Dream Journals

Let's talk about one of my favorite subjects...dreams! I am so fascinated with this subject. I always have crazy dreams and some of them seem so real. A few years back I decided to start a dream journal and I'm so happy I did. I love to look back at some of them and read them. It's always good for a laugh. The photo above is from a dream a few years ago. My friend and I were riding our bikes to downtown Gary to visit the lakefront. And yes, we were carrying ironing boards. Just why?! And if you're not familiar with Gary, you don't want to ride a bike, car, or anything there. And the funny thing is that we could have easily grabbed our ironing boards and visited the lakefront that's 10-mile (maybe less) drive from my house. Same lakefront but safer area and it has a beautiful lighthouse.

I find that recurring dreams are most interesting because I'm sure there's an underlying message, they are trying to send you. For example, for years and years I kept having this dream that I was trying to find the underground shopping in Toronto. I've been there in my much younger years and I guess it left an impression on me. In my dream I can almost find it but something just doesn't seem right. Well, fast forward to 2023 and my husband and I went to Toronto, and I was able to show him the underground shopping. It's called The Path and he really loved it! But after my recent visit, I haven't dreamed about it again. Strange!

I could go on and on with a long list of my dreams from my journal but I'm thinking you have your own funny dreams to think about. I log mine in my notes app but they have some really cool apps for Android and iPhone that will help you create a journal that can be a lot of fun. Some of the apps come with AI features that will help you animate or illustrate them. For my dream images I used the AI functions of ChatGPT and Copilot. It's one of those things that you can get lost in and before you know it, you're late for dinner!

I do have a few suggestions though if you want to keep a dream journal.

The key to remembering them is to jot them down right away. You can even use the microphone on your phone to talk into. If you don't do this, there is a good chance you will forget it. I don't know why. In fact, when I look back at my journals, I don't remember most of them. I am so glad I wrote them down.

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Tutorial - Turn Any Small Toiletry Bag into a Hanging Bag!

I have been on the hunt for the perfect hanging toiletry bag for travel and have not found one. We just scheduled a (2 overnights) trip on the California Zephyr. It's our first rail trip and I've been doing my research. One of the things I've heard over and over again is that you want to hang your toiletries for two reasons. First, you do not want to set it down on the sink because it has been used by so many people before you. Second, there isn't much room anyway. So of course I continued with my search. Found nothing that I liked as much as the ones that I've been using for probably about ten years. I just really love these bags because when I made them, I really took my needs into consideration. Plus, anyone who know me, knows that I travel like a minimalist. I take the least amount possible and pack ultra light. If you'd like to hear more about this technique, drop me an email or comment right here. I have it down to a science now. Checking bags has gotten so expensive and it seems like halfway through boarding they always start gate checking carry-on bags anyway. But I think the thing I like most about packing everything in a personal size backpack is that my stuff will never get lost. It's also nice to have all your stuff with you and it's so much easier to throw it over your shoulder than lugging a suitcase around. I'm in my 60's and I still find it easier! 

NOTE: The bag located at the bottom of the image is a pattern by Andrie Designs which could be found HERE.

I decided to keep my well loved bags and just make an attachment that can turn it into a nice hanging bag. If I'm going somewhere that I don't know how much counter area I'm going to have, I throw a suction cup in my bag so I can hang it from the mirror if needed. But like I said, I take very little with me so if you have a whole lot of toiletries and your bag is heavy, this will not work for you. These seriously took me  minutes to make! If you prefer the PDF version of the pattern, you can click right HERE.

What you'll need to make the tab:

100% cotton fabric, scraps that will match or compliment your toiletry bag

Fusible fleece interfacing, scrap (you can also use a piece of felt or cotton batting in place of fleece)

Dimensions for the above supplies will depend on the size of your toiletry bag

Thread to match fabric

5/8” wide ribbon, 2 1/4 inches long

Long Prong KamSnaps were used for my project, but you can also use velcro or sew-in snaps

Large S-Hook or carabiner clip

General sewing supplies will also be needed such as pins, needles, cutting tools, ruler, marking pens, sewing machine, and iron.

