Crafters Challenge January 3rd-January 9th, 2021

[Lana]

Welcome to the first full week of 2021!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

If anybody is interested in joining the CIJ ornament swap, the thread is up in the swamp forum.!!!!! WOULD LOVE TO HAVE YOU ALL JOIN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did not craft this past week but I did order a few supplies for some Christmas ornaments for next year to do.

I also (well Allen did) purchased the vodka for vanilla. Got ready to make it and had the vodka divided into the 3 jars and open the sealed pack of vanilla beans and they were dried up. Have had them a couple years. So now need to order more. Price has went up and I am considering 2 companies that both have reviews good and bad so just have to decide where to order from.

I have been looking for ideals for the year --- mostly for Christmas.

Some I have are:

vanilla

seasoning salt----- we do every year

lotion---- we do every year

pocket prayers ---- I put some off this past year to do in '21

pillows from dishtowels and/or placemats

have seen a couple different gnomes I might do

ear warmer headbands

would love to try some dandelion jelly in spring and if good, give as gifts

big potholders out of old jeans with batting and flannel backing. Leaving a back pocket on for some design.

potholders out of scraps for string potholders or just crazy quilt ones.

I do believe I have my ornament picked out for the CIJ ornament swap on MHH

Have part of my item picked out to make for 12 Days of Christmas swap so will look for another part to it

would like to try some bath items --- soaps, bath bombs, shower melts, etc....

in the past have grown the luffa sponges and did the process turning them into sponges so would like to do some of them for gifts---if they grow

canned salsa for gifts if garden does good

maybe some barbie and doll clothes for Teigan

framed lighted pictures from gift bags

These are some of the ideals I have.

What do you have planned for this week?

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

WOW Lana, that is some list.

I need to pull out my current craft totes and see where I am up to with those. I need to organise and prioritise what my crafts will be for this year.
I did do some knitting this afternoon, finished the left front and started on the sleeves. Hopefully will have that finished by the end of the month.

 

[DahliaDoll]

Greetings!

I can’t believe how short last week seemed!

Lana ~ What a great list!

• I’m curious about the “framed lighted gift bags”. Can you elaborate?
• I’ve made many of the turban-style ear/neck warmers and love them. Is that the style you plan to make? I just finished another one last week and may be doing at least 3 more for friends’ 2021 Christmas gifts.
• Thanks for the reminder … I want to pick the DGK ornaments and get an early start on them.
• I’ve seen recipes for Christmas Jam (cranberry/strawberry) that I thought would make a delightful and different jam gift for the holidays. It has strawberries, so I plan to freeze some when in season and use them for the jam when I can get cranberries. Here’s a link if you are interested: Kitty's Kozy Kitchen: Christmas Jam

I have a bit more organizing to do in the studio, but I procraftinate. As soon as I clear a surface, I end up messing it up again with another project. Must FOCUS!

That said, I am trying to do some additional quilting on some Christmas placemats that I made some time ago. The first one didn’t go so well, and I’m not sure I can save it, but at least I have 7 placemats, so if I end up with 6, it will be fine.

I’ve started my 2021 Christmas cards which I’m quite pleased with, so I hope to continue with those before I lose my mojo. Also, I want to finish at least the March calendar hangers for Sonja and Julia.

 

[luludou]

Did not craft but did reorganize the office closet.... mostly crafting in there now. I did try to get rid of things... but that was a bust! At least now I can easily access when I want to paint or draw.

 

[KimD]

Still need to work on getting craft room organized and cleaned. I did hear Amazon calling my name so ordered a bunch of things for items I want to make. I got mugs in so I plan on getting those done today

 

[Lana]

I saw the lighted gifts bags a couple years ago on the Dollar Tree craft site. You get a gift bag-cutout the front- frame it- and poke some of the battery operated lights around on it. Depending on bag, for stars, lights in trees or lanterns or on truck headlights, snowman etc.. I have gotten different bags to use but then always decide on other stuff to make.

