Then she made...

Father's Day Treat Tutorial

2013-05-20T17:47:00.001-06:00

Awhile back I posted about a service project the women of my church did to prepare for Father's day. It's a tradition that on Father's Day we give all the men in our congregation a treat. It's just a token to let them know we appreciate their dedication and service. I pulled all the stuff together and with their help we cranked out 80 origami shirts that have a little bag of treats hidden inside. It was awesome to get them all done.

Want to know how we made them? Here's what we did.

First, gather your supplies. It doesn't really take much but you will need...

Paper - I used a kids art paper that measured 9x12. It was the perfect size. You can find this paper at stores like Hobby Lobby in the kids art area by the Crayola. It's just cheap drawing paper and I think it came with 30 sheets to a pad.
Pattern Paper scraps for tie
Small plastic bags to hold the treats
Treats, we used snack sized candy bars and such
Glue
Stapler

Step 1 - Lay your paper flat in front of you (this photo makes the paper look square, it's not it actually measures 9 x 12)

Step 2 - Take your paper and fold it in half long wise. It was funny because at our meeting one of the sisters described the way to fold it as making it a hot dog bun. Hot dog buns are folded long and hamburger buns are folded shorter. I'd never heard that description before but I totally get it. You want your paper folded long and skinny, not short and fat.

Anyway, once you've fold it and creased the fold, open your paper back up so you can see your fold line.

Step 3 - Next, take each side of your paper and fold them into the center fold line like shown above.

Step 4 - Keeping your paper folded, turn it over so that the sides you just folded are now on the bottom.

Step 5 - On one end of the paper, carefully fold down the edge about a half an inch.

Step 6 - Next, turn your paper back over and fold one corner on an angle so that the corner point touches the center line. Then, after you have one side done, repeat the step with the other side.

This makes the collar of the shirt.

Step 7 - Now that the collar is done we need to make the sleeves. One the opposite end of the paper from the collar, take one side and fold a triangle shape outward from the center fold. To get the best results, fold from the corner. You don't want your triangle (sleeve) too big or too small so just use good judgement and re-fold if necessary. After you do one side, repeat the process and fold out the other side so that you have something that looks similar to what is shown above.

Step 8 - Next make a crease about 5 inches down from the top of the collar.

Step 9 - Then, make another crease approximately 4 inches from the other end and then tuck the front of the shirt under the collar flaps. Technically your shirt is now done. However to turn it into a gift there are a few more steps.

Step 10 - Add on a tie. I just free hand cut a tie using scraps of patterned scrapbook paper. You could also draw on a pocket or add little buttons.

Step 11 - Next, package up some fun little treats inside of a clear little treat bag. We used snack size candy bars and some tootsie rolls.

Step 12 - Then you add a little note and staple both the note and the treat bag to the back of the shirt. Our note said:

"It's a SWEET TREAT to have you in our ward"

Happy Father's Day!

(Because there are usually multiple congregations of our faith in an area we divide them into, and call them, wards)

And there you have it - a cute little gift ready to be passed out on Father's day.

You can also fold these shirts without the space in the middle and turn them into gift card holders. I wrote about that a few years ago and you can see that post here: Gift Card Shirts

http://www.thenshemade.com/2011/06/fathers-day-gift-card-shirt.html

And if you want a refresher on what we gave them last year you can check out this post. It's a similar idea only you use a full size candy bar and an envelope. Tie-rific Father's Day gift

http://www.thenshemade.com/2012/05/compliments-to-creative-crafter-fathers.html

Enjoy!

Non-traditional Cake Makin'

2013-05-10T06:27:00.000-06:00

This is either the weirdest idea I've had, and possibly the strangest thing I've made or it's super smart and I'm thinking outside the box. You can decide. Even though I'm finished with the project, I'm still on the fence.

Sooo, here's what happened. I have this friend, I haven't known her too long, just a couple of months but she is super cool. She recently had a milestone birthday - one I will have this year, too - and I wanted to help her celebrate somehow. However, I didn't want to be traditional. I really do quirky best so stationary sets and fancy pens really weren't an option for her. Instead I made a cake out of something she loves. Let me just show you the pictures, that may be easier. Now keep in mind, it's a cake in the loosest sense of the word. Some of you may see the "cake", some may not - that's ok.

First, I went out and bought her favorite drink. We have discussions about this often because I really don't like Pepsi - I can tolerate it now but there was a time that I was such a Coke fan that if my only choice in a restaurant was Pepsi, I'd crawl under the table and cry or boycott the restaurant completely. I've matured now though so I can have a friend who likes Pepsi and things will be ok.

When I bought her soda, I had to make sure that I was buying the same amount of soda to equal her years in life - 40 of them. My theory here is that even though I've only known her a few months, we've become fast friends and I'm sure, without a shadow of a doubt, that had we been friends longer, I would have treated her to a Pepsi many other times. So, I decided to buy her 40 Pepsi's for the 40 years I missed out on being her friend. Ya, it's cheesy but that's ok.

Next, I grabbed my freezer paper (it was the only large white paper I had in my house) and I started wrapping the sodas up. I did the big box first.

Then individual cans went into a small box and got wrapped up in white paper as well.

After wrapping the smaller box I stacked it on top of the bigger box, you know, like a layered cake. Can you see it? We'll, this worked great for about 5 minutes. Then my stupidity hit a new level.

I decided to cut a slit in the top of the box so that I could add "candles". The slit worked great. Just a straight line big enough for a straw to fit in. The problem was that the cans had shifted in the box and I needed them to separate a little to fit the straw all the way in and have it hold in place.

This is were my great idea turns to a "what was she thinking, duh!" moment. To make the room I needed, I put my scissors in the slit and attempted to push the cans apart. Do you know what happens when sharp scissors meet an aluminium can?

Pressurized soda can + sharp scissors = HOLY CRAP GRAB ME A TOWEL QUICK!!!

Yes, a soda geyser was erupting in my living room and my family will never, ever let me live this one down.

Luckily, because the sodas were inside a box, it only really ruined the one soda and the box. I just had to start over. The replacement wasn't as crisp looking but the idea still worked so I went with it.

I was able to put the "candles" in place and then decorate the "cake" by wrapping ribbon around both layers and adding a big 'ol 40 to the front. The candles were some of my happy straws with pieces of a sparkly Christmas garland coming out of them. It worked.

And here it is, the finished "cake". Ya, it doesn't look much like a cake BUT I know it is one cake that will stay moist, be fully enjoyed, and hopefully it made my friend smile, that's all it needed to do.

Heads-Up!

2013-05-06T10:31:00.003-06:00

Just a heads-up. Starting tomorrow, Tues. May 7th, my Etsy shop will go in sleeper mode. It will re-open, next Monday, May 13th. Soooooo, today is your last chance to buy something for mom and have it shipped in time for Mother's day.

These pendants have been the top seller this year. You can add a child's name, birth date or both to back. Such a sweet sentiment for the new mom, or the old mom, or just mom's in general. Plus, I can make them in different colors if you don't like the turquoise, magenta or moss.

