4x4 caddy

Well it’s about time I start to MAKE things that I love to pin on Pinterest.

I saw this, LOVED it, and said the famous crafters quote “I can make that!”

So I did.

I first followed the pin to the persons blog site to see the project, to find she wanted $11.99 for the template. Now don’t get me wrong, good for her for trying to make a buck. But seriously, easy peasy projects shouldn’t require a template.

Booya, I did it myself.

AND I’ll share it with you for one easy payment of a comment of what you think? Fair? I think so!

I took felt pieces, I had small pieces so we had a multi patterned look here. I cut the felt into 4x4 squares, you need TWO pieces for each side (one inside, one outside) I went with white for the inside.

I added these cute little pockets that are 2x4. If you want them to be divided sew that before you sew the 4x4 outside and inside together.

AND my inside and outside pieces have a 3 1/4 x 3 1/4 piece of cardboard inside for stability.

Sew it up. I hand stitched the sides together, and a bottom to it. I added a handle for carrying convenience. And wala after about 3 hours you have a cute caddy for anything from art supplies, to make-up, maybe a few office supplies, or toys.

This one went to a good home at my Mom’s the Queens house. She always does for me so I made for her!

Thinking for Easter I could make the kids baskets, and you can do this in whatever size you want, I just started with this and will go from there! Thinking dividers inside next time?

So what do you think?

JCat McGack

Catching up

Yikes it’s been over a month! Sorry I had Bronchitis and was a hot mess all of October!

What’s new…

Well the art room that you all remember from this post back in January that was a tour of the whole room… well through that one out the window. I spent ALL last week dedicated to resetting my art room.

The reset is something this room needs… I originally had my dad build me a table so big (it was built in the room it was so big) so I could seat 6 comfortably for my card making classes. Awesome, but after 6 years of teaching, I no longer need THAT big of a table in the center of my room. It’s a room just for me. (and sometimes the kids!)

The fact that I’m not teaching in here, the functionality and the flow of the room, well they just were not working for me. I went to Better Homes and Garden’s website, they have this really cool ‘Arrange-a-room’ feature, that you can use, for free. To plan out how a room will work. I mean these tables in here JUST fit… while I seem to be a bit of a fan of moving rooms around just by guess-timating the fit this one was going to be tight!

While moving the room around, looking for what should go where, I had a genius ‘AHA’ moment, and I mean I yelled “OH MY GOD! I HAVE THE. BEST. IDEA. EVER!!” followed by a running man dance combined with some walk like an Egyptian and butterfly moves. (scaring my cats to their cat tower, and my children to flee to their toy room. Dancing sometimes works wonders that way!)

The AHA moment… well I’ll just have to have you wait till it’s done… (cliff hanger!)

AND, since I’ve been moving ALL my desks, tables, and art supplies ALL over, I had to stop. Pack them up. And take them to a crop!

It was a much needed break, and to get out with the girls. My mom, the Queen and I love to do these scrapbook weekends, she’s not so much a scrapper, but she does ATC cards (Artist Trading Cards) and paper crafts as well. We had our good friend Pipe, and Lisa go with, stayed at a local hotel (it’s a 45 minute drive back home) and took over the local Archivers! (if you’ve never been be warned. It is addicting. It’s full of fun things, glitter, shiny, and pretty things, all that will make you say ‘ohhh… I want that’)

(This is Maureen and I, she’s an employee there and treats me like an old friend. So much of the staff at the Orland Park, IL store are so great!)

We showed up at Archivers at 10 am (doors opened!) on Friday, and stayed till they kicked us out at 11 pm… went to the hotel, and were back again on Saturday for another 13 hours of paper crafting heaven!

It was awesome to get out, and get some work done, I sadly only did 12 layouts. I blame the dinner out to Buffalo Wild Wings, and Texas Road House, and the shopping around us well… there is also the fact that I LOVE to chat with all the other croppers… I mean counting us each day there were close to 40 women in the work rooms. And being the social butterfly I am… sigh, THIS is why I try to do most of my cropping in my art room, alone with my music so I can focus!

My good friend, Lisa was smart she brought ALL the stuff to work on her trip to Florida… I don’t have that kind of attention span to work on the same project for two days, little alone 2 minutes.

