Projects 54-79: Oh Christmas Tree!

Wow. There are a lot of projects in this category to be posted! It is December after all, and I love Christmas!

These projects are mostly Christmas cards, but there are also a few other items such as homemade wrapping paper, gift tags, and of course my Christmas Tree!

Some of these cards were made at various stamping events, and so some of them are not my design. I have noted the items that I did not design (but totally assembled myself!) on each photo in Flickr.

So, ready for the holidays?

54 - Christmas Tree (Easy to Difficult - your choice!)
55 - Wrapping Paper (Easy)
56 - Martha's Holiday Card (Medium)
57 - Homemade Tags (Easy)
58 - Jacob's Ladder Gift Card Holder (Hard - this one takes practice!)
59 - Lacy Christmas Card (Medium)
60 - Dasher Card (Easy)
61 - Happy Holidays Card (Medium)
62 - Green Bow Christmas Card (Medium)
63 - Rudolph Card (Easy)
64 - Christmas Treats Holder (Easy)
65 - Christmas Tags (Easy)
66 - Sparkly Tags (Easy)
67 - Joyful Tags (Easy)
68 - Snowflake Napkins (Easy)
69 - Warm Winter Wishes (Easy)
70 - Fancy Tags (Medium)
71 - Tree Gift Tag Holder (Easy)
72 - Season of Sweetness (Easy)
73 - Layered Christmas Card (Medium)
74 - Wrapped in Joy Card (Easy) * See image in post
75 - Snowflake Card (Easy)
76 - Peek-A-Boo Holiday Card (Easy)
77 - We Three Trees Card (Easy)
78 - Joy Card (Easy)
79 - Layered Christmas Tags (Easy)

Whew!

I'll keep trying to post every couple of days with the other projects as I complete them.
Feel free to harass me if I don't update this page on a regular basis!

Happy Holiday Crafting!

Projects 48-53: A Bit of Randomness

There are just some projects that don't easily fit into any specific category. Kind of like people!

Some of these projects were made with a particular purpose in mind - like the scraps bag, which I bring to all of my workshops so that we can put our little bits of trash into something without getting adhesive backings all over the house!

Others, like the star card, were made without a specific purpose or recipient in mind, but allow for a little bit of experimentation! (Nothing wrong with experimentation in crafting, it's only paper after all... just be careful with your glitter...)

So, here's a little list of random creations:

48 - Leigh's Grad Card - my brother just graduation from med school... scary! (Easy)
49 - Sunny Thank You (Medium) * See image in post
50 - Thanksgiving Place Cards (Medium)
51 - Scraps Bag (Easy)
52 - Star Card (Easy)
53 - Flower Napkins (Easy)

Keep Crafting!

Projects 44-47: The Sweet Stuff

These projects were designed as part of a romantic weekend away that I planned for my boyfriend for his 40th birthday this year, and for our 3rd Anniversary What can I say? I love him!

Here they are:

44 - Anniversary Card (Easy) * See image in post
45 - No One Like You (Easy)
46 - Please Bring... (Easy)
47 - Ten Things (Easy)

Be sweet to your sweetheart!

Projects 39-43: The Gift of Giving

I love presents! I mean, of course I like getting them, but nothing is better than seeing someone open a present from you and them absolutely loving it!

I love to give presents... I spend a lot of my disposable income on others... and why not?

So, here's the round up on some of the gifts that I have completed in the last little while. There are a lot more in progress, and will probably constitute the majority of my crafty items between now and Christmas!

39 - Red Toddler Hat (Medium)
40 - Penguin! (Medium) * See image in post
41 - Gingerbread Recipe Cards (Easy)
42 - Hostess Halloween Gift (Easy)
43 - Baby Blankie (Easy)

'Tis the season... to give!

Projects 30-38: Happy Birthday!

Ah birthdays... in my family they tend to come in clumps. About half of my immediate family has a birthday in December as well as a couple of my friends. The others have managed to group themselves in March, May, and October. I refuse to have kids in any of those months, especially December!

Ahem.

So, birthdays are a big deal, and making birthday cards is a lot of fun! My difficulty seems to be making "boy" oriented cards (not little boys, they're easy, it's the grown up boys that are difficult!)

Here's the list of Birthday related items that I've finished over the last little while. I've put the relative difficulty of the projects in brackets beside the titles. Don't forget, all of these items have a picture on Flickr that you can see!

