Aw, summer! I seriously love summer! I love the sun, the flowers, the evening neighborhood walks, the smell of cut grass, and hanging out on our back deck. We spend a lot of time outdoors during the warm months and we have been working on sprucing up our deck over the years. Its far from our ideal outdoor space, but we’ll get there eventually. I’d love to have a pergola above our deck with some climbing flowers to add a yummy smell as well as a bit of privacy. A killer chandelier…..Something along these lines…

Dream Outdoor Space

{image via BHG}

And of course, a fire feature! I am really excited about the new fire feature that we added to our deck this year. Its a TIKI® Fire Sculpture that repels mosquitos. Umm, hello brilliant!

TIKI Fire Sculpture

This awesome fire feature has a 4″ flame, so it adds a fantastic ambiance to our outdoor space. I was honestly surprised at how much it added to our deck! Its about 28″ tall and fits in perfectly with our patio furniture and potted plants. I liked the classy look of the Tiki fire sculpture. It goes great with almost any type of outdoor decor.

Of course my boys were fascinated with the flame!

I think my favorite feature is that it is both decorative AND functional since it repels mosquitoes with the citronella torch fuel. Making it the perfect summertime addition to your outdoor living space! The fuel burns up to 4 hours before needing to be refilled. TIKI® Fire Sculptures are exclusively available at Home Depot and cost $50-$100.

How to Light a TIKI® Fire Sculpture Video

I made a quick 52 second video for you on the TIKI® Fire Sculpture and show how to light it.

What do you love about TIKI® Fire Sculptures?

Thanks for stopping by today!

Linda

This post brought to you by TIKI Brand®. All opinions are 100% mine.

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The gals from Everyday Art are here to share their awesome T-shirt Necklace tutorial! They show you how to do 5 different variations of the t-shirt necklace. Enjoy! -Linda

Hello fellow Craftaholics!

It’s Jaime and Emily again over from Everyday Art. A few months ago we shared our rag rug with you fellow Craftaholics and today we have another fun project to share with you.

T-Shirt Necklace: 5 Ways

Clearly, I couldn’t stop with just making one! In fact, I had a rather difficult time stopping after 5. :) These tee-shirt necklaces are super fun to make.

They were very easy, kind of a fun no-brainer craft, and yet they were also engaging and allowed for endless amounts of creativity. I had fun whipping out my old beads and rummaging through them, thinking of things I could do. I had been saving both my kids’ old tee-shirts and my old tee-shirts and had lots of crafts in mind, but I’m glad I finally settled on these (for some of the old tees…there are still a lot saved up for other fun crafts).

I’ve worn them a few times now and received a number of complements on them. I think they are the perfect look for summer–kind of funky and fun, casual yet capable of jazzing up an outfit lickity-split.

Have any old shirts laying around? If so, you should make yourself a necklace! (or in my case, five necklaces).

Here’s a visual step-by-step for how to make your own tee-shirt necklace by using one of my daughters stained knit turtlenecks (which, by the way, I found that children’s knit shirts were a better size to use than adult shirts–I prefer the length of necklace they produce):

How to Make T-shirt necklaces:

1) First, cut off the bottom hem and the top of the shirt just under the armpits, leaving just the tubal part in the middle.

2) Cut about 3/4-inch strips from one side of the shirt to the other. You can cut them completely through or leave them connected at one end as shown in the image. I did it both ways; both work perfectly well.

3) Stretch the fabric as shown in the image.

4) Embellish as desired! You can add beads, tie knots, cut some and braid them together, wrap scrap tee-shirt fabric around to make fabric “beads.” The possibilities are endless.

One “problem” I came across was the seams that are present on the sides of the shirt body. They don’t stretch and curl nicely like the rest of the fabric and just plain look bad. It was a little tricky at times to hide these seems, but mostly what I did was to take scrap tee-shirt fabric and wrap it around the area with the seam. It worked well to hide the seem and it looks kind of cool. :) To secure the fabric, I used fabric glue or a good all-purpose glue.

