Crazy Busy Life

So I feel like I really need to apologize that I haven't posted since last week!! Its been busy between projects I am working on, needed to finish, and waiting for my new nephew to arrive. Of those things, I finalized a scrapbook for my almost 2 year old nephew (he loved it!!), finished my mom's birthday present (lots of cloth flowers- pictures coming) and got to meet my nephew Saturday (also lots of pictures to come). Hopefully by Wednesday I will get a chance to do all these things and share with you. Also tonight I have been working on more breast cancer auction items for work- pictures will be shared when complete :)

Have a great week!

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Over the past week I have been going back and forth between numerous projects and today I am featuring just one of them- given that it is the start of October, this is most appropriate

So far I have made just these 3 felt flowers that I am in love with. These (and any others I make before then) are being donated for an auction at work which will raise money to go to the Breast Cancer Foundation. Too many women's lives are taken by breast cancer each year and I hope that these flowers will not only remind people who wear/display them to self-examine regularly, but also remind those who see them.

I want to focus on this one, because when I posted it on facebook, I was asked how I made it. The tutorial for both the center and the main flower are from Design Dump. I actually made the base of the main flower bigger and it just worked out that I had this space in the middle that I wasn't 100% sure what I wanted to do with. From there, I had a reject "rose" flower that I just on a whim placed in the center and LOVED!!! Why do I call it reject flower, you ask? Because when I cut the spirals for the flower, I made them very skinny and as I glued the flower together, it got tall instead of wide.  All in all I totally love how it turned out and hope it helps contribute nicely to the auction money!  The flower on the left was made in the same manner and the one on the right was made with a tutorial from icandy handmade and although I was initially annoyed with the cutting, after completion I am more than happy to do it again.

fabric confession

Ok I have a confession to make. I went to Michaels and Joann's last night and was in pure heaven. I know I have always loved looking at scrapbook paper, picking out stickers, and all that jazz. However, when I got to Joann's and starting browing the shelves of fabric, I felt a very similiar thrill and excitement!! I fear this may mean I might atually have to bust out my sewing machine more often to do little projects. Of course this means I need to actually re-teach myself HOW to use a sewing machine, but I think I can handle this.  The reality is it has probably been middle school, or if you are lucky, high school since I did any sewing other than fixing a button or something quickly by hand. I guess I am officially challenging myself in a very new and exciting way. I have already branched out into working on this cool burlap flower bouquet as part of a gift for my mom for her birthday at the end of the month. Late start, but I had a general idea of what I wanted to do and it took a while to nail it down. I am going to mix burlap flowers up with some fabric flowers but I am not totally sure on which style I will go with. I have already purchase the fabric so tonight will be a time to play (hopefully post some pictures). 

Inspriration

So I think I have mentioned that I started a new job back in August. It has definitely been a huge switch from what I was doing and an even bigger change of pace for me. Thankfully this is a wonderful and very welcome thing. First, my hours changed from 8 or 9 to? to a steady 11a-7p every single day. Also, instead of running around all day (which I must admit I do miss sometimes) and visiting kids/families, I am at a desk answering phones and taking information from callers so they can get different mental health/substance abuse services. Although I miss the face to face contact with those served, I am also really enjoying this aspect too and the change of pace was much needed before my chest exploded!


Anyway, where I was going with this is that now with a different job, I feel like my hunger for creativity can really be met a little more. Although I am busy a lot of the day, during downtime I am enjoying perusing other craft/scrapbooking blogs and making the wheels turn like crazy. For instance, even though I am not really sewing-ly inclined, I really want to try making this awesome POUF for my nephews for Christmas this year. It seems easy enough and might ease my sewing anxieties a little. It’s not that I don’t think I can- just that I haven’t in SO long- like maybe since middle or high school even approached the sewing machine. The really funny part it that I actually put one on my wedding registry and when I did not receive it, my husband bought me one a few months later. Needless to say, it has been about 3 years, so maybe it is about time. Since moving last year, I actually have an appropriate place to put the sewing machine, provided it is not COVERED in scrapbooking projects.

That being said, this is going to be added to the list of things I already want to make after I finish Aydan’s scrapbook- which is TWO pages away by the way. I might have just pushed through last night, however I ran out of my beloved, DOTTO which I am definitely in love with and die without. I have tried very few other adhesives just because this one works for what I need and I love it. I think Thursday evening I will have to stop and get more on my way home from work and to get some supplies for other upcoming projects. These projects consist of: mom’s birthday present, hubby’s anniversary present, sister’s baby #3 present, and it seems to be ever-growing!!

See you Thursday!

finally satisfied.

Ok so first thanks to Leelou Blogs for my new layout which makes me finally satisfied with my blog and maybe this will in turn make me want to keep it more up to date. I was just unhappy with all the basic blogger ones considering I used to have my own hosted website which has long since gone by the wayside.
I am hoping to finish up my nephew's scrapbook tonight, which I started back in April. It captures the first year of his life so it is pretty fun to look through :) My hope is to finish it all then be able to photograph it all as well. Because, as much as I love Love LOVE to make a scrapbook for my sister, it is sad to not have it to show it off. So stay tuned for that! My apologies for the lack of updates- been a little crazy and as we move into October it is gaurenteed to get worse but I still hope to make some time for crafting :)