If I Only Had the Time

I've had to learn recently to just say "no". To invitations, to things I want to buy, to responsibilities I want to volunteer for and participate in. I always want to be a part of EVERYTHING, and the problem with that is, I wear myself too thin. I get tired, I get cranky, but more than that, with so much on my plate, I can't give any one thing my all - there simply are not enough hours in the day. And when I do things, I like to do them right, and all the way.

In the past few months I have parted with a lot of craft supplies. Piles and piles of fabric (which went to good, creative homes), beads I'll never use. I have some of those colored sheets of foam and about 5,000 stray crayons all set to donate to my church's youth group/religious ed room. I've stepped down from some administrative duties.

For the most part, I have decided to focus on and only on my photography, photo restoration, house restorating/decorating, and my polymer clay. Oh, and crochet, but that's something I do when I'm not really doing anything, like when watching a movie, so that doesn't really count, IMO. I need to learn to leave all those other fun projects to others. I need to remember that it's not only ok but REALLY good to buy handmade from others instead of looking at something and saying, "cool - I could make that!"

In the spirit of buying handmade, and/or letting others have the fun, I present to you a few cute projects, links, and general things I have fallen in love with lately. Maybe you'll find a project here you can make for someone for a holiday gift, or buy for someone knowing that it was handmade from the heart.


How About Orange: Tiny pincushion tutorial

(made from plastic bottlecaps, which aren't recyclable - but they ARE reusable!)

I'm also in love with lots of the fabrics and products in this blogger's shop:
howaboutorange.etsy.com

While we're at it, here's an awesome idea for making a wreath from those same bottlecaps, courtesy of monkeydogstudio.etsy.com,

These earrings are made of wire and thread - big, but not heavy!
Treehouse Earrings by FunkyLobez

Wild Aqua Mushroom Plini by magicbeanbuyer.etsy.com

Hand-felted pea pod brooch by vaivanat.etsy.com

A fellow member of the PCAGOE and an amazing artist, OrganicOdysseys.etsy.com uses textures found in nature - leaves, seeds, etc. - to texture her polymer clay pieces - AMAZING!

Bok Choy Switch Plate by OrganicOdysseys.etsy.com