Struggling? Who, me?

spider ring on my bedside table -- laundry mountain range -- PlayDo on my dresser

taxes mess -- yes, my kitchen sink -- craft mess

sewing table -- kitchen island full of crap -- this is a very old picture, but still a mess

I saw this post last week on Skip to My Lou titled, "Are You Struggling?" I really just wanted to laugh...seriously? Am.I.Struggling? Hmmm. I feel like I have been struggling since I had my third child! And that was almost 2yrs ago. But the post was really about signing up for a contest where Kenmore wanted to know what we are struggling with around our homes. OH. So Kenmore is going to invent a time machine for me that also cleans and makes my kids get along with each other! Yeah! I don't really think so.

But I will say that ever since we bought the worlds biggest washer and dryer two years ago, Laundry has not been my struggle. Now since we do have a humungo washer, I have a tendency to let the dirty clothes pile up pretty badly. (Like I am completely out of white socks at the moment.) But we get it done one mountain at a time. Best ridiculously expensive thing we have purchased, maybe ever.

Dinners are my only one other chore that does not overwhelm me anymore. My trick? I write down our dinner menu week by week- sometimes two weeks at a time. I used to just make a list of dinner "possibilities," meaning I had the groceries to make it on hand. But this failed big time. Inevitably I would forget to thaw some key element of the meal (like the chicken). So now, before I make my grocery list, I write out my dinner menu list. I plan quick meals for soccer nights and easy meals when my husband will be home late. My other "trick" is I double (or triple) recipes then freeze the extras. For instance, it is no more difficult to make large batches of soups, pancakes, sauces, enchiladas, or taco meat as it is to make one family-sized serving. This is my lifesaver.

Something else, I will have to ask my friend if she would review her floor-cleaning robot for us. Seriously? A house-cleaning robot? Yes, she has it. Yes, I might want it.

I was thinking of sharing some of these "multiply and freeze" recipes with you. Would you be interested? Leave me a comment and let me know! Um, please.

5 Tips for Making Rolled Fabric Flowers

I just can't get enough of these fabric flowers! I have been making many of these lovelies lately and wanted to share my tips on how to get very good quality results.


Tip #1: Know your glue!
Your best bets are hot glue or fabric glue, such as Fabri-Tac.
Know how long it takes to dry/stick, how fast it comes out, strength, etc.

Tip #2: Practice your twist and roll.
I like to "warm-up" before I start making these flowers. Each fabric type and size will behave differently. The way you twist will determine the look of the flower. By practicing, you can get an idea of what your flower is going to look like before you glue.
See what I mean...

Same amount of fabric...different rolling methods.

Tip #3: Hide your glue = Glue from the back.

Use tiny dabs of glue and a sweeping motion toward the back of your flower. This keeps your glue strings in the back. And dot just enough to get your fabric to stay as your build your flower. You will reinforce it when you are done.

Tip #4: For the felt backing, glue in one spot first.

Position your felt circle on the back where you want it to be glued. Since these flowers are not perfectly circular, your felt should mimic the shape of your flower. Hold the felt in place with your thumb and glue one side down with a dot of hot glue. Now your felt circle doesn't shift out of place and the messy back is covered. Then when that is dry, glue-like-crazy the rest. Also, instead of gluing to felt as I go, I start with a knot and roll my fabric around the knot until I get the flower going. Then I cut the "tail" off my knot when it gets in my way.

Tip #5: When you're done go back and glue some more.

Peel the layers (like you are flipping book pages) and find your weak spots that need a dab of glue. When you find a spot that needs glue, peel it open so you can get your glue nozzle way in there. Squeeze it in and get out of there with a clean sweep.

I prefer to use the Fabri-Tac as I roll then I follow up with the hot glue for the final gluing and back. Though I don't always do that. The only reason is that I am impatient and I hate burning my fingers : )

Leave me a comment...was this helpful? Did I miss something?

I am addicted to making these, you know. So the faster I can make them, the better !

Happy crafting!

--Kate

Rolled Flowers

OK, am I the only one?

I have been rolling everything into flowers lately!

Fabric, rick rack, ribbon...

These flowers are in my hair, on my fingers, and pinned to my hat. My new $3.99 hat from Hobby Lobby!

Can't.stop.making.flowers!

My Front Door is My Fridge

Since I am super lame-o and do not know how to make a wreath (or anything cutesie to put on my front door) I have this.
Yes. I put the fate of my front door decor in my children's hands. Am I crazy or lazy! Ha!

It all started in February...
I bought a pack of heart-shaped foam hearts for my kids to craft with. Then I drew a blank on what do DO with them. Uh..and...nothin.

I taught them how to use "real" glitter (opposed to glitter glue which they lu-huv!) Then I just had a stack of glittered foam shapes and still no ideas.

Then I came up with this:

So now we have this:
Now, all the world (or maybe just the neighborhood) can see some "fridge-worthy" crafts that my kids made. I realize this is not for everyone, but I like it. I get to show off my kids' artwork in another place- in addition to their art gallery on my fridge!

Do you need to know how I made them? Seriously? Decorate the foam shapes. Glue ribbon to the backs.

When they are dry, attach ribbon to the top of your door with a flat thumbtack. Genius, I know.

Happy Spring!

Made in Oklahoma?

After the kids went to bed last night, I made this apron and oven mitt. Stella's class is making a "Made in Oklahoma" basket for the school's upcoming spring auction. For whatever reason, I have (had) no ideas of what things are made in Oklahoma. But the basket soon filled up with paper towels, syrup, corn muffin mix, and beef jerky. OK. So I could hit the grocery store or I could find something handmade by a local crafter.

Last week, I went to this shopping market because I thought that is what they sold- handmade items. But just about everything was handmade in China. Which is fine. But I needed "Oklahoma." So my options were: drive around town searching or just hit Hobby Lobby and whip up something myself. And OH do I love how the fabric at HobLob coordinates itself. (=no thinking for me!)



For the oven mitt, I used this tutorial here at Skip to My Lou. But for the apron, I just winged it. I did refer to my apron tutorial for the sash dimensions.

Now, I am not sure if this will qualify as "made in Oklahoma" but I will donate it anyway.



What do you think- does this qualify for Made in OK? What other items should I make next time we have an auction?