For the first month of the year, the holiday I'd like to focus on is 3-Girl's birthday. She has stated she would like a bunny-themed party, but then she changed her mind to Elmo. I'll be sure to ask her one more time so that we can have a final decision.
Here are some projects I'd like to work on:
party favors and decorations (papercrafting)
decorative cake or cupcakes (cake decorating)
a few sewn outfits following the theme, or a quilt (sewing)
an amigurumi version of the theme (crochet)
a photo shoot at home (photography)
fabric doll family with clothes, and house of some kind (miniatures)
I'd also like to take some time to finish up an unfinished project sometime during the month. I will have a list of them once I start cleaning out my storage to make room for a craft space.
Also, since it's her birthday month, 3-Girl and I will do two crafts for charity, instead of one. I am thinking this: http://www.allpeoplequilt.com/millionpillowcases/index.html . It's going to be my way to celebrate her word choice. :)
Friday, November 26, 2010
Progress: The Plan
I have been working on formulating a plan for my crafting. I have thought about just going with the flow and crafting whatever I feel like, but that is the quickest way to a long list of unfinished projects. No. I need to work on finishing the projects I start. Then I thought about theme crafting. I love searching online for crafts with a common theme, such as the color blue, or things to do with newspapers, or all butterflies all the time, or whatever holiday is coming up next.
Inspired by this project here, http://seren-zipitydoda.blogspot.com/2010/08/words-to-learn-from.html , my family is in the process of choosing their words for the next year. I am choosing celebrate because I want to learn how to celebrate my life every day, and I want to form holiday traditions all through the year that my children may carry on when they're grown. 7-Boy chose create because he loves making projects with me, and he has been learning lots of different methods for crafting on his own. 4-Girl chose faith because she is becoming aware of the reason why we go to church. 3-Girl chose charity because she loves to be helpful, and she loves to make gifts for others. Now we're just waiting on Daddy's word, but if I had to choose one for him, it would be sustain because he is forever trying to grow the food for our table and help us become a little more self-sufficient as the years go by. I know he tries so hard, and I just would like him to know that his family sustains him and is grateful for all that he does. We'll see what he chooses.
Since my word is celebrate I thought I should focus my crafting on holidays and gifts for the next year. Including the gifts allows me to work on projects that do not specifically have a holiday theme, but still gives those projects a purpose. I thought I'd also like to include projects that coordinate with the rest of the words my family has chosen, featuring projects that each family member works on. Each project will be filed under the appropriate word, and at the end of the year we'll choose new words.
I hope to keep up with this blog as we create this next year. It would make a really great record for us to reflect on later.
Inspired by this project here, http://seren-zipitydoda.blogspot.com/2010/08/words-to-learn-from.html , my family is in the process of choosing their words for the next year. I am choosing celebrate because I want to learn how to celebrate my life every day, and I want to form holiday traditions all through the year that my children may carry on when they're grown. 7-Boy chose create because he loves making projects with me, and he has been learning lots of different methods for crafting on his own. 4-Girl chose faith because she is becoming aware of the reason why we go to church. 3-Girl chose charity because she loves to be helpful, and she loves to make gifts for others. Now we're just waiting on Daddy's word, but if I had to choose one for him, it would be sustain because he is forever trying to grow the food for our table and help us become a little more self-sufficient as the years go by. I know he tries so hard, and I just would like him to know that his family sustains him and is grateful for all that he does. We'll see what he chooses.
Since my word is celebrate I thought I should focus my crafting on holidays and gifts for the next year. Including the gifts allows me to work on projects that do not specifically have a holiday theme, but still gives those projects a purpose. I thought I'd also like to include projects that coordinate with the rest of the words my family has chosen, featuring projects that each family member works on. Each project will be filed under the appropriate word, and at the end of the year we'll choose new words.
I hope to keep up with this blog as we create this next year. It would make a really great record for us to reflect on later.
Sunday, November 14, 2010
The Goal
Hello, blog world. It's me, Seane.
