Great Turn Out!!

I am back from the craft show that i participated in today....WOW! I really had a great time! I met so many new people, got to enjoy friends i haven't seen in awhile...and made some extra money too!
What more can a girl ask for??
 I hope tomorrow brings more of the same!!

Getting ready for a craft show can really be stressful for me....i am a serious procrastinater and that brings its own challenges...but pricing is definitely the hardest part for me. I never know what is the correct price...am i pricing too high?? Too low??
See?????

But on the other hand....making the "price tags" is always fun!!
Primming isn't only for the crafts...but also the tag!

I make a strong batch of tea, pour it into my enamel pan, drop in the tags, wait a few minutes, then remove. 
I like to put them on an old towel topped with a paper towel to dry. 
For a really mottled and aged look....you can sprinkle some of the tea onto the tags after they have been placed onto the towel. Just let it pool on the tags and let dry. What a great "old" look!!
You could also use old coffee for an even "older" look....whichever you prefer...or for that matter...whatever you have on hand!! Hee hee!

These add such a nice touch to your "prim" crafts!

I need to get going for now....so much to do before i can rest!

Until next time,

Tonia     
    

So Busy!!

Boy have i been busy!!!

I am participating in a craft show this weekend to help support the local High School..and i had lots to Create!!

First...I finished the stool i have been working on...and personally...its not what i expected...but i still like it! 
You can see it in the top left corner...and then you can see the top in the next photo.
If you look close you can see that i wrapped and glued twine around the bottom edge....because my math skills are lacking..Ha ha!! I didn't quite make it big enough to staple it to the bottom, then had to hide all the ugly staples...oh well..we learn as we go i guess!

I also hand dipped some "chubs" as i like to call them and they are going to make my booth smell so nice. 

Dipping the candles was fun and easier to do then i thought...i will share how i did it next time...i still have so much to do to tie it all together. 
Pricing is the worst part and i always leave that to the last...i don't want to price too high...but i also have to make sure i get what i put into it! 
UGHHHHHH! 
I need a price chart to make it all easier!! Hee hee!
  
I'm off until next time!! If you are in the area...come stop by and say hi...it's in Carleton, Mi....just follow the signs..you can't miss them!!

God bless!

Tonia   
    

More Hooking!!

Seems like time has flown by since the last post....and I guess it has!! 
I have been so busy with getting the kids ready for school and doing last of the summer outings that i haven't had a chance to craft, never the less, post a blog!! 

BUT....somewhere in the there i squeaked out enough time to finish the sconces i started:

This is the before picture again, just in case you missed them the first time...

And here is the after! I love how they turned out....i'm hoping someone else will like them just as much!

 Just a little bit closer look...now all they need is a hand rolled candle and they will be "prim" perfect!
I've also been hooking a tad too...cuz you know....i just can't sit still...so while watching t.v. at night with my family...i pick up the frame and work my "wooly magic"!! Hee hee....sounds good don't it!
This is a sheep i hooked with 100% wool rug yarn:

 Working with yarn is so much quicker than working with the wool fabric. You don't have to make sure that every strip is going in the same direction and it just flows better i think. But i can't find that kind of yarn around here and have to order it online. 
Now i'm an old fashion kinda girl..and that is scary to me!! 
Quit laughing...i know its silly....but the thought of using my card over the internet is frightening! 
So i found a woman who has a little web shop and she spins her own yarn....and hooks too!! She has the best of both worlds i say! 
Well....she is a dear and sends me her yarn with an old fashion, hand written receipt! Did you read that??  Hand written!! I love it! Then i just send her a check....how wonderful!!

So anyway..... i hooked this candle mat and had enough yarn left over for some coasters. I still need to bind them and iron them again so they lay nice and flat. I love to see my little drawings come to life...how satisfying! 

 Sitting here in the peace and quiet, drinking a cup of coffee, i'm thinking that maybe i will make Tuesdays my posting day! What an idea!! This is my day that i can wave good bye to my littles and then have the rest of my morning to do what i want...and what better way to spend it then crafting and sharing it with my "blog" family! I know there aren't many of you...but i appreciate every one of you!
And maybe that way it will inspire me to continue making crafting an everyday thing, because i will have someone to share it with!!

