Cold and snowy weekend crafting

It has been a busy week. I have been building the new webstore at http://www.1craftylady.com/ I have been sorting craft projects in piles to finish up . Each one needs one craft item i need to buy next week :) I am starting on lapquilts also. I will be doing those off and on thru the summer. I love this sailboat fabric one i pinned together today. The colors are jsut so bright and cheery. I have 3 large pillows I am making that will go with it too .Tomorrow I will start tatting it together and the handsewn binding .. I meant to work on it this morning...but ended up shoveling half a foot of snow instead . Then was time to go to work ..



I liked the way this neckalce turned out yesterday. I based it on a Native American Spirit Shield. I am enjoying using the feathers i traded for in my designs...

I liked this plaid fabric for potholders. It has beautiful white embroidery in the design. I ended up with couple doz of these to eventually stitch up and put away for gifts. They will look cute in a kitchen gift basket come hoilday time

Dollmaking .....

Started work on the first of the dolls i plan to create over next couple of weeks. This is a "horse spirit "doll. To see more of her go to .. http://www.tribalbarter.blogspot.com/ She also is up for sale . Felt good to be sewing again . The freshly painted sewing room feels good . I have dozens of ideas running thru my head for dolls..cant wait to actually get them all created ....

A productive day ......

I finished painting the craft room and got most the stuff moved back in there...now time to play with the beautiful feathers from Billie jo's "Easter Egger " chickens. They are perfect to create the mane for this horse necklace. I added some quartz and amethyst stones for a southwestern look. It will be over on my sale page at http://www.tribalbarter.blogspot.com/ i hope to start working on dolls the next few days and then first the week to get some new artisan soaps poured.

Waiting on the chai tea to kick in :)

I went thru my pics and printed out some vintage postcard ones i want to mat and frame .. and then i had several small art posters that i will do the same with. Gotta wait till i have the money for the mats and frames... maybe i will get a few more hours at my PT job at Rupp .... Who knew i would be so happy working a concessions stand :P . .... The hunt scenes with the little girl are just way adorable.... Last Saturday i volunteered with a friend to help at the Lexington Art League Event ..was alot of fun. I saw some interesting stuff. Photography wasnt allowed .. soooooo no pics to show ya. :(

I just had to take yesterday off from painting the house to read. I enjoyed a morning of sitting in the sunbeams in my rocking chair and reading "my wicked vampire" by Nina Bangs. I like her series alot..... Then i spent the afternoon working on legwarmers from recycled sweaters and several piece of jewelry .

Busy busy this last week or so

I enjoy making my own business cards for my blog where i sell my artisan jewelry and soaps .. http://www.tribalbarter.blogspot.com/. It is very relaxing for me to make them :PThis is my sunday morning fun...... I would so much rather be making jewelry instead . Once the kitchen cabinets are done though ..will make world of difference in the kitchen ... Soon as i finish all the house painting i will be having a giveaway to celebrate .:)

This will be the room where i can work on water gilding projects. I hope to arrange to go to TN in March for 2 days of lessons... I am so excited about this.I have 2 long ..8 ft tables set up for projects. Right now it is bare..but that will change soon. I like the fabric i made the curtains out of also. The wicker settee will be perfect to curl up on and study. I will eventually make a lapquilt to put on the back of it in blues and greens..



I have been trying to get the house all painted inside so i can start on new projects I have been thinking about .. I have 2 bedrooms ..utility room and kitchen cabinets to do. I meant to have them all done...but my back muscles arent co-operating .

Helping others in need....Pine Ridge Reservation ....

ON MY SOAP BOX..SO TO SPEAK..It seems compassion for others is in short supply .We are all busy doing things for "us" and turning a blind eye to the "rest" . I am FIRM believer no matter how little money you have ...you can always help out another in need. If nothing else..think of it as good karma ! SO i hope that those that drop by my blog will take time out to help another person. Whether it is simply shoveling snow for a person who can not.....taking a few canned goods to a neighbor you know is out of work .... or even take your daily newspaper to a neighbor who maay love to read it and cant afford the subscription. instead of throwing it in the trash .

