Hello! Kro Postal is Alive and Kicking!

Hi there! It has been forever since I posted. As you can imagine, things have been super crazy here in the middle of Iowa. It has been really fun though (except that I’m sick with this cold thing, no good, but other than that, awesome!). 

I’m really happy to announce that after too long of a time, I have completely moved Kro Postal to etsy and I added everything back into the shop that I had over at Big Cartel. I’m taking pictures tomorrow so I should have never before seen items in the shop this week! A big “Hooray, Post!” all around!

And on top of that, I added the Holiday Issue of the Craft Leftovers Monthly zine to Kro Postal. It’s the perfect thing to send to a crafty buddy in a far away place!

And in other good news fashion, a independent book shop in Colorado is going to start carrying the Craft Leftovers Monthly zine!

Oh and tonight I’m working on dressing my loom. I have it counted out above the castle and need to get some rope to lash it to the bar. The last time I used the loom, my rope snapped. I don’t want that to happen again. I’m working on some fabric to put into Green Prairie Fibers. I think it would be nice to sell some handwoven fabric that I have made.  

I actually just dyed some yarn last Tuesday and it’s dry and I’ve reskiened it, so I’ll be taking pictures of it tomorrow along with the stationary and adding it throughout next week. Many good things going on.

I’m going to try to start posting more often, mini posts, but posts non the less. 

See you soon!
Kristin

Grand Adventures!

Well the new shop is open and ready for business!

Here is a shot of what my new store front looks like! You can visit by heading over to www.craftleftovers.com/shop!

Oh and I’m having a 10% off sale all this week, just enter the coupon code: GrandAdventure to get 10% off your entire order! The sale will end Sunday night at midnight, which means that Craft Leftovers Monthly will be 10% off the first day it’s on sale! Hooray!

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I have had such a good last week! It’s been surprisingly busy, but wonderful all at the same time.

Last post I mentioned how I was going to share some tips I have been learning about working from home and so I will. Have to admit, I’ve been reading this blog a lot lately and it has helped a lot with both working and saving money, you should go check it out if you are interested in either. So what have I learned?

Budgeting Time
Just like budgeting money, budgeting time is huge to staying on track. What’s the first step everyone tells you to making an effective budget? Track alllllll of your spending by saving all your receipts and writing it all down, this helps you to see where you can save money, what your impulses are, where you tend to get sidetracked from your budget… for me, that latte, those little random things, a fancy pack of crackers at the grocery store. In the same way, track your time religiously for the first couple of weeks that you are working at home, in the same way that receipts work, this time keeping will help you to find when you are getting side tracked, how long tasks really take (3 hours instead of an estimated two is a huge difference!), when you break for lunch. Long in and out for bathroom breaks. When I get up to go to the bathroom I have found I often get side tracked for 10 mins by walking to the kitchen and grabbing a snack, cleaning up a little bit, playing with the ferrets, etc. It’s not a huge deal, but it’s just good to be aware of where your time is going.

To do lists
I’ve talked about this one before. To do lists are wonderful for me. I try to never make them the day of, I always make them the day before, usually right before bed. It helps me feel settled. Also, it keeps me realistic about what I can do. If you make a to do list as you go along, it’s kind of like making your grocery list while in the store, you add things on that aren’t real priorities.

I write down each thing I need to do, not just the project. So for today’s to do list I had not just “open shop for business”, but “add last products to shop”, “finish shipping policy”, “post to cl blog”. It helps me to remember each task I need to do as well as help me feel more productive by being able to check more things off. I know it’s psychological, but if it helps me to feel better about what I’m accomplishing, why not do it?

Since I’m working at home, I add my house stuff to the same list “dishes, fold laundry, bring hammock in for ferrets”. It’s not just a list of the big things I want to get done, but also a reminder to say walk out into the garage and grab the bigger hammock from the travel cage for my little guys; something I have forgotten to do for the last week. Now that it’s on the list I’ll make sure to get it done.

