Lemon Button Cookies

These fun cookies are cute as a button {obviously} and they have a subtle lemon flavor that was a hit with just about everyone!  They would be the perfect addition to a Pink Lemonade Party or Mad Hatter Tea Party.  I need to go make more...

The goods:

1/2 cup icing sugar {powdered sugar}

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup margarine

1 egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 1/2 cups flour

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp baking powder

1 Tbsp lemon juice {fresh squeezed if possible}

1/2 cup icing sugar {powdered sugar}

Preheat the oven to 350°.

Combine and mix the first 9 ingredients until a soft dough is formed.

Roll into 1 inch balls and place on a greased baking sheet.

Press down the center of each ball with your thumb.  Then create four little holes in middle {I used the small end of a chopstick}.

Bake at 350° for 10 - 15 minutes.

Toss the warm cookies in the remaining icing sugar.

Drool worthy.  Definitely.

This would be a great cookie for all sorts of summer gatherings too.  It's a combo of shortbread and sugar cookie with a hint of lemon.

Enjoy!

Little Boy Bike Bag ~ a tutorial

My kids like to accessorize.  What can I say.

I like to create things for them to accessorize with!

Total bonus that this one is actually useful.

Welcome to the Little Boy Bike Bag tutorial!

Most of the inspiration for this project came from this fun fabric that I found at our local fabric store.  Awesome right!?  And maybe the fact that our boys are biking circles around everyone and having a great time doing it!  

So I decided to create a bag that they can carry all of their valuables in {stuffies, cars, rocks, sticks.. you know, the important stuff!} and ride around with.  The bag has a reinforced shoulder strap with an elastic car carrier, a drawstring top, camouflaged pockets and is completely lined and reversible.  

Wanna make one?  Here's what you've got to do...

You will need fabric in the following dimensions:

Patterned fabric ~ 16 inches by 20 inches

Fabric for lining ~ 16 inches by 20 inches

Patterned circle ~ 7 inches in diameter

Lining circle ~ 7 inches in diameter

Strap ~ 20 inches by 7 inches

Car carrier ~ 40 inches by 2 1/2 inches

Other tools and supplies:

1 inch elastic ~ 18 inches

Twill {for drawstring} ~ 22 inches

Quick turn kit

Pins

Safety pin

Coordinating thread

Cute kids to create fun things for

Use a 1/4 inch seam allowance throughout.

Step 1.  Fold the strap piece in half lengthwise and sew together at the top and sides {leaving the bottom open.}  Fold the car carrier piece in half lengthwise and sew the sides together.  Use the quick turn kit to invert the pieces so that right sides are facing out.

Step 2.  Iron both pieces flat.

Step 3.  Top stitch the sides and finished end of the strap.

Step 4.  Pin the finished end of the strap to the bag front, about 3 inches from the top.  Here you can see I have already sewn on "hidden" pockets {to match the fabric pattern}.  No tute for that part I'm afraid.

Step 5.  Sew the strap to the bag front.  Reinforce with a box or "x" stitch.

Step 6.  Fold the bag front in half lengthwise and sew the side together, creating a tube of fabric.

Step 7.  Pull the strap through, on the inside of the tube of fabric, and pin it to the bottom.  Cut small slits {about 1/4 inch} all the way around the bottom of the tube.

Step 8.  Pin the patterned circle to the bottom of the tube, right sides facing.

Step 9. Sew the tube to the circle.

Step 10.  Create a small hole at the top of the tube {about 1/2 inch from the top} for the drawstring to go through.  To do this I stitched a small rectangle around my seam then ripped out the small section of original seam in the rectangle.

Step 11.  Create a lining using steps 6 - 9 {minus the strap part}.  Invert the lining so that the right side is facing out.

Step 12.  Place the lining inside the bag front so that right sides are facing.  Sew around the top, leaving a 2 inch hole for inverting.

Step 13.  Invert the bag and tuck the lining into the bag front.

Step 14.  Iron the whole thing, especially the top of the bag.  Fold unfinished edges {the 2 inch hole} inwards and iron.

Step 15.  Top stitch around the top of the bag.  Stitch a line around the top of the bag, 1/2 inch down from the top stitch, to create a pocket for the drawstring.

Step 16.  Using a safety pin, insert the twill into the pocket. 

Step 17.  Knot the ends of the string.  You can stop here or continue to create a car carrier.

Step 18.  Insert the elastic into the car carrier tube of fabric.  The easiest way to do this is to attach the safety pin to the end of the elastic.  Put the safety pin into the end of the quick turn tube and push it through the car carrier piece.

Step 19.  Continue to do this until all of the fabric is bunched onto the elastic.

Step 20.  Pin the ends of the elastic to the ends of the tube of fabric and spread the fabric evenly along the elastic.

Step 21.  Pin the elastic car carrier to the strap and sew on {tuck the ends under themselves}.  I measured and sewed at 1 1/2 inch intervals to allow room for Hot Wheels cars.

