To Do List

Spring Break is in full swing at our house and my kids are loving every minute of it. Except for the fact that their awesome mom scheduled check-ups with the doctor and dental appointments this week. But that is the way it goes here.

Because we are so busy here I have become a little bit of a list maker to help me remember everything that I need to do each day. I have seen some awesome ideas out there, but today I am going to share what works for me.

To make these are simple. I started with a legal pad and had the store cut it to my desired width. Each one was a little bit different. The guy must have been new because he made a few mistakes cutting and so he only charged me for 2 cuts and then gave me a discount on the legal pads.

Supplies:
legal pad
cardstock
embellishments
magnet
cutter and glue
scoring blade

 They are all roughly about 2 1/2 inches in width and then I kept the original length. In hindsight I would have gotten shorted notepads, but oh well.

 I then took a sheet of 12 x 12 cardstock and cut it into strips a quarter inch larger then my notepads width.

 You will need 2 strips for one to do list. I then glued the two pieces together like shown below.

 I then cut the length to be 14 1/2 inches. I basically just eyeballed what I thought would look good and used that measurement.

 You will then want to score your paper at 12 inches and 12 1/4 inches. This will help it fold over the top of the notepad.

 Apply your choice of glue and glue paper to the back, top, and small top part on the front of the notepad. Be sure not to glue to the first sheet of paper, because you want to still be able to tear the pieces off.

 Then I added a little something to the part that was folded over the top.

 I made a lot of these, because I cut up about 6 legal pads. I am going to give these to my friends as birthday presents this year.

 I then added a magnet on the back so that you can stick this to the fridge.

 And Voila! You have a super cute and useful pad for your to do list.

I use mine all the time, and I love how easy it is to tear off the paper and take it to the store!

Linking up to the parties in my tab at the top.

Finished Table Topper

I am finally getting back into the swing of things. We had family here for this past weekend, and so I was a little bit busy and things got a tiny bit crazy - but that happens when you have around 15 extra people in your house! But I loved it, we don't get to see family very often and so even though things were crazy and my house did not stay clean, I would not have it any other way. But the last of them left yesterday and so now I am doing laundry and cleaning - well actually I am taking a break and catching up here on all of my blogs and emails! ;) And it is spring break here so I am planning on doing some fun things with the kids as well.

In an effort to not have so many unfinished projects lying around the house when my family came I worked really hard the last week to get this table topper done. And I did it! I was literally sewing the binding on hours before they showed up. I had my kids doing all the last minute cleaning.

I showed you the top of this here. I went with the pink binding and I love it. It gives it just that perfect dash of color. I went a little bit out of my comfort zone when I was quilting this. I usually just stick to an all over squiggle pattern or an all over loopy pattern. However, this time I did a wave like pattern on the teal sashing part, and on the charm pack squares I did flowers. In the center I did a circle with lines running through the middle. I did do an all over squiggle on the outside green border.

This looks just beautiful on my table. However my table is a little bit small - someday I will have a bigger one - but I still like that way it looks. I found these teal stems on clearance at the grocery store a couple months back and loved they way they looked and knew I could find a use for them. They go perfectly with this table topper.

And because this is like a quilt - one for my table - I an counting it toward my 6 that I want to finish this year. This one puts my half way to my goal. Yea!!

Linking to the parties on the top.

Fantastic Friday #12

It is Friday again - actually my weekend started yesterday. We have a bunch of family in town and so we spent the day out and about, and we plan on doing more of that today as well. It has been so much fun, I do not get to see my family near often enough. But today is all about you and what you have been working on, I am just on here long enough to post this. I will be back next week with lots of great ideas that I have been working on!

Last weeks party was our biggest yet. It was GREAT!! You all have the best ideas! It was so fun to look through all that you are working on. I was not able to comment on all of them, but I did visit most of them. I have chosen to feature Mandy from Small Fine Print. She created this towel apron because her kiddos grew out of those hooded towels and she needed something to wrap them up in. I just love this idea - for multiple reasons - I could wear this and not get drenched when bathing my kids! 

