Tuesday, January 28, 2014

Date Night Box or Jar

Valentines is coming up! Are you ready? I have a fun idea for your special someone. A date night jar or box. I made a date night box for my sister and her husband for Christmas. Inside the box was a jar with strips of paper with date night ideas on them.



Also in the box, I included different items to help with their date nights. For example, one of the strips said "Play a game", so I stuck in a card game.
You can take this idea and make it as simple or as elaborate as you'd like. I wanted the ideas to be things that would cost little or no money.




Here's a list of what date nights I gathered. For the starred items I also included something to put in the date night box to help accomplish the date.

1 - Play a game  *card game*
2 - Go out for an ice cream cone  *envelope with some cash*
3 - Go on a walk
4 - Play tennis
5 - Watch a movie  *popcorn, you could also include a movie*
6 - Make a treat together
7 - Give each other a back massage
8 - Go on a drive
9 - Go out to eat or a movie *gift card*
10 - Go on a picnic {indoors or out}
11 - Go hiking
12 - Go on a bike ride
13 - Go to the temple
14 - Drink hot cocoa and talk * hot chocolate*
15 - Do a crossword puzzle together *crossword puzzle book {from $ store}*
16 - Do a puzzle together * Puzzle* {This may take several weeks}
17 - Listen to your favorite music from high school
18 - Make s'mores in the microwave *marshmallows, chocolate and graham crackers*
19 - Make a list of things you are thankful for
20 - Make a small gift to give to each other on date night
21 - Candle light dinner *candle sticks and candles*
22 - Play video games together
23 - Make and eat your favorite cookies
24 - Look through your high school yearbooks
25 - Watch home movies
26 - Look through the kids photo albums
27 - Make ice cream sundaes
28 - Go fishing
29 - Play frisbee *frisbee*
30 - Go shooting
31 - Go sledding
32 - Look through wedding photos or watch wedding video
33 - Wash the car together
34 - Go to the library
35 - Have a sodoku race - see who can complete their puzzle faster  *sodoku book from $ store* 

I really wanted a years worth of dates, but I couldn't think of any more that I thought they would actually do. What other ideas would you include in your date night box? Leave a comment and I'll add them to the list.


Monday, January 27, 2014

How to fix your vacuum - 4 tips to get it working like new

Does your vacuum suck? Is it working properly and actually picking up the dirt from your carpet? Mine wasn't working very well. It seemed to take several passes for it to pick up any little crumb. It was either time to fix my vacuum or time for a new one. And as much as I'd like a nice top of the line vacuum, I don't want to fork over the cash. So here are a few tips that got my vacuum working like new again.

How to Fix your Vacuum - 4 Tips to get it working like new


{If you have a problem with your motor, or the vacuum won't turn on, then I can't help you. If your vacuum runs but just won't pick up anything, try these tips before buying a new one.}

Tip #1 - Clean the Filter.  

The first thing I did was to clean out the filter. It had been WAY too long since I'd last done this. I blew out most of the dust with an air compressor and then washed it and let it dry completely {overnight}. {You will need to read your owners manual to see if it is washable, or if you need to replace it.} But after all that hard work, I vacuumed the floor and when I went to empty the canister, there was not a speck of dust in it.

How to Fix your Vacuum - 4 Tips to get it working like new


I knew I had to dig a little deeper. I took off the cover. To do this I located the screws on top of the base. There were four of them. Unscrew them and take off the cover.  All vacuums are different. In the past I've had to take off the bottom cover.  Check your user's manual if you can't figure out how to get it off.


Tip #2 - Get all the Hair off the Roller Brush. 

With four of us girls in the house, and all of us with long hair, there is a lot of hair that gets vacuumed up. Over time, the roller brush becomes covered with hair and will not spin as well. I actually had to get some scissors and cut some of the hair loose.

Tip #3 - Replace the Belt. 

This is something I try to keep on hand. They're only a couple dollars and it makes a world of difference to have a new belt. I had actually replaced mine not too long ago, so I knew that wasn't the problem.

