Sew Many Ways...

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 54

2012-02-26T00:28:00.002-05:00

Hi everyone!! I hope you had a great time looking through all the fabulous links last week!!

Coming up in March and April, we have St Patrick's day, Springtime and Easter. If you have any posts to share for projects we can make ahead of time, feel free to link up to the party. If you don't, that's fine too...we love all things that you've done, so let's see what you've done this week.

If you're NEW to Sew Darn Crafty, then grab a cup of something tasty, sit back and join in on the fun (starts Sunday and lasts all week long here at Sew Many Ways).

If you want to add the button to your blog's side bar or your list of parties that you're in each week...Click HERE for a tutorial for adding a button

WHAT IS A LINKING PARTY...

I subscribe to a linking service, which provides the ability to link thumbnail pictures on my blog. The picture is a link that other bloggers provide to share their projects.

Two things can happen at a linking party...looking and/or linking

you can be greatly inspired by wonderful projects, ideas or vacation pictures (looking) and/or
you can share what you've been up to (linking)

If you want to be inspired by all the great ideas...just click on a picture and it will take you to that post from a wonderful blogger who was willing to share her thoughts and ideas.

HOW AND WHAT TO LINK TO THE PARTY...

Sew Darn Crafty is all about YOU!! Show off your projects, share a tutorial, show us your vacation pictures, share a family favorite recipe...share anything. Not only does linking inspire us all, it also brings lots of new people to your blog for a visit. Click here for past parties and lots of inspiration

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not search through all your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post. Copy and paste the address that's at the top of your computer into the linky steps.
link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects, vacations, parties etc...
visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
just click the blue "click here to enter" button below and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week
~Karen~

Spring To Winter In One Day...

2012-02-24T07:24:00.000-05:00

It was 60 degrees here yesterday, but I had to work. Today my husband and I both have the day off together, so I was lying in bed early this morning thinking...maybe a nice walk on the beach since it was so nice yesterday.

This is what we woke up to earlier this morning.

In yesterday's post, I talked about flowers trying to come up, how it's been such a mild winter and today we're shoveling. Hope those poor little flower buds went back underground.

That's New England for you.

I hope it's warmer where you are.

Have a great day,
~Karen~

Thoughts on Thursday...

2012-02-23T00:06:00.002-05:00

It's been such a mild winter here in New England...pretty much all over the states. Some flowers are so confused, they are starting to come up in the yard. I'm hoping Spring isn't too far away.

I love flowers and tulips are my absolute favorite.

What's your favorite flower?

source

Have a wonderful Thursday,

~Karen~

Pinterest Help...Great Idea When Pinning

2012-02-22T06:59:00.001-05:00

I did a Pinterest post last week and there was a comment from Nancy with an awesome pinning tip. When you are on the page that you are pinning the picture from, find the words or title of the picture that goes with it. Left click, drag and high light the words that you want. When you "pin it" the high lighted words end up in the description box of your pinned picture.

Aaahhh...come on ladies, sing like an angel. That is genius!!

Thanks Nancy for sharing such a time saving tip.

You can visit Nancy at her blog Polly-Wolly Doodle, but you can also find her at http://www.nancybabb-classes.blogspot.com/

She gives a great tutorial for turning corners when sewing. You can find that here...

http://nancybabb-classes.blogspot.com/2011/03/how-to-make-sharp-corners-on-pillows.html

Thanks for stopping by. You can visit my Pinterest account by clicking the "P" above or in the circle on my side bar.

Have a great day,

~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...My Bucket List

2012-02-21T00:01:00.001-05:00

Not "that" bucket list...a Tool Time Bucket List. Although I should put together a life bucket list, just to see what I would come up with.

Well, let's get back to today's list. BUCKETS and what you can do with them...more than just carrying dirt and fireplace ashes.

They come in so many shapes, sizes, colors, materials etc!

Here are just a few ideas for buckets around my house. Some are new ideas and some are older ones that I have given the link back to that earlier post.

Buckets for real plants...they don't leak when watering.

Great for artificial plants too.

This is a bucket of artificial tulips I keep by the side of our bathroom sink...

Cute and serves a big purpose for me. I like to keep my hair dryer handy and always plugged in

Bunch of flowers kept together with wire or an elastic. Easy to take out each time I need the dryer.

Don't have a real Ice Bucket? Use a real bucket. lol

Different sizes will hold more than a real ice bucket...another picture of this idea at the end too.

I had to share this idea again. CLICK HERE for the original post when I used the french drain for my sewing room. Perfect for wine too.

Bucket of sewing trimmings right by my cutting table

Buckets of magazines.

Gift buckets. This is a baking themed bucket. You could do anything in a bucket.

Fill it with newspapers to keep gifts "up" at the top.

Cover with gift grass. That's what I call it. I save this stuff every time it comes with a gift I receive.

Gather your gift items

Taller gifts towards the back...

Fill in with the rest and add a little more grass to fill in the spaces. Add a bow and you're good to go.

Hang a bucket on the work bench for items that don't have holes for hanging.

Buckets from the hardware store come in colors too. I bought this teal 5 gallon bucket for Kelsie's dorm room. I wanted to cover the cover with a circle of wood, foam and fabric for a storage bench idea. Yeah...add that to the "to do" list.

This is a 5 gallon bucket that I did a post on for quilting supplies. You can buy that canvas organizer in any hardware store. They also have insert trays too. Great to carry this bucket to a quilt class or retreat. CLICK HERE for that post

How about a bucket for scrap projects. Handy for carrying to your comfy chair to work on. CLICK HERE to go to that post

or this paint bucket for sewing too. CLICK HERE for that post.

Did you know they sell NEW paint buckets. These are great for time capsules, theme gift buckets, games for the kids etc. Easy to decorate with fabric or scrapbook paper.

Perfect to put together a "Paint Your Face" gift together. Buy all make-up and what nots for the girls in your life.

Nice and roomy inside for lots of goodies.

Don't forget Easter buckets...for decorating your home or an egg hunt.

Little buckets filled with sand or cat litter to hold candles. Great for summer picnics too.

How about a little bucket for all the little ones at the party. Tough for them to carry all their picnic stuff...why not use a bucket. Add their drink box, napkin, silverware, and little treats or favors for the party

A big black bucket, right?

I see a snowman's hat. Just add a ribbon.

CLICK HERE to go to an older post on how to build a snowman kit.

Than there is the Santa Bucket. Either pant one red or use a red bucket. Just add a black belt! CLICK HERE for that post.

I used an assortment of buckets for a drink buffet for a Christmas party 2 years ago. CLICK HERE for more.

From the same post as above. I used a bucket for a Christmas Tree holder.

and this past year's Christmas I used a plastic bucket for the holder. CLICK HERE for more on that!

There are buckets and buckets of ideas for this post! lol. Maybe you can share some of your ideas in the comments.

I'm wishing you buckets of blogging love for always stopping by.

Nothing better than a bucket of love! Well, a bucket of chicken is good too!!

~Karen~

30 Second No Sew Infinity Scarf...For a $1.50

2012-02-20T08:41:00.000-05:00

You read it correctly...30 seconds and $1.50 each. What's the secret? Ribbed Knitting.

I love ribbed knitting for a number of reasons...

polyester...washes well
cut edges won't fray
cuts easily
sews easily
did I say cut edges won't fray...that's my favorite. No hemming! YAY

Here's the finished infinity scarf...had to take the shot several times. Why? Tile floor plus yellow Labrador dog plus black fabric...not good. Lol

This is one yard of ribbed knit. Regular price at Joanne's Fabric $9.99. I had 40% off coupon, so it went down to $6.00 per yard.

The secret to ribbed knit is it's tubular (not tubular like yay man let's go catch a wave, tubular)...it's in a circle, with no selvage edge.

I cut each scarf at 9 inches wide...totally up to you on how wide you want them. I used the grout line on the tile floor for a guide line too.

Cuts easily in seconds.

Four scarves in 30 seconds

Love it!!

Twisted twice around the neck.

This shot took many, many times. I really needed someone to take it for me, but just me on this one. Too many shots of wrinkled chicken neck, hair I hadn't washed yet, shots too low...no bra on! You know all those early morning things!!

Here it is long, not twisted.

It really is the easiest scarf to make. Perfect for gifts too.

You could probably make one of these on your way out the door to the party!!

Have fun with the no sew,

~Karen~

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 53

2012-02-19T00:01:00.006-05:00

Thank You, Thank You...last week's party was fabulous! All of you are the best for sharing your ideas, tutorials and pictures.

Each week, the party gets better and better with more people joining in on the fun. I hope you can keep coming back to add more links and to read all the fun things happening here at the Sew Darn Crafty Party!

Let's see what this week will bring...

If you're NEW to Sew Darn Crafty, then grab a cup of something tasty, sit back and join in on the fun (starts Sunday and lasts all week long here at Sew Many Ways).

If you want to add the button to your blog's side bar or your list of parties that you're in each week...Click HERE for a tutorial for adding a button

you can be greatly inspired by wonderful projects, ideas or vacation pictures (looking) and/or
you can share what you've been up to (linking)

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not search through all your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post. Copy and paste the address that's at the top of your computer into the linky steps.
link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects, vacations, parties etc...
visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
just click the "click here to enter" button below and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week
~Karen~

List Your Likes and Dislikes About a Blog...

2012-02-17T09:33:00.000-05:00

We all love blogging. Whether we are the author of a blog, the reader or both, we all have our likes and dislikes about a blog or the way it is set up.

Hearing from others (good or bad) always helps me learn more and more each day about my blog. I love blogging and sharing thoughts and ideas, but I want to make it a good experience for people who come to visit.

