Mommaskindacrafty

Winners!!!!!

2011-11-08T15:57:00.000-07:00

It's taken me a while to get around to this, but what can I say? I am a busy Momma! And life is crazy right now.

But our 3 winners for the Yards and Yards Giveaways have been selected by Random.org.

#1 - Lori

#11 - Deanna

#8 - Tanya

Congratulations ladies! Send me an email and I will put you in contact with Anna so you can get your patterns!

Yards and Yards Review & Giveaway!!!

2011-10-17T07:00:00.002-06:00

I had the opportunity to test out some of Anna's PDF patterns and they are awesome!!! I have just completed my Scripture Tote Messenger Bag and I Love it!

She emailed me the patterns very quickly and I was able to download and print them very easily. The pattern itself was easy to read and easy to follow. She does an awesome job of step-by-step instructions and diagrams. I am not a begginner, and would not consider my self and expert sewer either, but I found this pattern quite easy and was extremely satisfied with the pattern and my finished product!

I am working on the Ruffles and Rosettes Handbag for a Christmas Gift. It is coming together nicely and I am excited to show it to you after the holidays.....but here is the picture from the shop so you can see just how cute it is.

Now it's your turn! You can win a pattern of your choice from

Yards and Yards Esty Shop!

3 Winners will be chosen at random using random.org

Just hop on over and look around. Then come back and tell me what pattern you would choose if you win!

For additional entries:

Like Yards and Yards on FB

Like Mommas Kinda Crafty on FB

Follow Yards and Yards Blog

Just leave a separate comment for each entry! And please make sure I can contact you if you win.

Contest open till Monday at Midnight MST October 31. And winners will be announced on Tuesday! Good luck to you all!

Fantabulous Friday!!! 10/14

2011-10-14T08:34:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Party!!! Thanks for stopping by. I am excited for the weekend! Hope you all have a great weekend as well. And don't forget to stop back by next week for a FABULOUS Giveaway!

The #1 viewed link last week was this Laundry Room Reveal by Scattered Thoughts of a Crafty Mom

<<-----Please grab a Fantabulous button!!!

Now for the Party!!! Link up anything crafty you've done this week! Then take a few minutes to check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!

Fantabulous Friday!!! 10/8

2011-10-06T20:37:00.000-06:00

I am loving the fall and Halloween projects that are being linked up! Here are some fun ones from last week.

Over the Big Moon shared these adorable printable Halloween Counting Cards

These Frankenstein Pops by Blog 5 to 9 are such a fun party idea

And the #1 viewed link from last week are these apothecary jars from The REAL Housewives of Riverton

<<-----Please grab a Fantabulous button from my sidebar if I featured you!

Now for the Party!!! Link up anything crafty you've done this week! Then take a minute or 5 and check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!

Handmade Show & Sell October

2011-10-05T21:04:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the October edition of The Handmade Show & Sell!!

This months Handmade Hot Shot is Anna from Yards and Yards

At Yards and Yards you will find fun PDF sewing patterns, from quilts to handbags, buntings, and whole lot more!!!

Be sure to stop by and check out all she has to offer! I am in process of testing out her patterns and am excited to announce a review and GIVEAWAY here on my blog next week!

What's more is Anna has graciously offered you a discount!

Buy 2, get one free!!! Just enter CRAFTY1 and mention what freebie pattern you would like in the comments when you check out.

OR...

Buy fabric or any item, and get free shipping with the code: FALL11

Be sure to check out my CO-Host for another fun Handmade Hotshot!

Now for the Party and Rules!

Link up your newest and favorite items from your store or boutique. You can also link up directly to your store.

Please follow both of your hostesses.

Momma's Kinda Crafty

Nap Time Crafters

Check out some other links, heart a new shop, and have fun shopping!

Grab a button and help spread the word!

One lucky shop will be chosen as next months Handmade Hotshot and get a little free advertising!

Fantabulous Friday!!! 9/30

2011-09-29T19:00:00.000-06:00

Lots of great link ups last week! Here are some favorites.

These Apple Cider Donut Holes @ Polish The Stars
look delish!

This Polka Dot Party @ Fowl Single File is absolutely adorable and looks so fun!

And the most viewed link.....

DIY Halloween Ts by Choose to Thrive Blog!

<<-----Please grab a Fantabulous button from my sidebar if I featured you!

Now for the Party!!! Link up anything crafty you've done this week! Then take a minute or 5 and check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!

C0me back on Monday for the Handmade Show & Sell Party where you can show off anything you are selling!

Popcorn Balls 2 Ways

2011-09-28T07:10:00.001-06:00

Popcorn is by far a favorite snack at my house. So when planning a movie night with friends, I thought I would take it a step further and make popcorn balls. I couldn't decide who's recipe to make. My moms. Or my Grandmas. So I made both!

For each of these recipes, pop 6 qts of popcorn.

Jello Popcorn Balls

(These are the ones I always remember my mom making when I was little.)

You can use any flavor jello you choose. I chose orange because it's a nice fall color and it's my favorite flavor of jello!

1 small box jello

1 cup sugar

1 cup light corn syrup

Stir together and bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Pour over 6 qt. popcorn. Mix well and form into balls.

Someone sure liked them! I think I like these ones best while they are still warm.

Grandma's Popcorn Balls

30-40 large marshmallows (I used 36 -almost a whole bag, but a girls gotta have a little sugar....)
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter

Melt together till smooth. Pour over popcorn. Form into balls.

This can be quite sticky so I find it easiest to spray my hands with Pam before making the balls.

Mmmm.....

No Tie Fleece Blankets

2011-09-26T07:30:00.001-06:00

These no sew fleece blankets have been around forever it seems. They are great cuddle blankets and so soft and warm. This is not a post on how to do it, just a different way to do it. One that is easier, even the kids can help and I think it holds up better too.

I started with one for a gift a couple weeks ago and it has just escalated from there. 4 more for my kids, 1 for me and then I helped a friend with a couple for her girls and for her as well. They whip up really fast! And the kids (5 and older) all loved helping! It was so fun to see them working together on each others blankets.

(yes, that is my 11 yr old son working away on it)

I saw this a while back and cannot remember where, but instead of tying, after you cut your strips, just make a little slit and pull the ends thru. (ignore the different matierials...I am just trying to use the best pictures so you get the idea)

Fantabulous Friday!!! 9/23

2011-09-22T18:59:00.001-06:00

The most viewed and loved link from the last party were these darling framed button designs for Halloween. They were shared by A Pumpkin and a Princess

I loved this kitchen organizational idea shared at Burton Avenue.

This Dry Erase Quiet book is Amazing! I have a little one who I know would love it! See it and the rest of the pages at Love Sweet Love

<<<------Please grab a Fantabulous button from my sidebar!!!

I am so excited to see your latest projects, so go ahead and link up!!! Then take a minute or 5 and check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!

We have a winner!!!!!!!!!!

2011-09-20T08:59:00.000-06:00

Using random.org, I was able to choose a winner of the preliminary giveaway!!! With a chance to win the EZ View desk from The Original Scrapbox.


The lucky winner is.....

maggie4182!!!

Please email me within 24 hours with your full name, address, and phone number.
(mommaskindacrafty@gmail.com) If I don't hear from you, I will have to select a new preliminary winner. Thanks!

The grand prize drawing of one EZ View Craft Desk will take place on The Original Scrapbox BLOG, click here to visit and find out who the incredibly fortunate person is on September 23, 2011.

Fantabulous Friday!!! 9/16

2011-09-15T19:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the Party!!! Before we begin I just want to remind you of the awesome giveaway I posted yesterday. You could win a $595 EZ View desk from The Original Scrap Box. For full details, click HERE.

The most viewed and loved link from the last party were these

Kidlets @ Pink Stitches. I have had this tut bookmarked for a while now

and just need to get on the ball. I love how hers turned out!

<<<------Please grab a Fantabulous button from my sidebar!!!

I am so excited to see what you've been working on, so link up all your craftiness and show it off! Be sure to check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!

The Original Scrapbox.com Giveaway!!!!

2011-09-15T09:57:00.002-06:00

It's here! The awesome surprise giveaway I have been talking about on my FB fan page!

How organized are you???
When it come to my crafting and scrapping, I have stuff everywhere! This desk is awesome and would definitely help me find things easily.

Check out the versatility of this desk, with "Design Your Own" Capabilities.

http://theoriginalscrapbox.com/catalog/ezview/39

The Original Scrapbox.com is giving away one EZ View Craft Desk (value $595.00 U.S. Dollars). This desk has a clear plexiglass top so that you can easily see all of your supplies organized in four different drawers with various compartments.

On September 23, 2011 we'll give away one of these beautiful desks!

Hop on over to each of the participating bloggers for your chance to win a fantastic prize and ONE entry into the grand prize giveaway of the EZ View Craft Desk.

There will be 11 preliminary giveaways with a chance to win an entry into the Grand Prize Drawing for one EZ View Craft Desk.

Your entry here is to win the preliminary giveaway of one ScrapMaBob (value $19.95) and One entry into the Grand Prize Drawing for an EZ View Craft Desk in your choice of color.

If you are selected as a preliminary winner of the ScrapMaBob, you will then be entered into the grand prize drawing held on The Original Scrapbox Blog on September 23, 2011. On that date, a random drawing will select a winner from all of the finalists to receive one EZ View Craft Desk (value $595.00 U.S. Dollars) in their choice of black or white.

