100 feet of satin ribbon...

Maybe you've noticed that I have a "Ricochet" tag that I add to the bags I sew?  It's a black satin ribbon with white text printed on it.  In the blue wristlet up there, I decoupaged the tag to the interior. In the other pic (an Amy Butler "blossom bag") I used fabric glue. 

In these messenger bags, I've trimmed the interior pockets in "Ricochet ribbon".  Gluing and stitching are the only methods I use to adhere the ribbon to my bags.  I tried using iron-on methods i.e. fusible webbing and Stitch-Witch, but the heat of the iron ruins the printed text.  Bummer. 

The ribbon come from a spool of ribbon I ordered online.  I was searching for customized tags and found that most varieties were way out of my cheapskate's budget.  Then, I ran across the Ribbon Warehouse.  It is not a fancy-schmancy site, and I've only made this one transaction with them, but I am pleased with my purchase.  I will return to shop there again.  What I decided to buy was 100 feet of 5/8 in.black satin ribbon with the word "Ricochet" printed (in the font I wanted) every 4 inches.  It was $20 plus a few bucks shipping. I assume the ribbon is normally printed with the names of the bride and groom or "class of 2012" and used to tie up party favors. 

Recently I invented a new way to utilize this ribbon by making removable tags for the purses I sell and gift.  I think they turned out pretty cute so I thought I'd share the process with you. 
Step one is to decoupage (you know how love "modge" podge!) my ribbon on both sides.  After it was all dry, I cut it into little tags.
The decoupage makes the satin ribbon stiff and preserves the inked text.  The ribbon still looks silky and shiny and you wouldn't know it was stiff until you touched it.

Next, I punched some holes and dug through my button stash. I prefer 2-hole buttons only because I'm lazy.  I found some string I liked.  It just the right size so I didn't need to put it on a needle to thread it through the little holes. 

You can see how simple this idea is.  I threaded some string through the button and the ribbon, tied a knot in the back, and I was done.  I like the look of it hanging from a purse handle.  I think it adds a touch of professionalism to the bags I sell.  I usually make a thank you card for the purchaser that includes care instructions and a business card as well. 
I think people appreciate details like this.  I know I do.

I think I'll try to make price tags this way as well.  It will be a nice touch for whenever I get my tush in gear and get into a craft show.

 I'm sure most of you won't have printed ribbon on hand, but I know you are crafty and creative enough to come up with your own alternative. If you're a stamper/scrapbooker/cardmaker you have a multitude of resources to apply words and images to other surfaces. I know there are ways to use your home printer to print on fabric as well. Also, don't get hung up on textiles. You can use paper, cardboard, leather, balsa wood, cork, etc.....  Can you see using this method for gift tags and bookmarks as well?  I'm going to try to decoupage fabric and cut out flower shapes using my die cutter.  Lots of possibilities here.  I'd love to hear your ideas, so please let me know if you can think more ways to use decoupaged fabric for embellishments. 

Be sure to check out the Retro Pillow Challenge that I am co-hosting with Keren from sew la vie.  We are up to 14 participants from all over the world!  There is always room for more, so don't be afraid to try something new.  I'm using the resources offered through this challenge to teach myself quilting methods, plus I love making new friends.  Push this button and check out our homepage:

As always, happy crafting and big hugs from Montana,

linking up at these lovely parties:

http://thecreativeitchboutique.blogspot.com/ http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com/ http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/ http://allthingzrelated.blogspot.com/ http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/ http://www.hopestudios.blogspot.com/ http://imtopsyturvy.com/ http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/ http://www.creationsbykara.com/ http://733blog.blogspot.com/ http://www.bargainshoppingparadise.com/ http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/ http://tearosehome.blogspot.com/ http://sewmuchado.blogspot.com/

http://sassysites.blogspot.com/ http://www.tipjunkie.com/ http://www.reasonstoskipthehousework.com/ http://littlebirdiebaby.blogspot.com/ http://runwithglitter.blogspot.com/ http://athomewithk.blogspot.com/ http://carolynshomework.blogspot.com/ http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/ http://twindragonflydesigns.blogspot.com/ http://oliviarenn.blogspot.com/ http://www.freeprettythingsforyou.com/ http://www.etsymadness.com/ http://www.passionatelyartistic.com/ http://www.womenwhodoitall.blogspot.com/ http://www.popartminisworld.com/ http://sweetpeasandbb.blogspot.com/ http://www.handymancraftywoman.com/ http://gingersnapcrafts.blogspot.com/ http://day2dayjoys.blogspot.com/

http://vintagewannabee.blogspot.com/ http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.blogspot.com/ http://ladybug-blessings.com/ http://www.homemakeronadime.com/ http://quiltstory.blogspot.com/ http://blackberryvine.blogspot.com/ http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/ http://www.thethriftyhome.com/ http://thetrendytreehouse.blogspot.com/ http://nightowlcrafting.blogspot.com/ http://www.lilluna.com/

Time for tomato....jam!