NOTE & TIP: I strongly recommend using the long prong KanSnaps. I purchased mine at Etsy. I tried the regular ones for this project and they kept popping off. I switched to long prong and have no problems. Also, if you are going to make a hanger tab for one of those clear vinyl bags, regular KamSnaps will be fine. To add a little more strength to a vinyl bag, I would cut a narrow strip of medium to heavy weight interfacing or felt. Place this between the snap and the bag.

I feel that five snaps are best because it provides more strength.

Create your pattern piece (or use the one that is with the PDF instructions linked above and below).

If designing your own tab, remember that you will also be using a 1/4 inch seam allowance all the way around.

From your pattern piece, cut two from the cotton fabric, and one from the fusible fleece interfacing. Iron the fusible fleece interfacing to one of the backs of the fabric pieces. Be sure to follow the manufacturer’s instructions for the fusible product you are using. If you are using cotton batting or felt for this piece, just baste it along the edges to the back of one of the fabric pieces about 1/8 inch away from raw edge.

Fold the piece of ribbon in half with wrong sides together. Place it on the upper portion of one of the fabric pieces. The fold will be toward the bottom and the raw edges will be even with the raw edges of the fabric.

Place the remaining fabric piece on top of this. The right sides of the fabrics will be facing each other and the ribbon will be “sandwiched” between the two.

Beginning at the bottom edge, stitch around using a 1/4 inch seam allowance, leaving about 2 inches open in the bottom for turning.

Clip at corners and turn right side out. Gently push out corners and iron. Fold the edges to the inside where you left it open and press.

Stitch about 1/8 inch away from the edge all the way around the tab.

Find the center of the tab, closer to the bottom and use the pointed object that came with your snaps to make a hole. Place this on the toiletry bag and make a hole in that using this hole as a guide. Then make two more holes on each side of the center hole about one inch apart. Attach your snaps using the instructions for the snaps you are using. If you are using velcro (not my first choice) or large sew-in snaps instead, stitch them at those markings (do not make holes if using snaps or velcro).

Snap the tab to the bag and slip your hook or carabiner through the ribbon. You now have a hanging bag!

FOR THE FREE PDF PATTERN CLICK HERE

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Gallery Glass - Great Idea for a Kid's Craft

 

I don't mean to brag but...I am the lucky Nana to a smart, beautiful, thoughtful, and talented girl. OK, maybe I bragged a wee bit! She likes to spend weekends with us, and it always must be two nights. Her rule, not mine. That leaves lots of time to work on craft projects and she loves to do craft projects. I've already introduced her to my sewing machines.

One of the projects we recently did was with Gallery Glass. I purchased the kit at Amazon, but I also found it at WalMart. What's great about this paint is that you use it right out of the bottle. There are no messy paint brushes or dirty paint water. It's great for kids because they use the bottle for the painting, which is much easier than using a paintbrush. I did some research to make sure it's kid friendly and it is. It's non-toxic and water based. Of course you'll want to supervise, especially with younger children.

Always make sure that you use a protective product over your work surface. You'll also want to use some alcohol to wipe down the glass so there will be no oil or dirt left behind. Also stress the importance of trying not to touch the glass (painting area) with your fingers. If using it on a glass, candle cup or other type of holder, it's easy to hold the item placing your hand or fingers inside while you are painting the outside. 

Once your area and glass are ready, you draw your picture or design with the black "leading" which is kind of like a 3-dimensional paint. You need to let that completely dry before continuing. Once it's completely dry, you fill in the areas with the colored paint.

I happened to have these glass bowls left from a couple of parties that we hosted. They were used for the centerpieces, and I hated the thought of getting rid of them and I'm glad I didn't. I also have a box of flameless votive candles which worked perfectly inside. My granddaughter can use it in her room and doesn't have to worry about forgetting to blow out a candle or catching the place on fire. I personally prefer those over real candles lately. They really look real too. I'll share the links to these things below. 

