A couple of weeks ago my Mother told me that we are going to do a craft a month starting in January 2010. When your mom tells you what to do, you don’t ask questions, you just do it. I’m kidding, I thought it sounded like a great idea.
I don’t get to see my mom all that much. She lives in a different town about 40-60 minutes away. That may not sound that far away to people that live in a big city where it takes you 40 minutes or longer to get anywhere but that’s a big drive for use small city dwellers! Plus she has an elderly mother with dementia that she has to care for so it makes it a bit difficult to pack up my grandma and bring her to my house.
I also do not get a lot of crafting time since I spend a better part of my day caring for my five girls. My three oldest are in school but that leaves my three and one year old at home and being much younger, they require a lot more supervision than my school aged children.
All these obstacles set aside, I’m sure that my Mother and I can spend one day a month doing some crafting. My Mother is in charge of finding our monthly craft and figuring out what supplies we need and I am in charge of providing the work space, coffee and mid-morning snack. We, together, will pool our supplies and of course, share.
We plan for most, if not all, the crafts to be low cost and/or recycling type projects. We hope to use things we already have or can find cheaply at dollar, thrift or similar stores. This is my kind of crafting, free or almost free!
I will be posting what project we will be doing a bit ahead of time so that if you would like to join us, you will be able to start gathering your supplies. After we have finished our pojects I will posting photos here. Sound like fun?? Great! Hope you can join us!
Thinking about joining us? Leave your comment or your link and let us know!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Slump Slowly Lifting
In my last post I mentioned that I was suffering from a creative/crafting slump. To refresh your memory, I talked about how I had many unfinished projects due to the fact that, unless I finish them quickly, I get bored with them. I also mentioned that despite the fact that I have over 800 projects in my Ravelry queue, nothing jumps out at me nor sparks my interest.
Well I am happy to say that my slump is lifting, albeit slowly. I still have a lot of unfinished projects lying around the house. I will more than likely have to frog those and reuse the yarn for something else. Here is what I have accomplished yesterday and in the previous week or two.
Yesterday I set a goal for myself. If you know me personally, then you know that I never set goals or if I do, I don’t meet them or I give up on them. Sadly, I am a bit of quitter, I’m working on that. Yesterday I set a goal and actually met that goal! Yeah! Go Me!
Remember in my last post how I talked about the hats that my Mother and I crocheted and knitted to donate to a children’s home for abused kids? I also told you how I had a bunch of them done but could not bring myself to weave in all the ends. That was my goal for yesterday.
I remembered that my children’s school is having a hat and mitten drive for needy children in our community. I figured that with my kids being able to take the hats to their school then I had a better chance of the hats getting done and donated. I also realize that the children’s shelter that I originally planned to donate to gets LOTS of donation already, so I know they will not be suffering from me changing my mind on where to donate.
The goal was not only to weave in all those ends, but to also get it done while sitting in the parent pickup line at my children’s school. That way, when my girls got into the car, I could send one child back in to the school to put the hats in the office under the “hat and mitten tree.”
I got to the school early. It was chilly yesterday and I figured more parents would be picking up their walkers instead of letting them suffer in the cold. That’s why I was there. I parked in the pickup line, turned on the DVD player for my three and one year old, and then got out my darning needle, scissors and hats. I was able to finish up all eleven hats and my ten year old took them into the office.
The school pickup line.
The finished hats.
My other finished projects include some crocheted dishcloths that I plan to put into some baskets that I am putting together for some of my family members as Christmas gifts. My Mother will NOT be getting any of those. She is a master crocheter and I do NOT want her scrutinizing my work, LOL.
The pattern is called Grit Stitch Washcloth and it comes from the Sandy Shore Washcloth Set of patterns on Lion Brand’s website. Out of the four cloths in the pattern set, the grit stitch is the one I liked the best. I actually have finished two of them but I was not happy with the first one. So, I have one “gift-able” cloth done and I am currently working on another one.
Here is the link to the pattern: Sandy Shore Washcloth Set
Grit Stitch Cloth
I am happy to have gotten some things done and to have been able to help some needy children keep their heads warm this winter season. Have you gotten some Christmas or charity knitting/crocheting done? Post your links below and let us know!
Well I am happy to say that my slump is lifting, albeit slowly. I still have a lot of unfinished projects lying around the house. I will more than likely have to frog those and reuse the yarn for something else. Here is what I have accomplished yesterday and in the previous week or two.