*The contest is open to addresses in the contiguous United States only.

Giveaway open from Thursday September 15- Monday September 19^th at 11:59pm.

Giveaway Rules:
*You can only enter under one name
* It is possible to win more than one preliminary prize, which means it’s possible to be entered into the grand prize drawing more than once.
*All winner’s addresses must be U.S. (48 contiguous state) addresses
*You must complete the required entry to be eligible to win

Here's how to enter: Leave a comment with your email address, linkbacks and how you entered. I'll put all entries into a spreadsheet and use Random.org to select the winner. Visit all 11 blogs for extra entries into this fabulous giveaway!

*Required entry: You must visit The Original Scrapbox website and leave a comment here on my blog telling me how you would organize your crafts with one of our products.

Extra Entries:

Like the Facebook page for The Original Scrapbox

Follow ScrapboxUSA on Twitter, then Tweet the contest with linkback in your comment.

Like Momma's Kinda Crafty on Facebook and leave a shout out on my wall!
Share this giveaway on Facebook!

***The winner will have only 24 hours to respond with your contact information or I will be forced to choose another winner.

You can enter the preliminary giveaways with a chance to win an entry into the grand prize drawing at each of the following blogs:

*Disclosure: I received free product from The Original Scrapbox to host this giveaway. All rules must be followed and correct United States address given for prize to be awarded.

Homemade Bubble Bath for the kids!!!

2011-09-10T11:07:00.000-06:00

I think my kids favorite thing in the new house is the oversized jetted tub in the main bathroom. I can't keep them out of it! And what fun is a bath without tons of bubbles!? Needless to say I have been bubble bath by the gallon and it sure disappears fast! And once we were out the kids just used their shampoo and had great results.

(yes, that's a sucker stick in his mouth)

I knew there had to be a way to make my own and save some dough so I started googling and found several different recipes that used shampoo. I did some experimenting and played around with it a bit and here is my recipe. (Yes, it is basically watered down shampoo!)

Momma's Bubble Bath = 2 parts water, 1 part shampoo, salt

Start with a cheapo bottle of yummy smelling shampoo. I found the V05 was cheapest at Walmart for 78 cents. Your dollar store may have a good buy too!

I mixed mine in an empty bubble bath jug. But you can use whatever you have on hand. Pour the shampoo into the empty jug. Now fill your empty shampoo bottle with cold water and add to the shampoo in the jug. Place lid on jug and shake. (this is great if you want to let the kids help!) Now repeat with another shampoo bottle full of cold water. Add about 1/2 tsp salt and shake. That's it! Easy and inexpensive! And sure to bring lots of smiles.

This is what I found works well for us. If you find this still makes lots of bubbles, you can dilute it a little more. Or if you want more suds, just cut the water down a bit.

Fantabulous Friday!!! 9/2

2011-09-01T21:10:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the Party!! I am off for the weekend to hopefully have a Fantabulous time. Due to the holiday, this months Handmade Show and Sell will be put off till next month, so go out and enjoy your Labor Day Weekend.

To kick off the party, check out the most viewed link from last week!

Turning a House into a Home has a great tutorial and video to make your own Rag Rug

I am so excited to see your newest projects, so link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Be sure to check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!

Fantabulous Friday!!! 8/26

2011-08-26T06:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the PaRtY!!!! Last week we had some awesome projects linked up.

Here are some favorites.

Little Rays of Sunshine made this adorable Cupcake Birthday Tutu

These adorable ruffled bags have definitely made their way to my TO DO list! Check them out over at Craft Goodies!

Hair posts have been hot lately! Check these 2 out!

Love notes by lauryn shared some awesome ponytail variations

And this bun looks so fun! See it at Eisy Morgan

I am so excited to see your newest projects, so link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Be sure to check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!

Homemade Laundry Soap!!!

2011-08-21T13:44:00.000-06:00

This is something I have been wanting to do for a while now. My sister actually made some a few months ago and gave me a sample and I loved it!

I used the Duggar Family Recipe HERE

Here is my finished batch of Laundry Soap....nearly 10 gallons!!! And cost less than $2 to make! You really can't beat that and it is awesome soap!

The kids loved to help with the stirring!

I had a fun time making this with friends and will definitely be making this again and again! I did not scent mine, because I like the clean smell it has.

Cut-offs!

2011-08-20T13:00:00.000-06:00

So many holey jeans at my house! So this summer I made alot of cut-offs! I love them because

1: I don't have to buy as many new pair of shorts.

2: They are super easy and fast!

3: I can make them as long or as short as I want.

Here is Miss K modeling one of her pair.

I cut them off a little longer than I wanted them. Stitched around the cut edge about 1/4" seam so they will fray in the wash. Folded up and pressed. Then just made a couple stitches at the side seams to hold in place.

I made me some too, a longer pair for everyday and a shorter one to wear over my swim suit. No pics of those cuz my knees are no way as cute or tan as Miss K's!

Would love to hear what you do with all your denim scraps! I just can't seem to throw them away!

Fantabulous Friday!!! 8/19

2011-08-18T21:36:00.000-06:00

WOW! What a week it's been. Due to lots of complications this week, I will not be posting any features.....but I have a project I am working on and will post it soon!

I am excited to see all your latest projects, so link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Be sure to check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!

Fantabulous Friday!!! 8/12

2011-08-11T17:19:00.000-06:00

IT'S TIME TO PARTY!!! I unpacked my sewing machine today and worked on a few small projects! What have you been working on?

Also sending out a special HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my 6 yr old Princess!

Mommy luvs you!!!

Me and Miss K

The most viewed link last week was the SoCK BuN!!! I love this and have recently discovered it myself. Go check it out at Eisy Morgan

Don't forget to grab a fantabulous button!

For todays Party, link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Be sure to check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!

~JOY

Fantabulous Friday!!! 8/5

2011-08-04T22:29:00.000-06:00

Welcome!!!

We had a tie for the most viewed link last week! So here they both are.....in no particular order!

These paint sample coasters are brilliant! Check them out at the crafty cpa

Congrats to Strictly Homemade for celebrating her 10th anniversary and sharing her gift idea!

Don't forget to grab a fantabulous button (from the sidebar) if you were featured!

For todays Party, link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Be sure to check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!

Guest Post: Growth Stick Tutorial

2011-08-03T07:14:00.000-06:00

Hi, everyone! I'm Jill from Jill Made It, and I am really excited to be here today! I love creating things, designing new things, and generally making my little world a prettier place. I also love teaching people the things I learn, hence writing tutorials!

When my siblings and I were growing up, my mom kept track of our heights on growth charts. Unfortunately, the early ones were made of paper and didn't survive. Next, she marked our heights on a door...and then we moved. Now that I'm a mommy, I want to keep a record of my munchkin's height, too, but in way that will withstand life in general. So I came up with the Growth Stick.

(Yes, it's intended to be hung on the wall, but I couldn't get any good pictures outside.)

It is so easy and cheap, yet it will last right near forever. Love that kind of project.

All you need to make it are:

a 2x4x6 length of wood

sandpaper

some semi-gloss paint (mine was leftover from refinishing a dresser, which made this project even cheaper!)

two sharpies or other permanent markers (one fat, one medium or thin)

a paintbrush (a large foam one)

a yardstick

and picture hanging hardware of your choice

First, sand down your board.

(Don't be like me and fail to realize your board needs sanding until after the first coat of paint.)

Paint all sides except the back. (It'll never be seen anyway.)

Now take your smaller sharpie and mark the center of your board (longways--you know, like a hotdog). You'll want to mark it near the top (but not at the very top--you'll see in a minute), then at the bottom and middle. These are just little marks to make sure you get your line straight. (Sorry I forgot to take a picture of this.)

Next, use your yardstick and fat sharpie to connect these marks into one nice, straight line.

Use the space you saved at the top for your title. I tried to come up with something cute, but decided to go with simple instead.

The next step is to mark your measurements. First, determine how high on the wall you want to mount the growth chart. I think we picked 7 inches off the floor.

This is the main reason for the skinny sharpie.

Make any touch-ups.

Mount your hardware, then hang your brand-new, super-durable, highly transportable growth chart.

Now all that's left is to mark everyone's heights!

Thanks, Joy, for having me as a guest today. I hope everyone liked the project. Come visit me at Jill Made It to see more projects!

Handmade Show & Sell August

2011-08-01T07:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the August edition of the Handmade Show and Sell!

This months Handmade Hotshot is Ginger of Ginger Snaps!

She specializes in Vinyl decor and lots more!

Here are some of my favorites from here shop....

Love this Popcorn Vinyl!

Fun Kitchen Labels

Use code SUMMER and receive 10% off your order!!!

Be sure to check out my CO-Host for another fun Handmade Hotshot!

Now for the Party and Rules!

Link up your favorite items from your store or boutique. You can also link up directly to your store.

Please follow both of your hostesses.

Momma's Kinda Crafty

Nap Time Crafters

Check out some other links, heart a new shop, and have fun shopping!

Grab a button and help spread the word!

One lucky shop will be chosen as next months Handmade Hotshot and get a little free advertising!

Fantabulous Friday!!! 7/29

2011-07-28T19:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome! And TGIF!!!!!!! It's been a long week here and I am so glad the weekend is finally making an appearance!

Here's a few features from last weeks party!

Check out East Coast Mommy for 5 fun and easy things to make out of a box!

