Craft Haul! or I just Went in for One Thing!

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

Well there’s another resolution thoroughly broken.  Yes I went to the craft store, again(see 2016 Resolutions Update: Round 2).  And bought way more than I needed, again. 

I just thought I’d go to Joann to buy a couple small sheets of craft foam for a certain project.  Then I remembered I had a nice coupon, and they had some things on sale…

…so I came back with all of this.

I got several packs of sew-on snaps and hooks and eyes.  They are a staple for making clothes, for people and dolls.

I also got a pack of soft Velcro.  This stuff is also great for doll clothes too.

From the maker’s of my favorite embellishing glue, it’s Aleene’s Tacky Glue!  Yay!  Okay, I actually needed it for a certain project.  You will see why later.

Behold, eco-felt in a wide assortment of beautiful colors!

It was on sale for 33 cents a sheet, and since felt is so useful for small crafts I couldn’t pass it up.

Those were all fairly essential craft supplies, but this is a little different.  It’s a pendant, shaped like a tambourine.  I found it with the jewelry supplies.  Many of the beads and stuff were half off including this. 

Honestly, the only reason I got it was because I thought it was the perfect size for dolls.  Imagine it, dolls with musical instruments.  In fact, I saw several others charms and pendants that also would have worked for dolls.

That’s one of the reasons why I got these.  They are 3 mm. faux pearls, also half off.  Perfect size for making tiny pieces such as more of those doll necklaces or doll purses I made (see 5 a Week: Jewelry for Dolls and 5 a Week: Cute Felt Bags for Dolls with a Tutorial).

Strange to say, but I also got this to use to make doll stuff.  It’s 16 gauge copper wire.  What I will make with it, you will have to wait to see.

These wooden dowels will also be used with the wire, but only a couple will be used.  The rest I will have to find other uses for.  Well as the package says, they have “thousands of uses.”  But I just need to find one.

That goes for the rest of these supplies.  Whatever I make with it, it will at least be interesting.  Look forward to it.

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The Power of Thank You

Confession time:  I’m not sure if it is noticeable to those who read my blogs, but it is fairly noticeable to those who know me in real life.  To some more so than others. 

I am shy. 

Extremely shy at times.  Attempting to talk to someone I don’t know can be incredibly intimidating, even terrifying at times.  Strange since I work in retail.  But there is a huge difference between initiating conversation with someone I just met and offering to help someone find something in a store, at least in my head there is thankfully.

Anyway, because of this one little problem, there is one thing about the blogging world I’ve always had a bit of trouble with, leaving comments.  I will go read a fantastic blog post that made me laugh, cry, inspired me, etc.  Above all it’s extraordinary.  The kind of post you naturally share on every single social media network known to man.  But the top way to show some love for such a glorious masterpiece of blog writing? 

Leave a comment. 

Noooooooo!  Anything but that!  What in the world do I possibly write in this darn comment box?!  How do I put my thoughts and feelings into actual concrete words and sentences?!  Ahhhh!

Yes that is actually the kind of thing that’s goes through my head most of the time.  Sometimes it’s easier.  I just mention the first thing that pops in my head like an idea about something to add to the project/recipe I just read about. 

But most of the time I’m stuck.  What message can I send to this blogger to show my appreciation for their work, that doesn’t sound like I’m simply trying to spam them with links to my own blog.  Yes, that’s another fear of mine.

I realized something recently.  That kind of thing that you think and wonder “why didn’t I think of this before?!”  The whole point is to show appreciation.  Off-line I think it’s super important to show your appreciation for others, so I frequently do so with one simple little phrase. 

Thank you. 

When someone says something nice to me, or holds a door for me, or anything else big or small.  I say thank you because again it is important to show your appreciation, even for little things or especially for little things.  And saying thank you is the easiest way to do so.  So easy how can you not say it? 

So maybe instead of worrying about what to say online to people when leaving comments, it’s best to just keep it simple. 

Just say thank you. 

Thank you for sharing this photo that made me laugh.  Thank you for telling this story that inspired me.  Thank you for showing me how to do/make something that I really needed.  Thank you for taking the time to visit.  Because that’s what really matters.

Thank you for reading this, it makes me smile. :)

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5 a Week: Tiny Doll Dresses

It’s Sunday, and time for week 7 of this year’s edition of…

 

…The Five a Week Pledge.

If you haven’t been around here, it’s where you pledge to do five things each week of your choice (see here for more info).  I pledged to make five small crafts each week.  Feel free to grab a button and join me.  If you already have, post a comment or a link to share what you accomplished.

This week’s craft:

Doll Dresses!

