Quilt Group

So I totally missed quilt group last month cause I was working like crazy on my stuff for the Beehive Bazaar. So this month I made an extra one to give to Carol (the woman who's turn it was last month) She had 4 come to her this week so I wasn't the only slacker! No worries though, she won't be putting her quilt together anytime soon cause she's super busy with her 2 daughters getting married this summer.

I got the idea for these squares from the purl bee's curved seemed pillow tutorial. Unfortunately I didn't see the download for the pattern until now! So I drew my own. Our square has to be 9 1/2 * 9 1/2 so I made my square a random size then just cut it down to the right size in the end. This is what happens when you join a quilt group that has you make a square at home to bring in each month with no lessons attached. So with me not knowing anything about " how " to make a quilt square- I basically just have to wing it. I'm pretty sure I'm a true quilters nightmare.



P.s. just cause you know how to sew doesn't mean you know how to quilt! I think I thought it would be somewhat easy. no such luck! I still look foward to when it's my month & when I have/get to put my quilt together.

Eco- Tip Friday

Don't throw your old furniture away!

Donate your old furniture to a local furniture recycler. They'll turn your unwanted pieces into something covetable, saving it from the landfill.



P.s. remember one person's junk is another ones treasure
If you're planning to do some spring cleaning, hold a yard sale or donate old items to a second hand shop. You'll be surprised how valuable your junk is to someone else.

How To Cut Your Bangs

I came across this video on Kandee Johnson's blog. She's a fancy make-up artist with lots of great tips.

I tend to get my hair cut twice a year (I know that's bad right) but a color & a cut every 6 weeks or so can be really expensive! So because I'm a total cheap-o I end up cutting my own bangs every other month. Friends are always asking how I go about this task & to be honest I just wing it. Sometimes it works out & sometimes it doesn't... (I should insert a picture here, but I'm not that brave)

Here's a great video showing you a really good way to cut your own bangs. I will forever follow Kandee's simple tips.



P.S. check out Kandee's link for a great organic lemon sugar scrub. I'm trying this tonight!

Paper!

I wish I had a ton of extra money so I could buy everything from Three Potato Four. I'm loving these paper goods. These vintage elementary charts from the 50's are so great- I want to snatch every single one up. Elementary Science Educational Charts - Weather Elementary Science Educational Charts - Machines How cute is this little bus illustration.

Set of Bus Print Gift Tags I really need a "how to be more crafty" class cause these paper packs are delicious!

3P4 Paper Pack You can never go wrong with any kind of poster about NY Manhattan Poster by Jim Datz Brooklyn Poster by Jim Datz

Rompers

Oh how I LOVE-LOVE-LOVE rompers/jumpers. Whatever you like to call them. Here are a few fav's from Urban Outfitters- Opening Ceremony & Built By Wendy

1. Pins and Needles Silky Ruffle Romper
2. Silence & Noise Tube Rolled Hem Jumper
3. Rumpled Linen Jumper
4. Betsey Johnson Archives
5. Ripstop Studio Jumper
6. Grey Antics

9 By Design

I have no idea how I am just finding out about this show a little late in the game BUT I am loving it. If you don't record it already START NOW- Yes I'm yelling at you! It's on Tuesdays on Bravo.



P.S. I have a major crush on Cortney.
P.S.S. If you want to see a house tour click here

Eco- Tip Friday

Recycling Batteries

Do you end up mixing your old batteries with your new because you're not sure what to do with your old batteries? Well I do. Not anymore! If you go to Earth911.com you can enter your zip code & they will tell you exactly where to go to recycle those batteries you've been cursing at all this time. In fact you can enter any item like- aluminum cans, computers, paint etc. that you're not sure about where to go for recycling. Now you have no excuse!

This is the closest place for me for recycling my batteries Batteries Plus




My son also tells me his dad has a bucket he keeps at home with batteries in it that he'll take to work, when it's full, to recycle. So I just may sneak my batteries into his back pack. SHHH don't tell.

LETTERS!

Vintage letters galore! I'm still working on buying up the alphabet so I can create my ABC wall for the girls room. I have about 5 more letters to go. Check out these vintage letters from Three Potato Four I want them all


12" Plastic Pick-A-Letter Signs



Red with White Trim Lowercase Shop Letter Signs



Lowercase Blue with Gold Highlights



Duotone Red/Blue Shop Letter Signs

Old Time Computers

Sick of your mac/pc looking like a mac/pc? Not any more- now you can vintage-fy it. (yes I made that up) Seriously how cool are these With victorian- art deco- shaker styles & more you can really match your computer to your house.

SANDALS!

