Day Twelve - The Notebook

As I grow older, I find it more and more interesting when I hear about people who journal. I used to keep a journal as an early teenager, but it was more of a "dear diary, (boy of the month) looked at me!". When I reached high school, I got a LiveJournal account, and that was - and still is - used as a way for me to gripe about things that go on in my life. To me, journals are so much more than that. Journals are for keepsakes, quotes, and whatever.

I've always fancied those nice leather-bound journals that I see in Barnes and Noble, but I don't really like the prices of them. So I made a journal of my own. It's just a simple composition book that I got at Staples, and I raided my mom's scrapbooking supplies to cover it. I haven't put anything in it yet, but I'm sure I'll find something.


I want the inside of my journal to be just as beautiful as the outside. I want to put quotes, doodles, musings, everything in this journal.

If I don't, it's destined for Biology notes!

Day Eleven - Work In Progress Wednesday!

I have several squares that I've been working on lately. Some of them are finished, some are not. But they're all waiting to become one large throw blanket.

Please excuse the carpet. It's icky, I know. Also, I have yet to find my cable for my camera, so this is yet another cameraphone picture. Sorry!!

Most of the squares were made because I had the urge to knit, but I didn't want to commit myself to a large project like a sweater or whatever. Plus it's easier to explain when people ask "Oh wow! What are you knitting?" if you aren't knitting anything in particular. In a couple of days, I will be traveling to the mountains of NC to be in my cousin's wedding, and I figured I could add to my square collection while I'm in the car for 4 hours.

I've never knitted a quilt before, but I think it's kinda neat. I'd like to collect more patterns for different squares. Of course, they will all be different sizes, but that's okay. It gives it character! I think it would be a nice edition to a future home of mine. Now, I just have to find more colors to use. So far it's just blue, darker blue, grey, and brown. Any suggestions on how to make this blanket made of awesome?

Day Ten - Make me up!

I still can't believe that it's August already. True, I've been a little out of commission for a few weeks, but still. It seems like just yesterday that I started my first semester at a different school.

A couple weeks ago, when I was buying my makeup for the show, I discovered that I didn't have anything to transport said makeup. Being the starving artist/college student that I am, I didn't want to pay anything for it, so I dug out my mother's sewing machine, and recycled an ugly garment bag to make this cute little bag!
I didn't measure it, I just kinda pinned it, and sewed it, so it's not straight by all means, but it's functional! I used it all week!

I kind of want to put some handles on it, but I don't know how I'd go about doing that.

I'm still trying to come up with something for the rest of the week, but I DEFINITELY will update!

Word to Your Mother Superior!

I'm the nun with the rosary around her neck.

I'm baaaaack!

The Sound of Music was an AMAZING experience. I met so many great people, and it was amazing to work along side some extremely talented actors, and it was an absolute joy to work under Richard Stafford, our incredible director. It was just an all-around great experience. If you're ever in North Carolina, you should try to catch a show with North Carolina Theatre and see some great local talent. You won't want to miss any of it!

Anyway, while I was gone, I made a couple things, found a bunch of tutorials, knitted a bit and thought of new and inspiring ways to update this thing. So over the next few days, bear with me as I get back to reality and try to update more on a regular basis. It's unfortunate that I couldn't keep up with it the way I wanted to, but I'm coming back whole-hog!

I promise I'll keep this thing updated!! :D

Intermission

Hi everyone!

I got a comment very recently about my lack of updating. Rehearsals have been getting pretty wild, and I usually never know when I'll be called in. It could be anywhere from 2pm to 8pm, and they all end around 10:30. And they're teaching me to dance. I'm not a dancer haha! And it tires me out!

Unfortunately, I don't have much time to do much else, so I'm trying to get all the "have to do" things done and out of the way before I get to my crafty things.

That, and my room is a mess - again - and I can't get to all my supplies.

BUT! I found my camera and the battery charger, so I can start posting some video tutorials for you! Also, the pictures would be of better quality, and I won't have to keep sending pictures from my phone to my email.

But yes, I will be posting soon. Yes, I am doing well. And yes, I miss updating!

I'll try and make up the last few craft days soon, I promise!

