Widgets and whatchamacalits

The upcoming Etsy Bloggers Blog Carnival has two theme choices:

Theme 1: Catch up! now that it's summertime, and you (and/or the kids) are out
of school, it's a good time to catch up on those chores, reading list,
organizing that Etsy shop, etc. What are you going to catch up on, in July?
Theme 2: Your favorite widget(s) and how it/they work, with links, etc.

Since I have no illusions that I am actually going to catch up anything this summer, I guess I'll be blogging about widgets.
But first, I had to go to Wikipedia to find out what in the heck a widget is.

Etymology
Blend of window and gadget, coined by George S.
Kaufman in his play Beggar on Horseback (1924).

*An unnamed, unspecified, or hypothetical manufactured good or product. (Note: this is the definition I was familiar with already as in "We aren't making widgets here.")

*(graphical user interface) A component of a graphical user interface that the user interacts with.

*A floating widget or other device inside a beer can, meant to create foam when opened

*A small scraping tool consisting of a blade and a handle, commonly used to remove paint from glass and other smooth surfaces

*The child of a gremlin (Roald Dahl - The Gremlins)

*An object of fiction or obfuscation (Gigawidget)

OK, so it seems that we are probably talking about the second definition, but I'm still not entirely sure what qualifies as a widget. I'll guess that the little slide show called "Pictobrowser" on the right hand side of my blog is a widget. If so, it's my favorite widget. It automatically updates from my Flickr account and displays all the photos from my Flickr Crafting 365 set. I like that I don't have to do a thing to update it. Today, I did figure out how to re-order my photos in my Flickr set so that it would show the most recent photos first. Here's a link to Pictobrowser: http://www.db798.com/pictobrowser/

However, you don't even have to go there to get one. Just click on the word "pictobrowser" at the bottom of mine, enter your Flickr screen name and press continue. then choose a set, keywords, or groups you want to show from your Flickr photos. You will get code that you copy and paste to your blog. Simple and very cool!

And speaking of widgets, I just added a new one to my blog. It's a guestbook with a map that you can sign. Check it out at the bottom of my blog.

A Brand New Bag

New bag design-Crafting 365, Day 242, originally uploaded by homemadeoriginals.

I'm thinking of that James Brown song (Babys Got a Brand New Bag) as I post this. I'm so excited about my new creation. I re purposed the bamboo handles and lining from a thrift store bag and created this beauty from a felted wool sweater. It has a magnetic snap, decorative button, zippered pocket and cell phone pocket. Isn't it cute?

Available here.

Card holder for giveaway-Crafting 365, Day 241

Card holder for giveaway-Crafting 365, Day 241, originally uploaded by homemadeoriginals.

I love this felted sweater, I've already made a cell phone holder, business card holder, and moo card holder plus Christmas stockings using parts of this sweater. There is more left so I know I'll plan other projects too. This is a little business card holder I created for Nanette from Freda's Hive. She won my recent Blog giveaway. I shipped it off to her in the mail today.

I under-estimated how much fun it would be to have a giveaway on my blog, so now I know I'll have another one some time.

I've been Featured!

I was thrilled to find myself as Friday's Featured Crafty on Stormy Designs blog.

And the Winner Is....

drumroll....



#32

And #32 is....Nanette Merrill and Daughters

I assigned numbers to each of you who commented and used a random number generator to select the winner.
Please contact me via email (link on right of my blog) to confirm which prize you want. You commented about my business card cases, so I'm assuming one of those, but please let me know your favorite colors or anything else that may help me in making the right one for you (or if you've changed your mind and you want something else).

This was fun, I think I'll have to do giveaways more often.

In Memoriam: George Carlin, 1937-2008

He was a man who could make us laugh with simple thoughts about ordinary life. I remember, sitting with my mother watching him on the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson (approximately 38 years ago) and laughing so hard we cried. I loved his bit on "stuff" which poked fun at our penchant for accumulating things. So true.

Tonight, I searched out some of his old material and found myself smiling and laughing again. I put a few great bits in the quotes section on the right of my blog. Thanks, George.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." Anonymous

Alicia Mae--featured Etsy Blogger

AliciaMae is the EtsyBloggers Street Team June featured blogger! Check out her wood painting, woodburning, photography, and cross stitch. She is having a moving sale in her shops since she is about to make a cross-country move. The painting above is one of my favorites from her print shop.