If you are looking for a great kid's project, this one is easy and inexpensive. These would also make great gifts for the elderly or hospital patient when given with a flameless candle.

Links:

Flameless candles

Gallery Glass

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There's a free machine embroidery design in every issue (unless I'm running a sale). You'll also find links to free sewing tutorials and articles too. The newsletter goes out once a week. 

Buc-ee's! Don't Miss this Little Gem While Traveling

Have you ever been on a road trip and passed a sign with the cute beaver that says Buc-ee's? Well, my advice is to stop in for a quick (or not so quick) visit. Buc-ee's is not just a fancy rest stop off the highway, it's an entire experience!

We travel a lot! Two of the places we regularly travel to are Texas and Florida, and there are a lot of Buc-ee's between here and there. My first time there, I was in constant aww! They have so many things that will make your road trip extra fun. They have a lot of choices for lunch, dinner, or a quick snack. Everything is super fresh and worth every penny. On our last visit we picked up some cobb salads for lunch and they were fresh as can be. We sat in the car and enjoyed them. No wilted lettuce in our salads!

They are really known for their smoked beef brisket. And the smell when you are in there is amazing! Not a fan of brisket or beef in general, don't worry, they have a lot more. Everything from sandwiches, salads, yogart parfaits, fruits, nuts of every kind, fudge, candies, cookies, chips, and so much more! My personal favorite is chocolate covered cashews. Yep, it's the only place I've seen them, and they are sooooooo good!

They also have some cute stuff too. They have holiday items, souvenirs, pets’ stuff, kitchenware, games, coolers, gifts, kids' stuff, and every kind of soft drink you could imagine. They are also known for their 100 plus gas pumps at each location. If your car is a little dirty, they have the longest car wash you've ever seen.

This may sound funny, but they are also known for their restrooms. Yep, I said it, "RESTROOMS." They are super clean and quite pretty. It seems like every time we travel, we see where another one has popped up. 

If you are on a road trip and see a Buc-ee's you should stop on by. I'm sharing the link to their website so you can take a sneak peek. Did I mention how much I love the place?

Oh, and my son would never forgive me if I didn't mention their beef jerky. They also have a little thing called "beaver nuggets." Yep, they have things you've never seen elsewhere. Be sure the check it out for yourself.

https://buc-ees.com/about/

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There's a free machine embroidery design in every issue (unless I'm running a sale). You'll also find links to free sewing tutorials and articles too. The newsletter goes out once a week. 

Tutorial - Super Quick and Easy Cord Tamers

If you have an embroidery machine and make key fobs, I'm pretty sure you have a whole bunch of vinyl scraps and kamsnaps laying around. Here is a project that couldn't be any easier.

Cut your scraps into strips of various widths and lengths

Apply a set of kamsnaps to each one

Wrap around your cables and cords to keep them  neat and tidy.

That's it!

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There's a free machine embroidery design in every issue (unless I'm running a sale). You'll also find links to free sewing tutorials and articles too. The newsletter goes out once a week. 

Dry Shampoo Hack - Great Tip and so Frugal!

I don't remember where I saw this or how long ago it was but this simple and super cheap hack has saved my hair more than once.

For the past couple of years, I have discovered that my hair looks healthier (and the color last longer too) if I only wash it 2 or 3 times a week. Every time you wash your hair, you are also washing away important natural oils that your hair needs.

If you need to run out of the house and your hair is getting to the end of your hair washing break, or it's a little oilier than normal, this hack will have your hair looking fresh and beautiful. I find that this is best when done before bed if you plan to run out in the morning for a quick meeting or errand.

The simple ingredients.....cornstarch and baking cocoa. This does make sense because cornstarch absorbs moisture. And the cocoa powder is simply to take away the white powder look. I'm blonde so I just use a small amount. For dark hair, you can use more. 

