Music · Feature · Fun · MainelyDIY Full Disclosure

Take your playing to the next level

Two Accessories that you didn’t know You absolutely need.

Music Theory Made Easy.

Ever wonder why certain things sound great together and others sound sour? It has to do which the science of music. Simply put music theory. But who wants to learn a lot of theory? This tool takes all of the work out of it. Displays not only the chords that make up the key but also:

  • the relative position from the root chord
  • the notes that make up the chords
  • which notes are sharp or flat
  • suggested chord progressions

If you play in jam sessions with people and it seems they want to change the key from what you have music for, then this is the perfect solution.

Best of all is the education available from the manufacturer.

By the way jams are undoubtedly the best way your to improve your playing. Why? You get to see and hear what others you envy are doing. Learn from them. You likely are doing something that they admire. Teaching is also learning.

Plus it’s great fun!

Accessory #2

Who knows all the chord shapes? You don’t have to with these. In addition to the chord reference chart, all the notes on the fret board are laid out. The circle of fifths is a nice added bonus.

It’s helpful to have one of these charts for each instrument you play or are learning to play. Especially at a jam where you may be playing multiple instruments or brought an instrument other then your primary instrument. Also great when trying out a new instrument you think you want to get into.

Yes you can learn CAN play multiple instruments. It’s Excellent for your brain health!

These chord reference charts are made from heavy and sturdy card stock. Tip: I laminated mine to protect them from spills and increase their lifespan.

MainelyDIY Full Disclosure · Feature · Fiber - Yarn & Needle Crafts · Knit

Learn to Knit Series – Knit Stitch

Now that you have cast your stitches onto your needles, it’s time to learn the knit stitch!



Tips


  • Over tightening stitches will make it difficult and frustrating to knit.
  • Aim for consistency. It will come with practice.

Congratulations you just learned two new stitches. That’s right 2 new stitches! The knit stitch of course and by repeating the knit stitch over and over, row after row you also learned the garter stitch. Who’d a thought – a two-fer.

The Garter Stitch creates a fun bumpy texture. We particularly like that bumpy texture for dish clothes as it makes cleaning dishes easier. Look for our video on dish clothes coming soon!


Affiliate disclosurePlease read before purchasing products from links


Gnomes · Christmas · Feature · Fiber - Yarn & Needle Crafts · Holiday · MainelyDIY Full Disclosure

Legendary Tale of Jingles the Gnome

Come read all about the story of Jingles the Gnome, soon to become a Christmas legend or at least folklore.

You have heard of the Island of misfit toys, right? Well, Jingles the Gnome has been hiding deep in the darkest forest. You see just like Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer was ashamed of his shiny nose, Jingles the Gnome was ashamed of his shiny nose too! Not because it glowed but because it makes a lot of jingly jangly noise. Gnomes are supposed to be stealthy so they can sneaky up on you especially when you are being naughty.

Just like Rudolph, Jingles discovers that his special shiny nose can do something no other gnome can do. He can turn the naughty to nice. But how? He starts jingling and jangling and pretty soon everyone is enticed to sing along. And who a can be naughty when rocking along to Jingle’s hit version of Jingle Bells!

So simple Jingles the Gnome takes only minutes to make. No sewing, not even glue is required to make him. He does have a secret ingredient to make him stand up but you will need to watch the video to reveal Jingle’s secret.

More Gnomes



      Prices subject to change. As participants in affiliate programs, we may earn small commissions on products and services linked in our blog/website. There is NO additional cost to you however it gives us a boost and allows us to continue to provide you with easy link access to items we use. We are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and the Cricut affiliate program. An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to products and service of affiliated sites.

Gnomes · Christmas · Feature · Holiday · MainelyDIY Full Disclosure · Other Crafts · Sew-Quilt

Gnomes Really Do Grow on Trees

Gnomes are good luck. Some live underground and protect the ground, especially minerals and buried treasures. Others protect gardens and livestock. And the special woodland gnomes protect the forest. They have become so integral to tree live that they literally grow from the trees and are attired with buffalo plaid hats.

Don’t believe me? Check it out for yourself!

Print pattern full sized on 8 1/2″ by 11″ paper. Can’t sew? Use glue from hat as an alternative.



      Prices subject to change. As participants in affiliate programs, we may earn small commissions on products and services linked in our blog/website. There is NO additional cost to you however it gives us a boost and allows us to continue to provide you with easy link access to items we use. We are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and the Cricut affiliate program. An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to products and service of affiliated sites.

Gnomes · Christmas · Feature · MainelyDIY Full Disclosure · Paper Crafts

Get over 25 Bonus Images

plus Gnome for the Holidays Reveal

You found the perfect card stock or paper package. Using this cool tip I was able to get nearly 30 extra images from my package. And if you would like to see just what comes in the featured pack, then look no further.

Did you see the ceramic blade I used of cutting? I absolutely love these. They last almost forever. You can go from paper to quilting cloth with ever changing the blade. And it is really hard to cut yourself but accident.



      Prices subject to change. As participants in affiliate programs, we may earn small commissions on products and services linked in our blog/website. There is NO additional cost to you however it gives us a boost and allows us to continue to provide you with easy link access to items we use. We are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and the Cricut affiliate program. An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to products and service of affiliated sites.

MainelyDIY Full Disclosure · Christmas · Feature · Fun · Holiday · Special Occassions

Give the Ultimate Holiday Gift, The Gift of Music, a Ukulele

Whether your a seasoned player, a beginner, a want-a-be, or your child is interest in playing, we picked out a great ukulele. One of the most important things is to start with a good instrument as it is frustrating when an instrument won’t stay in tune or has other issues. Everybody wants to have success at playing and make beautiful music.

