Week 16: Craft Buster

I am happy to report my stash of left over crafts and yarn has dwindled.  I have even had to restock a few things!  This was my goal.  So, with that being said, this might be my last craft buster post.  I'm working on a couple other ideas of things to keep me motivated but I just don't know yet.  I'm happy to report I have some orders to fill still for crocheting.  Hopefully the boys will take naps today so I can get my hook going this afternoon.

I did really want to try this project I found on pinterest though.  That dang pinterest.  Too many ideas, not enough time!  This would be a great craft for kids (if yours like to color, mine really don't yet).  This could turn into simple easy Christmas presents or at least something to keep the kids occupied during holiday break.  Enough about the kids though, I thought this was really fun!

Sandpaper Iron ons!


Yes, find some fine grit sandpaper and some of the good quality crayons and get to coloring on the sandpaper.  Remember, your image will be reversed when you do the transfer.  Here are the instructions from Alpha Mom.

I used an old tea towel just to test it out on.  Some of my tea towels never make it to the embroidery phase.  The results are pretty fun!  I think my kids will like this once they get the hang of coloring more.

update:  I washed my towel in warm water and the colors faded a little.  I would suggest washing on cold.  I will not be drying my towel because I'm worried the colors will fade even more.  I had another suggestion!  After ironing the sandpaper transfer on take the piece of parchment paper and do a quick iron, on the actual design with the parchment paper to protect the iron.  This might set the color better.  Good luck!

I'm linkin' up with Sarahndipities this week!

Weekend Project

Hooked on Handmade is having a little linky party every weekend!  Here is my project...

I am almost done with the scarf.  I just need to tie the ends in.  The yarn is a wool blend I found somewhere on clearance.  I really like the way it feels.  I modified a stitch I found in one of those small stitch books you can find in the yarn aisle!  I bought a couple of those books when I was first learning to crochet but just kind of figured out how to use them.  

I'm glad this project is done!  The women's expo and our church bazaar are coming up in the next two weeks.  It will be fun to sell a few of my things I've been working on.  I am anxious to work on a few of my own projects in November though!

Link up!

Weekend Project

Hooked on Handmade is having a little linky party every weekend!  Here is my project...

I am almost done with the scarf.  I just need to tie the ends in.  The yarn is a wool blend I found somewhere on clearance.  I really like the way it feels.  I modified a stitch I found in one of those small stitch books you can find in the yarn aisle!  I bought a couple of those books when I was first learning to crochet but just kind of figured out how to use them.  

I'm glad this project is done!  The women's expo and our church bazaar are coming up in the next two weeks.  It will be fun to sell a few of my things I've been working on.  I am anxious to work on a few of my own projects in November though!

Link up!

Week 13: Craft Buster

I love this flower pattern!  It is the same one I used to make a flower for my new diaper bag.  My friend's bag had some embroidery on it that just wasn't the right color and we needed to fix that.  I stash busted some yarn and made this flower to cover the embroidery.  It will work just perfect.  I put felt on the back and then two pins to make sure the flower stayed put and the embroidery didn't show.  I can't wait to see her bag.

Week 13: Oct 15th-21st

Week 12: Craft Buster

Here are some left overs I found way in the back of my craft closet!  Gem magnets!  I tried using my cricut to help me make the magnets.  A 1 inch circle worked perfect for the smaller gems.  I needed to pull out the larger gems and cut a bigger circle though.  Some of those have a lot of glass still showing on the edges.  Live and learn....

I realize I didn't ever post about making these!  These gem magnets were one of the favorite MOPS crafts I ever did followed closely by the note pads below.  To make the gem magnets, use very clear gems, scrapbook paper or magazine pages, and round magnets.  Mod podge both the flat side of the glass gem and the side of the paper you want showing.  Stick those together and then mod podge the back of the magnet and make sure the edges of the paper are attached well.  After they dry add the round magnet and you are done!

I also managed to pull out a few of the notepads that were left over from my MOPS practice attempts last year.  I will donate a few of these to the church bazaar and save some for Martin's preschool teachers to use as gifts!  I personally love the ones with "list" on the top.  I truly enjoyed using my cricut.  I'm all out of notepads and gems.  Good thing a craft store run is in my new future!

