Happy Valentine's Day

I hope everyone is having a great Valentine's Day.  My little ones at school had their party and exchanged valentine cards.  They were all so excited!  

I painted a cute night light for my craft room.  It looks like a sewing machine doesn't it? (I am my worst critic!)  I am really enjoying getting back into painting. I have all kinds of projects lined up.  There are so many things I want to make for Spring and Summer, inside and out.

                                                  

I have an amazing recipe for you.  It is called Spaghetti Pie.  I know the picture may not be the prettiest, but it really is yummy.  First, I saute a chopped onion, chopped green pepper and a can of sliced mushrooms in a tablespoon of olive oil and a pat of butter.  At the same time, cook a pound of spaghetti.  Drain the spaghetti.  In a large bowl, whisk 4 eggs and 1/4 cup of milk.  Add the cooked spaghetti and the sauteed vegetables to the eggs and milk.  Combine.  Fold in 1/2 pound diced Velveeta and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese.  Spoon into a 13 x 9 dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Press down with the back of a spoon.  Bake 35 minutes in a 350 degree oven.  Cut into squares and serve with warmed Marinara sauce.  Even the leftovers are good!      

 Well, I bought a serger book and decided to follow the path advised by the author.  I am starting at the beginning and building my serger skills and knowldge with each project.  I started with a project I didn't really want to do, but it was the suggested first project, so I found a place for it.   

It really was easy and it was fun to get a feel for the machine.  I was surprised at how much thread I went through but I love the neatly finished edges. 

 This is the book I was telling you about(I know, I know-another book!!)

TaDah!! I made a cord cover.  I had some fabric left over from pillow covers I had made so I thought-why not use that?  The serger is really pretty cool.  I have a question for all you serger users: Should I get an attachment for my vacuum to clean it out after each use or use canned air?  I have read both suggestions.  The book above said canned air just blows all the fuzz and strings into the mechanisms of the machine and cause trouble but the serger manual says to use that.  I saw a cute vacuum attachment for less than $10 that said it was for just this purpose.  Please let me know what your experience has taught you. 

Have a great week everyone.  Happy crafting and take care!   Nancy

This Blog is Working!!

 I finished a couple of projects this week, one that has been hanging since 2001!  More on that in a minute. 

I was able to finish knitting my "fleece yarn" scarf.  It turned out so cool.  The fleece made a knitted fabric that is dense so I know it will be very warm.  It was slightly bulky to work with but definitely worth the effort.  I love it.  It has a hole knitted into the pattern so it closes itself.  The nubby texture makes it really different from any other scarf I have.  If I had the patience, I think this technique would make a nice bath mat or rug for in front of the kitchen sink!  If you are a knitter, you really should try this.

Now onto the 10 year old project that has been hanging on.  I started painting this lamp in 2001.  It has four sides to represent each season.  I had all but one finished.  I don't know if it has been this blog or my new craft room(or both), but I have been able to actually finish my projects.  Finishing this reminded me how much I love tole painting.  I see much more of it in my future.   

I bought a book with simple serger projects to dip my toe in the water of serging.  I hope to do one of those this week.  My oldest son turns 20 tomorrow so, with that and appointments and work,  it will be a busy week.  Speaking of my oldest, he snapped this picture of me and my Mickey with his cell phone.  Mickey looks like a ghost kitty and frankly, I hate pictures of myself, but I thought I would put it on here.  The candlestick lamp in the background was replaced with my new painted one to give you an idea of where I put it.    

We had a mini blizzard Saturday night and I am a little disappointed it didn't happen on a school day so we could have had a snowday(ha ha) but I hope wherever you are the weather isn't too difficult and you are all safe and warm.  Take care.  Nancy

Say Hello To My New Little Friend

I have always been both fascinated and slightly afraid of sergers.  I have always shied away from working with knit fabrics so I thought a serger would be just the thing to take me to that  next level where I feared no fabric!  Well, anticipating a decent tax refund, I  purchased(with my husband's blessing) this perfect starter serger.  I told myself that if I couldn't figure out how to thread it, it would go back because how could I use it if I couldn't thread it?  Well, it is very user friendly.  I will let you know when I construct something with it!  