Until next time,

Tonia

The Stool is Almost Done!!

I have finished the "hooking" part of the stool:

I'm not going to lie...it's not my favorite design....but i do like it!!

Here is a closer look :

I have never had anyone show me how to hook...i seriously taught myself the art by watching utube videos and surfing the blog world. So when i look at my own work, its hard to tell if i am doing it right. I think that i make my rows too close together and way too tight. I am going to try and work on this with my next design and see how it works. 
I do know that it would be more uniform if all the strips of wool were cut exactly the same...but alas....i don't own a "wool cutter" and lets just say straight lines aren't my "thing"!!   Hee hee!!
It's still my passion and i am going to keep creating ....even if its not "up to standards"!  LOL!

If anyone out there knows any hints or has some constructive criticism...i would accept it gratefully!

I can't wait to finish upholstering the stool so i can show you the final project. There is nothing better than making something yourself and showing the results!

I found these wooden bowls on one of my adventures...

I'm going to paint them and "prim" them up a little to sell..unless of course i love them...then i might have to find a spot right here at the "Roost" for them...LOL! 
Just the words my husband loves to hear!! Hee hee

I also found these sconces that i have already primed:

Again....paint these and "prim" them....i also found some "primmy" candle wraps to put around them. I'm thinking black...its my favorite right now. The only problem is i don't know if i should sell them as a set....or seperately?  Hmmmmm???
Oh well.....the craft show is in a two months....and i am well on my way to filling my booth. 
I wish the economy was better though...not many people have the money, or are willing to spend what they have, on crafts. I think we have a learned some valuable lessons about spending during this long recession!

Speaking of that....this summer has been FULL of fun...all without spending tons of money! One of the great days we had was spent at the Monroe Art Festival!! 
It was just my littles and I out scouting the local talent...and boy are they talented!!
I would have taken some pictures..but i learned long ago that artists don't always appreciate that!
But here are some samples of art that my kids had done too them:

Here is little man's glittery tattoo! See how it sparkles in the sun?? He was so proud of that! The darn thing is still hanging on too...almost a week and a half later!!

And here is my beautiful daughter modeling her face painting and matching lips!! WOW!

We had lots of fun and the children asked the artists lots of questions about their crafts! They love to learn new things and how they are done. I hope they never outgrow that!

Well....i'm off to finish straightening up my craft area...i am almost done and will have to take pics to show you when its done! It will make crafting much easier to be able to see what i have at a glance...and to actually have space too craft!! lol

Until next time.....

Tonia






 

A Little Bit Of Summer Fun!

Thought i would take a spare minute...Not very many here in the summer time...and show you where i've been.
Summer time brings tons of summer fun in our house...

Here is the view from our new boat we bought this summer.We are just rounding the buoys!!

My two youngest enjoying their very first boat ride!

Making sure the life jackets work...hee hee!
They were swimming in 14ft of water and were a little scared going in...but they are pros now!

My handsome captain...aka...my husband!

And what would a summer be without a trip or two, or three, or ten...to the local beach??

Those two little ones are my niece and nephew who couldn't be bothered by the psycho aunt with a camera...ha ha!!

I hope you are all enjoying your summer with the ones you love....and squeezing in some crafty moments too!!

Until next time,

Tonia

 

Organizing my wool!!

Hooking has become my new passion...and with it comes the love of wool....and i mean tons of it!! 
It doesn't matter the color...or the pattern..or the feel of it...i just HAVE to have it.

This causes some problems:
1. The cost of wool can be so extreme
2. space
3. Time spent looking for wool
4. space
5. The way my mind races when i find new wool to find just 
     the right project
6. Oh yeah...did i mention space??

I only have a minimal amount of space in my small home to craft...and an even smaller space to store my supplies. Over the years i have become used to storing my supplies in off  the wall places to minimize the area they take up...but you can't always see what you have. This is a problem with wool...because you need to see all the beautiful colors and patterns so you can really put together a wonderful pattern.

Well.....i had all my wool in bags, and a rubbermaid plastic set of drawers. Not exactly a perfect set up.
I had bought a cabinet...not sure the official name...but i think its a server's cabinet??  Or maybe a Hoosier cabinet? Inside i had TONS of crafty supplies...my iron, glue gun, paints, brushes, doo dads, you name it, it was in there. And while resting my head to sleep one night...a huge light bulb went off! What if i put my wool in there? Then all i have to do is open the doors and Whallla...there it is!

