The Memory Book

Keeping it Simple - Puppy Love and The Gingerbread Man

2009-11-20T19:00:00Z

I have to tell you a story of love at first sight. I have to tell you the story of Keiko. She is one of the newest members of the family (kind of). We have two dogs at our house - a sixteen year old Pomeranian mix and an almost two year old Papillon. So do we need another dog - most certainly not! Cosmo is about as energetic as a young dog can be and Nikki requires a lot of extra care. But I tell you I fell in love with Keiko the very instant that I saw her. My neighbor is very involved in Shih Tzu rescue. She asked me to walk Keiko along with Cosmo and in less than five minutes I lost my heart. No kidding. I walked home saying to myself "I just have to have her." And then reason kicked in and I knew there was no way that I could handle THREE dogs. Knowing this but not wanting to let her go I decided to take her to see my mother. Wouldn't you know she fell in love in less than five minutes as well! She insisted that she had to keep her right then and there. No lie - in less than five minutes! Well, needless to say this was a great solution for everyone. Little Keiko found a home the second day after her arrival at the foster home, my mom has a new best friend and I get to see Keiko any time I like.

Another thing I love is the gingerbread man. Here is a quick project using one that you can download. My granddaughter loves tea parties so I am planning a gingerbread one. Everything should be quick and simple and these just fit the bill. But this guy would look great on a snack bag (coming in my next blog) or a kitchen towel as well.

What you need for each coaster:

The gingerbread man design -Click here to download
Light color Background fabric to be cut after embroidery.
Brown Fabric for the gingerbread man (approximately 6" tall by 5" wide).
Brown Embroidery thread.
Another color embroidery thread for the first two outlines and the face.
Tear-away stabilizer.
6" square of very thin batting.
Brown sewing thread.
Temporary adhesive spray if desired.

What you do:

Step 1

Cut a rectangle of background fabric large enough to hoop in the 5x7 hoop remembering that the finished cut after embroidery will be 6"x6".

Cut a piece of stabilizer larger than the 5x7 hoop.

Hoop the stabilizer and the fabric.

Wind a bobbin with the brown thread (you want this color for both bobbin and top thread)

Step 2

Embroider the first color to place an outline of the gingerbread man on the fabric.

Place the brown rectangle of fabric on top covering all the outline.

(use a little adhesive spray around the edges if desired)

Embroider the second color (you do not have to change the thread for this)

Using small sharp embroidery scissors closely cut around the outside of the second color outline.

Embroider the third color.

Embroider the last color.

Step 3

Remove the fabric from the hoop. Remove the stabilizer. Press

Cut the embroidered rectangle down to 6"x6"

Step 4

Cut another piece of the background fabric 6"x6".

Place on the table face up. Place the embroidered piece on top face down. Place the batting on top of this.

Using ¼" seam sew all the way around the sandwich square leaving an opening to turn.

Trim the corners and any excess batting. Turn right side out so that the batting is in the middle. Whip stitch the opening shut.

Step 5

Sew across the corners with plain or decorative stitches or sew around the edge about 1/8" in.

Repeat to make as many as you need.

As you can see I have not finished all mine. I will try to post a picture of the tea party when it is all set up sometime in December. In the meantime have fun sewing for the holidays and stay warm.

Take care,

PS. This is Keiko the sweetest little dog you will ever meet. Now don't fall in love - she's taken.

Keeping It Simple - Embroidered Lace Snowflake Ornaments

2009-11-06T16:00:00Z

Each time she visits my granddaughter asks if we can get the manger set out early this year. It is very old and worn but she loves to play with it, taking the figures on the trip to Bethlehem. We make a tradition of getting the house ready for the Christmas holidays the weekend after Thanksgiving. So she must wait until then. Another thing she requested this year was to have embroidered snowflakes for her tree like we have on ours. Now I have had mine for a long time and they were all hand crocheted, then starched to make stiff. Since my crochet skills are pretty basic and she loves to watch the embroidery machine go we decided to make hers the easy way. Not being a traditionalist (at least not yet) she wanted her snowflakes to be blue. We finally decided on blue and white with a shimmer finish. We have finished a dozen or so and have a few more to go to have enough for her tree but we are having a good time making them. I think we will make a few extras to use as bag tag decorations.

We'll be glad to share our snowflakes with you. Click here to download them. Please feel free to make yours all white if you like.

Basic instructions for the layered snowflake follow.

You will need:

Snowflake designs.
Two layers of wash away mesh stabilizer.
Embroidery thread in colors of your choice.
Bobbin thread (we just used white).
Two adhesive pop dots (like they use in scrapbooking).
Glitter or shimmer spray if desired.
Piece of embroidery floss or string.

To make the snowflakes:

Hoop two layers of wash away mesh stabilizer (you could probably use soluble but I like the mesh.) Load the design and embroider the first color directly on the stabilizer.
Embroider the second color. If you want it all white just use white for both colors.
Cut around the design fairly closely leaving about 1/8^th to 1/4^th outside the snowflake.
Using your fingers and warm water dissolve the stabilizer. (You want as much as possible to stay in the threads of the snowflake to keep it stiff so do not rinse it under running water or soak it.) Let Dry.
Repeat with the second snowflake size.
Lay the large snowflake face up. Stack the pop dots on top of each other and place on the front center of the large snowflake. Place the center of the backside of the smaller snowflake on top of the pop dots.