It has been an extra long wait this year, but tomatoes in Montana are FINALLY starting to ripen up.  I planted 5 varieties this year.  There are tiny cherry tomatoes, the yellow ones are called lemon boys, the dark burgundy ones are an heirloom variety, and the red ones are romas and sweet 100s.  I thought I'd be up to my elbows in toms by the time school started for the kids, but they are holding on to their greenness like they're afraid to be canned. 

I eventually amassed enough to make a small batch of tomato jam last night.  If you are like most tomato jam virgins, you think putting the words tomato and jam in the same edible concoction is a bad idea.  Well, I was once in that same frame of mind until I stepped outside my box and gave it a try.  Now tomato jam is not your run of the mill spread-on-toast type of jam.  In fact, I wouldn't even consider pairing it with peanut butter.  Tomato jam is bit more in the chutney family of sweet condiments.  It is superb poured over brie or cream cheese.  It is very yummy used as a glaze over roasted chicken or as dip for chicken nuggets.  I love to put it in turkey sandwiches, but the absolute best is to pair it with colby jack in a grilled cheese sandwich.  Mmmmmm-mmm!  That's what I had for lunch today. . . and probably for lunch the next several days!

here's my disclaimer:

Canning and food preservation are culinary arts that require specific parameters to be met in order to eliminate the possibility of food poisoning.  In this post I'm going to show you the general process of making and canning jam.   Hopefully I can give you folks who have never canned an idea of what goes on so you won't be so intimidated to try it yourself.  The most important thing to remember when canning is that canning recipes are NOT open to interpretation.  You must follow them exactly without adding, subtracting, or substituting ingredients.  Botulism may good for wrinkles, but you certainly don't want to have it growing on your canned goods. 

Jams are made using the "water bath" method of canning. Basically that means adding your jars of jams to a huge pot of water, and boiling the water until a vacuum has been created inside the jars and the lids are sealed. For foods that must be processed at high temps, you use a pressure cooker and and the power and heat of steam for canning.  This picture shows the ingredients and tools I used to make my jam. sterilized jars with lids and rings a wide-mouthed funnel jar tongs a huge canning pot ripe tomatoes bottled lemon juice dried lemon peel super fine sugar fresh basil

This first step was to wash the toms and remove the stems and any skin blemishes.  My jam recipe calls for leaving the skins and seeds with the fruit.  This really does improve the texture of the jam.  Then I mixed in a lot of sugar and let it sit for a while to give the toms time to release some excess water.  I added some bottled lemon juice to increase the acidity of the jam and set it on the stove to boil uncovered for a couple hours. 

The top left pic is what the toms looked like when I first turned on the heat.  The top right pic is what they looked like after a couple hours of boiling.  Boiling causes much of the water to evaporate and decreases the volume of fruit significantly.   My guesstimate is that I reduced my tomatoes by at least 65%. 

If you are puzzled by the pics of the dirty plates, I have an explanation.  To determine if my fruit has boiled enough to become jam, I use the "plate test".  I put a few saucers in the freezer and let them get nice and icy cold.  When I want to see how far along my jam has progressed, I pull out a saucer and drop a spoonful of juice onto it.  The cold plate cools the juice quickly and I can see how much "jamification" has taken place.  On the left plate, I saw that my jam has progressed to the "syrup" stage, becoming a bit thicker, but definitely not spreadable jam yet.  The next plate shows what my jam looked like when I proclaimed it "done".  There was really no "juice" left, only thick and sticky, lovely jammy goodness.

While it was piping hot, I added dried lemon peel and fresh chopped basil.  Awww, the smell of fresh basil!  Then it was time to add the jam to jars, add the lids and rings, and place them in a water bath.  It took a long time for that huge pot to come to a rapid boil.  When it finally did, I set my timer and waited for the jars to "process". 

From what I understand, the heat of the water super heats the contents of the jar, killing any dangerous bacteria and forcing the air inside the jar to expand.  The expanded air escapes through the lid and bubbles out into the water, thus creating a vacuum inside each jar.  When I removed the jars from their bath, I could hear the affirming "pop" of each lid creating an airtight seal as it hit the much cooler outside air.  When the jars are cool enough to handle, I removed the rings and turned them all upside down.  If any seals were imperfect, I could see the jam leaking out of the jar.  

Grilled cheese and tomato jam sandwich.  My favorite!