Here are the necklaces I made:

1. For this necklace, you can see where I hid the seems by using fabric wrapped around the strands (on either side of my neck). Before wrapping the seams up in the fabric though, I cut 3 strips and braided them together. I secured the free end of the braid to the seam-area of the other fabric loops with some glue and then wrapped the whole area with a piece of scrap tee-shirt fabric.

I also made a matching bracelet by using the sleeve of the shirt in the same way I did the body.

2. This necklace is one of my favorites. For this one, I used a shirt where the knit is going in the opposite direction (non-standard direction). When you cut it, it doesn’t stretch so you get these wider strips that were kind of ruffly. I added some old recycled-glass beads to it.

3. This necklace was kind of fun too. You can see near the bottom where I wrapped the seams up with the scrap fabric. This time though I added these brushed-gold metal loops to the side for some variety.

4. For this necklace, I tied lots of knots into each loop of fabric then tied them all together at the top. I purposely left this necklace extra long so you could wear it long or wrap it around your neck twice for a different look.

5. And, last but not least, the red necklace. Also one of my favorites. For this one I tied three different braids, each a different length. Then, with the rest of the strips of fabric I made them all different lengths to create kind of a cascading effect. It seemed too plain still, so several times along the length of the necklace I wrapped (and used glue to secure) a piece of tee-shirt fabric around it to make a fabric “bead” or lump or whatever you want to call it. Either way, I like it. :)

And there you have it! A really fun craft to do that results in something fun to wear.

Thanks for having us, Linda!

Lots of love from the gals at Everyday Art,
Jamie & Emily

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Every wondered how to paint furniture? Jenn, from the Creative Team, is a master furniture painter and she’s doing a short series on How to Paint Furniture. Everything you need to know from start to finish and plenty of tips! Enjoy! -Linda

How to Paint Furniture: Preparing your Furniture 

Is the light and bright trend that has taken the DIY world by storm, just another trendy? I don’t think so! It’s actually pretty timeless.  It seems that everywhere you turn on Pinterest, there’s some beautiful new piece of furniture in white or some pastel shade, so today I wanted to share with you a few things everyone should know before you paint your furniture a light color.  Tips that will ensure that your piece looks beautiful and professional, and that all your hard work LASTS!

How to Paint Furniture White

So let’s start with the dreaded:

1.  PREP {dun-dun-dun}

After a piece of furniture has been thoroughly scrubbed down, I am usually a HUGE proponent of sanding EVERYTHING, but painting furniture white (or a light color) is often times the exception to my rule. Some of you may have painted a piece of furniture, only to go back and find that your furniture looks like it has yellow chicken pox.  It’s happened to me and it’s infuriating!  It’s called tannin bleeding, which is the oils in the wood bleeding through the paint. Tannin bleeding is usually at its worst in knotholes in wood.

Oak and pine {which lots of affordable furniture is made out of} are usually the biggest culprits, and sunlight will expedite the process.  Pine is definitely THE WORST. If you know for a fact that your wood is oak or pine, I actually recommend very little to no sanding, especially if there’s still a fairly decent coat of polyurethane, because the poly will act as another barrier to the bleeding.  If you don’t know what type of wood you’re working with, find an inconspicuous spot, sand it, and then paint the spot.  Give it a day or two and see if you find yellow coming through.  If you do, you’ll know that you need to address the tannin bleeding issue with your piece {I’ll tell you how in the next steps}.

You can see on this piece {below} how light the sanding was.  Not down to the bare wood, just enough to get rid of some of the nicks and scratches.

2.  PRIMING

While I’m a huge proponent of sanding, I don’t always prime.  I usually distress my furniture, and in my experience, priming makes distressing a lot more difficult because you have more layers of paint to get through. So priming can make distressing hard to look natural. So…if you’re going to distress, but you’re facing the tannin bleeding issue, I recommend:

*Avoiding sanding off the original finish where at all possible.  I realize sometimes this is completely unavoidable, because some things are just in such bad shape.

