KARMIC GOODIES: MORE FREEBIES/UPCYCLING

PRINTABLE POCKET CALENDAR

by To Have and To Hold

(I love that you can embellish the template to suit your style and/or available supplies!)

TREE CONES

by Kind Over Matter

(You can paint the tubes or even if you don't have toilet paper tubes around, you can 

just glue the cones on top of each other for a paper tree!)

COFFEE SLEEVE WREATH

by Magpie & Cake

found via Craftzine

(I am not going to lie, I both save and steal these for projects but you could use 

any recycled cardboard!)

TEARDROP ORNAMENT

by A Little Hut

(You could even paint some newspaper or use magazine paper!)

"The important work of moving the world forward does not wait to be done by perfect men."
– George Eliot (Mary Ann Evans)

HOLIDAY DECOR WITH WHAT YOU {might} HAVE!

HOLIDAY DECOR WITH WHAT YOU {might} HAVE!

Upcycling for the holidays--from Martha Stewart!

 

these cute fabric trees are from The Small Object-- I want to try this with paper!

Recycled Magazine Trees from Just Like Martha

Such a great idea!! I hate throwing magazines away....but sometimes it gets to be too much!

 

Yarn Trees by Pretty Ditty 

It would be cool to use up scrap yarn and upcycle some cardboard into a tree shape for this!

These cuties are from Design Sponge 

I love the idea of re-conceptualizing items in our homes!

Added Bonus for wow-factor:

these paper Finnish Stars are from Fry Dog Design 

"A person who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new."
– Albert Einstein

PRINTABLE HOLIDAY GIFT TAGS I LOVE:

PRINTABLE HOLIDAY GIFT TAGS I LOVE:

A PRINT A DAY

(So much more than just tags here! sigh, i just adore her madly!)

BADBIRD

(i <3 these illustrations)

HELEN DARDIK

(can i love her any more than i already do?)

OLD-SCHOOL LOVES:

ASHLEY G

(still my favorites!)

MARTHA STEWART

(these were my most used last year! I love the colors and the fun retro designs for everyone!)

SEW MAMA SEW

(for those handmade gifts!)

"Once we believe in ourselves, we can risk curiosity, wonder, spontaneous delight, or any experience that reveals the human spirit." 

– e. e. cummings

CROCHETED GIFTS

Some things I have been making for presents:

PETITE SCARF

(I made my flower into a pin so that it is removable or could hold the scarf together more securely. I really love this and can't wait to post my pictures!)

TRIBBLE TRIVET

(I want to make a million of these!! A great tutorial too!)

GRANDMA TWINKLE

(After seeing so many beautiful star garlands I went on an insane webquest to finally find the perfect FREE tutorial!! Since I spent many many hours by my mom's side in the hospital, this was one of those great projects to tide the time in a beautiful way!! Love love love their other tutes as well!)

And for all of the crochet lovers out there, here is the MECCA of all crochet sites

(brace yourself!)

CROCHET POET'S PATTERN COLLECTION

xoxo

FAUX-LAROID SANTA GARLAND

FAUX-LAROID SANTA GARLAND  

  

    I have been in MEGA house cleaning and decorating mode, and since I am trying to limit holiday spending this year I put together a SUPER EASY and cute garland inspired by the lovely Elsie and a photo spread from this month's Martha Stewart Living magazine. This project took about an hour and could easily be embellished more or altered depending on what you have around the house-- but tonight was about squeezing in some late-night craft for instant gratification!

Supplies I Used:

-Martha Stewart magazine spread ( 9 santas! )

-trusty glue stick

-white cardstock (for weight)

-red crochet yarn (I used some Sugar 'n Cream)

-crochet hook ( I used a size 8 to make quick loose loops)

-paper cutter

-mini-clothespins (I happened to have some Jolee's Boutique, but these are cute!)

-red pom pom trim

What I Did:

1. Cut out santas!

2. Cut cardstock so that each piece is 3 inches wide and 4.5 inches long

3. Glue santas to cardstock leaving more space on the bottom to mimic the polaroid look

4. Crochet a long chain (mine was made making 150 chains)

5. Tie pom pom trim to chain

6. Hang garland

7. Clip on santas!

I SINCERELY HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS PROJECT!

Let me know what you make-- love the inspiration and motivation to create!

(I only had 8 mini-clothespins, so I saved my favorite to decorate my hallway!)

WHAT I WANT TO MAKE THIS X-MAS [PART III]

CREATIVE YARN

CROCHET SPOT

(This will be perfect for my friend Jesse, who luckily never goes on the internet!)

