one of a kind Archives - Page 6 of 8

Posted on January 17, 2014 by admin

1 thing for 100 Days Challenge

I did some serious thinking about the 1 thing for 100 days. I like to challenge myself in different ways. I am already doing the New Year’s resolution thing with exercise, house cleaning and devotional/reading time. I really didn’t want to repeat those things again. So this is my challenge and you are welcome to join me.

Here it is!

I will try to make 1 thing in 100 days using only the supplies I have on hand. I will not buy any more supplies except for thread, buttons and elastic. I am going to try to use a variety of supplies and techniques to make my 100 things. I have a 100 + item board on Pinterest if you want to see some of the inspirations for my projects.Â http://www.pinterest.com/chocodog/100-%2Bideas-for-using-up-my-supplies/

I have fabric, yarn, paint, batting, canvas, etc… I hope to make some things for our house that I have been putting off as well as come up with some new ideas for the ChocolateDogStudio shop. Â I am not going to simply make 100 cup cozies or Granny Squares. I could do that in three days.

Some of the projects that are half done will count as well as ideas that have been percolating for some time. I DO have yarn that I ordered last week and fabric that I bought before Christmas. So some of the supplies are new and some are very old. I have a bunch of vintage cottons that are screaming out to be place mats, quilts, houses or bunnies!

These adorable mice are from mmmCrafts. Â http://mmmcrafts.blogspot.com/2012/02/wee-mouse-tin-house-pattern-available.html

I do have tins! Do, I ever have tins!

Ticker tape quilts! Yes, I have batting and backing! IÂ have a ridiculous amount of crafting supplies, sewing supplies, art supplies, recycled materials, kids craft materials, etc. If you need something just ask. It is overwhelming to think about, dig through, sort, manage, keep organized and find what I need I have so much stuff. I do have two sets of purse handles, modge podge, bracelet blanks, animal fleece, wool suiting and several very nice larger pieces of fabric. It will be a challenge but I am more than ready. I have felt for some time that “Hoarders” could come and make a movie about the amount of craft things I have.

Here are the rules:

I must make 100 items out of the items I already own before I can buy any more fabric, or yarn.
I will take photos of the supplies while I am making the items and post to this blog. My last purchase of sewing/craft related items was last week and is yarn for a specific blanket idea.
Crocheting granny squares, circles or anything like that doesn’t count.
A completed blanket will count, a crochet flower with a pin back will count. It must be a finished item, no partial projects will count.
Plain cup sleeves don’t count, patchwork ones do! So, creativity has to be involved.
A unfinished project that I completely finish does count as I will still be getting rid of supplies
Sewing for the house, hemming curtains and recovering chairs count as long as I do not buy any supplies.
Doing clothing repairs and hems also count as they sit in my studio and take up room.
If it doesn’t work out, I will still post my fails. It is going to be a lot of stretching creatively and my sewing will cover a bunch of new ground. So I will probably fail at some things. That is ok, everyone fails from time to time.

Join in with me and post your item links in the comments. I will post your items on my blog as well. Worst case scenario we will 100 prototype items and the Best case scenario is that we will have found new uses and homes for hundreds of craft supplies that were laying around.

I haven’t been so excited in ages. This is going to be so hard and so much fun at the same time. I am also getting ready to start another challenge. It is a granny square challenge. I will share more about it later.

See you,

Karen

****Note****************************************************************************************After I posted this I started a Pinterest board for all of our wonderful projects that we are going to finish! Â Reach me via my Etsy shop if you want to be added to the Pinterest page. I will need the e-mail you used to sign up for Pinterest with. I reserve the right to remove you from the board if anything above a PG level is posted. I will never, never use your e-mail for anything else, EVER. I will personally start posting on Saturday Jan. 13, 2014!

*************************************************************************************************

Posted on January 17, 2014 by admin

#1 out of 100 projects from my Supply Stash!

Here is my first project for the 100 things from my stash challenge.

Honestly, I had started this before I started the challenge and I have been working on it off and on for several days. Here Â are some photos of the beginning of the project. I was inspired by different photos on Pinterest and blogs that I read. I try to decorate a little for each of the different holidays but I was wanting something new.

This vase with flowers and sticks is fromÂ http://mijnindiansummer.blogspot.nl/2013/02/vintage-altijd-bloeiende-bloemen.html.

Michaels version of sticks in a jar. Â http://www.pinterest.com/pin/364158319839146292/

So I started with the sticks in a jar.

