Pattern Sales

Let's just stop for a moment and admire that which is...the JoAnn Fabrics pattern sales.  Simplicity patterns for $1 each?  Yes please!

Costume patterns, dress patterns....I basically go through the bins and find stuff that looks like fun.  Thanks to these sales I now can outfit my little girl in any and all Disney dresses.  Unfortunately she hasn't yet taken to playing dress-up.  I'm hoping that changes....

Kids Lanyard Tutorial

There are about a billion different ways to sew up a lanyard.  Here's how I did it....

1.     Cut one rectangle of fabric:  3 inches wide by 35 inches long

 (adjust length as needed – my 35 inch length worked well for a preschooler)

2.     Iron a crease down the middle of the fabric, lengthwise.  Open the fabric.

3.     Fold each edge of the fabric into the center crease and iron.

4.     Fold at the center crease and iron.

5.     Topstitch 1/8” from each long edge.

6.     Zigzag stitch the short ends to keep them from fraying.  You can get fancier if you’d like, but really – it’s for kids.  They won’t care.

7.     Sew a small piece of Velcro to one end (my piece was about ¾” long).

8.     Sew the other piece of Velcro to the other end.  Make sure you sew this piece on the opposite side so that the lanyard lays well when worn.  If you get confused – pretend you’re wearing the lanyard to figure out where to place this piece of Velcro.

9.     Sew a ring to the center of the lanyard.

10.     Attach swag!

I made a set of these for my daughter’s preschool class using some fun toy carabineers and spring loaded clips I got from JoAnn Fabrics.  I attached a lip gloss and silly bands to each.  The lip gloss idea came from blogland and I wish I could remember where I saw it!  If someone knows, please email me!

If you would like an easily printable version of this tutorial, you can find one at:

http://www.scribd.com/doc/56535714/Lanyard-Tutorial-Public

Chocolate-Walnut Fudge Bars

I whipped up a batch of these Chocolate-Walnut Fudge Bars from Martha Stewart a few days ago....and let me just say....there are no words.

I hope you have some friends to share these with.  The recipe makes up an entire 9x13 pan.

Coffee Cozy

Since it's the end of the school year and apparently everyone but me is doing something super special for their kids' teachers, I figured I'd show you the little thing I made up for Miss A's teachers at the holidays.

I learned that both of her preschool teachers are big Starbucks fans (well, who isn't?), so I made them each a reusable coffee cozy.  I was given a fabric cozy by friends several years ago, and I keep it in my purse at all times so I can whip it out whenever the need arises (which it does, and frequently)....very James Bond of me, don't you think?  And hey, I figure I'm doing my part in not throwing out one of the cardboard ones each time I get a drink.  I love mine on cold and hot drinks.  It gets lots of use.  Perhaps I should make myself one, come to think of it....

ANYHOO, these are rediculously easy to make.  I took one of the Starbucks cardboard cozies (probably a few years ago now - I think the newer ones are quite a bit smaller.  Kudos to Starbucks for reducing their waste), and traced it to make a pattern.  The ones I make are simply two pieces of fabric with a layer of batting in between.  They're reversable, which is fun.  I used velcro to hold it together so it fits nearly any cup.

For the ones I made the Little Lady's teachers, I embroidered an apple (corny, I know, but it matched the fabric) and the phrase 'I touch the future'. 

Cute, right?

Insul-Bright

I'm  having a love affair with Insul-Brite.

Have y'all seen this insulating batting yet?  <sigh>  It's fabulous.  And you can find it in JoAnn's - and since you can find JoAnn's pretty much anywhere, that makes it easy for me!

So far I've made up several potholders and a teapot cozy using the Insul-Brite.  And what good are personalized potholders if you don't have a few embellished towels to go with them?  Really.

I'd love to make each of my kiddos a lunchbag for the fall out of this fabulous stuff.  It's on the list!  I love this idea from A Lemon Squeezy Home:
http://alemonsqueezyhome.blogspot.com/2010/08/more-and-more-lunch-sacks-tutorials.html

Teacher Tote

I had a lot of fun at Christmas this year sewing up projects for several family members.  One of my favorites happened to be this red/animal print totebag I made from a tutorial at kojo designs:

Gotta appreciate a little bit of leopard print, especially when it's fuzzy and soft.  I followed the instructions word for word, including all the inside pockets - of which there are MANY.  I'll definitely make this tote again, but I'll probably add a zipper pocket on the inside.  There's no closure at the top of the bag, but the bag is so deep and the foldover flap is so huge you really don't need one. 



Canning

I am SO excited that canning season is once again upon us!  Last year I collected an assortment of jars (and knowledge) from my mother, who has been canning since....well, forever.  I remember how hot the house used to get - why was it she only canned on the hottest days?

Last summer I tried my hand at canning a round of tomatoes...

And made up a batch of peach preserves, and a rediculously delicious plum compote.

I couldn't figure out how to get the peach preserves put in the jars without bubbles...maybe I'll figure that out this year.  And as far as the plum compote goes...I only got a taste of that.  My husband went to town on it with a spoon.  Yep, it was THAT good.

Thank you Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving!  This book also had a great recipe for pesto and info on freezing the pesto - which was great because I end up with a TON of basil most years.

I cannot wait to get started this year!  Anybody have a good canning recipe to share?