I have been a busy little crafter this past week.  I made a pair of long mittens from a tutorial on A Lemon Squeezy Home.  They were easy and are so warm.  I had fleece left because JoAnns had a good sale on fleece so I decided to try something I saw in one of my books. I cut the fleece into continual strips and made a big ball of "yarn" to knit a scarf with.  It was pretty easy but if you try it, be prepared to have a slightly sore arm.  I usually don't use my rotary cutter for such a long time and I had to press down pretty hard to go through several layers of fleece.  I also had to swiffer my craft room floor because cutting that fleece makes a fuzz that goes everywhere!  All in all it was well worth it and I can't wait to see the finished scarf.  I will put it on here when I am done with it.   

I also wanted to show you my bathroom window treatment.  For those of you who saw my old treatment on my last post, I hope you agree that this is better.  When a window is in the corner of two walls, it isn't easy to come up with something you like but I am happy with this one. 

Everyone stay warm and if the weather forces you indoors-happy crafting!  Take care.  Nancy 

Snowday Monday: No School!!

I was extremely excited to find that I didn't have to go to work today!  We call them snow days but today was technically due to the temperatures being dangerous for anyone to be outside for any length of time.  There are many children who have to wait at bus stops or walk to school.  It was 25 below zero here today. 

This past week I worked on pillowcases-several of them in fact.  I made 2 blue satin ones for hubs and me.  Then I made his and hers flannel covers for our unique pillows.  I made buckwheat hull travel pillows years ago from Martha Stewart's website so I have to make pillowcases for them because they are such a unique size. On the top of the pillow pile are my personal favorite pillows.  I LOVE those neckroll shaped pillows that have little beads in them instead of stuffing.  They conform to wherever you lay on them-in my case, my neck.    I got mine at Bed Bath and Beyond.  They are a great addition to your bed pillows.  Anyhow, I made special flannel covers for ours.  I love the flannel I used for mine.  It has the cutest pink rosebuds.  I thought the pink gingham check was a nice complement. 

I also wanted to show off the newest addition to my craft room.  My good friend made me a beautiful memo board for Christmas.  She used a beautiful blue toile decorator weight fabric because she knows I am crazy for anything toile.  I love French Country(as well as lodge and cottage style decorating). 

I have many projects on the go at the moment, but I am especially excited about a new window treatment for my bathroom.  Several years ago, we redid our master bath.  We painted the walls red and all the trim was left clear pine and I wanted all the accents black wrought iron.  I found the perfect fabric at my local JoAnns and made a fabric shower curtain.  I had bought every last bit of that fabric.  When I went to sew a window treatment for the one small window, I didn't have enough.  I made do, but I was never happy with it.  Plus, because the window is right next to the closet wall, the curtain rod never even allowed for the valance to cover the moldings on the window.   I found out the name of the fabric, discovered it had been discontinued, and searched  all this time on ebay and the web to get more.  I purchased black star metal swag holders thinking this would be the way to go for that window.  Well, I finally was able to purchase several yards of the Daisy Kingdom Liberty and Melon Tossed Patchwork Star fabric.  Finally!   I am going to leave you with the before picture of the window.  Next time, I will have finished the swag and will show you the after.  I hope it is all I hope it will be! 

I hope everyone stays warm and cozy wherever you are.  Take care all!    Nancy

It's A New Year!

Happy Monday everyone and Happy New Year! I couldn't wait to show you the sign my husband made for my new craft room. I had bought him a sign-making kit a while back that involved routing out the letters. I think he did a fantastic job. I love it and I love him for always thinking of me. Thanks honey!