Ok, a little reality here. The sticks are from Â my yard. The curly ones are honeysuckle vines that came down in the storm. The jar is an old spaghetti sauce jar that someone felt we needed to keep. The plaster of paris holding the sticks upright in the jar is leftover from some school or scout project. The crochet is made up from the tiny balls of yarn and some granny square extras left over from a blanket. I painted the sticks in about ten minute sessions over a couple of days. So, it wasn’t a big time waster.

The felt hearts I had made up about six years ago to put in a bowl on the same table. They simply looked awful and I put them in a zipper bag and forgot about them. Originally they were simply one color of felt on the front and looked blah. Quite frankly, the felt was collected over the years. Some of the felt, I used in grade school. My Mom gave it back to me when the girls were in scouts.

I pulled out my embroidery floss and felt bits. I Â used the floss bits that I were too short to keep. No, really I had a bunch of bits and pieces of floss that were already separated and cut from the skein.

I used my infinite supply of buttons too small to use on anything on the front and sometimes the back to add a bit of interest and sparkle. It has turned out better than I expected.

Here it is finished and ready for Valentine’s Day!

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 17, 2014 by admin

The Modern Ripple

This Modern Ripple has been a challenge. It started as Â remake of a popular style blanket and then took on a life of its own. The ripple stripes were so much fun to create and the striping pattern so unexpected. I love it’s unexpected stripes. The colors were also a bit off the beaten track of what I normally create with. Originally, I crocheted a good third of it and then (frogged) took it apart it back to the first 10 rows and started over with different color combinations. Here it is!

The lovely fold over binding that kept me from having to weave in all those yarn ends and keeps it nice and neat.

It is 50″ x 60″ long measured from a peak on one end to a valley on the other. The stripes go side to side. Â It ends and begins with a deep dark navy that looks almost black. This blanket is for sale in the shop, ready to take ship. I am also creating the pattern and it will be available via Craftsy, Zibbet and Etsy. This is an easy pattern to crochet, there are just so many color changes that you need to be comfortable changing colors and weaving in ends.

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 9, 2014 by admin

Crochet Project Life Cycles

This is meant to be funny but often times hits closer to home than I intended it to. I hope you can enjoy the spirit in which it is meant.

The life cycle of a large crochet project.

Personal experience tells me that there are at least 5 distinct phases of a project. There is the Â dream phase, the beginning phase, the please let me finish this phase or Mount Everest, the I can’t wait to finish this or the downhill phase/ dreaming of a new project, and finally the I can’t believe that it is finished phase and I can’t wait to start the new project.

The dream phase is incredible fun. I tend to surf the internet looking for patterns, styles, colors or just plain inspiration. I will pull out all of my yarns and make a huge mess while I play with it. I have been known to start and stop, frogging the trial swatch several times before I hit on the perfect project. Pinterest is huge fun at this point. Dreaming about all of the projects, colors, styles and incredible possibilities. Â I am full of enthusiasm, excitement, and a bit obsessive.

The dream phase has enough enthusiasm and excitement to carry me through the beginning phases of a project. I am thrilled and happy. I am brilliant person for picking that particular color combination or pattern. How wonderful it is to be working on this project. Look the colors just sing! This Â phase is accompanied by Â stretching out the blanket and showing how beautiful all the colors are and much required admiring remarks from the family. This all sounds like bliss, until we hit the dreaded middle of the project or Mount Everest.

Mount Everest is the middle of the project where you aren’t quite half way. I have committed a fortune to the supplies for this monster. Yes, monster of a project and I am just not- Going- To – Quit. This is often muttered under your breath while your family sits on the opposite side of the room and says things like “Would you like chocolate while you work on this? Would you like to watch a movie and eat chocolate? How about some chocolate? Yes, frequently chocolate does help, but the bigger the project the larger and longer this Mount Everest feels. Quite frequently this is also where a project can become a WIP (work in progress) or PIG (project in grocery bag) and quietly put aside. My final thoughts on a big project are “please,please, just let me finish this before I die.” Which is silly since I am not on the brink of death and I will finish this project. Great background music is Night on Bald Mountain from Fantasia (the original production). Followed by the Ava Maria as you pass over the middle of the project and slide down the back half of the project.

