First on the agenda: my bedroom. Since I’m coming to terms with my inability to sew, I’ve decided to turn my sewing desk into a vanity. Along with that, I wanted a pretty way to showcase my jewelry that also made them easier to find. I’ve seen a lot of tree branch jewelry stands lately, and I especially like the ones from Urban Outfitters, but $30-40? Puh-lease!

So I made my own.

Here’s how I did it: I went in the woods near my house and gathered some branches. I combed through them to find the one that had the shape that I was looking for – curving to one side with lots of little branches to hang stuff from. I “molded” the branch to my liking by removing the extra little branches so that it took on the shape I envisioned. I then cleaned the branch well and spray painted it with clear coat. For the base, I took a bag of $2 decorative sand and filled a vintage vase with it, inserted the branch and voila! A cheap jewelry holder.

This is how I used to store my jewelry:

Yikes, right? The branch is so much better.

If you’re feeling like I am and want to start creating some thrifty decor, there’s a lot of places you can look for inspiration. One of my favorites is CraftyNest. This weekend, I’m going to be working on a variation of this CraftyNest photo collage.

But don’t let your budget stop you from making your house a home. There are plenty of ways to dress up your space without breaking the bank. Get creative and have fun!

In fact, swatching is what separates novice knitters from advanced knitters. Those who hate swatching will always stay with hats and scarves – things that don’t require exact measurements. Sometimes, they’ll even attempt a garment without swatching and end up with clothing that’s never quite right. Advanced knitters know that swatching is a crucial step because even though it’s dreaded, it saves a lot of time down the road and ensures that all the hard work and time spent knitting the garment will result in a wardrobe addition that fits perfectly.

Building your social media strategy is like swatching: everyone hates it, but it has to be done. Big companies hire folks to create strategy for them but as a small business or solopreneur, it’s up to you to create your own strategy. You can’t just jump right in. To get results, you need a plan. Otherwise, you’re creating minutiae with ill-fitting results.

Last week, I taught a social media 101 class to a group of real estate agents. Real estate agents are good at relationships, so social media is a space they should be participating in. But instead of talking about how to set up a Facebook account or the dos and don’ts of tweeting, we talked about strategy. Instead of talking about how, we talked about what and why.

If you are thinking about using social media to promote your business or services, start with what and why.

What do I hope to accomplish with social media? What ways can I provide value in the social media space? What are others currently saying about my business or my industry? Why is it important that my business participate in that conversation?

It’s not the end-all, be-all to social media strategy, but it’s a start.

After my latest crafting fail, I’m back in the game with this Pinwheel Sweater. I decided to go with the most gorgeous teal in 100% wool (Cascade 220 to be exact), and I’m terribly excited to be knitting again. I’ll be working up the first swatch tonight and this project will be on like Donkey Kong in about 24 hours.

If you’re a knitter, feel free to join me! You don’t have to knit this particular sweater, of course, but grab and project, leave a comment and tell us all what you’re working on! We can call it a quasi-knitalong. And if you wanna, we can connect on Ravelry here.

First, I told Sharon it would be done by her baby shower in August. That didn’t happen. Then it was September when Parker was due. Nope, still not done. Then it was Christmas. You can see where this is going…

Ten months later, this is where I’m at.

This weekend, I finally came to terms with the fact that it will just never be completed. I have to put it down, count my losses, apologize and move on. I feel terrible, because I really wanted to finish it. But I’m just no good at it. Cross-stitching can be fun, but mostly it’s tedious and frustrating for me.

Lesson learned. Next time, I won’t be so ambitious. Little Parker will get something hand knit with love in every stitch. Because that’s what I’m good at.

How about you? Ever have to give up on something you really wanted to finish but just couldn’t?

If you’re new to my blog and came here from the #ILM tweetup, welcome!

I am @lisaashby on twitter and have been tweeting since early 2008.

(Hi, Lisa.)

