Fabric Box Tutorial

I needed an easy way to store my electronic chargers and cords, so I decided to make a fabric box. I love the deep yellow (mustardy, if you will) and grey combination.

Here's what you need:

Two fat quarters (or similar sized pieces of fabric)
Scissors
Fusible interfacing
Ruler
Sewing machine
Pins

I used all the electronics I was planning on storing as a size guideline. I cut a 12" by 12" square in each fabric.

Iron interfacing to the back of both fabrics according to directions. Heavier interfacing works best, but I used what I had and it was still pretty sturdy.

Sew around all sides with fabrics right sides together. Leave a 2"-3" opening for turning.

Clip corners & turn.

Top stitch all the way around. This adds a decorative touch and closes the opening at the same time.

Now, to make it a box. Grab each corner and fold each side on itself so that it forms a triangular point & pin. Repeat for all the corners.

To sew the corners, I sewed from bottom to top. Backstitch a few times for stability. Repeat for all corners, trim threads, & marvel at your creation!

I'm going to expirement with sturdier interfacing for sure. Love these boxes!

Your Love is the Spark

"At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us." -Albert Schweitzer

I'm learning the importance of self-control and perseverance in prayer this Lent, but I am certainly indebted to the people in my life who help fan my flame and encourage me by their witness. Do you ever get lazy with prayer? What helps you refocus and get back on track?

[source]

"Your love is the spark that lights this life." -Matt Maher

Saturday Snapshot

Linking up at Yellow Songbird again (PS just bought some daffodil earrings from Oh, Sweet Joy! And I'm so excited). This is such a fun link party... so many fun (& funny) memories! Come join the fun!

Since the girls and I are going camping this weekend, I thought it would be fitting to have a snapshot from our last camping trip together. This is our "jumping picture." We're famous for these. Concerts, graduations, plays, nights on the town, etc. They all include a jumping picture. Using the timer on my camera we tried (and failed) to jump at the precise moment... to no avail... Maybe this time around we'll get it right!

Four Favorites Friday: 03.25.2011 Camping Edition

My friends & I are going camping (well, actually yurting) this weekend! I can't wait to spend some quality time with them & mother nature sans distractions. Hope you have a great weekend too!

1. The North Face sleeping bags. I can't articulate just how much I love sleeping bags [mummy bags]. Suffice to say I slept in one from 8th grade until I was a junior in college... True story. LOVE.

2. Jiffy Pop. Delicious & fun to make.

3. What would camping be without s'mores?! Our Best Bites puts a new spin on it & I very much like the idea of using a Resse's Peanut Butter Cup or a Rolo. Yum! You don't even need a campfire for this recipe.

4. Fun questions & discussions around the campfire. Table Topics sells "questions to start great conversations." Always sounds good to me!

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Saturday Snapshot

Today I'm participating in Yellow Songbird's Saturday Snapshot link party. Come join the fun!

This is a picture from summer 2010. My friend Chelsea & I went shopping and decided to stop in The American Girl store. I was obsessed with these dolls as a kiddo--my sister and I spent hours and hours playing with them. For some absurd reason as a senior in high school I had a dream that my closest friends and I made a movie about the American Girls. This dream turned into a fantasy & I begged my friends to make said movie with me (and secretly subscribed them to the catalogs)... and they humored me. It featured Kirsten, Samantha (me), Molly (Chelsea), our friend Bob who played  Molly's ficticious brother Johnny... anyway it was hilarious & this store and this picture represents all those fun memories.

Oooh American Girls, you have a special place in my heart! Not to mention that in this picture we look like we intentionally tried to match--which we didn't, but it's still cute.

Four Favorites Friday: 03.18.11

Happy Friday all! Here are some great things to sum up the week.

1. This site. You can create random word collages by just typing or pasting a bunch of words. The more times a word appears, the larger it becomes in the collage. This might be fun to do for a loved one or something. It's completely free! If you don't like the design it creates, just click "randomize" for a different one.

2. This coffee press. I got it on sale for a mere $20 (originally $40, but on sale on the website). My tried and true method for making the best cup of coffee is Alton Brown's found here.

