What an Honor!

I am featured this week on Tuesday's Top 5 Treasures!

http://heartandsowdesigns.blogspot.com/2010/01/tuesdays-top-5-treasures_25.html
Thank you! Go there to comment and you could be featured next week!
I have been given a blog award from my friend at http://crossdesigns.blogspot.com/
She also sells beautiful jewelry on etsy.

Rules to Pay It Forward:
1. Copy and Paste the award picture on your blog
2. Thank the person who awarded it to you and post a link on his/her blog
3. Write three things about yourself we might not know
4. Choose 7 other bloggers to award
5. Link to them
6. Notify your 7 bloggers of their award

Seven Things About Me
1. I have a BS in Chemistry
2. I have issues with pencils- no mechanical ones and they have to be SHARP
3. I have issues with chocolate- LOVE IT!
4. I LOVE the movie Pride and Prejudice (the newer one)
5. I LOVE the Pride and Prejudice soundtrack and use it to curb road rage
6. I once backed into a telephone pole with the front left of my car
7. I am the oldest of 6 kids

PIF to:
http://helenscorner.blogspot.com
http://mattscraftywife.blogspot.com
http://vivatregina.blogspot.com
http://gentleadornments.blogspot.com
http://amoralestthinks.blogspot.com
http://beadsandbaublesbeautifuljewelry.blogspot.com
http://homesweethomebodies.blogspot.com

Peace and Power

What a MESS! This is my front yard and the creek and township road that go through it.

Obviously all of that water was not going to fit through that pipe, which, you can see, has been washed out all along the side, causing part of the edge of the road to cave in. There is as much water coming through beside the pipe as through the pipe itself. So, it was making a little waterfall through my yard...

...and ran down through it. (Please ignore the cement horse- it came with the house). Usually, you can step over this creek, if that gives you any indication of how much it is flooding. Also, normally, you would not be able to see ANY water on the opposite side of the road as seen in the first picture. The water has receded, but the road is now closed.

We had a flood at our old house, too and I definitely came to fear and respect the creeks a little more. Here is what I mean:

Normally, this would be a babbling brook, so to speak. It is quiet, peaceful, and calm- a place where the kids can splash around looking for minnows in the clear water or go fishing in the little hole. Now it has transformed into raging rapids- muddy brown and rushing through with a roar. It is washing away what is in its path, and leaving destruction behind.

We should also fear and respect God- He brings such peace and joy, but He is powerful- and all at the same time.

Let all the earth fear the LORD; Let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of Him. Psalm 33:8

TeamCAC

Thank you so much to Team Christian Artists and Crafters for making me their featured seller today! I had a very long day - my son has a broken collarbone- so coming home to this news was very uplifting!
This group really means a lot to me! Not only are they extremely talented, but they are supportive, funny, encouraging, and inspiring! I love catching up with everyone on the team thread in the etsy forums and I can always turn to them when I need anything - from advice on new pictures or a shoulder to lean on (although not physically because none of them live near me!)
Thank you! TeamCAC made my day!

Fairy Girls' Skirt

I was totally inpsired by my favorite blog! She posted this AWESOME tutorial on how to make a pleated skirt for winter. I thought to myself, "HEY! I can do that!"

So, I raided my fabric stash which conists of nothing heavy enough for winter (when you live in the middle of nowhere you have no good fabric stores, especially when Walmart runs them all out of of town then downsizes their fabric section- UGH!). I had been saving this lovely fairy fabric for a long time, but I decided it would be better to make something with it rather than have it continue to sit in a box.

I decided to make the yoke in a solid color to compliment the fairy print, and I decided to make it 5" instead of 4" - just because. (In hindsight, I wish I would have stuck with 4 inches.) The purple fairy fabric screamed, "I am the ultimate girly fabric and you want to PLEAT ME! No, no- I need softer gathers!" So I did. DD wanted it to go just below the knees, but I think this would be cute shorter, too.

Also, when I put the elastic in, I found it easier to shove it through from the side with a safety pin on the end. When I got all the way through, I took out the pin, backed it up a little, and held it really tight to stitch it in place. Risky, but effective.

All in all, I am very pleased with it and I am probably going to have to make at least one more for my 4yo now (she wants a white one- how dumb would I be to put a white skirt on a 4yo!). It is much more like a spring skirt, so she is going to have to layer it with tights or (tearfully) save it for warmer days.

Thank you, Lier! :D

Quilted Hot-Cold Pack Tutorial

FINALLY!!! A hot/cold pack that is easy on the hands!!!

I made these by making sort of a mini-quilt for the top = 3 layers between your skin and the rice so the hot/cold only goes where you want it to! Even better… it is a great way to use up leftover quilt blocks and scraps of batting and material!

Here is a step-by-step of how I did it! I apologize in advance for inferior quality on some of the pictures. I must have instantly scared the sun away by the sound of my sewing machine!)

Materials:

*ALL squares should be the same size!
One square for the top
One square for the back
One square of batting the same size
One square for the backing of the top (no one’s gonna’ see it! Go ahead and use the ugly stuff up!)
Thread
Meduim grain rice
½ tea bag

(I am using some old scraps of pre-printed squares from my old coaster-making days)

"Tools and Equipment":
sewing machine
funnel


Step 1:Cut all 4 squares as shown. (I used a smaller piece of batting because, well, I already had it and I was too lazy to cut another one!)

Step 2:Lay the top face down, them place batting on top, and finally, lay the junky piece no one is gonna’ see on top of that (admission here- I am using an old sheet). Line them up nicely :)

Step 3:
Quilt as desired! I felt like following the outlines on these, but on the hearts I tried to do some grid quilting and stipple quilting (don’t laugh at it- I never tried it before and I couldn’t find the plate to cover the feed dogs).


And don’t worry about the back because no one is ever going to see it anyway! Unless of course you take a picture and post it online.


Step 4:
Place the backing and top right sides together.
Sew about ½” from each edge the whole way around, leaving about a 1 ½" space open.
Step 5:Turn right side out through the opening and stick a funnel in the opening. Add your rice and tea.
**TIP** Only add a little rice at a time- two reasons:
1)The funnel jams up sometimes and you need to be able to stuff your little finger or a pencil or something down there.
2)You want this to be filled using JUST the right amount- not too firm and not too floppy.


Put the tea in with the rice so it doesn't all stick to the funnel. I use fruit teas and the kids think they smell like PopTarts! (Actually- I think so too!)


Step 6:
Neatly stitch the opening closed as inconspicuously as you can.

I keep these in the freezer for all of those little "owies" but they are extra nice heated in the microwave so the smell of the tea really comes out- I zap mine for a minute on high.
TA DA!!

This tutorial is for your own personal use- please don't try to sell it as a pattern. Make as many rice bags as you want, though! :)