Yo Yoing Around

Thought I would share a few things I have been up to. Some Yo Yo's that belong on a surprise and two new button bracelets that are being shipped to CO tomorrow. Check out this link for directions to make your own yo yo's.

15 Step Handmade Tea Bag Tutorial

I have been working really hard to think of gifts people will enjoy this year and are easy/cheap to make. If you love giving homemade gifts this is GREAT, and you can enjoy your hard work during the process. Have a delicious cup of tea.

First I would like to thank LOLLYCHOPS for her great free PDF designs which I used for this.

Finished Product :) Showcasing Lollychops free print downloads for the Tea bag tag and Card.

Materials

-Loose tea
-Unbleached Muslin

-Embroidery Thread

-Cardstock

-Lollychops

-Scissors

-Ruler

-Small Hole Punch

-Writing Utensil

-Sewing machine and thread

-Jar or tin to put your finished bags in.

-Teacup to test out your hard work

First Off I am showing photos of all the materials along with steps you will need to complete this project.

1. Loose Tea-I bought mine at the Pike Place Market in Seattle but you can order many different flavors online. Each of my bags is 2 oz and is more than plenty to make over 10 bags per flavor. I still haven't used all of mine. Note: I have Peppermint, Chamomile, and Six Herb, they each cost under $3.00 per 2 oz. Green Teas tend to be around $9-$10.

2. Print and cut out tags on white cardstock from Lollychops free PDF designs, she has several styles available.
3. Scissors, Unbleached Muslin, Ruler, Tiny Hole Punch (I had this hole punch laying around so I am not sure the size). 4. Punch Holes in your Tea bag tags. I took a close up photo of my punch so you can have better idea of the size. If anyone knows the size would you please share. :)
5. Embroidery Thread in whatever colors you prefer, I had these in my stash but they run about $1.50 at Joann Fabrics.

6. Cut out 3" by 4" squares of your unbleached muslin.

7. Use your tiny hole punch again and punch a hole on the top of each side of your muslin squares. These holes are about 1/4" from the top and sides.
8. Cut a piece of embroidery thread about 18" long and run through the holes you punched in your muslin.9. Press down your top edge about 1/4" encasing your embroidery thread.
10. Stitch down your edge you just pressed making sure to backstitch each side.
11. Fold your bag in half and then stitch around the unfinished side and bottom as shown below.
12. Turn your bag inside out and trim the tip of the seam allowance so it doesn't peak out the top.

13. Fill your tea bag up just to the top of your stitching, press down on the tea to compact it. This will fill it up with a little over a spoon full.

14. Pull tight on your embroidery thread and knot several times. I put the bag between my knees as shown below to hold and tighten for knotting.

15. Attach your tea bag tag. I tied a knot about 5" from the bag attached the tag and tied another knot so it is stuck in place.

Your FINISHED :) I am placing the tea bags in large canning jars currently with the tags. You could use fun tins or boxes though. Note: Many loose tea companies claim airtight glass containers are better to maintain the teas flavor.

:) Clean House

Happy Wednesday! I am working away on many many projects. Soon to be shared as I am also in the process of purging my house of junk. I am already getting the itch about moving even though we are a few months away. A clean house is in the works with my projects. Pictures to come soon. Hope you are having a wonderful week!

Mini Vacation in Seattle WA

Our mini vacation included lots of rain, a trip to Ikea, walking a lot, Colin getting mad about the price of parking downtown, going up the Space Needle, eating king crab legs in Pikes Place Market, and enjoying ourselves.

Cute Bird tray I got at Ikea to replace one Colin broke. This one is like a lunchroom tray :) No broken glass.

Cranes bringing in containers from all over the world. (Most of the crates said China though)

Flowers Colin Bought me at Pike Place Market
Our Car pooling buddies trying to have fun while sitting in traffic on the way to Seattle (3 extra hours).

I have a few more pictures on my phone as I forgot to charge the camera and it died. They may come later this week, I am busy making a surprise to put on all of the Christmas gifts we are giving.

More Yummy Zucchini Bread

I ended yesterday by being super productive. :) My friend Mandy (who NEVER cooks) came over to help me use all those zucchini still sitting on our front porch. We made 4 batches of bread and I have enough frozen to make 12 more batches this winter. Of course just the two of us cant eat that much bread so I made mini loafs and sent a bunch with Colin to work, gave each of the neighbors some and I still have these left. Pretty sure Colin and I still cant eat 7 loafs all alone.

