But I think you will understand–and even jump on my green bandwagon–when you see the unbelievable craft room at Under the Table and Dreaming by Stephanie Lynn. I do believe she can make anything in there. And she already has the supplies!

Unbelievable Craft Room by Stephanie Lynn

I’ve been working on my Laundry/Craft room and have “borrowed” many ideas from folks like Stephanie Lynn. I’ll give you a couple of peeks, but until I turn a little less green, I’m not ready to share the whole thing.

Sewing Center in Craft Room

Why do projects take so much longer than I think they will? (This is a question my husband just smiles about…After almost 22 years, he knows that when I say, “It will only take us a couple of hours,” he is in for a two-day adventure that involves at least four trips to Lowe’s or Home Depot.)

I used pegboard in my room, and I love how versatile it is! Functional, yes, but you can also use it for artful display. (Artful display is where you hang up something you like and think is pretty to look at.:))

I’ve been working on other fun stuff in my Craft/Laundry Room, too. Check out my retro telephone project for something a little quirky. Hopefully, there will be more to come. With a final look–when I figure it all out.

Here are some other envy-inspiring rooms. It isn’t easy being green!

Making This Home

Stamping for Sanity

Lucky Lola’s sewing room

House on Hill Road sewing room

My Seewing Room–The big windows with the view are inspiring!

Hope your weekend is full of creativity!

This post is not about the movie or about the actor…It’s all about the scissors.

It truly is all about the scissors.

I pride myself on not taking mundane problems too seriously. Life is too short for that sort of thing. Right?

There is (at least) one exception to this. There is something–not a big thing if you are not a sew-er–that can turn me into a head-spinning, pea soup-spitting, screaming, out-of-control wife/mom. Truth is, I’m not exactly ashamed of it. In fact, I can’t believe more people don’t take this on as a cause:  Protect your sewing scissors!

Don’t allow anyone intent on cutting construction paper, hair, rubber tubing, or wire anywhere near your sewing scissors. It was just such a scenario as this that caused my initial transformation. Needless to say, my husband was shocked, and to this day, he keeps a wide berth from my sewing room. (Guess it worked!)

I have sewed home decor products my entire adult life as a hobby. For about four years, I sewed as a part-time profession. During that time I bought my first real sewing shears. They were a slick, beautiful, heavy-duty pair of Gingher Shears. Ah…The feel of them is indescribable. The beauty is almost too much to behold. Get ready…

World's Best Shears by Gingher (That is my name for them...I think Gingher refers to them as "9 Inch Knife-Edge Tailor's Shears." A wee bit on the under-stated side if you ask me.)

This was my first venture into truly good equipment. I think I paid close to $30 for these. (It doesn’t seem like much unless you have only purchased the pack of three for $12 from your local business store.) I later added the pinking shears. Equally beautiful. And I can honestly tell you that equipment can make a huge difference in the ease and precision of a sewing project. (I’m sure there are clinical studies to prove this, but I won’t cite them here.)

If you can purchase good shears, it is important to take care of them. Try these tips to keep your shears in good working order:

• Use sewing scissors only on fabric. Keep them hidden if you have to. (See above transformation story for details.)
• Do not allow children to use them–even on fabric. I have no doubt that they could sever a finger tip. We’re talkin’ sharp, folks, and efficient.
• Store them in a sheath, if possible, in a cool, dry area.
• Never drop them. This could cause the blades to become misaligned or even to chip.
• Take care to keep straight pins out of the way of the shears when cutting fabrics. Pins can cause nicks.
• Wipe the blades clean after use to prevent lint build-up.
• A drop of oil periodically placed at the fulcrum screw will keep them moving as swiftly as when they were new. (Edward Scissorhands will have nothing on you.)
• Have shears professionally sharpened at the first sign of dulling. Most sewing machine shops offer this service for a fee. Look for coupons!
• Keep a decoy pair of paper scissors in your junk drawer. Tell your spouse to take special care of these scissors. They are special. [wink] Tell him they are only for the manliest of men.

