year in review 2011

Twenty eleven has been a very busy year.  This year I resolved to focus on being more creative and revived this blog.  Here are some of my favorite creative moments from the year.

I think out of all the tutorials I have created this year, this pillow was my favorite to make.  It is so simple and I just love the texture on the finished project.  My most popular tutorial has definitely been the paint sample coasters.  

I use this bag all the time and I get so many compliments on it.  This project was made with upcycled materials; a vintage grain sack and a thrifted belt.  I want to spend more time thrifting in the new year.  

I started using polymer clay this year for various projects and I am so addicted.  I enjoy working with clay almost as much as I enjoy sewing.

I really struggled with the decision to move my craft room.  Now that I am (almost) moved in to my new digs I am so pleased that I finally decided to make the move.  Today I sewed some pillow covers while looking out an actual window.  So exciting!

So far I am really enjoying my new shop.  This is another decision that took me a really long time to make.  Mostly I was concerned about having enough time for work, blogging, and shop.  I'm still not sure if I will have enough time, but I am enjoying running my shop so much that I am willing to sacrifice a little TV watching time.

I have been thinking of some goals for the new year, but I have to admit that I'm a little behind on goal setting.  Hopefully that isn't an omen for 2012!

Have a safe and fun New Year's Eve and thanks for reading and subscribing!

another take: variations on love balls

Remember these love balls?  Click here for the tutorial.

This weekend I made some variations:

hug and kiss balls for Valentine's Day.

hope balls for a friend that could use a pick me up.

I intended to make some holiday themed balls, but just didn't get to it.  (I also didn't put up a Christmas tree this year which is kinda sad, but I also don't have to take one down which is kinda happy!)

Stay tuned!  I have an epic craft fail to share later this week!

merry christmas

craft room redo: organizing fabric

I will be the first to admit that I have a lot of craft junk stuff.  I try to buy supplies only for specific projects, but somehow other junk stuff jumps right off the clearance rack or the remnant bin or even the regular price shelf and right into my cart.

As I move my junk stuff from the basement to my new craft room I am finding more and more items that I forgot I have.  And here is the dilemma...in general I am not a pack rat, except when it comes to crafting supplies.  With crafting supplies, I am not just a pack rat...I hoard.  I agonize over what to throw away and what to keep.  Every little thing seems to have value.  Each scrap of paper or fabric or ribbon seems like it has a use...some day.

Even though I hoard craft supplies, I never thought of myself as a person who has a lot of fabric.  I think this is because I don't sew with a lot of prints.  I might buy muslin or linen by the bolt (with a nice juicy coupon), but I don't see myself as a fabric hoarder.

For the new craft room I bought four pretty milk crate baskets at Target to store fabric.  I thought that should do...

and it did...

just barely...

That might not look like a lot of fabric to some.  It's certainly less fabric than my grandmother has, but I was surprised at how much fabric I have.  I also learned that I haven't met a red or red striped fabric that I don't like.

These milk crates will be stored on a shelf in my closet that is transforming into a desk area.  Here's a progress shot.

I think I will like this storage better for my fabric.  I can see what I have, which will hopefully lead to using more of the fabric I already own rather than buying new.  

My bolts of muslin and linen will most likely be stored under my sewing table.  The bin that I bought for scrap fabric is already filled to overflowing so I need to get to work on making some things out of scraps also.

What is the best thing to do with fabric you know you won't use?  Will goodwill take it?

return on creativity: pair of hearts pillows

I've been looking for striped fabric ever since I pined the beautiful striped bags in this post.  I finally found what I was looking for at Ikea in red stripes and black stripes.

I'm a little embarrassed to admit where the inspiration for this pillow came from.  I was flipping channels and landed on the movie, "Friday" long enough to see a character wearing a striped shirt with a heart on the front.  I then quickly figured out that this was not my kind of movie (Wikipedia defines it as a stoner comedy-drama-buddy film) and moved on down the channel.

I guess inspiration really does come from the strangest places!

To make this pillow I cut a heart template from typing paper First-Grade-style by folding the paper in half and cutting half a heart.  

Then I traced the heart onto some felt and cut it out.

I pined the heart in the center of my eighteen inch square of striped pillow fabric.

I set my machine to a zig zag stitch and sewed around the edge of my heart.

