A Crafty Escape

Pretty Soup Cans

2012-01-30T04:46:00.003-05:00

These pretty soup cans are where my daughter will be storing the countless coloring supplies she received for her birthday and Christmas this year. We spread the word that her favorite thing to do was color and our family and friends obliged. She has every kind of coloring pencil that exists and we needed a way to organize them. Enter my new obsession, Pinterest and I present you my inspiration pieces: tin can desk organizers and embellished cans.

I had to change the process a bit to use what I had which is how I like to craft. After cleaning the cans I spray painted the the inside and borders with pink spray paint. Once that dried I applied leftover scrapbook paper with spray adhesive.

My daughter had a blast organizing all her pencils in her new pretty cans. I now need to make her some baskets for the little things that all girls collect. I also would like to do a small can (think tuna) for her paperclips and erasers.

This is a cereal box covered in scrapbook paper that I made to hold her magazines. The paper I used was very thin and bubbled up. I'm not happy with how it looks but need to wait until they finish the current box of cereal to make a new one. My daughter was able to look past the bubbles and had to have it on her desk when she saw it. I guess it's ok for now although every time I see it I think #craftfail. Thank you for stopping by, I hope you like our pretty soup cans!

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BlogHer Book Club: Why Women Need Fat

2012-01-12T21:58:00.005-05:00

Why Women Need Fat is a book written by a former assistant surgeon general and an anthropologist that will change how you look at food for the rest of your life. Their theory is that we have it all wrong and that in fact the things we are doing to lose weight are increasing the number on the scale. The authors compare populations across the world and realize that the US has implemented a lot of changes based on faulty research and the obesity rate has increased. On the other hand other countries have left their nutrition untouched and their populations are stable with no obesity epidemic.

The authors identify the need for healthy facts for organ systems to function including the brain. This is not a new idea but they chose to present it in a different, more effective, manner. They then go into detail about where the excess weight goes and why that is the case. And lastly they give us the tools necessary to each reach our healthy weight by eating like our ancestors.

The last part of the book goes through a detailed list of food groups and explains how each should be approached. There are several things that are surprising such as the fact that butter is healthier than margarine. Perhaps the most important thing to note in this section is the need to decrease Omega-6 and increase Omega-3. Several tips are provided regarding how to achieve this so that the readers don’t feel lost. The rest of the tips are more common and include a lot of natural, un-processed foods.

Please join me at the BlogHer Book Club page HERE for more discussions about this book.

This was a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

Monogrammed Tote Bag

2012-01-08T19:53:00.010-05:00

These monogrammed totes, inspired by TidyMom, have been all the rage on Pinterest for a while now. I initially had wanted to make my own tote and then monogram them but ran out of time. So what you see here are totes purchased at JoAnn's that I monogrammed following TidyMom's tutorial here.

What initially drew me to these is the black & white look- I love it! The ease of this tutorial can't be beat, I made both in less than 30 minutes. Patience is key because you want to make sure to cover all the spaces created by the doily. I used a small round sponge brush from the dollar store and it helped me get good coverage.

In my circle of friends we are all using reusable bags these days. I made these totes for two of my friends who are some of the busiest people I know. I figured they would appreciate something made for them that they could distinguish from all the other grocery/kid bags in the car.

Once the paint dried I bundled them up and tied them up with a big bow. As you can see I also included a key fob. As you know, I love making these. There is nothing I love more than making gifts for my family and friends!

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Mug Rug

2011-12-11T20:00:00.011-05:00

Living far away from family means your close friends essentially become your family away from home. Our close knit group of friends started to gather for the holidays a couple of years ago and it's one of my favorite traditions. The kids love spending time together almost as much as the adults do! We enjoy planning the menu, coming up with crafts for the kids and organizing gift exchanges. This year we started a new secret santa tradition and the kids pulled names from a hat and got each other books. We had them inscribe the books to each other and got teary eyed when they each read what the others had written. I love making presents for my girlfriends and decided to make them each a monogrammed mug and a quilted mug rug. I've seen these on Pinterest (yes, I'm addicted too! Follow me!) and was dying to make some.

The mugs are plain white mugs that I got at the Dollar Store. I loved the look of them as they reminded me of these ones that I love from Pottery Barn. I have had my eye on the Emma Monogrammed Mug since getting the catalog and I knew that I could create an easy copykat DIY version with ease.

One Dollar Store Mug + Porcelain Marker = Copykat Emma Monogrammed Mug. I did my best to free hand each initial and then followed the instructions on the marker which required 24 hours to dry and then a quick 30 minute bake in the oven to set the ink.

Then came the fun part, the mug rugs! I followed THIS tutorial which was wonderful. I had never done any sewing of this sort and I was able to complete three mug rugs in about an hour.

I had a really fun time picking out the fabrics and then deciding what order to put them in.

I decided not to quilt the main part of the mug rug and instead just did the borders.

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BlogHer Book Club: The Lake of Dreams

2011-12-01T21:53:00.004-05:00

The Lake of Dreams is an insightful book that takes a look at the history of a family. Kim Edwards, the author of “The Memory Keeper’s Daughter’, takes us on a journey as the protagonist learns about her roots. Lucy takes an unexpected trip back home when her mom hurts herself and soon dives into learning more about where she came from. While initially it seems like the objects found are just interesting, soon Lucy discovers that they are the key to a very dark secret that will change her family forever.

The scenarios covered in the book hit close to home for me as my mother passed away in May. I know what it’s like to return to your childhood home after losing a parent. Lucy is faced with some difficult changes as upon her return she notices that her mother is well on her way to moving on with her life after her husband’s death. That transition is not so easy for Lucy as she hasn’t been home since her father passed away. Her mother is thinking about selling the family home which is unheard of to her. As Lucy starts to uncovered objects and facts found she learns things about her family that no one else knew about. She realizes that women have always been strong in her family and realizes that while she is in a difficult time in her life, she is dealing with her issues much like her ancestors would have done. As the story unravels we get to know Lucy and in a way take part in her story. This is a beautiful tale!

Please join me at the BlogHer Book Club page HERE for more discussions about this book.

This was a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

Holiday Bow Tie

2011-11-27T18:44:00.012-05:00

In our family the tradition is to decorate for Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving. As I started to sort through our ornaments this morning I began to ponder what the kids will wear for Christmas Eve. My daughter will probably wear a red silk dress with rosettes that I ordered online last week. But what about my son? He could probably wear his navy trousers with a dress white shirt... boring! I needed something to spice up the outfit. Quick search online and I found the perfect tutorial @ the Lemon Squeezy Home blog HERE.

