tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18243219283918769572024-03-13T00:31:30.372-04:00Made by Eliselearning to be crafty, one project at a timeElisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.comBlogger44125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-79448508961126660482013-07-05T16:47:00.001-04:002013-07-05T16:47:52.331-04:00Finished!Here's the shoe bench with one coat of paint:<br />
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And then two coats of paint:<br />
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I added a third coat of paint and then 3 coats of polyurathane to protect it, but forgot to take a picture when I was all done! And now the bench is under a pile of boxes in the corner of our living room where we're storing everything for the move, so unfortunately I can't take picture of it completely finished.<br />
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We decided to make a simple board with a bunch of hooks to go over the bench instead of the hook/shelf system on Ana White's plans. We thought it would be too top heavy with the shelves and stick too far out in our cramped room. So this was much easier! Lots of coats of paint and polyurathane and 7 hooks later it's all done:<br />
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We love them!</div>
Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-89701723295206148132013-06-22T16:03:00.005-04:002013-06-22T16:03:55.442-04:00Shoe Bench ProgressHere are some pictures of the progress I'm making on the shoe bench!<br />
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I used books to hold my shelves in place while I put the screws in.<br />
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Below is the primed shoe bench looking up from the bottom!</div>
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Painting the primer took longer than I expected, and I had a disastrous time trying to clean up! I wish I'd thought to buy paint thinner before I had everything, including my hands, covered in oil-based primer... but from now on I'm armed with mineral spirits and latex gloves! I also learned that olive oil and salt will get the primer off your hands but not off your tools!<br />
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These supplies are actually clean in the picture above. I gave up when 99% of the paint was off! <br />
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Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-53102460996471792712013-06-20T11:06:00.000-04:002013-06-20T11:06:14.271-04:00Working on a project...I haven't posted in so long (I've been sewing some stuff all year but didn't want to take the time to take pictures) but I have a project in the works that I'm excited about!<br />
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My husband and I are moving to PA at the end of July. We've purchased a townhouse that we love, but has a really weird entrance! The front room is going to be a combination office/entryway and we needed some sort of shoe bench and coat hook system to designate the entry area. Everything we found online was really expensive, and the things that were less expensive were cheaply made. <br />
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So, I found plans to build an entryway bench on www.Ana-White.com! It's mostly built right now, I'm just finishing off the shelves - I'll post a picture soon!Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-20468600555774884242012-01-10T11:10:00.000-05:002012-01-10T11:10:21.463-05:00Favorite BooksMy favorite books page is back with a new book I read this month. It blew me away. Check it out on the Favorite Books tab =)Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-73092849273894454252012-01-09T11:02:00.000-05:002012-01-09T11:02:14.817-05:00What I made this Christmas (WIMTC)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgWYDP1NraL57mL8v1dGzY0XV80a5BGXAxGCjMYwyWd7miutq2ix73A2Yg5REEQ2aDI0lB36w9hIUHkULWzo9VY9RpuwOIW3cN5oX7iCnjpzPBmU202hCJ1WcwgUZ89Nnrbkbju1svR0/s1600/DSC05127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSgWYDP1NraL57mL8v1dGzY0XV80a5BGXAxGCjMYwyWd7miutq2ix73A2Yg5REEQ2aDI0lB36w9hIUHkULWzo9VY9RpuwOIW3cN5oX7iCnjpzPBmU202hCJ1WcwgUZ89Nnrbkbju1svR0/s400/DSC05127.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmQoAVIptq_KqGH8Z9ZP7gI36A-UzUZ_Us5xbOwC81nCYbpWbkjMjerTOpE4h401csBKG7QdRYAf5EaAn8lRxVPVtuv0GlVJxaR-EJ9tyySZJzEhc4alWlF_8aYxCLPFcDly4WvUE99Y/s1600/DSC05129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDmQoAVIptq_KqGH8Z9ZP7gI36A-UzUZ_Us5xbOwC81nCYbpWbkjMjerTOpE4h401csBKG7QdRYAf5EaAn8lRxVPVtuv0GlVJxaR-EJ9tyySZJzEhc4alWlF_8aYxCLPFcDly4WvUE99Y/s400/DSC05129.JPG" width="300" /></a></div> My hubby made these. It's his way of man-i-fying the cookie decorating process!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMco6GWomMkkR6igexGYT8NfV8QYrSQOX1gRvxPEr2FBTavxbG4_R1CqW6buKVWxov1_A0dwVBGweG_E7lf3M5Z_ccgEQB58bEgRPqXTZmguNURmcCy3nRbNETetbyX-qoRWqSobYKyi0/s1600/DSC05149.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMco6GWomMkkR6igexGYT8NfV8QYrSQOX1gRvxPEr2FBTavxbG4_R1CqW6buKVWxov1_A0dwVBGweG_E7lf3M5Z_ccgEQB58bEgRPqXTZmguNURmcCy3nRbNETetbyX-qoRWqSobYKyi0/s400/DSC05149.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
I love making Christmas cookies each year - but I love decorating them even more! We're trying to not focus on food over the holidays, but it was fun to keep up this tradition (and give away the majority of the cookies!). <br />
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I used a different type of icing this year and liked it a lot. Instead of buying something store bought I made a glaze-ish icing. I saw this idea online and decided to run with it using a basic recipe I keep in my head:<br />
<br />
1 bag of powdered sugar<br />
some melted butter ( a couple tablespoons)<br />
a splash of vanilla<br />
a tiny dash of salt (so it's no overly sweet) <br />
milk<br />
<br />
I beat everything together, adding the milk until it had a slightly runny consistency. Then I refrigerated it overnight, and set it out for an hour or so the next day before using it. The goal was for the icing to spread easily using a pastry brush, but not to run everywhere and make the cookies wet. I liked it a lot and I think it's my new standard cookie icing!<br />
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I made a lot of stuff this Christmas. Gifts, food, projects for our home, etc. And I actually took a lot of pictures too - but I never had time to put them up. So I'll slowly start showing them as I get the pictures on to the computer (first I have to find that cord...). <br />
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<span id="goog_581257701"></span><span id="goog_581257702"></span>Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-66434738774431389362012-01-05T16:08:00.001-05:002012-01-06T00:25:34.226-05:00Simple Homemade CleanersOr as we call them around here, Elise's Elixers.<br />
<br />
I started making most of the cleaners I use around our home after I read <a href="http://www.younghouselove.com/2009/10/clean-up-your-act-all-natural-homemade-cleaners/">this post </a>from Young House Love a year or two ago. I'd heard of different recipes people used, but never were they so simple or effective! Here are my favorites that have become essentials at our house:<br />
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<b>Air Freshener</b> - Essential when your bathroom has no windows and a ridiculously loud fan! But the stuff from stores gives me a wicked headache and not to be gross, but it doesn't always get rid of the smell, just sort of mixes it so you have Apple Cinnamon ______ (insert gross bathroom smell). This stuff is the opposite. No headache. Gets rid of the smell. No chemicals! And really inexpensive. Oh, and no ridiculously loud noise when you spray it - just saying.<br />
<br />
All you need is:<br />
A spray bottle<br />
Favorite scented oil (I buy lavender oil at Whole Foods (or on Amazon for even less) and Tea Tree Oil at Trader Joes for super cheap)<br />
Rubbing Alcohol (super cheap at Costco)<br />
<br />
The ratio is 2 parts water to 1 part rubbing alcohol. Add in as many drops of your favorite scented oil as you like. I do about 30 drops of lavender or tea tree. I guarantee you will love it!<br />
<br />
<b>Oven Cleaner</b><br />
I tend to get distracted when cooking, which means that my pots and pans boil over a lot and my stove top and the inside of my oven are messy. I've never seen anything work as well (especially on grease) as this little trick.<br />
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Spritz water all over the surface you need to clean. Sprinkle baking soda liberally on top of the water and allow it to sit for 5 minutes or so (until the water is absorbed and you can see that the baking soda is absorbing the mess). Scrub with a washcloth and rinse. It will be shiny, non-greasy, and clean! This also works well for greasy pans.<br />
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Tip: Costco sells HUGE bags of baking soda for $6. I use it for cleaning all the time and always keep one on hand. <br />
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<b>Shower Cleaner </b><br />
I've tried a bunch of them, but this works better than anything else I've found.<br />
<br />
Plain old bleach and water.<br />
<br />
