Paisley and Polka Dots

Baby Girl Quilt

2010-07-15T00:35:00.000-04:00

I included this quilt in my last post, but I wanted to show you the accessory set I made to go with it!

I made this cute little bag for soiled clothing, lining it with vinyl. I threw on a fabric flower pin, but it can be removed if need be!

Matching burp cloth!

I'm in love with this project. I've been working on this idea for a while as I had seen other 'roll up' changing pads around the blogosphere. It has room for wipes and diapers and closes with velcro. I've also made some others with embellishments and ones that tie instead of velcro.

Thanks for looking! I will be adding these and/or similar items to my Etsy store soon (haven't posted the link yet), so let me know if you are interested in anything!

I'm a terrible blogger...

2010-07-07T12:38:00.000-04:00

Hello bloggy buddies! So it's been awhile! Life has been CU-RA-ZEE the past month and blogging got pushed to the back of the line. Every time I was on my computer and saw that little Blogger icon at the top of my favorites list, I felt a little guilty. I had all intention of posting a few weeks ago, and again the next week, etc., not to mention catching up on all your wonderful posts, but it didn't happen. I finally came to the conclusion that it really doesn't matter, everyone and their Momma is busy in the summer, so things will just be slow around here for a while!

I have all sorts of things to post about, but let's start with this one. I ran...and completed my first 10K race in June. The weather was hot and miserably humid at 7am, and all of our times suffered, but what can you do!? I'm still not a huge fan of running, but it really helped me lose some lb's (I think 17 so far), so I'm thinking....just thinking, of signing up for a half marathon in the spring. Good thing I have plenty of time to ~~back out~~ decide.

I have to include this pic taken by a friend on the side of the course. My expression is SO weird, but he did a good job of catching me as I ran by!

I've been busy shooting away with my camera and started a 365 blog in June. Since I missed the beginning of the year, I thought it would be cool to start it on my birthday on the 4th and go from there. This pic is one of my faves so far and you can see my blog here.

This is a cake I made for a good friend's birthday a few weeks ago. I saw the idea for the outside of the cake here, and just improvised everything inside and on top.

I filled the top with chocolate covered peanuts, peanut butter cups, and peanut butter malt balls.

Inside was chocolate cake with alternating chocolate and peanut butter icing layers.

In addition to baking, running, and taking pictures (yes, in that order), I've also been sewing up a storm. I've made all kinds of baby items for my sister and couldn't really stop after that. I've already sold a few quilts, and I'm contemplating an etsy shop, as well as possibly selling things locally. If only I didn't have a full-time job and had more hours in day!

One of my favorite quilts so far!

Be back soon!

25 Years Young

2010-06-04T07:39:00.004-04:00

Today I am officially a quarter of a century old. Wow, that sounds horrible. Let's just go with 25 years young!

I found this little gem of a picture in an old stack of photos and I have a few thoughts on it...

1. My Mom always made the best birthday cakes. This duck for my 5th was one of my favorites. I've also had a clown, a caterpillar, a pool cake, a teddy bear, a bunny, and a cheeseburger.

2. Wait a minute. I don't think this tradition should have ever ended!

3. My Mom made a mean birthday cake, but she didn't do so hot in the hair-cutting department. You should have seen it when she curled the ends under. I looked like a cute little pudgy mushroom.

4. Completely unrelated, but 20 years later she has a much better decorating sense, thank God. Seashells woven into some sort of tapestry thing? Really Mother?

25 puts a new perspective on things for me. I'm like officially an adult. Like the days of excuses for being young and stupid are dwindling. Darn. Now I can just plead old and stupid! :)

I've accomplished a lot in my 25 years...not nearly as much as I dreamed about growing up, but that's what the next 25 are for, and the 25 after that. I've got lots to do, and hopefully even more time to do it in!

And in the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.

- Abraham Lincoln

Pulled Pork Tacos

2010-06-03T10:28:00.001-04:00

This is one of my favorite pulled pork recipes (yes, I have several!). This was the main course at my party so I made two, yes two, crock pots of pulled pork for a total of 10 pounds. Yoi!

For this post, I'll give you the recipe to make a 2.5 pound piece of pork in the slow cooker. That should be enough for 5-6 people.

In your crock pot, combine:

2 cups salsa
OR 1 cup salsa and 1 cup Rotel diced tomatoes (I've even used plain diced tomatos from a can, use whatever you have on hand)
2 tbsp. oregano
2 tbsp. chili powder
2 tbsp. cocoa powder
1 tsp. salt
2.5 lb. Boston Butt pork shoulder (may have a bone in it)

Stir this mixture and add pork. Turn pork to coat. Picture below shows pre-coated and post. Rocket science, I know.

Cover and cook on high for 4-5 hours or on low for 7-8 hours. When done, the meat should just fall apart without much pulling on your part. Remove the bone if you had one, and you're ready to serve! That's it, so easy!!

To serve:

Wrap your tortillas in foil and warm in the oven at 350 for about 15 minutes.

These are best served just with the tortilla, pork, fresh cilantro, salsa, sour cream, and fresh squeezed lime juice.

You can also add lettuce and cheese as I've shown below, but you really don't need them!

For a normal meal, I pair these with some mexican rice and voila, there you go. It's easy and fast to put together, perfect for a busy weeknight!

2nd Annual Guac-Off and Mexican recipes!

2010-06-02T23:58:00.000-04:00

I love to entertain and have several parties a year. The "GUAC-OFF" came about last year when my friend and I were arguing about who had the better guac recipe...hence the guac-off. Last year I had about 10 people over and it was thrown together fairly quickly. This year I had about 20 people and was much more prepared! I had the party this past Saturday and it was a success!!

I had pulled pork tacos for the main course and will be posting that recipe soon.

See how festive I was?!? Lol...

Below are all my recipes, except I forgot to take a pic of my queso dip!

This was my bowl of guacamole for the contest and 5 other party-goers brought guac to be judged. Haha, we really do pass out slips of paper and do a blind vote. I got second place...boo! The winner got the honorary sombrero shown above. I will not be sharing my recipe in case any of my competition decides to look. ;)

I like to make my own tortilla chips, shown above. Cut several tortillas at once into triangles with a pizza cutter and lay on a foil covered cookie sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and kosher salt. Bake for 9-10 minutes at 350 or until golden brown. They are super yummy!

These Chicken Enchilada Roll-Ups were a surprise hit. I used chipotle flavored tortillas in case you were wondering. You can find the recipe here.

I made these cinnamon chips the same way as the tortilla chips above except I brushed them with melted butter and sprinkled with a cinnamon sugar mixture.

Fruit Salsa:

3 kiwis

1 pint strawberries

1/2 pint blackberries

1 can of peaches

1 tbsp. strawberry preserves

1 tsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. lime juice

grated lime zest

Dice all the fruit and mix in rest of ingredients. Strain the mixture before serving to get rid of some of the juices.

6 Layer Mexican Dip

This makes a large serving platter so you can always make a smaller portion.

Blend 3 8oz. blocks of softened cream cheese with a mixer. Add in 2-2.5 tbsp. taco seasoning (store bought or make your own, see below!)

Spread this mixture on your serving platter or plate. Top with salsa, black beans, lettuce, shreaded cheese, and chives.

Taco Seasoning:

1 tbsp. chili powder

1 1/2 tsp. cumin

1 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. oregano

1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Mango Pico de Gallo

3 mangos, diced

1 jalapeno, seeded and diced

1/2 cup fresh cilantro

1/2 red onion

2 limes, juiced

3-4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. sea salt

Lime Margarita Cupcakes...Mmmmm

These were awesome! My friends call me the cupcake queen now, especially after they had the cookie dough ones!

After these cooled, I brushed the tops with Patron tequila. I also whipped Patron and lime juice into the buttercream frosting, but I think I added too much because my frosting wasn't as stiff and pretty as Annie's! Check out the recipe here!

Sweet Potato Pancakes, Mmmmmm!

2010-06-01T23:06:00.004-04:00

I love sweet potatoes any which way you could possibly make them. Good thing for me- they are pretty good for you!

This recipe makes 3 large pancakes, 2 of which are shown below. Following the recipe, they should be about 200 calories each. Add some sugar free maple syrup on there, and it's still not a bad meal. I had 2 for dinner and will be thoroughly enjoying the last one for breakfast tomorrow morning. :)

1 medium sweet potato (Wash, chop off ends, wrap in foil, and bake at 400 for 1 hour. Scoop out the inside and mash before adding to batter)

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. ginger

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. allspice

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 cup buttermilk

1/2 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. vegetable oil

1 egg

1/8 cup packed brown sugar (I prefer dark)

Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and all spices. Add buttermilk and vanilla, followed by oil, egg, and brown sugar. Add mashed potatos, mixing well.

Cook as you would regular pancakes!

Baby Quilts!

2010-05-24T11:00:00.000-04:00

Things are crazy around here but I was able to get some quick sewing time in this weekend! I finished 60 blocks for the baby boy quilt. These blocks were so easy to make!