Anyway, I still have these and many, many other designs that can be make it to mom in time, they just have to be ordered today. Follow the link here to see all the goods. :)

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thenshemade

Friday's Fast Five

2013-05-03T20:48:00.000-06:00

I've been busily working away on a few things today and thought I'd show you the five things that have been taking up the minutes in my day. Because, really, I know you want to know. :)

Mother's Day orders - did you all realize that Mother's day is in 9 days? Yup, it snuck up on me too. I've been working on filling orders as well as listing new items. Trying to get all the orders out on Monday morning so if you still wanted in on the action, there is time. I can even send it directly to mom for you. You can check out my stuff here:

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Thenshemade

Father's Day - I'm ahead of the game on this holiday. Mother's day may have snuck up on me but last night I made Father's day crafts, 80 of them to be exact. It wasn't all me, I planned it out and got all the supplies but the women's organization in my church got together and cranked them out. It was awesome and what they say is true, many hands do make light work. We have a tradition that we always give the men in our congregation a little gift/treat on Father's day. These are what we will be giving them this year. And, because I know I will get asked, I'll share a tutorial and more details on them soon.

Flower Hair Pins - These little bobby pin flowers have been keeping me on my toes. They are super cute and I'm getting a lot of requests for them. I had just three different color sets listed in my Etsy shop but I've been sewing all week and am happy say that I'll be listing several more color sets tonight. Pinks, reds, purples, and more - so cute.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/Thenshemade

Water and Adorable Straws - I'm trying again to remember to drink water. I'm not good at that but I am getting better. My trick? Make your water cute. Psychologically the cute straw works wonders and I'm certain it makes my water taste more fun. It's true.

And, as an added bonus, since my girls have my same need to decorate their water, they think I'm the best mom ever for buying these straws. Who knew that such a simple act could get me so much love and praise - I'll take it! My friend Katie, who is awesome and very talented, sells these in her shop. She does amazing things with invitations and announcements and all things paper. If you want to make your water cute too go check out her straws and other things.

http://www.etsy.com/shop/katiedidesigns

Mustaches - Do you think mustaches will ever go out of style? Bug and Jet have been home from school for three days. One was a snow day, the other two were a school wide break. To keep them entertained I took them shopping. Of all the things they could have bought, we came home with fuzzy staches. we've gotten a lot of mileage out of these little things too. Awesome!

Anyway, those are five fast things on this Friday night. Enjoy and have a great weekend!

Heart Speaks

2013-05-02T05:37:00.000-06:00

Yesterday I had an experience that will not leave my mind or my heart. To sum it up, let me share with you my post on my personal Facebook wall...

"Today at work I had a lady hang out in the yarn department for about an hour. At first I greeted her, then a little while later I asked her if I could help her find something, and then finally she came up to me and wanted to chat. Granted I was working so it wasn't exactly chit-chat time but when she finally left my heart hurt a little. I realized the woman was lonely. I'm so glad she left with a smile but I keep thinking about her. How sad that she had to go into a retail store to find a friend." - FB post May 1, 2013

This woman was put together nicely, hair combed and cute clothes. When you looked at her she was your everyday woman. Her head did not hang down. She was not physically showing any signs of sorrow. She didn't act needy, nor did she appear depressed.

She could have been you.

She could have been me.

I don't know much about her life. I didn't get her name. I don't know her story but I know that when I was talking to her my heart knew she needed our conversation. It knew. I felt it so strongly that I couldn't ignore it. She needed somebody to connect with. I don't know if I made a difference by taking the time to chat but I hope I did.

The interesting thing about it all is how this experience impacted me. How many times I have passed by people that are just like her. The ones that need a friend but it doesn't show on the outside. The ones that maybe I make a passing judgement on; "they've got it together, they don't need me." How many hearts are out there that need somebody? How many people just need a friendly conversation? How many woman have to go to a retail store to find a friend? How many times have I let my own insecurities get in the way of being present enough to recognize a heavy heart that is hidden behind a put-together exterior?

Speaking of my own insecurities, a few years ago I was serving in a position at my church where I helped plan and execute a large youth event. I was one of the leaders in charge and it was a new role for me. After all the planning was done and it was time for the event I wasn't exactly sure what my role would be during the conference. Was I to interact with the youth? Was I behind the scenes, kitchen duty? Was I to do both? So I asked. The response I got from my superior, while I know it was said without malice, hurt.

I was told, "we want the dynamic people to be with the youth so Sister so and so ..." He went on to explain that the other female leader was the one that they wanted to be interacting with the kids. I was, indeed, without it being said, just the kitchen help. It didn't matter that for months I had planned and researched and studied and worked. It didn't matter that everything else I had done up to that point showed my talents and dedication. None of it mattered because all I knew from then on was that I was not dynamic enough. Which meant, in some way to me, that I was also not of equal worth to the other leaders.

Still to this day I hang onto those words. Any time I have a hardship in life or have to put myself out there in social situations, or if I have to speak up about something, I hear in my head "your not dynamic enough, why try? Why bother?"

It's a false statement but don't we all do that? Don't we all hang onto the negative and then we let those negative statements restrict us from all the good that we can do?

Yesterday, while I was interacting with this woman, I didn't need to be dynamic. I just needed to be present. I didn't have to be fun, I just had to be genuine. I didn't have to entertain, I just had to listen. I didn't have to be charming, I just had to care.

At that point in time everything I kept telling myself that I'm "not" didn't matter as much as what I actually was. I'm grateful that I had that moment of clarity.

I'm sure I didn't make a grand difference in this woman's life but maybe, just maybe, because I was willing to open myself up enough to feel her heart, maybe she didn't feel so alone when she left. Maybe she left feeling like she met a friend in a retail store and maybe that made her day better even if it was just for a moment. I know the whole experience made a difference in me.

I always say that kindness matters. I hope I was kind enough that it mattered to her. I also hope that I will remember that there are others just like her that are out there. I'm sure I cross paths with people daily that just need a boost, a smile, a positive conversation or a heart that cares. I hope I always remember, and then act on that.

I hope we all do.

Trim Headbands - Tutorial

2013-05-01T20:53:00.002-06:00

So a few posts back I did a quick little tutorial on how to make bracelets out of trim. If you don't remember it, you can find it here: Trim Bracelets

The bracelets are cute. We like them. However there is a down side. Each bracelet, depending on the wrist size, only takes between 4 to 8 inches of trim and then you have a whole bunch left over. I'm really good at hoarding ribbon and trim so I don't mind the excess but it is a good idea to use it up, right?! To do so I just made some really simple headbands. My girls, all three of them, like to wear headbands so making headbands from the excess trim is a win-win for me. And, these are actually easier to make than the bracelets. They are also perfect for the kiddos to make themselves. Just make sure they know how to properly use a glue gun and then let them go crazy using up all your old trim.

Here's what you do...

Gather your supplies, you will need:

Trim

Suede strips (or use a piece of ribbon)

Thin Elastic

Scissors

Glue gun & Glue sticks

Step 1: Starting with your trim, cut a piece that measures from the bottom of one ear, across the top of the head, and then down to the bottom of the other ear.

Next, cut the piece of elastic. To get the right measurement of the elastic, measure from one ear around the base of the back of the head to the other ear and then cut it slightly smaller than the measurement you get. No exact science here. You just want the headband to hold tight to your head so make it so the elastic will be snug. Snug, not tight - tight headbands are annoying!

Then cut two pieces of suede that are about an inch long.

Step 2: Using your glue gun, add a dab of glue to one end of the trim and adhere the elastic in place. Tip: Don't over lap it too much or the suede won't cover it.

Step 3: Then position a piece of suede underneath the pieces you just glued together. Use your hot glue again and add a little glue to hold it in place. Then, add another dab of glue to the top part and wrap the suede piece around and secure in place.