***Just be sure not to let your cat or dog lick your hair because unsweetened chocolate is highly toxic to them.

I keep mine in the bathroom in a 1 cup size container and apply it with a large makeup brush. It's really that simple! That cup will probably last me a lifetime since I don't use it all that often. You can also put it in a shaker container and shake it on, then brush it out.

You only need to put it close to the scalp then give a good brushing or combing.

Don't miss any sewing tutorials, helpful tips, or free embroidery designs! 

Sign up for Sher's Creative News

There's a free machine embroidery design in every issue (unless I'm running a sale). You'll also find links to free sewing tutorials and articles too. The newsletter goes out once a week. 

Turn a Blog Tutorial into a PDF Document You Can Save

 

Did you know that it's so easy to turn blog tutorials into PDF documents you can save to your computer to view offline? And it only involves a couple quick steps. Gotta love technology!

If you are looking for a particular post such as a recipe, list, or tutorial, you can either click on the tab to that section or do a search on the blog. If you are already on the page you want, perfect!

Make sure that the post you want to convert is the only post selected otherwise you will be saving a lot of posts at once. For example, on my blog, you just click on the title and you'll get just that blog post.

Now that you have chosen your post, just do a Control + P and it will bring up your print window. Normally your printer will be selected in the Destination box, click the little down triangle and choose Save as PDF. If you want to save the entire post, just click Save. Some posts have a lot of comments and other things following the post so you can choose only the pages you want. You'll find that right below the Destination. It will say Pages. 

Once you've chosen the pages you want, choose Save and then you'll need to save it to a folder on your computer, or you can just save it to your desktop. Make sure you give it a name that you will find when looking for it and that's it! Now your recipe, notes list, tutorial, ideas list, etc... will be at your fingertips when you need it!

TIP: Create a folder on your tablet or computer for ideas and such. Create sub-folders and you can catalog all your ideas in one place for easy access. You can create the sub-folders for such subjects like recipes, petcare, baby tips, etc.

This is especially handy for saving the craft or sewing tutorials because you can load them onto your tablet for easy viewing when you're ready to create the project!

Do you like free embroidery designs and tutorials?

Be sure to sign up for the weekly newsletter to get a free design every weekend (unless I'm running a sale). Sign up for Sher's Creative News

Rock Hiding Adventures

 

We have been blessed with the most precious granddaughter, and the best part is that she lives close by. And even better, she loves to spend weekends (or any time for that matter) with us. Whenever she's here we focus completely on her and we are always looking for adventures. She's an adventure type of girl! One of our favorite things to do is to paint rocks and hide them.

We hide them everywhere we can think of. Our favorite places to hide them is some of the many parks and trails we live by. We even get the dog in on the action! The hubster, the dog and I are planning a drive to Texas in the near future and I have a nice little collection to take with me when we stop for breaks.

Our hope is someone will find them and post them to facebook so we can see how far our rocks go. We were super excited recently when two of our rocks were found by two little girls and posted on facebook! But the very most important thing of all is to know that someone out there found one of our rocks and it brought a smile to their face! 

Rock painting and hiding is such a fun thing to do to create memories for your kids or grandkids. And the smiles, laughs, and creative energy is worth a million.

If you are interested in creating these fun memories with your kids, or even yourself (remember I'll be hiding some when I'm traveling without kids), here are a few tips and information to get you started.

SUPPLIES:

Rocks of any shape or size, but not too big.

Paintbrushes

Acrylic paints

Paint pens (optional)

Indoor / Outdoor sealer (I use Krylon glossy)

Please read the instructions carefully on your sealer and use in a well-ventilated area. Preferably outside.

HOW TO:

Paint the rocks as desired (see links for ideas). It's nice to put a facebook group name on the back because sometimes people like to share the rocks that they found and it's fun to see if they found yours! I printed them out on labels and stick to the back before sealing.

Remember, some people like to keep the rocks that they find and some people like to re-hide them. Maybe someone was on a special outing with someone they love when they find your rock. If that's the case, they might want to keep it for a memory. Either way, it's up to them. 

