More Buttons Please!

Hello again! It has been a long 2 weeks (Costa Rica's Mothers Day, my husbands Birthday, and food poisoning...) Some great times and some horrible times, but I am back.

The Perfect Button Storage!!!

What do you do with all those buttons? I have tried several different ways of storing buttons... I have stored them all in the same container (which is fine if you don't have many buttons, but the more you get the more difficult it is to find what you are looking for). I tried storing them in jars and containers but I didn't like having to dump everything out to find what I was looking for. Nothing seamed to satisfy my need for convenience and easy storage. So that is when I decided to create the button book:

First I made the cover. Then attached the button and elastic loop.

The pages are made up of 12 strong zip lock bags.

 I sewed the bottoms of the zip lock backs down with a strip of the same fabric I used on the outside. That way the zip lock bags turn like pages of a book and you can see the buttons you have all at once.

Well there you have it, the perfect way to store your buttons, the button book! :)

Cozy Cabin

I love spending time at my parents cabin, it's a great place to get away from the business of life and relax. Several years ago I did a watercolor painting of the outside of the cabin.

Recently my parents asked me to make some new curtains for the cabin. 

Together we chose red for the curtains, and agreed the color would pull out some of the hints of red around the cabin.

After I finished the curtains I made a bed spread with the leftover red material from the curtains to go in the master bedroom.

What's for Dinner???

I love getting organized! It inspires me to do things I don't like to do, like cooking. So, I decided I was going to make myself a Weekly Menu Planner in hopes it would inspire me to make dinner more often. In the process of making one for myself, I found some other images and clip arts I thought were fun so I made more to share. Enjoy!!! :)

Here are a few tips of ways you can display and use these menu's in your kitchen:

1) Print it out each week, fill it out, and stick it on your fridge. (not so environmentally friendly and may use up quite a bit of your printer's ink)

2) Print it out and slip it into a frame with glass, hang it in your kitchen, and use a dry erase marker.

3) Print it out and laminate it. Then glue some magnets on the back, stick it on your fridge, and use a dry erase marker. (This is the one I chose to do)

 I used card stock paper to make it a little more stiff, then laminated it which also helps to keep it nice and sturdy.  I used regular stick glue and long, thin, strips of magnets one at the top and one at the bottom. (be careful using liquid glue because it may cause the paper too become wavy).

Here is what it looks like on the fridge and ready to use. 

Working late...

Sometimes we teachers need a little inspiration for making all those lesson plans. For me, getting organized and making fun covers for my binders is inspiration enough! I am all ready to fill them up.

Speaking of inspiration... a great view from your studio always helps! Sorry the quality of the picture is not that great but the sunset is still beautiful! If your studio has a great view I would love to see it, share a picture in the comments or send me an e-mail.

About 10 months ago...

About 10 months ago my mom asked me to make a king sized quilt. Having never made a quilt and knowing nothing about the time and effort it takes to make one, I said "Sure, no problem". I had no idea what I had gotten myself into. However, after long hours and a lot of trial and error I have finally completed the quilt and I must say, it turned out pretty good.

First you have to cut what feels like a thousand squares. 

Then you have to sew them all together diagonally, cut, and repeat.

Then sew those squares together to make long strips of squares. But make sure two triangles of the same color are not touching.

Then sew the long strips together. But make sure two triangles of the same color are not touching.

And finally you have the top part!!! You may feel like your done, but your not.

Next step is to sew the back, batting and top squares together. I laid it out flat and pinned it, sewed a line, and repeated. (I do not think this is intended for a regular sewing machine... but I made it work.) Then finally you sew on the base tape (Which of course I made myself).

And finally place it on the bed, stand back, and breath a sigh of relief; because it's finally done.

For those of you who are like me and typically think things are easier then they are... I recommend starting with a baby quilt. Although, if you start with a king size quilt every other quilt you make will be a piece of cake. Let me know in the comments if you would rather start with a king or baby quilt.

Some of what I made in resin class :) there are a few pieces missing, but that is most of it. Super fun! I can't wait to do some more at home!!!

Polishing... finishing up resin class. So fun!