At first, I didn’t quite get twitter. But once I started meeting other people through twitter, it became a fun thing for me to do. I quickly became interested in the marketing aspects of twitter and started experimenting with bringing traffic from twitter to my personal blog. Today, I know that the connections I made on twitter helped to build a small community on my personal blog.

I discovered the power of celebrity when Richard from Akira Media retweeted a post about a Pee Wee Herman stencil craft I did. Richard’s tweet was then retweeted by Pee Wee Herman and the traffic to my site went up 100x that day alone. My subscriber count doubled and the traffic to my blog has increased significantly since then. The “Pee Wee page” as I call it continues to be one of the top 5 content pages on my site each month.

In June, my husband and I started Rebound, a podcast about becoming debt-free following Dave Ramsey’s baby steps. I instantly started promoting the podcast on twitter and it has been the most successful campaign thus far. We have connected with listeners through twitter and our Facebook page, and our little podcast is growing exponentially. We have had 18,000+ downloads since June, 8,000 of which came in January 2010 alone.

To ensure success, I focused on quality followers instead of quantity followers. I follow people that are passionate about the things I do – crafting, finances, marketing and entrepreneurship. I also engaged my core group as it started to emerge and continue to engage them on a regular basis. These are the people that believe in what I do and cheer me on, and I don’t take it for granted. I thank them for RTs, ask them questions, get their opinions, and promote what they do. When your core group is talking about you, they are promoting you. And I wholeheartedly believe in giving back to each person in this group what they have given to me.

I talk about anything and everything on twitter, although I try to stick to the topics of work, life and crafting. I use Twitterfeed to feed my blogs and podcast to twitter and to share what I find interesting in my Google Reader. Although I sing its praises, there’s a fine line between putting your work out there and overdoing it on the feeds. Don’t be that guy – don’t turn your twitter stream into an RSS feed that rehashes information 24/7.

I get the most responses from others when I talk about the things they are passionate about. It makes it easy when you choose to connect with people that are into what you’re into. I also participate in industry-specific chats on twitter to make connections with others that are in the same field I am.

Most importantly, I’m authentic. No response from or interaction with me is automated or regurgitated. I don’t auto DM. I don’t spam my stream. I believe that twitter is all about interaction, and that is the aspect that I most like about it.

Every blogger should be on twitter, but only if they are willing to do two things: One, you have to be perfectly fine with being transparent. If you’re not okay with that, blogging may not be the best platform for you anyway. Two, you have to be passionate about building and engaging your community. That’s what blogging is about anyway though, right? But before you get started, have realistic expectations. It will take time to build a following, and it will be lonely at first. Once you get the hang of it, it’s a lot of fun.

That’s my twitter story and I’m sticking to it.

Are you on twitter? Leave a comment and let us know who you are on twitter. How are you using twitter to promote yourself and your work?

Image Credit: Sasha Wolff

A while back, I promised a series about gardening for those that are new to gardening or that had tried it a few times, like me, with little success. I had no idea I’d be writing my first post in January, but that’s also probably a small part of why I failed the first time.

Did you know that most people start planning their spring gardens in November and December? And depending on when your last spring frost date is (ours is March 17th) and whether or not you use a greenhouse, you’ll probably be planting flowers a couple of months before that date and vegetables shortly afterwards. The key is getting them started as early as possible so that you have the largest possible harvest. (Funny thing is, I never even considered the weather any other times I tried to grow a garden. The planning is pretty intense but for an organizational nerd like me, it looks like a lot of fun.)

I met with Ryan the second week of January to start planting flower seeds. It was cold. In fact, it was so cold that it took me about 3 hours after I left that day to thaw out. I learned a lot, though – little things that may be intuitive to others but certainly not to me. I had a few aha! moments, and I felt right at home playing in the dirt.

