I recently closed my Etsy shop because their SEO was so ineffective. My new shop is on My Community Made which is more geared towards crafters and artisans of all kinds.
This is just a peak at one of my many handmade products:
This particular piece is a saphire, 15 cts, cabochon cut wrapped in sterling silver wire.
Check out the page. There are not a lot of products right now but I will be adding more so please click that follow button or email me for special requests.
If you want to light up your world here’s a great project for you. Here’s what it looks like:
This particular one I made from a large mouth decorative jar. I found a large strand of fairy lights when I was checking out at Harbour Freight. This strand has 60 lights and a battery pack.
To cover the battery pack I placed large gemstones over it loosely then added smaller ones to help reflect the light.
Add the lights in any design you want and add the top. Tap the green button on the remote and watch the lights dance. There are seven different modes so it changes frequently.
Hope you’ll try this project. Share this blog with your friends. Follow me for more projects to come.
I don’t celebrate Christmas the way most people do because of my faith. While I have on a few occasions tried to put up a tree…I usually end up taking it down because it has no relation to the birth of Christ.
Most of the Christmas crafts I make also represent my faith but I will occasionally will stray from that depending on what it is. I have made stocking and ornaments and now playing with some crochet ornaments and angels.
Here is my first tree topper.
You still have time to make some fancy projects before Christmas. This particular topper pattern is in Leisure Arts Leaflet 2941 Our Best Christmas Thread Crochet.
After I finished the base wings and halo I sprayed with spray starch and after fully dried I painted with Modge Podge for added stiffness.
Don’t be afraid to make patterns your own by adding things like beads, pearls, glitter, etc.
Time plus creativity equals happiness. I never really thought about it until recently but this simple formula holds true.
At a local craft show this weekend I realized crafters were happy people. Unlike most places I go to in a week’s time, this place was full of happy people.
I know myself, I am happiest when I am painting or creating something. It’s the joy in taking “stuff” that otherwise might be ugly or not have a use and making something beautiful out of it. My favorite abbreviation is WIP (work in progress). I always seem to have plenty of WIP’s.
Here’s what I am currently working on.
I challenge you if you don’t already have a hobby/craft to learn a new craft. Take a class, watch a video or learn through a friend.
The next step of course is to share your craft. When you can do that you share a part of yourself. So get out there guys and gals and get crafty happy!
Don’t forget to like and share. Have an awesome day. God bless you all.
While I know most people have dishwashers, I do not. Finding dishcloths that hold up is difficult so I started crocheting my own. Even if you do have a dishwasher these cloths are great for cleaning up spills quick.
Tools for making these is simple: Size G crochet hook, Scissors and 100% cotton yarn.
To start chain 27. Dc in second chain from hook and dc across. Ch 2 and repeat until you have a square (to determine square – take one corner and cross it over to opposite side. If flush it is square).
If you just want to give these as gifts you can make multiples and stack them and tie them up like a package using yarn,ribbon or jute.
Don’t forget to like and share this page. Also check out my store at Etsy – FolkwaysCreations.
Today I finished my biggest project to date, a full size quilt. Take a peak.
Chicken Quilt
While it has not made it to my bed yet because I literally just finished it minutes ago but was so excited about its completion I wanted to share.
While I get it is not a complicated pieced quilt, and I have done those, this one has gotten me through this nightmare that we have endured the last few years.
Yes I can hear the comments now, “It took you two years to complete I could have made several in that length of time”. Yes, I get it could have been done quicker. Let me explain, this is not my only hobby and was not my only project. This was also not quilted on a frame but in my lap. The squares and borders were sewed together a row at a time after the individual squares were quilted.
It has not been a complicated project but a labor of love. Love of the art of quilting. I actually acquired the fabric for this quilt several years earlier on a camping trip to the mountains. We landed in Marion, NC. It is a quaint small town that has barn quilts on almost every single building. In addition to being a great photo op it gave me the opportunity to drop by their little quilt shop.
For two years the fabric sat in my stash of other potential quilt options. When Covid hit I said it was the perfect time to start the quilt. Striving for perfection was not the objective, just to get a finish during a stressful time was the goal. So that I would not get stressed over the quilt I also worked on other projects.
Two weeks ago my husband says to me “Are you ever going to finish that quilt”. He was anxious as well to see it complete. So I put my other projects aside and finished seaming the last row of blocks. The last two days have been spent gently binding edges. This morning my husband cooked breakfast. When he brought breakfast to me, I was in my office where I could watch the birds and our favorite rabbit. Again the quilt bundled in my lap would probably look a “hot mess” to most people. I proudly showed my husband the last few stitches I had to make. And his remark, “Are you going to sell it?” No I responded because two years of my life was tied up in this quilt!
