Sew Homegrown

{DIY} The Patchwork Scarf

2012-01-25T19:27:00.000-05:00

I'm excited to share this tutorial with you, because I'm kind of in love with this scarf!

You know my constant knitting woes, so I was really pleased to make a scarf that didn't leave me tangled in yarn trying not to say bad words.

I bought a Liberty of London sample pack at the Tokyo Quilt Festival. When I bought it, I wasn't really sure what I could make with 50 4"x4" squares, but I was so in love with the colors and it was a great price - I couldn't resist. I'm glad I didn't, because this scarf turned out to be the perfect project for this little sample pack. It could also be a great way to use up scraps from your stash.

I backed it with warm and fuzzy wool that my Grandma gave me.

It was the perfect balance to the soft and silky Liberty prints.

Don't you want to make one?

I know you do.

So here we go....

Supplies:

50 4"x4" squares of fabric

1/2 yard fabric for backing at least 44"wide

scissors/pins/iron

sewing machine/thread

Step 1: Design your scarf by laying the squares into two rows of 25

Step 2: Piece the scarf by sewing 4 squares into one larger square using 1/4" seams, like this:

select the first four squares in the scarf

sew two squares along one edge

be sure to press the seams open

repeat with the other two squares
Sew these four together, matching up the center seam, using 1/4" seam

press the seam open

so pretty!

continue this process until you have 12 large squares and an extra 2 small squares sewn together (that should equal 50).

Step 3: Next, sew the larger pieces to one another, right sides together, to form a long scarf (again use 1/4" seams).

Step 4: Cut out the back - two pieces 44" x 7.5". Sew them end to end, right sides together, to form one long piece 88" x 7.5"

Step 5: Pin the back to the front, right sides together.

Sew along the edge, using 1/4" seams, but leave about 3" open at one end.

Step 6: Trim any uneven edges (you don't want it making your seams bulky) and cut the corners.

(uneven)

(even)

Flip the scarf right sides out.

Step 7: Press under raw edges of the opening and pin. Start there, and top stitch around all the edges 1/4". I used a contrasting thread for this to make it decorative. This step will take your scarf from looking homemade to handmade.

And that's it! Wrap it around your neck, and you're ready for the snow! If you live in a warmer climate, but still like to wear scarves in the winter, simply back it with something light like a voile, and it will be the perfect weight. As always, if you have any questions simply email me at jessica(at)sewhomegrown(dot)com. Happy Sewing!
xoxo
jessica

Tokyo International Quilt Festival 2012!!

2012-01-23T05:18:00.000-05:00

Well we did it! We made it to the Quilt Festival in Tokyo.

My wonderful husband wins the prize - he came along to help me through the train system and to push Charlotte in a stroller. He did enjoy some of the quilts, but I know he came along mainly for my benefit, which I greatly appreciate! This was his favorite quilt:

Really amazing.

When we arrived in Tokyo it was freezing cold and raining, but we managed to slosh our way through cold puddles and climb stone steps to make it to the ticket booth at the Tokyo Dome.

I have never been to any quilt show before, so I don't know if they're all big like this, but I felt this one was huge! Here's a shot from the second floor when we first walked in.

We started by wandering among the display quilts. There was so much amazing handwork - tiny perfect little quilting stitches that made some gorgeous quilts.

They had a whole hexagon display - I'm a sucker for these.

That one was hand-quilted.

Do you hear me?

Look at all those teeny tiny stitches!?!

Such inspiring detail.

After we browsed around, it was time for lunch: Bento boxes :)

and of course the Japanese have invented the tidiest way to eat ice cream - a cone pocket encasing vanilla ice cream. There was no dripping.

Then I went shopping!

I bought some Liberty of London, Moda Japan, and an adorable little kit to make a teeny tiny coin purse. There were thousands and thousands of people there. The Japanese have this way of very politely shoving you to the side if you are in the way - so you know, when in Rome. And actually my baby bump came in handy - I just used it to push my way through all those tiny Japanese women to see what I wanted to see :)

There was one section of the designer's booths.

Some of them were there to answer questions and give little speeches.

Here were some of my favorite booths:

How cute are these little kiwi and orange pillows?

It was a really great day - long and tiring for a Mama almost 8 mo. pregnant, but totally worth it.

So I'm working on a project with my Liberty of London to share with you later in the week.

Hope you all had a great weekend!

xoxo

jessica

{DIY} "Stained Glass" Heart Garland

2012-01-19T18:43:00.000-05:00

Feeling the need to catch every winter sunray?

This sweet little heart garland will help you do just that!

It's a simple kid's craft - melted crayon shavings in between wax paper

- that I then cut into heart shapes!

You can get the full instructions for melting the crayons from Martha here.

Once you melt it, it will look like this:

not too pretty.

But just use a heart cookie cutter and trace heart shapes onto the wax paper and cut out.

Then sew the hearts together on your sewing machine.

Take a few stitches between each heart to create some space.

Then hang it wherever you like!

I hung mine on this frame that I put on my front door.

You can get the tutorial for the frame here.

Happy crafting, and I hope your winter days have a ray or two of sunshine!

xoxo

jessica

{DIY} A Kokeshi Valentine

2012-01-16T17:47:00.000-05:00

Well we've fallen in love over here in Japan with the adorable Kokeshi.

They are super cute little wooden dolls that come in all shapes and sizes.

That's a great little book about them that you can buy here.

So since that's our love right now, I decided to make a Kokeshi Valentine t-shirt for Charlotte this year. Today I have the free pattern for you in case you'd like to make your own!

The supplies you'll need are:

the pattern

plain t-shirt

scrap fabric/felt

coordinating threads

needle/embroidery floss

sewing machine

scissors

tear-away stabilizer

Step 1:

Download the pattern and cut out all the pieces.

Decide on your fabrics and trace the pattern pieces onto the correct fabric.

Step 2:

If the pattern says cut two, then cut one piece using the right side of the pattern and one using the wrong side of the pattern.

I cut out several different dolls, because I wasn't sure what style I wanted.

I finally decided on this one:

Step 3:

Draw a face on your Kokeshi head.

Assemble the doll.

Sew the hair onto the head using a straight stitch, then the hair ties using a zig-zag stitch.

Sew the kimono together using a straight stitch down the front and a zig-zag along the bottom to attach the base.

Embroider the face onto the head.

Step 4:

If you have some iron on transfer you could use it to secure the kokeshi onto the t-shirt. I didn't have any so I just pinned it really well. Slip the stabilizer into the shirt. Thread your machine with the correct thread and set your zig-zag stitch to 3.5 width and .5 lenth. Stitch around the doll, switching thread when needed. Take your time with this - keep the needle down and rotate your shirt often.

Step 5:

The final step is to zig-zag around the heart, and you're all done!

Isn't she so cute smiling at you?

Happy Sewing!

Have fun getting ready for Valentine's Day!

xoxo

jessica

Sew come on in...

2012-01-10T00:00:00.001-05:00

The ever-inspiring Anna Maria Horner says that if you are going to do any type of sewing in any consistent manner, you must have a space dedicated to it. It doesn't matter how small, it could be the corner of a closet somewhere, but you must have a space where your machine can always be set up and ready to work. Well here's mine - it's not extravagant - just a corner of our large family/play room - but I'm happy with it, and I can sew while playing/watching tv/talking to Ryan. I took pictures of it as it is today - fabric scraps and Starbucks cups included. Really because that's how it will look most of the time. My fabric stash is neatly organized (for now) in that white wardrobe in the corner, and that door opens into our kitchen.

Wish I could have a bunch of you over for a big sewing day!

The cutting area...

The sewing area...

Happy sewing from Japan!

xoxo

jessica

{DIY} Ribbon Storage

2012-01-09T01:00:00.004-05:00

Yes I am unpacking and trying to set up a cute crafting/sewing corner for myself.

I have some ribbon...none of it on spools.

The idea to wrap it around cardboard is not mine,

but I wanted to display it in a cute way so that it could sit out.

I'm certainly NO expert on organization, but I think the best way to make things like this look organized, is to make them uniform. I had lots of varying lengths of ribbon, but by putting them all on the same size cardboard, with the same kind of ribbon to hang by, it makes them look neat.

Does that make sense?

Supplies:

Scrap cardboard

Crafting Scissors

Marker/Pen

Straight Pins

Large Safety Pins

Ribbon for hanging

Small nails

Hammer

Large wooden board - I used some old barn board

(of course you could also do this using pushpins onto a cork bulletin board)

In a nutshell, here's how to make the cardboard spools:

I traced around a mason jar mouth and drew the circles onto a piece of cardboard.

Cut them out.

Then draw lines where you want to cut into the side of the circle.

Cut them out.

Wrap the ribbon around it and secure with a straight pin.

*Once you've organized the ribbon, poke holes in the top of each cardboard spool - I used a large nail to do this.

*Thread a piece of ribbon through the hole and tie into a knot.

*Vary the lengths of your hanging ribbon so they will hang nicely.

*Slide ones of the same color onto a large safety pin.

*Nail two small nails into the board for every safety pin you want to hang.

*Slide the safety pin over the nails.

There you go!

Pretty and organized - and it can be easily accessed and added to as you acquire more ribbon.

Happy Monday!

xoxo

jessica

Home

2012-01-04T18:38:00.000-05:00

Well here we are - new year, new home!

It has been quite a journey getting here, involving

*airport all-nighters *10 large suitcases

*Christmas in a small hotel room *jet-lag

*crying *laughing

*great ramen noodles *moving in

*meeting new people *stomach bugs

*an earthquake *my first try at Japanese cooking(it turned out terribly)

*cupcakes from neighbors *a broken dryer

*learning to ride the train *a free couch

...and so many more things packed into the last 3 weeks.

But we've been in our townhome for a week now - the downstairs is beginning to look like humans reside here. Since I've had no time for craftiness (although my crafting space is nearly set up!), I thought I would share this sweet piece of art my sister made me for my birthday.

I really love everything about it - the sentiment and the design. There's no tutorial, but it's great inspiration if you've been thinking about doing something similar.

She appliqued the fabric pieces on to the background using a zig-zag stitch, then embroidered the words and curly-swirly chimney smoke. I hope your homes are cozy, happy places this January day - it's not always easy to make them that way.

But when you've got the people you love, you've got a home.

(sheesh my pregnant hormones make me tear up at my own words... )

Happy Homemaking!

xoxo

jessica

The Top 8 of 2011

2011-12-31T08:18:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year from Japan!

Here are the top 8 posts of the past year. It's easy to tell that my life got crazy after June, all of the most popular ones are Jan - June. It was in July that I got pregnant and we moved and this whole adventure with the Navy began.

Thanks so much for reading Sew Homegrown and I can't wait to start sewing and crafting with you this year!

1. January 6, 2011

Anthropologie - inspired Bolster Pillow

2. February 21, 2011

West Elm-inspired Colorpath Pillow

3. February 25, 2011

Anthropologie-inspired handbag

4. March 14, 2011

Anthropologie-inspired Cami

5. April 5, 2011

30 Minute Tank-Dress

6. June 3, 2011

DIY Vintage Market Bag

7. June 17, 2011

Beginner Maxi Dress

8. June 29, 2011

Fabric Tangram Puzzle with Drawstring Bag

Enjoy the rest of your holiday!

xoxo

jessica

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto...

2011-12-09T09:07:00.000-05:00

SO I'm not going to lie -

I've been wanting to use that as a blog title ever since we found out we're moving to Japan ;)

(source)

And the time has come. We've 5 days left here in the states - all of which will be filled with early Christmases, yummy comfort food, last minute paperwork, laundry, and packing - lots of detailed organized packing. (anyone want to come do that for me?)
I'll be signing off here until after the New Year.
Once we arrive in Japan we will be very busy with orientation, housing decisions,
jetlag, eating noodles and drinking tea.
So I'm sure when I see you again in January I'll have lots to tell!