*Use a paint like Milk or Chalk paint {or this homemade version}.  This way, your paint will sand off with minimal agitation to the actual wood so you get a beautifully distressed finished, without the yellow bleeding

*If there are any knotholes in your wood, it would probably be wise to put some primer over just the knotholes and then not distress those knothole parts.

*You can also paint the whole piece with a dark brown or black first, so that when you distress, the dark paint shows through and mimics the wood look, but you don’t end up with yellow spots all over the furniture down the road.

This piece was not sanded or primed and I used the homemade chalk paint recipe.

If you are NOT distressing:

*PRIME, PRIME, PRIME!  I know priming is not fun–I hate it.  But it makes for such a better finished product if you’re looking for a clean, sleek finish.

*Prime with a stain-blocking primer like Zinsser or Kilz.  Make sure it’s water-based if your paint is water-based {latex paint is water-based}. If you’re not sanding, I also recommend buying the Zinsser or Kilz that indicates that sanding is not necessary.  You can find it on the label on the back of the can.  These primers will also cover and seal rust!

*Paint + Primer in One paints are NOT the same as stain-blocking primer.  I learned that the hard way after hours of work on my board and batten and then walking into the living room one day to find that my walls had yellow spots EVERYWHERE (which you saw above in the picture with all of the yellow knotholes).

*If you get one coat of primer on and still see quite a bit of yellow coming through, give it another coat.  It’s not necessary to completely cover the yellow, because the primer is meant to seal off and block the stain, so once you’ve primed over the yellow stain, it is blocked and shouldn’t continue to bleed, but you need to make sure it’s covered enough that the original stain doesn’t show through the paint.  Make sense?

*Remember you’re priming, not painting, so the coat needs to be even and smooth, but the color underneath does not need to be completely covered.

Finally, you’re ready for painting.  I rarely use spray paint.  While spray paint is SUPER convenient,  I find it to be very unpredictable as far as finish goes and have had to start over on too many pieces after the spray paint didn’t turn out like I wanted.  My favorite tool for painting furniture is one of these high density sponge rollers.

They don’t leave brush strokes and are soft enough to form to, and get paint into, all of those little crevices that are hard to reach with a brush.  When painting, roll or brush on thin even coats.  I know it can be tempting to try to paint in one coat, but you’ll end up with an ugly mess.  Be patient, roll on a coat, let it dry for a few hours and then go back and paint another coat until you get the finish you want. Trying to do several coats when the paint hasn’t dried completely is like touching your brand new manicure before it’s dry.

And finally, always let the paint cure for at least a week before setting anything heavy on it or putting it in an area where it will be getting a lot of wear.

Do you have any questions about How to Paint Furniture? If so, leave them in the comments! 

Happy painting!

Jenn

pssst! Have you entered these Giveaways??

Moda Jelly Rolls from Massdrop 

Ultimate Washi Tape giveaway 

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Last week I put together a bucket full of thank you’s to take to the hospital with us so we can hand out a little something to those helpful hands in the hospital. They are simple {which is totally my style!} and easy to make!

Hospital Thank You’s

The tags read: ‘Thank you for helping with our little peanut!’. I wanted to give hospital staff a little something to say thanks. Plus it never hurts to win the nurses over, right?!

I used Silhouette Sketch pens for the lettering on the chipboard {have you used their new chipboard?? Its totally awesome!} and then cut the chipboard into cute little chipboard tags with my Silhouette CAMEO. And of course added some fab neutral washi tape {since we don’t know the baby’s gender} and tied the tags onto individual bags of Peanut M&M’s. Ta-da! Super easy and completely adorable!

So this bucket of thank you’s is going right next to the hospital bag….which is packed and in the car, all ready to go! I made 36 of the thank you’s. I have no idea how many I’ll need, but I think that should be plenty, right?

Silhouette’s Chipboard Specials

Today is the LAST DAY to take advantage of this special pricing! You can get Chipboard at a screaming good deal, plus other exclusive Chipboard bundles at an awesome price!

Have you made Hospital Thank you’s before? What did you make?

