Basic Laundry Bag

I think that it's really great to have a laundry hamper in your bathroom. It's very convenient, especially if you're getting ready in a hurry. But... sometimes we don't have room in our bathroom for a laundry hamper. So I started making hangable decorative laundry bags for myself and people that I know who just don't have the space.

There are two things that I like about this laundry bag. One, it saves space. You can easily hang it on a back-of-the-door hook. Two, you can match it to any decor. Just go to the store with a clear photograph of your bathroom colors, or a fabric or paint sample. Then choose fabric to match, as well as ribbon.

Here is what you need:



2 large pieces of fabric, about 2 feet wide and 3 feet long (you can change this if you need a larger or smaller laundry sack).
1 and a half yards of ribbon (1 and a half to 2 inches thick, your choice)
Thread (color of your choice)
A sewing machine


Step 1:

Make sure that fabric is cut to measurements above. Then take the first piece and fold over from the outside (the outside of the fabric should be folded to meet the inside). The fold should be about 3 inches long.



Step 2:

Sew the end of the fold. Repeat these two steps for the other piece of fabric.





Step 3:

Place two pieces of fabric together, both inside out (the outside of both of the fabric pieces will be facing inward).


Step 4:

Sew a half inch backward and forward on the very top of the fold on one side.



Step 5:

Cut the thread and move down to right below the fold seam. Then sew the two pieces of fabric together.

*This seam will not be seen, so if it is not perfectly line straight, it's not a problem.

Step 6:

When you get about 2 inches from the end, turn the fabric around so that you can sew the bottom. You do not need to cut the thread and start a new stitch unless you prefer very clean lines.

*You can leave less at the end if you are short on fabric.

Step 7:

Sew the bottom and turn about a half inch from the end. Then sew up the sides. Remember to stop right before you get to the fold.

Step 8:

Turn the bag inside out.

Step 9:

Place a safety pin on one end of the ribbon. Then put the safety pinned ribbon through the hole in the fold (the side where you last finished sewing). Pull it through by bunching up the fabric as you go along.




Step 10:

Pull the ribbon through and both ends into a bow so that it does not get pulled back into the fold.

It's finished!

This bag can easily be washed. Just wash normally with like colors. Make sure to securely tie the ribbon, knotting it if needed. The ends may fray after washing, but can be easily trimmed.

River Rock Apothecary Jars

I made these apothecary jars as a gift. While the materials I used are more expensive than what I have been posting, I think that they are so beautiful. The ones I made are being used in a bathroom, but they could easily be used for a kitchen, living room, or bedroom. The colors of the flowers would be easy to change to match any given decor. I only have pictures of the finished product, because I made these awhile back.



So let's get started. I used the following per jar:

1 glass apothecary jar with lid (these can be purchased in various shapes and sizes at Ross, Michael's, Joann, or any craft store. Usually prices vary from $8 to $30)
1 bag small river rocks (I found mine at the Dollar Tree, but they can be purchased at any craft store)
1 bag decorative vine balls (I got mine at Ikea, but these can also be found at Target or any craft store. I used cream and brown for one jar, and just brown for another. The color is up to you.)
1 silk flower with long stems and many leaves/flowers (I chose one with a dark green stem and a dark flower because it is easy for light colored ones to look fake. I also chose one with a silk stem rather than plastic, because it is MUCH easier to take apart)
A few small decorative pine cones (optional)



First, I filled the bottom of the jar about 1 1/2 to 2 inches. Then I placed the vine balls in, leaving a little space. I then took the flower, tore off parts of the leaves and stem, and placed them around the balls to fill out the empty spaces. If there is too much empty space, you can put in another vine ball. Then I tore off some flowers, still attached to their stems. I placed the stems down towards the bottom so that the flowers reached toward the top. If I needed any more filler but the vine balls were too large, I just used the small pine cones. Then I placed the lid on the jar.

It does take some arranging, and there isn't a set way to do that. It all depends on the size of the jar, the size of the vine balls, and the type of flower you use. Enjoy!

Zellwood Sweet Cream Corn and Broccoli Casserole

Last night I made broccoli casserole and Zellwood sweet cream corn for dinner. I also made fried chicken, buttermilk biscuits, potato salad, and a peach pie. But I don't want this blog to be a full-length cookbook, so I am just sharing my broccoli casserole and Zellwood sweet cream corn recipes. I wasn't planning to blog on these, so I only have one (low-quality) picture.

First, I will tell you about how I made my broccoli casserole. This is a great dish for kids who don't generally like eating broccoli or green vegetables.

Here are the ingredients:

3 cups broccoli florets
1 cup sour cream
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 and 1/2 cups mild shredded cheese
1 box cornbread stuffing
Butter and water for stuffing, follow directions on box for amounts

I preheated my oven to 350. I started out with some pre-cut broccoli florets. I boiled 4 cups of water, put the florets in the pot, and let them boil for about five minutes. Then I followed the directions on the box for cooking the cornbread stuffing. Sometimes I make my own cornbread stuffing from scratch. But because I was making six items in all from scratch for this meal, I figured I would just go with the box.

