WIP Wednesday {March #2}

Just a quick post today....Uni kicked off with a bang and I spent a lot of this week doing study related stuff. It was a bit of a shock - and jerk back to the reality of more study - less craft. Sad, sad!! On the upside it is a reminder to make the most of the time I do get. I might have to have some social media free days again...

We also have begun the process of giving our home interior a bit of a freshen up. We are looking at replacing carpets and the starting of repainting our ensuite and bedroom. Our house is going to look like a bomb has gone off as we pull apart furniture, empty rooms, paint, varnish window sills and then put it all back again. Although I am hoping to do a cull while we are doing that. Also for our daughter's 13th birthday present, she is getting a bedroom makeover. So we will be ditching all her little girl decor and bringing in a more mature look for her teens and early adult-hood life. We have had fun looking on Pinterest for ideas and inspiration. Her birthday is in July, so we hope to get started on that in June sometime.

In the meantime I have been plodding along on with a few crafty things.

• Continued on with my cross stitch.
• Continued on piecing my apple core quilt
• Began hand quilting my hexie quilt.

So many projects!

A few days ago the kids went back to school. The silence roars! I've been really busy while alone working on a few things.

1. I've started scripture journaling (digitally)

It gives me the opportunity to be creative each day plus spend time in the Word. I'm really loving this and loving what I am learning as I go along.

2. I've caught up with a few project life pages

3.  I've made headway with my Stripey Crochet blanket. I've been working on that while watching TV. My only issue with this is that I am running out of half of the colours - hoping I make it to the end alright.

4. I've finished the bunting for the Sunday School room at church. I seriously under-estimated how long it would take to make 20 meters of bunting!! I will show you a picture of that when it is hung up at the church.

5. I'm working on a quilty project for my Mum's birthday. I decided a few days ago that I would do that. Her birthday is in 9 days. Yes I am freaking out.

And in amongst all that - I have made headway into doing a big declutter - starting with the king of collections and mess himself - my son's room! 

New Year - New Motto

As we ring in the New Year it is a great time to reflect back on the year that was, both on a personal level as well as my creative journey. I find it tricky at times to balance my crafty life with my family and uni schedule - but I manage somehow.

Some highlights were:

• My planner. I LOVED making my day to day look so pretty!
• Getting two long term WIP quilts finished. 
• Creating more crochet items and even selling a few things.
• Beginning to play with other forms of creative expression: ie water-colours, lettering etc
• Working on Project Life
• Using up more stash on various projects
• Gaining a new Craft Hub.

So what do I want to do for 2016?

Last year I had a whole list of New Year's resolutions that I wanted to achieve. I achieved NOTHING. This is a first for me. Normally I am really good with NY's resolutions and tend to do them. This year I didn't want to rattle off a list of things I wanted to do/achieve this year but instead narrow it down to one idea.

I found a blog recently written by a guy who encourages people to take one word and apply it to every single area of their life. Spiritually, mentally, physically and socially. He said that resolutions tend to focus on our regrets instead of our destiny. This one word would bring focus to the things that I want to achieve and be this year.

So I have picked a word that stems from a quote that I read:

I don't want to allow life to happen to me. I want to use the power that I have to influence and make the life that I want. If I allow myself to eat crap then the weight will keep piling on. If I allow people to hurt me and frustrate me - then it will keep happening. If I allow myself to believe my personal demon of "You aren't good enough" then I will never be confident in my abilities and I will not grow. There is an element of choice in all things - I may not be able to choose what life throws at me, but I can choose how I deal with it and respond to it.

So what does this have to do with crafting you might say?

I have wanted to grow as a quilter and do more elaborate designs. But I have felt that I wasn't good enough. My seams weren't perfect. I don't know how to do such and such a technique. Excuses. I am too chicken to try because I'm afraid it won't be good enough. Then what a waste of fabric and time that would be. The same goes with any craft. I have dreams - but don't pursue them. How can I expect to grow if I choose to not try? What I have allowed has continued.

So.... my one word which I am going to apply to all things in my life....

So no more "I wish I could do...." - if I wish it, then I should just go ahead and do it! (unless it's illegal!) Who is stopping me but myself?? Who cares if so and so does it better than I do? I need to remember that being creative is about doing what I love and throwing my need to get it right to the wind. I need to have the courage to move forward and not stay stuck doing what I always have. 

So with that in mind - here are some crafty goals I would like to achieve in 2016

• Play with scripture journaling
• Further develop my water colour skills.
• Continue on with "Slash that Stash" and use what I have.
• Be mentored by a more expert quilters and learn more quilting skills
• Finish my peacock cross-stitch.
• Give myself freedom and time to do whatever I want creatively.
• Continue on with Project Life
• Finish at least half of my current WIP's and empty a WIP box.
• When I see a crafty project I want to do - have a go!!!