Add glimmer or glitter if desired and string a piece of embroidery floss to create a hanger.

Making ornaments can be lot of fun. These snowflakes were made using Designer's Gallery Christmas Traditions software. Who doesn't love an ornament tag on their gift. These little creative pieces of art can use up scraps, thread, glitter, buttons and whatever else you have on hand. They become something useful as well as well as give that handmade touch. They can be used as tree and wreath decorations, on scrapbook pages, cards, gifts and anything else your imagination can come up with. Get creative and let me see what you do with these little snowflakes or other ornament and tag projects you do. Snowflake Tag ... you're it!

Take care,

PS: I love snowflakes and here are a couple of my favorite snowflake design packs: Musical Snowflakes and Snazzy Snowflakes. Both are perfect for adding hot fix crystals and the possibilities are endless.

Halloween Costume – A Dancing Princess

2009-10-23T17:00:00Z

This week I finished putting up my Halloween decorations. I made a few new ones this year, since my old ones were simply falling apart. Instead of the scarecrow on the front door I made a wall hanging that is interchangeable for each holiday. But that is a project I will share another day when I can get the instructions written up. Of course if you read my last blog you saw this year's pumpkin masks. For Emma's school party we are making plain pumpkin masks for the kids to decorate and letting them pick little pumpkins to put them on and take home. It should be fun but we will see how it goes.

Halloween is only a few days away and Emma is so excited. She just loves to dress up and has several places to where her costume this year. The first one is on Saturday night with her aunt so we had to scramble to finish her costume earlier than usual (yes, you know that I would have waited until the 29^th to start it). Emma wanted to be one of the 12 dancing princesses this year so we needed some sparkle. She had a leotard so we embroidered a resized design on it (download the original below) and added hot-fix crystals. Then we created the skirt from tulle (which we had) and added more hot-fix crystals. Dancing shoes were needed but they cost a fortune and we have a $10.00 limit on Halloween costumes so we purchased some plain pink slippers added some ribbon and more crystals. The crystals do not show in the picture very well but there are lots on the design and skirt. The tiara was 50 cents from the party favor section at a local discount store. Here is the result:

To download the design click here

Let's see... to date she has been an angel, a white kitten (couldn't be a black one you know), a butterfly fairy and now a dancing princess. Don't even mention anything scary! And I guess Anna will have to be a little dancing girl too since, at not quite two she wants to do whatever her sister is doing. But I think hers will be even simpler (made from some white PJs) and a little purple embroidery. Now, I just have to find time to get it done before the party next week (sigh).

I'm actually looking forward to Halloween this year. I get to go to two parties with my little girls and the holiday is so much more fun with kids around. Since I may not be able to write again until it's over, Happy Halloween to all of you!

Take care.

PS: Here are some photos of past years in case you need an idea for a toddler girl. Maybe someday we'll have a little boy.

Keeping It Simple – Halloween Masks for My Pumpkins.

2009-10-09T16:00:00Z

OK, I admit it. I despise making jack-O-lanterns. The carving is OK but in my mind cleaning out the pumpkin guts has never been fun. Yuck-O! And because it gets so cold here before Halloween these hollowed out orange decorations many times look like little old men by Trick or Treat night. So once our children were no longer interested in this age-old tradition I began devising other ways to decorate my pumpkins. We've painted them, used the Mr. Potato Head pieces, whittled them, wrapped and covered them. This year we decided to make masks. Here is what my pumpkins look like:

I can't decide if we should add a face or not - I kind of like them as they are. What would you do?

To download the mask designs click here. I am happy to share them with you but remember that I am not a professional digitizer and these designs were quickly made just for the pumpkins.

These are so simple that I doubt you need any instructions but, just in care, here they are:

For the Black cat mask

What you need:

Medium weight tear-away stabilizer
Mask embroidery design
Rectangle of black felt 8"x6" or larger
A couple of scraps of pink or tan fleece or felt about 2" square each
Black, pink and white embroidery thread
Bobbin thread
5"x7" or larger hoop
Ribbon or elastic
Medium size pumpkin
A pair of small embroidery snips or very small sharp scissors

What you do:

Hoop the stabilizer.
Load the design.
Embroider the placement run (color 1). Use whatever color thread you like for this.
Place the rectangle of felt so it completely covers the run. You can free float it or use a small amount of adhesive spray if you are more comfortable.
Embroider the tack-down run (color 2) using the same color as in color 1 as long as it is not black.
Remove the hoop. Trim closely around the outside of the cat head and inside of the cat eyes using your snips of sharp scissors. Do not cut the stabilizer.
Put the hoop back. Using black thread embroidery around the head and eyes (color 3).
Place the small pink or tan squares of fabric over and just below ear area on cat head. Embroider the ears (color 4)
Embroider the whiskers (color 5)
Remove the hoop. Clip around the pink stitching of the ears. Remove the design from the hoop and tear away the stabilizer.
Sew the ribbon or elastic to the sides of the mask. (Measure your pumpkin to determine how much you need.)
Place the mask on your pumpkin. If you want to get more creative use colored markers to draw a face.

The Dot Mask is made basically the same way. The Jester Mask needs to be sewn out on felt as you just cut outside the candlewick stitching and add sparkle as desired (Emma loves to put glitter on things so of course we had to do at least one this way).

