Sugar and Spice

College Girl has discovered a love for all things preppy,  and this includes Lily Pulitzer dresses, Ralph Lauren Polos, hair bows, oxford shirts, riding boots and pearls!  She has a wish list  started, but has managed to pick up a few de rigueur  items for the new semester with her Christmas money. On a trip to some factory outlets she bought a Brooks Brothers top and a Ralph Lauren polo shirt. The other day she came into my scrap room and asked for fabric. Next thing I knew she had the glue gun heating up, and managed to find the hair clips and my bakery string. YouTube has a plethora of videos showing how to make these simple hair bows. Basically, you take a strip of fabric and fold it lengthwise in thirds.

Then you fold the left and right ends toward each other so they slightly overlap in the center, and secure. In this video tutorial, a glue gun was used to hold the fabric together. Click on the video below~

  

College Girl used bakery string to pinch and secure the center of the bow, then covered this area with a matching strip of fabric.

Once the bow is formed you can adhere a clip or comb of your choice with the glue gun or a few stitches. 

These would be fun Valentine's Day gifts and perfect to tuck into an Easter Basket! 

Sweet and feminine, preppy and classic~

I can't decide which one I like best. Seersucker or striped?

I grabbed my camera to take some photos to share with you, but these sweet bows were made start to finish by my preppy College Girl. She even modeled one of them for me!

You don't need much fabric at all. What a quick, easy craft with charming results~

Sugar and spice
and everything nice
that's what little girls are made of
Sunshine and rainbows
and ribbons for hair bows
that's what little girls are made of

sharing this post with~
Share Your Cup 
Mosaic Monday 
Time Travel Thursday 
Pink Saturday- How Sweet The Sound 

Crazy for Cocoa Beans

I just finished reading the latest copy of the Food Network magazine and it had me drooling over brownies, cookies, candy and more.  I especially liked the regional article that highlighted fun chocolate finds around the United States.

One interesting place caught my eye! It is called The Chocolate Flower Farm, and is located in Langley, Washington.

 The Chocolate Flower Farm sells plants, annual and perrenial seeds, candles, tea, bath products, gift items, and drink mixes all with a chocolate theme. They also sell garden statuary. HGTV made a video featuring the Chocolate Flower Farm.

Wouldn't it be fun  to have a chocolate and vanilla garden? Or Neopolitan? Watch the video above for ideas on how to create one.

Speaking of chocolate, I bet most little girls would love to dress up as a Mint Chocolate Fairy  in this whimsical outfit from Lil Miss Goody Tutu.

I have a perfect spot outside for some chocolate scented Daisies. And that gives me an idea! If I planted a Marshmallow (herb) next to them, could I call it my S'more Garden?

Shreve, Crump & Low 6 oz teacup

While I contemplate this question, I will sip some chocolate chai tea from my Shreve,Crump & Low cup and saucer. It's the perfect color, n'est pas?


I am sharing this post with:
Martha's Favorites 
Artful Affirmations 
Rose Chintz Cottage 
Delightsome Life 

Snowmen Fall from Heaven Unassembled~

Brrrr! It is getting chilly outside. Perfect time to stay indoors and create some handmade gifts. 

Want to see what I made with socks, rice and buttons?

I used mens socks for the body of a snowman and womens socks for the clothing. A glue gun is helpful and buttons add charm.

The first thing I did was cut off the foot of the sock. Discard the foot section, or use in another project. Next, I turned the sock inside out & gathered it at one end. I started running a threaded needle back and forth through the bunch to close it.

Picturing a clock, I inserted the needle at each hour around the bunch to insure the end was securely stitched. You could also just tightly tie the end or use a rubber band on it. Turn the sock so the stitched part is inside. The bottom will look like this~ 

Stand the sock vertically and fill with dry rice. I bought inexpensive rice at Big Lots. You could also use dry beans.

As you pour in the rice, occasionally push the rice down; this will give the snowman more stability as it widens him.

You can see where I pushed the rice down at the bottom then poured more rice in...there is a little bulge where I flattened the rice, so I would push again to get the upper sock as wide as the bottom.

I used about one pound of rice for my snowgirl, then tied off the top securely. Now I got to dress her! I cut the heel/ankle as well as the toe tip from the decorative sock. I used the straight piece that resulted for her sweater. Pull the straight piece over her head to where she would wear a sweater. I tied a ribbon tightly around her 'neck' to form a head and body.

I used the heel part of the same sock for her cap. I used Distress Ink Broken China to color the ribbon roses.

A great tip for coloring flowers or ribbon to coordinate with your project; I smeared some Distress Ink on my craft sheet, spritzed it with water and rubbed the roses into the water-ink solution. Let dry.
She has a snowflake at her neckline~

 I made a family of snowmen and snow girls! I can't share the others because they are going to be a surprise for friends and family. You can use smooth knitted socks for the clothing or the fuzzy kind so easily found at this time of year. You can also make pointy-ended hats if you use the toe end of the sock as the hat tip. If you tie the snowman in two places he will have 3 bulges instead of two like my little Rosy, above. I enjoy giving handcrafted gifts...I put love into each one.

