Magic Hanging Hack

I've been looking for the perfect way to store my  in my craft room.  Don't we all have that problem?  I finally found this old belt rack that used to be a display case at an auto shop.  It's pretty heavy.  It didn't fit all of my glitter, but if fit enough of my glitter to keep me from purchasing a 9th jar of gold glitter next time I'm at the store!  

This is NOT an add, but I hate hanging heavy things on dry wall.  

Have you seen these hooks?  They are sometimes call gorilla hooks.  You can get them at craft stores (I usually use a coupon), hardware stores, and big box stores.   They require no tools.  And....they hold soooo well!  

Each hook holds up to 25 pounds.  I used two to hang this guy up.  It's probably about 30 pounds.

 My Mom has a thread holder that her great uncle made her for her wedding.  I love it, and I needed it in my scrapbook room, BUT....I also needed something that would hold all my embroidery threads.

I bought this one at JoAnns, but the natural wood didn't go with my vintage/funky/electic/randomness, so....I used a light yellow spray to give it a little character.

Chenille Square Quilt

OK...there is a reason I love chenille blankets.  First, how gorgeous are they?  Second, my Mom always tells this story about her grandparents who had a chenille blanket on their guest bed.  Her and her cousin would jump up and down and make the round chenille circles 'hop' around and yell "cookies."  She always reminds her cousin of this traditional jumping get togehter when we get together.  I knew I wanted to created a little throw for my craft room. The place where I put my seat is right next to the window, which means it gets a little chilly during both days of winter here in Texas.  

 I found a lady on Ebay who sells squares of chenille blankets she cuts into quilt squares.  She has all different combinations of colors, but I fell in love with these peach, pink, and white squares.

 I lined them up into 7x6  rows, making sure I spread out the darks and lights, and didn't put any of the same squares next to each other.  I then sewed each row of seven, and then the rows of 7 to each other.

 I got some really soft fabric at Joann for the back and pinned it all together and trimmed that down then sewed a big square to hold those two together.  Last, I cut strips of another pink fabric into 3 inch pieces, sewed them together, folded them over and made my own binding.

 I haven't actually 'quilted' this, but I might eventually add some ties to the middle of the squares if I end up having to wash it a lot and need to hold it in place.

In the mean time, I'll enjoy wrapping this around myself during that arctic blast this year, and then hanging it on the back of my chair the other 364 days.  

Bohemian Dream Catcher

I saw an adorable dream catcher recently on instagram via a gal I follow at HouseofHawthorne.  She has lots of bohemian things.  I wanted to make a few artsy piece for the walls of my craft room, and this one (modeled as close to hers as I could make it) was right up my alley.  I was able to use yarn scraps to put this together.  The only thing I purchased was the hoop.  If I were patient enough I would have held off for a thrift store find, but patience isn't a virtue I've acquired just yet.  

 I took an old sheet and I tore a strip which I wrapped around the embroidery hoop.

 I then wrapped string back and forth so it looks a bit like a dream catcher.  I used my yard scraps to make some tassels.  I posted a quick tutorial on youtube on how to do that if you don't have a favorite way to make tassels already.  I tied on the tassels to misc spots.

Last up I tied random ribbon, lace and and trimming across the middle and I dangled it down both sides. I love the way it turned out and I can't wait to branch out and see what else I can create using this same technique!  

Fabric Tie Curtains

 This was a super easy project I put together for my craft room.  It was before the wall paint etc....better pictures to come, but....I grabbed about 10 fat quarters when they were on sale for 78 cents at JoAnnes

I cut them into 1 1/2 inch strips and then just tied them to a dowel rod style curtain rod that was already in the room that I was turning into my craft room.  It doesn't get any easier than this, and is a fun pop of colors above the window.

My New Craft Room

 I always start my year with a list of things I hope I can get accomplished throughout the year.  I'm ending my year with quite a few things on the to do list, BUT I did manage to knock one big thing off the list-a craft room!  This is really a work in progress.  A few years back I redid my bedroom, and what I've found was it was only the beginning because I added things as we went along, and with all these blank spaces on the wall-I've got plans....

 But, here is my start.  The main thing I wanted was work space.  I bought a table a few years back at a garage sale for twenty bucks.  I use this for most of my crafting, but I wanted another space as well, so I found this chrome top table at an antique store a few months ago.

 I made this pegboard using pegboard I found at the home improvement store. I cut it down to fit inside this frame I found in the garbage on a walk.  I sprayed the frame.  This is where the work in progress still goes on.  The frame is literally falling apart.  I just need it to stay up, so I'm going to have my brother come and add some really long screws to make sure all the weight is on the pegboard.

