Sarchix Finds

I know it’s been a while since I posted but my publisher and I have decided to offer a special discount on my novel, Fire and Ice in honor of the Philadelphia Flyers winning the Eastern Conference tonight against the Montreal Canadians.

We are offering a discount of $4.90 until game time (8pm ET) on Saturday, May 29th in honor of the amazing goal, Michael Leighton who is #49.

Stop by Fireball Publishing to order my hockey novel at this special playoff victory price.

GO FLYERS!!!!

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I first found tatting over a year ago and had troubles with it.  I know once I get it down its going to be fantastic but its a bit tricky to get started especially on your own.  (For those that don’t know what tatting is, its a way of making hand made lace using knots and loops.)

Katherine Sharpe over at Ready Made posted a great article on it complete with an instructional video!!!!!!!  I love it!!!!!!!!  The instructor on the video is Nina Libin who has been teaching tatting for over 20 years.

I need to find my shuttle and get started again.

FYI – basic tatting equipment can be found in most larger crafting stores, usually over by the embroidery floss area.

Ready Made – Tatting Tutorial with video

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I have been trying to think of something my youngest (age 4) can do for his class in pre-school for Valentine’s Day.  When I saw this over at Chica and Jo (an amazing crafting site) I knew I had found it. They include both the recipe and the template for the bag!

Jo posts her take on V-day Kettel corn for the kiddies and it really seems simple.  It took a bit to track down  a place that sells a “wirlly pop” in the area since I really don’t want to have to wait for delivery (Target sells it online only) but alas, I did have to resort to mail order.  I can still remember the days of my parents making popcorn in my Mom’s old stainless steel pot and then the air popper.  The idea of going back to the stove top to make popcorn is refreshing and brings me back to childhood while taking the Microwave out of the equasion.  At least its better than movie theater popcorn, right?

Chica and Jo – Valentine Popcorn Treat

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I love fabric, almost as much as paper.  Fat quarters are just the best invention ever.  I can have all the colors of the world but just in fat quarter portions (depending on the size pot you choose).
Lavender and Lime has come up with another great (and easy) project that could be modified by your mood, the season or the holiday (or sale at the fabric store).

Five simple items to make this adorable flower pot.  That’s all it takes.  Just don’t leave them outside because the mod podge is water soluble and will um… melt away.  I could see me redecoration the “wall of death” as my husband calls it with my plants that I can barely keep alive (will post pics to prove later).

Enjoy!

Lavender and Limes – Fabric Flower Pots

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I love paint.  When it’s paint that does something, like say… turn a surface into a chalkboard, the Sarchix “cool” factor goes up even more.  Almost as much as paper and stationary, but that’s for another obsession post.

I first want to say that the folks over at Cut out and Keep totally ROCK!  They have projects and pics that could keep me busy for days with the talented members there.  I highly recommend signing up there (don’t worry, its fabulously free to do so – and they have a monthly web mag to feast on too!!!!  <3 you guys at Cut out and Keep).

That being said, have you ever needed a gift for someone but had no idea what to give.  If they entertain friends/family or value their wood furniture, this is the project for them.  Shrimp Salad Circus has posted a tutorial on how to make coasters that are also chalk boards.  Forget the wine charms.  Give everyone a coaster and have a cup of chalk and you not only keep friends from mixing up their drinks but protect your furniture too!

All you really need is some cork coasters, chalkboard paint and some accent acrylic paint to make it fun.  Oh yeah, and some real chalk.  I’m thinking hostess gifts, Christmas Prezzies, all with this brilliant idea!
Thank you Shrimp Salad Circus and Cut Out and Keep!

Cut Out and Keep + Shrimp Salad Circus – Cork Chalkboard Coasters

COAK/Shrimp Salad Circus – Chalkboard Coasters

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I’m sure that everyone has seen the home made coffee cozies all over the place.  I’ve seen them knitted, sewn and crocheted.  Felt, cloth, quilted, wool.  They are everywhere!  Having your own coffee (or tea or coco – don’t want to discriminate) cozy is a great thing because it does keep the waste down but still protects your fingers.  Its a hard habit to break but it really is worth it.

