I Plegde to UIU

With the New Year almost here there is a lot of talk of New Year resolutions. One of the things that kept coming up was using up our craft supplies. This is not something new; people have been doing this for years, setting budgets or not shopping for 30 days etc. There have been many blog posts on the topic as well. I am neither the 1st, nor going to be the last person to talk about using stuff and saving money. I know personally in these tough times my household has to watch our pennies but I still want to enjoy my passion of art and crafts. So all this talk has got me thinking and what I came up with is a pledge to Use It Up (UIU)!!



What UIU is all about is using up those craft supplies that you have been stashing away, hoarding or treasuring what ever you want to call it. We all have drawers and bins full of craft stuff but yet we keep saying “oh I don’t have anything to do that project” or it’s the “Look at that shiny new product” I must have it syndrome. Then we go buy more stuff, but what happens is you get it and forget it. when we just keep going in this manner we end up with another problem, NO SPACE!!! Well that’s going to stop for me this year and I invite you to join me!



There are no hard core rules other then USE IT UP, but here are some guidelines, hints and tips:



* Take some time and go “shopping” in your stash. I know what you are going to say, “Time! I don’t have time I am to busy!!” My answer to that is, YES you do! How much time do you spend shopping in the craft stores or surfing the net for craft stuff weekly? Well replace the store or the net with your own house.

*Trading / swapping: Don’t be afraid to ask someone for help. Before you go buy that one flower you need ask someone if they have an extra one. You can arrange a swap for goods and sometimes the postage will be cheaper than going to buy it. You just need to be patient.

*Rethink it: If you realllllllly want to create a project but don’t have the products to make it, take a step back and see what you do have and work it with what you have. You may have to resize it or change the style. You will be surprised on what you can do. (example)


*Recycling is your best friend! Don’t throw out those cereal boxes they make great chipboard or canvases. Even the smallest paper scraps can be glued down to plain copy paper and make cool backgrounds. That trick works well with fabric too.


* Resale vs. Retail: Try going to a resale shop (Salvation Army/ goodwill) instead of your craft store. You will be surprised on what you will find and not spend a lot


*Set a budget. I know we are talking about NOT spending but there are times that we will run out of basics (glue, paint, mediums) and that’s ok to replace them. AND yes it’s ok to treat yourself here and there. BUT if you do get something you MUST use it, you can’t buy it and let it sit. Just remember your goal of not spending and start using don’t make it a daily/weekly treat.


Remember this will be a pledge to yourself and only you can hold yourself accountable for it and with love and support from other UIU pledges we will be making awesome art, making room and saving money. I know that I would rather spend my money on an art retreat then on a products that will collect dust on the shelf


SO ARE YOU READY? GRAB A BUTTON in the side bar AND UIU !!



All I ask is to make a blog post at least once a month and tell and/or show us how you have been UIU.

List of peeps who took the pledge:

 Fran ( me :) )

Jean           themusicalscrapper.blogspot.com

Sandi -          pandics

MaryBeth   creativbz

Julia            http://straydreamsblog.blogspot.com/

Sandy          http://teardrop-loveandbeloved.blogspot.com/


Nicky         http://thealteredinker.blogspot.com/

Felicia        http://www.mousepotatodesigns.com/

Mitzi

Sheri         http://shycraftygirl.blogspot.com/

Diane         http://thehappydiane.blogspot.com

Kerri          http://ikerrilove.blogspot.com/

Vicki        http://cajunstmpr.blogspot.com/

Carol       http://prairiethistle.wordpress.com/

Darcie      DarcieGlam

Bren         http://knittytreasures.blogspot.com/

Jan
    
Katie     http://www.katieslilmoments.blogspot.com/

Carol     http://gingernonutsbits.blogspot.com/

Laurel    http://paperandscissorsrock-laurel.blogspot.com/

Sarah    http://thehandmadecardblog.wordpress.com/

Tara     http://taralavallee.blogspot.com/

Sandra   http://sandrasfier.blogspot.com/

Di         http://countrylifemom.blogspot.com/

Robin    http://candianrobin.blogspot.com/

Susan    http://mixamatoasties.blogspot.com/

Willnnsbel

Lily      Artjourney

Eileen       http://myscrappit.blogspot.com

Suzanne     http://concernedowl.blogspot.com

Gigi        http://sunshinelollipopsandbutterflies.blogspot.com

Judi F

Anthea   http://fitfatandflourishing.blogspot.com

Gina         http://jerseytjej.wordpress.com

Abi           http://wheresmytable.blogspot.com

Siobhan     http://piddawinkle.blogspot.com

Noaleen    http://manjar50.blogspot.com

Sarah        http://createdbysarah.blogspot.com

Ann          http://craftworkblog.blogspot.com

Mel          http://pattonmommy.blogspot.com

Lizzy         http://lizzyem-craftcuriosities.blogspot.com/
Clare        http://gotpaintinmyhair.blogspot.com