This Pecan Parmesan Crusted Chicken Salad @ Will Cook for Smiles definitely brings a smile to my lips!

And the most viewed link was......

Ready, Set, Create! shared her fabulous Ruffled Zipper Pouches! These have been on my to-to list for a while a now.

Don't forget to grab a fantabulous button (from the sidebar) if you were featured!

For this weeks Party, link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Be sure to check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly! Come back on Monday for our Handmade Show and Sell where you can show
off your shop and your newest items! See you there!

Mexican Corn Dip

2011-07-24T13:53:00.000-06:00

My friend posted this to her blog earlier this week and I couldn't resist trying it myself. Very yummy and so addicting too! And for those who know me, you know I am NOT a fan of Mexican food or anything spicy. But I do love this dip. The rotel gives it just a little kick, but its not too overwhelming. Plus it was an easy, no cook recipe.

Go HERE for the recipe!

Enjoy!

2011-07-22T08:08:00.000-06:00

Better late than never......so welcome to the Party!!!

And I have features today too!

Here is a fun twist on the fabric rosettes. Make them out of yarn! See how at Craftionary

My son would love this toddler room makeover at Pink Stitches!

The most viewed link from last week was from Junk in their Trunk.
Check out her freezer meals!

Don't forget to grab a fantabulous button (from the sidebar) if you were featured!

For this weeks Party, link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Be sure to check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

(Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!)

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Brownies

2011-07-16T16:06:00.000-06:00

Just popping in during my crazy weekend to share a fun new recipe I made earlier this week!

OATMEAL Chocolate Chip BROWNIES
2-1/2 cups oatmeal, uncooked
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup butter, melted
1 pkg. brownie mix + ingredients needed on box
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350° F. Grease bottom of 13- x 9- x 2-inch baking pan. Mix oats, flour, brown sugar, and baking soda; stir in margarine. Reserve 1 cup of oat mixture. Press remaining oat mixture in pan.

Bake 10 minutes; Sprinkle on chocolate chips, and let cool 5 minutes.

Prepare brownies as directed on package. Spread over baked oat layer and chocolate chips. Crumble reserved oat mixture over the brownie batter. Bake 35 minutes; cool. Cut into bars.

Humor your princess and let her take a plate to your neighbors.

Enjoy!!

Fantabulous Friday! 7/15

2011-07-14T20:30:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the Party!!!

For this weeks Party, link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Be sure to check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

(Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!)

Guest Post: Simply Designing!

2011-07-11T07:03:00.001-06:00

I am so excited to be guest posting here today!

I am Ashley, the face and voice behind Simply Designing.

My blog is a fun blog that covers everything from crafts to interior design, recipes to floral design, home decor to seasonal items. I host a weekly Friday link up party and my local Fox news station also has invited me to do a regular segment on their morning show: it is a lot of fun!

In addition, I offer interior design services, both in-home and online.

So I keep very busy around here, but most of all, I like to keep things SIMPLE!

Today I am excited to share with you two popular posts on my blog!

The first is my Shabby Birdhouses:

I found these bird houses at Michael's for $2 each, fully assembled and ready to be painted!

I started by painting them.

Then I took my sander and sanded the edges to make them look worn.

Next I took brown craft paint and mixed it with water. I used that to paint a "glaze" all over the bird houses and then I wiped it down with a paper towel.

Aren't they so cute?!?! I love how they add a bit of spring to my decor!

And I can't resist sharing one more thing with you. A super yummy super simple recipe!! (yum yum)

Nutter Butter Cookie Balls

If you like nutter butters and chocolate and making very simple recipes, then you will like these.

Ingredients:

1 package Nutter Butter cookies
1 8oz block of cream cheese
1 bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

Using a food processor or a blender, crush up the cookies until finely ground
Place the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese in a stand mixer (I am sure you can use a hand mixer or even mix it together with your hands, but it will take a bit more time and effort on your part.)
Mix for several minutes until well-blended.
Form mixture into small balls and place on waxed paper. Put in the fridge or freezer for about 20 minutes.
Melt your chocolate (see how to melt chocolate here) and dip the cookie balls into the chocolate, tapping off the excess.
Let sit on waxed paper or foil until set.

Enjoy!

Thanks so much for letting me guest post today! I truly enjoyed it!

If you would like to see more of my creations, you can find me at my blog Simply Designing, through my RSS feed, on Facebook, on Twitter @SimplyDesigning and via Email Subscription.

Happy Designing!

Handmade Show & Sell #4

2011-07-04T07:00:00.003-06:00

Welcome to the July Handmade Show & Sell Party!!!

We hope this party helps you advertise your shop & find some fun new shops to browse and support!

Our Handmade Hotshot this month is

Mandy from Sugar Bee!

You can check out her store HERE

Lots of fun new items and nothing in the store is over $10!!! With very reasonable shipping costs!

Mini Messy Ruffled Clips

Rolled Fabric Flower Necklaces-I am in luv!

(these will sell out quick so don't miss out!)

Fabric Key Chain Fobs

Mandy is offering a 20% off discount. Just use code "hotshot" when you check out!

Now for the Party and Rules!

Link up your favorite items from your store or boutique. You can also link up directly to your store.

Please follow both of your hostesses.

Momma's Kinda Crafty

Nap Time Crafters

Check out some other links, heart a new shop, and have fun shopping!

Grab a button and help spread the word!

One lucky shop will be chosen as next months Handmade Hotshot and get a little free advertising!

Fantabulous Friday! 7/1

2011-06-30T19:00:00.002-06:00

Happy Friday and Welcome to the Party!

Today I am featuring a few ideas for the 4th of July! I will be spending the holiday with family and wish all of you a great weekend!

Check out these fun patriotic rings @ Funky Polkadot Giraffe

This Ruffly Patriotic pillow is just too cute! See it @ Dragonfly Designs

And you've got to have something yummy for your celebration, so how about these 4th of July cupcakes by Eat Cake for Dinner

If you were featured, please grab a button from my sidebar and show off just how Fantabulous you are!

For this weeks Party, link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Be sure to check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

(Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly! Our monthly Handmade Show and Sell will begin Monday so be sure to come back!)

Drive-In Movie Car Tutorial!

2011-06-29T07:19:00.000-06:00

HELLO Momma's Kinda Crafty readers!!! I am Angela, the voice behind Love Sweet Love, and I am super-duper EcStAtIc to be doing a guest post for the fantastic Joy today! She has the cutest blog (as you already know) and it is such a privilege for me to be making an appearance on one of the first blogs I ever followed!

I use my little corner of the blogging universe to share my creative ideas that involve easy DIY projects for the home, craft ideas for kids, thrift store makeovers, and holiday decorating (the reason I started blogging!). My life is over-flowing with Sweet Love and I needed a place to share it!!

In honor of being on a FuN momma blog I wanted to do an easy, FuN tutorial for all you momma's!! Your kids will LOVE this. Which in turns mean they'll love you, which in turn means you'll love me. See how this is a win-win for us all?! I present to you the Drive-In Movie Car, perfect for fun summer night entertainment!

The great thing about this project is that it can be as simple or as fancy-shmancy as you want it to be! All you need to start is a cardboard box!

We (mr. sweet love and I) decided we wanted the car to have a little "hood" of sorts as you can see above, so we cut a separate, small strip of cardboard, folded down the edges of the board to make a table-top shape, and hot glued those edges to the inside of the box.

And since these fun little cars will be
hounded
played with by toddlers we thought it might be good to give it a little extra piece of support by hot gluing another piece of cardboard under the "hood" and to the front of the box like so:

Had our box been a typical brown box I wouldn't have painted it, but the only box we had was white and yellow with writing all over it, so I decided to give it a quick coat of Rustoleum's semi-gloss white spray paint. A perfect canvas!

Next I added wheels using paper plates lightly spray painted black.

And Mr. Sweet Love added a tail pipe using a roll of toilet paper spray painted silver and then cut in half.

And what drive-in movie would be fun without snacks?! With kids that's a definite MUST, so I added a snack box to the side of the car using the bottom porion of a baby wipes container (I spray painted mine red but you could totally leave it white!) and attached it using office clips.

The only thing left is to go to town decorating the front in whatever car style you can come up with! I used a black marker to draw on the designs and can lids for the headlights.

And just to personalize them for the kids (my kids love to see their name everywhere! ha ha!) I added some quick license plates to the back with their name and age using cardboard wrapped in foil and then hot glued to the box!

Toss in a fluffy pillow and a comfy blanket, and you're ready to throw a movie up on the projector outside (or inside!!) and have a fun family movie night!

Now go have yourself a WHEELY good time in your DIY drive-in car!

Thanks for letting me take over your blog today Joy, I've had SO much fun being here! You're welcome to visit me anytime over at Love Sweet Love, it makes me giddy happy to meet new friends!

Love it, Angela! What a fun idea I am sure the kids will love! Thanks for sharing with us today!

Guest Post: The Crafty Mummy!

2011-06-27T07:25:00.002-06:00

Hi! I'm Crafty Mummy. I'm so excited to be a guest of Joy's today. I'm a wife and mummy of two cherubs - Little Miss is 7 and Mr Happy is 5 - in sunny Queensland, Australia. They keep me super busy but somehow I find time to fit in a little sewing, quilting, crochet and other crafting. The crafting is my little time for me. I blog over at The Crafty Mummy and sell my bits and pieces in my store on Madeit. Before I had my kids, I was a teacher and I'm finding my blog is my chance to still share and "teach" others the things I love. You can see my profile on about.me.

