I am doing things a little different today! I have a special treat for you. I interviewed Elizabeth from Twelve Crafts til Christmas over the weekend.
Here it is:
Tell me a bit about your blog.
Almost seven months ago I began sewing and started a little blog called twelve crafts till Christmas on a whim. However, my blog has very little . . . well, almost nothing actually . . . to do with Christmas. You won’t find Christmas-themed recipes, decorating ideas, crafts, traditions . . . I think you get the idea. I know. I know. The name of my blog is a little misleading, but did I mention that I started it on a whim? That’s the kind of name I could come up with on a whim. Twelve crafts till Christmas is really all about my journey in making all my kids’ Christmas gifts for December 2010. And before you ask . . . yes, I do need an entire year to do that! It started as a personal blog that would invite my friends and family to help keep me accountable in reaching my goal. But along the way other people started reading and journeying with me. I LOVE THAT! So know Im also on a mission to inspire people to make at least one – just one (unless you’re inspired to do more) – homemade gift this year. There is nothing better than a gift that has been labored over and loved on, so I provide a bunch of tutorials and gift ideas mixed in with my own novice sewing and crafting antics and some super fun (and very messy) kids’ crafts/activities along the way.
I truly believe that anyone can make something for someone because in seven months of sewing and crafting, I’ve gone from saying, “Oh, I could never make that,” to “Hey, I think I can make that!”
When did you start crafting and blogging?
Oops! I got ahead of myself in that first question . . . but in cased you missed it . . . I started crafting and blogging in January 2010. In fact, I really only became aware that there was this amazing thing called the crafty-bloggy world towards the end of December 2009.
Why did you start crafting and blogging?
Well, I started blogging to keep myself accountable in the crafting department. I started crafting because I noticed that my kids had a ton of plastic, impersonal, generic toys . . . the toys that are in every store across America. I remember getting gifts as a kid that my mom made me. They were special, personal and unique . . . gifts just for me. I still have many of them to this day, and they are like pieces of my mom . . . in a way she gave herself to me when she gave me those gifts. So I started crafting to give my girls a piece of myself . . . and something that is just for them.
Have you always been interested in crafts?
My mom tells me that I spent a lot of time making doll clothes out of random scraps of fabric, tape and staples when I was little . . . does that count as “always being interested”? 😉 I would say that I have dabbled in a few crafty genres. In college I managed to make my way painfully through one scrapbook . . . I didn’t have enough patience for that. For a few weeks during graduate school I tried jewelry making . . . that was a failure. When my now husband and I started dating I thought it would be fun if we made candles together for a date once. We went out and bought the stuff. Then when we ended up packing to move to another state, I found the stuff in the pantry under some boxes. It was unopened. So . . . I would say my interest has been fickle at best until now.
What have been some of your favorite crafts you have made?
I’m in love with the pretend and play mail set I made. In fact, I want one . . . just for myself . . . so I can play with it after my kids go to bed. 😉
What have been your favorite crafts made by someone else?
My mom made me a little doll bassinet to carry my doll-babies around in when I was little. I’m trying my best to replicate it now for my girls. She also made me my very own Little House on the Prairie dress . . . just like Laura Ingalls. Honestly, if I could still fit into that thing, I would were at least once a week. Love it!
How often do you make crafts?
I’m working on something at least four to five nights a week after the kids are tucked away and off to dreamland.
What are some of your favorite craft blogs?
Oooh . . . this is tough . . . too tough because once I start I will leave someone out that deserves to be on the list. So . . . I will say I love any craft blog that it real and authentic. The last one I checked in on last night was Fireflies and Jellybeans, but I honestly read dozens and dozens and dozens and dozens . . . I think you see where I’m going.
Any favorite craft supplies?
No favorites . . . right now I’m primarily sewing this month’s project, but I can’t sew for too many months in a row or I have a serious urge to throw my sewing machine out the window. (Please don’t tell her I said that though!)
Now for some non-crafty questions!
Tell me a little bit about yourself and your family? Married. kids. pets?
Short version . . . married, two amazingly wonderful daughters, no pets . . . well, we did go through more than seven fish over the course of the last year, but I finally put a stop to our killing spree.
What are some of your favorite things outside the crafty world?
ie. book, movie, color
What?!!??!! There are things to do besides crafting??!!?? When did this happen???!!!
Do you collect anything?
Uhm . . . fabric remnants. I’m not really a knick knacky person, but I do love myself a good fabric remnant. I’m actually going through a little self-imposed rehab right now, and I haven’t purchased a fabric remnant in almost one month. Amazing!
Walk us through a typical day at your house.
This is a typical weekday at our house . . . although our week isn’t your typical 8 to 5, five-days a week kind of week, so this schedule only happens exactly like this three days a week. The other days are all a little different with kids home and at least one parent home.
Wake up EARLY . . . like sun-hasn’t-even-thought-about-coming-up-yet early.
Exercise (everyday but Sunday)
Shower
Get kids up, dressed, fed, and to our amazing sitter
Work
Pick kids up
Dinner, play, read books, play, color, play
Bath
Tell stories in bed
Kids in bed
Crazy clean, craft, blog
Sleep . . . long after the sun goes down
One final crafty question:
What have you made for your Christmas gifts so far and are you on goal for 12 Crafts til Christmas?
January – crayon rolls (I caved and gave these two the kids for Valentine’s Day.)
February – Molly Monkey stuffed animals . . . sooooo cute!
March – monogrammed wall art for their rooms (I caved an already hung these in their rooms.)
April – felt food assortment – sliced bread plus loaf, peanut butter, jelly, strawberries, carrots, apple slices, popsicles
May – pretend & play mail carrier set
June – pillow buddies
Jully – hair stuff plus a holder for all the hair stuff (stocking stuffers)
August – doll bassinets
Thanks so much Cate for the lovely interview!
**Thanks to Elizabeth for doing this interview. I hope you have enjoyed reading it! I am looking forward to doing more in the future.
Thanks so much Cate! I appreciate the opportunity!