good Archives - Try Handmade

Happy Campers Tutorial

March 29, 2020 by Lotta 11 Comments

Dear Reader,

Every summer my family and I go camping in Door County, Wisconsin. We meet up with my folks, and my sister and spend our days on the beach and nights sleeping in a tent. Tent camping is an adventure unto itself. It can be relaxing at times, laying on an air mattress and watching the stars through the zip up screen. Pretending to mind having to go lie down early with the kids, but actually feeling cozy and safe listening to the buzz of conversation and smelling the campfire while I lie there.

Other times, not so relaxing. Like when my son was teething and woke up with an arched back screech of pain. I could tell immediately that the wails were going to be unending and loud so I scooped him up and ran for the minivan. Jumped in and let out a chortle of victory. We made it! We would not be waking up the other campers again tonight! Until my son arched in pain again, stiffening his legs into an unbending position that pressed his feet down directly onto the horn.

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Facial Cream

March 19, 2020 by Christine Eclavea Mercer 3 Comments

Olive oil seems to be one of those all purpose household items like baking soda that can reside comfortably in the bathroom, as well as the kitchen. Though I had not previously thought to put it on my face. Since it is actually, oil.

And while putting it in the bathtub seems like a good idea, albeit slippery. The face, where acne threatens seemed to be a place where oil would only be a good idea for someone sunburned, elderly, or with extraordinarily dry skin. Or maybe all three.

But I am won over by simplicity of ingredients. And olive oil, beeswax and vitamin E seemed to be something I could put on my legs if I didn’t like it as a facial cream. Or toast.

I tried the Beeswax and Olive Oil Moisturizer from Grace Inspired. Described as wonderful for normal to dry skin, I wondered how dry is normal. Would I qualify? Would this moisturizer feel like Vaseline?

It does have a somewhat gooey appearance. And the first time I put it on, I used way too much and had to pat my face with a towel. After that I quite liked it. My skin did not feel dry (of course). But it also did not feel oily, or suffocated.

The next day I used too little and kept dipping my finger back into the jar for a little more, beginning to feel like the three bears story, trying to get it right. But the third time was not a charm. It actually took all week for me to figure out just how much of the stuff to scoop out onto my fingers and put on my face without looking shiny. This seemed idiotic. And I would have given up, except that my skin felt really good.

I also like to use it on my hands, which tend to get very dried out around the cuticles. I think a person with dry skin could happily use it anywhere. And it doesn’t hurt my feelings when I get to say I’m normal.

Hell in a Handbasket

March 18, 2020 by Nyssa Rae 4 Comments

Please welcome Nyssa Rae to Try Handmade! She’s going to be covering Plus Size Fashion for us and I couldn’t be more excited.

Are you looking for something fashionable as well as available in larger sizes? Let her know in the comments or on Twitter and she’ll see what she can find for you.

::Erika

Having been plus-sized most of my life, I’ve gone through all the graduations of style, from wearing whatever I wanted regardless of my size, through to wearing the frumpiest clothing I could possibly get my hands on, with the totally unfounded belief that it ‘camouflaged’ my size, through to purchasing clothing that flattered my frame. Now as a Mum to a 2year old, Comfort plays a massive part in clothing choices as well. But, on those rare occasions that I have ME time, I want to look Good!

I make childrens clothes for a living, and yet, I’m disinclined to make clothing for myself, its one of those things, lots of material for plus size clothing, and it just might not look as good on me as it does on the inevitably ‘average sized’ models on the front of the Plus size Pattern packet.

I am going to endeavour to change those perceptions, with your help!.. I am going to showcase Handmade Plus Size Clothing for purchase, trying as hard as possible to find images of said clothing on actual Plus Sized Models! and I’m going to jump in and try some of those patterns that run in the Plus Sizes.

First Seller I’m going to Share is a Seller on Etsy, her Shop is called Eon, Unique Designs by Selena. I looked long and hard to feature only 2 items, but she has a lot to go look at!

First Up the “Hell in a Handbasket” Hoody, hence the title of the Post. A gorgeous yet practical Hoody, totally comfy looking, with this feature weaving on the back. This is now top of my wishlist!

And my second pick of the store is this “Rising Sun” Dress, I love how the image shows the dress on a variety of sizes, they stock some premade items, as well as offer Custom made, which I think is a relatively good way to go when you are talking stretch Fabric.

Definitely go and check out her other items, Plus Size or not, and if you have something you want me to check out pattern or clothing wise, please feel free to contact me!

SheaClay Pottery

March 17, 2020 by Erika Jurney 1 Comment

SheaClay high fired stoneware pottery includes dinnerware, bowls, platters, mugs, decorative ware and more- thrown and altered, stamped, carved and finished with lead free glazes, suitable for oven, dishwasher and microwave.

I strive to create joy in the simplest thing, like really good coffee in a really great cup. It’s that warm moment of appreciation, like when you are struck by the beauty of your surroundings, or when you receive kindness from a stranger, that I try to capture in my work. My pursuits include a balanced overall form with a sense of movement.

I try to create lots of edges and hard lines through carving, stamping, throwing marks- many places for glaze to break, change direction and create more color. I like warm, muted tones that provide a natural background for food and celebration, a form which invites you to pick it up and use it, and good function for service, which enhances the beauty of the form and realizes my initial goal for creating it.

Stress-Free Challenge.