30 - Sue's Birthday Card (Medium) * See image on this page
31- Wine Bottle Birthday Card Holder (Medium)
32 - Aunt Liz's Birthday Card (Easy)
33 - Bold Birthday (Easy)
34 - Striped Birthday Card (Medium)
35 - Birthday Gift Card Holder (Medium)
36 - Birthday Wishes Card (Easy)
37 - Cake! (Easy)
38 - Teeny Tiny Birthday (Easy)

I still need to make one more birthday card for this month... sigh.

Projects 19-29: Necklaces

Ah pendant making... such fond memories!

The best part of necklace making is that I make them with a group of fabulous ladies around a gigantic dining room table. There's laughter, wine, and occasionally minor incidents over the best papers to use!

The necklaces are not very difficult to make, but they take a while as you have to wait for the glue to dry a couple of times. The glue also has some major fumes, so I recommend this project for a day when you have no trouble leaving all of the windows in your house open for a few hours!

Here's the list of projects (not very imaginative titles, sorry!)

19 - Red Necklace
20 - Black Floral Necklace
21 - Gold Geometric Necklace
22 - Blue and Green Flower Necklace
23 - Blue and Gold Necklace
24 - Blue and White Flower Necklace
25 - Brown and Teal Necklace
26 - Blue and Green Necklace
27 - Green and Pink Flower Necklace
28 - Bright Blossoms Necklace
29 - Dainty Flowers Necklace (* See image in this post)

Happy Crafting!

Snow Day #2!

Okay, so here we are in an unprecedented state (at least as far as I know). Due to Snowmageddon 2010, the library has been closed since 4 pm on Monday, and remains closed today. Yay snow day!

But, the sun shining on the 100+ cm of snow on the ground, and thing must continue. Like this blog.

I've got my coffee, my cinnamon pancakes (snow day = pancakes and syrup) and the list of 61 projects that I have completed since my last post in August. Yikes!

Here's how we're going to get all of this stuff up:

All of the photos have been uploaded to Flickr (which took pretty much all of yesterday!)

I'm going to post the projects in batches by type (i.e. Birthday, Christmas, etc.) and add a picture of my favourite project from that batch. I'll list all of the project titles so you can easily find them on flickr if you are so inclined. I'm still about 50 project behind where I should be for this time of year, but I'm hoping all of the Christmas gifts I still have to make will help me catch up!

Keep smiling - it's only snow!

Snow Day

It's a snow day today: no school + no public transit = no library!

So I really have no excuse not to get this blog up to date!

I'm making a few changes. I suck at posting every day, so I'm not going to try to pretend that I'll get something on here everyday. I will try for once a week!

I'll post a list of all of the things that I've accomplished over the past few days (numbered, of course, we're still gonna get to 365 projects in one year!), and then insert a photo of my favourite project.

You can still see all of my projects on Flikr, so go check them out!

Stay tuned for the next post... it will have a very long list of projects in it!

Lindsay

How time flies and Evil Computers

Yikes. Since August, huh?

I have a completely reasonable explanation for this...

Evil computers. They die. They leave no trace except for loud, piercing, horrific sounds when trying to load. And then you have to get a new one, and add all the programs, remember all your passwords, and try to retrieve your old hard drive.

Like I said, evil!

So, in order to "catch up" on my little project, in the next week or so (leaving for Florida today) I will add a list of all of the crafts that I've completed over the last little while. Some photos have been uploaded to Flickr, and some are still to come. Hopefully by the middle of November, things will be back to normal!

I still fully intend to complete 365 crafts in one year. I will not be thwarted by man or machine!

Keep crafting,
Lindsay

Day 18: Warm Woollies part 2

What is a pair of mitts without a hat to complement them?
Nothing, I tell you! And awfully cold if you live in Canada during the winter... no one likes frostbite.

Today's hat is from the same pattern book that I used for the mittens from day 17. It is an easy project - 30 rounds of single crochet with gradual increases, and one row of reverse single crochet to create the brim. I can make one in an evening as I've completed the pattern several times. If you are new to crochet, it may take you two evenings, but certainly no more. Definitely a project for beginners.

Warm woolly hats... ah...

But I'm still not ready for winter - give me the sunshine!

