Making a Pretty Crafty Home

I have been thinking for a while now about a project.  A project for this year that we call 2012.  A project, that maybe we could share together?  Let me explain...

Dottie Angel

Ever since I started wandering through Blogland I have admired, wondered, marveled and, I admit it, sometimes envied these immaculate, pretty, white walled, clean and perfect homes that I find everywhere I click.  You know the ones I mean right?  Yvestown's Cath Kidston loving one, Dottie Angel's granny-chic inspired one, Shabby Roses Cottage handpainted one and Posie Gets Cozy's warm and so inviting one.  All stunningly beautiful and utterly inspiring.

Yvestown


I had thought that I was quite pleased and with my home.  We did a lot of work when we first moved here and I've done a lot of decorating in-between.  There are many parts of it that I cherish and adore. But.

What with a 'Little Addition' to the family coming along 6 years ago and my crafting mo-jo coming back with vengeance coinciding with (or even causing!) a lack of enthusiasm for the dreary old housework chores, the house perhaps hasn't had the care and attention it deserves for some time now.  So once I started, at the beginning of last year, to attempt to blog in earnest myself, I soon found what utter dump of a house it is I live in.  OK, so maybe that is an exaggeration but what blogging has thrown into sharp relief is how hard it is to get a decent photo in this place.  You think everything looks fine, until you look through the lens!

Shabby Roses Cottage

I guess it's just that your eyes get used to seeing an ugly cupboard or a pile of junk day after day and you forget about how it looks.  Your eye sees the same thing it saw yesterday and thinks 'Yes, that is usually there.  That is all fine and normal.' but, you look through the lens and suddenly your eye thinks 'Oh my Sainted Aunt!  That mess is going to be in the photo, how dreadful it looks!'  In other words, you suddenly see things from a new and worrying perspective.  This, dear readers of mine, is how my eye is seeing these days and I can tell you, it ain't a very happy eye!

This is where the new project comes in.  I have been thinking, that what with being a bit of a crafty sort, being the sort that has been able to create a pretty thing here and there about the place, really there is no reason why my house should not look gorgeous and wonderful and basically be a delight for to my newly aware eye to feast upon.

I have been prowling my home looking for mess, junk, the tired, the tattered and the torn and I am going to attack it!  I want to tidy the mess and junk, spruce up the tired and tattered, rejuvenate, re-jig and re-invent this messy house into a Pretty and a Crafty Home!

My big project, goal and overall aim for this year is born:




What do you think?  Fancy coming with me on a journey of home improvement through craftiness?

This is what I want to do:

1.  Tidy, tidy, tidy and clean, clean clean!
The first step for me is to get rid of the junk and de-clutter.  It's time to get rid of the stuff I don't want, don't need and can't use or re-use and tidy up everything I'm keeping.  As I'm doing the tidying and de-cluttering I'm going to be giving this house the 'Spring clean' of it's life.

2.  If it has to live here, it should be pretty.
With a tat loving daughter and a husband with no thought for how things look, it's going to be tough to keep new ugliness and junk coming into the house, but I'm going to try hard.  If we do need something new, it should add to the home, not detract!

3.  If I don't like how it looks, and I can change it, I will.
I'm not planning on re-decorating the whole house, this is about finding the bits you don't like and changing them into something you do.

4.  Thrift, re-use and recycling are my watch words.
As it stands the budget for this little project is practically zero, so I'm looking for cheap solutions here! (Although there may be the odd exception, knowing me!)

5.  Crafting is king!
The most important thing thing of all.  This project is all about home improvement through crafting.  If it's home made and it makes me happier about my home then it's part of the project.



Now, this is just what I'm setting out to do.  If you'd like to join me you can define the challenge however you'd like to so it works for you and your home.  The principle is, if you're doing something crafty to improve your home, make it a more pleasurable environment to be in and look at then, it qualifies.  If you can thrift and recycle your way there - so much the better!


My head is buzzing with ideas and I've been prowling around the house with my camera, taking photos of 'trouble spots' to be attacked.  I can't wait to get starting and I'll look forward to sharing this journey with you.  I'll label all my 'Pretty Crafty House' posts, starting with this one with 'PCH' so that they're nice and easy to find in the categories section of the sidebar.

If it looks like there may be interest then maybe we could start a Flickr photo pool or a Ravelry Group or something so we can share ideas and triumphs.  Any suggestions on this front are very welcome.

It's going to be so good.  I hope you're excited too!


S x














Comments

  1. Oooo, missus! What a great idea.
    I was only thinking the other day, once I'd cleared the Xmas decs away, what a bit of a mess I live in: kid's toys, the Mister's stuff and a bit of a lack of much prettiness.
    I too am on a zero budget, so would love to join you on a clever, thrifty PCH journey!
    I also think a Flickr or other group would be fab too!
    Xx

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  2. what a wonderfully inspiring idea. :) It is something I really could do with sorting myself.

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  3. You are sooooo right. I'm looking forward to it :))

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  4. Great idea this could be the motivation I am looking for... :)

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  5. This sounds like a fun idea. I have been attacking my craft room the last few days. Right now it looks awful!!!!

