Easter Hostess Gift Part III

OK, is it just me or did Easter pop up on you too? We were sewing fast and furious Green, Green, Green for St. Pat's and before you knew it --- Blues, Lavenders and Bunnies! We just made and sold several of these garlands. While it may be a bit late for sending more of these out....I thought I could share it anyway. Better late than never - I always say!

Again, a nice little hostess gift. It's adorable, not over the top and affordable too (just $25). The garland is about 6 ft long and is done on a baby blue felt with lavender, green, white and purple fabric applique. It's very bright and happy, just like spring!

Happy Easter to you!

Easter Hostess Gift Part II

Well, I did make my sister Easter Table Decorations but when I started sewing Bunnies, I realized that my sister LOVES PEEPS! Then I thought, I'll make peeps. I plan to give her these yellow felt peeps atop a box of real yellow peeps wrapped up with a yellow polka dot ribbon. I think she'll get a kick out of that.

Sometimes, the best ideas are the simplest. I think this may be one of my best ideas today.

Easter Hostess Gift

Of all the gifts we give, Hostess Gifts are my favorite. I know that I talk a lot about them, but to be honest when someone invites you into their home for a meal or just for a cup of coffee, it's special. I think it's a true skill to be a good host and to enjoy your company. When someone goes to the trouble of having me and my family over, I like to acknowledge that with a gift!

To me it's always kind of a challenge to find just the right thing to bring someone. Today, is Palm Sunday and I'll be working on some Welcome Spring Garlands. Later today, I'll have dinner at my sisters house and plan to bring her some Bunny Table Decorations. She always cooks Easter Dinner for my entire family. I'm not usually with my family on Easter but with my In-Laws instead. I know that this is the perfect gift for my sister, she happily hosts Easter every year and this year is special because she has a new granddaughter. That's one more bunny for her table!

Be it Bunny Table Decorations, a beautiful tulip plant, a great bottle of wine or just your sincere gratitude be sure to bring your host a gift! It will be appreciated and best of all - you might just get invited back!

Great Gift Tags

I just made two gift tags for my kids. This may be my new favorite thing!!!

Just go to wordle.net and create these funky word art combination's. Great Stuff. I found that you need to put the name of the person or the word you want most prominent several times. You can play around with styles. But, make sure you save your words - because when you go back to the "create" page to change them they aren't there. It's one of those great finds that you have to SHARE!

The possibilities are endless. This could make a wonderful gift, print it out on nice paper and frame them. Make a truly personal gift tag. Attach it to a bottle of wine! Scrapbookers' will love this site!

So have some fun and Wordle! Let us know how you use yours.

Best,
Nancy

Simple gifts for Easter Morning

As spring arrives, so does Easter. Everyone has Easter Basket Traditions; our are a mixed bag between my husband and myself. Usually, the kids always look for the eggs hidden by the Easter Bunny first thing and then they tear into the Baskets.

However, last year the kids woke up to a crazy Easter Basket treasure hunt. The Easter Bunny took yarn and weaved his way from their beds to their baskets. Each of them followed the color yarn that was attached to their bed. It was quite funny to see the kids follow the yarn to their baskets! Up and over, under and thru just about every piece of furniture and doorway we have. Finally, their baskets were attached on the other end. One was in a kitchen cabinet and the other behind the basement door. It's one Easter Morning they won't forget! Of course, when they got to the baskets - it's pure sugar and chocolate for breakfast .

Our gift was listening to the giggles and watching them smile along the way!

Happy Spring,
Nancy

Special Gifts

Another simple gift idea in honor of National Craft Month. This simple cardboard hatbox has been transformed into a truly special gift. My daughter received this gift from my Mom. It is a collection of pictures of my daughter from the time she was a baby with all the members of my family. It's a gift that my daughter holds dear and still uses to keep her most treasured items. It's simply one of the best gifts my girl has ever received!

And so simple, here's how it's done:
You'll need a cardboard hat box. Usually you can find these in any craft store, we have an AC Moore and a Michaels near us and both have them. A jar of Decoupage, copies of your favorite pictures and some themed scrap booking paper. Keep in mind that you can use newspaper articles or magazine clippings too. You can virtually decoupage anything! Even fabric works!