I use about 1/2 to 1 cup of bleach in a spray bottle and fill it the rest of the way with water. I keep it in the shower and any time mold and mildew starts to pop up, I spray it down. Usually right before my shower so that I can rinse it off a few minutes later. Sometimes I'll even bring my scrubber (it has a little handle and I only use it for the shower) in to my shower with me and scrub down the walls while I'm in there. That might be TMI, but it's an easy way to do two things at once - and not worry about getting my clothes messy!<br />
<br />
Obviously bleach is not the safest chemical and a lot of people try to avoid it. I've done that too. But it's so much more effective than anything else, and it's the active ingredient in most bathroom cleaners anyway. By buying plain bleach I save a lot of money and my shower gets clean =)<br />
<br />
Check out the link above to the YHL post for more ideas. Here's to inexpensive, easy cleaning!Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-41629005473813216232011-11-23T00:53:00.001-05:002011-11-23T10:02:10.352-05:00Simple Meaningful Art<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxK8qzL5oUP3vQFTnOdLw-JKlXAqXg6CGwkO4eIKyyPYCKJ7a7Ql_UEg91t6ktdCsh1y7rucEh7ta8NpKYBFRG9PCWmzCHHK4vcMN4DI2nsRXHl2QKyljswexJhO0Fu6YjgzIlkzEETw/s1600/crafty+114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinxK8qzL5oUP3vQFTnOdLw-JKlXAqXg6CGwkO4eIKyyPYCKJ7a7Ql_UEg91t6ktdCsh1y7rucEh7ta8NpKYBFRG9PCWmzCHHK4vcMN4DI2nsRXHl2QKyljswexJhO0Fu6YjgzIlkzEETw/s400/crafty+114.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I framed this "To Do" list last spring to write on with dry-erase markers, but quickly realized it was easier to write my to dos on the giant mirror that hung on the wall nearby (ala <a href="http://www.younghouselove.com/2011/04/two-to-do-lists/">YHL</a>). So after months of not using it, I was ready to make a change.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">I've been reading this awesome book by <a href="http://www.desiringgod.org/">John Piper</a> and came across a quote that I loved and wanted to hang on my wall as a constant reminder.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-OOEPUmuQCWaGN0LzTzKnFzgrLuiJOWizBjs5qRbhkmqkjnUCIGkgyL2OCjAOVGezCIYInHZH9Zmvb84ksL4vvm9h25P7VN961UFM3vFPR4SSHv-GnPsALkqxQmHZPg93eMn8T7U5c4/s1600/crafty+115.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgR-OOEPUmuQCWaGN0LzTzKnFzgrLuiJOWizBjs5qRbhkmqkjnUCIGkgyL2OCjAOVGezCIYInHZH9Zmvb84ksL4vvm9h25P7VN961UFM3vFPR4SSHv-GnPsALkqxQmHZPg93eMn8T7U5c4/s400/crafty+115.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: left;">So I grabbed my favorite book of scrapbook paper (which I've used to make a <a href="http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/06/something-free-five-lifesavers/">baby book</a> and tons of <a href="http://www.rufflesandstuff.com/2011/06/lined-envelopes-with-templates.html">stationary</a>)...</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVujqSdFNJapmXKTEOVVdMXYpUd6C5ZgbtIRcT4zBth4VsOHs3ko_9817u8_b6SZ0Pgkx6W98gLKhkz5WbE_Yh08e2haxztYqPirYQe61v7lyr3GLWmdjnX2fEaJhGUwKzfRluc634-9I/s1600/crafty+117.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVujqSdFNJapmXKTEOVVdMXYpUd6C5ZgbtIRcT4zBth4VsOHs3ko_9817u8_b6SZ0Pgkx6W98gLKhkz5WbE_Yh08e2haxztYqPirYQe61v7lyr3GLWmdjnX2fEaJhGUwKzfRluc634-9I/s400/crafty+117.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">...and got to work.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The first step involved cutting out a piece of scrap paper with the right dimensions for the frame, folding it into 4 equal sections, and practicing spacing my words out evenly.</div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HK8YN91zsniwvPPF97h2TIKsPu9HA-y7V8ggiaLu0cTXGSSDVkeAKkO4yNcGdOYAosGDu02B3ABMREbM7i9kDVA0327ouVopvMKrDk5_dTeWauBcGAAIgRY6bmzHRapvQMTxdMmNpjM/s1600/crafty+113.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8HK8YN91zsniwvPPF97h2TIKsPu9HA-y7V8ggiaLu0cTXGSSDVkeAKkO4yNcGdOYAosGDu02B3ABMREbM7i9kDVA0327ouVopvMKrDk5_dTeWauBcGAAIgRY6bmzHRapvQMTxdMmNpjM/s400/crafty+113.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
It took a few tries, which is why you can see pencil and marker on my practice sheet. Next I cut out a properly sized piece of scrap book paper, and carefully wrote the quote down.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwjNIHJE2IjEAkB8v4GnItVbq6KKVYLfhmlhmQ6In5I-k4IC4aUbeOX2Cpn6KjqoWqjhONIw1i8Wz-uEjiog0d_SRA61VMs8CSZYBU7xKP0Wjp_kb7cK22fH0-cPMzba587nmL3DwPUA/s1600/crafty+116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRwjNIHJE2IjEAkB8v4GnItVbq6KKVYLfhmlhmQ6In5I-k4IC4aUbeOX2Cpn6KjqoWqjhONIw1i8Wz-uEjiog0d_SRA61VMs8CSZYBU7xKP0Wjp_kb7cK22fH0-cPMzba587nmL3DwPUA/s400/crafty+116.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And here's the final product!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihYJuACBbrlR_TpZcxQIyt0B46bAVfQrD9LlCDio7cTnOyiHbsVilMfCR_6-qiEhBkOq6ilR2kdz-I2lvyOoBTI5POCOkgrmpdbg2lqXjdSpPINXNbyk6qQTQGw0ZRj0kW9DDwhfQ7Tg/s1600/crafty+125.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhihYJuACBbrlR_TpZcxQIyt0B46bAVfQrD9LlCDio7cTnOyiHbsVilMfCR_6-qiEhBkOq6ilR2kdz-I2lvyOoBTI5POCOkgrmpdbg2lqXjdSpPINXNbyk6qQTQGw0ZRj0kW9DDwhfQ7Tg/s400/crafty+125.JPG" width="300" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love the way it constantly points me toward eternal things. I don't want to waste my short life on things that will not last into eternity.</div><span id="goog_1086965053"><span id="goog_1665337228"></span><span id="goog_1665337229"></span></span><span id="goog_1086965054"></span><span id="goog_1911992177"></span><span id="goog_1911992178"></span>Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-1672009129755656242011-11-14T21:30:00.000-05:002011-11-14T21:30:50.557-05:00Penn State ScandalI'm a Penn State alum. My dad's a professor at Penn State and I grew up all of my life in State College, PA. And while I don't "bleed Blue and White" like a lot of alumni, PSU is definitely near and dear to my heart. It's where I grew up, it shaped a lot of who I am, it's where I met my husband, where God called me into ministry, and where I began to really fall in love with Jesus.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>So the recent scandal involving Sandusky was hard to take emotionally. I've watched a lot of news clips and read a lot of articles from different papers, but none of them helped as much as the script from a message given at Penn State by the director of Cru. Here's the link for you to check it out - I highly recommend that you do.<br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://pennstatecru.org/love."><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvIr4ZYXI0jhqCk4PioA-hSmOtIg77F7zf-3myLPry6M4EUwTb8-_9ZwbAzuWPWJRTxyTZAw6TZuxnnJ9Y3L4cX_-lqKvAE-FQc3bMuIalxlmHqjtw29p01Ir0amHJaUc3Xl_rzLVRy7g/s320/loveSocialSmall.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-57414312643891246762011-11-13T14:13:00.000-05:002011-11-13T14:13:46.220-05:00Baking BreadI recently learned how to bake bread... actually using yeast... from scratch. I'd been intimidated by this for years but always wanted to try! And let me encourage you - it is MUCH easier than I ever imagined! You don't have to be Martha Stewart or Paula Dean to be successful =)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ugSWV1puesi64_JZoufXpJCKANe1rgUkYsDapexVAWGNx1tq_TvsTHKRO286GOZ-pgJnnqFPN1p605oscHkgN9mE0ggU3Egy_kU9icb2YHuNQahikYLPKtlU7MabkvQL5OKfEZSPqYI/s1600/more+crafts+2+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8ugSWV1puesi64_JZoufXpJCKANe1rgUkYsDapexVAWGNx1tq_TvsTHKRO286GOZ-pgJnnqFPN1p605oscHkgN9mE0ggU3Egy_kU9icb2YHuNQahikYLPKtlU7MabkvQL5OKfEZSPqYI/s400/more+crafts+2+012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ne1uQlHPLR22xlUFVrmLDghZKUf-rYbcJcW72dDyuN5sGdChEhNLIOmemWnh02ahkspDg1ehMjeuj3FpCEDyKJvGvTbOOsAqPPry-uPhPmzq-sHRi8sbePRmTDPWPvvFo2qtwgbyYEI/s1600/more+crafts+2+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6ne1uQlHPLR22xlUFVrmLDghZKUf-rYbcJcW72dDyuN5sGdChEhNLIOmemWnh02ahkspDg1ehMjeuj3FpCEDyKJvGvTbOOsAqPPry-uPhPmzq-sHRi8sbePRmTDPWPvvFo2qtwgbyYEI/s400/more+crafts+2+013.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Deliah's Pumpkin Nut swirled bread</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I would highly recommend any of these bread baking tutorials. They give simple step by step directions, and best of all they show awesome, inspiring pictures!<br />
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Here are some pictures of me making Dana from MADE's Braided Bread (with cinnamon sugar): <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jiiFrlYTddRqJxkTwlivkYD_euE_Nw4MMYsdUADSj8ihJQPf7Qbewc_H7CAQR2svRzujM8TfdmyX7q5VqHcLWpPkh7z4FxjVwga3Jji5kLhwRcMwXLCtTB8jpsLFHKOXr5_Y2I3KCJ4/s1600/crafty+129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_jiiFrlYTddRqJxkTwlivkYD_euE_Nw4MMYsdUADSj8ihJQPf7Qbewc_H7CAQR2svRzujM8TfdmyX7q5VqHcLWpPkh7z4FxjVwga3Jji5kLhwRcMwXLCtTB8jpsLFHKOXr5_Y2I3KCJ4/s400/crafty+129.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.dana-made-it.com/2008/07/recipe-braided-bread.html">MADE Braided Bread</a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPaQdzUFOgusM3kHXxY4AfQ22midqUDPDWI8yDduOibVzGS-BErA-1KbBe09Z_h8xd8QwjYERu1vFKxX2Eib090ufevdJf7JepZvzmv-3iCUTglVRHbDy6vIQU1T1Ys5Ca1S0mabT5h34/s1600/a8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPaQdzUFOgusM3kHXxY4AfQ22midqUDPDWI8yDduOibVzGS-BErA-1KbBe09Z_h8xd8QwjYERu1vFKxX2Eib090ufevdJf7JepZvzmv-3iCUTglVRHbDy6vIQU1T1Ys5Ca1S0mabT5h34/s400/a8.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dana's lovelier bread</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://deliacreates.blogspot.com/2010/10/best-bread-ever.html">Deliah Creates Best Bread Ever</a></div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrcGVuH3xLCCvAiYFs1wRjwi76nq8__zNZNmEaU4wfh4P4Ikia0dEcWvA3n0_c8zQD6Vy_ZHL8RS21UrC8GCNhg85T6zQROkdEzHMchIfy8k5d7S4drZMP3TiepkMAFRG7sRmioqPmaQ/s1600/bread+finish+%25284%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhrcGVuH3xLCCvAiYFs1wRjwi76nq8__zNZNmEaU4wfh4P4Ikia0dEcWvA3n0_c8zQD6Vy_ZHL8RS21UrC8GCNhg85T6zQROkdEzHMchIfy8k5d7S4drZMP3TiepkMAFRG7sRmioqPmaQ/s400/bread+finish+%25284%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pumpkin nut swirl - yum!!