Day Nine - GAHH!!! (Favorite Link Friday)

So, I can't for the life of me think of what to make, so I defaulted to something super easy.

A flower pen:


I still have an issue with finding things to make. I have a lot of ideas, and I have one set for Tutorial Tuesday, but that still leaves tomorrow and Sunday. I have rehearsals all day, and I probably won't be able to update until late (or really early, depending on when I feel like it haha!) The next couple of days, I'm going to be busy with all-day rehearsals, but my schedule gets a little less hectic with evening rehearsals. So I'm pretty sure I'll be able to update as usual, and I'm not using rehearsals as an excuse.

Today is Favorite Link Friday!! The other day, I went to the movies with my boy, and we saw the preview for Julie and Julia (or is it Julia and Julie?). It's about a woman who writes a book about following all of Julia Child's recipes every day for a year. So that kind of inspired me to follow all of Martha Stewart's crafts every day...

...I'm not Martha Stewart. But she does have some wonderful crafts that are absolutely gorgeous! She is definitely an inspiration to me, so that is why Martha Stewart is my pick for Favorite Link Friday!

Tonight, my brother (Eric the Coolest - he told me to say that) and I are planning on making cookies. Which is great! I could use a little sweetness in my diet. I haven't baked anything in a while.

Anyway, I'll close with an adorable sleeping kitty!
Happy Friday!

Day Eight - Bumpron!

Every year in high school, I tried out for every musical my school put on. Unfortunately, I never made any of them. That never took away my love for the stage. So every year, I volunteered backstage. If I wasn't good enough to be on stage, I would be good enough backstage. Each year, I volunteered on the costume crew. I learned how to put costumes together, how to hem pants, and how to use a sewing machine.

I'm pretty sure that this experience was almost as cool as being in those costumes.

September last year, I made my first musical. North Carolina Theatre's Kids on Broadway production of Whistle Down The Wind (the other one, not the Andrew Lloyd Webber one). They needed "kids" that looked like adults. That, and it was my last year to audition.

I LOVED it!

I happened to mention to the costumer that I really enjoyed working with costumes, so at the end of the show's run, the producer came up to me and asked me if I would like to be a Wardrobe Intern for the next show, Phantom (the other, better one, not the Andrew Lloyd Webber one). Basically, I was a dresser. A dresser helps with quick changes, steams clothes, and has a ton of fun hanging up clothes and spraying vodka on the costumes!

I was also a dresser for Miss Saigon (my favorite show ever!). Both times, I didn't have an apron. I looked all over for a plain black apron. I found a humongous one, but it was a full apron, not a half apron.

So, I decided that for my next show, West Side Story, I would make a utility apron out of a pair of black pants!

It was really simple to do, all I did was cut it up, hem it around the edges, and used the waistband that was already there. And of course, I had to do a little embellishing!

Here's what it looks like:

I can't wait to be a dresser again! Of course, the next NCT show, I will be ON stage instead of BACKstage! My second show ever, but it's my first show I get paid for!

I'm glad I never gave up after being discouraged from the shows in high school!

Day Seven - I love you!

Okay, you've been warned. This post is kinda gushy.


Today marks the 6th-month anniversary of the day my boyfriend and I met (he reminded me of this yesterday... he has a better memory for these things!) and yesterday was our 5th-month anniversary (monthaversary, is what we call it :D). I know that may not seem like a long time, or a big deal, but this guy is the best!

So for our monthaversary, I made him an "I love you book"! I just made my own book out of folded paper and my favorite pictures of us. I also included a bunch of "I love yous" in different languages. Take a look!

Day Six - Tutorial Tuesday!

So, along with Favorite Link Friday, I'll be posting a tutorial on every Tuesday called - appropriately - Tutorial Tuesday! I suppose a video would have been better for this, but all I have is my cell phone.

Today's tutorial is going to show you how to make the origami flowers I made into push-pins from the other day. I got a request on how to make it the other day. Also, if you'd like to see any kind of craft done in a tutorial form, put it in a comment, or send me a message or something. I'll get it! I'd love to hear from you!



Materials: Scrapbook paper, a ruler, a pencil, scissors, glue, a push pin or thumbtack and a hot glue gun.

