Tuesday, February 28, 2012

Dress It Up!

As I was having a conversation with a friend the other day, she said, "You know, I wish there was a way to have a really cute and functional sewing room. I always feel like I can get a cute table or desk, cute lamps, but then I have all this thread and fabric that I don't know what to do with besides hide it or throw it in a basket." 

And that got me to thinking.

What if there was a really cute way to organize your thread? Well, after a search on the internet for ideas, I found one that I LOVE!

Framed Thread Organizer

Basically, all this is, is a dressed up thread rack. All you'll need for this project is:

An empty picture frame
Piece of fabric large enough to fill the empty frame
Thread rack
Paint (to paint your thread rack if desired)

This project is so simple and easy, but it's so cute! Fill the empty frame with your piece of fabric, and then hang your painted (or unpainted) thread rack from the top of the picture frame, and voila! You have an incredibly cute way to not only organize your thread, but to display it in your "cute and functional" sewing room.




Project idea found at Sew Many Ways.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Fun Holiday Wreath!

February is almost gone! I can't believe it. There have been so many fun things going on that the month has flown by, and is about to leave us all behind in about a week.

Crazy.

So I was browsing the internet looking for a fun and easy St. Patrick's Day Craft (because Valentine's Day is over, so now we move on to the next holiday!) and I found this! Not only will this wreath work perfect for St. Patrick's Day, but you can switch up the colors and use it for any holiday!

St. Patrick's Day Rag Wreath

This is such a simple craft, and yet it will look not only beautiful but festive hanging on your front door! 

All you need to complete this project is a wire hanger that you can bend and shape into a circle, and 15-20 different fabrics that will coordinate to make a theme.

Whether this wreath is going to be for St. Patrick's Day, Valentine's Day, Easter, Thanksgiving, or Christmas it will be perfect and oh SO EASY to make!



This project was taken from The Magic of Ordinary Things.


Monday, February 20, 2012

Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday Event!

On Tuesday, February 21st we will be celebrating Mardi Gras here at Parkland Parish!

Yes, that's right, IT'S TOMORROW

So! Get ready for a fantastic deal on fat quarters that you will be unable to pass up! 
Our pre-cut fat quarters will be priced at just $1.00 each with a purchase of 25 or more! 
Think of the savings!

And not only will we have an unimaginable supply of fat quarters for you to choose from, we also have books, books, and more books all for making quilts and baby quilts out of fat quarters!

So come visit us tomorrow! We will be staying open until 9:00pm to make sure that we get to see each and every one of you that we possibly can! Let's get out of the rain and celebrate a little with one-dollar-fat-quarters!

Woohoo!!! See you tomorrow!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

A Day of Love

Valentine's Day is here! 

Today is a day that is traditionally seen as the time to express your love for that one special person in your life. Whether it be through flowers, candy, a home-made card, candle light dinner, or a scavenger hunt through the house, expressions of love are always appreciated by those who are recieving them. Some people may be cynical about Valentine's Day, believing that they "don't need an assigned day each year just to tell the person that they love, they love them." I find myself agreeing with these people... to a certain extent.

I believe that Valentine's Day is a great opportunity to express your love for your spouse or significant other. However, I don't see it as the "make-this-day-special-and-you're-good-for-a-year" kind of event. My personal view on Valentine's Day is kind of like a "New Year's for Love." I see it not only as an opportunity to express my love for my Valentine, but to also re-committ myself to making every day a Valentine's Day. Maybe not go with the whole candle light dinner and expensive gifts, but do little things each and every day.

So I am a believer in Valentine's Day. I don't need my husband to go over the top with any gifts or any elegant display, but I do think that the holiday is a nice moment to honor our relationship, friendship, and love.

So how do you feel about Valentine's Day? Does it seem like a silly tradition to sell candy and hideous stuffed animals? Or do you see a purpose to it? Let us know by leaving a comment!

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

February Recipe of the Month!

Are you looking for that perfect bite-size sweet to woo your Valentine? Even those of you who feel that you are all thumbs when it comes to baking, you can make these brownies!

With this simple and easy recipe from FoodNetwork.com, these Red Velvet Swirl Brownies are a breeze!

Click on the picture below to download our recipe!


Some tips from me on how to make them just right!
  1. Don't be afraid to "over-swirl". There is no such thing as over-swirling. You can make the top of your brownies as swirly as you want! I didn't swirl my first batch enough and was incredibly disappointed with the way they looked after they had baked. But, I swirled my second batch to my heart's desire, and they turned out beautifully! For proof, look at this picture on the right.
  2. Don't be afraid to bake them longer than 30 minutes. The recipe tells you to bake for 30 minutes. I used a glass 8x8 pan, and at 350 F it took between 34-36 minutes for each batch. Now don't set your timer initially for 34 minutes! Still stick with 30 minutes to start with, your oven most likely bakes differently than mine, but don't be afraid to put them back in for a few more minutes. If you get it to where a toothpick comes out almost completely clean, then you will have a dense, moist, fudgy, and YUMMY brownie to enjoy!
  3. Cut the 8x8 pan of brownies into 36 small squares. Yes, a full sized brownie is delicious. But these are really rich, so a small bite-sized piece will do just fine. Plus, they're so much cuter in mini form, don't you think?
Good luck and enjoy this delicious treat!