Week 12: October 8th- 14th

Week 12: Craft Buster

Here are some left overs I found way in the back of my craft closet!  Gem magnets!  I tried using my cricut to help me make the magnets.  A 1 inch circle worked perfect for the smaller gems.  I needed to pull out the larger gems and cut a bigger circle though.  Some of those have a lot of glass still showing on the edges.  Live and learn....

I realize I didn't ever post about making these!  These gem magnets were one of the favorite MOPS crafts I ever did followed closely by the note pads below.  To make the gem magnets, use very clear gems, scrapbook paper or magazine pages, and round magnets.  Mod podge both the flat side of the glass gem and the side of the paper you want showing.  Stick those together and then mod podge the back of the magnet and make sure the edges of the paper are attached well.  After they dry add the round magnet and you are done!

I also managed to pull out a few of the notepads that were left over from my MOPS practice attempts last year.  I will donate a few of these to the church bazaar and save some for Martin's preschool teachers to use as gifts!  I personally love the ones with "list" on the top.  I truly enjoyed using my cricut.  I'm all out of notepads and gems.  Good thing a craft store run is in my new future!

Week 12: October 8th- 14th

Fallerizing...

I love fall!  My living room is perpetually in a state of "fall".  Oh the colors and the weather and the beautiful morning runs....Fall was my favorite time at Pier 1 back in the day when I was an assistant manager there.  We got to "celebrate" fall for a few weeks before Christmas moved in for a couple months!    How could you not love it?!?!?

I'm totally feeling the urge for a Pier 1 trip.  After we moved and I stopped working for them, walking into a Pier 1 could literally bring tears to my eyes.  Like right now, I could just use a Pier 1 sniff!

Oh fall scented candles like Spice Cake.  How I love you!

Just think....  I played "decorator" all day!  Sniffing candles, setting tables, designing people's rooms.  

Moving on...

Some brand new "fall" baby will be wearing these soon!  I got to buy new yarn.  I just love the green and tan.  This little boy will be stylin'

My friend and I hosted a Thirty One/Lia Sophia party a few weeks ago!  I purchased a denim bag and knew it would need a fall flower!  This is the neat pattern I found (found here on ravelry).  

I'd never made a pin before and this method seemed to work for me.  I used a little embroidery thread and attached the pin to felt.  Then I sewed that onto the back side of my flower!

Ta-da!  Total cost?!?!?! ZERO!  Thanks to my father for the gift of yarn and for my hostess gifts from Thirty One!  I can't wait to move into my new bag.

All Pier 1 pics are from their website.  Clicking on them should get you to the appropriate link!

Week 9: Craft Buster

We've seen this pattern before....
It's from Hook Candy.  She has some great patterns.
One pair is a gift and the other is for the women's expo.
Yes, I'm still working on things for the women's expo.  It's been fun, just a little more anxiety than I thought!  Hopefully next week I will have something brand new to show you for a craft buster!



Week 9: September 17th- 23rd

Week 9: Craft Buster

We've seen this pattern before....
It's from Hook Candy.  She has some great patterns.
One pair is a gift and the other is for the women's expo.
Yes, I'm still working on things for the women's expo.  It's been fun, just a little more anxiety than I thought!  Hopefully next week I will have something brand new to show you for a craft buster!



Week 9: September 17th- 23rd

Week 8: Craft Buster

I've done a similar wash cloth to this pattern.  I wanted to stash bust but come up with something cute for our friends in Montana.  They let us stay with them on our way home after vacation.  It was wonderful to see them and relax at home with them!

This is a double sided trivet or pot holder made with two circle motifs joined together!  I did stash bust.  The white and yellow and from my stash.  The back of the holder is all white and yellow.

I ended up buying some yarn on the way home from vacation!  I just needed some new inspiration!

This cutie worked up in less than two hours I think!  I didn't finish up any yarn though.  I will keep working through my bright cotton colors!

The flower pot holder is found here on ravelry!

Week 8: September 10th- 16th

Hat and flower

Cute hat for my god daughter Eva!
Go Vikings!

