Little Card Maker

Hello all.  Today I'm sharing something a little different.  I made a onsie for Sprout for Valentine's Day - and it's so super simple.  I believe this technique is called reverse applique.
So here goes!

1) Grab a onsie.  Make a heart template out of cardstock.
2) Outline using a washable marker.  I made the heart in the center slightly larger than the two on the sides.
 3) Cut a piece of coordinating knit.  I used an old red t-shirt (super thrifty right?).
4) Pin the coordinating fabric to the INSIDE of the onsie.  So the RIGHT side of my red material is on the WRONG side of my onsie.  Pin in place.
 5) This shows how the red material is on the INSIDE of the onsie.
6)  Using coordinating thread, sew around your washable marking a few times.  I tried to make the lines cross so it would look more fun.
7) CAREFULLY make a snip on the white onsie to create a starting point.  Trim all the way around the WHITE heart only, leaving the red knit intact.
8) Do this on all the hearts or designs.
9) Here is what the back/inside looks like.
10) Trim the excess so it doesn't irritate the baby.
11) Attempt to take a picture of said baby in completed onsie.
12) Make another for older child.  She doesn't look overly excited about this, but trust me, she LOVES her new shirt!!
Happy crafting!!

Hello all.  Tonight I have class, so it's going to be a LONG day.  Today I have a quick post using this month's freebie from Birdie Brown.  Her digi's are adorable!

I colored the digi on the computer, then printed it on kraft (8.5 x 11" kraft makes 2 books).
I cut approximately 12 pages of colored paper (regular printing paper) in half - so they measured 8.5" by 5.5" - I also cut the kraft in half as well (same measurements).  I did score the kraft just so I would have a sewing line without marking my CS.
Simple straight stitch, folded everything in half, put under books overnight, and done.  Two little books the same size as an A2 card.  Little Valentine gift for Bean and her cousin.  If you have questions or something doesn't make sense, just let me know!

This meets the following challenges:

• Digistamps 4 Joy - Anything Goes
• Joyful Stamper - Inspire me Friday
• City Crafter - Forever Mine (use hearts)
• Our Daily Bread - For a Child

************OTHER STUFF**********
So, in October, I got my DH a Groupon for his birthday to go hang gliding.  He LOVED it and was hooked.  He's been doing it ever since.  Well, he was up for a certification (yup, you need certifications to jump off certain type hills), and this is what happened:
Over a dozen facial fractures, broken nose, and nerve damage.  His helmet was in pieces.  But thank the Lord that he's alive.

Today I'm sharing a super quick way to make a 3D embelishment.  Here is another use for those wooden shapes you might have laying around.  Make a coordinating button for your creation.

This post is specifically for my little cousin Sarah.

Hopefully, the chile you got is good and tasty.  So let's start!

1) clean your chile.  Take off the tops and empty the seeds.  Also, keep an eye out for any areas of mold.  If it's just a spot, take it off and keep the rest of the chile.  If it's too much, throw the pod away.
2) do a couple of water washes.  Fill your pan with clean water and move the pods around to clean off any dirt.  Do this a few times.  Warning: this is when you will start to choke and cough!!  LOL!
4) once your chile is soft and has changed color, it's time to blend.
5) using tongs, put some pods in blender and a good amount of clean water.  (you can click on any image to make larger)  Take note of how much I put - do NOT try to rush by putting in too many chiles.  Trust me on this one!  Add garlic and salt.  Blend....blend....blend....blend.  Take your time here.  Allow it to FULLY blend.  This is also a good way to get rid of any extra little seeds so they don't get caught in your teeth.
6) repeat step 5 using up the rest of the pods.

STOP HERE FOR CHILE ONLY, OR CONTINUE TO MAKE WITH PORK

So put your blended chile aside.  Yes, this is the nice, bright color you are going for.  The darker red chile you see in some restaurants are usually made of powdered chile.  Not my favorite.
 1) Get a pork loin - trust me, this will save you time from cutting all the fat off.  BUT, you don't get chicharones from the loin.  So it's all up to you.  Cut into small squares.  Add some oil since it's lean and you don't want it to burn or dry out.  Cook it FAST.
2)  Once the meat is cooked and a little browned, add some flour.  Mix to make sure the flour covers the meat properly and it also soaks up the oil.
 3) Your meat should be nice and coated and a pretty color (I'm all about pretty colors!).
4) Add your chile to the pot and stir.  This is the messy part when the chile will pop all over the stove - but it's worth it!!  Bring to a boil until the little bubbles gather in the center.  NOTE: with the flour on the meat, the chile will thicken, so don't be afraid to add a little fresh water to thin it out a bit - which makes dipping the corn tortillas easier when making enchiladas.  You will want it thicker for posole and just eating.
I hope this helps!!  We miss you and look forward to seeing you next month!!!!

Last week I shared the cupcake toppers I made for Bean's birthday party.  Today I'm sharing some party favors I put together.
 1) I found an image online that I wanted to use.  I did clean up the image a bit so it was just a plain rainbow with clouds.  I added her name and age in the clouds.  I opened Word and was able to fit 6 images per page.
 2) I cut out the images for the front, and cut out an equal number of blank squares for the back.  Both are regular copy paper so they wouldn't be too thick.  The squares don't have to be exact at this point.  So I have my front squares, my back squares, and a bag of candy - Skittles.  Get it?  A rainbow of flavor?
3) Using a regular sewing machine stitch, sew THREE sides.  Put candy inside and THEN sew the forth side of the square.  Yes, I realize mine are technically rectangles.  And, these held 10 skittles.  Don't like to sew?  Use a tape runner or double sided tape.

4) Once all four sides are sewn with candies inside, I used pinking shears to cut around the package to make them even.  I displayed them on her "gift table" as a decoration and favor.  These were a hit!  As always, thanks for visiting!

Hello all.  Today I'd like to share another one of my little gift boxes.  If you are interested in a tutorial on how to create this super easy box, head on over to Just Some Lines Blog where I am today's GDT.

I'm using Happy Hippo 2 to embellish this little gift - who Bean calls "Gloria," you know, from Madagascar?  Also, the sentiment is from Stampin Up's Petite Pairs.  Thank you for visiting, and hope you'll leave me a comment at the JSL blog!

Hello all.  Today I'm sharing the cupcake toppers I made for Bean's birthday party cupcakes.  These are super easy to make and can make plain ol' cupcakes look extra special.

1) Start with a printout of 1.5" images.  I made these in word using a rainbow I found online and added the number 5 on top.
2) Using a 1.5" circle punch, punch out the images.  Using a corresponding scallop punch, punch the same number of scalloped circles as round circles.  So here, I have punched out 24 round and 24 scallop.
3) Glue the circles on the scallops.  Keep in mind that it takes two complete sets to make one topper.  So my 24 sets will make 12 toppers.
4) To complete the toppers, I use lollipop sticks and a glue gun.  These can also be made with Popsicle sticks or toothpicks.  I don't claim to see the future, but I can imagine a whole lot of problems with using toothpicks...especially if these are for kids.
5) Use glue gun to place stick on the wrong side of one scallop, and repeat to make a sandwich with the other scallop.
6)  Allow to cool and stick the completed topper in the center of your cupcakes!

Hello all and thanks for stopping by. Today I have a very short tutorial on making an altered notebook. It's short because they are so easy to alter yet make excellent gifts since they can be personalized for anyone.

1) I start out with a 3" by 5" notepad and remove the coil binding.