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2007/06/cinammon_rolls_/">The PioneerWoman</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4W1k8OJUuY067bf4dCT6oY9IVuVwA9_bGqNLuovSAWNHDresJhEF0GllSBK0Xdqh0NIlwpaLbK8jomvnh2D5ExUDn6JkwgmLGMvIYUHc2ipz5ZkC9vWmad8QloNeEUbDMVto5cmjwon0/s1600/Cinnamon-Rolls-420x278.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4W1k8OJUuY067bf4dCT6oY9IVuVwA9_bGqNLuovSAWNHDresJhEF0GllSBK0Xdqh0NIlwpaLbK8jomvnh2D5ExUDn6JkwgmLGMvIYUHc2ipz5ZkC9vWmad8QloNeEUbDMVto5cmjwon0/s400/Cinnamon-Rolls-420x278.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pioneer Woman does them right. Soooo yummy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've made these cinnamon rolls a few times for various events and everyone loves them! I don't have any pictures of the ones I've made... they didn't last long enough to take a picture! I did change the icing recipe a bit, leaving out the maple and adding vanilla just because of my personal preferences. They are even easier to make than the breads above because you don't have to knead the dough at all!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-36446060847912242022011-11-07T23:06:00.000-05:002011-11-07T23:06:31.193-05:00Current Project - FINISHED!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Remember when I told you about my <a href="http://made-by-elise.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-current-project.html">current project</a>? Well I finally made some progress! I quickly realized that I needed a way to add material to the shirt to make it wider- but I wanted to retain as much of the original look as I could. Here's what I started with:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUSJitVa6VKogUIbuxYmpP8r1r1HnT-LSf1e8x9ZoUaUhVUs11VTG-SfHIdd3fHpoqOhN28m2WUEB0SMO4EDE8sg1Ed6j8WQb34PTrY9va1topR09TfxdHCKMx4ybHDsiQ9-bZoRsAiA/s1600/more+crafts+059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtUSJitVa6VKogUIbuxYmpP8r1r1HnT-LSf1e8x9ZoUaUhVUs11VTG-SfHIdd3fHpoqOhN28m2WUEB0SMO4EDE8sg1Ed6j8WQb34PTrY9va1topR09TfxdHCKMx4ybHDsiQ9-bZoRsAiA/s400/more+crafts+059.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Digging through my stash of thrift shirts, I found another one that is too tight and decided to use it for my additional fabric.<br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> First I seam ripped the neckline off of the front of the shirt all the way to the shoulder seams. Then I cut the front of the shirt (not including neckline) down the middle.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJu0k8OEzqIl-aeuRkSGshZ1J3NFj37ji1kyZC487v1c1LgIvSFX39znAOTz2Tjxolt5rIroMFdhkrb_tVE45bCEhGbhIH0R1QgM4doZd5IrR9zzS6WV1JeWXjeE48fIUbqKUGRL1ewMs/s1600/scarf+and+PA+021.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJu0k8OEzqIl-aeuRkSGshZ1J3NFj37ji1kyZC487v1c1LgIvSFX39znAOTz2Tjxolt5rIroMFdhkrb_tVE45bCEhGbhIH0R1QgM4doZd5IrR9zzS6WV1JeWXjeE48fIUbqKUGRL1ewMs/s400/scarf+and+PA+021.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: left;">Then I measured the length of the front panels of the shirt, top to bottom.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemuVhB9liDIbgEfTxHrYZ-OZRh7UO7SYCGKrjrF_CfsPvF1Nr1wFeRW2YoMO7bfvSUdwy52Y4Ei9MHulHFqu1fYcdAh9aV6Hv24K8R3P3G6HLmONDmeel2h9Goa-Gg3h7r0pfx2Wohts/s1600/scarf+and+PA+022.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjemuVhB9liDIbgEfTxHrYZ-OZRh7UO7SYCGKrjrF_CfsPvF1Nr1wFeRW2YoMO7bfvSUdwy52Y4Ei9MHulHFqu1fYcdAh9aV6Hv24K8R3P3G6HLmONDmeel2h9Goa-Gg3h7r0pfx2Wohts/s400/scarf+and+PA+022.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
And I ironed a portion of the eggplant colored shirt (I had previously seam-ripped it apart) flat. I don't have an ironing board so I just fold a towel up and put it on our table that has ceramic tiles. As long as the iron doesn't pass over the wood edges everything is fine!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCoEd_p1-BauvtylkUKOnpLC1vQZzTFslPfI7NwQajcezohVEsaor-AWcvUT3IbXKB_497Xc9JjrouW1gy2KwX4VgVu63LyrXoOcOXUCOpW8sDuRFbd2znyE_8yg1SOTpgQsCYBukBCXw/s1600/scarf+and+PA+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCoEd_p1-BauvtylkUKOnpLC1vQZzTFslPfI7NwQajcezohVEsaor-AWcvUT3IbXKB_497Xc9JjrouW1gy2KwX4VgVu63LyrXoOcOXUCOpW8sDuRFbd2znyE_8yg1SOTpgQsCYBukBCXw/s400/scarf+and+PA+023.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Next I used some simple geometry to mark out the triangular shaped piece of eggplant fabric that I would place in my newly opened section of the shirt.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIN8xnGlbrIBNBL6mD7MeQfmNGhIZh-x2jATGGFH6O8RM0nKrMV4wrllKdsodSI0RZEwYs7Yq9_gBgZHWtcY5RYYdqD6xlqlrWQLAre5vb9IJ_Qyl-74uidA8_2qn28Bl8hQee2QTckg/s1600/scarf+and+PA+024.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfIN8xnGlbrIBNBL6mD7MeQfmNGhIZh-x2jATGGFH6O8RM0nKrMV4wrllKdsodSI0RZEwYs7Yq9_gBgZHWtcY5RYYdqD6xlqlrWQLAre5vb9IJ_Qyl-74uidA8_2qn28Bl8hQee2QTckg/s400/scarf+and+PA+024.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
And cut it out.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXl5giZIWmFkq_YkhyKXJERqZ_qcU0zRZqZ99LLYBC-KokBJriPJEm9n6XznNoHz4Gx7SY8zvJTaHq2vSgzWHtzUiXAwcXbhs85zpoe36RSif0ve4c-lCNLe-M1PWcoG38YNjsoU9Mlk/s1600/scarf+and+PA+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidXl5giZIWmFkq_YkhyKXJERqZ_qcU0zRZqZ99LLYBC-KokBJriPJEm9n6XznNoHz4Gx7SY8zvJTaHq2vSgzWHtzUiXAwcXbhs85zpoe36RSif0ve4c-lCNLe-M1PWcoG38YNjsoU9Mlk/s400/scarf+and+PA+025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
And pinned it into the shirt!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlUreOFPAQszMLT8Gx-oaAIUc6l6ioBEq0XN-czy0WCzwcThZgSoWYzfzOgfQ1hyqPrfdQ3VmRTrn5c-jFB_i3THAdvvwLwh5yUitGzgyLImgnZRbN8X-XbZdnGEO_zTL37h5jqpJ1Qs/s1600/scarf+and+PA+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZlUreOFPAQszMLT8Gx-oaAIUc6l6ioBEq0XN-czy0WCzwcThZgSoWYzfzOgfQ1hyqPrfdQ3VmRTrn5c-jFB_i3THAdvvwLwh5yUitGzgyLImgnZRbN8X-XbZdnGEO_zTL37h5jqpJ1Qs/s400/scarf+and+PA+026.JPG" width="400" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then I sewed it in using a straight stitch and added a piece of the purple fabric to the collar.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Vs-jRSlJ9BNJESVc4XN_XFmAkh_3TVrrVAx8zR8Yzl9OguLUMsX5WrSbu9dU4ODvmkxJrt99floa1M5GeS8vJwGZWMf8PVEmbFrQi5bMO7yySGW7P68K9tfZYJMooA36teip8Eb79VI/s1600/crafty+069.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3Vs-jRSlJ9BNJESVc4XN_XFmAkh_3TVrrVAx8zR8Yzl9OguLUMsX5WrSbu9dU4ODvmkxJrt99floa1M5GeS8vJwGZWMf8PVEmbFrQi5bMO7yySGW7P68K9tfZYJMooA36teip8Eb79VI/s320/crafty+069.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-e7Bu20kOcMWV-DD_Xpl1w0FyJSaaRpQZLuVhS8lIXjbxifeC86k05hIcoG_i-0AHynJ4kOBaYRP6gPQ0vZXpY4jmzx2mjdH3MeZLg8YOJSjRDXBQcWjcykyaMtPobaCSKqRs_WZPETY/s1600/crafty+070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-e7Bu20kOcMWV-DD_Xpl1w0FyJSaaRpQZLuVhS8lIXjbxifeC86k05hIcoG_i-0AHynJ4kOBaYRP6gPQ0vZXpY4jmzx2mjdH3MeZLg8YOJSjRDXBQcWjcykyaMtPobaCSKqRs_WZPETY/s320/crafty+070.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Then I finished by sewing the collar back onto the shirt.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN64ABlePcexexGglaLN8woIUex6ahu0uotBjgj2g-TuZIPMkKnfs-1Qg0CFTVAAPBieKiQHrnTCNmtKWttTa5kuWNFTyqtRpSofW_DjKukYC9mqsSmDGC7KwjT7Ly-OspQeXTzBPI3z4/s1600/crafty+166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN64ABlePcexexGglaLN8woIUex6ahu0uotBjgj2g-TuZIPMkKnfs-1Qg0CFTVAAPBieKiQHrnTCNmtKWttTa5kuWNFTyqtRpSofW_DjKukYC9mqsSmDGC7KwjT7Ly-OspQeXTzBPI3z4/s400/crafty+166.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"> So... it did add some width to the shirt and gave me more breathing room. However, I'm afraid it looks like a black shirt with a purple tie. I don't think it looks too bad when it's on, but it's definitely not an amazing refashion. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div>Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-81905964990738972552011-11-01T20:20:00.000-04:002011-11-01T20:20:27.991-04:00Paint Chip ArtPaint chip art is popping up everywhere these days.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJIQK48TeCNhPiB8osVeUeCG14Cwn__7_tXKub9RcGRi0FWhilJOybPCzi4q-jmQlyxcX-qmuiEsZmE5jrYzuwXrzix9Q43OBVn5SnnkPc3-q4PVbIc6yAly5BoMtfc_x6fOs93o0yxU/s1600/201962965_GVhhPiYe_c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="305" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrJIQK48TeCNhPiB8osVeUeCG14Cwn__7_tXKub9RcGRi0FWhilJOybPCzi4q-jmQlyxcX-qmuiEsZmE5jrYzuwXrzix9Q43OBVn5SnnkPc3-q4PVbIc6yAly5BoMtfc_x6fOs93o0yxU/s400/201962965_GVhhPiYe_c.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">From<a href="http://pinterest.com/pin/201962965/"> Pinterest</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>And since we've collected quite a few paint chips this year at Home Depot, we thought we'd give it a try too! We haven't changed up the pictures in our apartment for a few years so we were both looking forward to something new. <a href="http://www.younghouselove.com/">Young House Love</a> and <a href="http://www.younghouselove.com/2011/10/its-baaaack/"></a><a href="http://www.bowerpowerblog.com/">Bower Power's</a> current Pinterest Challenge was definitely a motivator too!<br />
