Baby Blanket Bags

What do you all do with those receiving blankets that your kid or nephew or niece used it and you don't have anyone to pass it or? Throw them or donate them? Don't! Here is a wonderful idea which you can reuse them.

I had some receiving blankets of my son and then daughter which was in a very well condition and I didn't wanted to give it to any one nor throw them awaysenti girl!).  I had been thinking to give it a use and re-purpose. Finally I found the right use for it. Simple storage bags. I was in hunt for some bags to store my silver wares( here I mean silver bowls, lamps and cups) which gets black when expose to moisture. I used to rap it up in a cotton pieces cut from an old saree but it takes quite a time to wrap it and store and I wasn't satisfied the way it used to look. So I tried to pur them in this small bags made for them and easy to store nd carry and looks so cute.

You won't believe it how less time it took for me to stitch these simple bags. I was done making 5 bags in 15 mins. Isn't that amazing, they r very durable as the receiving cloths are made for babies so the material is soft and thick at the same time. 

You can make as many bags as you want with one blanket, it mainly depends on the size of bag. I made 2 bags in one blanket and 3 in another. I put some simple string pull tape, but you can use elastic or Velcro or buttons or even a zip( some ideas for you to try). It's left to how much you wanna work on it. I kept it very simple and easy for me to put things in and remove. I sure will be trying some other way in my other blankets.

Instructions: 

First cut the blanket to your desired size and shape, then fold the top portion on the wrong side of the fabric of one side piece and stitch in order to put the string later, repeat the same for the other side. ( we're still working on the wrong side of the fabric.Now join the sides.( I did double stich to keep it safe and strong). Note it not to join the folder string part of the fabric. Otherwise you will not be able to put the string through to pull. Now reverse the fabric the right side and add the string with a safety pin and Walah! The bag is ready.

So I hope you will give it a try and give me a feel back of how your project turned out and what was your idea and shape of the bag.happy stitching.

Crochet Boys Sweater

Here is one of my other crochet works I did for my son. It's a Baby blue colored which looks very sober and cool on any dark colored shirt.

Newspaper Gift Bag

Good morning all ! Here is an other repurposing project. It's one of simpler and repurposing your old news paper. I love the idea of using the old Newspaper instead of a new paper, as we are recycling and repurposing the paper. It's a very simple project  and doesn't take much time and can be done in desirable size. Here I have made a small 5' size bag. I found this  in a blog and loved it .

Pick a thick paper or 2 sheets of paper so it's sturdy enough to carry the gift inside. Even magazine sheets works well too, or you can mix and match with one sheet Newspaper and one of magazine paper.

Cut out a rectangle that's 15.5" wide and 8.25" tall. If your paper has a fold already then align it with one of the folds  we need to do unless you dont mind to have a fold somewhere else on the bag. Cut the paper and align the one which needs to be outside the bag.

Fold a flap which is 1.25" down from the top.Fold a 2"  Flap from the top so the bag is 4.5" wide and 3" wide on the sides and 0.5" in the end so you get to close the bag and attach it.

Cut 2 pieces of cardboard which is 4.25"x1" and stick them on top of widest side so the bag so it stays stiff. Now stick the 0.5" to the otherside and get the shape of the bag. Now fold the ends down and stick it with a glue stick . Now u have a shape of the bag , cut a 4x2.5" cardboard and stick it to the bottom so it stands where u keep it. Punch some holes on the top and insert the lace/ thread as a handle. Wallah the bag is ready. Wasn't that easy!

After doing this project I realized I didn't take step-by-step photos to help u all more. So from my next project u will see step wise photos . So have fun and get making this now.

DIY Cinnamon Candle

Did you ever wanted to fix a quick gift to someone which u missed out or came to know few minutes before the party? Then this is an easy and quick gift for anyone. You will only need few items to get it started and takes less then 15 mins to get it wrapped. This is one of the gifts I did for my son's Christmas gift to his art teacher.

