1.Tell us a little about you and your blog.

2.How and when did you start crafting?

3.How often do you craft?

4.Where do you get your inspiration?

5.What is your favorite medium to work in?

6.What is your guilty pleasure?

7.What makes you smile?

8.What is your favorite thing to do (other than crafting)?

*Tutorial made by Wendy @ Craft Goodies for her win of the Finale Round of Season 11.  To see the 1st part of this tutorial, the ruffled rug, you can find it here.*

1.Tell us a little about you and your blog.

Hi, I’m Angela! I’m a retired middle school teacher. Now I have the even cooler job of being a mother to an adorable 2 year old boy and a teeny tiny girl who will make her debut this June.

I blog over at Better Together with my two sisters. Since my sisters and I don’t live near each other, we started our blog in an effort to stay more connected. We have three very different hobbies and interests… crafting, cooking, and exercising. In an effort to learn from each other we created Better Together: A place where together we can inspire each other to try new things in hopes that we can be a little better everyday!

2.How and when did you start crafting?

I think I was a born crafter. I grew up sewing and doing cross stitch with my mother. Then I became a school teacher and my creativity shown through in decorating my classroom, and through fun class projects. Then once I become a mother it started to manifest in projects for the baby, the home, and in decorating for almost every holiday.

3.How often do you craft?

I try to complete at least one project a week.

4.Where do you get your inspiration?

I get inspiration from everywhere… Walking down the street seeing someone with a cute purse or cute outfit. Or while perusing Anthropologie or their catalog. And of course now I find it all over pinterest.

5.What is your favorite medium to work in?

I love to sew!

6.What is your guilty pleasure?

Gummy bears If it were possible to live just on gummy bears alone, I would be one happy woman.

7.What makes you smile?

My husband, my son, my daughter(coming this June), my sisters, a warm spring day, a good chick flick, chocolate, cheesecake, chocolate cheesecake And finishing a project that turns out even better than I imagined.

8.What is your favorite thing to do (other than crafting)?

Writing and traveling. I dream of one day writing a book while traveling through Europe.

Congratulations Angela on your 2nd place win!!

*You can learn more about Angela and see her season 11 projects on her bio page*

Our generous sponsors have donated a few great gifts for all your hard work.  Here is all that great stuff…

A Home Business Kit from Photo Jewelry Making , 3 PDF patterns from Yarn Blossoms Boutique, & an Art Gift Basket filled with art supplies from Twisty Noodle.

Hello my name is Melissa and I am the creator behind Yarn Blossom Boutique!  My love of crochet began as a teenager when I taught myself how to make afghans and other simple projects.  My knowledge and experience grew over the years.  However, I would go months without picking up a crochet hook because of my love to create anything crafty with my hands.  In college I studied interior design and floral design and enjoyed working in these fields, but my biggest dream came true when I became a mommy and was able to stay home with my kids (now ages 4 and 3).

I loved being a new mom, but really missed having a creative outlet.  Then I remembered how much I enjoyed crocheting and discovered it was the perfect medium for me!  I was constantly making items for my kids or friends and after being asked repeatedly if I sold my creations I began to think about starting an Etsy shop.

In March of this year I took the plunge and Yarn Blossom Boutique came into exsistance.  I LOVE creating crochet patterns.  It is the perfect design outlet for me and gives me the opportunity to share my creations with others and see them have joy in working with their hands as I do!

1.Tell us a little about you and your blog.

My name is Wendy. The short list is I’m a wife to a wonderful man that I love having around, a mom to 5 beautiful daughters, and am happily enjoying a busy life of dance lessons, soccer practices, church callings, volunteering, shop keeping, and teaching.
My blog is my outlet, a space to share the other things I love, you know, the stuff that my kids and husband don’t really want to hear about at the dinner table. It keeps me motivated to keep trying new things and helps me to feel connected to friends that are far away.

2.How and when did you start crafting?

I can’t remember a time when I haven’t been making something. My mom was a big factor in my creative growth. She was always putting us in sewing and cooking classes, kid craft clubs, giving us art kits, letting us draw on any and everything, you name it she encouraged it. And my dad is super great at woodworking. My brother didn’t come along until #5 of 6 so dad spent his time teaching us how to mow the lawn and run a power drill and scroll saw. All of my sisters are fantastically creative, you should see our holiday parties. They are B.Y.O.G.G…bring your own glue gun!

3.How often do you craft?

According to my kids, that’s all I do. I am at my saw almost daily but most of that is due to opening an etsy shop in fall of 2010 and a wonderful customer base. It has been so much fun, an incredible blessing, and it definitely keeps me busy. But as for crafting just to craft, that’s not as often. I feel like I’m always doing something. I’m one of those moms that can’t buy a treat to send to school because I had this great idea when I was strolling through the candy aisle, and store bought cupcakes? That’s just criminal!

4.Where do you get your inspiration?

Sometimes I’m just lucky and get an idea and make it work. Other times I borrow and re-create. I love browsing magazines and catalogs, walking through design and craft stores, there are a few blogs that I admit to stalking and yes, I LOVE pinterest! Seriously, how did we do this before pinterest?
I’m also really open to trying new things. If I don’t know how to do something, I’m willing and excited to learn, that opens up a lot of inspirational avenues.

5.What is your favorite medium to work in?

This is hard because I go in spurts. I love working with wood, but after a solid week of doing nothing but cutting I can’t wait to get my hands on a piece of fabric. Sometimes cake batter is the winner, and anything outside involving my yard and flowers….yeah, I can’t choose.

6.What is your guilty pleasure?

A large Sonic Cherry Dr. Pepper and Swedish fish, the little ones. Yep, that makes me happy.

7.What makes you smile?

This one is easy, being with my family–both my siblings and my own little unit. My sisters and brother are so much fun to be with, we laugh, we cry, we bash on our dad—and we leave happier because of each other. My little family is pretty similar. My girls are crazy! They are so fun to be around (most of the time) and my husband is such a great dad. Our family time is never quiet but is always memorable.

8.What is your favorite thing to do (other than crafting)?

Dance. I started at 3 and “officially” stopped just a few years ago to be home with my kiddos on a full time basis. But it’s okay, because sometimes when my girls are all at school the moves come back out…

Wouldn’t her Upholstered Bench and Ruffle Rug look great in pretty much any foyer?  I think so.

She had so many great projects this season, especially this last few weeks.  Here are a few:

You can see the rest of her great projects on her bio page.

Congratulations Wendy!!

*Tutorial by Wendy @ Craft Goodies for her win of the Hardware Store challenge of season 11*

• (8) 1/4″ flat washers

*Tutorial made by Amanda @ Simply Handmade for her win of the Kids Can Do challenge of season 11*

1. Using bits of paper, add some little details like belts, sashes, and trim. No need for it to be perfect. You don’t need a pattern….just experiment and see what works.
2. After you’ve glued down your cute dolly and added some details, cut her in half {gasp!}. You’ll need to cut her to make her a matching Betty! But she’d look equally as nice in a frame if you can’t bring yourself to do it. Use a paper cutter so that you get a nice even clean cut. I cut mine right at the waistline.
3. Line the paper up with your board and mark straight across where the cut will be.
4. Using a miter saw, saw each board at the line previously marked.
5. Mod podge your little Bettys onto each board. Give each side a good coat of the stuff!
6. Then spray each side with a clear sealer….like this:

**You can create your own doll template or you can go here to snag mine. Right click on the image and then copy and paste into your paint program (very basic I know.) increase the size according to your taste. I super sized mine by 200%.