Thoughts on Thursday...

When you get up in the morning, what do you do?...do you...

Shower, get ready, get dressed and then go into the house to start your day...or

Do you go out into the house in your pj's or comfy clothes, have a cup of tea or coffee, something to eat, start the craziness with the family etc...

I am pajamas girl, but on work days I'm trying to shower and get ready first before I go down stairs. Seems like I'm more on time when I do.

How about you???

Have a great Thursday,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Washer Bracelet

Hi everyone!! So glad you've stopped by for another Tool Time Tuesday. This project is truly a "tool time" from the hardware store.

Today we are making this adorable bracelet (modeled by my daughter Kelsie!). Believe it or not, this bracelet is made from washers. It was fast and easy too. I think I made this in under 15 minutes. 

Most hardware stores have a section in the nuts and bolts aisle where they sell these baggies. In Home Depot, these baggies are only 98 cents each.

There are many different styles of washers. These washers that look like flowers are called lock washers.

This package is a number 6. The smaller the number, the smaller the size of the washer. Each baggie has 20 washers in it for 98 cents. What a great price compared to a craft store for some jewelry supplies.

Here's what they look like out of the bag...

and here's a close up.

I also used jump rings to connect the washers, because the washers don't open up and need to be connected with something. I also used a lobster claw clasp.

First step is to use 2 needle nose pliers to carefully open up the jump ring.

I added one small washer and one large one.

Close up the ring.

Here are the 2 washers.

I kept on adding a jump ring and then alternated one large washer and one small washer until the bracelet fit my wrist.

On one end, I added the lobster claw clasp.

and at the other end, I added one jump ring to close with the clasp.

Very fast and easy.



and stylish too!

These would be great summer time craft projects for older children and great gifts too. Just think of the possibilities...earrings, necklaces etc. Add pretty beads in between for color too.

Remember our Tool Time promise...don't tell the hardware people we use these washers for craft projects or they'll raise the prices on us. Shhhhh...it's our little secret.

Have a wonderful Tuesday,

~Karen~

don't forget to pop over to my Sunday party post...Sew Darn Crafty. So many wonderful projects for you to just click on a visit! Lots of inspiration!

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 20

Hello to all my wonderful friends out there in the world. Even though we've never met, I still consider you all my friends. We all go through the same things in life, we love to create, sew and craft and let's face...deep down we're pretty much all the same. If you're blogging or reading blogs, you love to be inspired and that's the basic truth of why we are "friends"...inspiration!

I feel like this opening paragraph each Sunday is to tell you what I've been up to this week. To make it short, my house looks like someone flipped it upside down. Remember I told you I want to switch out my daughter Courtney's twin bed for a queen, with some painting in there too? Well, my niece gave me a few pieces of furniture that she didn't want any more, (which I love, but just need to make room for) but that created a domino effect. Move something here to get something there, change this to fit that, why not clean this out since I'm here, why not clean out the closet and donate clothes.

This domino effect has reaked havoc on every single room in the house. EVERY. SINGLE. ROOM. We are stepping over piles of clothes, pieces of furniture, bags of I don't know what...but I LOVE IT. Gives me a sense of cleansing, getting rid of things we just don't need, minimizing my life. It may be upside down right now, but when it's done Woo Hoo!!

So now let's see what you've been up to...



Sew Darn Crafty is all about YOU!! Show off your projects, share a tutorial, show us your vacation pictures, share a family favorite recipe...share anything. Not only does linking inspire us all, it also brings lots of new people to your blog for a visit. Click here for past parties and lots of inspiration

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

• link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not  search through all your whole blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post.
• link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
• anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects etc...
• visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
• grab a Sew Darn Crafty button for your blog (on my right side bar) or just link to the party in your post.
• the more we share, the more people will join and then there's more inspiration to look at!
• linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
• just click the "click here to enter" button and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Recycled Pizza Box Support

I haven't had a recycling Tool Time in a while. You know I always look at something twice before I throw it out and then stuff it in my purse or store it away for a project. Sad, I know...I think I need some sort of garbage counseling LOL!!

Well, here is one of those items.

Do you know what these are?

They look like doll house tables...but they are those little plastic pizza thingies that you find in the middle of the pizza so the cover doesn't end up squished on top of the pizza. Not sure of the name, but maybe pizza protector or pizza box support.

They're only 1 1/2 inches high and 1 1/2 inches wide. Tiny little things, but I have big plans for them.

How about drying supports for craft projects.

Paint something on both side and place it on this support, so it can dry all over at the same time.

Another drying support especially when using glue or Mod Podge. I made these balls with shredded old book pages. Can't let the glue dry right there on the table, because it would glue itself right to the surface. These supports are plastic, so nothing really sticks to the little spikes and the air circulates all around.

How about gluing these to some kind of sewing station and have all your hand sewing thread right there where you are working. You could some how fashion an area for a pincushion, thread and scissor holder, then glue this plastic thingy to that to hold the thread.

This one is a little crazy, but worked great with my iPhone.

Great for watching videos, or having the phone up so that I can see texts or emails coming in without having to tip the phone to see...especially if I'm working at my desk and the phone is flat on the table. This keeps it in plain view.



If you can think of other things to do with these crazy little things that I hate to throw away...let us know in the comments section. There must be something else we can do with them!!

Oh wait...I just thought of another one, but sorry no picture...just brain storming. A place card holder for the dinner table or when you are labeling food on a buffet!

Keep thinking and eating pizza...we need those support thingies!

Happy Tuesday,

~Karen~

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 19

Happy Father's Day to my wonderful husband and to all the fathers out there...not that there are any men who read this blog besides my husband. Maybe you can pass the wishes on to them! Since 99.9999% of my readers are women, lets say Happy Sew Darn Crafty Day...just don't tell all the dads out there!

So show me what you've been up to this past week or any time for that matter...you know we have to sneak our crafting time in when ever we can get it!



Sew Darn Crafty is all about YOU!! Show off your projects, share a tutorial, show us your vacation pictures, share a family favorite recipe...share anything. Not only does linking inspire us all, it also brings lots of new people to your blog for a visit. Click here for past parties and lots of inspiration

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

• link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not  search through all your whole blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post.
• link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
• anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects etc...
• visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
• grab a Sew Darn Crafty button for your blog (on my right side bar) or just link to the party in your post.
• the more we share, the more people will join and then there's more inspiration to look at!
• linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
• just click the "click here to enter" button and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week,
~Karen~

Thoughts on Thursdays...

Ok...by the toilet paper controversy from last Thursday, I see you like the question of "this or that". Maybe I should call it "This or That Thursday", so here it is...

Your hobby time...do you do your best work in the morning or at night or any time you can get it?

I'm a night!

Happy this or that,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Kitchen Sponge Pincushion

Happy Tuesday! How would you like to make an adorable pincushion for 25 cents or less with scraps and a kitchen sponge?

You read it right...a kitchen sponge. Use a new one of course, because that would be gross if we didn't...LOL

Isn't she pretty? These would make great gifts for sewing friends for swaps, guilds, quilting bees, holidays etc

Here's where it started...in the dollar section of CVS. I know some dollar stores probably sell them more to a package for a dollar, so look there too.



4 sponges for $1.00

Ok this is the easiest project if we just used it as a pincushion straight out of the package, but we like to create, sew, make things pretty...

So let's do it. Let's make it pretty. Measure the length.

and the width.

This sponge isn't very thick, but some are, so take the height of your sponge into consideration.

Now the creating part...use anything you have in your scrap bin. These are selvage edges of fabric that I won in a give away a loooong time ago. I knew I would use them at some point. This is why we NEVER throw things away.

Selvage or selvedge (Webster dictionary has it spelled both ways for this meaning) is a specially woven edge that prevents cloth from raveling.

Lay out the selvage strips, over lapping the raw edge just a little. Because the white part is woven, it won't unravel and can be left as a finished edge.

Pin all pieces in place...

Overlap the edges just a little to catch the bottom fabric when top stitching.

Just sew a straight stitch on top of the finished edge.

Here is a close up...see the stitching under the words "all right" ?

Sew 2 sections for the front and back of the pillow.

Trim to keep sections the same size according to the size of your sponge.

Now place sections right sides together and sew around the four sides leaving an opening to turn and stuff the sponge in.

Turn right side out.

Here's the opening...

Now stuff in the sponge..

Work in the corners of the sponge to fit the corners of your pincushion cover.

Pin the opening closed and either machine stitch closed or hand whip it.

Here is one side.

and here is the other.

Just perfect and practically free.

A lesson learned...never throw out scraps.

You can also make a thicker pincushion by using 2 sponges on top of each other or by folding the sponge in half and stitch it to hold.

It will make a smaller, but thicker pincushion.

Now what to call a pincushion made from a sponge...

• spongecushion
• spincushion
• pinkitchen

Oh well, not the greatest names, but a cute and easy project none the less.

Have a great Tuesday,
~Karen~