Saturday, March 19, 2011

Home-made Make-up Remover Pads

I do wish I could remember the blogger who suggested making make-up remover pads.  (If you see this, let me know so I can give you all the credit!) I took her advice and made some.  I sewed the pads, but if you don't want to sew, you could find a nice, soft material that doesn't unravel such as a fleece and cut squares or circles.  Decorative scissors would make them look nice, too.

I used Joann's regular cotton diaper fabric cut into 3x6 inch pieces folded over to 3x3.  As you can see (hopefully--just click on it to make it bigger)  from the photo below, they are sewn around the edges leaving a small opening to turn right side out.  Don't forget to clip the corners before turning.  I then top stitched  close to the edge around the entire outer edge. 

 Don't they look nice in there?

The only problem I had was figuring out what to do with the used ones in need of washing.  I didn't want to have to run to the hamper every time I used one, and they're so small I was afraid they'd be lost in the laundry.  My solution was to make a small voile bag to attach to the containers for the used pads.  The voile is airy enough to allow the pads to dry out preventing mildew.  If you don't want to make the voile bags, check the wedding section of craft stores.  They usually have small bags like this.

Here are the two in use at my house:

Yeah, the bottom one is a canning jar.  I embroidered an E on the diaper fabric for the top which worked well.  I have two sets of bags and pads for each jar.  The extra bags are stored in the drawer with the fresh pads in them.  When I put the towels in the wash, I take the voile bags as well and put up the fresh bags.  The voile bag goes into a lingerie bag for the delicate load and the pads go into a lingerie bag with the towels. Keeping the pads together in the bag is so much easier than trying to find them in amongst the towels.


I love the size of the pads, the cloth washes really well, it's good for the environment, and cheaper than continually buying pads.  Give it a try!

Monday, March 7, 2011

Oilcloth Bicycle Bags

Snow day!  Since it was an unexpected day off, I justified spending it sewing.  I did the bicycle bags from the book, The Feisty Stitcher.    I have the book, BUT I found a pdf  for them from the publishers.  Lucky you!  If you want to try these, you don't have to buy the book or even borrow the book from the library!  (You will, however, be missing out of more great project ideas.)  Either Google "oilcloth bike bag" or go to this link:  http://www.larkcrafts.com/needlearts/stitch-it-with-attitude-2/  and find another link at the end of the article.  For some reason, the direct link to the pdf does not work when I put it in here.
 
With nice weather on its way, these would made great gifts for bicyclists!  Here is the bag for the front of the bike.   I like the buttons on this one.
And, this shows the velcro for fastening it onto the bike.  I have both methods on since I don't know which will work best with my bike.  (Sorry, I refuse to shovel my way to she shed to show these on an actual bike.  It is still winter here as in, I am having a snow day!)  Take a look at the pdf to see how they look on a bike (and in some much more "grown-up" looking fabric.)


This is the bag for behind the bike seat.


I am NOT liking those buttons.  New picture of new buttons.  I like these better.  The book pattern calls for four buttons and the hair band closures.  I thought buttons and polka dots would be great together, but it was just overwhelming on this one.  I put on snap closures to cut down on the buttons. 

I do, however,  like the red Velcro on the back of this one.

I actually used PUL instead of the oilcloth suggested because this PUL was already in the stash.  I am keeping my pledge not to buy fabric til I get the stash way down.  This is not the lighter weight, stretchier, shiny PUL that people use for diaper covers.  This is a nice cotton poly-laminate. It was really easy to work with. 

I tried this pattern once without the the bias tape or braid, too.  I DO like easy.  I turned the flap pieces under a quarter of an inch and sewed a top stitch.  If you want to try this simpler design, I've included some pics to show you what I did below.

Follow the directions to create the basic rectangular piece in the book/pdf. Once you have finished putting together the two rectangles, turned it right-side out,  and sewn on the strap for holding the Velcro, DON'T turn the bottom up and sew it in place.  Instead, cut the angles for the flap as in the directions.  Now start folding in a quarter of an inch on each side.  .

