Tea Time Pot Holder

I love in-the-hoop embroidery projects!  I made this pot holder from a design from here.  I will say that the tea pot is pretty small so I think it is more of a trivet than pot holder, unless you have very tiny hands.  Diana

Beehive Towel

I got a new embroidery machine!!!!!!  Now I can do larger designs!!!!! Here is a practice run I did.  I took an inexpensive kitchen towel and embroidered a country style bee hive on it.Then I used my bias maker to iron some coordinating fabric to cover the less than attractive bottom and top edges. 

This design (sorry, don't know where I got it) took about 40 minutes to stitch.  WOW, that was a long time.  But how cute will this towel look as a gift with a bottle of our own honey.  Diana

Boo to You

I wish I was more original but I copied this cupcake too!  The  frosting is a cool marshmallow recipe that takes some time but is totally delicious. 

2 egg whites

1/2 cup sugar

6 tbs water

1 tbs light corn syrup

1/2 tsp cream of tartar

pinch salt

1 cup mini marshmallows

1 tsp vanilla

In a large bowl placed over a sauce pan of simmering water combine egg whites, sugar, water, corn syrup. cream of tartar and salt.  Mix with a whisk constantly until sugar dissolves and mixture reaches 160 degrees.  Transfer to electric mixture and beat until soft peaks form.  Add marsh mallows and vanilla and beat until frosting is smooth.  Use immediately.

To make the the ghosts put frosting in decorator bag and snip off about one inch off tip.  Pipe ghosts on top of cupcakes.  The eyes and mouths are made from melted chocolate piped onto foil and let set up.  Yum Yum.  Spooky never tasted so good.  Diana

Fabulous Find Friday 5

Are you a sewer or even just someone who likes gadgets?  Well I fall into both categories so when I saw this machine a while ago I knew I had to have it.  So much fun and it can do more than make bias tape.It makes great quilt binding too!  Walmart carries it as does Amazon.  I also found a great video that teaches how to make continuous bias tape here.  And why would you want to make your own bias tape?  Because you won't be limited to the solid colors sold at the notions dept.  Instead you can have calico or polka dots or any fabric from your stash!  And I even saw some cute bias tape on etsy that someone made and would be cute as a gift for your sewing friends.  Love this machine.  Diana

Melted Witch Cupcakes

Here is my take on the melted witch idea out in the blogosphere.  I actually made a mold for the witch hat instead of using Hersey kisses because I needed the hats to be smaller.  And I added chocolate eyes too!These were a big hit at our church's trunk or treat on Wednesday.  They make me laugh!  Diana

I C U

Our Halloween party is only two days away, and due to a recent bout of procrastination I did not have the candy eyes I NEED for all of our goodies.  You can find them online, but the shipping to get them here in time was way more than I was willing to pay.  Thanks to mom who saved the day, again, and an edible marker I was able to turn these 'Old Fashioned Candy Buttons' into fun candy eyes.  Phew! Now our goodies can see our guests.

Bat Cupcake!

Super easy cupcakes.  Bat mold and some chocolate.  Chocolate cupcakes, apricot filling and creamy white buttercream.  Black sanding sugar.  That's it. 

But oh so delicious!  More cupcakes to come.  Diana

Pretty Pink Cloud

In my part of the country the cold weather has already rolled in so it is time to get out the knitting needles,  I made a pretty pink scarf for myself!

 I used #9 needles and cast on 14 stitches.  Then I did a simple box stitch for the whole scarf. 
row 1:  *knit 2 purl 2* repeat to the last two stitches and then knit 2
row 2:  *purl 2 knit 2* repeat to the last two stitches and then purl 2
row 3:  repeat row 2
row 4:  repeat row 1
Continue in the above pattern til scarf is desired length.

I decided to put a spilt in the scarf to make wearing it easier.

This is the yarn I used.  It is soooo soft.  Great for the coming snow.Diana

Candy Corn Test Tubes

What to do with a handful of test tubes at Halloween....

Fill them with candy corn colored M&Ms of course.

And a spooky face on the top to seal the candy in.

