All Things Fee

Calling All Crafters: 114th Edition

2013-06-16T15:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Calling All Crafters!

A place where you can share your craftiness!

This week I am loving...

Once Upon A Sewing Machine's
Matilda Top & Skip And Play Pants

AND

Lady With the Red Rocker's
Pretzel Cheesecake Salad

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Grows: Irises

2013-06-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

When we first moved into our home ( 6 years ago!) I didn't have a single flower on our property.

Our front yard had hedges, and bushes and a random Christmas tree. No joke.

(I'll have to look for a picture of the Christmas tree....)

I have since ripped out the bushes and trees, and put in a flower bed out front.

It took me a couple years until I was completely happy with it, and that was just last year.

This year I've had to do a little weeding here and there but, overall it take up little of my time.

My favorite part being... my irises.

I've acquired three different kinds of irises.

Purple and White, Purple and Yellow, and White and Yellow.

The White and Yellow Irises are a nice surprise this year! Our property is skinny and long, so our garage sits in the middle of it and divides it in half. The front half has the house, garden and swingset and the backyard has a shed and an overgrown yard (we battle a little every year, but we always lose!) but this year I went back and these were in bloom! (Normally I miss them because we spend so little time back there!)

Every year I love clipping some and bringing them in!

Sometimes they multiple blooms make the stalks snap and I have to bring them in.

Here they are about a month ago closed...

And then open...

Love!

The irises are pretty easy to take care of really, just plant and wait really! Every couple years you have to dig them up and split them. That's on my garden to do for the fall this year too!

I've always had a green thumb for veggies and am just starting to feel good about flowers.

What's your go-to flower for your yard?

Crochets: Stitching together squares...

2013-06-12T08:00:00.000-04:00

This post should be titled:

Crochets: Stitching together someone else's not-so-square squares.

Eek!

I was asked to stitch together and 90 some year old woman's "squares" into a lap blanket. But once I got the "squares" I realized this was going to be harder than it should be. Here's the problem. No two "squares" are the same. Yikes. And actually not a single one is square, there is no pattern, she just crochets her day away, and when she is tired she ties them off. Which created a pile, that I acquired!

And that's what I had to work with. So, because they actually wanted two blankets, I decided to try to make the first easier than the second and find all the pieces that were similar in size. Then per their request, I used black to "sew" them together. Sounds simple enough.

Here is what I have come up with. Not bad for a first attempt

( Confession#1: I've never made a blanket bigger than a baby blanket.)

(Confession #2: I've never stitched multiple squares/blocks together.)

All that is left is going around the border once or twice.

And weave in all those pesky ends.

Then on to the next one.

Which is going to be a little more crazy because of all the different sizes.

Fingers crossed I can make it work!

Calling All Crafters: 113th Edition

2013-06-09T21:24:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Calling All Crafters!

A place where you can share your craftiness!

This week I am loving...

Organize 365's
Where do I start?

AND

Yellow Spool's
Add Snaps to Bathing Suit

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Upcycles: Umbrella Upcycled Part 2

2013-06-05T11:42:00.000-04:00

Did you miss Umbrella Upcycled Part 1? Check it out, it's working out perfectly!

After I used the wooden frame of the umbrella in the garden, I didn't want to throw the fabric part away. So, I got thinking and didn't have to go far for the answer. We picked up a swingset for the kids last summer off craigslist, and take one guess what part was missing?

Yup. The canopy. So there is no shade on top of the "fort".

And what made it hard was that it was a dome.

Last summer I attempted to sew one up from a drop cloth, but I just couldn't get it 100% right.

So I gave up.

In a way I am glad I did.

After taking the fabric off the umbrella for the garden, I couldn't bare to throw it out.

That's when it hit me! Use the umbrella fabric for the dome!

All I had to do to the umbrella fabric, was remove two panels.

Using zip ties, I attached the bottom of the fabric to the poles of the dome.

I just went from pole to pole in the dome and tried to line up the seams from the umbrella.

Once I got to the last panel, I cut out the excess (two panels)

Then I lined up the last two seams and stapled them together, and zip tied in an addition spot.

( just until I come up with a better idea! I'm thinking glue, or hand stitching?)

It's not perfect, but not bad for free!