I have my own issues with the commercialization of the holidays but, I really do feel if you craft it, there is more thought and meaning to the gift or the personal accessory.  So it’s okay in my book.

Lavender and Limes has a great little tutorial to make your own coffee cozy that is super easy to make.  She adds a few hand sews a few hearts on it and voila, and seasonal cozy.  Can you see where I’m going with this?  Shamrocks at St Patrick’s Day, eggs and bunnies (ooh, peeps) for Easter, flags for Memorial Day and the 4th of July, Flip Flops for summer… I could keep going on with these.

Lavender and Limes – Coffee Cozy

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I love to decorate cakes!  The bigger the better in my eyes.  Unfortunately I do not make many cakes because if I did I would be the size of a house.  Cupcakes are fun too but I can’t just make cupcakes because I want something to decorate.

Gum-paste and fondant decorations can be stunning, even on the simplest of cup cakes but they take a lot of time to make.  I feel that they are worth the effort for the beauty of the cake.  I still remember the hours I spent making hand made daises for my sister in law’s bridal shower cake.

And now I found the most amazing cake decorating tool EVER!  The Circut Cake is a new product (by Circut) that utilizes the precision die cut of the Circut machines that you may know from scrap booking and beautiful cake decorations that are almost fool proof.  Over at their site there is a great video that shows how easy it is to make and apply the decorations.

I have always loved the Circut machines even thought I am not a scrapbooker (but I wish I was).  Die cut paper makes me drool and custom die cut paper is amazing.  Because I am not a scrap booker, I have never seen the point in getting one of these machines.

Now that they have them for cake decorates, I so want one.  The only two things keeping me from running out and getting one right now is 1) It’s not out yet and 2) the price tag of $399.99 MSRP.  The good thing is, it uses both the Circut Cake cartridges AND the regular Circut cartridges.

Note:  I do not represent or have any relationship with Circut.  If they want to send me one for a testimonial, I will be more than happy to help them out. (Bats eyes and says “pretty please”).

Circut – Circut Cake

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As I was surfing around today, I found this adorable tutorial by Geta at Geta’s Quilting Studio. She gives us easy directions on how to assemble this super cute notebook and pencil travel bag.  With all the amazing fabrics out there, the possibilites are endless on how you can make this.  Change the heart for a star and it could easily be made for a boy as well.  The handle construction is really well done as well.

I really need to dust off my sewing machine and try this one out!

Geta’s Quilting Studio - Quilted Notebook and Pencil Travel Bag

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Holiday Gift giving can be a challenge especially for the big dilemma of what to get the teachers.  For the most part, it hasn’t been too difficult for me because most of my children’s teachers have been women.  This year, my daughter has a guy teacher (who is awesome) so I find it difficult to find something for him without it being too frilly or girly.  And I can’t repeat anything since my older son has already had him too.

I love this idea of repurposing soda bottles and their holder into a cute gift.  This would work for either male or female teachers, it just depends on the paper and ribbon used.  I found this at Nap Time Journal and it really seems easy to complete.

She uses cream soda bottles since they are clear and you can see the goodies inside them and it is very important to clean the bottles very well.  Nap Time Journal also reuses the bottle caps to cap it.  I may not do that because 1) I always mangle the bottle caps when I open them and 2) I happen to have a bottle capper just “lying around” and hundreds of unused bottle caps.

Such a fun idea!

Nap Time Journal - Soda Bottle Treats

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I love potatoes.  Red potatoes are probably my favorite kind but it doesn’t really matter to me as long as I can have enough to feed my family (and maybe some leftovers too).

Normally, I don’t make baked potatoes since I always forget about starting them in the oven until after its too late so I usually make mashed or roast cubed pieces in olive oil and garlic.  The mashed potatoes are usually cooked in the microwave as I dash around to get the rest of the meal competed and I’ve never had any complaints about them.

Jennifer over at CraftSanity has posted not only the directions to make “baked” potatoes in the microwave but has also posted a video tutorial on how to make these bags.  Using your microwave, a paper towel, one of these bags and some potatoes and you can have yummy potato goodness in 4-8 minutes.

Yes, this does require sewing but its very simple so even a beginner could handle.

There’s still plenty of winter left where a quick baked potato would fit the bill.

CraftSanity - Microwave Potato Bag

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