Taming the Fabric Scraps

You know you have too many fabric scraps when they start to overflow the five tubs (yes, I did say five tubs!) that are already filled with scraps. Summer is the perfect time for me to tackle some of these projects that kind of get neglected during the school year. So I poured myself a big glass of iced coffee and got to work.

organizing fabric scraps

I spent most of the afternoon going through all of the fabric I had in these tubs, deciding which fabric I wanted to keep and which fabric I wanted to give away. For the fabric I was keeping, I organized it by colors. I figured this would be an easy way to find and use up some of the scrap fabric I have.

fabric scraps organized

After a couple of hours, I ended up with five bags of fabric to give away, and hopefully a more organized system of keeping and using up some of my scrap fabrics. I was also able to reduce the five tubs down to three tubs. One tub has scraps of batting, one tub has scraps of fleece, and one tub has scraps of flannel. Now to go find some ideas on Pinterest to use up some of these scraps of fabric!

Questions for you: How do you organize your scrap fabrics? And what types of projects do you like to do to use up your scrap fabric?

Knitting, sewing, and canning my way to Mexico

Wow, a lot has happened since I first announced I will be traveling with Compassion in January to visit Eduardo.

me and Matthew

My son is going to Mexico with me!!!

passport

My very first passport arrived!!

So, those were the two big announcements I wanted to share with you, but I wanted to update you on what I have been doing to raise money for the trip.

jam making

I have been making a lot of jam, like over 20 batches!! Cranberry-Strawberry, Strawberry, Blueberry, and Apricot. Jam making is something I usually do during this time of the year, sometimes just for us, but a lot of times, I will make enough to give jars of jam as gifts during Christmas. I have been able to sell half-pint jars for $5 each. I hope nobody is expecting jam for Christmas this year!

knitting dishcloths

For bridal showers, I love to give the new bride a couple of hand knitted dish cloths along with an apron. When the trip came about, I had about 10 dish cloths already completed and ready for bridal showers in my closet. After checking prices on Etsy, I decided to sell some of these in sets of 3 for $10. I picked up a huge cone of cotton yarn at Hobby Lobby using a 40% off coupon. So far, I have made 11 dish cloths from this one cone and there is more yarn on the cone!

baby blankets and wash cloths

For baby showers, I love to sew up a flannel blanket and a couple of terry cloth/flannel wash cloths. I had 15 of these in my closet done already because I usually go to JoAnn’s the day after Thanksgiving and purchase flannel for $1.59/yard. I did purchase more flannel last month to make a few more sets, and I have been selling these sets for $15 each.

So, as you can see, I have been knitting, sewing, and canning my way to Mexico! God has allowed me to use things that I enjoy doing to raise money for my trip. I am amazed at how everything is coming together to make it possible for me and my son to go on this trip!

Stay tuned for upcoming posts on how I am preparing for this trip!

Questions for you: Have you ever raised money to go on a Compassion trip or mission trip? What ways have you fundraised that have worked for you?

Making Cut-Offs Cute!

I don’t know about you, but my daughter likes to wear her ‘shorts’ pretty long. Have you tried finding long shorts while shopping? It is next to impossible!! So we have come up with a solution, and it is a frugal one too.

Here is what you are going to need:

• a pair of cut-off jeans (cut these to the length you would like)
• extra wide double fold bias tape
• thread
• pins

• sewing machine

The first thing you are going to do is measure around the bottom of the pant leg and cut a piece of the bias tape about an inch or so longer. Using your pins, you are going to basically ‘wrap’ the bias tape around the bottom of the cut-off leg. I use the pins to help the bias tape stay in place as I am sewing around the pant leg.

Then at the sewing machine, sew through all layers of the bias tape and the pant leg.

Once you have sewn around the pant leg, I fold under the end of the bias tape to finish off the edge.

Long ‘shorts’ makes for one really happy teenage girl in my home!

You can really get creative with this project if you want to, but my daughter wanted just plain blue bias tape to finish off these ‘shorts’. Try different colors of bias tape, or get really creative and make your own bias tape out of fabric you have at home.