I've been crafting for many years now. I spend lots of money on supplies and idea books, and I occasionally create something. I'm always making something, but it's starting to seem less worthwhile. I want to do something productive with this passion for creating!
I've been homeschooling for a few years, and it's been very laid back. I want to do more with the kids on a daily basis, not just studying but also creating. And I want to teach them the value of making something with their own hands.
I've been drawn to a lot of blogs lately, the ones with the uber-talented moms who sew everything their families need, the moms who can entertain their children with a few pompoms and some newspaper sheets, the moms who can whip up a batch of novelty brownies whenever their babies ask for something sweet.
What draws me most is their ability to make something from nothing, which is what I thought I was doing for so long. As it turns out, I've been making crafts out of supplies that I've had to purchase, as opposed to upcycling "found" materials and supplies.
In today's throw-away society, it's so easy to forget that things are reusable. Every time something rips or breaks or loses a piece, it's trash-bound and off to the store to replace it with a new one. Well, in my house, it's going to stop.
Since I've started playing around with miniatures and quilting and scrapbooking, I've been saving all kinds of bits and pieces. I've been scrapbooking for awhile, but just got interested in quilting this year, and just started minis again a couple months ago. I started to involve my kids in the process, and now they are saving everything, too!
The problem with this practice is where to keep it? And also, I continue to buy at the same rate while saving everything else, and it multiplies! So here's the goal:
I am going to combine a bunch of problems into one solution. Ready?
1. I need to create. No, I need to create. I have to have my hands busy all the time or I get stir-crazy. When I don't have something steady to work on, my mind goes into overdrive trying to fill the void with plans for projects until I have no room left for sleep. I have notes everywhere!
2. Crafting is expensive, but it doesn't have to be. I have tons of supplies already, and there are three thrift stores in my town now. We don't actually have a craft store, I have to travel out of town to get to the nearest JoAnn's and Michael's.
3. I have tons ad tons of projects on my to-do list, and on my wishlist for my to-do list. Seriously tons. You should see my favorites list of blog posts with tutorials and patterns. On second thought, maybe you shouldn't...
4. I have a love for craft magazines. I buy them up whenever I can. Let's see, I've narrowed the necessities down to 3 scrapbooking magazines, 4 miniature magazines (5 if you count the free online one I stumbled upon a few weeks ago), 1 quilting, 1 cross-stitch, 1-2 crochet, 2-3 general cardmaking/stamping/papercrafting, 2 varied crafts, and Family Fun. So I have lots more ideas coming from there.
5. I have 3 kids that are homeschooled, and one working parent in the family. Money is, usually, tight. Shopping is my joy, but so is creating. I need to find a compromise here.
6. Speaking of kids, do you know how fast they outgrow their clothing and toys? Do you realize how often they ask me if they can make something too? All. The. Time. Nonstop.
7. I'd like to lose weight, but the problem for me is motivation. I read about a woman who used crafting as a motivator. Hmm...
8. I'd like to get my house and craft supplies organized so that it doesn't take Hurricane Company's Coming to get the living room presentable. In the wake of the storm, it's usually the craft room and the bedroom that get all the debris. I'd like to find a balance.
The solution I'm willing to try:
I'll continue to craft. I'll keep a journal, here in blog world, about all my projects. I will craft using mainly things I already have or can get at the thrift store. I'll craft after I've done a certain amount of cleaning and organizing each day. I'll craft with my kids and for my kids, but also for myself and to make gifts. I'll shop to celebrate weight loss. I'll pull my projects from the ideas I've accumulated from blogs and magazines and books, making do with what I've got. Whenever I think I've come up with something great, I'll think about selling it in my etsy store.
How will it work?
I'm not quite sure how this will turn out. I know I'd like to make this my New Year's Resolution for 2011, but I'm starting early, just in time for the holidays.
I have two other blogs. Mini-Along With Me is for a miniatures project group, and Following HMITM is a scrapbooking blog. As I start to craft more, I'll add to the scrapbooking blog, too.