Things you need:
 A candle
10-15 cinnamon sticks
Hot glue gun
Color tape

Get started:

First cut the cinnamon sticks to the size of the candle with a flower stem scissors. Then glue each cinnamon stick to the candle with curl facing front. Just continue till the candle is completely covered. Tie a colored tape around and Wahlah! The cinnamon candle is ready.

You can do variations with colored candles and even scented candles. Anyone who loves candles would definitely love it. It's a wonderful gift for a neighbor or a friend.

DIY : Magazine Holder

I was in search  of some good magazine holders as I have lot of magazine subscription and I don't want to throw any of them away. Especially the magazines like " Parenting" or " Family Fun", which doesn't get old and has lot of fun crafts or tips to share, but was surprised to see the prices for it and thought how about I do something at home. Then came this idea of repurposing the cereal boxes. It was simple and a fun afternoon project.

The things u need is 

cereal box

scissor

Glue

Gift wrapping paper or scrapbook paper

Ruler or measuring tape

First cut the top opening of the box and keep all the sides open. Now on the width side of the box mark a diagonal line leaving 5 inches from the bottom on both the sides of the box. Cut through the line and even out all the edges. Now glue the gift paper on the box and let it dry for couple of hours. Tag them Wahlah! the magazine holder is ready to use.

Note: I have given the box a little shape on the top but diagonal works well as its east to glue the paper and it looks well aswell. 

Hi all....I am back!

Hey all my Blog friends, it's been a while I blogged. I have been doing quite a few projects but haven't got a chance to post them as my 1 yr old princess had kept my hands all tied up. Now I hope will be able to blog more. I very happy to be back blogging and hope to make some more new friends here and know more about you and your hobbies and visit you all often.

I am planning to post one project a week so hopefully it will keep us in loop. Will post every Week and try n keep that going until unless something isn't working. Happy Blogging!

Spring scarf (Free Pattern)

This is one if the easiest and simple scarf i have made. Its so easy and quick that its a perfect one for a beginner. Its one of the nice accessories and goes well with T-shirts aswell.This can be done with any leftover yarn too.
                                            
Hook Size I
Ch 143.
Row 1: Sc in 2nd ch from hook and in each ch across – 142 sc at the end of this row.
Row 2: Ch 2 (counts as dc here and throughout), turn, 2 dc in first sc, *dc in next sc, 2 dc in next sc; rep from * across to last sc, dc in last sc – 214 dc at the end of this row.
Row 3: Ch 2, turn, 2 dc in first dc, *dc in next dc, 2 dc in next dc; rep from * across to last dc, dc in last dc – 322 dc at the end of this row.
Row 4: Ch 2, 2 dc in first dc, *dc in next 2 dc, 2 dc in next dc; rep from * across – 431 dc at end of this row. Fasten off.

15 amazing uses of a Hair Dryer

Handheld hair dryers were introduced for the domestic market in 1920, and since then countless hairdos have relied on that combination of heat and air to achieve their coiffed perfection.
But the humble blow dryer has plenty of other services to offer around the house -- here are a handful of them:

