A to Z Challenge - 2019 - 10th Anniversary Reflection

Blogging through the month of April with the 10th Anniversary A to Z Challenge has been such fun.  Even though I only had a brief idea of what I was going to blog about and having just moved all my craft supplies from inside our house to a new studio that we had built in the backyard, I managed to finish on time and I am pretty happy with the way the posts came out.  I had some fun creating things along the way and even made my first YouTube Vlog! 

I wrote about my cards and mini-albums and paper crafting in general, a subject that is a passion for me.  In case you missed any of the posts, here are links to them.

A is for A+
B is for Backpack
C is for Castle
D is for Duckie
E is for Easel 
F is for Feathers
G is for Gift Card Holders
H is for Honey Do
I is for Ideas
J is for Jar
K is for Kits
L is for Love
M is for Mini Albums
N is for Name Game
O is for Overlays and Owls
P is for Promotion
Q is for Quotes
R is for Repurpose, Recycle
S is for Special Orders
T is for Tools
U is for Unique
V is for Village
W is for Winging It
X is for Expo
Y is for YouTube
Z is for Zutter Bind It All

J. Lenni Dorner gave us a list of 10 questions since this is the 10th Anniversary...

1. What did you love about the challenge this year? ---All of it.  
2. What would you change about it? --- Nothing that I can think of. 
3. What was the best moment for you during this year's challenge?  --- Coming up with the topic of eXpo for "X" and Zutter instead of Zebra for "Z".    
4. What is the best comment your blog got during the challenge, and who left the comment? --- I was surprised by the great reception my craft work got from everyone.  I can't pick one specific comment.  
5. Will you do the challenge again? --- Absolutely!  Can't wait.  Thinking of new ideas now.
6. Was it well organized and were the hosts helpful? (Did you fill out the after survey?) --- Very well organized as always and yes, I did fill out the survey.  I have the survivor badge to prove it!
7. How did you and your blog grow, change, or improve as a result of this challenge? Did you find new blogs out there to enjoy? --- I did find several new blogs (see below) and I stretched myself to make a YouTube video which turned out better and easier than I expected so I'll bet I make more :)
8. Were you on the Master List? (If you did the challenge last year, was it better this time without the daily lists?) --- I was on the Master List.  I don't think it made much difference to me.  I posted on the main page and on the Facebook page almost every day.  
9. Any suggestions for our future? --- I can't think of any right now but I'll let you know if I do. 
10. Any notes to the co-host team? A word of thanks to Jeremy for all his hard work on the graphics? A picture with your A to Z shirt, if you ordered one? --- See below for my co-host team thanks.  I've seen the T-shirts and I may get one, just trying to decide which one.  I have a mug from my first year and use it all the time.  

One of the great things about the A to Z is finding new people who are out there blogging away too.  Over the past three years I have continued to follow a number of people that I met through the A to Z.  Among the most interesting bloggers I came across this year were (in no particular order):

Gigglingfattie at https://noloveforfatties.com  The name of her site intrigued me from the start because, hello, fat girl here.  She chose to write 500 word stories based on the pictures in a children's A to Z carpet.  Her stories were so cute.

David Kravetz at http://lessbeatenpaths.com  David wrote about the alphabet using signs he came across while traveling America.  There are some very funny signs there and places I've never heard of.

Tamara at https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.com/ had a most informative series about the Justice System and used some true life stories to illustrate her words.

Mary at https://www.jinglejanglejungle.net gave us songs with a word that represented the letter of the day and asked us to think of more.

Donna at https://dbmcnicol.blogspot.com told her stories using random words and pictures. 

Eschudel at https://zombieflamingoes.com used a picture story-day in the life theme and I thought it worked really well.

Crackerberries at https://crackerberries.wordpress.com used whatever came to mind for the letters.  Did a great job too.

Shelley at https://www.quaintrevival.com is a blogger I've started following this year and she tried the A to Z for the first time.  She caught on really quickly and had a great first year!

Dena at https://denapawling.blogspot.com gave us a quiz a day using pictures and questions with the letter of the day.  Very fun.

