A blogging slog!

I have been seriously lacking in the blog-posting department. I think all new bloggers go through it... the syndrome of "what do I have to say that could be of interest?" My fear of a lack of content often stops me from posting. Sometimes there isn't much (of interest) going on, despite my moniker that would suggest otherwise! "Busy Lizzy isn't always busy is she?"... to paraphrase the "Fuzzy Wuzzy" nursery rhyme!


Ironically, there is actually a lot going on in BusyLizzy's world right now (especially related to crocheting and crafting) and now that I have "content" for the blog, it seems I'm to distracted to actually post! 


New leaf... going to post weekly. Maybe even daily! Watch out!  I'm hoping to discover that there are actually a few people reading it too, eventually!


There is a fabulous blog that I follow quite religiously (I subscribe to get the email notification when it is posted). This blogger took on a 365 day challenge (Blog-a-day!). A photographer and a writer, JD is captivating me with her photographic images from quaint and quirky to magnificent and majestic, and keeping me hooked with compelling narrative and sometimes the image speaks for itself. Please check out "Writing the Girl"  to see what I mean! You'll LOVE it. not a lot of investment in time to read this one as J's posts tend to be brief and visual, but I seriously look forward to them every day. Now that I've been inspired...


I'll catch you VERY soon! And here's a bit of a shout out to my recent doings: This T-skirt was just purchased from my ETSY shop... my first sale to AUSTRIA!!!! So excited!

Cheers,
BusyLizzy

The Rainbow Rug

Crafters build relationships with their handiwork. It sounds odd, but it is true. Take the Rainbow Rug, for example. This was one of my first T-shirt Rug creations. I chose the colours to be bright, fun and happy! Working on it made me feel that way, even when it wouldn't lie flat and I had to rip it out and re-work it a bit. When it was finished people smiled when they saw it on my table at the market, it was marked "favourite" with a little heart on my Etsy Store and it was even included in a treasury list. It's a nice rug. I liked it, others liked it, and my daughter had her eye on it (she was angling to beg for it if it didn't sell!).

But sell, it did! It was on display at Access Fitness during the weeks approaching the holidays, and it happened to sell on a day that I was not at the club. Cash sale. Great! I was glad someone chose it. Someone, somewhere. Maybe a member of the club? Man, woman? I didn't know. I was glad it sold, but it was one of the first things I've ever sold and NOT known to whom I sold it!

Crafters build relationships with their customers too! One of the things I really enjoy about selling BusyLizzy Boutique items at markets, craft fairs and festivals is the contact I have with the shoppers. I love to chat with the patrons as they select a unique gift for a special person, hear their comments as they linger over the table, and watch their excitement as they pick up something that "spoke to them" from my table as a little treat for themselves. Perhaps it is a little easier to "let go" of my unique handmade creations when I meet the people who will enjoy them.  Even with online sales, I often have a chance to have some dialogue with the buyer via email, and I know where my creation is going to live. I am thrilled to know that refashioned T-shirt Tank is being sported in Dublin Ireland, those Barefoot Sandals are being enjoyed in Brooklyn New York, and that slashed up Zumba® T-shirt is "joining the party" in Texas. I always send a hand-written thank you along with their package when I send it, and quite often receive an email back with thanks and comments; the personal touch means a lot to me.

Back to the Rainbow Rug.... A few months have passed and I've often wondered where it is and who is enjoying it. In fact, we were chatting about that very subject during our recent "Hooking up to Crochet" meeting at a local coffee shop. As the meeting disbanded, I turned to notice a woman I know from the gym sitting with another lady, who was not familiar to me. We had a quick chat about the crochet crowd and the new friend asked for my card. She might join us to learn to crochet next time we meet. I was floored when she took one look at my card and said, "Oh, BusyLizzy Boutique... I bought your Rainbow Rug!"

There she was, sitting right there in the coffee shop while we discussed that very item! (Insert "Twilight Zone" theme music). I learned that the rug was a gift for her son, and is sitting by his woodstove, brightening up his first apartment.

<Sigh> I feel better now!

Cheers!

P.S. If you'd like a rug, there are a few more of my rugs on ETSY or I can make you one in your colour selection... just be sure to say "hi" when you purchase it! :o)

Shirt-in-Progress

Wash and dry the T-shirt. Lay it flat.

Here is a peek into the process for a T-shirt transformation.

I picked up this T-shirt at a local thrift store and washed and dried it so it was ready to rip up! Here is a view from the back on my cutting board awaiting its transformation.