When you are done with one end, it should look something like the photo above.

Step 4: After you get one end done, repeat the steps and glue all the pieces together on the other end.

When you are done, which should only take a matter of minutes, you will have a headband that is ready to be worn.

Step 5: Find a cutie to wear it! (That was an easy step for me, Bug was a willing subject)

There you go, they are pretty simple. And, depending on your imagination, or your stash of trim, you can make a bunch of different styles.

I prefer the braided style but the kiddos like some of these others and as an added bonus, the cost is low. Much cheaper than buying them at a store. I saw something similar at Target for $12.99 - eek. Why pay that for one when you can make your own for much less?!

Enjoy!

Pretzel Day

2013-04-26T12:53:00.000-06:00

I'm not even going to lie, nor shall I pretend to be humble. The fact of the matter is that I'm good at making soft jumbo pretzels. There, I confessed it. It's not that I'm better than you or that I'm conceited in anyway, I'm just stating the facts. And, since it is National Pretzel day - yes, this day exists, there is no better day to talk pretzels.

I used to make them every Sunday for my family. And, sometimes quite often during the week too and then I'd walk them to my husband's work and share the deliciousness with his co-workers. He loved it. They loved it. And I loved sharing, it was a win-win for all involved. Then we moved and he started working from home and while I still like making them, taking them down stairs to his work, where he's the only employee, well, it's just not the same so I don't make them nearly as much as I used to.

I did have a fun time teaching a group of 14 year olds how to make them once though, that was cool. Plus, they had fun and giggled a lot. Giggling 14 year olds, well, you either love them or run from them - this experience was a "love" them situation. The photo above is Miss M giggling as she is trying to shape her pretzel. (we made the aprons for the all the girls too - you can see that tutorial here: Dish towel aprons)

So, do you want to make your own? I should totally do a tutorial with photos on this one but I don't have any photos so I will just leave you with the recipe and instructions and we'll call it good. Plus, I know there are a gazillion posts out there that can probably walk you through the steps visually should you need it.

Super Yummy, Super Soft, Super Big Pretzels

1-1/2 tsp Yeast

1/2 tsp Brown Sugar

1 dash Salt (don't skip this, it's needs it)

1-1/2 C 110 degree water

(I never actually check to see if it's 110 degrees, I just use fairly warm water)

4 C Flour

1 TBLS Baking Soda

1/4 C Warm water

Step 1 - Combine yeast, sugar and water and let rest for 5 minutes or until yeast is frothy.

Step 2 - Add flour and mix well. Knead until well blended, usually for me this is about 5 minutes. Then Place dough in greased bowl, cover and let rise 1 hour.

Step 3 - Once dough has risen, mix in shallow dish the water and baking soda, stir to combine.

Step 4 - Set water mixture aside and break off a baseball sized pieces of dough and roll out with hands into a long rope. Then form into desired shape.

Step 5 - Dip shaped dough into soda and water mixture, be sure to dip both sides and place on a greased cookie sheet. Repeat until all the dough has been used.

Step 6 - Bake in pre-heated 450 degree oven for about 8 minutes our until lightly golden in color

Step 7 - Let rest for a couple of minutes and then brush with melted butter and add topping. Kosher course salt or cinnamon-sugar are two of my family favorites.

Step 8 - my favorite step of all - EAT THEM! Yum!

Tips:

- Depending on the size you make them, you can normally get 7 to 9 large pretzels from a batch. Doubling the batch works ok but don't triple it. For some reason every time I've tried to triple it, they always fail.

- If your oven doesn't go up at to 450 degrees just cook them at the highest setting possible but cook for a little longer than recipe says.

Enjoy!

Reversible, Re-usable, Gift Bag Tutorial

2013-04-20T00:27:00.000-06:00

Ok, confession. I don't share many sewing tutorials on here. So, sit back and enjoy this rare moment. I like to sew but I'm no pro at it. I'm self taught and don't really know all the fancy-schmancy terms. I get asked at work all the time "Do you sew?" and I always reply, "Kind of". I consider myself a craft sewer (ever notice how sewer, as in one who sews, is spelled exactly the same as sewer, as in the yucky place under ground? Ya, I just noticed that myself). I guess the correct term is seamstress but lets face it, I'm a crafter, not a seamstress. So, if you are a pro at sewing you have my permission to move on. Just look the other way. However, if you are not, and you like to dabble in textiles and crafting, than by all means, please enjoy this simple little project.

It's a reversible, re-usable, little gift bag that could easily double as a very basic purse. And, for the record, I kind of think it is cute. So, here's how I made it...

Start with your supplies:

Two different fabrics

Grosgrain ribbon

Two buttons

Small piece of leather string, narrow ribbon or twine

Paper ( I used card-stock)

You'll also need all the basics for sewing like thread, pins, scissors, and a sewing machine.

Step 1: We start by making the most basic, simplest pattern ever. Take your piece of paper and fold in half long-wise. Then eye-balling it, cut off a little bit off the top, probably about 2 inches. I really don't know, I didn't measure. Throw the little piece away but keep the larger piece.

Step 2: Open your paper up and there you have it - a pattern. Whoa! I know, that was pretty complicated. Next, take your pattern and trace out, then cut two squares from each type of fabric. When you are done you should have four squares total.

Step 3: Take your squares and place them with their matching color and put right sides together. You could, and probably should, pin them together on three sides. I didn't. See, a pro would probably pin.

Step 4: Starting with one set, sew along three sides of the square. Then repeat with the other set of squares. Just make sure you are sewing each set with the same seam allowance and that you only sew three sides, not all four. You need to leave one side open for it to be a bag.

Step 5: After the sides are sewn, I always take the bottom corners and just sew a little diagonal line and then trim off the excess fabric. This just helps the corners to fit into each other better.

Step 6: Next, take one - only one - of your sewn squares and turn it right side out. I turned the chevron pattern right side out and left the red fabric with the right sides together. Then place your two sets together, one inside the other. To do this just put the set that is still right-side together (red) into the other one that you turned right-sides out (chevron).

We've reached the point where you will need your other supplies. So grab your ribbon, leather and pins.

Step 7: Fold down each raw edge and pin the inside and outside together all along the opening. Ok, here we go again, a pro would probably measure it all and iron it in place - I did not do that but you sure can. You will get a crisper, more polished look if you do.

Step 8: When you've got the two fabrics pinned how you want them, simply take your ribbon and tuck one end in between the two layers of fabric and pin in place. I prefer my bag handles to line up with the side seams like shown in the photo above. Once you get one side in place, repeat with the other end.

Step 9: And finally, before sewing it all together, take your leather piece - or thin ribbon - and tuck the ends in between the two layers of fabric, just like you did with the ribbon handles only this time you are putting both ends of the leather on only one side of your bag. The ribbon ends went on opposite ends of the bag but the leather stays close together in the middle of the bag.

Also, just a tip, you don't need a very big loop. Just big enough to go across the top of the bag and down the other side a short bit to loop around a button. (If that doesn't make sense just look at the finished project photos, I think they show what I mean.)

Step 10: (Not shown) Using your machine just do a simple straight stitch all around the opening of the bag. This will sew the two fabrics together but also secure your ribbon and leather in place too.

