diy
Do it Yourself; Tips and ideas for DIY projects to create your next family heirloom, personalize your photo album and more.
Simply Stitched
With one snip at a time...a lifetime of passion can be created and merged into pure joy. Growing up there was a small little glimmering moment to the day. It was when the morning had ceased to be glowing, lunch had been served, and bellies were ever so full. When the clothes on the line were daintily drying in the breeze of the outside air. The house would smell freshly clean and everything seemed to just mesh together. This was the moment that an incredible phenomenon would happen: My grandma would sit down and just rest.
By Ashleigh Corbin5 years ago in Families
The Best Blend
My wife and I both had previous lives that we have now combined. I think it’s important to understand this as I attempt to explain the significance of what she’s done. In addition to many other dynamics, we have a very blended family. I’ve brought adult children, grandchildren, and even a great grandchild recently, into our family. As part of this, we have many stepchildren and even step grandchildren in our incredible family that my, slightly younger wife, has welcomed with open arms. She has clearly embraced the role of “Gamma” and is the patriarch of our family.
By Peace Reeves5 years ago in Families
Nesting Project
Nesting is an interesting side effect of pregnancy. Like the birds of the animal kingdom humans must prepare their nest. We need the crib to be placed just right and the clothes organized. Everything must be clean. Things must be acquired or made. We must be ready.
By CJ Shelton5 years ago in Families
A Labor & Legacy of Love: Restoring My Grandmother's Blanket
Growing up, one of the most precious items in my house was a pair of scissors with an orange handle and a small pink ribbon tied to one side to make sure it never got lost. A pair of sewing scissors, reserved for the most important projects - a red skirt for my chorus concerts, a fresh design for a summer camp t-shirt, a homemade Dalmatian Halloween costume crafted from white pajamas and black felt. What I didn't know then was that these scissors represented generations of craftsmanship by my mother's family; my great-grandfather was a tailor by trade, and my grandmother, my Oma, still tells me stories of the clothes she made for herself, my mother and my aunts when they grew up and when it was cheaper to buy fabric and patterns than clothes at the store.
By Rachel Salvati5 years ago in Families
Crafting Together
One of my hobbies is genealogy. Actually, it is family history, there is a difference. Genealogy tells names and dates, and locations lived. Family history is so much more. Family history contains stories; how history influenced the family and the family possibly influenced history. The family history puts everything into perspective, such as why this item or that item is such a family treasure. Crafts are like that, they tell stories. What craft is chosen, the patterns used, the materials used all speak to a time, place, and story. Why was a paint by number chosen, other than color by number, other than doing freehand, quilting, embroidery, or other sewing practice all speak of choices, incomes, and locations? The skills needed to do the various crafts, who taught the skill and was this the first person in the family to do this craft. For instance, quilting. Today, it is considered an art or hobby but, in the past, it was a means to survival. Today, one can go into Facebook Market and find antique quilts being sold for a pittance, yet in the past, they meant warmth on a cold night or a special wedding present from a friend, grandmother, mother, aunt, or a fun quilting bee done by a group making this special quilt. People still seem to like the patterns from the past such as Lonestar, Drunkard’s path, or a simple patchwork but not the actual antique quilt. They buy imitations at Walmart, Kohls, Amazon, etc... They lose the history, the stories, and the love in the stitches.
By Shelley Clagg5 years ago in Families
Corey's Wish
One of my earliest memories is watching my Grandmother as she would knit. It amazed me that she could watch TV, carry on a conversation and barely glance down at the mounds of yarn in her lap. My Mother was almost as good as Grandma. It was in their blood. Their DNA for working with needles and string somehow morphed down to me in a slightly different way. I was fascinated by my Mother's sewing machine. I remember that it was a New Home and it was new to Mom. She had made my sister and I some matching dresses, other than that, I rarely remember seeing her sew. I begged my Mom to show me how to sew. But she said it was not a toy and it cost far too much money for me to play with it. She also didn't have the time to show me. The machine was kept in our finished basement and I would sneak down there and would attempt to sew anything I could put under the needle. Unfortunately I was very young, maybe 6 or possibly 7. Without having the good fortune of actually watching the machine in use, I broke it! (More than once!) At first Mom thought she had a lemon machine. But when she discovered that I had been breaking it, she was furious with me! After a few repair bills, she finally agreed to let me learn! She enrolled me in 4H. They taught me how to make an apron - of course! My next project was a pair of pj's which I hand embroidered a design on the front. There was no stopping me at that point. Throughout school I sewed for my entire family. I would make material out of scraps, sewing it together until it was large enough to make something. It really didn't matter fi there was enough to make an item, I just enjoyed sewing it all together! I made stuffed toys and clothes for my much younger brothers, a leisure suit for my Dad, all my own clothes and clothes for my sister. I even remember making my brother who was a year younger than me a pair of bib overalls in the 70's! My favorite machine to sew on was my Grandmother's treadle. Sewing and exercise all in one! My most loved class in my senior year was a 2 hour a day block, Clothing Services. That was decades ago!
By Pamela Hansen5 years ago in Families
The Beauty of Creation
Paint is my medium of choice. I’ve always been a painter. My mother taught me how when I was too little to appreciate it. I didn’t know how blessed I was to learn how to create at such a young age, have it ingrained in me, so that I could carry it with me the rest of my life. I appreciate it now.
By Sophie Huntington5 years ago in Families
Nostalgia
Happiness Challenge Growing up in rural Minnesota, the only children to play with were my siblings. There was one older and one younger brother and me, the only girl. As kids, we would play baseball, (yes, with only three people), build forts or go on bike rides. We pretended stories such as cowboys and Indians and pirate wars while throwing dirt clods for ammunition. But I was a girl and being a girl does not always mean tomboy exploits.
By Lori Rieman5 years ago in Families
Crafternoons with Meme
As an adult, I dream of having spare time for creating. I love all things arty and crafty. My favourite problem is having too many hobbies and not enough hours in the day to enjoy them all. Once I slip into creative flow, I forget about eating, and most other responsibilities. I get captivated in the process of experimenting, exploring, making, and seeing progress.
By Amy Austin5 years ago in Families
