Using the Buzz my Blog Contest Winner Picker, I am pleased to tell you that Jennifer from Apple Pie from Scratch is our big winner of the FabricHound.com giveaway!

Congratulations Jennifer. I have no doubt that Myrinda will be sending lots of goodies your way!

You may have seen the interview I did with Myrinda (aka FabricHound) and all the awesome stuff she has going on. Want another reason to love her (as if you really need one)? She’s letting A Craft Life host a giveaway for a fun grab bag of $25 worth of supplies! Want to enter? Here’s all you have to do: Leave a comment here telling us what product on FabricHound.com you can’t live without in 2009. That’s it. But I’m a fun-loving gal, so here are a few ways you can get extra entries:

1. Leave a comment on Myrinda’s blog

2. Subscribe to this blog

3. Digg / Stumble this post

4. Tweet about this contest

There you go. Be sure to mention any of the above that you did in a comment so I know how many entries to award you. The contest ends January 1 and the winner will be announced January 2!

I know you can’t wait so start entering! And Happy New Year! May it be full of crafting surprises!

If you’re not on Twitter, I have to tell you, you’re missing out. I’ve met the most awesome people on there and I’m able to share the most bliss-inducing things on all of my blogs thanks to that handy dandy little tool. Today, I want to tell you about Myrinda. She is the owner of FabricHound.com and she is always sharing awesome things on Twitter. I wanted to ask her a few questions about FabricHound.com and just her in general and she was sweet enough to answer them!

Tell me about your passion for crafting. How did you get started?
I honestly cannot remember a time I didn’t craft or sew. My mom is very creative in an artistic way. I remember macrame, crochet, sewing and her weekly ceramics class. If I ever complained of boredom, she would offer me a crafty project. I can’t really remember before I could read, but I do remember that before age 5, I had a Hollly Hobbie treadle sewing machine and a small artist easel, just like the big ones. My mom always provided any tools or guidance and encouraged me and my brother to enjoy art and crafting. My dad isn’t so much artistic as handy and he passed on a love of larger projects like home improvement.

What makes you happiest about crafting and gives you the highest level of bliss?
This will probably sound strange, but I think I honestly enjoy the control over my environment that crafting allows. I never have to think “I can’t afford that faux finish for my living room” because I would just learn how to do it myself. I enjoy knowing I can make things from the raw materials.

What types of crafts do you generally do?
Sewing is my main passion but I also like other types of needlework, quilling, origami, cardmaking, scrapbooking and needlefelting.

Tell me more about FabricHound.com. How did you get started?
I actually bought fabrichound from the previous owner and founder, Nicole. At the time, I was already selling fabric on ebay, so when the opportunity to buy fabrichound presented itself, it seemed like fate. I live about 2 hours from LA and have access to lots of great fabrics as well as hard to find trims and notions. I was considering adding fabric to a website I already had, but fabrichound also came with a huge customer base and great reputation, so it seemed like a better fit to keep the fabric on a seperate site.

What sets FabricHound.com apart from other online fabric stores?
I would say selection. I think I have more and more different items than most other online retailers. I have everything you need to complete most of the patterns I offer, as well as a great selection of imported and domestic fabrics and fold over elastic in more colors than you can shake a serger at!

Many of us who craft have a group of friends that they love to get together with and make beautiful creations. Is that the case with you or are you a solo crafter?
I have a group-POP!Kids. We started as an eBay children’s boutique group, but are friends first! All of us have met at least one other member in person…I have even met our Canadian friend IRL! One of my friends lives abotu 20 min away, but I do most of my crafty sharing online.

Can you give us the best tip you’ve ever gotten in terms of sewing?
Machine maintenence. If you don’t take care of your equipment, no matter what the craft, you can’t expect good results. Even safety is dependent of well maintained equipment.

What is the most challenging piece you’ve ever made?
I think I’ll go with this dress. I’m not a pattern drafter, but had to sort of pull from experience for this one. The skirt laces up the back with a satin ribbon, so it can be left open some for the tulle pettiskirt to show. The pettiskirt is made from 25 yards of stiff tulle, hand gathered and lined so as not tl be scratchy on the child. Additionally, I accessorized and photgraphed the set for selling as well. That took a couple of days, to track down just the right pieces.