Thanks for stopping by!

happy crafting,

Linda

Disclosure

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Hoop art is so hot right now! Its a trend I absolutely love! Stephanie, from the Creative Team, is here to share an awesome applique hoop art tutorial. It makes a fantastic keepsake and personalized wall decor. Love it! -Linda

I recently moved to a new house where I have a wall of space I wanted to decorate with memorable items. Embroidery hoop art is all over the place, and I love the look you can give a wall: instant pops of color that can easily be changed out over time.

Applique Hoop Art Tutorial

I have been experimenting with hoops holding colorful fabrics, sewn things like buttons and lace…but most recently, I wanted to capture the hand prints of my daughters.

This quick craft is beautiful, easy and versatile. If you ever get tired of it on the wall, simply remove the piece of fabric and place it in an album or memory box you have.

You do not have to be a master-embroiderer or sewer to do this simple appliqued hand print project.

Items you will need:

• Embroidery Hoop (I used a 6 inch hoop)
• Backing fabric
• Fabric for the hand print and any other shapes (felt is recommended)
• Embroidery floss in your preferred color
• Needle

 Steps:

1. Trace your child’s hand onto felt. (If using cotton fabric, consider adding fray-check on the edges to keep them from unraveling)

2. Cut out hand print.

3. Place it on your backing fabric that is secured in the hoop.

4. Embroidery floss is made of 6 threads, but for this project you wont need more than 2 or 3. (I used 3) Once you have separated out 3 threads, knot the end and hold your hoop, starting with your needle in the back. Come up through the edge of your hand print and pull until you reach the knot. Determine how wide you want your stitch to be, and reinsert the needle going down at that point. Simply keep going in and out from the front to back all around the hand print with this easy straight stitch.

5. When you reach the end, tie off a small knot on the back.

Consider adding details to your hoop:

-other appliqued shapes (I added hearts)

-more embroidery- i.e. name, initials, year, age

This adorable keepsake makes a great gift to a parent or grandparent as well.

Enjoy the small hands that make up your family, and savor these moments as they grow up.

What are you going to put on your hoop art?

Happy Crafting!

Stephanie

Today is the LAST DAY of the Silhouette Chipboard Discounts!

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Looking for an awesome Bib Pattern? Amber, from the Creative Team is sharing her EASY and REVERSIBLE bib pattern today! This pattern comes in both toddler and infant sizes. Amber does an awesome job explaining every step. Enjoy! -Linda

Bib Pattern: Easy and Reversible!

Hey everyone!  I hope you guys all enjoyed the pocket bib tutorial last month because I’m back with a new pattern today for you to try out!  Last time I showed you how to sew a laminated cotton bib with a pocket and today I’m going to show you how to sew a reversible bib.  The shape is still the same as the last pattern but I’ve added on a seam allowance so even if you downloaded the infant and toddler pocket bib patterns from last time you will want to download the new patterns as well!  

Bib Pattern Downloads

Download Infant Reversible Bib Pattern Here

Download Toddler Reversible Bib Pattern Here

Baby Bib Tutorial

Supplies:

• (2) 18″x 11″ cuts of your favorite fabrics
• (1) Snap Fastener (For this tutorial I used a size 15 which is 3/8″ or 9mm)
• All Purpose Thread
• Coordinating All Purpose Thread for Top Stitching

Prep Your Pattern and Fabric

First things first, you will want to pick out the fabrics you would like to use for this project.  When I sew infant bibs I tend to use a fun print on the front and then either an absorbent terry cloth or a super soft minky on the reverse side.  For my toddler bibs they aren’t usually as messy so I can get away with doubling up the fun with prints on both sides!  It is all up to you!

After you have downloaded the the pattern of your choice be sure to cut each piece out and tape together where it is noted on the pattern.  Then trace out your bib pattern onto your fabric and cut it out.  Place your face (front) sides together so the backside of your fabrics are what you see on the outside.  Because we are working on what is going to be the inside of the bib we need to leave a gap where we can turn the fabrics right side out.  I usually like to find the straightest stretch of my fabric staying far away from any curves and start there.  By having the opening on a straight edge it makes it is less noticeable when you top stitch the opening closed and makes a smoother seam.

