Something on Sunday - One of my favorite snacks

I read a lot of blogs. Some of them I check almost every day either from my home computer or when I have a few free moments on my iphone. Well, I really like it when people post almost every day. So because I like that, I'd like to be able to do the same for the people that are reading here too. So, I like to introduce, "Something on Sunday". All I promise is that I will post something. It might me a craft. Or an idea. A blog I like to read. Something weird or crazy that is going on around these parts. Hope that's okay with you.

So tonight I want to tell you about my most favorite snack. If you picked dieting as your New Year's Resolution you may want to look away now.

It's Nutella and Pretzel Crisps and I love them. Love them together. MMMM

It's the the thin crispy, slightly salty pretzel mixed with the smooth chocolately hazelnut of the Nutella. No need for a spoon. We dip right out of the giant jar. You can get them at Costco :)

Everyone likes this snack around here. Except for daddy. He's a peanut butter guy.

So there you have it. Something on Sunday. Something you should try. Seriously, it's good. It's the Nutella. mmmmm

Tights Tutorial: Patches and appliques

Do you have a little girl that wears tights?? Does she do this to her tights??

Sweet Pea has ripped holes in nearly every pair of tights I have purchased her in the past year. I don't know what she is doing but it's making me crazy. She is a big fan of dresses so she wears lots of tights so this is sort of like the little boy who has holes in the knees of his jeans. Well, rather than run out and buy new tights, I decided to give repairing them a try. Here's how to do it if your girl has the same problem.

1. Start by having your girl try on the tights. Make measurement of how big the hole is and write it down. Then take a measurement of your girl's knee. Sweet Pea's was ten inches around. Divide that in have and right it down. Then take a piece of cardboard and cut it the same width as 1/2 your girl's knee measurement. The height is flexible. The one in this photo is 5 inches by about 8 inches. Round the corners of cardboard so it will slip into the tight leg.

Next take an old tshirt or cami and cut out some shapes. Makes sure they will be big enough to cover the holes or tears. Also, make sure that your t-shirt is a stretchy one with a bit of lycra or spandex in it.

We did pink hearts of course. I'm thinking her other pair will have multicolored polka dots!

Next put your cut out shapes on some fusible web and cut around them. Remember to start by peeling off only one side of the paper on your web. I used steam a seam 2 because it was what I had on hand. You can also put your fabric on the web first and then cut. I was free handing the hearts so I cut them out first to make sure I liked the shape.

Next, stick your shapes to your tights with the cardboard filler left in and iron them on. Sorry I dont' have a photo of this part. Sweet Pea and Jojo were racing scooters in the house and I was trying to not get my toes run over while I ironed.  Pull out the cardboard and this is what you will have!!

For now I am trusting that the steam a seam will hold these patches on. If you aren't confident, you could do some hand stitching around each patch to secure them. I think a cute whipstich around the edge would look cute!   Also, if you are like Sweet Pea, one patch may not be quite enough.  Feel free to add as many as you like!!  I think these will be too cute to wear for Valentine's Day!!

The Scrunchie Bag

I've had a gift card from Border's bookstore sitting around for six months. Seriously, my husband gave it to me for my birthday and I forgot all about it. Until Christmas of course! I put the book One Yard Wonders on my Christmas list. I figured a book with 101 projects for inspiration would be a good one to have around. So Christmas came and went and I didn't get the book as a gift! . . . in comes the gift card.

So what does one do with a new book?? Read it of course. And then of course I HAD to make something right away!! Here's the dilemma with the book though. It says "one yard wonders" but really it's "one yard plus interfacing and trim and D rings and stuff." Yeah, don't have all that on hand. So I improvised and made my very own version of the scrunchie bag. I'm not sure I love it but really I really had to try something from the book that very day!!

Valentine Colored Coffee Filter Wreath

They're everywhere!! At least I feel like I've seen them everywhere. The beloved coffee filter wreaths. See, I just found five cool versions in less than five minutes! 

The Martha Stewart Version
A "natural" version from The Little Brown House
Dyed Filters from Shell's Shabby Shack
A trio of wreaths from Worley House
A big fluffy one from Decor Chick

Anyway, now that the Christmas decor is down, I'm ready for Valentine's Day. Yes, I like just a bit of decor for Valentine's day. It makes the kids happy. It annoys my husband. He's one of those "I love you everyday, I don't need a holiday to celebrate it."  It doesn't help that in December we do Christmas, January is our anniversary, and then February is Valentines.  He's a good gift giver but doing it three months in a row burns him out.  Anyway, back to the wreath.