Headbands I am talking about would be sewn out of fleece.

 

[Myron's Mom]

Like your list Lana! I had to look up the lighted gift bag pictures. I have some cute bags for that.
I finished the quilt top. Batting is cut and my backing JUST fits. I’ll have to be careful when I quilt it. Have the binding cut. Will stitch that together tomorrow. Quilting at a later date. Then a little clean up. Can’t decide which quilt to start next.
I did start a thrift shop bag of scraps. Pieces that can be used for something but I know I’m not going to use them. I’m going to go through my scrap bin and add to it.

 

[luludou]

Kim! nice to see you posting

 

[Lana]

MM. very pretty quilt!

It is nice to see Kim on the thread again.

Also, with the bags some people are using picture frames and putting in 2 small cross pieces to look like a window pane with a small piece of fabric along top to look like a curtain (or down the side if big frame and bag). I have seen some with the barn in the background and some with kids out building a snowman and saw a wildlife one. You are on the inside looking out.

 

[sweetpumkinpye]

I have had this counted cross stitch kit for a long while. I do not have plans to make it so am offering it to someone here. Happy to post.

 

[DahliaDoll]

Myron's Mom ~ Lovely quilt!

Kim ~ Glad you're back!

Lana ~ The bag-frame idea is great. I love the mini lights now that are battery powered with timers. It's great to have them turn on automatically in the evening.

Katrina ~ What a nice offer. That's a cute kit, but I know I'd never get to it.

I did get one placemat quilted successfully today. I think I'll try to remove the stitches on the one I did yesterday and see if I can save it. Just an evening in front of the TV should do it.

 

[jampss]

I made the start of the granny squares for DD28’s study area blanket. I will go pick up I Love This Yarn at Hobby Lobby in ‘Linen’ - an off white color. This week is the 30% off yarn week!

I love the start of everyone’s list .... Lana, wow!!

 

[Lana]

Jampss, LOVE the colors!

 

[Rose94]

Well my crafting time started off on the wrong foot yesterday. Found the yarn I plan to use for a shawl was full of yarn tangles and it took about 5 hours to get it all untangle and into a useable ball. I ended up losing about 4 of the 650 meters of yarn.

Rest of week I hope will go better and my plans for it:
7 cards
wash fabrics for a couple projects--quilt top and a couple Christmas decorations
UFO cross stitch
work on shawl
quilt a snowman panel that was given to me for a wall hanging

 

[AuntJamelle]

but I procraftinate.

Procraftinate!!!! LOVE. IT.

I've been working on lining up project ideas for the coming year. Santa brought me a new Cricut Maker for Christmas and I am SUPER excited to try all it can do. It is a game changer for sure.

I've started on a few things - made a few greeting cards, one of them I love is:

https://flic.kr/p/2koZZut
And I used my new Cricut Maker to crank out 5 felt chapstick holders embellished with glitter iron on images:

https://flic.kr/p/2kp1zCQ
https://flic.kr/p/2koWaEo
I've picked several card designs - trying to make all the cards I'll need for the year NOW. So I don't have to worry about it later!

I also ordered photo prints (almost 400 pics!) of our Disney trip. I haven't scrapbooked in YEARS. This will be my way of diving back in! So excited for photos to come so I can get started! It's going to be a fun project!

 

[DahliaDoll]

Jampss ~ Nice start on the blanket. It will be beautiful in those colors.

AJ ~ Great card and lip gloss holders! You have some great plans.

 

[Lana]

AJ, love your chap stick holders.

 

[Rose94]

Got three of the cards made and in the mail-no picture. Also have the fabrics for the next quilt top washed and ready to be ironed.

 

[Lana]

Rose, you get stuff done too!

 

[Miss JoDee]

I was able to find a few items I would like to make for Christmas gifts. And I found too many ornaments I would love to make for the CIJ swap, but I think I know which one it will be.