PIF Fiday!

Challenge: Go out of your way to befriend someone you don't know.

Orchard of Apples!

I'm alive.  Just a bad blogger as of lately.  I promise I have a REALLY good explanation though-- in short---since I cannot hold it in---I got a job! Woot Woot!  I start TOMORROW so my head has been spinning and my blog is definitely going to take a hit as my creative juices will be poured into my new role as an elementary school counselor! hello---dream come true!!  I will pop in from time to time though hopefully keeping up on DIY Wednesdays and PIF Fridays and of course most important Everett updates!

For now I just wanted to share some pictures of our adventure from the apple orchard today!  Hope you all had a great weekend!

Hi ho, hi ho, it's off to work I go!

Pay it Forward Friday.

Challenge: Smile--it's contagious.







 

DIY Wednesday--Wine Cozy.

First a quick update!  I feel like I have a ticking time bomb in my hands because I am on our "broken" computer.  Once it heats up---its done for and shuts down!  So needless to say I have to think, type and edit pictures fast!  This is why I have not been able to get in some of my regular posts.  The hubster has our---ok--HIS good computer at work now that his job has started and so it has been hard to do the usual computer stuff.  So, things may look a little different on the bliggity blog--as in I may not have my usual posts as often, posts may be shorter and sweeter etc.  We'll see!  But to update PIF Friday---well, to be honest, I need a little --- ok A LOT more work on that challenge!  So I made an extension.  How have you guys been doing with it?  When you are a glass half empty kinda gal--its just hard to get out of a rut!

Ok, now for the DIY!

When I first started my creative sewing ventures a couple years ago, one of the FIRST items I started making was wine cozies made from cool old sweaters--(some just cool, not old :P )  It was fun and easy for a beginner sewer like me.  I was able to even embellish them a bit to anything I liked.  I ended up selling some at a home party and even on Etsy!  I am not sure why I don't make them anymore come think of it! Hmm....

Well, below is a  pretty self explanatory picture tutorial of how you can also make some fun wine/bottle cozies for yourself or for fun gifts!  These are not my pictures since I don't have my usual computer to download on,  but It's probably better that way anyway!  I have one cozy still hangin' around the house that maybe I'll snap a picture of sometime soon. Actually.....Here is a picture I found on my Etsy 'sold orders' of one I sold awhile back!

Let me know if you try it!

Wine Bottle Gift Wrap: Materials: 1 old sweater (I scour the thrift stores!) 2"-3" of Fabric, Sewing Machine, or needle and thread! Fabric scissors, Ribbon, yarn, gift tags etc... for embellishment 1. Once sweater is washed, start by inserting the wine bottle into the sleeve of the sweater. The sleeve should start just below the top of your wine bottle. Mark the sweater with length of your bottle, pull out the wine and cut the sweater sleeve off. 2. Place your bottle on the small square of fabric and trace a faint circle around the bottle. Give yourself an extra 1/4"-1/2" outside of the bottle. Cut out this circle. 3. Turn the sleeve inside out and pin your fabric to the cut end of the sleeve. Sew together. Turn right side out and voila! 4. To complete, thread yarn through the sweater, or affix ribbon. 

photo and tutorial credit 

Ok--I anticipate a computer shutdown soon! Time to go!

DIY Wednesday--Bow Bookmarks

Bow Bookmarks

 

Supplies:

Ruler

Glue Gun

Paper clips

Ribbon or Fabric remnants

Wire Twist ties

Scissors

Choose a ribbon or piece of fabric to your liking and cut it into three pieces in these measurements:

Bow: 4.5" x 0.75"
Tails: 3.5" x 0.75"
Center band: 1.5" x 0.25"

Take the largest piece (your main bow) and form it into a loop overlapping the edges.  

Pinch it in the center to form your bow.  

Take the second largest piece (the tail) and fold it as you see pictured below.  Hold it tightly to the bow loop.

Use your twist tie to twist around the bow and hold together the bow and the tail.   (I trimmed the excess paper off of the tie so it is skinny as possible.)

Press the paper clip to the back side of the bow and twist the last small strip of fabric/ribbon around the bow and secure with a dot of glue--press and hold for a minute.  For extra sturdiness of the paperclip, I wrapped the last bit of the wire around it before wrapping the last piece of fabric.  This helps it to hold a little stronger. (BTW--eww....look at that grout! Yuck! I think I know what cleaning project is next on my list!)

Cut the ends of the tails as you like.  I cut them at an angle.  Also, when working with ribbon or fabric there is typically fraying of edges--for my ribbon, because of the material, I was able to gently use a lighter to melt the outer most edges so it wouldn't fray.  It worked great, but will not work on all fabrics.

These are fun to make and add a little style to your reading material!  My BFF's and I started reading a book together---does that make us a book club?--- So I thought these would be great little gifts to give them!

Tuesday Tunes--The Civil Wars

Absolutely Positively LOVE this duo and cannot wait to see them when they come to Minneapolis!

Pay it Forward Friday.

So have you PIF'd on anyone this week? :)

The challenge I posted about last week was to leave a encouraging post-it somewhere.

Here's mine!

Phone photo quality is not up to par.

Wanna know where I put it?

The only place people are forced to looked at it for at least 30 seconds :)  That's right, I put it in a bathroom stall.  BUT, this was no ordinary bathroom.  This bathroom was at the MN state fair!  Meaning thousands and thousands of people will see it! I know there is the possibility someone could take it down--but hey, if one person saw it, then I PIF'd!

This week the challenge is to consciously end negative conversations.  Whether it is you (me) who is contributing to the negativity or someone else--when in a conversation and negativity starts to creep in--cut it off and plant a positive seed.  To be honest, I've been a little crabby lately what with not having work and all and so this may be a little hard for me!  I am going to try my hardest to not contribute any negativity.  Ideally, this would be long term, but a week of practice is a good baby step.  Anyone wanna try it with me?  Let me know how it goes for you!

Curtis and I have put the babe to sleep and now have a glass of cheap wine in hand and are ready for a movie!

Happy Friday!

Major Destash in the shop!

Check out my shop announcement to get a 40% off coupon code for a major destash I have going on for Paisley Maze.

Happy Shopping! :)