Bates or Boye – A Crochet Hook Dilemma
If you’re an avid crocheter, you’ve likely picked a preference between the Bates brand crochet hook or the Boye brand hook. Or maybe you’re one of those ambidextrous-hookers that really doesn’t have a preference. Like the ambidextrous people who can write with either their left hand or their right hand? Or can throw a ball with either hand, like doesn’t everyone do that? Just to be clear, I’m NOT one of those people. I’m a very solid right-hander. I’ve joked before about how useless my left hand is. In fact, when I was diagnosed and had a mastectomy on my right side, my right arm and hand were jeopardized during…
Everyday organizing – a messy kid turned professional organizer
When I think about everyday organizing there are certain areas in my life where I am very organized. And there are other areas, that are a complete train wreck. Does this describe you? If so, read on for how a messy kid (me) turned into a professional organizer. I spent several months recently doing professional organizing, and I loved it! I felt like organizing kind of came natural to me, but oh if you would have seen my bedroom as a kid! Everyday Organizing Myths That’s the thing about professional organizers, every one thinks an organizer’s house is uber-organized. Ooooohhhh, let me just let you in on a little secret:…
Keeping An Inspiration Notebook
Keeping an inspiration notebook has been something I’ve done for years, because if you’re like me do you ever read a book, watch a movie, or listen to a speech and just feel inspired, energized, or motivated? You have a new perspective and you can’t wait to put it into action? And then life hits you….again? The energy you originally felt, may have dissipated. Your daily “chores” take precedent to you doing anything about your newfound inspiration. And in many cases, this motivation is simply lost in the doldrums of everyday life. But what if you could change that? What if you could bottle up this goodness and use it,…
Crocheted Sampler – Create Your Own Crochet-Along
A crocheted sampler is a fun way to intentionally learn a variety of new stitches. A few years ago I was in the throes of crocheting voraciously every day. I was making hats, scarves, blankets, and prayer shawls, and just couldn’t get enough of it. I would crochet on our deck, on our front porch, on roadtrips, during my lunch break at work, and just about anywhere I could take yarn and a crochet hook. I was itching to try new stitches and not just one. I wanted to try a variety of them. Knowing my happiness and contentment is based on having multiple projects going at any given time,…
Time Blocking 10 minutes (for that one dreaded task)
Time blocking is something you can use to focus on a project you would like to finish, or in today’s case, to focus on a task you kind of dread doing. Have you ever heard the saying, “Asking a quilter to mend is like asking Picasso to paint your garage”? I have this affliction. I’m a quilter or aspiring to be one. But if you ask me to hem a pair of pants or sew a button back on, it typically goes into my mending pile, which is in a corner and does an excellent job of collecting dust. What is it about a simple mending task that I can…
Organizing Scrapbook Supplies – How to solve “Where did I put that?!”
Today we are organizing scrapbook supplies in honor of National Scrapbooking Day — always the first Saturday in May. Are you a scrapper? Do you have millions of little bits and pieces of papers, stickers, stampers, paper punches, paper, pens, embellishments, did I mention p.a.p.e.r?? Today we’re going to take a peek into my scrapbooking organization methods. We all start with a pack or two of paper, a few sheets of stickers, a couple of decorative scissors, and some mounting tabs. Everything fits neatly on the corner of a desk, or even in a tote. But then, the supply inventory begins a slow and quiet explosion. Before we know it…
Throwback Thursday Craft-Plastic Canvas (really?)
It’s time again for a little throwback Thursday to honor some “vintage” crafts, and this is the last post in this #TBT series. We’ve covered Spirograph, Fashion Plates, and Other Plates. Today we’re going to mix it up and talk about plastic canvas. Who remembers the tissue boxes made out of plastic canvas, with ornate designs, and French knots, and having to join the edges? Or the Christmas ornaments meticulously cut out and numerous yarns used to complete them? You usually had to cover the back with felt because it was such a hot mess by the time you were done, trying to hide yarns under stitches but not really…
A Peek Into My Creative Process
Ever wonder what someone else’s creative process looks like? Are you the neat-freak type or the wild child type? A peek into my process would likely indicate a little bit of both and probably best labeled ‘organized chaos’. As April draws to a close, I had a goal to complete 1 scrapbook album, and I can say that is now complete. One album down, 10 more to go, over the next 11 months. You can read more about that here. My process isn’t always pretty, but it does get stuff done. I commandeer the dining room table and do a few pages every few days. It’s nice to leave the…
Throwback Thursday Craft – Other Types of Plates
It’s time again for a Throwback Thursday Craft to some “vintage” crafting days. On today’s docket are lesser known plates, similar to the fashion plates. Several of you were probably familiar with the fashion plates post from last week. You can see that here. And I just did a quick search on Amazon for those. Wow! There are several different kinds!! I even found a set for making action figures and a set for the styles on Frozen! So why do I even bring these up? Well because they are an easy and creative idea for an upcoming birthday for a certain little someone. Or maybe you’re looking for some…
How I organize fabric, and you can too!
The way I organize fabric has developed over many years. I started, like my mom did, by stacking fabrics is pseudo-organized stacks that usually fell over with any usage, or looked awful after a while. Is it the dust that makes those stacks crumble?? Additionally, like my yarn collection (you can read about that here), my fabric stash was becoming a “collection”. I was a fabric scouter-outer — meaning I would scout out great deals on fabric and buy it. Joann’s, Hancock Fabrics, Hobby Lobby, pretty much anywhere that sold it by the bolt, I was scouting out. I’m the type of person that when I walk through a fabric…
