LIFE IN THE ZU - A mom, crocheter, designer, entrepreneur, multitasker and adding more to the list as the days go by.
Last week I received a voucher for a free nibblebox from www.graze.com. It's a snack food delivery service that offers healthy and wholesome snacks. All sorts of dried fruits, nuts, flapjacks, foccacia are available to sample. On their website you can rate the items available to allow them to personalise your box. For example, I chose to bin olives because I just don't like them. At all. *shudder*
My first box came and was empty within minutes thanks to my boys. The purpose of these boxes if to make sure that if you want to snack, you have a healthy option right there for you. So I can't really complain that my boys polished it off so quickly.
Each box costs a little over £3, and they have a few box options to choose from. You can pick the nibblebox with a bit of everything in it, or a detox box which has a stricter guideline imposed on it. You'll find no honey coated nuts in that one. They have a couple more box options as well.
If you want to watch your weight, snack healthier, or if you just want to try things you've never had before, I highly recommend giving graze.com a try.
If you live in the UK, get your free graze box with this code here - 3V9G3993. Tell em Zuleika sent you! :-)
Just an update on what’s been going on behind the scenes here. I’ve had to make a lot of changes to my business and life lately, and one of the changes has been my blog. I am sooooo sorry to my friends that followed me over to wordpress. I really appreciated it, and feel sooo bad that I’ve had to shut it down. In order for me to be profitable, I need to cut down on unnecessary costs. Why pay for the hosted wordpress blog when I can just use the blogger account I already had? I don’t know what I was thinking! I hadn’t closed my blogger account, so coming back wasn’t very hard thankfully. Now I can focus more on blogging and less on keeping up with paying to blog. I also felt a bit cut off with the wordpress blog. The majority of the friends I’ve made throughout the years all use blogger. I seemed to lose touch with them with the wordpress blog. So I’m back and need to work harder on keeping my friends closer. 
Change number 2 is my website host. I’ve moved on over to www.Highwire.com to host my website. Its much more inexpensive than my old host and has all I need. My url is www.byzula.highwire.com. I’ve also forwarded my other domain www.hobbyzu.co.uk to it, so don’t have to worry too much about the address. Old and new customers and friends will still be able to find me.
Change number 3 is my business name. I’m not changing my business name mind you, I’m just adding my accessory brand to it. So my business name is Hobbyzu Design, my brand name is byZula. I figured the best way to put it is ‘Hobbyzu Design & Accessories byZula. byZula stands for ‘by Zuleika Lamb’, which is me obviously. lol So the pattern side of my business is the Hobbyzu Design part, and the actual handmade accessories is the byZula part. When I start to label my work, I’ll be branding them with byZula. Now I just need to figure out how to attach that to the items I make. Haven’t figured that part out yet. Any suggestions?
And number 4 is…..*drumroll*…..I now have a Facebook fan page! I’ve been avoiding having a fb page for ages because I despise fb and only use it to keep in touch with family back home who are all on it. I have no choice but to use fb. So, I figured I might as well jump right in and start a page. Please like my fanpage so it doesnt feel lonely. hehe I’m still trying to figure out how to use it and how to update it properly. I thought I could send updates using sms, but they just go to my personal fb page instead. Any idea how to remedy that? Facebook has so many distractions on their site that I have a hard time focussing when I’m there. I have a short attention span, and it really messes with me. lol
And now to leave you with a photo, cause I hate blogging without pictures. I sent a pkg to a friend of mine today. We did a swap on etsy. This is the hat she asked me to make for her. I hope she likes it! I also added a few extras to her pkg, but forgot to put the picture on my laptop, which is where I’m blogging from. hehe
I hope she’s happy with it. I hear it’s pretty hot in her neck of the woods, so this hat will patiently wait until the colder weather to be put to good use.
I’m forcing myself to go to bed, so goodnight all!
I was able to complete a good bit of work this week. Thankfully I can sit up a bit more, which makes my crocheting go a bit faster.
First up is my Bucket Hat Pattern for sale on my website.
Crochet this popular design to protect you from the sun and /or to keep your head warm. Use a cotton yarn to help keep cool, or try acrylic or wool to keep your head warm.