Today I'm going to share a sewing tutorial with you. A few weeks ago I gave away a little bag and matching needle case on my blog. This tutorial will show you how to make the little bag for yourself. If you'd like to make the needle case, I'll be sharing that tutorial on my blog next week.

Let's get started!

You'll need:

Two fat quarters of fabric
1m or 40" of ribbon for the handles (Mine is half-inch satin ribbon)
Matching thread
the usual sewing tools - sewing machine, scissors, rotary cutter and mat (optional), chalk pencil, ruler, tape measure, knitting needle or similar "pointy" tool, safety pin

Step 1:

First we're going to trim your fat quarters. Fat quarters are usually 18" x 22" (46cm x 56cm). You need two large squares. Measure the shorter side. Mine was 18". Trim off a strip so that you have a 18" square. If you have an obvious selvedge, trim that end off so you remove the selvedge at the same time. Do this to both of your fat quarters. Save the trimmed strips for your needle case. This will work with a slightly smaller square as well so don't worry if your squares are 17" or 16" instead.

Step 2:

Place your two squares right sides together and pin.

Step 3:

Starting in about the middle of one side of your square, sew them together a quarter of an inch from the edge. At the corners, leave your needle down, lift your presser foot, and turn your fabric to start the next side. Leave a gap of 2-3" so you can turn it.

Step 4:

Clip the corners carefully so you don't snip the stitching. Turn the whole thing through. Use a knitting needle or other pointy tool to gently push the corners through to a nice point. Iron your square well.

Step 5:

Stitch around the edge again about an eighth of an inch in. This will close up the opening and give a neat finish to the edge. Again leave your needle down in the corners as you turn.

Step 6:

Decide which fabric you want on the outside of your bag and lay your square out flat with that fabric showing. Lay your ruler across the square from corner to corner, and mark a line through the centre and about 5" either side of the centre. Your line will be about 10" long. Use a chalk pencil or something similar that you can remove later. Do this across the other diagonal too so that you end up with an "X".

Step 7:

Fold each corner towards the centre with the corner point on the "X" line. This will be the section of lining fabric that you will see at the top of your bag. You can adjust how much of the fabric you will see by adjusting how big you make those triangles, but you want all four corners to be the same. I folded mine in around 4.5", measuring from the point of the triangle to the base of the triangle (that will be the top of the bag).

Pin each triangle in place. It will look like this:

Step 8:

Stitch across the edge of each triangle about 7/8" from the edge to form a casing for your ribbon. If your ribbon is wider, just make your casing wider.

Do the same on each triangle of lining fabric. Remove your pencil marks.

Step 9:

Use a safety pin to thread the ribbon through the four casings. Tie the ends together securely and slide them back into one of the casing pockets to hide the knot. Pull your ribbon so that you have two handle opposite each other, then tie them together to close the bag.

Thanks so much for having me, Joy. If you have any questions don't hesitate to email me through my blog, and don't forget to pop over and check out the needle case tutorial next week.

So glad you could come visit and share such a darling little bag!

Fantabulous Friday! 6/24

2011-06-23T19:00:00.002-06:00

Welcome to this weeks PARTY!!!

Here's some fun links from last week!

How yummy do these Homemade Twix bars look! Yum!! See them @ The Sweet Details

I love this books to clock by A Creative Princess!

These Boston Cream Cupcakes definitely make me smile! Get the recipe on Will Cook For Smiles!

And the #1 link last week was this Mens 4XLT shirt to dress refashion! See how over at Second Chances by Susan

If you were featured, please grab a button from my sidebar and show off just how Fantabulous you are!

For this weeks Party, link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Be sure to check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

(Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!)

Embroidered Keepsake: A Guest tutorial from Crystal!

2011-06-22T07:19:00.000-06:00

I'm so excited to be here today. I'm Crystal from Crystal's Craft Spot. I love to share tutorials, things I've made, recipes, some decorating and organization tips, and I love to feature others.

Here's a quick and easy keepsake. It was originally posted when I first started my blog (and no one really read it) but its one of my favorites so I thought I would share it again. I traced Aubrey's hand and foot onto computer paper and then onto the back of the fabric. I made mine to fit an 8x10 frame. I arranged the hand and footprints and pinned them on. I then free handed her name and age with a pencil. Using embroidery floss I went over her the letters and I hand stitched around the prints. You can frame it...

or turn it into a pillow.

Here's how I made it: I started off with the embroidered piece, 4 brown fabric pieces the length of each side and 2" wide, and the pink corners are 2"x2".

Pin right sides together (two of the sides) and sew.Pin the pink square to the ends of the top and bottom pieces and sew. (I had to cut my brown fabric 1/4" so they lined up correctly but you may not needs to-check before you sew)

Pin top and bottom pieces on your pillow front right sides together and sew.

Lay right sides together on your fabric you are going to use for the back. Pin in place and cut out to get the correct size.

sew around the pillow and leave an opening to stuff. Pull pillow threw so Its right side out and stuff. hand stitch shut. You now have a sweet pillow to help you remember those tiny hands and feet.

Thanks for letting me visit today and please stop by Crystal's Craft Spot anytime.

Upcycled Skirt to Paper Bag Skirt

2011-06-20T07:29:00.003-06:00

Hi, Momma's Kinda Crafty Friends! I am Maridith from Strictly Homemade my number one love is sewing!! If I haven't sewn in a while I start getting the jitters because life seems to be missing something. I have been sewing since I was in the 5th grade and have been sewing on and off since then. Now that I am a SAHM to 3 wonderful kids I have a little more time(squeezed in between nap time and cooking) to fulfill my passion and I absolutely love it! I am a better person when I sew or create.

Today I am going to share a Paper Bag Skirt made from an old (outdated skirt). I love upcycling clothes. Here is the trendy skirt I made for myself and today I am going to show you how.

My grandmother, from Arizona, came to visit me in NC and brought a whole bag of old clothes she no longer wanted. She figured she got 2 free bags to check (rare) so she brought me one with her old clothes!! So sweet! Most people would probably think "really...jeez, thanks grandma!" Me...I thought it was Christmas!

Here is how my mind works....Right side up I see an old denim skirt.... Upside down I see a Paper Bag skirt...Do you?

The key to a Paper Bag Skirt is the waist width needs to start out 2 times the size of your waist. Let's say your waist is 28" (I wish, real waist width is not disclosed!) then your skirt width needs to be 56" around. Plus, the skirt needs to taper in at least 3". All of these things occurred when I flipped the skirt upside down! The bonus to this skirt is I did not need to add a zipper because it was a button front!!

Here is how I constructed the skirt.

1. I cut out the pockets very carefully. I needed all the length I could get.

2. I cut off the top of the skirt.

3. This is double checking I have a 3" taper from the top of the skirt to the bottom of the skirt. Then hem the bottom of your skirt. Like I said I needed the length so I did a 1/4" hem. Top stitched.

4. This skirt sits on your natural waist and the "bag" part is above the waist. I turned over the top 3" to where my waist line would be. Stitch. Do not worry about stitch being seen a belt will cover it up.

5. Make your pleats (4 on the front, 4 on the back) facing inwards. It is easy to divide the skirt into quarters and size down your pleats to your waist width. Example: One quarter of 56" (current width of skirt) is 14" I needed to size each quarter down to 7" (to make waist 28") I just folded until I was happy with the pleats.

6. Duplicate these pleats on all quarters.

7. Press and stitch down.

Make the Belt Loops

1. Cut a strip of fabric 2"X 12" Fold each side to meet in the center

2. Stitch on each side and cut into 3" pieces (there should be four but I had already pinned it on the skirt when I realized I needed to take a picture)

3. Turn each end under 1/2" press and pin onto skirt. I added mine past the first pleat.

4. Add a ribbon (did not have enough material to make a matching belt)

DONE!

I will admit this is not a typical "Mommy skirt" and will not wear this to a park but it would be fun to wear on a date with hubby or a girls night out!!

Thanks Joy for letting me guest blog here!! It has been fun!!

This is fabulous Maridith! Thanks for sharing your talent with us!

Fresh Pineapple on the Grill

2011-06-18T11:09:00.001-06:00

One of my favorite things in summer is grilling outside. And nothing beats the sweet taste of pineapple off the grill.

Mmmmm......

Just slice up your pineapple however you like and dip it in a mixture of lemon juice and brown sugar. For a whole pineapple I use about 1 1/2 Tbs lemon juice and 2 Tsp brown sugar.

Then place on grill till warm and you see light lines!

**Warning** will disappear fast! Be sure to get yours!

And just for fun, check out Mr. King of the Grill!

Fantabulous Friday! 6/17

2011-06-16T18:54:00.001-06:00

TGIF!!! And welcome to Fantabulous Friday! I can't wait to see what you've been working on this week. Lots of fun links last week. Here are some of my favorites!

Strictly Homemade shared a fun tutorial for this fun Preppy Burlap Summer Purse.

These 4th of July Topiaries at so fun and festive! See them over at Simply Designing.

Anna @ Ask Anna always has awesome tips. This week she answers, "How to Clean a Shower Curtain?"

And the #1 viewed link from last week was these delicious White Trash Bars! Posted by Dragonfly Designs.

