Cozy Car Caddy by Jill

We love getting all sorts of ideas from craft blogs everywhere to make for our families. When I saw the cute Cozy Car Caddy on homemade by jill (click link for her tutorial). I knew I'd be making it for my three-year-old. Being the least skilled at sewing of the three of us, I felt this was something I could handle. Here's my version:

The changes/shortcuts I took were these:

• I used a double layer of regular quilting cotton as I didn't have any duck fabric on hand.
• I used foam stamps instead of the stencil intending to paint over them again, but I liked the faded look of one layer of paint a lot and kept it that way.
• I didn't 'get' the Velcro closure part and so I used a ribbon folded over to make a loop and placed a button on the back. My little boy likes to button his own buttons now so this is perfect.

This is going to be ideal for taking in the car or for quiet time in church (if boys can really be quiet playing cars in church). Now my eight year old wants one. I'd like to make a My Little Pony version for my little girl, but time will tell if that materializes. Here's the very happy recipient. I don't know how he's survived these two days (though it just took two hours of those two days) to make this.

--C

What's New Out There?

I've had a great time perusing the craft blogs that we follow regularly.
It was so much fun, in fact, that it left me wondering...
What Else Is Out There?
Naturally, there's no way for one (or two or three) people to discover all the cool crafting blogs out there.
Leave a link (or two or three) of your favorites out there in the blog-o-sphere, even if it is someone we already have in our sidebar.
If YOU have a craft blog, promote away!

Get Down with Scrapbooking: Fun Times!

We had so much fun at the charity crop this weekend!

Here is Anisa with her sister-in-law Shelly.

Angie definitely accomplished the most, finishing the most layouts of the three of us.

Me (Cami) and my mom, Cindy

The food and people involved were amazing.

Anisa taught a class on making an acrylic mini-album that brought in more money for the foundation. She did an awesome job designing it and putting all the supplies together.
We took a group photo too late in the game. Many had already left and I was sad we didn't have the benefit of natural lighting. Here we are anyway...

We left already looking forward to next year!!!

Get Down with Scrapbooking: Before the Crop

What: Get Down with Scrapbooking, a crop with procedes going to the Utah Down-Syndrome Foundation
When: January 22nd and 23rd 2010
Where: Jefferson Place Club House Sandy, UT
Why: to help the Utah Down Syndrom Foundation in a small way in support those families affected by Down Syndrome by raising funds while having FUN

Get Down with Scrapbooking was started by Marlene Kinikini with her husband's support to give back to the Foundation that had so helped their family. (BTW, Marlene is Angie's cousin)

Anisa, Angie and I asked to help out for this year's event. What a priviledge and joy it was for us to be part of this.

The set-up:




Silent Auction bidding goodies:

Let the FUN begin!!!

Angie, Anisa and I are off tonight for the early-bird beginning of Get Down with Scrapbooking charity crop. The crop benefits the Utah Down Syndrome Fountation and we're excited to be part of this. If you have a desire to donate to this great cause, email us and we'll tell you how to best do it.
Look here next week for pictures of all the fun we had AND look at our little side-blog Twiddle-Scraps to see the layouts we made (I'm also hoping that we can post the scrapbook layouts of other participants).

On a side note, one of my personal favorite blogs is up for a weblog award. Go here (and scroll right) to vote for How About Orange! (and any other blogs you love)

--C

Happy Birthday to me!

I am soooo excited for the Get Down with Scrapbooking Crop this weekend because Cami bought me Maya Mists for my birthday!!! I have been wanting some Maya Mists for awhile. Maggie Holmes is one of my favorite scrapbookers and my old neighbor. I love her stuff and lately she has been using the mists a lot. So, I was super excited when Cami gave them to me for my birthday!!!

Here are a few layouts that I have done with the mists. I have plans for a lot more!!! And I get to scrapbook for two days!!!

Valentine's Wood Craft Workshop

I really am obsessed with birds and owls (yes, I know owls are birds). I hope you like what I came up with for Valentine's Crafts. If you live in the Salt Lake Valley, check out the class dates. If you don't live in the Salt Lake Valley, I am willing to ship... painted or unpainted. Two Little Love Birds Sitting in a tree: $15 Bird Trio: $10 (stands are $5) Hanging Owl: $18

Dates:

• Tues. Jan. 26th 10am-noon (kids welcome)
• Thurs. Jan. 28th 6pm-9pm
• Sat. Jan. 30th 10am-noon

email me at anisascholes@gmail.com to sign up for the class at least a week in advance or if you have any questions.

-anisa

Wearing Art

My little girl has been drawing this simple flower and variations of such since she was four.

I found them immediately appealing and so cute. I encourage all my children to draw a lot and this is the first image I feel like she invented as part of her budding signature drawing style. To me it's very cool and I thought she'd really like it if I embroidered her 'pinwheel flowers' onto a shirt for her. She most definitely does!

I couldn't resist doing one for myself.

I tried to keep the look in line with a child's crayon drawing.

I just used three-ply embroidery floss and a back stitch. Here's a brief explanation of how a back stitch is created:

To start this stitch bring the thread up from the back of the fabric on the line that you want to create. Make a small backward stitch through the fabric. Bring the needle through the fabric a little in front of the first stitch and still on the line. Pull the thread through the fabric. Make the second stitch backward, bringing the needle out a little in front of the second stitch and still on the line. Repeat this movement and continue sewing in such a manner along the line. (I got this explanation here)

--C