Spring Snow

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You can vote for your favorite "greenery" inspired design HERE at Project Run and Play.

The challenge for Project Run and Play this week is "greenery" which is Pantone's color of the year. It is symbolic of spring, rejuvenation, and reconnecting with nature.

We are in the middle of a potentially record-breaking blizzard in PA today.

I was having a hard time connecting with the theme and figuring out how to take some pictures of the outfits, especially with the smaller snowstorm we got on Friday while I was freezing and sewing my little heart out in the sunroom. Then, I realized that the weather perfectly mirrored what I was trying to create. Like the bright blue skies and bits of green grass and daffodils peeking up out of the cold snow to bring new life, I aimed to create something beautiful out of things that were unwanted.

daffodils in the snow

project run and play week 2 outfits

When I looked at Pantone's website to learn more about the color "greenery" I immediately pictured a piece of vintage fabric that I had stored in a box in my shed. It came from someone's attic and had been sewed and used for something else a long time ago. I pictured a full, vintage style skirt with a crisp, white, sleeveless swiss dot blouse.

Vintage style girls outfit

vintage style girls outfit

The skirt is so full!!! The fabric is heavier than quilting cotton, so it holds it shape very well. I added lining and a built in petticoat layer, so this skirt has 552 inches of gathering!!! I used some vintage bias tape as flat piping under the waistband, too.

flat piping made from bias tape

The shirt was a bigger challenge for me. I drafted my own pattern and used some more of that vintage single-fold bias tape around the arms and neckline. The fabric is somewhat sheer, so it adds a hint of color to the edges. I hand stitched the button holes since my sewing machine started snapping needles again. The buttons are from Joann and I was excited because they matched perfectly!

swiss dot sleeveless blouse

To take it a step further, I created a matching doll outfit from the scraps. I made my own patterns for these, too. It is lined, so I just used aqua topstitching around the edges.

matching vintage doll outfit

For the second outfit, I used two old t-shirts to create a new shirt in the same color scheme. I have never made a knit neckband before, so I was really happy with how that turned out. It has sheer, vintage lace under the arms.

lace inset sides

(Yes, I know she has goosebumps. Poor girl! We took most of the pictures in our greenhouse so that it would be a little warmer.)

The beautiful lace eyelet skirt used to be part of a dress I found at the thrift store. I added some quilting cotton scraps to make a waistband that is elastic in the back. I know white is dangerous, but I figure there is always bleach. Something gross and awful happened to it after this photo shoot, so I will probably be testing that out soon. #keepitreal

I whipped up a few headbands to match from more lace and t shirt scraps.

greenery project run and play week 2 outfits

Oh, and the bright blue playhouse is an upcycle project, too. It used to be a chicken pen with weathered wood and a leaky roof! Sometimes, all it takes it a little bit of hard work to bring new life to something that was unwanted. So, even though things may be looking like a winter mess where I live today,  I know that it is going to be OK: spring and all of the beauty that comes with it will be here soon.

Cute vintage style girls clothes made from repurposed materials- there is even a matching doll set!

You can vote for your favorite "greenery" inspired design HERE at Project Run and Play.

Thank you to everyone who voted for me last week! I am so excited to stay in the competition!!! Thank you again to the friends and family, even those with terrible fashion sense, who help me figure things out and give me honest opinions. Thank you to my Aunt Karen who forgot to vote, but gave me one of shirts I used. Thank you to Vicki for saving that wonderful, old fabric for me. Thank you to my friends and family who help me with my vision. Thank you to my husband for finishing the greenhouse before the snow came and being my photography assistant. As you can see by the picture below, one of my models was not as cooperative this week.

Adorable vintage style girls outfits made from upcycled materials

Notre Dame Dreams

I am so excited to be a part of Project Run and Play! You can vote HERE. When we found out the themes for this season, I knew the first challenge would be the hardest for me. We don't travel, so I don't even think about places I would like to visit one day. My Plan A was something safe and simple, but I knew that I wasn't really pushing my sewing skills or my creativity. Eventually, I changed my mind and started over. I stepped totally out of my comfort zone and tried something original, knowing that no matter the outcome of the competition, I put forth my best effort.