Step 11: Once it is all sewn together, it's time to add the buttons so that the bag can close. To do this take your leather loop and pull it across the bag and down to the front side. Carefully mark where it falls - this is where your first button will go. Also, keep in mind, you don't want it pulled too tightly or it might not close later on when the bag has stuff in it so make sure you leave a little wiggle room.

Step 12: Start sewing on your first button. As you push the needle through the fabric on the outside of the bag and into the fabric on the inside, attach the other button. Remember this bag is reversible so you need a button on each side. Also, don't pull your thread so tight that your buttons end up laying flat against the fabric. You need the buttons a little loose, but not too loose, or leather won't be able to wrap around it.

And that's it. Here is the bag all completed with the loop around the button. And, if you turn it inside out to make it reversible you'll see that the loop and button on the red works just the same as on the chevron.

These little bags are really cute and do add a personal touch to gift giving. True, a .99 cent paper bag is easier but these are unique. Plus you can make them in any size you need, can wash them, and can re-use them over and over. Well, once you give it away it's probably not a good idea to ask for it back. However, the recipient could use it to pass along or they could use it as a little purse.

My girls used these as purses for a long time when they were little. You can make the strap long so it goes cross-body, or you can make it short so it's just a little grab handle or, like the one I just showed, you can make it long enough to be a shoulder bag. My girls liked the cross-body version best for purses.

So, back to giving it as a gift, I like to fill ours with girlie things like headbands, necklaces, nail polish, lip gloss, etc... The bag, even though it is small, will hold a lot more than you think it will.

And here is it is all filled up and ready to go.

Enjoy!

Beauty!

2013-04-17T08:32:00.000-06:00

I mentioned in yesterday's post some things that have been worrying me about the concept of "beauty". Specifically how it is being defined socially and how my girls are digesting it. I posted yesterday afternoon and then last night one of my Facebook friends, not knowing I had made those comments, shared the following video. It's pretty amazing and well worth your time. It's a short study/experiment done by Dove.

It's human nature to pick out our flaws and wish we looked different but like the video says in the end, "We are all more beautiful than we think".

I'm hanging on to that thought today and hopefully it will stay with me for a long time as I navigate the whole beauty thing with my daughters. They are beautiful girls but I don't want them to get so caught up in their outward looks that they forget to develop the beauties inside that really matter.

I read some where about a mom who would encourage her daughters to do everything they could at home to look their best but then she'd say, once you leave the house forget yourself, and your looks, and serve others. I fully agree with that. It goes hand in hand with my favorite two words "Kindness Matters" and if they can be kind and help others feel beautiful, well, that is beauty in action and that's really all I can hope for.

I'm Here

2013-04-16T12:13:00.000-06:00

Hello! It's been awhile.

So what have I've been up to in my absence? Let me show you really fast.

1 - Custom Orders: Look how cute! I know I made it so that might sound a little conceited but really the praise goes to a clever mom who contacted me recently. She had the fun idea to request a custom pendant that had her son's baseball number on it. Fun right?! Now she can wear it to his games.

2- Digging out! Yup, if you haven't heard, spring isn't happening anytime soon in Northern Colorado. We thought it was. The girls have been on their bikes a few times and then we opened the door this morning to this! Crazy. We really need the moisture though so I'm thankful for it. Plus, added bonus, I got a snow day off of work - my kids were so jealous!

3- Mother's Day orders: I'm still running my mother's day special. If you are interested in buying a gift for Mom, I'm offering 20% off of all orders over $10 in my Etsy Shop. The offer runs until April 30th, just enter the coupon code MOM20 at check out.

Also, kind of tied to the mother's day thing, I've been playing around with yellows lately. I love the color yellow but like it in small doses so I'm totally happy with these new pendants that just have a pop of yellow. Plus, they both go with this bracelet.

Mom just might like the matching set! Just sayin'. :)

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thenshemade

4 - So annoyed! I've been sporting this lovely thing for the last couple of weeks. I did something to my hand right before Christmas at work, I was putting a big bolt of fleece away and heard a pop, I just thought I pulled a muscle. Turns out it's really a crafters worst nightmare - carpal tunnel has set in since I hurt it and lately I've been struggling with it. Do you know how hard it is to play with clay, or close jump rings, or paint? Everything I love to do with my hands is difficult as my hand goes numb and then my arm aches. It's so annoying! The brace is helping though and I'm still crafting, I can't give it up as it's like therapy for me.

5- Thinking About Beauty! I wrote a blog post last week that I never posted. It's still sitting in my edit box waiting for action. I took a couple of my girls out last week and did a fast little photo shoot with them. It felt great to be behind the lens again and feel the spring air - yes, that was before #2 on this list happened. The problem was that as I was editing the photos I kept replaying some conversations I've had with my girls lately about beauty. Specifically how it's defined. I'm sad to admit that I haven't been very good about helping them define beauty in a way that goes against the stereotypes that society would have us believe. All three of my girls are struggling one way or another with the idea of beauty. The twins want to wear make-up to be more popular and Miss M is approaching the age of being able to date and has concerns of her own about being cute enough, noticeable enough, thin enough, blonde enough. The girls that get the dates all look a certain way. Don't my girls know how amazing they are? Haven't I told them? And for all three, they are amazing and beautiful but really it has absolutely nothing to do with their looks. It's who they are becoming.

As a mom, and I know I'm not the only mom who does this, I push my kids to comb their hair, wash their face, match their clothes, and look their best but one thing I haven't been very good about is telling them "why" it's important to do those things. There is an inner confidence that grows when you know you are taking care of yourself and you respect yourself enough to clean up and look good. Sadly though, I think they are following what they are seeing in the media and through their peers and they think they have to look a certain way so they will be liked by others. They want to fit in, they want to be liked and they want to be beautiful. As a mom I need to continually fight against those messages they are being bombarded with it. It's not the make-up, waist size, or hair color that define beauty. This is occupying my mind like crazy lately. Do you have daughters? What have you done to help them understand that beauty is more than skin deep?

6- Robots - I've been making robots again. I've had some requests for these because of Robotics teams. Fun, right?! Just like the baseball pendant above, these little guys are going to moms who are supporting their kids robotic teams. I don't have photos but they come in green, purple, blue and grey too.

ok, that's all - the end!

Trim!

2013-04-06T20:25:00.000-06:00

Last week I ran into Lobby of Hobby for a quick purchase, while I was there I noticed that all the ribbons and trims were 50% off. I'm kind of embarrassed that I know this, but Hobby Lobby puts their ribbons and trims on sale for half off pretty much every other week. For someone like me who has a ribbon addiction, that is good news. Plus, they almost always have some cute stuff.

While soaking in all the wonderful colors and patterns I noticed some new trims that I had not seen before so, big surprise, I bought them. Aren't they lovely?!

Yes! Yes they are.

So, what can you do with these things? Well, you could use them for what they are meant for, you could trim things with them. Pillows, clothing, hand towels and such! That would be nice. Or, you could turn them into cute little bracelets. I'm pretty sure you can guess what I did.

Would you like to know how?

Start with your trim. It's best to pick a narrow one, no bigger than the ones shown.

Next, take the end of your trim and wrap it around your wrist to get a measurement. Don't measure it tight, leave a little bit of wiggle room so the bracelet will dangle a bit when worn.

Next, cut your piece of trim to the measurement you determined to work best for your wrist. You can also lightly singe each end. To do this, just hold the ends near a lit candle - don't put the end in the flame - that would be bad, just near enough to melt the fibers a bit. This will help to keep it from fraying.