And here is one of her beautiful photos:

You can also visit her blog here. Congratulations AliciaMae and have a safe and successful move!

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Woo Hoo, 500 Hearts on Etsy

Woo Hoo, 500 Hearts on Etsy, originally uploaded by homemadeoriginals.

I was hoping to make this milestone in time for my Blog Anniversary and my Etsy selling anniversary and I did...500 people who have "hearted" or favorited my store. Now, if just half of them would buy something!



Today, I made two double pointed knitting needle holders. I made the size 7 one first, then the brown, green one which I think I like best.

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Delicious! Oriental Pasta salad

Oriental pasta salad, originally uploaded by homemadeoriginals.

I found this reipe on Freda's Hive yesterday and had to try it out today: http://fredashive.blogspot.com/2008/06/im-lucky-winner.html
She said you wouldn't be sorry if you tried it and she was correct, it is delicious. I made two changes: less pasta (about 12 oz) and some green grapes in place of some of the mandarin oranges.

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Bunny Sweater Again, Giveaway continues

Here is finished Easy Bunny Pullover #2. I love the color combination which was selected by the acquaintance who commissioned it. She saw me making the first Easy Bunny Pullover and just had to have one for a new baby in her family, a boy with lots of dark hair.

It's interesting how the same yarn and needle size can't end up with something different looking. Notice the shape of the bunny on the two sweaters. I actually think I liked the first one best, this one is a bit too chunky. I did a better job on sweater #2 of carrying the yarn for the inastarsia though the result is a bit of a "ridged" look to the bunny. I put a little Fray Check on the yarn ends of the bow and tacked it to the sweater with some blue thread so hopefully it will survive washing. I do think I would like this sweater better knitted a size 12 months or 2 years (this one is 6 months size)so that the bunny is a little less prominent on the sweater. Never mind, it is DONE and i will deliver it next week.

Remember to comment on my blog to be entered in the Blog Giveaway. I'm celebrating one year of blogging and Etsy.
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What is success?

This is one of the subjects for the bi-weekly Etsy Bloggers Blog Carnival. It's timely for me to ask myself if I have been successful after one year of blogging and one year of selling on Etsy. Each of us has our own definition of success and what is successful for me may not be for you.

As a part time crafter, I entered into selling on Etsy and blogging primarily to meet my own creative needs, not to pay the bills. When I started, I wasn't sure anyone would buy my creations or read my blog. So after one year's time, here are some of my stats:
81 sales on Etsy including 38 copies of my original knitting pattern
38 sales off Etsy
492 users have "hearted" my shop on Etsy
255 blog posts
233 consecutive days of crafting in my Crafting 365 quest
The photo above shows my Crafting pictures for Day 181 to Day 210.
8,157 Visitors and 10,928 Visits from 97 countries/territories and all 50 states and the District of Columbia have visited my blog I have a small cadre of regular readers
I haven't gotten rich or famous , but I've "met" some wonderful people, entertained myself, and found that many people think my creations are "wonderful"...what more could I ask for!


There are six more days to enter my giveaway! Make a comment on my blog by June 26 for a chance to win.
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Blogiversary June 26--Giveaway

My Blogiversary is coming up June 26. I can't believe I've had this little blog for a year now. I've been contemplating having a giveaway to celebrate. Comment on my blog between now and June 26 to be put in the hat for a drawing for:

A copy of my Cabled Neck warmer pattern
OR a set of 3 double pointed needle holders similar to these;
OR a business card case similar to but not exactly like one of these(you tell me what colors you would like)
OR a needle case similar to but not exactly like this (you specify favorite colors)
THE WINNER CHOOSES ONE OF THE ABOVE.
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Productive Weekend-Pillows and Gadget Case

My new gadget case-Crafting 365, Day 228, originally uploaded by homemadeoriginals.

I had a productive weekend. I decided to make cushions for the old hickory rockers that I inherited from my parents. They have been in the family for three generations and I really need to weave new seats for them, However, the cushions will help me avoid that for at least one more year.

