I have to say, it’s been hard to keep up with sewing the blocks each month. I didn’t realized how hard it would be! But I do love getting to try new kinds of blocks and seeing other people’s color combinations. For my quilt, I picked a lot of grays, greens and yellows,  and posted some bauhaus textiles as inspiration (see my post for more info).

I haven’t sewn anything (other than the quilt blocks for the bee) in so long!! Well, I’ve sewn a few small things here and there, but it seems like a long long time since I sat at the machine. And I have another quilt I need to get to work on as well, so hopefully one of these days I’ll get my sewing mojo back. I have a feeling it may happen after I…unearth the machine from all of the STUFF that inevitably goes on any flat surface in my craft room. It’s funny, this room is much bigger than my last craft room, but it also has an extra bed in it, so it can feel pretty tiny at times. (However, the bed comes in handy for blocking things, and you know, as a flat surface to catch my STUFF). I really need to get organized again!

These days I use them more liberally, generally on mail and packages, as I feel like there are so few hand written exchanges any more and this is just one more way of making them fun and personal. So when I saw these cute Crafty Stickers from Chronicle Books I knew I wanted them! They are craft- themed labels, with touches of faux stitching, graph paper lines, yarn balls, pincushions, doilies and dressforms throughout. And they come in a multitude of sizes that you can use not only for packages, but to label your supplies or tag your handmade gifts.  My absolute favorite way to use the big stickers is to feature them on envelopes that I re-use, like so:

They take the focus away from “Hey you ripped off/crossed out that address and sent me this half beaten envelope” and turn it into “Aww, what a cute label!”. And I save an envelope, some resources, and some $ in the process. Hopefully they also inspire the person receiving the envelope to continue to re-use it until it falls apart.

And to inspire you to do the same, and to litter the world with pretty crafty stickers, Chronicle Books has so kindly donated one pack of Crafty Stickers for me to give away to one lucky reader. The packet has over 200 stickers to choose from- and don’t worry, there are at least 2 of each design, so you don’t have to save them for 20 years to find the perfect place for each one.  To enter to win,  tell me what you would use the stickers for- or, describe your favorite/most memorable sticker– in the comments. Eligible comments must be left by Sunday at 10 pm mountain time. Good luck!

I added some pretty Amy Butler fabric to the waistband to up the cuteness factor, and used the elements of the jeans to make it functional (my favorite part is the scissor  holster!) If you’re showing at a craft fair this summer, this would be the perfect accessory for all of your money handling. Although maybe not if you were planning on wearing jeans….there is such a thing as too much denim!

My two favorite projects have to be the crocheted crafts. First there was a simple striped tawashi:

I see more of these in my future. They’re quick, fun, and a great way to use up scraps.  I’m going to add a hanging loop to any further renditions  (just chain 10 at the end and sew the loop in place) so that I’ll have an easier time making sure they dry. I like the idea of filling my drawers with these– I use them in conjunctions with rags to almost eliminate paper towels. I admit, I still use paper towels for occasional things (mainly blotting bacon grease and pizza) but remember: any step you take, no matter how small, helps.

I also whipped up this swiffer sock, which was born out of my need to not pay for swiffer covers. And my need to actual sweep the house once in a while. It works remarkably well and holds up to the washer and dryer. This is the project for your stash acrylics, friends! I happen to think both this and the tawashi would make great little gifts.

In addition, I sewed some simple produce bags,  a recycled baby bib (from jeans and corduroy pants) and a clothespin bag made from old jeans (this would also work well to store the plastic grocery bags that do make their way into your home). Check them out, and remember, do whatever you can to celebrate Earth Month all year! There are tons of awesome projects by everyone on the site.

Instead I cut down some old towels destined for the trash and added a bias tape to the edges. These are the new drain pans. I can just throw them in the wash with my other stuff, and I made two so I can rotate them out if they need to hang to really dry.  Added bonus: they extend to fit my silverware drainer and whatever else doesn’t fit in the rack. Tea towels and thin dish cloths would work just as well (and probably dry quicker– that’s what my mom uses and where I got the idea) but I wanted to recycle something I had instead of buying something new. Last year I  tore all of the other old towels into rag sized pieces and use them instead of paper towels now and always wished I had taken the time to bind the edges so they wouldn’t fray in the wash. But binding these two towels was a pain in the butt, so I’m fine with some raggedy looking rags. 

And I’m happy to report that at this point, the only paper product we use daily is toilet paper (and kleenex. But I’m seriously thinking about making tissues, and wondering if that makes me crazy). Believe it or not, I actually find it easier to use reuseable rags, cloth napkins, cloth pads, etc. I was in Joann’s a few weeks ago buying an EZ hem tool (after some of y’all were raving about it) and this woman in line asked me what I would use it for. I explained to her that it was good for making narrow hems, like on a napkin or sleeve. She gave me this pathetic look and said “Oh, please don’t tell me you’re making your own napkins?” and I told her no, I had already made them, and then went on my way. Whatever floats your boat, I say, but what’s so weird about making your own napkins (ehm, and possibly kleenex?)? Giggle.