The Polka-Dot Umbrella

Ribbon Wreath

2012-02-23T16:47:00.000-07:00

Free Alphabet Book Printable

2012-02-22T21:31:00.000-07:00

Just A Simple Detail To Keep Hair Clips To Stay In

2012-02-21T20:37:00.000-07:00

Frech Onion Soup

2012-02-17T21:43:00.002-07:00

Winter Reading List

2012-02-15T14:39:00.000-07:00

Cute Valentines

2012-02-13T08:40:00.001-07:00

Oreo Truffle Kisses

2012-02-10T18:59:00.000-07:00

Smores Brownies

2012-02-10T10:48:00.000-07:00

Love Banner

2012-02-08T21:32:00.000-07:00

Monkey Bread

2012-02-08T11:12:00.007-07:00

Valentines Fun and Gifts

2012-02-07T15:38:00.001-07:00

Cream Cheese Chicken Chili

2012-02-03T07:58:00.002-07:00

Paper Hearts

2012-02-01T21:39:00.002-07:00

Valentine's Salt Dough Heart Garland

2012-02-01T11:10:00.000-07:00

How I Made My Valentines Wreath

2012-01-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

Owl Cupcakes

2012-01-26T21:46:00.001-07:00

An Old Vanity Turned Into Two Night Stands

2012-01-25T21:55:00.004-07:00

Our Favorite Posts From 2011

2012-01-24T13:25:00.000-07:00

We here at The Polka-Dot Umbrella thought it would be fun to share a few of our favorite posts from 2011. It has been a great year, we have accomplished a lot of goals and grown closer together as a group. Thanks for being a part of it!!

Erica's favorites:

From Left to Right: Gun Case Into a Book Nook; Kitchen Organizer; Mozzarella Stuffed Meatballs; Mismatched Fine China

Jennifer's Favorites:

From Left to Right: Splendid Pieced Placemat; Button Earrings; Valentine's Hair; Wood Wall Art

Shauntel's Favorites:

From Left to Right: Mocktail: Shark Attack; Noel; Framing in a Mirror; Shrunken Head Cider

Meg's Favorites:

From Left to Right: All About Me Swingpack-Purse; Nylon Flower Tutorial; Household Hint: Laundry Room; Kitchen Island Redo

Lumberjack Breakfast Cake

2012-01-19T22:32:00.000-07:00

Valentine Salt Dough Hearts

2012-01-18T11:02:00.000-07:00

Homemade Button Earrings

2012-01-17T21:12:00.003-07:00

Fajita Seasoning

2012-01-13T11:13:00.000-07:00

Vintage Hospitality Snack Set

2012-01-12T11:14:00.000-07:00

Organizing (Part 1) Building Garage Shelves

2012-01-11T10:28:00.003-07:00

Don't Be Afraid Of/To Color

2012-01-10T21:34:00.001-07:00

Document Dinner

2012-01-06T16:20:00.000-07:00

Source

Printable Roundup

2012-01-04T12:15:00.000-07:00

Source

Daily Schedule

2012-01-01T18:50:00.002-07:00

Goal Setting as a Family

2011-12-30T10:27:00.001-07:00

Photo found here.

Last Minute Gift Idea for Dads

2011-12-23T11:29:00.000-07:00

Candy Cane Cookie Recipe

2011-12-22T07:00:00.000-07:00

Christmas Crafts- Chairs

2011-12-22T06:35:00.001-07:00

Homemade Apothecary Jar Gifts

2011-12-21T11:08:00.000-07:00

Cranberry Stick Star

2011-12-19T00:11:00.001-07:00

Indoor Snowball Tutorial

2011-12-13T12:56:00.000-07:00

How to Fancy Your Ornament

2011-12-11T21:18:00.003-07:00

Party Drink

2011-12-09T16:29:00.000-07:00

Decorating With Pinecones

2011-12-07T21:19:00.001-07:00

Picture Quilt

2011-12-07T12:40:00.001-07:00

Guest Post- Ladies Christmas Ornament Exchange

2011-12-06T16:09:00.001-07:00

Block of the Month: December

2011-12-05T09:11:00.000-07:00

Block of the Month: November

2011-12-02T10:20:00.001-07:00

Block of the Month: October

2011-12-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

Noel

2011-12-01T06:25:00.002-07:00

Christmas Countdown and Gifts to Jesus

2011-11-30T21:55:00.004-07:00

More Gift Wrapping With Patterns Ideas

2011-11-30T11:07:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving - Year Round Blessings Jar

2011-11-23T12:23:00.000-07:00

Family Tradition- Thanksgiving Christmas Craft

2011-11-22T12:58:00.000-07:00

A Thankful Mr. Gobbles

2011-11-21T08:14:00.004-07:00

Kitchen Organizer

2011-11-16T20:50:00.004-07:00

Thank You Goodie Bag

2011-11-16T11:27:00.001-07:00

Simple Changes To A Bathroom-Framing in a Mirror

2011-11-15T09:34:00.002-07:00

Readers Show Off

2011-11-12T11:00:00.004-07:00

Kara sent in the readers show off for this week. She said that this baby quilt is super fast and easy. The project is a version of psiquilt.com's quilt in American Patchwork and Quilting. Go here to see the original. As always leave Kara some love in the form of comments here. As a side note she also said she can't wait to see what Meg has to offer. I don't know Meg, but I feel like you better be offering some pretty great things! ;)

Winner

2011-11-11T15:51:00.005-07:00

The winner of our second ruler giveaway is:

kellyrass said...

I need it bad. Really bad.

November 10, 2011 4:43 PM

Kelly I'll get it in the mail. Or hold it hostage.

(I used random.org, but I don't know how to post the cool little box that shows the winning number)

Nylon Flower Tutorial

2011-11-10T02:00:00.019-07:00

Simple Gift Wrapping Idea

2011-11-09T13:03:00.001-07:00

One Year House Anniversary- Projects Looking Back

2011-11-08T13:56:00.000-07:00

Readers Show Off

2011-11-05T11:00:00.002-06:00

This is the first readers show off we have from our HST ruler giveaway. Want a chance to win? Go here.

The pretty girl in this picture is Jorja, cutest spelling ever? Yes! Her mom, Kathleen, made this pattern, dress and bow. Even though Halloween is over, this would be really cute in other fabric combinations. Kathleen has the dress for sale on her etsy shop (sorry I didn't see the bow). Love the outfit? Leave a comment here to let Kathleen know.

FREE!!!

2011-11-04T11:54:00.002-06:00

I feel like we have the greatest readers ever! So to show you how much we appreciate you coming to check out our blog I am offering anyone in the Salt Lake Valley (well anyone really who will be in the area) free gourds and mini pumpkins. They are so cute for decorating for Thanksgiving. They are also great for the Thanksgiving dinner table. I have three huge bins full. If you're interested please email me shauntel122@hotmail.com. I'll then send you my phone number so we can arrange a time for you to come pick yours out. (The gourds are in South Jordan) There are so many that I almost hate to say supplies are limited, but don't wait too long; these will not be available after November 15.

Quilt in a Day Ruler Giveaway #2

2011-11-04T11:51:00.003-06:00

With the changes going on here I thought it would be a good time to giveaway ruler number two from Quilt in a Day! We also have an exclusive coupon from them; it is for 25% off your entire online purchase. To redeem this amazing deal go to the Quilt in a Day website browse through the many products they offer and use the coupon code blog. The code will expire December 31, 2011.

For your chance to win this ruler just leave a comment in this post with your name to be entered. For a second chance to win send a *picture* of a sewing project you are proud of; something that you want the whole world to see! You can send them to shauntel122@hotmail.com Please put quilting project as the subject line so it doesn't get overlooked. Once I've seen it, I'll enter you for your second chance.

*By sending your pictures you are giving us permission to use them in our readers show off on Saturdays. Please only send your own pictures.*
For a tutorial to see this ruler in action check out this post.

I'll post the winner next Friday. You can enter to win any time until the winner is announced.

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

Nylon Headband Tutorial

2011-11-03T06:00:00.000-06:00

The remaining Polka-Dot Umbrella girls are sad to say goodbye to our good friends, Carlee and Emily. We want to thank them for all of the great ideas they have shared and wish them the best of luck on their latest adventure The Mary Frances Project. Go check out their new blog, it is adorable.

On another note we are very excited to introduce you to the newest member of The Polka-Dot Umbrella, Meg. We are thrilled to have her join our ranks and I am sure you guys are going to love her. She has so many great ideas and is so creative. Meg got married last February and is having a blast personalizing her apartment. She loves to go hiking and camping. Meg also enjoys trying new things and is always testing out different ideas. Here is a small taste of what Meg has to offer.