I am sharing this post with~

Terri's Deck The Halls

Pin Keeper~

My goodness, how can it be approaching the end of September already? Fall is here and October is on the way.

Ode To Autumn

by J. Keats

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness,
    Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
    With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eves run;
To bend with apples the moss'd cottage-trees,
    And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
        To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
    With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
        For Summer has o'er-brimm'd their clammy cells.

Who hath not seen thee oft amid thy store?
    Sometimes whoever seeks abroad may find
Thee sitting careless on a granary floor,
    Thy hair soft-lifted by the winnowing wind;
Or on a half-reap'd furrow sound asleep,
    Drows'd with the fume of poppies, while thy hook
        Spares the next swath and all its twined flowers:
And sometimes like a gleaner thou dost keep
    Steady thy laden head across a brook;
    Or by a cyder-press, with patient look,
        Thou watchest the last oozings hours by hours.

Where are the songs of Spring? Ay, where are they?
    Think not of them, thou hast thy music too,--
While barred clouds bloom the soft-dying day,
    And touch the stubble-plains with rosy hue;
Then in a wailful choir the small gnats mourn
    Among the river sallows, borne aloft
        Or sinking as the light wind lives or dies;
And full-grown lambs loud bleat from hilly bourn;
    Hedge-crickets sing; and now with treble soft
    The red-breast whistles from a garden-croft;

One of the nice things about Fall and Winter is having a bit more time for crafting.  I have half a dozen candles in my Sewing/Scrap Room which I light each evening and then start creating~ The phone stops ringing, I hear the evening fireworks exploding over Disneyland in the distance, and the neighborhood is quiet. My favorite time of the day! Tonight I made a gift for a friend. She is a scrapbooker extraordinaire as well as a sewer. I got the idea from a magazine....just pick a small frame you like, get a little piece of fabric, and some batting or stuffing. I also used a glue gun to complete my project.

I removed the frame front (glass or plastic), pushed the toile fabric in from the back, added a small wad of poly stuffing, trimmed the excess fabric, then glued the back on. I pushed a few decorative stick pins in it and it was ready to giftwrap. Now I want to make one for myself! lol~

Sew Simple~

My daughter likes to drive with a small pillow behind her back. As she is a fairly new driver, I am glad to accomodate her so she is comfortable and safe! We found a small pillow at Tuesday Morning, but it has a Chocolate Lab pictured on one side and a quote about dogs on the other. She is a cat person plus the pillow just doesnt 'go' with the interior of her car! ~lol~

So, I offered to make a pillow sham for her.

 I'll give you three guesses which fabric I used. If you have been reading my blog for the past couple of months, you know that we are fans of the older Doctor Who television shows. (2005-09) Not long ago I bought some Doctor Who TARDIS fabric from Spoonflower. It is so cute and has different Doctors on it as well as the wonderful blue TARDIS and sonic screwdrivers!

And even better, my daughter's car is blue...so it will coordinate nicely :)

Start out by measuring the pillow~

Since I am just winging it and not using a pattern, I will measure the length and width then add allowances.  I decided to add a narrow flange around the perimeter too. So, my calculation looks like :

Length + seam allowance + flange + "puffy" allowance = front length
Width + seam allowance + flange + "puffy" allowance = front width
(I add 'puffy' allowance because the pillow is not flat)

I cut two pieces for the back; the reason for this is so the pillow can be inserted and removed through an overlapped opening. My calculation for these pieces are;

Final Length from previous calculation divided by two + overlap + edge hem

 by Final Width from previous calculation= each back piece

~The back pieces must be hemmed along overlapping edges~ 

This sounds much more complicated than it actually is!

Other than the exact pillow measurements, I choose my own allowances. So, let's say the pillow is 12" long, and I want a 1/2" flange all the way around.

I plan to use a 1/2" seam allowance and I want a 2" overlap in the back. I also decide on a 1/2" edge hem on the back pieces (fabric folded over 1/4", then another 1/4" and stitched). The front piece will be-

12" + 1" (flange on both ends) + 1" (seam allow)+ 2" puffy= front piece length.

back pieces length= divide front piece length in half and add 2" overlap + 1/2" hem to get the length. Back piece width= front piece width.

*Hem back piece edges that will overlap. (photo below)

This is a casual project, not haute couture, so I don't stress about pinning. I eye a 1/4" fold and sew, then fold edge over 1/4" again and stitch close to edge to finish.

Now I place the back pieces overlapped, right sides down on the front piece which is right sides up. (all right sides facing each other) Raw edges out, hemmed edges overlapping.

Now I use a few pins around the edges at this stage. I sew around the entire perimeter using the 1/2" seam allowance I decided on when I made the calculations.

