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Thursday, January 28, 2016

Sewing, baking, CVS and a cousin sleepover

Hello everyone!
This a jumbled up, multi topic post- a little something for everyone I guess.  

I have a very stocked sewing room and in 2016, I hope to make useful items with this stockpile 

First, I used a pile of fleece and fur scraps.  Some were given to me and some were leftover from the Frozen costume I sewed in the fall.  I used that tunic as inspiration for 2 more Nordic-ish tunics.  Then working with the size of the scraps,  there was enough to sew make 2 Western style vests.
previous tunic 

the first Kristoff tunic sewn by me

actual tutorial for a Kristoff tunic   If you need to sew a similar costume, I highly recommend this tutorial
I cut fleece into strips of fringe to decorate the tunic fronts and vests backs.  
I think the grandsons will have great fun having dress up pretend play in them.  
Now, I need to make some costumes for the girls. 


My son requested some shoe bags.  
I made some for his dad 30 or so years ago to store and pack his Marine dress shoes in. 
Jimmy uses those bags and picked out this navy babywale corduroy for new ones.  
The ties are made with boot laces.  

My husband is an expert shoe polisher from his Marine days.  
He tried out a new technique to shine up this pair- but that is not how he learned back to spit shine in boot camp.  




My daughter asked me change this pair of mens size 2X pajama pants into 2 tiny pair of pajama pants for her sons. The adult pair had plenty of fabric. 
I tried out a Pinterest method to use pants that fit the child as the pattern, instead of using paper patterns.  It was quick but I'm not sure the shapes are exactly like I would preferred.  
They did turn out cute and I am not going to stress over toddler pajama pants,  right? 

The last project was covering a few more wire hangers with fabric strips. One is just wrapped and the others are loosely crocheted.  

We have been eating 3 meals a day but I guess it hasn't been too interesting as this is the only photo i took from the last week - a batch of our tried and true sour cream chcolate chip muffins - big ones for adults and mini ones for grands.  
I posted this recipe years ago on my first blog chocolate chip muffins recipe


I made 1 trip to CVS
2 16 roll packs of Charmin bathroom tissue
2 hair color for my daughter
2 cans of cinnamon almonds
1 gallon milk
And 12 Gold Emblem nut bars- they are really good! Not really a granola bar as they are mostly nuts and very satisfying 
I used coupons and ExtraCareBucks and a MyPoints gift card.  
The balance ended up $19.76 and j got back $11 ExtraCareBucks 
The receipt says I saved $62.95 = 76%

Below is why you need the CVS app to maximize deals.  
This is a printout of all the deals I had this week.
I didn't do all of them but I did use the 
$6 off any $30 purchase
$2 off Charmin and 
$1.50 off nuts 


Friday night,  4 of the cousins had a sleepover here.  We have beds they could sleep in but they prefer to sleep in the living room on a very big pallet of quilts.

Hope you all are having a good week! 

39 comments:

  1. I really like your hangers! I'm thinking something like that would be nice to help prevent creases in my husband's and son's dressier pants, but in a more masculine fabric, of course. Do you have any idea how many yards of fabric you used for each hanger, please? I'm considering making t-shirt yarn for the project. Thank you!
    Blessings, Leigh

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    1. Hi Leigh, I think for wrapping the hangers, just 3 or so yards.
      For crocheting, I'm just guessing but maybe 6 or so yards. But it might be more.
      I hang up my skirts with cloth pins on hangers and I like the fabric covered hangers because it gives the clothepins something to hold on to more securely.

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  2. Rhonda, what a great post! I especially like the re-purposing of the adult PJ's into 2 pairs of toddler PJ's. Great work!

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  3. You've been busy! Great re-purposing on the pajamas. Bet the grandchildren will love playing dress up with those tunics and vests. Must be nice to have a bunch of grandchildren together all at once.

    Hugs
    Jane

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    1. Hi Jane, it is mostly fun having grands here so much but sometimes it's just crazy and not in a good way. We have a great group of grands and we love them all :)

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  4. Oh I love the picture of the pallet sleepover. *Smiles* You did a great job sewing. I love it all!!! Those muffins look amazing. I will check out that recipe.

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    1. Thank you Mrs. Chrissy. I wish the photo was a bit better but they had all just gone to sleep and I turned on the lamp just long enough to snap a couple photos.
      My children all like the muffin recipe, even my son that doesn't really like sweets enjoys them,

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  5. What a productive week you've had! I love the tunics you sewed up, and the cute pajamas from an older pair of pjs... awesome! I love posts that have a bit of this-n-that in them, always fun to know how others are making it through their week :) And I would love one of those chocolate chip muffins, they look delicious! Happy to have met you! :)

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Come on over and I'll bake you a muffin :)
      I would like to blog daily and shorter posts but you know how real life is, when I do have time my posts seem to just be everything. Like you, I like reading posts likes this too.

