The Mystery of the Vintage Jewelry

Sunday, February 13, 2022

Dozens of chains, 80+ earrings, oversized charms, quirky 70s & 80s motifs... I've uncovered all of these after storage in my family's closets for over 30 years. Definitely weird that there's so much of it, and I knew it was my grandmother's—but none had been worn!

I got my mother on the phone to tell me how I ended up with all this vintage costume jewelry, and she told me a story about my grandmother and pastries.

Knitting Projects - To Block or Not to Block

Sunday, January 9, 2022

I only finished a handful of projects in 2021, blocked a few - but was asked by a fellow crafter whether it's really necessary. Take a look at this cowl & mittens -

Simply Bewitching

Friday, October 29, 2021

Sorted through my attic and found some dolls I'd almost forgotten about!

Leave a Comment art dolls, holiday - halloween

Staying Crafty with Mini Knits

Sunday, October 25, 2020

A lot has been going on since my last post in January! There hasn't been too much crafting happening here during the COVID-19 pandemic & shutdown -- I cast on a number of knitting projects, sewed some masks, and finished one crochet cardigan -- but it's been hard to focus so not too much to share. One project I took on & finished was an entry for Anna Hrachovec's 2020 Mochimochi Photo + Video Contest & I won a Bonus award for "BEST BIRDS IN FLIGHT"! This was really uplifting and a great thing to experience in September.

If you're not familiar with Anna's Mochimochi Land you're missing out - check her out at https://mochimochiland.com.

When I saw the contest this summer, I decided that a tiny project would be a great motivation for me to start & finish something within a reasonable amount of time. I chose her Bluebirds of Crappiness pattern as inspiration and started knitting....

Eight birds later (one isn't pictured), I had to come up with a video theme! Of course I left this for the last minute so looking up at a decorative birdhouse on my wall, I came up with a plan for "The Great Escape".

2 comments knitting

How Long Does it Take to Finish a Project?

Friday, January 31, 2020

Wanting to start fresh for the new year, I'm cleaning up some buckets I've got stacked in my craft room. The first one to tackle - unfinished projects.

One by one I'll address whether each of these will be donated, finished, or the materials recycled into something new. Even though they're just craft projects, the mental weight of thinking of them off and on for so long is something I've got to let go of. I don't want these taking up space in my head anymore (let alone my craft room) - once these are gone, I'll definitely feel freer.

2 comments living creatively

DIY Foam Stamps

Thursday, September 12, 2019

This project was fun and quick to do.

Being creative doesn't mean you need to go out and buy lots of new craft supplies - you can use things you find around you! Projects don't need to be fancy or complicated to be creative and fun.

At first glance ... I wondered if this one was share-worthy. Is it snazzy enough to share online? Do I need to put up step-by-step directions in this era of "find everything on the internet, there's probably a YouTube video for it"? Does anyone send handmade cards anymore? Does anyone care?

Well, I care. This is what I do, I make stuff, and share it online, so here it is. Experimenting and having fun are part of being creative, and this project was a spur-of-the-moment idea that I tried out with some success. Read on for how I made a simple stamp and created a few base cards that lend themselves to embellishing. It's more personal than a text + bitmoji & I hope it inspires someone to create a card or two.

Leave a Comment creativity, mail art, paper, rubber stamp carving, tutorial, use what you have

Wild Chickens

A week doesn't go by without me seeing someone's chickens roaming around the neighborhoods in my town. I couldn't resist stopping to take a photo of this bunch posing down the street from my house, and then of course - turning it into an art project.