I have read that you shouldn't hide them in the state or national parks since they have the rule of leaving nothing behind but footprints. I have seen a lot of people hiding them there. Maybe if you keep them limited to a pavilion or gift shop rather than the actual trails or beaches. If you are hiding them outside, please don't decorate with wiggle eyes or anything else that an animal can ingest. Stick to paint and makers.

HELPFUL LINKS:

I love painted rocks website

Painted rocks on pinterest

Kindness rocks on Facebook

Found rocks on Facebook

Painted rocks on Facebook

Now go out there and have fun, create memories, make someone smile.

The addiction is real my friends!

Sher's Tip - Save Money On Ink

Printer ink is very expensive! Here are three great ways to save on ink.

First, always make sure you print only the pages you need.

Second, when printing pattern pieces, recipes, and receipts, always print your pages using the draft, fast draft, or economy setting. When using this setting, your printer will use the least amount of ink possible to get the job done. You can find both of these settings in the properties, settings, or options box when your printer window appears. I actually have my printer set to this setting as the default so I don’t worry about ever forgetting to do this. I only use half the ink as normal when I use this setting and that adds up to huge savings!

Third, I download the pattern to my e-reader and use it to follow directions and view the step by step photos. Before I had my e-reader, I used my laptop. This way I only print out the pattern pieces that I will be using.

I even store my most used and favorite recipes (or recipes I want to try soon) on my e-reader so I can set it on the kitchen counter when cooking. This saves paper and ink.

Obviously if you are printing out gift tags, greeting cards, or photos, you want an excellent printout. But for day to day printing, you can save a fortune following the tips above!

Thank you to some of my readers who also suggested setting your printer to grayscale. Another great tip to save on your colors!

Make Your Own Instant Mixes

 Brian and I love our banana nut muffins! While I watch the fat and calories, he's more into watching the salt and sugar. They really don't take very long when making them from scratch but when you are a busy person, you want to make them even faster! Especially when you want to throw in a batch so you can have one before leaving the house for work at 6:45 a.m.

I've thrown the dry ingredients together many times the night before so it would be quicker in the morning. I recently got this idea to make up several Ziplock bags of the dry ingredients, mark them, and store them in an air-tight container. This has worked so well! I always have ripened bananas in the freezer. I just put them in the microwave for a couple minutes on a very low (about 20%) power. Simply add the moist ingredients, and they can be thrown together in about 5 minutes, and cleanup is next to nothing.

This will also works well with cookie recipes, brownie recipes, and quick bread recipes. Between making up the bags and cleaning the mess, it took less than 45 minutes to make up four bags of his, and four bags of mine.

I recently posted my low-fat banana chocolate chip muffin recipe here at my blog. The link is here if you missed it.

If anyone is diabetic or has a loved one that is, I'll share the sugar free banana chocolate chip muffin recipe in the near future. Just let me know in the comments.

From Craft & Sewing Room to Guest Room

Many of you have already seen my new craft and sewing room. If you didn't, you can see that post here. I was amazed at how quickly it turned from my work space to the guest room in less than ten minutes. This week my daughter has been visiting from Delaware and we got to try out the new room. It couldn't be easier. I just took down the craft table, placed it flat on the floor and pulled the bed down from the wall. I put on some clean bedding, added pillows and Voila! Guest room!!!

Once I took my sewing machine off the sewing table, it gave them a nice desk area to place their laptops. The baskets on the bottom shelves of the wall where the bed is are always kept empty so that my guests can use them to stash things inside. The kids slipped them under the shelves and they have little bedside tables now. Perfect!

If anyone is trying to think of a way to to make a room do double duty, I highly suggest a Murphy bed. It does require tools and a knowledge of woodworking, but it makes for a cozy space, and is quite comfy.

Images in scrap page are from my Fun in the Tub & Crafting Fun which are available at my Etsy Shop, Clipart Shop, and my Website.

