Thursday, February 24, 2011
Today's Inspiration: Fabric Stitchy Bookmark
Today's inspiration was brought to me by Craft Leftovers Fabric Stitchy Bookmark (via Craft Zine's Craft Daily). I've been wanting to play around with the other stitches on my sewing machine and this is a great way to use scraps. Waste not, want not. I think I will be adding this to my Christmas project list as stocking stuffers. Changes I may make: using photo fabric to incorporate a picture to personalize each bookmark.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Today's Inspiration: Quilting with literature
I was over at Kirsty's, as usual (I wish I had more hours in a day to get to all the Creative Spaces each week), and at link #1 was Kate's One Flew Over and her beautiful quilt. Not only is it a beautiful piece of craftswomanship, but I really liked the printed word sections. I'm not sure how she found/made those sections, but I am inspired to work pieces like that into my work. Pick a favorite or interesting passage from a novel, cookbook, etc., print it onto printable fabric and add it to a yet to be determined creation...
All these wonderful inspirations floating around and so little time. How do you all do it?
All these wonderful inspirations floating around and so little time. How do you all do it?
My Creative Space: Household Insanity
No pictures for this week's Creative Space yet. We might update a little later with pictures from yesterday. Our household is usually pretty crazy, but this week has been pretty insane. Dare Bear had a cold last week, which he gave to me. While I have not been overwhelmed by it, I do have this nasty cough that just won't go away and has been interrupting my sleep.
Then Nana Bear come down with the flu on Friday and spent the whole three day weekend fighting a 104 fever, which is by far the highest her fever's been in years. So yesterday she and I stayed home. It was mostly a pleasant day. She watched TV and then inventoried her new arts and craft supplies from school. She was very taken with the index cards and practiced writing between the lines on a bunch of cards. I took this time to use the nice clean space on the floor of her room to cut (and pinned) some fleece and flannel for a blanket for Dare Bear as well as cut some flusible fleece for another project.
Then came the lunch time meltdown. Ka-boom we both went complete with tears and yelling. Finally we both found some quiet space and had lunch. Both our moods improved significantly and after a little more TV, Nana Bear took a nap without any fuss. While she slept I ironed the fleece to my project, and vinyl to another project. So, overall a very crafty day and except for the midday meltdown, quiet peaceful.
So the weekend was spent keeping the kids calm and restful. I did do a little crocheting this weekend and want to try crocheting with beads to emblish my bracelets and pins. Also did get to see The Mechanic (Jason Statham is just so... yummy) with Tiger Daddy too, while my mother-in-law watched the kids.
Today, I have a minor procedure scheduled this afternoon, so we'll see how I feel later and how much crafting that I get done for the rest of the week.
For more Creative Spaces, head over to Kirsty's.
Then Nana Bear come down with the flu on Friday and spent the whole three day weekend fighting a 104 fever, which is by far the highest her fever's been in years. So yesterday she and I stayed home. It was mostly a pleasant day. She watched TV and then inventoried her new arts and craft supplies from school. She was very taken with the index cards and practiced writing between the lines on a bunch of cards. I took this time to use the nice clean space on the floor of her room to cut (and pinned) some fleece and flannel for a blanket for Dare Bear as well as cut some flusible fleece for another project.
Then came the lunch time meltdown. Ka-boom we both went complete with tears and yelling. Finally we both found some quiet space and had lunch. Both our moods improved significantly and after a little more TV, Nana Bear took a nap without any fuss. While she slept I ironed the fleece to my project, and vinyl to another project. So, overall a very crafty day and except for the midday meltdown, quiet peaceful.
So the weekend was spent keeping the kids calm and restful. I did do a little crocheting this weekend and want to try crocheting with beads to emblish my bracelets and pins. Also did get to see The Mechanic (Jason Statham is just so... yummy) with Tiger Daddy too, while my mother-in-law watched the kids.
Today, I have a minor procedure scheduled this afternoon, so we'll see how I feel later and how much crafting that I get done for the rest of the week.
For more Creative Spaces, head over to Kirsty's.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
Today's Inspiration: Everyday Exercise
I was browsing My Creative Spaces at kootoyoo and found Keep Cate Busy. Her post for February 16, 2011 was regarding everyday exercise and how to increase the amount of movement we do and I found inspiring. My favorite tip: she dances with her daughter everynight before bed. Love it and so will my kids. Can't wait to start doing this... Thanks Cate!
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
A Little About Me
It's been almost a month of posting on this blog and it's been quite enjoyable and fun. Thank you to those have visited and especially those who have left comments and well wishes. I really enjoy the crafting community and finding such wonderful inspiration from you fellow crafters. You all inspire me not only with new ideas, but to keep crafting on a regular basis.
Just a little bit about me and crafts:
I was blessed with crafting grandmothers and aunts and an inventive mother. For almost as far back as I can remember, probably when I was about 5 years old, my mom and I would make holiday themed gifts - valentine cards/gift baskets, Easter baskets, Thanksgiving place cards, etc. These would usually include stickers, glue, pipercleaners and other "easy" crafts as my mom would say. While my mom denies being crafty, she underestimates her creativity to keep kids busy. She was a preschool teacher so I think that really helped.
When I was a little older my grandmothers taught me how to crochet, bake, quilt, and various other crafts, and my mom and I did some basic sewing together. I have to say that I am quite an uncoordinated person and not very precise so most of my projects didn't turn out quite they way I had envisioned them. Quilts rows/columns didn't quite match up and my dresses and skirts just didn't look great. I was more successful with baking and it is one of the things I love to do with Nana Bear.
