Horizons Math Grade 4 and K,The Reading Lesson, Sequential Spelling, Lifepac Language Arts 4, Apologia Astronomy, Veritas Press New Testament/Greeks/Romans
Prima Latina, Contenders for the Faith and various Winters Promise books, Live Mocha Spanish, Plants Grown Up
At various times I have made and sold tutus for a little extra money. They are adorable for little girl dress up, they photograph well and the secret is, they are EASY (though time consuming to make).
I start with 1 1/2 yards of tulle for baby tutus, 2-4 yards for toddler and older. Walmart has some starting at .99 a yard (I prefer the shimmery kind to the regular which is a bit more) but Joann's has a lot more colors to choose from.
I use elastic for the waist band, but I have also seen ribbon used. I measure the waist of whomever I am making it for, then tie my elastic around the back of a chair.
Then I start cutting my tulle into strips. How wide the strips are determines how puffy your tutu will be. I prefer puffy and say go no skinnier than 2". You can also buy precut rolls of tulle, which saves you a TON of time, but is less economical (about 3 times more expensive). I did this once, and found it in the wedding/cake decorating section at Walmart instead of with the fabrics.
You just cut the tulle to twice the length you want your tutu to be (I try for knee length). I actually vary my lengths a little too. The unevenness helps it to be frillier and poofier!
Then you loop it over your elastic/ribbon, and tie it on in the center of the tulle. And repeat until it is nice and full and fluffy! That sounds more complicated than it really is!
I've also embellished the waist with flowers, glued pom poms on for lady bug or polka dotted themes. You can have so much fun, and it is a fun, easy, inexpensive gift idea!
Nov. 16, 2009 - Homemade CHRISTmas Idea -Hot Chocolate
I bought organic cocoa in bulk early this year at a great price, not realizing just HOW MUCH was in 5 lbs! So I was looking at my huge bag of cocoa and decided to make hot chocolate gifts. The kids and I mixed up a HUGE batch and started filling all sorts of random pretty jars I have collected.
Here was the first batch!
I'm hoping to get around to maybe making homemade marshmallows again too! We made them last year but would like to try again now that I have an actual mixer, and I think we'll use corn syrup this tie around too. I'm opposed to foods containing corn syrup, but they just didn't turn out right without it last year so for this one treat I think it will be ok!
So I developed an obsession with sweetened green tea this summer, and as I was indulging in this treat I noticed the bottles were a pretty shape, so I started washing them and saving them, and they have become one of my favorite new mom, new neighbor, have a happy day gifts! Just add in one or a few flowers (either from your garden or Albertsons and other grocery stores sell a small bunch for about $4)
I was so excited at first that I didn't take pictures of the super cute ones before giving them away but I have snapped pictures of a few of them!
I decided recently that I wanted to learn to embroider. I LOVE hand embroidered things, but they are so expensive to buy, and what a lovely skill it would be to be able to pass on to my daughter someday! So I bought a hoop and some embroidery floss and started my online research. But I can not learn from books, or even internet. I try and try but it isn't the way my brain was made. I am completely a show me in person learner, much to my frustration. So I did not learn any of the fancy stitches I had hoped to learn.
I was not about to let that stop me though, and decided I would make up my own way and see how it went. So I started on my first project, in hopes of making a pretty autumn hand towel to display in my kitchen. When I finished I was feeling pretty pleased with my end product and my creativity...
until I tried to take it off the hoop.
I had not paid enough attention and sewed the edge of the towel into the design! I had to rip the stitches out just to get my hoop back! I still haven't attempted a second project... But I'm thankful for the lessons learned from this one!
I've been on a paper kick lately. Trying to use up scraps I have collected and make ordinary things pretty!
First was a candle. I had an idea for Mother's Day gifts so I whipped this up super quick to test it out (and learned glue dots MELT when candles warm up LOL). I never did find the candles I wanted to make the gifts out of, so we'll see when that happens.
Then I prettied up some jam and apple butter jars. I had one that I was REALLY pleased with, but alas no pictures!
And then my new obsession. Fruit cans turned pen holders! I have these in every room of the house now practically! Luckily we like Mandarin oranges!
I saw a Christmas ornament that was made this way and have wanted to try it since, but it took us a while to drink enough juice!
It was super easy! Just wash a metal juice top and dry it well. Use a dry erase marker to draw your design, and then hammer a nail in just enough to poke holes along your outline. Make sure to put a piece of wood underneath so you dont poke through to the surface you are working on!
Peter made a Star Trek symbol, I made the flower and Andrew made the heart as a gift for me! The boys loved that it is a "manly" craft since it involves hammering!
Today I finally made window stars! I've been meaning to do them for maybe a year now! But we had sun shining through our window for the first time in awhile, and it inspired me! I made 3 to match our home decor, then I made 4 more for Abigail's birthday decorations. Just next month we'll be celebrating her turning ONE already! If you'd like to make your own window stars, the instructions are HERE . They put a lot more points on their stars, I only used 8 points.
I also received a BEAUTIFUL gift today from Plantation Designs . It looks gorgeous in my kitchen!
I made some super cute CHRISTmas gifts for the grandparents this year! I was really pleased with how they turned out! I took Altoid tins and decorated them with my card making stuff.
Then I made long strips to fit inside and added wallet sized photos of our children and Scripture verses!
Then I made a set for a friend as well that had just verses! I made 4 total, 3 CHRISTmas themed, one wasn't.
I haven't been up to to much lately. Catching up on long neglected appointments, stamping in the extra time since Grandma is here to hold a certain baby..
Today I made some Fall shaped Graham crackers, Andrew took a picture of them for me :)
I'm including some random hiking/walking pics from the last 2 weeks. We've been enjoying the long summer!
Lake Pondilla Skagit River
Though your sins are like scarlet,
They shall be as white as snow;
Though they are red like crimson,
They shall be as wool.
Isaiah 1:18
Some of you who know me well know I have a "past" with my sewing machine. It hates me! Yes, it is a machine, but it has a deep hatred for me for reasons I can not comprehend. I swear it sees me coming and starts tangling the thread into knots then I get blamed. For a couple years now I have had a desire to sew, but the mean sewing machine and its hatred of me has kept me intimidated. But then I got pregnant with a baby girl, and girls need pretty things, things I prefer handmade, but that gets expensive. Plus how can I teach her these things mamas should know, if I can't even do it? So then I REALLY wanted to be able to sew. Well a friend sent me some pretty fabric since she knew I had redone my kitchen in a blue and white theme, and she knew I was a tea kind of girl, and she knew I was scared of my sewing machine, so I looked at this beautiful gift and knew I couldn't let it go unused. So today I pulled out my measuring tape and scissors, and the material, and the dreaded sewing machines, and I managed to make 4 cloth napkins! They are by no means perfect but a huge accomplishment for me! Especially since Peter isn't even around to fix the machine when I inevitably break it. And my boys were so excited. Andrew especially who loves all things mama made is so excited to have his own napkin he can keep. I am so thankful to be the kind of mama who can be home and sew and teach them, and cook for them. I'm so blessed and I know it. Especially when I look where I came from, raised by a single dad with no mom, and a grandma who had no interest in the things of a homemaker I thank God for how far HE has brought me, and know it is His hand, not any accomplishments of my own!
Every good gift and every perfectgift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning." ~James 1:17~
until I tried to take it off the hoop.
Skagit River
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