Tutorial: jump. hop. count. {a number playmat}

So I eluded to some 'fun news' a couple of posts ago. A little over a month ago I received an email from the Moda Bake Shop inviting me to be a 'chef' on their blog! I was shocked, excited, and of course said yes! I love love love Moda fabrics and have long been a fan of Moda Bake Shop. So, today I am happy to share with you all my first Moda Bake Shop 'recipe'.

So head on over to MBS and check out the recipe. I hope you all love it!

Halloween Quiet Book Kits

Remember this fun little book?

Well they are back for the Halloween season as kits in the shop. So head on over to the shop and grab a pattern and kit to make an adorable little book for your little ghost or witch.

EDIT: Just to clarify. I also sell just the pattern on it's own. They are similar items but the title cards in Etsy do look differently.


This is the kit:

This is ONLY the pattern:

Tutorial: Quick Drawstring Bag

Here is a great sewing 'basic'. The drawstring bag. I remember the first time I made one...I dunno why, it is not like it was a momentous occasion.  The first time I made one was for a laundry sack to take to my church Girls' Camp. I recently came across it and I laughed so hard. It is like 1 1/2 yards long and 18 inches wide. I remember thinking it was so cool. Thanks mom for not bursting my creative bubble at age 12. ;)

With that being said...on to the tutorial. 
 
{quick drawstring bag}

1/2 yard of fabric, this makes a great basic size
1 1/2 yards ribbon or cording
large saftey pin

 

I used a serger to finish my raw edges. If you don't have a serger, directions are given in parentheses.

1. Cut two 13" x 15" rectangles. (You can easily increase this size if you need it bigger, just add an additional 2" for seam allowances and whatnot.) (No serger: On the top edge of each piece, fold under 1/4" and press. Fold under 1/4" again and press.) Fold under 1 1/2" from the same top edge. Press to crease.

2. Unfold the creased edge and place the pieces right sides together. (No serger: Also unfold the 1/4" you folded under twice.) From the pressed/creased edge measure down 1/4" and pin. Measure 1/2" from the first pin and pin again. This marks the opening for the drawstring. Begin sewing at the top, stopping at the first pin and back-stitching. Remove bag from your machine and trim threads. Begin sewing again at the second pin, back-stitching. Continue sewing to the bottom of the bag. Stop sewing at this point.

3. Press open the seam you just sewed. Try not to iron out the crease you made. My finger is pointing to the opening you should have.

4. Flip the bag over to the front. On the right side, sew on either side of the opening to hold the opening open. Place the wrong sides together again, pin, and sew the rest of the bag together. Leave the top open. Press seams. (No serger: Finish raw edges with a zig-zag stitch.)

5. Flatten the bottom of the bag. Make the side seam come come to a point as shown. Measure 1" from the point and mark. Sew on the line you marked.

6. Trim about 1/4" from the seam you just sewed. Repeat for the other side of the bag. 

7. With the bag turned right-side out, fold the creased edge down. Turn the bag right-side out and sew the creased edge in place about 1" away from the top edge. (No serger:With the bag turned right-side out, fold the creased edge down. Turn the 1/4" folded edges back under. Do not turn bag. Sew on top of the 1/4" folded edges about 1/8" away from the edge.)

8. Pin a ribbon or cording onto a safety pin and thread through the opening. Seal the raw ends of the ribbon or cording. Fill with whatever items you need!

What is that in the background? You will see very soon!!!

Sewing on a Budget - Part Two: Shopping at Hobby Lobby

Thanks for all the tips on the last 'Sewing on a Budget' post. I will be doing a post with all your suggestions! Keep them coming!!!

Shopping at Hobby Lobby

I love Hobby Lobby. Nuf said.

The sales aren't as great as Joann's but I still go there for specific items because I can get them cheaper than Joann's. They also have a weekly coupon on their website www.hobbylobby.com.

Kona Cotton

• Kona Cotton - I love Kona Cotton. It's regular price at Joann's & Hobby Lobby is $5.99. At Hobby Lobby it is ALWAYS on sale for 30% off. Typically, I get it at Hobby Lobby. Yes, I could use my coupon at Joann's but I am closer to a Hobby Lobby. I figure I'd eat the extra 10% in savings by driving/extra time spent. I use Kona for clothing and quilting. Plus it comes in EVERY color!!!
• broad cloth - A huge step down from Kona Cottons, but still does a great job. At Hobby Lobby, it is usually about  $1.87 a yard. But with a hot 40% off coupon in your hand...nice! I use broad cloth for linings, especially in totes. I use a load of broadcloth so I usually buy 10 yards at a time with a coupon.
• ribbon - Most of the time it is on sale for 50% off. You can get usually around 15 feet/5 yards for .99 cents. Great deal! And they have a great ribbon selection
• cotton prints - Often are much cuter than Joann's and always 30% off! 
• tulle on a spool - (wow that rhymes) Often this is on sale for $1.99 for a 25 yard spool  of 6" wide tulle. (Great color selection.) This is great for the no-sew tutus and for decorations.
• clearance section - I love to dig through the clearance in the fabric section. I've found many fun trims, fabrics, and notions for a steal. 