You need to clip off  this point in the seamed corner to make it less bulky. 
Start folding the 1/4 inch.  This is really easy with the PUL as I think it would be with oilcloth because the fabrics tend to hold a finger fold well.  Once the back side is folded under, it is easy to match the front fabric to it.  Just a few pins will hold it in place for sewing.
If you want, you could sew the hair band in at the center point now eliminating the need for two buttons. This way you will only need one button to hook the hair band around.
This is what you'll have at the end of pinning.   You are ready to top stitch!

Here it is with the top stitching completed.  NOW fold up the bottom the suggested number of inches.  Remember that the Velcro strap will be INSIDE because you are about to sew the seams.  Continue on with the pattern creating the boxed corners.  If you put the hair band in the point seam, you only need to sew on one button now.  I do love easy!

One other change I made was to make the box corners 3/4 of an inch instead of 1 1/4 to give the bag just a bit more room.  If you make some of these, I'd love to see them.  Leave me a link to your blog in the comments or email me.

I'll leave you with a picture from the icy, snowy day--sun glistening off the branches in the aftermath.  It IS pretty.

Sunday, March 6, 2011

How's That Master Bath Coming Along?

It turns out that remodelers and glass companies are almost as slow as my husband and me.  They take more snow days than an elementary school in the north country and don't work much on weekends.  The essentials are in, though.  The air tub:
and the television:

Sinks, medicine cabinets, toilet, and lights are nice, but the tub and the television are a bit of heaven. 

I love, love, love all the colors in the granite.  I couldn't decide which of the four pictures to show here because they're all so different and all beautiful.

Getting the glass shower enclosure in is proving to be a challenge.  The company just can't seem to make it here to measure.  They, like the remodelers, don't do snow and rescheduling can take a week and a half.  The third attempt to get them here is scheduled for Tuesday.

If it doesn't snow, we might have a finished bathroom in three weeks!  Until that time I am FORCED to get a glass of wine, light some candles, turn on the television, and climb into that huge bubbling tub.   It's tough, but I'll manage.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

Bloggers Touch the World!


I am amazed by the places my blog has reached in the last few weeks.   I've had visitors from 47 48 49 all 50 (just waiting for New Hampshire Finally!) of the United States and quite a few countries.  I decided to make a thank-you using www.tagxedo.com.  You get to put in words--places in my case, and choose a shape for the words to fill.  Since the blog virtually reaches out to others, I chose the shape of a hand.

Consider this a big thanks for stopping by.  It has been so much fun to see that someone from  across the country or in Kuala Lumpur, Spain, South Africa, Turkey, Oman, New Zealand,  Brazil has read my blog.  But, then,  it is just as much a kick to find that someone I don't know in Albany or Schenectady--cities practically in my backyard--is coming by, too.

Thanks for making life more interesting.  Now, go play on Tagxedo.   


Saturday, February 26, 2011

Make Your Boring Reusable Grocery Bags Fun!

There are a thousand tutorials on the internet for making cloth grocery bags, and most of fairly easy.  I've seen some gorgeous bags of coordinating fabric and sometimes even reversible!  My bags, though  take a lot of abuse and get thrown in the laundry with the towels.  Nice fabric and reversible bags are not practical for my needs.

Instead, I bought a bolt of unbleached duck cloth that has given me a ton a bags.  The only down side was that the bags were kind of boring.  Well, they were until I won the ColorArtz Fabric Airbrush Starter Kit from a Chica and Jo blog giveaway!  The boring bags are now:
Fun!  I am loving the, "Made from Recycled Kitty Litter" ones most. 

