totes

If you are on my Christmas list, look away. I have plans on making totes and filling them up with goodies. I am determined not to buy any fabric for them and to only use what I already have or recycle other things. Here are a few that I have finished and they are so simple. I will write up the directions if anyone wants them. They are all a different version of this tote.

st.james art fair

me and melissa

The first weekend in October is great for a lot of reasons, but one of the ones I look forward to the most is the St.James Art Fair held in downtown Louisville. The art is beautiful - some (most) a bit pricey, but always thrilling to look at. I went without any children (it's not too stroller friendly) and it was wonderful. I picked up a trinket from here to match the ones I bought last year, but mostly I just enjoyed good company and atmosphere.

i need some guidance

Sometimes appliques are easy for me and sometimes I get an idea in my head and just start cutting without any guidance. Yeah, that means they don't always turn out how I planned. That's the issue with this rocket - if it even looks like one. But, I am sending it to a new little baby anyway hoping that he thinks it's a rocket!!! Or at least his mom will think it's a rocket and not a crayon on fire!

Oh, and I can't decide if this seal onesie and pants is for a boy or a girl. The pants are a muted red, but with a big cuff. So, can a boy pull this off and not look too feminine? Or can a girl wear this and look girly enough. I might need to add some rick rack to the cuff. Let me know if it should belong to a boy or a girl - please.

pumpkin cookies

When I was a freshman in college I received a care package. It was from my friend's mom and inside were these cookies. I didn't think they would taste as good as they do. They are the best pumpkin cookies I have ever had and yesterday I broke down and made some. It was the first day that was actually crisp. So these are a great start to an entire season of baking.

Pumpkin Cookies - from Helena Woidka
2 c. sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix in bowl and set aside. In a large bowl cream together:
1 c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 c. canned pumpkin

Add 1 egg, 1 tsp. vanilla, and 1/2 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Add flour mixture.

Drop on a greased sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

Glaze:
Heat to boiling and boil 2 minutes -
3 Tbs. butter
4 Tbs. milk
1/2 c. brown sugar

Stir constantly.

Cool and add 1/2 cup powder sugar and 3/4 tsp. vanilla. Glaze cookies

Makes 2 dozen.

Dollhouse Frock GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

Dollhouse Frock GIVEAWAY !!!!!!!

scary ghosts

My boys and I have done this for a few years now. I recruited Gage this time (since he is not in school) to help me make his feet in to ghosts. We just used black construction paper and white paint. I painted the bottom of his foot and we stamped it on the paper. We cut them out and Gage added the googly eyes and mouths with a black pen. A few days later he decided that we needed some more, so this time Mallory and I added our feet in to the mix. I am not sure what Mallory thought even though Gage kept saying, "doesn't it tickle girl?" She didn't have any defining expression, but she let me paint her foot anyways. I only did one because my foot took up most of the paper and Gage told me to leave room for more of his feet on it! This one is so easy and fun to do.

randoms

photo from Country Living Magazine

I was reading my October Country Living and found this article about persimmons. Those little guys are all over my back yard from the big windstorm we had here last week from Hurricane Ike. We get them every Fall and I found the tree where they came from. So, it looks like we have a persimmon tree. The article says they are great to eat, so I think I will be trying those out. We already have raspberries that my four year old goes out to harvest (puts all in his mouth) every day and now if he knows that there is even more to eat in his own backyard, I think he will be overjoyed.


I made a tote for my mother in law for her birthday that was on Monday. She works as a house sitter in a model home and usually reads her mail, balances her check book, reads magazines, etc. So, I wanted something she could tote those back and forth in.

On Monday I tried to open up some pictures from my external hard drive and it kept saying it couldn't because of a corrupt file. I became a mess. We tried to hook it up to the lap top and it said the same thing. Okay, all my friends have been having computers crash and external hard drives go crazy on them and now it was my turn. I had been in the process of backing up all my photos on line too and I was only up to March 2008, so I was panicked. Thanks to my sweet computer literate brother in law and my husband, those photos are back. But, now I am backing up the back ups!


I have been watching the long PBS version of Pride and Prejudice while I have been crafting (and supposed have been working out) this week. I have the more recent version with Keira Knightly and love it. But, there is nothing like the older version with Collin Firth. The looks he and Elizabeth give each other are to die for. You can't beat all the build up that goes in to that relationship. Oh, I love that movie.


Check out this cool drawing by Boston (age 6) that he wanted to take in to art class at school and show his teacher. Love that lion.

playing with actions

I am trying out a few things Photoshop has to offer and I think I am in love with actions. Here are a few from Coffee Shop Photography. She writes actions for both Photoshop and Elements which the ones for Elements are harder to find because they take a little tweaking. She has some great ones for free!

nie nie benefit sale

Go here today and tomorrow to buy crafted beauties to benefit the Nielson family. I put a few things in (onesies with little lounge pants) and there are a whole lot of other very crafty items for sale. It starts today (Tuesday) at 10am pst and goes through tomorrow. Read here if you need more information!

pillowcases

What to do with the pillowcase collection I have founded lately? I tried this bag from Martha Stewart and it's cute, but very lazy dayish.Like, you couldn't carry anything too heavy in it, but really cute if you want to throw in a lunch for a picnic. Then, I wanted to make a tote. And as a wise woman once told me (my mother in law), "You can never have too many totes." And since I agree with that, I made this one. The pillowcase was well worn and soft, so I fused heavy craft interfacing on to the back of the outside fabric (the pillowcase). I added some yo yos as well. I love it and can't wait to pass it on to someone who needs one more tote!