I am using up fabric scraps and yarns and making warm items to send to pine ridge. It isnt alot a month as i dont have a full time job at the moment .. and YES..I do make scarves and hats and sell also ..i depend on my interent sales to make bills... but i can send a small package every month as a gift to help others. It makes me happy to know that it might make a difference that someone will be a little warmer this winter. I am not typing this so people go...oh look.. she is patting herself on the back for doing this .... I am writing this to hopefully show you that even one item .. no matter how small can make a difference in a persons life. http://www.guardian.co.uk/global/2010/jan/11/native-americans-reservations-poverty-obama This is an interesting article on Pine Ridge Reservation and the poverty and misconceptions people have about it... This is the link that will show many ways to help out with a drive at Pine Ridge Reservation

http://friendsofpineridgereservation.org/projects/

Pink sweater into lots other stuff....

Time for bed here in minute.. but i just finished the pink leg warmers with the ruffled bottoms ..they are so warm and i just love them. I have enough sweater left for 2 more pairs ... maaybe work on them tomorrow. I HAVE to paint woodwork in kitchen and living room tomorrow. I was suppose to do it today ...

I finished the hat this afternoon. Came out adorable . Who knew taking apart a sweater could be such fun. I have a pile of more sweater fabrics to work with ..but not tonight .

Just finished the pink hat..it is for sale at http://tribalbarter.blogspot.com/2010/01/ladies-bubble-gum-pink-winter-hat.html .

I took a hooded pink sweater in sz 3 x ..it had hole in shoulder.. i have cut the hood off and I am crocheting around it...then the arms will be leg warmers..that leaves me a huge double sided piece from actual body of the sweater.. I will probaly get 3 at least more pairs of leg warmers from the sweater body.. Some of the sweater stuff I make will be sold and then some will be donated to a drive at Pine Ridge reservation

http://www.friendsofpineridgereservation.org/ Take a minute or five and check out the webpage for them. There are many drives that one could help with ...

Painting on a snowy day ....

I am Way tired of all the snow this last week and the cold. So i started painting the kitchen. It is a warm gold color called "ginger palm". I wasnt sure about it at first. I dont normally paint dark colors but i find I really do like it. I just had to add a lace curtain. I may paint the cabinets next week or two also. I need to finish painting the rest of the inside of the house first. I have the living room painted also this week. It is a "bermuda sand"..which is a light sand color with a hint of lavender to it. Very relaxing color .Today I will have to get the trim and doors in both these rooms done. Then on to the hallway ...I want to try to have the house finished up with the painting in a week or two. Then i can get back to crafting and making soap and jewelry .. Don't forget I have my handmade artisan soap and jewelry right now at clearance prices for January.. it is at http://www.tribalbarter.blogspot.com/

Neckscarves and horse bags or purses ....

I also made some earrings today. Some for me :)..and some to sell on my barterpage.. http://www.tribalbarter.blogspot.com/

Doesnt this hula hoop look like fun ? Maggie from prairieland herbs sent it to me today.... I was like OMG!!!!!!!! I have So been wanting one of these. It is too cold to really jog for exercise . This will do the trick for me for sure. Those pesky pounds on my hips hopefully will go away this winter .... I need LOTS of practice. I spent more time laughing at myself today than actually getting it to stay on my hips.

I am going thru fabrics to put together some new projects to work on. I have alot of stuff that needs to be handsewn and winter is a good time to do these projects while i curl up on the couch and watch a movie . The plaid fabric was enough to cut out 4 long neckscarves . One for me and 3 to be sold or bartered. The horse fabric is fleece and i plan to make beaded or fringed bags from them .I had enough other fleece to cut out 8 neckscarves. I like to hand hem them and then use embroidery thread and blanket stitch around the edges.