These 4 pairs of sandals will most likely be my summer staple- I love the different moods they represent

Eco-Tip Friday

Keeping your refrigerator full, but not to the point of overstuffing, will allow it to run at max capacity. To help retain cold temperatures when the fridge and freezer are less full, place glass or ceramic pitchers of water in their compartments. Like using ice in a picnic cooler, this will insulate the interior and keep it cold.

Refrigerators and freezers account for about a sixth of all electricity use in a typical American home, and they use more electricity than any other single household appliance.

Over- or under-crowding makes the fridge work harder to maintain its optimal internal temp (37 degrees F).

Blog Hop

Hop on over to Housewife Bliss and join in the Fabulous Nest Friday blog hop

Blanket House

I downloaded all my girls trip + Dave pics onto my newer computer that is always dead these days (baby Ida sucked on the cord one too many times) So I won't be showing any pics until husband brings his cord home over the weekend from his office- BUT here are a couple of pics he sent me of the blanket house he built for the girls. How did he do watching 2 little girls for 5 1/2 days, with a little help from my moms? Well besides little pookie being clothes-less they look like they had a blast.



I love how the quilt looks like a stained glass window

P.s. girls you should plan a girls trip quick- your husbands appreciation for you will rise 10 times & guys you'll definitely get lucky the night she gets home.

YUM!

I'm totally making these this weekend- (minus) the rhubarb- yuck
Amy (if that's your real name) please come cook for me


Mini Rhubarb Strawberry Galettes
Makes 8 single servings

1 1/2 cups rhubarb, sliced in 1/4 inch pieces

1/2 cup strawberries, sliced 

1/2 cup sugar

2 Tablespoons cornstarch

Dough for 2 9-inch pie crusts
1 Tablespoon milk
Raw or turbinado sugar for sprinkling on the crust

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine the rhubarb, strawberries, sugar and cornstarch. Let sit for 15 minutes, no longer. Meanwhile break dough into 8 pieces and roll each one into roughly a 6 inch round. Place 1/4 cup filling into the center of the dough rounds and fold the edges over, pinching to seal, place galettes on a baking sheet. Brush the crusts with milk using a pastry brush then sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake for 25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool slightly and serve.

Note these mini galettes freeze exceedingly well. Let them cool, wrap well. When ready to serve gently reheat in a 300 degree oven, about 10 minutes.

seen via Liz

A New Fav at the Beehive Bazaar

There where a lot of great newbies this year & Colt Bowden was one of my favorites. His display alone was amazing. Our house is in desperate need of some wall art so I bought & traded away! His letter press & hand crafted sewn collage people are so cool. I hope he doesn't mind that I stole these off his flickr page.

The display- Coltzar

Two is Better Than One in a Snowstorm

Jack Zissou

Look at My Hat

Moustache & Beards

Logger & Wife

The King

3D

Blue & Yellow Polaroids

Shape Ups- Oh My

Seriously are we really to believe that Joe Montana wears these?



On another note- I do have these but they look relatively normal & while i'm not sure they do any extra work on their own- they sure are comfy on my old ballet destroyed feet. (especially the balls of my feet)

The Yudu

So have you heard of Provo Craft's Yudu? It's what you would think would be a really easy way to screen print. Not so much. When I first decided I wanted to try my hand at illustrator & then screen printing those designs I knew that making the screen would be a b**** I had heard that the Yudu machine had made the burning process a cinch - so when my sister & brother in law said they had a Yudu I asked them if I could give it a try & so I did. When you watch the "how to video" they make it seem so simple. 3 screens later (well 3 emulsion sheets later) I finally figured it out but it still wasn't that simple. As you can see lining up two different colors is not an easy task for a beginner. (My love for mustaches will never die sorry Susan)

Eco- Tip Friday/ Really it's Saturday!

I really am bad at making sure I post on Friday's. Oh well.

Washing your clothes-

Unless you’re dealing with some really serious stains, there’s not much benefit to washing your clothes in hot water (and it will make them shrink more). A good detergent and a cold-water wash can get your clothes just as clean, and switching to cold washes could save a staggering 85% of the energy used per load.

Also if you're looking to buy a new washer try to look for washing machines with Energy Star's seal of approval. They are guaranteed to consume far less energy.

or buy this

Crazy Week

I'm soooooooo busy getting some last minute things finished for the Beehive Bazaar that I won't be blogging much this week. The Swanky Isis did a nice little blog about my goods today. Thank you Natalie for all your kind words. She has a really great design/ mom blog you should check out.

Come to the bazaar. It starts tomorrow night.

Eco- Tip Friday/ It's Really Sunday

If you're ever in NYC & you find yourself holding an empty water bottle/ can of soda- hand it to the nearest homeless person. Not only will he recycle it- but he will also make money.