So here is to 2016 and courage! Cheers!

Advent Blog Along #9

What I am creating:

Today I finished off the lavender eye masks - and they are now packaged up and ready for gifting. Excuse the grainy photo but the sun had set and I wanted to get it before I got the awful orange glow of our lights!

I tried to make the Christmas card envelopes look pretty by experimenting with lettering.

That was actually kind of fun!

These are the soap stuffed scrubbies that I crocheted a while back. I love them! Definitely a gift idea I will be repeating!

I had a ARRRRRGHHH! Moment a few hours ago when my darling dearest son mentions to me that he has THREE aides instead of the two he had last year. I had only sorted Christmas presents out for two aides. Cue a panicked scramble!! I dug out a spare crochet bag that I made last year and whipped up another eye mask. Seriously son... don't do that to me!! Thankfully I sometimes make extras when gift making.

What I am doing:
I spent most of today out and about. The boy had speech therapy, then I spent the rest of the day searching for bathers. Why did it take all day? Well..... my big girl wants to be modest yet not look like a granny. The result - hours and hours and hours and HOURS of shopping. We finally found a pair that she is happy with and she looks her age. Ahhh the perks of having a very womanly looking 12 year old girl. While I was bather shopping these just jumped into my trolley....

I've been thinking about the new year coming up and what I want it to look like. I have been rethinking how I do New Year's resolutions and I want them to evolve as I change and grow as a person. I will tell you more in the New Year - but it will be impacting my creative life. Stay tuned!

What I am listening to:

A special Advent activity for me.

A few days ago I was chatting with my friend Car from over at Carrose Creations and she was telling me that she was going to do some Christmas colouring in. A few days before this discussion I saw a lovely Christmas themed adult colouring-in book and wanted it badly, but felt a bit silly getting it. While chatting with Car I remembered this book and decided that I would get it. And do you think I could find it??? NO sold out!! Thankfully I have THE most amazing husband who rang around different stores, and found one and put it on hold, then drove down to pick it up for me. He's a keeper I tell you!!

So here we have my new colouring book and some new textas I bought myself for the occasion. I'm going to get my zen thing happening and colour while I prepare for Christmas. I can't wait to get started!

Resurrecting the caterpillar

... the Very Hungry Caterpillar that is.

Do you remember that I made my daughter a VHC quilt nearly 5 years ago? Before that I had made a few others HERE and HERE. Well to my shame, I have had scraps sitting in a bag waiting for me to use them for another project. A friend donated some of her left over VHC fabric to me, which meant I had more than enough to do something with.

Well today I decided to pull it out and actually use it! Slashing that stash baby!

I think I have enough for three quilts. I found left over blocks from my daughter's quilt, and I'm thinking of finishing them up and assembling them to make a small quilt. From the scraps of fabric I have begun cutting out 5" squares and 2.5" squares and bagging them up. Depending on how much I have of each will decide the final design.

I spent a glorious afternoon, watching Rom-coms on Stan and cutting fabric. I'm about half way through, so I will continue on next time I want to watch a movie.

Recent buys

I've been in a kind of crafting funk lately. I came back from my uni intensive with a fried brain and a severe depletion of creativity and a desire to create. I've been wandering from project to project and not really settling on anything. So when I can't create... I'll buy instead. Hehe!

I've been crocheting for a while now.... and I thought it was high time to invest in place markers. I've been using coloured yarn and safety pins for a while. These are so cute and I love the colours!

I have been invited to a baby shower next weekend - and unfortunately I am unable to attend. I wanted to give my gift to the Mum-to-be this Sunday at Church. There is nothing like a deadline to force me to sit down and focus! Spotlight had a good sale on fabric - so I bought enough for two sets of spit cloths and two sets of change mats. 

Crochet is the best medicine

My body is fighting a lugie. I feel my head starting to fill and my throat feels scratchy - and MAN! I am tired!! So today has been made a day of rest. Which means a day of crochet!

I whipped this up and got a pattern ready for my students in my crochet class

Some squishy mail arrived today for my next project that I am doing with my crochet class. 

I love these colours!!!!

I've also been working on another commissioned charcoal beanie project and have a pink one on order as well. I also have a few other crochet projects on the go too. Crochet ADHD! It's perfect for a day in my armchair, with essential oils in the diffuser and a cup of tea to sip.

 

Programming to resume as normal...

That's right folks! All assignments are DONE! Bring on lots and lots of crafting!!! Oh I can't wait!! I've got my period dramas all ready to go with some crocheting and quilting projects to work on. I am in the mood to bake, I'm in the mood to read ANYTHING but text books, I am in the mood to have some fun!!

