Christmas is Over!

Well Christmas is over and now we are getting ready for the new year! Here is something I worked on over the holidays.

Crocheted Fleece Blanket:

Here's how I made this:
1) I bought the fleece at 1 1/4 yards. I bought a special rotary blade called a slipstitch blade. It perforates the fabric.
2) I washed and dried my fabric, cut the fabric to size.
3) Sewed it, right sides together; Perforated it with my slipstich rotary blade. In the pictures the fabric is already perforated  because this one I did backwards. it is best to Sew it first then perforate it, you get a more even perforation for your crocheting that way. I drew the curve and cut off the excess, it makes for a nice curve when you turn it to the right side.
4) I left about a 4 inch opening on one side when I sewing it. That way I could turn it right side out and slip stitch the edge closed.
5) Iron Steam the edges after I turned it to the right side, using a low heat on my iron, just enough to make steam and I used a pressing cloth over the fabric. This helped the blanket edges lay flat and it was easier to crochet.
6) Then all you do is crochet the edges.

 It turned out very nice and neat! This double fleece blanket is very warm! I found it to be intermediate in difficulty, mainly because there are no instructions on the internet on how to make the double fleece blanket. So I had to figure this stuff out on my own. Also being my 1st time making this there was a small learning curve. All in all I enjoyed it and now I know how to make it and will be ready next year for gifts!

Fall is Coming! Raspberry Peach Jam

Fall is coming and I was in the mood to make more Jam!
I had jars left from my not so great attempt this summer at a watermelon jelly. So I decided that I would make a yummy Raspberry Peach jam. The peaches were frozen fresh from the tree. They were given to me by a friend who has a Peach tree. She will be getting a yummy Jar of this jam for Christmas.

2 Cups Peaches / 2 Cups Raspberries

I mashed up the fruit in my mini food processor.

The Recipe for this Yummy Jam:

Raspberry Peach Jam

What you need:

4 cups  prepared fruit (buy about 1-1/2 pt. fully ripe red raspberries and 1-1/2 lb. fully ripe peaches)

2 Tbsp.  fresh lemon juice

1 box  SURE-JELL Fruit Pectin

1/2 tsp.  butter or margarine

6-1/4 cups  sugar, measured into separate bowl
6 -8 oz Jars

 

Make it

BRING boiling-water canner, half full with water, to simmer. Wash jars and screw bands in hot soapy water; rinse with warm water. Pour boiling water over flat lids in saucepan off the heat. Let stand in hot water until ready to use. Drain well before filling.

CRUSH raspberries thoroughly, 1 layer at a time. (Strain half of the pulp to remove seeds, if desired.) Measure 2 cups prepared raspberries into 6- or 8-qt. saucepot. Peel, pit and finely chop peaches. Measure exactly 2 cups prepared peaches into saucepot with raspberries; stir until well blended. Add lemon juice; mix well.

STIR pectin into prepared fruit mixture in saucepot. Add butter to reduce foaming. Bring mixture to full rolling boil (a boil that doesn't stop bubbling when stirred) on high heat, stirring constantly. Stir in sugar. Return to full rolling boil and boil exactly 1 min., stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Skim off any foam with metal spoon.

LADLE immediately into prepared jars, filling to within 1/8 inch of tops. Wipe jar rims and threads. Cover with 2-piece lids. Screw bands tightly. Place jars on elevated rack in canner. Lower rack into canner. (Water must cover jars by 1 to 2 inches. Add boiling water, if necessary.) Cover; bring water to gentle boil. Process 10 min. Remove jars and place upright on a towel to cool completely. After jars cool, check seals by pressing middle of lid with finger. (If lid springs back, lid is not sealed and refrigeration is necessary.) (Recipe by Kraft SureJell)

Yummilicious!!!!

Ceiling Fan Redo

Today I decided to redo the ceiling fan in my dining room. It started out as a gross yellow brass color. I had been doing some looking around on line for a color that would look classy and sleek. I found this color at the Home Depot it was under $8. I think that was a great price for the Major change in my ceiling fan. I enlisted the help of my tall and sweet cousin. He took it down for me and disassembled all the parts and put it back up after it was all done.
This is the color:

This is the lamp before the redo:

Dirty, Gross and Ugly! Oh and VERY dated.
I cleaned the fan blades and rubbed it with Old English. The fan blades had an oak finish on one side and a cherry finish on the other. I decided that the cherry finish was so much richer than the oak. So I am having the Cherry finish facing down.

I washed all the parts and repainted them:

My Fan Redo! So Much Nicer!

Newest Cards

Sharing my newest cards, I made these for the father of my friend. I lined the envelopes. I don't do this normally. My cards run $5 per card and includes an envelope.

It's been 6 months

Wow I can't believe it's been six months since I last posted. Since than blogger changed it's set up, so it took me about 20 minutes to figure out what happened here. Since Dec I have had allot of changes and now life is settling down again. Let me post a few pics of what I have been making since December.

 This is a scarf I made for my granddaughter, She looks so adorable in it. The hat was made by my mother in law, which is amazing at everything that she does!

 This was a thank you card I made for a Friend

This was a Thank you card for family.

So for now that is it, I need to craft more and add more cool stuff!

Chirtmas Cards

2011 Christmas Cards

I wanted to share the cards I made for my family and friends : My handmade Christmas cards. Here are the cards I made this year.

  

Christmas Planner

I am working on some christmas planners for gifts. I have had these compostion book for a long time when. I bought them when they were on sale at only 25 cents each. I decided to use up some of my scraps of scrapbook paper and embellishments this weekend. I came up with this, now if your my family this is a sneak peak of something you MAY get. I will be making all types of designs, so this won't actually be the one you may get. I thought I would post while I wait for the rain to die down, so I can do my grocery shopping today.

I took a composition book and altered it to this really useful Christmas planner.



To Make one of these:

You Need :

1) Composition notebook

2) Scrapbook pattern paper at least 8 1/2x 11 Size

3) Ribbon 1/2 yard

4) Cardstock Scraps

5) Embelishments

6) Strong glue runner, glue runner for lightweight paper and a strong liquid glue.

7) Sharps Scissors

8) Nail buffer or 180 grit nail file.

Instructions:

I did not cover the spine of the book. I did this so it would open and close freely.

1) Take an 81/2 by 11 pc of pattern paper and butt it up to the black binding on the front of the book.

2) Trace the pattern paper around the cover with a pencil to match the shape of the cover, trim it to size. It's ok to have a little overhang. I actually think it is better. You will be trimming that off after you glue that page down to the front of the book.

3) Adhere the patterned paper to the front cover, butting the paper up to the black spine edge.

With your scissors trim the paper close to the edge of the cover. With your nail buffer or file. Run the file down along the edge only going in one direction down on the paper for a smooth edge.

4) Adhere you ribbon  to the front with a dry glue runner, with about and inch over lapped to the back.

5) Cover your inside cover the same way, I used a solid peice of regular colored bond paper, but if you have lightweight pattern paper it it will do just fine. This will cover your ribbon overlap from the front side.

6)  Adhere a pocket on the front inside left. I used a christmas envelope. On the right side I added a printed calendar.

7) The tabs were a purchased item, I just labled them and glued them on with liquid glue.

I spearated the sections by using the colored bond paper.

8) The back inside and outside were done the same as the front.

I added a pocket with heavy duty cardstock.

The back the same paper as the front. *Note that I do not cover the spine of the book.