Swiffer Favorite - Revised

 A while back I wrote a post about one of my favorites as a do every now and then. In this post I wrote about my Swiffer 360 Duster. I got a lot of comments from people loving them, to people who thought they were a bit costly to use all the time. I knew that if I googled "homemade swiffer refills" I'd find the happy medium.

I actually found several tutorials, images, and even people selling them on Etsy. I came across one tutorial which jumped out at me so I thought I'd give it a try. I made two of them and I love them! Not only will it save me money in the long run, but it is so much better for the environment because you wash and reuse, instead of throwing away and replacing.

And if you've never used a Swiffer Duster, you are spending way too much time dusting!

Here's the link to the tutorial, Swiffer Duster Refills. You're going to love her blog too! Her duster also came out so much prettier than mine.

NOTE: You will notice in the picture below, there are two different handles. The one on the right is the newer version. I found that it slipped out very easily so I simply stitched a seam up the center over the first seam. This stitched all 8 layers together, which made two separate casings instead of one, which gave a more snug fit.

Favorite - Swiffer Dusters 360

It dawned on me today that it's been a long time since I've posted about one of my favorites. No, it's not cleaning the house, but I do love the Swiffer Dusters! I first bought this box a few months back but never really used it until recently. When I realized the fact that by the time my craft & sewing room is finished, I will have 30 shelves to dust! That's a lot of shelves! I decided to give this duster and try and I swear it cut my cleaning time by half. It's great for dusting the shelves and the items on them because it gets into the little creases and around the curves. I plan to pick up one more that will strictly used for dusting the tops of the fabric and on my drapes.

So housecleaning isn't fun or a favorite unless I find something that cuts down the work and the time.

Awesome Fabric Storage

As my room is getting closer to completion I've begun the task of reorganizing my supplies and fabric. I've gotten such great ideas from blogs and Pinterest. I love the idea of wrapping your fabric around the comic book backing boards because I plan to have all my fabric exposed on my shelves like books. This has actually been a quite relaxing and enjoyable task. Look how neat and tidy it all looks! It's going to be so nice to be able to see all my fabric without having to pull out my storage bins. I still have a lot of fabric to wrap. I bought 300 boards and I hope that will be enough.

These backing boards are a great idea even if you keep your fabric in tubs or boxes. It just keeps everything so neat and will cut down on the wrinkling. Whoever thought of this idea is brilliant!

The Husband Who Thinks of Everything

First off let me say that this was a wonderful Christmas. The best part wast the time spent with family. I had both of my kids home for the holidays which made it perfect!

Now onto perfect...my husband! Yes, he's as close as one can get. Not only did he spoil me with gifts (like a new sewing machine among several others), he also came up with the perfect gift on his own. He is fascinated with the fact that I sell to so many different countries in my Etsy shop and from my website, he decided to get me a map. It's on a foam backing and trimmed with wood, and it's gigantic. It comes with little tacks with little round heads that I can stick into all the different places that I sell to. For now he hung it in our home office but it will eventually end up in the craft room that he is building building me, to my specifications..

Did I mention that he was perfect?

Five Things I've Learned About Electronics

Below are some things I've learned along the way about electronics, or I should say, the use of them. These 5 things have made my life much easier and have at times, saved my butt!

1. Control S: This is probably one of my favorite tips ever. Before I started doing this, I lost so many things. There is nothing like working for hours on a a document or project only to have something or someone interrupt it and it wipes out all your hard work! Sometimes your computer will lock up for no reason at all or your laptop battery dies. It can all be avoided by typing "Control + s" (at the same time) every few minutes.

2. Backup Everything: In our house we probably have half a dozen external hard drives and countless flash drives. Those are all nice and handy to have and we use them both for various reasons. But the best thing to do is use an online automatic back up. I use Mozy and it's so convenient. It automatically backs up once a day. If I've been doing a lot of work on the computer I can just click it on my task bar and back up at that time too. It feels so good to know that my files are protected away from my home.

