MY Felt Heart Garland .....a Tutorial....Kinda

I say this is MY felt heart garland because.....well they are everywhere.
After making my own I can see why.
It was easy....fun and it's so cute when it's done. This will last way past Valentine's Day for me.
I adore it....I do.

Early one morning I gathered my goodies and

my right hand lady Ms. Chloe and a garland making we go.

Cut loads and loads of felt hearts, it's helpful if you have some sort of die-cutter

and even more helpful if you have a right hand lady to operate it.

I love crafting trash...so pretty....even if the photo is grainy.

Now just feed those hearts under the presser foot and sew they hearts together.

It is really so therapeutic....the string of pretty hearts getting longer and longer the sewing machine making the job so easy...it just grabs each little heart and connects it to the next.

I can NEVER keep her out of felt or fabric scraps....she is after my own heart....really she it.

Eat your heart out.

Make you one....do it.

It is just so simple and such a lovely addition to your mantle Valentine's Day or not.

Make it with your kids....the time spent far succeeds the garland as lovely as it is.

Sunday

Have a happy lazy Sunday

Love, the wieners.

Not a Baker

I can do a lot of things.
I can braid hair.
I can fold a fitted sheet like nobody's business.
I can wash 2 weenie dogs in 3 minutes flat and nobody gets hurt.
I can wear green comfy shoes with skinny jeans.

and do ballet positions at the same time (1st)

(3rd)

(5th)

Sure I skipped (2nd) cause it just made my feet look too weird ( the others don't look weird at all.....right ) and (4th) escapes me.

I can not bake.

Not even boxed stuff. nope.

This particular day we attempted these cupcakes with this icing.

NOTE: if you bake these cupcakes this recipe makes 12 not 48.

The first mistake I make is I don't get all the ingredients ready first, it's

a symptom of my hyper-ness I am sure.

I just jump in 2 feet first and with a dern blindfold on.

Have you ever tried to mix ingredients with a mixer and you don't have all the stuff ready....it's chaos.

and ...and....and.....I have a hand mixer, cause....well I'm not a baker, and that baby gets all hot and sometimes even smokes. yikes.

The recipe said to cook for 10 minutes.

nope, not long enough. The cupcakes started to sink in the center when I took them out, still wet inside.

So I stuck them back in...probably a no no but I did it anyway.

Then...the icing recipe said to either use immediately or refrigerate.

Well lunch was calling so I chilled the icing while I ate.

Spreading chilled icing on cupcakes is murder....you are probably supposed to let it warm up a little but nah....I went ahead spread it on my cupcakes.

Notice there is no photo of my cupcakes....they looked so sad....pathetic.
But you know what....I made 24 and we only have 1 left, they were good...tasty...not pretty but tasty. Mr. JaneSays even took some to work for his buddies, I made him tell them Chloe made them....awful I know.

I do wish I could pull of this cupcake for Valentine's day but it may just send me into orbit, the thought of it stresses me out !!!!

If you wanna give it a shot HERE Is the recipe and if you wanna send me a dozen let me know, and if Mr. JaneSays takes a few to work I may or may not tell them I made them.

Cushy Mail Box

When a customer contacted me and said she wanted a pillow that said LOVE with a pocket that
her family could drop love notes in for each other, I thought now that's a cute idea. I wasn't sure at first how to keep it from looking cheesy and the pocket worried me a bit a "sewer" I am not.

It just all fell together and nicely. Maybe the colors and patchiness would not suit everyone but the idea should suit you all ..... I just love it and who doesn't love a love note?

My Chloe has a real affection for leaving love notes here and there and if I do not reciprocate she will ask "Mom, when are you going to leave me a note?"

Therefore I think this may be perfect for my home too, a cushy mailbox for all our lil' love mail....and I already know the perfect place for it.

Swell Seven

Over-dyeing fabrics, first I saw it here, the lovely Ashley at Under the Sycamore.....well

she'll try just about anything. Doesn't that look fun? You can here to get directions from Martha Stewart herself.

J-Totes...I have seen these beauties here and there for a while now...this berry color drives me wild.

Surprise....Happy Valentine's Day now read the bottom of your mug....go on....do it. Adorable from Ruche.

Whatev.....how fun are these...I would like a whole stack in teal, yellow and hot pink. You can go get you a stack here.

I know I know...sounds weird....not really a flavor you want in ya gum...but it's so good and refreshing the flavor lasts forever. You can get it here...but that would be just silly....the store around the corner has it too....go getcha some.

ok...I don't really even know where to start here. The skill, the talent, the detail...I want a 64 pack just to sit out and be pretty in my studio. You can see more here and here and here. The artist is Diem Chau and the work is amazing.

Who doesn't need a fun and free printable chore chart for those little boogers running around the house....you can get this one here. Put those kiddos to work...it's good for them, and well yea...it's good for you too.

right now.......

Right now I'm sitting on my bed eating peanuts

watching this show, and wishing there was a girly version

oh can you imagine?

I'm not watching this show. Who cares?