Next, get out two crimp clasps. If you aren't familiar with these they are sold in the jewelry section of most craft stores and come in various sizes and shapes. I like the ones shown because they are a perfect size for the trim I chose and they are easy to use.

To use them all you need to do is just put them over the end of your trim and close them shut. I didn't need any special tools for these as it was easy to secure them tightly with just my fingers. They have little teeth on the ends so they kind of bite into the fiber and hold really nicely.

After you put the crimp on one end, just repeat the process and do the same thing to the other end. When you are done you should have something that looks like the photo above.

It's starting to look like a bracelet already.

Next you need to add on your clasp. To do this grab a few jump rings and a lobster clasp and have them out and ready to use.

On each end of your crimp clasp is a small loop. Add a jump ring to each of those loops and then attach the lobster clasp to just one of those jump rings.

And guess what? That is all you do. Super easy.

You can use all different kinds of trims and you can even add on charms or other decorations if you feel inclined to do so.

The very last thing you need to do is just put them on and rock their simple awesomeness!

Enjoy!

Big thanks & An Offer

2013-04-05T11:20:00.001-06:00

I've been absent a bit this week. Lots of stuff going on around here which means my posts have been scarce but I needed to pop in real quick and send you all a big.....

The response to the camp fund raiser was HUGE!!! We, Miss M and I, thank you all so much. She is still sewing her little heart out and I'm packing them up as quickly as I can. The good news is we are getting close and all orders, whether they were jewelry or hairpins, will be shipped out tomorrow.

Thank you again!!!

Also, not to freak you out or anything but Mother's day is just a month away. What are you going to get for mom? Jewelry? Yes! Great idea.

If you are interested, I'm offering a Mother's day special for 20% off all purchases over $10 in my Etsy shop. The offer will run until April 30th. Just enter coupon code MOM20 at check out.

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thenshemade

Oh, and if you see a design you like but prefer it in a different color, just let me know, I can most likely make it in the color you'd like.

Quick Update

2013-03-30T16:18:00.002-06:00

Are you ready for Easter? I'm not. My family headed off to an egg hunt this morning and I tried to finish up some loose ends around here but I didn't get very far. We didn't even color eggs this year. Eeek! It's ok though, we never eat the eggs we color so at least this year we won't be wasting them. And, the girls will still get their baskets filled with candy and clothes. Nothing fancy but at least it's something.

So, I just wanted to give you a quick update. The response for these little itty-bitties has been phenomenal. Miss M met her goal and we are working on helping a couple of girls make it to camp too. So, we are keeping the items up until tomorrow night. Her fund raising efforts will close out on April 1st - no joke, so if you want them, grab them soon.

We really thought the headbands would sell best. She sold a few of them but these flower sets have had the most interest. We've even had requests for different colors. Soooo.....

here you go... We've added a blues set and...

a pastels set that has nice soft spring colors.

Plus, if you want them all the same color, say like all yellow or all white, we can do that. It will ask for your color choice when you check out.

and, check this out. Look at that trim! It makes my heart pound - I love it! I'm working on a tutorial for you all using it .... I'm so excited. See you tomorrow.

And, HAPPY EASTER!!!

All the flower pins are available now for purchase as well as many other things, check them out here:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thenshemade

Almost There

2013-03-27T05:48:00.005-06:00

Please see the update at the end of this post

First, Thank you all so much for your kind words about my last post. I really appreciate it. Sometimes it's hard to put your heart out there but I felt like I should so I am thankful for your kindness.

Second, just an update. Miss M is only $3 dollars away from meeting her fundraising raising goal. $3 dollars! If you missed it, you can see the original post here. She is working on earning money to pay her camp fees. Girls camp for us happens once a year, in the summer. She is encouraged to pay her own way and she is soooo close. If you feel so inclined, please go check out her items in my Etsy shop. She is selling headbands and floral bobby pins.

The pins come in a set of 7 and you can choose at check-out whether you'd like them in the grouping shown above which is multi or if you'd like to get a full set of just one color.

They look so cute on! Perfect for spring or pulling your hair up for a fancier occasion.

And, her head bands are cute too. Lots of different patterns to choose from, 19 of them to be exact.

They are the no-slip variety and have a comfort hold, no pinching!

Anyway, if you already checked these items out, awesome! Thank you! If not, and they interest you, head on over to Etsy and browse a bit!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thenshemade

Thank you!!!

I put this out there and within just a short time, she had her last purchase and reached her goal - THANK YOU!!! We are leaving the items up and any extra money she earns we are going to donate to some other girls we know of that can use the help getting to camp. :) So if you had thought about purchasing these items, please do. Your funds will still go towards a good cause. Thank so much!

Heavy Heart and My Story

2013-03-25T16:15:00.001-06:00

This morning I woke up to sad news. Another amazing mother has left this earth. It happens all the time. We hear stories on the news. We all know somebody who knows "somebody" that is dealing with a loss. But the commonness of death, well, just because we know it happens, doesn't help soften the blow. It still hurts.

This mom is the one we helped last fall. I made jewelry. You bought it. And combined we were able to help lend some much needed financial support for her and her sweet family. My heart is heavy to think about her children who will be without her.

They will spend the remaining days of their lives thinking about her. The older girls will remember her, the younger ones will remember the stories that other people tell them about their mom. I know this because I was a "younger girl" when I lost my own mom and my memories, other than the sad ones, are all from stories I'd hear other people tell me about her.

Dawn's passing brings back so many thoughts and emotions. I've often hinted at my own loss but have never really shared my story. This is personal and not at all crafty, but I feel like it is time. My own daughters will read my blog one day and I hope in some way, putting this out there, will help them as they navigate their own life and trials that may come.

Here's my story:

On a normal Friday morning in February, 30 years ago, I was up and getting ready for school. I had, like so many days before, gotten myself ready. I packed my school stuff up and went into my mom's room to kiss her good-bye for the day and let her know I was on my way. We said good-bye and I headed down the hall to the kitchen door where I'd make my normal exit and head to school.

Before I reached the end of the hall, I heard a noise that I could not identify. It was scary, it sounded desperate and dark and I remember clearly the fear that hit my bones when I heard it. Something was not right and being only 9, I did what all 9 year olds would do, I ran to tell my mom and seek her comfort. The problem was that as I headed towards her room, the noise only got louder and when I reached the doorway I saw that the noise was coming from her.

My mom, who was only 42, was hanging half on and half off of her bed. Her eyes were rolled back, her body was shaking uncontrollably and she was in full blown cardiac arrest.

This image will never, ever leave me. It was last time I saw her alive and her body was violently revolting against her.

After that it just seems like things went into movie mode. You know in the movies when they try and put prominence on a stressful or emotional scene by putting it in slow motion? That's how it felt. Nothing went fast, even though I wanted it to, nothing moved. I wasn't in slow motion but everything around me was and it was confusing. I did not understand.

The paramedics were called. They carried her out the door on a stretcher and we followed the ambulance to the hospital. She was pronounced dead shortly after.

For years I never really understood why she died. Just that she was gone. Gone!

In life we don't remember things in chronological order, instead we remember moments. Be they good or bad, it's the moments in our life that shape and define us. This moment was the beginning of how my life would be defined.