This batch yielded only 4 half-pint jars of jam.  I doubt they'll last until Thanksgiving!  The recipe I used was inspired by this one from a reputable blog called Food in Jars.  I hope you've been inspired to try some tomato jam the next time you run across it.  I am always looking for new ways to can and preserve tomatoes, so please let me know if you have a great recipe.

I hope all you sewing fans out there will forgive me for straying from my usual purse-making posts.  I have been attempting to better my photography skills, and this jammy post is an extension of that exercise.  Photographing food is very difficult.  Kudos to all you cooking-bloggers out there! 

Happy crafting and big hugs from Montana,

Thanks to Kelly for featuring this post!  Check out her blog and giver her some love:

P.S.  Please check out the Retro Pillow Challenge that I am co-hosting with Keren from sew la vie!

stay-tuned for a lesson in making a purse out of woven paper:

I'm linking up to many of these lovely parties:

THE LOVELY LINKY LIST

-----------MONDAY-----------	-----------MONDAY-----------
http://www.skiptomylou.org/ http://www.creatingreallyawesomefreethings.com/ http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/ http://thediyshowoff.blogspot.com/ http://makingtheworldcuter.com/ http://sewcando.blogspot.com/ http://sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/ http://craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com/ http://untilwednesdaycalls.blogspot.com/ http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ http://madincrafts.blogspot.com/ http://becolorful.typepad.com/becolorful/ http://memakingdo.blogspot.com/ http://sewchatty.blogspot.com/ http://jembellish.blogspot.com/ http://pinkapotamus.blogspot.com/	http://www.pollywantacrafter.com/ http://coloursdekor.blogspot.com/ http://embellishinglifeeveryday.blogspot.com http://www.dittledattle.blogspot.com/ http://rtheyallyours.blogspot.com/ http://gigglesglitzandglam.blogspot.com/ http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/ http://sewhappygeek.co.uk/ http://www.mommaskindacrafty.blogspot.com/ http://allthingsfee.blogspot.com/ http://singingthreelittlebirds.blogspot.com/ http://bluebirdsews.blogspot.com/p/eat-grow-sew.html http://www.thegirlcreative.com/ http://www.beneaththerowantree.blogspot.com/ http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/ http://preschoolteacher81.blogspot.com/2011/08/motivational-monday.html
----------TUESDAY----------	----------TUESDAY----------
http://thecreativeitchboutique.blogspot.com/ http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com/ http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/ http://allthingzrelated.blogspot.com/ http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/ http://www.hopestudios.blogspot.com/ http://imtopsyturvy.com/ http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/ http://mycraftielife.blogspot.com/ http://vintagewannabee.blogspot.com/ http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.blogspot.com/ http://www.notjustahousewife.net/ http://ladybug-blessings.com/	http://sassysites.blogspot.com/ http://angieasplund.blogspot.com/ http://www.tipjunkie.com/ http://www.reasonstoskipthehousework.com/ http://littlebirdiebaby.blogspot.com/ http://runwithglitter.blogspot.com/ http://athomewithk.blogspot.com/ http://www.cherishedbliss.com/ http://carolynshomework.blogspot.com/ http://bouffeebambini.blogspot.com/ http://www.homemakeronadime.com/ http://quiltstory.blogspot.com/ http://blackberryvine.blogspot.com/ http://caribbeanmissionarywife.blogspot.com/
-------WEDNESDAY--------	-------WEDNESDAY--------
http://crystalscraftspot.blogspot.com/ http://www.domestically-speaking.com/ http://www.creationsbykara.com/ http://733blog.blogspot.com/ http://www.bargainshoppingparadise.com/ http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/ http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/ http://www.thethriftyhome.com/ http://tearosehome.blogspot.com/ http://www.mybackyardeden.com/ http://wearethatfamily.com/ http://thetrendytreehouse.blogspot.com/ http://sewmuchado.blogspot.com/	http://www.lilluna.com/ http://twindragonflydesigns.blogspot.com/ http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/ http://oliviarenn.blogspot.com/ http://www.freeprettythingsforyou.com/ http://www.etsymadness.com/ http://nightowlcrafting.blogspot.com/ http://www.passionatelyartistic.com/ http://www.womenwhodoitall.blogspot.com/ http://www.popartminisworld.com/ http://sweetpeasandbb.blogspot.com/ http://www.handymancraftywoman.com/ http://gingersnapcrafts.blogspot.com/ http://day2dayjoys.blogspot.com/
