The Mint Needle

One of the greatest things about having little girls is that a part of me gets to stay young. From watching them play school to house & dress-up, everyday is a new adventure. I wanted to share with you a great project for spring. It inspired our girls to pretend they were fairies under a ribbon of flowers.  Be it for a party or bedroom, this super long fairy garland is a sure try for anyone. I think that you will really enjoy this fast, simple, & inexpensive project. You will need 5 pieces of 9x12 felt, ribbon (uncut), pipe cleaners, wire cutters, a marker, & a good pair of shears. I used classic rainbow felt that was made from post-consumer recycled plastic bottles. Hip, hip, hooray! And at less than a dollar a piece, who can beat that? Divide your 9x12 felt into 2 inch sections. Then from those, take 2 and cut them in half again, like the picture below.  These 4 pieces will cre...

I'm pretty sure all of you can see by now, I love to sew.  And.... I love to have a bazillion projects going on at once. Anyone who checks out the Etsy shop will notice a couple new items, plus whatever's featured on this blog. Maybe, they think to themselves, "how much time does she have?" But, the truth is, I start 500 things and work on them a little at a time, so sometimes I'm able to finish 3 projects in one day. I wanted to post this mini table runner, for one, how cute it is, and two, how fast it was to create. It literally took all of an hour and couple minutes to make. When everything is pre-cut, projects move very fast. (Meanwhile, I know you all have read about my scrappy quilt and yes, I'm still working on it. Maybe subconsciously this was a preliminary - "let's see how it goes thing".) Still.... I had so many remnants of beautiful fabrics, I didn't want to use them as 'scraps'. I made a bunch of 5" squares ins...

Who doesn't love beets? Really.....Let's be completely honest.  From lowering cholesterol to possessing anti-aging qualities, this amazing earthy item is a good source of protein & fiber too. The root & leaves prevent coronary artery disease & stroke. Plus, your getting vitamins A, C, E, K, & B6!!! Can it get any better?  Yes it does! Beets are cancer cell fighters! Hip, hip, hooray for beets! So..... I thought I'd tell you about two wonderful recipes that will allow us to use every part of this super veggie. I owe great thanks to my amazing sister for the pickled beets recipe & our mom for getting us hooked! Pickled Beets Beets are usually sold 3 per pack. Buy the smaller beets, because the really large ones have more of an earthy flavor.  (That's big sis information:)) Wash them thoroughly and cut off the stems leaving a couple inches. Also, do not cut the end of the roots. Place them in corni...

Happy first day of Spring! Here, in Northeast Ohio, we are enjoying a record breaking 83 degrees! It's just beautiful outside and I had to share some inspiration! Trees are waking up from their winter nap & everything is turning bright green. Take a look at my neighbors beautiful Magnolia tree! It was such a sight to wake up to. Our peach tree has beautiful pink flowers. I can't wait to see the blossoms.  Lilacs! The rose bush that makes the best syrup! And last, I hope you forgive me. I fibbed in a recent post..... Usually, I will plant my salad the last 2 weeks of March, but we have been enjoying warm weather for sometime. About a week ago, I planted some lettuce in a raised bed and covered it with a large glass window. Take a look at my seedlings! It truly made my day:) No matter how much we love this weather, most likely it'll snow again. In the meantime, I will be basking! After all, it is Ohio;) Happy Trails! ...

Bias Tape - A narrow strip of fabric, cut on the cross grain. Remember the first time you learned about something you thought was 'tough', & really....it wasn't?  Or, how great that feeling was when you finally got the concept of how something was created? Awhile ago, I had a dear friend tell me all about bias tape and how simple it was to make. It wasn't until I started different sewing projects that I realized how important it really is. From finishing edges to adding a retro flair, I am truly in love with this amazing little thing. So, I thought I'd share with you something you already knew.... There are not that many fabric choices for bias tape! I want to give a big THANKS to The Colette Sewing Handbook  for breaking this down into easy steps. Sarai Mitnick gives us a hands-on way of looking at fabric & through folding and sewing, we are able to achieve making our own trim. Best of all, you don't even need alot of fabric. ...

A girl can never have enough skirts. Right? Or at least that's what I'm telling my girls. Skirts are the most versatile piece of a woman's closet. With the mere change of your top and shoes, your skirt can go from park to party in a flash. Check out these two little numbers I made while enjoying the sunny day from my craft room. I love my little Diva! And yes, I made the hat as well:) Keep eyes on the Etsy shop for those additions coming soon! Warm weather is all about the bright colors we lost during winter. And inevitably, Spring will be here before we know it. My green "Spring" skirt was actually a dress that my little, little one outgrew. Because of the size, I obviously had to add material to the bottom.  It was just too beautiful and vibrant, it had to be re-used.  Originally planned to be a shoulder bag, I thought, "Ahhh, forget it." Why? You ask... Because we can never have enough skirts! ...