Here are a few tips I learned on starting seeds:

• Seeds like fine soil and even the tiniest particle of wood or mulch will prevent a seed from sprouting. Instead of spending the big bucks on special seed-starting mix, take the regular stuff and sift it with a old fryer basket. Save the mulch so you can use it elsewhere, and use the sifted soil for your seeds.
• Fill your cellpacks or containers with the mix and press it in lightly. Thoroughly water the soil, then plant the seeds. (I know this sounds like common sense, but I always did it the other way around which causes tiny seeds to wash away.)
• A dull wooden pencil is the perfect seed-planting tool. Use it to create a little pocket in the soil for your seed, and use it to pick up the tiniest of seeds to place them in the dirt. Trust me, it’s much easier than using your fingers.
• Check the seed package to see how deep the seed needs to be planted. If it says “light required”, sow it directly on the surface. If it should be 1/8″ deep, just poke a small hole in the dirt and place the seed in it. You’ll be surprised how shallow 1/8″ actually is.
• You only have to plant one seed for each plant you want to grow. If you’re using good seeds and sowing them with care, they will grow just fine.

I totally forgot to take my camera, but I will remember to bring it next time. I’m so excited about the weeks to come and can’t wait to play in the dirt again!

I will continue this series on Fridays – probably not every week right away, but consistently. Subscribe via RSS or email for updates.

Image Credit: hijukal

I came home from the #ILM tweetup tonight (more on that Monday) to find out that the bank had accepted our offer to payoff one of our cars and that my dear sweet hubby had already gone to the bank, got the check cut, and overnighted it to Chase. As of tomorrow, we will have a PAID OFF car!

We haven’t had a paid off car since the hubby drove a $500 Datsun and I drove my mom’s old Mustang.

Let the switcharoo begin!

The hubby and I recorded another episode of Rebound yesterday about a huge blessing that has happened in our lives, and although I’m thrilled that we get to share the story, I’m starting to realize that as we reach a wider audience, we open ourselves up more and more to judgement from others. The thought almost made me freeze up yesterday as being judged by others is a pretty scary place for me on a personal level. Surprisingly, all of this didn’t hit me until we posted this episode, and it’s probably because the story is so special to me.

When I told the hubby about my concern of others’ judging me, his response was, “And what if they do? They don’t have to live our lives or pay our bills.” And he’s right.

When you start on the path to your extraordinary, towards the one thing you really want or really believe in, you’ll encounter all sorts of emotions and reactions from others about what it is that you do. Sometimes, it will feel personal. You have to be willing to accept it all – the good, the bad, and the scary – to move forward. Otherwise, you’ll never live the life you dream of living.

So, I’ve decided that I’ll just get over it instead of allowing  this fear to stop me in my tracks. I’m too passionate about this little podcast to let anything get in my way.

What fears threaten your ability to achieve more? How do you overcome them?

Image Credit: Pink Sherbet Photography

I’ve mentioned Into the Wild before. Into the Wild is the true story of Chris McCandless, a guy who gives up his entire life savings after graduation to escape into the Alaskan wilderness. His story is a tragic one, but that’s not why I’m drawn to it. Chris had a disdain for American materialism and opted instead for a nomadic life, an idyllic life in some regards.

As a person that had always had a negative relationship with money, this sort of life was appealing to me after a selfish life of spending more than I earn. Sure, that might sound extreme but really, why not? How many of us have dreamed of escaping the hamster wheel of work, bills, debt, and more work?

When the hubby and I started on Dave Ramsey’s Total Money Makeover, it was a long while before we started to see any progress. But once we saw progress, something changed. Money started working for us instead of the other way around. And when money starts working for you, you no longer feel a slave to it.

We still have a long way to go. Everything could change tomorrow. But for now, I’m taking comfort in the fact that my relationship with money is changing, and therefore my whole life is changing.

I’m excited about the road ahead.

How about you? Are you working Dave Ramsey’s program? How is it changing you?

If you’re a Rebound listener, then you know that the hubby and I have been working Dave Ramsey’s Baby Steps intensely for a few months now and I’m excited to say that we have funded our baby emergency fund, thus completing Baby Step 1!

We are now knee deep into Baby Step 2, paying off lots of debt and snowballing it until it’s gone.

We skipped recording the podcast last weekend, choosing instead to get a jumpstart on the baby steps, but we’ll be back on the mics this weekend. We’ll be talking about disconnecting, letting go of old ways and embracing change.