It will probably fade horribly by the end of the season, and that's okay for me!

I'm already thinking that I can use this has a pattern for next year!

Calling All Crafters: 112th Edition

2013-06-03T09:52:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Calling All Crafters!

A place where you can share your craftiness!

This week I am loving...

The Tip Toe Fairy's
Caramel Sauce

AND

Ellens Creative Passage's
Summering Up The Deck
(Love her bench! There's so much more than that though, so check it out!)

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Summer of JoAnn Inspired Bandana Blanket!

2013-05-30T13:42:00.000-04:00

Please use hashtag #summerofjoann when pinning!

After seeing this children's quilting class in the Spring Catalog offered at my local JoAnn's...
I couldn't stop thinking about it, and had to make it!

Because it was a class offered, I had not directions to go from. But based on the image it looks like they cut each bandana on the diagonal and then pieced together. (They also trimmed the edges off)
Then, backed like a traditional quilt.

I've always wanted a summer blanket that will:

-fold up pretty small ( to store in the car)

- be light weight

-wash easy

-be water resistant on bottom

-be cute!

In order to make mine to fufill my "wants" I had to do it a bit differently!

I picked up 9 bandanas, so that I could sew them 3 x 3.
Using the bandanas make the blanket light weight, and that makes it fold pretty small!

The red and blue bandanas screamed summer to me!

Each bandana is roughly 22" square, making my blanket 66" square.

When I got home, I prewashed them. And boy was I happy I did. I assumed the red would bleed but in the end, the blue bled. And bad.

So Once they were dry, I started playing with them trying to decide how to cut them.

Originally I wanted to cut them into triangles but then realized that I would have to square the bandanas up first, because they were just a bit off here and there. And because I'm terrible at getting a perfect square... you can guess what happened!

That's when I decided to not cut into them.
And by not cutting into them I could skip backing it if I could figure out how to get flat seams.
That's when the idea of using a zig zag like they do for applique-ing.

Using my largest zig zag stitch, then half the length, I got to work! It took some time to get the pieces lined up to start, but then it was a breeze! I went over each seam twice. I'm thinking about doing it maybe 2 more times so that I know they are really strong. And to make them look like applique more.

(Any tips on how to get the stitch closer together? When I tried to get it like an applique, it jammed up!)

Now, even though I originally wanted a summer "quilt" I decided, why back it with fabric to just get wet, which will then make it heavy when folding up to go home with.

And that's where a vinyl tablecloth, and snaps come in to play!

Put your vinyl tablecloth vinyl side down, with your your blanket on top and line up your snaps.

Now, your blanket (and bottom!) won't get wet from the damp grass!

I love how a simple children's sewing project evolved into the perfect picnic blanket that will fit our family's needs! Now, the rain needs to go away so we can enjoy our new summer picnic blanket!

Did you know that you can sign up for exclusive discounts?

Become a preferred customer today!

Calling All Crafters: 111th Edition

2013-05-26T13:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Calling All Crafters!

A place where you can share your craftiness!

This week I am loving...

The Princess and Her Cowboys's
Chocolate Covered Strawberry Pie

AND

Ellen's Creative Passage's
Bandana Quilt
(hilarious! I was just asked to make a bandana quilt! And just bought my supplies!)

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Grows: Upcycled Umbrella Part 1

2013-05-22T07:17:00.002-04:00

I love when I can find a use for something that otherwise would have ended up in the garbage.

After seeing this, I literally ran out to the shed and pulled our broken wooden umbrella out, and put it in the garden!

Our umbrella snapped just below where it screwed together, so I just unscrewed the bottom broken piece off, and placed it in the garden.

As time went on, I added a 6 ft x 6ft square that I made out of furring strips ( 1/2" x 1") just to give the kids a visual boundary! Then using some cotton yarn, Measured and tied off at 1 foot in on each side.

Since taking this picture, I've added some seeds!

Bottom left square: Beets.

bottom rectangle: Swiss Chard

Bottom Right Square: Red Onion

Right rectangle: Nothing yet!

Top right square: Beets

Top Rectangle: Collards

Top left square: Red Onion

Left rectangle: Lettuces

In the very center I added Sunflowers, so they can grow up the middle and be tied to the center pole (that you can't see in the picture because of the angle!) Then at the bottom of each umbrella "leg" I planted beans and cucumbers!