All done!

A super cute, fun, Little Boy Bike Bag.

With secret pockets.

A car carrying strap.

And drawstring top.

Sure to be a hit with the little boy in your life!

Thanks for swinging by.

Linking to some of these fab parties.

Keeping It Real ~ Isaiah

I want to introduce you to Isaiah.  I often talk about my children as a group, a pair, a set even.  They are truly unique little individuals and sometimes it is just the coincidence of birth that identifies them as brothers and twins.  Last week I talked about Cameron.  Today is all about Isaiah.

Isaiah is:

kind

friendly

outgoing

adventurous

second born

Mommy's helper

tempermental

fearless

Daddy's snuggle buddy

curious

wiry

a daredevil

stubborn

Isaiah has:

gorgeous almond shaped eyes

thick brown hair

shark teeth

brown eyes

chubby little toes

Isaiah loves:

monkey

animals

meat

sticks

plain hamburgers

the colors white, black and brown

Spiderman

Batman

Lord, I love this precious little angel that you have sent to us.  With every fiber and morsel of my being.  

"I'll love you forever,

I'll like you for always.

As long as I'm living,

my baby you'll be."

Robert Munsch 

Shirred Summer Dress Tutorial

 Hey peeps!

I am really excited to share this Shirred Summer Dress tutorial with you.  

It is truly the easiest dress to make!  

My Mom and I created over twenty of these ~ check out more variations here.  
And for my original post on UCreate go here.

   This is my adorable niece, B.She's wearing a size 4 {I have instructions for a size 4 and a size 6 dress}.

Ready to sew?
 

1.  Choose your fabric. 

Lightweight cotton blends work best.  You will need about 1/2 yard to 1 yard depending on the size of dress you are making.  Be sure to wash and dry your fabric ahead of time to pre-shrink it. 

For a size 4 {21 inch circumference at the chest}, use the following measurements:

Main fabric ~ 31 inches x 17 inches

Accent fabric ~ 31 inches x 5 inches

Ties/straps {cut four pieces} ~ 8 inches x 2 1/2 inches

For a size 6 {23 inch circumference at the chest}, use the following measurements:

Main fabric ~ 33 inches x 22 inches

Accent fabric ~ 33 inches x 6 inches

Ties {cut four pieces} ~ 8 inches x 2 1/2 inches 

For other sizes, measure the child's circumference at the chest and add 10 inches.  Then create it as long as you want.

 

2. Cut the fabric to size. 

At this point you may want to serge all of the edges of the fabric.  You can also double fold and sew the fabric or use a zig zag stitch on the edges to prevent them from fraying.

 
3.  Place the main fabric and accent fabric right sides together.   Pin.  
4.  Sew the two pieces together using a 1/4" seam allowance.
  

5.  Fold and iron the top of the main fabric using a 1/4" fold.  Pin.  Sew into place.  Fold and iron the bottom of the accent piece of fabric using a 1/2" fold.  Pin.  Sew into place. 

6.  Line up the raw edges of the fabric, right sides facing.  Pin into place.  Be sure to line up the seam where your main and accent fabric meets. 

 
7.  Sew together using a 1/4" seam allowance.  I alternate between using a zig zag stitch and folding my material to prevent it from fraying.  No need for a serger!  

8.  Turn the material right sides out.  Now you have a tube of fabric.  For an even easier version, cut a longer piece of fabric, skip adding the accent piece and simply sew together a tube of fabric.

9.   Now the fun part.  Shirring!  Begin by hand winding elastic thread around a bobbin.  I found elastic thread in the notions section of our local fabric store.  Using a machine to wind the bobbin will cause the elastic thread to be stretched too tightly and it will just rebound out of the bobbin.  Place the bobbin into the sewing machine as usual and thread the all purpose thread through the top of the sewing machine as usual.
  
10.  Begin sewing at the seam of the tube and a little over 1/4" from the top of the tube.  Sew all the way around the tube of fabric in a straight line.  Use a regular straight stitch.  Sew from the right side of the fabric so that the elastic thread is on the wrong side of the fabric  
11.  Repeat these rows of shirring, about 1/2" apart, 8 to 10 times depending on how long you want the bodice to be. 

    

12.  When the shirring is complete hit it with some steam from an iron.  This causes the elastic thread to shrink.  
 
13.  Now you will need four pieces of coordinating fabric to create shoulder ties.  Having the dress tie at the top makes it super adjustable!
  
14.  Right sides facing, sew the fabric together lengthwise using a 1/4" seam allowance.  Sew one end of each strap closed as well.   Use a Quick Turn kit to quickly invert each strap so that right sides are out.  
15.  Iron the straps flat.

16.  Pin the straps into place {about 4" apart}.      

17.  Sew the straps to the top of the dress.

Ta da!

Easy right?!

Would you let me know if you make one?  

I would love to see it!!

Thanks for visiting!

 I'm linking to these fab parties.