Check-In Post - December 25th 2024

[badly_knitted]

Hello to all members, passers-by, curious onlookers, and shy lurkers, and welcome to our regular daily check-in post. Just leave a comment below to let us know how your current projects are progressing, or even if they're not.

Checking in is NOT compulsory, check in as often or as seldom as you want, this community isn't about pressure it's about encouragement, motivation, and support. Crafting is meant to be fun, and what's more fun than sharing achievements and seeing the wonderful things everyone else is creating?

There may also occasionally be questions, but again you don't have to answer them, they're just a way of getting to know each other a bit better.


This Week's Question: No question, but HAPPY CHRISTMAS!


If anyone has any questions of their own about the community, or suggestions for tags, questions to be asked on the check-in posts, or if anyone is interested in playing check-in host for a week here on the community, which would entail putting up the daily check-in posts and responding to comments, go to the Questions & Suggestions post and leave a comment.

I now declare this Check-In OPEN!

Comments

[badly_knitted]

I got 11 new sets of cutting dies for my cuttlebug, so I've played a bit with some of them, butting out some fancy rectangles in while card for more card toppers since I have some peel-off designs that are rectangular rather than square. I have five of each of two designs waiting to be coloured. I also coloured in two and a half of the ones in yesterday's photos. Might do more colouring this evening, but I probably won't because artificial light makes it difficult to see colours. Probably colour some more tomorrow. My colouring isn't perfect, and I'm working with pencil crayons, I don't have any working felt tips at present. Might try to get some and see if they'll work, but I rather like the subtler effect of the crayons.

[althea_valara]

Just put the finishing touches on mom's poinsettia. It still needs leaves, which I'll do when I can, but the flower itself is DONE and it looks great, and I am going to give it to her tonight when we exchange presents between the two of us.

Taking a breather now, then onto mini-stockings. I have time to get them done before the party on Sunday, but I want to finish the current one today.

Then it will be either another wall-hanging or Nephew's pillow. I'm leaning towards the pillow because it's way overdue. But I reserve the right to change my mind.

[wiseheart]

First of all: Merry Christmas, everyone!

As for me: still no crafting; I think I've run out of steam right before Christmas and actually like the fact that I have no projects in the making at all. Even though I know what I'll do next: mend one of our decorative pillow cases that's about to fall apart and give these rag dolls a try - with small modifications. I certainly won't make them such square faces, and I won't do anything by gluing. Small children can easily remove glued parts and swallow them; it's better to sew anything on firmly.

[wiseheart]

The annoying thing with felt tips is that they dry out so fast. You find a set with lovely colours, use them a few times, then don't use them for a while, and next time you try them they've stopped working already. :(

[wiseheart]

A breather sounds like a good idea. Have a lovely gift exchange with your mum tonight. :)

[badly_knitted]

Well done with the poinsettia! I'm sure your mum will be thrilled, even without the leaves.

It's good to have a choice of projects to work on. Enjoy whatever you decide to do!

[badly_knitted]

Merry Christmas!

There's nothing wrong with taking a break from crafting.

The dolls are cute, but rounder faces would definitely be better, and sewing things on is a must if they're for small children.

[badly_knitted]

You need something called isopropyl alcohol to revive markers of all kinds. I need to get some myself, but I haven't found a shop that sells it and I didn't want to have to order from Amazon, but I'll have to since it's the only place I've found even online that has it. It only takes a drop or two in the end of the marker, using an eye dropper or something similar. Then give it a little shake, leave it for a few minutes, and that's supposed to get it going again. Maybe I'll order some in the new year and see how it goes.

[darkcedars]

Happy Christmas!

I finished the base of the big crochet basket this morning, while waiting on people to arrive. The food was all ready so I had some time.

[badly_knitted]

Happy Christmas!

A great use of your time! Hope you've had a lovely day =)

[darkcedars]

Considering all you've completed recently, and all the cookies, a few days off of projects sounds pretty good.

[darkcedars]

Great on the flower being done, and good luck on the stockings for the weekend.

[darkcedars]

How interesting, isopropyl alcohol is just something any grocery store or pharmacy would have here.

Playing with new cutting dies sounds like fun!

[darkcedars]

It was pretty good. My parents bought me birdseed, so bird feeding kicks off tomorrow!

[badly_knitted]

I asked at the biggest pharmacy, and they didn't have any. Strange that it's so easily available in the US but hard to get here.

[badly_knitted]

Yay! The birds will be happy!

[darkcedars]

It's always interesting between countries, to be like "you can't just get that at the grocery store?"

[badly_knitted]

Yeah, availability is weird. I wouldn't even know where to look for something like that in a grocery store. I had to ask in the pharmacy.

[spiralicious]

I don't know how accurate this is, but I think isopropyl alcohol is called surgical spirit in the UK. If not, I know they are equivalent products for medical and cleaning uses. Not sure they would work for reactivating pens the same.

Forgot to add, I have heard vodka will work as a substitute for the isopropyl alcohol to rehydrate the pens, but I've never tried it. To my knowledge, you just need something that is over 70% alcohol.

[badly_knitted]

I'll look into that, thank you! If it IS surgical spirit, that's easy to get.