If I need to buy anything, I make a To Buy list and take that with me when I go out. It helps me from buying randomly and also from having to go out several times because I forgot the potatoes or the potting soil or whatever it was that I needed. It saves me time and money by just making a list of things.

Well that’s all for now. I have a lot of fun stuff that I want to show and tell, but, I need to break for lunch. See you all later!

Saturday Night Rumble

I’m honestly not sure why it’s a rumble, but I think it is. Maybe it’s because I’m watching the debates in New Hampshire right now that a Saturday Night Rumble is on the brain.

First off, I wanted to let you know that I decided to go with Etsy for my shop. It’s sooo easy. So its up and you can check it out here: Kristin Roach: Shop.

I’m going to be adding some handmade note cards and other drawings over the next 3 days and then I will update the shop twice a week or more.

The new pattern is up over on Craft Leftovers and I must say, I really like it! It’s to help keep my tea warmer than it is already kept.

I’ve also been updating the Craft Leftovers Shop, so you should check that out too.

Well, I’m going to draw for a bit and then play wii!

++Kristin Roach++

Ahhhh….. Still on Vacation

I am blissfully immersed in my vacation goodness. I have been shopping with my christmas money and look at this great loot I bought:

This fine little number was only $20 from Target, inadvertently, thanks mom and dad!

The local quilt shop was having a huge sale and I just couldn’t resist. These fabrics will be going into market and temari ball bags that I will be putting into my shop under Handmade Goods, that will take a couple weeks at least though, I’ll keep you updated.

And here is where I am on Jason’s scarf:

I just posted this week’s midweek post for craft leftovers, so be sure to check that out. I made a little to-do list from mis-prints of patterns, a gift bag and some scrap book paper.

In other news, I’m just about set to put some drawings up for sale in the shop. I’m thinking they will be up by noon tomorrow if not sooner. I added a shop page with sub-links last night, took pictures today, and tomorrow I will post.

See you all then!

++Kristin Roach++

I’m all wrapped up in Temari

Seriously, it’s an addiction. I finished my first one on Friday afternoon and by Saturday I had started another.

Here is the first one all finished up:

And here is the starting of the next one:

I am really loving it and once I get it all down, I’m hoping to write out a few charts for Craft Leftovers. This would be such a great project for it. I’ve already blazed through a ton of yarn that was just laying in my stash. I love it! And there is something wonderfully calming and meditative about wrapping a ball in thread.

I’ve also been sewing a whole lot. Since doing this past week’s midweek post for craft leftovers I’ve been making bags like I don’t know what. I can’t show the christmas present ones, but I’ll show some of the stuff I was working on tonight.

This is the fabric that my friend Carolyn picked out for her bag:

And her little lady was with her when we were talking about it and so I told her she could pick out some fabric for a little reusable shopping bag that she could use when she goes to the grocery store with her mom. We had been out all day with her and she only got a case of the cranky pants once, and it only lasted for like 5 mins and was really her just not saying bye to anyone, which I think is amazing. Having worked in retail/coffee houses for the past 8 years, I am truly amazed at how well behaved Carolyn’s kids are. Even at their worst, they are better than most kids I come across on a daily basis.

Anyway, since it was pretty quick to whip together, I have it pretty much done, just one more crack at it with the sewing machine and it will be all set to go:

Speaking of Carolyn, check out this sweet Christmas present she got me off etsy:

Oh and somehow these remind me of another thing. This past fall I did a large series of drawings, 36 in fact, and I want to offer them up to you all and get them some homes. I’ll only being selling a selection of them as limited ed prints of 25. And a couple of the originals. I have added a “shop” link in the side bar under “about”. It will be here on the blog and each drawing will have its own “buy it now” button. I will also offer handmade note cards, hand bound sketchbooks and journals, and bookmarks. Those will come incrementally as I make them. Be looking for the first drawings and prints to show up in the first week of the new year.

I think that’s it. I’m off for more sewing! Goodnight!