Next, I turn it inside out (I call it inside right!) and gently push out the corners and press.

This is what it looks like before I turn it.....above~

Here it is turned. I use the plastic tool to gently push pointed corners out, then I iron the pillow case. This is the back view. The pillow will be slipped through this opening.

BEFORE  I insert the pillow, I stitched around the entire outside of the pillowcase edge 1/2" from the sides...this is top stitching. This top stitching forms the flange, or narrow border. You can make a wider flange or leave it off altogether. I wanted a narrow one.

Here is the back view~

This is such an easy sewing project...and it is fun to make changeable pillow cases for gifts, kids, or seasonal home decor. Gives you the opportunity to buy just a little of that team fabric for a sports fan, or holiday fabric for seasonal decorating.

Got Gum?

My daughter chews gum. A lot of gum. ~lol~ One day I decided to re-purpose all those gum packages into mini albums after seeing other people turn all kinds of things into tiny keepsakes, including toilet paper rolls for mini album pages! I covered the surfaces with pretty paper and inked the edges. 

I cut cardstock into tags, linked them with a loop of ribbon and decorated them with journaling spots and chipboard to go inside. My purse sized mini album closes with velcro. I let the recipient attatch personal photos on the enclosed tags. Quick, simple, fun...and easy to make! I like to keep a few on hand as little 'happies' to take to a friend when I visit, or to include with a gift card (which fit inside perfectly!) for teens~ 

I am sharing this with Liz at The Brambleberry Cottage

Fun Stuff~

I discovered this Ranger tutorial by T!m H. that shows you how to make a custom stamp pad. It is reusable, lasts a long time, and can be washed and reinked in another palette if you desire! As my daughter would say, "awesomesauce!"

Then I found a great home decor project; it is a decorative chalkboard made with two frames and some scrappy supplies. I'm thinking this would be perfect for a Father's Day gift if made with masculine papers and embellies from Graphic 45~ Dad could use it in the garage or office. Check it out!
http://ateliersmonscrapbook.blogspot.com/2009/11/une-ardoise-decorative.html

Date Day~

My husband and I decided to visit the charming area of Old Towne Orange, with it's central Plaza Park, which has been a gathering place for residents and visitors for more than a century. This area has the largest Registered Historic District in California. It is a popular location for film and tv production too. There are antique shops, art galleries, an Army Navy Store, boutiques & restaurants. We started off by going into Tea Leaf Cottage on Glassell.

Lots of linens, dishes, jewelry and home decor to be discovered here. I found a chair I liked and it had a pillow on it with the perfect sentiment!

I browsed through some ephemera and saw vintage 'Merit Cards' with students and teachers names on them. Next, we headed over to Jalapenos for Mexican food. This place was hopping at 12:30. We placed our order at the counter, then found a comfy booth to sit and enjoy our food, salsa and beverages. The clientele was a happy mix of businessmen, college students, and couples.

We headed up the block to the intersection of Glassell Street and Chapman Avenue; here is the 'Circle', around which motorists pass the central fountain dedicated in 1937. We walked over to the fountain and sat in the sun to people watch and enjoy the weather...it was gorgeous out!

Refreshed, we continued south on Glassell to Paris In A Cup. I defy you to walk past this shop! It is charming on the outside, but wait until you get inside!

Yes, you read right...the window says Tea Salon, Market, and Chocolates! There are toile covered tables with umbrellas out front, and a doormat at the entrance that says Bonjour. Let's go inside!

My sweet, accomodating husband gave me plenty of time to look around and asked if there was anything I wanted to buy. There was SO much to see, and I knew I would be heading home with some delicious tea as soon as I saw the selection.

The owner has small clear jars with removable lids so you can see and smell the tea before purchasing. I chose Harney and Son's new PARIS which is a fruity black tea with vanilla and caramel, and a hint of bergamont. They also carry Kousmichoff teas; I love drinking Kusmi Troika in the afternoon. If you have yet to try loose leaf tea you are missing out! There is something for everybody, and it is simple to prepare a good 'cuppa'. Don't settle for tea 'crumbs' in bags dunked in lukewarm water...blech! Full afternoon tea and lunch is served in the elegant Tea Room here. I plan to return with my daughter for a gracious teatime experience, but for now we were full. So, I spoke with the cashier and asked to take photos of their charming gift and home decor displays. There are adorable Eiffel Tower themed items, soaps, candles, books, and chocolates.

Loved the necklaces and pins! Reasonable prices and unique gifts~

Everything was displayed so nicely~

I loved the chic paper napkins with the Eiffel Tower on them. Wouldn't those be nice for a casual brunch where you serve Quiche Lorraine?

Imagine the aroma! Mmmm, chocolate! Considering I had been a good girl and walked 4 miles the day before with my friend Stephanie, I did not want to undo the good we had done. So, I admired the view but grabbed my husband's hand and headed back to the car. It was a fun day.