(Japanese Christmas Cake - source)

I hope you all have a wonderful, safe, and really happy holiday season.
Enjoy your family and may God bless you!
xoxo
jessica

Ask and you shall

2011-12-07T09:31:00.000-05:00

Several people commented on the woodland wreath post asking about the felt flowers I used.

I feel there are many good tutorials out there already so that's why I didn't make one, but here are some you can use. This is a pretty good one for the Felt Roses, but when I cut the spiral I make it a little wavy so that my roses have "petals". This is a great one for the Pouf Flowers. They are really so simple and fun to make. Happy crafting!

xoxo

jessica

Shake it like a salt shaker...

2011-12-03T21:47:00.001-05:00

How friendly are you with sodium?

Do you know where it lives and how much of it lurks in your favorite places?

It's everywhere.

I mean everywhere.

(pretty picture from here)

The past few weeks of this pregnancy, I have been extremely sensitive to sodium - if I have too much I swell up like a balloon. So I'm trying to watch it. Actually I've become a private eye detective, in search of that sneaky sodium fellow.

So here are some things I've uncovered.

2 oz of deli turkey meat -- 640mg sodium

9 Santitos Tortilla Chips -- 110mg sodium

14.5 oz can of diced tomatoes -- 770mg sodium

15.5oz can of Goya Black Beans -- 1610mg sodium

1 cup of low-fat milk -- 102mg sodium

1 T. of soy-sauce -- 1000mg sodium

So what do those numbers mean?

The average person, as stated by the USDA, should have about 2300mg a day.

Middle aged and older adults should have no more than 1500mg a day.

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention says 2300mg should be the max for any person, and most should aim closer to 1500mg.

1 tsp of table salt has 2325mg - that's 25mg higher than your max daily intake.

Our bodies only need 180-500mg daily to survive.

The average American consumes 3436mg daily.

That's 1136mg more than your max daily intake.

The Mayo clinic says this:

But if for some reason your kidneys can't eliminate enough sodium, the sodium starts to accumulate in your blood. Because sodium attracts and holds water, your blood volume increases.
Increased blood volume makes your heart work harder to move more blood through your blood vessels, which increases pressure in your arteries. Such diseases as congestive heart failure, cirrhosis and chronic kidney disease can make it hard for your kidneys to keep sodium levels balanced.
Some people's bodies are more sensitive to the effects of sodium than are others. If you're sodium sensitive, you retain sodium more easily, leading to fluid retention and increased blood pressure. If this becomes chronic, it can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease and congestive heart failure.

Of course, foods that are processed, canned, pre-packaged, or served at restaurants contain the highest amounts of sodium.
So what are we to do? Never eat pizza or chips and queso again?
That's one option of course. If you cook everything at home you can control the sodium. But, at least for me anyway, life gets busy and I choose not to do that all the time.
So I say, if you know you're ordering pizza for dinner, really watch the rest of your sodium that day. And drink lots of water of course to help your kidneys process that salt.

So here are some fun things to do with salt besides eat it ;)

Make Salt Dough Ornaments

Make a Salt Bath Scrub

Make Holiday Salt and Glue paintings!

Hope this has been helpful or at least mildly interesting. Knowledge is power anyway. I certainly don't claim to do everything perfectly when it comes to eating - but the more I learn, the more it helps me just to be aware of the foods that I'm putting in my body.
Something to keep in mind with all the delicious holiday foods coming our way ;)
Wishing you well,
xoxo
jessica

A-lure-ing Table Setting

2011-11-29T15:16:00.000-05:00

Last weekend we celebrated my grandfather's 80th birthday. You know it's always so hard to decorate for guys without being too cutesy. So we created place settings using fishing lure and twine as napkin rings, which we tied around green dishtowels (just watch out for the hook!)

The dishtowels were the party favors for the girls, and the fishing lure were the party favors for the boys - so per couple the guy got two lures and the girl got two towels.

Simple, cute, and you get favors and napkin rings.

Hope you're having a great day.

xoxo

jessica

Candied Citrus Peel

2011-11-28T15:28:00.000-05:00

I come from a Florida family. Both of my parents grew up in Florida and most of their grandparents did too. So needless to say, we love citrus. I have many memories of my great-grandmother and my Grandma making delicious ambrosia during the holidays, then they would take the citrus peel and make candy! Well I'd never made it before, but last week I was feeling adventurous and so I made some! It turned out really well and was so tasty.

I promise you the orange ones tasted exactly like those sugary orange slices you can buy - only these are way better...(I won't necessarily say better for you...'cause we're still talking about candy here). I seriously encourage you to give this a try - it's not hard to make, there are just several steps - but hey - put on your favorite Christmas movie and start peeling!

Candied Citrus Peel
(adapted from Martha Stewart Living)
Ingredients:
3 oranges, 2 lemons, 1 grapefruit
4 cups of sugar, plus more for rolling
water/paring knife/paper towel

Step 1: Peel the fruit. Make slits in the peel with your knife - cut from top to bottom cutting through the peel but not the fruit. It takes about 6 cuts per fruit. Then use your fingers and gently pull the peel away from the fruit.
Step 2: Remove the pith. This step is a pain, but it makes the difference between sweet candy and bitter peel rolled in sugar. Use a paring knife to peel off the white pith that lines the peel - just do the best you can, but the more you take off the less bitter your candy will be.
Step 3: Put the peels in a large saucepan and cover with cold water. Bring it to a boil, then drain the water. Repeat this two more times, using cold water each time. After you drain it the last time, put the peels in a bowl.
Step 4: Put the 4 cups of sugar into the saucepan along with 4 cups of water. Bring this to a boil then put the peel in and reduce to medium low - so that it is simmering nicely. Let it simmer for about an hour or until the peels look transluscent.
**Bonus - this also makes your house smell amazing**
Step 5: Let the peels cool in the syrup - usually takes about 1 1/2 hrs. Put a piece of parchment paper down, and then set a cooling rack on top. Ladle the peels out with a slotted spoon onto the rack - letting the excess syrup drip off.
Step 6: Take the peels off a few at a time and pat the excess syrup off with a paper towel - then roll them in a bowl of sugar. Place them on a candy plate and cover with plastic wrap until you're ready to eat them!

Mmm - so yummy I think I'll make some more!
Happy candy making!
xoxo
jessica

{DIY} Felt Trees

2011-11-23T11:00:00.000-05:00

I was browsing the Garnet Hill website when I came across these little lovely trees.

Sadly, they are no longer available on the website, so I headed out to Michaels.
It turns out they're really inexpensive and easy to make.

If you didn't use hot glue, they would be a great craft for kids too!
Here are the supplies:

my total cost: $3.61

(I already had hot glue at home)

Step 1: Make the paper cones. At first I wanted to use styrofoam cones, but they're kind of expensive so I decided to make paper ones. Roll the paper so it forms a cone and put a dot of glue at the bottom to hold it in place.

Step 2: Cut off the excess along the edge, then glue the edge closed.

Step 3: Make the bottom edge even so that it will stand straight.

Cute little trees!

Step 4: Fold the felt in half width-wise, like a hamburger bun. Cut from the edge to the fold in an arc, be sure the top of the arc is at the fold. Cut them about 2 1/2" wide - I was able to get three strips out of one piece of felt.

Step 5: Keeping them folded, and following the arc, cut a scalloped edge along one side.

Each strip should look like this once you open it.

Step 6: Starting at the bottom of the tree, hot glue the strips to the cone.

If you like, you can cut out a felt star for the top.

And there you go!
Whimsical felt trees for your mantle or a shelf!
Happy crafting!
xoxo
jessica

Holiday Projects and Recipes

2011-11-16T15:56:00.000-05:00

Well hey there. I'm sorry I haven't posted in a while, there really is so much involved in moving to Japan...and being pregnant - and then I got a cold. So I haven't made anything crafty , but I thought I would put a few of my links up from last year (I think around this time last year I only had about 150 followers ;) So here's the list if you weren't around back then - and if you were, thanks for reading Sew Homegrown. It may be slow here in the next month or so (which is a bummer because it's prime crafting season!) but I promise things will pick up once we're settled. We're still not exactly sure when we're leaving for Japan, but we think it's around the first week of December. So that kind of gives you a timeline. Hope you're all doing well and having fun this very festive time of year!
xoxo
jessica

My absolute favorite holiday side dish.

These chocolate peppermint cupcakes are easy

and delicious and the perfect size to pop in your mouth!

This is a simple tutorial for making this colorful rice bag.

This Anthro knockoff has been one of my most popular posts,

but in case you haven't seen it here's the link!

{DIY} Woodland Winter Wreath

2011-11-07T08:40:00.000-05:00

This wreath is simple and inexpensive ($20!) to make, yet it really has a great impact.

We bought all the supplies from Michaels, and completed it in about 3 hrs.

I made all the felt flowers, and mom wrapped the wreath. I think the secret is to have lots of felt flowers, even though they take a while to complete. Hope you like it and feel inspired to get started on your holiday wreath!

Happy Monday!

jessica

It's a....

2011-11-04T08:59:00.000-04:00

and we couldn't be more thrilled!

I'm already working on her baby quilt - made from those gorg Anna Maria Horner Folksy Flannels! More on that later. Hope you have a great weekend!

xoxo

jessica

Our Halloween

2011-10-31T20:44:00.000-04:00

This post is really for my hubby - who's away at training - but of course, I assume everyone will enjoy looking at our beautiful daughter ;)

I'd love to tell you that I made at least part of her costume...but it's just not true.

I don't think she minded.

It's good to be three. and we are very three.

We ate our traditional chili.

Every Halloween for as long as I can remember :)

Dora made an appearance on the pumpkin.

We hope yours was full of treats!

xoxo

jessica and charlotte

Defining Your Decorating Style

2011-10-27T11:51:00.000-04:00

I love to decorate.

I love fabrics and accessories and colors. But I have always felt that my home lacks continuity. It's missing a cohesiveness that is inherent to really great decorating. I'll see something that I like and buy it(or make it), but once I step back and really look at it I realize

"um...that doesn't really go in my house".

I'm not really talking about things that match - I'm not a matchy Pottery Barn style decorator (although I do love Pottery Barn...). I'm talking about the overall feel of my house. It has just seemed that so far in my life, everything doesn't go together. I may get one room just the way I want it, but it doesn't really echo the feelings of the other rooms.

So right now, I have no house to decorate(or clean)...which means I have lots of time to think about decorating; to really evaluate the situation while I'm not in it (see? I'm trying to make the best of this situation ;). I was talking to my sister about this whole problem, saying "I can't even find pictures of exactly what I want." There's no one store or style or picture that I could find to capture what I have in my head. So she had a great suggestion -

"How about creating a phrase to describe your style?

Everything you buy/make must fit into that phrase." For me, it was the perfect solution. Not as limiting as a photograph, but a way to still keep me focused(a challenge to be sure..).

So here's what I came up with:

Textured. Vibrant. Bohemian.

That's the phrase for my home.

It has helped me soooooo much! I'll pick up a fabric that I really like, but realize it's very subdued or too modern looking. I still like those things, but that doesn't mean I should put them in my home. Does that make sense? Here's an example: I have had to purchase several rugs because the base housing has no carpet. The store shelves are filled with all styles of really pretty rugs - and I bought one, but when I brought it home I realized it did not fit my style. It looks a little too traditional. So I went back out - this time repeating my phrase to myself - and purchased a rug that I really love and that will look really nice with the rest of my things.

Now every time I am shopping, I ask myself

"Does it have texture? Is it vibrant? Does it have a bohemian feel?"

