In The Studio

I Don’t Know What I’m Procrastinating

In The Studio

But I’m procrastinating it real good.

The other day I decided that I wanted to re-position my desk (again) and the work table that backs up to it. While I’ve tried to maintain a largish, open area in my previous office layouts, I realized that I really don’t need the open floor space as much as I need the elbow room that placing my desk & table more or less in the middle of the room.

Last time I redid my office I went ahead when I felt like it, despite the fact that the desk and table were covered with stuff and the floor a bit cluttered, too. It was a mess of epic proportions, mid-move, and not a sight I really want to witness again. Add in the presence of Duncan the devil dog and mobile paper shredder, and it’s really not a good idea to just dive in!

I have a couple sections of my office already blocked off from puppy paws, and my natural inclination to move leftover materials to the nearest flat surface so I can work on something new led to a very cluttered area beyond the barricades, so these were the prime areas that needed rehabbing before I could reasonably start the rearranging.

So Sunday, on my way home from the planner meetup, I stopped at Target and picked up 3 plastic totes–I knew the chances of my sorting and stacking the chaos was far greater than actually finding homes for the various materials in a timely fashion. Self-enabling? Perhaps. Or I just need more storage. (Bite your tongue if the words “or less stuff” crossed your lips or your mind.)

Normally I’ll get the supplies but wait to actually start. Not so, this time, I started tossing things into the first two bins that night, and last night filled the third bin. I have bit more to sort, but the floor is getting clearer so I’m getting closer to the end goal. The only reason I can think of to be so motivated is that I’m putting off finishing something else, though nothing’s really coming to mind.

I didn’t take any pictures, but I do think there’s a video clip of the before state that’ll be in the next vlog upload. Not sure if I’ll have the after within the next week or so, but anything’s possible!

Nothing But Love for Helmar

In The Studio

But after two years, I decided to step down from the design team to make room for some new blood. My last post went live yesterday.

Another reason for stepping down from this amazing team is that I just don’t have as much mental bandwidth to create as I used to. And while the design team deadlines ensure that I’m creating something each month, some months the only things I finish are design team projects. Meanwhile I have personal projects that keep getting pushed to the side, things to do around the house (fun, decorating things not just chores) that don’t even get started, and only occasionally will I steal the time to do some work-related designing. I also have a lot less time to spend online, so I feel like I’m letting down the social sharing and promoting side of being on a team.

At the same time, design teams are amazing for pushing me out of my comfort zone and trying new things. Not gonna lie, finding out about new products and promotions ahead of the general public is also nice.

I’m still a member of the Imagine team through the end of the year and if they gave me the option to stay on for another term I’m not sure I’d want to say yes. Design teams and creative teams are a great way to keep in the loop about trends and collaborate with others, plus you just learn so much and meat fabulous people through the process that I wouldn’t want to give up on teams entirely.

Helmar is currently looking for those new designers, so if you’re interested in trying out for the team, check out this post: Helmar Creative Team Call Out for October 2016

The Great Eyelash Yarn Shortage of 2016

In The Studio

I have some leeway in my evening schedule this week, thanks to it being Todd’s turn to cook. Wohoo! Still loving this arrangement we started back when we first moved in together, way back in 2009. I don’t have any projects due in the next week, which means I could actually work on something just for fun. Except for the very large project that is the Yarm Bomb due in November.

But November’s a long ways away, right?

Sure, but there are a lot of pieces going into this project and I need to knit hay while the sun shines. Or something to that effect… (I do have a portion that involves crocheting with hemp, though no hay will be knit for my submission.)

And suddenly I realize that I may not have mentioned this project at all, tumbleweeds on the blog as they were for a while.

So… Thomasville Center for the Arts is doing an Art in the Open competition this fall, to coincide with Plantation Wildlife Arts Festival, and the theme is Furry and Feathered. Teams of up to 3 fiber arts will be yarn bombing the crepe myrtles along W Jackson St with proper cash prizes on the line!

If you guessed that there might be monkeys on the tree I’m decorating you’d have guessed correctly. My original plan includes 3 monkeys, one parrot, several butterflies, some flowering vines, and a hellovalotta banana leaves. Some of the yarn is being provided by the local yarn shop, but it won’t be in for a few more weeks, and that’s what I plan to knit the banana leaves out of, so I’ve been working in the characters.

20160829_211220

The parrot is more or less complete, though I feel like he needs a little something, maybe some plumage on top of his head? He’s mostly made of recycled sari silk that I’ve had in my yarn stash for ages. I had to order in the yarn for the monkeys, though, since I was going to need a bunch, and then had a merry time finding the last few skeins of eyelash/fun fur novelty yarn in some shade of dark brown to give the monkeys a bit more interest. Seriously, there’s a shortage of brown fun-fur yarn out there for some reason that I just cannot fathom. My supplier only had one skein to send me, the other supplier had none, the usual online suspects were no help, neither were JoAnn Fabrics or Michaels. Finally, on the bottom shelf at Hobby Lobby, I found three skeins of the stuff on Saturday.

Persistence pays off.

So now my monkeys can live up to their furry expectations.

Meanwhile, I also want to get caught up on the vlogs–I’ve got two weekends to edit and I want to do an August Favorites video, as well. I think that should just about fill up the week and weekend, then, when it’ll be time to start on my next design team project!

