16 Real Things Hookers Say

When you have kids, you say weird things. Things you never thought you'd say.

"Stop licking the wall" happened and it got me thinking, so I asked my Facebook fans to fill in the blank...

Real things you say when you crochet: _______

WARNING: If you have gentle sensibilities, you may want to skip this post. The life of a hooker can get a little dirty sometimes.

1. Looking for a cow leg.
2. Oh no, do I really have to pull it out.
3. I've lost my eyes... (when making Ami)
4. Did I hit the hole?
5. 20, 21, 22, 37, 38, 39, 50...
6. I wish I got paid to be a hooker!
7. Hand me those balls
8. Ugh, I hate fingering!
9. Just a minute!
10. If I wiggle it a little more, I think I can get it in there.
11. Please don't put your arm inside mommy's yarn.
12. Get my yarn out of your toes
13. Stop moving, you're wrapped in my wip.
14. Here, you can play with this one
15. That dolls leg is NOT a microphone!!
16. Just one more row.

Bonus....

17. Dammit if it was only an inch longer!

These are only my favorites. If you want to read all of them, check out the original post here.
https://www.facebook.com/PlayinHooky/posts/10154578939125648

play hard ... play hooky

Don't be a Naked Hooker

Tee & Hoodie sales are now closed... until next time!

It's Playin' Hooky Tee and Hoodie Week!

If you've been with me for a while, you know that I hold sales of my tees & hoodies every few months. And it's TIME!! They're available through Saturday, 6/14 exclusively in my Etsy shop. - https://www.etsy.com/shop/PlayinHookyDesigns

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"Why don't you have them available all the time?"... I have my reasons, a few of them!

The tees and hoodies are in my shop for a limited time. Then I take your orders to my local screen printer (yes, he's a real guy that I talk to face-to-face!).

We custom order and hand print each item making sure each design is done right, printed on high quality fabric.

Doing things this way also lets you pick your favorite color and style without having to worry if it's out of stock and you don't have to be stuck with the color I choose!

Finally, each order is packaged and hand delivered to the post office by me to make sure your order is right and up to my standards. If there is still something not quite right with your order, I'll make it right.

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BONUS I've added a giveaway where you could win a free fitted or unisex tee! One lucky winner will get to pick their favorite color & style for an all expenses paid tee! Friday the 13th will be lucky for one winner... the winner will be announced on Friday, 6/13, so go ahead and order your shirt. If you win and have already bought a shirt, you can choose to either add the free shirt to your order OR get a refund. Use the Rafflecopter widget below or on my FB page to enter. Mobile-friendly link: http://tinyurl.com/molea3m
Come back everyday for more entries!

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Show off your hooky love

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a Rafflecopter giveaway

play hard ... play hooky

34 Signs You Might Be (or know) a Crocheter

If you've been with me for a while, you know that I like to throw out this question every once and a while. I never get tired of your comments and stories. This list is an insight into the weird little world we've created for ourselves, and the people who love us in spite of it all.

Here are the most "liked" comments from my Facebook page. If you have some time to kill and want to read the whole list, check it out here.

WARNING: don't drink while reading this! I just spit coffee on my keyboard. At least there wasn't any yarn on it.