So, I thought I would have a post where we can all learn from each other. In the comment section, list your likes and dislike about how a blog (any blog) is set up. I hate to use the word dislikes, so how about "Likes" and "Things You Wish Would Change".

Don't be specific and call out the blog itself, just list what's on your mind about a general blog.

Saying things out loud about what you don't like isn't a bad thing...it's a learning experience for all.

Here are my thoughts on my OWN blog

is the side bar too busy
is there too much red
are there too many posts on one page...slowing down the loading time of the blog
is it easy to navigate
do I use too many pictures in one post
am I wordy
is the word verification thing a pain in the hooty lately. I just turned mine off. It's like they want you to spell out a page from "War and Peace"

Here are my thoughts on blogs I visit...

I love it when the post is in full view when you go to the blog, instead of a partial read then you have to click to go to the full post
I love LABELS on a blog. Helps to find something quick under a certain category
Not a fan of music on a blog. Not that I don't love music, but here are my thoughts on that. 1) we all don't have the same taste in music 2) Loading music on a blog takes forever and slows down the process. Sometimes I just X out of a blog because the music takes too long to load and nothing is moving. 3) When I'm blogging I'm usually watching TV or a DVD, so there is already noise going on
LOVE pictures...good ones or not. Really helps with visuals. I am certainly not a photographer by any stretch. I just have a point and shoot camera, but pictures are worth a 1000 words.
A 1000 words is too much to handle in one post. Break up your paragraphs with a picture or a space. Sometimes too many words written all in one post is overwhelming for me.
I'd love to get to know you...show a picture of yourself. Really helps to connect. You don't have to give away too much personal information if you don't want to.
Black blog backgrounds with white lettering is hard for me to read...am I the only one
I love when you show what state you are from. I've met some wonderful people just by saying..."I noticed you are from...we're not too far from each other.
check to see if you are a "No Reply"...that means there isn't an email address attached to your account and no one can email you back. CLICK HERE if you want to learn how to check.

So here's your chance...add your blog thoughts in the comment section and let the learning begin. Be nice though!

Thanks so much in advance for commenting on this. I love learning from all of you.
~Karen~

Thoughts on Thursday...

2012-02-16T00:01:00.001-05:00

Alarm Clocks...a necessary evil.

I play mind games with my alarm clock. I set the time 30 minutes ahead, so I can do the math in my head as to what the time REALLY is! Wakes my mind up before my body.

Not to mention, I never really have a sound sleep. I'm always looking at the clock through the night..."oh, it says 2:30, so it's really 2:00. Yay, I still have 3 1/2 more hours to sleep!"

What really gets my goat is the 9 minutes snooze. Every clock I've ever had has been a 9 minute snooze. Why 9?

I think it's the alarm clock companies way of playing math mind games too. "Ok, it's 5:30 am when the alarm rings. I have 9 more minutes til it rings again. If I hit it 2 more times it will ring at 5:39 and 5:48. Perfect...I'm up before 6:00.

Was it a mistake when the first alarm clock was made? It really should have been a 10 minute snooze...much easier to add 10 to any time you set your alarm. Alarm rings at 5:30 am. I can let in ring 2 more times at 5:40 and 5:50. Perfect! I want a 10 minute snooze.

What better way to solve the Alarm Clock Snooze button mystery than to ask the blogging world.

Are all alarm clock snooze buttons 9 minutes and do you hate your alarm clock too?

and another thing. Why do I still wake up at 5:30 on the weekends when I don't need an alarm? The silver lining there is...no 9 minute snooze.

Always look for the positive in something.

Happy Thursday,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Chicken Feeder For Sewing

2012-02-14T00:01:00.017-05:00

What? A Chicken Feeder? You betcha! Hubby and I were shopping in a Tractor Supply store this past weekend, looking for special diet dog food for our yellow lab, Annie. They didn't carry the dog food, but you know I roamed around the tool and hardware section.

They carry a lot of galvanized metal items (my absolute favorite!)...buckets, pans, scoops, troughs and chicken feeders. The chicken feeder caught my eye.

Do we have chickens? No. Well, we have them in the freezer from the store, but to feed...no. So why buy a chicken feeder. To make one of these.

Here it is from the store...$4.00

I know there are probably more things to do with this, but I'm still thinking!

You can buy the plastic bottle the chicken feed is dispensed from, but a canning jar fits too. Maybe fill the jar with...

bird seed for our other feathered friends, just not chickens
maybe m&m's for a candy dispenser

I still like the thread idea though. Great to use by your chair for all your hand sewing, but it's missing something...the pincushion!

All you need is a scrap piece of fabric, some stuffing and a circle pattern. I used a plastic lid to trace.

It is about 6 inches across the middle.

There are 2 ways to gather up the edge of fabric with a circle.

First way is to use a heavy weight string and a needle with a bigger eye.

Use a running stitch or larger gathering stitch around the edge of the circle.

because the string is a heavier weight, you can just pull the strings to gather it up into a pouch.

Stuff with batting or filling.

Pull tight and knot off to secure.

The second way is better if you are using a thinner cotton weight fabric.

Set the stitch length on your machine to the longest stitch or gathering stitch. Mine is 5 on my machine.

Stitch all the way around about a 1/4 inch in from the edge.

HELPFUL TIP

One tip for a machine gathering stitch is to use 2 different color threads. You have to pull 2 threads, but from the same side.

I used white on the spool and black in the bobbin. Now I know to only pull just the white threads or just the black threads when gathering.

Once gathered and knotted to secure, you can just place the pincushion in the center hole or use a little glue or hot glue to hold it in place.

Add your pins and needles...

and your little snips too.

Maybe you can add a little bow to make it pretty.

Ribbon or not, this will work great for you when you are hand sewing in your comfy chair watching tv and having a cup of tea.

hmmm, where's my tea?

That's better!

Tool Time has been to the hardware store, the automotive store, office supply, grocery store, recycling bin, health and beauty isle and many others, but this is the first time in the farm equipment section. Definitely going to look into that more. Lol !!

You never know with me...what will inspire me next.

Remember when you're in any store...

look at something twice before passing it up
don't think..."do I need this?" Think..."what can I DO with this?"
and always...think outside the box!!!

Have a happy Tuesday,
~Karen~

Pinterest Help...How to Pin and Repin

2012-02-13T09:47:00.000-05:00

Pinterest is "the" place lately, but many of you have so many questions about it. Pinterest is a virtual cork board where you can save photos and links to things you see on the Internet.

Click HERE to see my Pinterest boards for an example.

The main question from most of you has been...How do I PIN or REPIN? They are the same, but different. Lol !!

Let's cover them separately with "PINNING" first.

To "PIN" something from a website, you need the "Pin It" button on your computer's toolbar.

See mine circled in red?

To add the "pin it" button to your toolbar, go to...

your dashboard
click "about"
then click "pin it button"

It's under the Goodies section. The instructions are easy and there is also a video.

When you have the "PIN IT" button on your computer's toolbar, you can now "pin" anything from a website.

For example...

You are on the HGTV website and see a beautiful kitchen. You want to use some of the ideas from that kitchen when you redo your own home some day. When you are on that website, go to the "pin it" button at the top of your toolbar and click it.

Pinterest will bring up all the photos from that website. You pick one photo that you want for your pin board and follow the instructions. Easy Peasy!

Now how to "REPIN"...

When you are on your dashboard and want to start browsing...

Click the red "PINTEREST" word in the upper center.

First things that come up are the pinners that you are following and all the things that they have pinned.

The next section is "EVERYTHING" and that is, well, everything that everyone has pinned at that very moment.

If you want to break it down even further, click "EVERYTHING" and a drop down menu will come up with categories like DIY and CRAFTS.

Now to "REPIN"...

Move your mouse cursor over a picture that you want to repin. You can now pick "REPIN", "LIKE", or "COMMENT". You can do any or all of those three things.

When you click "REPIN" another screen will appear that has all your boards to select from. You can also place your cursor in the description box and change what the previous person has written or keep it...either way is fine. Click the red "Pin It" button. Done!

If you have repinned or pinned something that you don't have a board for, simple scroll down to the bottom of that boards menu and you can CREATE a new one.

I hope this helps. I will be setting up a Pinterest help page at the top of my blog, but for now you can find them under the labels section under Pinterest. (by the way, I have no affliation with Pinterest...just love it!!)

Have a great time pinning,
~Karen~

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 52

2012-02-12T00:31:00.002-05:00

in·spire

verb /inˈspīr/
inspired, past participle; inspired, past tense; inspires, 3rd person singular present; inspiring, present participle

Fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, esp. to do something creative

I think the definition of inspire is the key word in blogging. We love to inspire and to be inspired. Blogging equals inspiration. When we create something and share it on our blog, we are (unknowingly) inspiring people to think, to make and to do something...anything...and that is a wonderful thing!!

What better way to inspire than to share all the things we create on a linky party. Share as much as you'd like and what ever you'd like, because you know you will INSPIRE someone out there.

If you're NEW to Sew Darn Crafty, then grab a cup of something tasty, sit back and join in on the fun (starts Sunday and lasts all week long at Sew Many Ways).

If you want to add the button to your blog...Click HERE for a tutorial for adding a button

WHAT IS SEW DARN CRAFTY...

"Sew" for anything to do with sewing,
"Darn" for anything to do with knitting. I always think of darning to do with knitting, but in my case "darn" is similar to the word I say when I mess up crafting!!
Let's not forget the word "crafty"...which is every thing we create
...the dot, dot, dot means you can share just about anything!!

WHAT IS A LINKING PARTY...

So now we all know what Sew Darn Crafty means, let's explain a linking party again. I subscribe to a linking service, which provides the ability to link thumbnail pictures on my blog. The picture is a link that other bloggers provide to share their projects.