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We spent a lot of time coming up with a design. Our paint chips were all variations of three colors: pink, green, and blue. So we decided we wanted some sort of swirl pattern out of the pink-toned paint chips and that the blue and green would be filler colors. It took some playing around with different patterns but we eventually came up with something we liked:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzxOGDmjPLJWzm9u-WB4t9x3Gy4cC-QCSzRyzaRd9GGAnZ-Ao0kiTJl7lbziiYwUxGrjBxC9ZG1ysNd55XwERq3nQgqjROWDV1KbnR0dyHjNVa2ubYPk3ckcPNDOqFLau-JzU19vct68/s1600/crafty+174.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOzxOGDmjPLJWzm9u-WB4t9x3Gy4cC-QCSzRyzaRd9GGAnZ-Ao0kiTJl7lbziiYwUxGrjBxC9ZG1ysNd55XwERq3nQgqjROWDV1KbnR0dyHjNVa2ubYPk3ckcPNDOqFLau-JzU19vct68/s400/crafty+174.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After determining the layout, we flipped each paint chip over individually, cut them to ensure they were all the same size, and taped them together on the back. The cuts weren't perfect (I really wish I had one of those paper cutters that teachers use) but that's okay - it looks homemade!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYaN0OSKKHyDPwC6xydASg5p8dfXIsBor4_pEekmDJmAGwTdSAlcCvN2zcaT3aHDr-kCQwPVGZsXOnnkzk4mcJ-GWL6ntsQOgzMuumhOyYiry4cRpcUvZCOs2H_dVE4GxidPCuwCj0meg/s1600/crafty+170.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYaN0OSKKHyDPwC6xydASg5p8dfXIsBor4_pEekmDJmAGwTdSAlcCvN2zcaT3aHDr-kCQwPVGZsXOnnkzk4mcJ-GWL6ntsQOgzMuumhOyYiry4cRpcUvZCOs2H_dVE4GxidPCuwCj0meg/s400/crafty+170.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Next we waited until I found the perfect frame - at Unique! Unique is an awesome thrift store in Northern Virginia. I was there with friends to find 80s clothes for a costume and just happened to walk by a $3.99 picture frame that looked like the perfect size. Hooray!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gK54ScG50wXpCnRYcdBd-2Q9yD4jte3UAORu9BAl23t65xmWf0fYFy2L7REfqhabhxDIwq5zusXU-F4N6PODS_bIUYgyit80dn_3AKRxwMN4G9NgHfnU-RZDdEEH5qQzgrRfgc2e36k/s1600/crafty+163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8gK54ScG50wXpCnRYcdBd-2Q9yD4jte3UAORu9BAl23t65xmWf0fYFy2L7REfqhabhxDIwq5zusXU-F4N6PODS_bIUYgyit80dn_3AKRxwMN4G9NgHfnU-RZDdEEH5qQzgrRfgc2e36k/s400/crafty+163.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After I cleaned it up with Windex I realized that there was no way to take the frame apart. Well, there probably is but I couldn't figure it out! So my husband used an knife to cut open the cardboard in the back and pull it out of the frame. Except it wasn't just cardboard! There were plastic layers between different layers of really thick, unbendable cardboard.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmN2uxt5jOlyA02lShCBzy58qamcplWM-_ZXQH6PI3ZQfzO6iYX0zbSlwcBED0sM6Vmb3HkuQ8YdJzzjwxHHyXYxQFvh5s-oFoDQlpddJtprRM5NN1MW6wxlyu8VjDKvRCib_HRJTjOtE/s1600/crafty+168.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmN2uxt5jOlyA02lShCBzy58qamcplWM-_ZXQH6PI3ZQfzO6iYX0zbSlwcBED0sM6Vmb3HkuQ8YdJzzjwxHHyXYxQFvh5s-oFoDQlpddJtprRM5NN1MW6wxlyu8VjDKvRCib_HRJTjOtE/s400/crafty+168.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpJ4LZ9rzQhapfxqBmAs5PNhO7ehC5mhR6I8V-YNc7c0YGJPeUqLHfx_zo4Um9pLiD-2xBqNZh95GF1gWyN-hTLH0t0XuA2ElWt-nWsjpbd0tIWf4CM12ZM4GE8oIelYEcpEuap_F51w/s1600/crafty+169.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMpJ4LZ9rzQhapfxqBmAs5PNhO7ehC5mhR6I8V-YNc7c0YGJPeUqLHfx_zo4Um9pLiD-2xBqNZh95GF1gWyN-hTLH0t0XuA2ElWt-nWsjpbd0tIWf4CM12ZM4GE8oIelYEcpEuap_F51w/s400/crafty+169.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
But eventually we got it and were able to slip our art inside. Then we just taped one layer of cardboard on the back to keep our art in place. Here's the final product:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFrkTJmI8RPPpTWSF-ruzVJCto4CPR0K_7qEWBir-u-cpfD6UhHqEreQm6mXDl_LjOqGBAhYkbpkoUaK7j90X57g8sq5QHLbhGf22ReDO9eN48haxKs9A5tHcq6cyzllxmj5bvCn3nEQ/s1600/crafty+175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWFrkTJmI8RPPpTWSF-ruzVJCto4CPR0K_7qEWBir-u-cpfD6UhHqEreQm6mXDl_LjOqGBAhYkbpkoUaK7j90X57g8sq5QHLbhGf22ReDO9eN48haxKs9A5tHcq6cyzllxmj5bvCn3nEQ/s400/crafty+175.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-6786270346442992442011-10-26T12:51:00.001-04:002011-10-26T12:55:33.517-04:00Easy Art and Updated StorageI adore this idea from <a href="http://www.thenester.com/">Nesting Plac</a>e blog today. Wrapping shoe boxes with paper, fabric, etc. to make art.<br />
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Here's the picture from Nesting Place:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.houzz.com/"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_crEBN04a1fznRLZsfHemOM_6vqCFskNwPFx0boVX-vThrahE_mifcm5Ux5uAGYBQRJBMiqGRktuWszbOoGHyLXWMhRBR1fTWBIJDGPL0X_TCA2-qwjpWl94QMIMGoHne0-KKmop9yU/s400/338754896_NZLvBAtv_c1.jpg" width="290" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.houzz.com/">houzz</a></div><br />
Love that!<br />
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This weekend I did something similar - not to make art but to update some ugly storage on our desk. Months ago I took a cardboard box and covered it with masking tape, hoping that it would just be a nice, unnoticeable beige. It looked like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWI6zTb8q6btZCAVcDlOvmP7FWm67_-r_V83LACV5F-2gljXm96hn7anxcwJMKhVoxytuWsAaQqVS0oKyacqmx6uEewPCFVx0XCbdnoIqv2ahyLB-9VlL4Jd_zWZN4c469i28rIhY8rA/s1600/more+crafts+2+001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVWI6zTb8q6btZCAVcDlOvmP7FWm67_-r_V83LACV5F-2gljXm96hn7anxcwJMKhVoxytuWsAaQqVS0oKyacqmx6uEewPCFVx0XCbdnoIqv2ahyLB-9VlL4Jd_zWZN4c469i28rIhY8rA/s400/more+crafts+2+001.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Not the best. And why I chose to write in such big letters in the middle of the box is beyond me. Though it used to be oriented a different way so the words weren't sideways.<br />
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So I turned it into this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5qGGDM_3-lv8xA28EiC3M1wnkbaTpye849vCS9Kbpdje2zVf1ZV3q05MFEoAAH2CETocDCnIxvWleoMgAjw7JcfJ9vl-7PHavdqE9pjrls_ASVV-zm0IMhXS2pZtlTKuv5l65JHGmGg/s1600/more+crafts+2+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc5qGGDM_3-lv8xA28EiC3M1wnkbaTpye849vCS9Kbpdje2zVf1ZV3q05MFEoAAH2CETocDCnIxvWleoMgAjw7JcfJ9vl-7PHavdqE9pjrls_ASVV-zm0IMhXS2pZtlTKuv5l65JHGmGg/s400/more+crafts+2+007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9fQnFeuUTnIIBiOk5c3Se4qC8NS00SeIJp4PYzHtHEE6MUFehVPd0C-ZKPml982MGkwCe1kTu9gSpI4FfY_0b1KA5V6CsStWs4fkPUyN-2et71kJnvHF97swLLVYxussHQ6CyYdrkTtQ/s1600/more+crafts+2+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>Here are my steps to updated storage:<br />
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1. Cut out a piece of scrapbook paper so that it is approximately 1 inch larger on each side than the box top. Glue on to top of box using Tacky glue. Put extra glue on all four sides, approximately one inch from the top. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8dmYz9L4vo1tg_w4_WVV0gwn2bILF7i5VxqRLf7Dc1RQuX35hTqRqmSwNGYImpky8oSryzd8SLCANA-ZcbXu3Fz-2CHh1UzgCG3hKI42xTrjBLrE6oz-T_ttG_0XvrKfETIYkd8wtIU/s1600/more+crafts+2+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL8dmYz9L4vo1tg_w4_WVV0gwn2bILF7i5VxqRLf7Dc1RQuX35hTqRqmSwNGYImpky8oSryzd8SLCANA-ZcbXu3Fz-2CHh1UzgCG3hKI42xTrjBLrE6oz-T_ttG_0XvrKfETIYkd8wtIU/s400/more+crafts+2+004.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
2. Fold down extra paper so that it sticks to sides. Repeat on the bottom.<br />
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3. Put glue on one side of box.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihaKehgcBzM1fbSY-S3YUC-532u_y3OKS_EdjKyGFcnzOl9U00Qb8Onlbs1tDsLd1UDCqjEvAWn5OdGP60VfU8pRG5bA_-_Q6Ecgom82EHaqnpqJla1XJKWvpHUhjKKlv_5tA3pJRLCKk/s1600/more+crafts+2+006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihaKehgcBzM1fbSY-S3YUC-532u_y3OKS_EdjKyGFcnzOl9U00Qb8Onlbs1tDsLd1UDCqjEvAWn5OdGP60VfU8pRG5bA_-_Q6Ecgom82EHaqnpqJla1XJKWvpHUhjKKlv_5tA3pJRLCKk/s400/more+crafts+2+006.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
4. Cut out piece of scrapbook paper so that it is the exact dimension of the side that is glue and lay over glue, smoothing it down. Repeat on all four sides.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYu7vku94zVUXQpwlWxbEeP3GCWa0dWD-zueSriMlHnzMwVC62xhCGhFrX8W0HyDDONm2x2YUK2k9_z_bTdYQYWHDuh3BLpNCQbaYzoFCZ31KXDabYIOtiRk3IE4dxi5MfuteFX31H4g/s1600/more+crafts+2+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgYu7vku94zVUXQpwlWxbEeP3GCWa0dWD-zueSriMlHnzMwVC62xhCGhFrX8W0HyDDONm2x2YUK2k9_z_bTdYQYWHDuh3BLpNCQbaYzoFCZ31KXDabYIOtiRk3IE4dxi5MfuteFX31H4g/s400/more+crafts+2+007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxmyRZjxwDXJZvx41OUBMGEPHGqvA79sq9QXyaIUEC5AQkXwap3NbtAs5Q56N1-QqlreyQORvZtf3g1vv5NX3jDP5GzoH6xWQQeVPtbnOXYtT5cSiulArxaMyV0_dBiD5H6_3-6kvvMk/s1600/more+crafts+2+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQxmyRZjxwDXJZvx41OUBMGEPHGqvA79sq9QXyaIUEC5AQkXwap3NbtAs5Q56N1-QqlreyQORvZtf3g1vv5NX3jDP5GzoH6xWQQeVPtbnOXYtT5cSiulArxaMyV0_dBiD5H6_3-6kvvMk/s400/more+crafts+2+010.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Much better!Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-80732035808690042092011-10-22T23:09:00.000-04:002011-10-22T23:09:09.544-04:00Easter Basket to Anytime Basket<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Last Easter I was feeling pretty blue. We weren't able to go to church because my hubby couldn't be in big crowds yet (and church is always crowded on Easter) and we couldn't visit our families either. Two awesome things happened though: we watched an amazing live church service from <a href="http://marshill.com/">Mars Hill Church</a> and Pastor Mark Driscoll, and my husband surprised me with an Easter egg hunt that culminated in this special Easter basket filled with treats:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtiy0k_CtsclckGVzYulF6z1TyHlqd2Rb9YBNgKgkiNs_7VzZOpHGrkpXC2Rav73lt57Zpv1xAT1wofJxebD0dJiB0qq8c6-6yNGm0BiOpPTHb8-ULxGoDTPVGBK_8iy1cR432wWigwM/s1600/more+crafts+052.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdtiy0k_CtsclckGVzYulF6z1TyHlqd2Rb9YBNgKgkiNs_7VzZOpHGrkpXC2Rav73lt57Zpv1xAT1wofJxebD0dJiB0qq8c6-6yNGm0BiOpPTHb8-ULxGoDTPVGBK_8iy1cR432wWigwM/s400/more+crafts+052.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