1. When your kids try to ask you a question and you respond with counting louder.
2. You can quote any movie or TV show and know exactly what's going on, but have NO CLUE what the characters look like.
3. Your phone autocorrects to sc/dc/st/FLO/fpdc when you try to type real words
4. You find NO offense in being called a hooker!
5. You count loudly and stare down people that are trying to talk to you while you finish a row. 
6. You lose multiple hooks/needles/supplies without ever leaving the spot youve been in for hours.
7. You just nod your head and roll your eyes when your hubs calls it knitting for the 749th time this week.
8. When "frog" is no longer an animal that croaks
9. One of your top priorities when looking for a new home is finding adequate storage for your yarn.
10. When you have a hook and a skein in your glove compartment in case of emergency.
11. When your pattern stash is larger than what you'll ever finish
12. You have more yarn than clothing
13. Your kids don't ask you to buy them toys they ask if you will crochet them something, and you are so honored that you drop everything to complete it despite any other WIP.
14. You go on vacation and google ahead of time where all the yarn stores are. yep, true story.
15. You have to start thinking about Christmas gifts NOW!
16. You spend your time trying to prove to people that crocheting isn't just for little old ladies!
17. Your before bed mantra is "one more row, one more roll, one more row "
18. When every pattern you find requires a yarn you don't have and therefore, you are FORCED to go buy more yarn.
19. when your hubby knows he can bribe you do do almost anything with the promise of new yarn!
20. The phrase "I've got balls" is't dirty!
21. You follow someone in a store wearing a cute crochet scraf or hat, trying to figure out what stitch was used, what type of yarn without letting said person know you are following you.
22. you're working furiously on a piece to get it finished, hold off going to the potty till it's an emergency, & then get caught up in your yarn while making a mad dash to get there! Only to pull out half of the last row you were working on!!!!
23. Your lint roller is covered with mohair, wool, fun fur AND pet fur.
24. You pack your yarn bag for a road trip but forget your tooth brush. (True story just this morning.)
25. Your husband is proud to tell people his wife is a hooker who works with hard wood (since I carve hooks, also...)
26. you wake up in the morning wrapped up in the yarn you were using before you fell asleep last night. 
27. When you go to take a shower you find crochet hooks stashed in your top, pockets, and hair. Not to mention in the car, in your purse, and every room in the house!
28. You have tried telling your husband that your yarn habit helps keep the heat bill down and we even need more yarn because we live in an old, poorly insulated house.
29. If, when pregnant, the first thing that gets packed in your hospital bag is yarn!
30. You might crochet if the words " baby weight" have nothing to do with a well child visit!
31. You only ever shout at the dog ( or dogs in my case) when they catch your yarn ( usually by accident) and drag half your project round the room .....happened again today lol!
32. You cant watch a TV show with out looking at the crochet items saying I can remake that. As you pause it till you can figure it out or till the kid and hubby yells
33. Craft store employees know your kids by name!
34. when you get up from your chair you drag a long string of yarn with you and you don't notice it until you're already in the kitchen. And then that last row you were working on is completely undone.

And here's why you should always have a crocheter by your side... you know, in case of emergencies and stuff.

• You are on a road trip in a rental and hit a coon causing the front bumper to fall off on one side. Your only tools are: yarn, scissors and hooks. You crochet a chain to tie the bumper to the battery posts and cut away the debris with your favorite scissors and still drive 13 hours home with no issues.

I'll leave you with something to remember... even Disney likes us more.

play hard ... play hooky

Bryn's Candy

Wednesday, April 16th, is my Bryn's 7th birthday. But it will be the second time we've had to celebrate without her. Last year, with LOTS of help, we put a flower garden on the fence of the Kindergarten she was supposed to go to.

It took me a lot longer to decide how to celebrate this year. I could never find the perfect project, and well honestly, I just ran out of energy to organize something huge. But with your help, we can still do something pretty cool.

I love you more than candy... that's what she said when I tucked her in at night. So this year, we're going to spread love and happiness through candy, and Bryn would have LOVED it!

I scoured Ravelry and  found two free candy crochet patterns on Ravelry that remind me of Bryn.

Here's what you do:

• Pinwheel Candy Pattern - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/pinwheel-candy
• Lollipop Pattern - http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/lollipop-brooch
• Make up as many or few as candies as you want.
• The brighter the colors the better!
• Write a note, or leave them bare. 
• Put them out as a yarn bomb... leave them in random candy dishes... hand them out to strangers... as long as it will make someone smile.
• Get a picture of the candies in action.
• On Wednesday, post your pictures to Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter with the hashtag #brynscandy.

Thank you for your help! I can't put into words how much it means to me that you're willing to help me celebrate my amazing daughter and keep her memory alive.

play hard ~ play hooky

Update: I did it! I actually finished making all the candies I had hoped to for her birthday tomorrow. If you want to leave a note with your ‪#‎brynscandy‬ tomorrow and aren't sure what to say, here's something I just wrote...

For Bryn, a girl who loved life, lived big, and shared smiles. Here's a handmade candy to celebrate and spread love on her birthday. She isn't here so we'll do it for her. I love you more than candy.

10,000 Fan Giveaway - Yarn Pop

We're down to our final two prizes in my giveaway extravaganza! Are you ready to see what's up for grabs this Sunday evening?

If you know me, you may know that I'm a HUGE supporter of crocheting in public. I love the questions, the amazed looks, and the conversations it starts - bringing our craft to the masses (although in my tiny town, it's more like a small cluster). This next prize from Yarn Pop will help you take your projects to go while looking AMAZING while you do it!

Her bags come in a variety of gorgeous prints and sizes for any project! The have grommets across the front to let your yarn hang free and the large tooth zipper across the top keeps everything safe and secure (and maybe even toddler-proof!).