Then the following week, you’ll get to hear this incredible story about how the hubby and I were blessed with a second chance at this whole money thing and propelled to Baby Step 2 so quickly. It’s a crazy story and a testament to the power of putting God first in your life, your finances, and your marriage.

You don’t want to miss it.

The one thing I know for sure (thank you Oprah) is that setting goals personally and financially can impact your life in tremendously positive ways. You wouldn’t drive cross-country without a map, right? So why go through life without one?

In last week’s episode of Rebound, the hubs and I talked about setting financial goals and provided this worksheet to help you get started on your own financial goals.

We’re 4 hours in and almost finished and all I can say is, 2010 is going to be an awesome year.

Are you setting your 2010 goals? How’s it going for you?

1. You have to take time to enjoy the small things. There are treasures in the little everyday things that often go unnoticed or overlooked, and it’s easy to pass them by. Taking the time to slow down is worth it.
2. Stress is overrated. It’s not worth the negative effects on your body and your mind. If you can’t remove it entirely, take small steps to live a calmer life.
3. Working Dave Ramsey’s plan is much more effective when your spouse is on board. And it’s totally awesome when he gets more excited than you do about saving money.
4. Setting goals and creating an action plan to reach them is effective. This year, I only set personal goals around the middle of the year. In 2010, I’m setting both personal goals and financial goals, and I’m fired up about what the year will bring.
5. Don’t underestimate the power of God. If you asked any of my friends this time last year who they would least expect to see in church, it would be me. Somehow, I made it there and it’s changed my life in a million different ways.
6. Kids can sometimes teach you life’s important lessons. My 10-year-old reminded me of this tonight. He’s a very generous boy and inspires me to be generous, too.

What lessons did you learn this year? How did it change you?

This is a Best of 2009 Blog Challenge post.

Image Credit: One Man’s Perspective

Ever have an aha! moment? Watching these videos was kinda like that. “Aha! I get it now!”

Two hours later, this is what I came up with:

Okay, I admit, it doesn’t look bad on the mannequin but it’s not wearable. It’s short, there are holes, and I got a little frustrated and didn’t quite finish the felting. Here’s what I learned during the process:

1. Nuno felting is hard. If you don’t have good triceps, you will soon.
2. Felt shrinks. A lot. I didn’t measure the scarf well. It ended up a little short.
3. Nuno felting requires lots of wool. Everyone will say that it doesn’t, and it probably doesn’t relative to regular felting. But it does require a fair amount of wool, and that’s probably more than you thought you would need.
4. You must prepare to get wet. There’s just no way around it. Have a towel on hand, wear short sleeves, and make sure you choose a workspace that can withstand a flood.
5. Nuno felting is fun. I think I might be addicted.

Have you tried nuno felting before? What was your experience the first time around?

Want to do the same for your wee ones? Download the stocking stuffer printable here.

I grabbed a sweater from the back of the closet, some black acrylic paint, leftover felt,  sequins, thread and super glue, then got to work. Whaddya think?

(I know, the photo’s a little fuzzy. You try getting your 10-year-old to take a steady shot in low lighting next to a lit Christmas tree. Next to impossible. )

Here’s how I did it:

• I made a Christmas tree stencil with contact paper ala Pee Wee Herman.
• I painted trees all over the sweater using a sponge brush and black acrylic paint with the contact paper stencil
• I cut stars freehand out of felt while the paint on the sweater dried
• I sewed the stars to the tops of the trees and attached a sequin to the middle
• I then super glued sequins to the trees all random like

I was really happy with the result, and it only took me a couple of hours from start to finish.

The party was excellent. We scored a huge pirate flag for the boys playing dirty Santa, and since the flag also included a Lady Nelson and the Lords LP, I’m dying to find some good vinyl craft ideas.

Know of any?

I started to go with totally awesome, a good ride, marvelous, even miraculous, but no… beyond words pretty much covers it.

What word or phrase describes your year?