Scarf #2

A while ago I crocheted my boy a scarf for school. My youngest also asked for one and so for the last few weeks I have been crocheting (and frogging more times than I can count) a cute little infinity scarf.

She loves it and couldn't wait to wear it to school!

The pattern was found on Pinterest - another finish for my Pinteresting challenge! (I really need to update this page in a major way!!)

Uni assignments are going really well and so I am beginning to think of the time I will have to create before next semester. I want to get onto the pile of WIPS sitting next to me and reduce it considerably, finish my hexie quilt top, ready to hand quilt and finish my Granny sampler. 

Crafty Goals for 2015 (Advent Blog Along day 20)

I love setting New Year Goals. I am actually really good at keeping them too!! I've been thinking about what goals I would like to achieve next year. These are the ones I will blog about.....

1. I am Pinteresting Challenge.
This year I set a goal to do 52 pins this year. I didn't make it to 52 but I did make and do some pins.  I enjoyed doing that - and would like to keep doing it. So I am going to continue that challenge of actually doing the pins that I pin. I don't think I will give myself a number to achieve - but rather keep tally.



2. Reading Challenge
I already blogged about that.... but it's still a goal for 2015. *dusting off the ol' library card*

3. Stash busting Challenge
I have SO MUCH stuff. I have unfinished projects and lots of quilting fabric stash thanks to Kayscha who mailed off all her stash that she isn't using. I also have yarn stash and material for the girls clothes stash and I would like to make good use of it this year!! I only want to buy what I need - and no buying for new projects. I want to use what I have! My goal is to reduce what I have so I take up less space in the garage and in my craft room! If I can reduce my gear by half, I will be one happy Skipper.



4. Participate in Car's UFO challenge
You will hear more about that in the New Year - but in a nutshell it's a challenge to get some of those UFO's finished!! I have far too many of those. This will also contribute to goal #3 which is to use up what I have.

So that's it for 2015. I'm looking forward to seeing how it all pans out. Do you set goals? What do you hope to accomplish in 2015?

P.S. If you would like to join in on any of these challenges, you are more than welcome.

Keeping it real (Advent Blog Along #5) (Handmade Christmas)

You may have noticed that my list has shrunk somewhat. That is because I have either:

a) Decided to do something else for that person or b) am being somewhat realistic that Christmas is in 20 sleeps. My calendar is bulging with things that are on and activities to do with the kids. And that's ok with me. I can defer my table runner until next year. Perhaps I will work on it in the New Year instead of waiting until Christmas is upon us. Or maybe I will start working towards Christmas in July like I usually do instead of leaving it to the last month or two like I have this year. Whatever I decide and whatever I do, I'm not going to stress. I'm going to enjoy the ride and make sure my darlings enjoy it too. It's not important to have a table runner... it's important to sit at the kindy table with my kids and create Christmas masterpieces with them.

So today as part of Christmas crafting and preparing... I am keeping it real!

Handmade Christmas 2014 list update

Spring Cleaning my craft room

I've made it no secret that I have been swamped with uni work and life in general, leaving precious little time to work on projects or have good chunks of creative time. Term 3 school holidays are coming up, which means I get a two week break from lectures and assignments and get to hang out with the kids. I am also planning on making the most of that break by getting some projects done.

So in anticipation and preparation, I have started spring cleaning in my craft room to create an ordered space to work in. I wish I had taken a before photo of this desk - but I might be a bit too embarrassed to put it up. I was drowning in stuff! SO. MUCH. STUFF! Mainly paperwork and rubbish like that. But today I cleared it off and now have a nice clear space for getting my craft on!

This week a lovely friend decluttered her own craft room to create space for a home office as she launched a new career. She sent me 3 huge huge huge bags of quilting fabric. So I spent a few hours yesterday sorting out my existing stash and then adding Kayscha's stash to it. This box was 1/4 full before.... now it's chockas! Motivation to get some more quilting projects done!

I also discovered that I am the bag lady. I emptied out at least 8 bags of finished project materials! Now I have lots and lots of empty bags to fill with new projects! Go me!!

Finally I sorted out my yarn. Got rid of the small bits and bobs that were too small to do anything with and put away yarn that I could use. I put away the masses of yarn I purchased at my local Spotty car park sale. 40 balls for $40. :) Can't complain there!! Everything is in order ready to Christmas crochet!

I've got plans! Lots and lots of plans to craft and create for the two weeks while I can. Then I will have 6 weeks of cracking on with work and assignments and then I will get a very LONG break afterwards. I love uni!! Especially their mega long holidays! Hahah!!

Make my wish come truuuuue......