If I featured you, grab a button from my sidebar and show off just how Fantabulous you are!

For todays Part-tay, link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Be sure to check out some of the other fabulous links, leave comments and have fun!

Don't forget to grab a party button and play along!

(Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!)

Guest Post: Ugly Dresser Re-born

2011-06-15T07:30:00.000-06:00

Today's guest post comes from Kassandra from Coffee and their Kisses!

Take a minute and go say HI

My mom knew that I wanted a dresser for Nick's room. I had been using a small plastic drawer thing, and we were running out of room for clothes. So she found this dresser in the trash, and snagged it for me. After a lot of cleaning.. it had to be brought back to life.

So other than the fact that it's good wood and a pretty frame.. it's ugly. It's screaming, "SAVE ME!"

Can you see the nicks and srapes? Oh, and you can't miss the ugly knobs & pulls.

Yup, it's in pretty crappy shape. As for the inside of the drawers.. we will talk about that later. I got plans for you buddy!

So, let's get to work. Firstly.. lay down a tarp and do this on a flat surface [cement, wood], unlike myself. Then get your spatula and wood filler. I have Elmers wood filler, mainly because it's cheap and a trustworthy brand. Then I did each drawer and the dresser frame.

I used quite a bit of wood filler. Don't forget to sand it all down after the wood filler dries. You want a smooth surface to paint. I also filled in 2 holes where pulls used to be on the bottom shelf. I was missing 2 of the 4 knobs.. so the other holes needed to be filled.

While the wood filler was drying, I got my handy spray paint. Krylon Sesame Shimmer that I found on clearance for $2.

Then I got those ugly knobs and pulls. Ignore the blue and other colors on that board. It's my paint me board lol. So I painted them this pretty color, and it dries in 15 minutes. BONUS!

So, after 3 coats of white paint.. Here's the finished color. I thought about distressing it, but it's Nick's room. Maybe he's not into the vintage like Momma is. I'll let him decide that better when he's older.

Here is the re-born dresser. It's looking mighty nifty, if you ask me! Yup, I'm awesome like that :o)

Let's take a look at those newly painted pulls now.. aww yes, beautiful!

Now I have 2 more pieces of furniture to paint in Nick's room, a room to paint, drawers to fancy up, toys to go through, and move the whole room around. So don't worry.. I'll be back shortly with more awesomeness!

Thanks so much for sharing this awesome transformation with us!

Fantabulous Friday!!! 6/10

2011-06-09T19:00:00.001-06:00

It's a Fantabulous day for a Party! It's also my baby brothers wedding day and I will be celebrating the big 35 tomorrow!

Happy Birthday to me!!!!

Lately I have seen lots of 'Chevron' inspired crafts. I've never gotten in to the hype of it, until I saw these fun placemats by

Sumo's Sweet Stuff

LOVE IT!!!

I also loved these Root Beer Floats on a Stick by

Smile Monsters

If you were featured, grab a button from my sidebar and show off just how Fantabulous you are!

For this weeks Party, link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Check out some other links, leave comments and have fun!

Please grab a party button and play along!

(Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!)

The Leave the Sand at the Beach Bag

2011-06-08T07:22:00.001-06:00

Hi! I am so thrilled to be the guest blogger here today! Thanks so much to Joy for inviting me to do this! My name is Rachel and I blog over at The Life of Riley. I cover kids, crafting, sewing, quilting, and cooking. I'd love it if you would stop by.

A little background to this project: We go 'Up North' every summer and spend as many days at the beach of Lake Michigan as possible. With four kids and some cousins this requires lots of water and sand toys, and so I came up with: The Leave the Sand at the Beach Bag

Confession: It ended up a bit bigger than I had anticipated, so you may want to scale things down for your needs!

What you need:
Outdoor Canvas or Duck Canvas: 1.5 yards, 58" wide.
2 Mesh laundry bags (I got mine at Dollar Tree - they come in at least 3 colors)
Thread, scissors, pins

Start by cutting your canvas into four equal pieces. Mine are 39" x 14".
Put those aside and take out the laundry bags. Cut off the three sewn sides. (green lines)

You'll have one big piece folded in half.

Cut that piece up the middle. Trim up the sides so they are as straight as you can get them. They don't have to be perfect. The mesh has lots of give!

Now we're going to start sewing. Layer the mesh and one piece of canvas 'right sides together'. Sew. Trim off the extra mesh to even it up to the canvas.

I made a straight stitch seam and then finished the edge with my machine's 'faux serged edge'. You could zig-zag it, or use a serger.

Next, add another piece of canvas and sew the other side of the mesh.

You should have something that looks like this.

Repeat for the other side.
Now, at this point you need to fold down the hem along the upper edge of the bag and sew it, leaving about 4 inches un-sewn on each end (for matching up later).

Next is the bottom. Take a double layer of the mesh and sew it between the two sides. You will have something that looks like this:

Now for the handles. Cut strips 3.5" wide that equal up to about 228". You can lessen that if you want shorter handles.

Fold in and press the edges 1/2" on each side. Pin to the bag 11" in from each side.

Make sure to pin the handles evenly, so they match up when the bag is sewn up.

Sew along each side of the handle all the way around.

Optional: fold the top part of the handle together and stitch.

Fold the bag in half. Pin, matching the sides up, and sew. Finish upper hem.

Keep the bag inside out, and at the bottom, fold a triangle of mesh that is the same width as the bottom and sew across the line.

And now you can bring everything but the kitchen sink to the beach, and leave the sand behind.

Hoo are you???

2011-06-07T20:57:00.000-06:00

Another week of Hoo are you?

Here are my answers for the week!

1. How often do you wash your vehicle?

Probably about once a month, or whenever it really needs it.

2. When riding in a car with someone who usually drives, them or you?

Usually me, although I would prefer to just ride.

3. How many states have you traveled to or through?

I have traveled through at least 24 states.

4. What kind of music do you listen to the most?

Mostly country. My son is trying to get me to keep up and listen to 'cooler' music and I do enjoy some of it, once in a while.

5. Do you prefer the window down or air conditioning?

Definitely the A/C!

The Harper Bag

2011-06-06T21:31:00.000-06:00

A while back I saw this at Joann's. Thought It would be fun to try and it looked so cute! It was even on clearance for 7.99! But, I passed it up. I had too many unfinished projects and didn't need another one.

Fast forward a few weeks, and I find the same kit at Goodwill for only $3,99. I just couldn't pass it up twice. It did sit for a while, as I working on other things.

Then one day, I thought, I bet I could whip that up real quick and surprise my daughter with a fun new bag for summer.

The pieces were pre-drawn and instructions included, so I got to work.

Have to admit, I wish there were a few more detailed instructions. More illustrations. I got to a point where I was stumped. It just wasn't working for me! Argghhhh! Then Grandma came for a couple days and finished it in no time! (Thanks, MOM!)

Miss K LOVES this bag! And I am wondering secretly to myself, "why didn't I keep it for ME?"

Handmade Show & Sell #3

2011-06-06T07:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to the June Handmade Show & Sell Party!!!

We hope this party helps you advertise your shop & find some fun new shops to browse and support!

This months Handmade Hotshot is

Click here to go directly to the shop

So hard to choose, but here are some of my favorites

Fuchsia Floral Bow Headband

Delicate Wire and Pearl Earrings

Flower Rings

Sheet Music Charm Necklace

As a special to all my fabulous readers, Rebecca is graciously offering a 20% discount off any item using code SHOWANDSELL

Now for the Party and Rules!

Link up your favorite items from your store or boutique. You can also link up directly to your store.

Please follow both of your hostesses.

Momma's Kinda Crafty

Nap Time Crafters

Check out some other links, heart a new shop, and have fun shopping!

Grab a button and help spread the word!

One lucky shop will be chosen as next months Handmade Hotshot and get a little free advertising!

Fantabulous Friday!!! 6/3

2011-06-02T19:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to Fantabulous Friday! It's also my kids last day of school! I don't know about you, but I always have mixed feelings at the end of the school year.

Our most viewed link last week was from Krista @ While He Was Napping

She has some great instructions on making your peepers pop! I so need to learn to do this better.

Here's a few other fun links

I love these kitchen jars @ Love Sweet Love

Sweet Verbena shared an awesome shoe makeover

I just picked up a cheap pair for my daughter and am going to try to glam them up!

And this summer tank dress by With Love by Rach is just adorable!

If you were featured, grab a button from my sidebar and show off just how Fantabulous you are!

For this weeks Party, link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Check out some other links, leave comments and have fun!

Please grab a party button and play along this week!

Remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly! The Handmade Show & Sell will begin on Monday so you can show off what you're selling so be sure to come back and join in!

Sew Obsessed Fabric Giveaway Winner!!!

2011-06-01T16:00:00.000-06:00

Are you all ready for this???!!! This was an awesome giveaway and I was so happy to be a part of it!

The lucky winner of the Fabric from Sew Obsessed is.......

Lilly of Lilly of LaVallee Crafts!!!!

(I will need you to please contact me asap! I could not find your contact info!)

Thanks to all who entered!

Little knit dress tutorial!

2011-06-01T07:17:00.002-06:00

Hi! This is Anshu from Blooms And Bugs. In the blogging world I'm the "New Kid on the block" with a roughly 2 months old blog. I rediscovered my love of sewing when my daughter was born, and mostly sew for her these days. Blooms and Bugs is a place, where I share what I make in my sewing room, what I fail miserably at and also what I love at other great blogs like Momma's Kinda Crafty. Thanks a lot for having me over to share a tutorial for this little knit dress.

