Custom Towels for gift

I am still making gifts for Christmas.  Almost done. I bought some toweling fabric for a big towel for a gift because I wanted to add a cute bias tape around the edge.  I cut bias strips, then used one of those gadgets that helps fold the tape.  Pull the tape through and press as it it comes out and it is all folded and ready to sew on the project.

I added the name and embellishment and I was done.  Many ways to add a name as I have mentioned before and embellishment can also be applique if one doesn't have a embroidery machine.

One can also do this to a ready made towel, but I wanted the towel to be bigger to wrap around a little body  getting out of the tub. Not hard, took me a couple of hours to complete.

Fun Cards to Make

I really don't like the expense and generic look of store bought cards.  I keep card making stuff in a cupboard and pull down this and that at random to see what "suits".  My favorite is making wedding gift cards from the wedding invitation.  I pull off the pictures and go to town.  Here is the formula:


Prep: Take card stock, cut out dimension of card, score it with something sharp, fold and re cut edge if necessary to even out  the card.

First step:  Texturizing.  Using bubble wrap and stamp pad or a background stamp, stamp ground  on card.

Second Step:  Start laying:  Frame pictures partically or fully with cardstock, fabric, tissue, ribbon, anything fun.  I have this fibrous scrap booking stuff I use. Then glue on.

Third Step: Embellish.  Stickers, cutouts, trinkets, etc.  I like less rather than more. Glue or Stick.

Fourth:  Sometimes I will put a little saying on the front also like "Forever in Love" or something sweet.

For the inside, I write a message from me to the couple and put it into an envelope and done.

The next example is an invitation.  I used fabric and paper and fleece.  I love to texturize so I combine materials.  Instead of only gluing, I sewed most of it on for more interest.  I hope they liked it!  I had fun designing it.  I lay on my bed at night, trying to visualize my next thing I'll do until it comes to me. The fun part is trying out all the materials, playing around, seeing what looks good.  It is only worth doing it if it is fun.!.!   

The Seasons in California: Autumn

My backyard is looking so beautiful.  I had to take some pictures. The persimmon tree is gigantic again.  Its Autumn colors are glorious.  Another beautiful season, my favorite season, coming to an end.  Steve is busy picking, finding friends to give persimmons to . This year they are large and yummy.

My winter garden in the background - lettuce is ready to pick!

Fruit gift, part 2

I gave out my persimmon gifts.  So fun!  I love that.  Giving out things from my kitchen is so fun but a great presentation is funner.  Is funner a word?  I didn't have a box for the second gift so I  used a small string bag. For this gift idea the materials are: string bag, tissue paper, packing material, glue gun, white glue, computer and printer, bow.

First- download and print clip art from about.com.  Cut out image

Second- Clue clip art on front of bag with white glue

Third- Put packing material in bottom of bag (peanuts, crushed brown paper,or bubblewrap)

Fourth- put tissue over packing material, covering the packing material

Last- hot glue the bow in place somewhat on top of bag.  In my next post, I show how to make bows

Then fill up the bag and done!!

Who wouldn't love getting gifts like these?  Just a little more effort, gives it a fun presentation.

Making fruit gifts

Our tree has so many persimmons.  Did you know nice fruit makes a great gift when the packaging is nice?  I am giving away my persimmons and had some materials in my stash.  The first example is a box.  I was going to do burlap but had this nice lame type fabric scrap so went with that. First, cover the outside of the box, using a glue gun to tack it down.  Second, cover the bottom of the box with packing material like bubblewrap or whatever you have.  Third, cover the bubblewrap with tissue paper.  Last, a nice arrangement of the fruit.

I like to put a ribbon around, see future blog for making bows

Ready for presentation

Tile Coasters

I have tile from a house project and thought of an idea for the smaller tiles. I decided to make a monogrammed coaster.  I printed out the letter on printer paper, cut the fabric, a silk like number with decorative scissors and spray painted the tile.

Lined up, ready for glue

This time I decided to try Mod Podge glue, then spray with clear gloss paint.   So I modpodged on the fabric and then the letter,let dry, then several layers of clear spray paint (you can get  in the spray paint section) on top for a coating.

The finished project.  I put an embellishment (glass beads)around the tile with a glue gun.  I was happy with my first attempt.  I will next glue a piece of felt to the bottom of the tile, and it is ready for wrapping.  I also thought of wrapping a trim around the edge as an alternative, many variations are possible.  A ribbon at top or bottom,perhaps?

Thanksgiving 2012

We were invited to my favorite aunt's and uncle's for Thanksgiving.  We have soo much fun when we go down to SD to visit and eat.  Visiting and eating and music are always on the agenda.  They are getting up in years but that doesn't keep them from having fun.

Diana Nuttall Reints in the back and Steve Reints in foreground.  Sitting next to me are guests.

Smiling, eating, Steve brought the cider from Oak Glen

My cousin, who cooked, my Uncle Jim and Aunt Teresa- my daughter, Chris is taking the pix

Stuffed Bell Peppers

We harvested the last of the peppers from our garden. we got of ton of peppers this year from such a small area.

I thought , wow, I have got to make my famous stuffed pepper recipe.  So here it is:

8 medium peppers
½ c. chopped onion
1 lb ground beef
½ c. canned corn or 12 oz whole kernel corn, drained
1 t. Worcestershire sauce
1 8oz. seasoned tomato sauce
¾  t. salt
2 c. shredded sharp cheese
1 c. soft buttered bread crumbs



Cut off tops of peppers and simmer in a little water for 10 min, covered.
Brown onion and meat, then add the rest of ingred except the cheese and bread. Add the cheese last until melted.
Fill the peppers, and add the bread crumbs to the top of the peppers.  Bake in baking dish with a little water at bottom at 350 degrees for 40 min.