You could use the cat mask for a person as well. Dress in a black sweat suit. Add a stuffed tail (or a black boa section would work well) and some gloves and voila you are a black cat.

These pumpkins could also make great center pieces for a party. Add whatever embellishments you like to make them eye catching. If you make any masked pumpkins be sure to post them or email them to me so we can see all see what you did.

Take care,

Keeping It Simple - Buttons and Bows

2009-09-25T15:00:00Z

Being the "Meesy" to two beautiful granddaughters I am always on the lookout for cute things that I can make for them or with them. They are very girly girls and love fancy ribbons, barrettes and bows. Last weekend I went on a getaway with a friend and we browsed through shops in every little town we went through. In one I saw the cutest monogrammed things from key chains to hair bows to pacifier holders. I knew I had to come home and try a few of these. And although they are quick it doesn't have to be a monogram. Any tiny design like the one you can download below would work as well.

First here are my first two button bows:

You will need:

24 inches of ¾" - 1" wide Ribbon depending on how many loops you want in your bow. In my opinion Grosgrain works best and if you have never done one before you might want to consider starting with the four loop bow.
1 alligator clip or snap clip.
1 cover button 7/8"- 1" in diameter ( I used the "not tools required" kind where the back snaps on.).
Paper and pencil.
1 small design or monogram that fits in the diameter of the button front.
Scrap fabric about 3" square (or if you want to hoop it large enough to do so).
Embroidery thread.
Tear-away stabilizer.
Sewing thread and a hand needle.
Temporary spray adhesive (optional).
Stapler (optional but nice).

Embroidering the Button Front

1. Hoop the stabilize.

2. Spray a little adhesive on each corner of the scrap and center in hoop.

3. Load and embroider the design or monogram letter.

4. Remove from hoop but do not tear off the stabilizer yet.

Making the Button (you can follow the directions on the package)

1. Cut the half circle pattern from the back of the button package.

2. Fold a small piece of paper in half and trace to make a circle. Cut the circle out.

3. Place button in center of paper and trace around it.

3. Place the paper on top the backside of the design centering the design in the inner circle and trace the outside of the circle pattern. Cut out the design along the trace line. Tear off the stabilizer carefully.

4. Place the button on top of the backside of the design centering it under the button. Pull the fabric around and press onto the little spikes stretching as necessary but holding the design in the center.

5. Lay the button face down. Place the back on and use a spool to press until it clicks to lock in.

Making the Bow

1. Fold your length of ribbon like this:

2. Place the clip at center and pull up to the crossover point. Hold or clip like this:

3. Fold the ends down to making the second set of loops in approximately the same size at the first ones.

4. Now I cheat here and staple it to hold it. Then hand sew the layers together through the center.

5. Place the button in the center front and sew on. If your little one is younger you can add a couple of dabs of hot glue as extra insurance that it won't come off. Sew bow to a clip, headband or ponytail band.

Click here to Download the Mini Flower design

Alphabet Xpress has some great fonts that could be used for these fun little bows too.

I think I will look for some mini-Christmas designs to use for my next button bow making afternoon.

If you make some of these be sure to post them so we all can see and get inspired. If you know some other good bow making tips or uses for embroidered covered buttons share those with us all as well.

Take care,

Keeping It Simple - Halloween Costumes

2009-09-11T15:00:00Z

Halloween is closer than you think! I always get excited now that I have two granddaughters to watch. It makes the holiday so much more fun. I love listening to the older one tell me what she wants to be and deciding for her sister. Last year they were invited to a party. We had a great time coming up with costumes that were easy to make. Of course you know we had to sew and use some embroidery. Emma had very specific ideas about what her costume would look like but we got to be a bit more creative with the little one's outfit. They danced all around and gave the people at the party quite a show!

Here are their costumes from last year (I am not supposed to have this year's done yet am I? Emma keeps changing her mind on what she wants to be anyway.)

For the little one's costume I used:

Leftover pink ribbon about 18" of ¾".
Leftover pink ribbon about 1.5 yd of ¼".
An old stretch lace headband from when she was younger.
A green onsey that I got in the clearance bin for $1.00.
Fabric glue.
Embroidered Free standing daisies -see the link below to download my daisies.
Embroidered butterfly for wings - I am not sure where I got this design but you can use any large one you like.

Here is what I did:

Sewed out a bunch of daisies on Annthegran Water Soluble Stabilizer (Badgemaster works as well or water soluble).
Sprits the finished daisies with water in a spray bottle to remove the stabilizer around the designs. You want most of it to stay in the daisies to keep them stiff. Lay flat to dry and place an old book on top to keep them from curling up unless you like that look.
Cut one ribbon length of the ¾" pink ribbon long enough to go around the waist and tie in a bow in the back.
Cut varying lengths of the ¼" pink ribbon and sew them to the waist piece at 1.5 - 2" intervals as far around as you like. We only did the front since Anna did not like to sit on things and she did not walk yet.
Use fabric glue (or good craft glue) to glue the daisies to the ends of the ¼" ribbon.
Glue daisies to the headband as desired.
Embroider the large butterfly on felt and cut out closely around the edges. Sew to back of the onsey.

Click here to download the daisies designs.