The fabric was gifted to me in a pile a couple of years ago and it seemed perfect for this project. I didn't have fleece and didn't feel like heading out to the store so I used a piece of jersey from my 'old clothes waiting to be recycled' pile. What I'm saying is that this project took less than 30 minutes and cost me NOTHING.

My model is teething and has a bit of a cold, so he wasn't very into the photo shoot. I can't wait to see the bow tie on him Christmas Eve. I know it will look perfect with his crisp white dress shirt and blue pants. Bonus: he'll match his sister :) Thanks for stopping by!

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Owl Pajamas

2011-11-22T12:32:00.020-05:00

My addiction for making PJs for the kids is widely documented on this blog (here, here, here) and I am almost embarrassed to say it continues. My excuse is that my daughter is so tall and skinny that it's hard to get a good fit from store-bought ones. This last pair is for her birthday. She is currently obsessed with Owls.

I picked up a yard of flannel for $4 and a clearance tank top for $1, so she got a pair of PJs for $5. I loved making them and decided to make the fringe a bit longer so it would curl up more.

I love the look of the edges around the owls!

Now go up to the first picture again and see if you can spot the mistake? #craftfail no doubt, but by the time I figured it out it was too late to go back and fix it. I wonder what she will think!

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Sleepover Cake

2011-11-20T20:40:00.012-05:00

This was such a fun cake to make! My husband's coworker asked me to make it for her niece who lost her mom to breast cancer. It was my pleasure to make it and the aunt told me all the girls at the party loved it.

She told me what each girl looked like and I guess they were very excited to see themselves on the cake.

This was my inspiration and the picture she emailed me: click here.

As you can see, I used marshmallows for the pillows. I decided to skip the bed skirt and instead make the "comforter" more ornate. My daughter, who is 5, is now dying for her first sleep over party. She already knows what cake she'll request! :)

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Giveaway: Shutterfly’s 2011 Holiday Cards

2011-11-10T21:13:00.005-05:00

It's that time of the year when moms around the country start to think about Holiday Cards. What outfits the kids will wear for the annual photo shoot? This can either be a fun experience or super stressful, it all depends on when the planning begins. Last year I promised myself I would start the whole process sooner than the second week of December. So this week I spent some time browsing the Shutterfly website getting inspired. They have some wonderful designs to pick from and I can't wait for our photo shoot this weekend.

Hop on over to my giveaway blog if you are interested in winning some Shutterfly cards of your own: CLICK HERE.

Pumpkin Mini Bundt Cakes

2011-11-09T07:17:00.009-05:00

The moment I flip my calendar to November my brain says FALL! Ironically the weather doesn't say the same, but that's something I've gotten used to living in the south. It doesn't stop us from craving fall activities & foods. So immediately pumpkin makes an appearance and it's first solo this year was our favorite pumpkin bread discovered last year. Do yourself a favor and make it, it's to die for! The recipe can be found here: Pumpkin Bread a la Starbucks. Then we were going to a potluck and I decided to make mini bundt cakes with my new cool pan. I drizzled them with a quick vanilla glaze and these things disappeared from the buffet table! My daughter didn't get one so I'm planning on making them again this week- yummy! Happy Fall!!!

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BlogHer Book Club: Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore

2011-11-03T21:15:00.009-04:00

It is no secret that I love to read and I'm having a blast with the BlogHer Book Club. However, I had a hard time reading Theodora: Actress, Empress, Whore by Stella Duffy. Historical fiction is not my favorite genre and I felt uncomfortable reading some of the themes in this book, especially those revolving around child labor & prostitution. In the back of my mind I could not get over the fact that I was reading fiction based on true events. Although I didn’t fully enjoy it, I did learn a lot about a character in history that is often forgotten or ignored.

Duffy introduces us to Theodora of Constantinople when she is working hard at becoming an actress and prostitute as a young girl. The book continues to follow Theodora as she becomes the empress of Rome and later on a respected figure in the Orthodox Church. What kept me reading this book were Theodora's extraordinary survival skills. Regardless of the struggles she faced she never gave up and always found a way to keep going.

At one point Theodora is betrayed by a man in her life. At this point in the book I was so heartbroken for her that I had to put the book down for a couple of days. I was pleasantly surprised when I retook the story because it’s not often that a woman in a book is strong and heroic beyond my imagination. I enjoyed the conclusion of the book more than the beginning and was glad to have read it and gain perspective on such an important part of history.

Please join me at the BlogHer Book Club page HERE for more discussions about this book.

This was a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

Halloween Votives

2011-10-30T22:05:00.012-04:00

This is a great last minute project to get the house ready for Halloween or any other holiday. You can make the votives fit into whatever decorating style you desire.

You need some sort of glass containers, paint, paintbrushes, and stickers. I had no glass jars in my recycling bin so I got these glasses at the thrift store for $1.

Each family member drew their design on an address label.

We cut the designs out and carefully placed them on the glasses.

Then we painted around the stickers. This is a perfect project for little kids because it's messy and easy ;)

Painting-in-process.

Let them dry, ours took about an hour.

Carefully remove the stickers and place a candle inside. This is the bat that my husband made.

These are the ones the kids made: a jack-o-lantern and a reverse bat.

And mine, I love the technique at the bottom! Happy Halloween!

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DIY Haunted Mansion

2011-10-09T19:44:00.012-04:00

While in Spain this past summer, my daughter discovered a show called Art Attack on the Disney Channel. She loved it so much that she convinced my dad to finally learn to use his DVR so he could tape all the shows for her. They would then watch the shows together and make a craft everyday. We had a couple of projects that they still wanted to make at the end of the summer so I promised we would do them once we got home. This Haunted House was the latest one of those finished projects.

I remembered most of the process from watching the show a couple of months ago, but was very pleased to find the clip from the show on Youtube. If you are interested in making the Haunted Mansion check out the video HERE.

My daughter, who will be six in December, did this mostly on her own. I helped her hold things together when she as doing the paper-mâché but other than that it was completely her project. As you can see the structure is a bit different than the one on the show but this was clearly her interpretation.

She was very proud of her Haunted Mansion and has shown everyone that has come over to our house in the last week. She is currently planning her next paper-mâché project which will be a gingerbread house. I guess my recycling bins will never be the same ;)

Lastly she had her first Girl Scout field trip today! They went to the pumpkin patch and upon her return home she decided to create a centerpiece on our kitchen table. I love this time of the year!