I don't like to spend a lot of time fussing over myself, but I don't like anyone else knowing that. I have noticed over the years that if I shove a headband on my messy hair, nobody notices my hair. However, most headbands are too tight for my head, pushing until I get a headache and have to take it off. This is why I make my own headbands. This way I look good and can be comfortable too!

All you really need is a pair of tights or nylons. I got the idea to make a headband out of my tights after I had gotten a hole/run in them. You can also buy a new pair and it works just the same.

Cut one leg like this. You should have a toe piece that you can just throw away, a small piece (2 inches) and a long piece (22 inches).

With the small piece, wrap it around the long piece twice, just like you would put an elastic around your hair to make a pony tail. This piece will be used to cover where the headband is sewn together.

You can either use hot glue or your sewing machine to put the two ends together. I have used both ways and either works great. Make sure that when you sew them together your long piece of nylon is not twisted all funny.

Now cover where the two ends were glued or sewn together with the small piece of nylon you have already wrapped around your headband. And voila, a headband!

I have also made a flower from the top of the tights, what would go around your waist. I just super-glued the flower right on top of the small piece covering the seam.

Be creative! You will have a lot of material left, but I will post a nylon flower tutorial soon!

Blog Under Construction

2011-11-01T21:15:00.003-06:00

It's a bit bitter sweet for me to see these two amazing gals go. I have LOVED working with them but I love what they have going and am excited to follow along as they have some new adventures.

Source

We decided to shake things up and do some remodeling here on the blog. We will be working on things all day tomorrow so if you are having problems getting on the site check back on Thursday when we will be introducing a few new things.

Thanks everyone!

Our New Blogging Adventure

2011-11-01T19:33:00.003-06:00

I'm pretty excited to announce, that Emily and I have started working on our own blog. We've been working together on various projects since we were small children, and we decided with all the other changes we are going through (moving, new babies, and that kind of thing), this was a good time for us to start up a new blog as well.

As of this week, we will be blogging at TheMaryFrancesProject.blogspot.com. We hope you will follow us over and add us to your reading list so you can keep tabs on what we are up to. Blogging with The Polka-Dot Umbrella has been really fun for us, and we have learned lots from the other ladies. They are pretty great, am I right?

We are pretty excited about our new project, and we know you will like it too. We've named it after our paternal grandmother, and I think you will agree that she was an exceptional lady.

When she was a young mother with six children, her husband died in a tragic accident. On her own, she raised her children and ran a large cattle ranch on the Canadian prairies.

Grandma wasn't just a single mother and cattle rancher--she was a woman with taste and ambition. She was an amazing seamstress and crafter. She was involved in politics and was knowledgeable about the British Royals, Russia, and her family's ancestry. She loved to travel and read great books. She had fine china and real silver.

Our Grandma is inspiring to us because she showed that a person can be more than what her circumstances seem to allow.

The Mary Frances Project is about taking this inspiration from our Grandmother, and becoming the women that we want to be. It's about celebrating who we are, and where we've come from. On the blog we focus on four areas: Sew, Cook, Improve, and Play.

As we have been planning our new blog, we have both really felt like we owe a big thank you both to Jen, Erica, and Shauntel for all their work here, but also to all of you for reading, and commenting, and supporting us in our crafting and sewing adventures. We hope we keep hearing from you in our new space, The Mary Frances Project, as well.

Banister and Handrail Refinish

2011-10-31T12:44:00.004-06:00

One of the things that I knew I wanted to update in my newly purchased home was the entry handrail and banister. They were outdated and didn't fit with my decorations, like my wood wall art. I was a bit overwhelmed with this project and didn't even know where to start. After doing many searches online and sitting on the idea for quite some time I decided to dig in.

Before

I was absolutely shocked how easy this project was and couldn't believe it took me so long to start. I did the normal; sand, paint, and topped it with a polyurethane. The biggest help in my ventures was the very aggressive sand paper I used for the places I stained.

This project just took a few days and only a hour a day. I was a bit of a perfectionist because I didn't want paint on my carpet and it is right in my entry, I can't hide anything.

Great project that was easy and the end results where great.

Half Square Triangle Tutorial

2011-10-28T23:38:00.001-06:00

I promised a tutorial on how to make half square triangles using the ruler from our giveaway. Congratulations to our winner. Don't forget the coupon code blog is good through December 31 for 25% off your entire purchase! Shop online at Quilt in a Day now.

HST's are very simple and using this great tool makes them even easier. I like that when you are finished, your square is already squared up and ready to sew.
Step 1: Lay out two squares of fabric that are the same size but different colors. Add 1/2" seam allowance. So if you want your final square to measure 4 inches cut your fabric 4 1/2".

Step 2: Draw a line down the center on the wrong side of one fabric. Pair the squares ride sides together.

Step 3: Sew 1/4" from both sides of the drawn line.

Step 4: Cut in half on drawn line.

Step 5: Cut the corners off on the bottom of the triangles.

Do you see how I cut from the corner of the seam down on a diagonal? This will get rid of the dog ears when you press it open.

Step 6: Place the Quilt in a Day Square Up Ruler 4" line on the seam (or whatever size your sewing). Center the tip of the ruler with the tip of the triangle the best you can.

Step 7: Cut the excess fabric off each side of the ruler.

Step 8: Open square and press towards the darker fabric.

And the Winner Is...

2011-10-28T21:56:00.001-06:00

Remember that Quilt in a Day has donated two more rulers. Be sure to check back again for another chance to win! Congratulations to our winner!

Ma Heather and Pa Craig said...

I'm a beginner quilter and this ruler would be great to have. It would encourage me to do more than just squares and rectangles.

October 21, 2011 11:12 PM

Send your mailing address to shauntel122@hotmail.com

(I used random.org, but I don't know how to post the cool little box that shows the winning number)

Halloween Village

2011-10-27T11:00:00.001-06:00

Update: Emily is now blogging at The Mary Frances Project.

I found this printable Halloween Village via the Tangarang blog. The blog shares both a colour and black-and-white printable. We used the black-and-white one and this was a lot of fun to decorate. I thought I'd share because it was a big hit at my house. Once you've printed the pages, I suggest cutting them out and folding before colouring as the lines are quite faint and it was tricky to see them once they were coloured over. To finish our village, we taped it to a piece of cardboard and decorated that too.

First we made a Halloween themed village.

It was so much fun that we decided to make one for fairies.

I'll be bookmarking that page because I think the paper village printable is a fun project for any time of year.

Shrunken Head Cider

2011-10-26T11:53:00.000-06:00

My husband and I love making shrunken head cider. It is easy and fun! We found the recipe on MarthaStewart.com.

Ingredients

2 cups lemon juice
2 tablespoons coarse salt
8 large Granny Smith apples
32 whole cloves
2 gallons apple cider (we always use honey crisp apple cider, it costs a little more but it is definitely worth it!!)
2 (12-ounce) cans frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed

Directions

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. In a medium bowl, mix together lemon juice and salt; set aside.
Peel apples and cut each in half through the stem; remove seeds and core. Using a sharp paring knife, carve a face, as desired, on the rounded side of each apple half. Place apples in lemon mixture for one minute; transfer to paper towels to drain.
Place apples, face-side up on prepared baking sheet and transfer to oven. Let bake until apples are dry and begin to brown around the edges, about 90 minutes. Remove apples from baking sheets and press cloves into the "eye" sockets.
Combine cider and lemonade in a pot on stove and heat to desired temperature and transfer to a large punchbowl; float shrunken heads on top.

Here is my version of a picture tutorial.

There you have it. I hope you have fun making your own little shrunken apple heads. My sister Megan hates cider and she loved this recipe. It is so delicious.

Don't forget to enter our giveaway.
I am jealous I don't have a ruler like that and I want one!!! I am definitely going to have to use the discount code.

Sometimes I bite off more than I can chew...

2011-10-25T10:48:00.000-06:00

Update: Carlee is now blogging at The Mary Frances Project.

One of the really awesome things about living out east, is picking trash. People here leave unwanted items on their curb for semi-annual large trash pick-up from the city, but also with the idea that someone will take it home before the garbage does. Some of the stuff that gets left by the curb is truly junk, but sometimes you can find some really awesome stuff. I have friends that have scored nice couches, bookshelves, desks, dressers, etc. this way. You all know how much I love thrift shopping, but picking up free stuff is much, much more exciting.

A few weeks ago I found something awesome by the curb while driving on a street I don't normally go down.