I'm waiting for some more Whimsy in the mail for the borders, so next up are the blocks for the baby girl quilt. I might have mentioned before, but these quilts are the whole reason I bought a sewing machine and started quilting to begin with! My sister is expecting my first niece or nephew and they aren't finding out the sex. That means I'm doing double of everything!!

Table Runner & Matching Tea Towels

2010-05-14T17:47:00.002-04:00

Happy Friday Friends!

I wanted to share pictures of the finished product from a few weeks ago. My Mom was thrilled with her Mother's Day gift! She loooooves anything Mary Engelbreit.

I guess I had planned on the patchwork being the 'front' of the table runner but either one works!

And of course I had to make some matching tea towels!

I'm adding this to Sew & Tell Fridays!!

Catching up...

2010-05-10T16:10:00.000-04:00

Ok, so I've been the worst blogger ever the past few weeks, but I have good reason! I've been a busy girl...

You see, I've been busy buying fabric...lots of it. I just had to do it. What if they ran out, and I'd never see it ever again?

Swanky because it was all 30% off, Authentic and Make Life because I'm addicted.

Whimsy because it's going to make an awesome baby boy quilt.

Wee Play because it's on the way to extinction and Neptune because, DUH!, it's Neptune!!

I've been busy making terrible burp cloths! This seemed easy enough and I thought I could manage without a serger. For the top one, I sewed RST, turned ride side out, and topstitched. Ugh, I haven't mastered sewing curves yet. For the bottom one, I sewed wrong sides together and ziz-zagged around. Terrible again. Anyone have a better idea for flannel burp cloths with no serger?!?!?

I've been busy reading this book (which many bloggers have recommended), taking lots of notes, and practicing. I'm determined to get this SLR thing down, mostly because I've gots lots of events coming up I want to shoot. I'm also going to be starting a project 365!

I've been busy running and training for a 10K race next month. I'm not a runner, so this is a big deal for me! I've made the commitment and I'm trying my best. Since I'm working out so much, I figured I should pay close attention to what I'm eating. I've been counting calories and keeping track of protein. See huge bag below. :) It hasn't been the easiest thing ever and I've definitely slipped (see Cookie Dough Cupcakes), but I'm down 10 lbs. since starting! Woo hoo, it's a great feeling!

I've been busy shopping. I scored this adorable bathing suit from Target on clearance for $9 a piece. And I couldn't resist the nautical cover up! Living in the sailing capital of the world has started to rub off on me! Must do A LOT more running so I can actually take the cover-up off! :)

I've been busy earning free jewelry and goods. I have a career and work full-time, but I like shiny things so... I happened upon an opportunity to work at Brighton Collectibles this past Christmas holiday. Since I work during the week, I helped them for a few hours on the weekends. They asked if I could help again the past month for Mother's Day.

I was able to get my Momma lots of pretty things for her 60th bday coming up, and a few pieces of jewelry for myself. Notice a trend with the nautical gear? I was also able to purchase this beauty. I would never, ever, ever spend this much on a purse...ever. But after the awesome discount and some of my own money, I decided to take the plunge. The picture doesn't do her justice, just trust me. She's yummy.

Pheww. That about covers the last few weeks. I'm broke, tired, and hungry....but happy. :) What have you been working on?

Please take a minute! Bloggers around the world will thank you!

2010-04-29T10:30:00.001-04:00

Hi friends!

Remember back here when we talked about changing your settings in blogger so you can be contacted? Ever wonder why you comment on a blog and never get a response?! Well lately, I've had so many awesome comments on my posts, but I can't respond to many of them.

I came across a great post about this from Amy at Amy's Creative Side.

This is something that I hear echoed from other bloggers as well. If you leave us a comment, we want to talk to you too! Take a minute to read either post for the how-to on blogger.

P.S. Pass it on!

Ok, thanks, stepping off my soap box now. :)

I've been busy and I need your help!

2010-04-25T11:21:00.001-04:00

Fabric storage was starting to become an issue around here when I had little boxes and containers everywhere, rapidly filling up. I just thought I'd show you my temporary solution. These boxes are great because they aren't your typical plastic bin and are pretty inconspicuous.

This one has general quilting fabric, with some minky, and flannels.

This one has all my pre-cuts, soon-to-be WIPs, and collections I'm thinking about cutting into.

That's it!

Next on the list was a new pillow or two for my living room. I had some super ugly pillows that came with the couch, so I made a few simple pillow covers for a quick transformation. I still have two left, so I'm debating on a different pattern for the loveseat, or two more of these ones!

Alright, my favorite project of the weekend was this table runner for my Mom on Mother's Day. This is the front...

And the back. She's a gardener so I thought this was perfect! But, here's the problem. I'm ready to quilt and I need some help deciding how to do it from you quilters out there! I'm afraid that if I use stippling, it will ruin the look of the panel. Same goes for grid lines. But I can't just leave that whole wide space unquilted. Plus it would look weird on the front! So what do you think??

Thanks in advance!

I love me some pears.

2010-04-21T14:50:00.000-04:00

Bake em', eat em', display em', sew em'. You name it.

Remember Katie from More Misadventures, my guest blogger from a few weeks ago? AKA, my bloggy BFF?

Well check out her new post. I LOVE these, I can't even take it.

Check out the complete post here.

This is one of the first pieces of fabric I fell in love with. I keep buying it just in case it's discontinued anytime soon!

How cute is this!? Check out the tute' at Dangerously Domestic.

One of my favorite Poached Pears recipes from The Food Network!

Cookie Dough Cupcakes and Croquet.

2010-04-19T07:26:00.001-04:00

Alright, if there's ever a recipe I give you, ever, this is THE one to try. (Even more than those tasty enchiladas I made a while back.)

In fact, they came from the same culinary genius, Annie over at Annie's Eats. Check out the recipe for these tasty treats here.

This weekend was the annual croquet match. Yes, you heard me. Croquet. I live near the US Naval Academy. For the past 30 years or so, they have a match between the Navy guys from the academy and guys from another local college. Thousands of people come out and everyone dresses in bloomers and bowties, and sundresses with big fancy hats. It's an awesome day!

Me being Betty Crocker and all (or I try), I made most of the food. I usually do all old fashioned foods, but I couldn't pass up the chance to make these little babies.

Chocolate chip cake batter, with a cookie dough filling, and cookie dough icing. Let me just tell you that EVERYONE loved them. Three dozen cupcakes were gone in a flash.

And if you need proof- see below. Hehe, I think I even got a few marriage proposals after they devoured these.

I also made these super yummy lemon cheesecake bars, and orange dream cookies. I didn't add the recipes but let me know if anyone wants them posted!

Also made a favorite of mine- cucumber sandwiches with a cream cheese, onion, and dill mixture. Mmmm.

I love any reason to wear fun hats like these!!

Boys from the Navy croquet team.

Seriously, give these cupcakes a try and I promise you they'll quickly become a family favorite. Let me know if you try them!

Ruffle me up.

2010-04-18T14:17:00.004-04:00

I'm really diggin the plaid/flannel looks that were popular over the winter, but I wanted something lighter for the spring. Plaid + ruffles = awesome.

I showed this to one of my friends the other day, and she said, "Oh...it's cute, I guess. Just don't wear it out." HA! Now she really isn't the ruffle or plaid kind of girl but I hated to tell her I've already been wearing it. It looks really cute with white pants or white skirt and cute heels!

I happen to love it and that's all that matters. :)

Each of my ruffles has 2 strips of fabric, roughly 2.5" and 1.75" in width. Adjust them accordingly to the size you need. You'll need the length to be almost double your finished size.

Place the strips on top of each other and sew a basting stitch down the middle. Make sure you don't backstitch at the beginning or end!!

Pull the strings to make the ruffle.

Pin ruffles to shirt and stitch down the middle, securing at the beginning and end.

* I made the ruffle in the middle slightly wider than the two on the ends!

P.S. I got the tee on clearance at NY&Co. for $5, and I think the fabric cost me a whopping $0.75!!

Christmas in April!

2010-04-14T23:50:00.002-04:00

Ok, here's a recap.

The pile below was to become my first quilt. I picked Christmas because if I really screwed it up, I would only have to see it one month out of the year. Genius, I know.

Fast forward: finished quilt below.

Then I wanted the crinkly goodness so I decided to wash it. (Remember when we talked about pre-washing fabric?)

Last night at 1AM, I pull it out of the dryer and see this. All over. I panic, yell, scream, swear, maybe a tear, pout. Too late on a Tuesday night to do anything about it.

After a great deal of googling last night, I was at Target when they opened this morning. I'm hoping these will save the day. I coated the thing in Oxi-Clean, let it sit all day while I was working, and washed with 3 of these color catchers.

TA DA!

There's still a few spots that bled, but it's much better. Sigh.

And I probably won't pre-wash, still. I'm that lazy. I'm just hoping this was a fluke.

Quilting: stitch in the ditch and free motion.

Pattern was Piece of Cake from Thimble Blossoms, 71"x63". Before I washed it was 69x61. After washing, it was 66x58. Hmmm. At least it's not lopsided?