Finally I sewed my pillow top into a pillow cover with an envelope closure.  I used white muslin for the back.

I think these pillows would look fantastic in a teen's room or a dorm room or even my room!

Rather buy it than make it?  Purchase these pillows here and here.

clay alphabet magnet giveaway winner!

And the winner is...

Email me at thecraftycpa(at)gmail(dot)com to claim your prize!!!

return on creativity: simple handmade gift wrap

I have to admit that I can get a little obsessed with wrapping gifts.  It is my favorite part of gift giving.

A few years ago I threw out all my wrapping paper, preferring to only store one roll of kraft wrapping paper that I decorate with stamps or paint or even just a simple ribbon.  Of course I also keep a stash of gift bags and tissue paper to save the day when I don't have enough hours to get everything done.

Recently, I made a bunch of simple muslin bags out of fabric scraps to use for shipping in my shop.  These little bags are great for gift wrapping small presents.

To Make:

1.  Cut two rectangles rectangles of fabric the same size (large enough to fit your gift).
2.  Serge or hem one side of each rectangle which will be the top of your bag.
3.  Put right sides together and sew on three sides.  Turn fabric right side out and you are finished.

I stamped my bags with letter stamps and Stayz On ink in black.  I tied it together with baker's twine. 

I whipped up this holiday version in about five minutes!  So easy and a great way to use up fabric scraps!

P.S. If you like my "Happy Holidays" gift tag, stay tuned for another day!  Thanks for reading.

me: all i want for christmas...

Lomography Paper Pinhole Camera

Stash Happy: Felt: 30 Fun Projects for Felt (and Fabric) Lovers

Learning Resources - Jumbo Numbers & Operations Stamp Set

Reader's Digest Complete Guide to Sewing

Moleskine 2012 12 Month Color A Month Daily Planner: Set of 12 Monthly Planners

Stained by Sharpie Brush Tip Fabric Markers, 8 Colored Markers

OK, maybe this isn't quite all.  I always have a permanent spot for diamond earrings on my wish list.  What crafty things are you hoping to get for the holidays?

craft room redo: workstation

This is my favorite craft room update to date because I love how it turned out!  I wanted to have a counter height workstation for cutting fabric and working on little projects without bending over a table.  I searched far and wide (on the Internet) for a kitchen island that didn't look too kitcheny and was small enough to work in my room.

I found a bar height dining table that I thought might work, but then I saw this island at West Elm.  It was perfect, although a little pricey...but I went for it.  I couldn't be happier with the results!

Here's a view from the other side.  You can see my spray painted curtains in the background.

Doesn't it look at pretty as a picture?  Maybe as pretty as this picture?

source

I wanted to replicate the letters in this picture.  I found my letters at Hobby Lobby ($5 a piece on sale), but they were ugly aged gold and needed paint badly.  

I spray painted the AKE in black and the M in red.  I love that the M is a different color because it is also my first initial!

To hang the letters I traced and cut them from newsprint, and marked where the hangers were.  Then I taped the newsprint letters to the wall and adjusted as needed before pounding my nails.  It was definitely worth the extra effort because the nails were in exactly the right place.

Slowly I have been moving things from the basement to the new upstairs craft room so I am to the point where I am really working out of two rooms now...not ideal, but I am making progress.

giveaway: shop grand opening giveaway and discount code

I'm not totally comfortable with the idea of self promotion.  I always thought that if I was forced to take a job in sales I would cry everyday.  But part of pushing yourself to do new things is stretching and growing and getting uncomfortable.  So here goes some shameless self promotion to celebrate the grand opening of my shop 645 workshop.

First, a giveaway...

I am going to giveaway one set of alpha magnets.  These little magnets remind me of typewriter keys.  I have a cute set on my fridge right now in "qwerty order".

Two ways to enter:

#1 - Like my shop's Facebook page by clicking the button on the right sidebar of my blog or on the right sidebar of my shop.

#2 - Pin your favorite item in my shop on Pinterest.

Leave a comment for each entry.  I will randomly draw a number on Monday, December 19th at 8 PM central time.

Second, a discount code...

Now through Monday, December 19th I am offering a 15% grand opening discount in my shop by using code GRANDOPENING at checkout.

Whew, self promotion over and I survived!  I have a really exciting craft room update to share this week, plus I made some stuff out of Ikea fabric.