Reducing our carbon footprint Part IV

Garden organically.










And use every bit of it. Even if it has a bruise. Or bump. Or isn't as pretty as what you buy at the grocery store.





And if you can't garden then shop at your local farmer's market weekly.




-dana

Have I mentioned future quilt giveaways?

I want each quilt giveaway contest to be more exciting than the last. So, I've been tossing around ideas and think that next time I'll give away three quilts to three different winners.




Melissa Averinos has designed her debut fabric line, Sugar Snap, for FreeSpirit and is going to hook me up with some of it to make a quilt to give away here. How stinkin' cool is that?????!!!!!??




And then you'll remember Russ, my long-arm quilter extraordinaire from The Back Porch Quilters (did I tell you he'll be featured in McCall's magazine in Spring 2009). Well, he thought the last giveaway was so much fun than he is going to make a quilt for the next one too. He even got an industry friend of his (Tula Pink!!) to sign a piece of her new fabric for Moda called Nest.




And the third quilt? Well, that has yet to be determined. More than likely it will be a scrappy quilt made from my stash of fabrics.

I'm thinking one of the three quilts will be awarded to the best YouTube video entry. Oh, the mere thought of that makes my heart sing and my cheeks turn up in a goofy grin.

I wonder what other mischief I can dream up . . .

-dana

school = end of summer

School starts tomorrow and I'm sad. School means summer is over. And, my little lovelies aren't here to play with me.






Their days will be filled with other things. As will mine.





I'll miss shopping at their store.







And be a lonely momma for sure.

-dana

Exciting and nerve wracking

This week has been exciting for me. And nerve wracking too.




I had a crew of people in my home on Tuesday filming a podcast. I know!!! How cool is that?!! It will be edited and made into a segment all about Old Red Barn Co. I was so incredibly nervous about this. I couldn't sleep the night before. I couldn't eat breakfast. Dude, I was nervous. I was more nervous about this than I ever was about arguing a criminal case before a circuit court judge.

Whew. I'm so glad that it's over and I can eat and sleep again.

Also, this week Gina Halladay featured my headband tutorial at Quilters Buzz. Whoa Nelly. First of all, GINA HALLADAY. And secondly, QUILTERS BUZZ. Wanna talk about a buzz? Try getting news of this in your inbox.





Next week is sure to be a real let down.



Especially since the girls go back to school on Monday.

-dana

Today your 9

Today you are 9 years old.

With 9 year old feet.






And beautiful 9 year old blue eyes.





With a gentle and cautious spirit.





Thoughtful, caring and clever.






And loving. So very loving.






You have a contagious giggle.





And a snorty goofy laugh.





You watch and take it all in and carefully consider your options.





And your trying incredibly hard to stop picking at your fingers.





Happy birthday sweet girl. I love you more than you can ever imagine.

-Mom

Driving me crazy

Ok. So, I love my kids. I love my kids immensely. Like a whole, whole lot. Great big bunches I tell you.

But they have started this thing that is driving me crazy. And, I really need you to tell me that your kids do it too.





It's the crazy "what if" questions. What if this? What if that? Take for example our drive yesterday to clogging practice. We started talking about four-wheelers and the reasons why I won't let them ride one. Licious then asks, "But Mom, what if the world was covered with mattresses?" Nope. Still can't ride one. Boo asks, "What if everything in the entire world was made of marshmallows?" These what if questions were just on this subject but they go on all day.

What if the car next to us didn't have windows?

What if the swimming pool is empty when we get there?

What if my socks slip down and my feet start to hurt in my new sneakers?

What if a tiger escapes from the zoo and makes it to our house and tries to live in the barn?





Dude. Seriously.

What if they literally send me to the nut house with their constant questions about the what if's?

-dana

Headband tutorial

Since so many of you asked how I made these headbands I thought it high time I tried my hand at a tutorial. I'll attempt to teach you how to make them with pictures and words. My words can get kinda confusing so bear with me.




First off you'll need fabric, 3/4 inch wide elastic, a cutting mat, rotary cutter and straight edge. You'll also use an iron, ironing board and sewing machine.




Cut 2 19 inch x 4 inch strips of fabric. These will make the front and back of your headband. I used matching fabric but you can use coordinating fabric and have an reversible headband. Hmmm . . . wonder why I didn't think of that before now.

You'll also cut 2 2inch x 6inch strips of the same fabric. Or not. I mean go crazy. Use whatever fabric your little heart desires. I'm not the headband police.

While your at it also cut a 3 inch length of elastic.

Oh, and ya know these measurements are what works for us. Maybe you have smaller heads. Maybe you have bigger heads. These work for the girls (ages 8 and 6) and work for me too (age 36 thank you very much!) but you may need to play around with the measurements to see what works for you.




Now go to your iron and thank your lucky stars that your ironing board doesn't look like mine. You'd think I'd make a cute little cover for it but I just don't follow patterns well and haven't managed to take the time to figure out how to make one on my own.

Anywho, take your 19 inch long strip and fold it in half and iron it at the crease.







Now, one at a time, line the folded strip up on your cutting mat with the folded crease at the bottom. Double check and make sure the folded crease is at the bottom. Go ahead . . . I'll wait.



Good. Now using your straight edge line it up from the bottom right hand point up and over 1 inch in on the top. Then make the cut with your rotary cutter.

This is how you get the nice wide portion of the headband that goes at the top of the head and the narrow part down by the nape of your neck.





Do the exact same for the other side.




Now go back to your ironing board (I'll spare you another glimpse of mine), open up the fold and iron back nice and straight. Also, iron about 1/4 of an inch in on each end on each strip.

Then, with the rights sides of the fabric together, line the two strips up on on top of each other and pin together.





Sew each long side using 1/4 inch seam allowance.




Now you have to turn this right-side-out. I get it started with my hands and then use an unsharpened pencil to help me finish the job. The first time it can be tricky but you'll get the hang of it.





Just keep turning it right-side-out until it looks like this.




Then iron it nice and flat.




Top stitch along each length to give a nice finished look. I'd guess that it is about 1/8 of an inch in from the outer edge.




Ok. Remember the 2 inch x 6 inch strips of fabric? Now it's time to make a sleeve for the elastic.




Place them right sides together and sew along the two long sides using your 1/4 inch seam allowance.





Then you'll turn it right-side-out just like you did on the main headband portion.





No need to iron this one all pretty though because it will be all scrunchy here in a minute anyway.




Place the elastic in and have it just about even with one edge of the sleeve.



See how it is just about even?


Now this whole contraption fits into the end of the headband thinger-ma-bob you made a minute ago.









Now sew it securely with your sewing machine. I go back and forth 5 or 6 times to be sure that it is a good and strong connection.



Then you do the same for the other side. However, you'll have to shimmy the fabric sleeve down to find the end of the elastic. Don't get frustrated. Just work at it for a few seconds and you'll have it.

Sew the other side like you did the first and viola!!





Your headband is complete!




Once you have one under your belt then you'll be able to whip these out in record speed. Hey, I know!!! Let's have a race? Wanna??

-dana