It must have been fate, because I have actually been on the hunt for a nice little wooden cradle for years. I have never found something I love at the right price, and I think this little cradle is so cute. And free is definitely the right price.

Since it was someone's garbage, I knew it was going to take a little work to turn it into something that I will actually put my baby into. The first thing I did when I brought it home was to throw the mattress into my garbage can, and clean it down with some disinfectant. Even though I was planning on stripping and repainting it, I wanted it to be clean until I had time to really work on it.

Today was the day that I started to strip off all the old paint. I did a little research to find a stripper that had good reviews and was as non-toxic as possible (since I'm 7 months pregnant and I have two little kids running around), and I went with Citristrip from Home Depot.

Things went along well for the first bit, and I managed to get the whole thing covered with the paint stripper. Based on the way the paint was blistering, I innocently thought I might just get the whole thing finished in just a few hours.

And initally, it started coming off just fine too. Then I started working on the spindles, and I realized this was going to take longer than I thought.

After working on it all morning, I spent a few more hours out there this afternoon. And it didn't look much better than when I started. At one point my neighbour walked by and said "Are you getting close now" (refering to my baby's due date), and I told her I still have two more months to go.

Translation: I have two more months to finish scrapping off all these layers of paint, sand the whole thing down, repaint it, cut a new foam mattress and cover it, and make some cute little sheets. Suddenly two months doesn't seem that long anymore...

What have I got myself into? Any tips on removing old paint? I think I'm in the market for something magical to help me out of this mess...

Photography Links

2011-10-24T10:01:00.000-06:00

For the past six weeks I have had the chance to take a photography class that I have absolutely loved! I have owned an SLR and have learned here and there but have never "studied" it. It's something that I have really wanted to learn more about for a really long time. I have found myself the last few weeks thinking about it, a lot; rule of thirds, still life, candid vs. portrait, white balance, poses, ways to get natural light in the house, food pictures, the list goes on and on.

I was pretty excited about last weeks assignment, portraits. I thought I would share.
(Remember, I'm just learning and I don't have a very fancy camera.)

I have found myself reading online and in books in most of my spare time. There are such great articles and posts out there that are available to anyone that wants to learn! Everyone could use a few tips on how to get better pictures because we are all taking them, right? With Halloween parties, darling kids in costumes, and beautiful fall leaves and sweaters we all could be taking some precious and priceless pictures and maybe even do a little better with some tips.

Here a few of my favorite photography sites that have some great tips and tricks about taking pictures.

Click It Up A Notch

Digital Photography School

Picture Correct

Kodak. com

Better Photo .com

Lacy Davis Photography- Great article on what to wear for pictures.

A really good tip with taking pictures is to do a search on poses before you take pictures and find a few you want to use before you go out to take some pictures. For instance if you want to take some pictures of your kids in their costume type 'kids in costumes' in a search engine and see what you like and don't like. After finding what I like I even put them in a word file and print them out so I have them on hand when I am taking pictures.

Do you have a site you like and have found helpful? Please share!

One of those days...With a Giveaway!

2011-10-21T11:51:00.001-06:00

Have you even had one of those days, weeks, or months? I am in the middle of one of those weeks. There is so much going on around me that I don't know which way I'm going! I had a great post planned for today, but then life happened so I'll just do a giveaway. How about that?

Do you remember the post about Quilt in a day? The coupon code blog is still good through the end of the year. They sent three rulers for us to giveaway and I'd like to give the first one today. This is simple. Just leave a comment in this post with your name to be entered. You don't have to do anything else. No other entries. Easy peasy.

This ruler helps make half square triangles a snap. Seriously, it is my favorite quilting tool. Next week when life has calmed a little I'll post the tutorial on how to use the ruler. Trust me though, if you quilt and don't have this, you need it!

I'll post the winner next Friday. You can enter to win any time until the winner is announced.

***THIS GIVEAWAY IS NOW CLOSED***

A Few of my Favourites

2011-10-20T10:20:00.000-06:00

Update: Emily is now blogging at The Mary Frances Project.

This coming weekend, I am moving. (Again. Yes, I just moved in June, and am moving yet again.) This means my sewing machine is packed up, and all other projects are on the back burner until I am settled in my new house.

So, instead of showing you what I've been up to (because I'm pretty sure pictures of me packing boxes is not that interesting), I'll share with you some of my favourite places that I look to for inspiration in the crafty and sewing world. For me, I want to be inspired, but also feel like I see something that I could do at home.

Made

Who doesn't love this blog? (She has over 11,000 followers!) I have made her circle skirt, and am planning on a happy day garland for my new space. I feel like Made has projects at a range of levels and has a great aesthetic.

My version of the circle skirt.

Mel's Kitchen Cafe

I think both Jen and Erica have also raved about this blog. Let me tell you though, it is consistently good. Always good. Every single recipe. The other day we had her Cowboy Dinner, and it was super tasty. I also love her BLT Pasta.

Simple Sewing for Baby

This is a book by Lotta Jansdotter that I checked out from the library over and over and over again. The sewing projects are really simple, but also quite cute. My favourites are the giraffe rattle, and book mates.

I love these book mates as a fun addition to my kid's bedroom.

The Artful Parent

This blog really jiives with my philosophy that art for kids is about the process not the product. She also does a great job of bringing the natural world into art projects. Some of my favourite Artful Parent posts are fabric postcards and the pocket dress.

My Artful Parent-esque Apple Prints.

So, what about you? Please share a few of your favourite sources of inspiration.

Versatile Decor

2011-10-19T13:13:00.000-06:00

I love the idea of having items that are versatile. The ability to change a tiny detail and the item becomes something entirely different is exciting. Do you remember my multi use pillow? Well I bought some candles at Ikea a long time ago. They are perfect for dressing up because they are neutral colors.

Add a little tulle and ribbon and you are set. I have the cutest ribbon that I am planning on using for Christmas.

I also thought I would share how I have my house decorated. I don't decorate for many holidays, but there is something about Halloween/Fall that gets me excited to decorate. Maybe it is the colors.

You can buy large glass jars like this one at Wal-Mart for $6. It is also a very versatile item to have around.

My mother in-law hand painted this cute wooden basket. I have it by my Halloween table runner.

I love decorative dishtowels. They are so cute plus you can actually use them, or at least I do!

I found this metal pumpkin at a boutique in Gardner Village a few years ago and fell in love. I think this might be my favorite fall decoration. I embroidered the framed 'Boo to You' art at a girls night I had with my sisters.

The 'Fall' sign was put together just a couple of weeks ago at a girls night Jennifer, Shauntel and I had with our families. It was so much fun. I also have my Halloween throw on the couch.

Hobby Horse Tutorial and Free Pattern

2011-10-18T06:45:00.000-06:00

http://themaryfrancesproject.blogspot.com/2011/10/hobby-horse-tutorial-and-pattern.html

Click Here for the Hobby Horse Pattern

I am now blogging at The Mary Frances Project (with my sister Emily), and you can find the Hobby Horse pattern and tutorial, and all my other projects, there.

Last year when I made a hobby horse for my son's Halloween costume, I did an extensive search for a good tutorial. I found some that were helpful, but ultimately I really wanted someone to draw out all the pieces for me, and make it adorable while they were at it. It didn't happen, so I had to do the leg work myself. Lucky for all of you, Jennifer convinced me to share my pattern. And so, without any further rambling, here is my pattern for a fabric hobby horse.

I didn't take any pictures as I made it, but it's actually really simple to construct.

1. Cut everything out.
In addition to the pattern pieces, you are also going to need to cut out some hair. You could use yarn, or I went with using strips of fleece. I cut my fleece scraps into strips 5" wide (and then cut it into fringe after it was sewn on about every inch). You will need enough strips to run the entire back side of the head about 3" into the gusset. I also added a 3" piece in the center of the gusset. I thought that it looked best to have each section of hair have three layers of fleece to make it nice and full, but adjust as you need to.

2. Sew the hair on.
Attach all three layers of fleece hair to one head piece three inches or so past the dot mark on the top (using 1/4" seam allowance). On the other head piece, you need to attach a 3" section of hair from the dot towards the nose. On the gusset piece, sew another 3" section to the center about 1.5" from the top point (the fatter end).

3. Attach the gusset.
Once you have all your pieces cut out, start by attaching the gusset to one side of the head. Start the gusset top (the fatter end) at the dot marked on the head piece (top). Sew it all the way down around the top part of the head (I always sew with 1cm seam allowances). Do the same thing to the other head piece.

4. Stuff the horse head.
Add stuffing ( I used a combination of cut-up fleece scraps and poly-fill) until you are happy with how your horse looks and feels. Leave the bottom 1.5" or so unstuffed.

