Fabric Scraps Pot Holders

As I was pulling dinner out of the oven last week I noticed how worn out my pot holders were...after doing some checking I also learn how easy they are to make!!

Supplies:
Fabric Scraps
Heat resistant batting
18" x 9" piece of regular batting

Directions:
1. Sew together 1-2" strips of fabric until you have two pieces that measure 18" x 9".
2. Place the two pieces right side facing out with the two pieces of batting in between.
3. Quilt the pieces together using a random pattern
4. Cut the piece in half to create two 9x9 inch squares (approx)
5. Sew a strip of binding around each piece starting in the center of one of the sides.

No Sew T-Shirt Ribbon Scarf

Grab an old tshirt and lets get started!

Supplies:
XL cotton tshirt *without hemming up the sides
Scissors

Directions:
1. Cut the tshirt straight across just below the armpits
2. Cut the seam off at the bottom

 3. Stop now and stretch <----> for a thick scarf
4. For a ribbon scarf, keep cutting 1 inch strips then stretch to finish.
5. To wear, gather all the pieces and wrap twice around your neck. You can also make a chain-link with two sets if ribbon then wrap the loop around your neck wearing the chain in the front.

Cranberry Yogurt Muffins

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups {Homemade Muffin Mix}
1 egg
1 cup vanilla yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup whole berry cranberry sauce
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Crumb Topping (makes enough for 2 dozen):
1/3 cup flour
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup butter

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine all ingredients for the muffins and fill greased or lined muffin cups 3/4 full. To make crumb topping, combine dry ingredients then cut in room temperature butter until pea sized pieces form. Sprinkle crumb topping over muffins, pressing lightly to adhere to muffins. Bake for 18-20 minutes.

Knit Boot Cuffs

How fabulous are these!! And the best part is ---- no heel to worry about! HOOT! Because they only have to be about 6-8 inches long they are fast to make so grab your needles and some yarn and get knitting! :)


{click on photo for link to pattern}

Casserole Carrier - Two Ways

We had a crazy day today, so my original project never got done. (Have you been there?!) Here are the links for two different versions of a casserole carriers - depending on your budget and time for sewing. Both are equally functional and equally adorable.

The first is the faster and cheaper version --- two placemats sewn together with belting used for the handles.

The second takes considerably more time to make but is in my opinion a little more appealing because it is fitted to your dish and fold over on four sides to enclose. (This one is on my to-do list)

Monogrammed Magnet Board

A perfect place for recipes, notes or pictures!!

Supplies:
Baking sheet
Scrapbook paper
Modge Podge
Acrylic Paint
Ribbon
Circle magnets
Clear flat-bottomed glass stones
(Cricut)

Directions:
1. Paint the baking sheet and allow to dry completely.
2. Trim coordinating scrapbook papers to fit on the top of the baking sheet. Glue the paper to the baking sheet with a layer of Modge Podge.
3. Cut initials and embellishments out using your Cricut. And glue onto the baking sheet.
4. Apply a top coat of Modge Podge.
5. With a hammer and nail, make two holes at the top of the cookie sheet and string through a piece of ribbon to hang.
6. To make coordinating magnets, cut 1 inch circles from scrapbook paper and glue to the flat side of clear stones print facing against the stone using Modge Podge then unto the magnet with hot glue. Hold done firmly for 30 seconds to a minute to ensure hold.

Brown Sugar Facial Scrub

Two ingredients, easy as pie --- works like a charm! Use a Tablespoon of this scrub on your face when you are in the shower a few times a month. The sugar gently exfoliates and the olive oil locks in mositure leaving your face feeling super soft and smooth! (If it dries out before using it all, just add more oil)

Ingredients:
Light Brown Sugar
Olive Oil (the more "virgin" the oil the stronger the smell will be, but any of them will work)
Jars for gifting

Directions:
Pour unpacked brown sugar into jars & slowly add olive oil until the sugar is saturated and no longer absorbs the oil. It will begin to pool on the top of the sugar. Enjoy!