For Emma's butterfly fairy skirt we just folded glittery tulle in half and sewed the raw edges of the short ends. Turned to create a wide bag-like piece and gathered the raw edges on a ribbon measured to tie around her waist. We cut the bottom layers in tulip shapes added hot crystals for additional glitter. She had the crown and we got the wings for almost nothing and added glitter and hot crystals. (I made wings another year when she was an angel out of some sheer flowers found in the clearance bin at Hobby Lobby for $.50 and an old feather boa piece I had leftover from a purse project.

I hope you all enjoy your Halloween this year have fun to watching all the little ones all dressed up. The excitement that comes with this day will make almost any child shine with glee. If you have little ones, enjoy every minute of it. They all too soon outgrow the fun of trick-or-treating. If you don't have little ones around, find a way to enjoy yourself with your friends or family. There is no rule that says this is a holiday just for kids. As for me, I had better get those girls to decide for this year so I can get them underway.

Take care,

Keeping It Simple – Mouse Pad Revival

2009-08-28T16:00:00Z

This was not the original project that I planned for this week but was inspired out of necessity. I am forever trying to do more than one thing at a time and this morning was no exception. I was going along answering emails, downloading some items that I needed and eating breakfast all at the same time - then my yogurt went and dumped itself all over my mouse pad. Yuck! Because of the protective surface on my desk I cannot work without one. So, after cleaning up the mess, I went downstairs to the desk in the family room and pulled out a couple more. They had certainly seen better days. My first thought was I better put a new mouse pad on the shopping list but then I wondered and here is what that wonder produced. I can think of at least 3 more people who might like one of these.

The first one I did for my own desk. Then I did one for Andrea. Here is how they came out.

The little butterfly is from the Starbird Springtime Swirls collection and you can use any lettering software or alphabet you like. The fancy framed A was made in Pacesetter BES Lettering software.

I had one more that looked pretty awful so how could I resist redoing it since I was already in the mood. Here is what I did.

You will need:

One mouse pad
Embroider design of your choice (Here's the link to download the flower design I used below)
Tear-away Stabilizer
Embroidery thread
Rectangle of fabric larger than your mouse pad
Fabric glue
Fray check, if using fabric that easily frays
Rotary cutter, ruler, cutting mat and scissors (Scissors only should work but wait for the glue to dry well)

Steps:

Hoop the stabilizer and fabric making sure to place the area of your embroidery in the hoop center if embroidering an edge or a corner.
Embroider the design. Trim jumps and remove the stabilizer.
Cover the top of your mouse pad with a thin coat of fabric glue (Finger painting is allowed here and works best for smearing it all over evenly or it takes forever to dry).
Place the wrong side of the fabric over the mouse pad with design positioned as desired. Press in place and smooth out any wrinkles.
Turn embroidered side down on a cutting mat. Align the ruler along the edge of the mouse pad and cut the fabric even with edge. Repeat for all four sides.
With scissors (or a tiny rotary cutter) cut rounded corners even with the pad.
Add fray check to the edges if desired.

Done -a revived mouse pad and a fun gift that they surely do not already have. Now if I can find another I will have Emma do a fishing one for her Dad's Birthday next week. It might also be a great way to use a larger test sew if you have one lying around.

Have fun and if you get the chance show off what you make in the gallery and tell us here so we can all see it. Have a great week.

Keeping It Simple - Strap Covers and Handle Wraps

2009-08-07T15:00:00Z

Well, it's August and the "Dog Days of Summer" have finally arrived here. That means it is hot, hot, hot and when the temps get up around 100 degrees it is time to let the garden go and sew. I am done putting up corn, beans, berries and peaches. I do not wish to see another pickling cucumber. So for the next few weeks I have decided to do a series of Keeping It Simple Projects (yes, I do realize that I rarely do any other kind). These are quick and easy things that you can keep or give away as gifts. Great stocking stuffers. Nothing hard, just relaxing, easy ways to enjoy your embroidery craft and keep cool until fall arrives. That being said, here is the first for the month of August.

My daughter saw a picture online somewhere and asked me if we could make a personalized strap cover for our cameras. Here are the ones for my camera and case.

Everywhere I go people ask where I got it. So, I have made them for a number of friends. Since not everyone has cameras and cases with straps we began making bright, embroidered luggage handle wraps (see picture below). These make it really easy to identify your suitcase on the belt at the airport. Great for laptop cases and even that school lunchbox that is sure to look just like several others on the shelf.

First the Strap covers:

What you'll need:

Two pieces of nice cotton fabric 22" X 6" (this will fit most straps but be sure to check yours in case it is wider or narrower and adjust)
Coordinating thread
Embroidery design, alphabet or lettering software of your choice (not larger than 2" high)
Tear-away stabilizer
Embroidery thread

What to do:

Finger press your front fabric piece lengthwise. Then fold and finger press lengthwise again to get the center front horizontal. Fold and finger press widthwise to find the front center.
Hoop the fabric and stabilizer using the folds as your guide.
Embroider your design or text.
Remove from the hoop and remove the stabilizer.
Use ½" seams. With right sides together sew the front and back of the strap around 3 sides, leaving one short end open for turning.
Turn right side out. (Have you tried the Fasturn tools? I use mine all the time.) Press.
Fold the raw end to the inside ½"and press. Topstitch both short ends ¼" from edge.
Fold the piece in half lengthwise insides together, making sure your embroidery is on the outside. Press.
Topstitch the long end creating a tube.

That's it.