What’s coming up or happening now at Fabric Hound that we should know about?
My ONE YEAR anniversary of owning the hound happens just after Christmas. We will be ringing in the New Year/Anniversary with a great clean out sale and huge holiday giveaway (details to follow on my blog). Top prize in the giveaway will be a $100 FH gift certificate. I will also be announcing the NEW Fabrichound Design Team members with a bio page. The new DT will be providing tons of examples using FH products, as well as tutorials, tips and tricks. We hope to inspire you to new sewing heights!
One more thing…NEW products! I have already added ribbon from J Caroline and will be adding Moda fabrics and sewing kits too!

Do your daughters share your love of sewing yet?
My daughters are 5 and 21mo right now. The 5 year old is just starting to get interested in sewing herself and I have her practicing on lacing cards, etc. She does already have a toy sewing machine, but I think it’s too much “toy” to really be useful. The baby just likes to play with the fabric and stuff I make, lol!

Anything else you want to share with us?
How about…I know you have lots of choices online for your sewing needs. I cordially invite you to give fabrichound a try, if you haven’t already. I pride myself on customer service and selection and will even send you elsewhere to get what you need if I have to. I consider it an honor and a priviledge to further your sewing goals and keep sewing alive in a time when mass produced and throw away are so prevalent.

I was completely stunned to see a comment on my last post that this blog has been nominated as the Best Craft Blog on BlogNetAwards. If you want to vote for A Craft Life, just vote and leave a comment over there. Thanks so much for all your support so far!

It can’t be possible. There’s no way it’s been this long since I’ve posted on here. But, sad but true, it has been. Life has been so hectic, there doesn’t seem to be any chill time these days. But honestly, I wouldn’t have it any other way.

The good news in all of this is that I haven’t stopped creating. Even with all the other projects and general life items going on right now, I always seem to find time to create. Here are a couple of things that I’ve been working on:

1. Knitting. I recently read the Blossom Street series - super cute books - as well as the sequel to the Friday Night Knitting Club. Did you see my reviews? They’re on Moms in a Blog so be sure to check them out. I always get motivated to craft when I read books like that. So, I dusted off the knitting needles, joined Ravelry, and started making a scarf for a gift for my mother-in-law. Here’s the thing, though. I’ve only knitted one complete project in my entire life. It was a thin, bright scarf for my daughter (which she still wears today) and that was several years ago. When I get into (or back into as the case may be) a craft, I tend to go hog wild. I went from owning two sets of knitting needles to owning 20 sets. No, I’m not kidding. But I found two awesome yarn / quilting shops in the process. Score!

2. My daughter’s artwork. The last time I posted (which apparently was eons ago) I was writing out some ideas about how to organize / display my kids’ artwork instead of it being all over the house. I’ve been working on project that is part binder / part scrapbook for my daughter’s work from her preschool classes. So far, so good. But I have realized that I’m going to need a bigger binder.

3. Cross Stitch. I finished a super cute cross stitch (no pics yet; it’s a gift for someone who actually reads this blog so the pic will be posted after Christmas) that I’m extremely proud of. More to come on that later… Plus I started a new one that is a gift for my niece which I’m very excited about.

4. Sharing my love of crafting. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again - my daughter is definitely her mother’s child. She is completely addicted to foam craft projects and she has been churning them out like nobody’s business. I’m really impressed with her ability to do so without help from us. She looks at the picture and then puts the craft together all on her own. I have noticed that the combination of school and her art are completely increasing her confidence. Exciting stuff!

5. Writing. When people call writing a craft, they’re not kidding. It’s a labor of love really. With all the writing I’ve been doing lately, I’m amazed at how my creativity is skyrocketing again. Gotta love The Artists’ Way.

So what’s coming up? I’m doing a series of interviews with crafters, craft store owners, and general artists who are all fantastic. So be sure to come back again (or subscribe and let me come to you - so much more convenient that way) so you don’t miss a single one. Until we meet again - I promise it won’t be so long this time - have a wonderful day.

Are your kids like mine? Irresistibly drawn to a fresh sheet of paper and a pack of crayons? I have (literally) piles of these “pictures” scattered all throughout my house. But, I have stumbled across (and come up with a few of my own) a couple of tips on how to either preserve or reuse these little masterpieces that you have collecting in drawers and on your refrigerator. Over the next couple of weeks, I will be playing with all of these ideas and showing you the results. But, here’s a sneak peak at what I’ll be checking out:

1. Use their artwork as background paper in your scrapbooking layouts.

2. Use their artwork as backgrounds for note cards and thank you cards.

3. Use them for educational projects like alphabet flashcards.

4. Preserve them digitally and make a mini book out of the results (then recycle the actual paper, of course).

5. Preserve them in an easel pad.

Have another idea you want me to try? Leave a comment and I’ll do my best!

