What's cookin'????

I have decided to broaden my crafting this year and have already learned many new things. Yesterday I tried my hand at something new--which was an absolute first for me. I made Em some Valentines Day hair bows. I understand the top one looks like Em helped make it, but it was my first attempt and I think I will get better if I keep it up. It was fun to do something brand new.

I tried again to make the self-binding receiving blanket from this tutorial. This time I used my new favorite piggy fabric. I did better on this blanket and think I am getting the hang of it. PLUS how darn cute are those piggies??

Another first for me---button holes. I started this bag over a year ago and hated it about half way through. The other day I decided that I didn't wanna waste all of that time and fabric, so I finished it. PLUS I am still working on last years New Years Resolution to finish things that I start. SO I whipped it up AND made button holes--actually they are pretty fun to do!!

This picture is pretty ugly, but then again I am not in love with the bag either. It is done, and that is all I can say about it. I DO like the picture of the garbage can in the back ground--Very Classy Ehhh?? I think I might at least use this bag to carry my primary stuff to church--I need to have some use for it:)

I made another good fabric find. I got this 4 pack of receiving blankets at TJ Maxx for about 5 dollars. The pieces are a little less than a yard each, which means it come to about a dollar 30 a yard or something. That is amazing for flannel right??? Plus it is cute--I love the brown dots!!

I had some leftover backing fabric, so I made these cute little green fancy burp cloths. They are rag edged and I used this blog for the pattern and idea.

I had some more piggy fabric, so today I whipped up another piggy blanket and some matching burp cloths. LOVE THE PIGGIES. I also took pictures of the blanket making process, so stay tuned for my blanket making for dummies tutorial!!

Well--nothing major, but for better or worse that is what we have been doing the last few days. Happy February Everyone!!!

Let's all win some free stuff!!

SOOO how did I spend nap time today??? Well I signed up for some amazing give aways at The Dress-Up Drawer. She sells the cute Scripture Hero Capes--I am pretty much in love with them!!! Head over to her blog to check out all of the great stuff that is being given away. I signed up for ......

this super cute computer cover...

amazing cute bracelet...

baby girl headband that makes me happy....

adorable baby snuggler (if I won this I would have another kid just so I could use it).

a pair of these shoesies---I would have twins if I could win these shoes too:)

and these flowers--made by Jennie Pennies cousin Rachel over at Made with Love and Glue. Also check out her turorial for super cute CTR towels--They will make you wanna be re-baptized!!

Well I have never had much luck at winning things, but I REALLY REALLY could not resist all of the great giveaways. Head over there and sign up for yourself--except you better not win:)

Letting out my inner artist

Today I decided to make some art. I was sick of my blank and boring bathroom wall, so I decided I wanted a change. I HATE how much stuff to put on your walls costs, so I thought I would make something on my own. I first thought of using fabric, but fabric is not too cheap either, so I settled for scrapbook paper. It is hard to tell in the picture, but each of the papers has a pattern--meaning it is really cuter than it looks:)

Since I liked the final result so much I thought I would share the process with all of you. First I bought 3 coordinating pieces of scrapbook paper and 3 squares of painters canvas. The canvas was 50% off at Craft Warehouse, so they were only 3 dollars (each) and some change. That plus 1.50 for the paper and I only spent about 11 bucks for the whole project--pretty good huh??
Soooo for the next step I traced around the canvas onto the middle of the scrapbook paper.

Then I folded it on the lines so that folds were nice and sharp.

Then I glued the canvas to the paper. First I modge-podged the paper to the canvas, but on the last 2 I used spray adhesive instead. Either way worked but I am a modge-podge retard so I liked the spray adhesive better. I only glued the front, but not around the edges. Then I folded the edges over onto the back and glued them with a glue gun. I thought the glue gun would stick much better than the other types of glue.

After putting glue around the edges you are left with these little "ears."

Then I just put glue on the back of the flaps and folded them over--like wrapping a present.

Then after it is wrapped up pretty, I painted 2 coats of modge podge over the outside and edges. Just so it would be shiny and maybe last a bit longer. I might skip this step in the future though because the middle one got kinda wrinkly--I think I used too much glue. I think I will get a new piece of paper and re-do that one---So technically it will be 11 dollars and 59 cents when it is all said and done. It is not Picasso or anything that great, but my wall is cute and I am happy. It would work with a picture frame instead of canvas. OR you could use fabric, tissue paper, wall paper, the possibilities are endless. So go and make 1 or 3 or 17 and cute up your walls too!!!

The Key to Killing Time!!

I finished 3 more books in the last couple of weeks. Key of Light, Key of Knowledge, and Key of Valor. They are a trilogy by Nora Roberts. I sadly got a little hooked into the story and couldn't stop till all 3 were read---oops. They are not great literature or anything like that. The main gist of it is---there are 3 women who are chosen to find 3 mystical keys to unlock a box containing the souls of 3 goddess princesses. I know! I KNOW--sounds lame. I don't usually read fantasy type stuff, but the story is 1st and the fantasy is just in the background--like Twilight. They are typical Nora Roberts--with a few steamy skip-able pages and of course all 3 women have love interests in the books. If you need a mindless read--or a beach chair book--then this is the perfect story to pass the time. If you want a book that makes you smarter or challenged--then I would skip Nora Roberts all together:)

Tropical Sorbet

I had a very productive weekend. Marcie came to visit and craft---and without my little sidekick we actually got some sewing done. I also got to watch Pride and Predjudice--YAY!!! I made 5 pillows for Operation Comfort, an organization that supplies pillows and items to soldiers over seas. I have 45 tags left, so I better get sewing pillows:) I also finished a bag that I started over a year ago--Once I find the buttons, also bought over a year ago, I will finish and take some pictures. BUT the quilt was my big finish. I bought the fabric kit for this quilt at Village Quiltworks at least 6 months ago--maybe more. I finished the top and never got up the nerve to quilt it. SOOOOO after the success of quilting my tablerunner, I just jumped right in.

I love the way it looks in my livingroom--it really brightens it up in there.
The fabrics are the same as the tabletopper I made a long while back.

I got masking tape out again and did some grid quilting. I love the way it turned out--even though my lines were anything but straight. You would think I would be getting better at, straight lines, but I think I am faster and crooked-er:)

The back is my favorite part. It is the softest yummiest flannel. I had the binding on for maybe two minutes before Todd was wrapped up in it---So I guess it is a success:)

The kit was called Tropical Sorbet and I love it. It makes me think of summer and yummy fruitiness!!! AND with it done I am 1 step closer to eliminating my unfinished projects list AND getting rid of lots of my useless stash!!