With wrap around porches, beautiful handmade quilts, the soft sounds of a windmill, and all the hanging moss you could want make this retreat truly tranquil, and the sunsets are to die for!

I so love black and white photography. Shot these on my Canon AL-1 and developed last week. Still find the whole process completely cathartic.

Hope everyone is having a great week! Weekend is almost here! Anyone making anything fun? I hope to work on a couple gifts for upcoming birthdays. Happy Making!

Thank you to those who still popped by here every once and a while. It was noticed and appreciated.

To start me back off in the DIY world I thought I would demo how to make some cute and easy hair accessories. I got my hair cut several months ago and finally had an excuse to use a bow I’d bought. Limited in the amount of clothing it went with-and stumbling upon an exciting amount of fun felt at Hobby Lobby-I decided I needed to make my own.

Supplies:
1. Hot Glue Gun
2. Printed Felt
3. Needle and Thread
4. Hair Clips
5. Pencil
6. Scissors (not pictured)
7. Cardstock (not pictured)

First I made a couple different templates. They all made different size bows, so cut you r template to the size you want. I used cardstock to make my template more durable. I folded the sheet and only drew on one half of it to make both sides even. I just free handed my template because the finished look is quite forgiving to any sloppy lines.

Trace your template onto the felt or specialty fabric sheets. Be sure to leave a little edging (approx 1/2 in.) around your template. This will be useful in the next step. Cut out the piece that will make up your bow.

Cut a section of the edging you left to make the accent that will wrap around the center of your bow. Cut it longer than you think you will need. You can always trim it down later.

Pinch your bow together. I folded mine in the center once and them made four more folds to make the triple fold look in the center. You can fashion your bow any way you wish.

Using the thread and needle you want to reinforce your center by stitching it together a couple of times. I held my creases in place by clamping one of my hair clips onto it. This allowed me to sew through the layers without losing the shape of the bow. Tie off and cut your excess thread.

Using the hot glue gun place a dab of glue at the dip in the bow, leaving a little extra on the tail to wrap around to the back. Hot glue this down too.

Affix the hair clip to the back of the bow with the glue and with a dab on the inside of the clip, slip through the remaining amount and press down. Cut off any excess. Having the center accent glue around the clip will help keep it attached longer.

Let everything cool completely, clean off any spider web tendrils of glue left over (I hate those!) and ta-da! you have a shiny new hair accessory! You can make them out of pretty much any felt and even some of the sparkly fabric sheets. Happy Making!

With summer fast approaching I was contemplating something I could make to bring in those warm, muggy days. My family cooks out a lot (we love our BBQ and pool time) so I immanently went to an idea for something to use in that capacity. How about some fun hemp granny square coasters?

If you are familiar with crocheting these will be super simple to make and for those that are not familiar I’ve photographed a few of the steps to help make reading the pattern easier. Enjoy!

Supplies
1. 48 lb Hemp Cord
2. Size G/6 crochet hook (4.25mm)

Basic Granny Square Pattern:

Terms:
sc – single crochet
dc – double crochet
sl st – slip stitch

*Chain 3 at start of each round equals 1 double crochet

Chain 4, join with sl st to first stitch to form a circle.

Round 1: *Chain 3, 2 dc in circle.* Repeat from * 3 more times. Chain 3 and sl st into top of chain 3 from beginning. Sl st through both dcs and into chain 3 space.

Round 2: Chain 3, 2 dc in chain 3 space. Chain 3,  3 dc in same chain 3 space. Chain 2 (I like my spaces tight but you can take it out to 3 if you want them more loose), 3dc in next chain 3 space, chain 3, 3 dc in same space* Continue from * 2 more times. Chain 2 and join with sl st to top of chain 3. Sl st through both dcs and into chain 3 space.

Round 3: Chain 3, 2 dc in corner chain 3 space, chain 3, 3 dc in same space. *Chain 2, 3 dc in chain 2 space, chain 2, 3 dc in corner chain 3 space, chain 3, 3 dc in same space.* Repeat from * 2 more times. Chain 2 and join with sl st to top of chain 3.

For coasters I only take the pattern out three rounds. you can continue in the same fashion if you want to make larger pieces.

