Planet Nice Crafts

The holiday season is at a close. The holiday lights are depleted to non-existent and we are left with really dark mornings…this is so depressing sounding for Planet Nice. So, what do we need – SNOW. That’s right we need it and be careful what you wish for because for us in the Chicago area at least..we are getting it RIGHT NOW. How was your holiday season? Mine felt like a whirlwind. Soon after Halloween 2023, I took a vacation to Washington DC. What a great trip, I hadn’t been a tourist there in a very long time. The weather was warm and it wasn’t crowded. I was completely unprepared for all the walking, I had some very sore legs starting on Day 3 sightseeing. There are a few trip pictures AND my final drawing project posted on Planet Nice Odyssey  (I know, relentless branding). Here are additional trip photos: Tadeusz Kościuszko statue near the White House The Lincoln Memorial - how could one not be moved by this hallowed place? First thing in the morning at the National Museum ...

Hello Everyone! I hope you have thrived in at least one way during this hot summer. The summer that had kick in it until yesterday?  Now on to Fall or Autumn. All is well here; some extra self-care was required because allergies were worse than in previous years. But there is nothing wrong with more self-care. Not much free time devoted to crafts except for a session on repair work that had been stacking up. What has been happening and this is the big REVEAL is the development of PLANET NICE ODYSSEY (PNO) on Etsy. YES! Okay this is not official yet as I haven't signed up, but I'm getting there. What is this new adventure? I haven’t exactly drafted a mission statement but in macro terms I would say it is a presentation of craft materials, goods, and experiences/services by the practitioner of Planet Nice Crafts, me. The purpose of this blog and PNO is to share my adventures in crafts with some baking, gardening, jigsaw puzzles, reading, and other hobbies of necessity (plumbi...

Hello Everyone! I hope everyone is staying safe and sane. Since the last post, temperatures have warmed up, the sun is higher in the sky, and the trees have flowered and are now almost in full leaf. This is significant as there is not much natural light filtering to the workspace now but the trees do keep the temperatures cool. What hasn’t changed is facial mask production. At the time of this post, 180 masks have been completed with another 25 waiting to be sewn. This is a picture of the last drop off a couple weeks ago. The actual sewing is going well. It has been interesting to handle so many different fabrics from iron clad cotton (perhaps due to high thread count?) to stretchy knits that I think are the most comfortable to the standard, reliable quilting or bedding cotton and cotton/poly blends. There was an opportunity to take a pause from the masks to sew up some pillowcases. Pillowcases are a standard beginner level sewing project and I have been sewing them...