It might be a while before I undertake another project like this but do plan to make some lap quilts for donation.
If you have never quilted but would like to learn check out your local community College, quilt shops or center for the arts for classes.
Thanks for following and don’t forget to share this blog.
Believe it or not I was not born with a crochet hook in my mouth or a camera in my hand! I was fortunate that my mother taught me how to crochet and sew at a young age. Like most kids after I learned those skills, I laid them down for other things in life.
After I married, the need for those skills reappeared. I did not realize then that having those skills would get me through some very turbulent times.
Money was often tight but I began to see the value of my skills as a hobby and started to save pennies or whatever I could to pay for my supplies. Whether I was sitting at my sewing machine or crocheting a blanket it didn’t take long to realize it was a positive distraction. While my marriage became an abusive relationship, it was my time crafting that saved me emotionally.
As a single mother, life was always a challenge but I funneled any negative emotions through my hobbies. As my child grew so did my list of hobbies. I added knitting, took a quilting and photography class and more. My list has grown a lot since then.
I was fortunate enough that when I remarried it was to a man that could tolerate my obsession. He not only understands my crafting is a passion but also a coping skill. You see I have this little short fuse and used to get depressed so having developed these skills helped both.
After my Dad passed in 2007 of cancer I started making shawls, hats and other items and donating them to our local Cancer Center. Doing this helped me to recover from my grief. The money I put into this is nothing is nothing compared to what I receive.
If you are depressed or just struggling with everyday life, I strongly encourage you to find a hobby. The money you put into it is a lot less than therapy and a lot more fun!
As much as I would love to make a ton of money off of my crafts the truth is I give away most things.
My joy is in the making and the giving. The fact that when I give these things away I know they will be cherished and appreciated.
Lap Blankets
I seldom use patterns because I feel like they limit my creativity. These lap blankets may soon warm the lap of a wheelchair bound patient. Just create a simple block and keep adding to it
Jingle Holly
Dolls and bears and dinos galore will one day rest in the hands of children who have lived a less than perfect life.
While I create to fill needs it also keeps my hands busy and my heart full.
If you have a talent, consider using that talent to help others.
To help fund my cause please consider visiting these links:
When traveling it can sometimes be difficult to take your craft projects with you. This one is easy and can be crammed into a gallon size zip lock bag.
This is rag crafting. In the top of the picture is a small square basket that is great for jewelry or small objects. The picture under it is the beginning of a larger basket.
If you can single crochet you can complete these projects and more.
You will need fabric scraps, the longer the better. Scissors for making the starting cuts and a size H crochet hook.
Lay out the fabric pieces you want to use and make a cut no more than 1 inch wide. After making the clip, pull the section that has been clipped to tear lengthwise. After you have lengths of the fabric torn tie lengths end-to-end forming square knots until you have all tied.
Now with your crochet hook you are going to [for proj 1] chain 3 and slip stitch into first stitch. 2. Continue in the round adding stitches where needed to make your piece lie flat. 3. Depending on how many stitches you now have you will now begin to square your project by adding stitches as follows: if you have 20 stitches in your round then in every 5th stitch you will add 2 stitches giving you 3 stitches to form each corner. Continue in this manner for 5 rows. 6. Continue as on previous row except after the corner decrease one by pulling up loops in two stitches instead of one for the sc. This pulls the corner tight and starts to form the wall of your basket.
After you get your wall height to where you want it cut about 3 inches of your working fabric and weave into the basket to finish. Your basket should now look similar to mine…maybe better.
If you do not have the beginning crochet skills, you can find videos on YouTube or Rumble.
This is literally a “no cost” project unless you need a crochet hook and you can even find them at auctions, yard sales and flea markets.
In a time of uncertain supply it is important to make the most of what you have. With Christmas coming up I have been contemplating new projects. By a stroke of luck I found a rug canvas at a local auction along with a bag of scraps. Here is what I am working on.
Ragpoint
As you can see this canvas had a design printed on it. You could easily design your own using a fabric marker. Here is what you will need:
Fabric scraps ripped into 1 inch width.A good pair of scissors, crochet hook to tuck in ends and a pack of needlepoint or yarn needles And of course your rug canvas you can purchase from Michael’s or any craft store. This is pretty inexpensive depending on the size you purchase.
You thread your needle with your fabric and work this project using a basic needlepoint stitch (You can find videos on YouTube).
While this is not a project you will finish overnight it does work up pretty quickly. After you finish your design, select enough fabric of a neutral color to work the rest of the canvas.
Through My Eyes 