It's really been 9 years??

     Being a stay-at-home mom, I was thinking of using this blog to post things I could make and possibly sell.  When my boys started school,  I had more time - but it's been almost a decade, and I've had to change computers more than once.  On a few rare occasions when I actually sat down and tried to access the blog, I couldn't get "in" to post.  I'm pretty sure I didn't have any patience and I doubt I was giving myself enough time to figure it out.  So, I gave myself the time to unwind and this blog got left behind like Jessie did in Toy Story 2. . . (sorry for the sad comparison) - but, it was never truly forgotten.  (BTW, quick side note - how can Andy's mom be the little girl if she cared enough to keep the hat?  There was more than 1 Jessie made and I always got a "Howdy Doody"-like vibe and thought they were popular earlier than when the mom would've been a little girl. . .)

     Anyway - Lindsey Weirich, the Frugal Crafter on YouTube gave me the nudge I needed to actually start blogging (the COVID19 quarantine also helped me be in the "right" headspace).  After watching her talk about her opinions and questions on YouTube Craft Room Tours, I was thinking about what she said and remembered the reason I started watching them in the first place. . .for inspiration and possible "new" ideas to make my own craft area a better place for me to work.

     After giving this a little thought, I thought I could start posting projects I'm working on.   I'm no expert and if I can do them, anyone can.  (I hesitate to call them home improvement projects - maybe I should call them Craft Corner Improvement Projects?)  I'm hoping actually starting to blog will help motivate and encourage me to try more as I build confidence - just like doing my projects.  I also hope that my attempts at blogging can help me pay it forward and provide a "new-to-someone" idea, or give just a little motivation to start something, or least provide a little chuckle.
     When my projects get stalled for one reason or another, I can try to post the few ways I've organized things using what I've found around the house or found really cheap.  My "budget" for my Craft Corner is as low as I can go.  If I had to say what bottom line I strive for, I'd have to say $0.  I don't think I can really do it for free, but I have been trying not to spend any money by using what I have or what I can find.  I was "shopping my home" when I could,  before COVID.  Maybe I was that way because of the "3 R's" from school, but I'm also the type who was raised to have a nest egg, put necessities first, and then fit in any "entertainments" when you can afford them.  I have limited resources, a family who's said they don't care how pretty things look, nobody to see what is or isn't in my craft space, and would rather spend my money on the actual supplies instead of making what they're stored in look perfect.  (Fortunately or unfortunately, perfect doesn't fit into my world.  It might one day, but I'm not holding my breath and I'm trying to push any possible OCD issues down enough to move on.)


     I'm thinking of using this blog for my first reason (craft projects), and the other for the non-"craft" projects.  As soon as I figure out some of the final details, I'll start posting the entries I've worked on during our quarantine.

     Thanks for reading, hope I was able to express myself well and maybe somehow add a little glow into your life.



     If you're a "pinner," please check me out at https://www.pinterest.com/daylightdesigns/

Mother's Day Projects

This year, I made some "cards" for my mom, MIL, and my grandmother who is visiting from Ohio. (She's staying with my mom, so I had the time when the boys went to sleep.) If she were staying with us, I wouldn't have had the time since she's beyond the "night-owl" title. Even when I stay up late, I still turn in before she does - and that's with the 3-hour time difference in my "favor" so to speak.

My dear hubbie thought that they were great and kept saying that I could sell them for at least $50 each. Which I told him I doubted it. . . unless I were to charge the grandparents involved, but that's more due to the adorable pictures I put on the 5 tags that slipped into their own pockets.

For anyone who doesn't recognize this project, it's a Manila folder! It's folded up (5 inches from the bottom), then in half to make 5 pockets for the tags. I put a photo of my boys on one side and used the backs for journaling/putting cute embellishments.

(The back of this project didn't look like this. For this, I covered my dapper boy's face and the names - please, don't be offended. When it comes to things like the internet, I believe in the "better safe than sorry" philosophy. I doubt anything would happen, but I always try to lower the chance that I'm taking a risk with these little gifts I've been given.)

Oh, not only did dear hubbie compliment me and not complain when I went to bed late a few nights in a row as I was putting the "cards" together, but he got me this. . . The stones are my boys' birthstones, which I've been wanting to have on a ring/bracelet/necklace since giving birth to my youngest.

(It also explains why he chuckled when he saw me putting on the key charms onto the tags!)