Two things can happen at a linking party...looking and/or linking

you can be greatly inspired by wonderful projects, ideas or vacation pictures (looking) and/or
you can share what you've been up to (linking)

If you want to be inspired by all the great ideas...just click on a picture and it will take you to that post from a wonderful blogger willing to share her thoughts and ideas.

HOW AND WHAT TO LINK TO THE PARTY...

Sew Darn Crafty is all about YOU!! Show off your projects, share a tutorial, show us your vacation pictures, share a family favorite recipe...share anything. Not only does linking inspire us all, it also brings lots of new people to your blog for a visit. Click here for past parties and lots of inspiration

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not search through all your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post.
link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects, vacations, parties etc...
visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
grab a Sew Darn Crafty button for your blog (on my right side bar) or just link to the party in your post.
the more we share, the more people will join and then there's more inspiration to look at!
linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
just click the "click here to enter" button and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week
~Karen~

Thoughts on Thursday...

2012-02-09T00:01:00.002-05:00

I hate it when you wear jeans that have just been washed...so tight and stiff you can barely zip them. You have to do that hop, dance, shake side to side thing just to get them up!!

Then wear them a couple times and it's like you lost 3 pounds. The jeans are all soft and loose. Makes me not want to wash them...ever.

Here's an extra Thought for Thursday...you know you're old when you wear clothes more than once without washing them. Lol !! I vowed when I was younger not to be like my parents and wear things more than once before washing...HELLO, I'm officially my parents!

Happy Thursday,
~Karen~

How To Print Screen...Adding A Computer Picture To Your Blog

2012-02-08T09:32:00.000-05:00

A few blogging friends have emailed me asking how I capture a picture image of my computer screen and then get that image into a blog post. The answer is "Print Screen".

Print Screen is a button on your computer that allows you to capture the current image on your screen then save it to your computer. I use Windows, so it may be different for Mac or other computers, but check your computer manual.

Here is a screen print of my dashboard as an example. This feature helps me in my Blog Buddy (blogging tips) posts. I screen print the steps on how to do things with your blog. I think it's much easier to learn something new with images than with just words.

This is a picture of my own key board. The Print Screen button is up there at the top...above the "insert" "home" buttons.

Mine says "Screen Print", but yours could say...Prt Scr, Print Scrn, Prt Scn, Prt Sc, Prt Scrn, or Prnt Scrn

When you have the page up that you want to capture, just simply push the "Print Screen" button. Now, if you want to use that image in a blog post, you have to get that image to your computer to save it.

With Windows, I use Paint...

go to the "START" button on the bottom left of your computer screen
then ALL PROGRAMS
then ACCESSORIES
then PAINT

This is what PAINT looks like. You can edit pictures, write on them or use the spray painting features to circle things for instructions or to point things out. You can change the ink color of the design too down on the bottom left.

To get the print screen image on paint...

click "EDIT"
then click "PASTE"

Here's the screen print that I did of my dashboard.

Here are some painting things you can do with the features. I always use the spray can to circle things for instructions. If you make a mistake when drawing on the picture, just click "EDIT" then "UNDO"...I know that button really well... LOL

Now to get the finished image to your computer so you can get it on your blog...

Go to the "FILE" button on the upper left corner
click "SAVE AS"

Now the window will pop up where I save my images to in "MY PICTURES". (you can save them to where ever you save your pictures) Add a name and image number and click "SAVE". I usually have a file open and add several images for a post, so make sure you are numbering them in order. Makes it easier for me when I'm doing the blog post.

For example...I named these images print screen 001, print screen 002 etc. They will be in the file in the order I want them to be in my blog post.

Bloggers can also use Print Screen when you have Give Away posts. When you use the Random Number Generator to select the winner, screen print the image of the winning number to add it to your give away post.

I am definitely not an expert, but learn as I go with the help from family and friends...especially my daughters. Thanks girlies!! Try, experiment and learn as you go too. When you learn new things, it opens up a world of possibilities.

Have fun print screening,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Ideas For Shoe Organizers

2012-02-07T00:01:00.001-05:00

I haven't had an organizing post in a little while, so I poked around the house for something I haven't shared yet...so today it's shoe organizers!! We do use them for shoes, but we also use them for other things too. This is a short post of a few ideas that might be helpful in your home.

Here's one of two over the door hanging shoe organizers in Kelsie's room. Most all her shoes are with her at school, so I played around with some ideas to inspire you.

Shoes of course...

How about scarves, gloves, mittens, hats, belts and other accessories.

One pocket for each skein of yarn. Keeps it clean, organized and easy to see.

Toy holder...stuffed animals, barbie dolls, games

This is a small narrow closet in the girls' bathroom.

Holds all the essentials...easy to see when you are running out and need more soap, lotion, toothpaste, floss etc.

I actually cut this in half. The other side is hanging in Courtney's closet. She has a mirror on the inside of her door and this bag fits perfectly without covering the mirror. When you cut it the length of the bag, make sure you keep the seam for each pocket intact.

You could also hang this on the back of your kitchen pantry door. Keep all those small things from getting lost with the cans.

This clear over the door hanger is on the back of my husband's office door. Holds all the over flow office supplies.

These are the shoe bags that hang from the rod in your closet.

Nice and deep front to back.

Ahhh...fabric!!!

Charm packs, fat quarters and yardage all in one place!!

There are so many other things you can store in shoe organizers...

cleaners
medicine...as long as they are locked and out of reach from children. Great for child free homes
canning jars filled with craft supplies (buttons, beads). Each jar fits in the pockets
children's snack bars and treats
socks, nylons, pantyhose, tights
bra organizer...keeps them from getting crushed your drawer
dog supplies...toys, stuffed animals, bones, treat, leashes, collars, brushes
hair accessories...head bands, clips, bows, brushes, curling irons, straighteners etc

The list is endless what you can store in these bags. They are neat, tidy and out of sight behind the door.

Go through your home and see what you can gathered up and stored in one place. "Like" things stored together keeps things organized and easy to find...which equals less stress!!

Happy organizing,
~Karen~

Need Your Sewing Machine Opinion...

2012-02-06T08:15:00.001-05:00

For those of us who sew, you know your sewing machine is like a member of the family and an expensive one at that. Some of us have a hand me down machine from our moms or grandmothers and some of us have invested in a new one. No matter where our machines come from, we all have our favorite brand, favorite model, favorite feature or accessories...and with that, this is where you come into the picture.

Rebecca, from the blog Trial, Error and Triumph, emailed me asking what type of embroidery machine I had. She is looking to invest in a new machine, has done all the research online, but (like all of us) is overwhelmed by all the info.

What better way to get true, honest opinions about sewing and embroidery machines...than to go right to the blogging world.

She would like to do monogramming and appliques to make gifts for family, friends. She also wants to make beautiful things for her Etsy Shop.

I would love it if you could share your opinion about the machine you have. Keep in mind Rebecca's goal is embroidery...monogramming and applique.

what brand
what model
approximate cost (if you're willing to share)
features you like
accessories it has that you love
ease of use

I think this may help so many other people out there too. There's nothing better than a "blogging friend" telling you things she loves. So let's hear from all of you out there!!

Thanks in advance for all your help,
~Karen~

Don't forget to visit Rebecca and follow her new blog too..cute, cute. Click here to pop over there

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 51

2012-02-05T10:29:00.001-05:00

Hope everyone had fun looking through all the wonderful projects in last week's Sew Darn Crafty Party. Thanks to all who linked up and thanks to all who came by for a visit.

Sharing thoughts and ideas is the theme for crafty linking parties, but with Valentine's Day just around the corner let's see what we can share with the color red, hearts or love theme.

You can still link up anything you'd like, but if you have an old post from a previous Valentine's Day project you can share that too.

If you want to add the button to your blog...Click HERE for a tutorial for adding a button

If you're NEW to Sew Darn Crafty, then grab a cup of something tasty, sit back and join in on the fun (starts Sunday and lasts all week long at Sew Many Ways).

WHAT IS SEW DARN CRAFTY...

"Sew" for anything to do with sewing,
"Darn" for anything to do with knitting. I always think of darning to do with knitting, but in my case "darn" is similar to the word I say when I mess up crafting!!
Let's not forget the word "crafty"...which is every thing we create
...the dot, dot, dot means you can share just about anything!!

you can be greatly inspired by wonderful projects, ideas or vacation pictures (looking) and/or
you can share what you've been up to (linking)

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not search through all your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post.
link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects, vacations, parties etc...
visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
grab a Sew Darn Crafty button for your blog (on my right side bar) or just link to the party in your post.
the more we share, the more people will join and then there's more inspiration to look at!
linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
just click the "click here to enter" button and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week
~Karen~

Blog Buddy...How To Add Your Follow Me Pinterest Button

2012-02-03T09:53:00.001-05:00

I've had lots of requests on how to add a "Follow Me on Pinterest" button to the sidebar of your blog. If you're new to Pinterest...it's fabulous! It's a virtual pin board where you "pin" all your favorite things you find on the Internet to your own boards. It's like having a cork board for all different categories, right there in your own account!

If you want to see what Pinterest looks like...Click HERE to visit my Pinterest boards. I add new things to it all the time.

If you already have a Pinterest account and want to add the "Follow Me" button to your blog...here are the quick steps.

Click these pictures below to enlarge so you can see it better.

Log into your OWN Pinterest account...you must log in so your Pinterest address shows up in the HTML code.

click the "About" drop down menu
click on "Pin it Button"

Under the "FOLLOW BUTTON" section, there are several different styles to choose from. Click on the one that you would like...

A different HTML code will show up for each one.

Put your cursor over the code, right click and click COPY.