The Front

And the back

So what do you need to make this dress? I have made it in one year old size but a bit shorter because it just looks so much better when it is short. I did try a longer look with my earlier version, but had to resort to scissors when my little one ended up looking like a Buddhist monk. No offense of buddhists, it just wasn't quite the look I was going for :)

Jersey Knit:

Main body : 2 rectangle pieces of 11 inches ( Length) X 13 inches ( Width)
First ruffle: 5 inches( Length) X 26 inches ( wide)
For second and third ruffles: 2 pieces of 5 inches (L) X 13 inches (W)
Elastic: 1/4 inches wide: 24 inches

Shoulder straps: 20 inches X 4inches
Elastic thread: 1 spool ( you'll have plenty left)

Contrasting colored knit fabric: Bow: 5 inches X 6 inches
Rose: 4 inches X 5 inches

Now lets first make the shoulder straps:
Sew the strip into a tube by folding it into half lengthwise, right sides together. Turn it inside out. Now

Now fill the bobbin with elastic thread and sew 3 straight lines across the length of the tube to shir it.

Here's my shoulder strap all shirred up. Don't worry if your strap seems much smaller than mine.
I just see many more knit dresses in my future so I made a longer shoulder strap.

Now cut two 9 inches long shoulder straps from this strap and lets start assembling the dress.
First sew the two main dress pieces right sides together, about 2 inches from one end, joining them by a two inch stitch at their length.( Do not sew all the way just sew 2 inches from one end, on both sides)

See the parts where pens are overlapping with the fabric, thats the only part you have to sew.

Now pin your shoulder straps to the main body. Mark a 2 inches from each side of the center of the width on both front and back pieces.

Now pin your straps such that the the back of the strap touches the wrong side of the main fabric. Pin the shoulder straps on the front at the 4 inches( 2 inches either side of the shoulder) gap that you had marked earlier.

Now cross the straps and pin their free ends to the back fabric. Again pin the straps such that back of straps touches the wrong side of the main fabric. Now sew across the width to connect the straps to the fabric.

If you bring the front and back together, this is how it will look right now:

Attaching the top ruffle

Take the 5 inches strip for ruffle and pin it to across the width of the dress such that right side of the fabric touches wrong side of main piece. The shoulder straps will be sandwiched between the main piece and ruffle, which is what we want.

Sew across the width to attach the ruffle. It was very difficult to take pics of this step so you may not get this step visually, but all you have to do is pin the ruffle on the inside such that right side of the ruffle touches wrong side of the main fabric and it will go over the ruffle fabric

Turn the ruffle inside out.

Topstitch as close to the edge as you can. Go slow and steady here, as this seam will show on the top of the garment and if uneven it won't look good.

Topstitch the ruffle with about 3/8 inch from the edge to form a casing . Leave a 1 inch gap to insert elastic.

.Good. Now you'r done with the most complicated part of the dress, rest is easy.
Pin the bottom ruffle on the front of the dress such that the ruffle bottom aligns with bottom of the dress. sew it down.

Now pin the middle ruffle such that all the ruffles look parallel and equally wide.Also make sure all the ruffles have 1.5-2 inch overlap.Since we are going to leave the hems unfinished( because knits dont fray), a nice overlap will ensure that even if they curl a bit, the seams wont show.

Now turn the dress inside out and pin both sides. Make sure all the ruffles except the top one are getting caught in the side seam ans all the ruffles are lying flat. Sew both sides.

Now tun the dress inside out. Here you are. All ready to insert elastic:

Insert a 1/4 inch elastic in the casing you made earlier( between the main body and top ruffle). Keep the elastic length such that it is slightly lesser ( ~ 2 inches) than the chest measurement of the wearer. Sew the opening shut.

The dress is ready:

The elastics makes it very difficult to take good pics of final garment. Mine looks a bit wonky here, but it is parallel in real life.
The main dress is ready. Now you can embellish it as you like.
Maybe a bow:

Or a rossette:

Maybe both.
Now go find the cute little one who napped long enough to let you finish this. Time to try it on.

Lots of thanks to Anshu today for visiting and sharing your tutorial today! Now go show her some love! Blooms and Bugs Blog

Summer Tea Tray: Guest Tutorial!

2011-05-30T07:30:00.001-06:00

Hi everyone! I'm Heather from Twin Dragonfly Designs where I share fun crafts, fab recipes and day-to-day life with my twin, three year old boys!

I am super excited to be here. Thanks for having me Joy!

I'm sharing my Summer Tea Tray transformation {say that three times fast} with you today.

Here is my poor little tray BEFORE. What I love about blogging is that it inspires me to get creative and think outside of the box. Before blogging I would have passed this $1.99 find and thought 'what an ugly little tray'. Now I think 'how can I update, makeover or transform this tray? It's got good bones'.

Here are some of my supplies. Mod podge and teal tissue paper.

I started by sanding the crap out of my tray. I even had to break out the exacto knife to get some of the wooden inlay off.

After I sanded I taped off the cool metal corners.

Then I primed my tray and painted it white.

The fun part was cutting the tissue paper into squares and Mod Podging them all over the inside of my tray.

I applied at least two layers of tissue paper, overlapping as I went.

Then I finished the whole tray off with a light sanding and varnish.

Didn't it turn out just darling? Now if only I had a little girl to play tea party with!

The moral of the story? Don't overlook fab finds that may have 'great bones'.

Thanks for reading. Please stop by Twin Dragonfly Designs sometime to say HI!

Thanks so much for sharing today Heather! Your tray turned out beautiful! Now I just need to find one to transform.

Fantabulous Friday!!! 5/27

2011-05-26T21:38:00.001-06:00

So I am running late, but still getting the Party up in time!

Have you entered my fabulous FABRIC giveaway???

Hurry and go here to enter NOW!

The #1 viewed link from last week is this Kool Class Gift

(sorry Blogger won't let me upload photos, so you'll need to go see it! It's awesome!!!)

Hope you will grab a button and join the fun this week!

For this weeks Party, link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Check out some other links, leave comments and have fun!

(remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!)

Guest Post: The Braided Ruffle Tank!

2011-05-25T07:30:00.000-06:00

I'm so thrilled to be here today- Joy is one of my blogging BFFs:)

I'm Amy from Nap Time Crafters and I have a major sewing addiction...which is why I'm here!

I hope you'll stop by and say hello:) And be sure to check out the American Crafter competition- we're nearing the end! And swing by on a Friday sometime for the Friday Favs Party!

Enough chit chat- I do have a tutorial for you after all:)

Let me introduce you to the braided ruffle tank! Yup you heard me right- braided and ruffled

Because sometimes you just need both:)

At least she seems to think so!

And the back is nice and sporty!

Let's get started!

Materials:

Rib knit or jersey would work fine too
Sewing needle

1. Cut your body out using another shirt as a guide. I accidentally cut mine too small so the ruffle was born as a happy mistake:) You'll want the body to be slightly narrower than you want the end result to be. Leave the back piece flat across the top and make a scoop neck in the front. Don't forget armholes! Cut 1 long strip for the ruffly front and 1 strip the length of your tank for the back. Cut 3 long skinny strips and braid together

2. Cut the front and back in half right down the middle. Ruffle the long strip to match your length by gathering each side of the strip. Leave a bit on the end unruffled so it's easier to finish the edges.

3. With right sides together sew the ruffle to one half of your front. Repeat with the second half. Do the same thing for the back but you can skip the ruffles. Fold the very top edge of your front piece towards the wrong side and topstitch to finish the edge.

4. Fold the arm holes towards the back and stitch along the edge to keep in place

5. With right sides together sew up the side seams and hem the bottom by folding over once and stitching

6. Fold the top portion of the back piece to the wrong side and stitch to form a casing. Thread the braid through and then stitch the ends together. Make sure the sewn together portion of the braid is inside the casing and then hand stitch the braid along your neck line. You can add little bows to the shoulders if you need just a touch more girly:)

Strut your stuff! All those ruffles are very slimming:)

Thanks for having me!

Are you loving the skirt too? Make sure you head on over to Nap Time Crafters and follow along- the tutorial is coming soon!

Amy, this is absolutely adorable! Thanks for sharing your awesome talent with us today!

Hoo are you???

2011-05-24T16:30:00.000-06:00

I missed playing along last week, so I am glad to be participating today! A big thanks to Leslie for keeping this going!

(click the button to play along!)

Here are my answers this week!

1. What is your favorite thing cooked on the bbq?

Besides steak, I love grilled pineapple!!! And hot dogs always taste better off the grill!

2. How do you celebrate Memorial Day?

With family. Maybe a BBQ and visit my dads and others graves.

3. Do you like your handwriting?

I like it okay when I print but I do not like to write in cursive.

4. Do you still have your tonsils?

Yes, I do!

5. Do you unite your shoes when you take them off?
Yes i do. It bugs me that my kids don't and then I always have to untie them to put them back on.

Basic Bag Tutorial

2011-05-23T07:15:00.001-06:00

Today I am kicking off some awesome guest posts and tutorials! And to start things out, I am excited to introduce you all to Jaime and Emily from

Everyday Art!

They are sharing this great tutorial for making a basic bag!

Basic Bag

(a tutorial)

Is this not the cutest little bag you've ever seen?

