A couple Contests

Madison's Room hair clip contest over at 5 minutes for Mom

Madison's Room is a Mom-owned business retailing handmade hair clips, bands & caps.

I just love the new style of hair clips for our little princesses! My Mom just found one of my old clips, you know, the kind with the beaded dangly ribbon & lots of lace...ah the 80s!!!

Thanks to Ribbon Rock Star who was kind enough to send her pdf instructions to my eager email! I have started making my own ribbon clusters. I am currently attempting a pink & brown set for hair clips. I didn't buy the clips yet, figured I'd get through the ribbon first! This could be an expensive & very addicting new hobby!

Also thanks to Ribbon Rock Star I found Overwhelmed with Joy who is having a book giveaway!
Two copies each of "Wait Until Then" and "Heaven for Kids". Both books were written by Randy Alcorn.

I do so love a good contest!!!

Just doing a little surfing

Thought I'd share some of the cool sites I discovered today!!!

Newbies on the Top Momma Site, just like me! Hey, has anyone seen my sanity??
and
Suburban Psychosis

Thank you Technorati for these! Whoever searched for "how to sew" found me & I found these great sites, so Thanks to you too!!!

Sewing Success Sewing Blog

Darci Ray Darci's technique for hemming jeans is going to get used here today! I don't know why I the Queen of "lazy" sewing didn't think of this! I was actually going to break out the twin needle...

Craft Site Directory

Sew City Blog

Make it From Scratch 10

Make it from Scratch is up!

Also check out the "In Stores" section at Walmart.com for some great freebies, jsut there & scored a bunch!

Listerine Agent Cool Blue Recall

Agent Cool Blue Recall
Didn't feel like writing the whole post over, so I just copied my link...

Wiping Sleeves???

Rocks in My Dryer has a post about Sheryl Crow's new endeavor to save trees. Wether you are "Green" or not you'll get a chuckle, if not from the article, then from the comments! It's a good read!

I can say that she must NOT do her own laundry!!!

Coach Purse Contest

Life, Love, Family...and then some is cleaning out the closet & one lucky reader will benefit! A lovely, barely used Coach purse & matching sunglass case is what's up for grabs! All you have to do to be eligible is sign the Mr. Linky, then post & link to the contest!

Good luck all!

One Day Blog Silence

Easy Crafts 4 Fun Posted about the upcoming "One Day Blog Slience"

On April 30th 2007, the Blogosphere will hold a One-Day Blog Silence in honor towards the victims of Virginia. 33 died at the US college massacre.

The Blogosphere is in deep mourning.

All you have to do is spread the word about it and post the graphic on your blog on 30th April 2007. No words and no comments. Just respect and empathy.

One Day Blog Silence

Just thought I'd share, because there are no words...

Bloggers Choice Awards

I did a pay per post over at The Frugal Momma about the Bloggers Choice Awards, but I wanted to share some of the nominated blogs I found, ones I read regularly!

Mommapop

Dosh Dosh

And one or two I just discovered!

Tired But Happy

Coffee Talking

No Bake Oatmeal Cookies

I have finally perfected this recipe! It took combining several to get the right consistency & chocolate flavor. I used rolled oats, not cut oats, just what I had on hand, it made them prettier somehow...

No Bake Oatmeal Cookies

2 c. sugar
4 Tbsp. cocoa powder
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. butter or margarine
1/2 c. peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
3 c. uncooked rolled oats
1 tsp. vanilla

Put 2 cups of sugar in a boiler; add 2 tablespoons of
cocoa. Stir. Add 1/2 cup of milk. Add 1/2 cup of butter or margarine.
Stir. Put the boiler on the stove. Turn heat to low; cook until it
starts to boil. Stir as it cooks. Boil 2 minutes; remove from
stove. Add 1/3 cup of peanut butter; add 2 cups of rolled oats.
Stir until well mixed. Add 1 teaspoon of vanilla; let cool. Drop on
plate by spoon and refrigerate.

Makes 3 to 4 dozen cookies.

American Idol & Lost???

Not to jump on a bandwagon here, but I can't contain myself!!!

I will say, I didn't vote, I don't usually vote. I think we might have voted for Chris Daughtery once or twice, & I think we got through for Bo Bice once, but usually it is too big of a pain to keep dialing, don't have a cell to text from...That said...

