Tag: 100 Item 100 day challenge

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My Use Your Stash Rules – 2015

Here it is the day the Use Your Stash Challenge officially starts. I have been thinking about the rules for this year. I have also talked them over with Hubs. I love his point of view. Here is what he said in a nutshell

  • This isn’t a contest
  • You can make this what you want and need
  • have fun
  • don’t stress about the rules
  • There are no Use Your Stash police checking to see if you follow the same rules as everyone else.
Use Your Stash Challenge
https://www.etsy.com/listing/193537851/start-where-you-are-use-what-you-have-do

So here are my rules for the Use Your Stash Challenge. I hope that you come up with your own rules.

  1. Works in Progress count because they are stash and they are sitting around half done and taking up space.
  2. If I come up with a really cool idea but lack 1 essential element to finish it off perfectly. I will shop and buy that 1 thing. I will also document what I buy on the blog. Also if I get a custom order that needs supplies I will create that item.
  3. While I will show all the items I create, the good, the bad and the ugly, I might not count them all towards the final number.
  4. I will create 200 items this year for the challenge. I have about 50 items cut and awaiting sewing so it isn’t out of the question and these items do count toward the total.
  5. I will try to create 200 items 200 days.
Use Your Stash Challenge
https://www.etsy.com/listing/167670767/quote-wall-decal-by-andy-warhol-craft

I have stocked up on thread. I have found all my buttons. I have separated the scraps from the bigger pieces of fabric. I have signed up for a quilt class.  I have ideas since I have searched far and wide via pinterest and google. Here is the pinterest board that I have been pining ideas on since last year.  I also have a huge Crochet board and then also a sewing board.  I will start the board for us to pin our completed items on when I get my first item completed, feel free to contact me to be added to the board.

Join me in a this De-stashing challenge and clean out your space. Find the freedom of finishing up your Works in Progress! set your creativity free with this challenge that will force you to think in totally different directions. Limits force us to think outside the box and encourage us to use what we have or as our Grandma’s said

“Use it up, Wear it out, Make it do or Do without!”

Are we ready? Do you have tons of stash waiting the perfect project? Do you have a time frame in mind or an item list?

If you do then let’s get started!

talk to you after I get something created!

 

Karen

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The Shop is on Sale!

sale right sizeEverything in the shop is 30% off. I really want to start the year off with a clean slate in the shop! WooHoo! So, my desire to start with a clean slate is your opportunity and when opportunity knocks you really should answer! All this to say…shop to your hearts content!

Everything, absolutely everything in the shop, including aprons, hats, scarves, infinity scarves, blankets, cozies, ornaments, and crystal, is all 30% off! It will never ALL be this low again. I may put bits and pieces of the shop on sale but not ALL of it.

I did some organizing and cleaning yesterday and I will do more today in preparation for the new year. I can’t wait to get started on the Use Your Stash Challenge. It starts pretty soon… so figure out the rules for your challenge. It can be a short and sweet WIPS challenge or a giant 300 items in 300 days Challenge. It can be make 20 items in 50 days or you can simply finish that One thing that is driving you nuts. I am gathering my items together and planning out how it is all going to happen! This is why I am having the huge sale. I do so want to add new things to the shop this Spring! We are not going to start on January 1st. I am giving myself some time off. I have my daughter home from college and I want to enjoy her visit. I have some cleaning to do in the studio. I also need to get youngest  daughter started with her schooling before I jump in with both feet to create anything new. The anticipation is growing and I can hardly wait to get started.

The Use Your Stash challenge is the 12 of January. You can read more about my rules for my Challenge last year here: http://www.chocolatedogstudio.com/2014/01/17/1-thing-for-100-days-challenge/  You can see most of the completed items here: http://www.chocolatedogstudio.com/2014/04/14/100-items-in-100-days/

Thanks,
Karen

 

 

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Looking Back at 2014 and Looking Forward to The New Year

I get a little introspective as the New Year approaches. I have just spent the last twelve months zooming through the days to this day.

Then there are the many photos of our yard and landscape. We had snow and ice, beautiful daffodils, tulips and irises all in succession.

Then the beautiful summer flowers in the front flower bed, from gladiolus to Russian sage to Purple coneflowers and daisies.The many pictures of yarn and projects in process including the craft fair.