5. Assemble your facial features.
Sew the pupils onto the white eyes (use black thread - it will be worth the hassle). Sew the ears together by matching one pink piece up with a brown piece and sewing the right sides together (1cm seam allowance). Be sure and leave the bottom edge open, and turn the right way. Trim the point if you need to.

4. Add the eyes and ears.
I hand sewed all of these pieces on at the end, because I wanted to see how it looked stuffed before I decided on the final location of his facial features. When you sew on the ears, sew around both edges (the pink and the brown side) to make sure it's secure. Don't forget that the pink side goes down.

I also tacked the top of the ear to the main head piece about 1" up, to make the ear stand up a little bit.

5. Finish the bottom and attach the stick.
Take your wooden dowel, and make a mark about 11" from one end. Carefully drill a small hole through your dowel with an electric drill. Fold the bottom of your head under about 1", and cinch the opening closed using heavy duty thread by sewing around the opening with a running stitch. Secure the horse head to your dowel, by sewing through the hole several times. Make sure your hobby horse is the right length for your child. For my 4 year old, the entire length of the dowel is 36" (this is the size it came from the hardware store). Sand the end down if necessary.

6. Make a bridle and rein (optional).

I know I'm calling this optional, but I think it really makes the whole thing look finished. If you are like me and have tons of leather scraps sitting around, this is a good time to use some up. Otherwise, a nice thick ribbon will do the trick. You will need to cut your strap into three pieces. The first piece should fit snugly around the horse's nose (mine measured 18"). Sew into a loop.

The second piece will go attach to the first loop at two points and go across the head behind the ears. On my horse, this measured 20.5" (including the extra at both ends to create a little casing so it will slide on the first loop).

And the third piece is for your rein (mine was 30.5"). Attach your rein to both sides of the bridle in the same way as you did the other piece (so that it can slide freely).

I'd love to see pictures if any of you make this. Obviously this is a great addition to any little cowboy or cowgirl Halloween costume, but we use ours all the time as part of our dress-up play. So even if it seems like a major undertaking for just one day, I promise your kids will love this and use it often enough to make it worth your while.

Garden Fresh Tomato Soup

2011-10-17T08:38:00.000-06:00

Yesterday my husband wasn’t feeling well and he asked for soup. Let’s back up a bit. All growing up I hated soup but realized in the past couple of years that I just didn’t like the soups my Mom liked and made. I don’t have many recipes for soups but have tried them here and there and have loved some.

So… my husbands sick and he asked if I would make him soup. Of course I wanted to help any way I could. I called a wonderful friend who is an amazing cook and asked for help, she gave me hands down the best soup recipe that I have ever tasted. Remember I am picky.

Why is this tomato soup so great? I have a few tomatoes from the garden (not enough to can) and it was perfect to throw them in, peal and all. It had a very rich flavor and it was a great comfort food.

With fall just approaching I thought you might want the recipe too.

The recipe is from allrecipes but I made a few modifications that contributed to my newly founded favorite soup.

Garden Fresh Tomato Soup

Ingredients

4 cups chopped fresh tomatoes

1 sliced onion

2 large scoops of minced garlic

2 cups chicken broth

4 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons white sugar, or to taste

Directions

1. Saute onions, garlic and butter over medium heat until the onions caramelize and are soft.

2. In a stockpot, over medium heat, combine the tomatoes, chicken broth, and sauted onions and garlic. Bring to a boil, and gently boil for about 20 minutes to blend all of the flavors. Remove from heat and put in put in a blender until smooth.

3. In the now empty stockpot, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour to make a roux, cooking until the roux is a medium brown. Gradually whisk in a bit of the tomato mixture, so that no lumps form, then stir in the rest. Season with sugar and salt, and adjust to taste.

I paired it with some fantastic quick and easy Divine Bread Sticks from Mel's Kitchen.

The whole family enjoyed!

Quilt In A Day Giveaway

2011-10-15T09:16:00.000-06:00

Happy Saturday everyone! I am so glad the weekend is here. Want something to brighten your day a little more? We have an exclusive coupon from the company Quilt in a Day! It is for 25% off your entire online purchase. They have generously donated this for our readers as well as a couple other items that you'll have to check back to see later.

Quilt in a Day has many great products, but I'd like to tell you about my favorite. It is the 6 1/2 inch triangle square up ruler. It makes sewing half square triangles so easy. I'll be doing a tutorial using the ruler in a later post. I promise if you quilt much and don't have this ruler you need it! This is the perfect time to purchase it using the 25% off code.

To redeem this amazing deal go to the Quilt in a Day website browse through the many products they offer and use the coupon code blog. The code will expire December 31, 2011.

Halloween Lollipop Shirt (Reverse Appliqué)

2011-10-14T12:02:00.000-06:00

I first found this project at Ruffles and Stuff. I really enjoy her blog. She is very talented. When I saw the shirt she made I knew that it was simple enough that I could do it. Unlike the other ladies here at the Polka Dot Umbrella, I do not sew well. Sure I can quilt at an ok level, but as far as following a pattern to make clothes or even refashioning something it's not pretty. I have NEVER made an item of clothing from start to finish. So taking a solid colored shirt to spruce up was right up my alley.

What you need:
1 short or long sleeve plain color cotton t-shirt (I bought mine at Target. Old Navy always has them too.)
Scrap of coordinating fabric
Small strip of ribbon plus some for tying a bow

The first step will show you how much of an amateur I am. My husband bought my sewing machine for me for Christmas a few years back. It is pretty fancy. It had a bag of parts that I thought I'd never need. I still don't know how to use 90% of them. So when I made this shirt I didn't even change my presser foot!!! I just used the 1/4 inch quilter foot. It's all I have ever used. Little did I know that I have a free motion foot. What? Are you kidding me? When I say if I can do this anyone can is 100% true. That takes me to...

Step One: Change your presser foot! Use a free motion presser foot; when I tried it after with the different foot it was much easier.

Step Two: Cut a square out of the fabric you chose for the lollipop. Error on the side of being too big; I used about a 6 inch square piece.

Step Three: Turn the shirt inside out. Pin the fabric to the inside center of the shirt. Pin the fabric with the right side facing down.

Step Four: Draw a swirl on the wrong side of the fabric using a fabric pen or pencil.

Step Five: Sew the fabric to the shirt along the swirly line. I got a little off course, but it was ok.

Step Six: Use scissors to cut between the swirly lines. You will only be cutting the shirt. Trim extra away as needed. Try to keep it even. (After the first wash it will fray and curl a little.)

Step Seven: Pin a small scrap of ribbon to the bottom of the lollipop and sew it on. I tied a small bow and hand sewed that on.

See how simple? Seven steps! I am so excited to try new designs. Check back in December for a great Christmas design using the same reverse appliqué technique.

Fall Leaf Art

2011-10-13T09:42:00.000-06:00

Update: Emily is now blogging at The Mary Frances Project.

I think that Fall is my favourite season. Today, when I was outside raking leaves with my girls, my four year old stopped me mid-rake and said "Mom! Look right now! It's so beautiful. All of the leaves are dancing around." She was right - it was beautiful. In addition to admiring dancing leaves, my daughter also loves to collect leaves. After collecting tons of "really special leaves," I usually wonder what to do with them all. The answer of course, is to make leaft art!

I think sometimes simple is best.

Here's what you need to do to make your own leaf art:

1. Collect a lot of leaves.

2. Use white glue to stick the leaves onto construction paper.

3. You're done!

I think that was the simplest art project ever. Does anyone have any other brilliant ideas for using up a leaf collection?

Kitchen Island Redo

2011-10-12T12:03:00.000-06:00

We have the smallest island in our kitchen. I do have to say that I love it though. We used to live in a basement apartment that had no counter space so I love every inch of it in our house. My husband and I decided we wanted to do a little something to spruce up the kitchen. So we started with the kitchen island.

Okay so the before picture is just ridiculous. It is from when we first moved in and it was the command center for cleaning, and painting. Well hopefully you can ignore the mess.

We wanted to use bead board but it can get pretty expensive so my husband decided to use wood paneling. I actually kind of liked it better because it had all of these pretty knots that would look awesome when we started distressing.

After the paneling was added we put a molding on the top and bottom and a corner molding on the sides. We left the front of the cabinet the way it was. After sanding everything smooth we were ready to paint.

We did two coats of black paint then distressed it and finished it all up with a high gloss lacquer. It turned out way shinier than we thought.

I love how it turned out and I love the black against the tile. I think it adds so much to my kitchen and it looks like a whole new place!