3. Carry A Spare Battery: Whenever I purchase a cellphone or a camera, I always buy a backup battery and I carry it in my purse. When my battery dies, I charge it, then swap it out with the one that's in my purse. This makes my battery last longer and I never have to worry about running out of juice. This has saved me when using my cellphone and my camera.

4. Save Ink & Paper: This is the easiest thing of all to do. I always keep the default on my printer set to "fast draft." This setting allows you to print while using the least amount of ink possible. Most of the things that I print are recipes, pattern pieces, and other items that just find their way to the trash anyway. When I print out something I want to keep, I just change it.

You can also save paper by putting it back in the printer and using the other side before throwing it away.

5. Calendar: This actually goes against technology but when it comes to my datebook, I prefer my Lang Pocket Planner. I think it's so much quicker to pull that out of my purse when I need to record an event or check my schedule. Nothing beats my paper datebook. As for my "to do" list, I like to keep that on my E-Reader/Pocket PC.

Those are just a few of my favorite tips when it comes to technology. Do you have any you'd like to add to my list?

Photo Above: Patches and Pumpkin seem to be having some sort of discussion at my computer

Organizing Craft Supplies

As I've said before, I've been bit by the crafting bug. But now I can't stop! I got started on a project tonight but before I started I thought I should get my fabric into some sort of organized manner. So that is what I did. And the fabric above is just a small representation of my stash. it doesn't even show all my home dec fabric, fleece, corduroy, satins, silks, and broadcloths. Remember that I worked at JoAnn Fabrics off and on for 10 years, you can just imagine how much I've accumulated over the years with my discount. To think that when I went through a divorce 6 years ago I had about 5 times as much but I donated most of it because I had no room for it when I had to move into an apartment. Now 6 years later I'm happily married, down to working only 30 hours a week, have lots more room, and am ready to craft!
I have a pretty big walk-in closet in the guest room where I store many of my craft supplies. I also store all my beading and jewelry making supplies under the bed in that room in a super big, under the bed storage bin. I keep everything in Ziploc bags (various sizes) so I can see everything at a glance. It works for me. I like to make the most of my space. Unfortunately I don't have a room to call my own for crafting. Does anyone have any great storage ideas? I do find that plastic bags, big Rubbermaid storage bins, and the smaller, clear clothing and shoe bins are very helpful. I'm looking for all the advice I can get!

Below you will see a picture of the project I am starting now. Do you see a pet theme happening here?

Felt Hobby Horse Candy Cane Holder Ornament

This ornament goes back many, many moons. My grandmother made them for us when we were babies. I'm 50 now so that's over 18,000 moons if my calculations are correct! Anyway, this ornament has been on my tree for as long as I can remember and since my grandma made it, it's even more special to me. My mom has the originals somewhere I'm sure. I recreated it and thought you might enjoy making them for your little (or big) ones. They are super easy and it's basically cut and glue. How easy can you get? I did however update it a wee bit. I don't think grandma had access to wiggle eyes when she made these, and I know she didn't have a glue gun.

If you prefer a PDF version of this pattern, you can pick one up for FREE at my Craftsy Pattern Shop HERE.

Supplies needed to make 2 ornaments:
2 felt squares
3 - 6" pieces of med rick rack
6 - 10 mm size wiggle eyes
3 - 12" pieces of decorative flat braid
6 - 1/2" pom poms
3 candy canes
Glue gun or a thick tacky craft glue
Scissors & pins
Printable pattern (found below this list)

Click here for printable pattern

Instructions:
1. Click the horse image above. Save, download, and print out the pattern. Make sure that the line in the image measures 3" for your ornament to be the right size. The pattern is sized at 300 DPI.

2. Stack your two felt pieces together and pin the ornament onto the felt and cut out. You will easily get 3 ornaments.

3. On one of the horses, run a bead of glue down the back from the bottom of the ear to the bottom of the horse. Place the rick rack along this edge so that the "points" extend along the outer edge. Repeat with other two horses.

4. Run a bead of glue around the entire outer edges of horse leaving the bottom completely open. Lay other felt piece on top and press outer edges together. Repeat with other two horses.