Tip: If you are giving this to someone who has not seen yours or asked about one you might add a tag that says what it is. Although their eyes light up when they figure out what it is I have really stumped a few people with this gift.

Note: If you want the strap cover to be padded just add some thin batting inside when you sew. Place the batting on top of the wrong side of the fabric sandwich.

Now for the luggage handle wrap.

What you need:

Two pieces of nice cotton fabric 6" X 6". Leftovers work great. Again measure your handle to be sure and adjust if necessary. If you want to hoop the fabric you may need to cut it larger and then re-cut after completing the embroidery.
Coordinating thread
Embroidery design, alphabet or lettering software of your choice (not larger than 1.5" high)
Tear-away stabilizer
Temporary adhesive spray if not hooping the fabric
Embroidery thread
Velcro strip (both male and female) about 5" long

What to do:

Fold the fabric in half vertically and finger press. Then fold and finger press horizontally to find the center.
Hoop stabilizer and spray with a little adhesive. Align the fabric using the folds as your guide.
Embroider your design or text.
Remove from the hoop and remove the stabilizer.
Use ½" seams. With right sides together sew the front and back of the wrap all the way around, leaving an open for turning.
Turn right side out. Trim the corners. Press.
Fold the raw end to the inside ½"and press. Topstitch all the way around ¼" from edge. Press.
Align one side of the Velcro across the front bottom of the square and sew in place. Align the other piece of Velcro across the back top and sew in place.

Wrap around the handle and you will always know which suitcase is yours when you travel.

This one was really made for my granddaughter's lunchbox but since I do not have it I put it on my laptop case for the picture.

Click here to download the Star wrap design.

Now if it is too hot to even venture out in the backyard where you are, just stay in where it is cool, relax and use up some of that stash making gifts for yourself or others. It is a cool way to get through these last "Dog Days of Summer".

Take care,

Using Up Those Embroidery Test Sews

2009-07-31T14:30:00Z

I would have to call myself a fabric junkie. I love solid colored fabric and prints and buy it even when I have no earthly idea of what I will do with it. I have so much fabric that my daughters always come by and "shop" in my sewing room before making a trip to the fabric store. And I save every little piece. Surely I will use it for something. Hence my sewing room sometimes looks a little like the storage area of the basement. Then there are times when I go to make a project and still do not have the perfect piece. You would think I would learn but I still save every test sew and fabric scrap. It is an obsession!

Here are some ways that I have tried to use up some of my piles:

These simple squares are great to use as coasters and hot pads in the family room. You will see them somewhere near the TV in all my relatives houses.

How to:

Simply cut the test sew into a square.
Cut a border strip of 1 ½ inches or whatever size you like.
Sew the two sides and cut even. Then sew the top and bottom and square up.
Cut a piece of batting and a back from coordinating fabric
Place the front piece face up. Top with the back piece face down. Then the batting on top.
Using ¼" allowance sew around the square leaving an opening at the bottom to turn.
Put your hand between the front and back and turn right side out.
Turn the opening in even and sew shut. Quilt if desired.

Another great way to use test sews is to make them into appliqués. Here is a quilt and pillowcase using some from testing ATG. And here is a link to download the appliqué square in case you would like to try it yourself. Appliqué Square

Click the links to go to the Happy Animals Alphabet and Happy Animals collections.

I am really trying not to add to my stash this year until I have used up much of the stash that I have in my sewing room. (If you read the blog here on making green bags you know how I used up a lot.) But unless they ban me from the fabric store and quilting shows I think it is a losing battle. Does anyone else suffer from this?

OK, its your turn to get creative with your test sews. Let me know what you do as I still have stacks to use up.

Take care,

Keeping It Simple with a Quick Casserole Carrier

2009-07-03T15:00:00Z

If you are like me, you subscribe to more than one embroidery and quilting magazine and scour them all front to back when you finally get the chance. Sometimes I'm inspired by the projects in the magazines but many times I'm overwhelmed. And any time that I sit down to sew I'm likely to be in a different mood and it reflects in the project that I do. There are times I will spend days on one project trying to make it magazine "worthy". Then again there are times I remember that I have loads of things to do and not much time so I try to find a way to keep it as simple as possible.

Now summer is here and there seems to be even more demands on my time and disruptions at every turn. Excuse me for a second please - "No, Emma you may not water the plants inside the house with the hose!" - Sorry for the interruption. Do you have crazy days in your lives or is it just me? Hold on just a minute - "Anna, don't you think milk would be better than the dog's water for dunking your cookies?" Hmm.

Anyway, these days I find myself determined, more than ever, to keeping it simple. Here is a casserole carrier project I have made numerous times as gifts when I have to take food to a new mother, a sick friend or new neighbor. I have embroidered them with holiday designs, fun sayings, notes of sympathy and favorite bible verses. It is quick, easy and repurposes those old placemats in a fun way.

What you need:

Two placemats that co-ordinate
Two ribbon pieces about 12 inches each
Coordinating thread
Embroidery design of choice (optional but nice)

Step One: Embroider the design.

Step Two: Center the ribbon on inside end of each placemat and stitch into place. (I stitched a rectangle about ¾" long and just inside my width on the ribbon.)

Step Three: Align one placemat on top of the other. On a long end mark both sides about 3 ½" from end. Sew from one mark all the way around to the other sewing through both placemats. (I sewed right on top of my original topstitching.)

Step Four: Place your casserole or gift inside, tie and give it away.

