Giddy Up Friday: Snow People Chess Set, Crafts n' things

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When I was younger, I remember going to visit my Great-Grandmother at her house. (I was young - I thought it was her house, but many years later found out it was not her house but my mother's Aunt's house). For the sake of the memory, I still call it her house. I remember in the front room a little table, with a checker board painted right on it. It was a small round table, just big enough for the board and some chess pieces (again from memory). I've always had a love of chess since learning it, but honestly don't play it all that often. I can beat my husband any time while playing Othello, but he often check mates me in Chess! Regardless of wether I win or lose, I still love the game. I love the pieces and I love the challenge and strategies.

When I went to visit my dad in Utah one summer, I went to his office at BYU and saw some chess pieces made from steel. There they were, lined up along the top of a desk or windowsill. They struck me as simple and beautiful, and I have wanted them ever since.

I don't have a machine that can turn a bar of steel into amazing chess pieces, but I had a vision of creating a kingdom of winter chess pieces with the wooden trees and snowmen that you'd find in any hobby store. I will be the first to admit that painting and stamping is not my go to medium, but once in a while I am smitten with an idea and must tackle it head on! You can find all the information for this project in the current Feb 2012 Crafts 'n things Magazine! (You'll even see it on the front cover in the top corner!) I hope you enjoy making your own set! If you have children, invite them to help or let them make their own! Here's what you'll need!...I bought all of my own supplies and got all the wooden pieces from a place online called craftparts.com. (I was not paid to say that)! Since crafts parts is no longer selling the tiny snowmen, you can also try this other website.

T-minus 5 days until I leave for the ever fun Craft and Hobby convention. Stress is high and there's still so much to do! Thanks for visiting, and it's almost time for that Anna Griffin pattern giveaway I mentioned last week! Be sure to keep your eyes peeled for that post!

Have a wonderful week and come find me if you are attending CHA, I'd love to meet you! You can tweet me @kidgiddy to find me!

(PS...have you seen what my twin sister Sue, has been up to lately? Here's her latest project featured in the beginning of the same issue! - it's only a sneak peak - so you'll have to get the copy and check it out!)

Busy Monday: Bits 'n Pieces Series - Teeko the Polar Bear Softie

Hello everyone,

It is late Monday night and I had to get this little Teeko the Polar Bear post up on my blog, before flying off to neverland! I still cannot believe the year I have had. This adorable little Teeko marks the end of the "bits 'n pieces" series! This latest holiday issue (Nov/Dec 2011) of Crafts 'n things Magazine is officially out on stands...and is as cute as can be! You won't want to miss it.

A year and a half ago, my life was totally different. I blogged feverishly, I struggled to sell anything on my Etsy shop, I took my girls to school, went to karate, ran, biked...did all the normal things I would - well - normally do! Then one day a friend told me to submit something to Crafts 'n things Magazine! I thought - there's no way I could do that. But I resisted the urge to run and hide, and contacted them immediately. To my surprise - they loved my work.

I found out what they were looking for and shot an email back only 10 minutes later. Then I got an immediate response - they loved my Owl. Now I was ready to run and hide again! I had never written a pattern up - at all! I thought it had to look, sound like, and be as confusing as the store bought patterns! lol! And I certainly didn't follow those - let alone know how to write one up for others to understand it! I worked really hard on it. I wrote some of it - and struggled to write the rest. I just didn't have the confidence. I still wanted to run and hide. Finally, the day before the due date - I convinced myself it's now or never, and did it! I did the same thing when I accepted the challenge to do an entire series for the magazine! I wanted to run and hide - but told myself - "it's now or never!" So I did it. And I couldn't be happier!

I don't know how many Crafts 'n things Magazine readers are reading my blog. I don't know how many people like or love my designs. All I do know, is that I stretched myself. I didn't run and hide - when Heavenly Father knows I could've! I dug deep and I climbed my mountain. I have learned so much from this series, this experience, and I sincerely hope you have all enjoyed the new plush friends we've made together: Heddy the Hedgehog, the Tufty Bird Family, Sammy the Seahorse, Carter the Crab, the Reversible PumpKat and now Teeko the Polar Bear! Eventually, when I get my act together and have less work to do - all of these patterns will be available as kits in my Etsy shop, or my own web store. But we have time!

Thank you for taking this journey with me! I now know a few of you, from the Kid Giddy Facebook page and the Kid Giddy Flickr group, from the pictures you have posted, and I am grateful! There will be more fun stuff on the horizon - but my lips are sealed! Thank you to Abby & Annie for this journey! I hope you all have a wonderful night! See you soon!

Busy Monday: Reversible PumpKat Softies

Boo,

Hope this little PumpKat didn't scare you! Get your copy before it's gone!  The latest issue (Sept/Oct 2011) of Crafts 'n things Magazine is out on stands...or sold out - so run don't walk to get your copy now!

This year for halloween I couldn't decide if I wanted the pattern to be a Jack-o-Lantern or a Black Scaredy Cat! So it became a little of each! Just like some years...most years, my girls can't decided what they want to be for Halloween...until the last minute! Yikes!

By following the simple, sew as you go, concept in the instructions, you can to make this reversible PumpKat for your fall festive table decorations this year! Give them faces or let the fabric do all the talking. Make just one, or make as many as you please. You can even enlarge it to make a really bold...huge statement! No matter what you do...have fun and enjoy the fall season that is quickly approaching!

When you are done making your PumpKat, please head on over to my Kid Giddy Flickr group and post your pictures for all to share. I'm going to start highlighting some of you crafty folks that are posting in there! Please let me know if you have any questions putting yours together! Have an awesome week!