Yesterday I set a goal for myself. If you know me personally, then you know that I never set goals or if I do, I don’t meet them or I give up on them. Sadly, I am a bit of quitter, I’m working on that. Yesterday I set a goal and actually met that goal! Yeah! Go Me!
Remember in my last post how I talked about the hats that my Mother and I crocheted and knitted to donate to a children’s home for abused kids? I also told you how I had a bunch of them done but could not bring myself to weave in all the ends. That was my goal for yesterday.
I remembered that my children’s school is having a hat and mitten drive for needy children in our community. I figured that with my kids being able to take the hats to their school then I had a better chance of the hats getting done and donated. I also realize that the children’s shelter that I originally planned to donate to gets LOTS of donation already, so I know they will not be suffering from me changing my mind on where to donate.
The goal was not only to weave in all those ends, but to also get it done while sitting in the parent pickup line at my children’s school. That way, when my girls got into the car, I could send one child back in to the school to put the hats in the office under the “hat and mitten tree.”
I got to the school early. It was chilly yesterday and I figured more parents would be picking up their walkers instead of letting them suffer in the cold. That’s why I was there. I parked in the pickup line, turned on the DVD player for my three and one year old, and then got out my darning needle, scissors and hats. I was able to finish up all eleven hats and my ten year old took them into the office.
The school pickup line.
The finished hats.
My other finished projects include some crocheted dishcloths that I plan to put into some baskets that I am putting together for some of my family members as Christmas gifts. My Mother will NOT be getting any of those. She is a master crocheter and I do NOT want her scrutinizing my work, LOL.
The pattern is called Grit Stitch Washcloth and it comes from the Sandy Shore Washcloth Set of patterns on Lion Brand’s website. Out of the four cloths in the pattern set, the grit stitch is the one I liked the best. I actually have finished two of them but I was not happy with the first one. So, I have one “gift-able” cloth done and I am currently working on another one.
Here is the link to the pattern: Sandy Shore Washcloth Set
Grit Stitch Cloth
I am happy to have gotten some things done and to have been able to help some needy children keep their heads warm this winter season. Have you gotten some Christmas or charity knitting/crocheting done? Post your links below and let us know!
Friday, October 30, 2009
Crafting Slump :-(
I've been in a crafting slump for quite a while now. For the life of me I do not know why. I have over 730 queued patterns on my ravelry account but nothing jumps out at me and says, "MAKE ME!" I check Ravelry's new patterns daily and queue lots of things but yet I don't have the urge to make any. I just think, "that's really cute" and then I hit the "add to queue" button.
I have so many unfinished projects laying around everywhere that I'm not even sure WHAT projects I have in hibernation. I just know I have bags and bags all over the house with some long forgotten project in it. I'll get a bug to craft something, get all excited, cast on, work on it for a few days and then the bug dies and I put it aside and don't pick it up for a while, or ever again. I seem to get bored with it pretty fast.
I recently made a bunch of hats for a children's charity but I can't bring myself to even weave in the ends and get them delivered despite the fact that those kids are going to be needing hats soon. Even worse, I talked my mom into making hats to donate too and her hats are just sitting in my studio waiting to be delivered. At least hers are done and will probably have a better chance at making their way onto the kids heads since I'm always driving my kids to school and it will be easy to drop them off while I'm already driving around town.
Now that my youngest is almost 18 months old, I can steal a little crafting time here and there, mostly yarn crafting (knitting and crocheting). I still can't get back to any kind of sewing. That takes a little more concentration and time and my studio is not exactly the safest place for my one and three year old to be with needles, scissors and other sharp items. I don't really get any time to myself to work on these projects either, so that makes it even harder to be creative. There is always something going on in a house of five kids to disctract from a project in hand.
Most of the projects I've done lately have been small and crochet. I can crochet faster than I knit and if it's a small project, I can get it done in a day or two. If it doesn't get done in a couple of days it gets added to the hibernation pile only to never awaken again. Sometimes it gets frogged to be used for another project or a half done project gets trashed becuase the other half never got done.
I need some motivation! Do you have any tips for dealing with a creative slump? Leave your comments and let us know.
I have so many unfinished projects laying around everywhere that I'm not even sure WHAT projects I have in hibernation. I just know I have bags and bags all over the house with some long forgotten project in it. I'll get a bug to craft something, get all excited, cast on, work on it for a few days and then the bug dies and I put it aside and don't pick it up for a while, or ever again. I seem to get bored with it pretty fast.
