit of Heaven Fibers: My artfire store is Lil Bit of Heaven Fibers. On my site I sell hand dyed yarn in various weights and fiber. I have been working with fiber for almost 20 years. Spinning, weaving, knitting, crochet and sewing are how I spend my days. Hand dying is still a new adventure that I really enjoy doing. I am always finding new ways to dye my yarns and rovings. My artfire store I have had for a little over a year, selling all my hand dyed yarns. To me coming up with a one of a kind yarn, that people will love, is a big adventure. You can never go wrong. If you don't like what you dyed, just get a new color and try again.
	Meet tiedyejudy: My name is Judy, and I have been an artist and crafter most of my life. I started a tie-dye business in 1998, and fell in love with fabric dyeing and the concept of wearable art! I also create art and landscape quilts mostly using my hand dyed fabrics. My shop is at http://tiedyejudy.artfire.com I have a large inventory of clothing, accessories and other fiber art, so I hope you will visit my shop soon!

A Collection of Hats from the Fiber Arts Guild

2012-02-05T10:00:00.000-08:00

Well we're getting some cold weather here, and some fun snow to play in. OK, so maybe not enough to build a snowman or sled in the backyard, but enough to make me smile.

So I pulled together a collection of Hats on ArtFire from the members of the Fiber Arts Guild. Enjoy!

Hats Off

Curated By: captiveembroi...

ArtFire.com

Craft Tutorials

A Heart Warming Project

2012-02-01T10:00:00.000-08:00

I was approached at a fair a couple months ago, but a very nice lady named Donna. She saw the crochet work I was selling (along with my other crafty projects), and had a special request. Many years ago, her grandmother had started a crocheted blanket. It was a bunch of daisies that she made, then intended to crochet together to make the blanket. Alas, she passed before she was able to complete the blanket.

Donna's mother had it lovingly stored for a number of years, then Donna herself had it. No one was able to complete the blanket. When Donna met me, she said she was impressed by the quality of my work and wished to hire me to complete the blanket. Suffice it to say, I was honored that she would entrust me with something so precious.

I took home the pieces, 147 little daisies and the part of the blanket that her grandmother had completed. I stared, counted, researched online, tested and finally figured out how her grandmother was attaching the daisies. It didn't seem quite like any of the instructions I could find, so I had to figure it out and write it down for myself. It was an interesting challenge.

After about 10 hours of work, I got all the daisies connected, and trimmed the whole thing out with a simple shell border. I was elated to be able to call Donna and let her know that her blanket was ready. When she arrived at my house to pick it up, she was so excited to see it. I could see it in her face, and read it in her body language. I was suddenly very worried about what she would think of the job I did. There on the table by the front door was the plastic zippered blanket bag that held this irreplaceable piece of her family. And when she opened it, she was so happy with it. She seemed to get a little choked up, and thanked me profusely for doing such a wonderful job.

By the time she left, with a teary hug, I was fighting back tears.

There have been many projects I have done over the years, for many people, and various reasons. But I will never forget Donna and her grandmother's blanket. It was an honor to have my little part in something with such a history.

Crochet Tips I've Learned

2012-01-31T14:25:00.000-08:00

I've been crocheting for many years, and have learned a few things along the way. Unfortunately most of these things I learned the hard way. But hopefully someone can benefit from my mistakes, and make different ones instead.

When you stop a project part way through, either stick the hook you are using in the project or write down exactly which one it is. This way, when you go back you don't accidentally use a hook that is smaller or larger and end up with a lopsided project
Gauge is important! Especially when making clothing, as being off a small amount on the gauge can end up as quite a bit off as it adds up and your project will be the wrong size.
It's OK to admit you don't know a stitch in a pattern. There are sites, groups, and videos all over the internet where you can ask for help, of view a video of someone doing the stitch. It's better to take the time to understand a new stitch, than do it wrong and have to start all over.
When you are using a yarn with a dye lot, heed the warning of buying enough for your project. There is nothing worse than finding you don't have enough, finishing with a skein from another lot that you think looks the same, and finding that it is totally obvious after you finish a long project.
Double check your yarn when you purchase, and be sure it is the same. Sometimes people grab something and change their mind and put it in the wrong place. You don't want to get done with a blanket only to notice there is a section that is a slightly different color/feel than the rest.

Stay tuned, I'll add more as I think of them.

What's Next?

2012-01-22T17:03:00.000-08:00

The holidays are over, things are winding down. So what's next for me?

Well, first things first. Time to re-organize. I always seem to need to re-organize after the holiday season is over. So I'll be putting some time into that.

Taxes and end of the year statements need to be figured out and done.

Now for the fun part. Thanks to the need to come up with a Christmas gift for my uncle, I've come up with a new product line I'll be offering. Now, I don't want to give it away just yet. We'll be making up a nice selection of them to post all at once. But I will say that there will be a "New Product Sale" when I do get them listed, and I'll be posting a coupon code to my blog readers, Twitter followers and Facebook Page likers so you can get a discount for a limited time after the product launch.

