Long Weekend--scissor play time!!!

So, it's a nice long 3 day weekend, I could sleep in, nothing pressing to do on my schedule today, but when my husband got up for work this morning at 4:00 for some reason I decided it was time to get up too!!!  Work days I sleep until the last possible moment, weekends I'm up with the sun! As you can see from my lack of blogging lately I have not been spending nearly enough time being creative...

The other day I came across this fun blog  http://blog.ribboncarousel.com and they do a card challenge each month using ribbon...this month's theme is "Celebrations" which is what we are doing with my daughter's college graduation coming up in June and I needed to make her a card -- here is what I made.

I LOVE going 'shopping' in my craft room and finding treasures I forgot I had!! I found this cute patterned paper and then dug around in boxes and cupboards and came up with the rest of the coordinating embellishments.

The sentiment was stamped on a piece of acetate with black StazOn ink. I love the look of acetate over patterned paper. The photo does not do it justice, trust me!!

Here is the little pile I put together for this card:

I've got a few more hours until Aaron is home from work today, I think I'll do some more 'craft room shopping' and see what else I can make today.

Pocket Size Kleenex Holder

I seem to be carrying Kleenex around with me a lot lately and just love these little pocket size holders, so today I thought I'd share a tutorial with you.

Besides being simple to make these are just so darn cute!!! Plain or all dudded up, I love them!! Perfect size for your purse, diaper bag, backpack, knitting project tote.....

This is a great project to use up fun scraps you have in your fabric stash.

 

First, cut from  your main fabric and lining fabric into a  6 x 5.5 inch square.

Sew the 6 inch ends, open up and press.

Next fold in half overlapping a tiny bit and sew the ends.

Turn right side out and press. Add folded up tissues.

Be creative with your variations and have fun!! Go get creative!!!

 

Here is a sneak peek at my next tutorial....chapstick  holders!!! I love these!! I added a D-ring to the end of the little tissue holder on this one and clipped the chapstick holder to it.

 

Oopsiedasies!!!

I have boxes, baskets and bins overflowing with little "oopsiedasies" in my craft room.

You know the things....you see some awesome picture on Pinterest or hear about some super easy neat craft that a 5 year old could do with her eyes shut...right!??!!?!?!!??!!

Today I was digging around in those overflowing boxes, baskets and bins trying to come up with some neat inspiration of where my craftiness should head next and I came across these things.

The little button was from a recycled yogurt lid-- I love Shrinky-Dinks and I saw somewhere that you could recycle clear packaging into DIY Shrinky-Dinks!!! Hmmm....I missed something somewhere because I cut out with my Sizzix the button from a clear yogurt lid and got out my handy dandy heat tool, turned it on, and, and, and....NOTHING!!!! I kept at heating it thinking I hadn't waited long enough and eventually my little clear plastic button shape turned white, no smaller though.... so, it went into the "Oppsiedaisy" stash...

The flower is one I cut out using the Sizzix again from a pop can....it slipped in the process and one petal got cut off short....so, into the stash....

I also found a strip of paper I had messed up using an embossing folder with wood grain, not sure what happened there, but again, good thing I kept that little mess up!!!

Wa-La..... I made this cute springy card!!

So, today I am glad for all those little Oopsiedasies!! I've had and that I will have in the future.

Have a Happy Springy Day today!!!

Easy Crochet Baby Blanket

I belong to a knitting group that meets once a month at the Cheney Care Center where my mom is a nurse. We knit and crochet things of warmth to donate to the community. Yarn gets donated to our group and every month we have a different focus. This past month our focus has been baby items. I love making baby things because they are so tiny and cute!!! I started making a tiny preemie hat....well....I must have been reading the pattern wrong because it was more like Barbie size!!! So, I pulled my yarn out and was on the hunt for a different project. I usually knit but my friend sitting across the table from me had started this cute crochet blanket from variegated baby yarn and she said it was super easy...and it was so adorable so I decided to make one too!!