I recently made a bunch of hats for a children's charity but I can't bring myself to even weave in the ends and get them delivered despite the fact that those kids are going to be needing hats soon. Even worse, I talked my mom into making hats to donate too and her hats are just sitting in my studio waiting to be delivered. At least hers are done and will probably have a better chance at making their way onto the kids heads since I'm always driving my kids to school and it will be easy to drop them off while I'm already driving around town.
Now that my youngest is almost 18 months old, I can steal a little crafting time here and there, mostly yarn crafting (knitting and crocheting). I still can't get back to any kind of sewing. That takes a little more concentration and time and my studio is not exactly the safest place for my one and three year old to be with needles, scissors and other sharp items. I don't really get any time to myself to work on these projects either, so that makes it even harder to be creative. There is always something going on in a house of five kids to disctract from a project in hand.
Most of the projects I've done lately have been small and crochet. I can crochet faster than I knit and if it's a small project, I can get it done in a day or two. If it doesn't get done in a couple of days it gets added to the hibernation pile only to never awaken again. Sometimes it gets frogged to be used for another project or a half done project gets trashed becuase the other half never got done.
I need some motivation! Do you have any tips for dealing with a creative slump? Leave your comments and let us know.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Cash Back for Shopping Online
I used to shop through ebates.com. Basically you click a store link on ebates.com come and get back a percentage of what you spend. I became a member in 2006 and to date I'm only gotten back $79.83. I have $2.09 pending and has been pending for almost 7 months. On ebates.com you can refer friends and get $5 when they sign up.
On this new site, bigcrumbs.com, I can get more percentage back PLUS I can earn money every time one of my referers shop up to 5 generations! I do a lot of online shopping. Sometimes it's a lot easier than taking my five children into the store. I especially do a lot of online shopping at Christmas time. I have to buy for the nieces and nephews in my husbands family and online shopping makes it a lot easier. Check out the site, if you are an avid shopping like myself if would be worth your time, plus it's FREE!
On this new site, bigcrumbs.com, I can get more percentage back PLUS I can earn money every time one of my referers shop up to 5 generations! I do a lot of online shopping. Sometimes it's a lot easier than taking my five children into the store. I especially do a lot of online shopping at Christmas time. I have to buy for the nieces and nephews in my husbands family and online shopping makes it a lot easier. Check out the site, if you are an avid shopping like myself if would be worth your time, plus it's FREE!
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Friday, June 26, 2009
iPod Giveaway!
I am holding a drawing for a brand new, gold iPod Shuffle. the gold iPod Shuffle was recently featured in the Campaign 12 Avon brochure. The gold color is exclusive to Avon. The drawing will be held on September 1st.
Features of the iPod Shuffle include:
- 1 GB, hold up to 240 songs
- built in clip makes it the most wearable iPod ever
- compatible with Mac and PC
- comes with dock and earbuds
- For every $20.00 you spend with Avon, through me, you will receive one (1) entry in the drawing.
- Orders for the drawing will be accepted during the months of July and August. Orders will be placed on the following dates: July 6th, July 20th, August 3rd, August 17th and August 31st. If you are placing an order directly through me, you must send your order to me before noon on the above mentioned order dates. Orders placed through me after 12:00 noon will not be eligible for the drawing. Orders may be placed at my website at any time of the day and will be eligible for the drawing.
- Local orders may be placed through me or through my website for representative or direct delivery. Out of Columbia orders may be placed through me but you will be required to make the trip to Columbia to pick up your order or you may place your order through my website and select direct delivery.
- Out of State customers are welcome to participate in the drawing. Your order(s) must be placed through my website and you must select direct delivery.
- Family members of Marrisa Brown are not eligible for this drawing.
- The drawing will be held on September 1st and will be announced on my blog at www.creationsbyhand.blogspot.com, on my facebook page and on twitter. The willner will be contacted by phone or email.
Marrisa Brown
email: teambrown@centurytel.net
web: www.MarrisaBrown.com
(Check the spelling of my first name if you are having trouble getting to my website. It if often misspelled.)
Friday, June 5, 2009
My New Booth
Have you heard of www.bonanzle.com? I recently learned of this new selling website. It's unique in it's own right. It reminds me a lot of etsy. In my opinion, it may be better than etsy. You can sell your handmade stuff, just like etsy, but you are not limited to handmade only. Please, I LOVE the fee schedule. There is no fee to post your sale items. You only pay a fee if you sell, and even that is LOW. If you final value fee for an item is $50 or less, your fee is $1. It's a very user frienly site and simple to use. I just set up a new booth over there, check it out at www.jmbrown-co.com
Sunday, May 24, 2009
Lip Balm Holder & Keychain
Lip balm Holder & Keychain
PDF version here: download now
Need:
Fingering (sock) weight yarn
4 double point needles, size 1
1 Keychain ring
1 tube of lip balm
To make holder:
CO 20 sts, divide among 3 needles.