Lori is donating one "Totable" Yarn Pop in the Red Crossbones print (fitting, dontcha think?). Use the Rafflecopter link to the right or this mobile friendly link to enter!

PS - Keep an eye on Lori's Facebook page and her blog because she's running her own holiday giveaways where you can enter to win even more totes!

play hard ~ play hooky

10,000 Fan Giveaway - Yarn Baby

Thanks to the generosity of a few amazing shops, I've put together a giveaway featuring high-quality handmade items every hooker would want to find in their stocking.

Here's how it'll work:

• I'll feature 2 shops every day - each for 6 hours - Get ready for some seriously amazing shops!
• The morning shop will be featured from 8am-2pm (MST), and the afternoon shop will be featured from 2pm-8pm (MST)
• You'll be able to enter for that shop's prize for the 6 hour time period only
• I'll announce the winners the next morning
• Winners have 48 hours to claim their prize.
• Please read the terms and conditions before entering

If you want a sneak peek at the afternoon shops, make sure to sign up for my newsletter

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** NOW CLOSED ** Winner to be announced tomorrow!

Now that all the official business is taken care of, I can introduce you to my Monday Morning shop!

Say hello to YARN BABY! If you haven't seen her gorgeous hand dyed and hand painted skeins, you're in for some great yarn porn. What's even better? She creates a backstory to each skein she crafts! Love it.

Use the Rafflecopter form to the right to enter for this beautiful hand painted skein - worsted weight, 218 yds. Stop by her Facebook page and ask her to tell the story behind it!

play hard ~ play hooky

Bryn's Flowers - a Yarn Bomb

The Yarn Bomb that inspired me
by the Ladies Fancywork Society

This year would have been Bryn's kindergarten year at Longfellow Elementary. She was so excited about going to school and meeting all her new friends. When she talked about kindergarten, her eyes lit up, her smile got bigger, and her whole body shook with excitement.

Then we lost her. An experience that changed our lives forever. Even though she never got to walk through her Kindergarten door, meet her new teacher, or experience all the joys of a 'big girl school', we can help keep her presence there.
I've been working with the school administrators and teachers to plan a fun and cheerful way to remember her and bring a smile to the kids, faculty, and parents. We will yarn bomb the chain link fence with crocheted flowers and butterflies - two of Bryn's favorite things.

Some of you know that I created a yarn bomb in memory of my Bryn at the beginning of the school year. Now that Spring Break is coming up, along with her birthday in April, I want this BIGGER yarn bomb in her honor.

Here's how you can be a part of this memorable and meaningful event:

• Join my group on Facebook (If you don't have a FB account, let me know and I'll make sure you can still participate)
• You can crochet items, help with set up or help with clean up, or send me zip ties
• Read the volunteer information to find the online sign-up sheet and all the details you will need to know as a volunteer
• Pick your favorite flower, pinwheel, butterfly, or rainbow color from the album in the group
• Sign up using the online sign-up sheet (the link is only available through the FB group)
• You may sign up for more than one item, but be aware that they need to be in the mail by March 18th to get to me in time

The flowers, pinwheels, butterflies, and bees we will use to decorate the fence

my Bryn

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

The hunt is over...

Thank you for playing with my yesterday! I had a lot of fun and I hope you did too. If you found hearts and unlocked your coupon code, you have all day today to use it. 

Here's the breakdown of how many hearts were found (for all you number nerds like me):

No one found less than 5 hearts!
5 hearts found - 4.2%
6 hearts found - 16.7%
7 hearts found - 16.7%
8 hearts found - 8.3%
9 hearts found - 29.2%
all 10 hearts found - 25%

If you found all 10 hearts that's AWESOME! But if you didn't it's probably killing you where that last heart (or 2) was hiding. So I'm going to show you in no particular order (the hearts are no longer on the pics in my shop):

CROCHET PATTERN - Waffle Headband

Big Waffle Ski Beanie - Kids Custom Crochet Hat

CROCHET HAT PATTERN - Kids Ziggy Beanie

Playin' Hooky Disc - Crocheted Cotton Flying Disc

CROCHET HAT PATTERN - Kid's & Baby's Gingham Beanie

CROCHET HAT PATTERNS - Houndstooth Beanie - Adults & Kids Sizes

Avalanche Beanie - Adults Custom Crochet Hat

Ridgeline Beanie - Adult's Custom Crochet Hat

CROCHET HAT PATTERN - Shockwave Beanie - Kids Size

CROCHET HAT PATTERN - Twisted Beanie - Kid's Size

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

2nd Annual Valentine's Day Scavenger Hunt!