Grab a button to let everyone know that you have been featured here!

<center><a href="http://ironvioletdesigns.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Iron Violet Designs" src="http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m599/IronVioletDesigns/featured.png"/></a></center>

Now for the real reason you are all here - to share everything Fantastic that you have been working on this week! Share with us your latest and greatest stuff and start linking your FANTASTIC creations up!

Rules:
*link up anything that you have made - sewn, cooked, crafted, etc. family friendly of course.
*must link to a blog post, not your home page, another linky party, etsy shop or giveaway.
*link back to this post so that others can join in on the fun. Grab a button or do a text link either one is fine with me.
*visit a few of the links and leave comments! I enjoy comments because it makes me feel like someone is actually reading what I write! ;)
*become a follower of Iron Violet Designs, that way you can stay updated of all my fun and exciting posts!

<center><a href="http://ironvioletdesigns.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Iron Violet Designs" src="http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m599/IronVioletDesigns/FantasticFriday.png"/></a></center>

Let's get started:

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas . . .

I have finished my second quilt for this year. Remember my New Year's resolutions? Well this makes me 1/3 of the way done with one of them, and I should have another done by next week - we will see if that actually happens though. This quilt actually turned out really well. Remember when I posted about it here? I was trying to decide how to do the outside border, well I went with the cream, and I like how it turned out.The creams are not the same, but I am okay with that. I love how it is not so busy any more.

I did a big swirly all over design when I quilted it, and it went together very fast.

I did the binding in the same red as one of the inside borders, it seemed the perfect color to contrast the cream. Now it has been added to the bin of quilts. And this year it will be ready for Christmas, unlike last year.

A year and a half working on this off and on and I it is finally done - this might be a record! I hope you all have a great Wednesday, I am off to clean the house because I have a bunch of family coming into town and they start arriving tonight!

Spring Cupcakes

This weekend was a very full weekend for my family - but it was a good full. We were able to spend lots of time together. It was also my daughters birthday - and so there was lots of festivities and then of course the usual weekend stuff. And today has been much of the same. I tried to get this post up this morning, but I was interrupted and now after lunch I am finally finding the time to sit down again.

I am sure you have all seen those 'Big Top Cupcake' pans. My kids thought they were the coolest thing and so I got one on clearance after Christmas and I have been making them for my kids birthdays. When I made Thing #1 his for his birthday it was not the prettiest thing ever made - but he did not care, he said that it still tasted good. However, with my girl things went a little bit better.

Don't you just love my fruit roll up bow? That was the big hit at my house. She just loved this - which my friends is what it is all about. I made these cupcakes for her friends. I love how cute and spring like they are. And of course I love that they are flowers.

And if I was able to make this then it cannot be too hard right? Here are my simple instructions:

Supplies:
cupcakes - made from a box
frosting
marshmallows
colored sugar

Step one - Take your marshmallows and cut them into three pieces - cut them the circular way. I used my pampered chef kitchen scissors for this. Sprinkle the colored sugar onto one of the sides that you cut. (this way it sticks easy). My girl did the sugar part and loved it.

Step two - Frost your cupcakes (- save just a little bit to color and use later for the center) and then arrange your flower petals onto the cupcake in whatever design you like. I overlapped mine a tiny little bit.

Step three - add some colored frosting to the center (I used the leftovers from frosting the tops and just added a little bit of food coloring- this just completes the look, and of course looks great when you stick a candle in it!

 And now you are done! Isn't that just the best - now you can all go and make some fun cupcakes for yourselves!

Fantastic Friday #11

It is Friday!! I am so excited that today is Friday, Conan has today off and so we are going to run some errands - most likely vacuum shop because mine is slowly dying. And this weekend is Thing #2's birthday, so we have all sorts of festivities planned. I hope that all of you have great plans for the weekend as well.