Day 17: Warm Woollies part 1

I am not a fan of winter. I don't like being cold, I dislike how long it takes to trudge through the snow, and I hate wearing sock. Winter requires all of these things.

However, I am a fan of making nice and toasty warm things to keep me and my loved ones from being as cold. It's Canada, we need our woollies!

I have made several sets of hats, mitts, and scarves over the years and tend use the same pattern time and time again. This familiarity allows me to make a pair of mittens in a single evening. The pattern is pretty easy - single crochet, sew up the side seam, and more single crochet to make the thumb. It's one of the first patterns I ever used after graduating from making granny squares, so I would definitely recommend it for beginners - it's a Patons pattern.

Remember, the more wool the better when it comes to winter!

Day 16: Tree of Life on the Fridge

The Tree of Life is a beautiful image that has been stitched, painted, tattooed, sketched, scorched, and otherwise recorded for a long, long time. And now, it's been punch needled.

A bunch of friends and I took a class in the spring to learn how to create punch needle projects. It was a great evening filled with laughter, jokes, and just plain fun! We had picked a design for the class a few weeks earlier (the aforementioned Tree of Life), and got down to work with our own selected colours and flare. It's amazing how many ways the same pattern can be interpreted! Punch needle is not a difficult technique - it simply requires the correct tools and materials, a little patience, and a good imagination (you stitch from the back, so if you are writing something, you have to do the mirror image!) - overall I would rate the project as medium in difficulty, most likely because I had never tried this type of project before!

The problem was, however, after that class I had no idea how I was going to finish the project - no idea what I actually wanted it to be! So it sat on my crafting table for months, taunting me... until yesterday when I was cleaning my kitchen (random, I know). I was about to through out a magnet that was on my fridge when I realized that it was not much bigger that the punch needle project. The wheels started spinning, and with a few more rows of thread and a glue gun, I now have a much prettier and craftier magnet on my fridge.

You never know where inspiration will hit!

Day 15: Decorative Cookie Jar

I love glass jars. I love organizing. I love cookies! A match made in heaven, don't you think?

I have a bunch of jars in the kitchen labeled for sugar, flour, tea, and coffee (all of which get used on a frequent basis!). I also have a large, lonely cookie jar. It doesn't say cookies. It doesn't say treats. It's a very lonely little jar... there should be a song - check the Country/Western station.

Well, the jar has now had life breathed into it! Or, at least, a little decoration. I've mentioned before how much I love the decor elements that my company sells - especially the decals (see the project from day 1 - Butterflies on the big blue wall). So, to make my cookie jar more special, I took a chocolate brown decal (appropriate colour, wouldn't you agree?) and applied it to the jar - it sticks just as well as on the wall, and can be wiped with a damp cloth if it gets mucky. It's a cute picture of a song bird - sweet and pretty, just like chocolate chip cookies!

Talk about an easy project!
Pictures are up on flickr - have a look!

Day 14: Sweet Teddy

So, after the god of chaos, I needed to balance out my karma again - or at least try to!

We found out about another pregnancy in the family (not me!), and so baby projects are going to be prevalent over the next few months. I've had a pattern for a sweet little crocheted teddy bear for a while, and hadn't tried it before, so no time like the present!

The pattern wasn't too difficult, and used less than one skein of yarn. A little embroidery floss was used for detailing the nose and feet, and a new darling was created.

I'd say this project qualifies as medium in difficulty. As with Cthulu, the stitches are done on the round, and careful attention is needed not to get lost!

Day 13: Cute Cthulu!

Cthulu. God of Chaos.

I have some pretty twisted friends, so when I found a book full of crocheted Cthulu, vamps, ninjas, zombies and more, I couldn't resist trying it out! (Plus, the god of chaos has been having way too much fun at my expense lately).

These projects are about a medium in difficulty - mostly because they are completed in rounds, not rows so it can be difficult to keep track of where you are in the pattern.

I made the eyes out of polymer clay, and glued them on with a glue gun (what did we ever do before glue guns?) I do have to say that they are absolutely adorable!

With all this crazy cuteness, anyone else having flashbacks to a notorious Buffy Halloween episode?
"Whose a little fear demon!"
"Zander, stop."
"Why? Can he hurt me?"
"No, it's just tacky!"

Or something like that...

Anyway, pictures will be on flickr later tonight for your perusal!

