Latest Projects

As I've written before, I am trying to make time to be creative every day.  This week, I have been trying to finish up some WIP's (works in progress), while attempting to use up some of my stash.  I had already finished my daughter's, and last night I finished her twin brother's.  I now have to finish my older son's afghan, a shawl or maybe lapghan for my mom, and start on for me and my husband.  I am also making some doll size ones to donate to my mother of twin's group for their table at the annual convention.  I am only hoping that they will like them.  I know that one that is almost finished is one that I really like.

Thomas' granny square afghan

The one for me and my husband should be interesting.  He has asked me to also make a quilt the same way.  See, his legs get warm at night, so he likes having them uncovered.  He has requested a quilt and/or an afghan that is in the shape of an L so that I am warm and his upper body is warm, but his legs stay cool.

I LOVE MAKING GRANNY SQUARES!  The afghan's I have made have all been granny square afghans so far.  This will actually lend itself to the L shape that my husband is looking for!  I just pinned a ton of granny square things to my crochet board.  I'm hoping that the weather stays nice and the kids can play outside while I crochet some more and maybe finish a couple more doll afghans sooner than later.

Oh, and I made a pair of earrings and a hand stamped washer pendant this week too.  I am hoping to donate some handmade jewelry to the twin's group too!

hand stamped washer pendant

earrings

Amy

AEDM (art every day month) 11/7/2011

So I am not doing all that great with my goal of being creative every day and definitely not doing great with writing about it.  I am pushing forward with attempting to be creative every day.  I have been cooking, and yesterday I made honey mustard chicken which were awesome, my favorite easy recipe!

Today, I decided to get the kids involved.  My 3 1/2 year old and one of my 2 1/2 year old twins used some fabric crayons and colored and I ironed their creations onto some plain unbleached muslin.  I need more colorings to make more fabric for the lining of a bag that I am planning on making for my mom for Christmas.  I need something from my other twin and more from the other 2 kids so that I have enough material for the lining.  I think this will make the bag even more special!  I decided to cut out the pattern this afternoon and maybe I'll even pull out the sewing machine tonight or maybe I'll come home tomorrow while everyone is at school and sew or maybe during nap time.  Maybe I can finish it this week and have a gift or at least a partial gift finished!

Happy Creating!

Amy

Christmas

Yes, I know it's still August and Christmas is far away, but I always put off my Christmas list until the last minute and then I never have any time to make people things like I want to.  I am not wishing away summer, but I know how time flies and I know that I need to start planning so that a) I know what I want to make people, b) I can afford it, and c) I have the time to complete all I want to make! 

When I started this blog, I had a goal of not going to big department stores, but shopping at smaller local stores and trying to make my own things, from food, to clothing, to gifts, etc.  I haven't really been able to really follow through with that goal, but it still remains a goal.  One thing I really would like to do, which would essentially be a huge help to meeting the goal of making my own things, is to have a work station where I could leave things set up, like my sewing machine or a jewelry project, or anything else that I was working on.  Once my brother in law leaves, which will hopefully be soon (we can all hope), I hope to move some things in the basement and get a work station set up so that I can leave my sewing machine set up, have an area to work on jewelry projects, maybe even scrapbooking/paper crafts, or even my aromatherapy stuff.  I have most of my supplies organized, just no place to actually work!

Once I finish this post, I am going to start my Christmas list so that I can hopefully plan out what I want to make people and have goals set to finish projects.  My first priority is my husband and my kids.  I have been wanting to make a picture quilt for my husband for a long time now.  I have bought some material and even the special material to put through a printer to print the pictures on.  I think I have even printed some old pictures from before we were married ( I had printed them before we were married, that's how long I have wanted to do this).  I also want to make all 3 kids something special from me that I have made.  I would like to make this an annual tradition.  My absolute favorite gifts/cards are things that my husband has made me and I want my kids to treasure things that are handmade and mean something not just some thing that was bought at a store and made in China.  I also want to make special things for special people in my life.

I am really hoping that I can plan things out so that I can get projects completed in time for Christmas.  It will really feel good to give handmade special gifts that will hopefully mean more than jsut something I picked out from the store, especially since I really enjoy making things.  Hopefully I can also get a spot to work out of so that I can be a little more productive!

Amy

Father's Day

I have spent a ton of time trying to figure out the perfect father's day gift for my husband.  Part of the issues is that I don't want to spend a ton of money.  I had decided on going to a pottery store and having the kids do a handprint on a mug for my husband.  Then we were cleaning out the garage and I found a stepping stone mix kit that I had planned for last year, but didn't get around to making it, so I have that to give him.  Then the twins group that I belong to, put out the idea of taking pictures with letters that spell out dad and putting them in a frame or on a mug or anything else that you may be able to do with pictures.  I love this idea and want to do this too.  So this year, my husband will be getting a few gifts not just 1.  I can't wait to start these projects.  I am also planning on decorating a cake.  A friend and I have been learning how to decorate cakes and I can't wait to make one for an actual occasion.  I did make one for Michaels birthday but that was  a simple one made with jut a star tip!

I can't wait to start creating!  I will post pictures when I finish.

Amy