Scrabble Tile Necklaces

I've been working on some awesome scrabble tile necklaces lately!  It will be a bit before I get them listed, but I thought I'd give you all a sneak peek!

I've made a few with scrapbook paper and I've been doing a bunch with different maps of different places.  I'm still working on getting my backlog of finished items listed, and these new ones are near the bottom of the list but soon!  Feel free to email me if you want a custom necklace before I start listing!

Soap!

In planning for another program at work (DIY Soap and Candles) I wound up spending way too much money deciding I'd like to make my own soap and candles.  Because OF COURSE I need another craft!

I finally got around to making the soap!

Okay so not very impressive.  I picked a really simple rectangle mold from amazon and only used a light green coloring, but I'm thrilled!  It was so ridiculously easy I can't believe I haven't done it before!

I used basic melt and pour soaps.  I mixed about half and half a honey soap base and a shea butter soap base (should be super good for dry winter skin!).  I added a little tea tree oil and a scent called Spiced Apple Cider.  It smells just like fall and I can't wait for my dove soap to get used up so we can try it out!

If your looking to try I got the soap, tea tree oil, scent and color from www.brambleberry.com and I'll be going back to buy more soon I'm sure.

I love doing these sorts of projects.  And hopefully I'll get better at the soap making and can bust some out for Christmas gifts this year.

Next up on my crafty/frugal/eco-friendly list of stuff to try:

-candles
-shaving soap
-dryer balls
-ice melter
-cloth paper towels
-wheat thins

I'm sure you'll see more of these in the coming weeks.

Work Crafts

So I don't know if I've mentioned before but I'm lucky enough to work a job that requires me to be crafty from time to time.  Right now I'm planning a program to put on in February that's a Pinterest Party!  I'm super excited by it.  I think I finally have my crafts picked and I'm just making sure I have all the supplies I need.  We'll be making these three projects:

(photos not mine, click on them to be taken to the site they are from)
                   

And the infamous Sharpie mug!



Now the Sharpie mug I tried at the last Pinterest party I did and the Sharpies didn't seem to work so well.  This time I got Painters Markers at JoAnn's and in theory they should work better.  I've also gotten a bunch of stencils to use for both the bags and the mugs if people don't want to freehand.

I'm super excited to try the new crafts and hopefully I'll get a good turnout for it!  

Anyone else hosted or been to a Pinterest party?  Any advice for me?

New Stuff!

So I suppose I should know better than to promise a post on a specific day when day job is crazy busy.  But my big event at work is over now and I have more time to post!

A simple one today, a few pics of stuff I've been working on:

New stamping messages and font

New words for the magnets!

Branching out into scrabble tile jewelry (much more to come on this front!)

Lots more colors!

Just a peek.  Some of this stuff is already up in my etsy store, some is still waiting to be listed, and more is still in development, so keep checking back!

Well, here I am.

I suppose it isn't any surprise that I haven't been back for a while.

Highlights (or lowlights of my life since we last spoke):

• I was lucky enough to be featured in dottiebox's September box.  
• I got surgery on my hand to fix that pesky thumb problem and I'm now fully healed to continue with my chainmaille and all the other crafting.
• I lost my Freya at the end of October
• I participated in a craft fair that didn't go so well.  I just don't think craft fairs are the right market for the kind of jewelry I make.  
• We went on a cruise (also awful) but it was still a vacation :)  
• Celebrated my 10th anniversary with my boyfriend
• Lost 20 pounds!
• Revamped my craft room

So that's the quick rundown!  Among all this I've been doing all the normal living stuff plus working on my jewelry and Scrabble® stuff.  

Now that we're all caught up on the big stuff, I can tell you more about what I've been working on.  

Stay tuned for a craft update with lots of pics on Thursday!  

So it goes

So last we spoke I was dealing with a problem in my thumb and a dog diagnosed with cancer.  You'd think 5 months later things would be very different, but you'd be wrong.  My thumb issue went away for a while and is starting to act back up.  Nevertheless I've been powering through and crafting anyway.  Freya's still fighting the cancer and while she's not exactly healthy, she's doing okay and is still her usual perky self.

She tires out a bit on long walks so we picked up a wagon for her and she seems to enjoy it when she starts to slow down.  I feel a tad foolish wheeling my dog around in a wagon, but it is worth it to be able to have her with me.

In addition to my chainmaille and other crafting, I've taken up metal stamping since last I wrote.  If you don't know what it is I suggest taking a peek here.  I'm totally digging it and working on all sorts of new projects.

Keep an eye on the etsy site or my new site www.thundercrafts.com for new stamped listings.  I'll be offering tons of custom options!

2014 is not going well.

I'm here today to tell you why I may not be here as often as I'd like over the next year or so and why I haven't been here much this month.  To start with I developed a nasty tendon problem with my thumb at the beginning of the month so I've had a hard time crafting or cooking which is most of what I blog about.  I got a cortisone shot on Friday which usually cures 80% of the people with this problem so I hope to get back to the cooking and crafting within the next week or so.

The other thing that happened this month is my beloved dog Freya was diagnosed with cancer in her bladder.  My vet says that on average with the only treatment option she has this means she has 6-12 months.  Of course the hope is that she'll be one of the above average dogs and make it another 2 years, but there is no way to know.  Because of this I'll be spending a lot of spare time and money doing medical stuff with her and making the most of what time we have left together.  Which also means my posting will come when I can, but not as often as I'd like to.  Hopefully you will all bear with me.  And if anyone has any recommendations for things that have helped them cope with the loss of a beloved pet or a terminal illness please share.  I could use all the help I can get.