Learning to Crochet and Snow Balls

A new skill is sometimes hard to develop.  I tend to look at someone who seems to have it all together and then end up not even trying.  I can't decide if I'm a perfectionist or not.  A perfectionist wants to do things perfectly, but do they give up if they can't do it?  I don't know, but I totally wish I knew how to crochet.  Over Christmas, I decided to simplify my decorations, mostly because I couldn't access them and didn't want to, but I started over from scratch with my deco.  One of the things I wanted to do with my tree was a pom pom garland, you know, because all pine trees have snow balls on them.  But anyway, I was inspired by this blogger and her farmhouse perfection at Fairview Farm.

I could handle the basic crochet chain and a hot glue gun.  It's not perfect, in fact it's a bit like a Monet...it looks better from far off.  But it was fun...I'd like to learn more than the basic chain stitch, I found the whole thing of it, yarn and hook, very therapeutic.  I need to give up on my expectations of something needing to be perfect and just do it.  I may very well find a new hobby.

Do you struggle with perfectionism?

What are your hobbies?

Goals, but not really

Source

The end of my vacay is coming WAY too fast.  I mean I've only been off of work since 2014.  Ahem, but seriously, I have to go back too soon and I don't wanna.  On another note, Here is a list of top 10 things (Not goals) I would like to accomplish in 2015...If I say they are goals, then it probably won't happen, because I feel like goals set me up for failure.  But that One Word I am embarking on this year Loved can fit into each of these.  I Love my body when I eat healthier, do yoga and run.  (See where I am going with this?)  I feel love for my home when I organize it, etc, etc, etc...And here you go:

1. Eat Healthier
2. Do more Yoga for my Back.  
3. Run a 5K (again)
4. Spend more time in my scriptures
5. Craft/journal more
6. Make more home cooked meals (See #1)
7. Organize my home
8. Rejuvenate my Blog after quitting
9. See Miguel get married (see this post)
10. Quit my job...I mean did you look at these things I want to accomplish?  There is no way I can do them all without quitting my job.  

Things on my mind

Source

1.  Spring Break
2.  Fitness/wellness - exercise, healthy eating, sugar detox, gave up soda, weight loss.
3.  Trying to figure out what to do with everything in my craft room...we are getting a permanent house guest
4.  Air Force man is coming home in 23 days!
5.  Time with my four year old niece.
6.  Birthdays, late cards letters and gifts...I just can't get it together.
7.  Birthday, mine, today!  I'm getting SO old.
8.  Family history - tracing family lines...How fascinating!
9.  General Conference weekend - So uplifting!
10.  I've thought about you, truly I have...I've just been so busy in body, mind and spirit.

It's a Tradition...Craft Boutique's, Jewels and Marshmallow Caramels

Hello Friends, Happy Thursday to you...When I was a little girl, my mom used to take me to this craft fair called Grandmother's House.  They held it every year in Denver in model homes.  It was pretty fun...Fast forward many  years later...too many to count, and my mom (who coincidentally is a grandma) is a crafter in a similar Craft Bazaar.

If you live in the South West Idaho area, you might want to check out the Holiday House Boutique...My mom has lovely handmade jewelry.  Just look for the Simply Sassy designs by Cindy.  Cute, cute, cute...Another favorite of mine are the Marshmallow Caramels...However, I'm not sure if in my post back surgery weight loss plan that is allowed.  Ah heck!  What's life without a little treat...

So, I will be taking my daughter, Ladybug, to this here craft boutique...It is tradition:

See you there!  And save me some caramels.  

The Art of Creating

Sometimes on those rare occasion, I can be down right crafty...but the mood has to strike just right, and the moon has to align a certain way...other times, I can be crafty when someone else has been inspired and done most of the work.

The other night I participated in this most awesome night of women gathering together to craft and eat and chat...It was amazing.  I didn't even have to brainstorm a thing...just go, pay and craft away.  The kits were already done, I just had to paint and put it together.  I felt so accomplished coming home with three projects.  If you live in the area, you can follow her blog...check out the cute projects she offered and watch for future events.  She is uber reasonable.