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  6. The cousins I bet think it's quite an adventure at your house. I'm curious did you basically use a leg for each pair of PJs? If so that is pretty neat.
    Great shopping at CVS!
    Have a good night.

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    1. Hi Vickie
      I cut the bigger pair from the top of the adult pair and I was even able to reuse the adult waistband and elastic for the bigger pair.
      I cut the baby pair at the bottom of the legs and positioned them so the ready made hem in the adult pair worked for the baby pair.

      About CVS, I just get a thrill every time I get my weekly good deals there :)

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  7. You've really been busy with all that sewing - and how talented you are to be able to do all that! CVS just opened by us, but I haven't checked them out yet.

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    1. Try the CVS! Get a card and get their app. I think they are a great source of good deals.

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  8. Wonderful post and the ending pic with the grands on the pallet is my favorite. I have wonderful memories of spending nights with my cousins on my Grandmother's floor (We shunned the beds also)

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    1. Thank you Anne, when I was young I slept on pallets with cousins because there were not enough beds :)

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  9. YOu are so talented! Those costumes are adorable. I have 2 little grandsons who would go nuts over them. Your grandchildren are just precious. What fun to have a cousins sleepover at Grandma's house. I hope to be able to do that one day when my 2 grandsons gain some cousins. ;)

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  10. YOu are so talented! Those costumes are adorable. I have 2 little grandsons who would go nuts over them. Your grandchildren are just precious. What fun to have a cousins sleepover at Grandma's house. I hope to be able to do that one day when my 2 grandsons gain some cousins. ;)

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  11. Love the Nordic tunics and the pajama pants - so cute!

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  12. You have been busy. It is wonderful to have a sewing room. I wish I had one too. I like the little tunics you made for your grandchildren. It sweet seeing them all lie together on the floor on their pallets having a wonderful time at grandma's whilst getting to bond with one another. Happy weekend to you and your husband. He looks like he's got some good experience shining shoes ;-)

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  13. This is a great post and I like everything! I also love your new header with the bread in the pyrex bowls.

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    1. Thank you Debbie, I enjoy my Pyrex but I broke a couple favorite pieces a few months back and I stopped using my Pyrex collection so much. Then I decided I might as well use what I have and enjoy them. So am back to mixing and baking in vintage Pyrex regularly:)

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  14. Rhonda, made that bread you have pictured and my boys said it's the best bread I've ever made, it's so good! Love all your sewing and your mix of topics, there's something for everyone! Have a wonderful weekend! Patti

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    1. Patti, I am so happy to hear that you baked my grandpas bread-
      Thank you for letting me know.

      Delete
  15. Good Morning Mrs. Rhonda,

    Your sewing projects turned out great and a cousin's sleepover? What a fun memory for your grand children.

    Blessings,
    Mrs.B

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    1. Thank you Mrs. B, wondering if you are in this path of this next blizzard coming?

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  16. The cousins sleepover photo made me smile. We get to do that next weekend when MY grown-up cousins will be here, and all of the little cousins as well. I grew up with over 40 cousins altogether, and many of us remain close as adults. That's what I hope for the littles, too.
    I've made some sleep pants using the boys' pants as a pattern and they came out okay. Yours are cute, and those costumes are great! Silas especially would love them.
    My Nick's favorite breakfast treat is sour cream chocolate chip muffins. I make them now and again, but have replaced some of the white flour with whole wheat, and the sour cream with yogurt, so he can enjoy one or two and not mess up his blood sugar too much.
    One last thing - I remember my dad shining his shoes before heading out to family events or when my parents had a date night. I don't think Greg would have the first clue how to do that. LOL.

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    1. Hi Tammy, I hope you are recovering and resting,
      I hope my grands stay close, sure enjoy enjoy each other for now.
      My dad shined shoes, especially on Saturday night getting ready for church on Sunday.
      Jeff still shines shoes and boots, he usually uses polish rags and sometimes uses lighter fluid and a lighter- makes me cringe but it works!

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  17. Oh! Your new header made me want to go to the kitchen and bake!
    You've been so productive. You're living your title!

    Please drop by and say hello!
    ஐღLauraღஐ
    Harvest Lane Cottage
    ...doing what I can with what I've got where I am
    on a short shoestring budget!
    ~~~~~

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    1. Thank you Laura, I like your motto very much too - I've sure spent time living with a short shoestring budget. It takes lots of thinking and planning but it can be done :)

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  18. Oh my goodness they are adorable. Everything looks so nice the clothes and the food.

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    1. Thank you Valarie, I hope you and your husband are doing good.

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  19. First- I love your new blog look!
    Secondly- I love all the different things going on here on this post...especially those pj pants- you are so talented!

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    1. Thank you - I don't know that I am especially talented, I'm just brave enough to to take lots of risks with cooking and sewing,

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  20. Dear Rhonda, The costimes are great! I just love the adult pj pants made into two pairs for little ones. They are gorgeous and this is such a good idea! How cute are they?
    Wonderful savings and very inspiring! With love Annabel.xxx

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