Gluten Free Boxed Mixes

Went GLUTEN FREE!

More and more the Gluten Free label is popping up all over the grocery stores. Here are some Gluten free products I've tried ...

The hardest part is no longer being able to satisfy my bread cravings. It's been hard (with a few set backs) but I'm still not ready to leave bread behind. Next best thing, make my own Gluten free bread. This is a first in making my own bread as well as trying out a Gluten free approach. How was it?

Product : Gluten Free Pantry Favorite Sandwich Bread Mix

Store : Whole Foods

Cost : Around $5.

Taste : Not quite similiar to the white bread I'm used to but the difference is so slight you might not even notice.

Texture : Not quite similiar to the white bread I'm used to but the difference is so slight you might not even notice.

Product : Betty Crocker's Gluten Free Cake Mix

Store : Target

Cost : Between $3-$4.

Taste : a little different but not noticable with frosting. My kids didn't notice any difference.

Texture : The same. The batter was fluffier like mouse. Made the cupcake spooning experience cleanier and easier. I did notice that the batter didn't rise much. For someone who always tends to over fill the cupcakes ... luvd this.

Product : Betty Crocker's Gluten Free Cookie Mix

Store : Target

Cost : Between $3-$4.

Taste : Yummy! Just like a chocolate chip cookie should taste.

Texture : A little grainy and crispier.

Halloween Craft Books

These books are filled with fun ideas to satisfy the craftster's halloween cravings.

Little Monsters Cookbook

Using the Little Monsters Cookbook by Zac Williams, young chefs will learn how to concoct fun and spooky masterpieces with creepy recipes such as Swampy Dip and Coffin Critters Salad. Each recipe is accompanied with easy-to-follow instructions and photos to help young chefs create frighteningly delicious foods. (Blurb courtesy of Amazon.)

Halloween Doodles: Spooky Designs to Complete and Create

Invoking the spirit of the holiday, this doodle book is packed with enticing, spooktacular pictures.With simple prompts each page lures kids into their imaginations and invites them to complete fun, festive illustrations. Everyone knows Halloween is packed with small and affordable trick-or-treats, and this new, more affordable Doodle format is a perfect fit for the season. Little ghouls and boys—and adults alike—will find hours of eye-candy to devour! (Blurb courtesy of Amazon.)

Witch Craft: Wicked Accessories, Creepy-Cute Toys, Magical Treats, and More!

Double, double, toil and trouble! The instructions in Witch Craft will help you conjure up more than 25 totally wicked treasures for Halloween--everything from vampire bite necklaces to graveyard cupcakes. You'll also find tips and tricks for transforming found objects and everyday items into wonderfully witchy treats. (Blurb courtesy of Amazon.)

Creepy Cute Crochet: Zombies, Ninjas, Robots, and More!

Creepy Cute Crochet contains more than 25 patterns for zombies ninjas vikings vampires aliens robots and even death himself. Easy to follow patterns with step by step diagrams with hilarious commentary and full color photos. Hardcover. 96 Pages. (Blurb courtesy of Amazon)

Steampunk Finds :: Flickr, Etsy, Top Hats

Beautiful and amazingly stunning. If I could, I'd wear these everyday!

Cryptic Culture Gear

Cryptic Culture Gear

Cryptic Culture Gear

Topsy Turvy Design

Topsy Turvy Design

Gocco Finds :: Etsy, Halloween

Eliza Frye

Oh My Cavalier

fashioned by Danielle Fike

fric de mentol

Rotten Cupcakes

Amy Butler's Style Stitches

* UPDATE *

Went to Borders to check out Amy Butler's Style Stitches. I was not impressed. Out of all the bag patterns there was only one I liked. The rest were close to, if not the same, as her other patterns already out. The other bags, I didn't care for. The styles didn't peak my interest. I luv Amy Butler! So I'm very sad to say that this one will not be added to my collection.

My recommendation ... Wait until your local store has it and buy only after you've had the chance to view it.

Amy Butler's Style Stitches: 12 Easy Ways to 26 Wonderful Bags

Celebrated designer Amy Butler's most coveted products are her handbag sewing patterns. In Style Stitches, Butler presents an array of new bag designs for her fans across the globe. The book offers 12 basic patterns with enough variations to achieve 26 unique looks. Ranging from chic clutches and delicate wristlets to pretty hobo bags and handy coin purses, with instructions for altering dimensions, straps, and embellishments to get the desired look, each project incorporates Butler's fresh, modern style and attention to detail. With illustrated step-by-step directions, a comprehensive techniques section, and a bound-in pocket filled with the patterns themselves, Style Stitches is an essential and fashionable addition to every sewer's library. (Blurb courtesy of Amazon.)

New Pillows

Techniques Used :

1. Stenciling : Ink used - Speedball. Applied with a round sponge applicator. I created the stencil's from plastic file folders.
   
   
   
   

2. Reverse Applique. I cut the stenciled image out, leaving a little edge of color. Attached the background fabric to the back and attached my topstitching around the stencil.

3. Sewing - envelope pillow. Sewed two overlapping panels in the back to create the envelope pillow.

4. Add button holes and buttons to the back to keep the pillow closed.

Then ... ta da ... new pillows for my couch.

Wish List Wednesday

I want want want want want this ...

DIY Fashion: Customize and Personlize

DIY Fashion is a cool, quirky, and creative guide to making and customizing your own clothes, bags, and accessories. It contains more than 40 thrifty, sustainable, and stylish projects, none of which require prior skill or a sewing machine. From customized hand-me-downs to elegant evening wear, the book is packed with ideas that the reader can adapt to their own taste. (Blurb courtesy of Amazon.)

