Unemployed- Crafting & Cleaning Day 2 & 3

My daily blog posting plan has been messed up from the beginning because I needed to be away from home for 1 1/2 days to pick up my son.  But I did manage to get some beading done in the car.  Here's my trusty travel beading tray that goes everywhere with me.

I have a spot in a craft show next month at the local Navy depot so I decided to make some red, white and blue pieces.  I felt very patriotic since I snapped that pic just as we crossed the Potomac River in Washington, DC.  Here's the pieces I finished while we were away- a wrap bracelet and a pair of earrings.  I didn't get any cleaning done.

Unemployed- Crafting & Cleaning Day 1

Today is my first day of unemployment- so time to dust off my blog and start posting things.  Everyone expects me to spend all my free time crafting but I also need to do other things- like clean my house and look for a job.  I hate to clean.  I saw a quote once that went something like this- a clean house is a sign of a wasted life.  I love that!

I plan on keeping all my friends up-to-date on my crafting and cleaning by posting what I do each day :-)   Day 1 and 2 are off to a bad start since we are leaving this afternoon to pick up my son and we won't get back until late tomorrow night.  But I did need to clean up the craft/guest room for his 3 week stay. He no longer has "his" room so he shares a room with my craft supplies.  This is what the room looked like before I attacked it- ribbon everywhere.

I Love It- I Hate It

It's been ages since I listed anything new in my Etsy shop. But I just listed Turquoise and Copper Striped Cuff.


I actually started making this piece for myself last fall. More important projects kept popping up and I kept putting it aside. When I finally decided to finish it all my troubles started.

I had never made a beaded toggle before but I had been told by several people that they were easy to make. My first toggle had major problems and was extremely crooked. I took it apart and tried again- ending up with with a better looking toggle that would not sit right. I decided to use a button instead. This meant ripping out about 2 inches since I wanted the button shank to sit down in the cuff and not sit on top. After finishing the cuff, with the button attached, I realized I had a 1/2 inch long piece of Fireline that was exposed right under the button. So... I ripped the 2 inches out again. While doing this ripping I had a flash of inspiration and realized what I had been doing wrong with the beaded toggle. I decided to use a toggle but I was so frustrated by then that I couldn't picture myself wearing the cuff. I purposely made it too big for my wrist and I hope it sells fast so I don't have to look at it anymore. I love the colors and maybe if I get some free time I'll try again to make something for myself.

Fabric Flower Pins

I'm still not doing much beading. But I have been keeping busy. I've been trying to finish an embroidery project I started months ago that is to be part of a display in June. I have to get my act together so I can have it framed in time.

Since it looks like Spring around here, I took some time out to make some flower pins. Each flower has 12 layers of recycled fabric. The first batch has scattered seed beads in the centers.

The second batch has buttons and seed beads in the centers.

Crazy Hair Kids

I haven't been in the beading mood lately but I've still kept busy. I was asked to design some pillow toys for The Hodgepodgery, a local shop that specializes in recycled crafts. It sounded easy... but it wasn't as easy as I thought it would be. Once I had the basic design of the toys it took me forever to come up with a simple stitched face. I had friends and family vote and every design I came up with was- too scary, too weird, too sleepy, too old looking, etc. Finally, I came up with a face that most people liked.

Then I had to come up a name for my new toys. This proved harder than the face design. Once again I had voting and I think everyone came up with a different name. I decided on Crazy Hair Kids because they all have crazy hair... and I got tired of thinking of names.

Here's the first group that will head off to the shop.

The girls have a hair bow and a ruffle. The boys have a bow tie. Everything I used is recycled or salvaged except for the poly-fil.

Tea Time! Treasury

I'm in another treasury! Ileana of Enchantedbeas included my Night Waters No. 1 cuff in her beautiful Tea Time! treasury. Thanks Ileana.

I was in another Treasury

I'm a little slow posting this because of the holidays but I was in another treasury. The treasury has expired but it contained beautiful black and white pieces. Thanks Rita (alatsupplies) for including my Crazy Wavy Necklace.