Now go to your Blogger dashboard...I'm still in the old interface, so I click DESIGN. In the new interface, I think you click LAYOUT.

Click ADD A GADGET...

Scroll down and click HTML/JAVASCRIPT

A box will pop up. You can type a title in there if you want...not needed though.

In the main bigger box, put your cursor in there and right click then PASTE the code in there. For some reason lately, blogger or my mouse won't let me paste in these boxes. I can paste in other places, but not here.

If you have problems with right click pasting, just place the cursor in the box and then on your keyboard..

hold down the Ctrl button and the "v" button at the same time. Should paste right in there

After it's pasted in the box, make sure you click SAVE

The new button will appear at the top of your sidebar.

If you want to move it down in a different spot on your side bar, DRAG and MOVE it down where you want.

If you move something you must click SAVE again.

There it is...a button that will link to your Pinterest account.

Hope this helps,
~Karen~

Thoughts on Thursday...

2012-02-02T00:01:00.002-05:00

Our kids introduced us to a (new to me) tv show about a month ago..."The Big Bang Theory". A comedy about nerdy science guys. I love it, so funny.

What's your favorite tv show?

Happy Thursday,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Button Bracelet Tutorial

2012-01-31T00:01:00.001-05:00

Happy Tuesday! Today is an easy tutorial for a button bracelet. Get your button collection out. If you don't have one, find someone who does and go through it!!

I have a small button collection made up of things from my own projects, from my mother and my grandmother. They were both frugal and both loved yard sales...so I'm not sure where any of these buttons came from. If they had clothes that were no longer wearable, buttons were removed and saved in big glass jars. If they were at a flea market or yard sale and there were buttons...they would buy them.

and this is the result of all that button saving!

A family history on one bracelet...

Here's what you need...

I bought this charm bracelet at Walmart in the craft section for $2.00.

I also had these larger jump rings for the larger buttons. The little ones came with the bracelet, but didn't fit any of the buttons. You will need the larger rings for the width of the button from the holes to the outside. This package was about $2.50 for 60 and the size is 10mm.

You will also need buttons of course! You can buy new buttons in craft stores. Some actually come in group packages of the same color.

I used mostly pearlized buttons in different shades of cream.

First step...open up the large jump ring.

Slip the ring through any hole in the button.

Add to a loop of the bracelet and close the ring.

Plan out the larger base buttons to add them equally across the bracelet.

To make it look fuller without using a ton of rings, add 3 different sized buttons to one ring.

Depending on the thickness of the buttons, you might only fit 2.

Work your way down the bracelet.

This is so cute and you could be finished at this point.

or you can start adding different sizes, shapes and textures.

One pearl bead button and a small flat button.

I also found these clear crystal looking buttons. Can you see the thread still left on one of them? That shirt didn't have a chance. Lol

Look at this bunch someone tied up...so funny.

Added both on the same ring for a little bling!!

I love this picture of the pearl button towards the bottom of the picture. Can you see the shank of the button? It's verdigris. It must be brass or copper and old. I didn't want to clean...there's a story with that button.

Here's a Tool Time from someone out there...either my mom, my grandmother or someone who they bought the buttons from. My mom and grandmother are both looking down on me, so I can't ask, but I'll give credit to both!

They used bobby (hair) pins to hold the buttons.

Slide buttons onto the hair pin...and twist the bottom closed.

I love it!

I hope you had fun in my button box...

Hmmm...I'm thinking earrings too.

Have a great Tuesday,
~Karen~

Thrift Store Finds...

2012-01-30T00:01:00.002-05:00

I have a favorite consignment shop in town that I try to stop by every week. Funny how I always seem to find at least one thing I "don't" need, but have to buy because it was a deal. This weekend was no exception.

Here's my loot for $10.00! Two candle holders, drawer organizers, organizing case and a phone charging station.

Black wrought iron candle tray...50 cents.

All cleaned up and ready for Valentine's Day.

Charging station with the surge bar inside. I needed one for my phone and camera. $4.00

Quick clean with Clorox wipes and it's already set up the same day I brought it home.

This candle was going to see my usual black spray paint, but I might be a little adventurous with this green paint first. 50 cents...I'll show it off when it's done.

These are drawer organizers that you can keep adding to for any size. Clearance section...60 cents

My crazy sock drawer before...

Woo Hoo...the after

This was brand new still had the labels on it...this is for work! You know my organizing just isn't for home...Lol !! $4.50

Venture into your local thrift store or consignment shop...you never know what treasure are in there waiting for you!!

Have a great start to the week,
~Karen~

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 50

2012-01-29T00:17:00.000-05:00

Happy Sunday every one!! Thank you so much for all the great links last week...they were amazing. Another BIG thank you to all the first timers who linked up too. It was easy, right? So, no excuses...you should be linking up every week.

I hope you've been busy creating...because I want to see what you've been up to.

"Sew" for anything to do with sewing,
"Darn" for anything to do with knitting. I always think of darning to do with knitting, but in my case "darn" is similar to the word I say when I mess up crafting!!
Let's not forget the word "crafty"...which is every thing we create
...the dot, dot, dot means you can share just about anything!!

you can be greatly inspired by wonderful projects, ideas or vacation pictures (looking) and/or
you can share what you've been up to (linking)

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not search through all your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post.
link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects, vacations, parties etc...
visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
grab a Sew Darn Crafty button for your blog (on my right side bar) or just link to the party in your post.
the more we share, the more people will join and then there's more inspiration to look at!
linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
just click the "click here to enter" button and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week,

~Karen~

Chourico Dip Recipe...or Chorizo

2012-01-27T10:59:00.000-05:00

This is a yummy sausage dip recipe no matter how you spell it or pronounce it. My Portuguese background is going to spell it chourico.

If you don't have chorizo or chourico sausage in your area of the world, I'm sure any ground sausage would work great. Besides, it has sour cream and cream cheese in it and they would make shoe leather taste great!! lol

Chourico Dip

1 pound ground Chourico (or any sausage) cooked til crumbly and drained. Cool
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 ounces sour cream
one small onion, chopped finely
1 heaping Tablespoon ketchup
1 heaping Tablespoon mayonnaise

Cook sausage until crumbly. Drain, cool and set aside. If you can't find ground sausage, you can just take the meat out of the casing.
Whisk all other ingredients (except the meat) together. Add sausage to creamed mixture. Enjoy right away or refrigerate until ready. Great to make ahead for a party.

Enjoy,
~Karen~

Thoughts on Thursday...

2012-01-26T06:39:00.000-05:00

Looking in your purse, pocketbook, tote bag, back pack, wallet etc...what is the most important thing in there that you wouldn't leave home without...besides money!

Mine...cell phone and lipstick!

Come on, let's hear from all of you.

Happy Thursday,
~Karen~

Blog Buddy...How To Start A Blog (Video)

2012-01-25T16:27:00.000-05:00

Starting this blog was the best thing I've ever done in my hobby life. I've met so many wonderful people and learned more than I could have ever imagine. Generous people all over the world willing to share their thoughts and ideas...amazing!

You can start a blog for a number of reasons...

share your thoughts and ideas
share your hobbies
keep family members who live far away up to date with your life
keep it as a journal
use it as a scrap book of your life
so much more...

I've had some email and facebook requests asking how to start a blog. If you've read any of my post, you know I can get kind of picture heavy. Explaining how to start a blog would end in the same way...a billion pictures. So I found this video from the Blogger Help section.

This video is a great way to learn how to join the world of blogging...step by step. You can replay it over and over again. If you have a smart phone, ipad or tablet you can play the video next to your computer while your creating your blog. That way the verbal instructions are right there as you go through the steps.

I hope this helps...if you do start a blog, let me know how it went and what your new blog is. I'd love to see it.

I do have one piece of advice...when you are setting up your account, there is a section under "Privacy" named..."show my email address". Please put a check in that box. It allows your email address to be attached to your blog comments. That way other bloggers can communicate back and forth with you. That's the whole idea behind blogging...making friends and communication.!

Have fun creating,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...A Plug Rug

2012-01-24T00:01:00.005-05:00

Ok, this may be a crazy Tool Time, but it really helps me out...so there must be some one else out there who feels the same way.

Here's my gripe...when you try to plug something in, every single time, the plug is upside down. I know, crazy, trivial, not the most important thing in the world, but it's the little things in life, right?

So hear me out. Lol !!

My phone charger is on the side of my bed. The last thing I do is check my email. It's dark and the only light is the shine from my phone. To charge it, I grab the plug and of course it doesn't fit in the phone...it's upside down.
vacuuming and the plug for that room is behind the table. Reaching, reaching and finally hit the plug, but oh you guessed it...upside down. Seriously?
reaching on the side or back of the computer to put in the usb plug...yep upside down
many many more in this trivial pet peeve, but here is my solution!!

A Velcro Plug Rug (good name huh?)...sounds like one of those "As Seen on TV" ads.

It's a "tactile" way of feeling that the plug should be in the up position. A little "rug" for your "plug" !!

I use it for my computer and iphone chargers, because they don't generate heat. Not sure how this would work on things with electrical plugs.

Although, the vacuum one is good for me because it's not plugged in permanently...only for short periods of time.

I know most plugs have the logo on it for the "up" position, but not helpful in the dim light.

I use Velcro with the sticky backing.

I cut the squares with the furry part into four pieces.

and just stick it on both ends.

Looks like a duck with a toupee...

Please tell me I'm not the only crazy out there that this will help.

Have a great Tuesday,
~Karen~

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 49

2012-01-22T08:19:00.000-05:00

Hello to another week of Sew Darn Crafty...wow does the time go by quickly. There were so many links to last week's party I just LOVED it. There were also a lot of first timers too. Thanks to new and old for joining in each week.