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BlogHer Book Club: How To Be An American Housewife

2011-10-06T20:45:00.007-04:00

This book brought back so many memories from the year I spent living in Tokyo that it was hard to put down. In a story inspired by her mother, Margaret Dilloway tells a tale about a Japanese woman (Shoko) who marries an American man and moves to the US. The story begins right before she meets her future husband and follows her life through to her becoming a grandmother. The author does a fantastic job of giving the reader a peak into Japanese customs, that while not mainstream in the US, are very common in the hometown of the protagonist. The second part of the book is written from the American daughter's perspective and thus introduces a whole new set of views on the different rituals and customs coming from someone of blended cultures.

Perhaps my favorite part of the book are little excerpts included at the beginning of each chapter that the author tells us are taken from a book handed to Japanese women when they get married to American men. And my least favorite part was reading about how rude people were to Shoko because her English wasn't perfect and her customs were different. As a fellow expatriate and mom, it hurt my heart to read of others secluding her.

I would recommend this book to moms, expatriates, or anyone wanting to learn about a different culture. I could relate to Shoko on many things but also learned a lot about what life was like for her. I find it fascinating to learn about how others deal with the ordeals life presents them with at a given point in their life. It's like history class made fun!

Please join me at the BlogHer Book Club page HERE for more discussions about this book.

This was a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

Cake Mix Cookies

2011-10-02T16:26:00.004-04:00

My daughter started Kindergarten this year :( We have settled into a nice routine that includes some play time when she gets home before it's time to do homework. I usually have a Tupperware full of cut up veggies in the fridge that both kids reach for when they need a snack, but the other day she requested "milk & cookies" as a treat after school. I quickly browsed through a tab in my bookmarks titled "to try" and picked these cake mix cookies.

The recipe couldn't be easier... add two eggs and 1/3 cup of oil to any cake mix and voila, you've got yourself some cookies! Set the oven for 350 and bake for approximately 7-10 minutes depending on how you like your cookies. We pulled ours out at 8 minutes so they would still be a bit 'cakey' in the middle. Add a banana and you've got yourself a great after school snack!

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BlogHer Book Club: Lunch Wars

2011-09-29T21:58:00.003-04:00

If you have been reading my blog for a while you know that my daughter just started Kindergarten this year. We talked a lot about her new school during the summer as a way to prepare her for this important transition. One of the things she decided early on was that she would like me to pack her lunch everyday. After reading Lunch Wars by Amy Kalafa I have to say that might have been one of the best decisions of her life. This book was not fun, but I will admit to reading it in a couple of hours.

"Our children's life expectancy is now shorter than our own and we can expect them to be plagued with worse health than our own as well" (pg.7) This sentence is what made me finish the book in one night. It made me so upset I couldn't put the book down because I felt the urge to learn how to stop this epidemic. The whole time I was reading the book I had an uneasy feeling in my stomach.

Amy Kalafa goes on to explain in detail what is happening in schools around the country. What I liked about this book is that she doesn't only point out the problems, she also gives us solutions. She provides ways for parents to help improve school cafeterias and it all starts with education. I can tell you after reading the book I felt empowered and pumped up to do something about this, even if my daughter brings her lunch to school everyday.

I leave you with this: "American's children are both overfed and undernourished. Why have we allowed this crisis to spin so dangerously out of control?" (pg.11) Let’s do something about it!

Please join me at the BlogHer Book Club page HERE for more discussions about this book.

This was a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

Barbie & Ken Clothes

2011-09-18T17:58:00.019-04:00

My daughter spends most of her "playtime" after school playing with her Barbie dolls. She got a huge dollhouse for Christmas that has been seen a lot of action in the last eight months. She has been asking me to make clothes for her Barbie dolls for a while and I have been doing a lot of research online since the smallest items I had ever sewn were for her American Girl doll (see here) and those are much bigger. I finally found a couple tutorials online and decided to try. There are definitely a lot more patterns for Barbie dolls than for Ken dolls.

This is the sundress I made for Barbie. I used the following free pattern for Barbie doll dress: here. You have to check out Jess @ Craftiness is not Optional, she has a ton of Barbie tutorials available for free!

I was intimidated at first because it involves pleats, but the tutorial is amazing and super easy to make! The fabric is from a pair of old shorts that my mom had stashed away in her closet.

It was harder to find something for Ken but he really needed pants as my daughter had lost his shorts. I finally found this tutorial: here. This item was a lot more complicated than the dress, in part because pants are just so much harder for me. And secondly because I used denim which isn't as easy to work with.

I'm am really happy with how they turned out, especially the cuffs at the bottom. I plan to make more with different fabrics including some jersey I have leftover from another project. Everyone needs comfty pants, even Ken!

The happy couple oh so stylish in their new outfits. I can't wait to sew more items for them. Please let me know if you know of any free patterns online for Barbie or Ken dolls, this is addicting!

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The Grocery Store Game {Math}

2011-09-11T10:54:00.022-04:00

My 5 year old is obsessed with math! She is constantly counting, sorting, and adding things. While at the grocery store yesterday I decided I would create a pretend grocery store at home. My goal was to do it with items we already had at home so it wouldn't cost us anything, and thus I present you "The Grocery Store Game".

To recreate something similar you will need:

- pretend food
- baskets
- cash register and/or calculator
- pad & pen
- pretend or real money
- labels for pricing (I used address labels I had leftover from Christmas)

1) Create the labels for your prices. We kept it simple and made all the prices 1, 2 or 3 cents.

2) Label the food.

3) Sort according to types. My daughter sorted as follows: veggies, fruits, refrigerated items, bakery and cans/cartons.

4) Set up your store. We put the food out in appropriate baskets, set up the cash register, calculator, pad and pencil and baskets/shopping carts. Start to play!

I had my daughter write down the prices on the paper and do the math manually.

Then I had her double-check her math using the calculator.

Lastly the money (pennies) was counted and put in the cash register.

We had a really good time playing! We all took turns acting out different roles and it was a blast. One of my favorite moments was when my son only had 3 pennies left and my daughter explained what items he could afford and which ones he would have to buy next time after he got paid ;) I also loved it when my daughter decided to use their menu board to advertise some sales, she even included an offer for free juice to see if more people would come to her store. Love her way of thinking!

Variations for the future:
- we will change prices as our math improves to have larger digits.
- use other coins as we learn the value of each.
- pay more so change is due back (subtraction).