JustRitestampers.com

Haven't had time to blog lately. . . .unfortunately, not all good - wasted way too much time (well over 6 hours in so-called-appointment time alone on top of 1/2 hour calls) just for a quote from Mesa Garage Doors - and still didn't get one. Must be doing too much business to handle, so I'll have to move on to something else.

Wanted to blog quickly just to sing the praises of Just Rite Stamp Company. I was stamping a birthday card and then started a quick project calendar for my son (to try to help him see how many months there are since he's asking about his birthday a month after it happened) when I noticed that one of my font sets was missing a letter. Luckily, it was the "x" in the smaller size, but I felt that it was my fault a bit. Yes, they didn't pack the letter/s in question, but I've had this set for awhile and even used it a few times, but apparently, didn't need that letter in that size. I asked if I could get 1-2 of them - thinking that it wouldn't cost much. I got a reply very quickly - from the president. Unfortunately, they aren't going to make that font anytime soon, or they would have sent me some. They've now split up the sets so you don't have to buy all sizes in upper case, then all sizes in lower case - both upper and lower case are together in just the size you want. They're also now selling clear "handles" to put the pieces in. Don't know how well that works with the colored rubber stamps, but more power to them! I may or may not buy them since there are some pieces that you trim down and maybe the clear helps, but I hope they sell lots! They're a good company!

Finally online again! - sort of

Been awhile - we've moved back into our house, but are still working on the kitchen. (We have cardboard on the floor for now. . . wouldn't recommend it. It's not too easy to keep clean with an active toddler - hard enough with 2 adults and a dog. The crawling child doesn't do well with it either, but enjoys trying to eat and tear it up every chance he gets!) Still don't have the office set up at all, which means no computer. I had to hijack my husband's laptop to update another blog, so I thought I could quickly post another on this one.
I haven't been able to do anything crafty lately, but did finally get the chance to get my hair cut. I was "able" to cut and donate 17 inches to Locks of Love. (Thanks Mom for this and for babysitting!) This is my 4th time donating, but I can't remember how much the total is. . . not that it's important, just thought it'd be interesting to know. FYI - some salons will either cut your hair for free or for a reduced price if you donate. . . (I found out on Facebook that a few of my friends didn't know this.) Sometimes the salon will mail it in, other times you do, but it's not difficult - directions are on the website, so I'll not bore you with them here. Just want to also say that colored and/or permed hair are accepted now - they didn't take them a few years ago, but that's changed. If you aren't sure what Locks of Love is and have more than 10 inches of hair you could do without, please check out their website at locksoflove.org. It's nice in this economy and with my schedule to help out, even if it is just a small bit.

Fruity Cards

I may not have been blogging, but have been busy - mostly "just" being a mom to a busy toddler while fighting morning sickness and for awhile, nursing a sprained ankle (first time I hurt myself that badly!).

In any down time that I've had, I've worked on a few things. . . . I'll probably add the altered journal photos later, but I'm not quite finished with them yet.

These are the cards that I made to go with the altered journals I got from Michael's. I did buy the matching cards, but ended up using them as mats in the journals - after I already stamped the envelopes to match. I didn't want to waste the envelopes, so I came up with the idea of making personalized, monogrammed cards for both of my moms. To top it off, they fit into the recipe boxes that matched. I hope they both like them!

My first big cross-stitch project

I thought I'd post my first real project that I was proud of. (I recently found it. . .) It's not technically the first cross-stitch project I worked on, but is the first project I had to do more than just follow directions.  My mom, in her infinite wisdom "encouraged" me to begin with a few small ornaments. (I can't believe it's been 2 decades ago.)  The chart I used was just an alphabet and I had to graph the design out.
If you know of another girl named Beth who likes bears and purple, please let me know. I'm thinking about selling this.  I'd love to have this project go to someone who'd like it instead of just taking up space here.

My mom is the one who finished this with the fabric frame.

This is a close-up. The small boarder is actually stitched and has a small bow on the bottom.

First post

Hi!
I'm not too sure what I'm going to be "blogging," but I thought I'd try! My son is napping right now, so I had a bit of time on my hands. . . in-laws are visiting so that means hubby and Grandpa are out in the garage working around and having fun and Grandma is reading a Grisham book. Not too much to report right now - just trying something new.
Hope all is well with you!