Schedule your crafts!

Have you noticed that we are getting busier and busier in our lives?  A couple of months ago, my life got amplified. I started a new job, and decided to go back to school, in the same week.  What happened to my goal of knitting a pair of socks a month?  Sigh!  The first month of my new changes...no knitting.  Then I noticed crabbiness setting in.  I need my crafting!

Like everything else in life, I had to set a schedule.  Even if it's only for a few minutes a week, which seems minuscule,  that's what I do.  Surprisingly, I am allowed to knit at work, if I keep the clients a priority.  So, I plan ahead, keep my knitting bag ready to go, and move just a little faster at my other tasks, so that I have time to sit and knit.


You know how they say music soothes the savage beast?  This is how I feel about about crafts.  I need it. It's like water.  This is what I like about knitting.  It's easy to set up, and portable.  You can work on it for a couple of minutes, or hours at a time.  I still love my other crafts, but I'm using knitting to fill my craft void.

Once again...I smile!

Another craft for me!

Recently someone asked me to make a list of all the art and craft projects that I love to do.  That's easy, I thought.  When I started writing, the list grew.  Humph!  Didn't realize I did so many things.  Then to top it off, I know I forgot some.

Lets see if I can remember them all.  Drawing, and painting (water color, acrylic).  I did my first painting of the Brooklyn Bridge in Oil.  I'm not a fan of oil.  So I can cross that one off.  You all know I love bead-work and knitting, and then there is wire wrapping, Viking knitting which is a special way of working with wire (a lot of fun).  Crochet, but I still prefer knitting.  I write, obviously, and garden.  Yes, I do believe gardening is a craft and a science.  Your always learning from it, and I'm always trying to, well, grow things for a start, but make it beautiful and arrange things just so.

I also love to make things you would normally take for granted and just pick up at the store.  Laundry soap, shampoo, conditioner, lotion, vanilla, ice cream (it counts!).

Then there are the little crafts I've done over the years, homemade bird feeders, making scruncii's and barrettes for the hair, making jewelry like earrings, bracelets, necklaces.  I never buy cards for people, I make my own, ooooh scrap-booking and I will throw in playing the cello.

Wow!  That was a lot, and I still think I'm missing something.  I do feel sewing is creeping into the picture.  Last month I sewed, (yup, with a machine) my first project bag for my knitting.  It's still not lined, but it came out okay for someone who thought they couldn't knit.

Well, guess what?  Yes!  A new craft has made my acquaintance.  Probably everyone else has been doing this since they were a kid, but to me it's new and shiny, and I'm so excited.  I've been thinking about doing this for a while.  I pulled up tutorials on Pinterest, interviewed people for pointers, purchased the supplies and yesterday narrowed down the pattern.  I'm doing cross stitch!  Don't roll your eyes!!!  It's just another reason to get out of bed in the morning.  For a while it was hard to get to bed, because I would watch my little pile of supplies and wonder what pattern will I do.  NOW I KNOW!!! Now I have a new craft to add to my list.  What's on your list?

Pinktober

Pinktober is here, Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  One dollar for every Pink Butter Blossoms sold in my Etsy shop, will be donated to Susan G. Komen race for the cure.   Just go to Http://www.etsy.com/shop/myshopgirl.

Buy a pink Butter Blossom barrette for only $4 and I will donate $1 for each to this very important cause.  If you don't want a Butter Blossom, just donate directly to my site Heidibutter.blogspot.com and together we will make a fabulous donation.  Lets help the women in our lives.

Seasonal crafting

Most of my life I've lived in a place with defined seasons.  So, like many people that I know the craft matched the the time of year you were in.  I chose to do my painting and bead work in the warmer months, but sadly, knitting and crochet were only done in the winter months.  Why?  Because they kept me warm.  Who wants a heavy wool blanket or scarf on their lap when it's sweltering outside.  Now with all the different choices of yarns, I'm no longer limited to knitting in one or two seasons.  For instance, bamboo.  Yes, I said bamboo yarn (sounds exotic doesn't it?), has such a soft and almost cool feel to it. And the projects that lend themselves to it, are fantastic.  Did you know, a project made with bamboo yarn can be worn during the summer months, and it breathes so well? Where do you find it?   I know your thinking specialty shop, but today you can find bamboo in your local retail craft store and for reasonable prices.  Even though I now live in a climate that is hot during most of the year, I occasionally find my head wrapped in seasonal crafting.  Thankfully I don't have to live that way any more.

you can weave with pine needles

I did it.  It took all day.  I gathered pine needles like little red riding hood bringing granny her dinner.  Then I soaked them and waited.  and waited.  (thus the all day part).  The hardest part was just beginning.  I tried to get the center as tight as I could.  and in a moment of perfectionism, ripped it apart and started over, several times.  Sigh.  I gave in.  The raffia was great.  (It was all I could find in the house.)  I threaded it on a needle and used it like thread.  The debacle however, was to cover the pine needles entirely or let them show.  I opted to let them peak out.  After all they were the guest spot in the show.  I even added a loop.  Yes, it looks like a tiny purse.  But I can see where you could make beautiful designs in weaving.  I know this is small.  But if I had done my prep work yesterday, then today... Well, it'd probably be the same size.  At some point I'd like to make a bigger one, maybe even a basket.  For now, this is so cute I'd like to make some jewelry out of it.  So you can mix nature and artwork.  and I think it's adorable.  What do you think?

The Blossoms Bloomed

I went to bed with only one flower on my table, and when I awoke the Blossoms bloomed.  See for yourself.

What a fun little project.  I just can't stop.  It's good to mix up easy project with the more difficult ones.  But I tend to find one project that I'm good at and just keep doing it.  I have a hard time branching out (nature reference, get it?).  So I've updated my Butter Blossoms on Etsy, and I'm on to find a new project.

Did you know that the cork screw shaped light bulbs we all put in our house to save the environment, may not be as healthy for us as we originally thought?  Cracks in the lining could allow UV to leak out.  Probably doesn't happen on all of them.  Still, it's always one step forward and two steps back.  Gotta keep moving.

Glue Gun Down!!!

It took all day.  Shopping to do.  People to see.  Then a thunderstorm came.  So violent.  My Favorite! Warnings were issued.  The rain came down sideways.  The puppy was shaking.  and with glue gun in hand, the worst thing happened.  The power went out.  The air-conditioning stopped.  The phone didn't work.  (I didn't mind that one) But the horror.  The glue gun wasn't working.  NOOOOOOOO!!!  Needless to say, the project was put on hold.  But here it is, and yes it's on MYSHOPGIRL on Etsy.com

I told you it was simple.  It's a flowered barrette with a rinestone center.  Nothing like a little bling in your life.  I'm happy with it.  I'm even making myself one.  Back to the glue gun.