What project have you done at home lately? I would love for you to share in the comments!

Capture Your 365

Time for another week of photos to share with you from the Capture Your 365 photo challenge!

a new focus on me

ISO 200, 60mm, f/4.5, 1/200 sec

Day 131 – A New Focus On Me: Most definitely not one I will be printing out to hang on my wall, but this was a fun one to do with a reflection of me in the glass surrounding the bobcat at the San Francisco Zoo. Do you see him up in the top left corner?

a mother's gift

ISO 100, 50mm, f/4.5, 1/20 sec

Day 132 – A Mother’s Gift: my 2 kids, they are such a blessing to me!

be active

ISO 100, 50mm, f/4.5, 1/4 sec

Day 135 – Be Active: So I am out on my walk one day last week and I pass by the house with the amazing garden growing in their front yard (yes, you read that correctly. They have their whole front yard filled with a vegetable garden!). The owner of the house is out front talking to another neighbor and I mention to her that I love her yard. She asks me if I would like some Swiss chard. I don’t believe I have ever had Swiss chard before, so I accept her offer. I had enough Swiss chard to share with two friends, plus enough for us to try with dinner that night. I was able to cut it all up, but Kelsey ended up cooking it for me. After cooking it in some olive oil and garlic, we all decided it had a spinach-like texture and wasn’t too bad.

peaceful moment

ISO 100, 50mm, f/4.5, 1/4 sec

Day 136 – Peaceful Moment: This is one of the two quilts I needed to finish for the quilt raffle I am doing to earn money for my Compassion trip to Mexico. I poured myself a glass of iced coffee, put in season one of Downton Abbey, and started hand stitching the binding. Some people might consider this work, but I really enjoy the simplicity of hand work like this.

walk

ISO 100, 32mm, f/5.6, 1/800 sec

Day 137 – Walk: Kelsey and one of her friends spent a lot of time in our backyard ‘decorating’ our brick walkway, What all do you see in the picture?

Are you participating in the Capture Your 365 challenge yet? Let me know in the comments so I can see your photos!

Capture Your 365

Time for another week of photos!

13_Mar_in the morning_001_edit

ISO 100, 30mm, f/5.0, 1/5 sec

Day 66 – In The Morning: About a year ago, some somewhat local friends and I joined up with the Hello Mornings Challenge. It was very inspiring and motivating to get my mornings started with God’s Word. I am not following the Hello Mornings current Bible study, but I still strive to start my day soaking in Truth. Currently, I am working my way through Romans chapter one. Writing out all the verses, all the cross references, and looking up all the Greek words gives me a better understanding of what Paul is teaching us in this book.

13_Mar_a hobby_001_edit

ISO 400, 50mm, f/3.5, 1/50 sec

Day 67 – A Hobby: part of my sewing area, with a pile of baby blankets and wash cloths that need hand stitching

13_Mar_me_001_edit

ISO 400, 50mm, f/4.5, 1/10 sec

Day 68 – Me: As the photographer, I am usually not in very many pictures. When the daily prompt arrived in my inbox, I loved the photo that was shared. Here I am copying that photo using a cute mirror that Kelsey has in her room. Are you receiving the daily prompts? If not, be sure to sign up for them here!

13_Mar_liquid_001_edit

ISO 400, 50mm, f/4.0, 1/20 sec

Day 70 – Liquid: While many of my online and blogging friends have been suffering under inches and feet of snow, God has blessed us with an incredible week of beautiful weather here in California! It was time to start brewing some iced coffee for our warm afternoons.

13_Mar_shamrock_001_edit

ISO 100, 50mm, f/2.0, 1/1000 sec

Day 71 – Shamrock: Here is where creative license comes into play. I don’t have any shamrocks growing in my backyard and my house is not decorated with shamrocks either. But we do have quite a few bulbs in the backyard that are just waiting to burst forth with beautiful spring colors! Can’t wait to see these tulips!

Be sure to join up with the Capture Your 365 challenge! I would love to hear what you photographed this past week!