How I Learned to Crochet

I taught myself how to crochet, and you can, too! The secret? YouTube and not being afraid to make mistakes.

A few years ago, I started a 365 day project. The plan was to crochet one granny square per day for the whole year resulting in a special keepsake blanket. Well, I skipped a few days and 365 squares makes a super HUGE blanket, but I finally finished the 365 day project... in way more then 365 days and not exactly 365 squares. This was my first ever crochet project.

That's right. I picked up a crochet hook for the first time, jumped right in, and made a gigantic granny square blanket all while following YouTube. At first I would follow the video (this video to be exact) and stitch along with the narrator. After a while I got the hang of it. Now I can make granny squares practically with my eyes closed!

This Christmas, I decided to give a few handmade gifts. I crocheted some scarves for a few special people. At this point, I had only ever crocheted a granny square blanket, so I turned to YouTube... again. I found a great tutorial for a simple cowl and the results were adorable!

With the leftover yarn from my scarf project, I started my second granny square blanket that's a variation of the first. I am loving the way it's turning out!!

So, the moral of the story? YouTube is awesome. You can crochet! All it takes is some patience, a good tutorial, and you can't be afraid to make mistakes. At the beginning, if something didn't turn out quite the way it was supposed to, I would just start over. It's only yarn. You're not going to hurt it by unraveling your project and starting over.

Wore

"Behind every cute girl on Instagram is a guy like me, and a brick wall" - Instagram Husband

If anyone can relate to this statement, it's my husband. When I saw this "yay coffee" wall, well, of course we had to take pictures there! Today, I'm sharing my super cute capelet and new sunglasses. I don't know how I'd get through winter without either of these items.

When the weather is cold, I tend to wear the same winter coat. Every. Single. Day. This gets really old really fast. This year, I added this amazing capelet to my rotation. It's exactly what I need to get through this winter without getting into too much of a fashion rut. It's super warm, stylish, and even has a hood!

Now let's talk about the sunglasses. In summer, I always always always wear sunglasses. Since there are fewer sunny days during the winter, I tend to pretty much never wear sunglasses from about October through April. This seems so silly! It's important to protect your eyes no matter what time of year it is. These new Firmoo sunglasses have me excited again and remembering to grab them every time I leave the house on a sunny winter day.

capelet - banana republic / sunglasses - c/o firmoo / scarf - modcloth

Signs of Union Avenue

Union Ave. The street I loathe yet still love. It's true. There's mostly no turn lane, lots of ill timed lights, and don't even get me started on people not using blinkers, however, the signs along Union are some of the best! If you're in Memphis, I'm sure you've driven by some of these gems countless times. So, the next time you're aggravated at being stopped at anotherrrrr red light (please tell me I'm not the only one), look around, I bet there is an awesome sign just waiting to be noticed.

Ok, this police one seems a little different then the others. I had to include it because I love the lights that say POLICE.


Is there an awesome Union Ave sign I'm missing??? Which one is your favorite?

Ten Feet Off Beale Shop -- Now Serving Donuts

Yes, you read that right, the Ten Feet Off Beale Etsy Shop has expanded and is now serving felt play donuts!

In addition to embroidery hoops, I'm hand stitching felt donuts. They're perfect for any little's play kitchen or simply decorating around the house! It all started when I made a few for my niece for Christmas. She just loves her "nonuts" and I am positive that others will find hours of joy with these fun felt donuts.

One more announcement!!! From now until the end of February, I have a special Limited Edition Valentine Donut listed in the shop. Not only are these donuts super cute for Valentine's Day, but also for every donut purchased, I will be donating a portion of the profits to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

So, head on over to the shop and let me know what you think!!! Are there any flavors you'd like to see in the future? Oh, and be sure to follow along on instagram (@shop_tenfeetoffbeale) to see sneak peeks, behind the scenes pictures, and special offers.

One Day in Birmingham

At the end of December the Memphis Tigers were in the Birmingham Bowl. So, being that I'm married to the biggest Memphis Tiger fan I know, of course we hopped in the car and drove to Birmingham, Alabama. Overall, we were only there for a short time but we were able to explore and find some great places that we would absolutely visit again. In fact, I would love to spend more time in this southern city. I just know it has so much more to offer.

The gigantic Vulcan statue is a Birmingham landmark. You can see it from all over the city. We took some time and went up to Vulcan Park to see Vulcan up close and to take in breathtaking views of Birmingham.

 

Of course, a trip to a southern city requires eating good great food. I thoroughly enjoyed our meal at The Little Donkey, a southern-influenced Mexican restaurant that is farm-to-table. After our meal, we walked next door to Steel City Pops which was amazing. They make popsicles out of organic, local, and fresh ingredients. They even had holiday flavors while we were there! 

 

Even though we weren't there very long, I loved what I saw of Birmingham! Already thinking we need to plan another proper trip to really see what Birmingham has to offer.

Have you ever been?? Where should we go the next time we're there?