Work, work, work!

I've been buzzing all over the place like a  little worker bee recently.   The pile of projects continues to grow, unlike the hours in a day but c'est la vie!  For the past week I've done some sewing in the form of a denim apron for my brother-in-law which is 90% completed (I'm too scared to cut a split in it), a block of stacked coins made from all the orange fabric in my stash, and a small amount of embroidery.  

Other than that I've been working on a bit of the electronic side of the wonderful world of crafting.  I finally bought myself an inkjet printer which means I'll be able to print designs directly on fabric, which also means I need to begin learning design programs in hopes to create my own embroidery designs or be super lazy and just print then sew. 

Also thanks to the new printer I was able to download some new sewing patterns and actually spent last night putting one together in hopes to make my own Halloween costume.  I've tried following patterns before (purse) and didn't do so great as I basically said "I got this" and sewed things together without following directions ... lesson learned as it still sits unfinished in my craft room.  But I'm planning on doing better this time around as the idea of looking like someone from Once Upon a Time that just stepped out of the enchanted forest  sounds delightful! Hopefully I'll get the first part finished soon so I can check the fit before finishing the costume up ... I should diy a dress form one of these days but with an ever changing body size I'd hate to make one then gain or lose weight.  Oy the life of a crafter and the desire to make everything with your own hands!

The nerd in me

A dear friend of mine is one of those people who is very passionate about history,  we are talking does reenactments usually a few times a year.  He collects historical artifacts, studies for fun, makes historical facial hair look cool, and can talk so enthusiastically about history it gets other people excited about it.  His vast knowledge is astounding and it is always a great pleasure for me when we get into discussions about Europe in the 1500's (I adore the Tudor dynasty.)

It may seem a little odd for me to talk of such things in a craft blog but there is a very good reason ... he has asked me to make a historically accurate quilt for him!  The amount of work it is going to take does seem a little daunting but in the face of difficulty I tend to develop an almost inhuman amount of determination. This is just a very exciting opportunity for me!  Not only do I get to share my passion for quilting with a friend but I also get to let my inner nerd out to play.  The research has begun for both of us, as we both want to make something accurate to time, trying to find patterns and fabrics that do not jeopardize the integrity of a reproduction. 

I'll be meeting up with him tomorrow in hopes to brainstorm further about what he wants and maybe I can talk him into doing one of those pretty Turkish red and white quilts I keep coming across in my research.  Like quilting has been since I started almost 2 years ago this shall be a giant learning experience for me and I'm completely thrilled about it.

Birthday!

As mentioned earlier I haven't had much time nor real ability to make anything more to sell on etsy but I have been working on gifts for people.   Yesterday was a dear friend's birthday and so I made her a little something for her special day.  Like me she has a fondness for blue (ice blue being her favorite) and a first name that begins with S so making her present was one of the easiet things for me to do.  The entire process was a breeze and took very little thought because instinctually I knew what to do because it was pleasing to my eye  instead of being caught up in what others might think looked good ... it pays to have friends with similar taste (especially when they clean out their closets ;)).  So though I was all "I wanna keep it" I was able to part with the little pillow and seeing her smile when she opened it was well worth the time it took to sew it. 

Happy Birthday Shana! You have one of the brightest and sweetest hearts and are a great friend. Many blessings and wishes to you, my dear friend!

Set backs

I knew trying to find balance was going to take some effort but I never expected it would be this difficult!  Work, home, family, friends, holidays, crafts, and trying to have some what of a dating life is a juggling act to say the least.  The things I've managed to work on in the past week have been in preparation for the holiday season and due my bursa being inflamed it hasn't been much. Because of that I don't have a single craft to post about here and that is disheartening.  On top of all of that I now have to find time outside of work to post blogs with pictures due to blogger's recent update and the very old version of IE on my work computer not recognizing it.  If it doesn't kill you it will make you stronger so in the words of Annie you can "bet your bottom dollar" I'll find a way to make all of this work and hopefully soon.