You Can't Keep a Crafter Down (How I've kept busy)

It's probably about time for a bit of an update. After two surgeries on my ankle, I'm on the mend now. However, I'm still sitting in bed with my leg up most of the time. As such, my view doesn't really change except for how I occupy myself. As such, I thought it might be helpful or interesting to share exactly how I've kept myself busy. 

One of the first things I dove into was my Bead Box. Since most everything was gathered, I just needed some wire, pliers, and a bead mat.

I think I mentioned it in the linked post, but I FLEW through that box in just a couple of days.

From there, Pat helped me gather some art journaling supplies in a small basket.

I played around with watercolors and got carried away with painting flowers.

Oh, and The Ugly Art Club had their five-minute challenge at the end of December, and that gave me something to do for five minutes each of those days!

I've been doodling like a madwoman, filling page upon page of a notebook with faces.

And, there have been neurographic doodles.

I even created a mark-making catalog to document different types of doodles.

While doing many of these tasks, I've watched SO MANY VIDEOS. Throughout most of December, I was obsessed with Vlogmas videos. If you don't know, vlogs are basically video blogs and Vlogmas is daily vlogs that run from December 1st through about Christmas. I watched so many that now I'm actually considering starting to vlog when I'm back on my feet. What do you think of that? 

Once Vlogmas ended, I began exploring all my subscriptions and re-discovered that Michael's craft stores have online Zoom classes. I began with a bead weaving class. 

(I actually can't remember if I took this class or just watched the replay on YouTube. Either way, it was great!)

I've been enjoying learning to crochet.

I actually tried to learn to knit at the beginning of this whole ordeal but was learning from a book. Though the motions felt right, my results looked wonky. I'll try knitting again in February with one of these online classes. 

And, I've made adjustable bracelets. 

I've also taken part in a few of Michael's business-related classes. For the most part, they put the classes up on their YouTube Channel within 24-48 hours of the class airing. (The exception is their premium classes.) I've saved a whole list of older classes from them that I want to watch. 

I've also been enjoying the Halcraft Collection videos from Denise Yezbak Moore. I made the below earrings inspired by her Wandering Sky Earring tutorial. 

Some of my own jewelry designs have even been made. I happened to have a tray of pendants and prepped tin pieces stashed in the craft room that have sparked a few jewelry pieces. And, I'm now able to get in the craft room for a few minutes at a time to dig through the bead cabinet if I absolutely need to.

Last week, Pat set up a folding table in our empty guest room (our niece moved out around Christmas) so that I could craft and record while seated in a wheelchair for short stints. My regular craft room is too cramped and the desk there is a tall one - not conducive to my current situation. So, this works a bit better right now.

One of the first things I did in the temporary space was to create a Stamped Shrink Plastic Charm tutorial. 

And, I've found that the new space is okay for taking pictures of all the jewelry I've made over the past month and a half. Now I've begun editing those pictures. 

Oh, and there have been loads of kitten snuggles. 

Artemis LOVES that I'm in the bed most of the time so she can come to steal my warmth whenever she wants. In fact, she's dozing in my lap as I write this.

And, that about sums up my last two months.

What have YOU been up to?