Step One: Cut your scrapbook paper into six 3-inch squares. Each square is one petal of the flower.


Step Two: Fold your square diagonally forming a triangle.


Step Three: Fold the corners of the triangle in to meet at the top of the triangle. This forms a smaller square.


Step Four: Fold the same points down. The folded edge should meet up exactly with the edge of the square.


Step Five: Open up the folds and flatten them out. Next, fold the tops of the flaps behind the square.


Step Six: Fold the triangles in on themselves to form what looks like pleats on the side of the diamond shape.


Step Seven: Gently fold - but don't crease - the shape until the pleats meet. Glue these pleats together.

This is what your petal should look like.

Repeat the steps until you have five or six petals (I used six, but you can definitely get away with using five).


Now, once you have your petals glued together, take your hot glue gun and glue each petal together and around a small push pin.

This is what the bottom of your flower pin should look like.




And now you're finished! Make a bunch of them to go on your bulletin board! Get creative with them! Attach them to a brooch backing or find a way to attach them to a hairband!

I'd love to see your variations on them, so let me know if you make some! Have fun!

Day Five - Mission: Organization

No, I'm not on the show Mission: Organization, I'm cleaning my room! I have a horrible habit of not keeping my room clean. I'm sure I'll grow out of it... I hope. But yesterday, I cleaned half (haha) of my room! And look!

I took the closet organizer out my closet, and re-built it and attached it to my desk! It looks really cool! I have my yarn stash in the bottom drawer, my finished knitted items for future gifts/sales are in the third drawer, all my paints, glues, and other things are in the second drawer, and the first drawer is filled with paper!

Also, check out this chair I painted and re-covered! It's not perfect, but it works for now. I didn't have a paintbrush, so I just smeared on some acrylic paint. It looks pretty good! Kinda rustic. The blue matches this painting that my grandmother painted in '79 (I think)

(Yay! Lamb Ward in his Canes jersey!)

Check out what I have to do tomorrow!

Yikes, huh? I still have two loads left to do. Fun. Anyone know a good laundry-folding movie I can pop in?

Oh! Guess what I got in the mail today?

MAKEUP!!

I've been following Lauren Luke on youtube (panacea81) and I LOVE her makeup looks. So I decided to get one of those 120 pro palette things from ebay that she's always talking about. I LOVE the colors! They're so bright and vibrant. I'm tempted to post a makeup blog (maybe once, who knows) but this is a craft blog. If I weren't so sleepy from swimming today, I'd start playing with makeup looks. But I'm pooped!

I promise tomorrow's update won't come so late!

Day Four - Forget-me-nots!

Hey everyone. I'm posting just a quick update. I have a lot of chores to get done. My parents told me that if I vacuumed the living room, they'd get me character shoes for the musical coming up (more on that later). Anyway, today I made some cute origami flowers that I turned into a push pin. All I did was glue a straight pin to the bottom of the flower, and I have a nice pin for my notes! I suppose I should have used a different color so it wouldn't blend into the fabric so much, but I'll make more and post them later!


Also, I got some pictures of me wearing my headband yesterday with the Independence Day festivities! I'd like to give my boyfriend credit for taking these pictures, and lighting the sparklers!
That smile is for fear. I'm really scared to death of that sparkler!

Day Three - Star Spangled!

Happy Independence Day, America!

I'll be honest, I don't celebrate the Fourth of July as much as other Americans. I like fireworks. I LOVE Sousa's patriotic songs. I love cookouts and watermelon and iced tea. But I'm not crazy about gathering in the hot North Carolina humidity to watch a 20 minute light show in the sky. So I stay home and watch the Boston Pops (I met Keith Lockhart once!) and the beautiful display over the harbor from the comfort of my own couch.

But in the spirit of America's birth day, I had to come up with a craft. This one's kind of simple, but adorable. This could be a kid-friendly craft, with a little supervision with the glitter glue!
Here it is before the stars. Looks pretty good. All I did was wrap a headband with some festive yarn.
No American flag is complete without stars! Here, I just dotted some glitter glue to the blue area, and I'm finished. Hopefully, it'll be dry before tonight!