After 6 months admiring it and being reminded of my Easter surprise, I decided that I needed to do a little updating to make it match our decor a little better. <br />
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First, I un-threaded the orange and gold ribbon that ran around the middle of the basket. It actually wasn't even glued in so it was very easy to do! Then I pulled out my set of craft paints and painted over the butterflies and the pink strips. It took multiple coats (and a very small paint brush) but this is the end result:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0j7iMKKW9eOA-CGjGuLmE3gQO5yd7EmUz-zUOaQgJou-aAB1KZTzQ5UA8ATNXEXvelFkDicIjwLFr4JACXhxikDWq7aescZH9rVfc-yboLHFFHIXSK5ZC5wXsvFsymc0vT4lfTNxPB6I/s1600/more+crafts+056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0j7iMKKW9eOA-CGjGuLmE3gQO5yd7EmUz-zUOaQgJou-aAB1KZTzQ5UA8ATNXEXvelFkDicIjwLFr4JACXhxikDWq7aescZH9rVfc-yboLHFFHIXSK5ZC5wXsvFsymc0vT4lfTNxPB6I/s400/more+crafts+056.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
And now for a close-up:<br />
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I love how it matches my bookshelf and that I can now enjoy it in all seasons!<br />
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I'm still not sure what to do with the extra baskets sitting inside of it - and I'm hoping to make some fabric flowers to put in that vase... eventually!<br />
<span id="goog_9695427"></span><span id="goog_9695428"></span>Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-32467086493685152062011-10-21T11:05:00.001-04:002011-10-21T11:06:12.155-04:00Heart OnesiesLast weekend I taught my friend some basic sewing skills - it was such a great time! For our project I taught her how to add applique to onesies (she has some friends' baby-showers coming up).<br />
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I originally learned to do this from <a href="http://made-by-elise.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-im-learning-to-sew.html">Stitch by Stitch</a> - and it really is simple! Here's our final product!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjT5wBNOlrxN_5vbl083-cjU5SemI4E33WnJHCrlgkQ4x_-2Sp0DzjpGKMEqkSIlkcdaNkBi9KE3-hiOi_4JlwqG_1WP3SAyXyZqTrFyhFpmwzLxt9UvT3ywI7qICyF6ljjCYtPnRS-U/s1600/more+crafts+044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinjT5wBNOlrxN_5vbl083-cjU5SemI4E33WnJHCrlgkQ4x_-2Sp0DzjpGKMEqkSIlkcdaNkBi9KE3-hiOi_4JlwqG_1WP3SAyXyZqTrFyhFpmwzLxt9UvT3ywI7qICyF6ljjCYtPnRS-U/s400/more+crafts+044.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-65451179940750301962011-10-18T23:07:00.000-04:002011-10-18T23:07:22.138-04:00$1 Bookcase Re-do<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I found this bookcase on the side of the road last week! I've been wanting one of these for a while now and then poof! There it was!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNZ_lMhsKvyJKXt0ChrkMYYk15b67mgxUqXwxXaRmlpcLJHdaTkpU9yE3CLt24YAWIBCTYLIMYGfAEgj4DsKkk2RMUAH3YeKrN063iTkhbhBWoO4OyPKvEcjKOorGkRKvABf8um9FAu4o/s320/more+crafts+001.JPG" width="240" /></div><br />
I rescued it right before heavy rain started to fall.<br />
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It's made out of particle board but the back on three of the squares was really cheap cardboard. So I ripped it off.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhP20N49esKv9RDD7ebX7lunBq1jf2UjcXWyXOuACO_t3amjIeQIvelRXNURW0MvekkuZ3ZxYIIcS_edg-u0EYu0G0WuS_K1IEau6jzq46NHMB0TkHhT6VhAQwn5N2qOo5jxNzq3a05rM/s1600/more+crafts+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhP20N49esKv9RDD7ebX7lunBq1jf2UjcXWyXOuACO_t3amjIeQIvelRXNURW0MvekkuZ3ZxYIIcS_edg-u0EYu0G0WuS_K1IEau6jzq46NHMB0TkHhT6VhAQwn5N2qOo5jxNzq3a05rM/s400/more+crafts+005.JPG" width="300" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div>Which left this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkWKzRj_sT7GDWuRpcUO5CsnXP0mD1u_IptLjZCnsmbwM5i-chki7G2Qsil4Ya8_-4GDHlUnNgrER921pyETthS42sCQyYKQXwaQp7dghKlKSBbuc6C5rVnng0PTKm7AOzNWWkufxMww/s1600/more+crafts+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzkWKzRj_sT7GDWuRpcUO5CsnXP0mD1u_IptLjZCnsmbwM5i-chki7G2Qsil4Ya8_-4GDHlUnNgrER921pyETthS42sCQyYKQXwaQp7dghKlKSBbuc6C5rVnng0PTKm7AOzNWWkufxMww/s320/more+crafts+004.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
It might be less trendy than the original, but I don't really like trendy things because they go out of fashion too fast for me to keep up with. This way it's more of a classic bookshelf that will always be in fashion.<br />
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To spruce it up I added many thin layers of $1 "oops" paint from Home Depot. We bought it a while back for another project and had half a can left. I really like the color and me and the hubby thought it'd look great in our bedroom. <br />
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The first few layers were applied with a small roller brush. Then I used a tiny craft brush to fill in along the edges. I chose not to sand it at all before painting since it is particle board and I didn't want it to start disintegrating, but it did make it hard to get the paint to stick. I ended up applying my final layers with a foam brush which gave me more even coverage.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And one more time without books...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOLM7LHXZiKZ8ICn229ZcdkME6UG6RnhyV9tUA1smzCpLhUvfsejyPZIb7WiXwuS3MbLq7ehq5VjyTLWNRzGlQkesxASvGkyTNju3bpQj_CwBTZg7EHqvF5BGcBK-MrXz5h3iVUyYY54/s1600/more+crafts+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiiOLM7LHXZiKZ8ICn229ZcdkME6UG6RnhyV9tUA1smzCpLhUvfsejyPZIb7WiXwuS3MbLq7ehq5VjyTLWNRzGlQkesxASvGkyTNju3bpQj_CwBTZg7EHqvF5BGcBK-MrXz5h3iVUyYY54/s400/more+crafts+011.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
Total cost? Less than $1!Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-74455559474785128772011-10-15T10:02:00.001-04:002011-10-15T13:04:44.209-04:00Recipe: Café OléI love a plain cup of coffee, but some days it's fun to put a little something extra in it. I've been making Café Olé for years but I have no idea where I got the name or the idea... which probably means my sister taught it to me at some point!<br />
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Ingredients:<br />
Coffee<br />
Cream<br />
Sugar<br />
Cinnamon<br />
Cocoa Powder<br />
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Pour yourself a cup of coffee and prepare it to taste like you usually would (cream, milk, sugar, Splenda... whatever you like). I always use Half n' Half and sugar.<br />
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Stir in some cinnamon and cocoa powder to taste. I don't measure mine but I probably use about a 1/2 tsp. of each.<br />
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That's it! One of the great things about Café Olé is that it's fast and flexible. Some days I only use cinnamon or only cocoa powder, and right now I'm drinking a mug full made from yesterday's coffee. Normally I hate leftover coffee but we're out of coffee beans and when I turn it into Café Olé I can't tell that it's not freshly brewed!Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-40475762483223202892011-10-13T18:43:00.000-04:002011-10-13T18:43:27.972-04:00See Kate Sew Sew-A-LongI'm pumped! I was checking out <a href="http://seekatesew.blogspot.com/">See Kate Sew</a> today and saw that she released a free tutorial with pattern pieces for her "Sweet Scallops Tote". AND she's creating a link party so that anyone who makes one can link up and possibly be featured on her blog! Look how cute this bag is!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6cQ6FpeTS46_Pn8mEv7YsWLcBofxk5yjFJ60C4GT4lDcEyDPNnoL31g2PQ0F2hh2X6BBfkgoSXXoxoylchDQLwhj10Tc-XA4JFauuNAWmx_plsHEozSxI3047eLX6MTqWO3nwTo5IdA/s1600/sewalong.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjR6cQ6FpeTS46_Pn8mEv7YsWLcBofxk5yjFJ60C4GT4lDcEyDPNnoL31g2PQ0F2hh2X6BBfkgoSXXoxoylchDQLwhj10Tc-XA4JFauuNAWmx_plsHEozSxI3047eLX6MTqWO3nwTo5IdA/s400/sewalong.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I think I'll accept the challenge. <br />
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To put my own spin on it, I'm going to use all scrap fabrics that I have. I have so many scraps that I think it will be really doable. Especially if the straps are made from the khaki I used in my <a href="http://made-by-elise.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html">reversible tote</a>. Maybe I'll even try to add a fabric flower to it - I've been wanting to learn to make those for a while now.<br />
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I'll let you know how it goes. Anyone else going to make one?Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-18221913818523816492011-10-10T21:54:00.001-04:002011-10-10T22:13:04.232-04:00Tutorial: Sweater ScarfFor my mother-in-law's birthday I made her a scarf from one of my husband's old sweaters and one of his old t-shirts. We thought she would enjoy the sentimental value of a "hug" from 5 hours away!<br />