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  6. This sounds like a brill idea, unfortunately I dont have my own house so does my room count? I've been trying to re-juvinate it before I move back home when I finish uni.

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  7. I know how you feel...because I find myself in the same situation regardin my home. It needs decluttering urgently, and a revamp. I not only want to join your challenge...but actually NEED to. I am in for the challenge...
    Ana BC

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  8. Oh I know just how you feel. I have twenty-something years of clutter to get rid of. I just find it so hard to make a start. I know that all I need to do is to take a deep breath and go for it!!

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  9. Funnily enough I was having similar thoughts recently. I am not envious of most of what I see on blogs as to me they are not very homely just designery and I wouldn't want that. In the main I have to say that I really hate white walls and wouldn't want much of white anything in my living space - too empty and cold looking. The exception in the list you gave is Posy gets Cosy. Her home is warm, inviting and cosy. The last couple of times I've visited there, I have looked around at my home and thought hmm about my own. That is probably all I'll do as I have no money and my house is rented but that doesn't excuse the total shambles I am happy to live in! Maybe, considering I have the skills to improve things, I'll find a way.

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  10. You go girl! It's a thing these days in blogland. Here in Holland we have a blog called: een kastje per dag (a cupboard a day), that means cleaning one cupboard or drawer or shelf a day, 20 minutes a day for 365 days = clean house.Good luck with all your cleaning etc. Anne-Marie

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  11. I love your idea! I was thinking today about what I want to keep and what to move on, and keeping up some themes that I started and have drifted away from. Thanks for the inspiration!

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  12. You know.....i'm still sure these pretty houses must have a dumping room, one that they would be completely horrified if anyone saw!!!!

    I think we can all relate to your thoughts though. It's tough with kids who love mess and junk and an other half who doesn't care as much! I spent this weekend sorting but didn't get anywhere which was slightly depressing! I'm a hoarder, so for now, I will just stare at the said blog houses and sigh at how lovely they are.

    I shall follow your journey though and hope you get the house you want!

    xxx

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  13. If there was an 'agree' button on this post I would have hit it a 1000 times. I have the same feeling, you feel sort of satisfied until you get your camera out. I want my craft projects to shine in a nice, clean and comfi place.

    I would love to participate in making my home a pretty, crafty home too. Is it ok if I copy your pretty home logo when I post about on my blog?

    Oh and I'm a bit of a cheater, since I have no kids haha. I do have a dog and a boyfriend though, does that count ;-)?

    I'm so exited about this!!! Let me know if there is a flickr/ravelry group started. I'll join.

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  14. I think it's very natural to look at things with fresh eyes in the beginning of the year. I like what little red home says about a cupboard a day. My problem is maintaining everything, I tend to wait until everything is shocking before I move! Oh dear! I'm looking forward to seeing how you progress....but three boys, muddy wellies, smelly farm clothes, 2 dogs....I think I'll watch and enjoy your transformations!

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  15. This is totally awesome! :D Great idea. I might join in!
    xo,
    wink

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  16. Loved reading through your post, a great idea. Looking forward to
    following your journey. I have allways wanted a beautiful crocheted banner/bunting? They look so good in other peoples homes in blogland!

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  17. I know just what you mean about things looking different through the lens, but I think that happens to all of us. That said I love the sound of your project and will watch with interest, and maybe even attempt a bit of decluttering myself.

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  18. Great idea, I agree with you so much it's only through the camera lense that the full horror of our homes reveals itself! But we can all improve things with a little bit of clever crafting, recycling etc. I'm in!

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  19. Love this post because it is so very similar to my own thoughts. So my resolution for this year was, too, to make my home really pretty and above all really home-made. Last year I have already started to collect pictures of my favorit inspirations for blankets, cushions and little corners, so that I am now sure about the things I dearly would love to make and what would really suit my home style and fancy. I have made a list for every room already, what I want to change and what to add and make, but I am still open for more inspirations, therefore I am looking forward a lot your journey.

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  20. This is a wonderful post! I like most of you have been thinking the same thing. I'm tired of spending everyday cleaning and feeling that I have no time for myself or my crafting. And if I do spend a day crafting the house is a disaster and I have to start all over. I am overwhelmed at this point. I am looking forward to taking this journey with the rest of you and hopefully finding some peace. I hope you have a wonderful day and good luck on your journey!

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  21. I am totally up for this, I to would like to use your little house picture on my blog if you would allow it? I find that I only take pictures in one room of the house because it is the one which I try to keep presentable!
    I even made a start today by clearing out and cleaning the fridge. I felt good about it until I entered the "study"....

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  22. Thanks for the compliment on my hoodie! Linking me is perfect. I will use one of the pretty buttons you made for my post and I will be linking to the blog post you wrote. Maybe even more people want to join this journey! I will write a post about later on this week :-). Great initiative!

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  23. Hello, I've just found your blog from My 4 Lil girls and I love your idea for 2012. I will be watching from the sidelines to see what wonderful ideas you and your participants come up with. I love being inspired.
    Anne xx

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  24. What a great idea! I have been focussed on keeping my craft room a calm and pleasant place and when I look at the rest of my week day home I think I've neglected it. Pass me the the bin bags....

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