The pattern we are using has a 1/2″ seam allowance.  I have always hated trying to follow the measuring guides on my sewing machine so I actually adjust my  needle left so that the space between the needle and the edge of my presser foot is 1/2″ which is my seam allowance!  This will not work for everyone since not all sewing machines have a feature where you can slightly adjust your needle position but if yours does it is very helpful! 

Sew Your Seam

Once you shave sewn almost all the way around stop before you get to your starting point and make sure to backstitch.  For this pattern you can give yourself a 1-2″ gap.  This gap is where you will turn your fabric right side out.

Trim and Clip Seam Allowance

Before you turn your fabric you will want to remove some of the excess bulk from around your seams.  By doing this your seams will be smooth and lay flat once you have turned your bib right side out.

If you have inner curves, like the neckline in this case, they should be cliped into the seam allowance at even intervals ending about 1/8″ from the stitching.  If your curve is shallow you can clip farther apart while if your curve is deeper you should make your clips closer together.

On this pattern we also have outer curves (mainly the bottom edges) that also need to be clipped.  To clip outer curved seams you will need to cut small “v” like shapes.  Again just like your inner curves they should end about 1/8″  from the stitching and should be clipped farther apart for shallow curves and closer together for deeper curves.

Turn Bib Right Side Out

Now its time to turn your bib right side out!  Remember that little gap at the bottom you left?  You want to reach inside and pinch one of the layers of fabric and pull it out through your opening.

Don’t forget while you are pulling everything right side out that you can also reach in and push against your seams to get help them to lay flat.  Now your bib should be all closed up except for the one small opening.  Looking good so far right?

Iron

Now grab your iron to press out your seams.  I like to start in the middle of the bib and slowly push my way out toward the edges.  This will push the seams out so they are nice and flat.

Topstitch

Once your bib is pressed its time to topstitch!  A topstitch is a stitch that is sewn parallel to the edge of your fabric.  Depending on your project a topstitch can either be decorative or functional.  In our case it is actually both.  We are functionally closing off the opening at the bottom we used to turn the bib right side out as well as stitching over top of our seam allowance so that the seams don’t “sink” back in when the bib is washed.  Our topstitch is also decorative because it gives your bib a nice polished look!

Set your machine stitch length to a slightly longer length than normal and try to find a nice coordinating color thread to blend in with your fabric.  I actually like to sew with a length slightly less than your longest length setting on your machine.  By doing this I’ve found you have more control over your fabric because the longer your stitch length the more the fabric has to move forward with each stitch.  Because the fabric moves very quickly while you sew it can tend to “jump” if your presser foot does not have the proper tension.  A stitch length that is too long can also make it hard to have smooth stitching around sharp corners.  Try practicing with different stitch lengths on a scrap piece of fabric before you topstitch to see what length you like the best!

Apply A Snap Closure

Now all you have to do is apply a quick snap and you are done!  I used a standard size 15 snap fastner which is 3/8″ or 9mm for this bib but you can use whatever size you like best.  I bought a kit at my local fabric store that came with a easy attacher tool and two different sizes of snaps for about $6.  No matter what type of snap you end up deciding to use just make sure to read and follow the directions that are included.

With the tool that I have all you have do do is push the prong side of the snap through the fabric,then turn the fabric over and place the snap side overtop of the prongs that is sticking through the fabric.  After you have them in the proper position place them inside of the easy attacher tool, close the top to secure the snap and hammer the top of the tool.  Hammering will crimp the two pieces together to secure them.  I love this style of snap because they are quick, easy and don’t require any extra sewing.  There is a little bit of a learning curve to make sure you get everything aligned right so don’t get frustrated if you don’t get it right the first time.  Again make sure to refer to the directions included with the snaps you purchase!

Once you finish the first side of the snap repeat the process for the second side.

Then give them a good ‘ol snap to make sure they work okay.

