Kneedles & Life

a little bit of yarn. a little bit of life.

My Top 10 Favorite Thriller Books

I’m not sure why but I’m a HUGE fan of thrillers. I’ve always loved reading but was never into anything scary growing up. I think it was around the time that Gone Girl came out that I started to really get into this genre. I loved Gone Girl but other cult favorites tend to disappoint me. The Woman in The Window and The Girl on The Train are two examples of books that were insanely popular, but a huge let down for me. They were such a blow burn. Can anyone else relate?

Anyway! I went through my Goodreads accounts today and picked out my TOP 10 thriller novels I have read over the past few years. It was kind of hard to narrow them down to 10 so I threw in a couple honorary mentions too LOL. I’ll start at 10 and finish with my number 1. Hope you find your next great read on this list!

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The Best Yarn to Use For Knitted Socks You Can Actually Wear

I’m hard on my socks, guys. I wear them 24/7. Literally day and night. And I wash them in the washing machine and dry them in the dryer. If I can’t wash it, I don’t want it. Anyone else?!

Over the past year, I have found so much joy knitting socks. It’s so amazing to use tiny needles and yarn to create something so beautiful AND practical. Because of this, I have tried a lot of different sock yarn. As someone who actually wears their handmade socks AND washes and dries them, I have strong feelings about the type of yarn that’s actually best for socks. Since they take so long to make, I think they should be able to last a long time as well!

I’m sharing my absolute favorite sock yarn that I believe is beautiful AND high quality, won’t break the bank and will last for a long, long time. I’m also sharing some that did not work for me and I won’t use again. These are all just my own opinions, and you’re welcome to disagree if you’ve had other experiences. My only hope is that this helps anyone wanting to dive into sock knitting and is trying to pick out yarn!

Enjoy!

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5 things your crochet or knitting business needs

Hey you! In this post, I’m sharing 5 things that have made my business a whole lot better and I think you need too. I hope you find this post helpful!

Disclaimer: This post contains some affiliate links. This means if you shop through my link, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting my blog in this way!

Email List

If you’re like me, you probably do a lot of your own advertising and marketing on Instagram or Facebook. What would you do if social media disappeared tomorrow? Or your account got deleted and you lost all your followers and everything you’ve worked for?

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Too many shows but nothing to watch!?

I’ve been there! So I decided to make a long list of all the shows I think are worth watching and have grouped them into categories so you can look at what you’re in the mood for! Everything is on Netflix (USA) unless otherwise noted!

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My easy and affordable skincare routine

Hey you! What’s one good thing you’ve done for yourself recently? Even thought 2020 was a pretty tough year, I think a lot of us started taking self-care a big more seriously as a result. Last year was the first time in my 28 years of existence that I FINALLY developed a consistent routine for my skin. I always thought skincare was expensive so I only used a cleanser and cheap moisturizer from Target. I would dabble here and there with masks I got at TJMaxx or free samples of things. I’m blessed to have fairly good skin, but pregnancy, postpartum, and just getting older in general has done my no favors and I’ve noticed my skin getting dull.

A friend introduced me to The Ordinary brand a couple years ago but I only bought one item. Last year I went a little crazy and now they are about 90% of the products I use LOL but it’s because they’re clean, high quality products at an amazing price!

I’m obviously no expert and you should only use what you’ve researched and found to be best for yourself, but I wanted to share what I use and love in case it helps you! I also purchase all of these products myself and have not been given anything for free. If you do purchase through one of my links, however, I may receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. This helps me continue to share free content with you so thank you for supporting me and my blog in this way!

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How to knit your very own Weasley Christmas Sweater!

For Christmas, my husband asked for matching Weasley sweaters for the fam. The task seemed daunting but I’m so glad I went for it because they turned out beautiful and he was so happy. My 19 month old even loved hers because she’s become really interested in letters recently.

I searched high and low for a pattern and found literally ONE but wasn’t happy with construction. It was knit in pieces and then seamed together, and it also didn’t offer letter charts. So I looked for sweater patterns I could possibly use as a base and I found the perfect one I’ll talk about below.

