A Lapse in Blogs

Oh, dear...so very long without posting. I apologize to everyone who has been checking in. Life got ahead of me for a little while.

The good news: I will have a lot to share in the coming weeks!

Forming a mother-daugher book club, and details about the first meeting; girl scout meeting ideas; family outings; nature-based experiments; crafts and travel.

So, stay tuned, and thank you for your patience!

Blog on!

A Wee Something for the Brownies

I needed a "wee something" to bring to my Brownie Girl Scout troop's meeting to wish them a Happy St. Pat's (we're out on Spring Break next week, when the real leprechauns come out to play).

Found these tiny cauldrons at a discount store (a dozen for $2...score!). Then I just needed some "gold" (in this case, the butterscotch kind) for the leprechaun's treasure, and a lil' note.

Easy and quick. Two of my favorite words!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Winding Up a Shamrock for St. Patrick's Day

Top of the Mornin' to ya! I finally finished my St. Paddy's Day yarn shamrock. I wanted to make something that looked a little homemade...a little bit rustic...but not messy or overly shabby. And here's what I came up with:

I started with four foam hearts, a couple of clearance-priced

skeins of green yarn (one "regular" and one "nubby" for texture). Then I just started winding...and winding... and winding the yarn around the hearts. It's a great project to work on while you're watching tv or waiting at dance lessons or in carpool line. Think of it an a bit of Zen....ahhhhhh.

Once I had wound the darker yarn around each heart, I used a

single strand of the nubby textured yarn as an accent.

But I needed a stem. I originally thought of taping a couple of paint stir stick together and wrapping them in yarn, but settled on a piece of

cardboard from a box in our recycling bin. That way I could control the shape a bit more. Again: winding, winding, winding.

I just used long straight pins to connect the finished hearts together, and then added the stem with two more. Ta da! Ready to hang. I paired it with this cute cloth banner from Hobby Lobby.

Spell It Out!

Happy Make Your Monday!

A friend's daughter recently redecorated her room and asked if I could make something with her name on it.

The colors she chose were brilliant, and fun to work with so I took a pillow sham to Michael's and purchased a few matching acrylic colors. While there, I also bought six 4x5" canvases (one for each letter),a wooden dowel, two wooden end caps, and a pair of wall hooks. I then stopped into the local fabric store to pick up a couple of packages of white bias tape and some cording to complement the color scheme.

I primed each canvas with white paint. While they were drying I played with different fonts on my computer, and printed out the letters.

After the base coat dried, I gave each piece a couple of coats of color. This was a good time to add the end caps to the dowel (which had been cut to 24" in length). A bit of wood glue secured them, and then it got the same painted procedure that the canvases received.

Now, there are MANY new super-cool ways to transfer letters and designs these days, but I just did it the quick-and-easy, old-fashioned way. I gently sketched pencil lead across the backs of the pieces of paper, then flipped them right-side-up on the canvas for a quick trace.

I used black paint to apply the lettering, but a nice, fat Sharpie would have been easier.

Again...drying time...

The finishing touch was to edge the pieces with bias tape with the help of good ol' hot glue.

I cord was cut into equal lengths, and the ends stapled them to the backs of the canvases.

Then...just hang the letters from the dowel!

Such a quick project, and the little girl loves it!

Now I'm trying to think of a word to do for my studio!

Climb Aboard Trendy Treehouse's "Follow Me Friday"

Trendy Treehouse (one of my favorites) has a great "Follow Me Friday" feature that will lead you throughout blogville on an adventure of finding different blogs and making new friends. Give it a try and see what you discover!

Happy Friday Follow!

Here we go on the Friday Follow. It's a great way to discover new blogs and make new friends. See what you can find when you follow along!

Heat Up Valentine's Day with a Quick Gift!

I guess I just can’t leave well enough alone. Valentine’s Day is just a couple of days way, but something in me needed to make a couple more “tokens” of affection/appreciation.

It’s been so cold and damp here that I immediately thought of the soothing relief of hot packs. Simple enough!

There are many “how to’s” across the internet about how to make microwavable styles with either rice or dried beans. One thing I have learned is that the legumes (because of their larger size) tend to hold the heat longer.

If you decide to whip a few up for yourself, be sure to use only all cotton fabrics and threads (since microwaves and polyester don’t play well together.

I made small packs, for a sore neck or shoulder, beginning by cutting 20” x 5” strips of muslin. Fold in half, bringing the two short ends together. Sew along the long sides, so that the piece is connected on three sides, and open at the top (short end).

Fold in thirds lengthwise, and sew along the two folds (which results in three “tubes” open at the end).

Roll an index card into a funnel to direct the slippery little beans into the tubes. Don’t fill all the way, since the pack will be more comfortable when flexible.

After the tubes are full, fold the opening end over twice, an stitch down securely. There! now you have the heat pack itself finished. Easy, huh?

But we have to make it a bit prettier, don't we? Next comes a little slipcover that can be removed for washing. You can even choose material with motifs that reflect the personality of the person who will be receiving this cozy gift. The one above made out of pink Girl Scout try-it material is for my Brownie daughter.

The cover fabrics should also be cut in a strip, just a bit larger than the muslin. I cut mine 21" x 6". Then, even with the seam allowances, it will still have plenty of room to slip over the pack.

First, fold the two short ends of the strip over twice and stitch to make hems. Then, with right sides of the fabric (design side facing design side) together, offset the ends and stitch up the sides. Think of an eyeglass case with a fold-over flap. Overlap the ends on one side of your case, and finish stitching the sides together.

Turn case right-side-out, and slide your hot pack inside. (See the lil' guy peeking out?) Fold the last flap closed, and you're ready for gifting.

Remember to attach a tag letting the person know that the hot pack can be heated in the microwave for about one minute, and that the cover is removable for washing.

I think I'll test one out right now....aaaaaaahhhhhh!

Have a cozy Valentines Day.