introducing the new abby's crafts!

 

 Hey guys! It's been a while - that's cause I moved! You can read more about it here, but basically I thought a fresh beginning needed to take place. But you guys, you need to come follow me over at my new house! Go, run, run, run your little feet over there and tell me what you think. My design isn't my favorite, but ya know, it's as good as it's gonna get considering the time I'm willing to put into it.

I've only posted twice - shame on me, or good of me, depending on how you look at it - but I'm hoping to grow that little blog of mine. With the new semester I'm focusing more on schoolwork and other off-the-internet things that matter to me, but I do want to devote some time to my blogging and my handmade shop. So anyways, I'm rambling as I tend to do sometimes. Go check it out, guys!

(also - if you're interested in reading + viewing more of my personal life and thoughts, come visit me on my main blog. if not, I'm so thankful and so blessed and so EXCITED to see you over on my new crafting blog! thank you all so much. it's really a huge blessing to have you in my life.
I can get even cheesier than that, if you want.)

x, a

new items at the shop!

come check out the new items in the shop!  

customizable message in a bottle necklace

2 in 1 - crocheted flower headband or flower pin in orchid

2 in 1 - crocheted flower headband or flower pin in iced blue

progress on blanket

it's coming along! for about 2 weeks I didn't work on it but like one row because of the family reunion. this is probably a week and a half's progress, which isn't that good. I was hoping to get it done in a week.

lol.

yarn haul - michael's

I've never done a haul before... probably cause I really don't buy stuff that often.  but today my mom and I went to Michael's (and I drove!) and found clearance yarn, so I thought I'd share.  we intentionally went to Michael's so I could pick up some yarn I've been wanting to make a blanket with.  it's kind of crazy, but I've never actually crocheted a blanket before.  I've quilted one.  but never crocheted.  I'll letcha know more about my blanket once I actually start crocheting it.  ;)

 it looks sort of like a regular size bag, but it's actually the biggest bag they have.  hah!  I've never in my life bought so much yarn at one time (8 skeins).

here's what I went for - Bernat Softee Baby and Loops and Threads Snuggly Wuggly.  I'm making this blanket. they were all $5 each, which is a little pricey, but I really love the colors.  I'm hoping I can get away with one skein each (I'm just making a lap blanket) but we'll see.

and here's my impulse buy:

5 skeins of yarn... but seriously, at 95 cents each, how could I not?  (one of those was even 88 cents.)  I tracked down the original brands and found out they were all either Loops and Threads Impeccable or Vanna's Choice.  I thought these colors would make a pretty scarf.  :)  I don't buy stuff just because it's a good deal (I even ended up putting some yarn that was $5 off back because I couldn't think of anything to make it with) but this I know I'll have super fun with.

plus the only thing wrong with these is that they didn't have the original label.

overall the total price was a little over $17.  I went on their website a few days ago looking for a coupon, but was a total idiot and forgot one today.  but my mom had her 15% off teacher card, so that bumped the price to $17 instead of $20.

anyways... more hauls - yay or nay?

scattered brain

does anyone else have those days where you have inspiration and want desperately to craft something but can't get your thoughts organized and put something together?  it's like I can think of all these things to make but don't even know where to start.  I have many days like these, actually.  it drives me crazy.

I gotta confess, I've crocheted quite a few things lately that I've been too lazy to snap pictures of and write a post.  too lazy, too busy, too scattered.  one of the three.

anyways.  sometimes I get in to ruts... where everything I make just doesn't do it for me.  I'm a perfectionist, in a way, and rarely am I ever in love or proud of the things I make.  but sometimes I start feeling like everything I make is a fail.  I either frog it or tie it off but never quite finish it.  it starts off good, but ends up bad.  I see all these people who make amazing things and have brilliant minds, and I want to be like them.  I want to always have inspiration and always love what I make.

but every time, I realize we all go through doubts and lack of inspiration or lack of the ability to actually start/finish anything.  even the awesome people who seem to have it all together.  who post every other day about their knitted sweater they started and finished in 4 hours time.  

even if we don't want to admit it, we all have these days.

so my question to you - what do you do when inspiration leaves or finishing anything related to crafts is a joke? what do you do on these days where you can't seem to organize your head and put something together?

me?  I usually just wait it out and hope for the best.

that's inspiring, I'm sure.

the meaning behind Idaho Virtoo

I realized the other day I never let you in on what "Idaho Virtoo" meant.  Here's the meaning behind it, taken from my profile on etsy (I also shared where I get my inspiration):

The name Idaho Virtoo came about one evening as my parents and I were looking at all sorts of uncommon words for my shop name. I wanted something different and unique, yet catchy and easy to remember. And I wanted the word "Idaho" in there somewhere, as that's where I live. My mom stumbled across the word "virtu" which means "excellence or merit in objects of art, curios, and the like." After trying it out as a name for a while, we decided "virtu" was a great fit. But I didn't want anyone to think I misspelled the word "virtue" and I didn't want any mispronunciations. Thus, the word "virtoo" was formed. It's unique, fun to say, and you pronounce it how it looks - "vir-too."

I get my inspiration from many things. Mostly; ordinary life. The day-to-day occurrences that so many of us don't even think about. I like to see the beauty in the ordinary. Because there's so much beauty there, and we don't even see it. Even around my house - just taking a walk around the neighborhood makes me want to create. Seeing the magnificent things our Creator made makes me want to make things too. Be it the way the trees sway in the wind, the sound of the piano as I practice, my cute and crazy little sisters and the way they follow in my footsteps, or even our street names in our neighborhood which I've named a few original patterns after, I find inspiration all around me. Everything can somehow relate to my desire to create things. I like to view things from different perspectives, see the details other people overlook. And that's why Idaho Virtoo is up and running today. 

p.s.

new items at the shop!

how to wire wrap beads

click the pictures to make them bigger!

1. slide your bead on your head pin, and bend the wire above the bead

2. form a loop like you're making a basic loop, bringing the extra wire out

3. hold the loop with your needle nose (or flat nose) pliers, and wrap the leftover wire around with round nose pliers

ta-da!

Use some longer head pins, say 2 inches, to make bigger wraps.

Here's a few simple projects to do if you're wanting to practice wire wrapping beads.  The necklace is super great if you're just starting out, because the wire wraps don't show as much.  (meaning - if you're not that great at them yet, you can still enjoy your jewelry item and practice this technique.)

If you're graduating from the basic loop stage and want to get similar results with a little extra something, this is great.