Join to knit in the round.
Kint 2X2 ribbing (k2, p2) until holder is long enough to cover lip balm tube. I chose to have the holder be slightly longer than the lip balm tube.
Next round: K2tog, P2tog around.
Cut yarn leaving a good size tail. Thread tail through yarn needles and then thread tail through loops on the needles, remove needles and draw opening closed. Fasten yarn off to the inside.
To make keychain loop:
With one double point needle, pick up and knit three stitches inside the holder, just below the holder opening.
Knit 3 stitch I-cord for desired length.
With a second double point needle, pick up 3 stitches close to other stitches you picked up. Perform a three needle bind off to create a loop.
Insert keychain ring in loop and hang from keys.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
Translation for Swedish Pattern!
Okay, so I put the word out on Facebook and my friend Sarah hooked me up with her friend Janne who not only knows swedish but also knitting! PERFECT! Her is the pattern link again and what she told be about the pattern.
http://www.webtrotter.se/ilsefin/files/patterns/PATTERN_korvmuddar.pdf
----From Janne----
Basically, it says to measure the widest part of your hand, knit a test swatch (knit color not pearl band), and use that to calculate how many stitches you need. Put that many on a needle, and follow this pattern:
six rows pearl with color 1
*six rows knit with color 2
1 row knit with color 1
six rows pearl with color 1*
Knit pattern between * - * until it's the length you want it. Knit off, and conceal the seams.
----END---
I think that is easy enough. Now I have to go and start over because I was a little off, oh yeah, and I didn't measure or swatch.
http://www.webtrotter.se/ilsefin/files/patterns/PATTERN_korvmuddar.pdf
----From Janne----
Basically, it says to measure the widest part of your hand, knit a test swatch (knit color not pearl band), and use that to calculate how many stitches you need. Put that many on a needle, and follow this pattern:
six rows pearl with color 1
*six rows knit with color 2
1 row knit with color 1
six rows pearl with color 1*
Knit pattern between * - * until it's the length you want it. Knit off, and conceal the seams.
----END---
I think that is easy enough. Now I have to go and start over because I was a little off, oh yeah, and I didn't measure or swatch.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Wrist Warmers/Coffee Sleeve
So I found this really cute pattern on Ravelry.com that I really, really want to knit. Here is the link if you'd like to take a look:
http://www.webtrotter.se/ilsefin/files/patterns/PATTERN_korvmuddar.pdf
The pattern is for wrist warmers that can double as a coffee sleeve. This pattern has me written all over it. I drink coffee all the time and the fact that they are wrist warmers means that I would always have one handy to use. Reminds me of how I always have a rubber band on my wrist in case I need to put my hair up :-)
My only problem is the pattern is in Swedish and I don't speak any Swedish AT ALL! I used Google translate but the pattern still didn't make much sense.
So, until I can find someone that does speak Swedish and can translate it for me, I'm going to try to wing it. I plan to post my version or the translated version here, which ever comes first.
http://www.webtrotter.se/ilsefin/files/patterns/PATTERN_korvmuddar.pdf
The pattern is for wrist warmers that can double as a coffee sleeve. This pattern has me written all over it. I drink coffee all the time and the fact that they are wrist warmers means that I would always have one handy to use. Reminds me of how I always have a rubber band on my wrist in case I need to put my hair up :-)
My only problem is the pattern is in Swedish and I don't speak any Swedish AT ALL! I used Google translate but the pattern still didn't make much sense.
So, until I can find someone that does speak Swedish and can translate it for me, I'm going to try to wing it. I plan to post my version or the translated version here, which ever comes first.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
I'm Back.........
Well, I wanted to do more with this blog that just post one pattern and than disappear for a year but......that is exactly what I did! LOL. Well, as most of you know, life can sometimes take up the majority of your time and that's what has happened. I had a baby one year ago tomorrow and that has put my knitting and other crafting on hold. Now that she is one, I'm starting to have time to pick up a few crafts here and there, you know between nap time and a few times when she plays independently. Although I may not be able to craft like I could before she came, I am just happy to be able to at least do something again :0) I hope to be posting some things very soon!
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