cute stuff from burda style

I love all the patterns at Burda Style and this is a new pattern for little girls. Check it out. Photo via Burda Style

good ones from martha

Here are a few of the great ideas from Martha Stewart's website that I want to try soon and I think others should try too:

pillow case bag
reversible purse
kids' bath mits
cute luggage tags
glove animals

i think i've got this down

Yeah, a few adjustments to this (which is this) and I am loving it. In case you're wondering, I added 3 inches to the bottom on the bag on the length, 1 inch to the top of the strap, 1 inch on each side of the bag (only to the pink and brown one, so 2 inches total in width), and the interfacing - which is fusible medium weight and added to the outside and lining fabrics. More pockets and a magnetic snap. So, basically, it's the bare bones of the bag with a twist. The floral bag is for a dear friend and the pink and brown Amy Butler fabric is mine. I have been hanging on to this Amy Butler print for awhile waiting for the perfect project. But, if you wait for the perfect one you will never use the fabric and you have to use it with one you think is pretty darn good instead.

fabric covered magnet strips and magnets

I bought these magnet strips at IKEA for $1 and told the friends that I was with that all you had to do was cover them in fabric and they would be so cute. Well, it was time to make that happen. So, here's how I did it -
this is what you need along with light weight fusbile interfacing.


First, cut fabric to size (1 inch excess all the way around). Cut light weight iron on interfacing the same size as the fabric and iron on to the back of fabric.


Next, brush a coat of Mod Podge on the front and back of magnet strip. Lay the fabric on and fold over the back, smoothing the front of the fabric as you go.


Then, slather more Mod Podge all over the entire strip and fabric adding 3 or 4 coats and letting it dry in between each one.


Done!

Now for those magnets -


You'll need these things - covered buttons, magnets, quick drying glue, and wire snips.


Cover the buttons - my favorites are the jumbo size.


Snip off the back metal loops (I am sure there is a correct term for these, but I don't know it!)


Finally, glue the magnet on the back.


The End.

flea market

Since school has started for the two eldest children in the family, the young ones and I have set up some swaps and playgroups with friends. I called my husband after leaving both my 4 and 1 year old at a friend's house and said that I hadn't been alone in the car in the daytime since I used to go to my OB appointments. And, those can't be counted as alone time because you are touched way too much to call it that! First thing I wanted to do was go out to eat with a friend, which I did. Oh, so nice. Second, go to a place where I don't want to take wiggly people *that would be the 1 and 4 year old*. The flea market! These were a few of the finds I came home with. I am thinking the pillow cases and sheets will be more lounge pants and baby pants. The patterns (there were a ton to pick from) were just a whim. I did pick the three out that I would most like to see my Mallory in. We'll just have to see.

books, etc.

Today we got our book from our mini book swap partner. I don't have their blog address, so I will have to go traditional and send a hand written thank you. It's this book - Time of Wonder by Robert McCloskey We haven't read it before and Trevor, who is 9, is really excited about it. It looks wonderful. We sent them My Lucky Day, which is my boys' favorite book. I love it too. I love when I like to read the book we choose as much as they like to hear it. I picked up this book which has some awfully cute ideas for baby gifts. I especially love the circus animals and it gives me more ideas for my onesies, which is what inspired this job -
*ps - check out my friend, Jen's, very cute rag time baby quilt tutorial.

trying a new bag

I have always wanted to try this bag at tiny happy. I did with some scrap fabric from my family room curtains. I love the shape of it and it was so easy to make. I just want to make it deeper and the strap a bit longer so that I can where it like a messenger bag. And, the continuous debate - to add interfacing or not. So, the next bag will probably be deeper and a bit stronger with interfacing. I'll get on that right away!

Nie Nie Day

As many of you know, Stephanie of the blog, Nie Nie Dialogues and her husband have been in a terrible plane crash. Many bloggers are participating in Design Mom's auction tomorrow for fundraising purposes. Their recovery will be long and expensive and any help will be appreciated. You can go to Design Mom's blog bright and early tomorrow and see what there is to bid on. Or, you can participate at One More Moore's blog where Morgan is collecting hand made items and such to sell at a benefit to be held September 23rd and 24th on etsy. Whether you are bidding or donating, any help can only be appreciated by those involved in the Nielson's recovery. I wish their family the very best.

birthday gift

Now when my kids get invitations to birthday parties I get so excited because I want to come up with something to make. Of course, this is a bit challenging when my 9 and 6 year old boys have parties, but I am trying. Freezer paper stencils and Pokemon characters usually fit the bill in those cases. It's really great when they get invited to little girl parties. I guess I get selfish and don't even give them the opportunity to pick something out at the store, but start making something right away and show them what they are giving their friend. Yeah, I need to at least involve them in the process, don't I? This was for Gage's little friend, Anna, and it was so much fun to make. I just took one of the aprons I bought for my kids a long time ago and traced the pattern and then lined it as well. I wanted to find little kitchen utensils to go inside the pocket, but ended up with just a whisk and measuring spoons. My mom made me one of these when I was about 6 or 7 and I LOVED the mini utensils that she had in the pockets. Now, I am just trying to spread that love.

cherry dress

My mother in law was cleaning out her basement and found her stash of fabric. She showed it all to me and told me to take whatever I want. How do you tell a collector of fabric to take whatever she wants and expect her to not look greedy? I just tried to play it cool and really just take a few pieces. One of the fabrics was this cherry print. I used part of a Simplicity pattern (the same one I used for this dress) for the top, but made the elastic smaller since it was a 2T pattern and I wanted her to wear it now. I eliminated the ruffle at the bottom, lengthened it, added a band, and a pocket. It came out pretty much like I hoped and it was SIMPLE - key for me.