(anyone else talk to themselves while they are shopping...??)

Not every item has to meet all three qualifications, but I know those qualifications harmonize with one another - therefore the items will as well.

So how about you? Do you feel like your house is cohesive?

Does anyone else struggle with this?

If you do, I'd love to know what works for you.

xoxo

jessica

The whole room...

2011-10-25T21:17:00.000-04:00

Here is the quilt - the final piece of Charlotte's Japan Room! It's adorable Valori Wells fabric and mom quilted it on her sewing machine.

Here's the whole room laid out:

Now tomorrow it will be boxed up and we're starting the shipping process...kinda exciting!!

xoxo

jessica

{DIY} Mason Jar Sewing Kit - the tween version

2011-10-24T06:00:00.000-04:00

This is certainly not a new idea. I don't claim to have made it up. I'm just sharing my version. I made this as a gift for a girl who just turned 12. I've seen lots of gorgeous versions online like this one on Anthropologie or this nice DIY one on Martha ,but I needed to make something a little bit more youthful looking - so here's what I came up with!

There's a great tutorial for making a jar lid pin cushion over on Prudent Baby.

This is my top

and this is the underneath side

This is such a fun gift to put together, because it can be changed in so many ways! Add a small pair of scissors, or a thimble and embroidery floss. You can really tailor it (ha ha) for the person you're making it for.

Have a great day!

xoxo

jessica

{DIY} Panels with Grommets

2011-10-21T09:54:00.000-04:00

Yesterday I shared the little pillow going in Charlotte's 3 year old room when we move to Japan.

So today I have the matching window treatments.

A few weeks ago I shared the inspiration for this room...but you know sometimes you get to the fabric store and a fabric just calls out your name and you can't ignore it! That's what happened when I spotted this Michael Miller. I knew it would make the perfect drapes for the room!

So I bought 6 yards

(and I had a 40% off coupon - woo hoo!).

That's how much it takes to make two panels.

Here's the full supply list, in case you find yourself in a similar situation with a fabric that's got your name!

6 yards of 44-45" wide cotton fabric

6 yards of lining fabric

sewing machine/thread/scissors/yard stick/iron/pins

8-10 grommets , depending on how you like them spaced

These are really simple to make - I made them in one evening.

And you really just need to know how to sew a straight line.

Seriously - you can make your own drapes. Are you convinced? Okay then, let's go.

Step 1:

"Measure twice, cut once." This is soooo true when you are making drapes. You are working with large amounts of fabric and you really want to make sure you have measured correctly before you cut them out. So here are the measurements. 44"(the width of your fabric) x 95". Cut two panels at those measurements. Cut 2 panels of lining 41" x 93".

(If you are using a wider fabric, just cut the lining 2-3" less on both the width and length)

Step 2:

Along the short edge (44" on cotton or 41" on lining), press up 3" toward the wrong side of the fabric, then up 3" again creating a hem. Pin in place.

Do this for all 4 panels.

Top stitch along the folded and pinned edge.

Step 3:

Lay the lining right sides together with the panel.

Match up the raw edges along the sides and pin. Since the lining is smaller than the panel, there will be a little bit of bunching of the panel - that's okay, in fact you want that. Just make sure the raw edges on both sides are lined up.

Sew along those edges.

Step 4:

Flip the panel right sides out. You should find that when the lining lays flat you get about 1" of panel folded over - that's exactly what you want!

Pin the hems together so the lining doesn't scoot around on you.

Press it flat.

Step 4:

When you have the entire panel pressed, measure from the hem until you get exactly 84".

Place a pin there.

Press the raw edge over 1/2". Then fold it over at the pin - so the pin mark becomes the very top of the curtain.

Step 5:

Now it's time for the grommets. You can buy these at any fabric store - Joann's, Hancocks, etc. They just snap on, and the directions are on the back of the package.

They provide a template like this:

I place the top of the grommet about 1 1/4" inch from the top of the curtain. Draw the markings in the template. I started 2" from the edge, then spaced them 12" apart. Next time I may put more grommets, but this was what I had and I didn't want to go back to the store. I don't think my three year old will notice :)

Then you cut out the holes (I cut it slightly smaller than the traced template because I think it stays in place better)

(sorry about that blurry pic)

Then push the raised piece through the right side of the panel.

Snap the other piece on (you have to push really hard).

Now you have beautiful professional looking drapes!

I can't wait to hang them up at our new home!

happy sewing!

If you have any questions, email me at

jessica(at)sewhomegrown(dot)com!

xoxo

jessica

The Details...

2011-10-19T17:11:00.000-04:00

Currently I'm working on the soft furnishings for Charlotte's bedroom - so far I've made the curtains (a tutorial on that tomorrow) and I have cut out the quilt.

With the scraps, I decided to make this little pillow for the green chair in her room.

It was inspired by this Anthropologie one.

You know, it's the details in a room that make it special and make it look finished.

Well, so that's what I've been up to...I'm trying to really work on the home furnishings while I'm here at my mom's - amidst the mile high stack of military paper work... :)

xoxo

jessica

Hey, Pumpkin!

2011-10-17T09:12:00.000-04:00

Lots of pumpkin things floating around these days!

Really wonderful looking recipes.

(although nothing looks as wonderful as that sweet girl)

So you know, I started wondering - what's in pumpkins?

Vitamins? Minerals?

So here's what I found, plus a roundup of some delicious and healthy recipes!

Pumpkins contain a lot of vitamin A (the orange color is a big hint - think carrots)

They are full of fiber

low in calories (49 in a cup)

also contain vitamin C and potassium

and pumpkins are a fruit. Did you know that? I didn't.

So go ahead and try some pumpkin tonight!

Pumpkin Soup

Pumpkin Pie Shake

Pumpkin Spice Pull-apart Bread

Gluten Free Pumpkin Sweet Potato Mash

Grain Free Pumpkin Pie Muffins

Happy cooking, and hope you have a lovely fall day!

xoxo

jessica

A Quilt to Pass the Time...

2011-10-13T17:35:00.000-04:00

Throughout history women have used quilting as a way to pass the time

- such as when a husband or son was off at war like the Dear Jane Quilt.

That would keep you busy right?

But what a cool thing to do with your time - at the end of the war she actually had something to show for her time - not just a bunch of worrisome nights.

Well my mom, sister, and I have decided to do the same thing while I am in Japan. We are going to make 36 quilt blocks (one a month). We have chosen a color palate so that all of the bocks will coordinate, meaning our quilts will match. At the end, we will make 3 quilts, 12 blocks each, so that we will each have something to commemorate that time (and use it as kind of a countdown system). So here are our rules - and we haven't come up with a catchy name for this project either, so if you think of one we are open to suggestions :)

RULES:

1. Prewash fabrics

2. Each finished block must be 20 1/2" x 20 1/2"

3. The color palate is Orange, Yellow, Turquoise, Navy, and muslin.

4. You must embroider your initials and the month/year onto your block

5. Your block must be mailed to the next person by the 7th of the month

(we're going to take turns ex: Oct. mom, Nov. me, Dec. joanna, Jan. mom, Feb. me, March, joanna etc. etc.)

6. We will mail our block, plus the previous blocks to the next person so that we can see the progress, but we will only do this for 12 blocks, then we will start over ( we didn't want to have to mail tons of blocks )

7. At the end, we will have a bee. We will put all 36 blocks in a bag and each grab 12 blocks without looking. Then we'll piece our quilt tops!

I'm pretty excited. We will each have a sampler-style quilt at the end of the three years!

xoxo

jessica

{DIY} Anthro Pinwheel Pushpins

2011-10-11T21:26:00.000-04:00

These little guys are so cute and quick to whip up, they should be at the top of your gift-making list.

Plus they use up scraps! and you don't need a sewing machine.
Anyone can make these!!!

Here's my version:

cost - $.24 (yes a quarter!)

Here's Anthro's version:

cost - $15

The secret to making these the cutest pushpins you've ever seen, is the size.

Finished they are only 3/4" across (which you cannot tell by that Anthro pic).
Teeny tiny and oh-so-adorable.

Here are the supplies you will need:

various scraps of fabric

needle/thread

scissors

small beads (I used little seed beads)

a pack of pushpins

a 1.5" circle template

Step 1: Cut 8 (or as many as you want) circles, 1.5" in diameter, out of different colors of fabric.

Step 2: Make them into yo-yos: Thread the needle and tie a knot in the end. With the wrong side of the fabric facing you, fold the edge over toward you about 1/8" and push your needle through.

Use a running stitch to gather the edge of the circle - folding the raw edge in as you go.

Push the pin through the center of the circle, then pull the thread tight to gather the yo-yo completely.

Step 3: Slip 3 small beads onto the needle and thread, and secure them in the center.

Tie a knot in the thread and cut it.

Repeat with each pushpin until you have the desired amount!

It's a perfect gift for someone with a new job or even a great stocking stuffer!

Happy crafting,

xoxo

jessica

To Tear or Not To Tear...

2011-10-06T20:53:00.000-04:00

...that is the question.

buy these gorg fabrics here

Have you ever purchased fabric and been surprised (or alarmed) when they tore the fabric instead of used scissors to cut it? There's a bit of a debate about whether it is better to cut yardage or tear it...but here are my views after speaking with several different sources.
The first question you might have is why would you tear it in the first place?
When you tear a fabric (usually done with cotton) it will tear perfectly straight along the weave of the fabric. The weave may or may not be perfectly straight with the pattern on the fabric.

So it depends on what you are sewing.

When you are sewing clothing, it is really more important for the fabric to hang straight than for the pattern to be straight.
If you are using fabric for crafting or quilting it is not as important for the weave to be straight - it's really more important for the pattern on the fabric to be square.

So if you are buying yardage to make clothing, be sure that you tear both cut edges from selvage to selvage (if they didn't do it at the store). This will give you a perfectly straight piece of fabric no matter how the pattern on the fabric may appear.

If you are making something else - like a pillow - you can cut both non selvage edges so that the pattern looks straight.

**If you are totally confused by what I mean by tearing the fabric, this is how you do it. Make a small snip in the selvage with scissors (about 1" from the cut edge) and then tear it all the way to the other selvage then snip the other selvage.**

Now you may be thinking - okay...I want my pants to hang nicely, but I don't want the pattern to be wonky either...

Sometimes you can do it half way. Tear the fabric so you know it's straight, then even the pattern up a little so it's not too off. Is that confusing? I hope not.
Oh and once you get the fabric straight you should use scissors to cut out your pattern pieces. (Just didn't want you to think you have to tear the fabric the whole time ;)

Happy fabric shopping!
xoxo
jessica

{DIY} Love You to Pieces Skirt

2011-10-05T15:22:00.000-04:00

Hey! I'm excited to share this tutorial with you.

This is another great way to use up scraps.

My mom had made a quilt using Anna Maria Horner's new line Loulouthi - and she had some wonderful scraps leftover. We found this skirt as inspiration on Pinterest

(how adorable is that?)

and decided to make our own!

Here are the supplies you'll need (I made a size 3T):

scraps of fabric that equal around 1 - 1 1/2 yards

24" of 3/4" elastic

scissors/pins/iron/thread/sewing machine

Step 1: Cut the pieces. You will need a Yoke Waistband, Skirt Fabric, and Contrast Band Hem.

Okay I know that's kind of a crazy picture. I pieced a bunch of things because I was working with smaller scraps, but here are the dimensions explained:

Yoke: 5"x 23" (mine were in two pieces 5"x 12" and I had to sew them together)

Skirt: 8 1/2"x 46" when sewn together. You will need to add an inch for every piece to allow for the seam allowance - when I laid these all out after cutting it measured 53", but after sewing them it measured 46".