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I considered making an infinity scarf using<a href="http://vixenmade.blogspot.com/2011/09/infinity-scarf-tutorial.html"> this </a>tutorial from Vixen Made, but ended up just using the idea of a two-sided scarf since I thought it'd be too bulky made from a sweater.<br />
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Here are my steps:<br />
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1. Cut long strips of sweater material - the width should be equal to the width you'd like the scarf to be (plus a seam allowance). Mine were 6 inches wide. The strips should add up to the length you'd like the scarf to be with a couple inches extra for overlap. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JQEp11ar2PnM-wouqAkkLOPFZei4G0BmSNy0Ki5ARaP_bt7xqxZwqdJ6-K-yFejkky6w7NnkXEgZ6DAJPNQfBg5WhnE30vuoT2Rj31aablaBWRXYUHZpIoZa2wgQtkaIEYL2Le_F75g/s1600/scarf+and+PA+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7JQEp11ar2PnM-wouqAkkLOPFZei4G0BmSNy0Ki5ARaP_bt7xqxZwqdJ6-K-yFejkky6w7NnkXEgZ6DAJPNQfBg5WhnE30vuoT2Rj31aablaBWRXYUHZpIoZa2wgQtkaIEYL2Le_F75g/s400/scarf+and+PA+002.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I planned on using the bottom of the sweater for the ends of the scarf, to take advantage of the texture. After cutting out two strips I realized that the scarf wasn't going to be long enough, so I cut two more strips out (but only ended up using one). Then I evened up the strips by laying the thinnest over the widest and cutting off the extra.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfPTYx0YmiN2fQ7urNRmMdpH1FqCR0v0OxyMwshqw1KmA8RmN6y-eF8WByqEwvpcXkqXW8mPiJIXcuEuUy9Txb-sUbhCNvBXIlCHbYeloV6EOGcwRYjEsxMCTSyfqn2bN326EsGkU4mw/s1600/scarf+and+PA+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisfPTYx0YmiN2fQ7urNRmMdpH1FqCR0v0OxyMwshqw1KmA8RmN6y-eF8WByqEwvpcXkqXW8mPiJIXcuEuUy9Txb-sUbhCNvBXIlCHbYeloV6EOGcwRYjEsxMCTSyfqn2bN326EsGkU4mw/s400/scarf+and+PA+005.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
2) Pin the strips of sweater together. I had three strips so I put the shortest in the middle and the longer two (which had the textured ends) on the sides. I put the middle strip right-side up, then laid the side strips on it right-side down with raw edges touching. Since my sweater is striped, I had to fuss with where I attached them a bit so that the stripes would be even all the way down the scarf.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_g-_peb4xU0EjxFGGSc1Sx8SJs5qIjkSfLNDodnzXLD3ww8-ZYsg-zrZ_cLo1uNoJOlEj6DLoXeFVBq2GJOMNAUmMp4ue9wEH2W7aEVjbVLv8RGU-O2cuq7mVuRctSam3eRzvu-OF96U/s1600/scarf+and+PA+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_g-_peb4xU0EjxFGGSc1Sx8SJs5qIjkSfLNDodnzXLD3ww8-ZYsg-zrZ_cLo1uNoJOlEj6DLoXeFVBq2GJOMNAUmMp4ue9wEH2W7aEVjbVLv8RGU-O2cuq7mVuRctSam3eRzvu-OF96U/s400/scarf+and+PA+007.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Sew strips together using a half-inch seam allowance. Trim extra fabric and finish seams with a zig-zag stitch.<br />
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3) Cut out strips that are equivalent width and length to sweater pieces from second fabric (I used an old t-shirt).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMw7gjCR59-n4C4ZHrEhXPyAGW4NUTf-ox0OgI-lWlZlgT93q0-DdhUP4W6FOHKoJHYSJFbEjXqPDhomppAXPWuB5hYYViOf-ts7yO6WlIgEsASQNpT30iTlI-MDK6BtKGRQ0jkxfR6uk/s1600/scarf+and+PA+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMw7gjCR59-n4C4ZHrEhXPyAGW4NUTf-ox0OgI-lWlZlgT93q0-DdhUP4W6FOHKoJHYSJFbEjXqPDhomppAXPWuB5hYYViOf-ts7yO6WlIgEsASQNpT30iTlI-MDK6BtKGRQ0jkxfR6uk/s400/scarf+and+PA+008.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Repeat pinning process and sew seams together.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxnc8X6zKuDJr9gj2UTdzYo8p9i_t5nTnx0rroYF2Bwcq0UB6k92wp1UeH7cGsFkZ7FNtbL_6KVeVazQ7y8ImK1WxfHrE1RibGxtlgTNlNpDULxBxOVyfkmzPXtxfLtoQoNlICZtMsKM/s1600/scarf+and+PA+011.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGxnc8X6zKuDJr9gj2UTdzYo8p9i_t5nTnx0rroYF2Bwcq0UB6k92wp1UeH7cGsFkZ7FNtbL_6KVeVazQ7y8ImK1WxfHrE1RibGxtlgTNlNpDULxBxOVyfkmzPXtxfLtoQoNlICZtMsKM/s400/scarf+and+PA+011.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Finish seams with zig-zag stitch and iron flat to reduce bulk.<br />
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4. Place fabric and sweater strips together, right-sides facing.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUXrD-yRDc_hE7ki2n-S_EsAjQwB19H_nV7p-JIeyGkJXIlli1nknr_VYEQ4umna0jHU_43tM8Q7PxXSP9-MGf81WTcICDau26YaMn1EJatT4KFBmLC0MY34QD4H1RNiCkQvOM7Kp76o/s1600/scarf+and+PA+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzUXrD-yRDc_hE7ki2n-S_EsAjQwB19H_nV7p-JIeyGkJXIlli1nknr_VYEQ4umna0jHU_43tM8Q7PxXSP9-MGf81WTcICDau26YaMn1EJatT4KFBmLC0MY34QD4H1RNiCkQvOM7Kp76o/s400/scarf+and+PA+012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
5. Pin strips together.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgFYSm4rHBg3Ti_9VFBGk6vKZESZqFNZ5l9moC08Z0AYhp1uWsdt_8JetrQm_Fu7oFiTIINc0kcuUWfSm6CBZ-JZa9XCdBvRv9zTGpa0zTgerpnBunILsNAebefSH75KkjCBJ2Qjan-A/s1600/scarf+and+PA+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtgFYSm4rHBg3Ti_9VFBGk6vKZESZqFNZ5l9moC08Z0AYhp1uWsdt_8JetrQm_Fu7oFiTIINc0kcuUWfSm6CBZ-JZa9XCdBvRv9zTGpa0zTgerpnBunILsNAebefSH75KkjCBJ2Qjan-A/s400/scarf+and+PA+013.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
6. Sew along one short side and both long sides using a straight stitch. Then finish seams with a zig-zag stitch.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtawzVjxBbbT5qJ_WO2uKVVA3aTz7kMRkQ-GbQltKx_MgO0KX4m_lnMNZQwRmPnKtSuVv6szJOQXS1vY8XNwH1yZQo-AH0morDiAJ2MgBdb4-IEYJqIeyYzVcPfDnxUUQovLoU9QDvlc/s1600/scarf+and+PA+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgYtawzVjxBbbT5qJ_WO2uKVVA3aTz7kMRkQ-GbQltKx_MgO0KX4m_lnMNZQwRmPnKtSuVv6szJOQXS1vY8XNwH1yZQo-AH0morDiAJ2MgBdb4-IEYJqIeyYzVcPfDnxUUQovLoU9QDvlc/s400/scarf+and+PA+014.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
6. Turn scarf right-side out.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9jDtmhICIwgdunYqRKPeBKKz2qkFPdMKOCZ3Aqeb-KashiSvjlUTb1FBr3a09w1x0n51zx9SpxAPAgC8oF6gI21f3BrI5KWYVwJXvWGNDMv7zpGfcp6OYt4FCVRVzc_kb9nagQkNbss/s1600/scarf+and+PA+015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV9jDtmhICIwgdunYqRKPeBKKz2qkFPdMKOCZ3Aqeb-KashiSvjlUTb1FBr3a09w1x0n51zx9SpxAPAgC8oF6gI21f3BrI5KWYVwJXvWGNDMv7zpGfcp6OYt4FCVRVzc_kb9nagQkNbss/s400/scarf+and+PA+015.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF9yl_ZJuxZvqesnp7E2Fd28Uwf-liiui4oqy403jPTL0MBfbs_OerK9u2l-svujSTMIIHfHNg_7GZXMgaW2UnxZgVEtNhygRTcj7NftAbT29FMZJ0bWtW0gs6yatpZDlgekISj1KJhL0/s1600/scarf+and+PA+016.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhF9yl_ZJuxZvqesnp7E2Fd28Uwf-liiui4oqy403jPTL0MBfbs_OerK9u2l-svujSTMIIHfHNg_7GZXMgaW2UnxZgVEtNhygRTcj7NftAbT29FMZJ0bWtW0gs6yatpZDlgekISj1KJhL0/s400/scarf+and+PA+016.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
7. Iron scarf flat. Pin open end closed, tucking raw edges under. Sew around all four sides of scarf using a 1/4 " seam allowance. I used matching thread on the sweater side and contrasting thread on the t-shirt side. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_xRaORo-PhrDOqFNfcGzpsPLbkxHwgs1zmVqRDONsJS3GrUgtvVSv9xufooRovbztutaXh2f0QYuhjpKozzsVX6fYWkX9SW8sNalbhpNC9i2tYiEVKqZQIUkiM8QxbVSA50Dec7dy50/s1600/scarf+and+PA+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_xRaORo-PhrDOqFNfcGzpsPLbkxHwgs1zmVqRDONsJS3GrUgtvVSv9xufooRovbztutaXh2f0QYuhjpKozzsVX6fYWkX9SW8sNalbhpNC9i2tYiEVKqZQIUkiM8QxbVSA50Dec7dy50/s400/scarf+and+PA+017.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
8. Admire scarf!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPX9aMq8Yk8YaklTriG5ar6X0kGOnoUrDZe8GsoQXwOjssMiD8Z0W2PiKN-0toDy3o4BGcQarTXTh3Z-5Vflx97SQArHbkOzadbISdUoGdqlgKALp6ELmWEessbd0JTrdaKgJEnZ_xtMk/s1600/scarf+and+PA+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPX9aMq8Yk8YaklTriG5ar6X0kGOnoUrDZe8GsoQXwOjssMiD8Z0W2PiKN-0toDy3o4BGcQarTXTh3Z-5Vflx97SQArHbkOzadbISdUoGdqlgKALp6ELmWEessbd0JTrdaKgJEnZ_xtMk/s400/scarf+and+PA+018.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-89800210748584516552011-10-04T12:06:00.000-04:002011-10-04T12:06:09.795-04:00Recipe: Easy Chicken & Rice SoupWe've been feeling pretty under the weather lately and have turned to an old staple to battle our colds - chicken and rice soup. Not feeling up to going to the store for lots of ingredients I decided to use what I had on hand and ended up with something pretty yummy. I've been making a big batch each Sunday night and we reheat it for meals throughout the week. My hubby usually hates soup, but he actually likes this one!<br />
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<b>Easy Chicken & Rice Soup</b><br />
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Ingredients:<br />
Cooked rice (I use a mixture of white rice and a brown rice/ whole grain mix from Trader Joe's)<br />
Shredded chicken (I boil and shred this in bulk and keep it stocked in the freezer most of the time)<br />
water<br />
poultry seasoning<br />
black pepper<br />
dried bay leaves<br />
onion powder or onion flakes<br />
salt<br />
optional: sliced veggies such as carrots, celery, onion, etc.<br />
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Directions:<br />
Fill a large pot 1/2 full with water<br />
Add shredded chicken and rice<br />
Add seasonings to taste - more poultry seasoning than anything else (I just eye-ball it and use caution. I add salt to taste in individual servings.)<br />
Bring to a boil, then remove lid and let simmer until soup reduces to desired thickness. <br />