Thrifted Blue Dress Make-Over

2011-10-11T12:42:00.000-06:00

Last month while Emily was here, we spent an afternoon doing a few sewing projects. A few weeks earlier I found this blue dress at my local Salvation Army and I thought it would be something that Emily would like. I would have bought it for myself, but the dress requires a waist, and since that is something I do not have right now, I thought Emily would get better use out of it.

The dress was about 4 sizes too big for Emily, so it didn't look like much when she first put it on, but we could see the potential. When it's warm outside I love having dresses that don't require any extra layers, and the fact that it's a wrinkle-free polyester knit means it always looks good and is easy to care for.

I want to share with you how we made this dress fit Emily, because I see dresses like this all the time at the thrift store. It was an easy refashion, and hopefully next time you see a similar dress when you are out thrifting, you'll have the courage to pick it up and make it work for yourself.

Step 1: Put on inside out and pin new sewing lines.

This dress didn't have set in sleeves, but if it had, you would do the same thing and pin all the way from the hem to the sleeve where new side seams should go.

You need to be careful and make sure that the new side seam will meet the hem at a right angle so that the skirt will hang straight. If you angle it like an A-line skirt it won't look right unless your dress already has a curved hem.

Step 2: Mark the waist.
Before you carefully take off your dress, be sure and mark where you want the waist to sit if it's in the wrong place. Measure how long you want the dress to be from the waist and remember this number. Instead of re-hemming the bottom edge, we are going to take the extra length out of the middle.

Step 3: Cut the the dress into top and bottom pieces.

This dress was too long on Emily and the waist didn't sit at her actual waist, so we cut the dress at the waist seam.

Then we cut off several inches from the top half, and some off the bottom piece as well (not from the bottom hem, but from the top edge). This type of dress usually has a bit of elastic at the waist, so we took it off to resew it back on again at the end.

Step 4: Sew the dress back together at the waist seam.

Step 5: Sew the elastic back on the waist seam.
If your elastic is in rough shape, replace it. Otherwise, sew it back on the same way you took it off.

Step 6: Sew side seams.
We ended up not taking enough out of the sides the first time we tried it, but the second time around we got everything fitting perfectly.

You can either cut off the excess before or after you sew the side seams, depending on what you feel comfortable doing. Since this dress was made from a non-fraying polyester knit, we didn't worry too much about finishing the side seams.

Step 7: Finish up the hem.
Since we didn't cut the dress at the hem, all you need to do at this point is tack the hem at the two side seams.

And that is it! Your dress is done. Now enjoy wearing only one layer and the fact that your dress cost you almost nothing. I spent $2.50 on this particular dress, and Emily says it's one of her favourite things to wear.

In other news, is anyone else working on the Fall Kid's Clothing Week Challenge with Elsie Marley this week? What are you making?

Fall- Swingpack Purse

2011-10-10T09:14:00.000-06:00

Back in April I posted a pattern for a Swingpack Purse. Hands down, this has been the best purse I have owned. It is the perfect size for me. I knew I wanted the same style when it came time to make one for the Fall season. The purse was super easy the second time and it ended in great results.

I left the middle strip on the strap with raw edges as well as the outer piece of the flap on the front. I think this gives the purse a lot of character.

There are lots of fun options with this purse. For a gal that has always disliked purses and the back pocket was my preference, this purse has changed my mind.

Happy Fall!

Jello Worms

2011-10-07T10:53:00.000-06:00

Last year at a Halloween party our family was invited to, someone brought these fun Jello worms. This might be an old idea, but it was new to me and I loved them! When I received my Jello brain mold in the mail this week it had ideas on how to use the mold and instructions on how to make the worms. I knew I had to post them for Halloween week here! Well, here's the thing I didn't know before hand: these take a lot of time and a lot of patience. Two things that I am short on, on a regular basis. I am glad I wasn’t pressed for time and when I got frustrated squeezing the worms out of the straws I could just walk away. I really feel like these worms definitely have the “Wow Factor” and are worth the effort, just know it’s going to take some time.

He's charming right? My son was not at all amused to be eating a worm at 8:00 am!

Here’s what you need: 40 Bendable Straws
1 Package (3 oz.) Jello any flavor Geltain (Try not to use anything red, my hands are still dyed)
1 Envelope (1/4 oz.) Knox Original Gelatine Unflavored
1 c Boiling Water

This is a very kid friendly recipe. My 4 year old helped stir the Jello for me.

Dissolve the gelatins in the boiling water.
Pull the straws to fully extend. This will give the worms ridges making them look more realistic.
Stand the straws up in a tall glass or carton. Make sure the straws fit snug.
Pour the Gelatin mixture into the straws
Refrigerate a minimum of four hours but up to two days
When the Jello is firm pull the straws from the container. Run 3-4 straws under hot water for 2-3 seconds.
Start at one end of the straw and push the worms out. This is where the time and patience comes in handy. Do this gently. The worms break easy!
Lay worms on a wax paper lined cookie sheet. Cover and chill until you’re ready to use them.

This is what just one worm looks like.

Have you ever been to The Idea Room? She posted Blood Worms back in 2009. It's the same concept with a different recipe. Check them out!

Witches Fingers

2011-10-06T16:12:00.000-06:00

Update: Emily is now blogging at The Mary Frances Project.

For me, there are two manditory food items when it comes to Halloween. The first, is something with pumpkin, and the second is witches fingers. These cookies are a Halloween party staple. The recipe makes a lot, and is a bit labour intensive, but the result is perfect for Halloween - fun, tasty, and just a bit spooky.

Witches Fingers

1 Cup Butter, softened

1 Cup Icing Sugar

1 Egg

1 tsp. Almond Flavour

2¾ Cups Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Salt

3/4 Cup Whole Almonds (can be blanched or not)

1 Tube Red Gel icing

Mix all of the ingredients together except the almonds and red gel.Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Working with ¼ dough at a time, roll heaping teaspoons into finger shapes.
Use a knife to cut knuckles and press in almonds for nails.
Place on a greased baking sheet and cook at 325º for 20-25 minutes.
Cool 3 minutes, then lift the almond, squeeze in gel and press almond back.

Enjoy!

Halloween Throw

2011-10-05T11:19:00.000-06:00

I came across this gorgeous thick woven fabric at Joann's. I loved how the fabric looked great on both sides. I knew I wanted to add a little something to the edges and keep the fabric as is without adding a backing.

I bought some black polka-dot material to use for the edges. I wanted this to be a fast and simple project so I took the laziest approach that I could. I cut out the spiderweb material to be 45" by 55". Then for the side binding I cut 1.5" strips of the polka-dot material. I wanted to add a wider strip to the short ends of the throw so I cut out 3.5" strips of the polka-dot material.

Here is where my lazy approach comes in. I didn't want to make my own bias tape so I just ironed the 1.5" strip in half then cut the edge like shown above. Since they were only going up the sides this is how the end will look. I decided I wanted to keep the edges raw, it would add to the look of frayed spider webs.

I sewed the 3.5" strips right sides together then ironed them wrong sides together to make a sort of sleeve. I sewed this to the top inch of the spiderweb material, yet again leaving the edges raw. This took a little finagling but I like the length that it added. Finally I sewed the binding up the sides. I love the look of the raw edge, it will look awesome once I wash it.

This was so simple and I love how it turned out. It will look so cute by my table runner. Don't you love my cute little puppy peeking her head out wondering what I am doing?

The Costumes of Halloweens Past

2011-10-04T06:38:00.000-06:00

Update: Carlee is now blogging at The Mary Frances Project.

I'm not really the kind of lady that decorates for holidays. I showed you the birthday banner I made this year, but I should admit that it hung up for a month (in between the three family birthdays that happened during that time). I do decorate for Christmas, but it's still pretty low key. Decorating for Halloween has never been something that I've done, and with everything else that keeps me busy, I think it will be a while before it happens around here.

But, as much as I'm not into decorating, I am all about Halloween costumes. I remember it being such a big deal to choose what I wanted to be, and then the excitement of wearing my costume to school (schools here don't let kids - isn't that sad), and then later putting it on over top of my snow suit and braving the Canadian cold to do some trick-or-treating.

I know I've mentioned this before, but I didn't really start sewing until my son was born. One of the first things I made for my son was a Halloween costume. He was the cutest little baby panda!

I used Simplicity 2506, and it was an easy enough pattern to follow. I did find that I wanted to change some things, like have attached feet, and I had to make it all small enough to fit my little 2 month old son, and this was good practice making changes to a pattern.

