Vintage Baby Quilt

Vintage Baby Quilt by YoYo Mama. 

I saw this easy baby quilt on the Ingrid Barlow Site and thought "Well, that's a great idea!". I am always looking for an easy way to do things. I also thought that maybe I could just put appliques on it. So many ideas - so little time! 

This is what Ingrid had to say: "You simply place your little squares on top of another piece of fabric + batting + backing, and you sew down the edges.  Throw it in the wash and poof!  There you have it.  This is a good one for all you wanna be quilters.  No piecing involved!".

FLORIANI HEAT N SHRINK AND FREE-MOTION QUILTING

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This is so neat! You take a fabric that has flowers or any shape that you want to make puffy. You will use Floriani Heat N Shrink with some batting and sew the lines of the flower. Then you you steam it and it puckers up! The uses are endless - applique on a wall hanging, quilt, purse, or you can do the entire piece of flowered fabric and use it to make a child's dress or nightgown.


The directions come from the Prudent Baby site  and they are very clear to understand. This should be easy to make.

Above is the Heat N Shrink that was used and although a little pricey, it will last you for many designs. The site has additional pictures that you can see the difference in flowers that this method is used on and other flat flowers. 

Below is some of the directions that is on the site:

• I cut a square the size of the large flower in my Sandi Henderson Fabric. Then I layered a square of low-loft batting in-between the Heat N Shrink and the back of the fabric, pinning in place.(The batting is optional but does add a nice puff to the petals.) 
• Next I attached my quilting foot and lowered my feed dogs so I could try some free-motion quilting around the edge of the flower. Then just stitch along every line of the design. It takes a little practice, mostly you have to remember to move your fabric by hand. 
• Since your fabric will be all bunchy later, it doesn’t have to be perfect. 
• You can stitch lines, grids, dots or any design

Color Me Quilty: Painting Quilts

I just love this idea of painting quilts! This quilter used Lumiere paints by Jaquard to paint the quilt. She said that the quilt shimmered in the light.

Can you imagine the different ways that you can use the paints on quilts?

She used the paints without any mixing, applied by a small paint brush. They covered amazingly well.
Here is more detail:




And here is the link:  Color Me Quilty

Ruffled Yellow Felt Pillow

I saw these just beautiful pillows on the Better Homes and Gardens site and just fell in love with them. I will have to make some of these! The colors in the picture seem so Springy but I am not sure that it will work with my furniture. Maybe I will try some different colors. The following sewing instructions are for one pillow. If you go to the Better Homes and Gardens link, the other pillow instructions are there.

Crafts Supplies:

• Felt (yellow) 
• 3/8-inch-wide velvet ribbon (green) 
• Fiberfill 

Sewing Instructions:

• Cut a strip of felt 9 inches wide and 18 inches long and hand-stitch two parallel lines close together through the center of the strip. Pull on the ends of each thread so felt strip gathers into a ruffle. 
• Make a 6-inch-wide ruffle in the same manner. Machine-stitch the 6-inch ruffle in the middle of the larger ruffle. 
• Cut two 12-inch squares from felt. 
• Machine-stitch the double ruffle in the center of one square. 
• Pin a piece of velvet ribbon in the center of the double ruffle. 
• Place the squares right sides together and machine-stitch around edges, leaving a small opening along one edge for turning. Make sure you catch the ends of the velvet ribbon in the seams. 
• Turn right side out and stuff with fiberfill. Hand-stitch the opening closed.

Stainless Steel Cleaner

Last year, I bought a stainless steel refrigerator. I love it! The freezer is on the bottom and it is so easy to get the items I need from the refrigerator on top. There is one thing that I do not like - the fingerprints that are all over the doors (actually, there are 2 things I do not like - the doors of the frig are not magnetic! Who would have thought? Where will all my magnets go?). I have tried various cleaners and low and behold, nothings seems to do the job!


I saw this DIY cleaner on Pinterest - yes I am addicted! I admit I spend way too much time pinning but I have learned so much. 


Anyway, here are the ingredients: Homemade stainless steel cleaner - In a spray bottle, I mix together 2/3 parts white vinegar, a few drops of dish soap, and 1/3 part water. Spray the frig and wipe with a microfiber cloth




Here is the before picture:



Here is the after picture (this is the picture from the tutorial):



Here is the link: Home Stories A to Z

Bite Size Banana Cream Pie

I saw this recipe on the  Food Pusher Blog and thought - Wouldn't this be great for a party or even Easter - Yes!. So I copied it here. This recipe would give everyone an opportunity to have a "little taste" of a sweet without ruining their diet. I plan to use Pillsbury ready-made crust - I know, but it is so easy. Let me know if you try it and what you think.

Bite Size Banana Cream Pie

Ingredients:

•         1 small box instant vanilla pudding
•          1 3/4 cups cold milk
•          2-3 bananas, cut into 1/4-inch slices
•          1 cup heavy whipping cream 
•          1/4 cup powdered sugar
•          1 batch of pie crust (see recipe below)

Directions:

• In a medium bowl, whisk vanilla pudding mix and cold milk for 2 minutes.  
• Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate.  (I'm not sure how long. Mine refrigerated overnight.)
• Whip heavy cream and powdered sugar into stiff peaks.
• Using either a pastry bag with an open star tip, or using a zip-top bag with  about 1/4 inch of a corner cut off, pipe about half a teaspoon of chilled pudding onto each pie crust piece.  
• Place a slice of banana on top of the dab of pudding.  
• Then squeeze about 1 1/2 teaspoons of pudding onto each banana slice.
• Refrigerate the pies while you prep the whipped cream into another pastry bag (or the same one with the tip washed), and then pipe about 1 1/2 teaspoons of whipped cream onto each pie.  
• Refrigerate until  ready to serve.  
• Makes...um...I'm not sure, but I'd guess about 3 dozen bite-size pies.

