Makin' It Monday-Beaded Bracelets

I needed something to give to my Grandmother and my hubby's Grandmother for Mother's Day.  I found some cute thrift store items to use as pots for their flowers, but I wanted to give them something else as well. At one of my many trips to Hobby Lobby I found some really pretty beads to make into bracelets.  Did I mention that these beads were half off..I just can't bring myself to pay full price for anything at Hobby Lobby.  I really don't know how they stay in business, but if they are willing to give me deals (at least what I perceive to be a deal since they mark stuff down all the time) that is cool with me.

To make the bracelets I bought the beads that were already strung.  You could use loose beads and wire if you have that on hand.  I also purchased the fasteners and Jump Rings (the little wire loops).  I needed two sets of pliers for this project.

After removing the beads from the card board I found a plastic thread running through the beads.  I took a jump ring and opened it with my pliers.

Then I ran it through the plastic thread at the bottom of the beads.

Then I attached one end of the fastener to the jump ring.

Next, I pulled out the plastic thread from the top of the beads.  It was just looped and shoved down in the beads.

I took another jump ring and slipped the thread through the ring and tied the thread in a knot. 

Then you want to run the thread back down through the first couple of beads and cut the thread.  Leave enough of a tail to run through at least one or two more beads, depending on the size of the bead.

After running the tail back through the bracelet open the jump ring and attach the other piece of the fastener.  Don't forget to close the jump rings and try to get the two ends touching as smoothly as possible.

If you have a larger wrist you can adjust the length of the bracelet by adding beads, or knotting the thread so that there is more thread showing.  This option will allow the beads to slide around on the bracelet.  So do what works best for you!

Your done!

Happy Crafting!

 

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Things to Try Thursday-Sweater to Cardigan

I have been going through my closet and coming up with clothes I just don't wear anymore.  I really don't want to get rid of everything I have purged from my closet,so I decided to try out a tutorial I found on line a while back.

I love all the pretty ceations that Sachiko from Tea Rose Home comes up with.  She shared this great tutorial on how to turn a sweater into a jacket.  I thought I would attempt something similar with a sweater my Mom bought me when I got my first job out of college....7 years ago.  So this is no spring chicken of a sweater and I thought it needed a little umph.
I started with my sweater and an old t-shirt.

I cut the sweater up the middle.  Since the sweater was ribbed I picked the middle and cut a straight line in the ribbing.  If you choose a garment that doesn't have ribbing or an easy way to find the middle, then you will need to measure the total width of the garment and divide by two.  This will tell you where the middle of your garment is and thus where to cut. 
**Side bar:  I like math so this measure, divide, multiply, take derivative stuff is just easy for me.  I know that most people don't like math (i.e. my hubby) and freak out when they see numbers that they have to do something with.  All that being said, I hope you don't find it too simplistic that include these instructions.

Okay, back to our sweater.  After cutting the sweater up the middle I took a piece of ribbon and pinned it to the cut edges of the sweater.  Then I sewed the ribbon in place.  This will prevent any fraying from the cut edges of the sweater.

Now take your old t-shirt and start chopping it up.  I cut up the side seams of the shirt. 

Then I cut the neck seams so I had two pieces of the shirt.

I used the back piece of the shirt and cut off the excess pieces of fabric to create a rectangle.

Then I cut the rectangle in half.

And in half again.  These two pieces will  be the embelishment I add to the edges of my sweater.  You can measure this fabric to be whatever width you choose, just make sure you have two equal pieces of fabric. 

Next, I pinned the fabric to the sweater with little pin tucks.  I made sure I matched both sides of the pin tucks so that the sweater looked symmetrical.  (Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of this step)

Finally I sewed both sides of the fabric to the sweater.

And your done!!

I can't wait to wear this sweater with a black tank top this fall!

Happy Sewing!

What's for Dinner Wednesday-Italian Crescent Casserole

First of all, SORRY.  I was halfway through cooking this dish when I realized I didn't take pictures of all the steps.  There aren't that many and I know you all can do it with out the pics. 
My hubby is a police man and a couple of years ago his department put together a cookbook...Cookin' With the Cops.  I found this recipe in its depths and it has become one of my husbands favorites.

Italian Crescent Casserole

Ingredients:
1 lb ground beef, cooked and drained.
1 cup spaghetti sauce
8 oz. sour cream
8 oz. mozzarella cheese
2 tbsp. butter
1/3 cup parmesan cheese
1 can of crescent rolls

Start off by cooking your beef and draining.  Then add the cup of spaghetti sauce and cook on low while you finish preparing the rest of the meal.  Next, combine the sour cream and mozarella cheese.  In a 2 qt. casserole dish spread the meat mixture on the bottom.  Top this with the sour cream mixture.  Unroll the crescent rolls and cover the top of the dish.  Melt the butter and mix in the parmesan cheese.  Spread the parmesan cheese mixture on top of the crescent rolls.  Bake at 3  for 18-25 minutes.  It is done when the crescent rolls turn a nice brown color.  That is about 20 minutes in my oven.  This is great served with your favorite veggies.
Enjoy!

Happy Baking!

Makin' It Monday-Play Shirt Trasnformation

This week is getting off to a much better start than last week!!  So, here is a little tutorial I put together of a play shirt I made my daughter.

I transformed a little bag that some t-shirt sheets came in into a sleeveless shirt.

First, I started by ripping the side seams out of the bottom of the bag to make arm holes.

Next, I ripped out some of the bottom seam of the bag to make a neck opening.

Now that I had the holes opened up, I tried it on Missy priss to see how it fit.  I wasn't really sure that this would work, but it fit pretty well.

Next, I turned the unfinished ends under and hemmed them.  This was hard to do b/c the jersey material wanted to roll up.

To finish off the shirt I tied two pieces of ribbons on the top of the sholder where I didn't rip the existing seam.  I heat sealed the ends so that the ribbon wouldn't fray.

And I was done!

You just never know where that next piece of clothing might come from...

Happy Transforming!



























Women Who Do It All
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