Upholstery fabric pillows

I had some scrap of upholstery fabric left in my fabric stash....so i whipped these pillows up yesterday ... I enjoy rich color and unusual textures in fabrics. These will be perfect on my wicker furniture . The fly fishing one is a gift for a friend to go with his lapquilt I made this fall.

Making Bath Salts early

I use an old roasting pan to mix mine all in. The 2 main things to remember is to not use any utensils that are still damp with water and mix well . Also to use fragrance OIL... water based will not work with these and will melt the salts.. I use a 3--2--1 ratio ..3 cups epsom salts..... 2 cups sea salt....1 cup baking soda . I like this mixture the best. There are many bath salt recipes online so take time and browse them and see what you like the best. For fragrance i use 2 oz per batch.But i like a heavy scented fragrance in my salts. I add a tiny bit of oxide to color my salts. It only takes a few sprinkles of it. It also helps me to see to mix the fragrance oil in well . You can store in jars ..or plastic baggies..... Some of these will be xmas gifts this year .

I spent yesterday scrubbing cabinets inside and out..then started on the living room hardwood floors to get the old wax off and new on....ssssoooo I didnt get to make any soap yesterday or probaly today. Still have to finish the last of cabinets and part of living room floor today before i do anything else.... oh well.Tis the season to scrub and clean :) BUT.... I jumped out of bed this morning and had cuppa chai tea about 5 am so could make my bath salts up for presents. Bath salts are one of the easiest things to make. I use mine actually for a foot soak.. Now all that is left to do is wrap them up all pretty and make cute tags for them .... I scented the lavender salts a "sun kissed rasberry" and the blue ones are "blueberry".

Now to have breakfast and get to scrubbing the floor....... If i get everything all done i will be able to make soap tomorrow. Tuesday the bathroom floor is being replaced so this is my last chance to make soap for few days

Cast Iron Pan Candy

http://suzannemcminn.com/blog/2009/12/11/cast-iron-pan-candy/ I just love sharing this ladys blog and all her recipes with everyone... She shows alot of the steps she goes thru making all the goodies..which is a big help to me. This is one i want to try in next few weeks.

LOVE my lye soap for everything !!

I spent yesterday running around town trying to get lye for my soap...first off. NO ONE believes you make soap with it...they think you are just a well dressed drug dealer. When you try to educate them on how lye is in soap..they just say.. oh no .. "glycerine is what is in MY soap "....GRR!!! people.. glycerine is a by product of it all.. OH WELL . I have my lye... I can make soap now . I took the solid green and the light purple bars i hade made few weeks ago.. I cut them in smaller pieces and added to the lye when i poured it in the mold. That gives me the confetti soap ( thanks bonne for the idea) . I set my mold in a warm oven (preheated to 170 degrees and then turned OFF ) and let it set up overnight . It sets up quick and the bar is very hard.Ready to use after a few days of setting so it can completely dry out. I used mulberry scent in the purple and green soap....a sandalwood in the green confetti soap . I sell and trade some of my soaps ..some i use for gifts..then others i keep JUST for me ! Bonne started me on the path to using only handcrafted lye soaps...... i used hers for several years and then she talked me into making my own. I wont go back to store bought soap again. The shea butters and other oils in my soap..along with the herbs i add... my skin thinks it is in seventh heaven .It has never been softer . I even save the ends and pieces from a leftover bar...cut in small pieces..add to a spray bottle of water..once it sits day ot two to get all mushy .. i use it to clean the whole house. I dont use shampoo anymore either. The handmade soap is great for my hair. It has never been stronger or shinier .

How To Make Corn Husk Angels...

http://suzannemcminn.com/blog/2009/12/01/learn-how-to-make-corn-husk-angels/#comment-54694 I just love these corn husk angels from Suzanne's blog. You could turn them into faeries for your tree also..take a minute and visit her blog and check these out along with all the many adventures she has been up to with Clover and her animal friends....