Last weeks party was great! There were so many fun things to look at. I visited many of the links and just loved looking at everything that you have all been up to. I had a really hard time deciding what to feature so I chose two things this week.

First one is this awesome spring table runner by Vanessa at Lella Boutique. I just love quilted things, especially with neutral backgrounds! There is something about them that just make it look so clean. But she gives an awesome tutorial on how to make one for yourself!

 And this next one would go perfectly on the table runner. Courtney from a Diamond in the Stuff made these great apothecary jars with old mason jars. I have seen these around blog land and I just love them! I am going to have to make some for myself!

Grab a button gals to let everyone know that you have been featured here!

<center><a href="http://ironvioletdesigns.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Iron Violet Designs" src="http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m599/IronVioletDesigns/featured.png"/></a></center>

Now for the real reason you are all here - to share everything Fantastic that you have been working on this week! Share with us your latest and greatest stuff and start linking your FANTASTIC creations up!

Rules:
*link up anything that you have made - sewn, cooked, crafted, etc. family friendly of course.
*must link to a blog post, not your home page, another linky party, etsy shop or giveaway.
*link back to this post so that others can join in on the fun. Grab a button or do a text link either one is fine with me.
*visit a few of the links and leave comments! I enjoy comments because it makes me feel like someone is actually reading what I write! ;)
*become a follower of Iron Violet Designs, that way you can stay updated of all my fun and exciting posts!

<center><a href="http://ironvioletdesigns.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Iron Violet Designs" src="http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m599/IronVioletDesigns/FantasticFriday.png"/></a></center>

Let's get started:

Green Flowers

 By now you all know of my love for flowers. I have seen some awesome flower rings out there and for St. Patrick's day I thought I would make me a green one. I remember growing up that we would wear green discreetly to try and trick everyone. And even though now I don't try to trick anyone I have fun messing around with my kids and having them think that I am not wearing green. My oldest really gets into this.

I started out with these molds and some left over clay from one of Conan's projects. I picked three of the flowers that I liked and made a mold with them. I then baked them and painted them. (And of course forgot to take a picture-sorry.)

 Here is my result. It is not my favorite, but it looks okay. And Conan who is ever so artistic told me what I should have done after I was done. He is really good about not telling me how I should do things when it comes to art. So now if I make some more I know what I can do to make it look better.

 Here is the flower on its ring base.

 However, because they were not my favorite and I would not wear them much, I gave it to my girl and boy was she ever thrilled! I think that I totally made her day. And it looks great with her entire green outfit! So I ordered these other flowers online and decided to go this route for St. Patrick's Day. This green one matches my awesome green shirt perfectly!

 I made a few others because I have a lot of sisters and I thought that these would be so fun to give them for birthdays. (Now that the surprise is spoiled). I really like this flower shape the most. And this blue is very nice for spring.

 This is my green one for today.

And here is a peachy colored one. I used glue to glue the flowers onto the ring bases. I love the way they make you feel a little bit elegant and dress up your outfit a little bit. Perfect for my classic t-shirt and jeans look I sport pretty much everyday.

Linking to the great parties in my tab at the top.

Sugar Pop

I really love to quilt. I have been sewing dresses and it is really not as much fun as quilting is. There is a new quilt shop near me that had a grand opening last week and I went and loved it! There were so many pretty fabrics - very bright colors. I was really good and did not buy anything, mostly because they did not have any pre-cuts, and you can always find something to do with those. But here are two pictures of the fun fabric that they had in the shop.

I love the top fabrics the best - I am looking through all of my quilt patterns to see if I have one that would be perfect for this fabric. I do like the pink ones, but with the lack of girls in my house another pink quilt is just not really an option. After I left there I was motivated to get some quilting done. So I got out my precut I had ordered a while ago - at 50% off! This fabric line is Sugar Pop.

