Crafting for your budget: pack a lunch

It's always a good idea to think about what you can make instead of buy and to make things that help your budget. Even more so in a time like this with the economy crashing and burning and prices necessarily rising. If you can be 'green' while you're at it, better yet. (The green movement is one trend I hope sticks around; it's about time, right?)

I'm going to try to post about something economy- and eco-friendly on a regular basis. Hopefully I'll remind myself and others to not only craft for a hobby but also for frugality's sake. We could learn something from other countries that don't view spending as a sport. </soapbox>

Pack a lunch!
Going out and taking out for lunch is expensive, and it's only going to get even more expensive. Thinking about how much money you've saved always feels good and is especially reassuring now; not to mention that you'll feel super responsible and less wasteful. Lunch near where I work averages about $10 a day. That's $50 a week and $2600 a year. Gah! Here's some idears:

• Plan your meals for the coming week on Sundays. Think of key, in-season ingredients that are common to several dishes. I try to think of 2 or 3 proteins and vegetables that I'll use for lunch and dinner throughout the week. For example: tomatoes, potatoes and chicken. That can get you pasta; stuffed tomatoes; roasted potatoes; chicken parm; potato, corn and chicken chowder, etc. And yes, I live alone so I'm cooking for one -gasp!- Just make two servings of your recipes and have one for dinner and one for lunch the next day or so.
  
  Some of my favorites recipe sites are Five Mushrooms, Allrecipes, and Apartment Therapy's The Kitchn.
  
  To plan meals, I use my "What to Eat" pad from knockknock. This pad is also helpful to keep track of what you need at the store so you can make a meal at a moment's notice. But guess what, you don't really need a fancy pad. Just keep notepad near your fridge.
  
  
• Make a lunch tote. It looks like all you need is a small amount of fabric, some batting and a closure like Velcro or snaps for a square-bottomed bag, with or without a handle. One of these will be a new project of mine:
  
  http://www.simplicity.com/index.cfm?page=section/classroom/sewprojects/lunchtote/lunchsack.html
  
  http://sewing.about.com/library/weekly/aa072100a.htm
  
  http://tumblingblocks.net/blog/index.cfm/2007/7/31/oilcloth-lunch-bag
  

Happy lunching!

Image from tumblingblocks.net

Labels: budget, cooking, ideas

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On: Being My Best

Hello out there, if anyone is reading anymore. I've taken such a long break from working on my site and writing in this blog. Call it creative fatigue.

But oh, I am back! I've finished redesigning my blog, and am almost done with my site as a whole. I've got new ideas (making stationery! lunch totes!) and was about to write here today, when I read the following Skelliewag post in my feed reader:

Be the Best, Be Discovered

Here's a snippet:

"If you create something that is as completely awesome as you can make it, other people will see that awesomeness...

...I want to suggest that a truly successful blogger will mainly concern themselves with churning out as much incredible content as they can, day in, day out. And you should do it even if you’re pretty certain the only people reading your blog are your mother and your boss."

I hope someone finds this helpful, and that you subscribe to or choose to follow Skellie. You'll be much more fulfilled if you do.

What perfect timing. I know what I've been doing wrong, and why I fell away from blogging for such a long time. I need to stop thinking about what I should write, and think about what I would like to find in a blog that makes me go, "Ooh! Great post." So simple & obvious, maybe too obvious and that's why I missed it?

Labels: ideas, inspiration, motivation

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Ants in my pants

I think you'd be scared if you could see my Remember the Milk list for the site. Lots of nitpicky things, a lot of them brought on by reading a supergreat comprehensive article on Skelliewag.org about 50 tips to unclutter your blog, via Unclutterer (I know, I'm blogging about blogging about a blog). I think I'll be adding Skelliewag to my feed reader now, just looking at the latest posts--wow. Tips galore.