How to Fix your Vacuum - 4 Tips to get it working like new


Tip #4 - Unclog the hose. 

This one is new for me. I've never had this problem before. But when I opened up the vacuum, I could tell there was a clog in the hose. I took the vacuum outside.  At first I tried to blow air through it from the top end, but it was too clogged to even budge. I ended up grabbing a long screwdriver and digging it out.


Look at that! All of that was stuck in a three inch section of the hose before it turns upward. Once I got the clog out, I blew air through it with the air compressor.

{As I'm watermarking this picture, these thoughts run through my head: "Do I really want to claim this as mine? Is anyone really going to want to steal it? And if they do try to claim it as their own, do I even care?"}

I am happy to say that it works just like new. In fact when I first turned it on, I could tell it was going to work better. I could hear the air flowing through it. That sound had gradually gone away, and I hadn't realized that it was missing.

Another plus, it no longer overheats and turns off in the middle of my vacuuming session. I thought it was just because it was getting old and because it is an inexpensive vacuum. It seems that having air flow keeps the motor cool, preventing it from shutting down prematurely.

I hope these tips help you.  Did I miss anything? Do you have other tips that help keep your vacuum running? I'd love to hear them and share them with my readers.

MORE HOUSEHOLD CLEANING IDEAS

Friday, January 24, 2014

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants

To me, nothing is more comfortable than a cozy pair of flannel pajama pants. Today I'm going to show you how to make flannel pajama pants for your kids. Pair these pajama pants with an old t-shirt, or get fancy and applique some flannel onto a shirt for a matching set.

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants

These pajama pants come together really quickly. I'm generally not one to wing it and make my own pattern, but I figured they're pajama pants. If they turn out horrible, who cares - they're just wearing them to bed. But they ended up pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself.

I have more flannel projects to share including rolled-top pillow cases and feet warmers. Be sure to follow in some way so you don't miss out.


Want to make your own kids flannel pajama pants?

 You will need:
flannel
3/4" elastic
sewing machine
thread
basic sewing supplies
small piece of ribbon {for a tag - optional}


 To begin, grab a pair of pajama pants that fit your child. We will use these for our pattern.
Turn them inside out and stuff one leg inside the other leg.

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants
How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants

You can kind of see how the back leg is a little different than the front leg. You will cut out two of each leg. If you have your flannel folded, you can cut out both pieces at the same time. Place your pants on your flannel and cut out. Be sure to cut at least 1 1/2" or 2" bigger than the pajamas. At the bottom and the waist make it 2"- 3" bigger.

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants

When you are cutting the waist be sure to stretch out the waistband to see how wide the fabric really is.

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants

 You can see that I didn't get enough extra fabric at the top of the waistband. It ended up working out ok, but it's better to have extra than not enough.

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants

Once you have one cut, rearrange your pajama pants so that you can cut the other leg out.

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants
You can see that they are just a little bit different. The waistband is wider for the back legs than the front.

Another tip: When you are working with directional fabric, make sure to keep your pajama pants facing the same direction. I flipped mine to make the most of the fabric, and then realized that the monkeys on the back legs will all be upside down. Not a huge deal, since my daughter hasn't noticed yet, but something to keep in mind.

Now it's time to start sewing.
How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants

First grab a front leg and a back leg. Line them up so they are right sides together. Sew down the long straight edge.  Then repeat with the other two legs.

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants
Now open up each piece and place them on top of each other with right sides together. Sew from the waist down just until you get to the point. Do this on both sides.

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants

Next turn the pajama pants so that the long leg seams are on the sides, keeping right sides together. Or, in other words, so that they look like pajama pants.  You will sew from the bottom of one leg all the way up to the middle and continue until you reach the bottom of the other leg.

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants

 Now we'll work on the waistband. With an iron, press down the top of the waistband down about 1/4".