For my first one, I'm pretty happy with the end result! I named it Holly Jolly. Don't make fun of me. I already know I'm a dork!

My camera is starting to behave.

2010-04-14T00:32:00.003-04:00

I'm still figuring out how to use my SLR...

Easter Sunday I went here.

And then went here.

I could never get tired of photographing the White House!

Then we wandered down to the Tidal Basin to see all the Cherry Blossoms. It's peak season here!

The Washington Monument on the National Mall.

Laying on the ground eating ice cream, looking up at this.

A few days later...historic Annapolis.

Sushi date with my friends!

Natalie is a great model!

Dancing Queen.

2010-04-12T02:49:00.001-04:00

I got absolutely zero crafting/ project time in this weekend, and for good reason. I traveled back to my hometown for the wedding of two very good friends from childhood. It was a fabulous few days of friends, family, dancing, partying, eating, more eating, and tired dancing feet.

This post is more personal in nature, but I just felt the urge to tell you about my wonderful weekend. I don't get to go home very often, but when I do, there's never a dull moment. I grew up in a very small area- you know, everybody knows everybody, more cows than people type of place. We grew up as country kids in this small tight-knit community, riding our bikes to the town pool, playing baseball at the one little ball field by the crick (that's redneck Pennsylvanian for stream), and endless games of capture the flag with flashlights at night. Not much changed in all the years spent at home, but we inevitably grew up and moved on with our lives.

This weekend was a chance to gather everyone together as a reunion of sorts, not to mention celebrating our friends' marriage. I am lucky to have ended up in this group of amazing people (thanks to the parents for bringing me along at just the right time). Some people leave home and never connect with school friends again. I keep in regular contact with some of these people and some only a few times a year, but it makes no difference. I am lucky that we could be away for months or years, and come back together like not a day was missed.

Moral of the story: Remember your friends that were there in the beginning; they're the most likely to be there in the end. And remember where you came from. :)

With the bride the night before the wedding.

I was honored to read a scripture at the ceremony. (But man was I glad when that was over!!)

A few of my girlfriends- beautiful women, inside and out!

Of course I have to show some of the boys too- quite possibly some of the funniest and goofiest guys out there. I didn't stop laughing all weekend!

Ok, this serious lack of sleep is catching up to me! Thanks for letting me share a little bit of what makes me, me. Happy Monday!

Blogging problem solved.

2010-04-08T14:18:00.001-04:00

Ok, this deserves a brand new post.

Yesterday I asked for help. I'd love to personally respond to the comments on my blog, but most of the time, it will just send the email to a no-reply email address. Boo! That's no fun. As bloggers, we blog so that we can reach out to others, sharing ideas, laughs, etc. I want to be able to connect with all of you!

Jill over at Controlling My Chaos is a rockstar, not to mention pretty funny. Go say hi! (Side note: Jill's was the first blog I EVER read and followed!)

According to her directions, we should go to our dashboards and click on 'Edit Profile' next to our picture. Check the box that says show my email. Done! Spread the word!!

Completely unrelated, but I'm lovin' my tulips and the 80+ degree weather!

Blogger Help!

2010-04-07T14:37:00.000-04:00

I have a question that one of you might be able to answer.

So you know how you get an email when someone leaves you a comment?

When I reply, most of the time, the address comes up as no-reply @ blogger...etc. Occasionally, the person's actual email address shows up and you can email them back.

How do we all fix this so that we can personally respond to all our lovely comments?

I bet some of you are sitting there thinking that you've been replying all this time to comments, and you wondered why you never got an answer, perhaps?! :)

Learning to Quilt: Part 6

2010-04-07T08:00:00.001-04:00

TA DAAH!

Here is the finished product after binding.

The completed size was 44.25" x 13.75" before washing.

And after- 42.25" X 13.5", so yes, it shrinks a little. Why wash, you may ask? Washing a quilt after you finish it gives the fabric a nice crinkly look and feel. This isn't a must, but I like the effect!

Wash in cold water, dry on high heat.

Ok, I promise, no more "Learning to Quilt" posts! If you are a beginner and have questions about quilting, I hope these posts have helped.

If you do find these helpful (or not), let me know!! Is there something from the 6 posts that needs clarified? Questions? I'd love the honest feedback!

Back to Part 5: Binding.

Learning to Quilt: Part 5

2010-04-07T02:17:00.001-04:00

Time to bind. I have to say, this wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it was going to be. I actually kind of liked the whole process!

* Measure. Add up all 4 sides of the quilt to get the length of binding you need to make.

* Cut. Cut 2.5" strips of desired fabric. *(Note: I cut mine selvage to selvage. I'm told you should cut on the bias, diagonally, but I'm starting out the easy way.)

* Sew. Sew strips together, end to end. Press seams open. (The only time you'll hear me say that.)

* Press. Now you have one long strip. Press in half, wrong sides together.

* Pin. Start pinning to quilt. Start in the middle of one side. Raw edges of binding to raw edges of quilt. Avoid having any seams (where you sewed your strips together) at a corner. When you get to a corner, fold up like so.

Now bring strip back down, over the diagonal fold you just made.

Pin the whole way around, leaving at least 6-8 inches of both tails unpinned.

* Sew. Using 1/4" seam allowance, sew binding to quilt. When you get to the corner, stop and backstitch 1/4" from end of quilt.

Lift presser foot, and start sewing again, 1/4" down from the top. Make sure you secure beginning with a backstitch. Do this at every corner.

When you get back to where you started, make sure you don't sew down these tails.

Figure out where you need to sew the seam for the tails to lay flat on the quilt. (Sorry I don't have a better explanation for this.) Open up the folds, pin, and sew right sides together where you decided the seam should be.

Press seams open and re-fold the strip.

Continue sewing the binding down.

* Secure. From what I've read, hairclips such as the ones below are the best way to hold your binding down. First flip your binding over to the back side from the front of your quilt where you just sewed it in place. Clip in place.

* Sew. Using the hand quilting thread I showed you last time, hand stitch the binding to the back of the quilt. Try and use a color that will blend in, even though you really shouldn't see the thread at all. Use stitches that will slide between layers of the binding, down into the quilt, back through the binding, etc.

You can also machine stitch this on, but it's hard to get it straight, since you can't see the front of the quilt while you're sewing. I think hand stitching looks so much better!

Ok friends, I feel like this post was much more difficult to follow, but as it was with me, I bet it will click when you actually try it yourself. Check out some of the other tutorials from the Quilting Queens on my sidebar. Read a variety of different tutorials and you'll get the drift.

Back to Part 4: Free-motion quilting.

Learning to Quilt: Part 4

2010-04-07T01:10:00.000-04:00

Quilt sandwich? Check.

Time for some quiltin' action.

* Foot. Get yourself a free-motion foot. They differ depending on what kind of machine you have. I have a Pfaff, and this Big Foot (clever, isn't it) is what my dealer sells with these machines. It was around $20. (Make sure you lower your feed dogs when doing free-motion quilting.)

* I am eager to learn free-motion, so that's what I'm talking about here, but you can quilt straight lines, stitch in the ditch, etc.

* Plan. This little exercise was actually pretty helpful. Take a few minutes to draw your intended design. You're going to notice it anyway so I might as well tell you that I didn't actually follow this pattern. Free-motion quilting is an acquired skill and takes lots of practice. My quilting ended up as a mish-mash of circles, swirls, and a meandering squiggle. But it works. You can just say you planned it that way. ;)

* Practice. Make a few quilt sandwiches to practice on. Like I said, it's an acquired skill, and I hear it takes a while to get it right.

* Quilt. I didn't take any video of the actual quilting, but you can find them around the blogosphere. You get the idea. The key is to maintain a constant pressure on your foot pedal while moving your fabric around to create your desired design. This uses a lot of thread so have some back-up spools ready!!

* Trim. After you're done quilting, trim the excess batting and backing fabric so all three layers are even.

* Thread. Ok, speaking of... let's talk about thread. Again, back when I was completely clueless (instead of semi- clueless now), I thought that just any thread would do. WRONG! Every quilter I've talked to says 100% cotton, all the way. If you go to your local Joann's, you'll see plenty of thread but I bet most of it will be 100% polyester, or a cotton/poly blend. I did, however, go to a super Joann's recently and they had a decent selection of 100% cotton. The place where I bought my machine also has a bunch of it.

I've heard that the polyesters are more likely to cause problems in your machines. The best explanation I got was, "If you're making a quilt with 100% cotton fabric, shouldn't your thread be the same?" Do you see a pattern here with the batting as well?

My favorite brand is Gutermann.

Last thing- see the spool up front? That is 100% cotton hand quilting thread. It's a little more course and seems thicker, so I used that when I was hand stitching the binding to the quilt. Makes sense right? Thicker thread, more durable?

Back to Part 3: Making a quilt sandwich.

Learning to Quilt: Part 3

2010-04-06T11:19:00.000-04:00

* (Reminder, I'm just a beginner here and this is basically what I've learned from several different blogs, books, google searches, and stalking little old ladies in the batting isle. Yes, seriously. I just found a need for some tutorials on the bare bones of quilting. I'm teaching myself, so hopefully I can help someone else answer their ~~stupid~~ inquisitive questions that I had!)