If you take care of your scissors, they will last a lifetime. (I’m at least 12 years into it, and so far, so good!)

Happy cutting!

Here’s the inspiration from Pottery Barn:

from Pottery Barn Teen

Oh…I had forgotten how cool it was!

Here is our version–now much-used (and it looks like it needs a clean-up, sweet daughter!):

PBT--Reinvented...Don't ask me why there is a wire coat hanger or old candy canes on here. She marches to her own drummer, and I love that about her!

First, we built a structure to mount the individual squares onto. We built it out of 1 x 2s that were left over from something. (1 x 2s are cheap, even if you do have to buy them.)  Nothing fancy (It doesn’t show.) Simply a square with three verticals.

Detailed blueprint for memo board skeleton

View from the side of the framework

The vertical boards are 12 inches apart.

Next, my sweet husband (OK. He might have sighed at this request, but he did it anyway, thereby making him sweet.) cut pegboard into 12 inch squares. We used the pegboard as a base for the cork tiles–even the ones with fabric on top. The pegboard was what I had on hand, but I have to tell you that it made the piece quite heavy. Heavy enough that it is hung on studs. If I were doing this again, I might use foam core as the base for the fabric and cork squares.

My daughter picked fabrics and decided the layout of the 3 x 3 grid, though because we used Velcro (keep reading), they layout can be changed. She opted to leave two squares as pegboard, which we spray painted silver. The rest we hot glued cork on top of and wrapped five of those with the various fabrics. She wanted a white board but I couldn’t find the materials. Also, a piece of metal would have been great (for magnets), but none was readily available that didn’t have to be cut. Did I mention that I am deathly (I tend to exaggerate) afraid of cut metal? I hear it hurts.

You could even paint a square of plywood or luan with chalkboard paint. The point is that the possibilities are endless!

To adhere the squares to the framing, we stapled strips of velcro onto the verticals and the edges of the squares. Believe it or not, placing the squares on the velcro perfectly is harder than it looks! In fact, we decided not to worry about perfection. It ain’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Not perfect, but good enough!

Slight improvement though still not perfect!

We prepared it for hanging with eye screws and wire. Wire seems to be a bit more forgiving when it comes to leveling. Just watch out for the cut ends. Lethal! (Again, exaggeration. But cut wire really can cut you.)

Other views:

Looking at these pictures makes me want to go back and make a frame to finish it off. (I think it could use one.) But for now, my daughter loves how it all came together! It was a good project for us to do together. And just think, if she didn’t have a place for all of these treasures, they would be in a stack or box somewhere. Oh, who am I kidding? They’d be on the floor.

Organization is good. Making it happen with your teen aged daughter is even better.

Need a weekend, finish-in-an-hour project? One that will help with organization? Try this pretty, but functional, bulletin board…

Fabric-covered bulletin board made with stuff I already had (except the frame!)

Supplies:

• cork (either a roll or tiles)
• frame (Please do not buy at full price! Hobby Lobby sells nice ones at 50% off every other week. Or hit a garage sale and ditch the “art”. Or don’t bother with the frame! You can finish the edges with trim.)
• backer board cut to fit inside frame (Use what you have on hand. I had some left-over pegboard. Thin plywood or luan would work fine.)
• pretty fabric that fits your room and is about 2 inches wider and longer than your frame
• hot glue gun
• staple gun or duct tape

Steps:

1. Hot glue cork or cork tiles onto backer board. You don’t need to overdo this–perimeter and a cross or X will hold it snugly.
2. Place the cork side on top of the pretty fabric (back side of fabric.)
3. Staple fabric edges to the backer board. Put one staple in the middle of the top, first. Then, pull fabric at the bottom, gently but firmly. Staple middle of the bottom. Do the same on the sides. Then, staple freely around the rest of the perimeter. The staples are on the back side of the bulletin board and should not show. Fabric should be smooth.
4. Place frame face down on flat surface.
5. Place bulletin board face down into frame. If your board was cut to fit, the bulletin board should fit fairly snuggly into the frame.
   

