Easy Paper Candy Favors

"Easy Paper Candy Favors" from Zakka Life.

"Suppplies
3" by 5 1/2" paper
double sided tape - scrapbook type that roll on (you could also use glue)
Flip paper upside down. Fold paper to make a small tab (refer to picture). Where yellow lines are, place double sided tape.

Fold in half to make a little pouch like the picture above. Seal the bottom.

Fill with candy. Squeeze sides togeather to seal. The favor should resemble a triangle.

Done!"

Embroidered pillowcases

"A Gift for Mom" from Under Construction.

Love this idea for grandparents, even grandfathers. Hand-embroidered, monogrammed pillowcases with kids' drawing and writing.

Our Birth Day Book

"Our Birth Day Book" from Playful Learning.

This might seem like obvious in this life-caching, memory-keeping world that we live in. But I record it here as a reminder of a wonderful tradition and heirloom that can be flipped through each year, and passed on to later generations.

"This year, we started a new birthday tradition that was a big hit and that we will revisit for a long time to come. We created a Birth Day Book for her, which contains pictures of us as a pregnant couple, positive pictures of her birth and snapshots of her first precious moments with us. She sat spellbound as we relived the story of her birth with loving detail. We followed up the experience by reading the book, On The Day You Were Born, by Debra Frasier."

Oven mitts

"New Oven Mitts" from A Thousand Words.

Love this style with the bold print and long arm protection. Think it has velcro to attach it to the rod. Might be cute Christmas presents--do you need to put something special in there to protect from heat?

Fabric Memory Game

"Memory Game" from Hallmark Magazine.

Unfortunately my nephew is getting a little old for this--maybe, I could squeeze it in for his birthday! A photoshoot might be in order at Christmas!! But I definitely want to remember it for future toddler gifts.

"Make This Game!
You’ll need:

• 18 digital images, sized at 2 x 2 inches (if you don’t have photo software, try shrinkpictures.com)
• 6 sheets ink-jet-printable fabric
• Scissors
• 1 yard 36-inch-wide wool felt
• ½ yard 45-inch-wide printed cotton fabric
• Acid-free glue stick
• Sewing machine
• Zigzag pinking shears

1. Print out two copies of each picture on photo fabric; cut out the image, leaving a white border around all sides so that you end up with a 3 x 3-inch square.
2. Cut wool felt into seventy-two 4 x 4-inch squares.
3. Cut printed cotton fabric into thirty-six 4 x 4-inch squares.
4. To make a tile, stack the fabric layers as follows: Place the cotton printed side down. Place two layers of wool felt on top of the cotton. Then center the photo fabric, image side up, on the stack. Before you sew, dot a bit of glue between each layer to hold all four pieces together without pinning (a pin might leave a hole in the photo-fabric layer).
5. Machine-stitch through the tile layers around the outline of the photo. (The bottom layers are a bit larger than the photo fabric, so it’s easy to keep all the layers lined up.)
6. Trim all the layers of the tile at once with pinking shears, leaving a narrow white border around the image.

MEMORY GAME RIBBON-TIE BAG
You’ll need:

• Sewing machine
• Two 10 x 12-inch pieces of cotton calico (for the bag)
• Scissors
• Two 10 x 12-inch pieces of contrasting cotton calico (for the lining)
• 3/4 yard of 1/4-inch-wide ribbon
• Needle and thread

Finished size: 9 x 11 inches
Seam allowance: 1/2 inch (13 millimeters), unless otherwise noted

1. With the right sides of the front and back bag pieces together, stitch the long edges of the bag. Stitch the bottom edge of the bag. Trim the corners, press the seams open and turn the bag right-side out.
2. To make the lining, place the right sides of the front and back lining pieces together and stitch the long edges. Stitch across the bottom of the lining, leaving a 5-inch opening through which you will turn the bag. Trim corners and press the seams open.
3. With right sides together, place the bag into the lining (the outside of the lining will be facing you). With the top edges even, stitch around the top of the bag through both layers. Pull the outer bag through the opening in the lining. Turn in the edges of the opening in the lining and stitch the opening closed. Stuff the lining inside the bag and press the top edge.
4. To make the ribbon tie, fold the ribbon in half. At the fold, hand-stitch the ribbon to the outside of the bag at one of the side seams—about 2 inches below the top edge of the bag—being careful not to stitch through the lining. Wrap the ribbon around the bag, and tie in a bow to close."

adventcalendar

adventcalendar
Originally uploaded by melmelmel

"Advent Re-vent" from What Knot and her Flickr page.

Someday (ok, probably not this year), I'm going to make a really cute Advent calendar for my family (and maybe my sisters'). Adding this to the collection of inspiration...

Bits of Color quilt

"Bits of Color" from Film in the Fridge.

Not planning to quilt anytime soon, but if I did, or if my mama wanted to quilt for me... this would be the quilt for me. Modern, simple, and beautiful application of this old-fashioned skill.