Oh, hi!

Welcome, fellow craft enthusiasts! I’m Jane and I do crafts. Lots of crafts. Any craft I can get my hands on! (Except for string art. That … that was a bit of a disaster that I’m not planning to revisit.) If I can mold it, sculpt it, fold it, bake it, paint it, decorate it, knot it, knit it, or otherwise make it, I want to do it!

I have been a crafty little bitch since I was first able to hold a crayon in my fat toddler fist. My mom loved to teach her five kids everything she knew, and help us all learn anything else we wanted to try. Our whole family is crafty or artsy in some way and we all love to create and give handmade gifts as often as possible. My home’s walls are filled with original artwork from my husband, three brothers, sister, sisters-in-law, mom, dad, aunts, and friends. If it sounds like I’m bragging, it’s because I am! I love being surrounded by handmade items, things that people took the time to craft, to create, to mold into something that’s truly one-of-a-kind.

What You’ll See Here

I like to do a little bit of everything, and I love to be chatty (just ask any of those people listed above), so I’m excited to talk about the things I make! My favorite crafts are sewing, embroidery and cross stitch, knitting, sculpting, and painting. I also love to bake and cook, decorate my house, and garden.

And what kind of style can you expect to see? That’s gonna be hard to pin down. The cashier at the Dollar Tree called me a “Halloween spirit” the other day (I was wearing a tank top and shorts and it’s July, so I choose to believe he just knew), which I took as the highest form of compliment. I’m a true fall girlie, drinking pumpkin spice flavored coffees the second I can get my hands on them, knitting scarves, carving jack o lanterns, watching horror movies, and setting up for my annual Halloween party. You’re gonna be shocked by this: I also love Christmas (and Thanksgiving, and the summer, plus spring, and I even like some things about the winter). I am a sucker for 90s music and general nostalgia, cute animals, goofy pop culture references, and nature.

How Complicated Will These Projects Be?

I’m gonna be honest here: I’m pretty much self-taught in everything I do. Sure, my mom taught me the basics of sewing, baking, and knitting; my Aunt Nettie set me on my way for plastic canvas; my husband is a huge help when I’m trying to figure out more intricate cooking techniques; and my sister and brothers have given me a lot of tips for painting and drawing. But, for the most part, I’m a feet first jumper. When I see something I’m excited to try, I’m off to the craft store for supplies, and I’m usually working on it until I get it right.

So, sometimes I’m gonna have ideas that feel pretty basic. And other times, what seemed “easy” to me will feel like I’m taking crazy pills to someone who hasn’t tried that medium before. I will try my best to give a good indication of what you need to know before you go with any of my instructions, and I will always give a good detailed list of what supplies you’ll need.

The most important thing to me is that crafting/making/creating is FUN! I love nothing more than to be sitting on the couch, watching trashy tv, and making something with my bare hands. I think beauty is found in imperfection, and I’m never too worried about things looking perfect. Perfection is made with machines. Humans make art, and art is oftentimes a little wonky!

Quick Facts About Me

• I’ve been married to my best friend Chris since 2013
• I live in a little house on the Jersey Shore
• I am a pretty good outside gardener, but I have terrible luck with houseplants
• I read a lot, and I absolutely judge books by their covers
• My favorite video game of all time is Earthbound for SNES
• I have been told by Spotify that I’m in the top 1% of Incubus listeners for like six years in a row, and every year I’m convinced that I don’t listen to them that much
• I could eat peanut butter every single day
• I could also eat cheese every single day, and it’s actually pretty rare that a day goes by where I haven’t
• I went to a STEM high school for engineering, got my college degree in special education, and became a certified cosmetologist, but my real career began when I opened up a business selling my artwork on greeting cards, nail decals, and other cute little products
• As evidenced above, I have a hard time settling down
• Pizza and bagels are better in New Jersey, and I will not be taking questions
• I have an encyclopedic knowledge of the Babysitters Club universe
• My dream travel destination is Yellowstone National Park

So Anyway

Welcome, welcome, and I hope you find some fun things to check out while you’re here! Follow me on Instagram @thatjanecrafts or send an email to thatjanedesigns@gmail.com