A moment of sadness in our journey

It's been almost a week since I've written on this blog, and for that I apologize!
Friday the 13th truly lived up to its reputation this year as I came home in the evening to find out that my cat, Kestrel, had passed away very unexpectedly.

Needless to say, I was shocked and heartbroken. Just not in the mood to connect with the world in general.

The crafting has continued, but I did miss a couple of days, which I will make up over the next week or so. I'm still determined to finish 365 crafts this year!

Happy crafting, and give your cats an extra snuggle from me tonight.

Day 12: Weekend Invite

Good news! I am now the proud owner of a digital camera, thanks to a big sale at a local store - sweet! Which means I will finally get to take some pictures and post them for all of you to see.. stay tuned!

Today's project was a simple invite card. I'm planning a romantic weekend away for my boyfriend, who's having a milestone birthday this year. I'm trying to make a big deal of it, so I made a invitation with basic instructions on when and where to show up! I'm going to try and sneak it into his backpack when he is visiting this weekend. If the opportunity doesn't arise, I'll just send it to him in the mail - snail mail is still fun to get, after all.

I'll post a picture of the front of the card once the batteries are charged on the camera. It's a very basic card that I tried to make masculine and romantic - not as easy as you would think!

Day 11: Krafty Kitchen - part 2

I've received a few comments about the lack of pictures being posted - something that I promise I am working to remedy!

In the mean time, I've posted three more photos of recent crafts on flickr - 2 birthday cards, and a cross stitch I made for my nephew when he was born in 2009. That's all the "historical" data that I have, so we will have to make due with new projects I create.
I'm hoping to get some more photos done tomorrow...

This evening's project completed the sets I started yesterday. Now those three lovely ladies will all be getting tea towels to go with their dish cloths! How exciting!

Again, this is an easy project - I don't really follow any pattern, I just make them up as I go. They are larger than yesterday's project though, about an hour each to complete.

Day 10: Krafty Kitchen - Part 1

I have 3 wonderful women in my life (well, more than three, but I'm thinking of a very specific three at the moment). These women have been around my entire life, and have taught me a great deal - they've also become great friends in my adult life.

Which is why every Christmas I try to give them something that expresses how much they mean to me. Now sometimes these ladies do not use their gifts as they were intended...

"Your gift was so lovely, I couldn't use it!"
"But grandma, it's a dish towel!"
"Yes, and it looks so nice on top of my dresser!"


I love you, grandma!

Anyway, this year I'm going to try kitchen stuff again (it's been a few years since the last attempt) - and part one was completed today.
The wool sale I attended yesterday had some great deals on handicrafter cotton. So, today I made dish cloths for my 3 lovely ladies, and hope to complete another piece of the present tomorrow. No more details are available, as there's a possibility they are reading this (love you guys!), but the project is simple, simple, simple - about 20 minutes to crochet each one.

Day 9: Simple Organization

Today was the last day of my vacation (sigh). Now I usually spend my last day doing laundry, moping around the house, and resisting the urge to check my work email (why deal with the stress a day early???). This time, however, I spent the day with some of my girlfriends - and what a day! We took a trip out to Listowel, home of the famous wool sale (6 balls of yarn for $7.00 - sign me up)!!

A few dollars and a bunch of yarn later, we returned happy, and full of ideas - now that's a fantastic way to end your vacation!

My little crafty project for today was designed to help me organize my crafting space just a wee little bit!

I needed a container to hold all of my stamping markers, and didn't just want to use a tin can! I found a clear vase from the dollar store with a wide mouth, and a hefty bottom and wrapped it in designer paper (this paper, sold by my company, has a different pattern on the front and back of the paper - so you can actually see a different pattern on the inside of the vase). I added a ribbon bow, stuck my markers inside, and voila! Instant organization.

Any easy project, but remember that the more angled or curvy the vase is, the more difficult it is to add flat paper! I recommend that you lie the vase down on a blank sheet of paper, and trace one side. This will give you a pattern that you can transfer to your fancy paper.

I also started a crochet project today - it's going to take me a few more days to finish...

Day 8: A Finally Finished Room!

Okay, so today's project might be a stretch for creativity, but hear me out!