Jaime made this one for her little girl, and here's the best part...

It is soooo easy!

and you can change it up and decorate it any way you like!

Want to make one of your own!

Keep reading...

Start with 2 equal rectangles for the body of your bag. One for the lining and one for the outside. These will need to be twice the height you want, plus the measurement across the bottom-we'll call this depth, plus the seam allowance BY the width you want plus the depth, plus seam allowance.

Here's an example...

You want the finished bag to be 12" tall, 12" wide and 3" deep (across the bottom).

for height: 12 + 12 + 3 + 1/2 (if you're using 1/4 inch seams) = 27 1/2 inches

for width: 12 + 3 + 1/2 = 15 1/2 inches

Cut any pockets you want, remembering to add seam allowance again.

Iron the edges of your pocket toward the back of the fabric and stitch across the top of the pocket.

Pin your pocket to the lining of your bag. (its nice to match the stripes if you have them).

Sew around the sides and bottom of the pocket near the edge. (I did another set of stitches just inside that too. Partly for durability and partly for looks. You could even add vertical stitches to divide the pocket like I did here.)

Decorate the outside fabric however you like. Here I sewed a ribbon a few inches from the top on each side. (Just stitch near the very edge of the ribbon on the bottom and top).

Now to make the bag shape. You will do these next few steps for both the lining and the outer fabric.

Fold your rectangle in half, right sides together, and sew down both sides making a 1/4 inch seam.

At the bottom of the bag, fold each corner into a triangle. Measure across the corner, perpendicular to your seam for your depth. (3 inches if you were following the example size above) Draw a line, pin, and sew on your line.

This picture might help you see how the corners are folded.

Cut the extra fabric off near your seam.

Now your corner is straight instead of a triangle.

Turn your lining right side out. (Leave your outer fabric inside out.)

Slip your lining bag into your prepared/sewn outer fabric bag. You should see the backs of both fabrics.

Make handles.

You'll need two rectangles again. The length plus seam allowance BY twice the width you want plus seam allowance.

Example again...

You want the handle to be 18" long and 1 1/2" wide

for length: 18 + 1/2 = 18 1/2 inches

for width: 1 1/2 + 1 1/2 + 1/2 = 3 1/2 inches

Fold rectangles in half lengthwise (right sides together again) and sew down the long edge.

Turn right side out.

Iron so the seam goes down the middle.

Pin the handles between the outer fabric and the lining. Make sure you measure so they are evenly spaced on both sides of the bag.

Pin around the top edge of the bag. Handles should be hiding inside. Sew around the top edge leaving a hole a couple inches wide. (This is so you can turn the bag right side out.)

Turn the bag right side out (through the hole you left). Stitch around the top of the bag near the edge. (This will close the hole.)

You're done!

Here's where we link up!

Thanks Girls! I can't wait to make some cute bags!

Fabric Giveaway from Sew Obsessed!!!

2011-05-22T07:17:00.001-06:00

So excited for this FABULOUS surprise giveaway today!!!

This giveaway is Sponsored by Annie from Shop Sew Obsessed. She is giving away 6 gorgeous fat quarters from Kate Spain's Fandango line.

This is one I really wish I could win! Love the fabric and I already have ideas swirling around my mind as to what to make with it!!!

Annie also has a cute blog Originate and Renovate that you just gotta go check out!

Here's how you can win!!!

Mandatory Entry: Visit Sew Obsessed Shop and leave a comment telling me your favorite item!

Extra Entries:

1. Like Momma's Kinda Crafty on Facebook!

2, Like Sew Obsessed on Facebook!

3. Follow Originate and Renovate Blog

4, Spread the word! Post about this giveaway on FB or on your blog!

Giveaway open through May 31 and I will announce the winner on Wednesday June 1!

Can't wait to win? Need some fabric NOW??! You can use the code Momma to receive 15% off your order now through June 5.

Good luck to all!

Fantabulous Friday! 5/20

2011-05-19T19:00:00.001-06:00

Apology first....I have been dealing with kidney stones on top of planning to move and now have to have surgery in a couple of weeks. So please forgive the lack of posting lately and the limited features today. I do have some awesome guest bloggers scheduled for the next month or so to help me out so don't miss out on all the fun new ideas! Also if YOU want to guest post, just drop me a line and I will fit you in!!

For now, check out these awesome Towel Tags by Strictly Homemade!

Now show me and all my Fantabulous readers, what you've been up to! Remember, no selling please and MKC is a family friendly blog!

(and you can grab a button from my sidebar to show off where you party!)

Cookie Sheet Sugar Cookies!

2011-05-17T10:04:00.001-06:00

This is for those days when you want a sugar cookie, but don't want to roll out the dough, cut shapes, and make several batches.....

Cookie Sheet Sugar Cookies

3/4 cup sugar
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1/3 cup oil
1 Tbsp milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
1 egg
2 Tbsp sour cream
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
extra sugar or sugar sprinkles for top

Heat oven to 375.

In mixing bowl, combine sugar, butter, oil, milk, vanilla, and egg. Mix well. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt. Blend well.

Spread evenly in greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light golden brown. Let cool for a few minutes. Cut into bars. (I like to use a pizza cutter)

Enjoy!

Holey Jeans Batman!!!

2011-05-16T09:08:00.000-06:00

I have made her skirts

Twirly Jean Skirt

Added some fun patches to her jeans

Patch those holes!

Made her cut off shorts

Now what do I do with MY holey jeans????

Do you have a project you made with your old jeans? I would love you to link me to it!

Fantabulous Friday!!! 5/13

2011-05-13T13:20:00.000-06:00

Welcome to Fantabulous Friday! Sorry for the delay! We can all thanks Blogger for that one!

I have still have a few openings for guest bloggers to share a new tutorial here on MKC during the month of June so shoot me an email if you are interested!

The top viewed link from last week is from The Sweetest Pear.

Check out these Pie Pops!

Now show me what you have done this week....

Monogrammed Onsie

2011-05-11T07:18:00.002-06:00

My sister's baby shower is this week, and I want to show you one of the gifts I made.

A monogrammed appliqued onesie with a matching flower!

I used my cricut to cut out the "A" (for baby Annie). It was a little tricky, but I got it to work. Just make sure your cutting mat is pretty sticky and I ironed on some wonder under to the fabric first too.

The flower is a simple rolled rosette with a button in the center and I added a small rosette to embellish the "A". I am so happy with how it turned out and hope she likes it!

It's that time again and I NEED YOU!!!

2011-05-09T07:28:00.001-06:00

Yep! I am moving once again. I knew this rental house would not be permanent. But this year has sure flown by. I am optimistic and look forward to new adventures that lie ahead for me and my kids.

That is where YOU come in! I am looking for guest posters for the last week of May and throughout June while we make this transition.

I am looking for fun new tutorials and would love to feature yours! So if you are interested please email me ASAP and let me know when you are available. I am pretty flexible and would like to fill up Mondays and Wednesdays with Guest Posts.

From one Supermom to another....

2011-05-08T11:30:00.000-06:00

Happy Mothers Day!!!

May you be able to hang up your cape and relax today!

My Go-To Teacher Appreciation Gift!

2011-05-07T14:11:00.001-06:00

Do you have a favorite go-to gift idea for certain holidays or events? Well this is mine for teacher appreciation gifts. I love it! And this will be the 3rd year I am stealing it! This time of year always seem to be a busy one for me so its nice to already know what I am going to do!

Smores Teacher Appreciation Gift

With a cute little tag

Fantabulous Friday! 5/6

2011-05-05T19:00:00.002-06:00

TGIF!!!

and welcome to another Fantabulous Party!!

Here are some fabulous ideas from last week!

Apple teacher appreciation idea form Crissy's Crafts! It's made from a soda bottle!

Check out this yummy recipe for Unstuffed Peppers over at

All Things Fabulous!

And the most viewed link, this Quarterfoil Canvas Tutorial by

JessaJill

For more features, check out my Facebook page throughout the week!

Let's see what you've been up to this week! Party open through Saturday night!

Hoo Are You?

2011-05-03T15:46:00.000-06:00

This weeks questions all relate to Mothers. Here are my answers for the week!

1. Are you a mom and if so how many kids do you have?
Yes I am a mom to 4 crazy kiddos!

2. List 3 qualities that you love about your mom!
She is loving, caring, and is always there when i need her!

3. What is your favorite thing your mother cooks?
I have always loved her cheesy chicken casserole!

4. What do you love about being a mom?
I love watching my kids learn and grow. I love seeing them happy and hear them laugh! I love their hugs and kisses and cuddles! I love to be silly with them.

5. What are your plans for Mother's day?

I am going to church and hanging out with my kids!

Click to link up your answers!

Handmade Show & Sell #2

2011-05-02T07:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to our 2nd Handmade Show & Sell Party!!!

We hope this party helps you advertise your shop & find some fun new shops to browse and support!

Our Handmade Hotshot this month is

Kitty Cats & Airplanes

Check out the new Ana line!

Gorgeous charms and necklaces!

Plus lots more!!! So hop on over and take a look!

And for being a Mommas Kinda Crafty reader, you can save 15% by using

code momma15

Now for the Party and Rules!

Link up your favorite items from your store or boutique. You can also link up directly to your store.

Please follow both of your hostesses.

Momma's Kinda Crafty

Nap Time Crafters

Check out some other links, heart a new shop, and have fun shopping!