Here are the steps in a more visual form:

Form a loop by crossing one end of your hemp over the other. Bring the longer end across the loop opening…

..and push through opening. Bring your hook into the newly formed loop and pull tight. You’re ready to begin crocheting!

Chain 4 and slip stitch to first chain to form a circle.

Chain 3,  then 2 double crochets into circle.

Chain 3 (this forms your first corner), 3 double crochets into circle.

Repeat this this two more times then chain 3 and join with slip stitch to top of chain 3 from beginning.

Slip stitch two more times through the tops of the double crochets till you get to the corner formed by your chain 3. This is where you will begin your next round.

Chain 3 and 2 double crochet in corner chain 3 space. Chain 3 then 3 more double crochet in the same space to form this rounds first corner.

Once first corner of this round is finished chain 2 and repeat the previous instructions in the next corner chain 3 space. Do this all the way around and join with slip stitch to top of chain 3 from beginning of round.

Complete your 3rd round in the same fashion. 3 double crochets will go in the newly created spaces between the corners and 6 double crochets (with chain 3 between them) will create your new corners. Tie off when completed and work in your ends.

Something to note when working with hemp, it can be hard on the hands. Make sure to take breaks if it is starting to chafe or rub uncomfortably. You can work with smaller pound cording for a less coarse feel. If you go the circle pattern route just make sure to keep your tension loose so it doesn’t curl up into a bowl.

Happy Making! And stay safe all of you going through the tornado season with me!

While thinking of what to give my mom to show how much I love her and how I could never repay her for everything she has done for me I was staring at a beautiful doilie she made for me years ago. I was struck with an idea! I have recently taken up crocheting doilies-feeling strong enough in my skill to attempt them-and they make a fantastic double treat as giftwrap!

Supplies
1. Doilie
2. Ribbon (when choosing a ribbon length, go longer than you think you will need, you can always cut later)

That’s so easy it almost doesn’t need a list!

First: Choose which side of the doilie is the outside and which is the inside. [Note: When choosing your doilie it is best to pick something with a close crochet pattern so that your gift doesn’t tear it or slip through the holes.] Once you decide, take the end of your ribbon and push it through your first hole from inside to outside. [Note: When selecting where to weave your ribbon, choose someplace near the top and keep your spacing consistent-see second picture above-so that way your end result will look more even] This will be the end of one side of the ribbon.

Next: With the longer side (the side coming out the side you chose for the inside of the bag) begin weaving the ribbon back and forth through the hole. [See first picture above] Since doilie patterns tend to be symmetrical you should finish with the end of each side of the ribbon on the outside of your bag. [See second picture above]

Tip: If the ends of your ribbon don’t match up you can line up each end [See first picture above] and, while holding the ends in place, cinch the doilie shut [See second picture]. Continue to hold the ends tightly and reopen the bag carefully so it spreads across the ribbon evenly.

Next: It’s time to wrap your gift! Place your item in the center of the bag and use one hand to hold the sides up around the object while you cinch the doilie around it tightly.

Lastly: Tie off your bag and arrange the fringe above the ribbon so it looks uniform and fuller. You can cut off any excess ribbon at this time.

Tip: Use smaller doilies for little trinkets or treasures for a child. Alternately you can use large doilies for larger gifts.

I am so tickled with this idea and plan to use is as often as I can! You can also include a small tag with instructions on how they can iron out their doilie for use on a table or under a vase. Happy Making!

Ever on the look out for things I can get a bargain on and turn into what I truly wanted I come across some pretty ugly things. Sometimes I can see beyond its outer shell into its potential and when that happens I hit jackpot. This mirror was one such ugly thing. Made from a cheap plastic and on the smallish side I almost passed it by when thrift shopping several months ago. I kept coming back to it though, that nagging feeling like I was missing something about it. Finally it struck me…

…I needed to look past its scratched and tacky brown color and the fact it was made of plastic, to its shape. The shape of the frame was quite lovely. It had potential. So I bought it for a couple dollars and, using my stash of spray paints, upcycled this ugly duckling into a beautiful swan.