Click here to download the free "Enjoy" lettering design in two sizes.

Remember, not every project has to be a masterpiece worthy of display in a magazine. It is many times more important just to show you care in whatever way your own special talents allow. So, in spite of all the crazy days in your life keep on doing what you love to do and if the need arises Keep It Simple.

Take care,

PS This is my newest version of classic potato salad. I really like it so I thought I might share it this week in honor of Independence Day.

Independence Day Potato Salad

7 medium red potatoes 3 hard boiled eggs

2/3 cups sour cream 1/3 cup mayonnaise

½ tsp salt 1 tsp prepared mustard

¼ tsp onion powder ¼ tsp garlic powder

¼ tsp pepper (or less) 5 strips bacon, cooked and crumbled

¼ cup celery, diced ¼ cup bottled Italian salad dressing

Peel, cube and boil potatoes; drain and cool to room temperature. Cut eggs in half and remove yolks. Mash yolks in a medium bowl. Stir in sour cream, mayonnaise, salt, mustard, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper. Set aside. Chop egg whites and celery and add to the drained potatoes. Add bacon and Italian dressing and mix. Fold in the mayonnaise mixture. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Serves 8.

Flag Day Celebration

2009-06-12T15:00:00Z

Did you know that Flag Day is this Sunday? It is nice to take a moment and remember how grateful we are for our Country’s Flag and what it stands for. Even when I was a little girl I loved to watch those colors flying in the wind and I can remember feeling so very honored when it was my turn to raise the flag at school.

There are lots of ways to show pride in our country’s flag and all it stands for. Here are a couple of embroidered projects that I have done in the past. I fell in love with this design as soon as I saw it. The door quilt was made using just one large design in the center and putting borders all around until it was the size I needed. The design can be found here:

Bags are all the rage right now. They never seem to go out and you all know by now that I make lots of them. They are so easy and fun that I many times use them as a relaxer, a time to get-away - no pressure just the pleasure of sewing. This design is from a collection of nutcrackers I used to make pillows to decorate with one Christmas. Although this one did not fit with my Christmas theme he was such a great design I just had to do something with him. He sat around for a while and then made his way into a stress-free bag.

Here’s how:

Items needed:

Large white rectangle of fabric 12” X 8.5”
Nutcracker or other large design
Medium Weight Tear-away stabilizer
Embroider Thread for designs
1 yard non-directional Flag print fabric
3/4 yard red purse fringe
Sewing thread

Cut the fabric

3 rectangles 17” X 14.5” (1 for back and 2 to make lining)
2 strips 27.5” X 5” For the straps
2 strips 12” X 3.5” for front side borders
2 strips 14.5” X 3” for top and bottom border (note: most of the bottom border will disappear when you make the bag bottom)

Embroider the design

Step 1: Embroidery the design, tear or trim the stabilizer.

Make the outside of the bag

Use a 1/4” seam sew throughout

Step 2: With right sides together sew the two side borders to the embroidered white rectangle.

Step 3: With right sides together sew the top and bottom borders.

Step 4: With right sides together sew the back rectangle to the front on 3 sides leaving the top open.

Step 5: Make a bottom by measuring 2.5” from the bottom along the side seams and marking across. Pull the bottom corner out to a point until the marked line is flatancd creates a bottom for the bag. Sew along this line. Repeat for the other side. Trim the corners off. Turn the bag right side out.

Make the bag lining

Step 6: With right sides together sew the 2 lining rectangles together on 3 sides leaving the top open.

Step 7: Make a bottom by measuring 2.5” from the bottom along the side seams and marking across. Pull the bottom corner out to a point until the marked line is flat with the bottom of the bag. Sew along this line.

Repeat for the other side. Trim the corners off. Leave the bag inside out.

Make the straps

Step 8: With right sides together sew down the long sides of the straps. Turn right side out and press. Top stitch 1/8” down both long sides of each strap.

Assemble the bag

Step 9: On outside bag press 1/2” of the raw edge to the inside so wrong sides are together. On the lining bag press 1/2” of the raw edge to the outside so wrong sides are together. Insert lining (inside out) into outside bag and align top edges.

Step 10: Pin the trim between the layers along the top edge.

Step 11: Insert the handles between the layers but behind the trim about 2 1/2” from side seams on front and back of bag. Top stitch through all the layers all the way around the bag.

One fun bag complete. Find the design here.

I intend to celebrate this wonderful day with my Flag raised high and a little picnic on the back porch with a patriotic theme. The girls and I will spend a little time talking about our respect for the Flag and our country that so many have given their lives to protect!

Take care,

Little Photo Holders for Mother's Day

2009-05-01T16:00:00Z

“Meesy, why don’t Grandma and Gigi have pictures of us at their houses like you do?” my eldest granddaughter asked. Since I provide them quite often I wasn’t sure how to answer so I told her that they didn’t have anything to put them in. Of course she said, “Let’s make them something for Mother’s Day.”

Now, Mother’s day is only a little over a week away and, at four, this little girl’s attention span is only so long. But she loves to embroider and do crafts so what could we do for two grandmothers and four great-grandmothers in time for the day?

We decided on some simple little Photo Holders and here is the first three.

Here is what you will need:

Large or Extra large Binder Clips

Felt

Tear-away stabilizer

Small Embroidery Designs

Embroidery Thread

Glue Dots or other double-sided adhesive

What to do.