My cushions use the "french edge" method. I couldn't find much about how to do this, so I just experimented until I figured it out. The cushion forms I used were 2" thick and 15 x17". For each cushion, I cut two pieces of outdoor fabric 18" by 20", which allowed for a 1/2" seam all around. I also cut 4 pieces for each cushion (for the velcro attachments) about 2.5" by 6.5", turned under and sewed on three edges, then folded in half and sewed agan. I sewed 3"of velcro onto each of the attachments, one on the outside and one on the inside, so they could wrap around the back of the chair. A pair of these was sewn into each back corner. All four corners were sewn. Then two large pieces were sewn together around three sides for each cushion. Lastly, I sewed the back up by hand.

I know, it would have been much easier if I had taken photos of the process as I went and created a real tutorial. I was doing much of this last evening when I couldn't photograph well, so you just get the finished product:



Today, I made the gadget case pictured above, from the remnants of a felted recycled sweater. I lost my previous case plus I have been wanting one that has a snap or velcro rather than a button closure.

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Father's Day

It's Father's Day. I lost my Dad 11 years ago in July. He was 79. I would have loved to have had him with me for many more years, but I had 48 years of having a "Daddy", someone who cared for his children more than anything in the world, someone who wrote me letters every week (and for the last few years, daily emails), someone who gave his "all" to make sure I could live the American Dream. Today, Mrs. G. over at Derfward Manor had this wonderful clip posted on her blog. I could think of no more fitting message for this Father's day than this one from the late Tim Russert. Happy Father's Day!


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Double Pointed Needle Cases, Crafting 365, Day 226

DP Needle cases-Crafting 365, Day 226, originally uploaded by homemadeoriginals.

I've been thinking about making these for awhile. The plastic packages that my double pointed needles came in are getting a bit tattered. I saw some gorgeous, elaborate kniting needle cases today at the yarn store. But I liked the idea of being able to carry one set of DP needles in a bag or purse and keeping them together so they won't get lost.

After making four different sizes in coordinating fabrics, I decided to experiment with some of my felted wool and came up with this one:

This just may lead to some new products in my shop.
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My first knit-along

I've joined my first knit-along for the Central Park Hoodie.

I plan to knit this sweater for my daughter. The yarn arrived this week, I ordered Cascade 220 Superwash in this wonderful color:


You can follow my progress on Ravelry or in the right sidebar in my blog. My first task is to knit a swatch.
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Clothespin dolls-Crafting 365, Day 223

Clothespin dolls-Crafting 365, Day 223, originally uploaded by homemadeoriginals.

When I was a little girl, I had a little apron with clothespin dolls in each pocket. I still have the apron, though the dolls are long ago lost. I'm making new dolls and will eventually give this to my grand-daughter. This is my beginning effort., a "family" of 5. I plan to dress them next.

Today, we had our first meet-up for the Southeastern Idaho Etsy Team. There were only three of us at this first meeting, but we generated some great ideas and each took assignments. We plan to meet again in July.

Alpaca neck warmer-Crafting 365, Day 221

Alpaca neck warmer-Crafting 365, Day 221, originally uploaded by homemadeoriginals.

Sometimes, even a small project is difficult to complete. This is one I started April 22 when I was visiting Minnepolis. My friend picked out and bought the yarn which is Baby Alpaca Grande by Plymouth . It has a wonderful feel and apparently alpaca is considerably warmer than wool. I modified my usual neck warmer pattern by adding 4 more stitches to make it a bit wider.

Today, I spent less than 30 minutes finishing it up and getting it into the mail to my friend in Minneapolis. Now, I have two other neckewarmers in various states of completion and a half finished bag that I need to tackle. Why is it that I would rather start something new rather than finish these?

My Studio by Home Made Originals

My workspace is a portion of my downstairs family room/computer area. I wish I could say it is organized, at the best of times it is semi-organized. There are some storage shelves for certain supplies and I do have space for my sewing machine. My large collection of felted (and ready to be felted) sweaters is housed it two nearby closets.

Below is a photo of my main work area although I also do a lot of knitting on the couch while watching tv/movies and in the car when we are traveling. If you click on the photo and go to Flickr, you will find notes on the picture. My washing machine is also a "work area" for my fulling/felting projects.



Photography area in another room:


shipping area in same room:


This is my post for the Etsy Bloggers Street Team Blog Carnival. Check out the other Etsy bloggers carnival posts by clicking on the Blog Carnival graphic on the right of my blog.