 I have been collecting things from around my house and thrift stores which includes these spice racks I'm using to store washi.  This is, by far, not my only washi, but....I organized these by colors.

 I tried to group everything by crafting 'theme', so when you turn to the next wall, this is where my sewing stuff lives.  Inside this old armoire (I got at an estate sale for 75 percent off on the last day) are all my fabric scraps.....I'll do a video tutorial on youtube and open all the spaces later...

 On top of the armoire is one of my favorite things-an old sewing machine I found at a thrift store for 25 dollars, a suitcase with all of my cutting boards, but most importantly-my jar of pin cushions.  I've been collecting old pin cushions I find in stores.....in my mind these represent sewers and their labors from years gone by.  The more pinned and poked, the better.

 Right now, my sewing machine is on a desk from my childhood.

 I still need to make a sewing machine cover.  I put up a pegboard (clearance at Hobby Lobby) and a corkboard (I made by cutting down cork I bought at Home Depot and put inside an old frame I sprayed).

 I put some of my thread in this coke case, and then framed up a few old patterns etc.  There is still space above the C.....so much room to add more stuff.  As for the machine, like I said, my plan is to make a cover.  I have all the 'stuff'....now I just need the time.

 Behind the door I've hung SOME gift wrapping stuff on a storage unit I bought at Michael's.  I have the rest of my wrapping paper stuff in a closet....and the hallway....and in the living room.....OK....I have a lot....too much.  I guess it's time to buy a bunch of random gifts to weed out some of this wrapping paper.

 There is a little nook by the doorway where I put my embroidery machine and some of my cricut stuff.
A gal I work with told me about these IKEA bag holders (there were something like two dollars each?) that are perfect for storing vinyl.

 Around the corner I hung a little TV b/c I can only stand my own company so long.  I found this little pantry cart at a sidewalk sell and I filled with printers etc.

 The wreath is a vintage ornament wreath for Christmas, so that won't be up all year, but this little IKEA shelf will.

 I wanted to keep it mostly eclectic, and I would have loved to find an old hardware shelf with cubbies, but I finally gave in and bought a few storage pieces that really were just too functional not to grab, but I filled them up with funky stuff.  I got this cart during a Black Friday sale at Michael's.

 I filled the cart with lots of funk-I got this little display rack that spins from a gal who sales Mary and Martha.  I have an old type writer that reminds me of one of my first loves.  I have old soda cases filled with paint, and a bread box....filled with glitter.

Each cubby is dedicated to some portion of my craft world-ribbons, stamps, buttons etc.  I'll open them up in a video walk through later, but....all this to say-I love all the storage.

Now that everything is in place....it's time to get down to crafting business!  I'm ready 2017!

DIY Cork Board

 Several years ago my brother moved in for a little bit....and it ended up becoming a 'lot a bit' when he purchased a new car.  What I learned in the meantime (along with lots of ideas for Vegan cooking) was that I can live without a guest room.  Which means....it's time for a craft room!  I'm going to do an extensive post all about said craft room when its finished, but in the meantime....I'll be posting some of the diy projects.  I can already tell you this will be my favorite room of all times!  This first project was an easy one....I had a frame someone had given me and some paint I bought for some laundry room projects.

 I bought a large piece of cork from Home Depot....it was less than 6 bucks and I had a TON left over even though the frame is at least 24 inches by 18.  I used the insert to measure out how big to cut it.

 I cut the piece out with my jigsaw.  If you only own one tool (and I only own three), this is one I say is a must.  You could use a saw, but....a jigsaw is what I'd want with me on a deserted island.  No brand advertisement or suggestions, just sayin'....

 I then slipped my finished piece into the frame and hot glued the edges.

Winning at life.

Cart Makeover

 I'm in the process of putting together a craft room.  It's a long story, and something I've been picking up pieces for over the last year or so.  If I bite off a project a little bit at a time, it tends to help afford said project. The problem is, because I'm always working on a 'little bit' of a lot of different projects I feel a little overwhelmed.  On the plus, I do always finish my projects, on the minus, it just takes a lot of time and quite a lot of chaos.

 In an attempt to be more frugal, as I flip over each room I'm trying to reuse things in my house.  I've had this cart forever.  I don't even know why I originally got it.  It held stationary in my closet forever, and then tissue paper in my hall closet, and now....it's going to hold craft 'stuff.'

Black is not going to work in my craft room.  I bought a can of spray paint (with a 50 percent off coupon-so...less than five dollars), and I went to town.  I covered the wheels just so I didn't have to stress about the paint rolling off.  It took the entire can, but....it was cheaper than buying a new one.  Once I add supplies I'm going to add vinyl words to label each drawer.  So....it's not done yet, but it's one piece that's finished to the big puzzle that will be my craft room.