Nothing. I've got nothing.

One more day of teasing I suppose.

This has been an unusually unusual week. I have taken a big of a blog/creative hiatus, but hope to return soon.

I will have a project post sometime tomorrow night that I will post.

So much for keeping up with my blogging schedule. I should know better than to give myself a deadline.

Sigh.

Motivation

In the spirit of trying to get into a regular posting schedule/habit, I have come up with another catchy daily post title.

Friendly Friday.

Don't laugh. I'm serious. LOL I don't know why I'm laughing. Probably because it sounds geeky.

I don't care. I'm a geek. :)

The purpose will be to connect anyone who comes across this blog to a blog/blog post that I love or have found inspiration in. If you loved something, let me know!


On to my first Friendly Friday!

I found this blog a few weeks ago called Freckled Nest. It has a wonderful post on how to stay motivated while you craft.

Who doesn't need a little motivation?? (Heaven knows I do sometimes...a lot....almost always...)

Jump on over and read the post on 5 Ways to Stay Motivated While You Craft.

After you're done reading that, go back to her main page and look through her posts. She has some amazing pictures!

Introducing Teaser Thursdays!

I've been enjoying an extended Christmas break due to... inclement weather (that's what the automated system tells me when it calls to tell me I don't have school). One would think that with all the extra time off work (7 extra days to be exact), I would have a ton of time to sew, craft, and be merry. Not so much. There was a little sewing (which I'll share in a post later), but mostly I chased after my toddler. :)

Back to Teaser Thursdays!

In order to get myself into a regular posting schedule, I have decided upon this: a Thursday post that shows what I'm working on. By the weekend I should have a completed project to share.

Why Thursday? (I was hoping someone would ask) Thursday is my night off. The "baby" (I don't know if I can still call a 2 1/2 year old a baby) stays with my in-laws, and the hubby occupies himself with school work or farm work.

The picture is a sneak peek at tonight's project. Obviously it's for Valentine's Day. I'm so proud of myself for not waiting until the week OF Happy Hearts Day to whip up something. I'm also happy that Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice are back on so I can indulge in that guilty pleasure while I work on it!

Stay tuned...

Buttercup Bag

I finished my Buttercup Bag!

(the fabric I found at Hobby Lobby, by the way. Of course...)

It was super easy, super quick, and (if I do say so myself) super cute.

The only change I made to the original pattern was adding a sew-in interfacing to the lining.

It is quite small, but I think it will be a great bag for a date night or girls' night out. You know, when I don't have to carry around diapers, wipes, or other baby paraphernalia. ;)

All my thanks to Made By Rae for making this great pattern available!

Wrist Pin Cushion

In my Post Christmas To Do List, I mentioned that I wanted to make a ruffled scarf. My first, second, and third attempts were all FAILS. Miserable. I am putting away the elastic thread for a while until I can look at it without wanting to curse.

Blah. That's how I feel about elastic thread right now.

On to happier news--the wrist pincushion was a huge success. I love it. It's cute. Etc, etc.
(Bring on the pictures!!)















(Don't you love my multipurpose IKEA task light/picture prop? You know you want one.)
















I embroidered a little "C" so no one will steal it. (See that tomato pin cushion in the background of the first picture? I'm going to save the strawberry off of it and THROW IT AWAY! That is how much I love this.)















I cut a small square out of a box (incidentally, a ThermaCare box) to put in it so I wouldn't stick myself. I bent the corners just a bit to make it easier to stuff inside. It made the hand-sewing very easy when I stitched the opening closed.

I got this fabric out of the remnant bin at Hobby Lobby (the remnant bin and I have a love-love relationship). It probably cost around $1.50. I have enough left to make my whole family 3 of these apiece. (Not that they would want one. Or need one for that matter...)



Moving on...

I downloaded the Buttercup pattern off the Made By Rae site a few days ago. Here's a sneak peak as to what I'm going to do with that...

















Looks like my list might get completed after all! (with exception of the ruffle scarf...which we don't need to talk about.)

Happy Days!

Family Journal

I will preface this post by saying that there is no picture. Boring! Sorry... The little one is about to wake up from her nap and I wanted to get this in! There are some fabulous links though!


I vow to be more organized in the upcoming year.

Seriously...I need to work on my openings...

I have come across some of the CUTEST family planners/journals in the last couple of weeks.

I have no interest in keeping an appointment calendar. I would like something I can keep by my bed to record thoughts before bedtime or when I wake up. I love the idea of having a record of my family's year.

Like the diary I had when I was a teenager, only momma-fied. :)

I first discovered this family journal idea here, at Nap Time Journal. Didn't she make the cutest journal ever?? (My google reader loves to see new posts from this blog!)

Ahhh Design has some free downloadable (my spell check says that isn't a word...hmm...) sheets, as well as others you can purchase. Cute!

As soon as I settle on a notebook for my journal and put it together (which should be sometime in 2014...) I will post it!

Yummy Brownie Goodness

Okay, the official name for these are Festive Candy Cane Kiss Centered Brownie Bites (go check out the pics she did. They're yummy). All respect to the author of Picky Palate, but I like to call these "Yummy Brownie Goodness".

A couple of changes I made/will make...I forgot that the melting chocolate needed cream. I started dipping the brownie tops after they cooled, but the chocolate was more like icing (as in, I took a knife and spread it on...). I dipped about 5 of them, got bored, and just drizzled the rest with chocolate.

They were pretty :). I handed them out to some coworkers and they acted like they loved them. I did think they were a little dry. I'm going to try them again and play with the time/temperature. Not anytime soon though. I'm kinda sick of eating sweets (WHAT?!?) and baking due to the onslaught of both during the holiday season.