The challenge said, "Show us where you would like to travel to, with this destination-inspired outfit for your child." Since I was finally being honest with myself, the first thing that had popped into my mind when I thought about travel, if I allow myself to dream, is that I would love to visit Europe to see the beautiful architecture. My brother has been travelling recently and I am a little jealous of his tourist photos. I studied cathedrals for an art history paper in college and I especially love the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris.

The daughter I chose to model loves to dress up, so there is nothing too fancy for her. She wears a fabulous outfit and coordinating headband nearly every day. Trust me. There are a lot of arguments over fashion in our house.

I started by making a circle skirt inspired by the rose window of the Notre Dame cathedral. After cutting my skirt piece, I designed a template and then stitched 60 pieces onto the fabric. I wanted a raw edge applique and I didn't want to make the skirt too stiff by using an iron-on adhesive. I tried quilt basting spray and glue stick, but resorted to just holding the pieces down with straight pins because the worked the best. It took FOR.EV.ER. I also made a lining with a gathered tulle layer at the hem. It reminds me of the light radiating from the windows.

For the bodice of the dress, I wanted to mimic some of the architectural details. I added piping to the front inspired by the arc of the flying buttresses that support the cathedral walls.

In the back, I made a Gothic, pointed arch cut-out and added soft, ruffle elastic, criss-crossing straps inside that mirror the beams in the vaulted ceilings. It closes with coordinating gray buttons, and I even hand-stitched the buttonholes because the fabric was thick and I had broken almost all of my needles earlier.

Since the applique took so long, I missed the warm spell we had a few weeks ago and it was again freezing outside when it was time to take pictures. To try to keep my little girl warm, I made a reversible cape out of a gray velour remnant and some metallic finish blue lace.

Finally, because she loves to have matching headbands, I made a blue satin flower to coordinate with the dress. Originally I was going to make something much more elaborate, but I thought there was enough going on with the dress already, so simple was best.

My daughter loves the outfit and she was such a trooper taking these pictures on such a cold day!

A big thank you goes out to Rita for letting us take pictures with your gargoyles and stone wall! Thank you to Bruce for letting me use your tourist pictures. Thank you to all of the friends and family who let me bounce ideas off of them and ramble on about sewing things that they don't understand. The past few weeks were especially stressful and busy, so I felt like I was scrambling to finish, but I have a lot of support and it really means a lot to me. 

You can vote for your favorite design over at Project Run and Play.

Scrappy Square Boys Quilts

This is all very unusual for me. First of all, I actually finished not just one, but two quilts!

Second, they are made for boys!

I bet you didn't think I even owned boy fabrics. Well, that just goes to show how old these quilt squares are. Some of them were cut over 10 years ago. These are almost my oldest unfinished quilts, but sadly, not quite.

I used to make a lot of pillows from character fabrics - Toy Story, Jurassic Park, The Lion King, Rugrats, Clifford, and Bob the Builder, etc. - and these are some of the scraps. The ends are even borders from some Clifford pillow panels.

I remember one time when my son was little, he helped me to put some of these squares together. I let him arrange them and I sewed them together. I am pretty sure he is too cool for that now. So, these quilts are nearly the last of my little boy fabrics. Also, my little boy isn't little. sniff sniff

I backed them with fleece instead of using batting, so I hope they hold up OK.

On the smaller one, I did a little more practice with free motion quilting. I have a long way to go, but it is getting better.

On the larger one, I did wavy line quilting, which is the easiest way for me to machine quilt.

I machine stitched the binding because of the fleece backing. That was the hardest part. I would rather sew it by hand. Hesitation to do the binding accounts for several months of the procrastination to finish these. I plan on donating the larger one to Project Linus or the local NICU, but I haven't figured out what to do with the small one just yet. I am just glad that they are finished and I hope that they will go on to bless someone else's little boy.

Cheeseburger Soup

A few years ago a friend and I traveled to Lancaster for a quilt show. It was such a blessing for me to be able to get away for a few days! It is the only time I have been able to do something like that and, as much as I missed my kids, I really enjoyed the break from being needed all the time. We stopped at a little Amish diner for lunch when we arrived. I was so excited to be able to sit down and eat a still-warm meal without feeding anyone else, playing referee, or having to go wipe that kid who ALWAYS has to go in the middle of supper. Feeling wild and adventurous by this newfound freedom, I tried something new and ordered cheeseburger soup with my sandwich. It was awesome!!! So, cheeseburger soup always brings fond memories of a good friend and a relaxing time. When I came home, I wanted to try to make my own cheeseburger soup, so I found a recipe in my Amish cookbook that we liked.