DIY: Chick & Bunny Treat Holders

I saw this tutorial and thought this would be 
so nice to do with children for Easter. They are so cute!

This one’s for the kiddies… a fun little craft project + “friendly” holders for all those Easter Bunny treats!

PAPER BUNNY CUP Treat Holders

You’ll Need:
white paper cup
white cardstock
pink felt or pink cardstock
2 wiggle eyes
small pink pom-pom
medium white pom-pom (for tail)
white chenille stems
scissors, glue, glue dots or a stapler

Directions
• From the white cardstock, cut 2 large white ovals for the bunny ears. Trim one side of the oval off so it’s squared off at the bottom.

• Cut 2 smaller oval shapes from the pink felt (or paper) for the inner part of the ear. Glue the pink ovals in the center of the white ear shapes and set aside to dry.

• Cut white chenille craft stems into short pieces for the whiskers. Use craft glue or glue dots to attach the whiskers to the cup, then glue the pink pom pom on top for the nose.

• Attach the ears to the back rim of the cup with a stapler or glue dots.

• Glue the white pom pom to the back of the cup to create a cotton tail.

• Fill with a colorful Easter grass and candy treats!

*****

PAPER CHICK CUP Treat Holders

You’ll Need:
yellow paper cup
orange cardstock
orange chenille craft stems
2 wiggle eyes
yellow craft feathers
scissors, glue/glue dots, stapler or tape

Directions
• From the orange cardstock, cut a small triangle for the beak and glue it to the front of the cup.

• Glue the wiggle eyes above the beak.

• Cut six 3/4-inch pieces of orange chenille stem for the chick feet. Twist three pieces together at one end for each foot. Attach the feet to the front of the cup with glue dots or tacky craft glue.

• Staple or tape a few feathers to the back edge of the cup, making sure they peek out over the top.

• Fill with a colorful Easter grass and candy treats!

Here is the link to the blog that posted it. http://blog.hwtm.com/2009/04/diy-chick-bunny-treat-holders/

Flower Power Cake Recipe

This cake just looks so pretty and the recipe is easy! I think I might just try it for Easter!

 

Flower Power Cake Recipe

Makes: 12 to 16 servings
Prep: 30 mins

Cool: 10 mins

Bake: 350°F 30 mins

ingredients
1 2-layer-size package lemon cake mix
1 16 ounce can white frosting
Small gumdrops
Candy-coated fruit-flavored pieces
Sour fruit-flavored straw candy

directions

1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare and bake cake mix according to package directions using two 8- or 9-inch round baking pans. Cool on wire racks for 10 minutes. Remove from pans. Cool completely.

2.Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate; spread with frosting. Top with remaining cake layer. Frost top and side of layers with frosting.

3.To decorate cake with flowers, slice small gumdrops in half horizontally to form flower petals. Use candy-coated fruit-flavored pieces for flower centers. Flatten gumdrops and cut into leaf shapes for leaves. Snip sour straws to desired lengths and use for flower stems.

Here is the link: http://www.bhg.com/recipe/layer-cakes/flower-power-cake/

Pattern: Firefly Jar LED Embroidery Pattern

This is an interesting addition to your embroidery projects! An LED light kit is used to enhance it. You can light it up! This is so cute!

Here is what you need:

Supplies:

* Firefly Jar embroidery pattern (download the PDF here)

* Embroidery floss in white, dark gray, dark green, medium green, light green, light blue, brown, and black

* Navy blue fabric

* Heavy-weight interfacing or t-shirt stabilizer

* LED Embroidery Kit from Sternlab.org (optional)


Tools:

* 5" embroidery hoop

* Embroidery needle

* Scissors

* Iron

* Ironing board

* Carbon/pattern transfer paper

* Tracing tool or pen

You can get the instructions at The Zen of Making with this link: http://www.thezenofmaking.com/2012/03/pattern-firefly-jar-led-embroidery.html

Peep Topiary

I saw this Peep Topiary on the Hungry Mouse Blog and just thought it was cute and easy! Here is what you need:

Peep Topiary

Peep topiary
1 6-inch pot
1 7-inch styrofoam ball (for topiary top)
1 4-5 inch styrofoam chunk (for inside the pot)
1 12-inch wooden stake or thick wooden dowel
1 box of wooden toothpicks
6-7 boxes of marshmallow Peeps
1 bag of jelly beans

Other table decorations
Assorted foil covered chocolate eggs
Plastic easter eggs
Easter grass
Assorted silk flower garlands

Makes 1 Peep topiary that will knock your socks off

 

 

Here is the link with all the steps: http://www.thehungrymouse.com/2011/04/11/peep-topiary-plus-other-easter-table-top-decorating-ideas/