1. If you need to quickly set the icing on a cake, the air and heat of a hair dryer can quicken up the process.
2. If your cake won’t unstick from the cake pan, use your hair dryer on the bottom of the pan then invert it, it should drop right out.
3. Running an ice cream scoop under hot water helps, but you can also try using a hair dryer on the carton to soften ice cream for easy scooping.
4. Some people use pots of boiling water to quicken freezer defrosting, but a hot hair dryer works even more quickly. (Be careful of puddles of water and the dryer, though.)
5. Automatic ice-makers can get jammed with frozen ice; relieve that with a long blast of hot air to melt unwanted icebergs.
6. Remove contact paper from shelves by heating it with the hair dryer and gently working the edges up. Also works for bumper stickers and other rogue sticky things.
7. Use a hair dryer to dust hard-to-dust items; the air will blow the dust somewhere else, but hopefully somewhere else that is easier to dust.
8. Personally, I like my kids’ crayon marks on my walls, but for the rest of you: Heat the crayon marks until softened, then scrub with hot water and detergent.
9. Old photo albums with magnetic pages can get stuck -- unstick them with a blast from the hair dryer.
10. Spot-iron wrinkles by lightly dampening the area and then heating the wrinkles with your dryer.
11. Wet boots, shoes, and sneakers can take on a terrible odor if left to dry slowly -- alleviate that by drying them with your hair dryer.
12. Winter can bring frozen windows and locks -- thaw them with a hair dryer.
13. Window screens collecting dust and pollen? Blow it back to whence it came.
14. Removing bandages can hurt more than the wound, so soften the adhesive with a hair dryer first to ease the rip.
15. If you have trouble keeping a hot compress hot, keep your hair dryer by you and reheat as necessary.

Bonus: For wrinkled ribbons and fabric belts, employ a curling iron to straighten them out.
This is just a start, do you use your hair dryer in any surprising ways? Leave a comment...

15 amazing uses of a Toothpaste

Have you ever wondered what can be done with the small problems at our daily life, like a crayon mark on the wall or the silver jewelry getting dull without spending a lot to make it clean and shiny?Then here are few tips thats easy, simple and very much in our house.


1. Relieve irritation from bug bites, sores, and blisters. These skin irritations all tend to weep and, in the case of bug bites, often itch. Apply a drop of toothpaste to a bug bite or insect sting to stop the itching and decrease any swelling. When applied to sores or blisters, it dries them up, thus allowing the wound to heal faster. It’s best when used overnight.

2. Soothe a stinging burn. For minor burns that don’t involve an open wound, toothpaste can deliver temporary cooling relief. Apply it delicately to the affected area immediately after a burn develops; it temporarily relieves the sting and prevents the wound from weeping or opening.

3. Decrease the size of a facial blemish. Want to speed up the healing of a zit? Apply a tiny dot of toothpaste to the affected area at night before bed. Wash it off in the morning.

4. Clean up your fingernails. Our teeth are made of enamel, and toothpaste is good for them, so it stands to reason that toothpaste would also be good for our fingernails. For cleaner, shinier, and stronger nails, simply scrub the underneath and tops of fingernails with a toothbrush and toothpaste.

5. Keep hair in place. Gel toothpastes contain the same water-soluble polymers that many hair gels are made of. If you’re looking to style and hold an extreme hair creation, try gel toothpaste as your go-to product if you’re out of regular hair gel. (This is also a great trick for making baby barrettes stay in place.)

6. Scrub away stinky smells. Garlic, fish, onion, and other pungent foods can permeate the skin cells on our hands. Scrubbing hands and fingertips briefly with toothpaste removes all traces of smelly odors.

7. Remove stains. Toothpaste can make tough stains on both clothing and carpets disappear. For clothes, apply toothpaste directly to the stain and rub briskly until the spot is gone, then wash as usual. (Note that using a whitening toothpaste on colors can sometimes bleach the fabric.) For carpet stains, apply toothpaste to the stain and scrub it with an abrasive brush, then rinse immediately.

8. Spruce up dirty shoes. This tactic works great on running shoes or scuffed-up leather shoes. As with carpet stains, apply toothpaste directly to the dirty or scuffed area, then scrub with a brush and wipe clean.

9. Remove crayon stains on painted walls. Rub a damp cloth with toothpaste gently on the marked-up wall and watch the Crayola marks disappear.

10. Make silver jewelry and other silver pieces sparkle. Rub toothpaste onto jewelry and leave overnight. Wipe clean with a soft cloth in the morning. Make diamonds shine by giving them a gentle scrub using a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a little water. Rinse thoroughly to remove all traces of toothpaste. Do not use this method on pearls, as it will damage their finish.