There are many photos of family and trips to museums and lovely memories to share but I will not bore you with all of these photos. I have been graced with a very full year. We moved one person twice and three people once, if that makes any sense. We moved our daughter home from college at the beginning of the summer. Our son and his wife moved into their new apartment. We moved two of our kids back to college and finally we moved my mom to her new apartment. So those were huge moves and took time and attention. I just cleared out the last box of sewing materials from my Mom, yesterday. I am working on cleaning up in the studio after all of the busy time this Christmas season.

Things I am looking forward to this year include the Use Your Stash Challenge, doing a craft fair or two, some time spent fluffing the inside of the house. Here is my list for the future.

  • Prepping for a craft fair this June
  • Creating some new products for both shops
  • De-cluttering my house and studio
  • Finishing up about ten works in progress
  • Finishing up the tree skirt. I want to add some trim to the edging and possibly a decoration or two.
  • Clean out Christmas decorations that we haven’t used in years
  • Do some dog training. We have four in the back yard right now as we are watching my brother’s dog.
  • Make a menu and grocery list every week
  • Our oldest daughter is scheduled to graduate from college this next school year. So while it she officially doesn’t graduate until 2016. I know the year will be full of getting her prepared.

This is fairly busy list. I know that we will be driving  our daughter back to college, and also bringing her home. She has a wedding this summer to go to and we might take a vacation. I would like to work in the yard and get some things cleared up. All of this in addition to living life and home schooling our youngest. The days and years just seem to get shorter and time seems to be a more precious commodity.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

 

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Friday DIY Gift Countdown

If you are going to create gifts for your family for Christmas it is time to start creating! Fridays for the next several weeks will include a DIY Gift Countdown. This weeks DIY gift countdown if for the guys in your life. My guys are all college age or above and I have no babies in my life, though I will include them. Here are some of my favorite ideas that use supplies I already have on hand. I will also have to buy some supplies as I am trying to personalize their gifts as much as possible.

A paracord belt!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=32YAvNdYvAM

A personalized coffee cup for my guys!

http://diyopolis.wordpress.com/2012/11/24/94/

I am counting on the fact that one of my guys is too busy to read his Mom’s blog but I will be crocheting this for him for Christmas.

http://www.ravelry.com/patterns/library/doctor-who-season-16-17-crocheted-scarf

So there are a few of the guys things I will be making this year, but I am also looking at these ideas as well.

I have made these in the past and will probably whip up a few new ones for the gang this year. I am also thinking about making a couple of these for some of the family., in more masculine colors, but not reversible.

http://www.newgreenmama.com/2010/12/reversible-messenger-bag-tutorial.html

I am also going to make some of these quick fingerless gloves and add hats, without the hearts and in a more masculine color.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/178258980/crochet-fingerless-gloves-pattern-pdf

Also a couple pairs of these.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/164527383/pattern-diy-fingerless-gloves-crochet

I had better get started as time is running out and there are others in my family that I want to crochet for.

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

 

 

 

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A New Challenge

I have been tinkering around with the idea of a new Challenge! Here are the ideas I have had so far.

2014-05-31 15.10.43

  • crochet a square a day
  • creating more things from the supplies on hand
  • Christmas gift ideas 30 gift ideas in 30 days
  • 1 new item a day
  • Cleaning something in the house once a day
  • cleaning, organizing and decorating the studio… (ha, who am I kidding.)
  • Create a new pattern a week?
  • 100 new items for the shops in 100 days? With a little twist that I can use new bought supplies?
  • A Pinterest board challenge pick 30 items off my boards and try to create them myself?
  • 2014-05-31 15.10.13

Can you think of any I have missed? What would you do?

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

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Infinity Scarves

I have been spending my time productively the past few weeks. Saturday our son came over and took some really good photographs for me. He does such a great job and I really appreciate it. I can’t wait to get these into the ChocolateDogStudio shop but I will take my time and list a few a day. It really stretches my mind to come up with flowery, enthusiastic, descriptive phrases. I am really only good for listing one or two things at a time.

IMG_3909 IMG_3904 IMG_3898 IMG_3892-001I really enjoyed crocheting this pattern, it is fun. I love how these scarves turned out. They are stretchy and lacy at the same time. A lovely accessory for those that tend to get too warm with a traditional infinity scarf. Even though, I have stopped the Use your stash challenge, I found that these scarves are great stash busters!