So by the time I come back from vacation--the reason I have ants in my pants--I will have my new cards and will have an idea for the Bookmark Swap I'm participating in. (Sign up by November 1!) A swap is the best thing ever. You:

1. Get to make someone else's day
2. Automatically get something new that you obviously have a passion for
   
3. Contribute to the big picture, the craft community at large by reinforcing the bond among us (Yes, then we take over the world)
   

The perfect balance of some healthy selfishness and giving. Anymore reasons? I'm sure I'm missing some. This is perfect timing, due to my unhealthy book appetite as of late and need for new projects.

On my vacation, I plan to bring along my sketchbook and come up with designs for lino prints. And to keep my phone off for most of the time.

4 1/2 days!!

By the way, if you came here because I'm linking to your site: thank you, because you've been an inspiration in one way or another. And I just want to spread the word of your awesomeness.

Labels: ideas, inspiration, to-do

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Lost in the in-between

Hey there, fair readers. I've been a bit of a slacker lately--craftingwise and postingwise. I'm at this strange in-between place where I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed and a touch of trepidation. I was entirely uncreative this weekend, slept late and watched TV when I could've sewed. Thankfully it was a much better and restorative weekend than the last few. But I really need to get going if I'm going to have some new things to show at the Big Art Show in Brooklyn on April 14, which is immediately after a work-conference from April 10-13 in New Orleans.

I think I'd better list all the things I want to accomplish in my creative life. Maybe getting it out out of my head and seeing it in black & white in public will make the list more tangible. Items on a list are meant to be crossed off with satisfaction. That's what I'm after.

Here goes. Things I want to do:

• Linocut printing. I'd like to make a few first edition prints this week for the Big Art Show. This is pretty scary in that I've never displayed my work for a big mass of people besides art classes. Does my Etsy shop count?
• To do: get supplies at Blick TOMORROW.



• Make some more bags. Even simple tote bags with the cool accoutrements I've got. In the midst of that I can work on Jen's bag, too. Forego the bias tape (I thought single-fold was something it is not) and use fabric ties. No need to go to P&S Fabrics; especially helpful since they might be closed due to Passover (and are they even open anymore? Wahhh...)
  
• To do: Lay out some fabric, press it, cut it up, and fire up the sewing machine. If I'm busy with printmaking this week, then this weekend.



• Paint the long living room wall and my bedroom. Tree mural? Maybe.
• To do: Get inspired at Home Depot and go through Apartment Therapy posts I've saved. This is to be done after the conference.



• Learn to play guitar.
• To do: Buy a frigging guitar. My friend bugs me enough with links to pretty guitars for sale in my price range. Buy a book about guitar playing. Bug friend to show me some chords. This summer I hope.



• Sew some clothes for myself, namely skirts.
• To do: Pick out a pattern from Sew U and get going in May-ish.



• Network some more and think about contributing to crafty zines and sites.
• To do: Get things on list done first!

So I hope this post might help anyone in a similar situation. I think I'll go do one of the creative exercises in the printmaking book I borrowed from the library. With the TV OFF.

P.S. Be sure to check out the following :)

Labels: art, event, ideas, inspiration

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My brain is also plush right now.

Today is Friday! And although this week flew by for me (one or two lengthy meetings a day will do that), I'm so glad it's the weekend. That special one fourth of me is ready to come out and play tomorrow.

I don't have pictures of the finished neckwarmer yet--I have a couple more rows to knit and must sew on buttons tonight, so I should be able to show it off tomorrow. If I want to wear it tomorrow, I'm not sure if I can wash and block it tonight...would it dry in time?

So, no finished project to show off today. But let me just say that I am SO inspired by the relief printmaking books I borrowed from the library. It's good to be really excited about something! I have so many ideas, I really need to start writing them down and doodling.

Before I go brave the weather to go trade in some Blockbuster Online movies for in-store movies, I gotta post this.

My Paper Crane is one of my favorites. I own two of her plushes--the strawberry milk and cinnamon roll are happily hanging out on display in my apartment.
But this takes the cake:

I love the brain--real and plush. I'm a psych nerd. Anyway if you're in the Mid-Atlantic/Southeast area of the U.S., go check out her stuff at the following show:

Labels: ideas, plush

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