I have no idea how to say ... I am shocked & yet not surprised at the same time. I can't believe that Sanjaya wasn't even in the bottom 3! Did people think Simon was being serious? I got the sarcasm, was it sooooo subtle. His last performance was vocally bad & I've seen better High school musicals, heck I've been IN better High school musicals... I get it, he's cute & entertaining, but Idol is supposed to be a singing competition. Didn't they say that OVER & OVER during auditions.

Then to sit through another weird LOST & I am left feeling way to unrelaxed. Although Hurley trying to get Sawyer to kiss the baby was hysterical! Is it me or are they leaving more unanswered questions than they are answering? Locke? the whole connectedness of the survivors is CRAZY... It's like you expect to see Kevin Bacon show up...

Just found, cool graphics

Don't know if this is going to work it didn't work here, but I found the site on another blog (Thanks Renee's Ramblings)Gonna add my banner to the bottom, just cuz it's cool!!!

Overall dress

I have been saving the shiny pink satin dress since winter ball 1991! I don't have a before picture of the dress, I do, but I'm in it with the biggest hair imaginable, so I ain't sharing!!!

I finally got to ripping it apart & decided that it would make an adorable dress for the princess, but how??? Then I found an old pair of overall shorts in my stash of things needing repairs. I decided to cut off the legs & make a dress. I tried it on the princess & it fits fantastically!

The bottom is from a ruffle. So it was already gathered. It is longer in back than in front, that made it too cute! The straps are also made from pieces of the second ruffle, just 2 tubes sewn on 3 sides, pressed & attached!

I had to shorten the lower pockets because they hung down too low & I snipped one taking the legs off anyways.This is the back view. When I took off the old straps it made a V in the back & would have been too far down her back (so said daddy!) so I used another piece from the dress, topped with a cuff from one of the legs (stability).I removed the pocket to do the applique, so I had to put it back on & rather than hide it I used the same zigzag stitch & embroidery thread.

Thus ends the Monday recycling sessions!!!

Halter Top

I found inspiration at You Can Make This for this adorable top. I don't remember off hand what size the jeans were that I used, but they were adult & I only used 12" off the bottom of one leg, so loks of parts left to recycle!

I didn't add a neck strap, simply because I think she'll be wearing this over a shirt most times. I made mine reversible

I used this fabric because I made her a headband out of it & they will look cool together!

Gaucho Pants

I had a pair of jeans in a 4t from the Prince. They had stains & weren't very cute (at least not for a little girl). So going through my huge stash I found an adorable green print & began the project I posted before pics of the jeans here

I cut a slit in each leg & cut out the seam (it was just below the pocket, but I think the next time I'll make it higher on the leg) Then I cut a wedge of fabric (mine measured 10"x 10" & the point was 90 degrees, this left a little more fabric than I wanted, so for the next one I'll cut the angle back maybe to 60 degrees). I cut 2 strips for the ruffle, hemmed 1/2", I pressed the hem then top stitched it in place. I used a XXXX pattern on one leg and a __]__]__] pattern on the other. Then I sewed the ends to complete the circle.

I do ruffles the hard way, I haven't tried couching dental floss & gathering that way & I haven't bought the ruffler foot for my machine yet. I simply lined up a seam on the inside leg with the seam on the ruffle & pinned. Then I Pinned the opposite side & worked my way down to having pins every inch, then I sewed & removed pins before I got to them. After pressing I top stitched the ruffle into place & added some decorative stitching up the legs of the jeans.

I can't wait to try it again & see if it turns out just as cute. Next time I do pants though I am going to take the legs off completely & attach a patchwork leg on each... sounds cool!

Fabric Sale...

I just got my email from Fabric.com announcing their April anniversary sale.
I am going to be looking for some fantastic fabrics for summer outfits for the kiddos. I have been surfing the net for ideas & styles I want to try, now I just need some coordinating fabrics...imagine that...I need to buy fabric, LOL!!!

Great deals from Fabric.com! Click here

Another Giveaway...

The ladies at 5 Minutes for Mom have been given the opportunity to give away a new Dyson Slim Vacuum to a lucky reader! So head on over & check it out!!!