What projects do you have going on right now?

 

A Project You Can Sink Your Teeth Into

In The Studio

 

There are few things in this life that squick me out more than tooth issues, but even my dental demons didn’t stop me from creating these cute tooth fairy pillows for the Helmar blog.

Just the right size to slip under a pillow

Just the right size to slip under a pillow

Growing up, I had one of those interactive board books called Bruce’s Loose Tooth, about a moose named (you guessed it) Bruce, who had a tooth that just wouldn’t come out, despite how loose it was. So there was a string running through all of the pages showing all the different ways he and his friends tried to rid him of the tooth. The most memorable involving a moving train, I seem to recall.

At any rate, like most kids in the US (a safe generalization, right?) when a tooth came loose it was placed under a pillow and magically replaced my money in the morning. Silver dollars were the big money prize, back then, but I know I’ve heard of modern day tooth fairies bringing 5 or 10 dollar bills.

Inflation is everywhere!

While it might have been cute to make one of these for Duncan’s puppy teeth, I think we’re past that stage (not to mention he’d just destuff it), it’s a cute and simple project for those with little ones of the tooth-losing ages. It uses a fray-blocking medium as well as a basting spray that would come in handy in any number of projects, so go check it out!

Stuck on Xyron!

In The Studio

Hey there! Today I get to share one of my Imagine projects over here on my own blog because we’re having a little hop with Xyron!

2016_august_jv_xyron_magnetic_countdown_board_main

Before we get into how I made this any-occasion countdown calendar, I’d just like to thank Xyron, not only for sending us product to work with, but for sticking around (hah!) all these years. Both the little 150 Sticker Maker and 500 Create-a-Sticker that I used in this project I’ve had for something like 15 years and even with all that time and the evolution of their product line, the refills still work in these older “machines” and for that I am sincerely grateful.

Okay, enough gushing, let’s get to the project du jour!

Any-Occasion Countdown Calendar

Are you ever shocked when that one friend (everyone has one) comes into the office or posts on Facebook, etc. “only XX days ’til Christmas”? Even though they come around at the same time every year, I’m always a little gob-smacked at the small number of days before a holiday or other event (and how generally unprepared I might be for them). So I thought a countdown calendar would be an excellent thing to have on hand, and even better if it worked for any holiday or occasion coming up!

To make this countdown calendar I used (more or less in order of use):

Wow, that looks like a lot of stuff and explains why my work table looks like a tornado hit it.

Step One: Emboss and Emboss

Step One: Emboss and Emboss

So I could have sworn I had a clock-patterned embossing folder but apparently I talked myself out of that one (why?!) but I will not be dissuaded. I used the gears embossing folder and inked up one side with the clear Versamark pad. Once it was embossed I sprinkled it with white embossing powder and heat set it. My coverage wasn’t perfect here, but that’s okay, since I really just needed two “perfect” gears.

Step 2: Prep for letters!

Step 2: Prep for letters!

There are many things you can use a Xyron for, but hands-down my go-to use is for letters. With the Create-a-Sticker I will do a larger piece I can run through the die cutter and boom, intantly adhesived letters. No fussing with adhesive all over the place, just so super simple. This time I did two layers (one white, one red) through the Sizzix at once, vastly cutting down the cutting time.

Step 3: We have a title!

Step 3: We have a title!

As you can see, I fussy-cut the gears and added some strips of black cardstock for arms, then I secured them with a brad. The ends of each arm are decorated with a homemade “enamel” dot made from StazOn Studio Glaze. I made a bunch of these on a lark and have a little box of them on my work table for whenever I want one. Basically, you just squeeze a little puddle out onto your craft mat and let it dry.Done.Apply with a tiny dab of white glue.

My title is made by offseting the red letters just a hair behind the white, and sticking them down directly to the dry erase board. The gear-clocks are popped up with a couple of ZapDots a piece.

What you won’t see (because I apparently forgot to grab the camera) is my cutting out a scalloped oval from a piece of white cardstock and blue fun foam. Why blue? It’s what I had. These were put together and attached to the board with some Tear It! Tape.

Step 4: Here's your sign!

Step 4: Here’s your sign!

Here’s where you get customized. I used a variety of stamps and inks, along with some hand lettering, to create little signs to go under the frame I made in the last step. These are just a few I’m starting with, but the beauty of this board is that you can make any occasion you need.

Step 5: Make mine a magnet, please!

Step 5: Make mine a magnet, please!

This magnet tape is really what inspired this project, let’s be honest. On the back of each occasion sign (which have been matted once or twice, each, for strength and prettiness) I placed a piece or two of the Xyron Magnet Tape. This is what makes the countdown any-occasion.

Step 6: Little Letters

Step 6: Little Letters

To finish my board, I cut tiny letters to decorate the bottom of the countdown frame and ran them through my little Xyron 150. Like I said, my favorite use for my Xyrons are letters and for tiny things the little X sticker maker is perfect.

Make good use of the extra space!

Make good use of the extra space!

Since my countdown calendar only takes up 2/3 of my dry erase board, I can use the remaining space to either hold some of the other signs, like in the first photo of the post, or I can use it as a to-do list for the upcoming event. Now I really have no excuse for holidays sneaking up on me.

What would your favorite countdown be?