Today I assembled the large dresser I bought from Ikea yesterday. Now to those of you who have ever assembled a piece of furniture from Ikea, you're already agreeing that creativity is involved - you really need your imagination to decipher the instructions! Especially now that they no longer label all of the pieces - you have to figure out what is what solely by the pictures... and anything with drawers will make the strongest of heart shudder in fear.

I also made a whoops along the way, had to take a chunk of it apart, rig up something MacGyver style to remove a piece I wasn't supposed to put in that particular place (but one remarkably similar later on), and then reassemble, move into place, and load it up without it tipping over (start from the bottom!).

All of that aside, it was the last piece of furniture I needed to make my bedroom complete. I have wanted a complete bedroom for about, oh, forever, and now it is done! Art work - check! Side tables - check! Bed - check! Dresser - finally, check!

Ah the sweet smell of completion.... I deserve chocolate!

Day 7: Storytime

Okay, so yesterday's project took me until the wee hours leading up to midnight - which is why you haven't seen a post yet today! I'm blaming it all on the Gardiner Expressway in Toronto being closed, and therefore taking us over an hour extra to get home to London yesterday. Arrggh!!

Anyway, I did indeed finish my biggie project from the last month or so - my Storytime cross stitch. Now, I'm responsible for the children and teen programming at my library, and one of my favourite programs is storytime. So, this project (once framed) will hang in my office. It's a really cute picture of a bear reading a book to a duck in a garden (looks better when you can see it - pictures coming next week!)

I would rate this project as difficult. Not because it is especially large, but there are a fair number of specialty stitches such as french knots, and lazy daisy stitches (which I really, really hate doing!). There are a lot of lazy daisy stitches in this project and I found them time consuming and annoying! Therefore, difficult in the frustration level, medium to difficult in the achievement level.

And so I slept in this morning and then tackled today's project...

Day 6: The Best Laid Plans...

Okay, so that big project that I mentioned earlier? Not going to be finished today - seems I neglected to bring a few thread colours to finish it whilst on vacation this week, so it's going to have to be a project for tomorrow or more likely Sunday.

Instead, I started laying out plans for Boxing Day. Back story required:
Each boxing day about 30 of us friends get together for brunch and stockings. Now when I say stockings, I really should call them gigantic sacks that weigh 20lbs or so after they are filled with all kinds of goodies! The plan is for a homemade Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice/Party, where everyone brings something homemade for everyone else!

My traditional gift is some sort of ornament for the tree (Christmas Tree, Hanukkah Bush, whatever, we're not picky). I've made cross stitch ornaments and clay ornaments, and I usually bake up gigantic batches of ginger bread and short bread to give out as well (I think I would be lynched if I didn't bring the cookies!). So considering I have to make about 30 ornaments for this event, as well as about 10 or so more to cover family members, I have to start early!

So, in lieu of finishing the cross stitch I've been working on for the last month or so, today I designed the ornament that I will be making for Boxing Day this year. It's made out of clay, and in some sort of wintery design, but I'm not telling you what it is exactly, because some of you are getting them!!!

I have a few more ideas percolating for Boxing Day this year - I'm going crafty crazy after all - so stay tuned.

Day 5: Fanciful Gift Cards

Gift cards - oh so versatile in the giving department, great for birthdays, holidays, and co-workers, yet oh so boring in the attractive department. Now some stores give you a nice little box that you can actually wrap, but let's face it, most places you're lucky if you get a paper sleeve to stick it in.

So, my project for yesterday was to design an attractive and easy to assemble card to put a gift card inside. After fiddling with some regular paper for a while, I came up with a design that has two cuts, two punches (to make it fancy!), and four folds. Add a little tape, ribbon and embellishments and presto, we have a winner! I made my first one out of regular card stock, but I think double sided card stock (with a different pattern on each side) would make it even better!

Today's project is a little more intensive... hope I can get it done - I'll keep you posted!

Day 4: Little Notes of Thanks

Okay, before I even start talking about crafts, I have to say the coolest, most serendipitous thing happened to me today! I spent the morning shopping around Toronto, and stopped into the Worlds Biggest Book Store (I'm a librarian, how could I not?). Anyway, as I was deciding which books to put back and which ones were actually coming home with me, I noticed someone in a corner signing a cart of books...