I'm loving this addition to my garden!

And the fact it was free is even better!

So, if you have a broken umbrella, don't throw it out!

I've already been looking for another to add for next year!

Calling All Crafters: 110th Edition

2013-05-20T09:06:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Calling All Crafters!

A place where you can share your craftiness!

This week I am loving...

Sew Can Do's
Giraffe Fleece Coat

AND

While Wearing Heel's
Berry Boxes
(Oh the possibilities!)

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Grows: Frost Protection

2013-05-15T08:00:00.000-04:00

Ugh. Mother nature needs to stop teasing us here in Upstate NY.

The last couple weeks have been warming up beautifully, then the past two nights there have been frost warnings. Boo!

While it has been warm our "orchard" has been blossom-ing it up!

One out of two peaches, two out of three apples and three out of four blueberries have blossoms & buds! So when I heard frost, I started to panic. Last year a frost damaged our blueberries so we got very few, and in the end one of our bushes didn't make it, and had to be replaced this year.

To help protect the blossoms and buds I went the good old wrap it in plastic route.

Yes. It was a pain. But opening those bags up in the morning and see no damage made it worth it!

Since we have baby trees an are able to cover them with garbage bags that is what I did. In a year or two I will have to get some tarps. To start, I just pulled a bag over the top of the tree/bush as far down as it would go ( be gentle or you will damage the tree!) then I took another bag, and slit the bottom out so that I could go over the first bag and pull it farther down.

Not very pretty, but it worked!

For the tree above, I used three bags. One on the tall right section, one for the left section and one for the bottom.

Here is is all safe and sound! With no frost damage! Yea!

I even used my greenhouse over my irises just in case as they were ready to open any day now!

How has the weather been near you? Having to protect your garden too?

Or is the wintery weather behind you?

Calling All Crafters: 109th Edition

2013-05-13T08:20:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Calling All Crafters!

A place where you can share your craftiness!

This week I am loving...

Life After Empty Nest's
Organized Stockpile
(I love that not only is it organized, its realistic! Just what she needs, not ridiculous like you see on tv!)

AND

Color Paint Create's
Button Bracelet

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Busy. Busy. Busy.

2013-05-09T07:14:00.006-04:00

I always feel bad when I don't have more to share here!

But, lately life has just become so busy. Busy. BUSY!

As the days are getting warmer we are spending more time outdoors, playing in the garden, the sandbox and swings. Plus we have a tball player on our hands a few nights a week too! Plus three kids under the age of four, that alone makes blogging somewhat non existent! Oh, and the fact someone dropped my camera doesn't help either. Boo. The list of things we are up to goes on and on.

So here's a quick little tee pee I made for the garden, using sticks and yarn.

Nothing fabulous or permanent, just enough to grow some peas!

Hopefully I can finish up some loose ends on some projects to share soon!

Calling All Crafters: 108th Edition

2013-05-05T11:47:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Calling All Crafters!

A place where you can share your craftiness!

This week I am loving...

Ellen Creative Passage's
Cement Garden Balls

AND

Kid Approved's
Spring Jacket

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Grows: A Greenhouse!

2013-05-03T08:29:00.003-04:00

Even though this wasn't on my Garden Updates list, I had to do it!

My plants are taking over too many windows right now, and during the day it's warm enough for them but at night gets too cool. So, instead of bringing them in and out, I decided on making a little greenhouse! Another reason to make this? My mom cleaned out her basement and this was a play tent of mine as a kid! So this project was half completed before I started!

Here is all I needed! But you could make this very simply with PVC pipes and connections.

My frame and clear plastic.

Within an hour and no disruptions from the kids, I had this!

I used clear packaging tape, and started with the longer side, went up to the "peak" and down the other side. Then cut a piece for each side ( those were trick, but doable!)

If you were to want to make one, I believe the PVC would be 1/2", and instead of a curved top, you could either just do square or make a pointed roof. Would be pretty simple!

Do you garden? Use a coldframe or Greenhouse to extend your season?

Grows: Our Orchard!