I found the pattern here if you want to make your own. http://classycrochet.wordpress.com/2013/01/12/free-pattern-diamond-lattice-chain-crochet-infinity-scarf/

It is an easy pattern and great for beginners. Jen does a great job with step by step photos, walking you through the pattern bit by bit.

talk to you later,

Karen

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100 items in 100 days!

Looking back at this challenge. I would say that it has helped me think outside the box. I had to get out of my comfort zone in my sewing and forced me to finish some mending projects. I finished a bunch of things in a short period of time.  I forced myself to use what I had on hand to fill my shop. It was good for me as it pushed me to create new and different things. It was an incredibly freeing experience to

Here they all are!

See you later,

Karen

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Finally completely done! 100 items in 100 days

This is the final post of 100 items in 100 days!

I finally caught up with myself and I finished these items for the 100 items in 100 days.

Finally completely done! 100 items in 100 days

Lavender and rice pocket warmers or relaxation hearts, or hot or cold pads. These are pretty much for whatever you need them to be. They are filled with rice and lavender buds. You could also put the in the dryer for freshly scented clothes.Finally completely done! 100 items in 100 days

I finally finished up these non paper paper towels. I have had them cut out for ages and they just needed to be sewn.

So there you go the last two items that I needed to post to really be officially finished.

Talk to you later,

Karen

Here is the previous post on this challenge: http://www.chocolatedogstudio.com/2014/04/01/april-fools/

and the post before that: http://www.chocolatedogstudio.com/2014/02/05/progress/

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#92-100 Finished At Last!

I finished up these pot holders and coffee press cozies this week. The pot holders have two layers of batting in the middle to keep your hands nice and cool. There is coordinating fabric on the back that I pulled from my supplies and the front is quilted from fabric I had as well.

Here is # 92

2014-04-03 07.55.38

#932014-04-03 07.55.21

#94 and 952014-04-03 07.55.14

They turned out really nice and I love the thick potholders. I also finished up these coffee cozies using the supplies I had on hand.

#96

2014-04-04 10.50.39

#97

2014-04-04 10.54.56

#98

2014-04-04 10.56.09

#99

2014-04-04 10.57.14

#100

2014-04-04 10.52.14

There we go 100 items in 100 days! I am so excited about being finished. I have a bunch of new items on the horizon. I did use up a bunch of supplies and it did stretch my creativity. I had fun and finished up a bunch of projects quickly as I was motivated to be able to buy some new fabric! I still have about four projects that are unfinished that I have started during the challenge time and I may continue counting them toward the challenge. I did have to breakdown and buy some new supplies towards the end of the challenge. If I hadn’t started the challenge I would not have been ready for the opportunity that came my way at Java Dave’s!  I have a ton of things cut out, ready and waiting for me to sew.

See you later!

Karen

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Recycle Crafts

The Challenge of creating 100 items in 100 days has lead me to some interest recycling projects. Here are some of my favorites. I may use these ideas for my challenge items as they look fun, easy and I already have ALL of the supplies.

http://www.countryliving.com/crafts/projects/green-crafts-0309#slide-25
http://www.countryliving.com/crafts/projects/green-crafts-0309#slide-28

I like to recycle when I am creating but I don’t want to have to collect 59 million candy wrappers or bread tabs or plastic bottles to be able to finish the project. I like it to be quick and to the point using  materials that I already have on hand. If I have to go out and buy something to create a recycled craft, I feel like it is defeating the purpose of recycling as a craft. I love the crafts listed on here as I can create them pretty much anytime as the supplies I already own.

 

http://www.countryliving.com/crafts/projects/card-wallets#slide-3

 

http://craftsbyamanda.com/2012/10/recycle-craft-cd-coasters.html
http://www.henryhappened.com/diy-braided-t-shirt-bracelets.html

 

http://greenbeesbees.blogspot.com/2008/08/fabric-covered-altiod-tins.html

These are just cute little tins.

http://www.ohmylookbook.com/2014/01/diy-vela-de-madera.html

Such cute candle holders. These would be perfect for Autumn on through Christmas..

http://www.craftster.org/forum/index.php?topic=329854.msg3809291#msg3809291

and a super cute washer necklace idea!

Talk to you later,

Karen

 

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