Objectives covered:

to recognize numbers
to be able to write numbers
basic addition
counting and using coins (US, Euro, or Canadian)

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BlogHer Book Club: Slow Love

2011-09-08T21:12:00.005-04:00

Have you ever read a book where you spent the majority of it nodding in agreement? That was my experience while reading Dominique Browning's Slow Love. She tells the tale of her life after her company closes and she finds herself without a job. The transition from crazy hours to having nothing to do is not something to be taken lightly. Depression is a common occurrence in these instances and in her book Browning describes the downhill battle she experiences. One of my favorite lines in the book is her son's response to her selling their family home, "My son is right: time for that new Museum of Happiest Moments" (pg 86.) What a great way to look at a tough moment and turn it into a positive.

The story line is very relevant right now because of the state of our economy. As the unemployment rate reaches max limits in history, many people are finding themselves in similar situations to that of Browning. At one point she explains “one of the side effects of unemployment, for me, was such a sag in self-esteem that the antidote was to feel constantly needed, and to judge that by the ringing phone” (pg 106.) I think anyone that has abruptly stopped working has felt this at one point. The tale unwinds as she spends the year following her departure from the workforce finding her new happy place. And while it might be very different than what she might have once imagined, it is her new reality. Anyone in a similar situation can learn from her journey because while the stops might be different, the destination is the same. At the end of the day we all want to be happy.

Please join me at the BlogHer Book Club page HERE for more discussions about this book.

This was a paid review for BlogHer Book Club but the opinions expressed are my own.

Donut Muffins

2011-09-07T05:49:00.000-04:00

A couple of weeks ago the kids and I decided to let Daddy sleep in while we made something yummy. I asked for opinions and the first thing they came up with was donuts. Since we didn't feel like getting out of our pjs to go grab some, we decided to make the next best thing: muffins that taste like donuts. Enter Pioneer Woman and her "French Breakfast Puffs". Recipe here.

These were very easy to make. The kids enjoyed the gathering of ingredients, the careful measuring and had a blast mixing it all up. I did the post-baking dipping since we didn't want to wait for the muffins to cool. They were a hit and so fun to make on a Saturday morning.

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WFMW: Mix Once, Bake Twice

2011-08-23T19:39:00.018-04:00

My daughter started Kindergarten yesterday! Although both her and her brother have been to preschool, it felt like yesterday was the first day of real school. We had to shop for uniforms, supplies, learn all about the carpool lane and dismissal procedures. Almost as important was deciding what treat would be included in the lunch box. After much deliberation my daughter finally decided she wanted chocolate chip cookies. Remember these, the best chocolate chip cookies ever? Yep, that's what she picked.

I waited to bake the cookies until after putting the kids to bed. I do some of my best thinking while baking, and I had a lot to think about that night. As I pulled out each ingredient from the pantry I contemplated how our lives would be changing as our oldest child entered elementary school. It's at that point that I decided it might be best to mix two batches of cookies and freeze one for later. That way I'd just have to pull out the cookie dough out next week and bake. Fresh homemade cookies in less than 15 minutes? Sounds good to me. So in the same time that it takes to make one batch of cookies I made two and I rolled up half of it in wax paper, twisting the ends like candy. I then popped those tubes in a freezer storage back and threw them in the freezer.

Image source

I still have a lot to learn about being a mom to an elementary school kid. The early mornings might kill me, but at least she'll have homemade cookies in her lunchbox (along with a note reminding her how much I love her!)

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Mailbox Moments Mondays - Week #3

2011-08-22T20:55:00.014-04:00

I'm participating in a link party hosted by Mailbox Momen ts. Every Monday for four weeks they will provide a prompt to inspire bloggers to share how they keep in touch with others. Today's prompt was: Send someone a handmade item. The challenge here is you can't spend any money on the item. You must make something with things that you already have at home. The only cost should be to mail the item. Express appreciation to the person and maybe include a little note of love. Take pictures of the item and share the post on your blog on 8/22/11.

I decided to make some of these strawberry hats for two babies born into our circle of friends recently. Coincidentally I met these two moms when I was pregnant with my first child, the same one that started Kindergarten today. We joined the same pregnancy online club and have remained friends to this day. Both of these moms had baby girls while I was in Spain this summer so I decided to send them a little something that their precious baby girls can wear when it gets chilly in a couple of months. I'll include a note to each of them thanking them for being such wonderful friends and wishing them the best of luck with their new bundle of joy.

Mailbox Moments Mondays - Week #2

2011-08-15T19:50:00.008-04:00

I'm participating in a link party hosted by Mailbox Momen ts. Every Monday for four weeks they will provide a prompt to inspire bloggers to share how they keep in touch with others. The prompt for this week was: Write someone a back-to-school letter wishing them good luck. Give them some advice and well wishes.

I decided to write a letter to my daughter who is starting Kindergarten next week. This morning as we entered her new new school for some testing I got very emotional thinking that in a short week she will be a student there. I don't even need to close my eyes to imagine her as a tiny newborn swaddled in her cradle next to my bed, and now she's starting Kindergarten. *sniff*

I wrote her a letter telling her how I feel about this moment, and also letting her know how proud I am of the little girl she is today. Amongst many things I told her that I hope she will always continue to love learning and that I hope she never stops asking questions about the world around her. I put the letter inside her new "School Years" scrapbook that appropriately arrived today. Thanks for reading, I'm off to grab another tissue.

Captain America T-Shirt

2011-08-14T20:45:00.015-04:00

My 3 year old son is OBSESSED with superheros. I did a lot better when my daughter was into princesses, I know NOTHING about superheros. I feel lost most of the time and find myself researching their different powers when the little guy is sleeping. I'll admit to wanting to win the "cool parent" award :)

After a struggle finding appropriate PJs one night (apparently he is too cool for Thomas & Mickey) I decided to try my hand at making him some. I always have a stash of t-shirts bought on clearance, so I grabbed one of those and some felt and got to work. Captain America seemed to be the easiest to tackle and this $1 t-shirt was the perfect blue. I cut some circles out of felt using different plates and cups found around the house and then carefully created an applique. He LOVED it and wore it for 48 straight hours- I finally got him to let me wash it. Next up: Superhero cape. Let's see who the cool parent is now :)

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Old Fashioned Chocolate Cake

2011-08-11T07:47:00.008-04:00

The kids start school in less than two weeks, so we are trying to get the most of our last few carefree days. Yesterday after doing some arts and crafts they decided they would like to make a cake for Daddy. We looked through my cookbooks and found a recipe for an old fashioned chocolate that looked super yummy.