Ok, so remember back when I talked about planning your quilt and taking seam allowances into account? This is how I learned. I cut all my blocks 5x5 and 10x5. Well, the row with one block of each size has one less seam so I should have cut it 9.5x5. Now I know.

* Square it up. No worries, just square your quilt up. You should probably do this anyway. Now it's all straight and pretty.

* Choosing Your Batting. Back when I didn't know jack about quilting (like 2 months ago), I thought everyone used this big fluffy polyester stuff pictured below. I figured I'd test out my options so I made a quilt sandwich and practiced my free-motion quilting skillz' on both the polyester and cotton batting. As you can see, both end up fairly flat (after a TON of quilting).

The polyester is just tougher to work with at first because it's so thick. Plus it feels rough and just unnatural. Since then, I've ~~stalked~~ talked to a few ladies in the batting isle (you thought I was kidding about that, didn't ya?) and they all directed me to Warm & White and Warm & Natural. It's 100% cotton and easy to work with.

I happened upon a sale at Joann's recently and scored Warm & Natural from the bolt for $5 a yard. I think it's normally $12!

* Quilt Sandwich. Ok, your quilt top is done. Select your fabric for the back, or piece a few cuts together, whatever you prefer. Just make sure your back is a few inches larger than your quilt top.

Lay your backing down on the floor, right side down. There are many ways of 'basting' a quilt, but I seem to like the idea of using painter's tape to tack the backing down to the floor. I didn't do it for this example because it's so small.

Place your batting on top of the quilt back, making it the same size as the back. Next add your quilt top, right side up. The tricky part here is to make sure the top is centered since it is smaller than the batting and quilt back.

*Pinning. After you are satisfied with your sandwich (i.e. centered, and with no wrinkles), start pinning. These curved safety pins work really well. Use as many as you like- the more secure it is, the better!

Now you're ready to start quilting! Stay tuned!

Back to Part 2: Sewing Blocks Together

Katie Squared Guest Post.

2010-04-01T22:57:00.000-04:00

I would like to introduce you to a new bloggy buddy of mine. Katie from 'More Misadventures' started blogging right around the same time as me, and I think she's doing a fantastic job! She's got some awesome projects and tutorials, and this is only the beginning. Go say hi!

This is the "other Katie" saying "hi" from More Misadventures!

Your fabulous Katie from Paisley and Polka Dots and I have become fast friends in the blogosphere and have discovered that we have way more in common than just a name and a love for crafting so we decided that it would be fun to take over each other's blog for a day and showcase some of our fun creations for you!

I created these cute scrap happy kitchen towels by cutting out about ten little rectangles of fabric approximately 2 inches high by 1 1/2 inches wide and sewing them together into a strip long enough to cover the length of the front of the towel. I then, literally, just ironed the edges back 1/4 inch, pinned the strip down and zig-zag stitched it to the towel! The whole process probably took about 30 minutes...the longest step being ironing the strip around all four sides and getting it pinned in place.

Your Katie here on Paisley and Polka Dots loved this idea so she created the MOST adorable kitchen towels in these bright, spring colors. She even added a ruffle...how amazing do these look?!

Hop on over to More Misadventures for more fun projects and tutorials. I'd love to have you. I also love to see what you are creating so leave me a link to your blog or email me some pictures of your creations :)

Here are a few of the tutorials you'll find over at More Misadventures...

Fabric Flower Barrettes

Cork Wreaths

and, this Spring Travel Lingerie Bag!

A huge thanks to Katie for having me today. I can't wait to see what she comes up with next :) Happy Crafting!

Snazz'ed Up Tea Towels

2010-04-01T21:59:00.001-04:00

TGIF. Almost. (Anyone remember the TGIF of the 90's? Step by step, day by day...)

Ok, enough of that. Dish towels, tea towels, whatever. I saw these on my friend's blog (who will be making an appearance very soon), and I loved the idea! I got this pack of 2 towels from Walmart for $3...and they are surprisingly soft!

These are SUPER easy:

1. Sew your fabric together, however you like it.

2. Iron this strip to a piece of Heat 'N Bond (see instructions).

3. Make ruffle. Pin ruffle to towel.

4. Peel paper off fabric strip. Lay it down on the towel so it just covers the ruffle.

5. Ziz zag stitch around this baby and you're D-U-N, dun.

It really hurt to cut into this fabric, really it did, but I had to do it sometime!! ;)

Learning to Quilt: Part 2

2010-03-29T23:49:00.001-04:00

We left off at pinning, and now we're ready to sew our blocks.

* Quarter Inch Foot. I purchased this foot (on the left) for my machine and it makes a big difference when piecing! I think it was around $20 and worth every penny!

* Really cute dog, sitting at your feet, watching every move- optional! Oh I love her!

* Sew pieces together with 1/4" seam.

* Backstitch at beginning and end of block. I've heard you can do it or not, but I found it was better to do it, so the end of your seams have no chance of pulling apart when you join rows together. Anyone have a better answer for this?

* Press seam before you open it.

* Press towards the darker side.

* This is a good example of pressing towards the dark. It would drive me crazy to see seams through this white fabric!!

* Sew rows together, making sure that your seams butt up against each other (see how the 4 blocks below meet at a perfect square?)

Part 3 is a comin' soon!

Go Back to Part 1: Choosing Fabric, Planning, & Cutting

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner!

2010-03-29T22:31:00.000-04:00

According to random.org, the winner is #5,

Lindsey Spraggins who said...

"My favorite part of spring is planting flowers and watching them bloom! I planted a few lily bulbs this year and they are sprouting out of the ground right now!"

I'll be in touch!

Give An Old Shirt New Life!

2010-03-28T17:15:00.003-04:00

Do you have a shirt that's nearing the end of it's life? I love this comfy tee, especially the color, but I didn't like the neckline and it was just hanging out in my closet.

I didn't do a fantastic job, but it's good enough for a couple more wears out of it! To change the neckline, I pinned where I wanted it, traced between the pins with a disappearing marker, and cut. I sewed around the edge with a straight stitch- didn't even hem it!

I picked up this extra large shirt at Walmart for $4 and cut into long strips about 1-2" wide. You don't have to be exact with this!

Start by folding the long strip in half and knotting in the middle. This is the start of your flower.

Twist the ends together. Using a hot glue gun, place a dab of glue on the knot and glue down the top of the twist. Continue wrapping the twisted fabric around the knot, gluing every 1/2" or so.

Twist and glue until you get to the tails. Fold them under the flower and glue in place underneath.

These could literally go on anything, but for the purpose of my shirt, I pinned them on with a straight pin to see where I wanted them. Using a needle and thread, I attached each of them to the shirt with a few secure stitches.

Don't forget- One more day for the giveaway!!

Tea please.

2010-03-27T12:56:00.009-04:00

I will admit, this is the most random post ever. I'm back from the gym, felt like some tea, and ready to make stuff all day. If you are not a tea drinker, you will indeed think this is the most useless post ever.

However, if you are a tea drinker, take this as a good product review. I feel like I've tried them all and this is now my regular selection. The Honey Vanilla Chai is by far the best I've had. Same goes with the Stash for Green Tea. Lipton's Green Tea with Lemon is a great twist on the regular, and if you're a fan of black tea, Twinings is my favorite way to go!

Ok, gotta go, I see some fabric calling my name!

Paisley and Polka Dot's First Giveaway!!!

2010-03-26T20:31:00.005-04:00

Wow, I never thought having 50 'followers' would be so cool! In honor of hitting 50 today, I am giving away a custom camera strap cover to one of you!

That means, you tell me what kind of camera you have and some measurements, and I'll make sure it fits, lens cap and all! You can have free reign over my fabric stash and design your own.

It can be one of the combos below, or another.

Alright, you don't have to do 10 things here, just answer one little question (oh and you must be a follower). :)

What is your favorite part about spring or what is the first thing you want to do after all the snow melts?

Giveaway ends Monday at 8pm, Eastern Time.

It's raining, it's pouring...

2010-03-26T11:44:00.004-04:00

And I really love my.....

New ~~Walmart~~ really cute bag with my raincoat!

Blue, white, and yellow are just yummy together!

10 Dolla Hollaaa

2010-03-25T20:16:00.009-04:00

I stopped at Walmart today....while maybe I should have been working. Shh, don't tell. You see, I spend a lot of time in my car, so I think up new ways to spend money on craft supplies, while trying to justify that it would be way more expensive if I bought the thing I'm trying to make. And then I pass a Walmart, Joanns, Michaels, quilt shop, etc. and I just have to stop.

So today I bought lots of things to embellish that I've been meaning to try. And then I passed this little beaut. Isn't she perdy? It came in black too, but I'm a sucker for anything yellow. Did you not see my flower wreath? Anyway, this bag was 10 dolla. I know, what a steal!

She was a little plain so I added a few flowers from said wreath and there ya go. Can't beat a new spring bag for 10 bucks.