Scary but delicious!Diana

Yet Another Pedestal Project

This looks so good!  And it was made for about $1.00!  I glued (6000 brand) a glass candle stick I got at a garage sale last week to a carnival glass candy dish (another garage sale find) together.

This picture doesn't show the sparkle of this piece but it really is pretty. If you want to see another pedestal project check out what Mary did over at Windy Meadows Farm.   Diana

Fabulous Find Friday 4

You know we love eggs around here!  With our own flock of chickens we are always looking for something to do with all the eggs the girls lay EVERY day.  Jenn had shown you how she used ice cream molds to make cute hard boiled eggs here.  Now look what I found.at Amazon today!  Love these egg molds!

I mean who can resist fish and car shaped eggs!

Mine will get here next week......can't wait.  Diana

Halloween Decor

Thought I's give you a peek inside our living and dining room during my favorite time of the year-Halloween.

Diana

Glitzy Skull

Three dollar foam skull from walmart?  I don't think so!  It is too pretty.  But that is how this cutey started out.

First I gave it two coats of nickle paint and then a quick spray of glitter paint.

Super cool and expensive looking now!  And just the right touch for the mantle. 

Diana

Stitched Together

Don't you hate it when you have to do some last minute mending on your outfit.Then you can imagine how these little guys feel!  They had to put in a few stitches to hold themselves together!  Life is hard when you are a sugar cookie.....people expect so much from you!  They are hoping you won't judge them too harshly (check out their half smiles of embarrassment) and still love them!  Don't worry guys, you still look delicious!  Diana

Fabulous Find Friday 3

Have you heard of Hogwash soap?  Well you are about to.  This stuff is the best.  I found it at my local boutique downtown and since I love anything handmade, especially soap, I bought it.  The saleslady had made some pretty amazing claims, like it could take out old spots on clothes and clean grease off your hand as well as garden soil.  I just thought it would look cute in my kitchen.......  PLUS it come in a cute paper bag.  And the name, who wouldn't want to wash with hogwash soap.   I now am convinced this stuff CAN DO ANYTHING!  I got ring around the collar out of old white dress shirts!  It cleans hands like nothing else regardless of what mess you have gotten into.  And my husband swears if he washes with this stuff after tromping in the woods he doesn't break out with poison ivy!  I know, I sound like a paid advertisement (I'm not) but I love this soap.  And chocolate.  Lots of chocolate....ummmm.  A-n-y-way, since you can't all come to my hometown to get it (I wish you could, it is so cute with a town square and fountain and old buildings and brick streets and we have parades and car shows and festivals with lots of fried foods) I found their website.  Seriously, this stuff is good.  Diana

Hidden Treats

Another little craft for Halloween!  This one is done on my embroidery machine but you could do them without one.  The design download is available from Embroidery Garden. The set includes 7 designs for fall and costs $10.00.  Made with felt, these little cuties have a little secret.....

Tucked in a little pocket on their reverse side is a Hershey Nugget....sweet.

The chocolate in the pocket is a nice snug fit!  No fear of it slipping out.

I have them in a small drawer in the foyer so they are ready to give to guests!  With treats like this I shouldn't get any tricks this Halloween!  Diana

Skeleton Cameo

Would you wear this brooch?  Or are you a scaredy cat.

 Made of polymer clay and ribbon, this cameo will cause others to take a second look.

I got the mold from an etsy store.  I am not sure if this exact one is still available but there are others!

~After seeing mom's creation, I knew I had to make one, too!  I did mine in sparkly silver and black.  Love it as a brooch, but I also added a hair clip to the back so I could send Abby to school with it. ~Jennifer

Remember that measuring tape ribbon featured Friday before last?

It makes a super cute bracelet in about two minutes. I simply added a crimping closure to each cut end and finished it off with a toggle closure. Love it!

Gruesome Needle Threader

What to do with the handful of skull beads I had bought on vacation........make needle threaders of course.Dab of 6000 glue, 34 gauge wire and bead.  Mix all together.  Let dry.  Done.  And what a kick to use.  Now what could we do with some fimo......hmmmm.     Diana