• Blog - Crafts - Creativity

    T Tuesday: all things crafty edition

    Since heading back to school I think perhaps I’ve done more crafting than I did all of August. It always works that way. What’s that saying?… Busy people get things done.”  There is whole lot of truth in that statement.  Grab a cup of coffee or whatever and stay awhile…I’ve got lots to share.

    I think I’ll start with the travel journal I made with ephemera from our trip. It’s still a work in progress but here’s a sneak peek at the journal with some of the goodies tucked inside.

    I’m still sewing like there’s no tomorrow.

    In fact this photo was taken 10 mins before I had to leave for my first day back to work.

    No games will be played at the game table anytime soon. I’ve kind of temporarily taken over. I’m nearly done with the paper foundation stitching on all the blocks…at least I think so. Once I start doing the layout I’ll know for sure.

    I also did a bit more cleaning and organizing in my art zone. I wish I could call it a studio but that would be like putting lipstick on a pig. It’s functional…just not pretty. 

    Check out my new washi tape organization….

    Mini-me has yet to do her color organization on the washi…I know she will though and it will be much prettier.

    While I was organizing I decided it would be a good idea to make some more card bases or backgrounds..which ever you prefer.

    I picked up the paper pad above at Tuesday Morning (no affiliation) and was itching to use it. So many pretty patterns.

    I have a nice stack of cards started now just waiting for the right sentiment or occasion.

    I’m heading back to the sewing machine to finish up my blocks. Can’t. Stop. Sewing.

    What are you doing today?
  • Blog - Crafts - Creativity

    A second look: quilt time…snuggle time

    I can’t stop sewing!!! Likely because I know I’ll be completely worthless for the next week or so until I acclimate to my new school schedule.

    Since I’m currently completely obsessed with paper foundation scrap quilting once again, I thought I’d share the quilt that came before this one.

    Take a look…

     

    1/15/2017

    Don’t you just love that feeling of satisfaction when you’ve completed a big project!?! I know I do. Not only do I have the finished product in front of me but I get to put a checkmark in the box on my perpetual list. Yes, it’s an actual paper list. It’s never-ending which really is a good thing. What would I do with myself if I didn’t have a project?

    quilt time snuggle time | Halle's Hobbies

    Do want to know a secret? If I complete a task, chore or project that failed to make it on the list…I write down, draw a little box and proceed to “X” through it. So satisfying!!!quilt time snuggle time | Halle's Hobbies

    This quilt started as a stash busting project. Just a loose idea of what I wanted or hoped it would look like in the end. Over the course of sewing, my idea evolved a bit which I personally think is a good thing. We need to be able to be flexible and learn from our mistakes. Or even just adapt when the moment presents itself instead of being so set on one path that we can’t change. This is true in life as well. Adapt or be flexible when needed as long as your end goal remains it’s ok to change little things along the way.quilt time snuggle time | Halle's Hobbies

    One of the changes I made as I neared completion was the type of binding I wanted to use. I was originally going to do a sort of “cheater” binding where you wrap the backing around to the front and stitch down. I’ve used this method before with Mini-me’s quilt. I decided I wanted to do a scrappy binding as well continuing to use up my stash. The quilt really needed a quiet place in between the busy central pattern and a scrappy binding so I added a white sashing all the way around.

    quilt time snuggle time | Halle's Hobbies

    The scrappy binding went together quicker than I thought it would. Of course, I didn’t follow the “rules” and cut everything on the bias. I’m not much a rule follower. quilt time snuggle time | Halle's Hobbies

    Isn’t it pretty a rolled up like that? Like a colorful flower.

    quilt time snuggle time | Halle's Hobbies

    After much agonizing about how to label my quilt (for the very first time), I decided I’d use wing it and hand embroider the info. Let me first say that I suck at embroidery. I think embroidery was the first craft I ever learned…and I never liked it. I’m always sticking myself with the needle, its tedious and boring.  I know there are plenty of people who enjoy it and find it relaxing…have at it. It’s a means to an end for me. I do have a decent size stash of embroidery thread though in the same tin my mom used half a century ago or more ago.

    quilt time snuggle time | Halle's Hobbies

    After a few pinpricks I finished the job and was able to stitch it onto the quilt back. I am glad I took the time now that it’s finished. I can never remember when I made most of the other quilts except for the two I made while J was napping as an infant. Those I do remember.

    quilt time snuggle time | Halle's Hobbies

    This turned out to be more than a stash busting quilt. It became a labor of love with a bit of frustration mixed in. But what love doesn’t have some frustrating times.

    I had originally planned to heavily quilt in a funky random pattern but as I began I realized it would end up a bit stiff. I went back and pulled out every stitch…hence the frustration. I ultimately ended up stitching random wavy lines only along the white sashing. My thought is that I can always go back and do some more quilting if I feel it needs it.

    I’ve been snuggling under it every free moment I have. It definitely helps with the extreme cold we’ve been having. I did hear we have a warm-up in store….hooray! I’ve about had it with below zero temps.

     

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    Thanks for stopping by for Second on the 2nd!

  • Blog - Crafts - Creativity

    T Tuesday: mini vacation edition

    Hello and welcome to another edition of T stands for Tuesday. Last week I had mentioned a mini-vacation was on the schedule. We left Thursday morning and were about 20 mins from our finally destination when it started raining…pouring really.

    It was cold and rainy pretty much the whole time we were there which was a really big bummer. Mini-me and I passed the time by doing a puzzle and playing pictionary. Neither one of us slept very well that night so we got up before 5am…

    I made some coffee and picked up my knitting. Evidently I was tense or just out of practice because it was so dang tight I couldn’t continue. I pulled it all out and grabbed a crochet needle…

    I made three dishcloths in short order to leave at the cabin.

    Just as the weather was starting to clear, we headed out for a college visit that was almost an hour away.

    Mini-me had missed the tour I took J on a couple years ago. I knew right away that she’d love this college.  After hearing about it she wanted to visit on her own. I think its at the top of her list of schools.

    After our visit at Morris we headed back to the cabin. That evening we got to enjoy time with family and PUPPIES!

    I only have this one picture of the smallest of the dogs…all huskies. At one point I had two puppies on my lap and one of the big huskies trying to climb up too. Just call me the husky whisper I guess. It certainly was entertaining with 4 dogs running around.

    We headed home on Saturday morning since had other things going for Sunday and Monday…more on that next T stands for Tuesday.  As well as a garden update. It was off to a slow start but has really come a long way in the past week or so. Hopefully I’ll have some photos next week. Raining like crazy…again…as I write this.

    This week has appointments for me and a Costco trip with the neighbor. I gave up our membership to Costco when I started working since going on the weekends is less fun than poking your eyes out with a rusty fork. Lucky for me, I have a sweet neighbor who is willing to take me along or pick up a few items as needed. I honestly haven’t missed Costco as much as I thought I would and likely don’t spend as much when you figure waste and impulse items.

    I’m still working on reorganizing my craft area and supplies. Purging some stuff I’ll never, ever use. I’m sure over time there will be a thing or two I will have wished I saved…always happens. I just feel like we have too much stuff in general. I’m attempting to get rid of the extra; the clutter, the un-needed, un-wanted and un-loved. Not Marie Kondo style…that’s a little intense for me. But at my own pace with the end goal in mind…less stuff.

    What are you doing today?