Don't fuss over the stuff on both sides of my cabinet....that is some of the stuff that was inside of the cabinet, and still hasn't found a home!! LOL


Now this is only about 1/3 of my wool, but you can appreciate where i'm going here! And look at all the room i still have to stack it ...nice and neat! It is actually wide enough for two stacks on each shelf, one in front of the other, but you just can't tell...@#$%^&* camera..LOL!
I will have to post more pics when i get it all finished, but its summer and only God knows when i will get a chance for that!

And before i leave, i would like to show you the progress i've made on my current project:

I have hooked the corners and added the leaves. I have the wool strips cut for the stems and vines and will be working on that whenever i can. 
Hopefully i have drawn the pattern right so it will cover the footstool i'm gonna upholster it with. I've never done it before so i am a little worried! 


Until next time, enjoy your summer before its gone!! 

Come again!!


Tonia
 
 

New Project In The Works!!

Ok....i am getting ready for a craft show at my local high school. I love sellin my work there...everyone is so nice and it supports the school my children go to. 
Here's the problem...

I am the world's best procrastinator!!!

I have known about this show since last October...yep...LAST October...and i do NOT have very many projects finished! It is now the end of July...which only leaves me 3 months to get a good stash ready. I swear i can only do my best work under pressure....or at least that's what i like to tell myself!! Hee hee!

So.....i went thrifting again yesterday...and let me tell you...someone is out there "stealing" all my wool! How am i gonna hook if i don't have any wool?? Hee hee!
I did find a nice little stash...1 blazer and 5 pants.

 I still have to cut it up and "wash" it....and then decide if i want to dye some or leave it until the right project comes along....hmmmmm!

I found a little step stool a few weeks ago and i just knew it would be adorable if i painted it and upholstered the top with a hooking. Now i have never done this before so there are no guarantees on how it will turn out, but you have to learn by trying ..right??

Here is the design i decided on...

I have already started hookin it and am loving it already!! 

My son says it looks like a 3-headed alien....that little stinker!
He is my biggest critic..and you know kids..they love to be honest!! 
I find it hard to decide on what colors as i go along...and seem to pull out as many "noodles" as i hook! Oh well...i'm just a beginner.


Oh...and i forgot to post a picture of the wool i dyed with the orange kool-aid....it didn't turn out so well...so i took the wool out of the bath and added red and yellow food coloring til it looked good to me...then put the wool back in. 

My camera just doesn't do it justice....so i guess you will just have to take my word for it!! LOL
I am very happy...and it will make a beautiful fall hooking i'm sure.
It's time to go hook some more...my fingers are twitching!! 


Until next time, 
Tonia
 

Is this Magic??

I know that this blog is supposed to be about my journey thru the crafting world, but i found the best tip ever yesterday and just had to share!!

I grabbed this book....

                       "EVERYDAY CHEAPSKATE'S GREATEST TIPS"

Written by: Mary Hunt.

First...wonderful book! Full of great tips
Second....this is my fave...

When washing a pan or casserole dish that has baked "crud" all over it...don't worry about wasting tons of time scrubbing....just fill the pan with warm water and place a used fabric softener sheet in the water....then just sit back, sip on a glass of iced tea and wait..for about an hour...and presto...the "crud" will just wipe right out!! 
It really did work!! I even have photos to prove it:

 This is my pan with cooked on hamburger grease...gross!! And not to mention a pain in the keester to scrub...right? Not anymore!! 

 Can you believe it???  Look at that shine!! 
Now think of all the projects you can start instead of spending so much time scrubbing!! 

Here are some peeks of my next project......

 I'm dying some wool using orange kool-aid mix...sounds funny, but it really works...and there are no harmful fumes or chemicals to worry about.  Safe for the little ones to help me...that is my son's little hand helping push down the wool. 
I can already tell though that i am going to have to make a 2nd attempt using more kool-aid.  I'm trying to dye over the grey and the darker tan to see what happens, but even the cream color didn't take very well. I love to experiment to see what colors i can create, they make such interesting rugs!!