But let's rewind for a second. The first thing that attracted me to

Removing the collar makes a
T-shirt more feminine.

the shirt was the asymmetrical design, and the tattoo theme. I recently got "inked" so I'm open to exploring the culture and expression of this edgy style!

Back to the cutting board... Here it is minus the collar (usually the first thing to go, when making a shirt more feminine). Now you can see the asymmetrical design on the front. This was defin

itely going to be a theme for me in designing this T-shirt.

Next steps:

• Cut off Right sleeve
• Slits and braiding technique for 'shirred' effect up the Right side
• Try it on the mannequin to see how it drapes... so far so good!
• Slits and a braiding technique used to create a capped sleeve on the Left

Now for the back: Using the dagger idea from the front, I decided on a simplified motif for the back, to be carved in 1" strips. The chalk marks will come off with a damp cloth or next time it is washed. You can also see the detail on the Left shoulder here.

Draw your design with chalk.

The chalk wipes off with a damp cloth.

When viewing it on the mannequin again, I made a few more adjustments

• Made the armhole a bit smaller with a few tiny ties
• Added an off centre plunge to the neckline for more asymmetry

And here it is from Right, Back, Left and Front.... "Inked"

You can purchase this in my ETSY shop!

Thanks for listening,

BusyLizzy

The 3 R's Plus One: Recreating

The Three R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

One thing that I've always been "into" is the adage: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle! Way back when I was a teen, (well before the days of gift-bags) I attempted to set a family rule: we had to use reused paper or alternate wrappings. While not everyone complied, the majority of gifts that first Christmas were wrapped with saved stashes of wrapping paper, newspaper, or decorated

boxes. There were even a few tea towels and other useful items that hid the contents effectively, and became part of the gift. I was very proud, and continue to encourage re-use of bows and ribbons, wrappings and bags, year after year for all gift-giving events! In fact I get teased about it, because I take great care to fold tissue and paper into neat little squares as everyone unwraps.

Toilet Roll Cord Keeper

Neat and easy use of a paper towel or toilet paper roll.

My mom has always been a good influence in this regard! She has a knack for re-purposing things that most people toss out. Take toilet rolls for example. She cuts them in half to make them shorter, and then uses them to secure electric cords on appliances that are stored in the cupboard. Try it: just fold the cord up accordion style and stuff it in the toilet roll.

Benefits:

• tames tangled cords in the cupboard or on the counter
• easy remove when you need the appliance (much less fiddly than a twist tie)
• greasy or crushed or damaged ones are easily replaced
• easy to find when putting the appliance away (not like that dang twist-tie!)

Plastic Pull Tab Cord Keeper

A variation of this: use the little white plastic pull-ring tab from the milk carton spout to tame your earphones in your purse or briefcase! Here's a real-life image:

Neat cord in pull tab ring (left, white); messy cord that would get tangled in your purse or pocket (right)

I literally pulled these headphones out of the pocket of my purse: the white ones are neat and tidy, the black set were tangled in the pocket... I must buy more milk so I can fix it, as shown!

Tabs are easily collected from milk, juice and other cartons. Rinse and save!

One further re-purposing... mom uses the tab, held as shown in the photo above, to protect her finger as she gets the last bit of cheese through the grater, and as a quick thimble when quilting. Told you mom thinks out of the box!

The 4th"R" is ReCreate!

My craftiness has been influenced by my love of reusing... but in this case I like to call it "re-creating" and some of my favourite materials to work with are:

T-shirts (new, hardly worn, or worn-out)

• transform into new garments (halters, tanks, dresses, shrugs)
• transform into useful accessories and gifts (pet scarves, baby hats, headbands, belts)
• rip up and crochet or braid or weave into new stuff (rugs, bags)

Inspiration for this is a book called Generation T: 108 ways to transform a t-shirt, and it's sequel, Generation T:Beyond Fashion... 120 NEW ways to transform a t-shirt. And I just discovered the website...sweet! http://www.generation-t.com/

Cottons and Yarns (Reclaimed from a crafter's neglected "stash" or unraveled sweaters)

• Almost anything I can knit or crochet with NEW yarn!

Here is a great resource for keeping things out of landfill:

Freecycle is a group that encourages local people to connect and GIVE their un-needed stuff to other freecyclers on the network. I joined our local group in Orangeville and have both given and received lots of items that will continue to be useful!

Cheers for now!

BusyLizzy