Sewing Tutorial and Project Roundup

has been one of my amazing sponsors for the last six months!

Diana, the shop's owner, keeps her Etsy Shop stocked with a fantastic variety of the latest designer fabrics.  Many of these gorgeous fabrics can be bought in coordinating bundles which I love because it really takes the guesswork out of which fabrics work well together.  Below I have rounded up some of my sewing projects and tutorials all done with fabric and bundles from Raspberry Creek Fabrics and Trims.  Take a peek...

The Bella Butterfly Bundle...

Lacy Skirt Tutorial
Bow Tie Pin Tutorial

The Ready Set Go Bundle...
Necktie Onesie Tutorial
Nautical Onesie Tutorial

Flannel Blanket Bundles...

Blanket Bundle Tutorial

I hope this roundup offers you a little sewing inspiration, as well as, a suggestion for a great fabric shop.  Be sure to visit Raspberry Creek Fabrics and Trims for fabulous fabric for your own sewing projects.
Happy Sewing!

Happy Sunday

Easy Handmade Tags

My mother crochets and knits the sweetest items--dishcloths, scarves, blankets, hats...

I've told her that she needs to open her own little Etsy shop, but for now she is content to use her handmade creations as gift items.  The crocheting and knitting helps her pass the time while waiting with my dad through chemotherapy each week.  My mother gave me the dishtowel above to use as one of the prizes at my sister's wedding shower.  She also asked if I knew a quick way to make some tags so that she could attach them to her creations.  Here is the quickest, easiest way to make a tag...

1. Use your computer to print off the text for your tag onto card stock.  Punch out the text with a circular punch.  I used a 1 inch punch.

2. Hole punch the top of the tag in order to be able to thread ribbon through it.  I like to use a ribbon punch, but you could really use any hole punch.  Thread the ribbon through and wrap it around your item.

That's it!  Quick and easy!  For a little extra flair, you could attach the circle punch to a larger piece of decorative card stock before using the hole punch on it.  The possibilities are endless...  What would you use these for?

Happy crafting!

I Felt Like I Was On Craft Wars...

Have you seen Craft Wars?  It's a show on TLC where contestants battle it out in timed craft challenges for prize money and the honor of being a craft champion.

A little over a week ago as I was preparing for my sister's bridal shower, battling with these cute glass jugs, and trying to get everything completed in time...

I felt like I was on that show.  My husband even joked with me, "It's like Craft Wars!  It's not working out and you're running out of time."

Thanks, babe!

But he was right...

The night before the shower, I had purchased two large cases of Starbuck's frappuccino drinks from Sam's where everything comes in bulk.

When I got home, I did the following steps to each glass jar...

1. Open bottle
2. Pour frappuccino into pitchers
3. Peel off labels
4. Soak bottle in a sink of warm soapy water
5. Scrub the bottle with a scrub brush  (This got the date scrubbed off, but I was still left with the sticky label residue.)

Which left me thinking...

What am I going to do about the sticky residue?

DISHWASHER!

Yep, I loaded all 24 jars into the dishwasher and washed them FOUR times.

Let's jump ahead to the next morning.  (I should add that I am talking about the morning of the shower.)

***

 I went to the dishwasher, pulled out a glass jar, and felt the sides expecting them to be residue free.

Guess what?!  They actually felt stickier than the night before.

FRUSTRATION!

Here was my thought process...

What do I do about the stickiness?

The guest can't hold them when they are this sticky.

I've spend too much time and money to ditch the whole idea...plus I ordered those cute paper straws from Etsy that I was going to use with them.

Come on...I'm a crafty person.  Think of something.

I could try scrubbing them some more.  (Tried and failed.)

Rubbing alcohol!  (Ran to get the rubbing alcohol.  Tried.  Failed again.)

Glitter!  That's it.  The answer to all craft dilemmas.  I'll glitter them.  If it sticks to double sided tape, it will surely stick to the bottles.  (A BIG craft fail! One lonely little glittered bottle is still hidden under my kitchen sink.)

Oh my goodness!  I really do feel like I'm on that show.  Think!

Fabric!  I have some muslin that might look cute.  That's it.  I'll add fabric.  Why didn't I think of that before.

Conversation to my daughter...

"Okay, Lydia Grace.  Mommy is going to cover the outside of the jars with fabric and  you can stick the straws in."  (Score!  Pure cuteness!  The fabric stuck beautifully without having to even add any other adhesive.  Proof of how sticky they still really are.  Now I didn't win any prize money for solving my craft dilemma, but the jars did get huge compliments at the shower.)

The downfall was that all of the fabric had to be removed before washing them after the shower.  Ideally I would still like to get the label residue off, but for now I'll just cover them in fabric when I want to use them.

Do you have any suggestions?

Other than glitter...

