October 2011 General Conference

we are gearing up for conference weekend! so excited! fall conference is my absolute favorite! i have been waiting and waiting and counting down!
here is a link to print conference packets for the kiddos! thank you sugardoodle.net!! these give my kids something to do so i can actually listen- bless their sweet little hearts:)

also wouldn't be complete with some of these! love me some rhodes rolls cinnamon rolls! just let them rise and then pop them in the oven! then serve with the ooey gooey cream cheese frosting! look for them in your grocer's freezer section!

hope you have a fantastic weekend too!

toy swap and school carnival

this weekend my 6 year old says he wants to see if friends want to trade some toys. he brings me a box of toys that he says he's "too old for"and wants to walk around the neighborhood and see if anyone wants them or wants to trade. so i suggested he make it a party, handout invitations, invite his friends to bring their unwanted toys to trade and have some treats. he likes this. so we have our first "toy swap". and i have to say it was pretty successful.

then is was off to our school fall carnival...
there was face painting, nails, and hair-do's

giant slides and bounce houses...

games where you could earn tickets for prizes...

a little train ride...

a rockwall...

i definitely couldn't keep up with everyone... how do you photograph three plus kids going in all different directions?! please feel free to give me advice.

i had to make a stop, here, of course...

yum! cotton candy. i can't believe i actually got a whole one to myself! my kids were totally not interested in eating. we could barely get them to sit and eat lunch, which we had here also: hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza... not a chance of getting a photo eating.

anyway, all in all an fun weekend. how was yours?

apron love

Ok, so I am very proud of my latest creation! but i can't take credit for it...i saw them here on whatever's craft weekend (doesn't that sound marvelous?!) and just kinda made it up as i went along. 

i am not sure i am totally done. i may add more to the top...ric rac, more pom poms?! or little ruffles? too many choices!

but i love it! i may make some for christmas presents?! who doesn't love a fun, bright, cheerful apron?

there may be a tutorial in the future:)

(these are from whatever's craft weekend)

the possibilities are endless!

funky flower pin tutorial

i am really excited about these! i have been making them for a little while and always get compliments. 

i've been asked to teach this for my ward's super saturday and i wanted to share the tutorial with you.

what you need:

-fabric strip 3"x 44"

-fabric covered button (size 75 or 1-7/8") and pusher tool

-fabric to cover button (cut a circle about 3" in diameter) * i like to use contrasting, but you could use the

    same fabric as the strip.

-felt (any color, cut a circle about 3" in diameter)

-needle and embroidery thread (optional)

-1" bar pin

-iron

-hot glue gun

-sewing machine (gathering foot optional)

first, you are going to take your 3"x44" strip of fabric and make a ruffle. there are about million ways to do this, but the quickest, and easiest way for me is to use a 'gathering foot' on my machine. they cost about $8 and just do a nice ruffle... no pulling, or breaking thread involved.

you want to sew right down the middle of your strip, all 44 inches.

halfway done...

here's what you end up with...a ruffle about half the length of the original strip.

                                     

next, take your strip and fold it in half, lengthwise. doesn't have to be perfect, in fact imperfections add to the funk!

  

iron it as you fold.

*now switch your machine foot back to the regular foot if you need to.

take your felt circle (which will be the back of the pin) and your ironed ruffle. starting with one end of the strip starting sewing in a circular fashion. best to start out close to the outer edge of the felt circle to ensure you have enough room to wind around making the layers of the flower. you can make them as close together or far apart as you want just remember that you want the fabric covered button to cover the ending stitches, so sew slowly and carefully if you need to.

here is what you end up with...you can snip all your threads now.

now we'll work on the pin. technically you could just glue the pin. personally i like the look of the stitched pin better. so do whatever you like best. if you stitch it, start from the center of the right side of the flower (where the button will be glued). it will get covered by the big button anyway so you won't see the stitches! yay, clever!

also i take a small piece of felt scrap and cut a small rectangle to cover the pin bar...anal i know, i just think it looks more professional.

this is the back all done. *note: doesn't have to be perfect. that is part of the handmade charm:)

ok, flip back over to the front. assemble your button following directions on the package. you can usually get these at any quilting or fabric store. some craft stores carry them too. i've seen them at hobby lobby and jo-anns. i order them here on etsy in bulk, better priced too. *just make sure you get a pusher tool if this is your first time. the pusher tool is a white rubber thing with a blue thing and they fit together to mash the fabric, button and back together. it's pretty cool.

gob some glue on the back of the button.

and smash it to the center of the flower. make sure to cover your stitching!

love these on cardis, bags, pillows, whatever! you will be making them for every occasion, for everyone you know!:)

autumn wreath

so there is not much on my to-do list today except scrub my bathroom, clean the blinds and wash the windows...probably three of my least favorite things to do, alas they must be done. also i am still recovering from byu's awful loss:( i am still a Y fan, but man-o-man, what a sad a weekend.
but here are a couple things that look way more fun than cleaning, that i wanted to share with you.
first is this awesome tutorial on how to make an autumn wreath from 320*Sycamore.

next, these super fun twist on halloween cookies from eighteen 25, they call it 'jack-o-lantern in a jar'. what a cute presentation and so fun for the kids! but check out this blog for tons of cute halloween craft ideas, they never disappoint!

Lastly, love these mod podge pumpkins from guest blogger the 36th avenue over at tatertots and jello!

ok. i am officially in fall/halloween mode! this is my favorite time of year! love the crisp air, the beautiful leaves changing color. it's time for a drive up the canyon for sure! it's hard to believe this time last year, i was training to do this!

the provo halloween half was SOOO fun! i am definitely out of the race this year, but i plan on doing it again next year, and hopefully talking my hubby into doing it with me;) i highly recommend this race to everyone. you can totally do this, even if you're not a runner. there were kids and all ages of adults running this. i think an old lady in a banana costume passed me, but i didn't care:) monday... here we go week!

gotta love target

so i go to to target this morning for one thing, ONE thing... a curtain for my son's room. and what do i leave with?! a curtain for my son's room, and... new bedding for my girls room. yes, i just finished my girls room... but this bedding was SOOOO cute...it matched their decals, AND it was on clearance!

                                     

and this was my weekend...

                              

how was yours?