You can add stripes, a flower or just leave plain.
Two flower patterns are included as well as directions for the UK and US stitch versions of the pattern.
Pattern uses Debbie Bliss Eco Cotton or other Aran weight yarn and an H/5mm hook.
Directions are for small, medium and large.
Next is the free Flower Splat pattern, available on ravelry, and will be on my website as soon as I can figure out how to add it. Big Cartel doesn’t allow free listings, so am wondering if it’ll look weird to list the free patterns for 1p. something. Think people will be annoyed by that?
I have another pattern I’m working on which will be available next week sometime. Also some other business-type stuff in the works, which will be revealed after I iron out all the details.
I also created a pattern listing for people who would like to buy multiple patterns. The more you buy, the more you save! 
TTFN!!
I have to move my shop! 
It’s not totally bad since I don’t have to get rid of it altogether, but it just means I have a lot of work ahead of me.
I used to be at Big Commerce, which is absolutely great and fantastic, but I just cant afford to stay there. They’re not majorly expensive, but with the way things are going in my life, every penny counts. So I’m moving over to Big Cartel, which has many great features, less for me to deal with and has just what I need. I found I have been paying for a lot of features and space that I don’t actually need, and it can get to be a bit time consuming to list certain things. With Big Cartel I can have a listing up within 2 mins that looks great and needs no fussing with.
I don’t know how long my back pain and sciatica will be this bad, which means I could be producing less to sell for a long time. Being in so much pain makes it harder to work. I can still crochet while lying down or leaning to the side, but I’m much slower. Also, the pills I’m on make me so drowsy that it cuts my crochet time down significantly. So, while I’m going through this, it just makes sense to cut costs wherever possible. £10 can mean a lot to a person when they’re broke! hehe
So my new home is here – Hobbyzu I’ll eventually have my .co.uk pointing there as well, but that will take a few days.
Anyway, here are some pics of recent FO’s! They’re shown with both the flowers I made for them, just for visual reference.
And some flowers…
A few days ago I decided to make my Lil ones teacher a gift. She's been his teacher for two years, and sadly will not be with him in P3. She's such a good teacher, an all around friendly person and she's been really good to him. She's one of the friendliest teachers I've had the pleasure to speak with, and I think she deserves a thank you.
I've never given a teacher a gift before, I feel like I'm sucking up! lol
So I chose to cross stitch her a picture of the moon that says keep on smiling, which will go into a frame. Lil one will stitch her a flower, which will be made into a thank you card.
He's never stitched anything before and is unsure of himself, I told him he'll be fine though. :-)
I've almost completed mine, just have to add all the backstitching to it, then I can put more focus into helping him complete the flower.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Cause I can’t stand up for very long. 
Not that I stand while blogging anyway, but just felt like whining a bit. hehe My sciatica is worse than it’s been since before I had my disc operation in 2006, so am really freaked out. Have weird pressure and pain going up my spine as well as down my leg. Does not feel nice at all and am heading to doctor tomorrow if it hasn’t improved by then. Thank God my boys can help with errands and chores around the house cause I’d be screwed! lol
Now for nicer stuff. I finally posted the Cap Pattern I had talked about before which can be found on sale here – Cap-it!
Here are some more pics of it:
I’ve also been working on Sunhats! It took a while to get the hat the way I wanted it. It’s more a sunhat/bucket hat really. I’ve never actually worn a sunhat before, but after testing it out, I may get brave and wear one out in public. Maybe...hehe Here are a few I’ve made so far. Still have more to photograph as well.
I’m not sure if I’ll make the pattern available on my website yet. Guess I’ll decide at some point. Still tryna figure out if I like the hat better with DK or Aran weight yarn. DK would of course be lighter and cooler, but Aran will hold it’s shape better. Decisions…decisions…
I’ve had many things going on lately. Several hat orders, working on new patterns in-between, my youngest went 7 on April 19th, my 34th birthday was on May 5th, and I’ve been taking my boys out a lot more to get some fresh air now that it isn’t freezing out there. 