This week I'm going to draw out more first timers...those who really want to join in, but are afraid to take the leap. Come on...you can do it. It's easy and you really can't mess up. Even if you do, who cares...it's not like the computer will crash or anything!! LOL

When I first started linking to parties as a newbie, I was scared at every click. However, I realized the worst thing that could happen is...just have to start a new link over with a few clicks. No biggie.

My goal is to get you to come out from behind your computer and start linking your projects...if you can blog then you sure can link!!

Go Ahead...Click the button below that says "CLICK HERE TO ENTER". YOU CAN DO IT!!!

"Sew" for anything to do with sewing,
"Darn" for anything to do with knitting. I always think of darning to do with knitting, but in my case "darn" is similar to the word I say when I mess up crafting!!
Let's not forget the word "crafty"...which is every thing we create
...the dot, dot, dot means you can share just about anything!!

you can be greatly inspired by wonderful projects, ideas or vacation pictures (looking) and/or
you can share what you've been up to (linking)

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not search through all your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post.
link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects, vacations, parties etc...
visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
grab a Sew Darn Crafty button for your blog (on my right side bar) or just link to the party in your post.
the more we share, the more people will join and then there's more inspiration to look at!
linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
just click the "click here to enter" button and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week,

~Karen~

Bow Tie Quilt Block Tutorial...A "Charm" ing Block

2012-01-21T20:51:00.001-05:00

The bow tie quilt block dates back to 1898. I found one quilt in the book "Vintage Quilts...Identification and Pricing" by Maggi McCormick Gordon that was dated 1900.

This block is very easy and can be made in period fabric or jazzed up with your favorite modern fabric.

I used 5 inch squares, so all your charm packs you have tuck away for a project will work great for this.

For each 9 1/2 inch block (9 inches finished size when sewn with other blocks) you will need...

3 - five inch colored squares
2 - five inch neutral squares or background fabric. I used white.

Take one of the 5 inch colored squares and

cut it in half, then half again. You will end up with 4 squares at 2 1/2 inches square.

You will only need 2 of the smaller squares for each block.

Place one smaller red square in the corner of the 5 inch white square as shown below in the picture...right sides together.

There are 2 ways to sew this section...and there is a bonus block with each method.

Pencil method...

take a ruler and draw a pencil line from corner to corner diagonally.

If you don't want the bonus block, you're done. Just need to sew on the pencil line.

For the bonus block, take a quilt ruler and place the 1/4 inch line on the pencil line...see it under my finger

now draw another pencil line. This will eventually be your cutting line.

The first line, from corner to corner is sewn...black thread so you can see.

The second stitch line for the bonus block is sewn 1/4 inch away from the second pencil line. I use a 1/4 inch presser foot.

I am pointing to the second pencil (cutting) line here. You need to sew 1/4 inch away from that.

My 1/4 inch presser foot is lined up with the line.

Two stitch lines sewn. The pencil line is your cutting line

"No Pencil" method...

You will sew from corner to corner, but use your machine lines as guide. Start at one corner and have the lower corner point follow the "zero" line on your machine.

If you don't have lines on your machine, you can "eye" this to the lower corner, because the square is small.

Done...

For the extra bonus block you need to sew 1/2 inch away from the first stitch line. I use my machine top as a guide. Mine has the 1/2 inch line to the left of zero, but no guide line all the way up to the needle.

So I use a rubber band as a removable guide.

Line it up at the 1/2 inch mark on the throat plate.

Now sew the second line. Guiding your first stitch with rubber band

Done...without a pencil line.

Pencil line method...

No pencil line method...

Cut on pencil line...

Guesstimate cutting up the middle on the "no pencil line".

See your 2 little bonus half square triangles?

Press all seams.

then open up and press to the red or colored fabric.

If you want to be super accurate, you can square up all the squares.

The little bonus half square triangle blocks are 1 1/2" when trimmed.

These would make an adorable doll quilt, pinwheel blocks, sashing squares, borders etc...

You can click HERE for another post I did on extra half square triangle blocks for more layouts

Now take one solid colored square and place on top of one white square...right sides together.

and one of the white squares on top of the red square...as shown below.

Pin to secure, then sew a 1/4 inch seam on the right side of the squares.

Press seams...

Then fold back and press to the dark fabric.

Line up rows in configuration below.

Fold top row over onto bottom row, right sides together.

Match seams.

Pin to secure.

Sew 1/4 inch seam.

Press seam...open up and iron flat.

Isn't she cute?

There are so many layouts for this block...not to mention if you reversed the color pattern. Meaning a small white square on a larger colored square.

If you go to your "search" area on your computer and type in bow tie blocks, bow tie block layout or bow tie quilts...there is so much inspiration.

Have fun with this block,
~Karen~

Thoughts on Thursday...

2012-01-19T00:01:00.002-05:00

We all love crafting, sewing, quilting, scrap booking, knitting, embroidery, painting etc and we may dabble in a little bit of everything...however...

if you had to pick just one...what would your favorite be?

Ok, let me make it harder with a crazy story. You are going to be on a deserted island for one year and can only take one hobby (and all the things for that one hobby) with you...What would it be?

Oh, yeah...there will be electricity on this island. Let's not get too crazy with this story! (and my island will have potato chips too)

ONE hobby...ONE snack

Sorry, can't use your computer as your hobby. Lol !!

Mine are...quilting and Pringles chips

Let's hear from everyone to see what the most popular hobby is!!

Happy Thursday,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...File Your Fabric

2012-01-17T00:01:00.051-05:00

Happy Tuesday! You all know Tool Time ideas and supplies come from all sorts of places...hardware stores, automotive stores, paint stores, the recycle bin etc. Well, today it's from the office supply...actually the file cabinet in my sewing room, but you can find it in the office supply.

You know they say..."necessity is the mother of all inventions." My necessity is...I needed a new place to store my fabric, because it was getting too much sunlight. However, you know I don't like to spend money!!

Here's what I came up with in desperation to keep my fabric neat, ironed and out of the sun.

Isn't it so pretty?

This is where I keep my fabric now...right out there in the bright light. Click here for a link to the rest of my sewing room ideas

I loved this method too...easy access, fabric is pretty, I can see what I need or have. The only bad part is...if I want that bottom piece, things get a little wonky.

Not to mention that whole wall of windows on the right side of the room streaming in the fabric fading light!

Here's what I came up with.

I have this file cabinet next to my sewing table. On top is set up for a cup of tea when crafting.

Inside it stores all my greeting cards by holiday.

Not for long...this is just the start of my new fabric filing system!!!

The fabric hangs on a Pendaflex Hanging Folder...

easy to see
keeps it ironed and wrinkle free
file by color, designer etc
out of the sunlight!!

Buy the pendaflex folders by the box.

and get your fabric ready!!

Since it's a folder, there are 2 sides...

Open up the folder...

and cut it in half

This is a half yard cut of fabric folded in half, selvage edge on the bottom...

fold in half again...

Place on file folder...

and fold the fabric over. The selvage edge will be draping down next to the sides of the folder

Hang in your file cabinet

For longer yardage of fabric, do the same thing by folding it in half and then half again (fold goes to the selvage edge). Your yardage (1,2,3 yards) lays out left to right.

Now just wrap the fabric over the file folder.

If there is a lot of yardage, you may not want to cut the folder in half...having the 2 parts will add strength for the weight of the fabric.

All wrapped up and ready to hang.

Ahhh...so pretty and neat...and safe from the sun. Maybe I should move my tea station though

Now I just need to get my butt in gear and sew something...I think my hobby really is organizing my supplies and not doing anything with them!!! LOL

I also need to be on the hunt for yard sale or thrift store file cabinets!

EDIT...there have been a few comments about the acid in the paper of the folder or the color bleeding. I'm not sure about the color, but the Pendaflex file website has a big ACID FREE sign on the page about the Pendaflex files. Click here to visit their site.

If you are worried about the color of the file, they do sell manila or no color folders or you could just place a piece of tissue or acid free paper between the fabric and folder.

Have a great day and have fun playing with your fabric.
~Karen~

Shoepeg Salsa Recipe...

2012-01-16T00:01:00.006-05:00

Happy Monday everyone...I hope you had a great weekend. There was lots of football at our house. If there is any kind of gathering at our home...no matter the size...we always have this bean and corn salsa.

This recipe makes a big bowl, but this was all we had left the next day to snack on. Forgot to take a picture of the whole recipe.

Shoepeg Salsa

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (17 ounce) can shoepeg corn, drained. Shoepeg corn is a small white corn.
1-2 avocados, chopped
1 red onion chopped very small
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon red wine vinegar
4 Tablespoons lime juice ( I used the bottled kind...tastes better to me)
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Cover and refrigerate. Make ahead so juices begin to flow from veggies...although it does taste great from the start! Serve with tortilla chips.

This is so yummy and healthy too. Only has one tablespoon of olive oil in the whole dish!!

Enjoy,
~Karen~

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 48

2012-01-15T09:07:00.000-05:00

Happy Sunday everyone!! It's mid January...cold in some parts of the world, warmer in others, but no matter what the weather is outside, it still feels like a time of renewal. You feel rejuvenated to do so many things. I want to start new project and finish up old ones...story of my life.

If you've started new projects or finished up old ones...share them here at Sew Darn Crafty. It helps that feeling of accomplishment if you let others share in your excitement and I can't wait to see what you've been up to!!