My mother's death was my connecting point to others. It's was a pivotal moment in my childhood much like going to Disneyland. Obviously the joy wasn't the same but the magnitude of the event was the equal. It was just something I knew and it was part of me. Once in fourth grade, not long after her death, we were studying Presidents of the United States and I raised my hand to make a comment. I announced to the whole class that I was just like Abraham Lincoln because he lost his mom when he was 9 too. I said it in a happy way, like, hey look at me, I'm cool and have this weird connection. Needless to say there was an awkward silence. It was another slow motion moment as the whole class stopped. The kids didn't know what to say and the teacher just starred at me. It was the first time I realized that just because it was an important part of my life, not everyone wanted to focus on my loss like I did. I started talking about it less after that.

I also quickly realized that other people didn't really know what was going on either. There was lots of kindness, some sincere, some out of obligation. Lots of people expressed concern but in the end, their pain from my mother's passing was not deep. It would eventually go away. It wasn't the same as the sorrow that I was experiencing.

People often have good intentions and would say what they thought was comforting like "It's part of God's plan and this is all happening for a reason". I have a hard time believing that. If you think it happened for a spiritual reason than you believe that there was a strategy planned out and her death was on purpose. The God I whole heartily believe in isn't a schemer. Why would He scheme a plan to take my mom from me? What would his reason be for that?

Instead, I believe some times things just happen. Our bodies are not meant to live forever, this is a fact. The infection that surrounded her heart was too much for her physical body to handle. The reason she died was because her body was not healthy.

Her body died but her spirit did not. I miss her physical presence and I wonder about her on a daily basis but her spirit lives on. She's everywhere. She's in my Bug who spends time with a flash light writing poems when she should be sleeping. She's in my Miss M who has a strong sense of herself and a desire for things that are true and right. She's in my Jet who is compassionate and likes to perform. She is in daffodils and springtime. She's in rain and candle light. She is in a beautifully colored sunset. And, you know what? She is in me.

She is in me!

It took me years to realize that I had some choices concerning my loss. I could dwell on it. Wallow in it. Feel bad for myself or I could use it for good. Becoming a mom myself helped confirm that I needed to do the latter.

I wrote a post once about being a motherless mother. I received so many emails from women who shared similar experiences. Sharing my honest thoughts helped others connect, process their own feelings, and remove the helpless feeling of being alone in their tragedy. I think my words helped for the good.

I've been able to use the experience for good as I share my faith and my belief in being able to be with my mom again. This life is not the end, we are an eternal family - I know this.

And, I'm able to use this loss for good because I truly believe it has made me be more aware and lovingly as a mother. I cherish my role as a mom more than any other that I have. I'm not a pro at parenting but I have a good relationship with my kids and it stems from having to learn at a young age what is truly important.

My relationship with them means more to me than anything. Which means I will fight for them. I will cry with them. I will give them advice and unconditional love. I will speak up for them. I will dance in the kitchen with them (even if my husband thinks I've lost my mind). I will worry about them. I will comfort them. I will share my faith and testimony with them. But most of all I will love them with all I've got. That way, if the day comes that my body is no longer strong and I can't physically be with them anymore, at least they will know that more than anything I loved being their mom. That I love who they are now and who they will become and that they are mine and always will be.

Miss M and the Girls Camp Project

2013-03-23T15:01:00.001-06:00

It's that time of year again. We have started planning our our summer schedules, prepping for upcoming fun, looking at travel routes and blocking off dates on the calendar. It's only the end of March but summer comes - and I must say, goes - so quickly. Some advanced planning is always a good thing.

One thing we always plan for every summer is girls camp. It's a faith based camp just for girls aged 12-18. I went as a kid and loved it. It was a significant part of helping me become me. Miss M is currently my only girl that is old enough to go right now. She's get's to be what they call a YCL (youth camp leader) this year and she is very, very excited.

The down side for her is that she has to pay her own way. As a parent, I'm all for it. I think teaching my kid to work for what they get is important. I think it's a life skill, that in our land of excess, sometimes gets forgotten. Yes, it's easier to just pay for her, but that gives her the easy way out. So, in her brain storming process of how she could earn money to pay for camp, she decided to bring back her headbands. She sold them last summer and wants to make them again.

So, if you are in need (or possibly want) of some cute, no-slip head bands, she'd love to make them for you. She currently has 19 different headbands of various colors and patterns available for purchase in my Etsy shop. 19! That's a lot of choices.

Last summer, this head band, the black and white sheer one above, was her best seller.

Followed closely by these sparkly ones. These head bands are non-slip, they are backed with velvet and have soft elastic that helps hold them comfortably to your head. Even though these were the top sellers, her other options are pretty cute too - so be sure to check them all out.

And, here's a deal for you - buy 3 get one free!

when you go to check out of Etsy, if you buy three be sure to leave her a note in the comment section telling her which head band you liked as your free one.

She's also selling these:

I know I just did a tutorial on them but you know, if you liked them but don't want to make them yourself, she's your gal - she'd love to make them for you. They come 7 to a set and you can get them in a mix of colors like shown above or...

you can pick the color you like best and get ALL 7 in the same color. The color options are gold, coral, teal, off-white, lavender, navy and tan (tan is not shown)

So, there you have it. She'd love to make some things for you and in return, your order helps her get to camp! It's a win-win for all involved! She works, you get a cute item.

Go check out her headbands and flower hair pins in my shop:

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thenshemade

And, thanks for helping her out!

Super Easy, Super Fast Bunny Cupcakes

2013-03-21T20:10:00.001-06:00

Do you need a fast Easter treat but don't want to cook? Ya, me too - so here's what I did.

Step 1 - Gather your supplies. You will need:

Pre-made, pre-frosted cupcakes (I bought mine from Wally-world as I had no desire to bake today.) Jelly beans, mini chocolate chips, toothpicks and...

White card stock, pink or spring like papers, scissors, tape and a glue stick (not shown)

Step 2 - With the white card stock, cut out some ears. I did this super quick. Can you tell? They aren't perfect or even but I kind of like them that way. Then cut out the pink or pattern paper just a little smaller than the white ears. See the photo above for reference.

Step 3: Glue the two pieces of paper together.

Step 4: Attach a tooth pick to the back of each ear.

Step 5: Using a pen, add a little outline to each of the papers on the inner ear. You don't have to do this, I just did it because I like the definition it gave them. If you have an ink pad, you could ink them before you glue them in place, too.

Step 6: Stick the toothpick ears into the little cupcakes. Push them into place until the base of the ears touch the frosting. Also, make sure you add the ears towards the back of the cakes so you leave room for their faces.

Step 7: Next, add a jelly bean nose and two little mini chocolate chips for the eyes.

And there you have it, simple, cute, little treats that look like you made them from scratch - only you didn't. (Shhh! Don't tell, I know I won't!)

Enjoy!

Catchin' up

2013-03-20T18:48:00.000-06:00

So this is just a quick little catch up post. I feel like there is so much more happening than just jewelry around here. I've posted a lot of that lately but check it out, here are a few things I'm super excited about...

Yarn! If you know me, you know this is kind of a big deal as I'm so not a yarn girl. Once, about four years ago, I tried to have my then 11 year old daughter teach me how to knit. It didn't work. Then I tried to have her teach me how to crochet, it didn't work either. She was a good teacher, I was just an uncoordinated student. So, I figured that fiber crafting was just something that was not in my blood. Besides, I do a lot of other things and knitting and crocheting are just two more hobbies that I don't need. Well, fast forward 4 years and I am blessed to have a job where I get to touch yarn all the time. It's so soft and the colors, oh the colors! I love them all lined up and coordinated. But still, I don't know how to use it.