Embroider the design on the felt using the tear-away stabilizer making sure you leave enough felt at the bottom to go around the clip base.

Click here to download the little fish or click here to download the butterfly. You can add lettering using Alphabet Xpress if you like.

Measure the width of the binder clip and use this to mark a strip under the design that width.

Cut the strip and loosely around the design. Place the piece as you desire on the front of the clip and wrap the strip to the back. Fold down and crease. Cut along the crease.

Put glue dots or adhesive on front and back of the clip base. Position and press the felt onto the clip.

Add a recent picture and you have an quick and easy Mother’s day gift that is sure to bring a smile. And my granddaughter says, “Meesy, this was the best day ever! What more could I ask!

Take care,

It's Over (Sigh) for Another Year II - Coffee Cup Wraps

2009-04-10T14:30:00Z

The sun shone on us all in Orlando and we had a great time at the second annual Annthegran Community Circle gathering. We met up with old friends and made some new ones too. For two days we learned lots, laughed lots and ate lots.

Mary Mulari and Rita Farro kept everyone in stitches as they showed clever ways to make quick gifts. We learned about Egyptian cotton, red sweatshirt evening dresses, glitter and glitz. And Zippers – Wow! What will that Mary Mulari come up with next?

Although most of the CC attendees came from the east coastal area we had ladies from Canada, Oregon and Texas. One lady met another from her home town and found out she lived in the house right behind her. It really is a small world after all.

Attendees went home renewed, with a whole host of new ideas to inspire their next project and the next and the next and the next.

Several attendees asked for my coffee cup wrap instructions. So here they are.

1. You’ll need:

A 6”X12” rectangle of fashion fabric for the front.
A 6”X12” rectangle of fashion fabric for the lining.
A 6”X12” rectangle of leftover batting (Hobbs warm and natural type works best)
An alphabet, font software or embroidery design of your choice.
Matching embroidery thread.
Tear away stabilizer.
One paper coffee jacket.
Velcro strip.

2. Carefully open the coffee jacket down along the glued seam. Place this as a pattern on your fabric.

3. Trace adding 1/4” on all sides. Cut one wrap piece from each - front fabric, lining fabric and batting.

4. Using whatever method you like center your design or text on the front wrap piece. Hoop fabric with the stabilizer or just hoop the stabilizer and stick the fabric on. Embroider the design. Remove the stabilizer. (Remember to check and do it right side up. I did it upside down twice before I got it right.)

5. Place the front and lining right sides together. Lay the batting on top. Pin. Using ¼” seam stitch along all sides leaving an opening to turn. Clip the corners and put a couple of snips at the curves.

6. Turn right side out and press folding the raw edges in.

7. Top stitch around the whole wrap.

8. Cut a strip of Velcro and sew to inside of one short edge and outside of the other.

9. Wrap a cup and give it away to get a guaranteed smile for the day.

Note: Add some trim to the top or bottom if you like for even more giggles from your friends. This is great for monograms too. Fun projects like this are easy to make, providing smiles and a sense of friendship without a lot of time spent.

After the event all us girls and I took off for the beach and then to see the princesses at Magic Kingdom. We had a blast – I can only wish that I had the energy of those two little girls!

Take care

PS: My camera had some severe problems at the show so I got absolutely zero pictures this year. I was able to get it fixed after but if anyone else got some fun snapshots please post them in the gallery. Thanks so much.

Holiday Inspiration in a World of Germs

2008-12-05T18:14:00Z

Yes, I know the holiday season is a time for joy and counting your blessings but it is so much more enjoyable when everyone stays well. In our family 2008 has been dubbed “the year of the tissue”. As I walk in the door with my load of tissue boxes my husband just shakes his head and mumbles something about the stock he didn’t buy. Hmm? And it has gotten to the point that we now, in an effort to stay healthy, give cheek only kisses, put names on our drinking glasses and disinfect the door knobs and toys daily. I realize this sounds a little obsessive but if you have ever had a rut in the road between our homes and the doctor’s office you understand.

Ok, I am rambling and that is enough of that. It is really just to give you some background for a couple of projects that I want to share with you that were inspired by these efforts to get well and/or stay well.

Toddler Restaurant Mats – Babies love to feed themselves and when eating out this can be difficult since the high chairs no longer have trays. Tables may be wiped off between customers but are certainly not sanitized so what is the mother of these little ones to do. Andrea heard about rubber mats designed just for this purpose and set off to find them. When she finally did they had a price tag of $20 each. So, we decided to see what we could make. We came up with these and they work great. We made 9 of these nifty mats for under $10. We like them so much we are going to make them for Anna’s whole Sunday school class. These are not the best of the bunch but here is a couple that I kept for when I have the kids out and about.

Here is what we did:

Cut 1 rectangle of rubber shelf liner 17” wide X12” tall. (We got ours for $1 a roll at the local discount store and 1 roll makes 3).

Cut 1 rectangle clear plastic sheeting 17” wide X 12” tall. (Designed to use to cover table tops like the old Oil Cloth and can be purchased at many hardware stores by the yard.)

Cut 1 rectangle of fabric 18.5” wide X 13.5” tall. (We used scraps from various other projects.)