Now earlier, I'd noticed said cart of books, and by whom they were written - and there he was, Mr. Cory Doctorow, signing a bunch of books for the bookstore to sell, and no one there the wiser!! So there I was, very fortunate to meet Cory, and tell him how much my teen book club enjoyed Little Brother, which won an Ontario Public Library award last year. If you haven't read any of Cory's books, please proceed to your nearest book store or library and pick one, any one!!!

Ahem, right, crafty stuff...

Have you ever had a thank you gift for someone that just didn't warrant a full card? Ever want to slip some one a subtle thank you that didn't require envelopes and sentences of sentiments?

Today's project was a set of 16 mini thank you notes. There are four different designs which really play into the type of thank you you are trying to portray, and I tried to pretty them up with different techniques such as punching edges, piercing the paper, using mini library clips, etc. These notes can be as easy or difficult as you choose, and can even be used as tags on a gift. They took me about 2 hours from design to finish for the set.

The notes can hold about one sentence on the back, so you're not trying to fill a lot of white space! They're great for keeping in your desk drawer at work, or even in your purse.

No camera yet, but soon I promise!

Day 3 - Sweet Congratulations

Being on vacation and in another city this week, I'm limited to the small amount of craft supplies that I brought with me. That said, a little goes a long way!

Today's project was a congratulations card for my friends who are expecting their first baby. Since I'm a librarian, the new little one is going to get tons of my favourite books at any sort of event that I can possible get away with gift-giving. So, his or her announcement is a great way to start, and a personalized card is always better than store bought to add to the gift!

I took some card and technique ideas from the starter kit that my company sent me, and changed it a bit to make the card more personal. I also tried out a new technique today - using a stamp wheel. This technique is a bit tricky. After several ruined sheets of card stock (okay, there's always the other side of the sheet!), I've managed to draw a reasonably straight line with the wheel. I suspect that if I had a thicker ruler, I would be able to run a truly straight line across the front of the card. As with all techniques, it just takes practice - it is, after all, only paper and ink.

So, I'm thinking that this blog is a bit boring without pictures... I see a camera shopping trip in my very near future - stay tuned!

Day 2: A gift that keeps on giving

Today's project was a set of gift tags to give away to a friend. Gift tags are a multi-purpose and personalized gift - just the way I like it! The obvious use is for gifts you are giving away - it adds to the packaging, making each gift unique and special.

The tags I made today are the first group in a number of sets that I am planning on giving away to friends and relatives this Christmas. There are a lot of crafty people in my life, and these tags will give them an extra special bit to add to the gifts that they give away throughout the year.

In terms of difficulty, tags can be any where from easy to hard to make, depending on the complexity and design. Having the right materials such as punches and stamps can make the project quicker to complete, although there is something to be said for simply using your own artistic skills and a pair of scissors!

As for a picture, well, I had to give the camera back yesterday, so no picture yet. I promise to put one up as soon as I beg, borrow, or buy a camera!

Keep smiling, crafters!

Day 1: Butterflies on the Big Blue Wall

There is a big blue wall in my apartment. Actually, there are 4 big blue walls, but there is one in particular of which I speak. This wall would make Mike Holmes cry. Every time you open one of the doors, the wall wiggles - the studs are crooked, I think, or maybe even pieced together. It's just not a safe wall to hang anything on!

So what to do? Blank walls are boring!

Enter decals. These can be purchased from stores and companies all over the place, and are relatively easy to install. I have a thing for butterflies (and dragonflies, and frogs, and turtles... I'm a country girl), so this spray of butterflies was a no-brainer (see my photo on flickr).

The project itself is quite easy - the key is to plan out your pattern first, and then apply each piece carefully. Take your time, don't rush or you will end up with torn decals and broken butterflies! A good job makes your wall look like you've painted them on!

Decals are also great on glass jars and other household items to give them that special touch!

1 day down, 364 to go!

And so it begins....

Tomorrow is day one, and I'm all set to go! I have my plans made for what I'm going to work on for the first week, and I'm chomping at the bit to get started.

I've had a bit more feedback about this project, and have received a few "You're crazy, it can't be done!". Well, obviously it can, others have done it before me, I'm sure! So, I'm gonna prove them all wrong... I hope!

T-minus 2.5 hours until I finish work for the day (I'm on a break right now, I promise) and then I'm off next week - can't wait for the relaxation and crafting madness to begin!

