Craft or Die!

As previously mentioned, I'm slightly addicted to Bust Magazine. While browsing the ads, I came across two awesome pattern shops. I just purchased the pattern for these little guys from Dangercrafts. I absolutely love destash projects! Destash projects are those small projects that take just those little scraps of fabric or random skeins of yarn you have lying around your workspace. They are de-stashing your overwhelming supplies!



So I hope to get started on this project as soon as Rebecca Danger sends me the PDF pattern! They are just too cute for words and I think my mom would love them for X-mas. (two birds with one stone, people! Two birds with one stone!)

Speaking of two birds, I also checked out UrbanThreads Now this is the smartest embroidery website I think I've ever seen. They sell PDF's of simple line drawings to transfer as embroidery patterns. They don't suggest the stitches, the colors, nothing. Just simple black line drawings. They are only a buck each, and I completely fell for it and bought this one! I think it would be fun to embroider and frame over one of my sewing tables. I need crafting projects I can work on during my commute to work. My commute's only 30 mins/each way, but I used to get SO MUCH knitting done in that time!



Well, I'm off to water my plants and get sewing! Later gators!

<3 Always,
--Taina

I bought a fabric pantry!

I know most people do Spring cleaning and it's August. I'd been going through a tough time recently and am on the upswing from it, creating this immediate and important urge to purge all things I don't need in my home. ALL of them. I want to go minimalist in my home. Now, usually these feelings are fleeting, so I think that I should follow suit this one time and see where it leads me.

All of you who make things by hand probably know how easy it is to feel the need to buy as many supplies as possible. I have gone through these weird crafty phases, a sort of handmade Attention Deficit Disorder.

Since stumbling upon Etsy, I have knit and collected tons and tons of different types of yarn, needles, and notions.

I then decided I wanted to get into paper goods and I bought envelope templates and fancy papers and envelope glue and made envelopes and flatcards.

Then I saw a show on TV on how easy stained glass is and decided to try my hand at stained glass. Enter cabochons, 30+ stained glass squares and rectangles, glass cutters, oil, solder, soldering iron, copper tape, wire and suction cups. Okay, stained glass? Not easy at all! I have the solder scars to prove it.

I then took a pillow making class and started collecting fabrics, threads, and pillow inserts. Then makeup bags and coin purses, add to my collection of fabrics and threads, I now have tons of canvas, interfacing, zippers, felt squares, pinking shears, and fancy fabric scissors. Let's not count the numerous measuring tapes, rulers, yardsticks, sewing machine needles, fabric tags, googly eyes, fabric paints.

Now, picture me in a large (by NYC standards) 2BR apt, with a roommate, two sewing machines, a full-sized ironing board and two bookcases of craft books.

HOLY COW. Crafts have taken over my LIFE!

I have plastic Sterilite, Muji, and Rubbermaid bins for everything, so it's all organized within them, including ones for my completed projects, but I've always wanted to have my fabrics out so they remind me to get cracking at the machine.

I have 3 days off this week (today through Saturday) and am using the time to organize it all into a 5ft x 2ft x 1.5ft wooden pantry with doors that I purchased from Target today. Once I get it all organized in one space, I can use all the plastic bins to decide what books, clothes, dvds and other things to donate or list on Freecycle, making a happier, more organized, creative minimal space where everything has a place and that place isn't in every room in my apartment.

I cannot wait! I am thinking of how to decorate this very boring beech-colored cabinet. I was thinking maybe stencils. I will post the project once completed. I can't wait!

<3 Always,
--Taina

a relaxing weekend.

Good Afternoon!

I have no social plans for today or tomorrow and I'm actually kind of thrilled about this. I went out last night with 5 coworkers for Mexican food, got home before 11pm and slept. I really needed the rest.

Today I haven't made anything yet, I'm still in bed, I've been awake since 8 this morning. I'm catching up on last night's episode of "Lost" and thinking about all the things I want to make. I'm waiting for my roommate to leave this afternoon. Sometimes I don't like to be watched while I sew or knit. I really just want some quiet time in front of my machine.


(click photo for more info)

I listed my latest makeup pouch, made from the cool fabric I purchased at Mood Fabrics a while back.

I've read somewhere around 8 blogs so far. I love reading crafty blogs, they are so inspirational. Two Etsyans started a daily forum thread called "The Original Blog Love" where bloggers can post their links and everyone else can browse all the daily entries in one place. So much fun.

The only four things I MUST do this weekend (Fri/Sat, I work Sundays) are go to Target, the Farmer's Market and the library. I already forgot what the fourth one was, but I have it written down somewhere.

I usually have much more to do than that, so this seems pretty darn relaxing!

Spring knit dresses are on sale @ Target and I finally found out I got Easter Sunday off from work so I want to go and see what they have. I have been eyeing certain Sparrow/Swallow necklaces on Etsy and think Easter is a great reason to purchase one. I sent a message to a seller asking about shipping policies, as I really only have a week to receive it in time to wear with a new dress. I hope to hear back from her soon!

My family is really not religious, but we use religious holidays as good excuses to share a meal and good conversation. I also use it as an excuse to buy a girlie outfit to wear.

I will probably do Target and the Farmer's Market bright and early tomorrow, on the way to the Farmer's Market I can return some library books. Sounds like a plan!

<3 Always,
--Taina