The 5 year old was in charge of measuring and pouring, the 3 year old did the mixing. They did a really good job until it was time to wait for the cake to cool before frosting. We had to pull out the boardgames to keep them busy.

They both helped frost the cake and we practiced a new technique I described as swirling. It involves butter knifes and quick motions making it ideal for little kids. They had a blast and the cake was delicious. Most of all they were very proud of their creation and couldn't wait to show Daddy when he got home.
Does anyone else like playing around with Instagram? I'm obsessed with that app on my iPhone. Have a great rest of the week!

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Mailbox Moments Mondays - Week #1

2011-08-08T07:36:00.008-04:00

I'm participating in a new link party hosted by Mailbox Moments. Every Monday for four weeks they will provide a prompt to inspire bloggers to share how they keep in touch with others. This is a perfect project for me as I love to keep in touch with friends and family, especially using regular snail mail. Today's prompt was: write a long over-due letter to a friend telling them about a favorite memory.

I decided to write a letter to my BFF. We met in 5th when my family moved to a new country and someone we knew told us about a family that lived there that would help us out. Moving in 5th grade is far from ideal but having someone to show me the ropes was great. Bea and I quickly became best friends and my family all but adopted her as she spent many a weekend at our house. We have many memories together... from going through middle school and high school to her being a part of my wedding. I'll never forget the day I called her 6 years ago to ask her if she would be my daughter's godmother.

The content of the letter I wrote her will remain between us, but as you can see I included a few other goodies. She has a love for stationary so I sent her a notepad with her initial and I also made her a key chain. Nothing fancy but I hope these things included with my letter make her smile.

I chose this picture of us because it brings back great memories. Bea is the one in the middle, I am on the right. This was taken the summer before we started college. A couple of weeks before I met the man (boy at that time!) that I would marry. I say this because recently Bea showed me a letter I sent her from college telling her I met someone that I thought was the one. I love that she still has that letter!

Thank you Mailbox Moments for providing this great idea... I can't wait to write more letters in the upcoming weeks.

Fabric covered summer journal

2011-08-07T12:23:00.000-04:00

One of my favorite things to look at from my childhood is my old journals. I found quite a couple while cleaning my mom's house this summer and they inspired me to make one for my daughter. Her preschool teacher had her keep one during the year, so she was already used to the idea.

I simply took a composition journal and covered the front cover with fabric. In order to make the inside look a tad more polished I added some scrapbook paper. The ribbons are cutesy but also serve to close the journal. We brought this journal everywhere and she journaled at the end of the day before going to bed.

She's starting Kindergarten in a couple of weeks and I know we'll always treasure the memories from this last summer before school. Just this morning I got teary-eyed looking through it, I love how she interpreted the different things we did together.

Have a great week!

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Works for Me Wednesday: Tips for Building Outdoor Wood Swingsets

2011-08-02T21:57:00.014-04:00

Image Source: Toys R Us

So you know these swing sets that are popular in backyards all around the country? When my kids outgrew the "baby" one they had, we decided to upgrade to one of these. My husband decided he wanted to put it together because according to him it was a "right of passage" for any dad. When we opened the numerous boxes we were amazed that none of the pieces were labeled. My OCD side came out and I decided to take matters into my own hands. I asked my daughter for one of her chalks and with my husband's help labeled each piece. It took him two weekends to put it together, he says it would have taken a lot longer had the pieces not been labeled. So, if you decide to buy your kids an outside wood set and you want to put together yourself... grab a chalk and label the wood pieces! You can also label the hardware, just write the number/letter on each bag with a sharpie.

Proudly linking to We Are That Family: Works for Me Wednesday.

Oreo Cookie Cake

2011-07-31T22:18:00.013-04:00

This past week was my husband's birthday and we decided to celebrate by making him a cake in honor of his favorite cookie.

He had seen this cake pan at Williams-Sonoma last year and I had kept it in the back of my mind. I decided to get it a couple of weeks ago but when I started to look around the web I got worried. People weren't happy with the taste of the cake mix sold in conjunction with the cake pan. And the results with homemade versions weren't great either. Cakes were sticking and coming out without details.

I decided to go for it and used a Devil's Food cake mix. Because my husband is not a fan of really sweet frosting, I decided to try something new. This frosting was amazing! I'll admit to being skeptical while making it, but it was perfect for this cake.

My tips for this cake are:
1) Use a cooking spray that's specifically for baking
2) Sprinkle cocoa and shake off the excess
3) Use a cake mix that you love
4) After spreading the frosting on the bottom layer put the cake in the freezer so that the icing will set properly and not be squished when you put the top layer on.
5) Enjoy!

The details on this cake are what make it so amazing!

And the yummy taste doesn't hurt! I have lots of ideas for other variations using this cake pan. The kids are already thinking of the Halloween oreo cookie cake they want... with orange frosting in the middle!

Thanks for stopping by, have a great week.

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A Máma Angel

2011-07-11T03:00:00.002-04:00

My life was turned upside down last April when I got a call saying my mom was in a coma. I immediately rushed to Spain hoping for a miracle. Some might say she never knew that I was there with her, but I would like to think differently. I spent our time together talking to her, giving her kisses & massages and telling her how much we all loved her. In the end she was too good for us and earned her angel wings mid-May.

There were many hard times to follow that dreadful day, but perhaps the hardest was when I had to tell my 5 year old daughter that her grandmother had gone to Heaven. I will never forget that afternoon, it was truly heartbreaking. We talked, cried and hugged for a long time. I wanted to make sure she continued to share her feelings about what happened, so the next day I planned a craft. We would make an angel to remember Máma.

While this angel might seem like just another recycled toilet paper roll craft, to us it was much more. While we gathered our supplies we talked about my mom. We recalled her beautiful hair, how she LOVED the color blue and what we both thought she'd be doing right now in Heaven. I won't lie and say it was a happy craft, but amidst the crying there were some smiles. And while it didn't bring her back, it allowed us to feel like we were close to her.

Thanks for being here, I'll get back to regular blogging soon.

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Easy Garden Soup

2011-07-08T04:09:00.006-04:00

My daughter is obsessed with soup. This might seem like a harmless statement except that I really dislike making soup in the summer, and we live in a state where 10 months of the year are considered summer. Enter Knorr to the rescue. They have created these little tubs of concentrated chicken stock that are a life saver for this mommy. Each tub makes 3.5 cups of broth and are perfect for a last minute meal since they are easy to have on hand.

The way I make the soup is dictated by my daughter's tastes. She loves carrots and little star pasta, so that's what I add. However you could add all sorts of veggies and different types of pastas. You could even add beans for a protein kick. I put leftovers in the fridge and reheat as needed.

