Up at the crack of noon

Upon my very early rise this morning (10:30) I awoke to find the dogs looking at me like I was insane.
Normally, this doesn't bother me, but thie morning I couldn't help but think- Hey! Don't look at me like I'm wasting the day away sleeping!  I mean really!  These are the same dogs that typically get my butt up at 8 or so by shoving cold little dog noses on my face, and then once I'm up, they feel the need to nap. So I don't think they are in any position critisize for one day of extra sleep. Even as I type this now, this is what's behind my chair. (I think the 3rd one is on the couch)

So anyway. I start my day off with some pups that have no idea if they should be sleeping or bothering me. 

I do love them though.

As for the rest of my as-of-yet-unwasted day, I have hopes of getting crafts done, but this week has been very unproductive in the craftiness thus far. (and yes, I realize today is friday)  I have made a lot of progress on the outdoor lawn maintenence front, but unfortunately that doesn't really help my sadly lacking inventory for the Etsy site. I have periods of manic crafting, where I just can't wait to get started every day, and then times like this, where I need to shove a fork in an electrical outlet to even start thinking.  

So now I'm going to go make some (i.e. 3 or 4 cups of ) coffee, and possibly try to get moving. If all else fails, I'll come back to you, and post another long winded account of nothingness. 

Sounds great, right?

Right.  

Today- a day of shnoinkles.

So today I hit the thrift store up again, and got Shmo-lissa an awesome quilt of cuteness. I don't know what I like more, finding an awesome deal for me, or finding one for someone else.  I think it's better to get something for a friend, because then you get the thrill of finding a great deal (for all of you losers like me that get a thrill out of that....) and then they get the fun of a nifty gifty. Hurrah!
Also.
Why do the mosquitos decide that I'm fair game whenever I try to mow the lawn?  I think they might see me, and hear the mower, and then they think I'm one giant fat mosquito that they feel the need to be with. Not right. Not at all.
I thought I had a lot of thoughts to share and b's to log, but I'm tapped.
More next time, I promise.

Blog "Swap" goodness and other things.

In an effort to have more followers and/or actually reach someone that wants to read my drivel, I have joined a 'swap' where you don't actually exchange things, but you follow your fellow swappers blogs.  I think it's a pretty awesome idea, since sometimes finding a blog that you would be interested in can be difficult.  This way you're thrown headfirst into 10 people's bloggy lives and you never know, you might just find a great one! If anyone currently reading my blog would like to know who's life I have been thrown into, here are my partners blogs....
http://delicate-eccentric.blogspot.com
http://www.missanne.org/
http://zilliahbailey.blogspot.com
http://myscrappycorner.blogspot.com/
http://thecraftpad.blogspot.com/
http://vintageterrace2.blogspot.com/
http://acrosstheuni-verses.blogspot.com/
http://luckyxiiicreations.wordpress.com/
http://overlycute.blogspot.com/
http://msteacherwedding.blogspot.com/

There are a few nifty neato ones!

As for the "other things" mentioned in the title...
We all know that I am a prcrastinator of the most extreme sort, so don't expect too much to come of it, but I am cleaning my craft room today and tomorrow and will hope to start on a few projects!  Also, The beetle problem has been solved. Lots of insecticide and I think they will be leaving me alone for a while.  I know that it's wrong to kill the little creatures of our universe and so forth, but, holey hot plate of butter I HATE insects. All of them. Even the cute ladybugs. Sorry.

I Love Randomness

I really do.  I like it when you see something somewhere it doesn't belong and it makes you pause and think, "Hm. That's random."  Maybe that's why I don't make sense to normal people, you have to have the special random gene to get me. maybe. Or maybe everyone gets me but I'm just incurably unlikable. Hrm.
Well I have been up to the task of getting myself settled back into my groove, and in doing so I have really let the Etsy site slide.  I have, however- made sure that all the bird and squirrel friends are well fed and watered, mowed and treated the lawn for insects (ickyickyeewyuckyuck), cleaned the house, been thoroughly freaked out by the invasion of tiny beetles in the house (I will get them all, I vow it), ordered new business cards, started Christmas shopping, joined a Denver area crafters group, been to the bookstore and target twice and had at minimum 3 cups of coffee a day. So that's something. I also have all kinds of plans that I hope to get out onto paper before I lose them in the vortex that I call a brain.
Some include: developing 6 or so "characters" that I can use in my crafting goodness, start painting again, mostly for fun with the possibility of listing future works, deciding on what principals I would like my site based (Yes it's a little late for it, but I feel the need to whittle things down to a workable group of ideals so I can concentrate on what is most important to me), possibly hiatus-ing the craft work to concentrate on and maybe even finish all of the household chores I need to do (ie... sew the curtains, make the pillows, make a new dog bed, rearrange the room, rehang the chandelier in the dining area and so on).  That's all I can think of now, but I know there were more.....
Naturally, now that I've sat down with time to actually write the ideas down they have all flown my brain coop, and I don't have an ETA for their return. Great-a-rino.
Ok then brain, you win this round, but I am going to go eat a cupcake and possibly have some coffee and we'll see if I can't lull you into complacency and then I can try to extract the rest of my ideas...