Supplies:
1. Mirror (or anything that needs upcycling!)
2. Painters Tape
3. Spray Paint
4. Foam Board (*or anything you can spray paint onto)

First: Tape off the parts you don’t want spray painted. For this particular mirror I tore off little pieces of tape to make it easier to cover along curves. This way I could get it right up to the edge without leaving any mirror exposed.

Detail: Here is what it looked like once I finished taping everything off.

Second: Spray paint it! Depending on how thick you want it, or how much coverage you desire, you may need to do several passes.

Tip: I decided to use that ucky brown to my favor for a bit and dabbed at the paint while it was drying with a paper towel. This allowed small portions of it to show through and gave the mirror a more rustic, aged look.

Lastly: Left dry completely and remove your tape!

Clean up any stray spray paint with a razor blade and some Windex. Time to hang!

This mirror was the perfect size for checking my jewelry in the morning and looks adorable nestled up against all the other goodies I have in my vanity corner. So remember…

…when looking for that perfect piece, look beyond any one aspect of the item. Find something perfect about it and alter everything else to fit the idea in your head. This project cost me less than 5 dollars total. Happy Making!

Of course, you don’t need the Wildflower Center to enjoy the bounty Texas has to offer. A drive on any highway will give you a vast sampling of flowers. There are whole maps devoted to guiding you to the best flower spots via highways. Our state flower is the Blue Bonnet and a favorite of mine. For a brief window-that I seemed to miss all the time it felt-bright periwinkle purple flowers pop up all over the place like little spears to pierce the sky. People go crazy over them! They seek out the best places to nestle down into them and snap portraits. Baby’s are the biggest victims of this. It just seems you aren’t a true Texan if you haven’t had your picture taken by or in some bed of blue bonnets. Just be wary…the bees love them too.

But Blue Bonnets aren’t the only flowers that grace our grassy ways with frequency; Indian Paintbrush, Sun Flowers, Thistle (my fav!), Firewheels, Black Eyed Susans, the list goes on! Spring is truly a colorful time here in Texas.

What are your favorite seasons of the year? What do you like most about them?

It just so happens that in my pursuit of active living I have stumbled upon adventures that don’t hit hard on the wallet. City gardens, festivals, fun runs, and local attractions; these are how I maintain my goal of living life with gusto. It gives me a new appreciate for where I live for, as my friends can attest to, I tend to dwell long on the woes of Texas summers and all the flat, flat expanses. My recent visit to the Fort Worth Japanese Gardens helped me love this place a little bit more and brought with it a good time with friends and serene beauty.

What have you gone out and done lately? Did it leave you with a sense of accomplishment? Peace? Restlessness?

Deep Ellum is rich with it’s own art, from graffiti, to sculpture and architecture.

There is music, great food, photographers, painters, sculptures, jewelry smiths, crafters, designers, and innovators down the length of the section of Main Street they block off. While there is no shortage of beautiful and amazing things to see, each year one artist just takes the cake. For me, this year, it was the talented glass work of Eric Mort. His shining crown was a series he called “Pocket Galaxies”, aptly named for it is as though you gaze into the very heart of one when you see them.

I highly recommend that you find local art festivals and attend. They are vibrant, joyful places to spend a couple hours and you never know what treasure you might happen upon in the course of your adventure. There are many festivals I look forward to each year but the Deep Ellum Art Festival is certainly in my top three. Can’t wait till next year!

This month my Mother-In-Law is taking me on something called the Quilt Express. A massive coach will pick us up early on a Saturday and from there we start our 48 hour fabric shop hop. I cannot wait! I will be baaaaaa-roke when I come back, but it will be worth it. We will be finishing up my first quilt the night before we leave so it can finally, finally, be quilted. But, hey, it’s a labor of love right? Who cares how long it takes.

Until then, let me gush about my new lovelies. Well newish – I have slacked on posting for Fabric Fridays. Picked some more Thirties prints, some romantic flower prints, a set of scrumptious, creamy pink batiks, and of course, star prints!

Happy Making!

I also used the excuse of a new portable product studio as a reason to purchase these. I needed something to test out!

I also had fun with bokeh. Gotta love those beautiful blurs!

What new and beautiful things have you bought recently? What do you plan to do with them?