I have been really lacking in creativity in my crochet lately. I have done tons of sewing and I have enjoyed it but I have been spending time with family and not much time with the hook in the evenings. I haven’t been pleased with the projects I have been doing and that seems to breed procrastination and lots of thinking. What I was working on wasn’t pretty or bright or even colorful. It did have plenty of colors in it but I think the background color wasn’t/isn’t working. So, I am not even going to show it to you until I improve it with a new background color. I did get a crochet hook out and start some long stringy things but they also lacked life.So, those also fell by the wayside. This did start this weekend and I am pretty driven to complete it. I am happy and at peace by this one little square. Now to figure out what I did and how to make tons of multiples. Yes it is a granny square, and it makes me very happy. 
I am off to crochet a bunch more. See you later, Karen
Tag: Use your stash challenge
Cleaning up
You know how you start to look for an important piece of paper and it isn’t to be found, ANYWHERE. I have had that problem three times in the last four months. I have been been putting off working on our files since we moved to Iowa. There is so much that we just dumped in a drawer or cabinet when we moved back. I have been letting things like filing and organizing slide around here. I am an artist/packrat type person, my husband is the Engineer/keep it we might need it one day person, and together we have children that are a wonderful combination of our two personalities. We have been drowning in clutter. I would really like to say that I had planned organizing today several weeks ago and as it came up on my planner I got right to work. HA! Really, I am procrastinating doing something else.
Here is the before photo. I hate to share it but we are real people around here.
Umm, the toilet paper is for noses and dog ears.
This is the top of the dining table and my drafting table height desk, which I love but I had given to hubs to use when we moved back in. We have a spare door that belongs on the laundry room door but doesn’t work when you actually have a washer and dryer in the laundry room. So, it has been stored in the house in another room and was just waiting for this use. 
Here is the door on top of the filing cabinets, which are full of paper, which is the reason I started this anyway. The other reason I started this was to do this with our common everyday papers.
Isn’t it beautiful! I love how organized she is. So, I set out to do something along the same lines without running to the store. I have set a challenge for myself for the year to do as much as I can without buying new organizing things. I love her color coordinated notebooks, and it would look so much more put together but, I have a busy, busy life, and I won’t get it all together and keep it together long enough to do this.
This is my take on her organization method. I also added a front piece on each binder because, and there are two of us using these, and it would help to have directions. The perfectionist in me wants to rip that label out that is cut crooked and fix it. I am NOT going to obsess about this. IF this system works then I might revamp it later and pretty it up.
Here are some after photos of my desk and his desk. I am working on the files on his desk, so it is more cluttered than mine. I also wasn’t sure where he wanted his white board hung.
The green and red box is for paper to shred, which should open up some room in the file drawers. My Mom sent me this great link about which papers to keep and which to shred.
http://www.usa.gov/Topics/Money/Personal-Finance/Managing-Household-Records.shtml
To keep it all real, here is the photo of the table that I am still decluttering. Why does organizing always make things look worse before it looks better?
I am excited to have a landing pad for my laptop. I am determined to spend less time on the screen and more time with my family. So, I am going to try to treat my laptop as a desktop. We are also washing the dog beds and dogs. We did sweep and mopped thoroughly. The floor had been in bad condition since it had been raining, and the dogs have had access to this room only.
Talk to you later,
Karen
Quilted Hearts
I am sure that you remember these from my sewing binge last week.
Here is the midpoint.
Here they are in all the beauty. These turned out so well that I can almost forget all the zip bag failures!
I spent a whole day piecing these together. Then the better part of a morning stuffing and hand sewing the opening closed. They are cute and lovely. They will also be available in the www.ChocolateDogStudio.etsy.com shop on Friday at 6 pm. There are all sorts of lovely colors in each one and they are stripey and fun. I am working hard on the fun part of the shop! When they are gone they are gone as I used bits and pieces I had been collecting for awhile. Each one is unique. These could easily have fit in with the use my stash challenge!
see you later,
Karen
Infinity Scarves
I have been spending my time productively the past few weeks. Saturday our son came over and took some really good photographs for me. He does such a great job and I really appreciate it. I can’t wait to get these into the ChocolateDogStudio shop but I will take my time and list a few a day. It really stretches my mind to come up with flowery, enthusiastic, descriptive phrases. I am really only good for listing one or two things at a time.
I really enjoyed crocheting this pattern, it is fun. I love how these scarves turned out. They are stretchy and lacy at the same time. A lovely accessory for those that tend to get too warm with a traditional infinity scarf. Even though, I have stopped the Use your stash challenge, I found that these scarves are great stash busters!
I found the pattern here if you want to make your own. http://classycrochet.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/free-pattern-diamond-lattice-chain-crochet-infinity-scarf/
It is an easy pattern and great for beginners. Jen does a great job with step by step photos, walking you through the pattern bit by bit.
talk to you later,
Karen
Monday April 28, 2014
I had an overwhelming feeling this past weekend that I needed to buy more yarn. I have, after all, crocheted a huge amount of items. I haven’t really ordered any yarn since January when I started the 100 items in 100 days challenge. I did buy two destash orders from friends on Etsy last month but that doesn’t really count!  Here is the yarn I bought from my friend Rose who knits wonderful blankets, scarves, and shawls. 
IÂ am combining it with the rest of the wool yarn that I had leftover and it is in the process of being turned into a wonderful one of a kind art blanket. It is full of lovely texture and Autumn colors, but it is wool and it is HOT to sit under right now. Here is the undoctored photo of my foot in the boot. This is the other reason it is hot. This boot is heavy and like wearing an insulated blanket.