Simply lay out your design of pictures and words and decoupage. Apply decoupage to the back of each item to paste it on, then decoupage the outside once everything is set. Also, decoupage comes in matte or glossy. A few coats of glossy on top can really give it a finished look. Of course, it will take a day or two to dry.... but wa-la - best gift ever!!!!

Make this special gift for someone special...Mothers day is just around the corner! What Mom or Grandma wouldn't love one of these to keep her special memories in?


Keep Crafting....we'll keep bloggin'! We love gifts; making them, giving them and sharing them!

Best,
Nancy

Simple St. Patricks Day Celebration

Well, St. Patrick's Day is upon us! We have been working hard to meet the demand of sewing Shamrock gift items for some Lucky Irish families. Now, we need to get ourselves ready.

I wrote my grocery list last night and need to get that done today. The meal is the simple part, it's the decorating that I love! I plan to set my table with a white table cloth, green shamrock table decorations, candles, and my fine china. My daughter plans to make rainbow cupcakes, and I plan to make Irish Soda Bread as a gift to my guests.

The Soda Bread recipe I have makes one huge loaf. But, on these occasions I like to split that into four small loaves. After the bread has cooled, I wrap each one in brown paper and tie it with cord. Then I make a paper shamrock as a tag. Very simple, very cute, appropriate and always appreciated!

While we're not your typical Irish family, we do enjoy a good St. Pat's dinner.
Slainte!

St. Patricks' Sweatshirt

March Madness continues. We created this sweatshirt for a Lucky little one who is attending her first St. Patrick's Day Parade in NYC this year. Of course, I can't tell what March will bring, but I'm guessing that a sweatshirt is always handy on 5th Avenue. I can almost hear the marching bands and bagpipe players walking past St. Patricks Cathedral. The sites and sounds of NYC never get old! Wishing a very happy outing for this Lucky Little Leprechaun!

Bib for the wee one

How can you make a baby more kissable? Put an "Irish" kiss me, kiss me, kiss me bib on them!
Great gift for any baby, Irish or otherwise!
This bib was done as a custom order, we would love to have the opportunity to make something special for you....come in and browse. We are all about the best personalized gifts!

St. Patrick Hostess Gift

Hostess Gifts, the most fun of all! As you might have guessed by now, I love making and giving gifts! We started our business based on great affordable gifts.

We call these tablecloth decorations, and they are used to decorate a festive table setting for a holiday. Here I made personalized shamrocks for a friend who is gracious enough to host a St. Pat's Parade party. Our neighborhood hosts an annual St. Patrick's Day Parade, and as you might imagine; it's a BIG party! My friend is a wonderful host, and it's always a great day to be with friends!

Slainte!

St. Patrick's dessert

Awesome St. Patrick's Day dessert!!!!
A fruit rainbow - Each fruit is cut up and placed in a row arched like a rainbow, one on top of the other.
Each color of the rainbow is a different fruit, start with red and work down to purple. Red: strawberries, orange: cantaloupe or oranges, yellow: pineapple, green: grapes, blue: blueberries, and indigo (or purple): purple pears, or deep red grapes. On one end of the rainbow put mini marshmallows and on the other end put a fruit dip in a "pot" and tint it yellow for gold. My favorite fruit dip is a small container of strawberry cream cheese mixed together with a small jar of fluff. Just stir together in a bowl, it does take a few minutes to combine...but it's worth it!

Welcome Friends

After a long winter, it's time to welcome friends one thousand times.


Welcome sign Irish Style!

Order yours at SewMuchToSay.com

Irish words of wisdom

March Madness continues....
A favorite Irish Proverb to ponder:"put silk on a goat, and it's still a goat".
A Favorite Irish Poem: "May flowers always line your path and sunshine light your day. May songbirds serenade you every step along the way. May a rainbow run beside you in a sky that's always blue. And may happiness fill your heart each day your whole life through.”
Gotta love the Irish! Slainte! (cheers!)