Thursday, February 17, 2011

Walking Wednesday!

Walking Wednesday!


Well, I must admit... todays photos were taken while driving... the car was stopped, but I was not walking! I love the beautiful white snow backdrop that Northern Michigan delivers so abunduntly every year. What I love more is a beautiful old barn against that backdrop. Let me share with you...


See what I am sayin about the RED barn against the WHITE backdrop? I just love it...




This is one from afar!




A nice lil fence line...



And the last one for this week! I love all of them! I definately live in farm country!

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

Tutorial Tuesday- Recycled Ruffle Hat

Recycled T Shirt Ruffle Hat Tutorial

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Materials:
1 Old T~ shirt or 2 if you want your ruffles a different color
Coordinating Thread
Pattern:
You also can use a cap that fits your child already and use that for the pattern.
STEP 1. Cut out the cap using your pattern.
Step 2. Cut out the strips for the ruffles. This measurement will vary depending on how gathered you want your ruffles to be. The blue hat seen above had less gathering than the pink one shown below.  I like to double the length of where on the cap you want to place your ruffle. For example the bottom brim of the 12-18 month cap measures  approx 9" I would cut out my strip 18" for very gathered or 15" for less so.
Cut the strips to your length but they should be about 1 1/2 inches wide
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Step 3. Ruffle your strips.
Using a BASTING STITCH (the longest stitch on your machine) sew along the center of the strip. Be sure to back stitch at the end in the strip as to secure the stitches. Pull the top thread and gather up the strip into a ruffle. EASY!
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Step 4. Pin the ruffles onto the cap and sew!
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Step 5.
 Take a photo of how cute your child looks in their new Recycled Ruffle Hat!

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Tutorial curtousy of Tao Of Craft blog! Thank You!

Monday, February 14, 2011

Go Green- Chocolate!

Go Green
Chocolate!

Saving the Rainforest, One Morsel at a Time



The next time you bite into a bar of chocolate, consider that taste as a link to some of the world's most endangered forests—and to the millions of farmers who live near them. Chocolate comes from the seeds of the cacao, a small rainforest tree native to the Americas. Produced around the world, it is grown mainly on lands that have lost their original forest cover, sometimes to the cocoa itself. Today, all of the world's major cocoa areas are “biodiversity hotspots”—regions that are unusually rich in biodiversity, but which are also highly threatened.
The world's retail chocolate business is worth an estimated $42-60 billion annually. Yet only about 6-8 percent of this revenue actually makes its way back to the cocoa farmers, many of whom are poorer smallholders. Labor abuse is said to be rife in some cocoa regions, and reports of farmers enslaving thousands of child workers in places like Côte d'Ivoire have sparked widespread criticism of the industry.
Fortunately, a number of manufacturers now offer chocolate bars and other products that are more environmentally friendly and socially responsible. These products contain cocoa that comes from farms that conserve forest, that don’t use child labor, or are organic.

Simple Things You Can Do
*When buying chocolate, look for a brand with high cocoa content (more cocoa means higher quality and—at least potentially—more farm income). Look also for chocolate that carries a “fair trade” label or the mark of a similar socially responsible producer, and that is organic.
*Encourage your favorite stores or supermarkets to carry chocolate brands that are certified as being fair trade, organic, or slavery-free.

Challenge Yourself and Others
The next time you entertain, try to serve a dessert made with only chocolate that is fair trade, organic, or both. Explain to your guests why you chose this type of chocolate and encourage them to reevaluate their own chocolate choices.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Winner - Diva Cup

Winner!
Diva Cup Contest

Thank you to Random.org for helping me choose a winner...


And just who is #12?

Venus said...
Left a comment on Diva Cup's facebook page and told them you sent me (venus reviews)
Thank you to everyone that entered this contest and be looking for more to come soon!

Venus I have e-mailed you and need a reply within 48 hours or I will be selecting a new winner. Thanks!

Thursday, February 3, 2011

In the Garden- Paperwhites Update 1

In the Garden
Paperwhites Update


Well... Its amazing what a week can do! Last week I purchsed a do-it-yourself planting kid for paperwhites. Well here is what happened after a week in the closet...



They are so big! I love it! Nature rocks! Well I went back to the store that I purchsed these at and got a few more plants... for an even better deal! Woo Hoo! Here they are...



The best part about these are ... if I do it right they will be in bloom for Valentines day! I hope so! They will be so pretty... and I will be able to give them as a gift!
Stay tuned next week for another update on how these flowers are growin!