11. Remove scratches on DVDs and CDs. This remedy has been used with mixed success rates, but it seems to work fairly well on shallow scratches and smudges. Apply a thin coating of toothpaste to the disc and rub gently, then rinse clean.

12. Tidy up piano keys before tickling them. Piano keys retain oil from the skin, which then attracts dust and dirt. Clean away grime gently with a damp, lint-free cloth and toothpaste; after rubbing in the toothpaste, wipe the keys clean with a second lint-free cloth.

13. Deodorize baby bottles. If baby bottles develop a sour-milk smell, a good cleaning with some toothpaste and a bottle scrubber will clean away residue and deodorize. Always make sure to rinse well.

14. Remove the burned crust on irons. For those of you who still use an iron, you may find that after time, the plate of the iron develops a burned crust. The silica in toothpaste gently grinds away this rusty-looking layer.

15. Defog goggles. Scuba divers, swimmers, and triathletes may already know about this handy little trick: Rub a small spot of toothpaste into each lens of your goggles, then rinse thoroughly, and voila! There’ll be no need to ever buy expensive defogger gels again. Avoid rubbing too vigorously, though, as the abrasive ingredients in toothpaste could scratch the lenses.

Baby Mary Jane Crochet Slippers

This is a Baby Mary Jane Baby slippers i made with crochet for my Newborn Nephew. Just loved the way it turned out. It was so much fun to make this. But I sure can use some colors to make them next time.

If you're following my blog then u must be aware that I follow a video tutorial from You tube by Ms. Teresa. I love her work and her videos they are so easy to follow, pause it and do it in your own pace. So here is an other crochet Baby Booties/sandals with the link for the video.

Crochet Poncho

This is my first big project in crochet and I took around 3 months to complete but it looks amazing and I am very happy that I tried it. The white yarn looks neat and goes well on any color dress. I used to have one in my childhood which my Mom had crochet it for me and I had it for a long time.I even remember the color of it...RED. I saw this in a book that I borrowed from the library.
I fell in love the time I saw this and started of right away. But I couldnt spend much of my time on this so it took me 3 months to complete but I think its perfect for Spring.Don't you think so?

Crochet Puff Stich black Scarf

This is a pretty cool scarf which i loved the first time i saw it and was the first priority on my to do list forgetting all my other projects. I did wanted to finish before this winter begins. As u all have observed by now that i do crochet by following a YouTube video, which makes me learn and finish my project faster than learning from a book. This one also is from a YouTube video and I am a big fan of the lady by name Teresa, who makes wonderful designs and makes videos that any beginner can do and finish it with full confidence and pride. Thanks Teresa for all the hard work put behind by your team.

You can find the video link here and written text here in her blog. Just follow that, i added few more rows to make it a little bigger and added few embellishments to make it fancy and i also added 3 rows of single stitch and strings/tazzles to end it. A matching hat is under process, actually wanted to put both together but 'am tied with other things now and might not be able to finish it any soon, so will post once i am done with it.

Here is the pic and video of Puff stitch hat.

Edible Graduation cap

I know its been quite a long time that i posted anything here as I am busy with a new blog on Fashion Jewelry.I shall attach the link to this blog. I had promised i will be posting on a graduation cap which is edible so here it is.They are so cute that it will steal the show.Its very simple if all the ingredients are available on hand. So if you want to prepare it collect all the ingredients so it makes easy and saves some time.

Ingredients:
(To make 1 graduation cap)
1 Banana
1 square sweet crackers(avoid salted ones)
1tbsp Chocolate chips/Hershey's kisses
3-4 Long string dry Coconut(sweetened/unsweetened)
1 Mini M&M
Method:
Cut the banana to 1 inch size.Important thing is cut it in the middle or where the banana is of equal size and should stand well. Now melt the chocolate chips in microwave for 1-2 Min's. When its melted mix it really well with a fork and dip the banana and place it on a plate.Now dip the cracker and cover it well with chocolate and place it on top of the chocolate covered banana.Now take 3 long string coconut and place it on the middle on top of the chocolate covered cracker and place one mini M&M on top freeze it for 30 Min's or till ready for the presentation.

