Handmade Holidays @ Sew, Mama, Sew!!!

Guess what is coming!?!

It's the 5th Annual Handmade Holidays @ Sew, Mama, Sew

I am sew excited!



I can't wait to see all the awesome tutorials and holiday inspirations.

Make sure to check it out, you don't want to miss this!

Added bonus....they have some great prizes to giveaway!

Pier 1 Inspired DYI Glass Knob Wall Hooks

A good friend was telling about these wonderful wall hooks she had seen at Pier one. They were beautiful but a little pricey if you wanted enough for everyone in the house. So I decided to make my own. I am not sure if these are the exact ones she saw but these are the ones I liked on their website. I really loved the hardware on these.

Here is my finished product....

Now it isn't exactly the same but I love it!

It more than serves it's purpose and it only cost me  28 bucks to make.

Want to know how I did it? Here ya go!

What you will need:

Wall hook or hooks of your choosing-preferably wood or something soft you can drill though with enough spacing for knobs.

Knobs of your choosing and enough that your space will allow for.

(I only had room for 2 Knobs)

Power drill

Drill bit slightly larger that your screw for the knob

Tape measure

Marker or some sort of marking tool

I found these wall hooks on clearance at Lowe's for 15 dollars. I absolutely love the look. 

I also found these knobs in Lowe's for around 4 dollars each.

If you can't find them in your local hardware store check the thrift shops. I actually went to a thrift store first but a lady had been in just before me and cleaned them out of all glass knobs. :( Boo! Luckily I found some at Lowe's that were big enough. i am sure you could probably find them online as well.

Now take your hooks and decide where you want your knobs to go. I measured between each hook and just put them in the middle of that measurement. Mark your spots and make sure they are even. Mine were not in the pic but I did fix that.

Next, again make sure your bit is slightly larger that your screw.

Now drill your holes where you marked your spots. Once you are done and happy with their location apply your knobs. Mine had a screw that went through the back of the wood and attached to the knob on the front. I used the screw driver attachment on my drill to make sure the knobs were nice and snug.

There you have it! My new wall hooks for 50 dollars less. I am really happy with how they turned out. They really help my entry way as we don't have enough space there for a mud room or area for that matter.

Ham, Scallion (green onion), & Cheese Holiday Dip

Holidays are in full swing which means good food will soon be all around us! There are certain things I only make at holidays. I save these recipes for special occasions and holidays because they bring back precious memories of family and time gone by. This recipe is one my Mom and Dad have been making since I was little that I now share with my family. It is really simple with only three ingredients. Don't be fooled though, these three pack a wonderful punch of flavor.

Supplies:

2 packages cream cheese- softened

2 cups of thinly sliced ham -chopped (more if you like it)

1 bunch of Scallions-chopped (more if your like me ;))

I happen to have a plant on my patio.....a good handful or so will do. This just depends on you taste for the onion.

Place all ingredients together and mix well.

Now here is where my mother and I differ. She likes to mix this with her hands.....I do not. I put this in my mixer with the paddle attachment and let it do all the mixing. This is up to you, just as long as it is mixed well it doesn't really matter how you do it.

Now once mixed form a ball or round shape for easy dipping and chill for at least an hour. Overnight is best ...all the flavors get happy and marry.;) Now enjoy with any cracker or dipping utensil of your choosing. I prefer whole grain crackers myself. I hope you enjoy this as much as we do.

 

Are there any dishes you save just for certain occasions? If so, do share...I love a good recipe! ;) Happy eating!

When one gets it, we all get it :(

We have been struck with the tummy bug. :{ Needless to say there has been very little Mommy time lately ...so no blogging. I am happy to report that the doctor gave us the all clear and we are feeling much better. My camera is crying to be loaded onto my laptop so I can do some post I had lined up. Post coming soon...Promise!  

Project Spools

In the fabric store certain fabrics grab my attention for certain projects. While my intentions are great at the time I don't always follow through with a project. I have been known in the past to stash and dash certain fabrics. Usually I  forget I have them. Horrible right....well I think I have found a solution. Project spools. This is great for projects with smaller cuts.