Contrast Band: 3" x 46" when stitched together. The same applies here - you may have to piece a few strips, but once you sew it together it should measure 3" x 46".

Step 2: Sew all the skirt pieces together. You should have a long piece that measures 8 1/2" x 46". Serge or zig zag all of the seams.

Step 3: Sew the Contrast Band strips together (right sides together) so that you have on long band 3" x 46". Lay it's right side against the wrong side of the skirt panel and pin.

(This may seem wrong, but go with me here)

Sew along the edge using 3/8" seam. When you have finished, open it up and it will look like this:

Step 4: Press 1/4" of the band toward the wrong side.

Then press the band up about 1" and pin it to the skirt panel.

Top stitch it in place.

Here's how it should look: front and back.

Step 5: Using a basting stitch, sew along the top of the skirt panel twice and gather so that it measures 23".

Step 6: Pin the yoke waistband right sides together along the gathered edge.

Stitch in place. Zig zag or serge the seam then press it towards the skirt.

It should now look like this:

Step 7: Press the top of the waistband under 1/4", then pin the edges of the skirt right sides together and sew the side seam.

Zig zag or serge the side seam.

Step 8: Fold the top of the yoke down about 1 1/2".

Leave about a one inch opening, and stitch it in place.

Step 9: Fasten a safety pin to one end of the elastic and run it through the casing.

Measure it on your kiddo to get the right size, then stitch the two elastic ends together.

Slip the elastic inside and topstitch the opening closed.

Step 10: This step is optional but it makes the garment look a little more professional and it will keep the elastic from rolling when you wash it. Scoot the elastic to the bottom of the casing, and top stitch around the top of the yoke, about 1/8" down from the top.

When you are finished, it will look like this:

That's it! Enjoy watching your cutie spin and play in her new skirt!

happy sewing,

xoxo

jessica

Macaroni and Cheese...my weakness

2011-09-28T17:03:00.000-04:00

So I have a weakness for any combination of pasta and cheese.

I hesitate to even write this post because I'm reading this book called Wheat Belly: Lose the Wheat, Lose the Weight and find Your Way Back To Health. It's really good and I recommend it, but it is definitely NOT in favor of consuming wheat. So let's pretend that I made this with Gluten-Free Pasta, which you could totally do and it would be just as delicious, because the secret's in the cheese.

(On a Gluten Free Pasta note you have got to try Heartland G-Free Pasta - best I've found. You can't even tell the difference. I can only find it at Wal-Mart.)

This recipe isn't new - it was on Martha Stewart a few years ago, but I just rediscovered it, made it last night, and it is soooooo good.

World's Best Macaroni and Cheese.

It's the recipe from Beecher's Cheese. You can order the mac and cheese frozen from their website, but it costs $50...and it cost about $15 to make - still a little pricey for mac and cheese so you might want to make it a special occasion dish.

I was able to find the Beecher's Flagship Cheese (it's a cheddar) at Publix, so I bought a few ounces of that and then supplemented with Publix cheddar and Publix Jack. Then I used Boar's Head Gruyere on top. I served it alongside a chicken greek salad - hopefully offsetting the cheesy creaminess with some veggies and fiber :)

Oh and the Flagship sauce recipe is enough for a double batch of pasta - 12 oz. Which of course is what I made.... and I'll also confess I ate way more than that cute little portion in that picture:)

xoxo

jessica

Over on Prudent Baby: Rayon Sewing 101

2011-09-27T06:00:00.001-04:00

Hey! Yesterday I posted some tips for sewing with rayon over on Prudent Baby.

In case you missed it, here's the link:
Sewing with Rayon 101
They also posted some links for great tutorials that would be great using rayon.
xoxo
jessica

Inspiration Board: Charlotte's Three Year Old Room

2011-09-26T06:00:00.001-04:00

In one attempt to distract myself from the craziness that is my life...I've started planning Charlotte's room for our home in Japan. I want to be able to make everything now (curtains, pillows, quilt), so that when we get there, her room can be a happy cozy place in a short amount of time. Plus it gives me something to do now :) So here's my inspiration. That fabric is Valori Wells Wrenly - it's so happy and I think it will transition well from 3 - 6 yrs old which will be her ages while we are in Japan.

The plan for the bed is from here. Ryan is going to get it all cut out, and then we'll ship it Ikea-style and assemble it when we get there. We already have that green chair, and I think a pillow out of that bird fabric will look adorable on it. I bought a rug at Old Time Pottery for $50 that looks very similar to the one shown here. It's very cheery and I like all the squares of color. That lamp shade is from here. I think I have to have it. So there it is - what do you think? Any suggestions? I haven't done pink in her room yet so I kinda wanted the girly look.
Hope you had a great weekend!
xoxo
jessica

Delectable Apple Crisp

2011-09-23T10:12:00.000-04:00

Last night I made this apple crisp

- it's kind of a mish mash of several recipes, but it turned out great so I wrote down what I did and decided to share (yeah the pic is not great because I had already started eating it then ran into the kitchen to snap a pic before I gobbled it all up). In my opinion here are the secrets: fresh vanilla bean, salt, pecans. Those three things combined with the usual apple crisp ingredients make a rich, flavorful dessert. AND bonus - it's wheat free (not necessarily gluten free because of the debate over oats and cross contamination, but oats in and of themselves don't contain gluten. I think. )

Anyway here's the recipe!

Serves 4:

3 large apples peeled, cored, and sliced thinly

1 T. granulated sugar

3/4 cup of pecans

1 vanilla bean

3/4 cup of quick oats

1/2 cup of packed brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

5 T butter

1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 350. Lay the apples in a tart plate or pie plate. Sprinkle the granulated sugar over the apple slices. In a medium bowl place the pecans, oats, brown sugar, and cinnnamon. Slice a vanilla bean in half and scrape out the seeds - add it to the dry ingredients. Cut the butter in - then with a sharp chopper, chop all the ingredients together until it looks all pretty and crumbly. Pour this mixture over the apple slices. Lastly sprinkle the salt evenly on top and bake for 20 - 30 minutes. Don't over bake. Since the apples are sliced thinly they should take that long to bake. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly then serve it up with ice cream! Yum! Have a great weekend!

xoxo

jessica

{DIY} Anthropologie-inspired Headband

2011-09-21T09:57:00.000-04:00

Okay, sincerest apologies for flaking out on you for the last week. I didn't really mean for that to happen, but I was in the process of getting our family completely out of TN and down to FL. We will be here for the next 2 months before we move to Japan. BUT I did manage to whip up this little headband last night and I wanted to share it with you.

I haven't done anything Anthropologie in a while

- and I was craving something in their style.

Here's Mine:

Here's Anthros:

I made mine out of cotton, but theirs is made using a rayon fabric and I think it would be great to make another one using that.

Here's what you'll need:

1/2 yard of cotton or rayon

(I used Anna Maria Horner's LouLouThi)

iron/pins

scissors/thread/sewing machine

a 6" piece of 3/4" elastic

Step 1: Cut 1 strip (the one you want to make the knot in) 6"x26".

Cut another strip 6"x22".

Step 2: Fold each strip in half, length-wise and sew right sides together along the long edge.

Open that seam and press it flat.

(I changed fabrics half way through...sorry for the confusion)

Step 2: Turn that tube right sides out and repeat with the other strip of fabric.

Now you should have 2 strips, one 4" longer than the other.

Step 3: Tie a knot in the middle of the longer strip. Pin it on top of the shorter strip.

I kind of pinned it so it would look like it was flowing, rather than just flat.

Step 4: Sew this piece onto the bottom piece - you just need a few little stitches to keep it in place. Turn the raw edges under and sew them down.

Also secure the knot with a few stitches.

Step 5: Cut a 5" square.

Sew it into a tube like you did with the strips at the beginning. Turn it right sides out.

Step 6: Slide the elastic inside this tube. Then put the elastic and little tube inside the larger - tucking in the raw edges of the larger. Stitch across.

Step 7: Now try it on your head, and pull the elastic until it meets the other end of the headband and feels comfortable on your head. Keep your finger where the stretched elastic and free end of the headband meet. Take it off your head and put a mark on the elastic where your finger is. Scrunch up the little tube until the raw end matches up with the mark on the elastic. Slide the elastic and little tube into the open end of the headband and sew across.

Enjoy your new headband!

happy wednesday

xoxo

jessica

Halloween Outfit Part 2: {DIY} Tulle Skirted Leggings

2011-09-12T08:42:00.000-04:00

These are so simple to make - you can do it in about 15 minutes. I didn't even make an actual skirt. Anyone can do this!!

Here's what you'll need:

Step 1: Cut the tulle into 10" x 10" squares. Overlap two squares and pinch them together at the top.

Pin them along the waistband of the leggings.

Step 2: Put elastic thread onto your bobbin and regular thread through the needle of your machine. Sew the tulle on - just under the waistband.

Be sure to sew back a few stitches and then forward when you reach the end - otherwise the elastic thread will come undone.

And that's it! Now, from what I've read, you should really hand wash tulle. So I guess these aren't really roll around in the mud pants :) But they sure are cute.

Happy Sewing and Happy Monday!

xoxo

jessica

God Bless America

2011-09-11T15:22:00.000-04:00

We will always remember 9/11.

Those who served and their families.

Friday, my hubby swore to serve and protect our nation

and became Lieutenant Broyles of the U.S.Navy.

We feel it a great honor to serve our wonderful Country.

May God always bless America.

xoxo

jessica

Halloween Outfit Part One: {DIY} Applique T-shirt

2011-09-09T06:00:00.001-04:00

Here's the great thing about this project: there's no construction of clothing.

It's all embellishments. That means it's EASY!

The first little dip in temperature had me feeling all fallish and halloweenish(?), so I headed out to the fabric store to scope out the Halloween fabric. I came upon this adorable stuff from Riley Blake Designs by My Mind's Eye "Boo to You" - orange scatter.
I knew those little creatures would make the perfect applique for a Halloween T-shirt for Charlotte!
This is a great way to get a one-of-a-kind look for your little one, and they can help you design it!
Charlotte picked out each little character for her shirts.

I don't know what really gave me the idea for the Tulle Skirted Leggings, but I'm kinda in love with them. I'll put up a tutorial on Monday for those.
But today we're going to focus on the shirts.
Here's the supply list.

Let me say - you really need to try to find the Steam-a-seam stuff. It is a.ma.zing!
Really made this whole process easier. I'll explain how to use it - keep reading.
I also added that little ruffle trim - it's actually elastic with a ruffle along the edge. I found it at my fabric store, but I'm not sure what brand it is.

Step 1: Select some characters from the fabric and cut them out. Then peel back the paper portion of the Steam-a-Seam and lay your fabric pieces on top - press them into the S.a.S. with your finger.

Cut out each shape exactly the way you would like it to appear on for the applique.

Now you need to peel the paper off the fabric.

You will see a sticky webbing magically left on the fabric.

Position your appliques where you would like them to live. You can stick them to the shirt, even try it on, and if you don't like it just peel it off and restick it until you get it right.

I'm telling you I love this stuff.

I put the center applique on first - 2" from the neckline.

Once you have it where you want it, iron it to the shirt.

Step 2: Okay - now it's time to sew.

Place the stabilizer behind the appliques and the layer of the shirt they are stuck to.

Set your machine to a zig-zag stitch. Then adjust the width and length of the stitch. I found a width of 3 and a length of .5 worked well for me, but I would suggest playing around on your machine first until you find the width you like.

Take your time and stitch around the edge of each applique. Be sure that the back layer of the shirt stays out of the way, and that the shirt doesn't bunch.

Step 3: Clip the threads and gently pull off the stabilizer.

And that's it!! Personalized, adorable little shirts.

I'm dying to make more - it's kind of addicting.

Hope you give it a try!

