One Little Word

I had been hearing about Ali Edwards and One Little Word for awhile, but never stopped to actually read up on it. Today I'm snowed in, my husband is home and asleep on the couch and I needed something to do while avoiding work that needs to be done. So I investigated, and I love it.

I've always heard about Ali Edwards and One Little Word, but never investigated. But today I was perusing Mish Mash and I'm snowed in so I snooped around. I love this idea! And as you can see, my word for 2011 is simplify.

I got this word from a recycled Yankee Swap where people brought stuff they didn't want. I actually had last pick and took a bag of junk because the word was in it. Since then it has been sitting on my shelf as I stare at it and now I know why. We'll see what it means for me as the year continues. For now, it means I have too much stuff in my basement and need to continue organizing, cleaning and donating!

Mission Organization

For Christmas my mom got me this beautiful Peterborough basket filled with wrapping goodies. And an organized insert.

But this was the rest of my wrapping odds and ends......

I love to wrap, I just don't always put things back in their place. Kind of like stamping and sewing and all that, huh? After a rough day back to school today I felt the need to straighten out the chaos (since I wasn't capable in my classroom) and decided to tackle a do-able project. I brought this all upstairs and watched some tv while I got it organized and threw out the bits and pieces beyond their wrapping glory.

Yay, nice and neat now! I love my bow bin (on the right) and the basket is now filled with tags, tape (I had 6 rolls!), scissors and pens. The big bin is a bit less organized, but its filled with more tissue paper than I knew I had, some flat wrap and fabric ribbons. My roll wrap, gift bags and boxes already had a good organization system set up, so they are set in the basement where these will now join them.

I repurpose a lot....besides a roll of paper now and then, I don't know the last time I bought any of this. It did help working at Hallmark for years, because everytime they redid the wrap section we got to save many things from the dumpster. I saved a lot as you can see. Too bad I don't have anything to wrap until April or so....

Maybe soon this organizational inspiration will strike while I stare at my neglected stamps. *sigh*

Smiles,

Singer 301

I have spent my vacation tinkering with a not-so-new toy, a Singer 301 sewing machine.

My aunt (check out her awesome blog HERE) gave me this beautiful machine last year, Christmas 2009. It was a find from the thrift shop she works at, and from what my mother tells me it is exactly like the sewing machine my grandmother had. I love that I control the speed of the needle with a leg pedal, rather than a foot pedal.

It has sat in my dining room for all of 2009, and I kept thinking about how I should use it. My mother told me she would come over and oil it, and now that I've done that myself and seen how embarassingly easy it is, I wish I got sewing with it sooner! The best part of the machine is the fact that it disappears into a beautiful cabinet, which coordinates nicely with my dining room table, china cabinet and desks in the same room.

Once I got it up and running I made myself two Frenchy bags (an Amy Butler pattern), one of which can be seen in the process in the second picture. Of course I forgot to take pictures of mine, but here are 3 I made for my in-laws for Christmas, with a closer shot of one. My aunt made these same purses HERE.

I hope everyone has a safe and happy new year...here's to a wonderful 2011!!!

Smiles,

I'm baaaaack.....

Wow, I'm a bad blogger, not a post in months. You know it's bad when your brother asks if you've abandoned the blog. Since I'm snowed in today with this crazy blizzard of 2010 it's time to get back into blogging. I'm also done classes for almost a month so that means more free time after school and on weekends to keep up with things!


I haven't abandoned crafts, just the blog. In Aguust or September I crocheted a baby blanket for my new baby cousin Ally.



I of course had to make a tag with wash instructions!

And I also included my favorite baby gift, a tag blanket. They whip up quick after trimming some fleece fabric and pinning the ribbons.

Since I'm snowed in, on vacation, and not motivated to do things I should be doing, today is going to be a crafty day! So I will be sure to share something else soon. I'm big on sewing right now and can't wait to share a project I made for Christmas presents. But first I want to make one for myself! And before that I'm off to visit blogs...haven't done that since at least August, sorry!

Smiles,

How I spent my summer vacation....

1. Not blogging :-( because I just don't seem to have time!
2. Painting walls
3. Painting trim
4. A week in Cape Cod! (too bad DH was sick for 5 days)
5. Getting burnt in Cape Cod...not as fun
6. Painting the porch
7. 3 days in Maine with my parents
8. Gym
9. Gym
10. Gym (did I mention I'm down 32 pounds!!!)
11. I resigned from Unscripted Sketches, see #1
12. Painting some more....do you see a pattern?
13. Cross stitching a bit (hope to share a picture soon)
14. Crocheting granny squares for a baby blanket. The shower is in two weeks so I better have a picture even sooner!
15. A bit more painting

So as you can see I've been MIA from the blog for many reasons. The biggest was the computer just didn't want me to blog. Many crashes, no viruses and finally I had to give in and buy a new one. I love it, but my checking account doesn't! As for the painting, we own a 2 family and rent out the upstairs apartment. After a stressful spring getting our deadbeat tenant evicted, I had to make it look good again. As I type the new tenants are moving in which is great in an economy with FOR RENT signs on every corner.

For now, school starts Monday, and the week after I start taking classes myself. I'm going back for my Masters of Ed with a literacy concentration and hoping to juggle that along with anything else. Even though I resigned as DT I'll still be playing along with Unscripted Sketches when I can. That was the toughest decision to make, but life took me in another direction and I couldn't devote the time needed. So my posts won't be regular and I'm hoping they will be a bit of all the crafts that I love, not just cards. When I'm not posting, be sure to check out my aunt's fabulous new blog. I'm so glad I got the crafty genes from my mom's family!


Smiles,