Currently I have some fat quarters for a fall/winter table runner. While redoing my craft room I found them stuffed away, still in the bag :-o This is what prompted this idea.

Supplies:

Empty Tulle spools or any larger type spool

(you could probably cut a paper towel spool in half)

Small rubber bands

post its or small scrap of paper

fabric 

Start by pulling the label and stickers off your fabric. Unfold then length ways but don't unfold them the rest of the way. If your fabric is from the bolt just fold it so it is long enough to wrap around your spool and narrow enough to fit on your spool. Line them all up one on top of another.

Take your empty spool and start wrapping your fabric sandwich around your spool.

After it is all wrapped slip a small rubber band over the spool and fabric. I used the little elastic for hair. There are like 50 in a package.

 Write your project info on the post it and slip it under the band. This is also a good place to write little notes about your project you don't want to forget.

Find a cute little container and store within plain sight. I put mine on a small pedestal so I would see it every time I go into my craft room to remind me to do those projects.

This really helps me stay on top of my projects and keep my stuff a little more organized.

Added tip...I use the giant mailing tubes for wrapping and storing quilt tops that aren't finished. You can purchase these pretty cheap or buy a poster. This is what they usually come in. We purchased a couple posters for K's room and I knew instantly what to do with the tubes.

Pic from Amazon.com

Book + Little Boys = Book Repair Post

My boys love to read. They also do

not quite understand the importance of treating their books nicely . In their excitement to read a new/old book this happened. Luckily for me throughout grade school and high school I worked in the library during some elective spots I had. We came across many neglected books. Being a smaller school with  even smaller funds we had to repair rather than replace. This is how we did it.

Repair supplies:

Scissors

Clear packing tape

Victimized book

You start by lining up the torn pages or in my case the cover and the remains of the book. Place the packing tape at the top of you page so that half of the tape is on the torn page and the other half is on the spine and book. Cut your tape at the bottom flush with your book. Wrap your tape and press really well, making sure to keep everything lined up.

For the pages you line them up just the same. Make sure there are no gaps between the pages and the spine or your book will not line up when closed. Place your tape at the top of the page straddling both pages. Press firmly. Trim tape flush with the bottom of your book.

There you have it. Good as new! Well maybe not brand new. How do you like that lovely bite E took out of the corner. Silly kid. I have since had to move all the books up a couple shelves. This lovely book was one of many a friend gave me when I was pregnant with K. They were from her childhood in the 50's. One of my favorite shower gifts.

Yes ...that is a hot pink robe sleeve. LOL It was early  and I was still in P.J. mode. ;)

So next time your little monster slays a book see if it is salvageable before tossing it. Books can be expensive and a penny saved is a penny earned! ;) Happy Reading Everyone!

Added tip....we would also do this to a book at the first sign of damage to prevent more damage. Say you have a small tear at the base or a page is coming loose. This will help prevent further damage.

Project Runway-Aholic....

                             
                               Photo from  Lifetime.com Project Runway Blog
                                          

Hi. My name is Ashley and I am a Project Runway-aholic. ;}) I have been watching since day one and I think I have a problem. I even have a hard time turning away from re-runs I have seen a million times. There have been a couple of times when I swore I would never watch again (Mondo and Korto) but I can't help myself. I thought both of those designers deserved the win. Just my opinion. Oh and did I mention I LOVE Tim Gunn! "Make it work" "Where's  Andrae" I think if I ever met him I would pee my pants and he would say something clever advising me to clean myself up. Hehe. I also heart Michael Kors. He is so funny (Reggae Jesus) LMAO. This season I am really liking Viktor. I just finished tonight's episode and Tim made me cry being so sweet to Kimberly. I know I am a dork.

Now onto why I really wrote this. I can't contain myself....MONDO is going to be on the Project Runway All stars!!!!! I can't wait! Come on November! I really loved him (who didn't) and I hope he gets the win this time around.

Anywho, I had to cast my excitement somewhere and what better place than blogland. My guys, unfortunately, do not share my enthusiasm for the show. I usually have to search out the ladies on my sewing group to really gossip about the show. So, anyone else as exited as I am for the All Stars?