Ok, and then about 100 miles later, I was in this cute little town that happens to have a cute little quilt shop. To be quite honest, then never really have a ton of good stuff...it's so old ladyish, but I stop every so often to check out the sale rack. Well apparently old ladies don't like Heather Bailey because these 2 bolts were almost full and discounted to $3.75 a yard! It's from her Freshcut line. Add some yellow minky and I smell some burp cloths!!

Learning to Quilt: Part 1

2010-03-24T21:19:00.005-04:00

I come from a long line of crafty people. These women can do anything with a needle and thread. My Mom doesn't quilt, but all of her sisters do. I have a few baby quilts they made me when I was born, and I just think quilts can span generations and are such a meaningful gift to others as well as yourself! Wow, I can be so corny!

Anyway, my sister is expecting my first niece or nephew this summer and so I thought I'd continue the tradition and make him or her a quilt...or 10. That leads me to this series of posts on what I've learned while teaching myself the ins and outs.

For this series, I am making a table runner instead of an actual quilt, because it's smaller and easier. Some is pretty self explanatory, but it makes me feel better to explain everything. So just deal with it, ok?

* Choose your fabric. Don't be afraid to mix and match different lines, just find whatever suits your purpose. Choose high quality fabric (like from a quilt shop) because I understand you'll pay for it down the road if you use the uber cheap stuff from craft stores. That's not to say they don't have any good fabric, but you get what you pay for. It can be an investment, but you want this thing to last a loooong time, right?

* Plan it out. Don't get all sew happy (like I tend to do) until you have a plan. If you're using a pattern, read it, and read it again. It's easy to miss something small!

For this project, I made my own pattern. You can find a tablet of graph paper at the dollar store, so use it! It makes it easier for those of us that are mathematically challenged. Quilts are made using a 1/4" seam. When planning, you must take this into account!!

In the picture below, there are 3 blocks across that are 5"x5", so 15" across. There are two seams in that row. Each seam is going to eat up 1/2", so it should end up being 14".

* To wash or not to wash? I've read about both options, but I guess I'm being lazy and choose not to pre-wash my fabric. Also, if you pre-wash, your fabric will shrink slightly. You want this to happen after your quilt is complete and you wash it. You'll get the crinky old fashioned goodness!

* Iron. Don't be lazy on this one. Your fabric has been all folded up and you will get more accurate cuts if you iron.

* Cut accurately! Get yourself a large self healing mat, with a clear ruler and rotary cutter. I got this set of 3 from Fiskars on sale for $28 at Joanns. Ok, so about the accuracy thing... Unless you are making a scrappy quilt with no size specifications, you need to be cutting to size. Cut all your pieces before you touch your sewing machine.

* Lay it out. Arrange your blocks on your table or the floor so you can get a preview of what it will look like. Now's the time to switch any blocks around if it doesn't look quite right. Take a quick picture of the layout so you can refer to it later when you are putting it back together.

* Pinning. You can see my pile of pinned pieces in the picture above. While your blocks are spread out, start pinning each row. Place right sides together and insert 2 or 3 pins. Don't be haphazard about this. Just like cutting, it is very important they are accurately pinned so your quilt doesn't end up all wonky and lopsided.

Part 2: Sewing Blocks Together

I've been busy over here.

2010-03-22T22:47:00.004-04:00

Here's a sneak peak at what I've been working on. I've been reading everything I can get my hands on that has good tutorials and descriptive directions. Then came the trial and error!

I've been diligent about taking pics so I can document the whole ~~disaster~~ process and share them with you. I'm the type of person who needs to learn about and master every small detail of a project...and I'm impatient (which is why I haven't taken quilting classes yet). With that being said, I thought I'd do a series of posts showing the process of making a quilt, beginning to end. (That is, in my world of quilting)

*Note* If you already know how to quilt and/or you've being doing it since you came out of the womb, please step away from these posts because you are going to laugh, I promise. These posts are for people like me that have lots of ~~stupid~~ inquisitive questions about the basics. And when I say basics, I mean B-A-Y-Y-Y-S-I-C-S.

Stay tuned!

You can never have enough of this stuff...

2010-03-18T22:12:00.003-04:00

So... my job often involves travel. And I often pass fabric shops along the way. And I sort of have them all mapped out. In case of a day like today, when I just so happened to ~~have~~ make a few spare minutes to shop.

I added some 'Authentic' to my stash...of plenty. Hey, one can never have enough Sweetwater!

AND, the BEST part of all... MAKE LIFE!! I've been stalking this shop's website for weeks waiting until it finally arrived. I am in total lust with these fabrics. Plenty of paisley and polka dots to go around, and the colors are just oh-so-yummy. Don't expect any projects out of this stuff anytime soon. I have to sit here and look at it for a while.

This lovely little pile is my current WIP. Instead of teaching myself how to baste, quilt, and bind on my big Christmas quilt, I'm going to do this smaller project first beginning to end. (Why didn't I think of that in the first place?)

Perdy Posies in a Rope Wrapped Vase

2010-03-14T12:57:00.007-04:00

This just might be the easiest project I've ever done.

I love that instant gratification. Now if only every other project was this easy!

Wouldn't these make great gifts, filled with posies for a friend's birthday?!!

Start with an old, ugly, cheap vase such as the one below I found hidden in the back of my cupboard. It was just screaming 'refurb me'. I can't wait to go find some equally ugly ones at the thrift store!

I used just about the whole package of manila rope from Home Depot, and it was $5. It's still not bad, considering the vase was free, but anyone know of manila rope in bulk? :)

Get your glue guns ready (this can potentially use several glue sticks, depending on how often you decide to glue a piece down).

Start at the bottom of the vase, glue the end down as close to the base as you can, and start wrapping. I would use 2-3 spots of glue for every complete rotation around the vase. As you are wrapping, just keep pushing the rows down that you've already glued so it's nice and tight and you can't see the glass through the rope. Wrap up to the very top and glue in place. Ta da!

I saw this recently on someone's blog, and I really apologize for not giving credit, but I can't find the site for the life of me!

Ok, so now what?

2010-03-14T12:44:00.003-04:00

Borders- check!

So now what?

I taught myself this much, but I'm thinking a quilting class or two might help me go from a quilt top to the finished product.

Only one little problem- the class selection around here stinks. Some are too basic, things I've already learned, some are like 8 weeks long, some are way expensive. I need some sweet person to spend a few hours with me to answer my stupid questions. :) I'll pay in moolah and M&M's.

Best money I ever spent.

2010-03-13T21:10:00.006-05:00

This is the most random post ever...

Seeing as how I have enough spring mix and arugula to last me for a week, here's another of my favorites. Greens, feta, toasted walnuts, strawberries, and a blush wine vinaigrette. I cheated and bought dressing this time!

This little girl is my most favorite pup in the whole wide world. Her name is Splenda (seriously) and her Dad is a friend of mine. He is out of the country so I get to snuggle with this sweetheart for the next week. I always liked dogs, but never really bonded with one until she came into my life. I've known Splenda for 2 years now, and was lucky enough to keep her for 3 months last summer when her Dad was away doing military things. It was AWESOME. I am too clean and OCD for the regular hair and slobber of a pup, but I overlook the shedding with her. She even gets to sleep with me! (on top of an old blanket of course). It looks like we'll be heading to the doggy park all week!

I have several pieces of jewelry that I wear on a regular basis, and I don't have a really good storage solution. I've been looking for a small jewelry box for my extra beads and charms for my Brighton bracelet, but can't find what I want. I was dusting these vases this morning and the light bulb went off! I love the look!

Ok, I saved the best picture for last. I've been slowly collecting glass candlesticks here and there, especially when I find a good deal. I'd eventually like to end up with a random selection of every size and shape. I was having a not-s0-good day today and thought a trip to the gym might help. Would you believe there's a Michael's right across the street? I never noticed that before ;)
Yea right, they know me by name in there.

Anyway, I delayed the gym a few minutes and found three candlesticks on an end cap (the 3 in the middle, below) on clearance for $4.99 each. They were originally $16, so it wasn't a bad deal. Well, imagine my shock and awe when I got to the checkout and they rung up at...wait for it, wait for it, ok. 1 cent each. Yea, that's right. 3 cents total. I'm sure it was a mistake but the girl ringing me up just laughed and said, "wow, lucky you"!

Needless to say, that little shopping trip made my day a little better and I was a tad less grumpy. Then I had to go the gym.

Arugula and Pear Salad with Toasted Walnuts

2010-03-11T22:38:00.008-05:00

I was so in the mood for a healthy-ish salad tonight. Crazy, I know.

This is my go-to salad with homemade dressing. I loooove pears and when you add toasted walnuts and garlic herb feta, this salad is totally a winner. And easy! This is an adapted version of a recipe I got from 'Cooking Light' a few years ago.

Ingredients for the dressing:

2 Tbsp. minced shallots
3 Tbsp. EV olive oil
2 1/2 tsp. white wine vinegar
1/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. sugar

This recipe makes enough dressing for one big salad (see my dinner below). You don't want too much though- just enough to coat your greens. I like to make it in my little tupperware container, so I can shake it, pour, and refrigerate any leftover dressing. Less dishes!

