A favor?
Friday
(Don’t worry…you didn’t lose your mind…it’s still Wednesday!)
2 things are happening Friday that I want to make you aware of.
#1
Remember the awesome AccuQuilt GO! Cutter? They’ve got something new debuting on Friday. I don’t know what it is, but I can’t wait to find out.
and #2
Something fun and crafty that I’ll be participating in (along with some BIG craft bloggers) and YOU CAN TOO! Check back on Friday for the details!
More bats!
So, you remember the light fixture, right? (Just say yes…it was only last week!)
I had a few extra bats, and now I think I have a problem.
They’re here:
And also here:
And THEN, I made a banner. With bats.
Also? I want to marry my Silhouette. There. I said it.
Flickr Feature Friday
Did you know Crap I’ve Made has a Flickr group? You can find the link at any time up on my menu bar under Crap You’ve Made. Go add your stuff! Please?
Projects from the Flickr group will be featured on Fridays.
And, there’s now a Flickr stream widget over in my left sidebar. Click on over from your reader and check that out
Man, I haven’t Flickr featured in ages! And there is A LOT of new stuff.
Today, I’m featuring 3 different versions of my zippered laptop sleeve tutorial.
First up, we have this one from Libby over at Scrap Happy, blogged here. I’m a SUCKER for Amy Butler fabric! I have a stash of that red and white polka dot that I’m rationing. I’ll probably cry when I use the last piece.
And then we have this one from Angie over at Nursery Rhymes & Sweet Times. She added some crazy awesome pockets. Go check out her post here.
And finally we have this Nook cover (the tutorial is measurement based so you can use it to make a cover for just about anything) from Melanie over at The Crafty Cupboard. Be sure to check our her freaking awesome Halloween table runner while you’re there!
Light Fixture Makeover: Spooky, Quick, & Temporary
The folks at Silhouette also sent me a roll of their black vinyl. I hadn’t actually used it…until this morning.
I downloaded a bat from their online store and then tiled 21 of them to a page.
I cut out 2 pages worth and then just started sticking!
It probably took me 15 minutes tops.
And once Halloween’s over? I’ll just peel ‘em off.
Thirty Frickin’ Five
Holy crap that’s old!
30 didn’t seem old.
35 does.
I’ve been doing some reflecting as of late and trying to figure out exactly why I do this. And by “this”, I mean “blog”. A reader (shout out to Meghan) emailed me and asked that very question a month or so ago. (She had to teach a class about it at church…she’s not just nosey!)
Here’s part of my response:
(Disclaimer: A few parts are Mormon-y. While I’ve never hidden the fact that I’m a Mormon, I try to keep my faith separate from my blog, since it doesn’t really have anything to do with the subject matter. And it’s very personal. It is, however, a huge part of who I am and I think it’s relevant for this post. * = Mormon term.)
Why do I blog? It’s not for the money — I’ve never made a cent. I do occasionally get free stuff, and that’s fun, but it’s not why I do it. You know how a generation ago all the moms were outside on their front porches watching their kids play in the street? I think that blogging is this generation’s “front porch”. For a number of reasons (safety, moms having to work, more demands on our time, life being less simple), that phenomenon and the sense of community it created are gone. I get that “community” feeling from blogging. And, it works with my life. I have 4 kids, one of which has Asperger’s and Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). I’m the Camp Director* and in the Primary Presidency*. My husband is the Elders Quorum President*. Life is crazy. Blogging can happen at 10pm or 5am. I don’t think my neighbors want to hear from me at those hours.
I also got more help and information in one random off topic post about my son having SPD than I did in months of talking to the school district and trying to get evaluations. The blogging community is giving. They love to share and support one another. I love having a group like that I can go to for support. There’s also a huge range of life experiences out there that I can draw from when I have a question.
I think that blogging has also helped me develop talents. It’s definitely forced me to be more creative. I’ve tried a lot of new things and stepped outside of my comfort zone. (Dude! I was on TV! And I didn’t even freak out or curse!) My sewing has improved. My photography has improved. My writing? Not so much. LOL! I am who I am, though, and the greatest compliment I get is when I meet someone who reads my blog and they say “You’re EXACTLY the same in real life!”
Mormon-y part alert:
Remember that talk President Uchtdorf gave in the General Women’s meeting a few years back? This one….the part subtitled “The Work of Creation”, specifically. We DO need to create.
And I’ve created a blog.
*************
Do I know where this blog is headed?
Nope. I still have no idea.
I hope you’ll stick around for the ride.
Gratuitous picture to make this post cuter:
Happy first birthday yesterday to my freaking adorable niece!
Name that Pyrex!
Yesterday during preschool I decided to skip Bennett’s nap and hit some thrift stores with only one kid in tow. It was mostly a good idea until I got stuck in traffic.
Bygones….
(Did anyone used to watch Ally McBeal?)
What was my point?
Oh yeah! The Pyrex. I enjoy vintage Pyrex. I’m not nearly as obsessed as my neighbor Jami (of The Smelly Barn Adventure™ fame), but I MUST look for it any time I’m at a thrift store.
Yesterday was a good day.
I’ve never seen the one on the left before.
Any ideas what it’s called?
Here’s a closer look:
Quilted Table Runner
Well hello there, internet.
What’s new?
Not much here. Remind me next time not to have quite so many kids. Or at least forbid them from signing up for anything.
Soccer and football are consuming us.
Sometimes at the end of the day, we’re so tired we can’t even poop.
At least he didn’t fall off and crack his head open this time?
I have found time to squeeze in a little sewing. I meant to get to this last month, for Create With Me over on UCreate.
Amy’s tutorial is fabulous. And she’s WAY nice…didn’t even put me in her spam folder when I told her I want to come sew with her.
I made mine all triangley instead of using strips. I’ll post exactly how I did that in the next day or two.
Guess where else it looks fabulous?
On top of this beauty.
I can’t decide where I like it more.
I might need to make another one.
You asked for it!
Since I’m SERIOUSLY behind on emails right now (as in weeks), I’m going to answer some of the questions I’ve gotten most often.
Where is this Pottery Barn damaged goods outlet you speak of?
It’s on 3505 W and 3500 S in West Valley City. Be prepared for A LOT of crap, but when you score? You score big.
I got this Spiderman backpack for Campbell for $4. It was monogrammed, but a little careful patience with the seam ripper and you can’t even tell.
What color is that paint? It looks yellow on my screen!
It’s Toasted Pumpkin by Valspar and I got it at Lowe’s. It’s most definitely orange. The lighting in my room may have been weird yesterday or maybe your monitor settings are different from mine or something.
Where’d your search box go?
It wasn’t working and from what I found on the web, Google was aware of the problem. There was no fix planned at that time. I should probably check and see if that’s happened yet. Or, does anyone know of another good search widget/gadget/whatever?
Where did the giveaway listing go?
I got a lot of requests when it was new, but then it kind of fizzled out. And it when it was active it was way more work than I thought it was going to be. If you’re looking for a good list of bloggy giveaways, Michelle over at Someday Crafts hosts one every Thursday.
What is the font called in your header? Is that your handwriting?
I have no idea. Kim at 733 did my redesign and she picked it all. It is most definitely not my handwriting. I write like a doctor.
Where did the buttons go?
They have their own page now. If you look on the left under “Connect With Me!” next to the Facebook and Twitter and subscription options, you’ll see a button. Click on it. I dare you. Or, just go here.
Anything else you’d like answered? Leave it in the comments or shoot me an email!