CROCHET SPOT

(so many awesome tutorials!)

TIPNUT

TIPNUT

NOODLEHEAD

WHAT I WANT TO MAKE THIS X-MAS [PART II]

Getting excited!

PRETTY DITTY

RAVELRY
(made one so far though I think I made it too small!)

REFINERY 29

THE PURL BEE
(I started one of these, but the thread wasn't right so it was hard.)

CONFESSIONS OF A COMPULSIVE CRAFTER

WHAT I WANT TO MAKE THIS X-MAS [PART I]

If anything I feel like I am late in contemplating the holidays...

LARK & LOLA

ATTIC 24

SUZANNE STEIGE

LAUGHING PURPLE GOLDFISH DESIGNS

(Made one already!)

NATURALLY CARON

Looks like crochet is the theme!! I have two projects (not listed here) started--will share more soon!!

ONE-HANDED CRAFT!!

We're all a bit of a mess around here!! Haha!

Yet we persevere!! This cute little project was done with only one functioning hand!!!

I got the original tute over at Zakka Life and thought this would be a great activity to lift my spirits!!

I definitely got better with each!! The best was getting to find something fun to do with my super inspirational and colorful Paper Source catalogue! To hang them I cut different lengths of red ribbon and then stapled the loops shut-- since I can't tie!! poo.

To crafting no matter what!! Or to craftsanity!!

KARMIC GOODIES: It's beginning to look a lot like...

...CHRISTMAS!! ACK! Lately I have been trying to focus and find some balance, but I also have sooo much to share! 

Sadly my iphoto is on the fritz and my printer is dead, but I managed to get some pics from the week up to share! On Tuesday last week I did a little shopping with my mom and got some great deals at Joann's !! My eyes felt like they were going to bulge out while I scanned through all of the loveliness!! 

I got some X-mas goodies from the dollar bins to make a surprise project with Cyndy one of these days!! 

And some awesome fuzzy beads on clearance (not completely sure what to do with the purple hearts yet, but I couldn't resist!!) Notice the bright blue Duct Tape?! I LOVE this color so much and end up buying almost anything in the family of this blue. I am hoping to cover some stuff and/or make some duct tape wallets for fun!

Yummy embroidery threads in some of my favorite colors! I want to learn to embroider as well! (Such a dilettante I am!)

This company is so affordable!! I can't wait to really start sewing. I just began advising a Sewing Club at my school called "Sew Fierce". How cute? I wish I could take the credit, I am just the teacher in the room....but boy do I have ideas!!

Then I also got these great thick plastic bags for $1 each at a closeout store!! I am thinking about using them as gift bags or gifts!! Love the green plaid so much!

On Wednesday and Thursday, all I could so was work work work, but on Friday I got to hang out with Cyndy at her lovely and super charming apartment. It was such a treat to be able to have conversation, some mulled wine (wow Cyndy!) and craft!! I got to make the Schnauzer silhouettes for my Dad and Step-mom (pics to come) and then Cyndy and I tried our hand at this tutorial from Applehead for these really brilliant bookmarks. They definitely weren't as easy as we thought they would be, but they are still a pretty cool idea and were fun to make! Definitely will make more, I certainly have plenty of recycled cereal boxes!!

And, the penultimate: the Holly Jolly Fair at the Unitarian Church of Staten Island !! I couldn't wait to get to this event and because of my soul-stealing Saturday job I got to the fair so late...but I still scored!!

1940's ornaments!! (How did they know I was hoping to find these?)

I got these, the above (including the jars), two complete vintage puzzles, a vintage portrait, an authentic Vera place mat and napkin set, and a cute vintage plastic truck for $7!!!

Then I got these sweet brooches...

...and these sashes for $5!

Part of the fair featured a local art group called "Friends of Fire" with all types of handcrafted goods. I finally bought something from Laura of Notions and Potions . The picture below is just a glimpse at this work of art/ cigar box pocketbook. The details are astounding and unique!! Wowza!! Luckily the recipient of this gift isn't an internet person!! I hope she likes it!! Yay local art!!

And, little by little I am enjoying holiday crafts! I guarantee that by the time I am 30 I will be a Christmas expert...or at least thoroughly enjoy what I feel the holiday is all about: friends, fun, crafts, baking, giving, hot cocoa, decorating, looking at lights, singing carols, watching both Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer and A Christmas Story as nausea...and of course, being plain 'ol:

'Tis the season!! MMMM.

P.S. Doilies rock! Just ask Martha !