Today's Inspiration

Today's inspiration should make my husband happy.  You see I am a clutterer...not so much a hoarder, I can get rid of things.  But instead of putting things where they belong, they lay where they land.  I know I'm not the only one and I have a very good reason for this.  If I put it away, I will forget to use it, forget I have it...like having my gym bag out is a visual reminder that I need to go to the gym.  Having my Avon books out reminds me that an order deadline is coming up soon and I need to make phone calls, send emails and get my order ready to submit.  I leave a pile of sewing next to the kitchen table, where the machine is, so that once I get "enough" to sew I can spend and afternoon doing it.  Ok so the pile has been there well over a month....!?  I have magazine's I need to finish reading.  Crochet projects half done....because if I put it away I won't have that visual reminder to finish it.  Makes sense right?  But in the mean time....I have piles EVERYWHERE!

So after getting my Zumba shot in the butt this morning this is what I plan to do this afternoon.  Let the pile attack begin!

If you have any tips and techniques PLEASE, yes I am begging, share them with me!

Commission Work Meanderings...

So I was reading through some of my favorite blogs the other day and I came across a post from Handmade Crafts Done While RVing about doing commission work and how it really can be a way of life.  I have never thought I could maintain a living (although secretly wanted to) based on my crafts and talents.  Don't get me wrong, I'm not fishing for compliments here, but who would want my stuff?  My crafts?  My talents?  Thankfully I have had some very satisfied customers and I feel sooo blessed when I can share my God given talents. 

I sat at a farmers market nearly every Wednesday afternoon this summer in a small mid-Kansas town.  I would say that over all I had minimal success.  I sat in the heat of the sun, chatting and crocheting.  But when I sold something my heart lept!  I was so thrilled and I almost felt guilty that I was getting money for something that made me so happy.  But no matter how happy I am, it doesn't feed the belly...ya know? 

Christmas is coming and there is a lull in sales....like zero in over a month.  I keep telling myself that it's the economy...but maybe it's not?!  Maybe my fear of no one wanting my stuff is coming true?  So I make more stuff, out of nervousness...and if any of you have ever been in an RV you know there is very little storage space....SO BUY MY STUFF!!  LOL 

I enjoy crochet so much that it consumes many hours in a day.  I probably give away more than I sell, but it all gives me joy.  I love to watch someone's eyes light up when they see their creations I made just for them.  I love the smell of a new skein of quality yarn.  I love the feel of the fibers sliding through my fingers.  I love creating and learning.  I love that God trusted me with this very special ability and no matter what I make, sell, or give away I hope that I never take it for granted.

When you shop this Christmas, think about shopping handmade.  Items made with love and passion reflect in handmade work.  Get a true one of a kind item instead of something that everyone on the block has.  Buy from your friends, from their friends, make a connection, feed a belly. I will do everything possible to make a customer happy, can you say that about the local chain store?

Some favorites I've made....

Child's Pom-Pom Hat

I love the soft colors of this shawl.

I can stay warm AND keep working!



Wash Blossom and Chrysanthepad



Child's Vest

Car Seat Star Cuddle - small enough to cover but not too bulky

Hair flowers

Ballerina Bear

Scrub Buds...yes I'm working on a flower theme for the kitchen!

Holiday Project Catch-Up!

I hope everyone had a FABULOUS Christmas and a wonderful new year! 

It is the busy season here in south Texas and I've been hoppin'!  The RV park is filled to the max for the months of January and February.  I am somewhat of an activity director, keeping the guests fit and busy!  I teach fitness and line dancing classes.  I lead a craft classes where I'm always looking for new ideas!  We have a Wii game night, breakfasts on Saturday morning and Hymn singing each Sunday afternoon.  BUSY, BUSY! 

Here are a few of the projects that I finished for the holiday season (upon writing this I find that there are a few that I forgot to take pictures of :(  Oh well.)

This is the beginning of my very first intarsia project.  I had so many little balls of yarn I thought I'd lose my mind!  Once I got a good system down I totally fell in love with it though!  



The yarn "madness"!


 The finished product for little Oliver, I even had some leftover yarn for a little hat!


Oliver enjoys his new hat and blanket!



 I couldn't leave the new big brother out.  Meet Peanut...this is from a pattern by a fellow blogger, you can see more of her patterns here.



Made a scrap monkey for Oliver's big brother!



 I've always wanted to do cross bookmarks.  This didn't turn out as planned but cute nonetheless.

Blocking an angel bookmark.

 Flowers for the kitchen!

Dish rags, the center of the left one has a scrubbie for the center!

This is another intarsia project that I am working on for a good friend of mine.  It is a baby blanket with their family's treasured "Rock Star" pattern.


Rock Star!

A couple of our craft projects here in the park!


Discharge Dye



Embossing on a paper bag and beach glass.

I'm not sure what I'll do with the beach glass...maybe work on my wire wrapping technique??

Embossed an old flower vase...filled with my Anniversary roses!!

Couldn't you just touch them!  They smell wonderful!

I'm working on another pineapple shawl (the purple on in my profile pic) this time in a heather gray color...very pretty.  I'm also playing with a bit of mohair, not sure what it will turn into yet though.  I was given the idea that I should make some necklaces...I'm truely intriged by that idea!  In one of my previous posts I talked about my scarves for Special Olympics.  That project is park wide and we will be collecting our scarves and mailing them out next week!!  WOOHOO!!  I will be posting pics so stay tuned!

As always keep your comments and suggestions coming, I enjoy hearing from you!

Blogging My Craft

So I've been reading a few blogs once in a great while but after reading the book "The Handmade Marketplace: How to Sell Your Crafts Locally, Globally, and Online", I realized that just reading blogs was not the only thing that would benefit this crochet sales endeavor. My main dilemma with selling my crafts has been keeping enough inventory to do a booth.

So you now would like to know why that is an issue. Well my husband and I started the great adventure of living in our RV full-time in 2007 and it is because of this great adventure I have the time to crochet but it is also because of this adventure that I have limited space for not only supplies but for my limited inventory. There are days that I feel I've shoved yarn in every conceivable nook and cranny I can find and am just waiting for my husband to open his sock drawer and I hear across the 32' travel trailer..."Uh...honey..." then I know I'm in trouble. AKA...time to sell some stuff! He always tells me that if something comes in the front door...somethings gotta go out the back.

OK, so back to the booth thing...not so much fun sitting in a booth all day by yourself. And to have a really GREAT booth you need GREAT props and table decorations and signs and nick knack stuff, and, and, and....did I mention the RV storage thing? So you see my dilemma. I have learned a lot from this book and one of them was that "to blog is to be"...that is if you wanna be noticed online.

I don't have a lot of items because crochet work takes time. Not all of the items I crochet are my own pattern either. If you happen to find something on my site that is your design and I have mistakenly left our your credit, it is truely that, a mistake. Believe me, I don't want to make a thousand of whatever it is you created...I traditionally make it once, maybe twice, then move on to something else. My love of crochet forces me to sell not for mere profit but for lack of space.

If you are not a crocheter but would like to commission someone to crochet something for you please contact me. If I know it is heading right out the door once I'm finished the happier I make the hubby!

I will give this blogging a try and hopefully if the stars align just right and God deems it fit this will be the start of a whole new season for Fabulously Flawed Crochet Creations!