I just did a half double crochet for the hat.
The flower come from here!

Pretty Towels!

I finished these 5 towels as a order for a friend.  She said to surprise her.  I hope she likes them!  I ordered a few new transfers and love the bowls and kitchen stuff.

Week 6: Craft Buster

I had an order for a hat and booties that required buying yarn.  Yipeee!  The best part is, now that yarn can be used as a stash buster!  My first set of booties turned out very small.  I need to make notes on my pattern and just didn't do a good job with gauge and the booties were super tiny.  So I made a hat to go with the tiny booties and will sell it at the expo or donate it for our church bazaar.  I did finish the correct size of booties and hat!  I love the brown and red.  The hat is my own creation just a simple half double crochet and the booties come from Hook Candy!  I love her patterns.  

Another pair of Hook Candy booties!  I got this yarn from a friend who got it from an Aunt.  It's for sure a stash buster and is on the list to sell at the expo!


Week 6- Craft Buster August 27th-Sept. 2nd

Week 5: Craft Buster

This blue yarn was possibly the largest stash in my stuff.  I didn't have a plan when I bought it and couldn't figure one out!  Here are a few things I made with it.

Granny Stripe Boutique Bag

It's perfect for a little girl and the pattern is easy enough to make the bag larger.  I probably used 1/2 skein of yarn or less on it.  

The cute little flower comes from here!
Super simple.  We're on vacation (I'm working ahead) and this flower will make some cute garland!
Be on the look out!

This was from the greatest crochet book I ever bought!  It's actually a magazine and boy have I used it.  It had a tutorial on hats and lots of scarves and tunsian crochet for beginners.  It was a great purchase!
You can buy the pattern here! I found it in this issue of Interweave Crochet magazine.

That's my craft bustin' vacation style!

Week 5- Craft Buster August 20th-26th


oops I hit publish too fast!  This is a little early.  Happy Vacation to me!

Week 4: Craft Buster

My first try at pattern testing for the talented and lovely Sarah from Sarahndipities.

I was so excited to be a pattern tester, I quick raised my hand not knowing what I was getting myself into.  I didn't really have anybody in mind to wear my finished product.  With my short hair, I doubted it would look good on me.  I had just the right amount of yarn and I'm glad I gave it a try!

I love the hat.  I considered giving it to my sister, but I will be keeping one!  It took me less than 2 hours to finish this baby!  I used 100% cotton and I thought maybe it was a little "tough".  I think an acrylic or baby yarn might be nice to give it some bounce.  Mine is pretty stiff.  I will be trying another.  And since I write the rules of this craft buster, it might still count for my weekly project!

Thanks Sarah for letting me try the pattern.  You can purchase this little cutie over here!  It's worth and anybody who can crochet in a round can make this!

Week 4- Craft Buster August 13th-19th

Week 3: Craft Buster

I have a tiny bit of this green left over and I'm pretty proud of how I rewrote the pattern to work for me.
I used this pattern from Lion Brand.  (Found on ravelry here)
I did the scarf vertically (the long way) instead of horizontally.  I would have done an edge of single crochet around the outside, but I ran out of yarn!  I did do a row of single crochets on the bottom of each end.

It's still looking for a home, but I like enough to either keep it or make another for me (with a different color of course.  I'm into getting rid of yarn right now)!

Week 3- Craft Buster August 6th-12th

Week 2: Craft Buster

This week I just needed to finish up a project I started painting a few weeks ago!

He's pretty good with the mod podge! 

The finished project is a little mail center next to the microwave and back door.  Yes, I realize I will need to stay on top of it so I don't lose anything!  The magazine holder in the back is just a piece of paper mod podged over a plain white magazine holder we have.  I will need to keep this pretty clean!

I mod podged the piece of paper to the bottom of the tray and then used wood glue for the letters.  So far, it's working well!

Week 2: Craft Buster July 30th- Aug 5th

Next...

FINALLY!  I finished the last of the Husker potholders for my cousin.  It didn't take long once I had all of the squares made.  (I make a red square for the back so it's extra thick).  I don't know why I kept putting it off!  I hope she enjoys giving them as gifts.  I've made her a total of 8 and finally wrote out the "N" so I don't forget if she asks me again.