I've been crafting for many years now. I spend lots of money on supplies and idea books, and I occasionally create something. I'm always making something, but it's starting to seem less worthwhile. I want to do something productive with this passion for creating!
I've been homeschooling for a few years, and it's been very laid back. I want to do more with the kids on a daily basis, not just studying but also creating. And I want to teach them the value of making something with their own hands.
I've been drawn to a lot of blogs lately, the ones with the uber-talented moms who sew everything their families need, the moms who can entertain their children with a few pompoms and some newspaper sheets, the moms who can whip up a batch of novelty brownies whenever their babies ask for something sweet.
What draws me most is their ability to make something from nothing, which is what I thought I was doing for so long. As it turns out, I've been making crafts out of supplies that I've had to purchase, as opposed to upcycling "found" materials and supplies.
In today's throw-away society, it's so easy to forget that things are reusable. Every time something rips or breaks or loses a piece, it's trash-bound and off to the store to replace it with a new one. Well, in my house, it's going to stop.
Since I've started playing around with miniatures and quilting and scrapbooking, I've been saving all kinds of bits and pieces. I've been scrapbooking for awhile, but just got interested in quilting this year, and just started minis again a couple months ago. I started to involve my kids in the process, and now they are saving everything, too!
The problem with this practice is where to keep it? And also, I continue to buy at the same rate while saving everything else, and it multiplies! So here's the goal:
I am going to combine a bunch of problems into one solution. Ready?
1. I need to create. No, I need to create. I have to have my hands busy all the time or I get stir-crazy. When I don't have something steady to work on, my mind goes into overdrive trying to fill the void with plans for projects until I have no room left for sleep. I have notes everywhere!
2. Crafting is expensive, but it doesn't have to be. I have tons of supplies already, and there are three thrift stores in my town now. We don't actually have a craft store, I have to travel out of town to get to the nearest JoAnn's and Michael's.
3. I have tons ad tons of projects on my to-do list, and on my wishlist for my to-do list. Seriously tons. You should see my favorites list of blog posts with tutorials and patterns. On second thought, maybe you shouldn't...
4. I have a love for craft magazines. I buy them up whenever I can. Let's see, I've narrowed the necessities down to 3 scrapbooking magazines, 4 miniature magazines (5 if you count the free online one I stumbled upon a few weeks ago), 1 quilting, 1 cross-stitch, 1-2 crochet, 2-3 general cardmaking/stamping/papercrafting, 2 varied crafts, and Family Fun. So I have lots more ideas coming from there.
5. I have 3 kids that are homeschooled, and one working parent in the family. Money is, usually, tight. Shopping is my joy, but so is creating. I need to find a compromise here.
6. Speaking of kids, do you know how fast they outgrow their clothing and toys? Do you realize how often they ask me if they can make something too? All. The. Time. Nonstop.
7. I'd like to lose weight, but the problem for me is motivation. I read about a woman who used crafting as a motivator. Hmm...
8. I'd like to get my house and craft supplies organized so that it doesn't take Hurricane Company's Coming to get the living room presentable. In the wake of the storm, it's usually the craft room and the bedroom that get all the debris. I'd like to find a balance.
The solution I'm willing to try:
I'll continue to craft. I'll keep a journal, here in blog world, about all my projects. I will craft using mainly things I already have or can get at the thrift store. I'll craft after I've done a certain amount of cleaning and organizing each day. I'll craft with my kids and for my kids, but also for myself and to make gifts. I'll shop to celebrate weight loss. I'll pull my projects from the ideas I've accumulated from blogs and magazines and books, making do with what I've got. Whenever I think I've come up with something great, I'll think about selling it in my etsy store.
How will it work?
I'm not quite sure how this will turn out. I know I'd like to make this my New Year's Resolution for 2011, but I'm starting early, just in time for the holidays.
I have two other blogs. Mini-Along With Me is for a miniatures project group, and Following HMITM is a scrapbooking blog. As I start to craft more, I'll add to the scrapbooking blog, too.
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