Easy Garden Soup
Serves: 4
Total cook time: 6 minutes

Two tubs Knorr Homestyle concentrated chicken stock
7 cups of water
1 cup frozen diced carrots
2 cups small pasta

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Allow it to simmer for 6 minutes.

Serve with crusty bread for dipping.

Summer Reading: Getting to Happy

2011-07-06T03:19:00.003-04:00

Happy summer! How are your summer goals coming along? I am really enjoying being a member of the BlogHer book club!

For the conclusion of my summer reading reviews I present you Getting Happy by Terry McMillan. You might recognize this author's name as she is the brilliant mind behind Waiting to Exhale. This is the sequel to that novel and you really shouldn't miss it! You can check out my review here.

I sincerely hope that you have enjoyed my book reviews this summer. I plan to continue to check out the BlogHer Book Club website throughout the summer to get more reading ideas! For me nothing beats reading a good book while sipping a nice cold lemonade on a hot summer day.

Happy reading!

Summer Reading: What Happened to Goodbye

2011-07-01T03:05:00.000-04:00

I hope you are all having a great summer! I have really been enjoying the BlogHer book club!

My second selection for the summer is What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen, which is one you should especially not miss if you have a teenager at home. You can check my review out here.

I have one more review coming up, I hope you are enjoying them! If you are looking for more reading ideas I suggest you check out the BlogHer Book Club website.

Happy reading!

Happy Father's Day!!!

2011-06-19T17:52:00.010-04:00

The kids and I had to settle for mailable gifts since we weren't with Daddy, or Papa as they call him, for Father's Day today. I decided to copy something their teachers did for Mother's Day and asked each kid to fill out a survey about their Papa and then make a portrait of him. I got the ideas for the questions here.

My daughter, the perfectionist that she is at 5 years old, asked that I sketch out a frame for her portrait. My 2 year old son on the other hand could care less and did a lot of freehand work on his :) For your information (and mine in the future) in the middle is Papa and to his left is his iPhone.

I promise to be back soon and give you an explanation of my recent absence... I've missed my blog! Happy Father's Day!

Summer Reading: A Jane Austen Education

2011-06-02T12:26:00.008-04:00

Are you looking for some ideas for summer reading? I recently joined the BlogHer book club and am having a blast reading and reviewing the books. I just completed my first review for William Deresiewicz's A Jane Austen Education. You can check it out here.

I have a couple more reviews that I will complete in the next couple of months, I'll be sure to post links back to them here. And if you want to read a ton of reviews to get more ideas check out the BlogHer Book Club website.

Happy reading!

Felt Crayon Holder

2011-04-17T14:35:00.032-04:00

Living in a different continent than my family is not easy. I miss them terribly, especially during the holidays. Luckily we get to go home often and have made some amazing friends here. Two families in particular are what I consider our family away from home... they are the people we turn to in good times and bad. Our kids are close like cousins and we have the pleasure of seeing them growing up together. Today we had our annual Easter BBQ. Besides great food, this party included a treasure hunt and many games. I decided to make a felt crayon holder for each kid since I know they all love to color.

I followed the FANTASTIC tutorial from Skip to My Lou. I highly recommend it as it is very detailed and includes pictures for each step.

I made them in each kid's favorite color and added their initial to the front.

The notebooks were hard to find, I finally got them at Office Depot. They came in a pack of three and were just the right size!

The kids all seem to really like them, one called it his "field journal". I love giving children gifts that encourage them to use their imagination.

This might become my "go to" gift for new big brothers/sisters.

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Easy Easter Cake

2011-04-14T16:28:00.018-04:00

This cute little cake is perfect for Easter and so easy to make. We are traveling for Easter so we decided to make it a little early so our little family could enjoy it. It was fun and the kids loved it.

It's basically a boxed cake decorated with candy from the Easter aisle of the grocery store.

I used a small oval cake pan and it was perfect for the four of us. We are all fans of the milk chocolate cake! Happy early Easter!

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Pier One Knockoff Easter Bunny Dishtowel

2011-04-10T20:08:00.059-04:00

A couple of days ago I got the Easter Pier One catalog and immediately fell in love with the Easter dishtowels on page 18. I knew I could do something similar for cheaper than their price ($6.99 ea), so I pulled out some supplies and got started. These dishtowels are from the dollar store, and the rest of the things are from my stash. So the total cost for this project was $1.

Supplies: Dishtowels from dollar store, scrap fabric, buttons, ric rac.

This was the label on the dishtowels for easy identification if anyone is looking for them.

Sew on the buttons and draw the lines for the whiskers and mouth with washable marker.

Sew on the whiskers and mouth and check the placement for the ears.

Next pin the fabric to the bottom and sew.

Pin the ric rac and sew. Attach ears after this step (forgot to take a picture!).

Here is my finished dishtowel. I love my little bunny and think I will add the polka dot fabric to the two green dishtowels and set them on either side of this one for a little accent.

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Baby Boy Tie Onesie

2011-04-07T20:38:00.024-04:00

It's no secret that I love making personalized onesies as baby gifts. I have blogged about them here, here and here.

But I think the tie one is my all time favorite for boys. When I found this plaid fabric I immediately set some aside with this project in mind.

I hope my friend's baby enjoys it in good health. I can't wait to make more! Thanks for stopping by and have a great weekend!

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Sew Along for Japan: Day 3

2011-03-31T16:32:00.014-04:00

This Sew Along was a blast! Here are my completed Chloe & Mieko shirts. I finished them last night but wasn't able to take pictures until today, thus the delay in my Day 3 post.

I think besides the fact that it finally got me to drag the sewing machine out, I loved the fact that I was doing them along with so many other people. It was fun to sit down at night and see the progress other bloggers around the country had posted about that day. It didn't hurt that it was for a good cause!

One of my favorite things about this project is that it allowed me to tell my children about what happened in Japan and to show them that there are many ways to help those that are in need. My daughter really loved getting involved in the process and picked most of the fabric/accent combinations you see. She asked me to tilt one of the hats to make the boy look "silly".

I thought a lot about the kids that will wear these t-shirts since I made them in the same sizes my kids currently wear. I hope these t-shirts will give them some hope and let them know that people from all over the world care about them.

I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Susan from Living with Punks for providing us with such a great way to give back to those in need. I had a wonderful time! Please visit her post today to see all the completed shirts that will be sent to Japan.