Remove bay leaves.<br />
Serve with Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top if desired. Olive bread makes a great accompaniement!<br />
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This really is a no-fail recipe. I never measure anything - I just sort of add it whatever amounts I have of the rice and chicken and the approximate ratios of seasonings that I prefer. And since I like veggies in my soup but my hubby doesn't, I put in really big chunks of carrots that he can easily pick out. That way everyone wins!Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-88491203320031672042011-10-03T20:16:00.001-04:002011-10-03T21:38:55.249-04:00My Favorite BooksFrom time to time I update my Favorite Books page - and I just finished writing about one of my favorite authors, James Harriot. If you love animals, or books, or know someone who is or wants to be a vet, check it out!Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-57461793441757523932011-09-30T21:15:00.000-04:002011-09-30T21:15:24.399-04:00Baby Ball Toy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84hKuvkrPWcSliRqohgWDU4KF8wUPxn5PXPAm8aJHmvtOuu6IOlRCd9JD_DVAHX8IpzRRThyJZFvgTav8vgow3JVjueSRjr16rKDAiCmPnfRPGnbWqbYT7T5nE1ebE5EWIUu6-Jhavz0/s1600/crafty+stuff+025.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh84hKuvkrPWcSliRqohgWDU4KF8wUPxn5PXPAm8aJHmvtOuu6IOlRCd9JD_DVAHX8IpzRRThyJZFvgTav8vgow3JVjueSRjr16rKDAiCmPnfRPGnbWqbYT7T5nE1ebE5EWIUu6-Jhavz0/s400/crafty+stuff+025.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
I can't remember where I first saw the idea for making these toys - but it's pretty simple. You take 8 surfboard shaped pieces of fabric (mine were approximately 6" long but they could be any length depending on the size of ball you want to end of with), sew them together along the edges, and then cover the ends with fabric circles.<br />
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The original tutorial I looked at suggested using wool, but I made mine out of some t-shirt scraps (pink and navy/plum) and linen scraps (navy/green) from my reversible tote.<br />
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I sewed the edges together by hand using a blanket stitch for the pink and navy/green balls, and with my sewing machine for the navy/plum ball. It was much faster using the machine, but sewing by hand is fun sometimes too. For all three I had to sew the circles on by hand at the end.<br />
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I also added some loops of ribbon that I had on hand to two of the balls for some tactile interest and maybe a way for a baby to pull on or pick up the ball. <br />
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I used fiberfill to stuff all of them until they were firm but not hard. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPYhtn8Ckl95VtUdw7eveRRjzS88I7-JcfLUoEnzsqO6-CU7zDXK8FM9biIU4GgnBpljqkSlIr7KkhTLdgcK2Zv9lzNNX959rGMUBemCUuYK6Mx9F4D-3Jw_lUXo67I80Cd3fMH7cjsA/s1600/crafty+stuff+035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPYhtn8Ckl95VtUdw7eveRRjzS88I7-JcfLUoEnzsqO6-CU7zDXK8FM9biIU4GgnBpljqkSlIr7KkhTLdgcK2Zv9lzNNX959rGMUBemCUuYK6Mx9F4D-3Jw_lUXo67I80Cd3fMH7cjsA/s320/crafty+stuff+035.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-13697393045464911562011-09-28T00:08:00.000-04:002011-09-28T00:08:51.049-04:00Bookcase Makeover<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I love books - and I love books with lovely covers. But for the longest time I didn't have a lovely bookcase to put them on. Since we're both book-lovers, my husband and I have "his and hers" bookcases. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">His is an old one that was his grandfather's - made of pretty dark wood that has some character to it. Mine is from Target, made of particle board, and void of character. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3MSvuAHF124JszZ7eo-lAmqPtUY2V-_eYcEoL2zd-KlRonu9v3jTTDAeDPsbV7yG5KBH6J7r5DNrFSl7dbtqNYI6fYGC4mv-9wiGH4TYmM0HbKNN26sbieJrcpVzCbquTp4BupCqlZI/s1600/Our+New+Apartment+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3MSvuAHF124JszZ7eo-lAmqPtUY2V-_eYcEoL2zd-KlRonu9v3jTTDAeDPsbV7yG5KBH6J7r5DNrFSl7dbtqNYI6fYGC4mv-9wiGH4TYmM0HbKNN26sbieJrcpVzCbquTp4BupCqlZI/s400/Our+New+Apartment+003.JPG" width="247" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">For a long time I'd lamented the ugliness of my bookshelf. But I couldn't justify buying a new one. We try not to spend money on furniture (almost everything we own was a given to us) and the bookcases that we did find in stores (that weren't as characterless as my current one) were way too expensive!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Thankfully I came across this <a href="http://www.younghouselove.com/2010/06/office-progress-bookcase-building/">post</a> from Young House Love. I never would've thought of redoing my bookshelf myself!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The first issue that needed to be addressed was how weak the bookcase was. After being moved to 4 different locations and holding lots and lots of books, the shelves were warped and the whole thing was leaning to the side. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We went to Home Depot and bought four 2" x 4" x 6' boards. My husband nailed one board on each side of the bookcase and two boards on the back. He strategically placed the nails so that they lined up with the shelves, thus reinforcing the shelves as well. It worked wonderfully and made the bookcase very sturdy - no more swaying and bowing!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">While at Home Depot we found 2 small containers of paint in the "oops paint" section. They were only 50 cents each! After lots of time spent painting and some spray-on lacquer we ended up with this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGidf5lRTf8krVgMciR1VHasI0fKkPEcKfSgjViHR6T0ZSgSBXYgnJm6148rsgJgePf86kCWp5DJ9G7IqdyDQr_MsQDKmk3wZ_55cJaPWCiZ32KTyagzh6efJUYfO5r9Ggj7Lfg6lbiH0/s1600/home+updates+008b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGidf5lRTf8krVgMciR1VHasI0fKkPEcKfSgjViHR6T0ZSgSBXYgnJm6148rsgJgePf86kCWp5DJ9G7IqdyDQr_MsQDKmk3wZ_55cJaPWCiZ32KTyagzh6efJUYfO5r9Ggj7Lfg6lbiH0/s640/home+updates+008b.jpg" width="288" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And here's a close-up:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvDVnYScfPVJygIeicwLYM5uQU2kdxJ-yhZ835LgAZEK8c6mMtBzonIkas7yioR1rDe7aTj_RfPmdYY9IrZlGESzz4xbXuu8n4OfDBWZr4NOb2qEmvLlqlEMJdImPJ9BiW0Cd5J_Q3V8/s1600/home+updates+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWvDVnYScfPVJygIeicwLYM5uQU2kdxJ-yhZ835LgAZEK8c6mMtBzonIkas7yioR1rDe7aTj_RfPmdYY9IrZlGESzz4xbXuu8n4OfDBWZr4NOb2qEmvLlqlEMJdImPJ9BiW0Cd5J_Q3V8/s400/home+updates+009.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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The whole project only cost us around $40 (much less than we would've paid for a new bookcase!). I love having a custom-made bookcase that I know will last for years. And I love how lovely my books look now!<br />
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Ready for a before and after?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3MSvuAHF124JszZ7eo-lAmqPtUY2V-_eYcEoL2zd-KlRonu9v3jTTDAeDPsbV7yG5KBH6J7r5DNrFSl7dbtqNYI6fYGC4mv-9wiGH4TYmM0HbKNN26sbieJrcpVzCbquTp4BupCqlZI/s1600/Our+New+Apartment+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit3MSvuAHF124JszZ7eo-lAmqPtUY2V-_eYcEoL2zd-KlRonu9v3jTTDAeDPsbV7yG5KBH6J7r5DNrFSl7dbtqNYI6fYGC4mv-9wiGH4TYmM0HbKNN26sbieJrcpVzCbquTp4BupCqlZI/s400/Our+New+Apartment+003.JPG" width="247" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGidf5lRTf8krVgMciR1VHasI0fKkPEcKfSgjViHR6T0ZSgSBXYgnJm6148rsgJgePf86kCWp5DJ9G7IqdyDQr_MsQDKmk3wZ_55cJaPWCiZ32KTyagzh6efJUYfO5r9Ggj7Lfg6lbiH0/s1600/home+updates+008b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGidf5lRTf8krVgMciR1VHasI0fKkPEcKfSgjViHR6T0ZSgSBXYgnJm6148rsgJgePf86kCWp5DJ9G7IqdyDQr_MsQDKmk3wZ_55cJaPWCiZ32KTyagzh6efJUYfO5r9Ggj7Lfg6lbiH0/s400/home+updates+008b.jpg" width="180" /></a>Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-52496333116793938312011-09-22T23:19:00.000-04:002011-09-22T23:19:01.325-04:00Baby BibIt's been a busy week getting ready to go away for a weekend fall retreat (can't wait!). I haven't had any time to work on my <a href="http://made-by-elise.blogspot.com/2011/09/my-current-project.html">current project</a> so I thought I'd show you something I made this summer for a dear friend.... I'm typing as I scarf down my lunch.<br />
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My husband and I were given the honor of being asked to be godparents for a little lady that will be arriving sometime next month. This is our first god-child and we are so excited to meet her and lavish her with love! I wanted to make something special to give her momma at the baby shower.<br />
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I found a really cute tutorial for bibs made out of graphic t-shirts<a href="http://www.alittletipsy.com/2010/11/baby-week-shirt-bib.html"> here</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-BZiMiE9yd52Vt0K3kxNSCCMvDpOpp6H_aFRASuFco1x5Yr2cVJo9NV1rNVcUXBrwiiDh5FAlygQuUcAIsI0hTBco-MvFppDX-S65I4m2QVwWrW8H_zOT_hV6u9qNXZCdqdbQpDjWzs/s1600/DSC01086.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB-BZiMiE9yd52Vt0K3kxNSCCMvDpOpp6H_aFRASuFco1x5Yr2cVJo9NV1rNVcUXBrwiiDh5FAlygQuUcAIsI0hTBco-MvFppDX-S65I4m2QVwWrW8H_zOT_hV6u9qNXZCdqdbQpDjWzs/s400/DSC01086.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Picture from alittletipsy.com</td></tr>