And your done!!!  If you are new to sewing I know that this is a lot to take in but slow down and take your time.  You will be surprised to see that after you finish your first one the second one should be a breeze.  I’ve had so many babies to give gifts for lately that I can whip these bibs out in no time!  If you run into trouble or have any questions just feel free to leave a comment and I’m here to help!  Be sure to share photos of your finished bibs with us too, we want to see your all your hard work!

Don’t have time to sew?  Check out finished reversible and laminated bibs in my Etsy shop here!

Happy Crafting!

Amber

Don’t forget about Silhouette’s Chipboard Specials end tomorrow!

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Washi Tape Giveaway

Can you imagine having 50 rolls of adorable decorative tape to plaster all over your crafts, cards, buntings, and, umm, house? Yeah, we thought so! We know how much we love Washi Tape, so we thought we’d share the love with our favorite readers…..YOU!!

A HUGE shout out to Downtown Tape for providing the Washi Tape prize for this giveaway! Downtown Tape carries so many different patterns of washi tape, your head will spin! They have everything from; stripes to polka dots to florals to random prints. You’re sure to find washi tape to fit your needs at Downtown Tape!

Meet the bloggers behind the Washi Tape Giveaway!

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 The Ultimate Washi Tape Giveaway 

Use the giveaway widget below to enter the giveaway…..it may take a second to load!

NOTE: You only need to enter the giveaway on 1 blog. We are all using the same giveaway widget :)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Good luck!!
Linda
**Please note: The washi tape prints in the giveaway prize may vary from those pictured in this post.**

*This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Pinterest. We hereby release Pinterest of any liability. The giveaway sponsor, Downtown Tape, will ship the prize within 14 days of the end of the giveaway. If you do not have a Pinterest account, you may email linda{at}CraftaholicsAnonymous{dot}net to enter the giveaway. Giveaway starts Monday, May 13th at midnight pm EST and ends Sunday, May 19th at midnight EST. Once the giveaway ends, winner will be chosen at random using Rafflecopter and contacted within 24 hours by email. This post will be updated with winners’ names once we’ve heard back from them. Winners will need to respond within 72 hours to claim their prize or another winner will be chosen. Open to U.S. residents only. Must be 18 years old or older to enter.*

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So remember a couple weeks ago I told you about Massdrop? Well, they have been snagging some awesome group buys on crafting supplies and goodies…. including drool-worthy, pre-cut fabric from Moda!

How Massdrop Works

Massdrop is a site that organizes groupbuys for different online communities. How it works is members vote on what they would like to buy. Then Massdrop negotiates with the company and orders the item in bulk and pass the discount on to the group. And it gets better, the more people that join in the buy, the bigger the discount is for everyone! {read more about it here}

Talk about products you love. Buy together with your friends. Get things you want at great prices. If you haven’t checked out Massdrop yet, you really should! They have a growing crafting community that is getting together to save money on craft products they love.

I think its a great idea to get us crafters together for group buys. That way we can get products we want and save some money on them with the help of Massdrop! Its really easy to sign up. You can use your Facebook account to sign in or simply enter your email address and a password and you’re good to go.

Moda Jelly Roll Group Buy

Right now Massdrop has a killer group buy going on for Moda Jelly Rolls! They have the following lines available:

Massdrop GIVEAWAY

a Rafflecopter giveaway

disclosure: This post is brought to you by Massdrop. All opinions are 100% mine. Please see the disclosure page for a complete statement.

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Want to learn how to crochet a basket? Iuliana, from the Creative Team, is here to teach us how! These adorable little baskets make fantastic Mother’s Day gifts! Enjoy! -Linda

How to Crochet a Basket

May is a busy month at our house, and between my birthday, mother’s day, my daughter’s birthday and half my friends’ birthdays, I have my hands full especially when it comes to gift giving. Today, I am sharing a simple tutorial on How to Crochet a Basket, which makes for a quick last minute and economical gift! (Mother’s Day gift anyone? Talk about last minute!)