"Sew" for anything to do with sewing,
"Darn" for anything to do with knitting. I always think of darning to do with knitting, but in my case "darn" is similar to the word I say when I mess up crafting!!
Let's not forget the word "crafty"...which is every thing we create
...the dot, dot, dot means you can share just about anything!!

you can be greatly inspired by wonderful projects, ideas or vacation pictures (looking) and/or
you can share what you've been up to (linking)

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not search through all your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post.
link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects, vacations, parties etc...
visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
grab a Sew Darn Crafty button for your blog (on my right side bar) or just link to the party in your post.
the more we share, the more people will join and then there's more inspiration to look at!
linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
just click the "click here to enter" button and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week,

~Karen~

Bird Nesting Material Update...

2012-01-13T14:20:00.001-05:00

Remember the tutorial for this bird nesting material cage? (Click HERE to go to that post.)

Well, look what I found in the tree not far away from the cage...

I'm not saying all the fluffy stuff in that bird's nest is from my nesting cage, but...

my crafting heart hopes it is!!

Save some of your crafting, sewing, knitting scraps and make a nesting cage for your feathered friends.

Happy Friday,
~Karen~

Thoughts on Thursday...

2012-01-12T00:01:00.001-05:00

Why doesn't peanut butter wash off the silverware in the dishwasher?

I think the peanut butter has some super power cape against the soap...I know it's oil, but come on, soap and scalding hot water? Why is it still there, caked on like it never went through that one hour cycle of power washing.

Forget about trying to get people (meaning my family) to wipe off the spoon before they plunk it in the washer.

I think I'm going to ban peanut butter in my house...LOL or put the crusty spoon at their place setting when I set the table for dinner!!

I know I'm lucky to have a dishwasher, but I do need it to work a little harder on the peanut butter.

How about you and your dishwasher? Does peanut butter bug you or am I the only "nut" case.

Maybe it's the soap door doesn't open, or spots on the glasses, or when the silverware slips in the big holes in the basket and they stop the rack from rolling, or when you break a glass "in" the dishwasher...maybe I should just hand wash my dishes LOL!!

Happy Thursday,
~Karen~

How To Decorate A Christmas Tree...

2012-01-11T12:51:00.000-05:00

What??? I know, it's January. However, I've had a ton of emails from the Christmas home tour asking how I decorate my Christmas trees. I didn't take any pictures of the process when I was putting UP all the trees, but I did take some last week when I was taking them DOWN...so I just reversed the process.

Here is the Santa Claus tree...click here for the original post on that

To start, I placed the hole tree in the storage container I keep all the supplies in.

The tree stem was too tall and bare looking for me, so hiding it in the container helps.

The tree stand fits perfectly.

Then I just wrapped the base with a piece of quilt batting to look like snow. You could use a white blanket or throw too.

Now here's the process of decorating...lights first. This is a pre-lit tree, but 6 of my other trees are un-lit.

Here are a few light tips...

start at the top
wrap the lights from the inside out to give the tree a little depth
I use five to six 100 light sets on a 6 foot tree

After lights comes the garlands or beads. I use three different garlands...red wooden beads, red berry garland and the peppermint candy garland I made. Click here for the peppermint candy tutorial.

I go by the 3 to 1 rule...I made this up, but it helps me when I'm buying clearance items and need to know how many I should buy.

3 feet of garland for every foot of tree

this is a 6 foot tree, so there are 18 feet of wooden beads and 16 feet of the berries (4 sections of 4 feet lengths). The candy garland was just tucked in there with 4 or 5 lengths and didn't go all the way around in some areas.

The berries I found in the floral section on clearance during the year. Adds dimension to the tree when they stick out from the branches.

Just layer the garlands between each other with a little draping.

See how the berries stick out.

Next comes all the ornaments.

Add different sizes and textures...about 40 balls Click here for Santa ornament tutorial

10 candy canes

20 longer plastic candy canes to add length...bought these a long time ago at Walmart. Love plastic!!

These word ornaments are great too. I use them for fillers after the balls go on for color in the bare spots. A box of them was about $2.00 regular price.

Here's where I start...at the top!

Balls on first. For some reason I always start at the top right and then zig zag my way down, right to left...right to left.
think triangles as you placing them...see the 3 red balls, they form a triangle

then use your other ornaments to fill in between.

Then I wanted even more fillers, but free ones!! I covered Styrofoam balls with cotton batting to make "snowballs"

Use them to fill in bare spots

Zig zag your way around with these too

Now for more dimension. I found these in the Christmas section of Walmart (where else) but floral sections at the craft store is a great place for things like this too. Don't always think Christmas.

Start at the top and do your "zig zag" thing. Put a few on and stand back...look to see where the next zig is going to be.

These are wires, so they just wrap on the branch very easily.

Now the topper...this can be anything related to your tree. I used a Santa hat and those large over sized candy canes that are yard ornaments.

You might have to wire bigger items on at the top.

Add a few fake wrapped presents for decoration at the bottom and you're done.

Here are some quick tips when packing it all away...remember this is the box from the bottom decoration.

I place all the balls on the bottom...they are shatter proof plastic

cover with a layer of recycled bubble wrap.

Bag up small items

Paper towel tube for garland

Liquor box divider for ornaments

All safe and sound...

You can get these liquor box dividers for free.

layer with soft things for protection

The berries are a pain in the hooty...they keep getting tangled. Layer each section with garbage bags.

When you pack your tree away, it NEVER fits in that rinky dink box again. I use a bungee cord to keep it together.

All set for another year...Now where is that cover?!?

Hope this helps a little. Maybe you can use a few of the tips when Christmas rolls around this year. This post will be in the archives, so when you need it in December, it will be here.

Take care,

~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Milk Crate Cover

2012-01-10T00:01:00.002-05:00

Milk Crate Cover for a title? I know boring. I wanted to write something clever changing "great" to crate..."Crate" Ideas or "Crate" Expectations, but just couldn't type them in the title box...who's searching for Crate Expectations in their search box?

Any who, here is a tutorial to turn those old ugly milk crates in your garage or basement into something you can actually use in your home.

This cutie...

is covering this dirty little crate that I stole from my husband. Shhh don't tell him, but his golf supplies are in a pile on the shelf in the garage.

This tutorial is a method type pattern, because all crates are different sizes. I used 1/4 inch seam allowance throughout.

First measure the bottom of the crate. Mine is 11 1/2 inches square. Add 1/2 inch for seam allowance...my final square is 12" x 12".

Measure the side from the inside of the crate, over the rim and...

Down the other side. Mine is a total of 21 inches...here I added 3/4 inch. 1/4 for one seam and 1/2 inch for hemming the bottom edge. Total for this measurement is 21 3/4 inch.

Now measure all the way around. Mine was 51 1/2 inches. Add 3/4 - 1 inch so you have a little room to fold fabric over the crate.

Any fabric works great, but Tool Time Tuesday has a touch of hardware store, so I used my drop cloth fabric I bought for $5.00. Remember this fabric from the purse I made with it? It looks like linen, but so much cheaper. Click here for the purse tutorial.

Here are your supplies...

rectangle of fabric...the long length is the distance around the crate and the height of the fabric is the measurement from the inside and over the side.
the square is your bottom measurement

Hem ONE long edge of the rectangle. I folded over 1/4 inch and fold over another 1/4 inch.

Sew down seam...

Fold over the rectangle, right sides together and sew the sides together on the right.

You now have a tube. Try in the crate to see if it fits before sewing the bottom in.

Put it in the crate, wrong side facing out and the hemmed edge on the top.

I match that seam to one of the corners of the crate...just for looks really.

Now fold over so hemmed edge is now at the outside bottom.

Your raw edge is on the inside.

Now to sew the bottom...First you need to find the FOUR corners.

Place tube with wrong side out, side seam on the right. Place a pin on the fold to the left where my finger is.

Now take that pin and the side seam and bring them to the middle.

close up of the first pin and the seam in the middle...

Place a pin in the left fold and...

the right fold...

Take your square from your bottom measurement...

To help you sew the corners easier, place a dot 1/4 inch down from the top and over from side. This will be your pivoting point when sewing the corners.

With RIGHT sides together, match your four pinned corners with the four corners of the square. Pin the corners first, then you will pin to ease in the extra tube fabric to the bottom square.

Here it is all pinned.

See how much fabric you have to ease in. This is where I don't care if it's perfect. It's on the inside on the bottom which will be covered with all the things you put in this crate.

Sew all the way around, pivoting at the corners. Just make sure you keep all the excess fabric away from your sewing foot as your making your way around.

Place inside the crate wrong side of fabric facing out.

Place it in and fold it over.

Done. See how I place the seam matched up with the corner. Kind of hides it there.

Add a pretty bow...

or maybe sew a band of contrasting fabric to the bottom to match your decor.

Perfect for this open cubby in the hutch. You can hide lots of junk in there.

a nice black ribbon looks good too.

This may seem like a complicated project, but I made this Monday morning before I went to work in less the 1 hour and that included making up the pattern as I was went along. Only had to rip one seam out...ggrrr.

These crates would be great for so many things...keeps things together, nice and neat and it's pretty too

magazines
toys
sewing projects
scrap booking supplies for one particular project you're working on
reading materials by the side of your chair or bed
kids shoes by the back door
cute emergency kit for the trunk of your car
sports equipment
food pantry
linen closet supplies

The list is endless for crates...now they're even better if the have a pretty little cover on.

Have fun with this one. If we all get together, we'll make all those ugly crates...Crate (great) to look at!!

~Karen~

After Christmas Sale...

2012-01-09T09:09:00.000-05:00

You know I LOVE a deal and Christmas sales are the absolute best for me. If you are really looking for something specific and want the deal, you need to go December 26th. This year, I knew I really didn't NEED anything so I waited.

