Made with love...

Well about two months ago I turned 30.  

Even though I had to celebrate it on the other side of the world, I felt so much love from my family and friends that it was as if they were all here with me.  My sister created a "box of 30" with something for me to open each day the entire month.  Some days I opened little gifts such as C.D.'s or Starbucks Via. Some days I opened a note from a friend - wishing me well as I turned 30.  I also wanted to showcase the quilt my Momma made me - it's really beautiful and so thoughtfully designed.  

The girl is hand-embroidered, and rising from her coffee cup are 30 appliqued hearts.

  

Isn't that lovely?
The back is pretty too!

Thanks to everyone who has made my life so beautiful, including those of you who read Sew Homegrown.  Turning 30 has been wonderful.  

During the past 10 years I have been challenged, stretched, and grown more than I ever thought I would, but as a result I feel comfortable in my own skin - something I thought I may never achieve.  My twenties held some really wonderful times and some really dark times, but the love I am surrounded by has carried me through all of it, and I am so grateful.  I truly hope you too can become comfortable with who you are - we each have so many unique things to offer and we can learn so much from one another.  Thanks for your support and I know we're going to have a great year ahead!

xoxo

jessica

{DIY} Chocolate Hearts : Valentine's Day in Japan

Well in Japan, Valentine's Day is entirely the responsibility of the women.  

and they must give chocolate.

  

to every man they know.

 

(can you guess who invented this rule?)

The better the quality of chocolate, the more important you are to them.  

They give chocolate to coworkers, friends, boyfriend, dad, uncle, etc. etc.

  

but don't worry.  

 The Japanese women were not to be fooled.

They created another holiday, exactly a month later called White Day.

  

and this is the day the women get paid back.

  

supposedly the men who received chocolate from them must give them something  

3x the worth of the chocolate they received. 

hmmm...really makes you think about your chocolate purchase.

It was originally supposed to be a white gift such as cookies, jewelry, white lingerie, or marshmallows (? you'd have to be given some pretty awful chocolate if marshmallows are worth 3x...) 

If you have a special love of your life, the best way to show you love them is to make them a chocolate confection.  So Charlotte and I decided to do just that for Daddy.  It was really very easy and Charlotte had a fun time.  Here's what you'd need to make your own.  

You still have time, it takes about 15 minutes.

melting chocolates (easily found at Michaels in the States)

small candy tins

sugar decorations/sprinkles

Simply melt the chocolate in the microwave, 30 seconds at a time, until it's nice and smooth.  Use a spoon and spoon it into the tins.  Place the decorations on top, then put in the freezer to set until hard.  It might also be fun to experiment with something in the chocolate like peanut butter, dried fruit, marshmallows, or nuts.  Easy peasy and a great Valentine activity for those little hands.

Happy Valentine's Day!

(I can say that because it's already Tuesday here ;)

xoxo

jessica

p.s. don't forget to enter the giveaway!

{DIY} Anthro Knock Off: Sweet Blossom Hairclip

With Valentine's Day right around the corner we needed a great big pink hair clip!

I headed to Anthropologie to see what I could find for inspiration, and I found this lovely hair clip, with the staggering price tag of $47.  

It's sooooo easy to make your own, and I had everything I needed so it cost me $0.

Here's the original:

 

Here's my knockoff:

I actually cut up an old silky scarf that had found it's way into Charlotte's dress up box.

It worked perfectly, and I think will become a little more frayed, like the original, as she wears it.

Here's what you'll need to make your own:

Step 1 - Snip Snip: 

Cut 3 strips of material 2" x 20", and heat up your hot glue gun.

  Step 2 - Zig and Zag:

Set your zig zag stitch so that it is longer (more space in between each stitch), and zig zag one edge of each strip.  This is basically to keep it from fraying too much, but allowing it to fray a little.

Step 3 - Gather it up:

Now set your regular stitch to as long as it will go (mine's at setting 5) and sew along the other side.  Gather this edge.  Now you have kind of an old school scrunchie thing.

Repeat this process with the other two strips of fabric.

Step 4 - Fun with your glue gun

Begin gluing these strips onto the felt circle. 

Just start at one edge and glue it back and forth to make it look like a flower.

I used the hair clip to kind of poke it down in the center so I wouldn't burn my finger.

When you have glued all three, it should look like this:

You may need to keep gluing pieces down here and there until you are happy with the way it looks.

Lastly glue the hair clip onto the back of the felt circle and let it dry.

Clip your sweetie's hair back and give her a kiss!

have a great day!

xoxo

jessica

{DIY} "Stained Glass" Heart Garland

 

Feeling the need to catch every winter sunray?

This sweet little heart garland will help you do just that!

It's a simple kid's craft - melted crayon shavings in between wax paper 

- that I then cut into heart shapes!

You can get the full instructions for melting the crayons from Martha here.

Once you melt it, it will look like this:

not too pretty.  

But just use a heart cookie cutter and trace heart shapes onto the wax paper and cut out.

