Monday, February 28

Girl Scout Cookie Bag


Last month I came across some Girl Scout fabric by Robert Kaufman Fabrics and just had to buy some to make Micaela "something". Micaela became a Girl Scout this past fall and when I bought the fabric cookie selling season was about to begin.

After much thought (and deliberation), I decided to make her a bag so that when she went out to make "deliveries", she would be carrying the cookies in something cute. My first thought was a tablecloth for when the troop does sales in front of stores but at $10 a yard, I decided a bag would be much better use of the fabric.
So here is the bag... Ta Da!!!! I pretty much made it freehand without a pattern (don't recommend that).

First, I added fusible fleece to the back of the fabric and machine quilted horizontal lines, I wish I could say they are straight but you can certainly 'see' that they are NOT....lol. I had to embroider it 'somewhere' and since embroidery wouldn't really show up on such a busy pattern I decided to applique a square then do an appliqued M and name on top. The square is from GGDesigns in Australia, the M is a font from Planet Applique and the font on the name is by AKDesigns.
I made the bag gussetted by adding a brown gingham coordinating fabric to allow enough space to carry 7-8 boxes standing up.

I lined the bag in the same green gingham from the applique square and added velcro for easy closing and opening. I made the strap long and wide so it would be comfortable across the chest. I used the embroidery function on my new Janome machine to add a little personalization. Hopefully Micaela will stay in Girl Scouts for a long time and she can use this bag for delivering cookies many years to come. Thanks for stopping by!

Monday, February 21

Soccer Bag


Made this bag for our daughter to carry her soccer stuff. Her team colors are hot pink and black. I pieced together the quilt squares. This is my first bag ever and I am happy with the results. I guess it is missing a little emboirdery....

Sunday, February 13

Fresh Apple Cake

Fresh Apple Cake, ala Rose.
This recipe is from my Cousin Juanita, she has made this cake since I was a teenager, which is a very long time. I had not made it in years.

Fresh Apple Cake

1.5 cups oil
2 eggs
1/2 tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2 tsp vanilla
2 cups sugar!
3 cups flour
1 cup chopped pecans
5 peeled, chopped/sliced apples
1 cup raisins (optional-- I don't add these)

Highly recommend a KitchenAid for this recipe.

Cream oil and sugar. Add all dry ingredients including pecans. Mixture will be very dry. Add apples a few at a time. As mixer mixes apples, the juice will soften the batter to normal 'cake batter consistency. Pour in tube pan and bake at 300 degrees for 90 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Happy Baking!

Saturday, February 12

The Gates NYC 2005

Six years ago today (Valentine's weekend), my husband and I took a Babymoon trip to New York City before our daughter was due to be born in May.

We were fortunate to be there the opening day of The Gates in Central Park, February 12, 2005. The Gates was a project by Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Christo & Jeanne-Claude have inspired the world with their art, which has been displayed in four continents and seen by millions. The built a reputation around the world for massive temporary art projects like wrapping Berlin's Reichstag and Paris' Pont Neuf in fabric.

The Gates were free-hanging, saffron-colored fabric panels that were suspended from gates throughout the footpaths of Central Park.

The Gates were 7500 gates, 16 feet high and lined 23 miles of footpathes in the park. It was an amazing site and I am so glad we were able to be there to experience it.


Thanks for stopping by.







Friday, February 11

New Toy

Cupid made an early delivery for Valentine's Day. This is my new sewing machine, a Janome 5100. A quick glimpse at my sewing area.... Nothing fancy, the desk is the desk I got for my fourteenth birthday (almost an antique, lol). The yellow doily was made by my maternal grandmother more than 50 years ago. The flower stick person holds my pins in the belly votive. On the shelf a few favorite trinkets, the flower pot is by one of my favorite artists Angie Strauss from Niagara on the Lake, Ontario, favorite Mary Engelbreit and Karla Dornacher books, a few pictures of me as a bridesmaid with two of my closest friends, Mary Beth and Kristi and the tiny one in the pink frame is of me as a baby with my Dad when I was about a year old. The pink Longaberger basket (breast cancer edition 2002) on my white shelf hold my scissors.

Thanks for stopping by...

Valentine's Day Towel

Found these Valentine's Day fingertip towels at Target. Bought a few to personalize for friends and cousins, little girls love these!

Monday, February 7

Owl Card

Your eyes are seeing right, a handmade card! Last week during the snow Micaela and I dusted off the Cricut and made a few cards. We made this one for one of her little friends that had surgery recently. The owl is from the Hoot 'n' Holler Lite Cricut cartridge, all the card stock is Stampin' Up! and the card is 5.5 inches square.
Thanks for stopping by!

B & B for Laila

Here's a set I made for a co-workers new baby girl. Her colors are dark pink, brown and green. I added a decorative scallop stitch to the burp cloth using my new Janome sewing machine.

At the last minute, (3am) I whipped up a card to sorta match using prefolded card stock, satin ribbon and an L made with the Alphalicious cartridge on the Cricut.

Thanks for stopping by!