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Sew Along for Japan: Day 2

2011-03-29T22:16:00.010-04:00

Day 2 of the sew along had us adding details to the faces. My pictures are not the best because I just finished them a few minutes ago. I had so much fun putting everything together!

My daughter helped me decide who would get which "eyes" and we packed each little person and all their things in little zip lock bags that I brought along with me and sewed as I had time during the day between drop-offs and pick-ups from school. Once I put the kids to bed I dragged out the sewing machine and did the finishing touches. I can't wait for Day 3!!!

Sew Along for Japan: Day 1

2011-03-28T16:35:00.005-04:00

Here are my completed pieces for Day 1 of the Sew Along for Japan. I had so much fun getting everything together! My daughter helped me decide which parts looked best with each body and we can't wait to see what awaits us tomorrow. It's not too late to join... and look at all the goodies you could win: GIVEAWAY. Stay tuned for Day 2 tomorrow!

Sew Along for Japan

2011-03-28T09:33:00.010-04:00

Susan from Living with Punks is hosting a Sew Along for Japan. It starts today and ends on Friday. She has provided the pattern for the t-shirts for free and starting today will post detailed instructions on how to construct them. I purchased all the items over the weekend and plan on making at least two t-shirts. The list of materials isn't too long, so if you are interested it's not too late to get started. She is also hosting a giveaway for all those that participate and link up their t-shirts. Check it all out on her website and let's all do something good for the children of Japan!

Sunburst Pony-O

2011-03-27T20:11:00.000-04:00

This is a tutorial that I did as a guest post on another blog, but I wanted to share it here in case anyone missed it. It's for a sunburst pony-o which I made for my daughter to wear to ballet class. She needs to wear pink & black this year, so I thought the colors would work well. It's very easy to make and much cheaper than the $15 clips they sell at the dance store.

This was the inspiration piece which I picked up for 25cents last year in a post-Halloween sale. I love the variation of widths and colors used and tried to replicate it somewhat.

You will need: 3 different colors of ribbon in different widths and textures, matching thread, Fray Check or lighter, scissors, sewing needle, and pony-o.

Choose the first ribbon and cut four 7.5 inch strips.

Treat the ends of the ribbon either with Fray Check or with a lighter.

Fold each length in half and sew on to the pony-o with matching thread.

This is what it looks like once all four have been attached.

Choose the next ribbon and cut four 8.5 inch strips. Treat the ends and attach in the same manner as the previous set.

And lastly cut eight 6 inch strips of the last ribbon. Follow the same directions as above.

And ta-da, here is your sunburst pony-O! I chose a small rubber band because my daughter has very fine hair. I only want to loop it around her bun once so that the ribbon can lay nicely around it. If I had chosen a bigger rubber band I would need to double it up and the ribbon wouldn't look as pretty.

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Flower Headband

2011-03-15T20:15:00.011-04:00

I have been wanting to make a couple of headbands for my daughter and finally found the right flowers the other day.

I followed this tutorial, but used a thicker headband since my daughter prefers those.

I love the color combination and it matched one of her spring dresses perfectly.

Sewing each petal individually took some time, but I love that it resulted in a full flower. I considered putting a rhinestone in the middle but instead hot-glued the original center.

I still have 5 flowers left to play around with, so my daughters' friends might be getting new headbands in the near future.

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Fondant Birthday Cake

2011-03-14T08:25:00.013-04:00

Yesterday was my birthday, and this is the beautiful cake my wonderful and talented friend made for me. She truly is amazing at cake decorating, and I would say fondant is one of her specialties. If you look at my blog header you will see that is what she mirrored on the cake.

Perhaps my favorite part was the detailed stitching on the sides. She used an edible marker and clearly has the patience of an angel.

A couple of weeks before my birthday she had asked me a long list of questions. She tinted the fondant my favorite color and by coincidence the martinis my husband made and the gift bag my other friend brought me all matched. They were all on the same wave length!

She hand-painted this fondant plaque to use as a topper. Isn't she amazing? Oh, and an important tidbit... the cake was delicious!!! Chocolate fudge with milk chocolate and vanilla filling :)

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Mardi Gras King's Cake

2011-03-08T13:58:00.023-05:00

This morning while I was getting the kids ready for school I decided I wanted to make a special treat for dessert tonight. I did a quick search online and found this recipe for Mardi Gras King's Cake. Tomorrow is the beginning of Lent, so we will be giving up many treats in our house. I figured this was a good way to say goodbye to them :)

My son had his 3 year check-up this morning, so I knew I wouldn't be able to dedicate time to the dough. I decided to put all the ingredients in my bread maker and was pleasantly surprised when I got home. The dough had risen very nicely. I need to use my bread maker more often!

I rolled it into a rectangle and filled it with a mixture of chocolate chips and melted butter. This is by no means the traditional filling, but I know my family and their tastes.

Here it is formed into a ring, waiting for the second rise.

I thought my ring looked a bit chubby (I should have made the rectangle longer but was in a rush) so I put a glass in the middle so it would hold it's shape better while rising.

Forty five minutes later I brushed it with an egg wash and made the slits per the recipe.

And this is what came out of the oven thirty minutes later. I love the brown tone that the egg wash gives baked goods. This very much resembles "Roscón de Reyes" which is something we eat in Spain around the holidays.

My daughter and I decided to spice up the icing a bit and after some drizzling here is our King Cake!

This will be lovely with a nice cup of Hazelnut coffee, talk to you soon!

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Chic & Crafty Weekly Link-Up Party!

1-2-3 Pillows

2011-02-27T19:20:00.012-05:00

Do you need some new pillows to freshen up a room? I made two of these for under $10 in less than an hour. Want to know how?

You will need two placemats, two pillow inserts, a seam ripper, some matching thread, scissors and a needle.

As you can see, I got my placemats on Clearance at Target. Is anyone else obsessed with the clearance section @ Target? I find the best deals there. The same day I got these I also found two awesome tablecloths that I plan to use for my son's birthday. And the were tons cheaper (and nicer!) than the ones at the Party Store. Ok, let's get started.

Step One: Open up one of the sides of the placemat using your handy little seam ripper.

Step Two: Insert the pillow into your new pillow cover.

Step 3: Sew up the side you opened and TA-DA! You got yourself some new pillows to freshen up a room!

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Homemade Pop Tarts

2011-02-22T20:18:00.011-05:00

These were so good! My friend Dianne posted this link on Facebook the other day and I knew I had to make them. After looking over that recipe, I decided to instead go with one I had seen on Smitten Kitchen because I wanted to make my own crust. I am glad I went in that direction as they were perfect. The crust was beautifully crumbly and tender at the same time, and the fillings were delicious!