Update: A fellow blogger shared a little trick in her book to getting labels off glass jars. You'll never guess. Peanut butter! So...I smeared peanut butter over the jars, let them sit, and rewashed them. It worked! Although the fabric was an adorable solution for the shower, I'm very pleased with my non-sticky jars now.

Happy crafting!

Sewing Supplies

What's in your sewing box?

Click here to see my list of essentials.

You may also like...

Happy sewing!

Baby

13 weeks!

Baby is doing good!  Yay!  The heart rate is 171 which has climbed to a healthy rate from the initial 103.  There was a small bleed beside baby on the last ultrasound, but that is a big improvement from there being large hemorrhages and hearing the term "threatened abortion" thrown around just weeks ago...

Baby seems to be developing normally, so they aren't going to worry about the present bleed and they are just going to keep a close eye on things.

Despite the coagulation disorders, Tim and I have just opted for me to take a daily does of aspirin instead of blood thinners which can have too many bad effects for both baby and me.  (Aspirin worked for L.G. and Eli.)

Now that I'm in the second trimester, I am beginning to feel less tired and sick.  My energy is slowly coming back to me which has felt wonderful.

Those are the facts.

Now, how am I really feeling?
Emotionally...
I love my little baby already, but I have to admit...

my heart has still been a bit distant.  Please don't think I'm awful.  It's just that after you've gone through multiple miscarriages, you tend to be a bit distant and fearful at times.  Fearful that at any moment something might go wrong...  Fearful of loosing yet another piece of yourself...

I know the bible says that the Lord has not given us a spirit of fear but one of power...
But worry too often seems to be one of my failings..
When I find myself worrying...
I try to focus on the one who has me sheltered in the palm of his hand...
The one who has blessed me beyond belief...
My precious Lord and Savior.

I know that God will be there no matter what happens.  He'll be there in heartbreak and in joy!

Baby and I are just taking it one day at a time...

Isn't that all any of us can do in this life...

What a little fighter baby has already been!

Just like through previous pregnancies, I'm walking this road one step at a time with prayer and gratitude in my heart...

I never would have dreamed that I'd have the precious babies that I do.  They are such miracles to me!
And my heart is open to witnessing yet another miracle.

Wedding Shower

 I hosted a wedding shower for my sister this past Sunday.  I know how much she loves breakfast foods, so I felt like a brunch would set the scene for a perfect shower.  As little girls we use to love when our mother would cook us breakfast in the mornings, and we especially loved when she would cook us breakfast foods for dinner.  Breakfast for dinner was one of our favorite meals! 

My mother came a little early and helped me pull together some last minute details including baking the french toast which I dusted with powdered sugar and placed out cups of syrup for dipping.  The rest of the menu included croissants stuffed with cream cheese, a fruit tray, pumpkin muffins, mini quiches, and blueberry muffins and a breakfast casserole both of which were provided by two of the bridesmaids.  The drink bar included sweet tea (a Southern staple), juices, and iced coffee all of which could be sipped from glass jugs holding silver striped paper straws.  Doily garlands, a lacy table cloth, homemade chocolate favors, white ceramic vases, touches of blue, fresh flowers, and doily wrapped utensils added lovely finishing touches.  Here are some photos from her French Country inspired brunch...

    

Happy Sunday!

My sister's wedding shower is today and I'm hosting.  Before I go and finish all of the preparations, I wanted to leave you with one of my favorite verses on love...

I'm very happy that Allison has found a wonderful Christian man with whom to spend her life.

I'll be sure to share shower pictures with you later in the week.

Have a happy, love-filled Sunday!

A Perfect Way to Apply Glitter

Making a scrapbook page, greeting card, gift tag, display card or other handmade paper product?

Want to add a splash of glitter?

Here's a perfect way...

Directions:

1. Gather together your materials: glitter, double sided tape, and card stock.
2. Place a strip of tape in the desired location.
3. Snip off any overhanging parts.
4. Sprinkle on the glitter and shake off the excess.
5. Now you have a beautiful touch of shine and sparkle that stays on and is much less messy than glitter and glue.
Happy Crafting!

Happy Sunday!

Cabochon Accessories

The fall collection of cabochon accessories will be released this coming week!  I have made several special pieces that I can't wait to share with you.  Here's a little sneak peek of what I've been working on...

To see items currently available in the shop, click here.

Happy Sunday

Fall!

 

Hello to visits to the pumpkin patch and corn maze year after year...

(I had Eli in September of last year.  We went to a corn maze and pumpkin patch, but I never got the pictures up.  We'll blame it on a case of new baby-itis. The links above are from the fall of 2009 and fall of 2010.)

Hello to pumpkin muffins with cream cheese filling, apple pie, and delicious fall treats...

Hello to walks in the leaves...

Hello to turkey hand prints and cute fall crafts...

Hello to handmade costumes for him and for her...

Hello to hay rides, apple picking, and our fall bucket list!

Hello to all the things
that make fall fun!

Happy Fall!