Don't cheat and use untoasted walnuts! Throw em' on a piece of foil, drizzle a tad of olive oil, and bake for 8 minutes at 350.

Salad:

Arugula (I also add a cup of spring mix)
toasted walnuts
Bosc pear, diced
Feta (or any kind of crumbled cheese)

I didn't have any protein, but this salad is great with grilled chicken.

Enjoy!

Christmas in March

2010-03-08T20:39:00.004-05:00

Woot, woot! My blocks are done! This is the configuration I think I'm going with. I've sewed (sewn?) one row together and I'm already realizing how important it is to cut and sew accurately!! A few blocks were a little short so I got to test out my brand spankin' new seam ripper. It was amazing.
Not really.

I'm not extremely happy with the coloring of these pics...way better in person.

I need your help again! (Get used to this. I value opinions!) I'll share my jar of M&M's! :)

This quilt pattern calls for an inner and outer border, not to mention the binding and backing. I'm not worried about the backing because I can piece it with different fabrics if needed.

I like this black holly print, but is the black too severe against all the others? If I just did black for the binding, would that look weird?

I was thinking green polka dot for the inner border and red for the outer.

Or red polka dot for inner and holly print for outer?

Thoughts?

It's a Great Day to Be Alive...

2010-03-08T13:18:00.007-05:00

I'm lovin' on my new camera like you wouldn't believe. I still don't know what half the buttons mean, but I'm getting there!

It was SO nice out yesterday, I spent most of the day out walking in my little corner of the world, taking pictures of just about anything. I think I took 300!

These are a few of my faves:

(I actually know him, so it's not a random little child, haha)

(Ok, these people are random.)

Yesterday was one of those 'ahhh days', where nothing really matters, you're happy, content, and without a care in the world. I have these days sometimes and the soundtrack in my head goes a little like this:

"It's a great day to be alive, I know the sun's still shining when I close my eyes, there's some hard times in the neighborhood, but why can't every day be just this good?" Travis Tritt says it best.

I hope you had an equally pleasing and peaceful weekend.

I sat on these rocks for hours with a book. Every time a sailboat came by, I had to whip out the camera and wave!

Juuust Keep Pinnning, Juuust Keep Pinnning

2010-03-08T12:30:00.005-05:00

I started cutting my blocks and pinning them together this weekend. I heart Finding Nemo and that's all that kept running through my head..

Juuust keep pinnnning, Juuust keep pinnnning...

Ok, all you quiltin' queens out there (there has to be a few in my whopping 35 followers!), which is it, press seams open or to the side? I've read articles on doing it both ways, but does it really matter? I'll take a shortcut when I see one, and it seems as though pressing to the side is a whole lot less work!

(Yes, I did it both ways while sewing these blocks. It's practice, right?)

Now, this pressing thing became a little more important to me when I realized you can sometimes see the seam through light colored fabrics.

Exhibit A: After this block is laying flat, you can see the seam pressed to the side through the white.

Exhibit B: I pressed the seams towards the green fabric and it looks much better.

So, is that right, to the sides? Or do I need to be pressing open? (BOOOO to that)

Quilting tip: I don't have much room to work with here (hey, real estate is at a premium in these parts), and the large ironing board set up half in my kitchen, half in my 'dining room' just wasn't cutting it.

Solution: Small table top ironing board from IKEA for $4.99. It may not be perfect for the big jobs, but it's just fine for small pieces of fabric and blocks.

Katie's Command Center

2010-03-06T14:58:00.004-05:00

I like to be organized, I like to hang on to things that make me smile, and of course I like a good project. Add that together and out comes "the command center". I don't have a ton of room to work with here, but I have this little piece of wall that is really odd. What exactly do you put on a 2 foot wide wall between the bathroom and coat closet near the front door?

This was super easy and inexpensive. The command center holds my calendar, notes, array of markers, keys, headphones, gym schedule, stamps, address labels, unfiled mail, iPod, and a random collection of mementos that make me smile. :) It's nice to have many of these items all in the same place, and I know exactly where to look.

I love crafting with wine corks and had a bag full of them from my restaurant days in college. I just knew they'd come in handy some day. I bought 2 16x20 frames from IKEA, took out the glass, insterted a piece of foam board cut to size, and hot glued the corks on in a random pattern.

Wicked- my first musical! I also have a soft spot for Charlie brown. And the whole gang.

I'm a sucker for a good quote and I copy them from anywhere and everywhere.

My Mom used to call me her little 'cutie patootie' as a kid.

I lived in Australia for a year in high school and there are reminders EVERYWHERE. I have an unhealthy obsession with that country. :)

The white board is actually 2 dry erase squares from any office supply store. $8

The magnetic strip can be found in the kitchen department at IKEA. $5

In the same area, you can find the metal rack with coordinating baskets and S-hooks. Total for these pieces $15.

I hope I gave you some inspiration!

And so it began...

2010-03-06T14:39:00.006-05:00

The sun is shining, the sun is shining!! Yes folks it's true, springtime is here, I hope! This ray of light doesn't exactly help my picture, but I couldn't resist posting this one. I'm just happy to see sun anywhere!

Anyway, this pile of fabric is going to be my first quilt. I know, I know, here I am talking about sun and spring and I'm doing a Christmas quilt, but I put some thought into this one. I've got quite the collection of beautiful fabrics now, but I didn't want to 'practice' on them. At least if I really screw this one up, I'll only have to look at it for one month out of the year!

I am going to use Camille's "A Piece of Cake" pattern found here. I just love her stuff! I've already purchased 3 of her patterns...and I've yet to piece one block!

Stay tuned! (By the way, can you tell I love paisley and polka dots?!)

THE Best Enchiladas I've EVER Made!

2010-03-02T10:34:00.003-05:00

Ok folks, I love me a good recipe and I hit the mother load with this one. Annie over at Annie's Eats nicknamed this dish "Benchiladas" after her man. She said the recipe has been in her family for years and I can see why. They aren't your everyday enchiladas (thanks to the ranch...my favorite!)

It is SUPER easy and SERIOUSLY awesome. We made these last night and ended up with 9 large enchiladas from a half recipe. I even shared with the neighbors and they scarfed them up in minutes. Now they are sharing their dinner tonight. Hmm, that plan worked out well!

So do you believe me yet? Head on over to visit Annie and check out the recipe. (The only change I made was to drizzle about half a can of enchilada sauce over the top and then bake. It added some extra sauciness to the top as well as an added flavor.)

(Photo courtesy of Annie's Eats)

Inaugural Spin on the Sewing Machine! (and really cool camera strap covers)

2010-03-01T00:21:00.010-05:00

New Camera + New Sewing Machine = Camera Strap Covers!!

I picked these for my first ever sewing project because I figured they couldn't be too hard and if I goofed, I wouldn't be wasting a ton of fabric. When I picked my machine up, the shop owner showed me how to wind a bobbin and thread the machine...that's it. I had to pick an easy project that didn't require any other handy dandy controls on the machine! (I'm going back this week for free lessons!)

You will need:

2 strips of fabric 24" x 3"
1 piece of fabric 3" x 3"
1 piece of batting 23.5" x 3"

Fresh coffee and jellybeans- optional.

Start by ironing all your fabric pieces. Sew a small seam on ONE end of the 3x3 piece.

Place this piece on the end of the strip of fabric you'd like to have showing when around your neck with the seam you just sewed at the top. Sew on the left and right sides, leaving top and bottom open.

Make a sandwich that goes like this: Piece you just added the pocket to (facing right side up), back piece (facing down), and then your batting. Sew these together on ONE side only.

Open the sandwich up (right sides down), fold up the ends and stitch across the bottom as shown. Do this on both ends.

Put your sandwich back together with right sides facing each other. Sew together on the other side so you now have one complete tube.

Your sewing is done! Turn your tube inside out, press, and that's it!

Hint: Some of my lens pockets were a little tight (which is good so it doesn't fall out), but it goes in smoother if you pinch the side panels together.

Yayyy, my first masterpieces weren't disastrous!!!

BTW, I'm happy to report these are very comfy around your neck. That boring black strap is really uncomfortable after a few minutes!

Now a question for you: Does anyone know if lens caps for Nikon, Sony, Cannon, etc. are the same size? I need to figure that out before I start giving these away to friends and family and the caps won't fit in the pocket!

I'm Hoping I Won't Need These Too Much Longer...

2010-02-26T16:17:00.005-05:00

A few weeks ago, I posted about a scarf I made with Wool-Ease Thick and Quick Yarn. I caught the bug (and they were on sale last week), so I made two more! See this post for directions and links.

Above is Grass and below is Charcoal.
I heart them! I love the fact that the scarf is a tube and you can wrap it two or three times, depending on how loose you want it. They are super warm of course and look great on!

While I was at it and had the crochet hook in hand (I tend to let my crafty ADD set in and never finish projects), I made myself finish the last part of my throw. I believe this color is Sky Blue and is definitely my favorite.

