Alphabet book Brooke Style

My daughter is 4 and learning to write her letters.  She is kind of struggling a little bit so I had this brilliant idea (I thought so anyway) way back in June and finished it August.  It didn't take me that long literally, I just have been busy. 

Supplies Needed
variety of cardstock 8.5 X 11 cut in half hamburger style
writing paper with the lines and dots on it
glue stick
stickers
laminator or get it laminated
book rings
dry erase or vis a vis wet marker

Okay.  First, I decided on what colors I wanted to use.  I chose a variety of pinks, purples, greens, yellows, and a cream color.  Not very gender neutral but the boy will use it too if it makes it that long.  I cut them in half hamburger style. 

Once I got that done, I cut out of the writing paper rectangles to fit on the bottom of the paper.  I think mine were about 3X4 ish.  I made it so there were 3 lines on it.  I glued it to the bottom half of the paper.  Then with a sharpie I wrote all the alphabet, one letter on each card.  First in solid lines on the first row, on the second row with dots, the third row nothing.  I did that for each letter, each number 0-9, her name, brother's name, and mom and dad's  name.  Once I got that done, you can add your stickers as you like.  Initially, I was going to cut all the letters out of felt and sew them on so that she could have something to trace but I started doing that with the letter A and it was very difficult so I stopped.  Then I took them somewhere to get them laminated.  Once they were laminated, I punched a hole in the corner of each one and put a book ring through them. 

My daughter loves them, she is not to the point where she can do the third line yet.  It makes her feel good that she can write the letters.  She still needs lots of work.  On the top of the paper she can draw things that start with the letter for example and apple for A.  My daughter just mostly draws smiley faces because that is what she can draw.  It is a really good educational things yet they don't even know.  The book ring allows for taking cards in and out if the card gets overused.  When you write on the letters you can wipe them off with a paper towel dry or wet.

Repurposed One Shirt into a New Shirt

Here is the story:

I got a shirt at Kohl's and when I got it, I thought it was cute.  It was $4.  Not bad.  Well, I got it home and tried it on and it reminded me more of nighttime attire.  So I had an idea.   Make a new shirt.  I cut all of the embroidery off the shirt and left the remaining for another project which I haven't quite finished.  Anyway, I went and bought my favorite colored tshirt and laid out the embroider appliques onto the neckline area of the shirt.  I hand sewed them on.  It still needed a little something so I got some ribbon the 1/8 inch type and weaved and twisted and knotted my way through the appliques and across the top of the neckline.  After doing this I decided that next time the ribbon needed to be wider.  You live you learn right?  After I hand sewed the ribbon on I went over it with my sewing machine because it would be sad if all the ribbon came off in the washer.  I then had the idea of adding pearls and beads to the shirt to but decided I liked it this way.  I love how it turned out and when I wear, I get asked a lot where I got my shirt.  That just makes any girl feel good. Right?

This was a little time consuming but I like it and it is unique.  Try one for yourself today!

I need some help with the pictures obviously.  I am still learning

Runner Rug?

I got this idea from Jen @ Tatertots and Jello.  I used placemats, they were what I could find that was the color I wanted and the price.  I ended up paying $2 a placemat, I think.  I used 4 placemats and put brown woven ribbon on one side and a limey green ribbon on the other side.  It was kind of creative sewing and don't look really close.  It was hard to get right to the edges of the ribbon on both sides but I did my best.  I am all about reversible things so this works great.  It is going in my craft/sewing room.  When I get done with it I will reveal the whole thing.  It is going to be nothing fancy, but is taking awhile to gather all of the things I want.

Berries are on!

This was actually a few weeks ago but the berries were on and I made jam.  It is so delicious and very easy to make.

Here's the recipe:

5 cups mashed berries
1/2 cup corn syrup
3 Tbl clearjel
2 cups sugar

I mix the sugar and the clearjel together and kind of sift it to make sure there are no lumps.  Then I add everything else.  We love strawberry, raspberry, raspberry with huckleberries in, and blackberry.  That is all I have tried.  Happy jam making to you.

beach towel bag

I know, beach towel bags again?  This is actually an easy project but hard to explain.  I will do my best. 

Supplies needed
1 beach towel of your choosing
1 regular towel in coordinating color or not cut in half length wise
1 yard of rope

First lay your regular towel out and fold in half hot dog style.  Cut down your fold.  I would suggest serging or zig zagging this side to control the fray before you do anything else.  

Next you are going to fold over the ends of your regular towel that you just cut in half.  Fold over about 2-3 inches.  You will be putting rope through this so make it big enough that it will hold it but be fairly easy.  When you get that done, pin your regular towel onto 1/4 of your beach towel with the part that you will put your rope through above the towel.  Sew the towel on and then fold up the rest of your towel and sew it on.  I put my towel on the white side of the beach towel.  When all sewed up,  fold up beach towel and flip into bag and tada you have a beach towel bag.  You can stuff your flip flops and and extra clothes, sunscreen, a book, whatever it is all there. 

Have fun at the lake with your new towel.