I just love the bright colors in it. I had to buy a little bit extra to use for borders, but I am making a simple table topper with this fabric. I hope that it will bring a little bit of color into my kitchen and dining room.

It was so easy to put together, and I even have it up on the frame to quilt, and I hope to have it done by this weekend. Conan says it looks like the 70's. I don't mind, I like it. I am thinking about binding it in the orange, brown, or pink - not sure yet, but I need something that will stand out from the green. What do you think would look the best?

And here is a close up of the table topper. Don't those colors just make you feel like spring? I am almost done with another quilt that I just took off the frame - just need to finish the binding.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

I hope that you all had a fabulous weekend. Ours was beautiful! I even went running outside and that was just awesome! If I can just get us to keep this great weather I will love it. I was also able to make progress on a lot of my projects and even finish one of the bridesmaid dresses I have been working on. So yes, it was a great weekend for me.

Today I have probably the simplest cookie. I love cookies, and we used to make them every Sunday evening when we were growing up. I don't really make them much anymore because I try to eat good, but because my kids were so great this weekend we decided to make a little St. Patrick's Day cookie. I saw this recipe in a magazine a while ago, but I changed it for this holiday.

Ingredients:
*1 pkg sugar cookie mix. I use Krusteaz, because I like the flavor of it compared to others.
*1 pkg chocolate chips - I found these at Walmart for $1 - so I thought we would give them a try. (And thank goodness they were good because I bought 4 pkgs.)
*ingredients to make your sugar cookies.
*green food coloring

Make your sugar cookies according to the pkg directions. Then add the food coloring until it is the color you want. Mix well.

If you think about adding the food coloring after you add the chocolate chips, this is what you get. Very uneven green coloring. But they kids still ate them.

Then add your chocolate chips and mix and then bake according to the sugar cookie pkg instructions. And that is it my friends!

Let cool and then enjoy them by the plateful, because lets face it that is how you want to eat them. (You could still get a mint flavor using regular chocolate chips and some mint extract.) I think that we will probably make these again this week, just because how often do you get to make green things for fun?!

Fantastic Friday #10

It is Friday!!! And today is looking like it is going to be a beautiful day outside here like it was yesterday. My kids don't have school today and Conan does not have to go to work, so we are going to the Zoo -  once jobs get done. And I still believe in miracles because they are actually getting them done without me nagging as much. Yes today will be a great day indeed!

Last weeks link party was out best yet - 50 awesome ideas were linked up. I love seeing what you have all been working on - you have some awesome talent! I wasn't able to visit all of the links, but there was some amazing ideas out there. Today I chose to feature this incredible door from Carrie over at Fine & Handy. I love what she has done with this. It looks so vintage and yet those knobs give it that little bit of class. Simply stunning if you ask me! Go and check it out and see exactly what I am talking about. Makes me wish I had an old door I could do something with!

Grab a button Carrie to let everyone know that you have been featured here!

<center><a href="http://ironvioletdesigns.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Iron Violet Designs" src="http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m599/IronVioletDesigns/featured.png"/></a></center>

Now for the real reason you are all here - to share everything Fantastic that you have been working on this week! Share with us your latest and greatest stuff and start linking your FANTASTIC creations up!

Rules:
*link up anything that you have made - sewn, cooked, crafted, etc. family friendly of course.
*must link to a blog post, not your home page, another linky party, etsy shop or giveaway.
*link back to this post so that others can join in on the fun. Grab a button or do a text link either one is fine with me.
*visit a few of the links and leave comments! I enjoy comments because it makes me feel like someone is actually reading what I write! ;)
*become a follower of Iron Violet Designs, that way you can stay updated of all my fun and exciting posts!

<center><a href="http://ironvioletdesigns.blogspot.com" target="_blank"><img alt="Iron Violet Designs" src="http://i1133.photobucket.com/albums/m599/IronVioletDesigns/FantasticFriday.png"/></a></center>

Let's get started: