Does anyone remember waaaay back in January, when I made a bunch of crocheted snowballs?

Photos by Brenda Ponnay

I originally made them for an idea Brenda had up her sleeve. But you know how those ideas can fizzle out sometimes. Personally I think Brenda got the box of snowballs in the mail and decided she loved them too much to part with them. Bug might also have had something to do with that decision. I don’t know, I’m just guessing.

The other day Brenda IMed me to say that she was going to use these snowball photos in a post of hers where she and Bug were modeling some items crafted by her sister-in-law Jaynette, of bluejaye crafts on Etsy. (She is helping Jaynette out by holding a virtual craft fair. You can read all the details on Brenda’s post.)

I will just add that I own one of Jaynette’s wallets and I love it! I get compliments on my stripey wallet all the time. It’s big enough to hold cash, cards, ID, and more—but small enough to fit into my back pocket if I don’t want to carry a purse. I’ve been using it constantly for over a year and it’s still in perfect shape, so you know it’s well-constructed!

Anyway. Brenda told me she was going to use the photos with my snowballs in them, and asked if I had thought any more about putting a listing in my Etsy shop for crocheted snowballs, or the pattern. I hemmed and hawed at first, but she’s a fast-talker and she convinced me. She said I could use her photos, since I’m not at home and don’t have any crocheted snowballs handy. She even agreed to create the PDF for me and prettied it up with an illo just because she’s nice like that. Maybe this was her way of paying me back for making the snowballs in the first place. Maybe I owe her another latte now?

I know, I’ll just pay it forward: I’ll give away three free copies of my crocheted snowball pattern. Just leave a comment telling me you want in! I’ll do a drawing on Saturday morning and then email the pattern to the lucky winners. (Incidentally, that’s the same day that Brenda is doing her drawing for a free Miminko onesie, so if you’re interested go over and leave a comment on that post. You can also snag free downloads of her monthly calendar print-outs while you’re there.)

Crocheted Snowball and Crocheted Snowball PDF Pattern

Drum roll, please.

Tdrdtrdterdtdrdtrdtrdterdt…

Michelle of Michelley’s Belly and Mad(elyn) in Alabama! Congratulations, yours were the lucky numbers. Your bags are on the way and should arrive no later than Saturday. Here’s hoping they arrive by Friday.

My sister-in-law Dana commented on the giveaway post about the Mary Katherine Gallagher and Wonder Woman costumes she’s worn. (I personally would have mentioned the time you and Paul dressed as Jay and Silent Bob, Dana!) I emailed her back and told her that if she wanted a bag from me, all she has to do is tell me! She’s family, she has the right to order me around! I happened to be partway done with a pirate pumpkin bag, so I asked if she wanted that for Leo. She did, so I shipped that off today as well.

Why does he have an eyepatch? Honestly, it’s because I ran out of the white yarn I was using to make eyes. Also I thought an eyepatch would be cute. Too bad I didn’t have any gold thread to make an earring. But look, I did make the eyepatch actually tie in the back!

Which is kinda fun, right?

Thank you to everyone who participated in the giveaway! I really loved all the Halloween stories and great costume ideas you shared in the comments. Seriously, if anyone is hard up for a costume idea, you should go take a gander: Alien with a papier-mache head, a farmer and a hoe, Cruella de Vil, Johnny Cash (the Man in Black! Brilliant AND easy!), and my personal favorite, Bob Ross, AKA the guy who painted happy trees.

I’ll just hang onto all those addresses you sent me. You never know when a little something might arrive in the mail from me…uh, except for Michelle and Madelyn. Your mail from me should be arriving this weekend.

Happy Halloween!

(Brenda, thanks for telling me how to write out the sound of a drum roll!)

Halloween is only four days away. Wow, time flies when you’re driving all over Texas visiting friends and family, and someone else at at your house watching your cats and unpacking boxes and organizing your house.

Coming home to a clean, orderly house that doesn’t have a stack of boxes in the corner of each room was so wonderful. Brenda did us a good deed. I’m going to pass it on that by GIVING AWAY my two remaining crocheted trick-or-treat bags, totally FREE!

The catch is that Halloween is only four days away. As much as I love you guys and want to spread goodwill and all, I don’t want to spend a fortune on overnight shipping. Therefore, this giveaway will close on Wednesday, October 29th, at 4pm PDT. At 4:01 I will use random.org’s number generator to pick two winners, and will mail the bags to them via USPS Priority before 5pm that day. Since Priority Mail takes 2-3 days within the continental U.S., there is a good chance your bag will get to you in time for Halloween…and there is a chance it might not. Just so we’re clear.

If you’d like the chance to win one of these bags, follow these two simple steps:

1. Leave a comment, telling me about your best/silliest/most memorable Halloween costume. It’s okay if you can’t think of a costume story. I’d like to read your stories, but if you can’t think of any just leave a comment saying you want to enter.
2. Email me (bethanyactually at gmail dot com) the name and address where I would send your winning bag. (Note: To make it easier on me, put “halloween giveaway address” as the subject. Because I’m going to close the giveaway and then mail the bags out within an hour, you must email me the shipping address in order to be entered. Unless, of course, you know with 100% certainty that I already have your address.

Good luck!

At 4:03pm PDT, I am closing comments. Thank you so much for all your Halloween/costume stories. I enjoyed them very much! You are a creative lot and I got some great ideas. I’m about to finish up some administrative details and then I’ll pick the winners.