Zucchini Summer: March 2011

Thursday, March 31, 2011

My First Pillowcase

A Little Knick Knack hosted a fantastic, three-week, "Sew Basic" series. The entire series taught you the basics of sewing and ended with you making a pillowcase!

First you select fabric. Here I have it all laid out trying to visualize how the two prints will work together. Fabric is Heidi Grace from JoAnn's.

Next you cut. Measure twice, cut once. Or do it my way and measure four times, still cut wrong and have to cut three times. Ahem. Moving on.

Then you sew straight lines. Doesn't that sound easy? Ha. My lines are about as straight as Ricky Martin.

Then you make a ruffle. I must have been doing something wrong because that blasted ruffle almost killed me. What the tutorial didn't say was that to get it to really work you have to yell at the ruffle, stomp out of the room, and come back the next day to work on it.

It turned out alright though and I will try ruffles again someday. When I have enough meds on hand.

In the end, I wound up with this:

An actual pillowcase. It FITS the pillow. Therefore, we consider it a huge success.

SNOOPY DANCE time!

Huge thanks for the tutorial series, Meg!

Linked up at:
A Little Knick Knack (of course!)
Fingerprints on the Fridge
Lit and Laundry
Everything but the Kitchen Sink @ A Little Knick Knack

Did you win???

Thanks to all who participated in my giveaways! We had FIVE giveaways to celebrate reaching 100 followers and as I type this we are nearing 200!

First, a thanks to my sponsors. These lovely people from etsy donated their time and beautiful items to be given away:
BytheBookPaper
Ameria's Paper Work
BuzzPlanet
Handmadebyme4u

Remember, if you did not win a giveaway that you entered, you can still go purchase from the sponsor's shop!

Here are the winners: (all chosen from random.org number generator. Unfortunately I do not know how to post the pic of the generator, but take my word that the results are genuinely random!)

Giveaway #1-Set of bookmarks from BytheBookPaper

Comment #36

Lesli said...: I follow BytheBook Paper's blog

littleumbrella (at) att (dot) net; March 26, 2011 10:43 PM

Congrats Lesli!!

Giveaway #2 Dirty/Clean Soap Set from BuzzPlanet:

Comment #166

jennifer said...: thanks for the chance
jenniferwlsn33 at gmail dot com; March 30, 2011 4:49 PM

Way to go Jennifer, enjoy those soaps!

Giveaway #3: Ribbon Tag Blanket from Handmadebyme4u

Comment #57:

AmberFaith said...: I like Handmade By Me 4 U on FB.
Amber Faith Pilcher

@yahoo.com
Amber, congrats on your new ribbon tag blanket!

Giveaway #4: $15 Shop Credit and Free Shipping from Ameria's Paper Work

Comment #31:

Toesthattwinkle! said...: I follow GFC- M.P.
toesthattwinkleblog(at)gmail(dot)com
Can't wait to see what you choose from the shop toesthattwinkle!

Giveaway #5: 1 month free ad on my blog

Comment #10:

HarmlessColor said...: I'd love to win!
I even have a button ready : )
Congratulations! I'm happy to put your family-friendly button on my blog for the entire month of April!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Wordless Wednesday

Over 100 "peeps" bunnies. Yikes!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Don't forget!

Here's your friendly reminder to enter all the giveaways if you haven't already! There are links to each in the announcement at the top of the blog! Tomorrow is the last day for entries and winners will be announced on Thursday!

Soap, bookmarks, $15 gift card, free ad space, and a baby blankie are all up for grabs!

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Also, I have cut out 110 felt bunnies by hand. Just wanted to brag. And get sympathy for my overworked hand.

I was looking for a picture of scissors or an aching hand to put here. Didn't find one but did find this hilarity:

Friday, March 25, 2011

Four Favorites Friday: Blogger style

These are four of my favorite bloggers. Are they on your follow list? They should be!

In random order:

1. Angie at The Country Chic Cottage

No, not just because I won a giveaway over there. Though that was exciting! Angie has this neat sense of shabby style. Her projects are affordable! She doesn't run around suggesting you tear out walls and re-brick your entire house (like some blogs. *cough*).

Another reason to like The Country Chic Cottage? She does giveaways every week!

2. For the Luv of Boys
I have all boys too. Moms of all boys "get" each other. There is a certain camaraderie that comes with knowing your friend has also found fishing worms in pants pockets, stepped on legos, and spent countless hours teaching to aim IN the potty.

She just posted a tutorial on how to take a domino and make a necklace!

For crafts, projects and mom-friend, check out For the Luv of Boys.