Cindy       http://bitsandscraps-cindyw6922.blogspot.com

Karen       http://stampinginpink.blogspot.com

Vicki       http://cardartart.blogspot.com

Maggie     http://silvercrafter.blogspot.com

Elizabeth    http://silverscrappers.blogspot.com

Ramona     http://www.create-with-joy.com

Valery         http://itsanalienlife.blogspot.com

Pauline       http://paulineguttrey.blogspot.com

Susan         LoveRibbons01  

Kris             http://madaboutpoohsblog.blogspot.com

Laurie         http://happymelauriez.blogspot.com

Judy           http://princess-judy.blogspot.com

aalia7          http://aalia7.livejournal.com

Michaela    http://lilpidgedesigns.blogspot.com

Angenita      http://verzamelingen.blogspot.com

Donna            http://donnasdenofcrafts.blogspot.com

Lizy             http://lizyshouseofcards.blogspot.com

Nadia           http://paperstumps.blogspot.com

Debra              http://debrafied.blogspot.com

Dawn             http://www.blogger.com/profile/13491170202082863992

Jean          http://life-gets-in-the-way.blogspot.com

Roxy            http://roxysscraprack.blogspot.com

Dogsmom (please let me know your real name)   http://lovevisiting.blogspot.com

Halle             http://halleshobbies.blogspot.com

Stop by there blogs or Flickr and show them Love

Postcard Challenge

I am doing a postcard challenge for 2012 that the lovely Darcy is hosting here. I made my book and I am almost ready. I have the Names but still need to think of the addys but that will work its way out. There is a fun button (see the sidebar) that you can add to your blog if you want to play along.

Tiny Tim

Allot of people I know were doing Tim Holtz's 12 Tags of Christmas.  I wanted to play too but I don't have any of the thing he uses, well that didn't stop me :)

Here is what I came yup with:

Here is the book I made to hold them:

Ok by now you are thinking " Wow that book is a little off." Well there is a reason for that, my tags are only 1.5 inch x 1 inch!!!  Yup you read it right!!

Don't believe me look.... (that's a quarter in the pic)

Like I said at the top of this post, I don't have any of the things he used so I just picked just a few things to use.

Side kick ( only die cutter I have)
tag and square die
gel pens
watercolor pencils
ink pads
stamps
white paint
scrap papers

I had a blast making them!

Thanks for looking!
xoxo

Day 12 Let go of

Day 11 Why can't I

Day 10 Life is beautiful

Day 9 True Blue

Ick

I hate being sick. I have fallen behind in my nanojoumo pages and in a bunch of other projects. And now it is Holiday Hell time for me ( I work in retail ) so I am already going crazy.

I hope to catch up soon.

Xoxo

Day 8 Make a list

Day 7 Make it happen

This is still not done but I had to wait for her to tell me what else she wants.

Day 6 Where am I.

Day 5 Maps

After a deep page for day4 (at lest for me it was) I needed a fun page :) I think I did a good job with Waldo, well at lest his hat is right LOL

Day 4 Matters of the Heart

Day 3 Hope and Fear

 

Day 2 See The Possibilities

Day2 of NaNoJouMo! I am making all the pages then at the end I will be binding them.

nanojoumo

I know that I haven been around but things have not been easy lately. But I am not going to get in to that ON to Happy things :)

I just join nanojoumo !! What the heck is that well hit the likny on the side and join me:)

Here is my 1st page , the prompt was "Take Flight"

Thursday Stream

Hiya Everyone,

Many of you told me that you would like to learn how to make crochet flowers so on Thursday on my stream I will be showing ya :)

I wanted to post a pattern here for you so you can print it out and follow along but I have ran into a problem. Many of the patterns that I would love to use are listed on other peoples blogs so I didn't want to post the pattern here do to copyright stuff. I have emailed the owners of the blogs to ask if I could post the pattern or link back to there blog but i have not heard back from them. I know I could have just don't it but knowing my luck I would be the one that would get in trouble.

So on stream I will be going over the pattern and working it step by step with you and if you have any questions I will be happy to answer them for you.

The only thing you will need to follow along will be a US I9 or 5.5mm hook and Worsted weight yarn. Now this will make a bigger flower but it will be better to learn the "how to" after that you can use smaller hook and yarn to make the small flowers to use in your art projects.

I will gone until Wednesday (playing in the woods (:   ) so see ya on stream!!

xoxox

Why I have been MIA

Many of you have been wondering what has been going on with me that I have been mia. Now that all decisions have been made I can finally tell you.