I've seen Cherdo at http://www.cherdoontheflipside.com before with her music posts but have not been a follower.  She showed us different aspects of our lives that may/or may not mean that we are geezers.  I'm pretty sure I passed just about every test for inclusion in that category.

I made a copy for myself of the sign-up spreadsheet and I will be working my way around to find some more blogs that I missed during the next few months.  There's never enough time to keep up with all 600+

It definitely helped me to do a draft page with each letter of the alphabet and the graphic (designed by the talented Jeremy Hawkins) that corresponds with it.  Then when I was doing research I had a place to put pictures I came across that I wanted to use and could add some links (like the link to the main A to Z page) and that saved time on the posts that were due that day.  Then even if I wasn't quite sure how the post was going to end up, I at least had a starting off point.  I didn't make a million dollars selling things in my Etsy shop but I know my views and visits to the site increased (wait, maybe that was because I was going there to link my items? - LOL).  At any rate, once again it was a very fun experience to be part of the A to Z family. 

A huge thank you to our founder Arlee Bird, John Holton, J.Lennie Dorner and the rest of the A to Z team.  I know there must be a lot of behind the scenes work that we are not even aware of and they certainly deserve a standing ovation.  Now it's time to start thinking about next year's topic! 

Must Be May - 2019 - Song Lyric Sunday - Because of You

Today's prompt from Jim for Song Lyric Sunday is Hurt/Pain/Agony/Suffer.   I think any Country Western song would fit that bill.  I'm gonna go with Kelly Clarkson's Because of You.

According to Wikipedia, Clarkson wrote the song when she was 16 and suffering through the pain of her parent's divorce.  It was about her relationship with her father.  She claims it is the most depressing song she's ever written.

Because of you

Kelly Clarkson

I will not make
The same mistakes that you did
I will not let myself
Cause my heart so much misery
I will not break
The way you did, you fell so hard
I've learned the hard way
To never let it get that far

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

I lose my way
And it's not too long before you point it out
I cannot cry
Because I know that's weakness in your eyes
I'm forced to fake
A smile, a laugh everyday of my life
My heart can't possibly break
When it wasn't even whole to start with

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I find it hard to trust not only me, but everyone around me
Because of you
I am afraid

I watched you die
I heard you cry every night in your sleep
I was so young
You should have known
Better than to lean on me
You never thought of anyone else
You just saw your pain
And now I cry in the middle of the night
For the same damn thing

Because of you
I never stray too far from the sidewalk
Because of you
I learned to play on the safe side so I don't get hurt
Because of you
I try my hardest just to forget everything
Because of you
I don't know how to let anyone else in
Because of you
I'm ashamed of my life
Because it's empty
Because of you
I am afraid

Because of you
Because of you

Songwriters: Kelly Brianne Clarkson / Ben Moody / David Hall Hodges

Because of you lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Reservoir Media Management Inc

Most everyone knows the Kelly Clarkson version but I have heard a duet she does with Reba McIntyre and with this video, I think they are trying to speak about domestic violence.  I think their voices work really well together.

I didn't participate much in the Song Lyric Sunday's during April because I was so busy with the A to Z so it was nice to hop back in this week.  Thanks, Jim for continuing this theme.  Happy Sunday all!

Must Be May - 2019 - Stream of Consciousness Saturday

The prompt from Linda for this #SoCS is "Fall from the sky."  That's a pretty interesting prompt. 

I immediately thought that I'd like some money to "fall from the sky" and then I realized that when I get an Etsy order, it's like money that fell from the sky since the transaction is all "out there" on the internet. 

Finished product

Recent Etsy order

Similarly, when the kids and I send money back and forth through Zelle, or when our Social Security checks get deposited it just suddenly appears in our bank accounts like magic.  So, I guess I do get money that falls from the sky.  Just wish sometimes it could be a bigger chunk falling.   

And that's my take on this week's Stream. 

     

Must Be May - 2019 - Thankful Thursday

I imagine that I should be able to come up with something to be thankful for every Thursday so I'm adding that to my routine as of now.  This week's bit of thankfulness comes by way of an Etsy sale for 20 of my ice cream shaped gift card holders.  Here they are in process.   

Even though I didn't make any sales through the A to Z postings, maybe the vibes found their way out there anyway.