March 15, 2020 by Cara Quinn 11 Comments

Some good advice from Claire & Me Designs.

We’re constantly being reminded that we’re living in a stress-filled 21st Century, then on the other hand we’re being slated for being stressed out. The truth is simple: stress happens. We just need to get better at coping with it.

We’re either ‘Too blessed to be stressed’ (the very idea of that is just utter garbage to me) or we’ve to ‘Keep calm and carry on’ (which works in the short term but is never a long term solution.)

I don’t have the answer to a stress-free lifestyle but it has become very apparent to me that stress is a Big Problem. After all, the newspapers are obsessed with it and it’s causes. Pharmaceutical companies seem to be making billions off the back of it. And we’re seemingly becoming more and more stressed out.

And I have reached the conclusion that filling your walls full of inspirational, quirky and fun stress-boosting posters might help. Such as this cute illustration by Laura George.

In all seriousness, though, it feels like we’re either doing too much or not enough with ourselves, our lives, our goals, our commitments.

We’re trying to juggle our happiness and meanwhile keep everyone else happy.

We’re smiling and nodding at the boss, telling them that yes we can do that bit of over time, all in the hopes of them furthering us up the career ladder.

We’re wives, mothers, fathers, husbands, girlfriends, boyfriends, daughters, sons and so on trying to deal with those relationships that life throws at us unprepared for and to ‘learn on the job.’

We’re crafters trying to push our latest project into making amazing sales. We’re photographers, dreamers, writers, intellects, artists and academics all looking for our break, our way into the World and for that penny-dropping moment of complete bliss and happiness.

Happiness seems like the anti-thesis to stress; wherever stress is, happiness is not. It’s like stress walked into the party and happiness walked out with it’s chin up in the air and a snooty snort as it passed stress as if to say; “Pft, I’m out of here! I’m not sticking around for any more of your drama!”

I definitely believe that happiness can be achieved in this life. I have experienced material happiness (as in the short-term burst of pleasure you experience when you buy something new for the first time) and I have experienced natural happiness (that long lingering and memory making happiness you get from wonderful life experiences) so I know this can be achieved. I also know that the majority of people in the World will have experienced the feelings I have described above – so happiness is real. It’s not some mythical creature that lives in a cave. It can happen to you.

There are no rule books on combatting stress (okay, well, not counting Chicken Soup for the Stressed Out Soul and all those like-wise books, of course) but there are techniques you can learn to avoid the impending doom of stress.

Again, here I go with the advice;

Befriend someone older than you. Most of my older friends have a much more laissez faire attitude towards life than I sometimes do. Like when I worry about wrinkles, my Gran will tell me; “You don’t have any wrinkles! Don’t worry about those things in your 20s, enjoy yourself!”.

Those who have more life experience just don’t care about life. In a good way. And spending time in the company of those who don’t sweat the small stuff will definitely have an effect on you. You will soon learn to loosen your grip on what does and what doesn’t matter – and wrinkles at 25? Perhaps, but what can I do? And does it really matter? Life your life without vain anxieties.

One time, while watching a programme about water-skiing my Gran (who can’t swim, let me remind you, but went down various water slides on a holiday in Spain when I was 8) advised me to “try things” in life. “I wish I had done that,” she told me, pointing to the screen where a terrified looking woman was being prepared for her first water skiing adventure. “You should do that.” Umm, while I don’t think I will take up water skiing just yet I think I will take her words to heart. Don’t sweat the small stuff, listen to your elders and heed their advice.

Do something you love every weekend. It doesn’t have to cost loads of money. What do you love? How can you do this for as little cost as is possible? Fill your weekend with things you love; eating chocolates and staying in your pyjamas all day? Doing housework while blaring music full volume? Taking pictures of old couples sitting on benches in the park? And if something does cost you some money, don’t STRESS about it – just let it be. You can make more money but you cannot buy a new heart (which will be in the firing line if you stress any more.)

Remind yourself that being a person is hard and you’re doing a good job. You’re not a terrible person. You’re not doing everything wrong (I go through these paranoid trains of thoughts about 1000000 times a day.) You’re not letting everyone down. You’re not disappointing your parents – and if they’re not happy with you, don’t sweat it, they’ll get over it and if they don’t? Well it’s still not worth stressing out over.

Get professional help if it’s needed. There are some things that need a professional. There is a lot of negative association with therapists, but if they work for people – how can someone say that is a bad idea? I have no stigma or issue with therapists. They provide a service and the process of therapy can really heal people. A lot of creative people suffer with mental health issues and it’s no laughing matter. Get help if it’s what’s required.

Knit happens. Knitting and other crafty projects can be very relaxing. Take on something relatively simple, something that won’t annoy and frustrate you and call it your Stress-Free Challenge. Whenever you feel the stress building up, take out the crafty project and work on that.

Take a chill pill. For years many have told me to “take a chill pill” and although I hate the sentence and every other emotion it drums up, it’s still true. Take a chill pill. Cool off and forget about things that don’t matter. If someone is being an opinion pusher and it’s stressing you – so what? They won’t change their minds about their opinions just because you’re right – in their minds they’re eternally right. Let it be.

Take time for a break. You make time in your day to eat, to visit the toilet, to do the basics so you can make time for a proper break in the day. It’s also very, very, very important that once you complete a huge project or task that you take some time out after it’s completion, stand back and take a deep breath. Appreciate that the hard part is done and now you can relax…until the next big thing.