That's it for now...make sure to come back and visit soon so you can see what i eventually create using this!!

Until next time, 
Tonia

 

I am a farmer!!

Okay....maybe not "quite" a farmer...but look at what i harvested from my garden so far....

 These made two quarts of kosher dill pickles and two bags of beans for the freezer. Trust me this is just the beginning! Plenty of beans and pickle cukes still growing...and don't get me started on my tomatoes!! WOW!!  I also have some broccoli and zuchini  and yellow squash to watch grow.

I would love to have a small farm one day with a huge garden, some chickens, a clothesline...and of course my little shop surrounded by beautiful flower and herb gardens!! Oh heaven, i would never leave!!

In order to get all that, i need to keep crafting and here are my latest creations!!

This is a table runner that i hooked using wool. It is the first piece i have hooked using my new hookers frame i found while antiquing in Allen, Mi.  You can not even imagine my excitement when i found it....actually, i almost tripped on it! 
It was on the floor of a cute little shop, and after flipping the tag i just had to have it!! 
Here is a closer look at the tan sheep....because isn't there always one "sheep" who  stands out in a crowd?? Hee hee!!

 The other day my little man came thrifting with me and we had a wonderful time!! I miss having my "alone" time with him since he is now in school....so i took full advantage of the day!! 
While out we found this tray...not really old, but i knew i had to have it...and of course he agreed!!

 I didn't know what i was going to do with it until i was lying in bed that night and a light bulb went off! ( isn't that when all good ideas seem to come...right before you drift off??)
I painted it with brown chalkboard paint, made some burlap roses, and doodled with some chalk.....and whallla!!

What a cute little sign to put out while at the craft shows!! And i can erase it and put special messages like 
                              "welcome"
                                or
                              "thank you"
                               or
                               "sale today"

Here is a close up pic of the burlap roses:

      Actually, one is made with tea dyed muslin, but aren't they just the cutest!!??  I love how they turned out!! If i had a better camera, you could tell there is a button glued to the center of the biggest one, just to add a little something extra, of course!!

Well, that is all for now, but i am getting the supplies together for the next project....so i am off!! 

Thanks for stopping by!!
Until next time.....

Tonia

Mason Jar Fun!!

As promised...i am posting "How to make a hand pump from an antique mason jar"!!
So easy....and actually pretty quick too!

Here's what ya need to get started:

 1. Antique mason jar..I used the small one..pint size i believe?
 2. New pump..i couldn't find one so i bought some hand soap and removed the pump from that!
 3. Needle nose pliers
 4. Sharpie marker
 5. Hammer
 6. Large nail...preferably one with a large head...easier to hit!
 7. Glue gun

First things first..remove the lid from the jar! LOL
Then, make a mark in the center of the lid with your marker..

 Take the nail and hammer and make a hole in the center of your mark...make sure it goes thru.

 It should look like this.....

 Now being very careful...remove the ceramic from the underside of the lid with the pliers...this is the most difficult part. I take mine outside and keep it away from your face!! When its removed, it should look like this....

Don't you just love my towel???  Hee hee!
Using your pliers, and working from the underside of the lid, pull on the edges of the hole you created to make it bigger...sounds hard but this metal is so easy to bend!! As the hole gets bigger, use the needle nose pliers to push into the hole and wiggle it around...this will give you a smoother edge!

 Keep doing this until the hole is big enough to push the hand pump through....

 Now i use a glue gun, but you can use whatever waterproof glue you like, and i glued the pump in place from the top and bottom....just to make sure it doesn't come loose...nothing worse than a wiggly hand pump!!

 I used a glue gun because if anything happens to the pump, which we know they can stop working properly, you can peel the glue from a glue gun off pretty easily if need be, where as some of the other glues are permanent...the choice is up to you!
Now all you have to do is fill your jar with the soap of your choice and put the lid back on....Whallllllllla!!! You have a new countrified hand soap dispenser...and it was hand made by you!!!

I hope you are inspired by this quick and easy craft to come of with more original ideas for your antique mason jars!! I would love to make a hanging light to put over my kitchen sink....what do you think???
Thanks for stopping by!!

Please come again!
Tonia