My Very Crafty Life

11/21/2024

Christmas has arrived… so I am@starting to decorate early, mainly outside things bc on Sunday the town I live in has a BIG Christmas parade… in front of my house. So all my neighbors have decorated like 2 min after Halloween bc they do tons, I am doing window candles, wreaths on the matching windows out front (I’m debating bows since it’s not protected that may be dumb) but they are light up! And I wanted to see what else I had so I could make some plans. What’s not shown here is the entire huge bin full of ornaments, which is comical bc I don’t have a tree, I grew up on a Christmas tree farm and I have ZERO desire for a real one it’s so much work and such a safety risk. Soooo I’m going to craft some stuff, what I do not know 🤣 but at least I can start to formulate a plan. Or ya know just put it all away and pretend I did that, we shall see 🤣 have you decorated yet?

11/15/2024

Spent a little bit of my day congratulating and seeing this amazing woman’s business thrive and grow in the new space! Kat is one of the most genuine, kind souls! Her husband (not pictured bc he had to go be a Dad!) Christian and her have created such an amazing biz with ! Congratulations on the new amazing space, and thank you for always listening, helping me find answers and just being really great people! 💜
She does all the amazing med spa things but she also works with TMJ and lock jaw issues - it’s what I do with her and it’s been awesome! Plus as afraid of needles I am I can go to her appointments unmedicated, that’s huge for me to say!

11/02/2024

Mocha and I need your help! Most of my Christmas decor or well potential decor is in the form of craft supplies 😂 so not ready to decorate but would absolutely have to start this week getting items made. So I need you to help me decide! Do I: (poll option on insta)
1. Go all out, buy a tree (fake one), get cracking and make lots of fun unique decor. Even better do it on live videos so we can see the projects.
2. Make the Craftiness, Share or Stream the Videos but Skip the Tree or Being Extra
3. Do a Few Crafts, Share if You are Asked How to Make Them but Videos are Meh.
4. Don’t Do It! It’s a Bunch of Work for a Few Weeks of Enjoyment, Seems like a Waste of Time and Energy.

10/27/2024

It’s not setup yet but I’m so excited to have a second purple tool chest!!! I have a few ideas on how to use this one but thought I had 6 more weeks before it arrived but pleasant surprise I got an email this week telling me it’s ready!!! It’s now in the back of my SUV! Don’t worry I won’t attempt this on my own, I learned my lesson with the bigger one!
What would you use this for? Poll in comments!

10/19/2024

I may have an issue with making items with Mocha on it 🤣🤪🤷‍♀️! I’ve also been creating Mocha merch for those who help care for her for about a year now. Her vet has an ornament, her groomer a shirt, etc. 😆 but she’s just so darn cute!
This is a custom cut and colored stained glass ornament I taught a class on that was featured today. It’s a VERY accessible sublimation project with a few changes like using a blank vs custom cuts on a laser. And no matter what medium, what you put it on it’s still super fun to honor our Floofy friends and show them off to everyone!
Do you make or buy custom things with your pet on it?

10/18/2024

Holiday Season is Around the Corner 🫣!!! I am asap excited to be able to offer custom, semi custom & ready made (by me!) Giftables for all those well you are gifting too 🎁

Starting November 1st, I’ll be taking orders for my holiday collection that you will see posted I’ll be focusing on bespoke games, ornaments and beautiful wood and acrylic custom artwork. Don’t miss out on these bespoke & unique creations, they are really truly amazing and I’m so excited to share them with you, now I just have to decide I’m not keeping them all first. I can also customize items just for you and make your idea a reality!

Sneak peek coming soon! Get a first look at my new designs the last week of October on Instagram and Facebook. I’ll be dropping hints, creation videos and more, of course a way to order early and get a special discount!

My last Shipping 📦Day will be December 15, 2024. If your mail is known to be slow please request UPS and/or order early (and save so bonus!). The last day will accept orders is TBD. Keep in mind if I cannot get the item you want shipped to me to create it and ship it to you, on time then I will decline the order or need you to agree that if it doesn’t arrive on time it will still be accepted when shipped, holiday shipping is finicky!!! To note the last date USPS gives for the lowest shipping level is Dec 18 this year. Mark your calendars🗓️!!!

🎄✨Holidays to Note Left in 2024: 🎁🌍

*🎄Christmas: December 24 (Eve) & December 25th - typically a Christian holiday celebrating Jesus’s birth. But is also a widely non religious holiday filled with tacky lights, decorations and gifts galore!

*✨Chanukkah: begins sundown on Dec 25 and goes through sundown on Jan 2 - a Jewish Holiday celebrating overcoming oppression often commemorated with family meals, small gift giving and prayer.

*🌍Kwanzaa: December 26th-January 1st - A celebration of African-American culture and heritage.

*🎁Boxing Day Dec 26. It used to go by another name and focused on giving and charity. It is an official bank holiday in the UK too!

09/28/2024

Can you guess what’s coming soon? First hint it involves this photos of Mocha & a Sharpie. 👇guess away ⁉️

09/17/2024

Do you also love putting your pets in your projects? It’s my favorite thing when I can use Mocha or another clients want dogs in their project! I’ve got some fun new ideas coming for you on how to create your very own pet inspired decor, clothing and holiday themes!

