• Blog

    T Tuesday: May update edition

    I did it again. I went nearly a month without posting. Well folks, I’m going to make up for it with a photo heavy post.

    Since I’m not sure where to start I’m just going to jump in with some fun fabric projects I’ve been working on.

    The first of which are these microwave bowl holders. I love these things! I use mine a couple times a week. I love that I can throw them in the washing machine when they get messy.

    While I had the machine out I did more piecing with my scraps.

    I also finally got around to making my mixer cover with the fun fabric I bought over the summer. I can’t believe I waited so long! I love the way it looks.

    Now shall we talk about the elephant in the room…or perhaps the golden goose in the gym?

    Yup…that’s right. I turned 50 at the beginning of the month. There was lots of advertising at school.

    And yes there was cake!

    This was really cute. One of my students wrote this on the white board. I love that its spelled wrong. 🙂

    That same student wrote me a little note a week or so before hand.

    Enough about other peoples children…let me update you on mine.

    Before the end of semester, Mini-me had a project for class that was a pop-up art show in the gallery. They were tasked to use washi tape and washi tape only to create a temporary art installation on the gallery wall. Pretty cool huh. She is back home for the summer after enduring a massive storm which knocked out power and cell phone service for the last day of finals. She took her Latin final in the dark.

    J graduated from college with his Chemical Engineering degree this month as well. This is a bit of ChemE humor that went over my head but I’m using it for my drink reference anyway. He is back home as well. The house went from quiet to crowded very quickly.

    I think this is the only journal I have played in all month. I’ve been doing a bit more organizing however I stalled out until I am done with work…I really want to sort through stuff with Mini-me since she is using more things in her art as well. I don’t want to get rid of something she will end up wanting shortly.

    This was earned longer ago than I had thought until I see the date staring me in the face. It still blows my mind though that I’ve walked that much.

    Mr. G and I also celebrated our 28th wedding anniversary in April. He still knows how to make me laugh with his shenanigans with his follow-up to my reminder note to run the dishwasher in the morning.

    Speaking of laughter…this gave me a good chuckle. So much so that I had to snap a picture of it at our local coffee shop.

  • Blog - Crafts - Creativity

    Small journal love

    I was recently inspire to create some new journals. These are single signature journals.

    I’ve never thought to create small journals such as these but I realized that these are going to come in very handy.

    I used scraps of heavy fabric for the outside of the cover and recycled posters for the inside of the cover.

    The denim cover is from a pair of jeans that my now college-aged daughter wore as a preschooler.

    Since the embroidery was so cute on it, I saved the leg. Waste not, want not.

    I used about 15 pages of various papers for the signature.

    I wasn’t worried about them all being exactly the same size, in fact, I prefer that there is some variation.

    The rose on the left is a digital creation of mine. I had a group of mine printed at Kinkos to make sure that they would print properly if I were to sell them as digital downloads. I have not taken that step yet but maybe someday. In the meantime, I have some fun and uniquely me pages to play with.

    The right side has one of the tags I have created from the masterboards I’ve been creating with scraps. I like to stitch around them both for interest and to secure the edges.

    Here’s yet another tag slipped in a side tuck on the page. The tuck is from my stash of mini colleges. Also a scrap busting project.

    Both masterboards and mini colleges are things that I tend to do when I’m lacking that creative spark. They are quick, use lots of scraps and are great to have around for later projects.

    Here is yet another example of both being used on one page.

    Attaching an envelope to the edge of a page then folding it to the back creates a fun flip out that can hold a secret note or photo or whatever you want to tuck away for safe keeping.

    I’m really having fun with these journals. They are quick, no pressure of strict theme, multi use and just really darn cute.

     

  • Blog

    T Tuesday: this and that edition

    Once again a month has passed. Crazy how that happens.

    Since my last post I’ve been dealing with some health issues. The most debilitating of which was a case of cellulitis. I had never even heard of it until a couple years ago. Thankfully I did learn about it so I went in and got checked out. Steroids and antibiotics did the trick. Although I learned that I will never take Prednisone again unless it is a life or death situation. Uff Da. That is some wicked stuff.

    Now that I am feeling better I have been inspired to create a bit.

    I created a selection of journal covers from leftovers in my stash. The inside is a heavyweight poster that I have recycled to act as book board that was then machine stitched to the fabric covers. This creates a nice folio type booklet for a single signature of around 15 pages. Small books such as these make great gratitude journals, everyday thoughts, lists and so on.master board covers

    Here’s another stack of them in progress. I do get obsessed and can’t stop once I get going.mixer cover

    Another project I tackled a few weeks ago was creating a pattern for a KitchenAid mixer cover. Yes I could have purchased a pattern but I enjoy the creative process and truth be told… like being able to say that I made it, me, completely from my own brain. The above photo is my mock up cover. A co-worker purchased it from me after I made my pattern templet. Now ask me if I have made the one for myself….umm…no. Soon…very soon.

    One of the things on my list for my Spring break is to go through and reorganized my supplies. Yesterday I organized this entire drawer of trims while watching Yellowstone. I am not an organized person but this was oddly satisfyingly.

    My list of to-dos for Spring break is lengthy but then again, it always is. The weeks leading up to it were kinda crazy.

    My BFF sent me this and it was very relatable. 🙂

    Mini-me was home for her Spring break a couple weeks ago. It was great to see her. She sent me this photo the other day that another friend had snapped as they stopped to pet the horses.

    Mini-me said that they often stop by the barn to pet the horses. Pretty cool that they are able to do that right on campus.

    Kombucha has been my friend since the round of antibiotics. Trying to rebuild that gut flora. I’ve also got a crockpot full of soup bones simmering for bone broth…another good thing for gut health.

    Tuesday has me working on my list….phone calls, bills, taxes…such fun stuff.

    What are you doing today?