A Little Something Snowy

After yet another dusting of snow, I decided I would share something a little more on topic than the springy pillowcase dress of last time. One of my very favorite parts of snow days (aside from canceled classes and the snow itself) is making snow cream! In addition to being ridiculously simple to make, snow cream makes me feel much less guilty than indulging in a huge bowl of ice cream...I'll explain why in a minute. Although I usually have my mother make it for me (because like most things,snow cream is better when someone else makes it for you), this past weekend I myself made two batches of snow cream!

How-To (for everyone still snowed in...and the hopeful ones)
You will need:
> Milk
> Sugar
> Vanilla Extract (artificial vanilla)
> SNOW

1. In as many bowls as you want to make servings, fill the bowl(s) about halfway full of milk.

2. Pour all of the milk from the bowls into one large bowl. Add about 1/3 of a cup of sugar for each serving you want, and stir until the sugar is mostly (or completely) dissolved.

3. Add a splash of vanilla (to taste), and stir again until mixed.


Here you can just barely see what your snow cream will look like (pre-snow of course).

4. Dish out the liquid into bowls, and add snow (more than you would think you need).

5. Mix and enjoy!

* I tell myself that this is healthier because as the snow melts you can keep adding more and more. This way you're essentially adding water and getting the same amount of the sugary part!

I hope all of you who are snowed in are warm and safe...but if you can brave the weather for a few minutes, harvest some snow and treat yourselves!


p.s. I just bought knitting needles and yarn, so expect a forthcoming comedy of errors about my adventures in knitting!

A Little Something Springy - Pillowcase Dress

Yesterday I finished my very first pillowcase dress! Since we're covered in snow today, I thought I would share this springy little dress.


I was a little apprehensive, but it wasn't nearly as difficult as I thought it would be...and I don't even have a sewing machine!

How-To (for everyone as curious as I was):
1. Wash whichever pillowcase you plan to use to make the dress.
2. Measure the child from shoulder to wherever you want the hem of the dress to be (mid-calfish).
3. Measure the pillowcase from the open end up to the desired length (plus about 1 inch to make the casing for the elastic). Mark the length, and cut straight across making sure not to cut off the open end.
4. For arm holes, I used 1/4 of a 6-inch circle (a "pizza slice" shape 3 inches on each side and rounded on the third side).
5. From the top, measure 1 inch down on each side, fold down (I ironed in a crease for extra ease), and sew straight across. I hand-stitched mine, but even if your stitches aren't perfectly even, once the elastic is in and it has drawn together some, you won't be able to tell.
6. Cut 1/4 inch elastic into 2 even pieces (mine were about 6 inches for an 18 month old).
7. Attach a safety pin to one end of the elastic (just for ease), and thread it through the casing on each side.
8. Then, stitch up the casing making sure to catch the elastic and secure it in place on each end.
9. Although some cover the ragged edges of the arm holes with bias tape, I simply folded down the edges (and ironed in a crease for ease) and stitched over the top all the way around the edges.
Even though I'm a perfectionist, I really don't mind that the stitches are uneven...I think it makes it look handmade (which it is...).
10. Almost done! For the straps, I cut four pieces of ribbon into even pieces (mine were 14 inches), and sewed them in place on the outside edges of the top of the dress on each side.

*I also ironed between pretty much every step. This just made the pillowcase easier to work with.

Viola! A finished dress!

For my next pillowcase dresses, I have some adorable antique pillowcases that will look so sweet!

More Introductions

Because I'm so new at all of this blog stuff (and because I'm so eager to fill up my page), I thought I might give everybody a little taste of my previous dabbles in craftiness. These pictures are of my niece Della's first birthday party. I obviously can't take all the credit; my sister Natalie, my mother, and I all did our very, very best to make Della's first birthday party a pink and green, sparkly masterpiece!
Tip Junkie handmade projects



I think they were a hit!

Introductions

I have very few concrete intentions for this blog, so it's all going to be a constant work-in-progress. I've always loved crafty and adorable things, and it's one of my goals to be that crafty.  On that note, this blog will document my long, self-navigated journey to craftiness.  There will be lots of pictures and updates about everything I can think to say.  The first thing I'm hoping to do this year is make a pillowcase dress, then I'm moving on to hair bows, and my master plan is to make a quilt (which I've sort of "started").  I'll be sure to sprinkle in tidbits about cookie decorating (another adventure I'm taking with my sister).  So far, this is shaping up to be an adventurous year, and I'm really looking forward to it!

By the way, wondering where I got that adorable drop cap? It's all thanks to The Daily Drop Cap