3. A Little Knick Knack
Recently stumbled upon this treasure of a blog! As I'm getting back into sewing, her post on sewing for dummies was quite helpful!

Today marks the end of a 3 week sew along series for learning how to make a pillowcase. I will finish mine and upload it all early next week. It isn't too late to join in on the fun! Head over and catch up and sew with us!

4. Etsy Blog Team

As you know, I have a shop on etsy. There are a lot of shop owners who also blog and this is like our "base." They constantly have help for bloggers like myself who weren't born knowing html or how to make a button. Even if you aren't an etsy seller, you can still benefit from the blog help they freely dole out!

Linked at:
Weekend Linky Party at Serenity Now
Friday Fun Finds at Kojo Designs
Tidy Mom

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Giveaway #5---Free Ad Space on my blog! (ENTRIES CLOSED, winner announced on Thursday)

With over 100 followers I thought now would be the time to accept sponsors.

This giveaway is for a free ad on my blog for one month (all of April). Valued at $5.

Hopefully you'll be more enthusiastic than this:

Free advertising should make you do this:

Winner will send me the code for their button and I will put it in my sidebar under "sponsors." This can be to advertise your own blog, your etsy shop, etc.

This giveaway is open to anyone, in any country, 18 or older. The ad and shop/blog it advertises must be family friendly.

Winner will be chose via a random number generator or my kids drawing a number from a hat. :-)
I am not responsible for shipping of this prize or ensuring it's arrival. Winner to be announced within 48 hours. Contestants may win other giveaways as well. Button will be on blog for the month of April 2011.

Linked at Tightwad in Utah

Giveaway #4-- $15 Gift Card to Ameria's Paper Work (ENTRIES CLOSED. Winner announced 3/31)

Our fourth giveaway to celebrate 100 blog followers is sponsored by AmariasPaperWorks.

You'll find all kinds of goodies in her esty shop! She has lots of magnetic wooden "paper" dolls to choose from, Bible story accessories, and more.

She has graciously offered up a $15 gift card to use in her shop, PLUS free shipping on one item to one of our lucky readers!

How can you enter? It is easy!

--leave a comment saying that you'd like to win (1 entry)

--tweet about this giveaway, include a link to here, and a #zucchinisummer hashtag. Comment that you tweeted! (1 extra entry)

--follow this blog and leave a comment saying you are a follower (1 additional entry)

--heart Amaria's etsy shop. Come back and post that you hearted. (1 extra entry).

SO, a total of 4 possible entries per person!

Winner will be chose via a random number generator or my kids drawing a number from a hat. :-)
I am not responsible for shipping of this prize or ensuring it's arrival. Winner to be announced within 48 hours. Contestants in the USA and Canada and Australia, over 18, are eligible to enter. Contestants may win other giveaways as well.

)ENTRIES CLOSED. Winner will be announced 3/31) Giveaway #3-- Ribbon Tag Blanket from handmadebyme4u

Welcome to the 3rd giveaway in my celebration of reaching 100 followers! This giveaway, sponsored by handmadebyme4u is for a ribbon tag blanket. Valued at $10!

This music themed lovey will be a perfect companion for your little one, or a gift for a new baby!

Our baby loves things with tags and I'm sure yours will too!

Winner will be chose via a random number generator or my kids drawing a number from a hat. :-)
I am not responsible for shipping of this prize or ensuring it's arrival. Winner to be announced within 48 hours. Contestants in the USA and Canada, over 18, are eligible to enter. Contestants may win other giveaways as well.

Done entering the giveaway? Go on over to handmadebyme4u's etsy shop for more adorable goodies!

Doesn't this bunny hat just make you melt?

(ENTRIES CLOSED. Winner announced 3/31) Giveaway #2--Dirty/Clean Soap Set from BuzzPlanet

The lovely Brandi from BuzzPlanet is providing this giveaway! Here is what she says about the set:

Dirty/Clean 2 bar set of Idaho Dirt Cocoa Butter and Clean Air Shea Butter Soaps

Get clean and moisturized with DIRT!

This is a two bar set; one Idaho Dirt soap, and one Clean Air Soap, wrapped individually in my brown paper labels, tied together with twine, perfect for a gift; or for yourself!

Idaho Dirt:
This soap is inspired by my love of the scent of a freshly plowed field in springtime (preferably potatoes!). This soap is an 80% Pure olive oil castile soap, enriched with the addition of fragrant cocoa butter and coconut oil that I bought from a company who imports directly from West Africa; the quality is like nothing I've ever seen! Made in the old-fashioned Cold Process method, with cocoa powder added for the distinctive color.

