34 Weeks of Clean 2019! Week 14- Arts, Craft, and Hobbies

I want you to know that I am not an arts, crafts, and hobbies kind of gal, so this week is just for you all.  You are welcome!  I used to like doing a few simple things like cross stitch, making cards, and sewing clothes.  The cross stitch stopped after my eye sight went south, the card making has Hallmark people in hysterics, and the clothes-making stopped when I wore a dress I made and someone asked how far along I was.  I wasn't!  Now I stick mostly to quilting when I can find a free moment (where DOES one find that?) and otherwise save the crafts for people with more patience and talent and better eyes!

But I do have a few things lingering, plus I have a daughter who makes make quilts for people, so we do have a craft/sewing room.  Well, it is mostly her sewing area, but she humors me occasionally by letting me hang out there.



With a growing tee shirt business she needs space and so we have taken a bedroom and turned it into sewing central.  (with our workout stuff squeezed in as well) It has been a huge blessing and allowed her more space for quilt layout and occasional fittings for the alterations that she does.
                   
                          
The point here, Michele, you might ask?  Think outside the box! 

Be creative with your spaces!  If you need more space, look around and see what changes you can make!  Do you have an extra closet you aren't using? A guest room that barely gets used? Often if we stop and reconsider our spaces and how we use them, we an see all kinds of new possibilities.

This is your assignment this week-


Clean!- If you have a room dedicated to Arts and Crafts, now is the time to clean it.  you know the drill-

• Take everything out, yes do it!
• Clean ceiling fans and blinds or curtains.
• Wipe down walls, light switches, and baseboards
• Clean and vacuum the carpet or scrub floors
• Wax furniture

If you just have stuff in random spots- start here-

De-clutter and organize!
Find all of your arts, craft and hobby "things" and go through them with a fresh set of eyes.  Do you use them?  Do you need them?  Do they bring a smile to your face?  If not, move it out.  Free yourself to simplify and maybe even bless someone else with what you do not need.  Throw out old stuff and resolve not to buy any more for a while.  It can be a freeing thing my friends!  I am currently using some old fabric stashes to make some baby blankets.

Recycle from about your house!  You don't always have to go get more stuff to be more organized.  f you have bins around your house that are empty, use them.  Arts supplies and such can be kept in labeled shoe boxes you can buy at the Dollar Store.



Get rid of what you do not use!  Remember, we are on a mission to take back our houses.  Let's commit to stop holding on to things we do not use and do not need.  I know it is difficult to let go sometimes, but let's not allow "stuff" to take up our heads, heads, or homes!  Give it to a friend who will use it more, donate it to a retirement home or hospital, or take it to your local Goodwill.  Regardless, move it out.  Stop thinking you might use it later and live for today!  If years from now I decide to take a cross stitching again (it could happen) I know where to get a new piece of fabric and some thread. 


Now, I know some of us are still tackling our pictures and scrapbooks (PLEASE someone tell me I am not alone!) but let's keep going this week and hit those arts, crafts, and hobbies area.

Meanwhile - show us your hard work on our Family, Faith and Fridays facebook page so we can cheer you on!

The next three weeks are some hard cleaning and organizing, but also some of my favorite assignments.  Get ready, friends!


Blessings,

Intro Week
Week 1- Holiday Decorations
Week 2-The Pantry
Week 3-Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers   
Week 4- Fridge, Freezer and Floors
Week 5- Recipes 
Week 6- The Stove and Loose Ends 
Week 7- The Dining Room 
Week 8- The Living Room 
Week 9- Books 
Week 10- Bathrooms  
Week 11- The Foyer
Week 12- The Family Room and DVDs 
Week 13- Pictures and Scrapbooks

Zirrly 3D Bead Fun

I haven't gotten the chance to do too many reviews this year that involved fun with the boys, so this Homeschool Review Crew review was a special treat!  What makes it more fun is that Super Beads from Zirrly is not just a homeschool product- it is a KID product, and a neat one at that!

Yes, we got to play with the Super Beads 3D Car and Truck kit.  I mean, what boy doesn't like cars and trucks?!

So what are Zirrly Super Beads?
Remember the days of ironing a bunch of little beads together to make neat designs on trays?  Well, those little beads are actually called Perler Beads, and when put together they can create some fun things.  The problem we found in the past was that those projects required the heat of a HOT iron to fuse them together.  A hot iron.  With a kids' project.  See the problem?  I am sure that somewhere it seemed like a good idea on paper, but the reality of it was it was dangerous for kids to do alone.

Enter Zirrly Super beads.  These are the same concept of design fun, but involve fusing the beads together with WATER.  Yes, you read that correctly- WATER!  How cool is that?  Just spritz the beads once you have them set in place, and wait 20-30 minutes for them to "set" and dry.