While you're at work today, play a little hooky and go on a  Valentine's scavenger hunt! I've hidden 10 hearts (look for the picture to the left) in my Etsy Shop. Each one is hidden in a different picture. It could be on any picture, anywhere, any direction! To find them, hunt through all my hats & patterns until you come across one and you'll get up to 20% off!

My Etsy Shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/PlayinHookyDesigns

HOW TO PLAY:

1. Email me or send me a FB message with all the links to the listings you find to unlock your coupon code
2. Your discount amount depends on how many hearts you find: 1 heart = 2% off... 2 hearts = 4% off, 3 hearts = 6% off... 10 hearts = 20% off!
3. DO NOT GIVE AWAY ANY LISTINGS AS A COMMENT HERE OR ON FB. If you do, you will automatically be disqualified from any discount. Let's let everyone have fun!
4. The hunt is on all day! 
5. Your discount will be good all day today and through tomorrow

On the right is the exact heart you will find in each correct picture. If it's not that heart, it doesn't count. On the left is an example of how it may be hidden.

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

Playin' Hooky Sighting Winner - Week 2

This week's prize goes to.....

Carol G from Pennsylvania. She didn't even have time to weave in all her ends on her Along Came a Spider Beanie before grabbing the camera to capture her grandson's smirk. And I couldn't resist it!

Carol's prize is this Yay!Yarn! magnet from Yay!Life!

Keep your eyes peeled for a Playin' Hooky Sighting near you for a chance to win next week's prize!

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

1st Weekly Playin' Hooky Sighting Winner

Last Monday I started a new contest for you and the first week of Playin' Hooky Sightings was a lot of fun. You used Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter to submit some great pictures. In fact, I couldn't decide on just one. So we have two winners this week!

Congratulations to MELANIE for her pic of her daughter playing with her Playin' Hooky Disc and RENEE for her pic of her husband and his pit crew wearing their Houndstooth Beanies on their way to Sault Ste. Marie Michigan for the I-500 snowmobile race! 

Melanie & Renee won a skull and cross hooks button!

I'll choose another winner next Monday so keep your eyes peeled and submit your pictures!

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

Phil Didn't See His Shadow...

.... SO that means I was right (for the second year in a row I might add)! :) And that means an early Spring and a sale for you!

Use the code GROUNDHOGDAY25 for 25% off* my Ravelry & Etsy shops for the rest of the day.

HAPPY GROUNDHOG DAY!!

*$6 eBooks & #2.99 throwback patterns on Ravelry are not eligible for the sale

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

Playin' Hooky Sightings!!

It's ON (like Donkey Kong?)... wow, I'm old.

ANYWAY I've started a new & ongoing weekly contest for you!

• Have you ever seen someone wearing a Brain Waves Beanie walking down your street?
• Are you proud of the Shockwave Beanie you just made?
• Did someone stick a skull and cross hooks sticker on your favorite stop sign? 

Well, snap a pic and post it to my Facebook wall, Twitter or Instagram (use #PlayinHookySighting on Twitter & Instagram so I can find them)

I'll pick my favorite pic every week and the winner gets a prize and a feature on my social media sites & blog! Just remember:

• The more creative/silly/epic the picture is, the more likely you'll win
• Don't be too much of a stalker - if you can, ask if they'll pose so you can win a contest.
• NO DUCKLIPS!
• I don't condone the defacement of public property haha!

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

Playin' Hooky Discs!!

YAY!! I'm so happy to introduce the newest thing in Playin' Hooky: FRISBEES!!! I got the photos back from Jess at Jlight Photography and they are unbelievable! She captured perfectly the spirit and excitement I imagined!! So I wanted to share a few here...

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY

What the WHAT...?

This week's contest is to explain what the heck is going on in this picture. It has nothing to do with my shop, but I knew you could have a LOT of fun with this one! Write a caption, thought bubble or story to try and explain what the heck is going on here. Leave the comment on my Facebook page and the comment with the most "likes" by Friday wins a $15 gift cert to Jamba Juice.

Of all the what-not-to-crochet pictures, this one is my favorite. The guy is just so happy to be covered in this weird crochet suit, triumphant almost, haha!

PLAY HARD ~ PLAY HOOKY