The last half of the project or down hill from Mount Everest is filled with anticipation of the next project. My thought processes are filled with dreamy thoughts about how wonderfully the next project will go and how happy I will be to complete it. Â It will go so quickly and be so completely fabulous that I will finish it in no time…etc… Â I may even order the yarn or spend time flirting with the yarn stores on line by putting items in my shopping cart one day and removing them the next or even a week later. Finally, good sense will take hold and the $30 per skein specialty yarn will get evicted from the shopping cart and I will decide to work with what I have on hand already. My husband will give me the look by which he means… “You already have five laundry baskets of yarn downstairs and two upstairs and you mean to say that you can’t use what you already have?” All the while I crochet happily away thinking and saying to myself “I am SO DONE with this project. Why did I pick such a large size blanket? What was I thinking about making so many color changes and look at all the ends I am going to have to weave in at the end?” Â About 25 rows from the end I start estimating how many rows it will take to finish it and how many more nights I am going to spend crocheting. It looks like this.Â “Ohhhh, look I only have 15 rows left, surely I can get this done tonight. Surely I can just crochet faster and get it done by 9 tonight.”

My Husband finally looks over at me after ten and says… “Aren’t you going to sleep tonight”. Â So I grudgingly put it away and finally finish it up the next night.

The next night will show me doing a happy dance. As I show off the beautiful finished creation full of beauty and Â of course loose ends that aren’t completely woven in. So, I sit down for the next two or three nights weaving in the ends of the project as I struggle to really finish it off right! Enthusiasm for the next project might shorten this weaving in phase or it might eclipse it altogether as I head off in the blissful beginnings of a new crochet blanket, or the middle of Mount Everest. Which is exactly where I am right now on this project.

Happy and obsessed is the crocheter that never runs out of yarn, because there is always a little bit left over to crochet with!

talk to you later,

Karen

So sorry about the bad photo at the end but I am a bit obsessed with finishing this one. I have another project on my mind that I already have yarn for, and the yarn for the project after this one is on it’s way in the mail! :0)

Posted on January 7, 2014 by admin

January 7, 2014

The weather was bitterly cold for our part of the world. Oklahoma is not known for the temperatures in the teens. The snow is pretty but under the snow is a nice coating of ice.

This is the view off of my front porch.

Here is the back deck and yard. The ice isn’t as bad as it was last time but it is colder.

I stayed in and thought about goals, deadlines, chores and menus. Then I thought of this!

Yes, I am procrastinating on my cleaning! A basket liner for my favorite large yarn basket. It has turned out better than I thought. Â Why is it that the New Year starts and we all get the organizing bug! Anyway this isn’t much of a tutorial more of a how to do it Â yourself for your basket. The tutorial will come tomorrow.

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on January 6, 2014 by admin

JackZen Hemp

I found the coolest hemp bracelets on Etsy today. There are so many different colors and styles to choose from.

This shop is owned and run by Ashley Jackson. She lives in Milwaukee WI. She makes beautiful bracelets and there are so many different colors and styles to choose from.

Ashley is a single mom making ends meet. Drop by and say hi! You can find Ashley on Etsy here:Â https://www.etsy.com/shop/JackZenHemp

Thanks for stopping by today,

See you later,

Karen

Posted on December 26, 2013 by admin

Passion is Over-rated!

Passion is quite frankly over-rated. I am really down on passion these days. Passion is a flash in the pan, a moment in time never to be attained again in precisely the same way.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/153674550/taylor-hanson-passion-chalkboard

Now that I have your attention I will say that following your passion in business is over-rated. So Â are the statements “create what you love and you will do great in your artistic life”, “be true to yourself”,”be who you are”. All of those statements are truthful to a point but the real truth is that Â unless you put old fashioned HARD WORK you aren’t going to make it. Hard work is what keeps you making that one item the hundredth time. Hard work will keep you creating when you are tired and worn out. Hard work and not passion is what keeps musicians practicing in tiny rooms for hours at a time. Passion might put them in the room but hard work is what keeps them improving and practicing for long hours with no audience.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/109005760/kevin-durant-basketball-inspirational

“Create what you love and you will do great in your artistic life”. Hmmm, where do you think the term starving artist came from? Â If you are doing your art or craft to pay bills, you might have to compromise your vision with what the people will buy. It is a terribly tiny line that you walk between earning money and following your dream. Somewhere between your dream and reality lies the middle line. Your job as an artist is to find a middle point that fulfills you as an artist and provides a living. At least until you have made a name for yourself. I know that there are people that will disagree with this, but if you are going to spend time and money creating, then you need people to buy your items to finance more creating. What do you think?

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on December 8, 2013 by admin

Christmas Gifts….