SCORE!

Today turned out to be an errand-running-catch-up-on-fun-things-like-laundry day.  I have so much to do, but I'm being true to myself and procrastinating.  I will (eventually) make the "Deep Dark Sea" collection that I have in mind for my Etsy site (That's for Leslie to model for me) and also the Chibi inspired "Adorable Sea Creatures" collection (for Natalie to model). And I also have 4 or 5 things that I need to make for my family, and also need to fill out the store with other random goodies while I am developing these things.
So in order to kick all that off, I did absolutely nothing crafty and went shopping.
How very Cheryl of me.
However- I will say that I totally scored at the thrift store and got 3 pairs of jeans for less than $15.  So take that all you naysayers that are out there saying Nay and whatnot!  Oh yes, take that and put it in your hat to smell later.

Ahoy and so on

Well I'm back from the land of the terminally weird (i.e. VA, where my family and friends make up a large part of the crazy population) and I'm ready to spread the strangeness all over CO, so watch out!
I didn't get the opportunity to do many craft while I was vacationing, but I will tell you about the one thing Melissa and I did.
Apparently the books that are put out on making friendship bracelets are for 8-16 year olds, and keeping that in mind...
Apparently Melissa and I are both not crafty and or patient enough to figure these books out. We thought that it would be neat to whip up a couple of bracelets for each other (on a Saturday night, because we are so highly awesome) by using the patterns in the book we got. We eventually were able to figure out what the heck the book was telling us to do (after 35 minutes...) but then once we started on the stupid things, we realized that they were going to take for-ev-er to finish. Like days upon days of this string over that string and that string over the other string. So.  What could we do?
Persevere?  No.
Figure out an easier way?  No.
Make simpler bracelets? Also No.
We quit.
Oh yes, we have officially been beaten by the numerous 12 year-olds that are out there making bracelets for their friends right now. Oh well.  At least we saved the 2 inch section and will make phone charms out of them.  
Tucking that crafty flop under my belt, I am moving on. I hope to get myself back in order shortly, and then I will have a couple of days of craft-a-thon-i-ness.
And don't worry, I'll be posting pictures of the trip and my awesome dorkiness soon.

Some friend you are. MELISSA!

Oh yes. I am calling you out on your insistence of another blog whilst I should be busy doing much more important things. Like scooping up the dog poo in the backyard (I only wish I was kidding about this) or making yet another trip to Target or Starbucks.  I don't see how you expect me to be able to produce quality work (ah, case in point....) while I have only consumed 3 coffees today. I need at least 5, possibly 12 to work well.
Well I will have you know, I am packed, and even though I didn't finish all the craftiness I wanted to, I gotta lotta done(a).
And for those non-Melissaians reading this (all 2 of you :-) I will be headed eastbound for a trip to see the family and probably won't be posting again until I get back (July 20th).  So miss me!

Just Call Me Captain Bringdown

I am so proud of myself, I was able to actually accomplish something today!  I posted the tute, and in the process made 4 new bags, in addition to finishing off Melissa's shirt (which was my first serger project). 

And even though it's far from perfect, I'm just happy to have figured out enough about the serger to use it for more than looking good on my table!

Granted I still have about, ah, 15 projects that are in stages of completion, but at least I"m making progress, right? Right.

So as I sit here patting myself on the back (very uncomfortable, I don't recommend it) I am looking at yet another project.  I have a whopping 1 day left to get anything done, and I also have a Dr. appt and have to pack, so we'll see.

Oh poo. How did I digress from being so full of myself I'm almost popping to thinking about everything I'm not going to finish.

*sigh*

Toot-Oriole

So here is the famed "freezer paper" method that I've been using on my little bagulars.
First, gather all your supplies,

You'll need freezer paper, scissors, your pre-washed without fabric softener fabric (in my case the fabric, bag handle and sewing machine) the color of paint you want to use and a bottle fabric medium (I got it at hobby lobby, it's about $8) as well as an iron and ironing board, foam or other unimportant brush, a pice of unneeded cardstock or cardboard, cup to mix the paints in and an idea for the image you want to use.