2013-05-01T08:58:00.003-04:00

Last year, for my husband and I's wedding anniversary, I gave my husband two Peach trees.

One of the memories he shared early on in our relationship was that of his grandfather's peach trees.

So, I thought trees would be the perfect gift!

Peach trees need to be planted in groups of two or more in order for them to bear fruit. There are self pollinating Peach trees, but I was told by my nursery that I purchased them from that they do not produce as well as when you have more than one. That's why I purchased two (neither of which are self pollinators anyway).

Both the trees purchased were a couple years old (I assumed) and taller than I! This year they are more than 5 feet tall, so they should bear fruit this year! Fingers crossed we get at least one from each! That's all I am hoping for! Especially since this is what I saw this morning...

Our first flowers! Yea!

Then this year, I gobbled up a great deal through Gurney's nursery!

One Gold Rush Apple tree for $4.99!

(This was an email promotion, so sign up for them! I've seen several great deals in my email box!)

I would have gotten two but the sale limited me at one, so we went ahead and purchased a McIntosh tree (at a local nursery) so that our apple trees will bear fruit!

(Since starting this post, my husband picked up another apple tree! A Jona Mac! I told him no more! Until the back of our property is cleared!)

Now, from what I understand, as long as you have two trees of the same type of fruit (two peach trees, two apple trees, etc) you will bear fruit. But what's great about getting two different types of trees (for example our Gold Rush and McIntosh) we will not only get two types of apples, but they may produce at different times of the year! So we won't be inundated with apples all at once!

The same goes for other fruits as well, like our blueberry bushes. We have a high bush, and a low bush. Which will produce at different times, and they are known for different qualities. One is known for quantity and the other size.

Lastly, we only own 1/3 of an acre, so if you think you can't have a garden, or orchard think again! A great resource that I go to a lot is this book, which is all about homesteading on 1/4 of an acre.

Any apple or peach tree tips for me? This will be the first year of producing peach trees, and I doubt we will get any apples... but maybe we will!

Calling All Crafters: 107th Edition

2013-04-28T12:00:00.000-04:00

Welcome to Calling All Crafters!

A place where you can share your craftiness!

This week I am loving...

Sew Can Do's
Without A Pattern Knit Sweater
(Adorable! May need to try in my size!)

AND

Creative Blossoming's
Guide to Successful Secondhand Shopping
(I need this like I need another craft addiction!)

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Updates: Pin it Button over images!

2013-04-24T08:00:00.000-04:00

Have you noticed the Pinterest update here on the blog?

You know, the one where when you hover over an image it gives you the Pin It option?

Well, I can't take all the credit.

Blogger Sentral had a super easy "tutorial", I don't know if I should even call it that!

Because it was as easy as copy and pasting!

I love when small changes make a huge impact!

Blogger Sentral advises you to paste the code after the </body> tag in your html.

I searched and didn't have that so I put it here:

Hope that helps if you don't have a </body> tag either!!

If you look at my code, I just put it after my <body tag. Then opened my blog in another window, to check to see if it worked, and it did! So, I kept it there. If it hadn't I would have moved it and tried somewhere else!

Be honest, love it or hate it?

Calling All Crafters: 106th Edition

2013-04-22T07:46:00.001-04:00

Welcome to Calling All Crafters!

A place where you can share your craftiness!

This week I am loving...

Like A Saturday's
How to Clean a Yarn Wreath
(Love The Wreath Too!)

AND

Boulevard de L'antique's
Free Printable Retro Girl Note Pads

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Reviews: HGTV's Home Dec Fabric!

2013-04-19T08:00:00.000-04:00

Have you seen the latest fabric showing up at your local Jo-Ann's?

The new HGTV Home Dec fabric?

It's so fun, and fresh! Perfect for Spring!

I was very fortunate to get my hands on some, and share with you what it was like!

The new vibrant, HGTV HOME line of home decor fabrics and trim are ONLY available at Jo-Ann's!

In store you will find 30 fresh prints and patterns,

but don't forget to check online which has an expanded assortment of 74 exclusive designs!

What do you think of this pairing? Cute, no?

Here are the details of my prints!

The floral:

The checkered:

The hardest part about working with these fabrics, was what to make out of them!

