Hello all!  I am very obviously failing at faithful blogging!  I admit, I don't love writing but am always hoping I'll find the time, the words to blog about something interesting.

I have ventured into a bit of a different line of crochet in the last while.  I started ordering some more luxurious yarns that I quickly fell in love with and am very inspired by.  I get some alpaca, mohair yarn in the mail and instantly I feel an urge to create something beautiful.  I don't look around to be inspired.  I just grab a skein of yarn and start crocheting without a final product in mind.  I'm inspired as I crochet.  Once the bonnet has come together I grab my basket of lace, silk, flowers (some handmade by me on a whim), buttons, etc. and start adding the final touches until the end result is something I can not wait to photograph and share with you all! 

I feel this design-as-you-create really shows who I am and reflects my taste and style down to the finest details.  I'm a bit of a romantic so soft yarns, florals, and silks are some of my favourite to work with. 

I create because I love to and it's very personal to me.  My business is first and foremost putting our kids through school.  Some mornings I wake up and my wrists and my hands ache, I feel stressed about business, don't have time to be a mother, a home maker, and I question why I do this but it boils down to what we feel is best for our children.  I have always dreamed of staying home with them to be their main caregiver and Prairie Blossom is allowing me to do that.  I feel truly blessed.

I create from the heart and try my best to find originality in my work.  I don't allow myself to look too much at other crochet businesses because I want to create something that expresses my style.  Being "original" is not an easy task in our world where we have everything at our fingertips with the click of a button.

Having said that, I appreciate all my customers tremendously and thank you all for reading through some of my more personal thoughts.

Here are a few images of some of my creations that came together by just sitting down on my couch with beautiful yarn, crochet hooks, lace, flowers, buttons, silk...and a little toddler wanting every bit of my attention.  :)

As a thank you I would like to offer a 10% discount for the month of November.  Coupon code THANKYOU

Regards,
Irma
www.prairieblossom.com

New Design at Prairie Blossom!

Hello everyone!

I've been busy coming up with a few new designs in the last while and am so excited to finally be able to introduce them to you!  My sister from Simply Rosie Phogotraphy is expecting baby number four so she shared with me a few ideas of what style of hat she would like for her baby's pictures when he/she arrives.  So I got to work!  I ordered some luxuriously soft mohair yarn and fell in love with it as soon as I received it.  My 20-month old can't get enough of this yarn either!  Every time I pull it out he goes crazy.  :)

My mother has been sewing ever since she was a young girl.  She has a stash of leftover fabrics that she was happy to pass on to me (Love her).  I dug through some of her collections and handmade some flowers to go with my new designs.  Each flower is unique and although they might look similar no two will ever be identical. 

After completing a few hats I started my search for a photographer that I felt would photograph my little hats in a way that I had imagined!  I came across Caralee Case Photography and fell in love with her style immediately!  Here are pictures of a few of the hats I sent her!  Thank you Caralee!

These hats are made with newborn photographers and expectant mom's in mind so at this time will be offered only in newborn size.  Little babies just look so adorable wearing them! 

Since I'm already so busy filling orders on all my other hats I will be listing these in my shop in limited quantities and on specific days (to be announced).  So they will be sold on a first-come basis.

Hope you enjoyed the sneek peek!  I am working on a few right now and will announce their availability on my Facebook Page so be sure to head over there and like Prairie Blossom so you can easily find me.

I'm also excited to be a sponsor for the Creative Captures Photography Workshop with Caralee Case and Jennifer Nace.  I will be creating something for each student in the workshop.

Irma
www.prairieblossom.com

Giveaway Winners

Thanks to everyone that entered the giveaway!

Winners were selected by random.org as follows:

#36 ~ Hana Foto

#40 - Jill Snyder

Winners have 24 hours to contact me at

prairieblossomboutique@yahoo.ca

Congrats!

GIVEAWAY CLOSED. WINNERS WILL BE

ANNOUNCED TOMORROW

GIVEAWAY TIME!



As a way to celebrate Prairie Blossom's two-year anniversary as well as reaching the 1000-sale milestone on Etsy I'm going to give away two earflap hats! Currently the earflap hats are available for purchase in my shop but I'm adding a fleece liner to these. The fleece liners are sewn into the hats and are so cozy! My girls are wearing them this winter and I love that they can stay warm but still wear darling hats. The liners are designed by my very talented sister Vera (Thanks so much!). These fleece-lined hats will become available to everyone for purchase later this year so this is your chance to get one before the official release!

Adult size hats are still in the design phase so this giveaway is for two lined earflap hats available in 0-3, 3-6, 6-12, 12-24 months, 2T-4T, and 5T-Preteen.

There will be two winners.

If you live in a warmer climate you can still enter the giveaway but request an unlined hat if you are the winner.

You only need to complete one of the following to get an entry. For additional entries complete one or more of the following options:

1. Facebook. Post about this giveaway and link back to this blogpost.

2. Twitter. Tweet about this giveaway and link back to this blogpost.

3. Blog. Blog about this giveaway and link back to this blogpost.

4. Head over to my Facbook page and like Prairie Blossom (www.facebook.com/prairieblossom)

For each of the above that you complete you must comment separately here with a link to your post. So if you want four chances to win you must leave four comments below.

The value of the giveaway is $38 - $45 per winner depending on size of hat chosen.

This giveaway will run from Monday, January 16 - Thursday, January 19 (2 pm central time). Winners will be randomly selected by random.org and will be announced on Friday, January 20 here as well as Facebook. Winners will have 24 hours to contact me.