The pattern uses a basic crochet stitch and you just repeat the 2nd row until it's the size you want or you run out of yarn!!

Basic Scallop Baby Blanket

I used 3 skeins of baby yarn, size 3 with a size I crochet hook.

Chain 102.

Row 1: Work 2 dc in 3rd ch from hook, *sk next 2 ch, (sc, 2dc) in next ch (scallop made); rep from * across to last 3 ch, sk next 2 ch, sc in last ch. (33 scallops made)

Row 2: Ch 2, turn, 2 dc in first sc, *sk next 2 dc, (sc, 2 dc)  in next sc, rep from *across, sc in top of turning ch.

Repeat Row 2 until piece measures 28 inches from beginning. (I repeated until all 3 skeins were used and sc across last row to finish.

This basic pattern can be used with a larger hook and thicker yarn for a nice lap blanket.

Our knitting group meets in Cheney, WA 1 Saturday a month, we have a wonderful time visiting and always have a yummy pot luck lunch...send me an email if you'd like more information on joining us!!! We'd love you have you!

Winding Yarn Balls

Tangled yarn is so frustrating!!! A friend of mine showed me the neatest way to roll a yarn ball with a center pull.

All you need is a small bottle with a lid, no fancy winder necessary!!

Start by putting the end of yarn under the bottle lid, close lid and start winding...

keep winding yarn all around the bottle, keeping the top free so later you can pull it out....

when you are done with winding pull the bottle out from the top....

take the lid off and pull the yarn end out....

wa-la!!! you now have a center pull ball of yarn!!

 

Happy rolling!!!

 

Who doesn't love Texas Sheetcake??!!

So, last night I realized that we needed treats for a meeting my husband was having at our house this afternoon.  It was after 9:00 and I was contemplating serving Rice Crispy Treats because I could whip up a batch pretty quick... then, sudden inspiration came-- my sister's birthday was yesterday.....she lives in Texas.... see where my mind was going? (birthday's have birthday cake, my sister lives in Texas, the first time I saw this recipe was in a cookbook from her)......I knew I had to make a Texas Sheet Cake!!! --Thank you Leila for the idea!! --and I hope you had a wonderful birthday!!!!

We were finished by 10:00 last night, quick and easy and super delicious!!!

I got carried away cutting big slices of this delicious treat but our guests devoured them...yum!!!

 

Texas Sheet Cake



• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup butter
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 cup water
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Grease and flour a  jelly roll pan.  In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt.

In a medium saucepan combine 1 cup butter, 1/3 cup cocoa, and 1 cup of water. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. With a mixer, beat chocolate mixture into the dry ingredients until thoroughly blended. Add eggs, 1/2 cup of buttermilk, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of vanilla. Beat for 1 minute (batter will be thin). Pour batter into the prepared pan.Bake in a 350° oven about 22 to 25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

 

Chocolate Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter
• 6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
• 6 tablespoons buttermilk
• 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup chopped walnuts

Frosting:
In a medium saucepan combine butter, cocoa powder and  buttermilk. Bring to a boil, stirring, over medium heat. Remove from heat; add powdered sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Add more powdered sugar or buttermilk, if needed, for a spreadable frosting.  Spread the warm frosting over the cake and sprinkle chopped nuts on top. Mmmm!!

Serve with cold milk.

Makes 24 servings. (or 12 huge servings!!!) 

 

Happy Valentines Day!!!

Have you ever made these cute little can presents? I've seen them before but never made any and then recently saw them pinned on Pinterest so I saved some cans and this is what I came up with!!

You need a can that has a pop-top on it and then open the bottom of the can to get your food out. Next rinse the can out good and let it dry well. You can put little treats and a note inside, glue the bottom on and then decorate with ribbons and paper.

What a fun little Valentine!!

I started with this...

and ended up with this...

Get crafty!!!!