Seeing as they are a sturdier, home decor fabric I decided to be a little selfish and make myself a purse!

I used Artsy Craftsy Babe's Pleated Tote pattern (free!)

The only things I changed on the tote was I expanded the center ( where you line it up on the fold) by an inch. I like my bags big! Which made the pleats change a little bit too! I still did them, just lined them up a little different.

The fabric was a dream to work with, it's always nice working with quality materials!

Because this was the first time (in a while) I made a lined bag, I had some ripping out to do. And because the fabric is sturdy, and of good quality it didn't ruin the fabric when I ripped the seams out! There was some fraying of the edges after ripping out a few times, but that is to be expected.

I loved working with this fabric! So much so, I am already in the works with what to make with the rest of it! Check out their projects too.

Now, If you would like to get your hands on this amazing fabric.

Here's your chance!

Here's a coupon, and better yet, if you use it from now until May 4, 2013 the fabrics are 50% off!

Making you save 60%, what a great deal! So great, I'm even going to check it out!

**Please note: I was given this fabric for free to review. All the opinions are my own.**

Grows: Terra Cotta Tipsy Turvy Planter

2013-04-17T08:00:00.000-04:00

Remember my garden updates?

Well, I can check another off the list!

The Terra Cotta Tower is complete!

Best part about putting this together is I had everything on hand!

For the support, I used a piece of a play tent that we no longer use ( the tent ripped).

There are tutorials all over blogland, but it's really self explanatory!

I started with the big pot, put my rod in the dirt. And started layering my pots using their holes, and some dirt to anchor them. And when I got to the top of the rod, I used a pot with a hole that barely went on to top off my planter!

Now, for the weather to warm up so my herbs can be planted in it!

Calling All Crafters; 105th Edition

2013-04-14T17:20:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Calling All Crafters!

A place where you can share your craftiness!

This week I am loving...

Erin Branscom's
Blog Planner
(I think I need one. I keep forgetting to plan ahead for CAC!)

AND

Ellen's Creative Passage's
Dog Collar
(My sister needs to make these for her new puppy!)

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Calling All Crafters: 104th Edition

2013-04-08T08:08:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Calling All Crafters!

A place where you can share your craftiness!

This week I am loving...

Ellen's Creative Passage's
Vintage Hair Pins
(Love.)

AND

Crafty Journal's
Spiral Organizer

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Grows: Asparagus

2013-04-03T07:38:00.003-04:00

As one of our new additions to the garden, we decided Asparagus would be one of them!

So far everyone loves it, Ellie's too little to give us an opinion yet!

So, I picked up some Crowns (roots) and planned where they would go.

The plan is to grow them in a large wine barrel, but since that is all the way out in the back yard and too heavy for me to get to at the moment, I decided I would start them in a smaller container. Once they look like they are off to a good start, and I have the hubs move the barrel, I will transplant them to the larger more permanent barrel.

Why a barrel? Well, a couple reasons. First, I don't have raised beds (yet) in the garden, so we roto-til the entire garden each year. And I am always nervous about my perennials getting run over.

Second, if we ever decide to move, they can come with us!

First, I did some research!

I found out you should soak your crowns in tepid water for a couple hours prior to planting.

Then, I took what was in the bag with the crowns and put it in the bottom of the container.

There really is no rhyme or reason why. I just felt like it couldn't hurt. If I didn't put it in the container it would have went into the compost anyway.

Next, I added some bonemeal, the soil, and crowns.

(Bonemeal is good for root growth.)

Covered the crowns, and watered well.

Asparagus are heavy feeders, and like moist soil. From what I researched, you should fertilize annually.

I've also found differing opinions about whether or not they like weeds. Some said the weeds help keep the soil moist, and they don't mind the competition. While other research showed keep it weed free. I personally don't think I will have a huge problem with weeds as I am doing it in a container.

Are you starting anything new this year?

We've got a bunch of new veggies to try, but this is the only perennial!

Calling All Crafters: 103rd Edition

2013-04-01T09:55:00.002-04:00

Welcome to Calling All Crafters!

A place where you can share your craftiness!

This week I am loving...

Like a Saturday's
Vintage Easter Tablescape
(Love.)

AND

The Moody Fashionista's
Bunny Canvas

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