I hope this post is helpful if you’re wanting to knit your own Weasley sweater! It’s so much fun and special too.

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HP Themed Gift Ideas for anyone you know

I wanted to do this theme because I LOVE Harry Potter and think wizard themed gifts are so fun! This is one of those categories that is pretty easy to gifts but I try to choose cute and classy ones! These gifts would be great for any holiday, birthday, or just because. 🙂

Just a heads up, this post contains affiliate links. This means if you use my link to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, and helps me continue to create free content for you! Thanks for supporting my blog in this way.

  1. Sweatshirts. I love HP themed sweatshirts and thought these were really cute! Linking the “I solemnly swear” one here.
  2. Candle. LOVE this candle we got a few years ago! It burned really slow and smelled amazing. The shop is really fun too so check out their other candles!
  3. Socks knitting pattern. I haven’t personally made this pattern but I love the stripes and they would make the perfect house socks!
  4. Blanket. My husband gave me this blanket for my birthday and it’s sooo soft. I love how beautiful it looks on the couch but it’s also the perfect lap blanket.
  5. Mug. I gave this mug to my husband for his birthday as a little joke but our daughter is crazy about it LOL.
  6. Sticker. I used to have a sticker on my old laptop that’s not available anymore but this one is really similar!
  7. Coasters. I gave these to my husband when we were dating and we still use them today! They are great quality and look really nice in your home. I love a classy touch of fandom. 😉

Gift ideas for your cat, dog, or pet lover

This posts has a little bit for pets and their humans! All items are from Etsy so you can shop small. I think pet owners are pretty easy to shop for because there’s so many themed things out there. Do you buy gifts for your pets?

Just a heads up, this post contains affiliate links. This means if you use my link to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, and helps me continue to create free content for you! Thanks for supporting my blog in this way.

  1. Personalized mug. I love these mugs from Type League Press on Etsy. Did you know you can get your pet’s face on the mug?? There’s also regular mugs too.
  2. Handmade Collar. I met the owner of this shop at a local market I was in the past two years. He makes high quality dog collars in lots of fun prints!
  3. Handmade Bow Tie. I bought one of the Rifle Paper Co bow ties for Winston when he was a puppy and it’s super cute. I can also say it’s amazing quality because he made it his toy eventually LOL.
  4. Homemade Dog Treats. These looks so unique and fun. They’d be a festive gift for any pup!
  5. Welcome Mat. I’ve always wanted a pet themed welcome mat. I think they’re so cute and funny. This shop has a lot of other great ones.
  6. Cat Mom Keychain. I love personalized keychains, how about you?
  7. Dog Mom Sweatshirt. I think I’m going to get this sweatshirt for myself because it’s classy and cute. It’s also my favorite colors! They also have a cat version.
  8. Cat Coasters. This shop has a lot of lovely artwork and items. I thought these coasters were especially unique and would be a fun conversation starter when you have guests over.
  9. Cat Toys. These speak for themselves LOL. I think there’s a dog version out there too.
  10. Christmas Ornament. I have a sticker from this shop on my car and I just ordered this ornament for our tree!

Coffee Lover Gift Guide

I’m back with another themed gift guide! This one is for the coffee lovers – you either are one or you know one, right?

Just a heads up, this post contains affiliate links. This means if you use my link to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, and helps me continue to create free content for you! Thanks for supporting my blog in this way.