Have a great weekend.

xoxo

jessica

Inspired Homemaking - Fall Ideas

2011-09-08T09:03:00.000-04:00

Haven't done one of these in a while - but here are some of my favorite things floating around blogland. Happy Thursday!

No matter what the weather, it feels like fall everytime I look at
this adorable bag by Flamingo Toes!

Get the how to here.

This football banner is super cute!

Need a quick scarf?

Tristin from Two Girls Being Crafty has a short little tutorial for this great jersey knit scarf!

I fell in love with this Candy Corn Cheesecake!

And here are a few of my fall projects from last year - in case we hadn't met yet :)

The Anthropologie-Inspired Ruffle Scarf

Janie and Jack Inspired Pumpkin T-shirt

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Apple Biscuits

Apple Butter

Mmmm...Apples, spices, molasses....I love fall!
xoxo
jessica

{DIY} T-shirt to Tunic

2011-09-06T16:40:00.001-04:00

Well it's football season! Hurray!!

But they don't make too many maternity sports t-shirts, so I decided to alter one I already had.

Although I'm using this as a maternity shirt, you could use this method to make a too-snug top flow a little better over curvy hips (eaiser than loosing 5 pounds, just sayin' :)

Here's what you'll need to make one too:

1 t-shirt to alter

1 t-shirt in coordinating color (or you could use fabric)

thread/scissors/pins

sewing machine

Step 1: Decide how far up you would like the insert panels to go, then add 2 1/2" if you are addding the ties. My total was 13 1/2" from the bottom of the shirt. Cut along the side seam on both sides stopping at your mark.

Step 2: Cut the panels. Don't be too worried about this - measure 4 1/2" along the bottom of the fabric(or the hem of the shirt if you are using one). Find the center of that measurement (2 1/4") and measure up 11 inches (or your desired height minus the 2 1/2"). Then cut from one edge of the bottom in a diagonal line to the 11" mark. Repeat with the other side. You'll have a triangle with a base of 4 1/2" and a height of 11". Use this piece as a pattern and cut out one more triangle.

I decided to use a shirt instead of fabric,

since it already has a nice t-shirt hem that would match the existing shirt. If you are using fabric, you will need to hem the edge of fabric that will run along the bottom of the shirt.

If you would like to add the ties, cut out two strips, about 2 1/2" wide and 15"-18" long.

Step 3: Pin one of the triangles right sides together along the cut side seam. Be sure to line up the bottom edges. When you get to the top of the triangle, place the tie there as well,

right side down, and pin it on.

Sew these pieces onto the shirt using a knit stitch ( looks like a lightening bolt).

Go slowly and be sure that your fabric doesn't roll.

Step 4: Turn the shirt inside out. Pin the other edge of the side seam to the other edge of the panel - right sides together - include the seam part of the tie. Be sure that the tie itself is on the right side of the shirt. Sew this seam using a knit stitch as well.

Step 5: Repeat steps 3 and 4 on the other side of the shirt and you're done!

Comfortable clothing in no time at all!

Happy Football Season!!

xoxo

jessica

My Super Mommy Smoothie

2011-09-05T06:00:00.003-04:00

So I was reading in Fit Pregnancy that pregnant/lactating women are supposed to have around 70g of protein a day!!! Whoa....I definitely don't do that. Non-pregnant/lactating women are supposed to eat 46g, which I probably didn't do either. So I decided to start drinking smoothies in the morning for breakfast, and here is one I concocted that gets in over half of my protein requirement!

1 scoop chocolate Protein Powder

1/2 Banana

1/2 cup of Fat Free Greek Yogurt

1/2 cup of Organic Skim Milk

1 T of Peanut Butter

3-4 Ice Cubes

Here's the nutrition information - it may vary depending on the brands you buy. I use Dannon Plain Oikos Greek Yogurt and Six Star Whey Protein Powder.

445 calories

10.5 Fat (they're good fats :)

45.5 carbs

6 fiber

46.5 protein

I use my new little blender - it's the GE brand, that I actually bought at Wal-Mart for $20 - to blend it.

It turned out super yummy and keeps me full for a long time, AND helps give me the energy to chase a 3 year old and grow a baby :)
xoxo
jessica

Announcement #2:

2011-08-31T08:00:00.000-04:00

Thanks SO much for all of your encouraging and sweet comments yesterday!
I really appreciate them.
So, you may or may not have noticed that my posts have not been as frequent lately...but I'm not going to apologize too much because I have a sweet little peanut of a reason...we're pregnant again!!!!

pic from here

So, between ~~morning~~ all day sickness and exhaustion and making huge life-changing-decisions-about-moving-to-foreign-countries..... I have had no energy to make anything (including dinner-ha)

I'm about 10 1/2 weeks now, and it seems the sickness is easing off - the past couple of days have been pretty good so I should be up and making more things soon :) Still, I may not get a post up everyday, but I know ya'll are understanding people so I'm not going to worry too much about it. I probably will be posting more about baby stuff and maternity things than I have been...but I'll try to throw in some other stuff too :)

So I think that's it for big news in my life -
pregnant and moving to Japan...sounds like a good name for a blog, haha.
Hope everyone is doing well and have a great Wednesday!
xoxo
jessica

Anchors Aweigh...

2011-08-30T07:59:00.000-04:00

So here's the first announcement of the week:

My husband has been accepted as an Officer into the United States Navy Medical Services Corps!

It's been a very long process (taking almost 7 months, and a lot of patience...), but I am so proud of him and this great service we are going to do together. Plus he'll look great in that uniform ;)

So here's a hint about where we will be stationed:

pic from here

can you guess??

pic from here

We're moving to Japan!!

We will be stationed for 3 years at the naval base in Yokosuka, Japan - just south of Tokyo.

This has not been a decision we've made lightly.

Which is one of the reasons I've been distracted

- a lot of emotions have been running through my little head and heart.

Lots of people say they would love the adventure of living overseas - but it's a whole different thing to actually pack up your things and fly 18 hrs to live in another country for 3 years.

We are very close to our family and will be very sad that we won't be able to see them as much as we have been. But we know that in the span of a lifetime, 3 years is just a blink of an eye.

So Ryan starts medical officer training in the middle of October. That will last 5 weeks and Charlotte and I will be staying with family during that time. Then we will head on over to Japan!

We decided to join the Navy for several reasons, but here are a few:

*they offer excellent loan repayment for medical professions (9 years of college hasn't been cheap)

*the work is diverse - Ryan will work with families on the base as well as train sailors and marines in hearing conservation.

*lots of benefits - free medical services, shopping at the exchange...etc.

So we feel that this is definitely the best financial move for our family,

as well as a great cultural experience, and a chance to serve our country!

I will definitely be continuing this blog - so you can follow right along with all of our adventures.

I guess I'm going to have to learn amigurumi :)

and I've already scouted out the fabric stores in Tokyo - there are lots!

So I'll have access to fun Japanese fabrics, paper, and washi tape ;)

If you have any info for me about JapanI'd love to hear it

(although please only share encouraging stories - I know there will be difficult times, but I'd like to focus on the positive).

hope you're having a great day!

xoxo

jessica

{DIY} Early Fall Cardi

2011-08-28T06:00:00.001-04:00

Hey! It's a tutorial! Can you believe it?! Due to several events that I will tell you about later this week, I have been very very distracted. BUT I did manage to whip up this little cardigan. If you're one of my Florida readers you're probably laughing at the thought of needing a little something extra in the evenings - but here in TN it's been dropping into the 50's at night, so I needed something light that I could toss on over a t-shirt or tank top.

Here are the supplies you'll need:

1 yard of 60" wide fabric - preferably something flowy like voile or a rayon

Thread/scissors/sewing machine

yardstick

a shirt that fits you kinda loosely

Step 1: Lay your shirt on top of the fabric.

Step 2: Measure down 7" or 8" from the top fold on one edge and cut straight across toward the underarm of the existing shirt. Stop about 1/2" from the shirt then follow along the side seam cutting down to the selvage.

Remove the shirt and fold the material right to left and cut out the other side of the fabric - using the first half as a pattern. When you unfold it, it should look like this:

Step 2: Cut along the fold at the top to make a front and back piece.

Then cut down the center of the top layer only.

So now you should have 3 pieces: 1 back panel and 2 front panels

Step 3: Along the top split edge, place a pin that lines up with the underarm.

Then gather the material from the center split to the pin, using a basting stitch.

After you've sewed it, pull the threads so that it measures about 5".

Repeat this process with the other front panel.

Step 4: Now lay both front panels on the back panel, right sides together and pin along the top edge. Make sure the ends of the sleeves line up. Sew along the top edge of one panel, stopping when you reach the center split. Sew the other panel on. It should now look like this:

Step 5: Finish all of the raw edges (along the back neckline, down both center front panels, and the edges of the sleeves) by pressing each edge under 1/4" then under 1/4" again. Top stitch in place.

Step 6: Final step! Pin the underarm and side edges right sides together. Sew a seam on each side, using a zig zag stitch. Turn your cardi inside out and you're ready to go!

Hope I made that clear. If not, please email me at jessica(at)sewhomegrown(dot)com and I will be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Happy Sewing!

jessica

We Ate Cake

2011-08-24T10:20:00.001-04:00

Yesterday was our sweet Charlotte's 3rd birthday!

Her big celebration was dinner with Cinderella,

but we did a small dinner and cake with friends yesterday.

I love to decorate cakes but haven't had too much success in the past. This time I used this wonderful tutorial over on Prudent Baby. I followed their directions exactly - for the icing as well as the cake - and I was really surprised with the turnout.

Charlotte helped with the baking.

I finally did a successful crumb coat! Thanks Prudent Baby!

I wanted it to look cinderella-ish without being obviously Cinderella.

So the big C on top was for Charlotte and Cinderella.

She really loved it!

Inside it was chocolate. Yum.

So Happy Birthday Sweet Charlotte!

It seems to only get better.

xoxo

mama

One down, one to go...

2011-08-22T08:55:00.000-04:00

If you've been reading my blog very long, you know I'm not really a knitter(see this post)...or a crocheter...but I really want to be! I love yarn, and actually have accumulated quite a bit, but for some reason my brain has a block when it comes to yarn crafts. However, over the 4th of July weekend, my aunt sat with me for a while and helped me learn a very basic crochet pattern: this hand warmer.

I made a practice one, and now I just finished this one and am going to start the 2nd in order to make a pair. I'm pretty excited. So if you're thinking of picking up crochet I would definitely suggest this pattern because if I can do it ANYONE can do it ;)

And of course you can check out these great blogs too.

Easy Makes Me Happy

The Purl Bee

..and there are many more, but I am still new to the yarn world.

Happy crocheting/knitting - it's never to early to start on those Christmas gifts!!

xoxo

jessica

Bookworm's Birthday Bash

2011-08-18T14:27:00.000-04:00

Today I have a fantastic party for you! My friend Emily threw an adorable book party for her daughter, and I am so happy to be sharing the details with you! So let's get started.

Here are the sweet invitations - little books with each invitee's name on them instead of the original character.

As the guests arrived, they were greeted by this cute little wreath:

get the tutorial here

The banner was made from book pages with letters printed directly onto them:

Typewriter inspired cupcakes - all laid out in "qwerty" of course.

Activities included bookworm making (get the how to here),

typewriter key necklaces,

Book art and book mark crafts.

To end, they sent the girls on a scavenger hunt to find their party favors, which included a book light, a journal, alphabet stickers, a pen, magnets, and a cardboard monogram for them to decorate at home - all wrapped up in a sweet little dishtowel.

So cute right? I think my favorite thing was the cupcakes all laid out like a typewriter.

What was yours?

xoxo

jessica

Oh, oh it's magic...