Above is pictured my stuffs I bring. OH it’s a whole lot of everything. I have to say I am pretty organized, I know where EVERYTHING is that I brought…

Here is my work space, this was my last page (not quite done yet here)

My mom got a hold of their die cutting machine, and never sat down! They have a WHOLE wall full of dies to choose from, and 3 machines, and they were always busy!

She found a box die cut, and was cutting them out for a party favor (she needed 60+ of them!) Not to mention all the other cute one’s she found!

I have to tell my mom there is a new rule with taking pictures together… she slouched down, and I was sitting up super straight! Bah, I look silly! Either way the two of us had a blast together… as always. We make our own fun and have the best time we possibly can!

Oh and not pictured is Piper… I’m just learning to accept that some people refuse to have their picture taken… as much as this annoys me for the sake that my ONE friend is not documented… I am trying to respect the fact that she just doesn’t want to be seen on camera. (now my husband Blue? He doesn’t get that pass… it’s not an option)

So I’ve been busy, trying to heal from my bronchitis, from my foot issues (planters warts removed) and finally getting to the art room. I will be posting when I get the room all done, I am SO close!

Until then you can read about my daily ramblings at Unconventional Randomness! Hope your all doing well!

JCat McGack

The kids? What did I do with them these last 3 days?My beautiful babies were with my In-laws from Friday morning till today! (Sunday, lucky me!)

Arts... or crafts?

While at a meeting last night with the Art Council, at the new Art House, discussing big plans for the 'Art Show' fundraiser coming up in 11 days. They brought up the topic of an older women coming to the art house saying she loves to do art. She crochet's potholders, and makes those eggs with designs in them that you can see through. They said that is wonderful but after the women had left, some of them said no way.

They say 'NO that is crafts. It's not art'...

This offends me, and I know they meant no harm to me, but to realize that 'artists' who draw with pen and paint consider themselves better? Then crafters? What makes the difference between art or a craft? See I do both.

For 4 years in High School I took art classes. And during summer I'd take drawing classes where I could. So sure I consider myself an artist. I doodle, I paint, I love paper mache, and clay.

But I was raised by a genius crafter. My mother is a sewer, a card maker and just into ATC (artist trading card) making. She has always called herself a crafter. And I've been so proud that she's as talented as she is.

I crafted as a small child, grew into pencils, paper and art. I've never loved one more then the other. I love to do what I do. Depends on my mood. I'm in an artsy mood one day, or a crafty mood the other. Doesn't make me more or less of an artist on which one I choose to do.

Is a craft a kit you buy in a store? An Art is something your born with? I personally think everyone has a bit of an artist in them. Some are just more willing then others to tap into that inner resource. I mean sure painters are artists, but then what about a paint-by-number kit? That's art to me, but not to some? Is it because your being told step by step how to do art? Still turns out pretty right?

I scrapbook almost daily but sometimes one page, covering one photo will take me 4 hours. I paint, doodle, and make it my art project for the day. So is that art and the scrapbook pages that take me 20 minutes are those crafting? I personally don't see one over the other being a better page.

I use 'craft' supplies in my art, and for sure use art supplies in my craft. I spent 6 years (2004-2010) selling, demonstrating, and loving Stampin' Up!'s rubber stamps, scrapbooking supplies, and all the card and scrabook, 3D paper crafting, and mini books I could get my hands on. It's for sure an art, the amazing things I've seen women create.

So while writing this out, I look over and see the Disney Family Fun Creepy Crafts book I just got at Target. Now sure these projects are focused on milk cartoons, pipe cleaners, tie-dye pumpkin shirts, and tissue boxes. Crafting? Yes.

BUT. Those are everyday things you find around your house right?

So when an 'artist' takes a pile of paper plates and cuts and glues and make a BIG 'art' piece, that is now art? But made with the same everyday tools found in this craft magazine? I'm confused what now makes this an art project and no longer a craft.

I mean I've seen my best friend, destroy a styro-foam cup and make art with it at meetings. Just using her hands, and the nearby pen. So again it's art. But if she had seen directions on step-by-step how to destoy a cup with your hand and a pen does that make it a craft project?

I've seen talented painters copy right from a magazine, and I've seen talented crafts copy from a magazine.

Please weigh in, because I'm in defense of both
is this art? Or a craft? Isn't your art your craft?

So to hear these other artist laugh about the lady with the potholders and the eggs saying that they need fine art makes me wonder who is the judge who says what is fine art, what is a craft, and what makes it then art?

JCat McGack