There's my first Thankful Thursday.  Feel free to play along if you like!  

  

Must Be May - 2019 - One Liner Wednesday

The April A to Z is over for this year except for the recap on May 6 and time spent visiting people I didn't get a chance to see during the month.  Therefore, it must be May.  Typically it is a less active blog-wise month for most of us who participated in the A to Z as we gather our strength.  I'm going to try to remain a presence as much as I can.  There is the Stream of Consciousness Saturday, Song Lyric Sunday and One-Liner Wednesday so I just need to think of something for the rest of the days.  Maybe I'll start something new! 

Today being Wednesday, here is my one-liner...

"If anyone needs me, I'll be in my studio!" 

 

One-Liner Wednesday's brought to you by the lovely Linda.  

A to Z Challenge - 2019 - Z is for Zutter Bind It All

It's here!!!  The last letter in the 10th Anniversary A to Z Challenge is finally here.  I don't know about you but I've had a really good time with this year's challenge.  I haven't had a chance to visit all 600+ participants but I have gotten to a few dozen.  I expect next month I'll start making some more visits since it won't be that busy.  I'm trying to think of a theme for the month.  Sometimes it seems like a letdown when April's rush is over.

Anyway, for my letter "Z" I'm going to talk about the Zutter Bind It All machine.  When I talked about tools for the letter "T" I forgot about this one because it is something that I have had for a while but don't use very much.  It is a machine that you can use to make your own books with wire binding.  I got it from Blitsy (an online creative supply store) during a sale for a steal. 

It came with instruction booklet, measuring guides and wire cutters,

Wire cutters

as well as several different sizes and colors of wire binding.  There was also a project idea book with so many cute ideas for making different kinds of books and albums.  Look at that boot! 

It even came with some wood chip board covers and pre-cut pages so you could start making something right away.

I got this cover set on sale and thought it would be a great one to use to make a book.

I can use those recycled pieces of cardboard and plastic that I keep saving to make something! 

The first thing is to decide how long your project is and then use the guide to figure out how many holes you need.  Then you put the paper in the machine with the edge of the paper at the edge of the machine and make your first punch.

You slide the paper along until you have enough punches for the whole length.  For this 11 inch paper I needed 20 holes.  

Once the holes are punched then you get the wire binding you want and cut it to size.  After putting the wires through the holes, you set it in the machine again and squeeze the wires together.  That's one of the tricky parts, you don't want to squeeze it too hard and you want it to be even all the way up.  

Here's my finished binding.  It looks like some are a little looser than others but I think it will be fine.

Whew!  Done!  I hope you have enjoyed reading about my crafting experiences and that you've had a chance to visit my Etsy shop.  Please keep me in mind if you ever want something made especially for you or have an idea for a unique gift for someone else.  If you saw my Studio tour yesterday, you know I have A LOT of supplies for almost any theme.  Stay tuned for May 6 when we do a reflection post of our experiences this year.  One more big thank you and Happy Anniversary to Arlee Bird, the founder of the A to Z and all of his cohosts and helper bees.   

A to Z Challenge - 2019 - Y is for YouTube

Happy Monday!  We have the last two letters in the 10th Anniversary A to Z Challenge this week.   I am so happy that I have made it this far with no complications.  I was so involved with getting the Studio together in March that I had almost no time to prep for the A to Z and yet I managed to meet all the deadlines and have relatively (I hope) interesting offerings for each letter.

For the letter "Y" I am presenting a YouTube video walk through the new studio!  I have been wanting to try my hand at making some how-to videos.  I thought that starting with a tour of the studio would be fun.  I hope you think so too!

I left out some things I wanted to say and I'm sure I fumbled a bit but for a first attempt I think it is okay.  In case you want to see some of the companies I mention, I am linking them here:

The shed was made by The Shed Shop in Hayward, California.

The ScrapBox was made by The Original ScrapBox Company.

The binders are from Totally Tiffany.   

I hope you liked my video tour.  Do you think I could do more of them?  Have something you'd like me to demonstrate?  My niece said she wants to see more about the Junk Journal I mentioned so maybe that will be the next video.  Love any feedback.  Hope I didn't scare you away and that you'll come back tomorrow for the big finale!