The next year, I was a little smarter, and although I used some elements from the same pattern for this dino (or dragon), I used a fleece sleeper as my starting point. For most baby and toddler costumes, I think this is the best base. I always seem to have a nice fitting sleeper to trace for my pattern, and I like the easy on and off of the zipper up the front. Most costumes that you can buy have a hood instead of a separate hat, and I also think this is the way to go. Our costumes end up in the dress-up box for the rest of the year, and it's nice not to worry about losing an essential part of the outfit. This is simple to do, since all you have to do is to trace the hood from a hoodie and sew it to the top of the sleeper part.

Tracing a sleeper is really my go-to Halloween move, and I did it again with round two of panda sewing. I love to match the boys, and since I know they aren't going to like if for much longer, I take every chance I can get.

Even though I am shameless about this whole matching thing, I did not make the adult sized fleece costume (nor was it seen in public). A visiting friend happened to have it, through a really strange coincidence that would take a lot of explanation, and I couldn't resist at least taking this picture.

Last year, the boys went as a cowboy and a cow.

I used the same trick with tracing a fleece sleeper, but this time I decided to do it sleeveless. Both for simplicity's sake, but also because my kids get too hot at most of the indoor Halloween activities in a full fleece outfit. This way I could add or take away layers as needed, depending on where the costume was being worn.

My older son's costume didn't involve much sewing, so I focused instead on making this fleece hobby horse. My favourite details include the leather bridle and reign, and the matching pink knit fabric ears on both the horse and cow.

This year my oldest wants to go as a fireman (we have pretty much everything already in the dress-up box) and I'm still trying to decide what to do for the little one. He's really into dogs so I think I may just continue my matching theme and make him into a dalmatian dog.

Are people interested in a tutorial on how to make a costume using a sleeper and hoodie (since I think I'll be sewing a dog costume in the next few weeks using this technique)? One thing I love about reviewing the past four years of costumes, is how easy it is to see improvement in my sewing skills. I started by following a commercial pattern, and fighting with fun-fur, because that was the recommended fabric, to drafting my own patterns and having much better results. I'm not a pro, but it's amazing what four years of sewing will do for your skills.

And as for me, I usually get lazy and either don't dress-up (how can I compete with my adorable children), or wear one of the several costumes I have stashed away from past years. What are you, and your kids going as for Halloween this year?

Halloween Decorations

2011-10-03T11:16:00.003-06:00

October is already here, it is bitter sweet for me. I have absolutely loved my summer and hate to see it come to an end but on the same note, oh how I love fall!

This week at The Polka-dot Umbrella all us gals will be posting around a Halloween theme as there are so many things that come with this fun holiday.

We have all seen some great things already out there on craft sites and blogs. I have done a bit of "taking ideas" from such creative people.

First, my favorite site, countryliving.com had a fabulous bat door idea.

I was a bit apprehensive about duck tape that the site suggested. The last thing I wanted to do is have to paint my door at the first of November because the paint was ripped off while taking off the bats. I did a bit of research and found there is a duck tape for stucko. It looks like this.

It is a pretty light tape and it isn't quite as sticky as others. I also have a metal door so all the bats directly on the door I hot glued magnets on the back. I did a tester on the inside of the door for a week and these ways seemed to work just fine.

I made a broom out of a branch and twigs. I thought this added just the right touch. Now I just need some pumpkins sitting on the steps.

I used Make-it and Love-it's tutorial to make this darling pumpkin for my kitchen table.

I usually shy away from popular things that are out there but I had to make an exception. The candle stick jars and tiered serving trays are super creative and can be quite cute. I decided to start a search for candle sticks at the thrift store. They were hard to come by. There must be someone getting to them before me. I finally came across some last week, what perfect timing with all the fun Halloween decorating. I haven't painted them yet (in the air on what color) but they will look great when they are finished.

Add some halloween candy to the jars and paint the candle sticks and the table will look just right.

The spider bowl is my kids favorite halloween decoration.

Have you been pinning lately? What have been your favorite fall decorations? Have you had a good experience with any fall tutorials?

Happy Fall to everyone!

What Gets You Moving?

2011-09-30T10:16:00.000-06:00

In the back of my mind I am always praying that running is just a fad and people are going to get over it quickly. I see a lot of friends training for half or full marathons and triathlons. I am not a huge fan of running. It makes me tired. I know it is good for your body and makes you fit and blah blah blah. I wish we could just look sexy and not do anything. Remember as a teenager when your stomach was a bottomless pit and your metabolism was so high? For me with two kids, a husband and pushing thirty, those days are over.

I hit the gym at least three times a week. Unless I'm lazy and skip a time - which happens a lot. I have a love/hate relationship with the gym. I love the results but hate the work. I love how I feel after I workout in so many ways. Want an example? Go here. There are times while exercising that I get bored; I'm always on the lookout for new music for my ipod. I asked the other Polka Dot ladies what gets them moving. Whether it's while exercising or cleaning the house, what music gets you going?

Here's a little of what I'm rocking to at the gym:
Tonight Tonight by Hot Chelle Rae
Super Bass by Nicki Minaj
Live Your Life by T.I. feat. Rihanna
Price Tag by Jessie J feat. B.O.B.
Never Say Never by Justin Bieber
Not Afraid by Eminem
Bulletproof by La Roux
Imma Be by Black Eyed Peas
More Than a Feeling by Boston
Right Round Flo Rida
Dynamite by Taio Cruz
Tik Tok by Ke$ha
Evacuate the Dance Floor by Cascanda
Single Ladies by Beyonce
Gives You Hell by The All-American Rejects
Womanizer by Britney Spears
Just Dance by Lady Gaga
Hot N Cold by Katy Perry
That's What You Get by Paramore
Dear Maria, Count Me In by All Time Low

I know that Erica loves music so it came as no surprise that she has a list of artists she likes to listen to:

Red Hot Chili Peppers

Muse

Greenday

Jimmy Eat World

Rhianna

Emily doesn't exercise to music. She uses workout videos. She didn't say which ones are her favs. So what are they Emily? Her family does a "family dance." The play list for that includes:

Tokyo by Imagine Dragons

Bruises by Chairlift

1234 by Feist

Lovely, Love My Family by The Roots

Fidelity by Regina Spektor

Having a workout buddy is always a great option. You keep each other motivated. It's hard to sleep in when you know there is someone outside waiting for you. This is the approach Jen takes. She doesn't have a play list either. She likes talking. If her friend can't make it she uses the time for a little bit of thinking. She plans menus, thinks through problems or just reminisces. Quiet time is always good!

I also asked my Facebook friends. I picked up a couple new songs from them:

Paul Oakenfold

Britney Spears

Lady Gaga

Ke$ha

Nicki Minaj

Eminem

Last of all a friend recommended this website to help create a play list all your own.

Montessori Activities and a Placemat Printable

2011-09-29T09:32:00.000-06:00

Update: Emily is now blogging at The Mary Frances Project.

I've started using a Montessori inspired activity book with my four year old daughter. I checked the book out from the library, and have like it so much that I ordered it online. Every day I try to do one or two activities from the book with her. Activities range from life skills, to language, to numeracy.

One of the life skills presented in the book is table setting. I was pretty excited to introduce this skill because it is something that my daughter really dislikes doing. I figured that if I introduced table setting in a positive way, and taught it to her as a skill separate from a job, she would be more likely to want to practice the skill when it came to her suppertime chore. The Montessori book asked me to make a placemat by tracing a plate, utensils and cup. I decided to make a digital version, because it looks nicer and is easily duplicated. And because I liked it so much, I thought I would share it here.

The Montessori Method of teaching is all about instilling a love of order, and fulfilling the need for children to be independent. This table setting activity does both. When I introduced the activity, my daughter worked so hard to place each item perfectly in their correct place. She has also been loving setting her own spot at the table using the placemat as a guide.

Want to print your own? Just click on the picture below.

Before making my own placemat, I did a quick Internet search for a suitable table setting template. I didn't really find anything that I loved, but I did find a super awesome fabric one. If you are a better sewer than I am, maybe you will attempt it.

Photo via Punkin Patterns

Has anyone used the Montessori or any other method to teach children? Any successes or suggestions?

Hot Pad Sewing Kit

2011-09-28T11:29:00.000-06:00

How cute is this hot pad sewing kit. I love how simple it is. I received this one as a gift, but I have since made quite a few of them. Once I made these as an activity with my young women and they loved it.

It is as simple as lining everything up on one side and sewing right down the middle. I bought a whole pack of hot pads at the dollar store. I just had to make sure the loop was in the middle of the hot pad and not on the corner. Then you add a button to one side and you are done.