5. Glue decorative flat braid to horse as shown in photo. I find that is easiest to leave a little extending at the beginning to trim off later. Flip and repeat on the other side. You will form a loop at the back of the horse. This will be a place to slip the hanger through. Trim of excess edges at nose. Repeat on other two horses.

6. Glue pom pom and wiggle eyes to horse as show in photo. Repeat on other side, and with other two horses.

7. If using a glue gun, make sure to remove any glue strings and slip your candy canes into the horse, hang on your tree, and enjoy!

Do you like free embroidery designs and tutorials?

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My Real "Dream" House

Did you ever have one of those dreams that you tried to go back to sleep so you could continue your dream to see how it turned out? Well I had one of those a couple of nights ago. I never could go back to sleep so I decided to create my own ending and it was so cool!

I dreamt that Brian and I decided to retire early so we bought this house in the beach community near where we live now. It was such a charming house on the outside with flowers and gardens. Looked so cute and cozy. When we went inside it was like, WOW! The place was huge! As I stood in the kitchen which was stocked with the coolest bake ware and serving ware, I looked through the big arched doorway and could see the dining room. It wasn't your average dining room at all. It had six big rectangular tables which each had six chairs. Nothing was crammed together, it was big and roomy!

To the right were windows and hutches. These hutches were filled with expensive antiques that we could sell for way more than the $50,000 we paid for the house. Like I said, it was a dream. These days you might get a big storage shed for that amount.

Straight across from where I was standing was this beautiful entry way with a Christmas Tree beautifully decorated. Why the Christmas tree in late summer? No clue!

Then to the left were lots of closed doors. I opened each one to find the cutest bedrooms, lots of them! They all had little desks and dressers and each one was decorated differently. Then I woke up! Darn! I wanted to see if there were more treasures, or what I ended up doing with the place.

Sher's "awake" finish to the dream:

If I did indeed find a treasure such as that I would have all the family parties and no one would have to drive home. But it doesn't end there. First I thought a bed and breakfast would be cool but I wanted to take it one creative step further...

I opened a Women's Creative Getaway Cottage! Yep! Women from all over the world could hold their creative conventions there. Clubs and groups could spend weekends, weeks, or just a day of crafting, photographing, scrap booking, cooking, praying, or whatever they do together. I'd also book baby showers and small wedding receptions.

So how would you write the ending to my dream? What would you do if you found a super cool house like that

Photo Above: Nothing exciting, just the cornfields behind my house. I see lots of them on my drive to work.

Adding Meta Tags to Blogger

UPDATE: Blogger has changed a bit since this link was posted. I found a new and updated way to add the meta tags. If you follow the original link, it may be confusing because the way of getting to the "edit html" has changed. So if you are having trouble finding that location, check the new link. Sorry for any confusion.

There are many ways to get lots of traffic to your blog. Most people already know about joining blogging communities, visiting and commenting on other blogs, and providing links in emails & forums, just to name a few.

Another excellent way is very simple and not everyone knows about it. I'm sure you've all heard by now of SEO (Search Engine Optimization). Yes, keywords and titles are very important but there is one more step to take it to the next level. Add meta tags to your blog. I just did this a couple months ago and what a difference it has made! When I see where my traffic comes from, I see that a lot of it comes from Google. I'm also noticing that many of the visitors are coming from google images. So there's another tip, add images and be sure to use names and descriptions with them as well.

Example: I did a search on Google typing in the following phrases and I was on the first page for all of them:

make owl napkin rings
snackwell's 130 calorie pack
pink lemonade cookies
m & m trifle

Remember though that your titles, description, and keywords are very important so choose them carefully.
The following link will give very easy instructions. This is for Blogger.
http://ariwahju-ariwahju.blogspot.com/2011/03/add-meta-tags-to-blogger-for-better-seo.html

Photo Above: A delicious and refreshing Champagne Punch we had at a family party recently. Thought it would make a pretty sight for the end of the hot summer season.