3. This recipe via The Hungry Birdie. Meatless, again. Can you imagine the delectable aroma as you cook this up? Garlic, mushrooms, and scallions--oh my!

4. The Mumford & Sons Pandora station. Try it!

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Happy weekend friends! I'm going to a craft fair tomorrow, but nothing else too exciting planned.

A whole lotta GREEN.

Here are some fun green things, in honor of St. Patrick's Day, of course. Hope yours is filled with lots of green & maybe even some gold!

Emerald necklace

This keychain

Those apples remind me of this delightful perfume.

Doubly green with this tea.

Bike tee.

This green recipe for avocado hummus. Yum.

The warm weather means I'll be getting these out soon!

This cute little notebook.

This chunky ring.

Hope you're wearing green! Don't make me virtually pinch you (and since neither one of us know what that means... let's not dare to find out). Happy St. Patty's Day!

Decoupage Frame Project

Here's a very easy decoupage project that is quite affordable. I had the book, frame & decoupage on hand so esentially, this was free for me. I got the book free after buying a magazine in Italy back in 2006, and it's done nothing but sit on the shelf ever since.

Materials:

Rip some pages out of the book; you probably won't need more than ten or so. Then rip the pages so you have small strips of words. Laugh at the funny things you come across such as "Harry Potter" & "weekend"

Begin applying decoupage to the frame, add the paper, and add another layer of decoupage on top. Repeat over and over and over until the whole frame is covered. Make sure to get the insides, top, bottom, and sides. Let it dry a couple of hours & add a final top coat of decoupage. Let it dry & add a picture or a quote and you're finished!

Some variations of this include adding a small layer of colored paint before adding a top coat of decoupage, or dying the paper with tea before adding them to the frame (here's another helpful site). I liked the look of the black & white, so I kept it simple. Turned out quite nice! This time a cute picture of my sister and me dancing without music!

Thrift Store Success!

I picked up this very old pewter frame from Good Will a few weeks ago for a whopping $1.99 (despite that other price tag). It was darling to begin with, but looked a bit dingy. I spiced it up with some spray paint. Here's how I did it.

I first took out the glass & backside of the frame & scrubbed it with soap and water using a toothbrush.

Before:

After:

Using 3M painter's tape, I taped the inside of the frame so the back would still be able to slide in without a problem.

I took the frame outside & applied an even layer of spray paint. I used Krylon Ivy Leaf Gloss. I let it dry for about 30 minutes & did a second coat.I repeated this process for the back & stuck in a frame-worthy picture (i.e. my college roommate & me being goofballs)!

How else do you use spray paint? I love it for make-over projects. Any fun projects or tips?

Four Favorites Friday: 03.11.2011

MEATLESS edition... not like the other favorites were overflowing with meatness, but it's the first Friday of Lent, which means no meat! You can read up more on this tradition & Lent here.

1. Thought we'd start of with a nice, comforting, albiet meatless recipe. Macaroni & Cheese. Doesn't that just look delightful?! What's your favorite thing to add to your Mac? I love adding mustard &/or Sriracha sauce (& fresh pepper, of course).

2. Michelle Au authors a hilarious blog full of real life & adventure. She has a book coming out that I am so excited about. If you know anyone (or if you yourself are) in medicine, her comics will make you laugh. Her book is called This Won't Hurt a Bit and if it's anything like her blog, it's sure to be great! You can preorder on Amazon & B&N (I don't suggest Border's... all the ones in my neck of the woods are going out of business).

3. Yogurtland. I do believe this falls under the "sweets" category, which I gave up for Lent, but I still thought I'd share this magical place with you. I went here last Sunday & got 13 ounces of yumminess. Red Velvet Cupcake Batter with Kit-Kat, gummy bears, Reese's, etc. So delicious. I love Pinkberry, but this place is so much more affordable. Only 30 cents per ounce! Not to mention I get a boost of self-esteem while being there. I mean their motto is "you rule." So true! Hopefully your state falls on the list of locations!