Note: Melted chocolate thickens very fast so add a little butter when melting so it stays liquid for a little longer time

Baby Crochet Cap

Level: Easy
Time duration:1-2 hrs

This crochet design is very cute and very easy to make.Since its done on single crochet and its best for the beginners.I used white yarn thread for this and G needle as my yarn was very soft and thin.I saw this design on YouTube and here is the link.I just love this videos as its great for a beginner as u can pause and follow each and every step slowly.It fits a new born baby perfectly.Its a great gift when u visit to see a new born baby.

Benne Krishna

This is a Bala-Krishna Painting(an Indian god) eating butter, that's why its called "Benne Krishna"(in Kannada). I did this painting in 2004 during the Krishna janmashtami(a festival in India). I have used acrylic paint on a 16x20 size canvas board.First i traced the Picture to a tracing paper and then to the canvas board and painted it. Acrylic paints dry fast so its easy to paint and doesn't take much time when compared to oil paint. It took me 15 days to complete as i did it in a slow pace but i was satified the way it turned out.I was inspired from an other painting i did before this one, it was a Rajasthani Lady.Will post that painting picture soon as i presented that to my sister-in-law.

Edible Flip-flops

Yes i mean it, these flip-flops/slippers are meant to be eaten.They are a form or decoration which makes a center piece on a Lunch/dinner Table.Easy to make and very attractive.

To make 1 pair of Flip-flops/Slippers you will need:

2 Oval shaped crackers
1tsp Coconut shredded
2 drops Orange food color(gel)
2 Donuts balls(can be found in any grocery stores near the donuts/bakery)
1tsp sugar syrup(to make this add 1 tsp of sugar to 2-3 drops of water)
Method:

First take the coconut in a bowl and add 1 drop of food color and mix it and keep aside.Now take donut balls and dip it in the sugar syrup and then roll it in the colored coconut and keep aside.Now take 2 oval crackers and put it on a plate and place the coconut covered ball on one corner of the crackers, repaet for the other cracker too.Now draw small dots or lines throughout the the edges of the crackers with the help of the orange colored gel.The Slippers are ready to be eaten.

Note: Refrigerate once you are done for setting take them out only at the last moment as the donuts start to get soft.

Designer Top

Fabric painting is one of the fun things which anybody can do and make your own Design and makes it a Designer wear.One of them i have done here is a Top which was too plain and dull to wear, so I gave it a dashing look.Its so simple and doesnot take much time to do, only time needed for it is to dry .These fabric paints are available in tubes and are so easy to use and is completely mess free, no need of paint brushes or water.

I have used some glitter paints to give a sparkling effect, but normal paints are also available which can be used.Before making anything see to it that the fabric is washed once and you have a design in hand either to trace or copy.Here i have done some free style paint, simple but elegant.Hope you all give it a try and enjoy this easy to make designs.

Spring Flower Arrangement

"A word of encouragement during a failure is worth more than an hour of praise after success."

This saying says a lot what i wanted to write in this Post.Recently i entered a contest and I got the First Prize.Its a wonderful feeling when u win something.Participation is more important than winning but winning makes u feel you're the best,which boosts the confidence level and encourages you to do more.After couple of years of gap from my college life, doing something for yourself and winning is the BEST feeling you can get.I am very thankful to the site who took my entry and awarded me with this certificate.
This is the first time i did some flower arrangement for a contest.Its a simple arrangement.The contest rules was to use just 4 flowers with any amount of side flowers but the main flower should be 4 and others flowers coordinating should not exceed 4.It can be either real or artificial flowers.So I used 4 Mums , 1 Daisy and the rest was some wild flowers and leaves.All were fresh flowers and leaves that I bought the bouquet from a store nearby.Used a bunch of artificial Grapes for decoration in a coffee mug.Is int it a superb idea?Coffee mug can be used once the flowers dry out.