I do know how to use my imagination though and looky, looky I'm putting this fun Wool-ease yarn to work. If what I've dreamed up in my head works, I've already got my next set of colors picked out and may just make a bunch of these. We'll see. Sometimes what I dream up in my head doesn't communicate well with my hands.

It's a slow process, I just do a little here and there but I'm loving it so far. Plus, I love the colors all in a row. It's pure eye-candy for the creative brain. I'm guessing you are curious about what I'm making, no worries, I'll keep you posted and will share it soon.

Home Decor Samples: I admit, I have a new addiction! It's another visual one, look at this stack of fabric! Jo-Ann's is clearing out a lot of their Home Decor fabrics so they are selling all their sample panels for only $2. Umm, ya! I kind of went crazy. Yesterday a bought a small stack and then I bought more today! These are fabrics that range from $14 - $54 a yard and are really nice upholstery fabrics so buying a sample square of them for $2 is awesome!. I already have four projects planned with them - I promise I will show them and even do a tutorial or two. Stay tuned.

Simple Jewelry: I know I said above that I need to update you on things that are NOT jewelry but I have been making jewelry so it still needs to be a part of the catch-up. Have you made these bird nest necklaces before? They were the trend awhile back. I made a bunch over the summer and, I must say, they are very, very easy to make. I can do them in under 5 minutes. Anyway, I love this necklace because it's springy and the three little eggs remind me of my three little chicks, I mean daughters.

Family Life: Speaking of daughters, look what one of mine did for me. I mentioned I'd like a picture of a temple in my living room so when I got home from work today, this was waiting for me. My Miss M painted it. She's dabbled with watercolors before, mostly just playing with them, but she has officially only had ONE watercolor class - it was last Thursday. The subject matter is the temple where my husband and I were married 20 years ago. I was floored. Such a nice thing for her to do for me.

Broken Pets: So, do you have pets? We have two. We love them. But do you know how much it costs when one of them is broken? This little guy had to be rushed to the vet the other day. He decided to keep his head on a tilt, like it was broken, and he wouldn't eat. An hour at the vet, two prescriptions later and $94 out of my wallet means he is doing much better. He had an ear infection - the head tilt was his way of trying to compensate for the pain and dizziness he was experiencing. Poor guy! It was heart breaking and to be honest, I was happy it happened while my kids were at school. This little guy belongs to Jet and man, it was sad to see him sick but I can't even fathom what it would have been like to see Jet's broken heart had we not been able to fix him.

Ok, I think that catches us up. I'm off to work on my creations now. Later gators!

Oh, oh, oh!!!! I almost forgot - I've got a fun little Easter project in the works too. No sneak peaks on that one, you'll just have to wait for the finished project. :)

New Stuff

2013-03-17T06:30:00.000-06:00

Just a quick little post. There is new stuff in the ol' Etsy shop.

(Mother's day will be here before you know it)

I'm lovin' this new Raspberry color - I'm not a fan of pink but I've always loved fuscia and magenta and this raspberry color is right along those lines. It has a nice little shimmer to it too which is an added bonus.

You can see these designs at others in my shop. And, seriously, just something to think about, Mother's day will be here before we know it. These items, and many of my other pieces, all make great gifts!

https://www.etsy.com/shop/Thenshemade

Same Heart

2013-03-14T23:22:00.000-06:00

Being a mom is hard. This is not a new discovery, it's something I've always known. Sometimes, to make motherhood easier, I'd like to put on a comfortable pair of rose colored glasses. I'd like to create a state of bliss that would blind me from seeing the reality of the disappointment, pain, concern, or worry that one of my daughters might be experiencing. I don't have magical glasses to make it easier, instead I feel her pain as if it's my own because as a mother and daughter - I believe we share the same heart.

Now go, go hug your kids! Especially your daughters!

***Edit 3/15 - I've had a couple of emails asking if this necklace is available for purchase. Yes, it is. It's in my Etsy shop. You can choose your color and your chain. Here's the info: thenshemade/etsy

Easter Craft Review

2013-03-13T05:44:00.000-06:00

I tell you what, having Easter in March is kind of throwing me off a bit. I always associate Easter with April, and true, this year it's falls on a date really, really close to April but still, the calendar will still be March when we celebrate and that seems off to me. March is for St. Patty's but Easter is coming and I should be prepared.

Easter for me is more spiritual than about large, over-grown man bunnies. However, I still enjoy a good Easter craft. Here's a quick review of some of my past favorites and the links to the tutorials on how to make them. Some of them just might come in handy for you. Enjoy!

$1 store stuffed animal basket

Sock Bunnies

Egg Carton Flowers

Easter Bunny Card

Duct Tape & Trash Mini Basket

Gum Bunny Loves You!

MAXI-mum Success!

2013-03-10T15:47:00.000-06:00

So, last Thursday we got a call from the school. A cute little girl was in the nurses office not feeling well. The following picture basically sums up how every day since then has been. Four days of yucky!

Poor thing! We'll have moments where we think she's on the mend but then her fever will come back. So, needless to say, I've been at home a lot the last couple of days. That's the bad news.

The good news is that I've been home a lot the last couple of days! And, because of it, I've had some sewing successes. Want to see?

(you can click on the photos to see them bigger)

I made Maxi skirts for all three girls. (Bug had to model Jet's pink skirt because Jet just wasn't up to it)

It all started when I took the girls shopping for fabric over President's day weekend. I let them pick out some fabric. The fabric got washed but then quickly shelved into the "to-do someday" section of my craft piles. With the recent down time though, it was perfect timing to pull out the fabric and get to work.

Have you made a yoga-band maxi before? Holy moly - they are easy!!! Each skirt took me about an hour, maybe less.

I'm sorry to say I started to take pictures of the process with the intent of doing a tutorial but got too wrapped up in the sewing and forgot to take more. The good news is that there are a ton of tutorials in blogland on this very subject. Some better than others, of course, but they are there. Or, just search pinterest for "DIY Maxi skirt" and you'll get a lot of results.

I read a few but in the end just ended up making up my own directions. I've never been good at following directions or patterns. I'm very visual so just laying the fabric out and taking a few measurements, worked for me.

Bug's skirt is above. She just wanted a solid color and choose a turquoise blue. She has this lace vest that she loves and wanted a skirt that would go with it. I think it's funny how my tween's are getting into the fashion thing. Ugh!

Miss M's is next. Actually we bought her a deep magenta knit to make a dress and the fabric shown, well, I actually bought it for me but when we brought the fabric home she kept saying how much she liked it soooo, it became her's.

I think Jet's is my favorite though. She picked this pink stripe but it had polka-dots on the back. If I was a better seamstress I would have made it reversible. But I'm not that good.

Instead, I made it so the yoga-band was the polk-dot and the skirt was the stripe. I love the contrast. They have this fabric in blue and white and also in black and white. I'm thinking I may need to buy more and make another one.

Anyway, all three skirts were quick and easy to make. The girls love them because they are stylish and comfortable and I love them because they were pretty simple and in-expensive to make. Just some knit fabric, thread and some time!

Enjoy!