 4. I'm working on making Hunter (my pup) a dog bed using this idea I orginally found through Sew, Mama, Sew! It's a great way to use up some (many) scraps. I'll certainly post pictures when I'm all finished. I got 2 yds of Blizzard Fleece from Joann's for $8 using a coupon. Great deal!

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PS-I made those Oatmeal Cream Pies from last week & oh dear... they were absolutely scrumptious!

It's the WEEKEND!

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday. Here is a card just for you.

Dear friend,

Lent is always a beautiful reminder to keep our eyes focused on the cross, the heart of our faith. I pray that you may have a fruitful Lent to renew, repent, reflect, revive & rejoice.

In Him,
Nicole

Are you giving anything up? Do you partake in the mini-Easters on Sundays during Lent? What's your favorite thing about these 40 days?
 Here are my answers, but I want to know yours!
1. Yes, I'm limiting the time I spend looking at blogs, am giving up sweets along with taking on a few things.
2. Personally no, but it's completely acceptable to do so!
3. Lent helps me recenter myself. I think it's a beautiful time for spiritual growth, and it forces me to remember the sacrifice Jesus made to show us his love.

Want another perspective? He's got a good one.

"This combination of our dedication and God’s grace and power can make this Lent a time of real transformation for us. Every day this season, God will give us countless opportunities to come and receive from him. Every day, he will give us countless invitations to turn from sin and turn to Christ. And every time we respond to his invitation, God will shower us with love. He will take the 'little death' in every act of self-denial and turn it into a shining testimony to his resurrection." -Daily mediations

Four Favorites Friday 03.04.2011

It's that beautiful time of the week again: FRIDAY.

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1. Girl Scout Cookie time! I bought five boxes & plan to devour them very slowly & in moderation... hopefully.

2. This nail polish. It's Sally Hansen Complete Salon Manicure & it works fabulously. I like putting a top coat over it, but this nail polish has lasted me an entire week without chips. I think that's pretty impressive. I have about six different colors in this nail polish & acquired this one on my most recent trip to Target where I saw even more hues. Next on my list is So Much Fawn & Gilty Pleasure.  Need to spice up your nails? Steph's Closet has some great ideas!

3. The Colgate Wisp. Although they aren't best friends with the environment, these are so handy. I used them on the plane to and from Paris. They're great for traveling, guest bathrooms, or to stick in your purse for a quick brush after a dinner date or something. I found these on Woot & managed to get 96 for $14.99 with shipping! Gotta love the Woot!

4. Oh my goodness. I started drooling (literally) when I saw this post at Bakingdom. Truly scrumptious. I must try this recipe. Who didn't love oatmeal cream pies as kids?!

One lesson I learned this week: Never, never, never give up.

Have a great weekend! I'm headed to AZ for a wedding. Any fun plans?

No Sew Urban Outfitters Inspired Bow Knot Headband Tutorial

Woof, that title's quite a mouthful. It's March, which always reminds me of green, so I decided a green one of these would be fitting. Anyway, here's the inspiration:

[source]

And here's how you can do it for less than $5!

You will need a piece of fabric, some felt, a hot glue gun, and a headband. I had felt, fabric, glue gun and a headband on hand that needed to be upcycled, so this project was free for me!

*Note: I actually ended up using a stretchy headband instead of this white one.

Grab a piece of fabric that is about 7" by 10" (this can be larger or smaller depending on how big you want the knot). Grab either side of the fabric at the short ends & tie in a loose knot.

Position the knot the way you think looks best. If it doesn't look great the first time, go ahead and try again. No biggie.

Tuck the fraying ends under and fold into an angled end to each side and pin or secure with a binder clip.  Do this loosely to replicate the UO look.

Next, using your hot glue gun, glue the tucked ends under to secure them.

It should look something like this:

Glue the felt to the underside of the fabric.

And secure the bow to the headband with glue & felt.

This would work great as a clip too if you don't prefer headbands (you might have to make it a little smaller, but I bet it would still be cute). I love this design so much I'm going to make a few different colors.

*Note: I am no hair model, so apologies for the weird cropping. It's actually quite cute!

Update: here's what a smaller version looks like on a bobby pin. This would work great on an alligator clip too.