How come ukuleles make a great gifts? They are almost magically. For a child, it can a hobby that lasts and is never outgrown. They say as we age we should learn new things. This makes a ukulele an ageless gift. Ukuleles are little and relatively small in both size and price, yet they can bring joy that endures a lifetime.

You wondering why with a recommend a this Flight Salamander Ukulele? Sweet sound, great looks and durability at a good price to boot.

The majority of this instrument is made from ABS. What is that? Well it is plastic. This is Flight’s specialty and they don’t apologize for it not should they. Because is has an ABS body, neck, and fret board it is durable and not subject to changes in humidity which can wreak havoc on wood instruments. These two factors make it perfect for travel. We take ours everywhere. Another advantage is that because it is molded plastic you get consistently good instrument every time.

Features

The top is a walnut laminate that is not only a beautiful wood to look but also has bright tone- some says as bright as Koa. Koa is considered the best as it is the authentic wood of Hawaiian ukuleles. The sound hole features salamanders.

The body is arched which gives lets the sound resonate freely and have more volume than most other ukuleles of the same size. The body has a nice texture to it making it easy to grip. There is even a strap button.

Since the neck is ABS, it won’t warp with the weather. The finger board has a nice faux wood grain. The frets will never be sharp.

The zero fret and bridge construction give this ukulele a low action. A low action means the players doesn’t need to press hard making it perfect for the beginner and those whose hands find higher actions difficult to play due to finger strength. The construction keeps the tone consistent as well.



      Prices subject to change. As participants in affiliate programs, we may earn small commissions on products and services linked in our blog/website. There is NO additional cost to you however it gives us a boost and allows us to continue to provide you with easy link access to items we use. We are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and the Cricut affiliate program. An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to products and service of affiliated sites.

Cricut · Feature · Fun · MainelyDIY Full Disclosure

Jazzy Snazzy Musical Pizzazz

Are you bored with the plain look of your stringed instrument?  Why not jazz it up and make it your own snazzy piece?  We drew our inspiration from the Mandy Harvey Learn to Play Signature Series Ukulele from Kala brand.  Start this do it yourself project with a nice sounding yet inexpensive ukulele or instrument of your choice and you can create your own personalized version at a fraction of the price. 

One of a Kind Ukulele or Guitar

We cut the adhesive backed vinyl for this project with our Cricut. Click the Cricut banner to get your supplies. Learn how to design and make the Sound Hole Decal


Mitchell MU40C

We used a Mitchell concert sized ukulele for this project. The model number is MU40C. It is easy to play right out of the box. A lot of schools buy Mitchell products to teach kids so you know they have to be durable. It stays in tune and has a nice sound. Check out the sound in this video and note I’d only been playing for a couple of months.

Learn more about selecting a uke

Inspiration

This beautiful Kala Tenor Ukulele – the Mandy Harvey Learn to Play Signature Series – gave us the idea to decorate one of your ukuleles. Certainly if you can afford a Kala uke – Go for it!



      Prices subject to change. As participants in affiliate programs, we may earn small commissions on products and services linked in our blog/website. There is NO additional cost to you however it gives us a boost and allows us to continue to provide you with easy link access to items we use. We are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and the Cricut affiliate program. An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to products and service of affiliated sites.

Cricut · Feature · Hacks & Tips · MainelyDIY Full Disclosure · Paper Crafts

It’s Good to be Tacky!

Make Cricut Mats Sticky Again

Has your cutting mat lost its stickiness and just isn’t tacky enough? Whether it’s a Cricut, Silhouette, other another brand, chances are it is just dirty.  Watch this quick instructional video to learn how to easily rejuvenate those dirty mats with our simple and fast cleaning hack. 

You will save tons of money with this tip as it will extend the life of your cutting mats several times over.

Surprisingly once the cutting mat has been cleaned, the adhesive properties magically reappear.  We are using everyday household products that you have on hand for this process. 



      Prices subject to change. As participants in affiliate programs, we may earn small commissions on products and services linked in our blog/website. There is NO additional cost to you however it gives us a boost and allows us to continue to provide you with easy link access to items we use. We are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and the Cricut affiliate program. An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to products and service of affiliated sites.

Fun · Feature · MainelyDIY Full Disclosure · Paper Crafts · Special Occassions

Pencil in Time to Play Games

Pencil games never go out of style. In our Library you will find three FREE printable pencil games. Each game board in complete with game instructions. Since saving trees and reducing trash is so important for the planet’s environmental health, we thought making these games reusable would be a terrific idea. Check out this video to see how we created the reusable feature with commonly available items.

These games are not only fun to play; they make excellent gifts for the kids and everyone who is young at heart!

The classic trio of games are Tic-Tac-Toe, Triangles, and Boxes (aka Dots)



      Prices subject to change. As participants in affiliate programs, we may earn small commissions on products and services linked in our blog/website. There is NO additional cost to you however it gives us a boost and allows us to continue to provide you with easy link access to items we use. We are participants in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program and the Cricut affiliate program. An affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to products and service of affiliated sites.

MainelyDIY Full Disclosure · Feature

Blogger of the Week

We are delighted and honored to be featured as FaveCrafts’ blogger of the week. The timing is a perfect way for us to celebrate our very first anniversary of this website!

Be sure to check out all we have to offer.

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