Itty Bitties

2013-03-08T20:57:00.000-07:00

So two years ago I went on a flower kick. I made a bunch of different flowers for my girls to wear in their hair. I kind of went over board, I may have even been slightly addicted, and we had a ton. They were all bigger flowers and they were great to have on hand. Well, last Sunday, my little Jet did her hair for church and went on the hunt for a flower. She couldn't find any. After some digging we only found three. Three! We had a ton, now we have three! And, all were too big and not her "look" anymore. She's not 9 anymore after all!

She wanted something daintier and more sophisticated. She didn't use those exact words but I knew what she meant. She's almost a teenager after all. So, it was time to re-vamp the idea and make some new hair accessories and here's what I did...

Cute, right. Dang it! I'm kind of addicted to making them again. You can see the first tutorial Here: Flower Tutorial #1 Those were bigger and I used felt and larger hair clips. Since these are smaller I eliminated the felt and clips and just used bobby pins instead. Here's what I did...

Supplies: You will need the following:

- polyester fabric like lining material or satin

- bobby pins

- seed beads

- thread & needle

- scissors

- candle & tweezers

Step 1: Start by cutting your fabric into three small circles of different sizes

Step 2: Light your candle, and using your tweezers, hold each circle near the flame - NOT in the flame and move it around so that the edges of the circle are singed and melted. They will kind of curl up, you want that to happen.

Here's what they look like after they are singed.

Step 3: Stack them up and choose the color of seed bead you want

Step 4: Thread your needle and starting from the bottom, run your needle through all three layers and through the bead. I do this a couple of times just to make sure the bead is secure.

Step 5: Finally, just turn it over and sew your flower on to the loop at the end of the bobby pin.

And there you go. They are so easy to make and because you can buy this fabric for pretty cheap and it comes in lots of different colors, you can make a bunch of them.

My older daughter liked them with three seed beads instead of just one

and, look how cute they look in action. You could wear just one or group them together like shown on my Bug.

Ok, I'm off to make more.... catch ya later!

Congrats To...

2013-03-06T14:21:00.001-07:00

Lucky number #9!

Which was posted by

SANDY

who said....

"One of the best compliments I've had lately came from someone I don't even know - the girl who checks me in at the rec center. She said I was "gorgeous." Since I haven't felt "gorgeous" in quite awhile - if ever - I was really touched by her compliment."

Congrats, Sandy! Thank you for sharing your comment. This cute little necklace is now yours. Please contact me at thenshemade (at) gmail (dot) com

Photography Questions

2013-03-02T14:11:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone for commenting on my last post. I'm going to keep the give-away open until Monday because I'm loving reading all of your comments. I'm surprised at how many of you mentioned compliments you received from strangers - that's just proof we don't need to know someone to make a difference in their lives.

I must admit some of your comments have made me tear up a bit - the things we are told can make or break us and I'm so glad we all have at least one example of positive words in our lives. Good stuff!

So, here's another compliment/ question I get a lot. I get emails about my photography. Seems my readers want to know how to take photos for their own blogs and they have said nice things about the product photography I do. Thank you for that!

I do a lot of photography, I married a photographer and together we have a little business doing portraits so I know enough to be dangerous. However, I'm also really frugal. I very rarely invest in the gadgets and gizmos that most in the photography trade do. The camera doesn't take good photos, the person who uses the camera does. So, with that said, I have to let you know that my photography for my blog is done so simply, I'm almost embarrassed to show you what I do. I have a camera but everything I use to set up the shots are just things I have around my house. I don't use light boxes or photo rooms, purchased backdrops or any of those things that you can buy pre-packaged for a shoot. I don't need them nor do I need to spend the money involved in getting them.

So, now that you know my thoughts on the matter, I'll show you what I do. It's really not pretty but it works. Here's a some shots I did yesterday at the same time that I did my picture of the smile pendant for my post last night.

It's nice. It's centered. It's well lit. You can see the details. The horizon line is NOT in the middle of the photo (more on that later). So, you want to see what it really looks like when the camera isn't centered on the product? Well, here you go...

Yep! I stack things on my kitchen chairs and do what looks like fort-building in my living room.

I use blankets as my back drops a lot. Love the color of this blanket, although because I place it so far behind the subject, you can't really tell that it is blue. When you drape a blanket, just make sure the part that shows in the photo is flat - no seams, no wrinkles. You don't want those things to distract from your subject. And, I usually use solid colors, not patterns. You don't want your pattern to compete with your subject. So, what did I use to set up this fancy background? Well, underneath one side is a guitar and the other side is another chair. See, told you I'm frugal - maybe cheap is the more honest word!

I always shoot in the afternoon. Where I live, I get better light when the sun is heading to the west. Watch your light. If you are going to do photography in your home pay attention to when the light in your home and the way it looks at different times of the day. If I shoot in the morning the light is bluer and a little cold. Afternoon light is warmer.

The photo above also shows my resourcefulness, ya, that's what we'll call it. On the chair you see a little white box with pins in it and a binder clip. I use those items, and others I find around the house, to prop things up. Case in point? See the photo below.

(these are new and are on Etsy now)

The pin box was on the left, the binder clip on the right - you can't see them but they did just what I needed them to do. My product is standing up and ready for a picture.

I mentioned before about light. I always move my items toward the window but not too close. The sheers on my window act as an automatic light softener so the harsh western light is filtered as it hits my subject. And, be careful, if you are using natural light, don't block it while you are taking the photo. If I had stood in front of the window to take the photo, I would have blocked all the light I was trying to get on my subject. Instead, I stood to the side and angled my subject slightly so I basically made a triangle between me, the window and my subject.

The rest of the stuff in the photo above is all optional - the guinea pig cage is not needed to make a great photo. And, no guinea pigs were harmed during the making of this post. :)

So, what about composition?

I always use two basic rules. There are more but for simplicity these two are the ones I do regularly

1 - Get in close. You want to make sure that your subject is centered and that it fills the frame as much as possible.

2 - Watch your horizon line. You'll get a better a photo is you place your horizon line either above or below the center of your photo. When I say horizon line, I don't actually mean the place where the sky meets the earth. I just mean the visual spot in a photo where the main objects meet the back ground. In the photo below, it's the top of the rock. See how the top of the rock is positioned more towards the top of the photo. If I had placed that "line" in the center of the photo, it would not have been as pleasing because the subject matter, the bracelet, would have to compete for attention because the background space would be equal to the foreground space.

Here's another example with the horizon line towards the bottom of the photo

Hmmm, I think I want some cookies now. See how the blue line (which happens to be my ironing board) is below the center line of the photo?

A rule of decorating is to use what is called the "golden mien" basically, you are dividing up your space into thirds. Photography is no different. When composing a good photo divide it into thirds and make sure your horizon line is either in the top third or bottom third - avoid the middle.

Another thing I do, is I mess around with my backgrounds. Yes, I use blankets a lot, but remember these?

Yep, I use them as back grounds, here's one in action....

I also use things from outside, I use rocks a lot...

This photo was taken on my front porch railing. I just found a rock, laid out my subject matter and went with it. The background is actually snow on the sidewalk. I do a ton of photos on my red couch too.

Yep, there's my couch. I let the cushions act as my horizon line, can you see it?

Just play around with different things, it's kind of fun to see what you can come up with.

So, like I said earlier, I'm not fancy. Almost all my photos are created just using natural light and a little creative placement of things I find around the house. If I can do it, so can you - go get your camera and play around with it.

Smiles!