2011-08-15T06:00:00.001-04:00

Here are some pics from our lovely dinner Friday evening.

Disney truly makes it magical.

It wasn't cheesy at all and the characters came to each table and talked to us for a while and we took our picture with them.

For some reason, when Prince Charming and Cinderella came in, I bawled like a baby...lol... which in turn made Charlotte then my mom then my sister cry.

It was hysterical. Our guys were like "what is going on???"

but then we settled down and ate great food and yummy dessert.

Afterwards we walked around the grounds until we could spot the castle off in the distance. This is the dress my mom made (by that time the bow had come off..)

Sparkly shoes. Of course.

All the girls with Cinderella (after we had gotten all the crying under control ;)

It was wonderful - I highly recommend it - and it's a dinner at the Grand Floridian Resort so you don't have to be in the park to do this (i.e. making it more affordable, especially if you are local).

Well, hope your weekend was magical too, and maybe filled with a few happy tears.

xoxo

jessica

A Bow Fit for a Princess

2011-08-12T10:03:00.000-04:00

So my family lives in Orlando, and so far we haven't done anything Disney with Charlotte. However her 3rd birthday is right around the corner so tonight we are going to have dinner with Cinderella, Prince Charming, the stepmother and stepsisters! Say what you will about princessesy things - I love it! Needless to say, Charlotte had to have a new outfit. The dress is actually still under construction as I'm writing this (although that is a swatch of the fabric in the picture),

but I did get the bow finished last night.

I'm not an extraordinary bow maker, but I thought it turned out quite lovely and will hopefully look great with the dress - I'll show you the full outfit Monday :)

Here's a quick little tut for how I did it:

(I found all of those things at Joanns.)

Step 1: I measured my base ribbon out to 28", then put a little mark every 7 inches.

Fold the ribbon so that the first two marks line up:

Step 2: Loop around the right side so that the next mark lines up in the center as well. Then make another loop around the left side - continuing lining up the marks.

Step 3: Once you have 2 loops on each side, tie a ribbon very tightly around the center - cinching it tightly.

Step 4: Fluff out the loops on each side. Then I added the sparkly "ribbon" by placing a small dab of hot glue in the center of the bow - gluing one end of the ribbon. I then let it follow the base ribbon - just securing it in the center on the front and back as I went.

Step 5: Then I tied the teal ribbon around the center of the bow to conceal the thread and hot glue. I then glued the button in the center of the teal ribbon. I decided it need a little more glam, so I glued some little sparkly tails onto the back. Then I just glued the clip onto the back - ta-da!

A bow Cinderella would certainly approve of.

Happy weekend!

xoxo

Jessica

Nellie and Joe's Key Lime Pie

2011-08-10T17:18:00.000-04:00

If you're a fan of key lime pie - this is the secret to making the best:

Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice.

They have a lot of fabulous recipes over on their site, including this one:

Nellie & Joe's Key Lime Pie

9" graham cracker pie crust
14 oz. can of sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks (whites not used)
½ cup Nellie & Joe's Key West Lime Juice

Combine milk, egg yolks and lime juice. Blend until smooth. Pour filling into pie crust and bake at 350º for 15 minutes. Allow to stand 10 minutes before refrigerating. Just before serving, top with freshly whipped cream, or meringue, and garnish with lime slices.

How simple is that? And yes - make your own whipped cream.

Takes about 1 minute and tastes so fantastic.

So that's what I'm doing - hanging in FL and eating pie :)

Vacations are pretty great - just sayin'.

xoxo

jessica

Fun Business Cards

2011-08-08T06:00:00.002-04:00

I have tried to make so many different business cards for my blog it's not even funny.

BUT I think I have finally decided on one that I like (at least for now :)

I found that cute little dressform graphic over on The Graphics Fairy

then printed it up and sewed zig zag stitches along the edge.

They didn't exactly line up but I still think they turned out cute.

Happy Monday!

xoxo

jessica

Over on FaveCrafts Blog!

2011-08-06T09:54:00.000-04:00

Hey friends - sorry I kinda flaked out on you this week. It's hard when you're not in your own space.

But yesterday I did a Meet and Make over on FaveCrafts, which is a great blog btw.

You've probably already seen the craft I did, but head on over and check out the fun 10 facts I had to share about myself...I always hate having to come up with a list like that ;)

Here's the link and have a wonderful weekend!

xoxo

jessica

Rustic Spindle Bench

2011-08-02T10:16:00.000-04:00

My husband is in the process of building us a dinner table. I wanted something really rustic - farm table style - chunky legs - you know. So to go around the table, we are using several chairs, all of the different and this cool bench that he made.

Obviously, I can't show you the whole thing because it's in storage, but when we get it unpacked I'll show you how it all looks together. But here's the bench - he found the top piece of wood in a burn pile at a local saw mill -

and the legs were from another table at our house - we painted them and distressed them, then he attached them - to get his full tutorial you can go here.

I definitely think it looks like something that would be sitting in Anthropologie.

Thanks hubby!

xoxo

jessica

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow. . .

2011-08-02T06:00:00.001-04:00

Have you ever heard the sayings, "Too many irons in the fire" or "I have too much on my plate" ? I have heard those sayings my entire life, because I want to do SO much and attempt it. I want to help those I love, work on something with friends, try a new thing, and still be a wife, a mommy, a friend, a cook, a seamstress. . . . the list goes on and on.
Well, I have come to the conclusion I have TOO many irons in the fire AND TOO much on my plate. I am starting a new teaching position at a local community college this fall, working on the Hospitality Committee for our PTA, and I am also heavily involved in a local musical production as a fund raiser for disabled citizens. Unfortunately, because of these new chapters in my life and my family's life, somethings that I do are going to have to be put on the back burner for a while. One of them, sadly, is my regular postings on Tuesday here at Sew Homegrown. When Jessica asked me to start posting regularly, I was excited to do so, but at the time, I did not have the responsibilities I listed above.
I need to focus my creative energies on my family, my new job, and the musical production that will benefit some wonderful and amazing people. I will still pop in every now and again with something crafty and fun, that I think you may enjoy, but for now, I need to turn Tuesdays back to Jessica.

Enjoy your Tuesday,

Heaps and Heaps of Love,

Shannon

It has begun...

2011-08-01T16:13:00.000-04:00

well a big round of applause to all those talented ladies from the past two weeks! Thank you so much for contributing. With all of the packing I had to do, my blog would have pretty much stopped if you hadn't stepped in for me :) So here's a little catch up of what I've been doing and what's going on in my life...

We DIY packed our entire home and loaded it into two PODS (which I highly recommend by the way).
Last Monday I was honored to be a guest contributor over at Sew, Mama, Sew! (that's the pic up there) If you haven't see it already, go check it out!
Currently we are house sitting for a friend - we will be doing this until we know where Ryan's job will take us.
I had to pack the car for us to live out of suitcases for about 12 weeks - toys, books, bed linens, clothes, sewing machine...we're a miniature house-on-wheels.
To help Charlotte cope with the transition time and the eventual move, she got to pack a special box of toys etc. that will always be with her - no matter where we are staying she will have her box. I also made a photo book at Wal-mart into a story - with pics from our old house, pics of activities we will be doing during transition, and then we're going to draw a picture of what our new home might look like.

So that's a little bit of what I've been up to - I hope you're doing well and enjoying these last days of summer!

xoxo

jessica

CTSB Blow the Blues Away. . . with Blow Painting

2011-07-29T08:31:00.000-04:00

Hasn't this series been refreshing? I have been so inspired by all these crafty ladies. My crafty To-Do List has gotten larger but I am so excited. Here is my little contribution;

If you are like our family, this summer has been full of swimming, parties, fireworks, beach, vacations, road trips, crafts, and anything else fun we can squeeze into our Summer Holiday before school starts. Now, however we are winding down and the exciting adventures of summer are becoming dull and repetitive. We have been needing some new creative activities to occupy our time. Well, this twist on painting has occupied my girls for hours (literally, I had to beg them to come in for lunch) and perhaps this can blow some creative juices your way as well.

Blow Painting! This is so much fun! The girls and I wandered across this painting activity at the Lavender Festival. Seriously, that festival was so much fun and so motivating and inspiring. All you will need to do this activity is probably already in your home or easily acquired. It is for all ages, young and old, and is quite a forgiving art project. So here is what you will need:

water color paints (or acrylic paints well watered down)
paint brushes
straws of all diameters
water (a lot)
bowl for the water
mat board (tag board, card stock, or heavy paper)

We went outside to paint, but you can paint anywhere that is comfortable to you as long as it is protected from colored water.

Really wet your water color paint so that it drips well from your brush (the paint needs to be thin, so if you are using acrylic craft paint, just add a bit of paint in a bowl and add water to it). Drip some paint on to your mat board, then take a straw and closely blow the paint.

See how the paint moves with the pressure of the air? You can change the direction of the paint but blowing beside the drop or on top of the drop. You could also use a dropper to drop thicker paint, but it is MUCH harder to blow the paint around.

Make sure you change your water often as the water will get muddy, and then in turn, muddy the paint colors.

I like this activity because it allows the artist to enjoy the randomness of the paint and still control it to make a pretty picture. Just be careful not to get to wrapped up in the painting and blowing as you could become a bit lightheaded (ha ha, don't judge me, I had fun).

And of course when you are finished, you wash off with water. And if that turns into a run in the sprinkler, well, it just makes the summer day more enjoyable, right?

I hope this helps to blow some of your Summer Time Blues away. Enjoy the rest of your Summer Holiday,

Heaps of Love,

Shannon

CTSB - Boy's Builder Bedroom - liZ from Simple Simon and Co.

2011-07-28T06:00:00.011-04:00

It's almost the end of Cure the Summertime Blues! I'll tell you what would cure my summertime blues - having all of these stinkin boxes out of my house!!! We have a PODS coming today so we can start that process, but I'm soooooo ready for it to be over! I'm also ready to get back to crafting/sewing - I'm having withdrawls and it's making me cranky. Anyway...for those of you who can decorate, today we have liz from Simple Simon and co. - she is sharing an update to her son's bedroom - it turned out really cute.

Take it away liz!

Hi! I'm liz from over at Simple Simon and Co. There my super talented sister-in-law (who's name is also Elizabeth) post our daily projects, ideas, tutorials, and adventures in homemaking. But today we are so excited to be here at Sew Home Grown. We "met" Jessica awhile ago and have loved her and her blog ever since.

This past week our cure for the summer time blues was to spend an afternoon indoors. We opened the windows, turned on some music, and did an afternoon bedroom remodel. (Ok. SO, it wasn't a total remodel...it was more like an update.)

Recently we let Simon (our soon to be 1st grader) choose a paint color for one wall in his room. He chose his favorite color, grass green. It's a little loud but it's his room so we went with it. Then my husband built him some much needed shelves to display all his "good stuff" on. This is how it turned out:

Simon loved it and has already rearranged the shelves several times. However, the rest of his room was still decorated in semi-cowboy gear. Including a wall with red and brown stripes. Which wasn't working with his idea of a builder/inventor room. So on this particular afternoon we decided to change things up.

We started by "dirtying up" the stripes and adding a green one to match the green wall.

To do this we taped off the new stripe and painted it in a solid green. Easy enough.

As for the dirtying of the stripes I just did an average dry brush technique---dip your dry brush into a little dab of paint (I used bottled acrylic paints that can be found at any craft store) and brush it onto the paint in random areas.

The colors I brushed over the top of the stripes were a darker shade of green, a darker shade of red, a medium brown, and a yellow.

When the paint dried I went over the top of each stripe with a coat of gloss and pulled off the tape. (The tape is great but I have those dang orange peel walls so the lines weren't perfectly crisp---something that bugs me so after removing the tape I touched up any under the tape paint leaks with white paint.)

