Hill House Soapworks Boutique

Hey everyone, I have opened a small Bath & Bodycare Boutique called Hill House Soapworks, on Facebook. I have some fun Halloween items in there, and will add more items as I have time. I plan to eventually carry a full range of Body care items. I would love for you to visit, Like and Follow. I also have a Facebook Group you can join, Hill House Soapworks Group, to hear about new items before they are stocked in the boutique. Thanks for your support!

Pocket Purses

This first posted at my other blog, Family Home and Life.

I call these Pocket Purses and they are easy and fun to make! I made them for my grand daughters but I want one too. They would be perfect for going window shopping as they are the right size to hold the basic necessities, just add a longer handle. Add a different handle to dress them up or make them your own style. 

Dino Quilt

I planned to make a quilt for one of my grand babies and the request was for a Dinosaur theme. Together, said grand baby and I looked through many Dino quilts online. None of them seemed just right. There was one though that was close to what my little imagined. So I used it as a jumping off place for this quilt. 

Peanut Butter & Jelly Game

This first posted at Family Home and Life, my other blog.

This is a home made gift I keep on hand when I need something quick to give to a child. It's called the Peanut Butter and Jelly Game. Super easy to make, of course, it's inexpensive too. (you know me :) Kids from about age 4 to 8 love this game; some 3 yr olds may understand how to play too. The directions here are for enough pieces for 4 players.

Easy Bibs from Drop Cloth & Scraps

With a 7 month old, one on the way and three 3 year olds that still use bibs; I needed new bibs. It's super easy enough to make bibs, and I always have lots of scraps to choose from. I could have even used an old sheet, dish towel or shirt. I noticed a drop cloth scrap and I  remembered seeing that someone had drawn stripes on drop cloth to make it look like toweling. I decided to try that out. I choose some quilt scrap prints for the other side. 

Benjamin Biggs Quilt A Long

I am following along with the Benjamin Biggs Quilt A Long from Just Takes 2. You will find a permanent link in my right column at the bottom if you are interested. There is also a Facebook group. I missed out on the first block, made the second one and third one, haven't had time to do the fourth yet. I chose to use pink and green instead of red and green for my quilt. I just can't seem to leave things alone; always have to add my own twist to things. So, I didn't shape the rosebud leaves like the BB quilt pattern. I found it too tedious and didn't like the way it looked with the rest of patterns anyway.

Applique Quilt

Gosh I have so many things to get caught up on and so many things I could blog about that I hardly know where to begin. I will start with this child size quilt, 4 1/2 feet by 3 1/2 feet to be exact, then give you a few teasers for up coming post. I started it so long ago that I can't even remember where I got my inspiration from! But the flower design caught my eye and I re interpreted it on this quilt. I originally began it for my second oldest grand daughter thinking I would make one for each grand child eventually. Ha! that idea is out the window! Too many grand kids so close together and not enough time to quilt.

Hello Kitty Look-a-Like Scarf

Every Christmas I hand make something to give the grand kids as well as a few children of close friends. This year I made 15 scarves. I used a Simplicity pattern #4354 that I have had for a while; it is a pattern for cats and puppy scarfs. They are very cute! I decided to try my hand at making something other than the puppies and cats, I attempted lizards and dinosaurs too. The lizards looked great.....the dinos looked like lizards. Oh well, at least the boys were happy with them. And then I realized as I was looking for the pics to do this post that I do not have one pic of the scarves other than the ones I took of the Hello Kitty look-a-like scarf! Oh my!

* My 'Recycled Reused' Dust Mite Proof Pillow Cover

I wanted to get some new quilted pillow covers; the ones I had were beginning to be a little thread bare, so I went shopping at some home goods stores. I had looked around some for them but didn't find the quality that I was looking for at a price I would pay.   Most only had the one layer thin fabric covers that don’t really do the job.  You want a pillow cover to be thick enough to keep moisture and skin oils from getting to your pillow, made from a natural material so it doesn't encourage perspiration, (plastic covers are terrible to sleep on) and with a thread count high enough to keep dust mites from invading your pillow.

