Summercrafter

My friend (Hi Amy) thinks I'm crazy. "Why are you keeping all these scraps?" And she asks that about everything I avoid tossing: felt, fabric, buttons, ribbons, jar lids, batting, you name it.       But there is a method to my madness. Eventually, I will see something or think of something for which the "leftovers" will come in very handy. Case in point? Leftover batting strips from quilts. (above)        I can't take credit for this fabulous idea of a Coffee Cup Cozy. I saw it in a Quilts and More magazine a couple of years ago, (yes that long!)        The pattern is here if you want to use it.       Since I couldn't find my magazine and it didn't occur to me to look online, I just traced a coffee cup wrapper and improvised as I went.  That was a much faster option at 10pm. I think that makes it my own version. : )     I tried se...

Although I have started late on this great Christmas Project Challenge, read more about it by clicking the button below     I am quickly catching up and hope to post a "fabric type" Christmas Project by the time April 15th comes around (cross your fingers).  In the meantime, here is my second Christmas Once a Month Project, Snow Themed Sled... Gee! I hope this counts as a Christmas Project. ( Julie , what do you say?) I was going to make it for my classroom to decorate through December and January but as with most of my projects as of late, I never finish them in time for the occasion. : (   But I am working on that, really!   Wooden Sled purchased at Michaels for $9.99 First Step: Seal it with this product below. Choose your paint options. I opted out of my preferred red to give it a wintry feel. Blue and silver.   Got some pretty Scrapbook embellishments during my first visit to Hobby Lobby. (I was like a k...

I just found this fabulous follow along project at thecraftyquilter.com , what a great idea! As if I needed any prompting for Christmas crafts, when my list has been ongoing for several years now. : ) This will help to keep me accountable, I hope. To see what they projects they've conjured up, click the button below to see some of Julie's projects and click here , here and here for the crafts of eamylove who has also joined the fun! They post the Christmas project on the 15th of each month. I missed it this month so I have 3 to catch up on and a fourth for April, stay tuned, I promise to make something new! Project #1 for the Christmas Once a Month Project: Wooden Filagree Christmas Tree I love Lands End , yes the clothing company. And yes, who doesn't love the quintessential New England style and feel of it? Who doesn't want to just jump right into the pages? I do!  So I enjoy looking through their catalogs. Specifically however, I really li...

 Teaching is an admirable profession (although not always perceived as one) with great perks like Summers off, Spring Break and Winter Recess.  But those perks are very necessary due to the very nature of the job, teaching is not all that we do!    Not only do we have get everything "learned" before the state test (PRESSURE!!!!), we have to redirect, mother, nurse, counsel, nurture, guide, intervene, remediate, discipline, instruct, educate, reason, argue, negotiate, defend and entertain. We also have to check, reteach, evaluate, assess, confer, compare data, and do it all over again when we meet with the parents and/or administrators. By Tuesday, my co-teacher and I were already spent.      So I decided that I would take full advantage of the textbook perfect weather we were having in Miami and I went outside to my backyard.     I thought it would be the perfect time to read a little and pray a little and spend...

There are several options when publishing a blog post. I can either give you the whole scoop at once, or give you bits and pieces and update as I go. Unfortunately, (or fortunately) I have had to do the latter.  And although I can't get my hands on it soon enough, my mind is working on this project at almost every spare thought! For my love note square,       I pulled out this embrodery book I bought in December of 2011.  I think it's important to learn things formally and correctly in order for the result to be its absolute best.     I am ashamed to admit that before, I really hadn't looked through it thoroughly.     Not only does it have a "how to" section with various types of stitching, (which I am eager to learn)       but it also has themed pages with samples and templates.   It also has projects that you can do   and a CD that lets...