Decluttering & cleaning

I've made myself a 66-point To Do list for the Great Craft Room Clean-Out ('06 Edition). I got started on the portion of the list concerning the Living Room, today. 3 of 9 LR items, completed; 3 in progress.

I also pulled my desk out from the wall, cleared it off, dusted and polished it, and dusted my computer. And vacuumed the Living Room. (Whee!)

Since I want this to remain a mostly-craft-stuff blog, I've started an adjunct blog here. I'll be tracking my progress and so forth over there.

Sweet. I'm looking forward to having a nice space to work once I'm finished cleaning and organizing!

CK not OK

I'm mad at Creating Keepsakes right now. I used to subscribe to their Simple Scrapbooks magazine, but had recently let my subscription lapse (with every intention of renewing once life slowed down a little for me).

No longer. A few weeks ago, I got an unsolicited package from them -- a DVD from CK's Essential Scrapbook video collection. I did not ask for this -- I'm not even a current subscriber. And as I've discussed previously, I'm actually trying to cull my craft supplies -- not add more.

Jenny's Robot Love Messenger Bag!

Just finished it last night ... a project that was supposed to take 2 weeks ended up taking 4. Typical, I guess. There was more hand-sewing involved than I anticipated. Anyway, I'm pretty pleased with the result.
The bag is a pattern of my own design and features an outside pocket on the flap, 4 interior zippered pockets, an integrated key fob (because I hate losing my keys inside a bag!), 4 internal open pockets & a pen-holder pocket. There are two small bonus pockets on the outside of the bag, under the flap. I also made the strap adjustable in the best way I could devise, since I couldn't find any slider-thingys for shortening straps ANYWHERE. So I used buttons. :)

Pictures? Yes. (Below the cut.)

Craft Room Clean-up '06

It's time. It's definitely, definitely time. I've started losing basic supplies (like my Ginghers) while sitting at the sewing machine. Time for a change.

The first step was completed last year, when I painted the room (originally boring white) and hung shelves. Now, for the next step: sorting, purging (eek!), and organizing.

I heart Halloween SO MUCH.

When I was a kid, Halloween was one of my Very Best Favorite holidays. It was up there with my birthday and Christmas.

I mean, when else do you get to dress up as Whatever You Want (truly, in my case, thanks to my mother the Very Talented Seamstress), eat a lot of candy, and stay up half the night? The notion of one night for playing dress-up still appeals to my inner child and whimsical nature, but I never make the time to actually do anything about it.

I may have to make the time -- I came across the Most Brilliant Idea, Ever for a costume -- Pirate Cinderella. How cool is that? Not only is she my sort-of namesake, but the costume combines Princesses and Pirates. And pirates are extremely cool.

Plus, there's something hilarious about a princess who walks around saying, "Arrrrr!" all night.

Maybe we'll have to have a Halloween Party this year. Which means I need to get started on a certain Human's bear costume.

Swappy goodness

Now that my partner has received, I can post! Yeah!

I was in the Harry Potter Favorite Character Swap on craftster.org (craftster, how I love thee) and my partner was the fully-fantastic GoldfishGirl. Her favorite characters were Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Fred & George Weasley, and Molly Weasley. I wanted to send her at least one thing for each of her favorite characters.

What knitting?

I had plans. Great, fantastic plans.

I would make wardrobe capsules. I would clean my craft room. I would finish the bed quilt.

As soon as school was done for the semester.

Then I bought a bike. And I want to do nothing else. I think my Rockhopper is made of crack or something.

I am LOVING this new addiction.