* Cloth Coffee Filters

Have you ever returned from the grocery store and realized you forgot something? Something you will need right away? You need the minute you opened your eyes? Well I did. Luckily I had one coffee filter left, but I didn’t want to go back to the store for filters and I didn’t have time to either. So, I started wondering why I use disposable filters in the first place. Disposable means throwing your money away with said item, usually. Online I looked up reusable coffee filters and remembered why I didn’t have one; they are expensive!

I looked up substitutes for filters and mostly read about people using paper towels when they are out of filters. I wouldn’t want to do that, who knows what kind of chemicals are in paper towels and I didn’t want to drink them first thing in the morning. Why not cloth filters? I didn’t really have much luck online in that area either so, I took my one remaining filter and headed to my sewing room. How hard could it be to make one? It turned out to be very easy, for certain types of filters, and not so easy for others. Let me show you.

cloth coffee filter

* Second Sewing Lesson

Our second sewing lesson was fun! It did take a little longer than I expected, so being in such a rush for time, I needed to recreate the steps and a couple of pics for you so it makes sense. I have used some of the pics taken during the lesson too. Here it is! A Princess Wand!

* When You Give a Girl a Needle…..

My daughter in law and I worked on a sewing project together a while back, and either she was holding back on me or she has some major talent. Let me show you what I mean.

* My Mother's Quilts

Pearl Irene is in heaven now. She left behind a legacy of remembered love. A caring person, a helper, and always ready to do what needed to be done.  If you were sick she was the one you wanted to be there caring for you and your home. A wife, a mother,  grandmother and great grandmother. We all have at least one item she made for us, most of us have several.

* Children’s Craft Apron

With as many children as I have around all the time I am always looking for good activities to keep them busy.  One of their favorite things to do at my house is paint pictures and make crafts.  I wanted to make aprons to protect their clothing and of course I wanted them to be very inexpensive. Most purchased children’s aprons are of a light weight fabric that paint goes right through; even the ones from home improvement stores still tend to leak paint. I always try to make do with what I already have so I started looking around my house and at my fabrics. 

* First Sewing Lesson

When my kids were 8-9 years old, I taught them some basic sewing skills. They each made a patch work pillow, and a felt needle holder. I have to say I haven’t thought about exactly what is the best way to teach a child to sew or what is the best age to start them? My oldest grand daughter, Anne, has watched me constructing many different things and never hesitates to come running when there is a tear or unraveling seam on any toy or garment. Once when I was making a princess costume for her she begged to help me so convincingly that I let her. She was about 3; helping only lasted a few minutes until she pricked her finger with a pin and the flood gate of tears opened. I felt so bad!

* Child’s Apron

Children’s aprons are very easy to make and you can have a lot of fun decorating them any way you like. Here is how I made an apron for my granddaughter. It fits about a size 3-4 very well but you can adjust size to your child easily.

                                      

* 'Sleeves' for my Clothing Hangers

I have a good supply of clothing hangers for clothing pieces that easily slip off, you know strappy blouses, cami's and neck lines that are large.  I have both the satin ones you buy and home made crocheted ones on wood hangers. The satin ones are nice but they don’t always hold on to those little spaghetti straps and seem to not stand up to very much wear and tear.  I don’t crochet much any more though crochet covered hangers work very well; and, I didn’t want to go buy new ones because they can be kinda pricey. I felt I could figure out a way to easily make something with what I already had in my home and with the plastic hangers I already had.

Remember that yellow and white with a green thread checkered/plaid fabric I used to pretty up my craft table? I had plenty left over and not a clue what else to do with it.  It has a bit of a texture so it worked well for this project.  

* My 'Recycled Reused' Dust Mite Proof Pillow Covers

I wanted to get some new quilted pillow covers; the ones I had were beginning to be a little thread bare, so I went shopping at some home goods stores. I had looked around some for them but didn't find the quality that I was looking for at a price I would pay.   Most only had the one layer thin fabric covers that don’t really do the job.  You want a pillow cover to be thick enough to keep moisture and skin oils from getting to your pillow, made from a natural material so it doesn't encourage perspiration, (plastic covers are terrible to sleep on) and with a thread count high enough to keep dust mites from invading your pillow.