This is by far my favorite..

Creating makes me happy, and I am grateful for good friends.

Camp Crafts

As you are reading this, I am braving the wild as a youth camp counselor.  I don't know what scares me more, sleeping in a tent or being responsible for a group of girls.  I am working with an amazing group of women, though, so it should be fine....However, my idea of camping includes a hotel and jetted tub.  I guess I'll have to rough it.

One of my assignments was to be in charge of several camp crafts.  

This is what I came up with:

Boondoggle key chain with a dog tag engraved with our Camp Theme.  

You can learn how to make boondoggles here.

I thought these pop top bracelets were darling.  Ladybug and I had fun "practicing".  You can see some tutorials here.  I want to make more.  They are just fun!  I wore mine to work one day and got so many compliments?  Really?  Pop tops?  There are some great videos on YouTube.  I found this one helpful.

Even if you aren't a camp counselor, these are fun summer crafts that you may want to try on one of those long, hot days of summer.  Definitely a summer boredom buster!

I'm also linking up at 30 Hand Made Days

DIY Chalk Board

Can you believe I crafted?  Yeah!  I was shocked, too.  As part of the big bedroom makeover, Ladybug and I had a few fun things on our agenda.  She wanted a chalk board, but not the boring old things...

This is what we came up with:

Black tray from Hobby Lobby, used a 40% off coupon

Black chalk board paint again from Hobby Lobby, used a 40% off coupon

Add some hangers on the back

And Ladybug's favorite saying
The tray provides a nice little shelf for chalk and eraser.
A place for Ladybug to write notes to herself

DIY Ribbon Border

I originally posted about Ladybug's room redo here.  I mentioned a couple of How To's here is the first.  I love borders.  They tend to break up the color on a wall, add a little bit of visual interest, but the mess of removing is a big deterrent for me.  A friend of mine taught me how to do a ribbon border.  It goes up incredibly easy, and it peels right off when you don't want it anymore. It doesn't shred like a sticker on the wall like a wall paper border would.

First you will need to measure your room and buy enough wide ribbon to cover it.  When I painted Ladybug's room, I obviously used tape to mark the breaking point.  I needed to find ribbon wide enough to cover my tape marks.  The next items you need are wall paper paste and a sponge.

I cut the ribbon into strips that fit the wall.  I tried to have one whole piece of ribbon per wall.  My seams were behind doors or in a corner so it was less noticeable.  This also made it easier to work with.  See Ladybug at work?  Even a 14 year old can do it...

After applying the saturated ribbon to the wall (and I do mean saturated), I went over it with a wet sponge to smooth things up and made tiny adjustments trying to get the ribbon to line up straight.  From close up, it isn't perfect, but it's like a Monet, it pulls together from farther out.

 

Pinterest

This post/picture was recently pinned on Pinterest by multiple people. I'm not sure whether to feel flattered or violated.

What are your thoughts on Pinterest?

Look I made this...

There is this comedian, maybe you've heard of him, he is known as Johnny Biscuit.  He makes fun of LDS women and is absolutely hilarious.  In one of his acts, he teases LDS women for their affinity for a glue gun.  No joke, I love my glue gun.  I think I would hem a pair of pants with one if I could.  So, in honor of one of my favorite comedians, Biscuit.

"Look, I made this..."  

I give you a lovely wreath hung over an old chicken coop window (minus the poop, of course.)

Repurposing

I love when I can give new life to an older item.  Here is my latest redo. 

Bench $0, thanks mom.

Fabric $3.00 Hobby Lobby

Batting $0 already had some leftovers

A staple gun is my friend...

More Repurposing here

Fun Changes

We made some home improvements two weekends ago. I'm extremely happy with the result. Our ten year old home was in desperate need of new flooring. The kitchen floors were junk as was the carpet.

                                          
                                                     Before                              After

 

New Carpet, but no before and afters...

 And a craft project to boot.  I'm not usually this crafty, but you know, 

every once in a while, lightening strikes!