09/13/2024

Are you ordering the New IPhone? 📱 if so which one!

08/25/2024

08/24/2024

I think my answer is funnier than yours (real answer was Muggy) and even maybe more accurate 😂🤣😂
Take the Poll, who’s was funnier!

Photo is of NYT Mini Crossword Puzzle. The hint was “Oppressively Humid”. Crossed out was my reply “Texas”.

07/26/2024

When your dog always has energy! We have played fetch for 45 min outside, indoor fetch and training for around an hour. She’s chewed a bone, done a puzzle and has decided to play bed fetch with herself. So far I’ve been minimally needed. However her most cherished toy ever, Queen Lamb Chop has been utilized for trapping the toy before it rolls off the bed. Mind you QLC was placed in her position specifically before this game started by Mocha. It has saved Mocha from the ball accidentally leaving the bed and ruining her game of bed fetch. 🤣🤷‍♀️ I mean at least she’s good at entertaining herself?
Mocha thinks her Hooman is a bit of an idiot btw bc Mocha has 100% been happy doing this herself and doesn’t get why I need to photograph or share this story. Paws Out 🐾

07/17/2024

Hey Crafty Friends! It’s been a minute… life is still pretty chaotic, but that all is hopefully wrapping up by fall and then life can finally be a new normal. I’m not going to crazy into detail but let’s just say I’m adding up the amount of things they can diagnose you with. I swear sometimes they just feel they have to add to it 🤣 but I’m doing okay, Mocha is a great keeper of the Hooman. She’s happy and healthy, just hates the heat and humidity since she can’t stay outside and play all day.
We’ve been over here crafting, creating, making and coming up with some amazing new stuff that I can’t wait to share. It’s just slow going with so many doctors visits and what not.
I’d love to see your smiling 🙂 face or whatever you want to share (no links please) that you’ve been up to! I’ll be starting to post more, I have some goals I’m trying to meet to get back into the land of the living not just the land of the sick. But I am also trying to learn balance (I know crazy right?). I miss you all and can’t wait to hear some updates!! 💜

06/30/2024

Recommendations wanted for places to get nickel free earrings! I definitely want flat back style too. So definitely let me know if you have places you get yours from that you love!
Today I managed to do something that’s been on my list for what seems like forever. I went and got my ear piercings checked out and fixed. The good thing was she found that 3 of the 4 were still open, just 2 of those 3 needed a little help, which was cool to see how they do that! So if you think your piercing is closed it may not be yet! The 4th was open but the back angle was off and she felt redoing the back of the piercing was best long term for comfort. I’m excited since I own exactly 2 pairs of earrings that I can now get some new fun options!

05/23/2024

Her Floofiness has outgrown her Halloween costume, she wanted to wear it today so I got it out and it’s just too small so I either need to modify it or make her a new one! Since I’m coming up with exactly nothing interesting… what would you pick for Mocha’s Halloween costume this year? She has been a little celebrity both years in it, she helps give out candy to the kids but she gets so many people wanting to just come see her in her costume, including the vet asking me to bring her in costume 🤣 they all took pics with her last year, and I love that she makes others happy too.
I’m not “set” on a coffee theme. I’m 100% willing to do a joint costume, I usually just wear one of the Halloween shirts I’ve made over the years, but could totally do something with her…. So help me find an idea please!!!

05/09/2024

Guess whose laser is as clean as when they got it (or close)? Spent a good 90 min deep cleaning this tonight. I don’t typically go for THIS level of clean but I’ve got a new external ventilation system and I want to be sure my laser is as safe and reliable to use for as long as I can. So instead of cutting, piecing items together or test cutting new files I got this done. It’s never the fun task to clean the gunk, which is essentially burnt glue off of all the surfaces, but necessary. Did you know you can have a fire in these? Tomorrow I’m hoping to get the crumb tray done and then this weekend be ready to create again! Also don’t forget it is best to let your laser dry fully first after a good a clean. I do wipe it down with dry paper towels to keep the moisture to a minimum but I also typically leave the crumb tray, and front piece open for at least overnight so first it doesn’t corrode and second those wet spots would just attract more dirt. So it does put you on hold but safety first!!! What task have you been putting off in your craft room?

05/07/2024

Just an idea for you. Studies show moving your phone to grayscale reduced usage. I couldn’t stand the concept of it fully gray. I would find myself actively turning it off. Well…. You can now (on iPhone) do this on a spectrum. So for me I’ve left some color but dulled it down by about half. First pic is screenshot of full color, second of moving it to half. Now this isn’t a dramatic difference but I do plan to keep working towards the greyscale side until I find my phone less desirable to spend time on when I’m not working… plus I’d really like to use my tablet more, which I’ve opted to download NO social media on… maybe this will help!
Too many days lately of having to be couch bound and isolated from everyone due to illness, it’s getting to me a lot! I’ve used this trick before and especially if you are neurodivergent, this decreases the dopamine hits you get from your phone!
Let me know if it helps you!