What do you do...

What do you do when it's 90 degrees & too early to turn on the AC?

Bake, of course! There's just nothing like running the oven on an already smokin' hot day.

Okay, so I'm pretty sure there are plenty of better options to stay cool, but I had it in my head earlier in the week that I wanted to make these cookies from Picky Palate after seeing Chrissy talk about them over at Boerman Ramblings.

Seriously? S'mores stuffed chocolate chip cookies?! Doesn't that just sound like heaven?

They're actually quite a bit easier to put together than I expected. Just make the s'more, throw a big spoonful of dough on the top, another big spoonful on the bottom, then smoosh it around. I ended up having to put a little on either end (sometimes just one), but it's not terrible to hold together once you get it wrapped around. Don't get me wrong, it's messy, but don't let that scare you away from making these.

The recipe says it'll make 12 large cookies, I was able to get 8. Large is kind of an understatement. These things are HUGE. We're not talking a snack cookie here. These things are a full-fledged dessert. For two. But so delicious!

The only thing I had to buy for these was some more chocolate chips (speaking of which, I used mini chips rather than regular size, I like them much better), I already had everything else on hand. Chances are good you might too. So take a look, and make these as soon as possible! You can thank me later. :)

Until next time...

WIP Wednesday #8

Well I'll be honest, today pretty much snuck up on me! I wish I could say it was because I've been working on something big or exciting, but unfortunately that's just not the case.

Started: Dana at Made shared this tutorial for a simple skirt, which went immediately onto The List. Then I decided that, like the camera strap cover, it was too simple to put off until, well, most likely never. So I went home that night, dug out some linen I bought to make some skirts last spring, and got started. Since I have everything on hand to make it, I should be able to get it finished up this weekend.

I got the pattern & my fabric for the Sis Boom Jamie Dress sew along. The houndstooth finally came yesterday, so I got it all washed, ironed, and ready to go. Hopefully I can get started cutting out the pieces this weekend as well.

I was a little curious how the colors would look together, but they are so much better in person, and I think it's going to turn out great, assuming I can figure out the best way to make it fit over/around my ever-expanding belly.

I picked out my fabric for the April project in the Style Stitches Sew Along. Nothing fancy, but I'm making it for a friend & I know she'll love it.

In progress: I still have the other two Origami Bags to make. Hopefully I can get those caught up & out of the way this month. Keeping them on this list will at the very least make me more likely not to just drop them completely.

I made quite a bit of progess on getting my pairs sewn together for the Postage Stamp quilt. Still only one block completed, but I think I only have about 30 pairs left to sew together, then I can start sewing those together into blocks. The pile behind my sewing machine is huge, but I have no where else to put it right now, so it was a bit in the way when I was working on the skirt earlier this week.

Completed: Nothing new, which isn't anything new either.

Head over to Freshly Pieced to see all the other wonderful people who were probably much more productive than me this week. :)

Until next time...

April: Beautiful Balance Checkbook Cover

April already? Where has the year gone?!

The beginning of another month means another pattern. I hope you're excited! I already know what some of you are thinking, "A checkbook cover? Who even uses those anymore?" And honestly, you might be right, but I know quite a few people who do still use them (myself included!), so I hope plenty of you still find a use for this month's project. And even if you don't, check below for another variation!

Here are the fabrics (and maybe some more plain black, I don't have much of that football print) I'll be using. Please don't laugh! I promised a friend back during football season that I would make her a checkbook cover, and just now getting around to it. She's also the one I made the Chiefs purse for, so they'll go together perfectly.

Once again, I'm really excited about the giveaway this month! April is sponsored by Bev from Flamingo Toes, who is absolutely amazing.

If you don't know who she is or haven't been a long-time follower (or short, for that matter!), make sure you clear out the next couple hours & go check out her blog! So, so much fun stuff. And if you aren't a follower, you just missed out on one of the best weeks of the year - Anthro Necklace Knockoff Week! I'm already looking forward to next year when I really hope she'll do it again (are you reading this Bev? Don't let me down!!!).

So, to entice you to make this month's project, Bev is offering a choice of one pair of earrings from her Etsy shop! Oh the choices!

Those last ones are my favorite! But really, they're all so gorgeous. Make sure you check out the shop to see your other choices.

Bev is also including her fantastic Rebecca Shoulder Bag pattern.

I have to tell you, if these awesome prizes don't get you in the mood to sew this month, I'm not sure what will!

You know it can't be a sew along introductory post without a pattern review from Sara at Sew Sweetness, and this month is no exception! :) I mentioned before that if you aren't certain about making (or needing) a checkbook cover, there might a variation that would work for you. Sara inadvertently made a CD wallet on her first try, but it turned out so nice, you could certainly use the idea for yourself! Make sure you head over to check out her pattern review & both of her versions.

For another pattern review & some more inspiration, head over to Langes Fädchen, Faules Mädchen.

I definitely recommend (as always) that you check out what these ladies think of the pattern. I think we can all learn from each other about possible easier & more efficient ways to do things.

Remember you can ask questions & post pictures in the Flickr Group throughout the month.

Remember, it's still not too late to enter your Origami Bag(s) to win the March prize. Head over to link up for your chance to win!