I'll post pictures of me wearing it in tomorrow's post.

I'm also working on a little something for a friend of mine. It's for the Harry Potter premier in a couple weeks. I have about 12 days to finish it, but I think I'll get it done in no time.


I promise it's Slytherin colors. My cell phone's camera isn't THAT great. I'll get better pictures to you once it's finished. My friend is gonna love it!

Enjoy the fireworks tonight!

Day Two - Favorite Link Friday!

Hey everyone! I'm going to start a couple of new things for the blog, and I'm hoping they'll make weekly reappearances! Fridays are going to be my "Favorite Link Fridays". In other words, I'm just going to give a shout-out to a link to a tutorial that I liked, an article I found interesting, or another blog that I love to read.

Today's link is a shout-out to Julie at www.joyshope.com. Her story is incredibly touching. I love her posts! Her crafts are adorable, her girls are adorable, and the whole page is adorable! I have to admit, this blog is the reason why I started blogging about my crafts. I'm not new to the whole blog thing, I have a personal journal over at livejournal, so I know how theraputic writing about your feelings can be. But through Julie's blog, I've discovered a new way to outlet my creativity. This blog is not just a crafty blog, it's her life. And that is such an inspiration to me!

Now, on to our craft!


This is my re-vamped corkboard! I was an RA for a year at Peace College (a women's college in Raleigh, NC) which was really an excuse for me to geek out over the resource room. But the summer after I left, my dorm was to be renovated. New floors, new walls (thank God for no more wallpaper) better bathrooms, etc. Anyway, after the students left, and I was closing down the hall, all of the old equipment was left at the trash cans. Piles of old bulletin boards leaned up against the trash cans. So I asked my RD if I could take one, and she said sure, so I snatched one up and took it home with me when I left.

A couple months later, I found a nice little bunch of silk remnants at Joann's for about a dollar, so I snatched it up. I didn't really know what to do with it until I saw my trusty bulletin board over my desk. So I went to work.
All I used was a trusty stapler, and the fabric, and voila - a cover for the bulletin board! I could probably reuse the fabric later, since it's just stapled around the edges, but really, why would I want to? It definitely works well for holding random notes, a recipe, and my favorite pictures of my boyfriend and I!
Hope you all enjoyed! Now I'm off to find an Independence Day craft haha!

Day One - Feathers!

So, my boyfriend and I bought this feather duster for my family's cat. She hates it. Every time we wave it in the air, she meows at it, and tries to fly through the air attacking it. I hate that I don't have a picture or a video of her doing this. I used this feather duster - or "bird stick" as we call it in Gracie terms - as my inspiration for my first piece. This project only took me about ten minutes to make.

Here we have the bird stick, some feathers plucked from the bird stick (I think I used about 10, I didn't really count), a decorative button, and my handy dandy glue gun - I think you'll see a lot of that glue gun haha!

Ten minutes later, we're left with THIS:




Cute, no?



Here's me doing my best 30s glam... with the soft vogue hands for my good friend Tyler. Yes, I'm in my bathroom. And yes, I did my makeup.

Don't judge me.

First Post!

So, thanks to stumbleupon for my newest obsession. I can stumble through only craft pages! I ran into a lot of different crafty blogs and I thought, hey! I can do that! So I'm challenging myself. One blog post a day, and each day I'll craft something! I haven't crafted anything today, but once I find my camera, I'll definitely start posting something every day.

I love crafting. The sad thing is, I always start a project, but then I put it aside, and I never finish it. With this blog, I'm hoping I can finish projects so I can post them!

Allow me to introduce myself. I'm Emily.

I'm a student - and will probably stay a student for quite some time. I'm currently unemployed, and I'm on a crazy job hunt for a job I can have for after school hours.

I'm thinking about starting an etsy account, but I'm not sure what I would sell if I even wanted to sell. I think I'll just stick to making things for church craft fairs for now.

This is gonna be one interesting blog. I'm not really blog-savvy, so I'm learning what to put and what not to put. I'm open to all kinds of comments/criticism! Let me know what you would like to see! Anyway, TOMORROW is DAY ONE :D I'm searching for things to finish, so I can post!