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants

Press down again, this time folding over fabric one inch. Sew in place, leaving a 2 inch opening in the back for the elastic to go through. Make sure you sew right against the bottom edge of the pressed waistband. You are making a casing for the elastic to go in.

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants
Place a large safety pin on one end of your elastic {Don't cut it yet}. This will help you feed the elastic through your casing. Once your elastic is all the way through, try it on your child and get the right fit. I hold it in place with the elastic overlapping about an inch and then cut it.

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants
Using a zigzag stitch sew the elastic together. Nothing fancy and it doesn't have to be straight. I just go back and forth a few times.

Now we're going to add a tag. I saw this somewhere and thought it was genius. It probably doesn't really matter if pajama pants get worn backwards. Heck, most of our kids do that anyway :) But I like the idea of at least knowing which is the front and back.

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants

So take a small piece of ribbon - about 2 inches - and fold it in half. Then simply insert it into the seam as you stitch the opening in the waistband closed.

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants

Now hem up those legs and you're done. I've lost one of my pictures {or more likely, I forgot to take it}- but it is exactly like the waistband. First fold and press the bottom 1/4". The fold again about 1". Stitch in place.

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants

You're done!! Unless you like them so much you just have to make one more pair ...or seven!

How to Make Kids Flannel Pajama Pants

A few of my other flannel projects:










Striped Ragtop Baby Blanket
























Monday, January 20, 2014

Interchangeable Earrings

Interchangeable Earrings


Today I have a super quick jewelry tutorial for you. In fact it's so easy that I'm not sure it even qualifies as a tutorial. I'm going to show you how to make some quick earrings with interchangeable beads.

I actually made these back in July. My four year old has been asking me every day to "get beading". She loves to string beads onto bracelets while I'm working on my projects. We still haven't got out the beads, but I found this post in the draft file. It's about time I shared it!

Supplies needed:
Rhinestone Earwire
Head Pins
Beads

The Rhinestone earwire is part of the Stainless Steel Elegance collection from Prima Bead. It is non-tarnish and hypoallergenic.

What to do:
Slide a bead onto a head pin. Form a loop at the top and then slide it onto the earring. Easy Peasy!

Make as many different beads as you like and change them out to match your outfits.


  I am a Prima Bead Blog Team Member. I receive product from Prima Bead. In return, I create jewelry pieces from that product, and share about them through my blog and other social media outlets. All opinions expressed in this post are mine.

Thursday, January 16, 2014

Easy Sassy Fabric Scarf

Today I have a quick little project for you. An easy scarf made from a skein of Sassy Fabric from Red Heart Boutique.

Easy Sassy Fabric Scarf


When I was in craft store the other day, I noticed this Sassy Fabric in the yarn section, although I'm not sure you can call it yarn.

Easy Sassy Fabric Scarf
I was intrigued when I noticed the pre-cut holes. Perfect for making a finger scarf.

Easy Sassy Fabric Scarf


This scarf is really easy to make.  I used the same technique as with my sashay scarf that I shared last year.
When I got to the end of the scarf, I finished it off the same as the sashay scarf, except without unraveling, obviously. Then I just knotted the end a couple times and cut off the excess. The excess from the beginning of the scarf, I just wove through and then knotted to the scarf.

Easy Sassy Fabric Scarf
After a quick search, it seems that there is no wrong or right length to a scarf. It's all personal preference. I did see it mentioned to make the scarf as long as you are tall, so that's what I went with.

Easy Sassy Fabric Scarf
I love how it turned out. But to be honest, I'm not a scarf person. I feel uncomfortable in a scarf - is that weird?



Have you made any finger scarfs? It seems like there are a ton of new styles of yarn/fabric to choose from now.


Wednesday, January 15, 2014

How to Make a Stuffed Snowman

I love to decorate with snowmen in January. These cute little snowmen will add some cheery fun to your winter decor.  They are very simple and quick to make as well. You may already have what you need.