We decided to do two diferent fillings. The mini pop tarts were filled with organic strawberry preserves. They were then topped with a glaze made out of confectioner's sugar, milk and natural food coloring. Although I love the look of the glaze drizzled over the top, I think we might skip this next time as the preserves were sweet enough.

The larger, and more realistic, pop tarts were were filled with Nutella. My daughter drizzled some milk chocolate over these. Straight out of the oven the Nutella filling was delicious and creamy, a great contrast to the crumly exterior.

We will definitely make these again, however I want to try some changes. I'd love to make my own filling out of fruit and I'd like to substitute some of the flour with whole wheat flour. But these are perfect and delicious as posted here @ Smitten Kitchen.

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Toy Story 3 Cake

2011-02-13T20:08:00.006-05:00

This is the cake my friend and I made for her sons' birthday yesterday. We got the idea from this blog. Our cake was made using two 11x15 cakes, vanilla and chocolate flavored.

My favorite part were the two figurines laying down. It felt like Andy just threw them on his bed and ran out. We made the bed lumpy on purpose as we thought it looked more realistic of how it would look if Andy made it.

The pillowcases were made out of fondant, with mini marshmallows as the stuffing. The detail on the side was made using a special fondant cuter. The headboard was cardboard covered in fondant with the names piped in royal icing.

The bed posts were fondant covered pretzel rods, and the wood floor was made using the same fondant. The wood floor was a last minute addition but we thought it would look better than the white cake board.

The boys LOVED their cake, as did everyone at the party. But more importantly we had a blast making it and can't wait to do it again!

P.S. You have until Wednesday to enter my giveaway for a $35 CSN Stores gift card. Go here to enter!

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I Heart You Cookies : Anniversary & Giveaway

2011-02-11T14:17:00.012-05:00

Today is the one year anniversary of my little blog. These cookies seem very fitting since I heart you guys SO MUCH. Thank you for all your support and wonderful comments throughout the year. I started this as a way to document my crafting madness without realizing how much I would enjoy the interaction with the blogging community.

We made two types of cookies for Valentines. These are for those that prefer a cookie without icing. A simple sugar cookie with an edge in royal icing and some cute little red balls.

And these are also sugar cookies, but they are completely covered in royal icing and decorated with melted chocolate. My daughter is obsessed with the "xoxo" signature at the bottom of the notes I write her, so I thought she would like these.

I wish I could send you each a batch of cookies... but since I can't, how about a giveaway? The lovely people at CSN stores have a surprise for my readers. Please go to my giveaways blog to enter to win a giftcard, you have until Wednesday next week. I'll announce a winner on Thursday February 17th. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!

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Lollipop Lily

2011-02-09T14:17:00.008-05:00

On our way home from school, with just a couple of hours to go before her ballet class, my daughter informed me that she would love to take a treat for her friends. I quickly scrambled around the internet and found this quick and cute last minute treat for Valentines!

If you are a procrastinator like me, feel free to go here for instructions and a free template! They were a hit at ballet and several moms (and the teacher!) asked that I email them the link to the template. I think we are all a bit sick of the pack of identical foil cards with characters on them.

One note, we decided that my daughter would color each lily instead of printing them on colored paper. She had a really good time decorating them and practiced her cutting skills. A win if you ask me!

Thanks for stopping by! Make sure you visit tomorrow... hint, hint.

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Kid's Heart Wreath

2011-02-07T22:18:00.003-05:00

My daughter decided she wanted to decorate her door for the holidays, so we came up with a quick craft that not only entertained her but also allowed her to practice some fine motor skills.

If you want to make one you will need: construction paper, a paper plate, pencil, template (cookie cutter), scissors, tape and foam letters (optional).

1. Trace the shape on the construction paper.

At this point you can discuss a good strategy to fit the most shapes per sheet of construction paper. I compared it to putting a puzzle together.

2. Cut out the shapes.

3. Cut out the center of the paper plate.

4. Tape (or glue) the shapes around the plate.

Work on carefully overlapping the shapes alternating colors. This is a good point to talk about patterns.

5. Place foam letters on wreath if desired, not necessary. Make one for a friend, sharing is caring!

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Mocha Cupcakes with Espresso Buttercream Frosting

2011-02-06T19:51:00.002-05:00

Run, don't walk to the grocery store to get the ingredients for these cupcakes. From the minute I saw the recipe I knew we would love them, and I wasn't wrong. They are delicious! I am one of those people who doesn't love icing, but this espresso buttercream was to die for! The combination of the coffee and the chocolate does not disappoint.

I made these for a charity auction and was told they (3 dozen) were gone in 5 minutes. We kept a dozen at home and they were gone in less time than that :) I recommend you make the cupcakes the day before you need them and store them in the fridge. Then make the buttercream the day of the event, I had a hard time frosting them with the icing made the day before but not with the fresh batch.

Oh and take my word, make an extra batch than you think you need :) Go here for the recipe and enjoy!

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Banana Bread Love

2011-02-05T20:13:00.006-05:00

After years of using this recipe at least once a week, I have now found a better one! It's a subtle difference that will make me add a page to the recipe binder I keep in the kitchen. You know it's a good recipe when it makes it into that binder.

And because baking is one of my favorite ways to show love, this is what my kids brought to brighten their teachers' day on a yucky rainy morning last week.

I hope you are having a great weekend!

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Project Tote

2011-01-24T06:35:00.003-05:00

In the midst of the holiday madness I managed to make this for myself. I called it a project tote because I made it with my new hobby in mind: crochet! I looked through various patterns and tutorials and came up with this design. It was such a combination of ideas that I don't know if I'd be able to exactly copy it even if I wanted to. But what's important is that I love it!

I used two fat quarters and since I had enough I decided to add some pockets to hold my phone and other small items like my crochet needles or credit cards.

I made the handles short as I wanted more of a tote look than a bag. I used very stiff (???) interfacing so that it would stand up on it's own. I like to place it next to me or on the floor while I crochet.

Here it is in action! Love it!

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Initial Applique Onesie

2011-01-20T19:07:00.000-05:00

Another initial onesie is on it's way to a sweet new baby that recently joined us. This one is hand-appliqued and I decided to add a little bow. I love the feminine touch that it adds!

These onesies along with a fruity hat make the perfect gift for a newborn. Speaking of fruity hats, I'm busy working on a set for a good cause. Check it out here. Have a great weekend!

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