My January Pinterest Project

A couple of posts ago, I made some crafting resolutions.  One of them was to actually make something I've seen on Pinterest.  I have a whole board called "Crafty Stuff" and it's full of cute ideas, photos and tutorials.  Collecting these ideas is fun, but come on!  They're there for a reason!

As part of the Grow Your Blog party, I am having a giveaway.  More about how you can sign up later.  My prize is one of my fabric mini project bags and a beaded bracelet.  And I need a pat on the back because the bracelet is an idea I got off of Pinterest.  Yay! 

The pattern is called "Linda's Tweaked Stacker" and it's from Around the Beading Table.  I love this website -- so many cool beading patterns.  You can find the pattern and tutorial here.  This bracelet was easy to make and required a total of three different kinds of beads. 

So for a chance to win this giveaway, just go to my Grow Your Blog post and leave a comment.  That's all you have to do.  The comment has to be made on that post, and be sure that there is a way I can get in touch with you.  Leave your comment by 9:00 p.m. EST on February 14th, and I'll draw a name on the 15th and announce the winner in a post right here on my blog.

I've also made a lot of progress on Just Nan's "Jasmine Mix".  More resolution progress!  This has been in the WIP stack for a while.

Not too much more to go on this one, mostly a few specialty stitches and some beads. 

The Grow Your Blog Party was a lot of fun.  I visited so many new blogs and really enjoyed seeing the kinds of things that people make.  I also added more followers and received some kind comments!  And I'm still going through the blogs.  I think there were about 400 signed up.  You can visit the party too - just click on the Grow Your Blog sign on the right sidebar of this blog.  There are some great blogs out there, plus many of them are also having giveaways.  So go on and check it out.  You don't have to be a blogger to follow blogs, leave comments or enter in many of these giveaways.

I'd like to welcome all of my new followers and thank everyone for their comments!  Please come back and visit my blog.  You never know what I'll feature, and you never know when there will be giveaways!

Grow Your Blog

Welcome to the CraftyCat blog!  My name is Cathy and I am once again taking part in the Grow Your Blog party sponsored by Vicki at 2 Bags Full.  I had an amazing time participating in this event the last 2 years, so I'm thrilled to be a part of it again.

As you can tell by the name, CraftyCat is a blog about all kinds of crafts.  One day you might see photos of my latest cross stitch project, and another you'll hear about the beading project I just took on.  Other things I love to do are sewing, crocheting, and general crafting.  I'm constantly on the lookout for new things to make.

Tiny beaded snowflakes

As you visit, you'll see that I don't take myself too seriously.  I make mistakes and I admit when I make them.  And I post pictures of them!  Little failures and mistakes are all part of the process.  But I do always set out to make something beautiful.

Just one of my current cross stitch projects.

Learning new things in the craft world is part of the fun of creating.  I'll occasionally post a tutorial for my readers to learn how to make something I've created.  I also post links when I use someone else's tutorial.  It's my goal to make the CraftyCat blog a place where I can share useful information.  I've even done product reviews!

The room where the craftiness happens.  Well, some of it.

One of my frequent features is "Other People's Creations", where I'll post pictures of the craftiness of non-blogging friends of mine.  I'm constantly amazed at the artistic endeavors of other people, and so I am happy to give them a little blog time.

I've decided to have a giveaway as part of the Grow Your Blog event!  The winner will receive a mini project bag in a graphic black and white pattern with a pink lining.  Also included is a handmade beaded bracelet which is in a red and gold color scheme with a magnetic clasp.  Both items are made by me!  The mini project bag can be used for carrying your small crafting items.  Or use it for a purse organizer, as a cosmetic bag, or for coupons.  You can even use it for a small project!

I will have a drawing on February 15th and will announce the winner here on that same day.  All you have to do to enter the giveaway is leave a comment on this post by 9:00 p.m. EST on February 14th.  Please also make sure that there is a way I can get in touch with you.

During last year's Grow Your Blog party, I found so many new and interesting blogs!  I'm constantly adding to my blog list, and this event is a wonderful way to find new blogs.  And for me that means new friends and new ideas and inspiration.  Like all bloggers, I like to know that people are reading - and enjoying - my posts.  So please consider becoming a follower of CraftyCat, and leave a comment for me once in a while to let me know how I'm doing blog-wise.