For the inside I added two snack size ziplock bags to hold thread, scissors, etc. I like to use bobbins to hold different colors of thread, they are the perfect size.

I also added a strip of fabric to hold pins and needles so they don't get lost.

I also found this cute first aid kit made from a hot pad on Heather Carson's blog. She shows you how to add a loop for the button if your hot pad doesn't have one already.

Monster Mama Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

2011-09-27T12:10:00.000-06:00

Update: Carlee and Emily are now blogging at The Mary Frances Project.

A few weeks ago, Emily and I did a guest post over at The Mother Huddle as part of their Story Book Recipe series. The Mother Huddle is a great blog that we have lots in common with. The ladies over there are also sewing, crafting, and doing plenty of kid-friendly activities, so please pop over and see what else they are up to.

As you know, both Emily and I love reading good books to our kids, and one way to make story time even more exciting is to bake something related to our favourite books. Monster Mama by Liz Rosenberg, illustrated by Stephen Gammell is among our very favourite books. The story is clever and the illustrations are so fun. I just love the messy illustrations in all of Gammell's work.

When we found out about the Storybook Recipe series, Emily knew that this would be the perfect book to highlight. We immediately thought of making 'messy' sugar cookies with the kids, since the pictures are full of life, colour, and look a little 'messy' as well. Sweet sugar cookies with drippy and goopy icing are just the thing for a couple of preschool aged children.

While his cousin enjoyed the story (in Alberta), my son helped with making and mixing the cookie dough (here in New England).

We used my best sugar cookie recipe. My husband, who usually complains that sugar cookies aren't nearly as sweet as you would think based on how much sugar goes into them, loves this recipe. I love it too, and it is always the one I make despite the fact that it takes a little extra time to properly chill the dough. After it had chilled, I rolled it out, and he cut out our shapes.

After our cookies were baked and cool, the fun began! I had some leftover cream cheese icing in my fridge, so I spooned a little into several small ziplock bags with a couple of drops of food colouring in each bag. You could mix the icing yourself, but this part is fun for kids and doesn't make a mess (win-win).

My son and his friend had a great time squishing the bags to mix the icing.

Once the icing was all mixed together, they decorated their cookies. I clipped one corner from each bag and let them squeeze the icing all over their cookies. The cookies were drippy and goopy looking, a lot like the illustrations, and they tasted just as sweet as the book. This part was pretty fun!

Oh, and of course they liked eating them too! And so did I, since I'm not one to say no to a cream cheese cookie with cream cheese icing.

Here is the recipe for your cookie making, decorating, and eating enjoyment:

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla (or 1/2 almond and 1/2 vanilla)
1 egg yolk
2 1/4 cup all purpose flour

1. Combine everything except for flour in a large mixing bowl. Beat until smooth.
2. Stir in flour until combined. At this point, the dough will be very soft.
3. Chill in refrigerator for at least 8 hours.
4. Remove dough from refrigerator and preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
5. Roll out 1/3 of dough at a time to 1/8" thickness onto a floured surface. The dough will still be soft, so be sure your hands and rolling pin are covered with flour as well. Cut out shapes with lightly floured cookie cutters.
6. Bake on cookie sheets (I like to use my silpat) for 7-10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown.
7. Wait until cookies are completely cooled to decorate (I used a simple cream cheese frosting, but any kind would work).

Free Jello Mold

2011-09-27T11:54:00.000-06:00

I subscribe to Kraft Foods and Family online. They send free recipes and special offers all the time. Today in my email was an offer for a free Jello brain mold. Just in time for Halloween! You do have to pay $2.95 for shipping, but it will be really fun for Halloween parties. I already ordered mine! Check out this offer here.

Picture from Kraft Foods

Sports Fan Shirts

2011-09-26T13:40:00.000-06:00

College football season has just started and there are colors flying every where here in Utah. I know we aren't the only ones. My family is from Tennessee and I am pretty sure there is an unwritten law that you must wear orange on a high school or college ball day. Are any of you and your families big football fans?

I ran out one afternoon to get the family some University of Utah shirts and was shocked at the price for the quality. I immediately thought to myself: I could make something cuter. I have this thing in me that always wants to do something on my own. I have an "I can do that mentality" as I am sure many of you do too. So, the same day I went and picked up everyone solid colored shirts.

After finishing these shirts I knew that I wanted to remind all of you fabulous readers that designing your own t-shirt graphics is a really fun and a creative way to get a great results while being cost efficient.

I used two different techniques on these shirts. I started them by using a freezer paper stencil and with paint put the word Utah on them. I then appliquéd the U and went along all of the letters three times with my sewing machine using a wide stitch to give it a stitched look. I also added an extra swirl line across my little girl's shirt. Fun, simple, easy and they turned out just the way I wanted them to!

I sat my kids down for some pictures and it didn't take seconds until it turned into a football game.

Household Hint

2011-09-23T08:03:00.000-06:00

On a previous post by Jen, a reader left a comment wondering how to get permanent marker off of pine. I have a very bad relationship with permanent markers. My oldest colored on a leather chair, there was no getting it off of that. Then my baby colored on a wood cabinet, it was almost brand new still.

I think wood is the hardest thing to get stuff off of. Depending on the finish you don't want to ruin the whole thing with your cleaner. Before you try and tackle any stain, test a small inconspicuous area first to see how the item will react.

Here are a few things I have used or heard to try to remove permanent marker off wood:

Hair Spray and Cotton Balls (Vinegar and Water after will make it not be sticky)
Rubbing Alcohol and Cotton Balls
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser (My favorite around the house!)
Colgate Toothpaste (I am trying this as soon as I get to the store!)
Finger Nail Polish Remover

Board Games for Kids

2011-09-22T11:06:00.000-06:00

Update: Emily is now blogging at The Mary Frances Project.

This post is a bit of a shout out to my husband. If there is one thing that he could spend all day (and all night) doing, it is playing board games. I have to admit that when we first got married, I thought this hobby was a bit dorky, but I will say that board games are growing on me. Everyone needs a down time activity, and as my husband points out - board games are a lot more social than video or computer games. Now my husband is into inventing board games (he was a semi-finalist in this year's Canadian Game Design Competition).

My husband aims to get our kids hooked on board games, and I will say that I don't mind. Board game playing is a great way for children to learn new skills, and there really are a lot of good games for kids out there. Some ways that kids can benefit from playing board games are:

number, shape, colour, and pattern recognition
counting, adding, subtracting and other math skills
letter recognition and reading skills
hand-eye coordination
focus and attention-span building
communication skills
how to follow rules
satisfaction from winning
sportsmanship - how to loose at something

I think one of the best things about board games is that kids develop social skills, and they learn a lot by interacting with parents and others who they are playing with. So play fair, and be a good sport!

Now, not all board games are created equally. There are some pretty cheesy and low-quality games out there. Of course, there are some really great games for kids that adults can have fun playing too. Here are some of my favourites.

Qwirkle
This game plays similarly to Scrabble, where you play by laying down tiles, adding to the ones that others have played and then picking up tiles at the end of your turn. Players score points for having tiles of the same colour or shape. This is actually a game for adults, but kids can have fun matching colours and shapes and making patterns out of the tiles.

Image via Mindware

Loopin' Louie
Although haven't actually played this game, it looks so fun I thought I'd give it a mention. Loopin' Louie has won many awards and is the number one rated children's game in the board game community. It is a manual dexterity game where you work to protect your tokens from a wildly fly airplane. You can watch a video of the game in action here. (The youtube channel I've linked to is a GREAT source for children's board games. Games with Hayden has over 70 video reviews of games for kids.)

Image via BoardGameGeek

The Orchard
This game is a cooperative board game. The players work together for a common goal, instead of competing against each other. The object of the game is to pick all of the fruit from the orchard before the bad crow comes along and eats the fruit. The game pieces are really lovely - the fruit is solid wood, and the baskets are really cute. There are a ton of other great cooperative board games out there - it is not something that I knew about before, but I think it is a nice alternative to having winners and losers.

Image via Blueberry Forest

The Ranch - Make Your Own Game
A few months ago, after looking for The Orchard online, and realizing that it is a pretty pricey little game, I thought "I could make my own cooperative board game for children." With the help of of my husband, we invented a cute little game that uses dollar store farm animals as pieces. Players work together to fence in all of the animals before they run away. My four year old LOVES this game and I think that it is pretty fun, too.

Are any of you into board games? Have you ever made your own? When my kids get a bit older, I will be encouraging them to follow in their Daddy's footsteps and invent their own board games. In the meantime, we will be playing a lot of games and doing lots of learning in the process.