Flash forward a few years to a local Christian school's 5K and soup/chili cook-off. I sampled the winning soup- cheeseburger soup! - and she confessed to using frozen hash brown cubes to cut down on the prep time. Now, when we are out of our home grown potatoes and I need to buy them at the store anyway, that is what I get.

And, to cancel out that time saving step, I love to make homemade bread bowls to serve it in! YUM!!!

So good! Cheeseburger soup in a bread bowl

Amish Cheeseburger Soup Recipe

I have made a few changes to the soup over the years, and it can be a little different each time I make it because that is how I cook. Last time, I measured and took pictures so that I could share the recipe here on the blog.

Easy and delicious- cheeseburger soup!

I took some process photos, but my kitchen lighting is pretty awful. If anyone wants to give me the money to completely renovate it and add more windows that would be great! I will even make you some soup! ;)

Also, the pictures show a double batch because I wanted to share some and have leftovers. The measurements I am giving are for a regular batch that will make about 4 quarts of soup.

First, brown 1lb of ground beef in a pot. Drain the grease and put the beef on a plate or in a bowl or something to save it for later. No picture here, because I forgot.

Second, saute one chopped onion, 4 large shredded carrots, 3 stalks finely diced celery, and a Tablespoon of dried parsley in 2 Tablespoons of butter. (The food processor is a big time saver for this step!)

Saute vegetables for cheeseburger soup.

When the vegetables are tender- it usually takes about 10 minutes, add the ground beef and stir.

ground beef and vegetables

Add 6 cups of chicken broth, a teaspoon of salt, and a dash of ground black pepper. Bring to a boil. Then, mix in a 32oz. bag of cubed, frozen hash brown potatoes. (Shredded would work as well, but I like the variety of texture since the carrots are shredded.)

how to make cheeseburger soup

Simmer until the potatoes are tender- about 10-15 minutes.

In a separate, 2 quart pot, melt 2 Tablespoons of butter and whisk in 1/2 cup of flour. When combined, slowly add 3 cups of milk and heat until it begins to thicken. Add it to the soup and stir everything up really well.

how to make easy cheeseburger soup

Finally, add your cheese! Sometimes I use 4 cups of shredded cheddar, and sometimes I live dangerously and add half Velveeta. It is up to you, since I know that Velveeta is offensive to some, even if it is really creamy. If you like, you can also add some sour cream, but I almost always forget.

Cheeseburger soup served in a warm bread bowl- a perfect winter comfort food!

Cheeseburger Soup

• 1 lb. ground beef

• 1 large onion, chopped

• 4 large carrots, peeled and shredded

• 3 stalks of celery, finely diced

• 1 Tbsp. dried parsley

• 1 stick of butter, divided

• 6 cups chicken broth

• 1 tsp. salt

• dash of ground black pepper

• 1 32oz. bag diced, frozen hash brown potatoes

• 1/2 cup flour

• 3 cups milk

• 4 cups shredded cheddar cheese/Velveeta

• sour cream, optional

Brown ground beef over medium heat. Drain and remove from pot. Saute onion, carrots, and celery in 2 Tbsp. butter over medium-low heat until softened- about 10 minutes. Return ground beef to the pot and add 6 cups of chicken broth, 1 tsp salt, and a dash of ground pepper. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Stir in frozen hash browns. Simmer over medium-low heat for 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender, stirring occasionally. In a separate saucepan, melt remaining butter. Mix in flour and gradually add milk. Heat over medium heat until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly. Stir into the soup. Add cheese and heat on low to melt. May also add sour cream just before serving.

Cheeseburger soup in homemade bread bowls

Feel free to pin it for later!

Easy and delicious- cheeseburger soup!

Here are some more recipes you might like...

Sweet & Hot Mustard Recipe- Everyone loves this stuff and it is so easy to make!