Meanwhile, I combined about 1 cup of sour cream and 1/4 cup of heavy whipping cream in a glass casserole dish. I stirred the two until smooth and then added about 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese. In all, I have 1 and 1/2 cups of cheese listed for the recipe. But if you prefer your casserole to be more cheesy, then using 2 cups would work well.

I had some fresh chives on hand, so I chopped some up to add with the broccoli. However, this is not necessary for the dish. After combining the cheese, sour cream, and heavy cream, I drained the broccoli and added it to the casserole. I stirred it up and mixed another 1/2 cup of cheese in. Then I sprinkled the rest of the cheese on top. Last, I evenly covered the top with the cornbread stuffing. Then I placed the dish into the oven, uncovered, for about 35 minutes.


Next, the Zellwood sweet cream corn.

I got my corn from a roadside produce stand in Mount Dora, the town next to Zellwood. For anyone who doesn't know, Zellwood is a small town in Orange County, Florida that is famous for their sweet corn. In fact, every year they have a big festival: the Zellwood Sweet Corn Festival. Their corn is really and truly the sweetest I have ever tasted. And this dish tastes like it has sugar in it, even though I have not added a single grain of sugar.

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon flour
6 ears of sweet corn (if sweet corn isn't in season, you can use 1 1/2 cups of frozen corn)
1 cup of heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Husk the corn. Add to a pot of boiling water and cook for 10-15 minutes. When done cooking, let corn cool. Then take a sharp knife and slice the corn off the cob.

In a small pot, melt the butter on low heat. Then add the flour and stir until smooth. Raise the heat to medium-low. Add the heavy cream, salt, and pepper. Stir until all ingredients in the pot have been combined. Then add the corn. Cook, stirring continuously, until you have reached the desired temperature for serving (no more than 10 minutes). Serve immediately.

French Provincial: Aged Page Frame

Today I made something that I have done variations of before. A couple years ago, I went to a local used book shop. I found a very old book that was printed in French. I tore out and used the old pages (as an avid book lover, it pained me to do this at first!) to cover various wooden objects, such as key hooks, picture frames, and decorative wall hangings. Today I used the pages from that same book to make a charming little picture frame.



Supplies needed:
A small wooden picture frame (which can be purchased inexpensively at a craft store)
Elmer's Glue
Mod Podge
A sponge or sponge brush
An old book with yellowed pages (French, or language of your choice)



First, I began tearing the pages of the book into strips and smaller pieces. Tearing should be easy because the pages are so old. The way you do this is really up to you. You can do the entire thing in small pieces, but it will take longer.

Tip: Cover your work surface with a plastic shopping bag for easy clean up.

Then, I put glue all over the area of the frame that I was working on. Once the glue was on, I placed the pieces of paper onto the frame, pressing to make sure they were secure. On the squared edges, I would simply fold and crease the paper. I continued to glue on pieces until the entire frame was covered. This is the most time consuming part of this project.








Tip: If using larger strips of paper, also tear up small pieces and set aside. When you are all finished with the gluing of paper, paste these little bits randomly on the front. It gives the frame a more eye-catching look.




Last, I took a sponge brush and applied Mod Podge onto the entire frame. I then let this dry. This seals the frame, and also gives it more texture. If you later notice any paper that needs glue, feel free to apply it. Remember to rinse all sponges immediately after using, or the Mod Podge or glue will dry!



This frame is unique and attractive. The aged pages are a warm cream color, and the French writing in the book is beautiful. This is a great gift, especially if you go beyond this and make a set of frames in various sizes. Because I already had the book, glue, and Mod Podge, this project cost me under $2.50. With the Mod Podge and book, it would cost around $10. But you could then use the Mod Podge and book for other, similar projects. It took approximately 30 minutes to complete this project.

Enjoy!

Unemployed

Recently, I was visiting the mountains of North Carolina with my best friend. First we went to visit my aunt, cousins, and second cousins. Then we went to stay with my best friend's grandparents for a couple days. The day after we arrived in the rural mountains of North Carolina, we went to an indoor market mall with my best friend's grandma. Inside, we came across countless rows and shelves of handmade goods.

There were so many things that I came across that I thought, "I think I could make this."


I am an unemployed Florida certified teacher. It is a hard time for teachers to get jobs right now. A very, very hard time. I am in graduate school getting my master of arts in teaching, hoping to boost my chances of getting hired. But being unemployed, I have quite a bit of free time. I want to put that time to good use.

So I have decided to take a little bit of the money I make from my part time tutoring to start buying supplies and making things from scratch. I don't plan on showing the blog to anyone right now... it'll just be for me to record the things I make and how I make them. I plan to paint, sketch, photograph, cook, bake, and create.

So here is my journey... from window shopping in the mountains of North Carolina to (hopefully!) becoming a from scratch extraordinaire!