Welcome to the blog

A string of thoughts, DIY, thrift scores, geeking out, sewing, crafting, and so on....

Welcome to the blog

A string of thoughts, DIY, thrift scores, geeking out, sewing, crafting, and so on...

Welcome to the blog

A string of thoughts, DIY, thrift scores, geeking out, sewing, crafting, and so on...

Welcome to the blog

A string of thoughts, DIY, thrift scores, geeking out, sewing, crafting, and so on...

Welcome to the blog

A string of thoughts, DIY, thrift scores, geeking out, sewing, crafting, and so on...

Monday, February 18, 2008

UPDATE: Organization Challenge is Complete!

Yes folks, its done! I have organized my craft site and its staying so neat and clean...for once. I'm becoming much more organized this year. It was a new years resolution, afterall. I have finally got things all things in a designated place. Each drawer is its own world of either fabric, notions, thread, needles, bias & ribbon, and the list goes on and on. Patterns are all organized in a folder, scissors are on hooks, out of babys reach, and finished projects are stashed away from grubby hands! Here it they are BEFORE AND AFTER!.......(drumroll please!)













Friday, February 8, 2008

Getting back to my true love...Sewing!

Ah, I worked like a maniac the past day and made 4 items simutaniously! 3 Clutches and one checkbook wallet. I've posted listings on my etsy shop so far. Im having a hard time taking pictures when there's not a good natural light sourse...its been so dismal and gray , but here are a few of the finished ones!



Wednesday, February 6, 2008

Mmmmmm...Granola Bars

I conquered a recipe of the best granola bars ever...they're not dry or hard - which I hate. Also, they're not so sweet like the store bought kinds that give you a sugar crash and a head-ache afterwards. This is a basic recipe which you can of course make even healthier. You will need a large bowl, a lightly greased 9 x 13 pan, measuring cups/spoons, a rubber spatula, and you will bake this at 325 degrees for 18 - 20 mins.


*3 1/2 cups rolled oats


*1 cup organic flour


*1 cup crisp rice cereal


*1 tsp baking soda


*1 tsp vanilla extract


*1 cup butter, melted


*1 cup honey


* 1/3 cup packed brown sugar


*2 cups of assorted additives (mini chips, nuts, seeds, raisins, dried fruit, etc)


First, Put all these dry ingredients (flour, oats,cereal, brown sugar, baking soda) together and mix well. Heat the butter so its half melted with solids - wisk the butter so its creamy looking. Add vanilla to the butter. Stir. Add butter and honey to dry ingredients, mix well. Make sure the heat from the butter didnt heat up the mixture because if you try to add chocolate chips or anything like that, they'll melt. I used 2 cups TOTAL of a mix of mini semi-sweet chips, salted sunflower seeds, crushed peanuts, and raisins. You can add whatever you want, just make sure the amount totals 2 cups - not 2 cups of each. Mix well. Now, put granola mixture in the 9 x 13 pan, smooth over with rubber spatula and press HARD. I took a peice of wax paper, placed it over the granola in the pan and packed it down very firmly. Now refridgerate for about an hour - this will keep it from being too crumbly. When ready, preheat oven to 325, then place bars in for 18-20 minutes. Take out and let cool for 15 mins before cutting. They're heavenly! Store in an air-tight container in the fridge so they hold their shape, or just leave them out if you dont mind a little mess.


Organization Challenge

CHALLENGE: Organize a space in your home!
posted by: amy purple - Purple Pink and Orange.

I'm gonna take the challenge. I need to keep my space free of clutter. i have no motivation when I have such an unruly area for creating.

What Needs to be Done:

  • Fold and put all fabric in a specific place, not all over everything


  • Get rid of / organize whats in the plastic bags


  • Put away all non-sewing related items where they belong


  • Put all scissors on shelf hooks - why else did we put up the shelf??!


  • Put all papers, patterns, books, etc on the shelf in an orderly fashion


  • Keep all dangerous tools up and out of baby's reach - she just lOVES that seam ripper and pin cushion!


  • Throw scraps away!


  • Put away all finished projects

Monday, February 4, 2008

Sprucing up a boring kitchen



We got these neat little tea cups - I dont know what the exact name for them is, but they have a holey cup that fits inside that you put the tea in and a lid to close it and keep it hot while the tea seeps. We got them for Christams from some friends. I think they came form World Market. Theyre adorable. I used them for the first time yesterday. .. and i was not disappointed! I thought that when I took out the holey cup, the wet tea bag would drip all over the table, but all i had to do was flip over the lid and place it on it - pretty smart, eh?


I also wanted to spruce up our boring old canisters, so of course, i look on etsy trying to find some decals to make them a bit more interesting. Then, there it was...OneUp minis. They are these 4 x 4 decals that you can get in any color in and beyond the rainbow with tons of neat designs, and the beauty part was that they're 4 for $5! I got them in MINT - it just seems to be a good Kitchen color. I chose some radial designs. I was gonna pick some woodland creatures - a bird, deer, owl, and a unicorn (I know, not exactly in existence, but hey who doesnt like a unicorn canister)but I didnt get those ones just because I couldnt make up my mind....but here's a pic, a bad one, but one none the less

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Coolest Guy shirt on Etsy



I got my Husband THEE coolest T-shirt called the 4 Wheelmen of the Apocolypse from Metasaurus http://metasaurus.etsy.com/. Wheelmen - not Horsemen - because they're riding bikes. Its hilarious! I love all their shirts! They're the coolest! It was probably his favorite gift I ever got him...and he also likes the vintage belt bucke I found while thrift'n.

Im sure any guy would love this for valentines day - nothing like saying " I Love You" with a shirt with those guys bringing judgement upon the earth!

Winter Wonderland




Chicago is getting snowed in! We looked outside to see a blizzard brewing. We we're at the parents watching the super bowl and realized we needed to get home before it was too bad to drive. It was already too bad to drive. We were behind a SUV that could not drive in a straight line - either they had a crappy car / tires that couldnt handle the snow or that person was drunk. Why is it that people drive like dare devils during bad weather? We had people driving insanely fast we were certain someone would rear-end us. Either way...it made me wish I was back in Africa at that paradise-like place in Terjit. A girl can dream!

My new baby sling

Just created a baby sling for my second baby on the way...it took me forever to get moving, but I finsihed it...it was quite simple! It was so much fun to make - even if I had to do alot to get the right lenth and width. I had to cut the yards in half lenghtwise and sew them together! I did it, though, and i can see my self making one for every day of the week! The picture looks so blurry - not because I don't know how to take a picture - but the way i had to take it is the reason. We live in an old building built in the 30's or 40's and this particular apartment has the original mirrors on the closet doors. These mirrors havent lasted very well thru the ages and are dim and hazy...I had to take the picture of me with it on somehow...which explaines the dim and hazy picture.

Hooters



I found these adorable vintage owls the other day. I couldn't help myself, they were hooting my name and I came running. So here they are. So cute! I was gonna post them on my Etsy site, but Suprisingly, My husband thinks they're too cute and wants to keep them. He's funny sometimes


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