Meanwhile the kids were having a movie party on the mattress and bedding removed from the bedroom.

(They "needed" a rest. They spent the first half of the afternoon armed with baby wipes to clean bedroom baseboards and Magic Erasers to wipe off any scuff marks on the walls. It sounds lame but the kids had fun cleaning while I painted and then had fun again lounging around in the family room while I finished up with the gloss and touch ups.)

Finally we added a much anticipated element to the top stripe---Simon's name painted and designed by Simon himself.

For this project we spread the letters (found at any craft store---they even sell similar ones at Wal-Mart) out on the grass and turned him loose with the black spray paint. He covered them thoroughly and they dried quickly in the hot sun. Then before hanging them I ran the sander quickly over the edges. Black letters done.

As for the letter M. Simon wanted it to be "metal" so we sprayed it with aluminum colored spray paint and then turned him loose with a bowl of glue and a bucket of random nuts and bolts. This is what he came up with.

In the end his wall looked like this. It is still a little bare for my liking however his new aluminum colored bunk bed is supposed to be here Friday and will go on this wall (I hoped it would be here before this post.) and fit nicely just beneath the green stripe. Meanwhile I'm on the lookout for something cool to hang, paint, or string across the remaining empty space.

So, how do we cure the summer time blues? By washing, taping, painting, and spraying of course! Then by the time we're done we need more of that summer vacation. (Just kidding, but that's really what we did. And are going to do it again next week when we turn Gracie's room back into a nursery for the new baby.)

Thanks again Jessica for letting us spend part of our summer here with you! We were so happy to be invited!

-liZ

CTSB - "Grass Babies" a kid's craft with Sunni from Love Affair with my Brother

2011-07-27T07:28:00.001-04:00

Hi! I'm Sunni from Love Affair with my Brother. I was so excited when Jessica asked me to contribute to Cure the Summertime Blues. A little about me: I am a mommy of 2 little girls. I write a blog with my dear friend, Melissa. We chronicle our constant love and affection for our sewing machines by showcasing craft and sewing projects. Come by and see us!

It seems like the entire country is experiencing scorching heat, but here in the Pacific Northwest, we seem to be having an extended spring. Lots of rain and low temperatures (60's). So, unfortunately for my girls, we are still spending quite a few days indoors!!

So, I had to come up with a summery activity that anyone across the country could do. This is not my original idea. I have seen it elsewhere, but I am going to give you the details to make your own!! My daughter calls them "Grass Babies" I call it a "DIY Chia-head". Call it what you may, it is cute!!

And they are so cheap and simple to make.

You will need:

pantyhose (I used the freebies from the shoe department)

grass or wheatgrass seeds

soil

rubberbands

tray or jars to put them in

buttons, brads and foam decorations

I'm guess that you have most of this in your home or stash. The only thing I bought was the wheatgrass seeds. I used wheatgrass because stores don't sell tiny packets of lawn seed. So, if you are reseeding your lawn soon, just set aside a little of those seeds.

So, open up a pantyhose sock. I doubled up on a few, because these were so cheap and thin.

Pour in some seeds.

Pour in some soil. I used a little from my vegetable garden.

Once you have a nice little ball, tie it off with a rubberband or knot.

Using a small rubber band, grab up a little mound and add a nose. I only went around the nose once, because the dirt will get pressed out if you fiddle with it too much.

Add some ears in the same manner. Your little Grass Baby is really coming together!!

I used brads and buttons to add a face. I thought foam stickers or shapes would be fun to add, too, but we couldn't find any!!

When sewing on a button, I don't recommend using cotton thread. It might get moldy or mildew. Ewww. I used invisible nylon thread and looped it through a couple of times. Then I just tied it in the front with a knot. That should do it!!

Now just water your grass babies in a tray or place them in a jar with the tail sticking in the water. Water should wick up the pantyhose. I checked them every couple of days and added a little water, because I didn't trust the cheap pantyhose to wick it (wick it good).

The best thing about wheatgrass is that it sprouts so FAST! We had sprouts on day 2. As far as gardening goes, this is instant gratification. You can practically see it! It's as fun as watching grass grow!!

The wheatgrass is pretty to have in your kitchen or a windowsill. I sneak it my girls' morning smoothie because it is so nutritious. They will never know!

Thanks Sunni! I know Charlotte will love this! Leave her some comment love everyone :)

xoxo

jessica

CTSB: Sweet and Spicy Pork Lettuce Wraps - Tristin from Two Girls Being Crafty

2011-07-26T06:00:00.001-04:00

Happy Tuesday friends! I hope you're enjoying this summer series as much as I am! Here with us today is Tristin from Two Girls Being Crafty - get ready for a yummy summer recipe!

Hello pals! My name is Tristin and I'm visiting from Two Girls Being Crafty. While my blog is dedicated to crafts, my first love is actually food, so I am excited to get to share a yummy recipe for you to enjoy today!

I realize that a slow cooker doesn't exactly scream out "Summer". When I think of a slow cooker I usually think of thick soups, hearty stews, pot roasts, etc. Don't you? Well, friends, slow cookers can make fabulous summer food, too! Who wants to stand over a hot stove during the summer? And sometimes grilling outside can become such a hassle to say the least because summer afternoons bring rain showers--not to mention that it's just so dern HOT! It's fabulous to return from a day at the beach and to have dinner waiting for you.

So, in this case we'll make a light summer meal using our crockpots. No joke.

Alright, let's make this happen. You'll need:

1/2 cup soy sauce
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons chili-garlic sauce (found in the Asian aisle of the supermarket)
1" knob of fresh ginger
1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder (if it's not already in your pantry, just leave it out)
a few shakes of black pepper
3 lb. boneless pork roast (I use a Boston Butt) trimmed of excess fat and cut into 2-inch pieces

Combine all ingredients except for the pork in your slow cooker. Once well-combined, add the pork, tossing to coat. (It will look like there's not enough liquid, but don't worry, it's plenty!)

Cook on low for 8-10 hours, or on high 5-6 hours. Remove pork from slow cooker and use two forks to pull it into delicious, tender shreds. Discard ginger chunk. Reserve cooking liquid to use as dipping sauce (though I highly recommend skimming the fat off of the top).

To serve, you'll need:

A head of iceberg lettuce separated
Your favorite toppings - this time I simply used shredded carrots, cucumbers, and tomatoes. Radishes, scallions, sprouts, cilantro, chopped peanuts, etc. also make great toppings!

And don't forget your reserved sauce--it's seriously delicious!

This recipe was adapted from Real Simple's Slow Cooker Sweet and Spicy Asian Pork Shoulder.

I served these yummy lettuce wraps with some steamed and salted edamame and a surprisingly delicious Ramen Cake.

To sum it all up, don't be a slow cooker hater this summer. And please, stop by Two Girls Being Crafty to see what my blog-mate Sharon and I have been up to. If you like snarky comments, occasional gangsta talk, and inexpensive crafting, you're sure to enjoy Two Girls Being Crafty. Or maybe not. But why not give it a try? Here's a smattering of our projects...

Thanks Jessica, for hosting this wonderful summer series. I'm off to enjoy a glass of ice-cold lemonade (aka scarf down some leftovers while standing over the kitchen sink) and lounge by the pool (aka tackle mountains of laundry). A girl can dream, right?

Thanks again Tristin! Up tomorrow is a fun post for the kiddos by Sunni from Love Affair with my Brother!

xoxo

jessica

CTSB - {DIY}Anthropologie-inspired Bracelet - Beverly from Flamingo Toes

2011-07-25T06:00:00.002-04:00

Hello Sew Homegrown Readers! I am so happy to be here today!
This Cure for the Summertime Blues series is a blast and I have so many great projects added my to-do lists!

My name is Beverly and I blog over at Flamingo Toes.

I love doing home decor, sewing and jewelry projects - but my favorite things to make are knockoffs!

It's so fun to be able to recreate something that is fun at a fraction of the price in the store!

So when it came time to decide on what I wanted to make for Jessica's series - I went "shopping" at my favorite place to knockoff - Anthropologie!

I fell in love with their new Weights and Measures Bracelet and had to recreate it!

Here is my version . . .

And here is Anthro's!

Isn't it great?? I love the combo of the pearls with the chains!

Here's what you'll need to make your very own.

• small amount of fabric (I used linen because I wanted something a little heavier than the chiffon they used)

• pearls (mine were 5mm and I used about 56. You'll need more or less if use a different size of pearls)

• small chain - at least 84" (the smaller the chain, the easier the bracelet will be to tie)

• needle and matching thread

Begin by cutting out the fabric for the bracelet.

You'll need one long piece 2" x 14" and 2 smaller pieces 1 1/2" x 5".

About 3" from each end of the longer piece, trim the ends so they come to a point.

Find the centers of the long piece and one of the shorter pieces. Line them up with the shorter piece on the back of the longer piece.
Tuck the ends under and pin them. This will stabilize the area that you sew the pearls to.

On the front of this section, draw out with a disappearing ink marker the lines that you are going to sew your pearls on. Stay 1/2" away from the edge, this will be part of the hem.

Begin sewing down your strands of pearls. Add the pearls for each row to your thread and sew them down.

Sew down the strand between each pearl also. This will help the strand lay flat.

Continue to fill up the center section with rows of pearls.

Working on the back side of the bracelet, turn the raw edges over in tiny folds to create a hem.

Continue working your way around the bracelet until both sides are hemmed.

Now we're going to work on the chain. Cut the short pieces for the sides next. You'll need 24 - 2" pieces.

Lay out a longer piece of chain (at least 18") to begin sewing down the long side of the bracelet. Start sewing the chain to the bracelet 2" from the end of the chain.

As you sew this long piece down, you're going to add in the short pieces. There are 6 short pieces of chain on each end of the bracelet, on both sides.

Hopefully that made sense. ;)
Evenly space out these shorter pieces and sew them on as you go, working your way down the side of the bracelet.

When you get to the other end of the bracelet, cut the chain so there is a 2" piece that extends past the end of the fabric.

Repeat for the other side of the bracelet.

And that finishes off your super cute new knockoff!!

To wear, just knot the ends loosely!

Isn't it fun? I really like how it turned out. I hope you do too. :)

I'd love for you to come check out Flamingo Toes sometime!

You can see some of my other Jewelry knockoff's here.

And on Sundays I host a fun Link Party where you can show off all your fabulous projects!

Thanks so much for including me in the series Jessica - it was a blast!

Wow - I just love it don't you?! It reminds me of something a mermaid might create from treasures she found on the ocean floor - I am definitely making this one!! Hope everyone had a lovely weekend - coming up tomorrow is Tristin from Two Girls Being Crafty- see you then!

xoxo

jessica

CTSB - Summer Recipes from Ask Anna...

2011-07-22T06:00:00.001-04:00

Cure the Summertime Blues with some {De-licious} Summer Recipes

Hey there! I'm Anna from Ask Anna. I'm here today to share with you a few of my favorite summer recipes. One is an old favorite and two of them are new summer favorites!

Let's start with the main dish.
Summer is a time for light meals that don't take a lot of effort.
That is why I LOVE this Basil Pesto Pasta.

Ingredients:
1 Large package Cheese Tortellini
1 6oz jar Basil Pesto (you can use fresh or store bought, I'm lazy so I buy it)
8-10 Grape or cherry tomatoes
1/2 cup Pine nuts, toasted
1 1/2 cups Feta Cheese
5 Large Basil leave

Directions:
Preheat oven broiler.
1. Cook tortellini according to package directions
2. While it's cooking spread pine nuts on a cookie sheet and place them in the oven to broil. Remove them from the oven when they are lightly toasted.
3. Cut tomatoes in half and slice basil into thin strips.
4. Toss all ingredients together and serve.