Blog posts from tomorrow onwards will include a description of each project I complete, and the level of difficulty involved. I'll also throw in some tidbits about my zany life, and the response of people to this project as it progresses. I will do my best to put up photos of completed projects as they are ready, however I still haven't got a camera, so they may be a bit staggered to begin with.

That said, fasten your seatbelt kiddies, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!

Feelin' Hot, Hot, Hot!

Okay, I love warm weather, but humidity values of 40+ Celsius is not nice. It's just plain gross. And quite often leads to nasty storms, and possible tornadoes - power outages are certain!

Usually, the storm passes, the sky clears, and it's a bit easier to breath.

This pattern also represents "library world". The humidity is summer planning season, the storm lasts from the first day of summer vacation until the middle of August. Then we get to breathe. I miss breathing! Not to say that the summer months are not enjoyable - quite the contrary! I see all the kids having fun, goofing around, and even reading! It helps me remember why I love my job.

Downside - I'm tired! It can take a little bit of extra effort this time of year to get things done around the house, and find the energy to be creative.

Now I know you're saying, "so why did you pick this time to start this crazy project?" Well, I'm going on vacation! First summer vacation I've had since I was in University - Undergrad, not grad school. One week off, no deadlines, no demands - just crafting, reading, visiting friends and general relaxation. Not that I'm counting down or anything... (3 work days left - yippee!)

On the crafting front, we girls made a serious dent in the Christmas/Hanukkah/Solstice present creation last night with our pendant making party. Check 5 gifts off my list (and a few more things for my jewelry box)! That's right crafters, less than 5 months 'till Christmas - let the panic begin!

Packages, plans, and girly drinks

My big delivery from the company I represent arrived today full of goodies and treasures and lots of crafting opportunities and ideas. It's almost like Christmas! I can't wait to go through everything and start making a list of projects to create. I'm now ready to start presenting workshops and classes for friends and family and anyone else that comes along!

There are only a few days left to the launch of my 365 day adventure into the crafting world - I'm excited and nervous - will I actually find the time to finish something each day? What on earth am I going to bring on vacation to Cuba in January to complete each day for a week? Am I nuts?

The good thing is, all of my friends, family and coworkers are totally on board and think this is a great idea. With that kind of support, how can I fail?

Tonight is girls crafting night - we're making more pendants like the two I have pictures of on my flickr account. Have a look at the pictures -it's an easy project, especially with Cuban rum!

New Features

It occurred to me yesterday that there is really no way to prove whether I've completed a project or not each day - other than my word. While this is just fine for friends and family, others of you might not be so trusting!

So, I've started a Flickr account (365 Days of Crafts) where I will post photos of the projects as I complete them. There's a link to the photostream on the right hand side of this page.

I've put up some photos of finished projects I've had hanging around the house so there is something there for you to look at right away. I apologize for the fuzziness of some of the shots - I am a very amateur photographer, and had to borrow a camera to take these shots! Looks like one of my purchases in the not too distant future is going to be a camera of my own!

I finished the list of ongoing (and hoping to do) projects last evening and have surprisingly found myself low on a few supplies (yarn, ink for the printer, gift bags, etc.) so it's off shopping this afternoon! I'm starting to get really excited about this project, and hope someone out there enjoys watching the show!

Great News!

I found out this morning that my best friend is expecting! I can't wait to be "Aunty Lindsay" and spoil the kid rotten! (Quick, where's the nearest book store - I gotta start shopping!)

In the mean time, I can start thinking about all of the things I can create for baby before he/she is born - perfect timing for my little project, don't you think? So great of her to oblige me with the pregnancy (kidding!)

Today's goal is creating a list of all the "ongoing" projects I have (ie all the projects that I've started at one point or another and not finished) as well as all of the birthdays and holidays that are coming up so I can make a general guide line of what I'm going to do in the next year.

I'm sure some one some where once said that the key to success is planning.
Hope they're right!

Prep time

Okay, so here it goes!

I've just become a representative for a craft supply company (on top of my full time job as a librarian). I need a little push to make me focus on this side business... and so this blog was born!

I'm going to try and complete something crafty every day for one year, starting on August 1st, 2010. This gives me one week to get ready.

I have a big order of supplies coming in this week- mostly for card making and scrapbooking, plus mutiple cross stich and home decor projects on the go! I think I'm ready - wish me luck!

7 days until we start!