I was going to put in in another room, but I love how it looks with this painting above my couch.

Happy Friday!

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

2010-02-26T13:59:00.008-05:00

Wow, that was quite the mouthful!

Yep, these cookies have it all. Peanut butter (one of my faves), oatmeal (mmm), and of course chocolate (well, duh).

My history with chocolate chip cookies has been mediocre at best. They always turned out cake like and chewy and were just ok. I found a recipe a few months ago that solved all that. They were easily the best choc chip cookie I have EVER made. That recipe will be shared soon. I know, I'm cruel for making you wait.

Anywho, I hit the jackpot twice because these cookies are amazing. The texture is perfect and they are nice and crisp, but yet soft inside. Mmmm...

I found this recipe at Brown Eyed Baker. Check it out, Michelle's got some awesome recipes on her site. And she's a Steelers fan. And we have the same Alma Mater. Ok, you don't care about that, but I thought it was pretty cool.

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temp.
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 egg
1/2 cup oats
1 cup semi-sweet choc chips

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
On medium speed, cream together butter, sugar, peanut butter, brown sugar, and vanilla for about 3 minutes. Add egg and beat to combine.
Gradually add flour mixture on low speed just enough to combine.
Stir in oats, and then choc chips.
Using a large scoop, drop dough onto baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. The outside edges will be light brown and the centers should be soft when they come out of the oven.
Pour large glass of milk and enjoy!

Thin Mints Love

2010-02-21T22:35:00.006-05:00

Yes, it's almost that time of the year. Ambitious little Girl Scouts will soon be on our doorsteps pedaling their sugary love. I, for one, am a sole supporter of Thin Mints. Don't get me wrong- the other cookies are great, but I put all my money towards the green boxes. In the meantime, I thought I'd try this recipe out and make my own.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup milk
1 tsp. peppermint extract
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 1/3 cups flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
6 tbsp. cocoa powder (unsweetened)
1/2 tsp. salt
Baker's semisweet chocolate squares (could also use dark choc.)
1/3-1/2 cup unsalted butter
vegetable oil as needed

Cream butter and sugar together on low speed. (***It is extremely important for the butter to be room temperature so that your dough will be the right consistency. Don't microwave it!) Slowly add your milk and both extracts. Whisk flour, cornstarch, cocoa powder and salt together and then gradually add to wet ingredients. When completely mixed, your dough should be soft, but not overly sticky.

**Alright sickos, no jokes on this picture!!** (as I'm giggling like a little Girl Scout over here)

Turn dough onto a floured surface, knead a few times, and shape into 2 even logs (or uneven as mine are!). Wrap them in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours, or until logs are firm.

Remove from freezer and slice 1/8-1/4 inch thick. One thing I learned was to try your best at making them uniform so they will bake evenly. Bake for 9-10 minutes in a 365-370 degree oven. *These cookies will burn very easily, so my suggestion is to bake only 3 or 4 in your first batch to get a feel for how long you need to leave them in. You may also raise the temp a few degrees.

You will notice mine are not perfectly round, but they look fine after you dip them in chocolate. Hey, it's not a perfect world, so why should our cookies be?!

Once cookies are cooled, microwave together 2 squares of Baker's chocolate, 1/4 tsp. peppermint extract, and 2 tbsp. butter. Do it 20 seconds at a time, stirring every time, until melted. ***Your mixture should be smooth and creamy, but not thick. Coating thin little cookies in thick chocolate is no fun. Add a teaspoon of vegetable oil if you need to thin it out. Or more butter.

This is only enough chocolate mixture to coat 10 or so cookies. I prefer to keep making the small batches so it stays warm and thin.

Toss your cookies in face first, flip em' with a spoon, let it drip for a second, and onto wax paper they go. That's it! I would recommend storing these in the fridge or freezer. I only sliced one log today and left the other one in the freezer for a rainy day!

FYI, I saw a post on this a while back, but I've changed a few things here and there on the recipe. Check it out for some other GS cookie recipes.

No, I am not a 20 something Girl Scout, but I have held onto this sash for a good 15 years now. It reminds me of when life was a little more simple, earning merit badges for cooking, business, science, sewing, childcare, volunteering, pet care, exercising, etc. Kinda sounds like real life, doesn't it? :)

Spring Fever

2010-02-19T20:11:00.012-05:00

As promised, here's another great use for fabric flowers and yoyo's. This wreath was fairly time consuming but well worth it! It's nice to have something springy in here!

I used roughly 1/8 of a yard of 6 different prints, maybe a tad bit more. See below for tutorial on the flowers and yoyo's.

These are attached with one straight pin each so they can be easily removed for another use. For example: see flowers below. I forgot to post this the other day, but I hot glued a small square of felt to the back with a pin backing on top.

I grabbed the black authentic flower on my way out the door the other morning and pinned it on my black pea coat. I got so many compliments throughout the day! Isn't it a great feeling to say "oh yea, I made that"?

Last but not least, I would recommend wrapping your foam wreath with torn strips of a cheap fabric and securing the ends with pins. It helps to hide bare spots and blends in with your flowers.

The fabric is Nicey Jane by Heather Bailey.

It's Like Christmas...again!

2010-02-19T19:56:00.004-05:00

It's official: NO MORE iPHONE PICTURES!!! I can now take awesome pics for my blog that I'm clueless on. Woo hoo!

Ladies and Gents (are there really a lot of gents in this crafty blogosphere?): I'm now the proud owner of a new Nikon D3000. I went with a basic model because I wanted to get my feet wet with the DSLR's before I moved on. I can get ahead of myself sometimes and I wanted to learn the basics first. This little beauty is courtesy of my quarterly bonus and she hasn't left my hands since I got her. Yes, it's a her. I checked. Now what shall I name her? I was thinking Betty. No? Give me your suggestions!

Fabric Flowers and YoYo's, Oh My!

2010-02-16T12:39:00.010-05:00

My new tote bag! YoYo's are old as dirt but still adorable! Throw in some fabric flowers and this plain tote bag has a whole new look. I used Authentic by Sweetwater for Moda.

Flower tutorial:

Cut a strip of fabric 20-24" long and 3-4" high, depending on how big you want your flower to be.

Fold strip of fabric in half, with wrong sides together. Pin on whichever edge you want on the outside of your flower. I prefer the torn side but I did do a few with the folded edge! (speaking of, feel free to tear your fabric instead of using a rotary cutter. it looks way cooler.)

Using embroidery floss, sew a running stitch along the edge of the fold. Pull end of floss to gather fabric.

When the folds are tightly gathered, secure ends of flower together with a few stitches. To finish flowers, cut small circles of coordinating fabric and/or felt for the centers. Be creative! I like to do a couple different circles for depth and add a button from my stash.

Ok, I'm assuming everyone and their mother knows how to make YoYo's but for those of you who don't (a.k.a. me about 5 days ago), here ya go! Make a cardboard template for your yoyo's. This one is my smaller pattern and I use a larger one as well.

Again using embroidery floss (3 of the 6 strands), fold under a 1/4" seam allowance a sew a running stitch.

When you get to the end, pull string to gather your yoyo. Secure by sewing a few stitches at the end before you knot.

VOILA!

Stay tuned for my next project using these little gems!

P.S. I'm linking this to Keeping it Simple and Today's Creative Blog!

Spring Wreath

2010-02-14T21:03:00.003-05:00

I am in L.O.V.E. with this new wreath. This was made with the same method as my Valentine's wreath shown here. I purchased a large round wreath form from Michael's for this one. I'm not exactly sure how much yardage I used, but I know it came out to be 350 3" circles!
One lesson I've learned in making these felt wreaths is the pins. You can buy plain old straight pins for the job, but pushing 350 of these suckers in with your thumb HURTS! Take my advice and buy pins with the multi-colored heads. I got 200 Singer pins at Joann's for $2.79.

The possibilities are endless with these wreaths!

Polka Dots Make Me Happy!

2010-02-13T20:53:00.005-05:00

I heart polka dots. I really do. Check out my new table runner...and the best part? It's reversible!! If I actually knew what I was doing with a sewing machine already, I probably could have made it. But, for now, I couldn't pass it up for $9!

Ok, on to the really good stuff. My new fabric purchases for the week:

I know, I know, I'm jumping on the Neptune (Tula Pink for Moda) train a little late, but I L.O.V.E. this collection. I'm grabbing it wherever I can get it!

This is another pile I've been adding to. The picture doesn't do the colors justice, but I think it's going to make a great quilt! Polka dots...are you surprised?!
Have I mentioned that I actually don't know how to quilt yet? Hehe. I know, I'm doing it ass backwards but I think it's fun this way. Fabric seems to be my new addiction and I just can't help it! Ok, so who wants to teach me how to quilt?