How to make a stuffed snowman

Want to make your own stuffed snowman?


You will need:
white fabric
fleece
buttons
orange felt
string
stuffing
rice
long ruler or straight edge
hot glue gun and glue
sewing machine
basic sewing supplies

Let's start with the body. To begin cut your white fabric. It  needs to be 15 X 18 inches. 

DIY stuffed snowman
Step 1 - Fold your fabric in half so that it measures 9 X 15 inches. Align a straight edge so that at the bottom of your fabric the straight edge is in the corner and at the top of your fabric the straight edge is two inches in. Make sure you do this on the open edge NOT the folded edge. Cut along the straight edge.

Step 2 - You will now sew along this angled cut.

Step 3 - Tie the bottom {wide} end of the tube together with a piece of string.

Step 4 - Then turn right side out so you don't see the seam. Add about 1/2 c. of rice to the bottom. This helps the snowman to stand. Fill with stuffing.

Step 5 - Tie off the top with another piece of string.

Now lets make the hat...

Fleece snowman hat

Step 1 -  Start with a piece of fleece that is 14 X 8 inches.

Step 2 - Fold fleece in half, right sides together, so that it is 7 X 8 inches. Sew along the edge that is opposite the fold to make a tube.

Step 3 - Cut the fringe on one end of the tube. Cut them about 1/4 to 1/2 inches apart and about 1 1/2 inches into the fabric.

Step 4 - Gather up the top fringe and secure with a piece of string.

Finishing off your snowman...

I don't have pictures for this part, but I'm sure you can figure it out by looking at the finished product.

DIY Stuffed Snowman
You will need to make a scarf. I cut strips of fleece about 1 1/2 inches wide. Tie it around your snowman to determine the length. Cut small strips at the ends of the scarf to create fringe. Before tying the scarf on the snowman, I tied a piece of string around the body to help form the snowman shape.

Cut out small triangle shapes for the noses from the orange felt.

Hot glue the buttons and nose in place. If desired, you can add a couple dabs of hot glue to keep the hat in place as well.

Do you use snowmen to decorate for winter?

Monday, January 13, 2014

Homemade Twix Bars Recipe

Several months ago, I tried a homemade twix recipe. When I first took a bite I was pleasantly surprised with the crispy crust. However as we got to the middle of the pan, it was no longer crispy. Although they were still good - it's just not a twix without a crispy cookie. After making a couple changes, here's my improved recipe and a few tips to get a crispy crust.

Homemade Twix Bars Recipe
Click Here for a Printable Recipe

 Homemade Twix Bars Recipe

Crust:
1/2 c. margarine, softened
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1 t. vanilla
1 c. flour

Caramel:
8 oz. caramels
1 1/2 T. evaporated milk

Chocolate:
1 c. chocolate chips, melted

1 - Begin by combining the crust ingredients. Spread in a greased 8 X 8 pan and bake at 300 for 40-50 minutes.  Cool.

2 - Melt the caramels with the milk in the microwave. Pour over the crust and place in the fridge to cool and harden a bit {about 30 min}

3 - Melt the chocolate chips and spread evenly over the caramels. Place in fridge to harden.

Tips for a crispy crust:

1 - Make sure that the crust is spread as evenly as possible. The batter is very thick and this is hard to do, but it will bake more evenly if it is all the same thickness.

2 - Make sure that the crust gets browned all over, not just at the edges. I prefer the middle to get crispy, this might mean that the edges get extra crispy. In my opinion that's better than a soft middle.

3 - Store in the refrigerator.  Both times I made this, I noticed a change in the crust after I had left it out of the fridge. Something about the cooler temperature helps keeps the crust crisp.


As a side note, it's good to be back. I'm in full organization mode. After the holidays and then being sick for nearly a week, the house is driving me nuts. I've already gone through each of the kids rooms and next on the list is my own bedroom and the basement toy closet. I hope to get through them this week and get back to crafting...I have several projects in mind.

MORE DESSERT BAR RECIPES