  1. Wooden Coffee Scoop. I purchased one of these for my husband as a gift a few years ago and we use it daily. It’s great quality and slides right on the top of a coffee bag to seal it! It’s handmade and ships from Canada pretty quickly. This would make a nice gift for someone alone or paired with coffee, and I love that it’s from a small business on Etsy.
  2. Milk Frother. This is hands down my favorite purchase of 2020. I didn’t know what I was missing before I started frothing my cream for my coffee! It’s quick and seriously makes it taste SO amazing. I use it with my dairy free creamer and my husband uses it with milk. Keep in mind you need to warm up dairy free creamer first so that it froths well.
  3. Yeti Mug. I have this Yeti mug in the new Ice Pink color and I am obsessed. It’s the perfect large cup of coffee and stays warm for hours. It comes with a lid you can use to lock in the heat even longer. We also have the copper color and love it too.
  4. Cozy Blanket. I feel like coffee drinkers just love cozy things so I included a beautiful throw from Target in this guide. It comes in a few colors and looks really nice!
  5. Enamel Pin. I love collecting enamel pins that show what I love. This coffee pin is cute and would be a sweet gift for a friend or stocking stuffer! It’s also from a small shop on Etsy.
  6. Keurig. This pink single serve Keurig is so stinkin cute and would be a great gift for someone who lives in an apartment or dorm! I always had a little Keurig in my dorm in college and would prep everything the night before so I could turn it on as soon as I rolled out of bed LOL. We of course have a big one in our kitchen now.
  7. NutPods Creamer. I LOVE NutPods creamer and am always trying to get my friends to try it! The holiday flavors would be such a fun gift with some coffee. They’re shelf safe so they’re easy to gift. I’m linking Amazon BUT I’m a brand ambassador so you can actually use my code KNEEDLESANDLIFE for 15% off your first order if you go through their website!

Hope you found a gift idea for the coffee lover in your life!

Cute toy and book ideas for playful toddlers

In this post I’m sharing some of the toys/books my 1.5 year old has been loving and plays with daily! She loves tv show characters the most so I shared some of her favorites. I think any of these would make a great gift or toy for your little one.

Just a heads up, this post contains affiliate links. This means if you use my link to make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. This doesn’t cost you anything extra, and helps me continue to create free content for you! Thanks for supporting my blog in this way.

  1. Blue’s Clue’s & You! Blue’s House Playset. I recently got this for Maddie just for fun because she’s obsessed with the show. She has been playing with this set nonstop. It comes with cute furniture, Josh, Blue and Magenta. It takes a little while to get out of the box and set up but it’s so worth it. It also folds up and stores itself.
  2. Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood Figure Set. Another show Maddie loves! I think these characters are really nice quality and she enjoys carrying them around and playing with them.
  3. Puppy Dog Pals Book Set. These are little mini books that are perfect for little hands. These were another recent purchase that have been a HIT. They also come in their own storage suitcase thing that she carries around. Another Puppy Dog Pals toy she loves is the Treehouse Play Set.
  4. Sesame Street Friends Books. I’m linking the Abby one which is our favorite but we have almost all of the ones they offer. These are cute books that tell about each character!
  5. Fisher Price Linkimals. I cannot say enough about the Linkimals. We’ve been adding to our collection over the past year and now have them all. These are hands down Maddie’s FAVORITE toys and I love listening to them sing and watching her enjoy them. My favorite are the moose and sloth but they’re all cute!
  6. Baby Shark Dancing DJ. If you’re kid loves baby shark, they’ll love this. It’s pretty big and sings all the songs. It also has a sensor that sees you dancing and will say things like “keep dancing,” etc. The best part is it has an off switch! 😉
  7. Foam Ball Pit. We got one of these for Maddie for Christmas and she was a bit too young. Now she gets in it herself and plays every day. This one comes with balls too.
  8. Mickey Bath Basketball Hoop. We love bath time and this little suction hoop is lots of fun! The balls don’t have holes so you don’t have to worry about water and mold getting in them.
  9. Canticos The Little Chickies. First of all, you have to watch Canticos on YouTube if you haven’t already! I love their videos more than anything else out there because they’re educational and not obnoxious. The animation is also beautiful. My husband loves them too! Maddie has one of these chickies and loves him. It sings a song in English and Spanish. We also LOVE their books!
  10. Melissa & Doug Wooden Coffee Maker. This one is for the wooden toy snobs LOL. But seriously, this coffee maker is so stinkin cute and also aesthetically pleasing! Maddie makes a pretty good cup of coffee with this hehe.

Let me know your toddler’s favorite toy in the comments so I can check it out!

XO, Kalley