Vacation Sale at Gantsilyo Guru Selections

I will be going on a mini-vacation this weekend until early next week. My friend Erika and I will be going to Cambodia to go on a touristy trip to see temples and eat happy pizza. Of course, we will make sure we will not miss watching the Oscars just because we consider it an important life event.

So, while I'm out, I want to treat you to a Vacation Sale! And it just started today!

We have discounted prices for Lion Brand Cotton Ease, Lion Brand Knit Kits, Red Heart Celebration, Kuka Merino Bulky, Kuka Summer Mercerised Cotton, and pattern books/magazines.

To avail of the discounted prices, customers must checkout and pay their orders within the period of Feb. 28 - Mar. 5, 2014. Sale items unpaid beyond Mar. 5 will be charged with regular prices already.

While I'm out, from March 1 to 5, customers can still expect to get their final deposit amounts via email. Paid orders today (Feb. 28) and tomorrow morning (Mar. 1) will be shipped out before I leave. Shipping out of orders will resume on Mar. 6 (Thu).

I depart Manila tomorrow already, but this is what I have packed so far. Seriously, I packed these first. I was too scared to forget my hooks and yarn!

All my yarns are packed and I'm ready to go!

Gantsilyo Guru in Solar Daybreak

Exactly a week ago, I got interviewed on live television at Solar News Channel's morning show, "Solar Daybreak." To be honest, I had the jitters before the show. This was live television (unlike the feature I did with Good News, which was recorded)!

I had to overcome my nerves because it was a great opportunity for me to talk about my passion - crochet! And of course, yarn!

Here are some "behind the scenes" pics.

Yes, I was crocheting while the producer was setting up. We held the shoot just behind Pino Resto Bar and Pi Breakfast and Pies along Malingap St. in Quezon City. Super thankful they allowed us to shoot there! The place is practically my second home for crochet since I hold some of my workshops just upstairs at Pipino Vegetarian.

Getting some shots of me crocheting. I think I went too fast for the camera! I had some of my favorite projects in front of me and some of the yarn I offer in my online store.

I was interviewed by Pia Bonalos. I was surprised to find out we were given around 10 minutes for the feature! That sounded pretty long for live airtime. Pia was very engaging. Even before the live interview, she made me feel at ease already because we started chatting about crochet and yarn. The live interview just felt like an extension of that conversation.

Thank you for this opportunity, Solar Daybreak!

[L-R] Dewayne Jay Ramirez (Cameraman), Danny Tamayo (Field Producer), Pia Bonalos (Segment Host), Michael Aguilar (Assistant Cameraman)

After the interview, I got super hungry and ate at Pi Breakfast and Pies. They're open as early as 7:00 AM! I got this huge omelette. Good thing they give choices on what to put in your omelette. I only like cheese and tomatoes in mine :p Let us pause for a moment and stare at this heavenly omelette. Yum. I want one right now, suddenly.

And here's the interview. I tried, guys. I really tried! Hope I do a better job next time!

Can't Grow A Beard? Crochet One!

[Intro. Option 1] No beard? No problem!

[Intro. Option 2] Turn a boy into a man with a crocheted beard!

[Intro. Option 3] This is what a boyfriend gets from a crocheter girlfriend.

We don't really celebrate Valentine's day as a couple because the thought of going out on Valentine's day is quite stressful in itself, but I wanted to give him an "anti-Valentine" gift anyway. I checked out crocheted gift ideas for guys online and nothing quite fit Rob's personality. Then I thought, why not crochet a beard for him?

Yes, I know him that well that he would appreciate a crocheted beard. Here he is wearing his crocheted beard while drinking coffee. Fits perfectly.

Here he is with our friends. They don't look distracted at all. It looked...natural.

I used Morris & Sons Estate 8ply yarn, which is made of 100% Australian wool. I kind of cheated with the yarn because he gave that to me as a gift. I think I was able to put it into good use though.

I was inspired by the Crochet Beard pattern from Lion Brand. I had to wing it and didn't follow the pattern as is because of the adjustments needed with the yarn I have. The yarn suggested in the pattern is thicker than the one I had. I had more stitches per row and made more decreases, as needed. I wasn't able to jot down my own pattern because I got really into crocheting it (and I was so lazy to write it down).

This is what it looks like flat. It's just made up of single crochets.

Go ahead and give your man a crocheted beard! Because men like weird gifts.