tuesday tutorial - fabric flowers

Ok, I have been working and thinking on this one for a bit and while the end result isn't perfect it is ok. I like it. I think. I plan on making more and tweaking and improving... we will see. I have seen handmade flowers everywhere! headbands. belts. shirts. etc. etc. etc. So I tried my hand at a belt. Here are my results...

While this isn't really a tutorial since I haven't quite gotten this down pat here are the links to several sites that helped me along the way...

http://www.rufflesandstuff.com/2010/05/grosgrain-belt-tutorial.html

http://thedomesticdiva.wordpress.com/2007/11/26/embellishing-is-sew-creative/

http://www.tipjunkie.com/fabric-flower-tutorials/

http://heyjenrenee.blogspot.com/2010/03/fabric-flower-tutorial.html

http://ilove2create.blogspot.com/2007/09/tutorial-fabric-rose.html

I have done some t-shirts with these ideas and the possibilities running through my mind are endless.

Enjoy your Tuesday! I will be celebrating mine with my 10 year old birthday boy!

Blessings -K

Monday meal idea

It is hot, sticky and super muggy and it is only 7 am! I am so thankful for air conditioning! We had a wonderfully busy weekend but reality is hitting today... I have to go into work! Then I only have 4 more days off before school starts and my to do list needs to be done. Sunday school will also be starting along with piano lessons and flag football. I am trying to think of ways to be more organized so we can still eat meals at 5:30 and not 7, so laundry will be clean, the house somewhat clean and so forth... this is where I remind myself I am not alone. Millions of women go through this but we each need to remember where our strength comes ... here are a few great passages:
"Look to the Lord and his strength; seek his fave always." Psalm 105:4
"I can do everything through Him who gives me strength." Philippians 4:13

It is only when I rely on myself I fall totally flat on my face.

Now you may be asking what any of this has to do with a Monday meal idea... well, here is a recipe :) This is one of my daughter's favorites!

Chow Mein Hotdish

1 lb ground beef, browned
1 can chicken rice soup
1 can cream of chicken soup
chow mein noodles

Pour into a casserole dish, cover with chow mein noodles and bake at 350' for 30 minutes.

Have a blessed Monday -K

party, party, party

We have been partying it up here at the Bents'
Yesterday my dear daughter invited 4 girls for a day of fun to celebrate her birthday and let's face it, a last bash before school starts again. (so not ready...)
Today, my dear son is inviting 4 friends (along with a younger brother for his younger brother - read that again :) ) to enjoy a day of fun and to celebrate his birthday and freedom before school starts... hence I have nothing to post today ! I will be back with projects, favorites, etsy updates etc. Stay tuned...
God's Blessings! - K

Tuesday Tutorial

Here is a bad example of photography and a first attempt at a tutorial... enjoy :)

To make the flower on yesterday's card is simply tearing and taping:

Step 1: tear about a 1 inch strip off a 12 x 12 piece of cardstock

When finished you will have one rough, torn side and one straight side.

Step 2: start folding the strip in "pleats", making sure to form it into a circle as you go with the rough, torn side on the outside of the flower (not in the center)

When you have folded it completely it should resemble this picture here...

Step 3: Open up your folded flower

Step 4: place adhesive on the inside of the strip, not the torn side. All the way along the paper.

Step 5: refold your flower, this time it should just kind of fall into place as you have already made the creases and folds and the adhesive will hold it all together.

Step 6: you could just add a brad or button at this time but I tore a small circle to use as part of the center of my flower and adhered with more adhesive. Pretty intelligent I know :)

Step 7: Use a sharp tool, this is from Stampin Up! to make holes to attach a button with, or if you like a brad.

Step 8: Use some embroidery floss or thread to attach the button, sewing all the way through will aid in keeping the flower together also.

Here is the finished product.

You could also tear petal shaped paper and adhere together and add button to top also... I love making flowers and it is great to be able to choose and mix colors according to your project.

Hope you enjoyed this attempt of a tutorial and bad photography... who knows there may be more some day!

Blessings- K

Monday Meal idea...

I made this over the weekend... I am posting the original recipe and my tweaked recipe...

Turkey Cheese Crock-Pot sandwiches:

6 c cooked shredded turkey

3 c shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 c mayonnaise

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 c chopped celery

2/3 c chopped onion

Heat in crockpot until cheese is melted.

Kristine's tweaked recipe

6 c cooked shredded chicken

1 can cheese soup

1/2 c mayonnaise

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 1/2 c chopped celery

chopped green onions

about 1 tsp lawry's seasoning salt

Heat in crockpot until warm. Serve on buns.

Tweaking is a neccessity if you are out of ingredients :)

Also, some crafting was done this weekend... we are praying for our sister and her family as they mourn the loss of her father-in-law... although celebrating that he was a Christian and is now in heaven.

supplies: Versamark with cross stamp from Stampin Up! Refuge and Strength set for background. Really Rust ink from SU!, Stamps from: Our Daily Bread - Scripture collection 1 and Flourished Christian symbols. MM spiral journal book - 5th avenue; nestabillities and SU! puncturing tool

I am hoping to do a tutorial on the flower, not that it is anything amazing I just know I like to see how things are done when I happen on something on the great world wide web.

the card features my favorite bible verse: "Fear not for I am with you, be not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand." Isaiah 41:10

Blessings- K

these are a few of my favorite things

SHOES!!! Dahlia flowers - love them. You can't tell on here but the front is more of an orange color and the back is fuschia, beautiful!

Quotes - this is one of my fav's: "wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine."

Dill Pickle chips, especially with a Diet Dr Pepper!

chai tea! mmmmm... I love tastefully simple's chai tea but buy pacific chai tea since it is readily available at my grocery store.

Blogs! especially www.thepioneerwoman.com

Also, I love looking at www.etsy.com

beautiful stuff, super talented people...

I finally added some stuff to my store also, (sorry, I know this is a plug but I am hoping to get the word out :)

Have a blessed weekend! More updates to my Etsy shop coming next week as well as more blogging! - K

Believe it or not...

I have been busy thinking, playing, creating ... of ideas to keep active on my blog. I have several items I would love to show you but I need to be busier on how to take good photos! Yikes, I missed the boat on picture taking. I can't seem to get a good shot of some of my jewelry but I will keep trying. I would like to list items again on Etsy and maybe each week (every other week??) add some more. Anyway, here are several things I have done and got a somewhat decent picture of...

a card I made to send to friends of ours that let us stay at their house while we were at Vikings Training camp...
a sneak peak of some jewelry I finished but can't take a picture of that is worthy of it...

2 of the cutest, funnest boys I know...

a big part of our everyday lives... wrestling.

I will leave you with this, my inspiration for my next work ...

"Follow the way of love." 1 Corinthians 14:1

(thanks to you who are still here :) )

God's Blessings - K

no excuses

I am here. Just been busy enjoying life, kids, water, etc. Thinking of goals and things I would like to do and talking with a friend, I thought I should get back to my blog, if it will still consider itself mine since I rarely, I do mean rarely, stop by here anymore. Things running through my head - recipes to share, projects to create and post, jewelry to design, and passages that speak to my heart and hopefully to yours. Today will be short and sweet but I will TRY, to post again soon, I mean it. :)

"Where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. " Matthew 6:21