I don’t know about you but sitting around is exceedingly boring. I have run through many Netflix marathons in the afternoons and evenings. This is also the reason I have completed so many different baby items. So, I was thinking that I needed to buy more yarn and decided that I would first see what I have on hand.
Lovely blues, greens, white, red and navy
A nice assortment of colors from pink to bright orange back to purples, and grey.
Another tub full of neutral yarns. So, I am not ordering any yarn. I have ENOUGH yarn to keep me busy for a little while! These are all full skeins, we aren’t going to look at all the partial sets of yarn.
Actually, I did buy yarn but it isn’t for me. I am having it shipped to my cousin in Keller, Texas because she sitting a lot right now as well.
Talk to you later,
Karen
100 items in 100 days!
Looking back at this challenge. I would say that it has helped me think outside the box. I had to get out of my comfort zone in my sewing and forced me to finish some mending projects. I finished a bunch of things in a short period of time. Â I forced myself to use what I had on hand to fill my shop. It was good for me as it pushed me to create new and different things. It was an incredibly freeing experience to
Here they all are!
See you later,
Karen
Finally completely done! 100 items in 100 days
This is the final post of 100 items in 100 days!
I finally caught up with myself and I finished these items for the 100 items in 100 days.
Lavender and rice pocket warmers or relaxation hearts, or hot or cold pads. These are pretty much for whatever you need them to be. They are filled with rice and lavender buds. You could also put the in the dryer for freshly scented clothes.
I finally finished up these non paper paper towels. I have had them cut out for ages and they just needed to be sewn.
So there you go the last two items that I needed to post to really be officially finished.
Talk to you later,
Karen
Here is the previous post on this challenge:Â http://www.chocolatedogstudio.com/2014/04/01/april-fools/
and the post before that:Â http://www.chocolatedogstudio.com/2014/02/05/progress/
Overwhelmed?
I have been feeling overwhelmed lately. There just seems to be too much on my plate and not enough time. I remembered this email that my husband had forwarded to me and decided to take a look. It is from Michael Hyatt. He has experience and common sense. This year I decided that I needed to streamline my business and then I plunged into the 100 items in 100 days Challenge. I have been blogging and stressing about things to do ever since.
Here is Michael’s article:Â http://michaelhyatt.com/086-what-to-do-when-you-feel-overwhelmed-podcast.html
1. Decide that you need to make a change!
I do need to change some things. My schedule needs to be flexible and work with the ebb and flow of this retail business and my family life. I tend to get into ruts and many times say “No” when it should be “yes”. I have some natural built in things that keep me honest about energy and time usage. I need to say “Yes” to change!
2. Eliminate
What can I cut out of my business or home life? What can I do to change up what I am doing? I am working on some new spins on old items in my shop and some new things altogether. Can I organize things within our family that will allow me to be better organized overall?
3. Automate
I need to automate some parts of my business so that I don’t have to make decisions about little time consuming details. I need to blog and create weeks or months in advance and then decide when I am going to release different  articles.
4. Delegate
I need to plan meals, cleaning and other activities that take me out of the house and away from studio productivity. My family helps all the time so delegating more to them is not possible.
5. Three high payoff activities
These three things save me the most time or pay me the most money for my time ; creating new items, writing crochet patterns, blogs and tutorials, planning everything from grocery lists and menus, to vacation days and business ideas.
6. Productivity Sinkholes
I know that these eat my productivity; leaving the house and studio disorganized, spending too much time on the internet or watching tv, not following through on a task, starting more than I can finish in one sitting when sewing, being afraid of success or failure.
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7. Schedule important tasks
I need to plan when to sit down and sew for extended periods of time. Schedule it in on my calendar. I have already scheduled basic household maintenance things like changing the heat pump filters. It is helping me to remember to do the small things that save money.
8. Hire a virtual assistant….
I’m not really ready for a paid virtual assistant but I can work on using all the tools available on the computer and phone to help me keep track of expenses and mileage.
I hope all this thinking helps out. I have the beginnings of a plan and now I need to implement it one step at a time.
Talk to you later,
Karen
#92-100 Finished At Last!
I finished up these pot holders and coffee press cozies this week. The pot holders have two layers of batting in the middle to keep your hands nice and cool. There is coordinating fabric on the back that I pulled from my supplies and the front is quilted from fabric I had as well.
Here is # 92
#93
#94 and 95
They turned out really nice and I love the thick potholders. I also finished up these coffee cozies using the supplies I had on hand.
#96
#97
#98
#99
#100
There we go 100 items in 100 days! I am so excited about being finished. I have a bunch of new items on the horizon. I did use up a bunch of supplies and it did stretch my creativity. I had fun and finished up a bunch of projects quickly as I was motivated to be able to buy some new fabric! I still have about four projects that are unfinished that I have started during the challenge time and I may continue counting them toward the challenge. I did have to breakdown and buy some new supplies towards the end of the challenge. If I hadn’t started the challenge I would not have been ready for the opportunity that came my way at Java Dave’s! Â I have a ton of things cut out, ready and waiting for me to sew.
See you later!
Karen
Recycle Crafts
The Challenge of creating 100 items in 100 days has lead me to some interest recycling projects. Here are some of my favorites. I may use these ideas for my challenge items as they look fun, easy and I already have ALL of the supplies.
I like to recycle when I am creating but I don’t want to have to collect 59 million candy wrappers or bread tabs or plastic bottles to be able to finish the project. I like it to be quick and to the point using  materials that I already have on hand. If I have to go out and buy something to create a recycled craft, I feel like it is defeating the purpose of recycling as a craft. I love the crafts listed on here as I can create them pretty much anytime as the supplies I already own.
These are just cute little tins.
Such cute candle holders. These would be perfect for Autumn on through Christmas..
and a super cute washer necklace idea!
Talk to you later,
Karen