After softening in simmering water

Stuff with meat mixture

Top with butter bread, bake 350 for 40 min

A long time favorite

Handmade kitchen towels

I am making gifts for Christmas and will be sharing some of the things I did. I made personalized kitchen towels with three elements, a trim, a decoration, and the name.  Many things can be made with this formula: pillowcases, towels, pockets, totes, try it!

Finished kitchen towels

Step one:  I used a cording foot that has holes for the embroidery floss to go thru while zigzagging it down.  I used invisible thread and a multiple zigzag stitch. There are 4 threads of floss in each hole.

Note!  This is just one way to trim the edge.  Rickrack or ribbon or trim would work, too

Here I am finishing the row with the embroidery floss.

Second Step:  Adding the decoration.  I choose squares of unfinished fabric.  I first backed the squares with iron on pellon, pinned, and sewed around each square.

Third step:  Personalization.  Printout your caption on paper, place it under the towel, and trace.  Then either, embroidery by hand or free hand stitching by machine.  I can show you how to do that if you are interested.  Either way does not take long and it a makes a nice gift for anyone.

Bias ruffle on a Tee

Today I wanted to use the same bias ruffle technique on a child's t-shirt.  I made the bias trim and pinned it across the front and stitched.  The look could go from sweet to funky.

Tutorial: Refashion a T-shirt with a Ruffle Front

I like cutting apart tees and making them cuter.  Here is a tutorial on adding a bias tape with a matching ruffle to finish a cut edge.  A useful technique for adults and children's clothing.  First pick out a cute tee that need some new life!

This is what it will look when you are done.

 This is made with a ruffled piece of bias fabric and two pieces of unruffled bias that look like this and I am going to show you have to make them.  One is folded in half and gathered, the other is folded on both sides and folded again to make the bias tape (like the store bought kind)

The first step is to cut down the center front of the tee.  You do not need to finish the edge of knits so now go to the next step,  cutting some bias strips from some cute fabric.  I cut 2 1/2 in wide because I like that size when folded in half for the ruffle.  As you see here, the unruffled bias pieces are folded in half and in half again, all from the same 2 1/2 in wide strips.

About to make a Tee into a layering piece, love it.

Strips cut on the bias, I cut 2  1/2 inches wide.

Set aside two strips for the front of the t-shirt; get the rest ready for sewing together and making into a ruffle.

These strips will go down the two front sides.

Now pin the ends of the ruffle strips together end to end to make a long strip.  1/4" seam allowance is good.

Pin the strips this way and then sew.

Then to the ironing board to press the ruffle strips;  fold then in half lengthwise  and press.  Now you have a loooong strip ready to ruffle.  Wait, what to do with the other two pieces?  Fold and press them, too, but press each lengthwise end in to meet the middle of the strip, then fold again in half.  You will have two bias strips with the side ends tucked  in. See beginning photo for example.You will not ruffle these two pieces.

Now place a piece of dental floss or heavy thread or thin cord down on the seam allowance of the ruffle piece and zigzag over it.

I placed dental floss on the 1/4 seam allowance and zigzagged over it. Here you see the ruffle piece folded in half and I am sewing near the raw edge.

 When  you are thru zigzagging, either tie a big knot at  one tail end or loop the dental floss end around and around a pin that has been pinned in at the tail end of the piece.  After that, pull the floss until you get the kind of ruffle you want.

Pull the cord and lets ruffle, it is stronger and easier than two lines of running threads

At this point you have a ruffle- yea- and two pieces of bias tape, ok!  Almost done.  Sandwich the ruffle in between the bias tape and pin.  Ready for sewing.

Sewing the bias to the ruffle now.

Bias tape sandwich on the left and ruffle sandwiched in , now stitching it.

Laying it down so just the ruffle hangs over the edge, then pin.

Last step!  Lay the whole thing- you will have two pieces of bias tape with a ruffle- so lay it over the t-shirt edge and sew again.  I like to sew a double stitch, over the first row and then a second row so there is a row going down both side of the bias strip.

Double rows of stitching now to attach cute ruffle to the t-shirt.  Yes, if any zigs show, pick them out here and there.  No one is perfect.

Here is the end result, write me if you have any questions, I am going to do this on a small girl's Tee to show you how that looks so stay tuned. 

Wrap a food gift

In the Fall I love to bake and give away some to friends.  I like to dress up my gifts.  This is one idea I did this week.  I found some raffia and some tissue paper around the house and came up with the idea.

I downloaded the print from about.com clip art.  To assemble, I put the small pumpkin bread I made in a gift bag I had on hand from a craft store.  I wrapped the strip of tissue paper around the loaf, then finished with the tied raffia, sticking the print under. A little invisible tape helps.

This would work for any holiday or any occasion

Hello,  I am so excited about my new blog.  Welcome!  I have so many ideas I would like to share with you.  I hope you enjoy them.  I love to be creative, don't you?  On this blog, you will see DIY for home and family.  So let's begin:

I love the Fall.  It is my favorite season.  I decorate the house and think of a craft or two to do.  I found these place mats at Target.  Anything plain needs adornment. I choose a pumpkin design from clip art at about.com, then cut the pumpkins from felted sweaters.  I attached them to the place mat with a running stitch with embroidery floss.

I finished with a stem of felted sweater, whip stitched on.  Pretty cute for a kitchen table.