Maybe You Can HAVE It All, But You Can't DO It All - Work Smarter, Not Harder Part II - why the right tools matter

I bet you thought I had forgotten all about my Work Smarter, Not Harder series, didn't you?

(tell the truth, we're all friends here and I don't blame you because I have been known to leave these series posts hanging out forever for a long time)

When I sat down to write Part II which I had so smartly labeled "Tools" and "Delegation" I realized I had absolutely no idea where I was going with these topics and am certainly no kind of expert on either.

(not that this has ever stopped me before)

So, I will be just dive into tools right now and save delegation for next week when we will chat about all things delegatable.

(and if you have anyone in your life besides you, you totally have someone to delegate to, and if they actually live with you, well, then they totally have to do what you tell them to do and there are lots of ways to make this happen that don't involve the use of any weaponry on your part - really)

TOOLS OF THE TRADE

OK, the first thing I want to say about tools because I do not know your specific little enterprise is that being a maker, you should make yourself aware of what tools are out there for you.

For a long time (until last month)

I used a hand drill for all kinds of things when a drill press would have worked so much better.

Now, hubby has a huge drill press in his shop and I use that one for my lockets, but everything else, and I make alot of little everything else's, I drilled in my own studio with a hand drill.

When I finally broke down and bought a smaller drill press for my studio

(about the cost of a dinner out- why I waited so long I have no idea - other than I thought it would be too messy in the studio and I have no space - but once I got serious and created some space and figured out I could just set the damn thing in a cardboard box lid to make sawdust cleanup easier I bought one)

I saved time.

When I spent half a day making jigs and templates for everything I drill consistently in the same place I saved alot of time.


I think partly because hubby is such a big proponent of having the proper

(and most expensive - ugh, yes, our retirement plan is entirely pieced together with Snap On hand tools and large machinery that need to be continually "updated")

tools and because I am such a pro-recycler and re-purposer, I have always leaned toward the "make do" aspect of tool purchasing.

The truth is though that if you are a professional person running a professional business you need the right tools - the best you can afford - don't raid the kids' college funds now, but wire wrapping your beads with the wrong needle nose pliers is not the way to go.

The other tools I recently purchased are a headset for my studio phone - no more running to the phone, I have the headset around my neck and the phone itself clipped to my pocket, and an answering machine that announces the name of the caller out loud (so I know who to ignore answer). Both are great time savers.

(I may be the only person left with a landline, but there could be some way you can use tools to avoid distractions, too)

If you have an Etsy shop there are tons of time-saving downloads out there and I will post about them next time.

(I really promise to do this - pinky swear and all that jazz)

In the meantime maybe start thinking about your own studio tools and check out what time saving new (or new to you) stuff might be out there.

**power drill tea towels by girlscantell and I do all my own stunts embroidery machine design by funkeedesigns**

GIVEAWAY - GoodKarma - Gorgeous Hand Dyed Hemp Oven Mitt! CLOSED


AND THE WINNER IS Penelope Stitch Shop!

True Random Number Generator (random.org)

Min: 1
Max: 231
Result:
211

Good Karma is the amazing eco-friendly shop of compulsive crafter Bren from Wisconsin!

Bren has been sewing for about 9 years (5 professionally). She loves recycling and vintage fabrics. She hand dyes with low-impact dyes and amazing colors.

Bren also loves dill pickles, Bob Marley, and manatees.

(I for one can totally see the dill pickle influence in her work!)

We are so lucky to have one of her amazing pieces for this week's giveaway!


WHAT YOU GET:

One lucky winner will receive this gorgeous handmade hemp and organic cotton oven mitt!




HOW TO WIN:

Visit Good Karma and check out her amazing work - then come back here and leave a comment letting Bren know which piece is your favorite!

For additional entries:

(5) Twitter this post
(5) Blog about this contest; linking to this post
(5) Follow my blog

Let me know if you have done these things so I can give you additional entries. This contest is open to everyone.

DRAWING:
Enter by midnight, Sunday, November 14th! CLOSED Good Luck!

Friday Finds - EcoEtsy Giveaway - Week 1 - You Wear It Well - don't miss this one!

Make sure to pop over to the EcoEtsy team blog and enter the first of several green holiday giveaways - it is easy to enter and one lucky winner will receive a handmade prize package worth $263.00! It is HERE

Upcycled Tutorial - T-Shirt Magnet Board - Recycled Holiday Gift Countdown

This week kicks off my 2nd annual holiday recycled handmade gift tutorial countdown to Christmas!

(say that two times fast, will ya)

A favorite easy peasy gift I like to make for people are magnetboards created from their favorite old t-shirts!

You can use any size frame for this - you can even make sets of framed magnetboards from the same t-shirt.

You will need:

1 t-shirt
1 piece of sheetmetal from the hardware/home improvement store- the thinner the better
1 frame
staple gun, scissors, marker, sheetmetal cutters (heavy duty scissors can be used, too)

1. mark sheetmetal using the paper template inside your frame
2. cut sheetmetal to size
3. cut t-shirt about 1" larger than template on each size
3. place the corrugated cardboard that came with your frame behind the sheetmetal and stretch the tshirt over top
4. staple the tshirt to the cardboard (the sheetmetal should be directly under the t-shirt)
5. slip it into your frame

You will just need to add some favorite magnets (and if you follow my blog and need up to 3 magnet lids - you will just have to glue a magnet to each - just email me through the contact link at right with your address and what you would like on them - here I have used some favorite Dylan lyrics - I will pop them in the mail to you for free).



More recycled tutorials here including last year's gift countdown!

And if you want to hold onto your own t's- it is hard for me to part with mine- you can find some amazing recycled t's for sale on Etsy:

1. recycled rug by talking squid
2. recycled flowers by marang97
3. recycled bracelet by AnnDoraCraft
4. recycled necklace by kewpiedolly
5. zjayne's amazing recycled wristlets