Introduction to Shopping on Etsy

My brother has an awesome youtube channel and recently made a video to give you an introduction to Etsy.  Shopping on Etsy can be confusing when you're just getting to know it, but just like Pinterest, I bet you'll be hooked in no time. 

Etsy's New Gift Cards

Just in time for the upcoming holidays, Etsy has released their brand new gift cards!  You can choose to print the card or deliver via email.  Crooked By Design is now accepting them, too.

In an effort to save money and reduce stress this holiday season, I've started my shopping (and making of Christmas gifts) really early this year.  Etsy has been a great place for finding those unique gifts you won't find at the store.  You can look by category depending on who you are shopping for and browse.  Best of all, you give a unique (often handmade) gift, and you support a small business. 

Here's the link for Etsy Gift Cards
 

Easy Roast Chicken

This year on our annual Pumpkin Carving Day, I decided to go all out and make a delicious harvest meal.  For just $20, I made made a meal for 6 (with lots of leftovers) of roast chicken, mashed potatoes, corn and roasted butternut squash. 

Here's how to make a perfect roast chicken:
I used a 7 pound one from Hannaford and went by their instructions for cooking.  It was 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes per pound.  I cheated and just waited for the popper to pop.  Makes things much easier (who has the time to clock watch?).

Start by rinsing the chicken and sticking your hand in to remove that nasty bag of...extras.  I toss it, but you can feel free to use it.  Be sure to rinse inside, between the wings and all over.  Next, stuff it with things that will make it full of flavor.  I'm gluten free, so I don't use traditional stuffing of bread.  I threw in a cut up orange (skin on), 2 onions (quartered) and a hand full of frozen cranberries, to go with my harvest theme.

 

Next, melt a few tablespoons of butter and add some herbs to it.  I used basil, rosemary and thyme.  Give it a good stir and, using a cooking brush, paint it onto your chicken.  Add some to the inside too.

 

 

Now, it's ready for the oven!  Cover loosely with tinfoil and put it in the preheated oven.  After about an hour, remove foil, and brush some of the liquid from the bottom of the baking dish onto the chicken.  Do this a few times throughout the cooking process.  When it's finished, the popper will pop.

 

The final result:

 

THE MOST IMPORTANT PART:  Let it "rest" before carving, that way the juices really get in their and it gets extra flavorful and moist.  A 10-15 minute nap is sufficient. 

 

 

 

 

New Earwarmer Headbands!

Now that the cold weather is coming to get us, I've been making all sorts of earwarmer headbands to keep warm.  So far, I've tried 3 styles in sizes for baby-women's.  Here's some of them:

   Women's sizes

 Kid's
  Baby

As of now, I don't have the patterns available for purchase, but I might soon so stay tuned.  Check out my Etsy Shop for sizing details and to purchase an earwarmer. 

Like what you see?  Be sure to check out the new Crooked By Design Facebook fan page for sales, new listings, special deals and other exciting stuff!

Crooked By Design Now on Facebook!

My Etsy shop, Crooked By Design is now on facebook!  Be sure to check out the page and "like" it for sneak peaks on things I'm working on, new listings, promos and more.  Thanks for all the support!

www.facebook.com/crookedbydesign

As a special thank you...

I opened my Etsy shop, Crooked By Design at the tail end of May this year, and I'm currently just shy of the 50 orders mark!  I can't express how excited and thankful I am about this, after hours upon hours of hard work with my hooks, needles and sewing machine.  As a special thank you, the person who places order #50 gets a FREE SURPRISE in their order.  Perhaps you'll be the lucky recipient? 

To keep up to date on this blog and my shop be sure to follow me on Twitter!  @KnaptimeKnitter