Heart Purse

On a valentines day, girls love to see heart shape in everything,it might be a heart shaped pancakes or heart shaped cookies or wearing a red/pink outfits.To go with those cute dresses there is a cute purse for young girls to carry it.Its a perfect gift on a valentines day.Its a simple project to make and kids can help too.

To make this project we need:

2 colored Stiff Felt Sheets(8.5x11 size)
2 colored 3mm Ribbon
5mm size Punch
Glue
Measuring tape/scale.


First take 1 color Stiff felt of your choice which will be the main body of the purse and cut two(2)
10 inch x 10 inch size using a scale.Fold it into half and cut into heart shape, which will probably be 8 inches of two Heart shaped.With the other colored Stiff felt cut two(2) long strip for handle which measures the size of 15 inches (L)x 1.25 inches(W) size(if u increase the width it will increase the depth of the purse, u can do about 3-5 inches width too).

Now with a marker mark the dots on the edge of the cutout every 1 inch apart about 10 dots on each side on both the hearts.Punch the holes with a paper punch and keep aside.Take the strip handles, measure and mark 1 inch dots about 10 dots on each side of the strip and punch them, keep aside.Measure 12 inches ribbon and cut 4 of each color.So u should have 8 ribbons totally.
Now take the Ribbon 1 and go inside the holes in a zig-zag position sewing the heart 1 to the handle 1 and do with Ribbon 2 the other way and tie a bow in the corner.Repeat the same on all 3 sides.Finally to join the handles u can either staple it or u can punch some holes and tie a knot with ribbon as I have done.In a middle cut two hearts of different color and sizes and glue to secure them and then glue the whole to the big heart.The valentines purse is ready.[Note: Donot pull the Ribbons too hard otherwise the punch holes will tear apart.It has to be soft and gentle.]

Hand Purse

Crochet is my new passion and I always wanted to learn this art.Its a wonderful art and quick to learn than Knitting.Crochet does not need much time to finish a project and anybody can do this.I tried to learn this from a book but did not give much results.Last year when I visited my Sister-in-law she showed me the basics of crochet and I tried to do few projects and this purse is my First Project.I am happy it turned out well and inspired me to do more.It makes a cute collection and also a pretty gift to some one close.

Instructions:
About 4 x 6 in. (10 x 15 cm) after felting

Gauge:
12 single crochet and 15 rows = 4 in. (10 cm) before felting.


Exact gauge is not essential for this project.


Purse: Chain 43.

Row 1: Single crochet in 2nd chain from hook and each chain across - 42 single crochet.
Row 2: Chain 1, turn, single crochet in each single crochet across.
Repeat last row until piece measures about 7 1/4 in. (19 cm) from beginning.
Fasten off.

Loop: Join yarn with slip stitch in center of one side. Chain 10, slip stitch in base of chain to form loop. Fasten off.

Finishing: Weave in ends.Add nice button and stitch it in the middle so the loop and be fasten.

Felting: Wash by machine on a hot wash/cold rinse cycle with detergent and several pieces of clothing to agitate. To felt additionally, dry by machine on a regular setting until almost dry. Remove from dryer and pull to about 10 x 6 in. (25.5 x 15 cm).
Fold piece to about 4 x 6 in. (10 x 15 cm), leaving a 2 in. (5 cm) flap. Sew side seams. Sew button opposite loop.

Note: Be sure to check your gauge. When you match the gauge in a pattern, your project will be the size specified in the pattern and the materials specified in the pattern will be sufficient. If it takes you less stitches and rows to make a 4 in. [10 cm] square, try using a smaller size hook or needles; if more stitches and rows, try a larger size hook or needles.