And the NEXT...one thing spirals into another!  I finally hung up my hubby's father's day gift.  I had one of his photos made into a canvas.  He just got home from a mission trip and he hasn't noticed it yet!  Then it spiraled out of control.  I need to clean up the book case because I had to move a lot of stuff over there to clean out the piano and clean off the next thing I worked on...

I took down a couple cute shelves and put back up a painting our friend did for our wedding.  I love my candle bowl from Pier 1.  It was one of my favorite purchases when I worked there.  I happened to have a candle and those flowers.  It looks a little fallish, but those are the colors I love.  I cleaned out the cupboard and moved some blankets and piano stuff to a new home.  I now have a little crafty area for my current projects.  

I've got  a new goal for my craft stuff!  We're calling it Craft Busters.  I want to finish some kind of stash project each week.  I am working on a blanket and a prayer shawl, but I know I can do this.  I can spend one or two evenings a week and make a dent in the yarn and craft projects I have purchased but not started/finished.  After researching "stash busters" for yarn I realized my stash is not that big.  The only problem is we run short on storage with boys and toys and train magazines etc.  My stash is also full of loose ends.  Things I've done and now have 1/2 skein of yarn left.  This has been tricky to find projects but I'm sure I can do it.  One of the craft busters on my list is also tea towels.  I've got a long list and want to donate some to the bazaar at church and make some for my table at the women's expo in the fall.  I also love having them on hand for gifts.  They are great to add into a wedding gift or thank you for someone.  I just need to make it more of a routine to do them.  I've been told I'm a high/overachiever and I'm not going to let this project make me crazy.  As long as I work on something I will be happy.  I would love to finish it during the week, but if not that's fine.  Last night I worked and worked on an idea and it just didn't come through.  At least I tried and know to move on now!  

 

This week/weekend while my hubby was gone I was busy!  Our schedules did not line up very well!  I ended up with 4 baby sitters in 4 days.  I was very excited to do the Relay for Life with my MOPS team.  We walked and sold cookies.  I also donated a set of towels to the silent auction. I got to light the luminaries for our team and that was pretty moving.  I knew some of the people on the bags and watched families stand around luminaries of people they loved.  One of the boys' friends from MOPS was diagnosed with leukemia this last fall.  She was the star of the relay.  She will celebrate more birthdays and that makes all of us smile.  We did lose two moms this year that had been in MOPS to cancer.  They leave behind 2 little people who will celebrate many birthdays without their moms.  I thought a lot about my grandparents.  We all miss them!  

Prayer Journal!

We've started what we hope will be a tradition at our MOPS summer retreat.  The leadership team gets together for a whole day during the summer and we plan our attack on the year!  Crafting up some prayer journals have become our tradition.  We pray at every leadership team meeting during the year for each other and all of the moms, kids, and families in our group.  So here is this years journal.  I got the inspiration from this blog, but I needed to work within my budget and a few time constraints (such as I put this off a little bit and was worried about ordering things online and getting them shipped in time!).

You will need...

• Scrapbooking paper
• ornate plates and brads along with something to poke the brads in with.
• plain 4x6 inch index cards
• hole punch
• 6x9 foam where one side is a sticker
• ribbon
• pencil or pen

First- cut the foam in half so that it's 4 1/2 x 6.

Second- remove the sticker and attach the paper.  I found it was easier to trim the paper after I attached it. I left a small edge of paper which looked nice and hid the foam well.

Third- Mark where you holes will be punched.  I did this on the inside of the foam with a pen.  I then used that as a template for the rest of the punches including the index cards.

Next- Work on the cover!

Finally- I printed a bible verse on coordinating paper and glued it to the inside cover.  It hid the back of the brads well.  Then, I sandwiched it all together and tied my ribbon.  To make sure I left enough space for the notebook to open and close, I tied the ribbon around a pencil and then slide the pencil out.  It worked out well and I can lay the notebook flat to write. 

This was the aftermath!  I had to craft with a preschooler.  He did a lot of cutting!

Linkin' up with Sarahndipities.