Thank you for visiting today!  I hope to see you in blogger-land!

Ready For "Grow Your Blog"

The Grow Your Blog party for 2015 is coming up next Sunday, January 25th.  If you like blogs about everything in the creative world, then you'll almost certainly enjoy this!  The event is sponsored by Vicki at the blog, 2 Bags Full.  Here's what you do:
-On Sunday, January 25th, go to Vicki's blog.  Just click on this link.
-You'll find the list of participating bloggers sorted by how many followers they have.
-Begin visiting blogs!  You will definitely find blogs that interest you in the group of 400 participants.  Plus, a good number of bloggers offer giveaways in honor of the event.  I've been lucky enough to win a couple of beautiful handcrafted items created by bloggers during the Grow Your Blog party.  I also have begun following many blogs which I visit often!
-Maybe become a follower of some blogs.  Remember -- bloggers love followers!
-And just know that you don't have to visit all of the blogs on the 25th.  Vicki keeps the list up on her post so that you can visit at your leisure.  Have fun!

I will be participating in the Grow Your Blog party, so please pay a visit to the CraftyCat blog!  I've been busy during the past couple of days getting my giveaway prize ready for the event.  I'll post a photo the day of the party so it will be a surprise. 

Aside from that, I haven't worked toward any of my 2015 crafting goals.  At all.  I'm participating in a Valentine's Day exchange and have been working on that.  I'm not sure if the recipient of my exchange gift reads my blog, so I'll just show you a little bit of my progress.

There.  Just a little hint of what I'm doing.  And it doesn't give the finished project away.  What will it be?  You and my exchange recipient will just have to wait a little longer. 

So get ready for the Grow Your Blog party!  Have some fun visiting creative blogs from around the world.  I hope to see you there!

Resolutions... Or Are They Merely Suggestions?

I'm not a big New Year's resolution-maker.  Correct me if I'm wrong, but a resolution is just a decision to do something, right?  If my memory serves me, then I've made resolutions in March and September.  And every other month of the year.  For some reason, though, the new year has me thinking up new ideas for stitching and crafting and they've kind of turned into Stitching and Crafting Resolutions.  Here are some of them:

**Finish some WIPs.  This is my #1 goal.  I only have about 5 WIPs.  Two of them are very small. 
                   Is this an attainable goal?  Yes!

**Stitch one Christmas ornament every month.  Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a dozen ornaments stitched by next Christmas?!  
                   Is this reasonably do-able?  I should probably change it to one every other month, and if I happen to stitch more, then Yay!

**Actually attempt some of the crafting ideas I've been saving on Pinterest.  I have a lot of craft-oriented pins -- what am I waiting for?  One per month?  
                   Is this a realistic goal?  Depends on the project.  

**Learn to crochet items that require something other than single crochet, and don't panic if the project is not rectangular or square.
                   Can it be done?  Of course.

**Attempt some new ornament finishing techniques.
                   Can I do this?  Yes.

**Organize the craft room.
                   Is this a realistic goal?  This one is an absolute necessity.  

That last one.  The craft room.  Lately I've misplaced several things, only to find them later in places that made no sense.  Sure, my craft room may look clean and relatively neat.  But stuffing items into boxes just to make the place look tidy is no solution.  I've got a great craft closet, but without some organization, I have no idea what's in those boxes until I open them and look.  So a lot of organizing  and some labeling is in order.  That will be a day of fun.  Ha ha.  I'm pretty sure that the end result will be worth it!

So what do you think of my list?  Am I going to stick to these resolutions?  I'm thinking of them more as suggestions for enriching my craftiness.   I like that -- "enriching my craftiness".  If I keep these in mind, I'll be likely to act on them and have fun in the process.  So let's see what happens in 2015.

Speaking of getting things done, here is my progress on the Summer Garden Pincushion.

That's right, ALL of the embroidery is finished!  I worked on it at Stitch Day last Saturday and finished it up yesterday.  Now to assemble the pincushion.  You can find all of the instructions for this project at the Fiberluscious blog. 

Now I'm off to get dinner into the crockpot and then enjoy the rest of this gray, typical January day working on some stitching.