My list of 'regular' items at Hobby Lobby is much shorter than Joann's but still worth my time. I also love the fact that they are closed on Sunday. Everyone needs a day off.

Any tips for shopping at Hobby Lobby?

Thanks for reading,

LeAnne :)

Check out all the posts in this series.
Missed the first post in this series?

Pardon Our Dust...

If you click through to the blog you may see a big ole mess. Things are getting rearranged and simplified.

So until then just hang in there.

LeAnne

A Winner!

Thanks for all the comments and entries! I had fun reading each one.

Okay...now for the real reason you all are reading...a winner for the 'my colors' quiet book.

The winner is #14....

Congrats to Kelli! I will be emailing you to get your info.


Thanks again to everyone! Have a great day. :)

Loving What I'm Doing...

(Thanks to you all on the previous giveaway post who left notes like 'hi' and 'I miss you'. I haven't gotten around to emailing you all back...but 'hi &I miss you too!')

Like I said earlier, August is birthday month here at Everyday Celebrations. This month is two years since I thought, 'Hmmm...I hope someone buys my stuff' as I posted my first items on Etsy.

The shop has grown and the blog has gained many a readers over the last few months. I love my little hobby that has turned into something a little more and can honestly say, 'I am loving what I'm doing.'

One of my favorite projects to date has been this little lovely...

So I thought it would be VERY appropriate to make one of these cute little books for one of you wonderful readers out there! Yay! (The completed book may be a tad different, since I use my scraps to make this book. But it will be exactly the same in every other way.)

So, I am all for simplicity.

Just leave a comment with your name and, if needed, an email addy so I can let you know you won! Also, because it will make it funner more fun, let me know what 'color' you are feeling like today.

So I will start:

My name is LeAnne.

Today I am feeling very aquaish. 

I am feeling very happy, relaxed, carefree, and ready to go cool off in the pool. 

What color are you feeling?

The giveaway will run from today Wednesday, August 11th - Monday, August 16th.
I will announce a winner Tuesday morning the 17th. 

Good luck and stay tuned.

I have some fun news to share in the next couple of weeks and of course some more yummy patterns and tutorials are on the way!

'Give Thanks' Thanksgiving Countdown Caldendar Pattern

I am happy to release two new patterns today!

My most popular 'Countdown Calendar' the 'Give Thanks' Thanksgiving Countdown Calendar is now available as a PDF pattern!

Thank you to Erin who pattern tested this Countdown Calendar for me! You can see her completed calendar here and in the Flickr group.

I am also releasing NEW Countdown Cards!

These were a HUGE hit last year and I am happy to say the new cards are much, much cuter!! 

The Countdown Cards can be used with or without the Calendar. (Directions are given to do so.) These are super easy to put together. Just send to your favorite online photo-site (Sam's Club, Costco, etc) and print off as 4" x 6" photos! You can print the whole set for about $5.00.

This file includes 34 activity cards plus four blank cards!

If you purchased cards last year and want this 'upgrade' contact me. 

I am offering this new set to previous purchasers at a discount.

Then, if you just can't decide which pattern you want, good news for you!

I am offering both together as a 'bundle pack' at a reduced price.

Well. Lemme just say...those were patterns that were a lot of work to put together. But I am so glad they are done and available for you! I will be releasing both a Christmas card file and advent pattern soon.

Stay tuned!!!

Sewing on a Budget - Part One: Shopping at Joann's

This is a post I've been thinking about doing for awhile. (I also have been working on it for awhile!)
So I hope you find the 'Sewing on a Budget' series helpful. Feel free to leave comments on things you do to make your crafting dollar go the furthest. I'd love to have a post with reader tips! 

(FYI: I am not saying I am a pro at budgeting or these are the only ways to do so, I am just passing off some things that have worked for me.)

So here we go....

