As usual, I missed my own deadline to get this blog up and running. I had hoped to post a New Year's welcome, but western New Year's has come and gone. I am in time for the Lunar New Year, however, so I guess that's something.
Welcome to my little blog. I've tried to blog in the past and each time it has been short lived. This blog is a little different as I hope to record my travails in crafting and for the first time organized my craft projects for the next year or two. Again I am dreaming big and have about 20 projects on the list; some time sensitive, like the 3-D origami Swans for my brother-in-law's first anniversary, and some will be works in progress that will take at least a year if not more.
Inspiration
The inspiration for Insanity by Crafting label and blog came from last fall's dash to make Christmas presents. Every year I do the same thing: I find craft projects I want to make for gifts that seem so simple and easy. Then I blow the project out of proportion - ie I decide to craft in bulk - and what is essentially an easy project becomes quite the production and always, always, always takes me more time than expected. And by the middle of December I am practically hysterical by all the projects I have not yet finished - I am essentially driven insane by my craft dreams.
Last year, I found that projects I worked on could easily be saleable. I had made generic sets of glass magnets and gave them to my officemates. I made hand warmers/wrist pads (inspired by How Joyful with this post but with some minor tweaks for my poor sewing skills) filled with rice. But the project that really made me realize I could, even with my poor sewing skills and lack of meticulousness, produce a product that people might want to buy, was a brocade - fleece blanket. I found the idea at Joann.com and it called for some furry frills around the edges, which I opted not to do (in part because I wasn't sure I could and in part because I didn't like it). This truly was a simple project - 2 yards of brocade, 2 yards of fleece cut to size. Face right sides together, pin around, and sew three sides. Turn right side out. Pin 4th side and top stitch to finish. It turned out really well even with the little inperfections. I could create crafts that looked professional enough to sell - even if it drove me insane.
My general inspiration for crafts comes from my fellow bloggers and I hope to have a list of them on the site soon. Two of my favorites that I will mention here are Kristy of kootoyoo, who hosts a weekly round-up called My Creative Space, and One Pretty Thing, which finds some of the best crafts around and posts them daily with different themes, such as Valentine's Day or Christmas. I have many, many more blogs that have inspired me but I mention these because you get to see the work of many bloggers at one time. My Creative Space allows bloggers to link a post to kootoyoo to show off their current Creative Space. Sometimes that space is a picture of someone's current project or the general mess the crafting inevitable creates or whatever space the person feels they want to post. One Pretty Thing's round ups features links to themed projects and is a great way to easily find new inspiration.
All of the bloggers I follow inspire me with their ability to juggle life and crafting. I am constantly amazed how they can juggle family and kids and crafting enough to go to market.
Goals
My goals are to continue finding an outlet for my creativity, as little and provencial as it may be, work towards selling my creations, and to acknowledge those that have inspired my creations. I hope to publish pictures of my work and may be even do little tutorials. Mainly, I hope to continue to create personal and thoughtful gifts for my friends and family.
Welcome to my little blog. I hope you find it enjoyable.
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