Keeping It Simple - Bricks and Banners

It's here again.  Already!  Halloween, apple picking, pinecones and colored leaves.  The season's fly by so quickly I can hardly keep up.  We took a trip out to the Old Town main street the other day to pick up our fall and winter spices.  It is an all cobblestone st... [More]

Keeping It Simple - Polka Dot Aprons with Accessories

Lucy's birthday party is coming up in a couple of days.  She wants an apron, and those things you wear on your hands (oven mitts).  My daughter said it should be bright and colorful and wanted to make it herself but there just isn't much time and I was busy getting ready for a rath... [More]

Keeping It Simple - Embroidered Book Slings

Do your kids love to read?  Ours do, but keeping track of the library books can be a challenge.   And while our daughter was reorganizing their schoolroom area she wanted a reading nook and a place to keep those library books.  Here is what we came up with:   The original ... [More]

Keeping It Simple - Create A Fabric Background and Embroider Some JOY

Have you ever just had an idea that kept calling out to you?  This is one of those projects.  More than a year ago I found this pile of blocks in the clearance section of a local department store.  The packages had been broken open and a couple of the lettered blocks were missing.&nbs... [More]

Keeping It Simple - Pillows with Flapped Edges

Our girls love to read.  So much that our daughter is making a special reading nook out of a closet in her schoolroom area.  The seven year old, who always wants to add her thoughts to a project brought me a picture.  The pillow had these different,  flapped edges and she asked i... [More]

Monograms Made Easy

Monograms are the oldest form of identification in the world, dating back to Greek and Roman times. First used as a form of currency in the barter system, monograms served many roles from indicating social status to serving as a signature for royals and artists. Perhaps most obvious, they identifie... [More]

Keeping It Simple Storage Cubes Big and Little - Part 2

This sewing room organization may take all year at the rate I am going.  It's a great idea to give everything a "home" but I had no idea that I has so much stuff.  Anyway I said I would do a tutorial on different ways to make those little fabric cubes. I have to warn you that... [More]

Keeping It Simple - Storage Cubes Big and Little - Part 1

Organize, organize and organize some more.  I decided to give my sewing room a makeover of sorts.  The goal however, is to repurpose as many items as possible without spending much money.  Well, this could take all year -that is how bad my room is.  But as it comes along I will s... [More]

A Pretty Felt Playhouse -Part 2

Finished!  And with a little time to spare. We decided to just button down the sides instead of sewing them.  It will make removing it from the table and folding it up for storage a little easier.  Kate got to see it during the final fitting since she is doesn't talk much and is t... [More]

Sweet Sweet Shoes

Our baby girl just loves shoes, anyone's shoes will do.  She brings them to be put on and clomps around, falling about every other step.  She carries them around hugging them like they were baby dolls, pushes them in her stroller and throws them in the trash (then wants them ... [More]

Gotta Love a Baked Potato

For several years I have seen and heard about bags made to bake potatoes in the microwave. They are touted to produce fluffy, moist baked potatoes.  So when I had all the cotton stuff out to make the tortilla warmer I decided to make one and see.  Hey, what do you know, it works pretty wel... [More]