This is a Best of 2009 Blog Challenge post.

Image Credit: Michelle

This Tuesday, I’m taking a break from posting tutorials and making these lovely 8 Point Origami Stars instead. The tutorial comes from Brooke and was posted at Craft & Creative last week.

Finally, a use for the filler pages from my vintage knitting magazines.

And yes, I did skip a #best09 post. I just wasn’t feeling the Day 12 prompt.

Now that that’s out of the way, on to Day 13!

Long story short, I didn’t make any changes to the place that I live this year. Since we’re on a budget, the home is the last thing we buy for and honestly, we didn’t make any additions or purchases for our home this year. But as we get closer to getting some debt paid off in 2010, I’m making it one of my big 2010 goals to do some nice things for my home so that it’s a little more cozy and a little less chaotic.

I picked up this book from the library yesterday. Abode a la Mode is full of fun crafty home decor projects and most of them use items that are inexpensive or re/upcycled. I’ll post more about the projects in detail as I complete a few of them next year. For now, check the book out from your local library or pick it up on Amazon for a couple of bucks. It’s totally worth it.

Did you make any crafty changes to your home this year? What was your best home decor project this year?

This is a Best of 2009 Blog Challenge post.

• Lovely book necklaces from The Black Spot Books
• Alyssa Ettinger’s porcelain knitware
• An interview with Heidi from Storyline Design
• A holiday tutorial from Brooke of Rightleft Studio
• New designs from ReLoved Designs

This guy right here is the best thing that has ever happened to me. He makes me laugh so much that I spew my drink out my nose. He cares so much for his family that he’s made personal sacrifices others would be hesitant to make. He has his faults, but he always means well. His heart is so good and for that and a million other reasons, I love this boy to death.

So my favorite place of 2009 is with him, wherever he happens to be.

This is a Best of 2009 Blog Challenge post.

Swoon by Silversun Pickups

A few runners-up:

It’s Blitz by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs
The Resistance by Muse
And, um, I kinda like the New Moon soundtrack

One more – maybe not best of the year, but certainly best this holiday:

Midwinter Graces by Tori Amos

What’s your favorite album of 2009?

This is a Best of 2009 Blog Challenge post.

Have you ever thought you had your life completely figured out and then suddenly the rug is pulled out from under you and everything you thought you knew to be true suddenly wasn’t true at all?

I went back to school in 2006 to finish up my degree with intentions of going to medical school. Because I grew up with my father and stepmother in the forensics field, I knew without a doubt that the only thing I wanted to do with my life was become a doctor so I could practice as a medical examiner. I consumed forensics, attending seminars and learning all that I could from books, magazines and the web. In February of this year, I had an amazing opportunity to shadow a medical examiner so I could see first-hand what I would be getting myself into.

What I experienced that day turned my world upside-down.

I didn’t have the stomach for it. It was too routine for me. I couldn’t separate myself emotionally from the process. No matter how stimulating the experience was for my mind, my soul wasn’t into it. I realized that I didn’t want this life, and suddenly it hit me… I was working so hard in school, spending time away from my family in intense study and for what?

I was completely lost. I thought I had all of this life stuff figured out. Hell, I was 30. I should have it figured out. But I so didn’t have it figured out and that frightened me to the core.

This realization forced me out of my comfort zone and sent me to the edge, to go into deep introspection and to seek my true calling. It’s all still coming together, but it’s falling quite nicely into place. I am grateful for the entire experience because it sparked a tremendous period of personal growth for me. I wouldn’t be the woman I am today without it.

What experience this year took you to the edge? In what ways did you grow from it?

This is a Best of 2009 Blog Challenge post.

Image Credit: Leah

It probably sounds terrible to most people that my moments of peace are few and far between but I have had more joy in my life this year than I’ve ever had in my entire life. I’ve learned that when moments of happiness and peace arrive, you have to relish in them. You have to allow yourself to relish in them.

Where did you find peace this year?

This is a Best of 2009 Blog Challenge post.