How to cut a melon for kids :)

1. Cut the melon in half.

 

2. With one half at a time, cut the stem edge off at 1/4-1/2 inch in depth.

3. Place the melon with the wide cut side down. Trim the rind off the melon starting at the stem cut side and following the curve of the melon.

4. Cut the fruit into wedges or cubes.

Hand Warmers - Simple Photo Tutorial

These Homemade Hand Warmers are the perfect size for chilly hands to snuggle with. Just pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute then slip them in your coat pockets on your way outside to play in the snow. (They also work as mini-ice packs for kids when you put them in the freezer)

 

Supplies:
1/2 cup to 1 cup long grain rice (not minute rice!!) PER set of 2
1/4 yard of flannel (makes 10 sets)
(sewing machine)

Directions:

1. Fold fabric in half with wrong side facing out. Cut fabric into 4 1/2 x 4 1/2 inch squares. You will end up with 40 squares. Sew pairs together wrong-side facing out on three of the 4 sides, leaving one side open.

2. Turn them right-side out and fill each warmer with 1/4 to 1/2 cup of rice.

 

3. Fold over a 1/4 inch seam and sew together, keeping as close to the edge as you can.

 

 

 4. Trim thread and you are done! :)



DIY Mug

As you probably know homemade gifts are always welcomed and DIY mugs are very popular this year!!! You can find plain white mugs at the dollar store and pack of Sharpies most places office supplies are sold. Grab a big pack full of lots of colors and have fun!! Decorate your mugs then bake at 350 for 30 minutes to make your design permanent. :)

 

Fool's Toffee

This fast and easy toffee is always a hit - one batch makes enough for 6-10 gift tins. :) I purchased tins and holiday liners from the dollar store plus the ingredients for 10 small gifts for less than $20.

 

Ingredients:
1 box Saltines
3 cups butter
3 cups packed brown sugar
3 bags semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 bags chopped nuts

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a jelly roll pan with tin foil. Place a single layer of crackers on the pan. Meanwhile, boil sugar and butter stirring frequently for 2-3 minutes.

Pour hot caramel over crackers and spread evenly. Bake crackers for 5 minutes. After removing from the oven, sprinkle chocolate chips over hot crackers immediately.

Once they have started to melt, spread evenly over crackers and top with nuts. Allow to cool for at least 12 hours for chocolate to set. Once chocolate is firm break into pieces and place into tins.

Magnetic Frames

These magnetic frames are such an easy way to dress up your fridge! Just attach extra strong magnets to the back of frames from the dollar store with a hot glue gun. Then place over you favorite kids drawings, Christmas cards or pictures. You can also use the glass to write notes to your love with a dry erase marker. ;)

Homemade Hot Cocoa Mix

Pair this creamy homemade cocoa mix with chocolate dipped plastic spoons, a plain white mug & a sharpie for a complete DIY gift.

Ingredients:
2 cups sifted Hershey's cocoa powder
2 cups dry milk powder
1 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup powdered coffee creamer (try seasonal favorites like egg nog, pumpkin spice, or peppermint)

Recipe yields 1qt jar. Stir 3 heaping spoonfuls of cocoa mix into hot water or milk. Enjoy topped with whip cream or marshmallows!!

**Use the sharpie to decorate your own mug them bake at 180 degrees for 30 minutes to make it permanent.**

Fingerprint Nativity Cards

These adorable Christmas cards are sure to bring a smile to your loved ones this year! Grab your kiddos and let's get started!!!

Supplies:
8.5x11 white card stock
Ink pads
Fine tip markers

Directions:
1. Cut the card stock pages in half to yield 5.5x8.5 sheets. Fold each of these in half to create your cards.

2. Place a fingerprint for baby Jesus in the center of the page and one for Mary and Joseph on either side. Tilting them slightly towards the manger to give the appearance of bowing. Place three fingerprints to one side of the manger that will become the three wise men, and two on the other side that will become shepherds. Finally, place a fingerprint at the top to make an angel.