What comes in each kit?
Each of the specific projects kits, like the Jungle Animals, Birds and Jewelry Set, come with beads to complete the project (and extras), several work boards and the design(s) templates, a design tools, a spray bottle and a tray to help keep things contained.  And instructions, of course.  You can also just purchase a bag of 4500 beads of all colors.

Our Experience-
Colby, age 10, and I started the Super Beads 3D Car and Truck together.  We opened each colored bead packet and put them in the tray for safe keeping.  

He then put the design templates behind each tray and laid out the beads. 

Once the beads were laid out, he sprayed them with water.  Here is one place we struggled a bit.  The instructions do not indicate how much or how little water to use.  By trial and error he figured that out, but a couple of times had to go back and respray a section to fuse it better.

Once the beads are set properly you simply remove your project from the project boards.  For the 3D designs, now the hard part begins.  With a series of pegs that you put beads on, you attach the different flat designs together to create the 3D effect.  It can be a bit tricky with one set of little hands.

Luckily for us, my 16 was around and intrigued and was able to help sort out a few bits of confusion.  Mom stepped away and the boys finished on their own!

 

Note that we started with the truck, which we did decide was the harder of the two vehicles to put together.  Once we did that one, Colby was able to complete the car with minimal help.  

Pros and cons-
One of the neat things about these Super Beads is that they are more flexible than the original Perler beads.  When you pull them off the trays they tend to be softer and more pliable and therefore less likely to break, which is a huge advantage when you are dealing with the 3D sets.  

Of course, I also love that they are safer to use.  The 3D sets are recommended for kids 10 and up because of the complexity, but even at that age I would be hesitant to set a child loose with a hot iron so using this water method is perfect.  

Since these types of projects are often used in groups like school clubs or VBS, this allows for an easier and safer set up!

It is also nice that if a bead comes off all you have to do is spray it with water and stick it right back on.  Easy fix!

The only con I have for Zurrly Super Beads is the instructions.  Like many similar projects, the directions are all pictures.  Let's just say this momma struggled with that a bit.  I will say however, the boys seemed to understand them better- probably from lots of building experiences that come with pages of pictured instructions.  While I do not think this would affect the flat designs, since the 3D sets are a bit more complicated the adult in me would have loved to have seen a few words in the instructions. 

Overall, we loved using Zirrly Super Beads and would highly recommend them.  Think summer fun, VBS, or even birthday party activities.  The possibilities are endless and the choices for sets are plentiful!  Have some fun with your kids this summer!

34 Weeks of Clean! Week 14- Arts and Crafts

I want you to know that I am not an arts and crafts kind of gal, so this week is just for you all.  You are welcome!  I used to like doing a few simple things like cross stitch, making cards, and sewing clothes.   The cross stitch stopped after my eye sight went south, the card making has Hallmark people in hysterics and the clothes-making stopped when I wore a dress I made and someone asked how far along I was.  I wasn't!  Now I stick mostly to quilting when I can find a free moment and otherwise save the crafts for people with more patience and talent and better eyes!

But I do have a few things lingering, plus I have a daughter who makes a living as a seamstress so we do have a craft/sewing room.  Well, it is mostly her sewing studio, but she humors me occasionally by letting me hang out there.  This is my little space she created just for me.

Don't let her fool you.  I think she just wanted me to get my junk out of her way! ;)

But speaking of junk, she has come a long way as well.  This is what her small space looked like not so long ago!

(She would like you to know that the lighter is for melting the ends of ribbon. Oh, and that this is what happens when you have too much stuff in too little space)

It was a tiny extra room in the house we are currently living that cannot qualify as a bedroom because it does not have a closet.  It was a cramped mess and my few projects made it worse.  One day she had an epiphany and decided to swap out her bedroom and her sewing room.  My first response was "no way," like the open-minded mom that I am! haha! Her thought process was that she spends all day in her sewing room and simply sleeps in her bedroom. While skeptical, I let her make the change and now have to admit she is a genius.  Ok, at least she was right! 

                            

                             

The change has been a great one, providing better light, a much needed bigger space and additional space for her fittings.  Bring on the sewing jobs!

The point here, Michele, you might ask?  Think outside the box!

Be creative with your spaces!  If you need more space, look around and see what changes you can make!  Do you have an extra closet you aren't using? A guest room that barely gets used?  In cleaning up our storage spaces we were able to even carve out a small space for my teen son to work on his projects!  The agreement was that I would also use it as a gift wrapping area, but soon after this picture it was taken over by nerf gun upgrade projects and I haven't wrapped one gift yet!  Oh well.  

