A Lovely Bag

I made a lot of my Christmas gifts last year (saying last year is weird), and this is one of my favorites. It's made from a coupl of wool sweaters, an upholstery sample, and a woven belt. I'm in love with it. It went to my brother's girlfriend, who also made a lot of gifts. She knits, so she made neckwarmers and head bands for us all.

I share just because I'm proud of it. I plan to make more for my shop, this week in fact. I'll get them posted asap.

Attention Crafters!!!

When I get inspired in front of my sewing machine, I don't always make something that will be posted in my Etsy shop or used as a gift. Sometimes I just want to sit in my craft room and think about future projects... or, let's get real, get away from the kids and listen to Keane. So, I sew.

But now I don't have to feel like I'm wasting my time while I sit there with my Coke and my i-pod! I have found the most amazing inspiration for my little "me-time projects" - it's called Spirit Jump.

My girl Sally already wrote about it over on Dogwood Lane, but this idea deserves as much exposure as it can get. The basic story is that the website was created by a young woman named Meaghan who is a cervical cancer survivor (and recent law school grad!). She was so uplifted during her extensive hospital stays and treatments by the little gifts and cards she received from friends and people who were thinking about her, that she decided she needed to find a way to hook up people who have a talent with people who need a "jump" in their spirits.

Check out Meaghan's site and sign up to be a Spirit Jumper yourself. You KNOW you have things you could send to someone. You know you want to. In 2009 I'm giving back - and this is one way I'm doing it.

A New Year of Craftiness

I've been thinking lately about the things I make, and the things I want to make. In 2008 I was a supply-buying fool, so I have a ton of clothing from thrift stores, sewing notions, bits of ephemera, and other odds and ends that I have found here and there... but it doesn't seem like I have used as much as I've purchased.

I have bits of this and that that I thought I would use to make art cards and collage shadow boxes, but that idea, in particular, did not come to fruition. I like to think I'd make some cool things with all of the wonderful things I found... I even bought frames as I found them in thrift stores to put them in. I failed at the collage-making. I think I'll post a lot of stuff in my Girlchild shop as supplies. (Be ready, Denise!)

I also have fabric that I thought I HAD to have, that I had big ideas for, but for the life of me, I don't know what those ideas consisted of...Mostly, I went back over and over to the sweaters and vintage linens. They speak to me somehow. Don't pretend that you don't know what I'm talking about!!

Worse yet, I started projects that I thought would be awesome, but then they didn't turn out as planned and I abandoned them. Poor little Ghostfolk... At least I haven't thrown them out!! And I did find out that stamping my name on the fabric works great...

My Punkinhead shop has been a little bit random... but I want to get more focused on "lines" of items. I also want to create seasonally. I typically end up coming up with great Halloween item ideas on October 25th... Christmas items on December 20th. Not a great plan for selling anything right? In 2009 I am going to have a schedule, and spend more time working on ideas for projects that can be created on that schedule.

Right now, I'm liquidating holiday items in my Punkinhead shop (go see!) and I'm going to start working on some things to sell for Valentine's day. My plans are for more Hearts-on-a-Stick, but that's all that's coming so far.

How are the rest of you re-working your shop or craft room for the new year?