3. Draw a open house surrounding Mary, Joseph and baby Jesus, a manger beneath baby Jesus and a star above the house.

4. To draw the details on the characters... draw small arcs for closed eyes, crowns on the wise men, and shepherds croaks for the shepherds. Draw wings and a halo on the angel and a small o mouth for a singing mouth.

5. To draw the head coverings for Mary, Joseph & the shepherds - start by drawing a curve from the forehead to the back of the head. Next draw the back of the covering beginning your line at the forehead where you started the curve and following the outline of the head down the 'back'. Finally, draw the front of the covering from the ear-line of the covering downward meeting at the bottom if the back line in one continuous line. (See illustration above) They don't have to look perfect - the imperfections are part of the charm.

6. Finish your cards with a greeting and fingerprint family signature inside!! :)

These go quickly once you have done a few. Line up a bunch of cards side by side and finish one step at a time. Or set up an assembly line with each person assigned a specific element if the cards. Put on some Christmas music and enjoy a special time with your kids creating the adorable JOY offerings.

PS - Just as a heads up....your fingers will probably be stained for a day or two after ;) 

Coming up next week!!!

The long awaited 30 Days of Homemade Gifts series starts on Monday!!! Here is a look at what you can look forward to!! Next week is all about generic gifts that just about anyone would enjoy and gifts that you can make in bulk for people on your list like teachers, white elephant parties and those who are hard to buy for because you don't know them that well. We will be doing...

 

*greeting cards*

*magnetic frames*

*homemade cocoa*

*fools toffee*

*hand warmers*

*DIY mugs*

Week 1: Gifts for Groups & Acquaintances

Week 2: Gifts for Women

Week 3: Gifts for Kids

Week 4: Gifts for Men

Week 5: Gifts for Family

Do you plan to craft-along with me through the series?
Would a shopping list for the upcoming week(s) be helpful??

Owl Cupcakes

I made these for a local MOPS group dessert auction. They were super easy but they turned out really cute!! Owls are all the rage lately - hope these beauties bring in a pretty penny or two for an amazing group of Mamas!!

Ingredients:
1 box of your favorite chocolate cake mix
1 container chocolate frosting
1 package Oreos
1 bag Reeses Pieces

Directions:
1. Bake cupcakes according to package instructions (TIP: for fuller cupcake fill cups 2/3 full and bake at 325 degrees F until toothpick comes out clean)
2. Once cooled, frost cupcakes.
3. Seperate the Oreos, keeping the frosting intact to one side. Place two side-by-side on the top half of the cupcake.
4. Place 2 brown Reeses on the Oreos for the eyes, and one orange one on its side between them for the beak.
5. Gently pull peaks into the frosting above each eye for ears/horns.

DIY Cupcake Tower

Supplies:
1 each large, medium and small round cake boards
2 empty soup cans with lids (washed well)
3-4 two inch foam discs
4 sheets 12x12 scrapbook paper
1 inch ribbon to match

Directions:
1. Trace and trim and glue the scrapbook paper to cover the cake circles and cans.
2. Mark the center of the large and medium circles. Glue the cans to the top center of each. Then glue the two pieces together and the small one on top.
3. Glue the ribbon to the outside edge of all three layers hanging off the bottom edge.
4. Lastly, glue the discs to the bottom of the large cake circle.

Crockpot Meatloaf & Potato Wedges

 

Ingredients:

1 lb ground beef

1 cup dried bread crumbs

1 egg

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp dried parsley

1/2 cup each finely diced carrots, celery & green peppers (optional) - minced even if you really need to hide them from picky eaters.

 

Directions:

Line your crockpot with greased aluminum foil. Toss raw potato wedges seasoned as you like onto the foil. Combine meatloaf ingredients (above) well, and place into a loaf pan. Top the meatloaf with strips of raw bacon and set on top of potatoes. Cover and cook for 6-8 hours on low or 4-6 on high.