                                                

                                                               Work space for crafts or wrapping gifts in our storage room!

Other ideas-

Recycle from about your house!  You don't always have to go get more stuff to be more organized.  This plastic bin was in my girl's bathroom.  When they decided not to use it, I knew I had the perfect idea for its use!  My  remaining stamping supplies.  Now, no, I do not make cards and such as much as I used to, and I have recently given away a huge stack of stamp sets, but I did keep a few for when I have more time on my hands.  I WLL have more time on my hands someday, right?

Get rid of what you do not use!  Remember, we are on a mission to take back our houses.  Let's commit to stop holding on to things we do not use and do not need.  I know it is difficult to let go sometimes, but let's not allow "stuff" to take up our heads, heads, or homes!  Give it to a friend who will use it more, donate it to a retirement home or hospital, or take it to your local Goodwill.  Regardless, move it out.  Stop thinking you might use it later and live for today!  If years from now I decide to take a cross stitching again (it could happen) I know where to get a new piece of fabric and some thread.  

Kemi from Homemaking Organized created some adorable crafts labels for you!  I love these and I know you will too!!! Oh, the possibilities!

Now, I know some of us are still tackling our pictures and scrapbooks (PLEASE someone tell me I am not alone!) but let's keep going this week and hit those arts and crafts area.  Meanwhile - show us your hard work so we can cheer you on!

Week 13- Pictures and Scrapbooks

Week 15- The Master Bedroom

An InLinkz Link-up


Blessings, 

Three Baggy Ps- Review and Giveaway

You should know by now, I love blessing people with giveaways.  I love it even more when I can help promote friends' growing businesses at the same time.  So today is a win-win, for you and for me!

Enter Jessica, a dear friend of my daughter Ashton!  They met at college several years ago, and have been fast friends since.  Wish you could meet her in person!  She has the sweetest spirit, a contagious smile and a lot more talent than me! ;)

Together with her equally sweet sister, Jenny, and mom, Beth, this amazingly talented family started a business named Three Baggy P's.  (Dad and brother help on the business end and lend their creative advice!)

I asked Jess to tell us the story behind the name and how they got started-
Ahhh, the name. :) I have to admit I was not a huge fan at first, but it really has grown on me, and I love that it is so memorable. It really is quite simple if you think about it. There are three of us, our last name starts with "P", and we sew bags (among other things). So that's how we got our name - The Three Baggy Ps!

Three Baggy Ps started out as something fun for Mom, Jenny and I to do together. I (Jessica) actually did not start out in the business sewing. I made little flowers out of paint and wire, to sell along with sewn items my Mom made. This business was all at our local farmers market where we had a booth. It soon turned into much more than that, and as I grew older, my sewing skills improved, until Mom and I were both working hard sewing all sorts of purses, totes, bags, and accessories!

Here's the rest of our interview-

-Where did you learn to sew? 

  I learned to sew from my Mom, and started when I was 9. She also learned from her Mom, and started sewing around the same time. So you could say that sewing is a family tradition at our house! I can't wait to teach my little ones to sew in my turn, if the Lord allows me that blessing.

-What do you all do exactly? 

  We first of all we have a lot of fun! This business is an adventure and we love being on it together! We handmade everything we sell, and by that I mean, we cut out every piece of fabric by hand, sewn all the pieces together (with machines) and finish them off with our own personalize tags! We take pride in the fact that all of our items are unique and completely one-of-a-kind!

-Favorite thing about this adventure? 

  My favorite thing about all of this... Well it's hard to narrow it down to just one thing! I think my favorite thing would be the relationships that I get to develop through this business. I love the time I am able to spend with my Mom and sister sewing, and I also love the new friendships that we make with our customers! Selling at the market every summer has been great - to get to know the locals, and to enjoy friendships with repeat customers. It has also been really fun to connect with people from across the country and even around the world through our social media sites!

-Favorite thing you sell! 

  Oh another inevitable, but so hard to answer question... My favorite things to hand-sew are my felt Christmas ornaments, but I also greatly enjoy making my owl pillows. Favorite thing to sell though? Probably our market bags. It just so fun to see people walk away with one of our creations slung across their shoulder, with a huge smile on their face! 

Michele again- I happen to own several, ok maybe a few more, of these ornaments.  The minute I saw these cute things I knew I had to have them. They are even cuter in person, if that is possible!

Jess and her team have graciously given you all a chance to win that adorable red bag at the top- called The Placemat Bag!  Just enter the rafflecopter below to get started!!

You can follow Three Baggy P's on instagram!
You can also find their complete shop on Etsy and facebook!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blessings,