Grab a button and help spread the word!

One lucky shop will be chosen as next months Handmade Hotshot and get a little free advertising!

Fantabulous Friday! 4/29

2011-04-28T19:00:00.001-06:00

Welcome to this weeks party! Here are a few features from 2 weeks ago.

(sorry again about missing last week-oops!)

This sign by All Things Fabulous is Fabulous! I love it and couldn't help sharing it with all of you!

And these Popsicle Stick Bracelets @ Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom are just too cute!!

Now let's see what you have been up to this week!

Kraft Recipe Finder

2011-04-28T10:43:00.000-06:00

One of the places I always find good, easy recipes is the Kraft website. They even have a place where you can type in the ingredients you have on hand and see what you can make. It has saved me several times!

My favorite new recipe is the Triple Layer Peanut Butter Brownies

Go Check it out!

Hoo are you and an apology....

2011-04-26T11:04:00.000-06:00

Wow! What a week! Or long weekend! It was spring break here Thursday-Monday and my blog got some serious neglect. I even missed Fantabulous Friday. So sorry to all you fabulous ladies who link up every week. We WILL be partying this week and have our 2nd Handmade Show and Sell on Monday as well. And you are all invited!

Here are my answers for this weeks Hoo are you!

1. Do you plant a garden or flowers, or neither?
I really am not much of a gardener, but i do plant a few flowers and occasionally a tomato plant or some strawberries.

2. Does it bother you to have your blinds or curtains
open after dark so people can see in your house?
YES it does!

3. Do you like to go camping?
If camping includes a cabin and bed and flushing toilet....I do like to be outdoors but like to sleep comfortably too.

4. Do you have a laptop or a desk top computer?
I have a netbook and desktop as well.

5. What time during the day do you have your most energy?
Late mornings and I usually get a burst of energy early in the evenings as well.

Homemade Oreos for Spring!

2011-04-22T07:23:00.000-06:00

All you need is a little food coloring and you can turn some of your favorites into fun for Spring treats.

I just did this with my cake mix oreos (recipe HERE) and now I can call them Spring Oreos! (so the picture doesn't show it well but the frosting is blue and yellow)

Hoo are You Tuesdays!

2011-04-19T13:23:00.000-06:00

After a little break, so Leslie could have her baby (CONGRATS!!!!!) Hoo are you is back!

Here are my answers!

1. What are your plans for Easter?
It is also my kids Spring break Thurs-Mon so we are going to go visit family!

2. Do you die eggs for Easter?

Yes! Even though I think it always makes a huge mess, the kids love it!

What is your favorite Easter candy?

I love Black jelly beans! And marshmallow peeps!

4. Do you celebrate the make believe part of Easter and/or the
religious part?

We celebrate both! The Easter bunny comes and we hunt for eggs and also celebrate Christ's resurrection.

5. What is your favorite part about the Easter holiday?

Being with those I love!

Scrappy Hair Scarf Tutorial

2011-04-18T09:06:00.000-06:00

I posted yesterday about our Easter Skirts and the matching scarfs I made.

I totally pieced our scarfs together. I had scraps and made the most of them. For each I used 3 pieces of fabric 4 " wide. You can make it wider if you have more material.

The middle piece was the longest and approx. 12-13" (mine was on the longer side) and the 2 side pieces were about 10-11"

(apologies ahead for the lack of any great pictures as I still have camera issues and have to rely on my ipod)

Just pin the pieces together to make 1 long strip ( or if you have a long enough scrap that works too!) and sew together.

Next fold in half length wise with right sides together. Pin. Slant your ends by cutting at an angle.

Sew the length and 1 end but leave the other end open for turning. Turn right side out. Fold in the edges on your open end and sew shut.

What WE wore today....

2011-04-17T16:08:00.000-06:00

I've seen lots of 'What I wore...' posts, and thought I'd do one today just for fun. I was able to finish mine and Miss Ks skirts for Easter so we wore them to church today. Yes, I made us matching skirts! I was originally just making me one, but realized I had just enough fabric for her too.

These skirts are made from the same Circle Skirt Pattern I made HERE

My shirt is from Express (and is really a dark pink, the pictures make it more red)

And shoes are Born, from Dillards

Her shirt is from Walmart

And Ariat boots

I had a last minute thought and whipped the hair scrafs out this morning using the leftover scraps. I barely had enough but made it work! I will post a tutorial tomorrow!

Fantabulous Friday! 4/15

2011-04-14T19:25:00.012-06:00

Welcome to another Fantabulous Friday!!!

If you haven't already, please take a minute and enter my
1000 Follower Giveaway!!!

Last week we had a tie for the most viewed links! Here they are!

(please grab your featured button and display it with pride!)

Cereal Box Purse @ Pinkapotamus

Peep Specimen Art @ Choose to Thrive Blog

For this weeks Party, link up any crafty thing you've made this week! Check out some other links, leave comments and have fun!

(remember no selling, giveaways, ect and please keep it family friendly!)

Double Chocolate Birds Nests!!!

2011-04-14T13:37:00.000-06:00

If you know me at all, you know I love chocolate! Milk chocolate. Not a fan of dark chocolate or white chocolate though.

So I made my Chocolate No Bake Cookies and added even more chocolate and call them Double Chocolate Birds Nests!

Joy's No-Bake Cookies

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup margarine

1/2 cup peanut butter

3 Tbs Cocoa

Bring this to a boil and boil for 1 minute, stirring frequently.

Remove from heat and add:

1 cup marshmallows

3 1/2 cups rolled oats

1/3 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup rice crispies cereal

1 tsp vanilla

Mix well. Drop by TBS-fulls onto wax paper lined baking sheet.

Press a chocolate Easter egg in the center of each cookie.

Let sit in refrigerator for 1 hour to set up. Enjoy!

Momma's Tool-box!

2011-04-12T14:03:00.000-06:00

I am so tired of not being able to find a phillips screwdriver when I need one. We have a small 'junk' drawer in the kitchen that I like to keep spare tools in. Of course, I have 2 boys who think they can fix things and love tools. And then there is the garage, where tools 'hide' and 'get lost.'

So the other day while at Walmart I found me a toolbox. And not just any toolbox, a purple one! So I had to buy it. Now there are no tools in the junk drawer and I cleaned the garage up a bit and made sure I had 1 of everything I might need in MY toolbox.

Then I used my cricut to fancy it up a bit. I love it! And it fits right under the kitchen sink!

1000 Follwer Giveaway!!!

2011-04-10T11:54:00.000-06:00

Did you see my GFC followers slowly pass the 1000 mark!!! Squeeeeallll!!!!

So I am offering this giveaway for all of YOU who made it happen! If you don't already follow on GFC, its easy. Just click the button!

This Giveaway is Sponsored by a bloggy friend of mine, Heather. You may know her from her very fun blog, Me Making Do

Heather owns a sweet shop called So Chic Crochet Designs & More

Be sure to hop on over and check it out!

She is giving away a Turquoise Knot headband and bangle!!

(choice of size on the headband)

They are both simply gorgeous!!!

And you get 4 easy ways to enter!

1. Follow Me Making Do Blog

2. {heart} So Chic Crochet Designs & More on Etsy

3. Follow MKC on Facebook

4. Help spread the word by blog, Fb, ect about this Giveaway!

Giveaway open for 1 week only!!! Winner announced early next week!

Good luck and thanks to all who enter!

Fantabulous Friday 4/8

2011-04-07T19:00:00.000-06:00

Welcome to the PaRTY! I am loving looking through all the links each week! You all are so amazing and talented!

The most viewed link last week was this adorable Crewcuts Tea Cake Dress from With love by Rach!

and another favorite, just for fun.....I love PEEPS! And this wreath Lori @ Paisley Passions made is so much fun!

Featured? Don't forget your button!

I also want to take a minute and tell you all about a fun

NEW Recipe Linky! Hosted by Big K, little a

So any of you who are linking a recipe today, might as well hop on over there and link up too!

Now for the party! Show me what you have been working on! Anything crafty goes! And if you are wanting to link up to something you are selling, the Handmade Show & Sell is still open!!!

Spring Burlap Wreath

2011-04-06T06:49:00.000-06:00

Spring? Where are you????

It is still snowing here....and I am looking forward to the colors of spring! This is a re-post of my last year's wreath. I don't think I will get around to making a new one this year and I still LUV this one! (and since switching over my blog a while back, a large # of my posts lost all the pictures so I wanted to update this one anyways)

Spring is the one time of year I can add some PINK to my house. (me and my daughter are totally outnumbered.....even the dog is a boy)

I have been looking all around for the perfect one and finally just made my own.

I used a 14" straw wreath, 4 strips 3 1/2"x 48" burlap, and 3 strips fabric 3 1/2"x 45"(one of these is a contrasting piece for hanging)

And my hot glue gun!

Wrap the entire wreath with burlap. Just hot glue the ends of the burlap strips in place as you go.

Then take your 2 pieces of printed fabric and wrap around leaving spaces so the burlap shows through.

Then I made these darling burlap flowers using this tutorial by Alisa over at The Tidy Nest.

I just adjusted the size a bit and made a bigger one and 2 smaller ones and I didn't cover the centers like she did. And then just hot glued them in place.

Tie a loose knot in your last fabric strip for hanging!

Enjoy! I can't wait for the sun to be shining and the feeling of SPRING in the air!