Mandy using my snazzy new food processor (I bought it last year but there wasn't much to use it on in Phoenix)
One 2 cup container with 11 bags behind it to use this winter. I really hope we don't move early and I have to throw it out.

I am off to pack my bag and get ready to head to Seattle. :) Colin even promised me that I could go to Ikea and he HATES that place unless they are serving ribs the day we go. Have a happy weekend!

Look What Arrived in the Mail

So I have been very Wasteful today....at least I didn't create any trash. I have wasted away a huge chunk of the day looking at several new awesome blogs such as mmmcrafts who I am now infatuated with. She has TONS of great ideas and shares ALL of them. At least I can pretend to blame being wasteful on reading, reading is supposed to be good for you. I stayed up until almost 4:30 this morning to finish reading a book I started just shy of 11pm last night. Some BAD habits never seem to die, as I cant count how many flashlights I had taken away when I was a kid for this exact scenario. Colin of course made me wake up this morning and tell him about my book (he keeps teasing me that there is no way I read that fast). This is why I don't allow myself to read anymore except when we travel. I wandered to the used book store last week though and got a few intriguing books for 50 cents each, I only spent $1.62 on something I LOVE. To bad that love (obsession) gets in the way of life :(

One of my other obsessions came in the mail this afternoon and I thought I would share a few of the splashy fabrics that I ordered earlier this week. I hope everyone else likes them, all of them just make me smile. Bright happy fabrics just make my day!

Colin and I are treating ourselves to a weekend excursion in Seattle. He REALLY deserves a break since he has been working so hard. I keep wishing I could think of a project to make something nice for him since he makes it possible for me to drool over fabrics/beads and make things all day. Even when he is cranky he is a great guy! Next week he is going to be really excited! While I was in CO/NE he fixed a travel trailer for some friends of ours (Saved them over $1000) and they are getting him a gift card to Sears to put towards the snazzy impact wrench he would like. Funny thing is he already feels like they gave him a gift by letting him fix it for them.

P.S.-Thanks Aunt Fleta for being such a HUGE reason that I love books so much!

I love Nature!

Happy Wednesday! These were one of the great finds I found this afternoon at the farmers market in downtown Spokane. I also got a delicious giant mixed berry scone, a tasty loaf of garlic cheddar bread for dinner, a bag of small purple-red-yellow potatoes, and some wheat free dog treats for the dog. No one up here in Spokane seems to like jalapenos though, one of the local booths is going to bring some next week for me. Yum!

The Bag Lady has a NEW Bag!

I have been referred to as a "Bag Lady" for as long as I can remember....therefore yesterday after getting my normal work done I decided to make a new bag. Remember that Amy Butler fabric I purchased quite awhile ago? Well since I bought it with the intention of making Christmas gifts I decided I should test it out. :) From my blog reading I found Made By Rae and after seeing so many bags made from her Buttercup pattern I decided to support her and buy myself a copy...at least 2 months ago. She did a FANTASTIC job writing the pattern to be easy and fairly cheap to make. Score all the way around, and it was quick as well. I made it to match that great sunglass case I made here in July.

I ordered fabric that I picked out for my sisters and sister in laws yesterday that I hope each of them will like. I am planning on making a purse for each, a sunglass case, and some luggage tags out of my scraps. Now if only I knew what to make Colin? I am still debating on making purses for my mom and mother in law. Any fabrics strike either of you?

I may be making a lot more than these as Colin is already working late. He got a temp yesterday just to help with inputting data that he is compiling. Apparently there were some snags in communication and he has spent the last few hours fixing what was messed up (she spent 8 hours imputing the info. in wrong). One of the AWESOME guys Colin works with stayed late with him to help fix it as it had to be ready for a meeting today. I just want to say thanks to Matty P! I really appreciate you helping so Colin doesn't have to stay at work until midnight.

This is going to be a long rest of the year if Colin is already needing to stay after 7 on a regular basis almost 4 months before the completion date. :( Everyone I know might be getting bags etc.

Busy Busy Busy....I shouldn't even be on here

Thought I would share my goal for today. Finish all my orders and then clean....if possible I really need to mow the lawn. No fun pictures etc. I am way behind and need some more coffee today. :( Hope everyone else is having an un-Monday!

P.S.-Colin is teasing me (not intentionally) that his company just got a HUGE project in Denver and we really may get to move back closer to home. Cross your fingers, I am REALLY getting tired of moving. Anymore it seems like a tease since that was supposed to happen last year. :(

Zucchini out the Ears...