And now for dessert.
We all love dessert, which is why I'm including two dessert recipes. :) These are both new recipes that I discovered this summer but both of them are so delicious and will definitely become summer staples in our house!

The first recipe is for Lemon Ice Cream.
This is not lemon sorbet, this is creamy, rich, oh-so-yummy ice cream.
It's honestly the best ice cream I've ever had, and I'm so excited to share it with you!

Here's what you need:

Homemade ice cream maker (electric type, its so much easier)
3 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs beaten (beat them in a separate dish and then pour in the mixture)
1 tsp vanilla
1 quart whipping cream
2 quarts half and half
1 1/2--1oz bottles lemon extract

Mix together. Fill to fill line in the ice cream maker, if doesn't quite reach the fill line, use regular whole milk to make up difference. If there is no fill line, fill to about 4-6 inches below top of the canister. (Don't fill past that point because the ice cream will expand and make a big mess).

Surround the ice cream maker alternating ice and rock salt. Make sure to end up with ice at the top (otherwise the salt spills over when you open the lid and it will make your ice cream taste like salt). Let the ice cream maker mix until it starts to bog down. Keep adding ice and salt as it churns. Once the ice maker has finished churning place the tub of ice cream in the freezer for 2-3 hours.

And last, but certainly not least, is a fun twist on an old favorite:
Chocolate Covered S'mores
Yes, they are just as good as they sound!!!
I made these for the 4th of July this year and they were a huge hit!
These taste amazing and they are super easy to make, even the kids can help you make them.

Here's what you need:

Graham crackers

Marshmallows (you can buy flat ones at Target)

Chocolate for the s'mores

Chocolate for melting and dipping

Popsicle sticks

Sprinkles (optional)

Start by making the s'mores: graham cracker, chocolate, marshmallow, graham cracker. Next melt them in the microwave for about 25 seconds. Then stick them in the freezer for about 10 minutes. After they have hardened a little remove them from the freezer and insert a popsicle stick. I bought the larger sticks because I didn't want any of the younger kids to hurt themselves with the smaller ones.

Then place the s'mores in the freezer for about 30 minutes. While you are waiting for them to freeze, melt the remainder of the chocolate in a large bowl for dipping.

Take them out of the freezer and dip them in the the melted chocolate. Once they are dipped place them on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Sprinkle with sprinkles, if desired. Put them back in the freezer until the chocolate has cooled.

I hope you enjoy these summer recipes and that they can become summer favorites in your home too! Thanks for stopping by for Cure the Summertime Blues! I hope to see you over at Ask Anna sometime.

Wow - don't those look amazing? Especially that Lemon Ice Cream - yum!

Hope everyone has a great weekend - see you back on Monday with Beverly from Flamingo Toes!

xoxo

jessica

CTSB - Organzing Children's Clothing - Melissa from Love Affair with My Brother

2011-07-21T07:23:00.000-04:00

Is the condition of your home giving you the summertime blues?

Today we have Melissa from Love Affair with My Brother to help us get organized!

Take it away Melissa!

Time to get organized! Because Spring isn’t the only time for big cleaning projects!

Hi, I’m Melissa from Love Affair with My Brother. I have been sewing for 19 years, quilting for 10 years and being crafty pretty much my whole life. I have been a “collector” for much of my life too – my husband uses the word “hoarder” but I don’t like that word! This is where today’s post comes in…

To say that my baby never wanted for clothes would be an understatement! She has always had more clothes than I have ever owned in my life. At times this was completely understandable – after all there were days when she was an itty bitty baby that we went through three or four outfit changes in a day. Now…this just means that I have more baby clothes than I know what to do with. Oh, and did I mention that at 19 months old she is already wearing 3T and 4T clothes?!?

This is a QUEEN size bed and her clothes (everything but what currently fits) fill the ENTIRE bed!!!

Needless to say it’s time to go through everything and get organized.
Here’s what you need – 5 bins, a sharpie and some tape for labeling – oh yeah and the ability to make some tough decisions!

I labeled my boxes Give to Friend, Donate, Keepsakes, First Year Memory Quilt, and Jammy Quilt.

I have two big projects in mind that I want to do with her clothes – I want to make a first year memory quilt – I am using things like my favorite onesies that she wore and cute tops. I will be cutting these apart and sewing them back together – I really needed to sort through her clothes and make decisions because I am the kind of person who will hold on to her entire wardrobe because 20 or 30 years from now she may have her own daughter and if I saved these clothes for her then she wouldn’t need to buy anything. I know…completely crazy right?!? That’s why getting organized and making some tough choices is an absolute must for me.

The other project box is for a “Jammy Quilt”. I am taking all of her fleecy and soft jammies and I am going to cut them apart and make a cuddle quilt for her. I am really excited about this project and I think it is a great way to preserve some of the clothes that she spent the most time in as an infant.

Here are the types of things that ended up in the Keepsake Box:

The dress on the left was handmade for her and the shirt on the right was actually mine when I was a baby.

That was pretty much my criteria for the “keepsake” box. It had to be handmade or something that I couldn’t bear to see cut up or given away. Her Easter, Halloween, and Christmas outfits all ended up in there too. The box looks as though it is going to overflow, but that is because I decided to keep her sleep sacks and winter snow suits as well. We live in the Pacific Northwest and if we have another baby I really don’t want to start at square one with everything.

The "give to friend box" was all of Anne’s 18 month clothes and larger that weren’t going in the keepsake or quilting boxes. This made the donate box even easier to fill because if it wasn’t going in one of the other four boxes it was going there!

Did I mention I had a really cute helper?

Believe it or not this activity entertained her for the entire hour it took me to sort through the mountain that was her clothes. She played with her old shoes, climbed into one of the boxes and for awhile just sat on the bed and handed me clothes one item at a time.

The last item to get packed up was her “going home outfit” from the hospital.

Here’s what it looked like when everything was sorted and packed

And now I can honestly say to my husband “No dear not everything is staying”. Now I just need to get myself to the Goodwill and to the Post Office. I suppose I also need to start cutting up her clothes to make her memory quilts too, but that is another day and another tutorial!

For now things may look like this for a couple of weeks until I can get to the post office and the good will.

My husband was so happy when he came home and saw everything cleaned up and put away!

And here is how my helper looked when we were all done – needless to say nap time quickly followed the end of this project!

What do you need to go through and organize? Do you have a hard time parting with things too? For me it is all about the memory attached to the item. Good luck with your summer cleaning and organizing and don’t be afraid to get the kids involved if it can entertain a 19 month old, then it can definitely keep older children busy!

I would love it if you took a few moments to check out Love Affair with My Brother, we love new followers! We do weekly tutorials and great giveaways on a fairly regular basis! Thanks for spending some time with me today!

CTSB: Vintage Lace and Linen Belt - Elizabeth from Simple Simon & Co.

2011-07-20T06:00:00.001-04:00

Hi. My name is Elizabeth and I blog at Simple Simon & Co with my sister-in-law Liz. Yes, we are two girls who married brothers, who always had the same first name and then ended up with the same last names. Confusing, yes. We get it all the time. We are teased as being the good Liz and the bad Liz...but we won't confess which is which on a particular day. We blog about sewing, crazy thrift store finds, and we also love to see what we can make every week for $5 or less. Come see us sometime! We'd love to have you join us.

I have had linen and lace on the brain lately. Sadly, I have had a summer bag cut out of linen and lace for over a month now that was inspired by Jessica's market bag, but I need the energy to start it. I have had much more success with smaller projects lately. Maybe sometime soon I will get more enthusiasm for a bigger and longer project.
Anyway, this belt was made from the scraps of the linen and lace bag. The lace was a thrift store find that was on a bolt for a dollar--and I love it! The other great thing about this project is that was about a thirty minuter so I could easily fit it into "resting time" which in the summers are way shorter than my usual sewing time.

So, if you need a fast and easy scrap project here is what I did.

And here's how you make it...

And you are done! A quick and easy summer update to your wardrobe...that looks expensive, but is really made of scraps. Score!

Can you see the safety pin at the back? This dress form is about Hannie's size waist.....and I made the belt for me. Hence the huge tuck in the back.

I do love velvet ribbon. Anyone have any good online sources? This spool was on clearance because it had a flaw, but it was still pretty expensive. I sometimes just wish I had a fabric and ribbon fairy.

Jessica, thanks for having me.....it is always a fun time over here.

Thanks Elizabeth! Isn't that adorable? Leave her some comment love girls! Up next tomorrow - Melissa from Love Affair with my Brother. See you then!

xoxo

jessica

Sew Homegrown

{DIY} The Patchwork Scarf

Tokyo International Quilt Festival 2012!!

{DIY} "Stained Glass" Heart Garland

{DIY} A Kokeshi Valentine

Sew come on in...

{DIY} Ribbon Storage

Home

The Top 8 of 2011

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto...

Ask and you shall

Shake it like a salt shaker...

A-lure-ing Table Setting

Candied Citrus Peel

{DIY} Felt Trees

Holiday Projects and Recipes

{DIY} Woodland Winter Wreath

It's a....

Our Halloween

Defining Your Decorating Style

The whole room...

{DIY} Mason Jar Sewing Kit - the tween version

{DIY} Panels with Grommets

The Details...

Hey, Pumpkin!

A Quilt to Pass the Time...

{DIY} Anthro Pinwheel Pushpins

To Tear or Not To Tear...

{DIY} Love You to Pieces Skirt

Macaroni and Cheese...my weakness

Over on Prudent Baby: Rayon Sewing 101

Inspiration Board: Charlotte's Three Year Old Room

Delectable Apple Crisp

{DIY} Anthropologie-inspired Headband

Halloween Outfit Part 2: {DIY} Tulle Skirted Leggings

God Bless America

Halloween Outfit Part One: {DIY} Applique T-shirt

*Inspired Homemaking* - Fall Ideas

{DIY} T-shirt to Tunic

My Super Mommy Smoothie

Announcement #2:

Anchors Aweigh...

{DIY} Early Fall Cardi

We Ate Cake

One down, one to go...

Bookworm's Birthday Bash

Oh, oh it's magic...

A Bow Fit for a Princess

Nellie and Joe's Key Lime Pie

Fun Business Cards

Over on FaveCrafts Blog!

Rustic Spindle Bench

Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow. . .

It has begun...

*CTSB* Blow the Blues Away. . . with Blow Painting

*CTSB* - Boy's Builder Bedroom - liZ from Simple Simon and Co.

*CTSB* - "Grass Babies" a kid's craft with Sunni from Love Affair with my Brother

*CTSB*: Sweet and Spicy Pork Lettuce Wraps - Tristin from Two Girls Being Crafty

*CTSB* - {DIY}Anthropologie-inspired Bracelet - Beverly from Flamingo Toes

*CTSB* - Summer Recipes from Ask Anna...

*CTSB* - Organzing Children's Clothing - Melissa from Love Affair with My Brother

*CTSB*: Vintage Lace and Linen Belt - Elizabeth from Simple Simon & Co.

Inspired Homemaking - Fall Ideas

CTSB Blow the Blues Away. . . with Blow Painting

CTSB - Boy's Builder Bedroom - liZ from Simple Simon and Co.

CTSB - "Grass Babies" a kid's craft with Sunni from Love Affair with my Brother

CTSB: Sweet and Spicy Pork Lettuce Wraps - Tristin from Two Girls Being Crafty

CTSB - {DIY}Anthropologie-inspired Bracelet - Beverly from Flamingo Toes

CTSB - Summer Recipes from Ask Anna...

CTSB - Organzing Children's Clothing - Melissa from Love Affair with My Brother

CTSB: Vintage Lace and Linen Belt - Elizabeth from Simple Simon & Co.