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But I didn't have any cool graphic tees that I could use - so I changed things up a bit with the fabric, but basically followed the tutorial step by step.<br />
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I used a pinkish (salmon?) color for the front and a soft black t-shirt for the back. I wasn't sure if the pink on the front would be absorbent enough but it's there for looks and the bib is reversible =) It looked a little blah so I add a heart to the front. I just opened up Word and searched the symbols until I found a heart that I liked. Sewing the heart on was definitely the most time consuming part - not necessarily hard, just time consuming. I used the steps for applique that I learned in <a href="http://made-by-elise.blogspot.com/2011/08/how-im-learning-to-sew.html">Stitch by Stitch</a>.<br />
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What do you think of the final product?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBy3MMvXaQ4svvg7sunokC8_rTi10DU5qAkVotkqW_VtmnERQJr_hm0mi_QjEhMfo5KMsAI9HhUH21tjpPlGk0SewX4T-ytpSbj-RnA2Z8RY9_8PzR55xtiqPRR4R64noZImJL6az-4I/s1600/crafty+stuff+023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkBy3MMvXaQ4svvg7sunokC8_rTi10DU5qAkVotkqW_VtmnERQJr_hm0mi_QjEhMfo5KMsAI9HhUH21tjpPlGk0SewX4T-ytpSbj-RnA2Z8RY9_8PzR55xtiqPRR4R64noZImJL6az-4I/s320/crafty+stuff+023.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
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Can't wait to see her in it!Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-40322640486283544982011-09-19T23:50:00.002-04:002011-09-20T00:08:28.432-04:00My current projectCurrently I'm working on making this shirt bigger. I really love it - but it's too small =(<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhw1GkhvpilX39KMqR7djdVNCLZSizq9I-sUs9FNey_aYvLCk3KrECGKpQnKbyn1cXy4wkEzUPAZGiy0EH477m2T5_Aw3sy-FWfBA9JiuwfbR-cDkmIhY2Wu9G-hjo3HGSBFS3bcMKHPE/s1600/more+crafts+059.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhw1GkhvpilX39KMqR7djdVNCLZSizq9I-sUs9FNey_aYvLCk3KrECGKpQnKbyn1cXy4wkEzUPAZGiy0EH477m2T5_Aw3sy-FWfBA9JiuwfbR-cDkmIhY2Wu9G-hjo3HGSBFS3bcMKHPE/s320/more+crafts+059.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
More specifically, it's too tight. Like spandex. Ugh. It's another thrift store find. I loved the style of the neckline and couldn't pass it up, but I didn't try it on until I got home. This is my new strategy - if it's cheap I buy it, I can always use the material! And trying stuff on in thrift store dressing rooms is not my idea of a good time!<br />
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Making it bigger is going to be a lot harder than making my other shirts smaller. I'll definitely take any advice that you have for me!<br />
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I do think I have an idea up my sleeve that might work out.... so far I've used my seam ripper a lot.<br />
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Stay tuned!Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1824321928391876957.post-2520666399372920742011-09-17T20:51:00.002-04:002011-09-20T23:54:17.515-04:00Tutorial: Refitting a t-shirt collar<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've mentioned a few times that my husband and I are big thrift store shoppers. The prices are just unbeatable! We especially like finding t-shirts at thrift stores because they can be so funny sometimes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of our recent favorites had a picture of a cyclist and "Senior Olympics, To Participate is to Win" on the front. So true and so funny.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJcuR9NtKc-ZuW1_m2tVrdeK7Uk5nG1GnZrbMcouy_dqbNP6b-NBN8mE5JVzE-d8c6RWx3wuzBmlDr2PrPmaz8h9-eggZcBwQ-DqjD7q-oEkfmMaCQulXb3icOLPRIkkN-im4bUZQzIs/s1600/more+crafts+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQJcuR9NtKc-ZuW1_m2tVrdeK7Uk5nG1GnZrbMcouy_dqbNP6b-NBN8mE5JVzE-d8c6RWx3wuzBmlDr2PrPmaz8h9-eggZcBwQ-DqjD7q-oEkfmMaCQulXb3icOLPRIkkN-im4bUZQzIs/s400/more+crafts+038.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The only problem with these t-shirts is that sometimes they just don't fit right. Especially at the neck. My husband does not like his collars to be stretched out and loose or super tight. So I got to work trying to figure out a way to make them fit better.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here are the steps that I use to make a too-snug collar looser:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">1. Turn shirt wrong-side-out and using a seam ripper, separate the collar from the shirt in the front. Turn it right-side-out and it should look like this:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiagYY2w7pk6ntTIWpyIMZdrMsBOxMMVdqfd4UAcrB0opxxRDYINduW9W79UJtDSEaUbJweuRhwrsRmMatpoEJ48TOLCenQmUoyNAZN196Yt_oga232lv_2ldqevJHCpjA67BzB87vNwz0/s400/crafts+and+WBs+009.JPG" width="400" /></div><br />
2. Fold collar over so that the raw edges are touching. It should look like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4eOnQ4_oixKKhOBmvCxnhAGI-sJfk4GkVWcoHpzASrEYEG3D9qfusHPUlBiUgv5ffAwq780SShkHIhjyL6hUM89zFY5xSKCR4gKLJsqHqBLmx9QLK2jX_IaAbwfmTQjccFqkT5edr-o/s1600/crafts+and+WBs+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB4eOnQ4_oixKKhOBmvCxnhAGI-sJfk4GkVWcoHpzASrEYEG3D9qfusHPUlBiUgv5ffAwq780SShkHIhjyL6hUM89zFY5xSKCR4gKLJsqHqBLmx9QLK2jX_IaAbwfmTQjccFqkT5edr-o/s400/crafts+and+WBs+012.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP2mSGZq2aQGkI9H8c0lQpBjqvQrc5NZFlBjuBB-MH6hdnCWoH-6gQJSVpHtc_XW3tIBOdS_rf0Epzk-GrkGvu8SYnH7fswlRdy_hvbZ0YrdpzWWnoE6fHfYZFwWYL5N4ZFgG-SOMZEP4/s1600/crafts+and+WBs+010.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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</div>3. Determine how much more room is needed in the front of the collar. I typically need to add 1 inch for my husband. With collar flipped down and raw edges touching, pull the middle front of the collar down 1 inch (or your predetermined distance) and pin it in place. It will look like it does above, with extra shirt sticking out behind the collar. Then pin the collar down on the sides as well, making a gradual slope to your center pin. The collar should still be flipped down at this point. If you want to try it on before sewing the collar in place use safety pins.<br />
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</a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtk-WjRF0-nZTSOkeucV0WA26JkK_G_8jqIeWzB8opawrw7KJDzxfzJBKOHPC4Nu0gQDgNxwXC2Co02tBW3EipW9Vy3eydEf90hVUSEPRK5A_X6Ij0DKijXmM70UoM9WXf2gZrx19Pe9o/s1600/more+crafts+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtk-WjRF0-nZTSOkeucV0WA26JkK_G_8jqIeWzB8opawrw7KJDzxfzJBKOHPC4Nu0gQDgNxwXC2Co02tBW3EipW9Vy3eydEf90hVUSEPRK5A_X6Ij0DKijXmM70UoM9WXf2gZrx19Pe9o/s400/more+crafts+018.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd6d5tDUGC4HyUeQVqwwsvhCJY655IoBvK8LCw1uGAb_Ag9pUT3asPbXNDnEc0NUUdd-FwHRGIQAHpAV9C-134RBvF7d0TyJqUL5iiquWRbYuwrGgxgoyFPY3GmSvZWZh2PmeCdHanVSw/s1600/more+crafts+031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">4. Cut off the extra fabric that is sticking up above the raw edge of the collar (this will be 1 inch in the middle, sloping to smaller amounts on the side).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdI1Awi2iBFHbQc7eR2sUsIBGN3qkhTj_71r2-MYNA0jNT57UuruOQ9v1ovyAgXAgAUMnkUOBE_CrGcrX50WFKxhI27AtMKUGT_7YZTlavDMTC0dR5hjSu14os4NRtAc0JzcFlFDjBkMY/s1600/more+crafts+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdI1Awi2iBFHbQc7eR2sUsIBGN3qkhTj_71r2-MYNA0jNT57UuruOQ9v1ovyAgXAgAUMnkUOBE_CrGcrX50WFKxhI27AtMKUGT_7YZTlavDMTC0dR5hjSu14os4NRtAc0JzcFlFDjBkMY/s400/more+crafts+032.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Super fuzzy picture, but you get the idea!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. Sew the collar in place (I used a 1/4" margin) using a straight stitch and then finish the raw edges with a zig-zag stitch or a serger. Since all of the stitches will be on the inside of the shirt you can use any thread you have on hand - it doesn't have to match because it won't show.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKWv3vFPL3u1as0V82iS7GcegGnkN-wMhgIvVtC7KySwSkf3DiSLwQBzTsKQ6-azkaduhVbb1z-5MbE19AZv4-Mm8IqlB2bwr9Nyetwa2Rgfp5zZkYDd1DEXabiaFK9WbWknpRiMqZC0/s1600/more+crafts+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEKWv3vFPL3u1as0V82iS7GcegGnkN-wMhgIvVtC7KySwSkf3DiSLwQBzTsKQ6-azkaduhVbb1z-5MbE19AZv4-Mm8IqlB2bwr9Nyetwa2Rgfp5zZkYDd1DEXabiaFK9WbWknpRiMqZC0/s400/more+crafts+027.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yup, this is a different shirt. I was sewing a lot of them!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Warning: I broke my needle by sewing over a safety pin! This has never happened to me with straight pins before and it was a little scary! Thankfully my machine came with extra needles. I don't think I'll try sewing over safety pins again.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRu8j6rBiHNGD1TEW0pFiMI0AatMVBrlUdoTecdEh8Su45EwobtoWjZPQEkjTodfUDG0RO48gfZn-dtAGrxVcbhivsxhialJVPczNl7ms5M1fVXED7WCRP9uxoWcnNG1wn60BYh41_IA/s1600/more+crafts+029.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRu8j6rBiHNGD1TEW0pFiMI0AatMVBrlUdoTecdEh8Su45EwobtoWjZPQEkjTodfUDG0RO48gfZn-dtAGrxVcbhivsxhialJVPczNl7ms5M1fVXED7WCRP9uxoWcnNG1wn60BYh41_IA/s400/more+crafts+029.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
6. Flip collar up and admire your work!<br />
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</a></div>Elisehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14528760889750367280noreply@blogger.com2