With no Cricut or Silhouette machine, and being too lazy to do all the cutting for freezer paper stencils, I've resorted to using painters tape and adhesive letters with the ColorArtz Airbrush. 
To make the arrows, I used a small "l" for the center line of the arrows and removed the dot from the "i" and put one on each side for the rest of the arrow.  The ripped part is on top of the "l" to give the outer edges clean lines.  I could have used scissors, but, well, that would require more work.  If you've read my blog before, you should know that the words "quick and easy" are practically my mantra.

I use painter's tape for the lines around the lettering and cover the rest of the bag with paper in case of over-spray.  Be sure to press the edges of the tape and the lettering down to get clean lines.  The airbrush is surprisingly easy to use.  Paint does not go all over as it does with paint cans.  You do want to cover the rest of the piece you are working on, but the paint won't  fill the air. 

Using  scissors or rotary cutters that give a wavy edge would be a great idea for the painter's tape, too.  If you have a fancy vinyl machine, I'm sure there are awesome things that you could do with this. 

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

Exercise/Sleep Mat

I don't like to exercise.  Anything to make it more enticing is essential.  Susan Wasinger's book, The Feisty Stitcher has directions for a beautiful exercise/sleep mat.  Being that I am genetically predisposed to change any pattern I come across, I made some minor changes with mine.   I tacked on a nice grosgrain ribbon for closing instead of making the tab Susan used.  As I've said before, if it stands still, I WILL put a ribbon on it.


Here it is all rolled up!

And all stretched out!

Susan's closing method is nicer, but mine is easier and quicker--two guiding principles in my life at this point. (Actually,  I'm supposed to be removing wallpaper paste and painting the room, not sewing in it.)

The unrolled pillow square is sewn into the top of the mat.  When you roll the mat up that piece of pillow fabric is on the outside! It's not just rolled up fabric, but an ATTRACTIVE, coordinated roll of fabric!  I tacked the ribbon to the very edge of the pillow piece.  (Find the middle of the ribbon and tack it there so that it will wrap around the bundle when closed for tying. That is unless, of course, you do it the right/elegant way that Susan did.)

I've included a  picture here of the partially rolled mat that might make all this a little clearer.  You just keep rolling from the bottom of the mat and tie it all closed with the ribbon.  The ribbon gets rolled into the pillow when you are using it to keep it out of the way.  No one wants to strangle themselves during Yoga.  How embarrassing for the family to have to explain that!  "Yes, my wife/mom/grandma strangled herself while doing Yoga."


This is a view of the top where the pillow and mat are connected.

Susan's used some beautiful cotton fabrics.  It's practically elegant--if you can call anything related to exercise elegant!  I went for a bit more comfort with a plushy velour mat and a soft flannel pillow fabric.   Kind of garish, but freaking soft!  I will probably have to fight small children, dogs and cats for it.

Mine also has 3 layers throughout of the kind of batting that can be tied off every ten inches.  I tacked the pillow part by machine but decided to tie the mat part by hand.  There are so few ties needed that it only took a half hour or so.

Next I'm doing the little bag that is on the cover of The Feisty Stitcher.  I have a basket on my bike (that humiliates my super-bicyclist husband), but things can pop out when you hit a bump. I am going to add this bag facing toward me on the bike to hold my wallet and other things I'd rather not share with the general public. 

Must go scrap off the wallpaper paste first, though.

Saturday, February 19, 2011

Meditation Chimes Available Online FREE!

Do you meditate?  Do you use a timer that emits an annoyingly jarring sound that practically ruins the experience?   Try this online timer at http://www.onlinemeditationtimer.com/ .  While you can't download it, it's easy to go to the page and set it.  It even has an interval timer that can be set as well.  That's kinda cool.  Sometimes I'm so antsy, I can see that it would be good to have an idea of where I am in the process. 

Don't forget to figure out level you will need to set your computer sound control on for a soothing ring.  Too loud is not a great way to start or stop meditating. 

So, check out this timer, make your own comfy  meditation cushion (also known as an old couch cushion repurposed), and happy meditating.  Your meditation session will end with a soothing sound rather than a jarring noise.  Peace.