Felt Penguin Dress-Up Busy Bag

A few weeks ago I was talking to my sister about how to keep the kids occupied when you are trying to get something accomplished that requires a little more concentration and brain power- like taxes. One thing that I like to do is to keep certain toys and activities out of reach so that they have that novelty factor when I do pull them out. It can be puzzles, play-doh, or a box of toys with tiny pieces that I do not like cleaning up. Sometimes I also look for busy bag ideas on Pinterest. I found a cute felt penguin idea HERE so I decided to make my own. Of course, I over-achieved a little bit and made the accessories more detailed. All it took was some felt scraps, hot glue, and a few googly eyes.

It is fun to mix and match, but it can also be used for color sorting.

Everything fit inside a regular sandwich bag, so I just keep it in a drawer to pull out on special occasions when I need a few minutes.

If you want to pin this one to save it for later...

If you are super ambitious, I have lots of quiet books I have made that you can see HERE.

If you are looking for some easier ideas, try these...

Upcycled Sweater Heart Hand Warmers Tutorial

Sometimes I get these overly ambitious ideas and that is as far as they go. Just big ideas.Sometimes, a year or so later, I actually act on them. And, more often than not, it was a lot easier than I anticipated.

This particular big idea: I wanted to make hand warmers from sweater scraps. I made some sweater pillows (some are still not finished, so I will blog about them eventually) and I have a pile of sleeves laying around. Originally, I was going to make hand warmers for my kids' classmates for Valentine's Day, but I really don't have that much ambition. I realized that they are best in pairs, so I would have to make 80+ hearts. No, thank you! Instead, I gave them out as little thank you gifts for some friends and family.

They are soft and lavender scented and pretty. Just microwave them for about 30 seconds and tuck them in your pocket. They make a really pretty little favor or thank you gift. I just tied mine with baker's twine and made little tags to go with  them.

I took some pictures to show you how to make them, and I even did it two different ways to make it even more beginner-friendly!

Start with your fabric- I used scraps from a sweater sleeve.

Make a template- mine are about 3" across. I used an old receipt from the grocery store. Place the sweater scraps right side out and pin the template to them. You want to leave some extra fabric all around the template so that there is wiggle room if/when it shifts.

Start on the straight side of one heart just before it starts to curve. Backstitch, then sew all around the template, leaving a small opening on the straight side. I used a receipt because if I caught the edge of the paper it didn't matter- it tears away easily.

Take our your pins and remove the template.

Fill the hand warmer with rice. (A funnel is really helpful!) I mixed mine with some lavender essential oil.

Sew the opening closed. It is a straight line, so it is pretty easy!

Use pinking shears to trim all the way around the heart.

Easy, right?

But there is another way to do it that I found to be even easier...

Draw a template on a piece of tissue paper.

Pin the template to your sweater pieces- I just folded the bottom of the sleeve in half, keeping the right sides out.

Now, here is the even easier step... sew right on top of the tissue paper, following the lines you drew on the template. Again, start on the straight side right before the heart starts to curve and leave an opening at the end, stopping a half inch or so after the point at the bottom of the heart.

See? The tissue paper just tears right off!

Now, the only downside that I found was that the pencil from the template made my threads darker. So, if this bothers you, don't say that I didn't warn you. I put it in bold AND italics. Maybe a Frixion pen would work and iron out? If you try it, let me know! I can't find mine.

If you want to pin it for later…

Here are some more ideas you might like…

Anniversary Guest Book Quilt

Valentine's Day Home Decor

Women's Dress to Girls Maxi Skirt

Baby Clothes Memory Bear

LOVE sign

I painted a sign last fall, but I didn't like it. Not everything that I make is beautiful and blog-worthy. Some things are kind of a flop, but I am usually stubborn enough to keep on trying. (There is your crafting tip for the day: Be stubborn sometimes.) So, because I felt like it, I painted over the whole thing in red and made a giant LOVE sign for Valentine's Day. It was actually really easy- simple, white block letters and lots of sanding to distress. I didn't worry about perfect lettering because the entire thing was meant to be rustic. All of those layers of paint underneath from the sign I didn't like show through from sanding and just add to the character.

I am not really big into Valentine's Day decorations, but the bright pop of red really stands out and adds a little something cheerful to all of the drear of winter. And the sign I didn't like has been turned into something that I LOVE. (cheesy pun intended)

You can see more Valentine's Day ideas here:

Valentines Home Decor

Sweater Heart Hand Warmers

Valentine Stuff

Guest Book Quilt