As you know my Hubs has been unemployed for a year and finally found a job with a temp agency but has been let go once a gain. We have been having a really hard time making ends meet and it’s to the point that we may lose our apartment. My mother is in the same boat as us, she may lose her car and other things. My father is worrying he mite not get a pension check any more as well.

So we have made the decision to leave the apartment and move in with my parents. It will help them and us out a lot, we (hubs and I) can take over some of her bills and still save money because the only thing we will be paying for is our storage unit. This will give all of us some much needed breathing room. We are looking to only stay there for a year at the most with the hopes that in that time that we all have saved enough money to help get us all back on track.

I can tell you it was not the easiest decision we have had to make due to we are losing a lot,

1 We are giving up our freedom: Think how it is when you go visit family over the holidays (but for a year :( ) and we are night owls and they are day birds so we will have to be real quiet. ECT…..

2 I will lose all connection with the online world: My parents do not have Internet so it will be really hard to keep in touch with you gals. I will miss my TTMT and Ustream. I will try my best to update and log in from my phone but if there’s a long gap you will know why. You can always email me or dm me on twitter I will get them fine.

3 Crafting: I will lose my crafting time and space, I have to pack all of it away to storage. I am going to see if I can take some things with me but it will not but much. Due to this My “Trade Ya” one on one swap is on hold. The ones that I have received I will make and get out as soon as I can. The POD will be done!! I have come too far to stop that project now!! I also will not be joining a challenges or swap for a long time. For peeps that have my address now if you would like my new one please email.

4 The HARDEST and most PAINFUL will be the lost of my cat due to my mom has dogs a bird. It’s KILLING me that I have to find him a new home. I know there are people out there that may not like animals and don’t understand what the big deal is about but to me my cat is like my SON!! (we are still trying to work its)

I have started to get the boxes and and we will be packing all of August, we plan to be out by the 31st. The sad thing is that all birthday and anniversary plans have gone out the window :( O well we have to do what we have to do to survive right!

I am telling this to you not for sympathy or attention I just wanted you to know because you gals are a big part of my life and have been there for me for so many things and I owe you the truth. I hope to keep in touch with you until the end of August but I will be updating this blog as much as I can cause I can do that from my phone so keep an eye out.

Love ya

Here be Dragon!! ( oct 2010)

This little guy was made for My Knitting / Crochet group. For fun we all made a little mascot for ourselves.

But the DH loved him to so he took him !! No worries I got him back for now ;)

Big blue ( Made for the Linus Connection july2010)

This is a blanket that I made for the Linus Connection in Texas last year. A dear friend works her heart out for them and I wanted to help out. If you quilt / knit / crochet please look at there web site and consider donating a hand made blanket to a kid in need. If you would like to check out them out please click here. you can contact them there.

I know that may people are worried about some of the charities out there and if the people in need are really getting that you send, well I can tell you with this one I KNOW they are. If you have any questions about them please feel free to ask me and I will get the answers for you.

The protector of blue untill it found a home :)

Trade Ya

Hey everyone,

I posted on twitter that if you can read my tweets I would love to be in a swap with you. Some of you have answered me and WOOOO HOOOO thank you. But for others you may have not seen it. So this is the swap details….

This is a swap for me… ok that sounds selfish but let me explain.

I always miss out on swaps cause of this or that in real life and my poor little Swap binder has one atc and one postcard in it. :( I am also to sacred to Host a swap for everyone cause things are a little crazy around here and I don’t know if I could keep track of everyone. I BOW to you gals that host swaps!!!

So this is what I am doing….

I would love an atc or postcard (p/c) from all my friends and in return I will send on back. What ever you send I will send back (atc for an atc ect.)

This is a NO STRESS swap you make whatever you want there is no themes just have FUN with it. I can’t wait to see what you come up with. There is also NO time limit. I understand we all have real life stuff to deal with so it’s ok. I will be making some

p/c and atc so when I get one from you I will mail you one out.


Please DM on Twitter to let me know if you would like to trade and what would you like to swap an atc or p/c. (I am making a list of names so I know how many I have to do :) )


Also to let you know I WILL NEVER GIVE OUT YOUR ADDY!!! I would never do that to anyone because I wouldn’t want that done to me.

WOW long Time no see!!

LOL I forgot I had this blog!! I didn't remember till I got an email about all the probs Blogger was having from a friend.


Well its a good thing to cause I wanted to find a way to share my crafts with my friends out there but I didn't want to open up my other blog. That one is for an online group I am in plus a personal one.


This blog is wayyyyyyyy behind so I will be updating it over the next few weeks and hope to have it full of crafty goodness!! So keep an eye out!


Talk to you soon!