A Crafter's Dilema

I'm a craft schizophrenic. It is both a good and bad thing. One day I'm cutting out a vintage dress pattern I found at an estate sale, the next I'm tatting a doily out of yarn, and then I switch to making a banana piñata. Random, I know. My downfall is I enjoy crafting too much for my own good, and the variety out there is overwhelming. I want to delve in and learn every new and forgotten craft in this diverse world.

I want to kumihimo! I'm not sure if "kumihimo" is a verb or a noun in the Japanese language, but in English it is Japanese braid making. The result of kumihimo is beautiful and intricate rope for ornamental purposes, like jewelry. I had no idea this existed until I found it on Amazon.com while browsing tatting books.

(via Knotty Notions)

(via Tampa Bead Cafe)

(via Bead Q!)

Beautiful! I'm especially attracted to the pieces incorporated with beads. Oooo, shiny shiny! This is like my experience at a Chinese buffet; I want to try everything I see. But sadly, I don't get to finish everything on my plate. Maybe I will be able to do kumihimo someday after I finish the dozens of projects I'm already currently working on...

Big Banana

Earlier this month my craft room housed some pretty nifty installation art. Unfortunately, it is no longer there, because it was viewable for a limited time only. But had you been there, you would have seen it was a funky shape made of wire and red foam hanging in mid air.



Okay, so it wasn't really installation art but more of the skeleton of a big banana, a big piñata banana, to be exact. I later covered the structure with paper mâché, painted it, and mod podged it to give it a shiny luster.



The big banana met it's terrible fate on Thursday, August 11, 2011 at a King Kong themed birthday party for my friend, Lizzy. I didn't even stick around to see it smashed to pieces by a group of college and post college kids dressed like flappers, safari travelers, and one snow leopard (that's you, Helen). Before I left, the banana was still winning and was putting up a good fight. Go Banana!!! May you rest in peace...

Fall Ready Knits

Is Fall coming, or what? Well, whatever. I went ahead and knitted a scarf anyway. The pattern I used for this super easy, chic scarf is on Ravelry.com. You can click here for it, but you might need to sign in and make an account, which you should because it's free. Besides, when do you think you're going to learn how to knit? When you're old and gnarled?



I'm telling you it was easy to knit this thing! And if you need help, I am here to help you with your knitting pattern conundrums.



Look! I even made it into a turban. Wala! I pulled the bow back and pinned it against the sides of the band with safety pins.

I Beat the Heat

Despite the heat this weekend I accomplished two things: finishing my metal bin and harvesting a bunch of veggies from our garden.



This bin is ready to party! I stenciled our name on the side with the same bright orange Rustoleum spray paint. The letters didn't come out as crisp as I wanted it, but eh...it's okay!



And look at these beauties...just one cherry tomato today! But there are plenty of them turning orange and will be ready for harvesting this week or next. The cucumber plants, however, are going nuts. Waaaay too many cucumbers this summer to know what to do with. I must conjure up more recipes...


'Til I craft again,
Myrill

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Me vs. Rust

This is what I'm currently scheming: how to remove rust from this metal bin. At an estate sale a couple weeks back, I had lofty imaginations of the ice-filled bin surrounded by friends at a hot barbecue as it chilled their choice bottled beverages. That dream and the five dollar price tag is what sold me. Into the pick-up truck it went! And onto my porch, where it sat a couple of weeks, forlorn and forgotten. I've never grown out of procrastination...


Alas, here the bin sits with a rusty bottom, and me with a guilty conscience. I'm sorry little bin! I'll do whatever I can!


I am well armed...sort of. I'm no handy man, but instead, a chick with fervor. I will destroy you, rust!


That is my face protection, by the way. I couldn't find a face mask or goggles to protect me from the rust dust. But this stylish scarf and slick sun glasses will suffice.

Here are a couple of DIY instructions I checked out before starting: http://blog.makezine.com/archive/2010/12/make-an-old-toolbox-new-again.html
http://www.instructables.com/id/Remove-Rust-from-a-Bicycle-Chain/

This war against rust is to be continued...

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Post Item on Etsy-Check!

Finally!

I did it!

After several motivational conversations I've had with different people over the coarse of 2 years, I posted my first quality, hand-made products on Etsy. The one conversation that sticks out in my memory the most was with my husband. He told me if I was as creative as I think I am, I should make something without a pattern, without a book, without directions from another source. I should gather all my knowledge I already have and unleash my creative juices.

The last conversation I had was with two Sarah's. Both Sarah's also wanted to make income from home by making crafts. We talked in circles, continuously bringing up the success tips we've heard and things we would do if we started an Etsy shop. This is how you take nice pictures...Networking is important because...I want my shop to look like...

But in the end we concluded, JUST POST SOMETHING!! JUST DO IT RIGHT NOW!! This talk really got my gears going. I feared If I wait too long for everything to be perfect, another couple of months would go by accomplishing nothing.


The weekend ended, and the Sarah's went back home. And I got craftin'! I was inspired by tea and tea parties. How delightful it would be to have whimsical accessories at a tea gathering. Teapot cozy was at the top of my mental list of things to make. I found red wool yarn and started knitting a cozy that would not be overly flowery, but simple and chic. It took me a couple of tries to get the pattern right, but it paid off. I am quite pleased with the result :)



Felting helps the knitted cozy to have less holes, thus being better insulated. It also gives the cozy a more modern and professional look.


That is all for now! The craft room awaits me for more creating and crafting!

My Other Love

I have other loves besides crafting. One of them is going to estate sales. Or perhaps, it is more of an obsession/addiction/guilty pleasure, because my husband and I go almost every Saturday. If you are getting your mason jars on Etsy for $12 each or your vintage sweater for $50 on ModCloth, you are being duped. And you should be, because I've probably told you about estate sales before, but you never listen. Estate sales iz where itz at, people! Get your hands on these vintage goodies from the original source before some hipster resells them to you over priced!


Here is an amazing find. This box was in the corner of a garage among other old games and toys. It is a complete set of all 26 letters on big, colorful cards. One side has the letter written and words beginning with that letter. The other side is a beautiful illustration of one of the words. My favorite picture is an Easter egg for "E."


Okay, so guess how much I got it for. $2.00? Yea, you're right!


Now guess how much the hipster is going to sell it to you for. $390. Because the hipster is going to take each picture separately, frame them, and sell them for $15 each. Boo.....


But not I. This treasure is staying in the family and all 26 will one day be framed and hung in the children's room (not that we're having any soon. So don't make up any stories please).

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