I have 3 patterns I’m working on, but I keep getting hat orders, so haven’t really been able to get much done. I’m not complaining about the orders mind you, I’m just saying! hehe
So now for some photos!!
My lil guy is now 7. We had a fun birthday picnic for him with one of his older brothers. My eldest was vacationing back home in Bermuda - (lucky sight). Here is the birthday boy posing with his brand new castle!
This is my mother and I on Mothers Day.
My sister took us out for a Mexican lunch. The margaritas were yummy! hehe
My beautiful friends and my sister surprised me and took me out for lunch on my birthday. I was so surprised that I forgot to take pictures. 
We all had a great time though, and I’ll always remember it.
I was going to post some crochet pics but just realized I still have them on my camera. Crap. Next time then! lol
Click on pattern name to download or just use the pattern straight from here. :-)
COPYRIGHT HOBBYZU 2011
US and UK Stitch Version Included
These dishcloths are made using a sturdy Aran weight cotton and with the crossed DC's, they have plenty scrubbing power.
They are very quick to make, and last for ages!
SKILL LEVEL
MATERIALS
H/5mm hook
Approx. 60m/65yds. Debbie Bliss Eco Cotton or other Aran Weight/Worsted Weight Cotton
Yarn needle to weave in ends
FINISHED MEASUREMENTS
7x7 inches
18x18 cm
GAUGE
8 dc's/tr's and 3 rows = 2 inches.
PATTERN NOTES
*Repeat to end refers to directions between **.
Dishcloth can be made in one color, or use a contrasting color for the edging.
US Stitch Version
1.) Chain 26, 1 sc in 2nd chain from hook and in each ch to end. (25 sc)
2.) Ch 2, turn, 1 dc in next st; going across the front of st just made - 1 dc in same st as beginning ch 2, *sk next st, 1 dc in next st, 1 dc in skipped st*, repeat to end; 1 dc in last st. (12 Crossed DC's)
3-11.) Ch 2, turn, 1 dc in next st, 1 dc in same st as beginning ch 2, *sk next st, 1 dc in next st, 1 dc in skipped st*, repeat to end; 1 dc in last st.
12.) Ch 1, turn, 1 sc in same st and in each st to end. Fasten off. (25 sc)
Attach cotton you're using for the edging to any corner on the right side of the dishcloth with a sl st.
Ch 1, work 3 sc in same st, evenly work 1 sc in each st, and 3 sc into each corner around the dishcloth. When you're crocheting down the sides of the cloth, a good rule of thumb is to work 2 sc's into the side of each dc or ch 2.
At the end, join with a sl st to 1st sc, chain 10, sl st into next 3 sc. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Now, go wash your dishes!! ;-)
UK Stitch Version
1.) Chain 26, 1 dc in 2nd chain from hook and in each ch to end. (25 dc)
2.) Ch 2, turn, 1 tr in next st; going across the front of st just made - 1 tr in same st as beginning ch 2, *sk next st, 1 tr in next st, 1 tr in skipped st*, repeat to end; 1 tr in last st. (12 Crossed TR's)
3-11.) Ch 2, turn, 1 tr in next st, 1 tr in same st as beginning ch 2, *sk next st, 1 tr in next st, 1 tr in skipped st*, repeat to end; 1 tr in last st.
12.) Ch 1, turn, 1 dc in same st and in each st to end. Fasten off. (25 dc)
Attach cotton you're using for the edging to any corner on the right side of the dishcloth with a sl st.
Ch 1, work 3 dc in same st, evenly work 1 dc in each st, and 3 dc into each corner around the dishcloth. When you're crocheting down the sides of the cloth, a good rule of thumb is to work 2 dc's into the side of each tr or ch 2.
At the end, join with a sl st to 1st dc, chain 10, sl st into next 3 dc. Fasten off and weave in ends.
Now, go wash your dishes!! ;-)
Copyright HobbyZu - 2011.
I have no problem with customers using my patterns to make items and sell them. I do however ask that you not pass the patterns off as your own, or sell and distribute them. Thanks so much for being an honest and valued customer. :-)
Any questions, error reports or comments, please don't hesitate to email me.
All rights reserved.