1.    Embroider whatever you like on the fabric. I love Alphabet Xpress and it has some great new fonts. (I used Splendor for Anna and Buttercup for Noah above). Any Design you like can be used (The tractor is an ATG design and the other one I got long ago in an issue of Designs magazine.)
2.    Press your fabric ¾” under all the way around, folding in the corners miter style.
3.    Layer as follows:
a.    Rubber shelf liner rectangle
b.    Fabric rectangle, right side up.
c.    Clear rectangle.
4.    Sew all the way around about 5/8” from edge. And then again 3/8” from edge. A Teflon foot is nice but not necessary. One thing I found was that it sewed smoother if I held the sandwich up a little instead of placing my hands on top like I would normally.

There you have it – a great stocking stuffer that might help minimize picking up those little germ things.

Another thing we came up with this year was inspired by a friend who has been ill most of the year. With colds and flu on rampage in our area she was told not to go out. So, she has shopped on line some but sent her son out to get gift cards for many. To make the gifts more personable we decided to make custom gift card holders. Here is a couple that we did and the In-the-Hoop designs as well.

Due to my friend’s energy level we wanted to keep these really quick and easy. You could do much more detailed ones if the inspiration hits. At our house we decided to make a bunch with numbers to count down the last 5 days until Christmas with the grandkids. Each day will have a small item like lip gloss, a favorite candy, coupon for ice cream or whatever for the kids to take off the tree each evening. Maybe it will spark a new tradition.

To download the instructions and the free In-the-hoop cardholder design click here.

In spite of a year of constant germ-fighting we are counting our many, many blessings and are full of joy this season. From our house to yours we wish you a very Merry Christmas.

Take Care
DB

PS: A while back I said that when I could dig them out I would show you my other Jumbo Alphabet project. Well, I did finally find it. And now I have done two more sets, JOY for Andrea who has a smaller mantel and PEACE for Lisa who has a long shelf in her living room. The frames all came from the dollar store and we cut the mats from card stock. You can use Alphabet Xpress fonts with the fill feature to do these.

Designer Grocery Bags - Who'd have thought!

2008-09-05T13:26:00Z

For some time at our house we have been somewhat involved in recycling stuff. A while back I actually got into the habit of bringing my reusable bags shopping. But these totes that I have collected over the years (mostly at quilt and sewing shows) are almost all made of light tan canvas. Although they were great for fat quarters, embroidery CDs and thread they don’t hold much when it comes to groceries and household supplies (come to think of it they were never big enough for the loads of fabric I bought at those shows either). And these bags are now, after just a couple of months, stained, frayed and ugly. I thought I heard the clerk actually groan the other day and I still needed 3 plastic bags in addition to what I brought. That was it – if I am “Going Green” I am going to do so in style.

Here is my first effort at a Designer Green Bag.

I’ve gotten lots of comments and everyone in my family wants them. And they don’t want just one. No, they want four or five or six – what have I gotten myself into?

And to be sure I am not alone. A friend made some great green bags and has found that everyone we know wants them. So, she has decided to use up her rather extensive stash of fabrics and scraps, collected over the years, for a good cause. She makes the bags and sells them at a great price giving all the money to the Peanut Allergy Research Foundation. It is amazing how many children suffer from this life-threatening allergy. These little ones have to learn at a very, very young age to say “no” to ANY snack offered, eat somewhere away from their friends, and be wary of every new place to stay out of danger. And the diligent mothers are reading every label – just “made in the same factory in which nuts are processed” means it can’t be consumed at their house. Communication is currently the only key to keeping these children safe.

She has saved the day and has made bags for me already. Since I do not have enough time to make all the bags requested of me I have ordered more bags from my friend in support of her cause.

You can use any large tote pattern you really like. To download instructions for mine click here.

To make a designer bag all you need is:

fabrics

sewing thread,

A great embroidery design (I used a rooster from the Amazing Designs Rooster Jumbo Collection)

Or Alphabet Xpress or your Favorite Ann’s Alphabet

Here is a link to the free pattern my friend, Marilyn, uses.

http://u-handbag.typepad.com/uhandblog/2007/04/one_of_the_medi.html

If you like it better just add the designer embroidery pocket from my instructions.

I think I'll monogram the next ones for my girls using Alphabet Xpress.

Making and using Designer Green bags helps the environment, recycles fabric we may not otherwise use and gets the attention of others. Making them for a charitable purpose helps us help others as well. Hmm, who’d have thought!

Take care,

Note 1: If you make one (but I bet ya can’t make just one) share it with us by posting it to our gallery. We would love to see what you do.

Note 2: To learn more about peanut allergy research visit this site: http://www.foodallergy.org/research.html

PS: Here is what my youngest granddaughter has to say about crawling:

“Nobody else is doing it! I have decided that this crawling thing is way overrated. Yeah, I am getting closer everyday, but I just can’t get the hang of it. Backwards, forwards, knees, hands, coordination – who needs it? I usually end up like this.”

“Besides, I don’t see anyone else crawling around like the dog on their hands and knees. Mom, dad and sister like to walk on those stick like things they call legs. If it is good enough for them, it is good enough for me. Forget crawling, I’m gonna try that walking thing! Let’s see, I guess I have to stand first.”

“Well, that was easy enough. Now on to the walking! Of course this could look easier than it actually is – OHHH!”

“Well, maybe I should give that crawling thing one more shot.”

“Hmmmm…should have known.”

Footnote: This dialog is written as interpreted by her mother who is the only one who can.