May Baskets

may basket, originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

I've been working on some ideas for May baskets. My plan was to make a bunch of different ones and write a post about them early in April in so that if anyone wanted to use any of my ideas, they would have plenty of time to get them ready. Well…so far this is the only one I've made. It is a cake mix box that has been cut in half and covered with a copy of a vintage illustration.

I bought this basket (as part of a set) on clearance at Target a while back. It's just a Pixie cup covered with gathered crepe paper so it would be fun and easy to make.


And here is the May Basket Pattern I posted last year which came from a 1940s Activities for Children magazine. If you click on the image it should take you to flickr where you can get it in a larger size (click "all sizes" then large).

Do people exchange May Baskets where you live? A flickr friend said they don't very much where she lives. Not everyone hands them out here but quite a few people do. Last year, my teenage daughter even made some to put in her friends' lockers and a friend of mine at work left a beautiful May Basket made from a vintage fruit crate in my cubicle.

I'm working on some May Basket cupcakes and will be posting those to Sugar & Meringue soon.

Oh yeah, don't forget to leave a comment on the previous post so you can take part in the give-away! So far, it's between Catherine and Sarah! Please read the comments. They're funny!

Ready for a New Home

Maryelle and Martin, originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

I promise– I'm not turning into a weather blogger, …but, the weather this weekend was so gorgeous I have to mention it. 60º with a gentle breeze. We threw open the windows, lit the grill, walked some dogs, and even did some spring cleaning. It felt sooooo good.

Martin and Maryelle, the birds in the picture are now in my etsy store and looking for a new home. So is Antonio, the dog in the picture below. He's one of the dogs from the Humane Society that we walked this weekend. My daughter is required to do 20 hours of community service for her political science class, so she's been volunteering for the Humane Society and she's gotten the rest of us involved too. What a great way to get some exercise!

I feel like I've got a new home since I recently painted my living room and kitchen. Last weekend I found the "Fall" posters, that are hanging above the couch, at my favorite junk store and I got them framed and hung yesterday. I'm really happy with the way they look . They seem to pull everything together. After 8 years of struggling to figure out what to do with my living room, I finally feel like it looks "right".

Kids' braided purse project

braidedpurse, originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

I found this project in a 1946 issue of Children's Activities. I think it's a great project for kids but I have to say,I had fun making it myself. I'm not a knitter but I love all the great yarn that's out there and this gave me a chance to use some of it. I'm going to hang it up in my cubicle and use it as a wall pocket. Here's the directions.

A few more things in my esty shop

etsy additions, originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

New Stuff in my Etsy Store!

New Stuff in my Etsy Store!, originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

I listed these guys in my Etsy store today. This is the first time I've listed anything on Esty so I'm a little nervous. Oh well…guess we'll see what happens. I had fun coming up with names for all of them. All of the names are from a list of popular names from the '40s.

I LOVE snowdays!!!!!

sneekpeek, originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

Woooohooooo! It's a snow day. The kids are home from school, I don't have to work, can't go anywhere, nothing to do but craft!!!! I'm getting quite a bit done and should be ready to list some things on etsy within the next couple of weeks.

I Love Slippers!

I Love Slippers!, originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

Ok… I've given myself a March 1 deadline to start selling things on etsy. I'm also considering doing a local craft show in April. That means I've got to focus, and make the things that I plan to sell. The problem is I keep finding things I want to make for myself! I absolutely love slippers and I've wanted to make myself a pair ever since I found this pattern in an old book I bought (The Complete Guide to Sewing ©1943). Then I found these patterns from Sew Green & Stardust Shoes (as mentioned in my New Year's post) and today, I bought the February/March issue of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion and found this slipper pattern!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year, originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

The new year is just getting started and I'm already feeling overwhelmed by all of my crafty ambitions. So many projects so little time…but…time flies when you're having fun!

My (crafty/blogger) goals:

Figure out how to make this blog look a little better – I kind of know what I want it to look like just not how to make it work! A time consuming frustration for me!

Design a personal website? Maybe?

Post a few tutorials /projects –About mid to late January I'll try to post a recipe and instructions for decorated Valentines Day cookies. I would also like to come up with a few more projects for moms & kids to work on together.

Launch an Etsy store by March– I'm working on some spring and Easter designs right now!

I also plan to work harder to connect with other crafters. I enjoy a lot of great craft blogs but I'm not very good about leaving comments. I hope to do better this year! Maybe I'll join an exchange or two, also… we'll see what time allows!

As if that weren't enough to keep me busy for the next five years, I keep finding fun projects I want to try on other blogs…

Fabric Flower from Wise Craft
Thumbtacks from How about orange…
Slippers from Sew Green & from Stardust Shoes
Festive Bunting from Stitch Rip & Repeat
Pencil Bag from The Monkey Basket
my daughter and I want to play with resin as shown on Craftlog

and I need to make curtains and cushions for our 1964 avion camper…

…anyone have any great time management tips?

Comic Book Wallet

Comic Book Wallet, originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

Here's the directions!

This is why I haven't posted anything for a while.

handmade'ns 2007, originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

Step by Step

Step by Step, originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

The "Pokey" little puppy

The "Pokey" little puppy
Originally uploaded by Flying Time Designs.

This weekend I learned to needle felt. Very Fun! I will definitely be making more little critters!