Are you like me? Do you tend to get absorbed in a book that you are reading and all you want to do is whatever is in that book? I read Jimmy Stewart’s biography and went on an old movie kick. I read American Brutus by Michel Kauffman and decided to follow John Wilkes Booth’s escape route (Still yet to do this). And then I read the Elm Creek Quilts series and decided I wanted to create my first hand stitched quilt. Of course I do.

Now, I don’t consider myself an artistic quilter- the patterns I choose and the work I do is quite simple. But I love to sew. It is so therapeutic and soothing for me. So I chose 12 different sampler patterns and my fabrics that look adorable together. I’ve gotten some done and I’ll show you the first two here. They’re not great, but I’m definitely enjoying the process!

Fight or Flight Block

Ohio Star Quilt Block

It’s been a great couple of weeks to be sure. I’ve had so many opportunities swing my way that it is genuinely difficult to keep up. What have I been up to? Here’s a short list:

1.First of all, I had my first article published at MomSpark. The topic was crafting heritages and I loved writing it. Look for more crafting topics coming from me at MomSpark!

2. Secondly, I’m also helping out Megan at TwitterMoms.com - if you’re on Twitter and you’re a mom (or a dad, we have a couple of them too) stop by and say hi. We’d love to have you join us.

3. My other blog got a complete face lift. It looks fantastic and Sarah is the reason behind that.

4. Oh yeah, I started another blog. Go figure, right? As if life wasn’t crazy enough. But I love it, so I can’t (and won’t) complain. Besides I’m only doing it to myself so there’d be no point in whining.

That, in addition to family, paycheck-work, keeping up on my sports, and other endeavours has kept me hopping. That and my crafting.

So, what have I been working on? A lot, actually, but wouldn’t you know it some of the things I’m making are gifts for people who actually read this blog. So I can’t really post about them. Because they’ll see it. And ruin the surprise. And the surprise, sometimes, is my favorite part. So I have to keep my little crafting secrets for now (which I’m not good at in general, so I’m shocked I’ve gone this long without blowing it) but I’m sure you will see the results soon enough.

It never fails. Every year right around this time, I start thinking about it. I can’t help it. You’re heading into fall, you’re thinking cooler weather, warm soups, football, and then your brain just dives right for it.

Christmas Gifts.

Crafters know what I’m talking about. I see you sitting there. You have your list already started. It’s right next to your computer. That list of all the gifts you *swear* you are going to make this year. Does it ever REALLY happen that way? If it does, leave a note with your secret because I never accomplish my list. Truth be told there is one project I started for my husband last November that I haven’t touched since January.

Whether you want to admit it or not, the crafting frenzy will begin before you know it. And I love this time of year. There’s just something “crafty” and “homemade” about fall that I can’t fully explain. But others who share this phenomenon with me understand. I get in the mood to cook, to sew, to be so delightfully domestic it can get a bit scary.

And this year, I *swear* I will get at least half of the gifts made on my list.

I love shoeboxes. What? That’s not an accessory? Sure it is, especially when you jazz it up a bit. Let me explain. I see infinite possibilities with shoeboxes, especially when it comes to organizing your craft supplies. They come in all kinds of shapes and sizes (especially when you have children who need back to school shoes) and you can get two boxes in one if they’re the type that have lids the same size as the box.

There are so many options with these. I love that the cardboard tends to be thinner so you can cut it up if you need to and fit it to your needs. Cut holes in the side and feed your ribbon through to have easy access to the stuff you use most. Store samples of card fronts and other smaller items in them. Use cardboard dividers to create compartments for all those tiny items that can get lost easily. You can also decorate them to make them “prettier” if you will have them out where people can see them. My favorite thing to decorate them with?

Wrapping paper!

I buy the non-holiday specific paper without the “happy birthday” and “merry Christmas” messages and use those to make my shoeboxes look a bit more festive or match the decor of my craft room. You can, of course, also use plain brown paper and scrap it up with different embellishments if you want to go crazy. Once you start thinking outside the box with these (forgive the pun) you’ll be amazed at how much you can get accomplished in terms of your organizational projects.