New Years Goal

So my goal for this new year coming is to spend time on the blog and post something every week.  Hopefully something fun, something creative.  It has been hard to start my home business of sewing and craft classes but I want to be able to express some fun ideas.  I can't guarantee each post will be educational, hopefully it will have  some fun stuff.  So this is my post for this week and starting next week I will post each week with something to do, to follow, to make, to read or just to laugh at.

Christmas Gift Exchange

  So here is my goody box ready to mail to gift exchange partner.  She lives in Rhode Island.  I hope she enjoys this package of goodies which include:

A homemade Christmas Stocking

some glitter ball ornaments,

31 Days of Joy…this is a great little book that gives you ideas to take pictures of for the whole month of December, things to remember, and to jot down things to do and to create.

And last but not least:

Cute reversible word blocks.

 

I hope she enjoys all these fun and creative things. I can’t wait to see what her package contains just for me.

Yw Value bracelets

It seems even if you are not in YW but have a young women you still get drawn in to help. Now she is in the Laurels we decided to make value bracelets. In our ward from Utah Jen our YW president made us all bracelets including us in the presidency. My daughter has worn hers out and also mine, so I guess now is a great time to make another one. "A" came with me to pick out the stones, she had so much fun making sure each color was a unique and different stone then the other colors. So here is a completed bracelet, it turned out way cute.

24 days of Christmas

Every year I do a countdown until Christmas.  I start on Dec. 1 and go until Christmas Eve.  Part of this tradition is that I wrap up CHristmas books and christmas dvd's.  I usually wrap them up in jan. or feb. to save me time when it gets close to christmas.  Also included in the mix is activities that we can do as a family.  I sit down and mark out the days and sort out which days will work for a book, activities and a dvd.  Since I didn't wrap them last winter, I have been searching for the right paper to go with this years color theme, and I found it.  I was so excited, so step 1 is done...they are all wrapped and ready to go.  Next I have to figure out how I want to display this years advent activities.  I better start planning.



books and dvd's

Christmas Color Theme...

So with a new move to New Mexico, we wanted to have some new memories for the holidays.  SO I decided to try a whole new color theme this year.  SO I have been searching high and low for the color scheme we wanted.   We wanted to use the bright pinks, green, teal and purple.  So yesterday while hunting at Hancock Fabrics I found this way cute fabric.  Check it out...
I will post once I get my creative juices overflowing..

Easy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies

These Pumpkin Chocolate chip cookies are the easist you will ever make.  It only requires 3 ingredients ( I did use 4 because I didn't have a small can of Pumpkin pie filling, so I needed to add Pumpkin Pie spice or cinnamon and nutmeg)

Recipe:
1 box of Spice cake
Small can of Pumpkin Pie filling
(If using a big can, use 2 cake mixes)
1/2 bag of Chocolate chips
Pumpkin Pie spice ( is needed)

Preheat oven to 350*. Mix the pumpkin and cake mix and spices in a bowl.  Don't use a mixer it makes it fluffier and the cookies don't turn out as good.  Stir until all the cake mix is mixed in with the pumpkin.

 

After it has been all stirred add the chocolate chips and stir until completely mixed in.

Lightly spray a cookie sheet and use a spoon and drop the dough on the tray.

Place cookies in heated oven for 20 minutes then remove and cool.

Enjoy them while they are are warm and yummy.

Yw Personal Progress Holder

This is a simple project to make for your young women or to have them make them.  I made this several years ago my daughter so I don’t know who the original designer is…sorry.  I don’t take credit for it.

Supplies Needed:

1 Yard of quilted fabric---will make 6 holders (by picking the quilted material you have 2 different prints to use)

matching thread

quilt binding or wide ribbon folded in half

ribbon to tie binder

Step 1:

Cut material….Cut in half (18 inches) then cut the half into thirds (15 inches)

So your piece  is 18” x 15”

Step 2:

To make the process faster for the girls (and for me to save my sanity dealing with 6 girls who have never sewn) I sewed the binding on the material.  Or you can double fold and sew it to save on the binding.

The bottom piece was bound with binding tape and the top one was ribbon.

Step 3:

This is were I let the girls take over.  Make sure you have a PP book with you to measure.  Take the material and fold the bottom up about 5” (measure with the book) Then have them pin 3 sections for their journal, PP book and Strength for Youth, etc..books.  You will have a section on the end left over.  I sew a seam or 2 to use as a pencil/pen holder.  After pinning it in place have the YW sew.  I found out because they don’t sew that they go very slow and it is hard for them to sew the outside seams because they are thick and you need speed.  SO I had them sew the inside seams.

Step 4:

I have the girls measure the ribbon and pin it where they want it to go.  Then sew it on (again I did it because you have to wiggle the under fabric so you don’t sew it) when you sew it sew it backwards so the ribbon will flip over the seam.  Then you are done and your girls will enjoy them.

Enjoy and have fun.

New idea....

I have been so busy crafting away for the craft fair next weekend. I am hoping to get my classes advertized with this fair. I am so excited. I am also going to start posting fun and creative crafts for you to be able to do. I just finished this cute dress for my little neice for halloween from a t-shirt. I will post this idea as soon as I get pictures of her in it(except I have to mail it first). I have been sewing and crafting away on so many fun things. I just have to get in the habit of posting these ideas. Stay tuned for more things. I still have openings in upcoming classes. My November classes are going to be greatest because we will be getting ready for Christmas. My favorite season.

On its way...

So this has been a crazy month. Between a lot of doctor appointments with kids and starting a new business it seems it never ends. Well, Crafts by the Handful is finally up and running. Waiting to start classes. Advertising has been harder then I planned. I really want to get things going fast. I have so many fun and creative ideas I can't wait to share. Please sign up and come have fun. I am so excited to be nearing the huge holiday season. I love CHristmas and I can't wait to get into the holidays. I spare my family all the CHristmas joy until after Thanksgiving...but I do sneak in my Christmas scents and Christmas music when they aren't home...you have to have a weakness. I have been coming across so many great ideas......

It is coming together...

So I have been busy, busy working on the website to offer classes. It is hard working getting all the logistics together. I actually am looking forward to the calm of just teaching. I am planning on getting the website official by the 1st of sept. and then classes start the 17th. I have so many fun and exciting classes planned. I have so many fun and creative ideas and not enough time. So the fun about being the teacher is I can change the classes offered to allow all the fun to come out.

WELCOME EVERYONE.....

Welcome everyone....
I have recently moved to Rio Rancho, New Mexico. We moved from Wyoming were it is cool and wet, to the heat and dryness. I have officially started my own business. Crafts by the handful. I am offering classes for kids, adults, boys only and mommy and me. The classes are offered at my house. The variety of classes varies depending on the season and the holiday and of course the demand. Please check out the classes and sign up. The classes are limited.