   Back side of bulletin board. If you are paying attention, you will see that I apparently wrapped the fabric around the cork before applying it to the backer board. This is not a good idea, and I'm not sure why I did it. Do as I say; don't do as I did.

6. Secure the board to the frame. I used the staple gun, but duct tape will also work…Just use it freely around all edges.
7. Attach hanging hardware. I used eye screws and wire since I already had those, but the jagged edge hangers will work, too.
8. You could be finished here. Or you can use some sort of tassel fringe, gimp, rope, or ribbon to go around the front of the bulletin board, just inside the frame. I was feeling sassy this day, so I used some extra tassel fringe that I had leftover from a sewing project.
9. Hang in just the perfect spot, and use to display important stuff.


The Perfect Spot for Me

***I used a looser weave fabric so pushpin holes would not show. Most cottons should work well but test it out before you go crazy with your staple gun.

***They also make pretty pushpins now, if you want a more decorated look. For my mudroom, the old-fashioned kind works just fine.

***Periodically, clean up your bulletin board. I found coupons from 2008 on mine!

Embroidered Shirt from the 70s

Maybe you are not old enough to remember the stitched denim shirt. This shirt was completed by me as a teenager in the 70s. I made it for my younger sister, and she uncovered it as we have been sorting through our parents’ home. (They recently downsized and relocated–and counted on their five children to pare down a lifetime of collections and stuff!)

Close-Up of Embroidery. Sorry for the blur.

I had forgotten all about this shirt, but I vaguely remember making it for her after I had made one for myself. (Wish I had it now!) The design is not original. I believe there was a transfer kit:  You ironed on a design and went to work with whatever embroidery stitch you could do. It obviously lasted a long time! (And I’m pretty sure she wore and washed this shirt more than a few times.)

Front Stitching. Quite southwestern!

Dog on Cuff

My 15-year-old daughter is a crafter (and artist.) She learned to knit a few years ago and has made many scarves and hats over time. She has always loved doing things with her hands and finds it relaxing–just as I did (and do.) Makes me think hand crafts are somewhat genetic. Or maybe we just see what those around us enjoy doing and want to try it ourselves. My mom was a knitter (never a sew-er!),  I remember seeing her knit and make beautiful projects. My favorite was a knitted green coat.

We get such a good feeling when we complete something. I think this is because in real life, many projects/tasks are cyclical–like laundry. It is never completed! But a hand craft can be. Whether you quilt, knit, embroider, make cards, scrapbook, or whittle, it can give you great feeling of satisfaction to finish something. Also, a craft is a wonderful creative outlet that can bring some much-needed relaxation.

There are some amazingly talented people out there in the blogosphere. They are  sharing some of their gifts with the rest of us. They introduce, teach, and inspire us to make something. To be creative. You could spend all day surfing and discovering new things, but here is a good place to start:  One Pretty Thing. And, of course, explore Etsy. Many sellers at Etsy will also link to their blogs. Again, allow plenty of time!

Feeling inspired? I am. I think I might pull out one of my many incomplete projects and get going with it! Or maybe I’ll try to learn something new…

Christmas Cards--What to do with them?

We are out of school here…The threat of snow, combined with a litigious society (sorry for the commentary) and the memory of several children stranded on school buses in a surprise 2009 snow storm, has compelled most superintendents in the Cincinnati area to call it a day–before it even started!

Ah, well. I will make the most of it, I hope. Christina Katz posted this idea on her Facebook. I am very intrigued, and if I can pull myself away from this computer and an exponentially-growing pile of laundry, I am going to do this! Every year, I bundle up my Christmas cards in January and stick them in a drawer. I just cannot bring myself to toss them. Friends and family have taken time to wish us joy and happiness and keep us updated on their lives. They seem too personal to pitch.

The idea from Ali Edwards is terrific! Whether you are a scrapbooker or not, it might be fun to try. It could make a wonderful art piece to bring out at Christmas or to leave framed all year!