I wanted to do some sort of Valentine's wreath and figured a heart shaped one would be cute covered in coffee filters. Can you guess what I started with????

Yup, it's my trusty corrugated plastic signage!! What will I do when the box is empty??

I cut out a heart. A pretty big heart. I should have made it smaller. This turned out HUGE!!

Next I started gluing on my plain old, white, purchased from the dollar store coffee filters. I didn't fold them or do anything fancy. I just put a dot of glue on the bottom and glued them on until the whole wreath was full.

See that, it's glue. A glob of glue on the end of a hot glue gun stick. I'm showing this to you because my sister taught me a cool little trick to make working with a glue gun easier. When you go to stick in a new stick but a little tiny dab of glue on it. Then stick in. It will glue it self to the stick that's in there. Keeps it from falling out while you are working!

See, it's glued to the other stick.  Works like a charm! 

So I glued and glued and glued. And ran out of filters and called my friend Vicki to bring me some more. I think I used around 150 filters on this wreath. Remember, it's HUGE.  I got done and thought, "hey cool, but it's so WHITE!"

Way to white for Valentine's day right?  So I decided to add a little pink. I took a stack of coffee filters and colored the edges with a hot pink sharpie. You could do red, purple, or any combination of colors!

Then I glued them in randomly among the white filters! I wish I had thought of coloring the filters before I started the project. It'd be gorgeous with all pink edges.

Then I added a ribbon. I have a problem with committing to using up such a lovely piece of ribbon so I tied it on instead of gluing. Just in case I want to use it for something else! The filters are so full, the easily hide the ribbon from the front.

For the moment the wreath is hanging on the giant wall in the kitchen with the LOVE banner / garland I made last year.

Hmm, maybe it needs something else?? A purple heart??

Okay, a purple heart cut from craft foam and nestled in the middle.

Warm Legs

So way back in November when I made these leg warmers Sweet Pea was upset that they weren't for her. She things EVERY sewing project I complete should be for her. I intended to whip up a pair of leg warmers to put in her stocking but ran out of time. She helped me put these together during Jojo's nap time today and is quite thrilled with them. I didn't really intend for them to look like leggings instead of leg warmers but Sweet Pea threw a fit when I suggested shortening them!

I didn't really do much to make these. Just cut the sleeves off of a dollar store sweater, made a casing at the top & sewed in a bit of elastic!

Holiday Outfits

So there is a limited time in your kid's lives where they allow you to pick out their clothes for them. And an even shorter time when they will allow you to pick matching or coordinating outfits. And maybe an even shorter time when they will allow those outfits to be home sewn. Yes, I took advantage of that time this year. And came up with these outfits for the kids to wear to our holiday gatherings.

Many thanks to my brother in law Ryan Thompson, art & photography professor for the two photos above.

Sweet Pea's dress is the Charlotte Dress by Mama Stellato done in red corduroy and a paisley print I found at JoAnne's. I really love this pattern and it came together quickly, think one very early morning before we headed to Iowa for the holidays. I am thinking I'll be making this again, shorter to wear as a tunic.

Jojo's pants were made following Dana from MADE's flat front pockets tutorial. Red corduroy with yellow knit lining in the pockets.

The cool red suspenders which I accidentally made WAY TO BIG were done following the super easy tutorial from Make it and Love it. In retrospect, I wish I had made these in the paisley print too. Alas, I did them before I even purchased the cool print!

And finally the bow tie. I'm afraid my poor boy has more of these in his future after two of his aunties saw him in this outfit! Both are getting married next summer and like this look for the weddings! As for a pattern, I kind or sort of came up with my own. I REALLY wanted a REAL bow tie, not a clip or velcro or snap. So, I modified an adult pattern a bit & made the part that goes around his neck out of elastic to give it some give. I am really happy with how it came out despite the fact that Jojo insisted on messing with it so it was nearly always lopsided. So it goes with the two year old set!

I hope you think these outfits are as cute I do!! Both could be done in a variety of fabrics and variations for any special occasion during the year!

Happiest of Holidays

I hope everyone had the happiest of holidays and is recovering nicely. We survived and are trying to rest up & clean up! Now that the Christmas stuff is down I'm almost ready to tackle some home decor projects. Stay tuned!