Clean Air Soap:
This soap is the perfect foil to my Idaho Dirt Soap, or lovely on it's own! The smell is clean but not overpowering, like a sunlit day or laundry fresh from the clothesline. This is a gentle, moisturizing soap, which is made using the Cold Process method, with my blend of oils, which include over 60% olive oil, and golden shea butter imported directly from West Africa; the best quality! No palm oil!

Molded into my signature upcycled molds, 5-6 ounces each, in a rounded corner rectangle with a distinctive recycle symbol molded into the top. Wrapped in brown paper, tied with twine, perfect for a gift or everyday use.

This is my pride and joy soap, a concept I loved and wanted to create, I hope you love it as much as I do!

Entries are open now and will close in one week, on March 30th.

Winner will be chose via a random number generator or my kids drawing a number from a hat. :-)
I am not responsible for shipping of this prize or ensuring it's arrival. Winner to be announced within 48 hours. Contestants in the USA and Canada, over 18, are eligible to enter. Contestants may win other giveaways as well.

After entering the giveaway, check out BuzzPlanet's other items available on etsy, like these neat laundry fizzies!

(ENTRIES CLOSED. Winner announced 3/31) Giveaway #1- Set of 5 bookmarks from BytheBookPaper

You have heard the good news right? That my little blog here has reached 100 followers? To celebrate, I'm hosting a week of giveaways! Here is the first one!

Aren't those bookmarks adorable?

They could be your bookmarks!

BytheBookPaper is offering up a set of 5 monochromatic bookmarks to one lucky winner! You can receive the set as pictured above, OR choose to add personalization.

After you enter the giveaway, be sure to check out the BytheBookPaper shop on etsy for other great items. Cute gift tags, and I just love this set of cards!

Entries are open now and will close in one week, on March 30th.

Winner will be chose via a random number generator or my kids drawing a number from a hat. :-)
I am not responsible for shipping of this prize or ensuring it's arrival. Winner to be announced within 48 hours. Contestants in the USA and Canada, over 18, are eligible to enter. Contestants may win other giveaways as well.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Airplane Party Plans

My baby is turning ONE soon. I decided to do an airplane party theme after searching the googles and seeing great plane parties.

Here are the invitations I ordered. They are from OnlySunshineDesigns on etsy.

Aren't they incredible?

She even has one design with the plane where you can put 12 pics of your child, one for each month. Of course I haven't been that organized (good intentions, bad execution),but maybe some of you over-achievers are.

The photos are from her listings, not my actual invite. As much as I love my readers here I don't really want to post my address and have all 100 of you show up at the party. We wouldn't have enough cheeseball.

I'll share more of the things for his party as we get closer. Today I made some buffet food label tags by hand, and I still have to make a "baggage claim" sign, etc.

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

Counting to 100

It is a biggie for my blog! We've reached 100 followers!
Thank YOU!

Stay tuned for details about a massive giveaway (or should I say giveaways? hmmmm).

Linking here: The Divine Miss Mommy

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Sewing Savings

Did you know that some sewing machines are $12,000?

Yeah, that was the face I made too.

There will be no $12,000 sewing machines in my future.

My old bicor from jr. high will have to do for now.

my machine looks just like this although this picture is from a google images search.

I would however eventually like to get a new machine. For maybe the $200-300 price range.

Man, sewing can be expensive. Not only is there the new machine I'd like to get, but of course you need fabric.

Riley Blake has got to be one of my favorite designers. And Moda. And Heidi Grace.

I needed a separate place to save sewing money. If I stick it in my wallet we will spend it on something else.

We had eaten my version of chop suey a couple weeks ago. The crispy rice noodles from La Choy are the best! I couldn't bear to part with the can at the time, so I saved it. Why throw away a perfectly good can?

I cut some scrapbook paper down to size (the can is about 4.5 inches tall) and glued/taped it on. Used my fiskars scallop punch to make a tag and some blue cardstock stickers to spell out "sew." Added a strip of light blue paper for contrast, a white border around the "sew" tag, and a few white "*" stickers. Presto. A sewing savings can.

Total cost: $0. Plus I recycled something so....

Happy crafting!

PS-If you want to buy a can of the noodles just so you have a can to use, they are $1 at Walmart. And a great late-night crispy snack by themselves while you watch mindless shows on TLC.

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Linking up here:
Ten Dollar Tuesday
MakeSomethingMonday
Craftomaniac
Creative Jewish Mom
Take a Look Tuesdays
Tute Yourself Tuesdays
Flamingo Toes
Karina's Challenge
Too Cute Tuesday
Petite Hermine
Serenity Now I heart my Crafty Cutter
Making Monday Marvelous

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