September: It's All About YOU

Hey there crafters, for this month's project, make something for yourself to keep and NOT give away or share with anyone else. It's about time you did something nice for yourself, special lady!

August Project

Okay, maybe this is stretching but I made this "cool" card holder with cards at a recent stamping event. The holder is made using a clear DVD case, paper, stamps and embellishments.

off topic, but useful... maybe this can be my share the wealth entry... a month late [and nothing crafted]

i feel bad for being m.i.a. lately.  work has been extremely hectic, then i go home to my adorable, but extremely energetic 2 year old and i am pooped [plus i am 8 months pregnant, which might add to my exhaustion].  my goal is to be able to get to some crafting when i have more "free time" on my maternity leave... hopefully i am not just kidding myself.

anyway, back to the topic in hand.  has anyone here heard or use pinterest? 

it has become my new obsession and on top of it there is an app for that, so now i can "pin"on the go.

pinterest is a virtual pinboard.  pinterest allows you to organize and share all the beautiful things you find on the web. you can browse pinboards created by other people to discover new things and get inspiration from people who share your interests. [yeah i copied this from their site]

so now instead of bookmarking all of those websites with craft projects you might want to attempt one day you can just "pin" it and access it from anywhere.

you can create different boards to catagorize your "pins," explore other peoples boards [people "pin" all sorts of stuff], and follow the ones that interest you. 

in order to join, you have to request an invite or i can send you an invite... just shoot me an email or comment with the email address you would like it sent to.

i have a bunch of project ideas "pinned" that i would like to do... now to find the time...

Cool for School Messenger Bag

I made this messenger bag for my niece for school--it was my first non-tote bag and much easier than expected! This is the second bag, I tweaked the strap to make it heavier duty and adjustable and added my very first magnetic closure (which hopefully doesn't rip out the first week it is used). I hope she likes it! I actually already have orders for at least two more, plus I'd like to make one for myself...

Back to "Cool"

It's that time of year ago when kids start remembering their summer reading projects and parents start count down calendars. Back to school time. But since it has been one of the hottest summers on record across the country I think we need to celebrate "Back to Cool". Start scratching your craftin' noggins and think cool. Cool waters, cool temperatures, cool colors, cool personality!

Sharing the Wealth

Hello all,

Late to the party again with May & June but they'll get up there, eventually.

I made three fascinators for my friend Jodi. She lives in Saratoga Springs and visits the racetrack often with her husband, Carl.

I wish I had taken photos of all three before I gave them to her, but she was kind enough to text me this photo and message.
"Feather headband was a huge success. I even had men telling me how much they liked it. Carl thought it was so funny because people kept coming up to me and commenting on it. Thank you. Perfect for Saratoga!"

She looks fabulous, as always.

July challenge: Share the wealth

Hey there crafty ladies! If you are anything like me, you rarely get to craft things for yourself because you are too busy making things for other people. So why fight the urge? Crafters are some of the most generous people around, so let’s take that to the next level and share our craftiness with the world.

So this month’s challenge is pretty simple: Make something, and then give it away.

Feel free to shine your halo if you find an organization out there that you have never supported before and/or give something to a complete stranger.

Here are a couple suggestions – and feel free to search the Internet to find a specific organization looking for handmade items. The lists of charities that accept crafts might even spark ideas for new crafts: clothing for preemies, chemo caps, scarves for people who have been sexually assaulted, crafts for shelter animals, prayer shawls, blankets for disaster relief, etc.

Some big organizations that come to mind include Warm Up America and Project Linus, but several people have compiled very comprehensive lists of national organizations that seek crafts:
http://www.purplekittyyarns.com/craft-charities.html
http://familycrafts.about.com/od/craftingforcharity/Crafting_for_Charity.htm
http://www.craftbits.com/crafts/charity

For those in the Rochester area, here are a few crafting charities that are always looking for additional crafty people:
The Handiwork Ministry - http://thehandiworkministry.vpweb.com/ - An active crafting group that makes a variety of projects for the community near and far. This group is growing and recently launched satellite groups in Hagerstown, Maryland, and New South Wales, Australia.
Angels of Mercy – http://www.angelsofmercyny.org – An Irondequoit-based group of crafters who turn pillowcases into dresses to help fight sex trafficking around the world. They meet at St. Cecilia’s on the third Tuesday of the month.

One other way you can find recipients is to pick a charity that you like to support (a Hospice home or a food cupboard) and check their wish list to see if there is an item on it that you can craft. Or give them a call and find out what they need and want.

Before you unleash your creativity, make sure to check out the organization’s website to learn what types of items they need, and see if they have any free patterns or guidelines on their site. If the site looks sketchy, do some web research just to make sure they are legit - Charity Navigator, for instance, is one way to check and make sure the organization is a nonprofit and is going to do what it says. Have they been written up in local newspapers? Have people sent them pictures of completed crafts?

After you have finished your crafting, post pics so we can all admire it. Then, set your craft free to bless someone else’s life. Happy crafting!