I made five cute spring dresses for my dolls using fabric scraps.  Mostly the same fabric as for the doll skirts (see 5 a Week: Cute Doll Mini-Skirts).  I made them the same way as my dress tutorial (see Doll Dresses for All with a Tutorial) with just a few little differences.

Instead of regular straps, I made them tie at the shoulders.  Looks really cute on a sundress.  Also the first three don’t have darts and are really tiny for one very good reason.

I got a new ball jointed doll (Here’s her “unboxing”).  Her name is Sakura and she is much smaller than my other two dolls.

Speaking of the other two, I made dresses for them as well.  (Check out the doll blog to see their reaction.)  Now they all have matching off-white dresses.  Now I kind of want one too.

Next week will be the last for this round of the 5 a Week Pledge.  What will I make for it?  You will just have to wait and see.  Look forward to it.

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5 a Week: Lace and Ribbon Jewelry

This post may contain affiliate links, please check out my disclosures page for more info.  Thanks!

It’s Sunday, and time for week 6 of this year’s edition of…

…The Five a Week Pledge.

If you haven’t been around here, it’s where you pledge to do five things each week of your choice (see here for more info).  I pledged to make five small crafts each week.  Feel free to grab a button and join me.  If you already have, post a comment or a link to share what you accomplished.

This week’s craft:

Jewelry!

I made five pieces of jewelry with lace and ribbon.  And this time they are sized for people instead of dolls (see 5 a Week: Jewelry for Dolls).  I made three easy necklaces and 2 bracelets.

The main reason I wanted to make the necklaces was to try out these ribbon clamps.  I bought them on impulse ages ago and had never used them (see The Biggest Craft Haul Ever).  In fact this was the first time I used anything like these.

First I just used them with some thin lace and clasps to make these simple chokers.  I may add pearls or a charm later, but they are cute like this.

I also tried something a little less simple, wider lace with ribbon layered on top.  The clamps aren’t too difficult to use, but they came out a little crooked since it was my first time.  And I wasn’t sure if I tightened them enough, so I used a little super glue just in case.

While I was at it, I decided to make some lace and ribbon bracelets to match.

Instead of the clamps and clasps, I stitched a hook and loop on each one.  It’s similar to some other pieces I made last year (see 5 a Week: Chocolate and Cream). 

The necklaces came out well I think.  And maybe after practicing some more with the clamps I will make a tutorial, or two.  Wouldn’t that be fun?  :)

Give it a try:

• Bead Landing Clasp Ribbon Clamp
• Offray 3/8"x21' Grosgrain Solid Ribbon
• Dritz Hooks &Eyes Size 3

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5 a Week: Doll Sized Shorts

It’s Sunday, and time for week 5 of this year’s edition of…

 

…The Five a Week Pledge.

If you haven’t been around here, it’s where you pledge to do five things each week of your choice (see here for more info).  I pledged to make five small crafts each week.  Feel free to grab a button and join me.  If you already have, post a comment or a link to share what you accomplished.

This week’s craft:

Shorts for dolls!

I made doll sized shorts using t-shirt scraps.   The two gray ones on top are from the sleeves of a gray t-shirt I’m in the middle of altering.  The bottom three are from the white t-shirt I cut up for the doll tank tops I made (see 5 a Week: Cute Doll Tank Tops with a Tutorial). 

The white pair on the left is technically a pair of bloomers I made for one of my dolls.  The pattern worked well for them as well.  Speaking of which, I used to this tutorial for doll swim trunks as a guide for making my pattern.

I made two pairs of this pair of shorts.  White with lace along the hem.  I think they are so cute, but I have to admit they kind of look like undies or pajamas.  Oh well, dolls can pull it off.

This gray pair of shorts I have been dying to try making.  I have been seeing people wear shorts with ruffles for a while.  I don’t think it’s a good look for me, but I thought it would be so cute for a doll. 

And it is cute, except the ruffle doesn’t sit as well as I would like it too.  Not bad for a first attempt though.

This last pair of shorts is the simplest.  Just a simple pocket on the side for a touch.  I thought about making the pocket heart shaped or something, but this works for now.

They look so cute on my doll (check the doll blog for more photos of the shorts), and they didn’t take much time at all to sew.  In fact I actually made them all in one day.  Now if only all their clothes were that easy.

I’m thinking of making something non-doll related for next week, for a change of pace.  What do you think?  But whatever I make will still be cute, probably.  Look forward to it.

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It’s Been 7 Years…

That is, seven years since I started blogging.  Today is my blog’s birthday!  Yay!  And I actually remembered it this year! Double yay!

Anyway, in honor of it I created another little video.  It features several photos from the past year.  Look out for your favorites.

Enjoy!

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