I have also decided to expand my business and start offering International Shipping. it's going to take me a little time to figure out all the prices and get my shop updated, but to all my international friends, it's coming soon! If there is something you are interested in and don't want to wait, send me an email and I'll figure out the price for you.

Happy New Year,
De'Anna

Cyber Monday Sale

2011-11-25T20:21:00.001-08:00

We've braved the stores for Black Friday, and hopefully have a couple days to recover. Now it's time to start thinking about Cyber Monday, a great day to do your online Christmas shopping.

I will be participating in Cyber Monday by having a sale on my ArtFire store. Everything will be 10% off! It's one day only, the sale will run from Midnight to Midnight (MST) on Monday, November 28th, 2011.

Come in, pre-shop and get ready for the frenzy! I'll be loading in lots of new product this weekend in preparation for the big sale, including Marshmallow Shooters, Fabric Mouse Pads, Santa Hats, Crocheted Ponchos and all the other product that I recently had at the Craft Fair.

The Making of a Crochet Animal Purse

2011-10-08T15:34:00.000-07:00

Curious about what goes into making one of my crocheted animal purses? Be curious no longer.

It starts off with some basic materials, yard, crochet hook, needle, scissors, stuffing and finishing touches. Weilding my trusty crochet hook, and mini folding scissors I get started.

First I make all the parts, the bag, the handles, some legs, a head and in the case of froggy here, some cute frog eyes. A little stuffing and it's time to put it all together.

A little needle work to bring all the pieces together. Handles go onto the bag, head is attached, eyes stitched in place, and all the legs added.

Some final touches, such as the button eyes and embroidered facial features, and 4 or 5 hours later this cute little guy is born.

I hope you enjoyed this little peek into my crochet world. Come visit any time.

Happy Crafting,
De'Anna

Getting Social

2011-09-21T15:16:00.000-07:00

In an effort to expand my social influence across the web, I have joined a site called Empire Avenue. It's a fun way to get social, and spread your sites, blogs, pages, etc. You have a "stock" price, and people invest their EAVES (Empire Avenue money) in your stock. Your web influence (blog posts, Facebook activity, whatever you've linked) affects your price. It's fun to watch your stock value go up.

You also invest in other peoples stocks, and can earn EAVES dividends. There are a lot of Community groups on Empire Avenue which give you a place to talk to other users of similar interests.

The main reason I was interested, is to give myself an idea of how I'm doing with spreading my social influence. Since my stock price is affected by my web presence, the more I do the higher my price. Now, that doesn't mean that I should post a Tweet every 30 seconds, because only so many actions per item count per day. This keeps people from artificially inflating their prices. For me, I'm hoping it helps me learn how often to post, what kind of things are generating interest, what my customers and followers are finding interesting and useful. And of course, what is helping me generate sales.

If you're looking for a way to help you on the road to starting or building on your social media web presence, Empire Avenue is a fun way to get rolling. Not to mention the great information that other people are providing who are or have been in the same place as you are.

So far, the site has encouraged me to be more active on LinkedIn, to start using a Flikr account, to just jump into Blogging and not be so concerned about what I'm doing and what people think, and I'm considering a YouTube account. I think it might be fun for people to see an embroidery project being done, or a crochet item going through the motions. The sky is the limit.

De'Anna

Crocheted Animal Purses

2011-09-19T12:36:00.000-07:00

Captive Embroidery is expanding to Captive Embroidery and Crafts. This is to include all the other fun crafty projects I enjoy doing, as well as the things my husband and son contribute.

The first crafty addition to my line is Crocheted Animal Purses. I have 3 different friends ready and a list of others that will be coming soon. Ready now are a pig, bunny and lion. Coming soon are a kitty, puppy, cow, ram, frog (if I can get his legs right), wolf, bear, and possibly a horse and snake.

Is there an animal you'd like to see added to the collection?

You can find them all in the Accessories section of my ArtFire Store.

Ride for Heroes & Patriots' Festival

2011-09-10T17:00:00.000-07:00

Today my husband is participating in the Ride for Heroes & Patriots' Festival. We made this custom jersey for him to wear on the 28 mile bike ride around town. From family, friends and the local fire station, he received the names of 9 fallen heroes. These brave men and women lost their lives in the line of duty, protecting our homes, our lives and our freedom.

We are proud to honor all our heroes, those that still serve, those that have retired, and those that have left this life for the next.

Thank you. With deepest gratitude for all you do,

De'Anna

Welcome

2011-09-08T22:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Captive Embroidery and Crafts blog. My name is De'Anna, I am the owner of Captive Embroidery in business since 2010. The world of crafting is about more than just what you can make, there is a very social and community connection. As such, I'd like to share more about who I am and what I do, and even a little of how I do it. In the posts to come, expect to see:

Information about Captive Embroidery and what we do ("we" being myself, my husband, and occasionally my son)
Games and fun contests
Charitable doings that we are involved with
and anything else that I feel may interest you

Be sure to visit often. I'm just getting going here, but plan to have a wealth of information coming.

Thank you for visiting!
De'Anna