Anytime Card

2011-09-21T11:53:00.000-06:00

I always like to have a card ready for any occasion. I found this "thoughts of you" stamp in the 1$ bin at Michael's. I love this stamp's versatility, thoughts of you can apply to anything.

What you need:

White cardstock
4-5 different patterned paper
Any stamp
Buttons
Twine

I cut the white cardstock in half and folded it. Next I cut the rest of the paper as shown below then glued everything into place. I tied the twine through the buttons and using a hot glue gun attached them. Easy!

I like this card because I can use leftover scraps of paper. I am a hoarder of little scraps and am always looking for new uses, so this card is perfect. What do you use your leftoever scraps for?

Sister Visit to NYC

2011-09-20T13:26:00.000-06:00

Update: Carlee is now blogging at The Mary Frances Project.
I'm taking a break from showing you my sewing projects (I promise I have a bunch of refashions to share soon) to get a little more personal. Last week my sister Emily (of the blog) came to visit me. Since we graduated from college, we have only been able to get together at most once or twice a year. Now that we live across the continent from each other again (she's in Alberta, Canada, and I live in New England), I have a feeling our visits will be even less frequent. But, last week she came to stay for a few days all by herself. It was so fun to have her visit us (we love her kids and husband too, but it was a real treat to have her all to ourselves), and we packed in quite a few fun adventure.

The highlight of her visit was an overnight trip to NYC. We took the train into the city on Friday morning and the trip passed quickly as we chatted away.

Our first stop after arriving at Grand Central Station was our hotel, and then we headed over to the UN to walk around outside. After this, we hopped on a subway down to the Brooklyn Bridge, where we walked past Ground Zero, and admired the statue of liberty from a distance.

Our walk back to the bridge took us past City Hall and all the beautiful buildings in the area. We were feeling energetic and walked all the way across the bridge, and then headed up to the Shake Shack on 77th for a late lunch. This is one of the great places in NYC to grab a quick lunch. The portebella mushroom burger is awesome!

Our next stop was the Metropolitan Museum of Art via a stroll across Central Park. If you are going to NYC, be sure to visit the Met. Even if you only have an hour to spend, it's so fabulous, and since you pay what you want, you don't feel like you need to stay all day to justify the entrance fee. And if nothing else, the view from the roof is worth the trip.

Since we were in the mood for museums, we walked over to the MOMA next. On Friday nights, Target sponsors a free event from 4-8 pm, so that made it a great time for us to visit. It's been a while since I've spent this much time at museums, and it reminded me of the days when Emily and I were in Vienna together for a semester of college and we went to LOTS of museums all over Austria, and Northern Italy.

After a yummy and affordable dinner (we both ate for $18 total including tip) at Pam Real Thai in Hell's Kitchen, we headed back to our hotel (we used Priceline to get a great deal by booking on Thursday). After a full day of walking all over Manhattan, I was one tired pregnant lady! But luckily the next morning I was ready to do it all again.

On Saturday morning we took the Subway down to Canal street and walked up Greene street in SoHo. While walking up this sleepy street (everything was closed when we walked by just before 10am) we stumbled across this bike. I can't imagine how much time this took someone to crochet. It was such an unexpected find that I had to take a picture!

Our wanderings took us through Greenwich Village, and then east towards Union Square. Here we stopped for lunch at Num Pang Sandwich. This is another place that I would highly recommend. We've both been to NYC a few times and have seen all the big sites, so this Saturday was all about checking out cool looking neighbourhoods, eating yummy and inexpensive food, and spending time together. Oh, and of course we had to spend a little time in the garment district as well.

Just like last time I visited, I had a hard time finding Mood Fabrics, but we were glad we made it. For all you Project Runway fans out there, this is a must see in NYC. It's huge, but actually feels a lot smaller and more cramped than it looks on TV. But they really do have everything there. There are walls full of ribbons all arranged by colour and width.

And did I mention ribbons?

All the leather that you could ever need in every shade, weight, and type.

Unfortunately, soon after our wanderings through the garment district, Emily had to catch the train to Newark to fly back home. I wish she lived closer so that we could do these kid-free sister visits more often. Especially if they take us to NYC! Even though it was a fast visit, and we spent just barely more than a day in the city, it was the perfect way to end a very lovely visit.

I've been thinking that we should have more regular sister visits (maybe we will be able to get together with our other sisters and sister-in-laws next time). What do you do with your sisters when you get together? And what do you like to see in NYC? I'm always looking for someplace fabulous (and cheap) to eat when we are in for the day. Any recommendations?

Jack The Pumpkin

2011-09-19T13:10:00.000-06:00

Last week I gave everyone the pattern for Charley The Ghost and today I am giving you the pattern to Jack The Pumpkin.

Last week some of you had problems downloading the pattern for the Ghost. I have updated it, so give it a try again. Ghost pattern

Manly Smart Phone Case

2011-09-15T08:13:00.000-06:00

My husband recently got a smart phone. It's a pretty fun toy. To keep it protected in his pocket, bag, or backpack, I made him a simple case for his smart phone that looks decidedly manly. It is a project that you can whip up easily with a few small scraps of fabric.

Click Here for the Smart Phone Case Tutorial

I am now blogging at The Mary Frances Project (with my sister Carlee), and you can find the Manly Smart Phone Case tutorial, and all my other projects, there.

Halloween Table Runner

2011-09-14T11:50:00.000-06:00

I am a sucker for fall/Halloween decorations. It is the only holiday that I always decorate for, the others are hit or miss. I made this table runner last year. I originally saw this runner at a local quilt shop and fell in love. Luckily they had the pattern. I love how it turned out. Unfortunately I finished it only a few weeks before Halloween last year so I am putting it out super early this year.

It has four different embroidered sections with applique. I like the idea that you could make up your own pattern for each holiday. I am currently working on another one for Christmas. I am so excited, I found the cutest fabric.

Lincoln Log Toy Bag

2011-09-13T13:18:00.000-06:00

Update: Carlee is now blogging at The Mary Frances Project.

I live in a small apartment, and my living room is also my dining room, and front entrance, and family room, and play room. And the entire space is about 200 square feet. We are a little crowded, but we make it work. My kids have a few toys in their room, some in the unfinished basement, and the play kitchen and playdough stuff lives in our kitchen. Most of the toys are stored in our living room in the bottom of a big oak book case.

After my son's birthday, it was time to sort the toys and put some away that aren't being played with. When I was finished shuffling things around and adding more birthday lego to our collection, there was no longer room for the Lincoln Log box to fit upright in the bookcase. As you can imagine, this has not been ideal for keeping the toys inside the box. And really, since they belonged to my husband when he was a boy, the box was looking a little worse for wear. It was past time to find the Lincoln Logs a new home. I like to store toys in fabric bags to keep everything together, and then they can be easily stored in bigger plastic bins, or can also be put on the shelf as is.

A few years ago, I found this image of a fabric little people bag at Elsie Marley. I love the idea having all white toy bags with appliqued pictures of the bag's contents on the front. I know I'm crazy to use white with kids. I actually use white in a lot of the textiles in our home, partly because we live in such a small space, and white helps things feel lighter and larger, but also because I love the way it looks.

In the past I have made bags in this style for blocks, and trains, and I decided to keep going with my theme and put together a bag for all those Lincoln Logs. Doing the applique is easy, although a little tedious. I use Wonder Under (bought at Joanns) to adhere my shapes, and then do a satin stitch all the way around each piece just to keep everything secure. This is likely overkill, but I know that this bag will get dirty and need to spend sometime in the washing machine, so I'd rather just make things extra sturdy to begin with.

There is nothing special about this bag, but sometimes it's nice to do some sewing that is useful and at least a little cute. And easy. It started out as two rectangles of some white cotton duck (measuring 15" by 20"), and is basically just sewn up the sides. Nothing fancy.

The openings for the ties are in the side seam, and reinforced on either side. The ties are made of 1" wide strips of knit fabric that I had in my stash.

I also boxed the bottom corners to create a bit more space inside the bag. This is such an easy thing to do. Just line up your corners so that the side seams are on top of each other and in the center, and sew a perpendicular line through the seam. I sewed mine 2" from the corners.

After boxing the corners, I tacked them down to keep things tidy on the inside (just like on a paper bag). Here is the view from the inside:

And here we have how it looks from the outside as well:

It's just the right size to store a full set of Lincoln Logs, and everything stays nicely inside once the top is closed. It's a good feeling to restore a little bit of order to our space!

What do you do to keep your toys organized? Shauntel showed us a few months ago what she does with hers. What do you do to keep shared spaces organized? How do you keep kid's toys from taking over your home (and your life)? And am I crazy for using white?