Superbowl Yummies

2010-02-13T19:34:00.004-05:00

Sooooo, I know what you may be thinking. The Superbowl was 6 days ago, and I'm just NOW posting this. Well that is the least of my problems because I had this awesome, I mean really awesome Superbowl party at my house for 15 people, made tons of really good food, and accidentally deleted all the pictures of said food. UGH!! This picture of my cupcake football cake was all that I could salvage. Well, anyway, a good time was had by all. We ~~ate~~ devoured:

Pulled Jerk Pork Sandwiches (first time making them for me!)
Margherita Pizza Squares
Sweet & Sour Meatballs
Tortellini, Olive, & Cheese Kabobs
Buffalo Chicken Dip (this was the favorite)
Roasted Red Pepper Dip w/ Bread Rounds
Heath Bar Dip w/ Sliced Apples (like Heaven in a bowl)
Football Cupcake Pull-Aparts

Yep, no healthy food here. This was one BIG recipe for a trip to the gym the next morning!

I've decided that since I lost all my food pictures, that's a great reason to try all these recipes again! Really, don't judge.

Cool Clipboards

2010-02-06T16:46:00.004-05:00

Lists, lists, lists. I have lists all over my house! Grocery lists, craft/fabric store lists, to-do lists, to-make lists, wish lists, you name it! The little pile of lists seems to float around from surface to surface with no real home. Now they do!

I've seen several versions of mod-podged clipboards recently, and what an easy craft!

You need:

Dollar store clipboard
Mod Podge
Sponge brushes
Scrapbook paper of choice
Sandpaper

Cut your paper to size for both sides of your clipboard so they are ready to go. Mod Podge a layer directly onto the board, and quickly place your paper on top. Smooth out with an old credit card to remove bumps. Brush 2 or 3 more coats on top of the paper, again smoothing out with the card as you go. Let dry, and sand edges for an aged look. Last but not least, add coordinating ribbons to the clip and you're ready to use!

Scarves and Snowstorms

2010-02-06T16:25:00.007-05:00

Helloooooo from the arctic tundra! Just kidding, hello from Maryland. If you've watched the news today, you probably heard about the historic storm hitting the DC/MD/VA/PA area right now. This was taken a few minutes ago and it's starting to let up. I couldn't even open my eyes when I was outside earlier because it was blowing so hard! Snow totals? So far we're at 28 inches!!! The newscasters are saying this is definitely going to be #1 on the list of biggest snowfalls in DC history!

Well since I will be stuck inside for several days at least, it is craft central in here! See that blue scarf? I made it about 45 minutes before I went outside. I saw it on U Create and they saw it here.

I stole the yarn from my stash that is supposed to be for this half-finished throw. By the way, I LOVE Lion Brand Wool-Ease Thick and Quick yarn. It's super easy to work with and comes in tons of colors!

I think this scarf was only supposed to use half of a skein of yarn, but I used almost a whole one. It wraps around my neck 3 times with room to spare.

Now- I cannot knit, and I can barely crochet (just enough for basic projects), but I thought I'd share the first two gems I made. Look at the uneven sides. Ay carumba! My crafty OCD makes me cringe looking at these, but we've all experienced something like this. They still keep me warm on the couch!

My Auntie Loves Me

2010-01-28T22:23:00.004-05:00

While perusing the isles of Bed, Bath, & Beyond this evening, I discovered this nice little package. POLKA DOTS!!! These were $60 sheets for $24. If I did my math right, this set should be about 8 yards of fabric. I'm thinking...QUILT backing, perhaps? Have I mentioned I can't wait to get my camera? If you're wondering about the terrible quality of these pictures, read disclaimer here.

Anyway, I've been thinking about a P-touch FOR-EV-ERRR. This handy dandy little item will just encourage my OCD tendencies, but OH the fun I'll have. Martha Stewart gave these out to the audience on her show the other day and I was sold.
And last but not least, I ventured into Carter's. I'm going to be a first time Aunt this summer (YAY!) and I wanted to get something small to send to my sister and BIL to say congrats. These two items took me about 30 minutes to purchase because I couldn't stop oohing and ahhing over all the adorable baby clothes. I obviously do not have children yet. Let the shopping and sewing begin!

Picasso Wannabe

2010-01-25T18:53:00.007-05:00

I've been searching high and low for some wall art for this room. I knew exactly what I wanted, but couldn't find it anywhere. Solution? Do it myself!

You can find a canvas at any craft or art supply store, and fairly inexpensive! I used acrylic paints and a variety of different texture brushes.

I started painting stripes of blue from the bottom up, in varying shades, and blended them together to soften the look.

Originally, my intention was just for a progression of blues on the canvas. It ended up looking like the ocean, but oh well! I still love it and it is perfect with my new duvet cover from Pottery Barn. I've been salivating over it for a while now and haven't found anything like it, so I just had to splurge. :)

P.S. I'm linking this back to Crafts in Bloom!

Tissue Paper Art

2010-01-24T10:40:00.007-05:00

After I hung (one) of my heart wreaths up, I decided I needed some quick art for 2 IKEA picture frames I had laying around. These silver frames also come in black, brown, and white and were $3 each!

I love me some tissue paper, and since I save EVERYTHING, I pulled this sheet of rose beauty out of my stash. Cut a 4"x6" piece and pop it in the frame. Quick, easy, and cute!

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

2010-01-23T20:18:00.008-05:00

Today I was fortunate enough to go on a tour of the White House, the second in 2 months. On a normal tour day, such as today, no photographs are permitted and it's fairly strict, as you can imagine. However, I was extra fortunate to be on a Christmas tour in December with the Secret Service. Every holiday season, they have one day where the SS officers can bring their friends and family to the White House, and can take pictures! I have a few good friends in the SS and was invited along. I thought I'd share a few pictures from the Christmas tour!

The East Hallway close to the entrance.
The official White House tree!

Looking from the balcony out to the Washington Monument.

The White House gingerbread house. This monster of a creation had something like 250 lbs. of white chocolate and gingerbread. Can you see Bo the dog up front?!

The historic green room, where Thomas Jefferson used to have his lunch!

The red room. This picture doesn't do it justice; it was absolutely beautiful!

I was even able to bring my Mama along on the tour. I can't even begin to tell you how excited she was! She says it was her favorite Christmas present!

Buh-bye White House!

Such a great experience. I am truly grateful!

Glitter Heart Wreath

2010-01-23T18:12:00.008-05:00

Keeping with the theme of heart wreaths, I LOVE this one! I saw an idea for a wreath on Jill's blog and adapted it for Valentine's Day.

Cut out your desired shape from cardstock, spray with spray adhesive, and quickly toss with glitter. I used 5 different colors of glitter for a total of 40-50 hearts. Let the glitter dry and hot glue each heart to a wreath form. Attach ribbon to hang, and a matching bow. Voila!

This project was fairly easy, but be careful with the spray adhesive. It does a number on your skin...aka I had glitter fingers for two days! Speaking of, I have to thank Jill for turning me into a Martha Stewart glitter addict! Now you don't have to use Martha's glitter (found at Michael's), but this stuff is awesome! The 24 pack is pricey ($30) but I used a coupon for 60% off!

Helpful hint: I bought a 10" wreath form at Joann's for $4...then figured out I could get the same 10" form for $1 at the dollar store!

Felt Heart Wreath

2010-01-23T01:39:00.011-05:00

Who doesn't love a great Valentine's Day project? I saw this idea on Amy's blog and knew I needed to make one of these. Ok ok, so maybe I'm on my third one now. I may even make some more and send them to my Mom and sisters for Valentine's Day!

The heart forms can be found at Joann's. If you use coupons for all the materials, each wreath should end up costing around $6. Sweet!
I cut all the circles out, one at a time, for the first wreath. Then I got smart and cut 2 layers at a time for the second one. Just double up your fabric, it works like a charm!

Alright, any takers?

2010-01-23T01:03:00.005-05:00

Ok, so here it goes! Up until a few months ago, I had never even looked at a blog online before (gasp, I know). I was googling ideas for recipe organization, and came across a wealth of information. I adopted one blogger's awesome idea (which I will share later), and so it began. I spent hours clicking through quilting, crafting, and cooking blogs. Now I'm addicted! I would have never thought of starting my own blog, but the road to my "inner domestic diva" just has to be documented. I will need a good laugh later on in life.

Disclaimer #1: I do not have a fancy camera...yet. This will change soon. With that being said, don't make fun of my iphone pictures. Seriously.

Disclaimer #2: I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing in this new world of blogging, so it might take me awhile to learn the ropes. People, FEEL FREE to drop hints, and help a sister out.

Disclaimer #3: I have a sarcastic (I'd like to say witty) sense of humor, and you may see it emerge from time to time. Warning- it may make you laugh, it may make you cry (but I really hope not). My Mom thinks I'm funny; that's all that matters. ;)

Other notes of interest:

I have always been a crafty person (going way back to early childhood when I made all kinds of cool stuff and sold it at school), but I'm taking this to a whole new level. I am buying a sewing machine. Stay tuned, this WILL be interesting. I promise.

Paisley and Polk dots, you may ask? They are my absolute favorite! I am instantly drawn to anything of the sort in clothing, accessories, fabric, ribbon, paper, you name it. If you make things (especially quilts) with paisley and/or polka dots, let's be friends. Like BFF's.

Alright, enough for now. Thanks for stopping by!