Wishing I had bought this gum yesterday at Target, the sweet lil' sample

lady was handing it out.....yum.

Making one of these.

After eating peanuts needing one of these.

Still waiting on this.

Going to read this right now.

Mom's Pancakes

I guess I am getting better at it,
at making pancakes
Chloe has greeted me a few mornings now
just recently with
"mornin Mom....can we make pancakes?" As long as I have the necessary ingredients I
am always game.

Pancakes, well these pancakes, are near and dear to me

they have MOM, my mom, written all over them.

They remind me of Saturday mornings, GOOD cartoons, and sticky fingers and hair.

The ingredients are simple

1. self rising flour

2. egg(s)

3. milk

I can't tell you how much of each, because well I don't know

it's a consistency thing, thick but loose enough to pour.

I know I don't see anyone contacting me about a cookbook any time soon either.

I can't make them nearly as good as my mom.

She gets the perfect nooks and crannies.....yum....just perfect.

I am getting better though.

Mom fries hers in Crisco, and I have been using vegetable oil

because I have not had Crisco in my house for months....but

with Chloe's new liking for MY my Mom's pancakes

I will be picking some up....probably today.

There is only one syrup I'll eat on

Mom's pancakes.

KING Syrup, it's thick and sweet, the bottles is always sticky and I like to let it sit in some hot water while I making pancakes to warm it up.

The lion reminds me of The Wizard of Oz.

Now we are ready to dig in

oh and two more things you do not fork these....you break pieces off and drag them

thru the syrup and you ALWAYS have a damp paper towel for wiping hands, chin, mouth and hair .... because that's how Mom always did it.

Chloe Said

just moments ago

(the scene)Chloe is in her bed.....we are in ours

Chloe: Moooommmmm....can I get a wet washcloth ?

Me: why?

Chloe: my face is sooo hot.

Me: No Chloe...just go to sleep.

she runs into my room...with those 6 yr. old heavy feet, fists pumping by her sides

Chloe: but Moooommmm...I'm so dern hot.

Me: No washcloths in your bed...go to bed...NOW.

(normally I would let her have a washcloth....but tonight it's not hot and I KNOW when she really wants a washcloth and when she just does not want to go the bed.....tonight it's the latter)

(she is now back in her room)

Chloe: Gosh.....it's so hot on my face......at least turn on the ATM.

curtains close with Mr. JaneSays and I smile and share a laugh

Ta Daaaaaaaaa

ok....so remember I introduced you to Nina a day or so ago.

Nina is the super cool lady with the Beautify Your Blog series which walks you SIMPLY thru tweaking some areas of your blog......things you always wanted to do to your blog but didn't know how and didn't really want to pay someone to do for you.

Nina is having a lil' link up party this weekend so everyone can show off their new blog beatifications.

Here is a list of mine.

1.I increased the overall width of my main body (ha I also did that at dinner tonight cheese dip is my weakness).

2. I removed that despicable blogger navigation bar from the top this may be the change I wanted the most.

3. I now have grab buttons....over there on the right....you an copy that html blah blah stuff and put my button on your blog...Yipeeeee !!!!

4. I now have one custom page and hope to have more. I created a tutorials page where readers can go to find all the tutorials....so nice. I have more pages in the works including recipes and children books we LOVE.

5. And last but certainly not least...my new signature is a cute lil thing....I have always wanted one but had no clue...and now .... well I am happy lil' blogger.

Nina ...my hats off to you girl...you rock indeed !!!

Now like I said the other day....get on over there to Momma Go Round's Beautify Your Blog Series and beautify your blog.

!!!! GIVEAWAY !!!!

So...if you dont have anything to do today.....get over to Under the Sycamore

I have a GIVEAWAY going on over there as do many many...and I mean many other wonderful, fabulous, smashing shops !!

You'd be silly not to go !!!

Now git !!

Beautify Your Blog by Nina

I came across a new blog,
a new fantastic blog recently
Momma Go Round.
I found this blog at such a good time....ships meeting in the night
as opposed the the usual passing.
Nina writes this joyful, fun lil' blog and the day I found her
she was right in the middle of her
Beautify Your Blog Series....and as you know I just hopped back into my blog so this was great timing.
I have learned so much.....and been able to make so many tweaks to my
blog thanks to Nina's super easy instruction...really...she could not make it any easier.
So go check out Nina at Momma Go Round
You'll be very glad you did

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have a happy day

Swell Seven

If this does not give you a cavity nothing will.

Run don't walk to The Pink Palace and drool over her beautiful work.

yes HE is

you can find this print here.

Yes...of course this precious child is swell...but what's really swell is Drew B.'s tutorial for creating watermarks to add to your "fancy photos" .

It's simple to understand and a GREAT idea....read her post and makes yours today.

I am not a baby.

I do not have a baby.

That does not change the fact that I do want this sweet mobile from blabla.

I already have an affection for globes.

This photo is making me sick for a big wall map.

See more of this beautiful home here.

LoVe this idea

Chloe and I will be making these later this week.

I like granola.

This one looks especially good...nice out the door snack or breakfast !!

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have a happy day