So I have a HUGE pile of zucchini on my front porch. Hanging out along side it is several spaghetti squash and a few large cucumbers. All of them look like they have been on steroids.

For most of the summer I have been creating recipes to use them and shredding a lot for this winter to make bread. This week I am at a loss of what to do as I have a freezer full of zucchini. I think I will shred the spaghetti squash and use it like noodles this winter or make some lasagna out of it. The others I don't know....and yes I gave away about 6 yesterday to my neighbors. Does anyone have any delicious new recipes for zucchini other than bread?

Here is one that I have made a few times this summer.

ZUCCHINI/SQUASH CHICKEN RICE WRAPS

Chicken Breasts Cut up and cooked in a little olive oil and any form of citrus seasoning. (Add salt as most citrus seasonings don't have much) -Pampered chef citrus seasoning has had the best outcome, though it has very little salt in it.

Cut up zucchini and yellow squash into 3/4 inch chunks and cook in a little olive oil with seasoning (place a piece of tin foil or a lid on the top so it can steam.

Dice up some onion and throw it in to cook with the zucchini and squash.

On the side cook up some white rice (I use Jasmin because you get a better flavor and texture).

Have a package of small tortillas (they are easier to eat) and a tub of whipped cream cheese set aside.

Warm up your tortillas so they don't crack. Spread the cream cheese generously on your tortilla, fill it up with rice and then up with the zucchini/squash filling. Yum!

-I did not include amounts of anything as squash and zucchini are never standard sizes.

My husband looked at me funny when I first fed him this, probably because it looks healthy. :0 Since he tried it though he has requested it and even takes it for lunch to work.

Enjoying Life :)

Thought I would share a new picture of some button earrings and a few pictures from Labor Day Weekend since my camera is 100% again. These are a pair of custom button earrings I made to coordinate with the White Wedding Button bracelet.

White Button Wedding Earrings

Colin and I at Lake Coeur d'Alene

Our friend Kelsey, Deleila and Brad (Deleila was visiting from Phoenix so we haven't seen her in almost a year)

Captain McIntyre who always invites us out on his boat :)

Adam braving the chilly water to test out the wake surf board.

Brady and his messed up hair from Colin driving the boat. :0

What a great way to spend a Saturday!

P.S. -Some crazy guy tried to buy the hat Colin is wearing off his head during our garage sale. (It's the Irish flag in a clover from Lucky Joe's)

All Smiles!

Happy Day! I just imputed my books and I am completely out of the red from starting up my jewelry business. All of my supplies/displays/office needs have been covered! I am amazed since it still hasn't even been a year since I made up my mind to make this work. Things are looking super bright and shiny today!

I have been away for so long, I am still recovering from driving back to WA and rejoining my scheduled daily life. My house was a mess.....so I have been cleaning. Finally I am reorganizing my new supplies so I can function and we are working out kinks in the website template. I was hoping that my website would be ready the end of this week but we have a few issues that need resolved in order to list my jewelry onto it. Anyone that has been watching and waiting patiently I just want to say THANKS!

This month is going to be packed full of work.

Website??????no ETA :(
Creating new order for supplies (almost done)
Order new Invitations for Parties (Red sounds good for Christmas)
New Jewelry Items -I sold all my new pieces :)
New $5 items (I only have 8 left)
Restocking ornaments for Christmas
Hemming my bridesmaid dress
Custom Wedding pieces for 6 plus bride
Working on Christmas gifts

These are just a few time consuming items that I know need done before the end of this month. October I will be jetting all over the place again so I know not much will be getting done. Colin and I will be in Vegas for a wedding the middle of the month and the last week of October I will be in Kansas City, MO working on getting my BFF Joyce's reception set up. Right when I get back from MO/KS I have a show organized here in WA and I need to be ready for it before the end of this month. Sigh, I LOVE working from home but I need a helper just to get caught up. Working for myself is hard work!

Lots of Driving

I am finally ready to head back to WA! Well I have been ready to be home but not ready to drive. Tomorrow is the day!

Yesterday I went and bought myself a new pair of jeans since fall is creeping up fast this year. The day ended with hanging out with my dad who amazingly (crazy as well) was drinking chili beer and eating potato chips. That doesn't sound crazy until you find out that he had 2 root canals, a bone graft, and a tooth extraction done that morning (without the normal dose of painkillers since they freak him out). Later on he was eating black licorice, plain crazy! Today I am reorganizing my car, doing laundry, and hanging out with the worlds 2 stupidest dogs.

Next week I will finally be back with a few new pictures since my camera is fixed! :)