After the carefree days of college (read: when I had time during the day to goof off), I only crafted when necessary, ie Christmas time and for my wedding. I'd say for the past 10 years I would start thinking about Christmas gifts that I could make in September and October. Then I would have a rush of crafting adrenaline in November and December as I rushed to finish my projects. Each year the projects have become more and more elaborate and more and more projects go unfinished. But, those that get done have been quite rewarding. Finally, last year I decided that my crafting skills are much improved since my childhood and my crafting imagination has begun to blossom as well and here I am, blogging about crafts.
The Players:
Tiger Daddy - my wonderful, extraordinarily-good-to-me husband. The man is like MacGuyver, so he can pretty much think me out most jams. And he has be super supportive as I embark on this journey to open an Etsy shop or some similar thing.
Nana Bear - my precocious, exuberant 5.y.o daughter. We fight like cats and dogs at times. She is wise beyond her years and people say she is a carbon copy of me, which scares the dickens out of me. She loves arts and crafts and yearns for the day I will teach to crochet.
Dare Bear - my little 2 y.o. daredevil son. He loves trains, planes, and automobiles and basketball. He speaks his own little Darelish language, which we have only partially figured out, much to everyone's frustration.
We are happy, tired little family creating wonderful memories together.
Just a little bit about me and crafts:
I was blessed with crafting grandmothers and aunts and an inventive mother. For almost as far back as I can remember, probably when I was about 5 years old, my mom and I would make holiday themed gifts - valentine cards/gift baskets, Easter baskets, Thanksgiving place cards, etc. These would usually include stickers, glue, pipercleaners and other "easy" crafts as my mom would say. While my mom denies being crafty, she underestimates her creativity to keep kids busy. She was a preschool teacher so I think that really helped.
When I was a little older my grandmothers taught me how to crochet, bake, quilt, and various other crafts, and my mom and I did some basic sewing together. I have to say that I am quite an uncoordinated person and not very precise so most of my projects didn't turn out quite they way I had envisioned them. Quilts rows/columns didn't quite match up and my dresses and skirts just didn't look great. I was more successful with baking and it is one of the things I love to do with Nana Bear.
After the carefree days of college (read: when I had time during the day to goof off), I only crafted when necessary, ie Christmas time and for my wedding. I'd say for the past 10 years I would start thinking about Christmas gifts that I could make in September and October. Then I would have a rush of crafting adrenaline in November and December as I rushed to finish my projects. Each year the projects have become more and more elaborate and more and more projects go unfinished. But, those that get done have been quite rewarding. Finally, last year I decided that my crafting skills are much improved since my childhood and my crafting imagination has begun to blossom as well and here I am, blogging about crafts.
The Players:
Tiger Daddy - my wonderful, extraordinarily-good-to-me husband. The man is like MacGuyver, so he can pretty much think me out most jams. And he has be super supportive as I embark on this journey to open an Etsy shop or some similar thing.
Nana Bear - my precocious, exuberant 5.y.o daughter. We fight like cats and dogs at times. She is wise beyond her years and people say she is a carbon copy of me, which scares the dickens out of me. She loves arts and crafts and yearns for the day I will teach to crochet.
Dare Bear - my little 2 y.o. daredevil son. He loves trains, planes, and automobiles and basketball. He speaks his own little Darelish language, which we have only partially figured out, much to everyone's frustration.
We are happy, tired little family creating wonderful memories together.
Today's Inspiration: Scrabble Tile Art from Waste Not, Want Not
A few months ago an auto mishap (no one was injured) made cleaning out my parent's garage imperative. During the clean up I found many treasures from my childhood through college years - letters from old friends, pictures, greeting cards from various occasions, etc. I also found two boxes of board games my parents had boxed up and saved for me, which had completely forgotten about. Of those games was Scrabble, which I have since replaced in my own home, but I could not let those wonderful letter tiles go.
Since finding it, Scrabble has sat atop my dresser waiting to be used for some crafting purpose. I've considered doing wall art or jewelry, but nothing has really clicked. (ie I have not gotten off my butt to do anything with it)
Today's inpiration comes from Waste Not, Want Not and her 20 Min Craft Project. I love the simplicity of the project and the sentiment of her words. Lovely, lovely, lovely. It pushes me back towards a wall art project. Still need to find an occasion... but the wheels are turning again and hopefully the light bulb will go off brightly.
Since finding it, Scrabble has sat atop my dresser waiting to be used for some crafting purpose. I've considered doing wall art or jewelry, but nothing has really clicked. (ie I have not gotten off my butt to do anything with it)
Today's inpiration comes from Waste Not, Want Not and her 20 Min Craft Project. I love the simplicity of the project and the sentiment of her words. Lovely, lovely, lovely. It pushes me back towards a wall art project. Still need to find an occasion... but the wheels are turning again and hopefully the light bulb will go off brightly.
Monday, February 14, 2011
My Creative Space: Valentine's Day Insanity
Last night was another last minute scramble, this time to make sure that Nana Bear's Valentine's and class gifts were all ready for this morning. We started on most things weeks ago, but really the final details and last minute ideas just bogged me down. Nana Bear's homemade valentine's were simple enough: red construction paper folded in half and a white heart shaped doily glued down the middle inside. Nana got to decorate the cover anyway she wanted. We did 22 over three separate weekends. She can only do 6 or 7 before she gets tired. I had wanted her to do some for the family as well, but it was just too much for her overall.
I had found a great Instructable to make paper flowers and with a modification or two, I embarked on making flowers bouquets for her teachers. While the flowers were easy to make, when thinking of trying to do 24 of them at such a late hour, they became almost a herculean task. I ended up doing 12 and saving the rest to do today for my grandmother and mother.
But I am overall pleased with the results.
Happy Valentine's Day! Hope it is filled with lots of love and crafting.
For more Creative Spaces, see Kirsty at kootoyoo.
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