I have made a few more than usual resolutions for 2011 and I hope I can keep at least a few of them! I am always hoping to lose a little weight(or alot)and this year as I have passed my middle forties, I am also striving for making some of my important health numbers better(cholesterol, blood pressure-you know the drill). I am trying not to be so anxious and nervous about everything and let the little things slide. Now, onto the fun resolutions....

I have a silly habit of wanting to collect things, not USE them. I will buy gorgeous dishes and be thrilled I have them and put them away in my hutch and there they will stay. I buy crafting equipment, and never actually use the things. Well, life is too short. It is time I used beautiful things that I love. I took a step in that direction this past weekend. I used two pieces of crafting equipment-one of the things I have had for years and never had it out of the box! It was a blast! I am so glad I finally stopped admiring my stuff from afar!

I made a fabric shoe bag to take my shoes to school. In the winter I spend every morning on the sidewalks at school(which oddly enough are never shoveled) getting my preschoolers off the buses they come in on. Subsequently, I wear boots with serious traction and warmth. They aren't the prettiest but they are highly functional. So, I have brought my shoes in my big tote bag every day like this:

Don't you think this is an improvement? I was proud of myself-I made it without a pattern. I just designed it and figured it out. I used my new "crafting power tools" to make matching bias tape for a drawstring casing. The rotary cutter(pictured above) was temperamental but I got the hang of it after much practicing. The bias tape maker was awesome right from the get go! I will be using that again soon. I even made a little label with my sewing machine.

It feels nice to challenge yourself to do something and follow through with it.

I hope you all have a great week. Happy crafting and take care. Nancy

The Countdown Begins

Happy Monday everybody and now we are getting down to the wire for last minute Christmas gift crafting! I am sad to report that the afghan I am crocheting for my great-niece Riley for Christmas probably won't be completed in time for Christmas. I put a picture of it on my blog back in the summer with the confidence that it would be completed. I didn't exactly forget about it, but I underestimated how long it would take me. Here is a picture of it now. I have come a long way but not long enough! I will give it to her when I get it finished(which will hopefully be soon) but in the meantime, I made this bunting from One Yard Wonders. I am still loving that book with all its super ideas! The fabric is perfect for her with the cherries and dots all in pinks, red and green. I chose a pink tie-dye fabric for the lettering. I was pleased with how it turned out. I also bought her a cute pocket-sized doll. Having had 2 boys, it is fun to think about gifts for girls.

The teacher who I work with and I exchange gifts at Christmas. Having been to her house, I know she loves the primitive look and she favors cranberry and blue things for her home. I made her this book holder complete with painted Mary Janes and a homespun skirt. My husband cut it out and I painted it. We make a good team! She liked it so it was a success. I knitted my son's girlfriend a scarf but it is already wrapped so I will try to get a picture of her wearing it when she opens it.

I hope everyone is enjoying this holiday season. I am trying to squeeze several gift exchanges with friends in this week now that jury duty is over. Stay stress-free(as much as possible!) and take care. Nancy

Gift Exchange and Exciting Remodel Reveal

Happy Monday everyone! Can you believe how fast this month is going? I hope I can get everything done. Jury duty is presenting a mild disruption to my progress but after it is over at the end of December, they can't bother me for 8 years!

I joined the gift exchange at Craftaholics Anonymous and it was a great experience. I think I will be doing it for Christmas in July as well! Here is what I made my exchange partner:

The scarf is knit by using a strand of eyelash and a strand of Vanna White yarn. I cast on 16 and just knit each row until I was happy with the length. Right now I am knitting a scarf for my son's girlfriend the same way with different yarn. I will let you see that soon.

The apron is from a pattern and it turned out cute. My partner has two little ones and the fabric has Christmas mice on it. I can picture her wearing it to make Christmas cookies with her girls.

I also wanted to show off pictures of my living room makeover after my husband made the custom built-ins for either side of the fireplace. They are beautiful!

Here is before:

Here is after:


I am so happy with it all. It feels so good to have my house back together!

Everyone have a good week and take care. Nancy