It seems that Christmas comes earlier every year. I know by the calender that it doesn’t but sometimes it feels like it creeps up on me. I am going to try to post some Christmas gift ideas as I am hunting some down for my Christmas gift list. So, I will start with gifts for the chef, cook, or kitchen.

These are crocheting gifts…

The ever present potholders!

1.Â http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/flower-potholdersÂ This pattern is free from Ravelery.

2.Â http://www.helloyarn.com/potholder-swap-potholders/

I love these,

Talk to you later,

Karen

Posted on December 4, 2013 by admin

Resilient, Robust or Anti-Fragile?

The great thing about having facebook is the links that people post are often interesting. This one really spoke to me, in fact it spoke so much that I have asked for the book for Christmas. It talks about the opposite of being fragile or Antifragile. The book is Antifragile:Things that Gain from DisorderÂ is written Nassim Nicholas Taleb. I am taking my understanding of Taleb’s book from this website; http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/12/03/beyond-sissy-resilience-on-becoming-antifragile/

The article discusses the opposite of fragile. They discuss the fact that the opposite of fragile isn’t robust or resilient. As being Anti-fragile should put you ahead of where you started before the bad time happened. Instead of breaking during stressful personal or business times we should become stronger.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/113298492/inspirational-quote-coastal-art-surf

I have come through a time recently when I felt very fragile and I am continuing to feel fragile. So this concept is very attractive to me from a personal standpoint and as a small business owner.

The article touches on how large often equals fragile due to red tape, an inability to swiftly react to market changes, or icebergs in the case of the Titanic. Â It talks about being optimized to make use of every resource. In my case it would be a calendar with no extra time for the daily life occurrences that happen ie a flat tire, a sick child, medical emergencies that all play havoc with our calendar, budget and life. Â People try to reduce this randomness in life by planning it out. An example of this in real life are parents that try to keep their children from experiencing small hurts like Johnny doesn’t want to play with Jimmy. The author states that stress strengthens us and removing stresses from our children’s lives weakens them.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/113650600/inspirational-quote-though-she-be-but

Resilience or the ability to bounce back while a great ability to have is useless if you do not grow from your experience. Growing means that you have moved beyond randomness or become anti fragile.

The great news is that Taleb feels that being small is great for being antifragile! Small business are more able to change direction.

You really should read the rest of it and gather some great insight but here are some insights that I gathered from this article.

1. What doesn’t kill your small business should make it stronger. Will you learn from your mistakes? Change your focus if it is needed!

https://www.etsy.com/listing/123845997/i-refuse-to-sink-nautical-anchor-art

2. Have a back up plan!Â Having more than one critical piece of equipment isn’t a bad thing, for my business this would be to have more than one sewing machine that works well.

3. Add some stress to your life! Â You can do this by changing your work schedule, or how you do things. See if there is a new way to do what you have always done. Stress strengthens you as it forces you to change.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/159592978/rough-days-inspirational-quote-print

4. Play it safe and also take risks. In a small retail business this might be continuing to sell your best selling items while you learn a new skill or sell something else just to see how it goes.

5. Don’t take advice from someone that doesn’t also do what you do.Why would you take advice from someone that doesn’t also run a small business?

6. Reduce the negatives. Remove things that are detracting from your business or life. Do you have bad habits or debt? Get rid of the debt and work on the bad habits.

7. Keep your options open. So,keep some money in the bank for the slow times. If your best selling item stops selling then stop making it and move on.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/163272244/custom-inspirational-quote-print-she

I am excited to get to read this book as it reinforces what I have always known; What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger! We just have to decide that we are going to grow from what has happened and move forward or in a completely different direction.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/157913517/typography-art-print-life-is-like-a

This poster just says it all! I’m off to change my focus, add some stress, and finish some things up!

See you later!

Karen

Posted on December 3, 2013 by admin

Movies and Crocheting!

I have to admit that I love to watch movies while I crochet. It can be documentaries, sci fi, classics or even cake boss. It just seems to help the time pass. A cup of coffee makes it much better as does a really long movie or series of movies. I am working on a custom blanket right now and it is going well. Â Here are some photos of some past work.

I’m thinking about making another one of these Granny Square blankets in the Spring! I will certainly have enough scraps to do so!

and maybe another one of these! I have had some inspiration hit the last couple months and I am ready to create some new crochet patterns! I just need to get this beautiful custom blanket out of the way. So, off I go to crochet and watch more movies!

What do you do while you are creating?

Talk to you later,

Karen