Keeping your hobby in line with your budget, yikes! It's hard not to go crazy with all the fun fabrics, supplies, and ideas out there. However, I think with creativity and planning you can have a fun and practical hobby that you enjoy that and is easy on the wallet. Christmas is also right around the corner and handmade gifts are wonderful but can be expensive if you wait to the last minute. However, if you start to plan now, watch sales, and of course make time to sew or craft, you will enjoy making those handmade gifts much more.

So my first tip for sewing on a budget is....

Shopping at Joann's

Yes.  I know Joann fabrics aren't always the most current and some stores have horrible inventory. Trust me I've seen my share of Joann's; the good and the bad. Even still, I still love shopping there for these reasons:

Coupons & Sales

• There is always a sale! And if there isn't, use a coupon. I never pay full price for anything. Okay...I may have bought a zipper or two w/out a coupon. ;)
• I always take a coupon with me. If you don't get Joann emails or mailers go to www.joann.com and sign up. 
• My favorite sales:
• Patriotic Sales. Joann's has a sale around every patriotic holiday and they always have the basics on sale.
• Coupon Commotion. Happens about 3 times a year. It is great because you can use multiple coupons at once. They usually happen in the winter, summer, and fall. 
• Black Friday. I stock up on a few items at this sale because the prices never are lower. (These have been the prices for the last three years.)
1. Interfacing, $3.99/10 yard bolt
2. 72" wide Felt, $1.99/yd
3. Cotton Flannel, $1.49/yd
• In my opinion, I feel like from September - January are some of the best sales at Joann's. (Probably because everyone is doing extra crafting/sewing for the Holidays.)

Basic Sewing Supplies & Materials
I stock up on the following items when they are on sale if I need them. I never buy all these items at once, remember this post is about staying on budget. This is how I started to build my sewing supply stash a few years back. I would pick up a few items when they went on sale. Before I knew it, I had a nice supply of basic supplies and fabrics so I didn't have to go to the store for each and every project.

• thread - About every 4 - 6 weeks it is on sale for 40% - 50% off. I like to always have a big spool of black, cream, and white on hand. Then I get smaller spools of other colors.
• basic cotton prints {polka dots, stripes, vines, etc} aka 'Keepsake Calicos' - These are almost always on sale for 30% - 40% off. I stock up on my basics when they are on sale so I can get all the fabrics I want at a discount. Of course, if I only need one print and no sale, I use my coupon. 
• fat quarters - I only buy these when they are on sale for .99 cents each. Otherwise, they are $1.50 each which equals $6.00/yd fabric! Yikes! More than I want to pay for Joann fabric, let alone fat quarter fabric from Joann's because the quality isn't $6.00/yd fabric. (In my opinion.)
• remnants - I go through the remnants every time I go because they are always 50% off. I've made adorable little girl dresses from remnants because you usually only need a yard or less of fabric.
• cutting tools - Seem like they are always on sale for 40% - 50% off. You can read more about my favorite cutting tools here.
• felt yardage or 72" wide felt - Unless I only need the smallest amount of felt, I buy it by the yard. It is far cheaper. Example:
• One felt sheet is .25 cents and really not a lot of felt.  
• 1/4 yard of felt at regular price using a coupon costs .75 cents and is a lot of felt!
• From about September - January felt is super cheap, around $2.99 - $3.99 a yard.
• interfacing - About every 4 - 6 weeks it is on sale for 50% off. 
• notions wall - Again, about every 4 - 6 weeks the notions wall is either 50% off or BOGO free. 

So those are some of the tips I have for shopping at Joann's. Do you have any?

Check out all the posts in this series.

A Winner!

Thanks to everyone who entered!

The winner of the giveaway is comment #11.....

 and that was....

Yay!!! I will pass along your email to Angie and she will be in touch with you. :)

I have been working hard this past week...so hopefully I will have some goodies to share with you all this coming week!

Happy Saturday!

Welcoming in August with a GIVEAWAY from ryah sofia

Just to preface this post. This blog is NOT turning into a giveaway blog. 

However, August is birthday month so... I though it would be fun to do a few giveaways!

This first giveaway is from my friend Angie's new shop called ryah sofia where she makes amazing headbands, hair clips, and more!

Just some of my favorites are:

Aurora

Erica

Little One

and for all the Twilight fans out there Alice

To enter this giveaway and win ONE headband or clip of your choice :

(only one entry per person)

1. Click over to ryah sofia and look through all the darling clips.

2. Then come back here and leave a comment saying which one is your favorite!

Giveaway is open from Sunday, August 1st - Friday, August 6th.

I will announce a winner Saturday morning August 7th!

Good luck!