More Cards

I’ll let you know if I get this accomplished. Between the laundry, the writing goals, and the teenager who wants to practice driving in the snow (yikes), I might need an art project like this. Be sure to click here for a total description and wonderful pictures!

The problem is knowing where to start, then sticking with something until it is complete. I need some accountability–someone to hold my feet to the fire. There is probably some deep reason for this disorder of mine. It isn’t mere procrastination. I pay bills on time and do other stuff when it needs to be done. I don’t always wait until the last minute.

Is it boredom? Lack of focus? Laziness? (I sure hope not!) More likely, I want it perfect. And I want need to have a purpose for doing it. And OK, I might need a gentle shove–the proverbial kick in the butt. My future goals include lightening up a little on the perfection thing. I mean, I’m not even close on that. Besides, it’s paralyzing and NO FUN to be around. I am also going to work on having an end purpose in mind. Even if the purpose is pleasure, it’s still a purpose. Work (or hobbies) without purpose seems ridiculous and boring.

So, today I am turning the page. (I’m not saying I won’t flip back from time to time. ) I’m going to pick something and actually [gulp] finish it. Really.

You can take THAT to school.

I found an incredible website, One Pretty Thing, that is all about being handmade. It’s not a commerce site, but instead it is a site full of creativity, ideas, and even instructions. Check it out when you have time. You might find the perfect project for your Saturday!

Handmade. By you. Has a ring to it, doesn’t it?

photo by Meredith Needham

It’s cold and snowy outside. You want to do something that doesn’t require shoveling first. Why not dig into those boxes of photos you have and make something out of them? Decoupage is a quick, easy, and (best of all) cheap craft that you can make for your own home or give to someone else. It is a fun project that is perfect for anyone. I made these trays for my siblings at Christmas one year, with photos of their families. I think they were a hit–and finding the trays for $3 at Old Time Pottery made it a very cost-effective project. They would be great for Valentine’s Day, as well!

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• Photos
• Mod Podge or white glue (Experiment first, if using white glue. You might need to add a little water to the glue. As long as it is transparent and durable when dry , it should be fine. I prefer Mod Podge because it is made specifically to be a sealer, glue, and finish.)
• foam brush
• tray, box, table top, vase–anything solid that you want as your base for your decoupaged project

PROCEDURE:

1. Cover work area with newspaper or wax paper. Mod Podge is fantastic–but sticky and much easier to toss out with newspaper than to clean off of a kitchen counter.
2. Be sure the base is clean. Just use a small amount of Dawn dish detergent on a damp rag. Clean thoroughly. Wipe with a clean, damp cloth. Dry.
3. Crop photos as desired. (Don’t be afraid to cut pictures. If you are like me, you probably have thousands. If it is too special to cut or glue, scan and print first. Save the original!)
4. Arrange in a pleasing layout. (This is totally subjective…Don’t be a perfectionist. Just see what happens.) Overlapping is fine. It gives the piece a collage-like feel.
5. After you find the look you want, start smearing Mod Podge on the backs of the pictures, and place them back in their places. Don’t worry about mess, but be sure the pictures do not have air bubbles underneath. Be especially careful to secure any corners.
6. Slowly, brush a layer of Mod Podge completely over the top of your collage and the entire base. Be sure to smooth out bubbles.
7. I put two or three thin coats on my tray, waiting 15 -20 minutes between coats.
8. Let dry thoroughly.
9. Display and enjoy!

THINGS I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY:

• Add other kinds of papers such as scrapbook, wallpaper, or wrapping paper. Even a fun newspaper headline or comic strip would add some pizazz.
• Add flat (or fairly flat) memorabilia–as long as you don’t ever want it back! Mod Podge is incredibly strong and LONG-lasting.
• Add Rick-Rack or other sewing trim for interest.
• Cover the entire base. It will be a collage you will enjoy forever.

Another good thing about this project is that, even three years later, I could still add to my tray. And today, on this snowy January day, I just might!