I did pop into Walmart that first week for the 50% off sale and picked up a little ribbon, but wanted to wait for the 75% off week. My goal is to get all of the 9 trees I decorate to be pre-lit. So far, I only have 3. It's not mandatory, but would be nice. So the "deal" is the way to go. It may take me a few years to accomplish this goal, but it's worth the wait.

Here's the new addition to the family...the only pre lit tree left in the 75% section

I've never had a white tree, but I am so excited about this one...6.5 feet, perfect size for me.

White tree with little colored lights. I am always a white light girl, but I have a theme tree idea in mind.

and for $9.75 who could pass it up!! I just bought this Friday, so try your local stores, there may be some left.

Then I saw these colorful ornaments...perfect for that special tree I have brewing in my head.

45 ornaments for $3.75...run to Walmart NOW!! (they didn't pay me to say that either, Lol)

Here is my inspiration tree. This picture is from Trendy Tree...love this site!!

I want my theme tree to be a candy, treats and yummies tree...

I also purchased these gold ornaments for Kelsie's tree and the blue ones for Courtney's.

35 ornaments for $3.75...different shapes and textures with the glitter!!

These candle lights are right up my alley too. I have real candle clips, but couldn't resist $2.50 a box.

Each little candle clips onto the branch and lights up like a real candle.

Sales can be dangerous, but I really restrained myself. I went for a pre-lit tree and ornaments only if they were super cheap.

For the candy themed tree, I will be making most of the decorations for that. I will be doing posts each month when I make something. That way it serves two purposes...

I can get the decoration done ahead of time...not in December when things are crazy and
you can make them with me and we can both have a candy tree in December

Hope you found or will find some Christmas bargains. If not, follow me along the way, you know I'll make the candy tree "on the cheap".

Take care,
~Karen~

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 47

2012-01-08T00:27:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone and happy Sunday...the start of this week's Sew Darn Crafty Party. There is so much inspiration out there in blog land and linking parties are great to find ideas all in one place.

A great BIG thank you to all who link up each week and to everyone who stops in for a peek all week long. If you are new to this weekly party, scroll down for a few tips on how to join in on the fun.

"Sew" for anything to do with sewing,
"Darn" for anything to do with knitting. I always think of darning to do with knitting, but in my case "darn" is similar to the word I say when I mess up crafting!!
Let's not forget the word "crafty"...which is every thing we create
...the dot, dot, dot means you can share just about anything!!

you can be greatly inspired by wonderful projects, ideas or vacation pictures (looking) and/or
you can share what you've been up to (linking)

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not search through all your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post.
link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects, vacations, parties etc...
visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
grab a Sew Darn Crafty button for your blog (on my right side bar) or just link to the party in your post.
the more we share, the more people will join and then there's more inspiration to look at!
linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
just click the "click here to enter" button and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week,

~Karen~

Purge Your Magazines...

2012-01-06T14:18:00.000-05:00

For me, the end of 2011 meant putting away Christmas things and organizing too. However, that creates a domino effect. I pull things out to clean and then organizing snow balls...right down to the pile of magazines.

I receive subscriptions to different magazines for birthday and Christmas gifts and I keep all 12 months of the year piled neatly to refer back to. Guests can also thumb through the many issues if they don't have that magazine at home.

At the end of the year, I go through all the magazines and tear out all the pages I love or need for future inspiration.

To store them, I take clear plastic protector sheets from the office supply store.

The sheets work great in a 3 ring binder.

Just slip each page into a protector.

Now you can refer to your inspiration book at any time.

Categorize each notebook or section for Christmas, Kitchens, Sewing, Crafts, Recipes etc...

This notebook is the "Flintstone" version of my Pinterest account. Pinterest is a "virtual" inspiration notebook. When you see something you like on the Internet, you "pin" it into your own personal inspiration file.

Click HERE if you'd like to see my Pinterest account. You can also click the red "P" on my side bar. I add new things to that everyday. It is quite addicting. If you've joined Pinterest, follow me and then I can follow you...inspiration shared every where!!

If you tackle one little organizing project at a time, your house will be neat and clean in no time.

Have a great day,
~Karen~

Thoughts on Thursday...

2012-01-05T06:45:00.001-05:00

Ok, this is one of those "Thoughts on Thursdays where I have to say..."don't do this at home ladies"

but...

How many of you know just how far you can drive after your gas light comes on...(just need to get to that one last store) LOL

Come on fess up...I won't tell your husband, significant other or your father. Just don't tell my father though, because he would give me THAT speech...that even at 47 years old I cringe!

I know I'm not the only one!

Happy Thursday,
~Karen~

Why We Pick A Blog Name...

2012-01-04T09:30:00.001-05:00

Do you ever wonder how someone chooses a blog name? I'm thinking most of the time people select a blog name because it has some personal significance to them. We all reach for something that touches inside...a special family name, special place, where we live, a family member, family history, our special hobby or interest, a pet's name etc.

Choosing a blog name may not be the most important thing, but it sure does bring visitors to your blog. That's the first thing they read that peeks their curiosity about what inside your blogging world. Does the title of your blog really matter...the content is what keeps people coming back for a visit. However, they did need to make that first click to come in for a looksee.

Sew Many Ways...why did I name it that?

Sew... sewing is my most favorite hobby. Although, I hang my head in shame, I haven't sewn or quilted in a while...blogging has taken over. That is my New Year's resolution though...to get back to my sewing machine.

Many...many interests, many hobbies, many blessing

Ways...this where my blog name becomes extra special for me! Way is my last name

Sew Many Ways to sew, create, make friends, blog, have fun, cook, thrift, recycle, craft, decorate etc

Ok...now it's YOUR turn to share.

What's the significance of your blog name? Share with us the reason for your blog title...helps to get to know you better.

Have a great day,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Fabric Heart Bookmark

2012-01-03T00:01:00.001-05:00

Hi everyone and happy Tuesday. It's Tool Time!! Today's tool is your sewing machine. This is a quick and easy heart shaped bookmark perfect for anyone or anytime, but with Valentine's Day coming next month...it's extra perfect!

This tutorial really is easy, but it's picture "heavy"...you know me with my pictures! Lol...I just think it so much easier to explain each step in a picture. If I got my act together and started doing video tutorials, this would take 5 minutes vs 40 pictures!!

Here is the finished heart bookmark...I made up this pattern, so with lots of trial an errors...I hope you like it!

The heart hugs the page and keeps your place...

with this little pocket on the back.

and it's thin enough for the book too.

Here's what you'll need...the heart pattern I found fits in a 4 inch square. Your heart may be a different size so adjust accordingly.

heart pattern
2 pieces of scrap fabric 4 inches square
1 square at 3 inches (I'll explain later why it's 3 inches)

The most important thing about your heart patter is the point. It MUST be at a 90 degree angle to fit at the corner of the book.

I found a free heart pattern online somewhere and then placed it on the corner of a piece of card stock to get the 90 degree corner. Just adjust the shape to get the correct point and look.

My heart fits a 4 inch square.

Here's where the 3 inch block comes in.

Measure the distance from the point of the heart to just where the rounded part starts. Yours may be different, so make your square the size of your side.

CUTTING...

Place your 2 larger (4 inch) squares together with one wrong side facing up.

Place the point of the heart in the corner of your square and trace the heart

Cut on the line.

to get 2 hearts...

Now take one of the hearts and measure about 1 inch up from the point.

Draw a line horizontally across and cut on the line

So far you should have one full heart, one heart with tip cut off and a 3 inch square.

Are you still with me? Lol

Take the 3 inch square and fold into a triangle on the diagonal.

Press

ASSEMBLY...

Take the full heart right side up and place the folded triangle on top matching the points

Now take your trimmed heart and place it on top of the other 2, right sides together...matching the rounded top.

Here's a peek inside before I continue...

Please pin, pin, pin.

Now sew with a quarter inch seam allowance.

Here's a few tips for sewing curves...

keep your stitch length tiny so it takes the curves better
keep needle DOWN when you have to stop and pivot.
when you feel like it's not taking the circular shape, stop (needle down) and lift presser foot to take the turn better. Sometimes the foot drags the fabric and lifting up the foots release that

Tip for the "V" section of the 2 rounded parts...draw a pencil dot a 1/4 down from the "V" shape. That's where you will stop, needle down, and pivot back up to the next curve. You may have to go one stitch passed the pencil to be sure.

Always needle down before you turn.

Sew ALL THE WAY AROUND without stopping....back stitch at the end to secure. There will be NO opening. The secret is that trimmed off point...that's the turning opening

Make little snips in the curved sections to release the tension especially in the "V".

FIRST TURNING...

Open up that trimmed area and turn the heart inside out.

It should look like this at first.

I used a chop stick to poke out the edges.

Now flip the heart over.

SECOND TURNING...

Take that little pocket and turn it down towards the bottom point and over to the other side.

Now this little pocket is on the other side and you are DONE!!! WOO HOO... no opening to whip stitch closed.

Iron flat.

That little pocket on the back is where the page slides into to keep your place in the book.

ok...I have to say...I just LOVE this. Nothing like tooting my own horn.

I might even read more with this little heart bookmark.

I hope you love this too. Perfect gifts for just about everyone...

teacher gifts
classmate Valentine's
friends
family
easy gift to mail...just put in a card with a little extra postage
quilting/sewing friends for their quilting books
mail to your kids in college to let them know you love them...and that they should be reading! lol
great for cook books too
buy a book for a gift and tuck it in as an extra treat

Hope you have fun making these,
~Karen~

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Week 46

2012-01-01T09:32:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!!! I hope you had a happy and healthy 2011 and I wish you and your loved ones the same and much more for 2012.

Let's start the new year with a fabulous linking party. What have you been up to lately...fun projects, great tutorials, quick tips? I hope you can share your blogging fun here on Sew Darn Crafty.