Until next time...

I've made a decision...

Thanks for all your input about which fabric I should choose for my Sis Boom Jamie Dress! A few of you commented about making a contrast band if I go with the houndstooth, and that idea completely made up my mind!

Here's what I've decided:

I went back & forth trying to decide on what color band to make, but finally decided on this teal. I'm hoping it turns out as nice as I think it will!

We haven't started sewing yet, so it's not too late to join in! Head on over to Sew Sweetness to get all the details. Sara has done a fantastic job getting us a discount on the pattern & fabric from an Etsy shop, and there are going to be some awesome prizes at the end of the month!

Oh, and make sure you check out the dresses Sara has already made from the pattern if you're wavering about joining. They're beautiful!

Remember to link up to your Origami Bags & let me know how many you made last month! You've got until next Friday to do so. Monday I'll be back with all the info about this month's project, the Beautiful Balance Checkbook Cover.

Until next time...

Time to share YOUR Origami Bags!

Time to link up to your completed Origami Bags! Remember, you needed to complete only ONE bag to enter this month, not the entire six bag set. As an extra reward for those of you who were able to get more than one finished (way to go!), leave me a comment telling me how many bags you completed. You'll get an extra entry for up to six bags, so you'll have up to six entries to win this great clutch from Julie at Vibrant Designs!

I know some of you blogged more than once when you made additional bags, so feel free to link up to each blog post, and still share in the comments how many bags you made total. I'll make sure you get all your entries. We want to see all the bags you've made!

Entries will be open until midnight on Friday, April 8 and I will announce the winner Monday, April 11. This means you've got a full week extra to finish up your bags if you aren't done yet! That's right, even if you didn't complete your bags in March, you're still eligible to win (just like those who got their bags done early), so link up!

As always, if you are linking to a blog, please link up to the specific post, not your main page. That will make it easier to find later, when it's no longer your most recent post. If you are not blogging about your bag (which is perfectly okay!), please link up to your Flickr picture instead of a blog with no post about the bag.

Let's see those Origami Bags!

Until next time...

WIP Wednesday #7

Another week down!

Started: The camera strap slip cover, a nice, super-quick project I can definitely recommend. As hubby pointed out, "What's the point? What was wrong with the plain one?" I guess technically there isn't anything wrong with the plain one, except for the fact that it's plain. So why not? Besides, like I told him, it's me, when have I ever wanted something plain & ordinary? We frequently have this very same conversation about pretty much everything, including baby names. :)

In progress: Still working on the origami bags & postage stamp quilt.

I did get one block (I'm doing them 5x6 instead of 5x5) put together just to see how it looks & to show to hubby. I love it!

I've also been chain piecing my little heart out. Since I'm doing the blocks six strips wide instead of five, it's quick & easy to just sew everything in pairs to put together into blocks later. I've got a nice little pile going right now, but a lot still left to do. I think I figured out I've got about 256 strips to sew together, and I've done 40 pairs in addition to the one completed block.

This was taken before some marathon sewing last night, the pile is about twice the size now!

I'm also very happy to say that this quilt will, in fact, be for our little Goose. That's right - it's a boy!!! We couldn't be happier. :)

Completed: The camera strap slip cover. Seriously, under an hour to draw the pattern & sew the cover? That's exactly the kind of project I needed this week!

Finished up one of the three origami bags I'm working on. I'd really like to get the others finished up by the end of the month, but unfortunately I don't see that happening at this point! This one isn't perfect (I never can get the ends of the zipper to look nice when I make this sort of thing), but I'm happy with it. I just realized I really should have taken a picture of the other side of it, it's the prettier side.

Not a bad week, compared to the last few! Head over to Freshly Pieced to see what everybody else got done this week.

Until next time...

Origami Bag Set: Completed!

Alright, so technically I didn't get a full set completed. And to be fair, I wasn't even able to finish up the three bags I had hoped to make! But I'm really happy with the one bag I did get completed.

I always have issues with the zipper ends not looking nice when I make pouches like this. I've found I prefer to make the zipper just shorter than the opening & make nice ends rather than sew the zipper into the side seams.

There were a few comments in the Flickr group about some of you having difficulties making your gussets after sewing around the edges. I decided to sew the exterior pieces together & went ahead and made my gussets in that side before I sewed the lining pieces together. That way I had the full zipper opening to reach through to do the gussets, which I think was much easier than it would have been to reach through the opening in the lining. The lining side wasn't quite as difficult to reach through & do just because it was closer to the opening (and no need to reach all the way through the zipper) & because it wasn't interfaced. I did think it was odd that the instructions say to clip the seam allowance in the corners before doing the gussets. What's the point when you're just going to cut off the entire corner after sewing the gusset?!

Like many others, I didn't use home dec fabric & it turned out just fine. I did use a very light-weight muslin for my lining, so I used a light-weight interfacing to beef it up just a bit. It's not too bulky, and I think the muslin on it's own would have been too flimsy for the lining.

I really thought this would come together more quickly than it did. I'm sure the next two will be quicker, but it won't ever be a super quick go-to pattern for last minute gifts.

Remember to come back Thursday to link up to your Origami Bags!

Until next time...