Then sew the hearts together on your sewing machine.  

Take a few stitches between each heart to create some space.

Then hang it wherever you like!

I hung mine on this frame that I put on my front door.

You can get the tutorial for the frame here.

Happy crafting, and I hope your winter days have a ray or two of sunshine!

xoxo

jessica

{DIY} A Kokeshi Valentine

Well we've fallen in love over here in Japan with the adorable Kokeshi.  

They are super cute little wooden dolls that come in all shapes and sizes.

That's a great little book about them that you can buy here.
 

So since that's our love right now, I decided to make a Kokeshi Valentine t-shirt for Charlotte this year.  Today I have the free pattern for you in case you'd like to make your own!

The supplies you'll need are:

the pattern

plain t-shirt

scrap fabric/felt

coordinating threads

needle/embroidery floss

sewing machine

scissors

tear-away stabilizer

Step 1:

 Download the pattern and cut out all the pieces.

Decide on your fabrics and trace the pattern pieces onto the correct fabric. 

Step 2:

If the pattern says cut two, then cut one piece using the right side of the pattern and one using the wrong side of the pattern.

I cut out several different dolls, because I wasn't sure what style I wanted. 

I finally decided on this one:

Step 3:

Draw a face on your Kokeshi head.

Assemble the doll.

Sew the hair onto the head using a straight stitch, then the hair ties using a zig-zag stitch.

Sew the kimono together using a straight stitch down the front and a zig-zag along the bottom to attach the base.

Embroider the face onto the head.

 Step 4:

If you have some iron on transfer you could use it to secure the kokeshi onto the t-shirt.  I didn't have any so I just pinned it really well.  Slip the stabilizer into the shirt.  Thread your machine with the correct thread and set your zig-zag stitch to 3.5 width and .5 lenth.  Stitch around the doll, switching thread when needed. Take your time with this - keep the needle down and rotate your shirt often.

Step 5:

The final step is to zig-zag around the heart, and you're all done!

Isn't she so cute smiling at you?

Happy Sewing!

Have fun getting ready for Valentine's Day!

xoxo

jessica

Our Valentine's Dinner Menu

To Die For Fettuccine Alfredo

Caesar Salad

Artisan Bread

Homemade Samoas

The nice thing about cooking at home is that you can combine all of your favorite foods.  Fettuccine is my favorite, and this recipe truly is to die for.  It is the second best fettuccine I've ever had (best homemade) and I've had a lot.  It's second only to this little Italian restaurant in Del Ray Beach, FL (through which my entire meal I felt compelled to give thanks to the Lord for cheese and pasta).

Samoas are definitely our favorite GS cookie and although I haven't tried this recipe yet, it looks amazing.  So that's what we're having tonight after the little one goes to bed.  What are you having?  Are you going out or cooking?  Happy Valentine's Day!

xoxo,

jessica

Sweetheart Fruit Salad

Here's a quick, healthy, festive treat to serve your sweetie on Valentine's Day!

Red-skinned Apples

Strawberries

Blood (we like to just call them Red) Oranges

Shredded Coconut (frozen or fresh)

Peel and slice the oranges, then slice the apple and strawberries.  Put it all in a bowl and sprinkle with the shredded coconut.  Yum yum!

have a great weekend,

jessica

Sweet Heart Pouch

Here's a little heart pouch you can whip up in about 30 minutes. 

It would be great for giving a gift, or for holding sewing notions, hair pins, chocolate, or love notes.

You will need:

small scraps of fabric

3/4" bias tape (buy it or make your own)

small ponytail holder

button

Step 1:  Cut out 4 hearts (two for the outside, two for the lining)

- a little longer rather than wider

Stack them two by two wrong sides together.

Then lay them together - with right sides of the lining facing each other.

Step 2:  Starting on the right side, after the big curve on the top, 

sew around the edge of the heart using a basting stitch.

Gently pull the threads to gather it - go slowly because it is thick with 4 layers

and you don't want your thread to break.

See how it made a little pouch?

Cute.

Step 3:  Measure the top part of the heart that is not gathered.  Cut one piece of bias tape to fit just the top (mine was 8").  Cut one piece of bias tape to go all the way around the heart (mine was 16").

Pin the short piece around the top of the heart - right sides together, raw edges aligned.

Stitch it on.

Fold it over the top and press well.  Then stitch around the top again.

Step 4:  Repeat this process with the other piece - except go all the way around the heart.

Fold it over the edge and press.  Catch the raw edges of the first piece as you fold it over.

Stitch all the way around.

Step 5:  Add the ponytail holder - on the inside of the heart that you sewed the long piece of bias tape to, place the ponytail holder.  Set the zig zag stitch to .5 so that it will just sew back and forth in place.  Stitch the ponytail holder in place.

On the other heart, hand sew a button on.

Now fill with goodies for your sweet friend or child and delight them with a surprise!

have a great day!

jessica