"Sew" for anything to do with sewing,
"Darn" for anything to do with knitting. I always think of darning to do with knitting, but in my case "darn" usually is similar to the word I say when I mess up crafting!!
Let's not forget the word "crafty"...that can mean just about anything we do to create.

you can be greatly inspired by wonderful projects, ideas or vacation pictures (looking) and/or
you can share what you've been up to (linking)

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not search through all your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post.
link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects, vacations, parties etc...
visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
grab a Sew Darn Crafty button for your blog (on my right side bar) or just link to the party in your post.
the more we share, the more people will join and then there's more inspiration to look at!
linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
just click the "click here to enter" button and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week,

~Karen~

Painting Brick...

2011-12-31T12:19:00.000-05:00

I know...painting brick! Very scary to take that first stroke of the brush, but boy am I glad I did! Our family room was added to the house before we purchased our home. The lower level of the wall is a brick foundation, then the wall is set back a little to form a ledge. A lot for the eye to settle on. I lived with the two tone wall because I was afraid to paint the brick...no more though.

This "before" picture is last year...Christmas 2010. See the two colors...tan walls, beige brick and then tan radiators.

Here's the "after". This picture is this year...Christmas 2011. I didn't take this picture for this painting post, but you can see the difference in the walls behind the tree...much calmer for the eyes. The color flows evenly.

This is a close up of the before.

First step PRIMER. This was the AHHHHH!! moment when there was no turning back.

Roll on the primer with a thicker roller so it gets into all the grooves.

When I painted with the tan paint, I did use a brush for the mortar areas to make sure it covered well.

Here's the after...much better all one color!

Kind of makes that ledge wall disappear a little. Well, not really disappear, but it helps!

If you've been contemplating painting brick...just to let you know...I'm so glad I did it!!

Happy Painting,
~Karen~

Thoughts on Thursday...

2011-12-29T08:00:00.000-05:00

I started decorating for Christmas the Friday after Thanksgiving. I'm starting to get the urge to take things down. However, I've never put any decorations away before New Years.

Next week I have Wednesday and Friday off...by then the house will have that "blank" look which is what I need after all the "things" are put away.

How about you???

when do you take your holiday decorations and/or your tree down
do you get the itch to un-decorate
do you need the "blank" house look too

Have a great Thursday,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Recycled Office Chair

2011-12-27T00:17:00.001-05:00

Happy Tuesday everyone. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas weekend with your loved ones. We made lots of special memories with family and friends again this year!! Love this time of year.

The end of the year also brings on the feeling of organization...well for me organization is any time of year, but more so after the holidays.

A few months ago my husband needed a new office chair. Our cat considered the top back of the chair her scratching post, so the chair had seen better days. My husband took the chair apart to put it in the garbage for pick up...however, my family and friends know to ask before anything goes in the trash!!

You guessed it...I saved everything put the scratched up cushions and the arms of the chair!!

The project today uses the wheels from the base.

If you purchased these stem casters separately, they can be pricey. I've seen them for over $30.00 for a set.

I had a wooden box that I kept under my desk to organize paper, but needed a easier way to pull the shelf in and out.

Found a drill bit to match the size of the stem on the casters and drilled four holes on the bottom of the shelf.

Push the casters in...

and tapped into place with a hammer.

until it's flush with the wood.

Now it's so much easier to roll the whole shelf in and out when I need it.

I'm not even sure where the box came from...in the past I added the metal brackets to hold a shelf.

Perfect place to use my old stand by drawer system. I recycle old Propel water bottle boxes that I cover with fabric.

I measure the height of the box and cut a strip that fits around the whole box. I simply hot glue the edges. You can also use regular glue or Mod Podge.

All nice and neat.

NOT...neat below, but not on top!

All those boxes are now my tool box...a girlie tool box

Each box has screw drivers in one, pliers in another, then wire, clamps, drill bits etc...

I've shown this handle idea before, but just wanted to share it again. They are pipe clamps. Those little thingies that hold a pipe up on the wall or ceiling.

Here's the clamp...cheap too. I think $2.75 for a bag of 10.

Center it on the box...

and use a nut to screw it on the back to hold it in place.

The base of the chair is now missing it's wheels, but I think I have a plan for it...I'm thinking the base for a small table. The bonus is that the chair base has that lever that moves the chair up and down. Hmmm...I need to find a neat reclaimed piece of wood for this table.

The old meets new coffee table may be coming in the future.

If anyone received a new office chair for Christmas, don't throw the old one out yet.

Remember...think before you throw.

Have a great day,
~Karen~

Thoughts on Thursday...

2011-12-22T06:41:00.000-05:00

I'm still wrapping...haven't had that AHHHHHH moment yet!

How about you? How's your Christmas list of "Things To Do" going?

Relax and have a cup of tea...if it doesn't get done...it doesn't get done!!

Have a great day,
~Karen~

Tool Time Tuesday...Easy Frosted Glass Projects

2011-12-20T00:01:00.000-05:00

Happy Tuesday!! I've seen lots of frosted glass projects on the Internet, but they all use the acid etch cream. You know me...I need something quick and easy and of course from the hardware store.

Here's a quick look at two projects I made before I left for work Monday morning.

This is the magical spray I used to make them.

I found this in the paint section in Walmart and Home Depot.

semi transparent for privacy and decoration...the back of the can has full directions, but it's so easy.

clean surface with soap and water...dry
add stencils or stickers if using for decor
spray a few thin wet coats a minute or 2 apart
let dry 10 minutes
done, dry in 10 minutes!!!
stinks a little when wet, so spray in the garage or outside

use any glass...

use sticker stencils to create the look where the sticker is going to be clear and the object will be frosted. Use a hollow stencil where that will be frosted and the object stays clear glass. You need to block out the rest of the object with something if you just want the stencil to be frosted

I centered the stickers on the glass of an old frame

and used office dots to stick to a glass dish.

really press down the edges, so the spray won't go underneath the paper stickers.

10-15 minutes later the frosted appearance shows up.

peel away the stickers.

The top corners of this frame had some residue on there because I didn't wash it first. The frosting didn't fully take there, but still looks like a decoration.

difficult to capture the clear and frosted parts in a picture.

but super cute in person.

add a bow to the frame and it's a quick gift.

add a votive candle and the glow is very pretty through the frosted and clear circles.

here are a few suggestions and tips...

glass squares sprayed with a single monogram letter for coasters
personalized vase
use old jars and frost the names for sugar, flour, coffee and tea for a canister set
frost a big jar for pet treats
frost decorations on mirrors, windows, outside of shower stalls etc
can't be used on things that will be heated over 200 degrees
can't be used on things with constant water contact, but can be hand washed
you can remove it from glass with acetone or lacquer thinner

Have fun with this...it's so easy and fun to create and experiment. I have no connections with this product...just passing on something new I've found.

Have a great Tuesday,
~Karen~

No Reply...No Email Address...Can't Respond Back

2011-12-19T08:52:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone...hope you had a wonderful weekend.

I thinks it that time again where I do my little shout out to all the wonderful bloggers and commenters who are "No Reply". I've noticed hundreds lately on my blog.

What is No Reply you ask? Well, if someone leaves a comment on any blog that comment goes to the email inbox of the recipient. When the blogger tries to respond back to the comment, the return email address says "No Reply" which equals "no email address, which equals "no reply back" :(

You may think your blog profile is set to show your email address, but it just takes 2 seconds to double check. I get so sad when I know people are blogging all over the world and there isn't an email address attached to their account to enjoy the communication back and forth between bloggers.

Go on...just check...for me!!

Go to your dashboard (I know sad me still has the old one, but shhh don't tell, I don't like the new one)

Click EDIT PROFILE

Under the first section called Privacy, make sure there is a check in the box that says...SHOW MY EMAIL ADDRESS.

Most important part...scroll down to the bottom and click the SAVE button!!

That's it...2 seconds and now you're open to the wonderful world of blogging.

If you don't want your regular email address to show, create a new email address just for blogging!!

Hope this helps to open up new conversations between bloggers and the commenters. Communication is the most important thing.

Have a great day,
~Karen~

Sew Darn Crafty Party...Theme Week 45 Last Minute Gift Ideas

2011-12-18T10:13:00.000-05:00

Happy Sunday...the last weekend before Christmas. I know we all try to get our handmade gifts done long before this, but it never ceases to amazes me how much I proCRAFTinate this time of year!! LOL...

Today's linking party may help some of us out. Link any project that you have from your blog, no matter how old, that we might use for a last minute holiday gift idea.

Could be anything from...

sewing
crafting
baking
wrapping ideas

"Sew" for anything to do with sewing,
"Darn" for anything to do with knitting. I always think of darning to do with knitting, but in my case "darn" usually is similar to the word I say when I mess up crafting!!
Let's not forget the word "crafty"...that can mean just about anything we do to create.

you can be greatly inspired by wonderful projects, ideas or vacation pictures (looking) and/or
you can share what you've been up to (linking)

Easy steps to join in on the fun...

link up to the specific project post, not your whole blog. Makes it easier to link right to that post and not search through all your entire blog. To find the http address to a specific post, just click on the Title of your post.
link as many projects as you'd like...old or new
anything goes...cooking, sewing, knitting, crafts, organizing, remodeling projects, vacations, parties etc...
visit other links to share some blogging love! You know we all love comments!
grab a Sew Darn Crafty button for your blog (on my right side bar) or just link to the party in your post.
the more we share, the more people will join and then there's more inspiration to look at!
linking is open til Saturday night, so plenty of time to join in
just click the "click here to enter" button and follow the easy steps

Have fun linking up! Don't forget to come back and take a look at all the great projects during the week,

~Karen~