Image Credit: Danny Hammontree

My blog find of the year has to be The Pioneer Woman from Ree Drummond. Seriously, how did I not know about this blog before this year? When I want a glimpse of what I want for my life in a few years, this is the blog that gives me that vision. It’s eye-candy for the simple life. I just love it.

Some other finds that I haven’t mentioned previously on the blog are:

Ittybiz – marketing tips from a foul-mouthed self-proclaimed Word Nerd

Loveology – whimsical, beautiful everyday things

Share Some Candy – a must-read for creative types

And some friends:

Sharon, my sister-in-law that blogs about babies and life

Brooke, my uber-talented friend that never ceases to inspire me

What are your favorite blogs of the year? Share them in the comments!

This is a Best of 2009 Blog Challenge post.

My December 2009 intentions are:

Work

• Record 4 Rebound episodes
• Create and stick to morning routine

Life

• Eat whole foods/foods that are grown
• Complete a will and trust

Craft

• Finish Sharon’s gift

Spirituality

• Meditate & pray each morning

101 Things

• Quit coffee
• Write in cursive for an entire week

And a new series coming this Spring…

I was offered an amazing opportunity recently to work alongside a small farmer during the upcoming growing season to learn more about sustainable gardening. To say I’m super-excited is an understatement. I’m a very lucky gal, so I’ll be sharing the things I learn with you along the way. This spring, look for gardening and harvest tips on the blog. The series is yet to be named, so if you have a good idea for a name, share it in the comments!

I met with him just the other day since he picked his last harvest of peppers and he offered to share some with me.  The photo above shows fresh Anaheim & Carmen peppers on my countertop and a mix of hot peppers in the dehydrator.

Yum!

“A ridiculous God makes ridiculous people do ridiculous things.”

God is Ridiculous from Lifepoint Church on Vimeo.

This is a Best of 2009 Blog Challenge post.

At Fort Fisher, just down the road from Wilmington NC, there is a World War II bunker about a mile’s walk from the NC Aquarium. My dad used to take me and my brother to this bunker when we would visit him during the summers, and it always fascinated me. The Fort Fisher Hermit, Robert Harrill, used this bunker as his home from 1955 until his mysterious death in 1972.

The hubby and I took the boys there this summer and we had a blast. The mile walk there was a great way for us to connect and explore, and during the walk back we reflected on life as a hermit, forgetting all possessions and the pros and cons of living a solitary life. The hermit story reminds me of Into The Wild and the lesson of how, although it is idyllic in some ways to leave the world behind and live a mostly solitary vagabond life, human interaction is important for our happiness and thus our survival. It’s why I love family time so much. We need each other.

I can’t wait until next summer when we can do it again.

This is a Best of 2009 Blog Challenge post.

Shop Indie Bookstores

This is a Best of 2009 Blog Challenge post.

I’ve played it safe my entire life, but this year has been different. I’ve discovered that the path I thought my life would take was not the path I should be on at all, so I’ve taken risks that, luckily, have turned out to be a positive experience for me.

Take Rebound, for example. Creating a podcast about my family’s misfortunes and subsequent continued recovery was scary. To be judged by others is one thing, but to put yourself out there to be judged on such an intimate level is another. The hubby and I initially created the podcast to create accountability for ourselves. We never dreamed that we would inspire others and thus be inspired. Our listeners are the reason we hang in there. It’s why we come back and record each week. It’s why we continue to fight our way out of debt – we know that we’re not doing this alone.

In 2010, I’m putting myself out there even more, taking risks that I hope will pay off. If I fall on my face (and believe me, that’s always a fear), I know I will be better for it. There’s no way to live a remarkable life without taking risks. It’s part of the package.

I’m not remarkable yet. But I’m on my way.

What about you? What did you do this year that was remarkable? Leave a message in the comments and tell me about it!

This is a Best of 2009 Blog Challenge post.

I’ve discovered this year that it doesn’t take a lot of money to enjoy life. If you savor the little things, the smallest fleeting moments, that’s all that matters.

This is a Best of 2009 Blog Challenge post.