(if you are going to make something from the fabric, do that now, so that you know the approx. size of the image you will need)

1. Start by tearing off an appropriate sized piece of FP (freezer paper) and use a pencil or pen to draw your image onto the matte side making sure to leave a blank border area of about 1/2".

2. Then, using either a pair of scissors or if your image is very detailed, you may want to opt for the craft knife, cut out the image leaving the surrounding paper.

3. Now iron your fabric on the appropriate setting so that the area to be stenciled is as flat as you can make it, and then then take your surrounding FP and lay on top of the area.  Position it carefully, and then using the iron set on the warmest non-steam setting iron the paper to the fabric with the shiny side of the paper against the right side of the fabric.

4. When moving your fabric from the ironing board, be careful not to bend too much, the bond between FP anf fabric isn't strong, if it separates in the process, repeat step 3.

5. Mix the amount of fabric medium with the indicated amount of paint (usually 2parts paint to 1part medium) and place your cardstock or cardboard behing the layer of fabric that you will be setncilling. (see below image, that is the bleed-through from my stencil)

6. Using either a dabbing motion of you can spread the paint from the outside in (start on the FP and spread towards the empty part of the stencil) apply your first coat of paint. If you fabric is plain, this may be all you need, if patterened, usually a second thicker coat is necessary. Let this coat dry some (about 30mins), and see if more paint is needed.  If you need to apply more and the FP sencil is beginning to separate from the fabric, you will need to use the spreading motion to make sure that you don't get any of the paint outside of the stenciled lines. 

7. At this point I usually let the stencil sit for about another 30 mins, and then I very carefully remove the stencil and let the paint dry.  If you wait until the paint is dry to remove the stencil, be careful that the edges of the stencil don't peel the paint back.  Since the paint has fabric medium in it, it is flexible and can peel.

8. Once the fabric is dry enough to touch without being tacky, you will need to heat-set the paint. Use a scrap piece of cloth, or if that's not available, a paper towel over the paint, and iron at the fabric's appropriate setting for 20 seconds by placing the iron and lifting straight up, and placing again.  If you iron normally, there is a chance the paint will smear, so in the beginning of the heat-setting process be very careful. 

9. At this point it is recommended that pieces meant for heavy use air dry for 7 days. Then you can clean the piece with warm soapy water and/or wash on the gentle cycle and air dry.

10. Hooray!

Craft Room Relocation

I don't know why I can't just do things like a normal person.

My craft room was in desperate need of cleaning, so what did I do?  Took it all apart and moved it, Obviously.

No, I guess that isn't the obvious or even the smartest solution, but it's the one I came up with. So now I have a combination library/craft room, even though I had to sacrifice a lof of the books for shelf space. The main attraction of this new area is that the poor ventilation of the previous room is fixed (lots of windows here) and now I can have the computer handy. 

So...

Old craft room of stilflingness...

And my newer crafty library of happiness!

Any thoughts- comments- suggestarinos?

Stalk to you later.

Oh no. I feel I may have inadvertently shown the world how very sad I am by accidentally subscribing to my own blog. (hey, you have to get followers somehow, right?)  I was going to sign in and take my name off the list, but I thought- You know what? No. Is it true that only very lonely people and possibly the loseriest people on earth would do that? Yes.  Is it true that now I have an actual subscriber (thanks Natty!) so I don't really need to be my own? Yes. But isn't it also true that I am conducting this blog as an avenue of expressing myself? Yes, it is, and therefore even the stupid and (supposedly) inadvertent mistakes I make must be put out there for the world. No one likes people who don't make mistakes anyway. 

Hm... Relying on that logic, I may just turn out to be very, very likable.

Okay. Overwhelmed.

Well, well, well. Poke me in the eyes with a fork, I have been looking at blogs and sites all day and have come to realize that I haven't even scratched the surface of the crafty world I supposedly live in.
Also, I have realized that my craft room is a wreck. Unrelated, but, in my world, very important information. 
I have read that within your blog you need to post lots and lots of awesome pictures, and I can honestly say that no matter how great the lighting- a pic of that room would send you all (oh wait, there's still no one following me...) running to dunk your head in a toilet. Well, it would make me reach for that fork again, so even though I'm currently sharing it with no one, it's still one too many people to subject it to.  So note to self- make sure to post a pic of the soon-to-be-clean room as soon as it's actually clean.
Will do.

Newbie!

I am new, not only to this particular Blog, but to the blogging world in general. How I managed to stay ignorant of this form of communication while not living under a rock in the 12th century is a mystery to me.  Oh well. Now I am here. I have proverbially arrived, and I plan on posting all of my interestingness out there for the world (or currently no one) to see.