This year I'm joining Mel from over at One Crafty Mama in Handmade Christmas 2014. She's given us some homework to get done before Thursday - and part of it is to make a list of all the handmade gifts I'm going to make and give this year.

Because I'm not going to make a huge amount my list will be quite small, but I think do-able! I'm still sticking to my "I'm not making anything for anyone this year - but instead get through my project list for ME" decree - but just breaking it a tiny bit for a few people. I won't be going crazy nor will I be putting pressure on myself - if it doesn't get done, then I will just buy. I have to still balance my uni studies, family life, getting my ASD boy back on track, and my life in general. But if all goes to plan - this is the handmade list.



This list will be updated as time goes on.

Right, time to start getting in supplies!! What a terrible shame... shopping for crafty things...

I'm a bit late this year....

Usually by the end of June I'm starting to think Christmas. This year I am more focused on our big holiday. Last week I was pondering what I will do this year. I swore at the start of the year that I was making absolutely NOTHING for anyone this year. Only for me - not because I'm selfish, but because I am not getting around to making things for myself and my project list never decreases. I began to think about Christmas crafts I could do for myself. 

Then I remembered my Christmas present from Esther and I pulled it out. My Christmas projects for this year will be to make gorgeous mug rugs, table runners and other fabric decorative pieces for my own home. 

When I get home... I am definitely getting started on preparing for Christmas!

Treasures in the mail

"I need some pens for my Bible. I don't have anything because it bleeds through and I want to actually start using my Bible and write in it and use it as a study tool, instead of letting it sit there in pristine condition and barely used" I lamented to my husband. He knew what I needed and quickly tracked down some pens and highlighters for a good price and ordered them. What a keeper he is!!

These goodies arrived in the mail this week and I can't wait to start using them and making my Bible all pretty as I learn more about God!!

Strawberries are in!

Everytime I say the word "strawberry" my mind drifts to the series "The Darling Buds of May" where Ma says "strraaaawbries" Love that series! Anyway.. I digress...

A few days ago, my Auntie who is an avid gardener dropped off a present for me. A load of strawberry plants that were surplus in her own strawberry patch. So I got to work, clearing a small patch of the tiresome winter weeds and planted them in. The plan is - as they grow and mature and shoot off runners, I will be replanting those so one day we should have a decent sized strawberry patch. :)

So here are the first members of what will be a continuing project - Operation Veggie Patch. 

My DONE list

I love lists. I have made no secret about the fact I like to be organised. I like to tick things off my To-Do list and feel satisfied as I accomplish things. Last year, after a particularly rough trot my psychologist challenged me to not be held prisoner to my To-Do list. This year I noticed that I would feel a lot of frustration and discourangemnt as things off my to-do list weren't even touched because of other things that needed my attention. I felt like I wasn't getting much done and wondered where my time was going!

Then I decided to revamp my To-Do list. At the end of each day I put on my To-Do list on my computer the things that I ABSOLUTELY MUST DO. Things like appointments, wash a child's uniform or vital things like that. Then I wrote on scrap paper the day and then all the things that I have accomplished during the day. I saw things that needed doing, and I did them. 

I came away at the end of the day feeling like my day had not dissolved beneath me and there were things I HAD accomplished.  I felt happy because I was paying closer attention to what was going on around me and my home and saw things that needed doing. My focus was not on my list and what my next task was, but rather THIS is my task right now and I'm sure my next task will reveal itself to me in time. 

I have been writing my lists on scrap paper - but yesterday I found this cute journal in Lincraft for $2. SOLD! Now I have lined paper with pretty hearts inside to write my accomplishments and to actually feel good and positive at the end of the day because I did what was needed.

Operation Veggie Patch

This is my "veggie patch". For years I've started and stopped using this space with dreams of growing fruit and veg but the reality was I didn't have the time to invest in it.  So it went to ruin and is over run with grass and nothing else. My lemon tree thrives in the corner as you can see, but everything else is barren.

I want to put some things in there that I use. I'm sick of paying $4 for a small bunch of wilted fresh herbs when I could buy a packet of seeds that cost less than that and have fresh herbs growing in my own yard for me to use at any time. I love fresh berries, but the prices are so expensive! So why not grow some? I love homemade tomato sauce, soup and my big girl eats them like apples! So why not grow a stack? I love making jams and chutneys. I love dehydrating fruit. I would love to have kilos at my disposal.

My mistake in the past is to cover the whole area all at once and then so completely overwhelmed that I can't manage it and then let it go. This time it's going to be different. I'm going to start in one small area and work at that and SLOWLY spread out.

Over the next year I am planning to make this little space a manageable spot with the things that I will use and need growing in it.  Stay tuned!