Crochet Spa Basket Tutorial

Supplies:
cotton worsted weight yarn (i used Lily Sugar n’ Cream)
5.5 mm hook
needle for weaving in ends

Abbreviations:
CH- chain
ST- stich
SL ST- slip stitch
SC- single crochet
DC- double crochet

Step 1: Make a magic loop (learn how to make a magic loop here or at Hip2Thrift). CH 3, 12 DC in the loop, join with Sl ST at the top of the CH 3.

Step 2- CH 3, DC in the same stitch as the CH3, 2 DC in each stitch around. Join with Sl ST to the top of the CH 3

Step 3: CH 3, DC in the same stitch as the CH3, *2 DC in next st, 1 DC, 2 DC*, all around. Join with Sl ST to the top of the CH 3

.Step 4- CH 3, DC in the same stitch as the CH3, *2 DC in next st, 1 DC in the next 2 stitches, 2 DC*, all around. Join with Sl ST to the top of the CH 3.

You are basically making a flat circle. Keep adding 1DCs in between 2DCs, depending on how big you want the basket bottom to be. I stopped at the previous row. Make sure that your circle is flat.

Step 5- CH 1, SC into the back loop of next stitch and all around. SL ST to the beginning CH1.

This step creates a ledge and makes for a good transition to the next rows that will all be going up, creating the walls of the basket.

Step 6 – regular SC all around. Join with a SL ST. You can make it as tall as you want here.

You can make it taller and fold it over for an awesome cuff and more sturdy look.

Step 7- Weave in ends with your upholstery needle.

Optional: Depending on how loose or tight you crochet, you can spray the basket with a starch spray and iron.

I love how easy these baskets are to make! If you use thicker yarn, or even t-shirt yarn, you can these up in no time. You can use two colors for an awesome color block look. These baskets are versatile and can be used to hold spa essentials, make-up, or as storage anywhere in the house. Give it away as a gift filled with awesome spa goodies, or keep it for yourself. I have a couple that I use whenever I have guests and I fill them with washcloths, small size toiletries, and even some treats.

Now that you know how to crochet a basket, go make some baskets now!

Iuliana

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Hi everyone! My name is Diana and I’m so glad you’re visiting today for a peek into my craft room!

I’m a Midwestern girl born and raised, but I’m now living in the beautiful state of South Carolina with my husband and daughter. I’ve been making cards and crafts since I was little and it seriously stuck. I’ve been a passionate rubber stamper / paper crafter for about 15 years, and I don’t plan on slowing down anytime soon!

My favorite things are “collecting” loads of paper and bling, coloring with Copics, and making unique paper items. But my all-time favorite item is my old box of 64 Crayola crayons – as soon as I smell those wonderful colors I’m in heaven!

Craft Room Tour

My crafting space has been everywhere in the house: kitchen table, dining room, living room, etc. etc. etc. After many years of seeing me shuffle my space all over the place, my husband decided to VERY generously give up his media room over our garage. Thus, the craft room was born:

The coloring station with markers, pens, crayons and chalks – this spot is closest to the window for great lighting.

The stamping station with wooden stamps, clear acrylic stamps, and lots of storage close by…

The ribbon station!

Lots of drawers and cubbies for all my paper collections, punches, bling and tools. My favorite painting from my best friend Tami is here, and there’s also room for my daughter’s growing art supply collection…

The busiest table in the house (except for maybe the kitchen table downstairs):

All the things I can’t live without are right here on the lazy suzan.

My favorite corner of the room – with a south-facing window, uber-comfy chair, lots of books and magazines, and my orchids..

The craft room isn’t complete without Abby (our Jack Russell terrier) lounging in the sunshine…

Most furniture and shelving is from IKEA, with paper storage and cubbies from Target/AC Moore.

I’m extremely new to blogging, but you can check out my newbie (and possibly very silly) posts at Diana’s Bits and Pieces!

Thanks so much for visiting today – hope you have a crafty day!

Diana

Do you have a craft room you’d like to show off? Email info@craftaholicsanonymous.net – we’d love to feature it on Craftaholics Anonymous®!

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