Don't Think I'm Perfect

My blog it has been far more popular that I ever thought it would be, but with that I feel like I may have given you all a false impression of who I am - behind the scenes. Today is my confession - real and unfiltered.

Please don't think I'm perfect.
I'm not.
My home looks more like Family Circus than Leave it to Beaver.
I have piles of dirty laundry stacking up and go to bed with the sink still full of dishes.
I don't vacuum or sweep as often as I probably should and I can't stand cleaning the bathroom.
My priorities get mixed up and have to learn from my mistakes every stinking day.
I feel guilty every time I leave my kids and can't help but worry about them every second that I am gone.
I get frustrated with my kids more than I like and I can say with all honesty that if I caught them washing my car with the windows down - my response would not be 'you missed a spot.'
I have trouble remembering people's names - if I call you by a nickname it is because I completely forgot but I am too embarrassed to ask again.
I procrastinate.
I feed my kids cold cereal for breakfast and PB&J for lunch because I don't want to clean up the mess that cooking makes.
I am a perfectionist. Watching my kids decorate cookies or do crafts is like torture.
I can't stand to spend money on anything for myself.
If I think about it long enough there is probably a selfish motivation at least partially behind just about everything I do.
I eat chocolate every day.
I have bad habits that I can't quit no matter how hard I try.
I screw up cooking dinner at least once a week.
I have trouble saying no.
I don't exercise because I am just plain lazy.
I get completely stressed if there are toys all over the place.
I care too much what other people think about me.
My life is a constant battle for control.
My faith is weak.
My hope is often crushed by fear.
My prayers are often filled with doubt.

I have a lot to learn as a mom, a wife, and as a woman. We all have our struggles and we are all loved by the One who created us - baggage and all! Be careful what you say & be careful not to judge. Don't let your own self-worth be determined by what others are doing. They have skeletons in the closet just like you!!! Do the very best that you can and keep your eyes and heart focused on your own journey.

Printable Gift Buying Sheet

Keeping track of gifts that you have bought and staying within your budget can be overwhelming --- especially if you shop for Holiday gifts throughout the year. Use this {Gift Buying Sheet} to help you keep track of it all!

Printable Holiday Planners

The holidays are right around the corner and to help you stay organized, I have created a few {Holiday Planners} for you!! :) All this week we will be getting ready to sail through the Holidays as stress-free as possible. If you are anything like me, my brain is non-functional without a pen and paper - so print away and start planning!

The 2012 Holiday Planner is a 7-week monthly calendar that includes all the weeks between

 Thanksgiving and New Years Day. Great for being able to see the big picture!

With spaces for guests, meals, plans & a to-do-list, the Holiday Weekly Planner gives you more space to plan ahead so your week runs smoothly!

Good food can make or break your Holiday gathering - use the Holiday Meal Planner to make sure everything gets into the shopping cart and onto your table with grace.

As always my printables are provided to you for free & intended for personal use only

Please share, but remember to link back here {www.2corninthians1311.blospot.com}

Thank you for respecting my copyright

DIY Skinny Jeans

I got the urge to break out my sewing machine this morning & look at what I made!!!!

Time: 30 minutes
Cost: Free!!
Skill Level: Beginner Sewer (with basic knowledge of how to use a sewing machine).

Step 1: Grab a pair of boot-cut jeans that fit you at the hips/waist and upper leg.

Step 2: Turn your pants inside-out and put them on. Pin the loose material together close to your calf on both sides starting just above the knee. Take them off and mark them along the pins with a marker.

Step 3: Stitch a loose hem on the line. BEFORE YOU CUT THE EXCESS --- Try the pants on to make sure they fit the way you want them too. (The ankles and calves on mine were too small the first time). Make adjustments if needed and when you are satisfied, sew a secure line or serger. Lastly, trim the excess material from the outside at 1/4 inch.