Look what I found (not a book) ...

Lotta Jansdotter Stencils: Decorate Your Walls, Furniture, Fabric, and More

There's something so satisfying about stenciling: It's easy, affordable, and it yields such impressive results. Especially when all the design work is done for you by the talented textile artist Lotta Jansdotter. Lotta's hand-drawn stencil motifs are cut out of durable plastic so they can be used again and again on all sorts of surfaces, from walls to fabric to furniture. Simply wipe the stencils clean with soap and water and stow in the handy storage pocket provided. Project instructions and photographs demonstrate how to repeat a design on a structured grid to achieve the look of wallpaper (for a whole lot less money), or apply designs randomly for a unique, playful effect. (Blurb courtesy of Amazon.)

Wish List Wednesday

The Big-Ass Book of Home Decor: More than 100 Inventive Projects for Cool Homes like Yours

You have a problem. Your current home “décor” is ugly, shabby, and boring, but you can’t afford lots of new stuff. Or maybe your house is filled with tired old junk that you just can’t bear to throw away. Or maybe you bought all your furniture at a big box store, but it irritates you that it all looks like you bought it there.

You have a solution—or, rather, a whole houseful of solutions. In this newest Big-Ass Book, do-it-yourself guru Mark Montano presents 105 practical, simple, and decidedly unboring projects for every space in your home. Montano’s wizardry—accomplished with masking tape, spray paint, and glue—transforms everything from accessories, to walls and windows, to lighting, to major pieces like headboards, tables, dressers, and chairs. (And there’s even a chapter on turning the anonymous items you got at IKEA into one-of-a-kind treasures.) (Blurb courtesy of Amazon)

Flower Hair Clips

My hair is long, it's summer and it's hot. I've been putting my hair up a lot and experimenting with different style updos. I luv the look of flowers in my hair. It's very feminine and summery.

:: Flower Accessories Tutorial ::

I used ...

- Fake flowers that can be separated into pieces.

- Hair pins, clips, or bobbie pins.

- Hot glue gun.

1. Pull the flower petals and parts apart. This will help the flower lay nicer on the hair clip/pin. You'll also be able to separate the pieces of the flower you don't need.

2. Glue the flower back together. For the center, I cut the stem off the original center piece and glued it on. You can also use buttons or beads for the center.

3. Attach onto hair accessory of choice. For the the big flowers I used clips from the craft store, found in the bridal section. For the smaller flowers I used bobbie pins (preferred choice).

That's all there is to it.

More hair clip tutorials and ideas ...

• Silk Flower Hair Clip Tutorial by T. Mathews Fine Art
• Peony Hair Clip Tutorial by Ruffles And Stuff
• Scrunched Rosetta Fabric Flower Headband Tutorial by Simply Modern Mom
• Flower Headband and Hair-Clip Tutorial by Creation Corner
• Felt Flower Hair Clips by Living with Punks

Fabric Paper Tape Tutorial by Annekata

Brilliant! Absolutely Brilliant! Fun, easy, diy option to the beautiful Japanese print tape ... Fabric Paper Tape by Annekata.

Sew Serendipity: Fresh and Pretty Designs to Make and Wear

Scared or nervous to sew clothes for yourself? One taste of success is all you need to build your confidence and try more. Kay Whitt gives you that taste by gently introducing you to clothes-making, with a fresh approach and project designs. She reveals that it's not a trade secret to alter a pattern to fit your figure and style - anyone can do it! Friendly math (?" seam allowance, not 5/8"!), solid coaching on how to measure for the best individual fit, and an overview of all the required sewing techniques ensures that you will be well on your way to making a coordinated, customized wardrobe. (Blurb courtesy of Amazon)

Release date, July 12th 2010

Teaser Tuesdays :: Remember Me?

In my spare time, when I'm not printing, sewing, or crafting ... I'm reading!

TEASER TUESDAYS asks you to:

• Grab your current read.
• 
  Let the book fall open to a random page.
• Share with us two (2) “teaser” sentences from that page, somewhere between lines 7 and 12.
• You also need to share the title of the book that you’re getting your “teaser” from … that way people can have some great book recommendations if they like the teaser you’ve given!
• Please avoid spoilers!

Teaser ::

Wife. My stomach flips over at the word. I'm his wife. This is all so grown-up. (Pg 67 of Remember Me?)

Reviews :

Well Read Reviews

Lollipop Loves ...

My GoodReads Review

Playing along? Share some teasers, whether it's from a craft book, novel, self-help book, magazine, what ever you're reading. Leave your teasers in the comment section or post a link so I can read your teasers.

Potato Printing With Lotta Jansdotter

Simple Printing w/ Lotta Jansdotter from Rowenta USA on Vimeo.

Found this over at Design Sponge.

Wish List Wednesday

Sewing Bits and Pieces: 35 Projects Using Fabric Scraps

Sewing with scraps is an economical way to make the most of your designer fabrics-as well as a fun way to use up a stash of your favorite leftovers for smaller projects. Michael Miller fabric designer Sandi Henderson holds to the adage "waste not, want not" to deliver a collection of innovative sewing projects that lets you make the most of bits and pieces of your beloved fabrics.

From a market skirt to a butterfly pin, from an embellished table cloth to hip hair accessories, Sewing Bits and Pieces gives you 35 sewing projects to make unique pieces that are perfect for gift-giving (or keeping for yourself)!

• Features gorgeous full-color photography throughout
• Detailed instructions walk you through each project
• Sandi's popular Portabello Pixie blog is read by thousands every day

Packed with tons of fun, innovative projects, Sewing Bits and Pieces will have you creating sewing masterpieces in no time. (Blurb courtesy of Amazon)