--------THURSDAY--------	--------THURSDAY--------
http://www.suzyssitcom.com/ http://www.paisleypassions.blogspot.com/ http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com/ http://www.somewhatsimple.com/ http://733blog.blogspot.com/ http://www.houseofhepworths.com/ http://lbratina.blogspot.com/ http://www.thevirginiahouse.blogspot.com/ http://www.yesterdayontuesday.typepad.com/ http://alliemakes.blogspot.com/ http://www.momnivores-dilemma.com/ http://www.frugaliciousme.com/	http://savedbylovecreations.com/ http://rhinestonebeagle.blogspot.com/ http://bornagaincrafter.blogspot.com/ http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/ http://www.aglimpseinsideblog.com/ http://brandyscrafts.blogspot.com/ http://christinasadventures.com/ http://365days2simplicity.blogspot.com/ http://acreativeprincess.blogspot.com/ http://www.frugaliciousme.com/ http://www.thequiltladies.com/ http://tanyaanurag.blogspot.com/ http://mineforthemaking.blogspot.com/
----------FRIDAY-----------	----------FRIDAY-----------
http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/ http://romantichome.blogspot.com/ http://litandlaundry.blogspot.com/ http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/ http://ourjourneytoasimplerlife.blogspot.com/ http://tidymom.net/im-lovin-it-fridays/ http://www.mommaskindacrafty.blogspot.com/ http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/ http://www.fingerprintsonthefridge.com/ http://funtocraft.blogspot.com/ http://simplydesigning.blogspot.com/ http://thehillsarelivin.blogspot.com/ http://punkinseedproductions.blogspot.com/ http://becca-homeiswheremystorybegins.blogspot.com/ http://www.remodelaholic.com/ http://amysfinerthings.com/ http://www.alittleknickknack.com/ http://creationcorner.blogspot.com/ http://iamalongfortheride.blogspot.com/	http://trulylovelywiththelaneysisters.blogspot.com/ http://www.simplysweethome.com/ http://sassysites.blogspot.com/ http://www.lovelycraftyhome.com/ http://thespeckleddog.blogspot.com/ http://www.504main.com/ http://itsahodgepodgelife.blogspot.com/ http://youngancrafty.blogspot.com/ http://www.myrepurposedlife.net/ http://www.soyouthinkyourecrafty.com/ http://naptimecrafters.blogspot.com/ http://www.theinspiredhousewife.com/2011/03/change-your-world-fridays/ http://joyfulstamper.blogspot.com/ http://bestpartofbelieveis.blogspot.com/ http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/ http://smilemonsters.blogspot.com/ http://bacontimewiththehungryhypo.blogspot.com/ http://www.happyhourprojects.com/search/label/Freestyle%20Friday
--------SATURDAY--------	--------SATURDAY--------
http://www.iamonly1woman.blogspot.com/ http://nv-craftenvy.blogspot.com/ http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/ http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/ http://www.whilehewasnapping.blogspot.com/ http://thecreativecrate.blogspot.com/ http://sixsistersstuff.blogspot.com/	http://muralmaker1.blogspot.com/ http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/ http://www.lovelycraftyhome.com/ http://kimskandykreations.blogspot.com/2011/02/shindig-saturday-party-blog-hop.html http://nikkisniknacks.blogspot.com/ http://www.annemariesbreiblog.blogspot.com/
----------SUNDAY----------	----------SUNDAY----------
http://www.iheartnaptime.net/ http://www.creativejewishmom.com/ http://lambaround.blogspot.com/ http://thetatteredtag.blogspot.com/ http://niftythriftythings.blogspot.com/	http://bluebirdsews.blogspot.com/p/eat-grow-sew.html http://www.homemakeronadime.com/ http://preschoolteacher81.blogspot.com/2011/08/storytime-sunday_21.html

I retrieved most of these links here:http://www.suzyssitcom.com/p/links.htmlLet me know if you don't see your blog's linky party listed.I made the table using this easy tutorial:http://www.sewlavie.com/2011/08/how-to-put-pictures-or-buttons-side-by.html 

Linky List

THE LOVELY LINKY LIST

-----------MONDAY-----------	-----------MONDAY-----------
http://www.skiptomylou.org/ http://www.creatingreallyawesomefreethings.com/ http://craftomaniac.blogspot.com/ http://thediyshowoff.blogspot.com/ http://makingtheworldcuter.com/ http://sewcando.blogspot.com/ http://sumossweetstuff.blogspot.com/ http://craftskeepmesane.blogspot.com/ http://betweennapsontheporch.blogspot.com/ http://madincrafts.blogspot.com/ http://becolorful.typepad.com/becolorful/ http://memakingdo.blogspot.com/ http://sewchatty.blogspot.com/ http://jembellish.blogspot.com/ http://pinkapotamus.blogspot.com/	http://www.pollywantacrafter.com/ http://coloursdekor.blogspot.com/ http://embellishinglifeeveryday.blogspot.com http://www.dittledattle.blogspot.com/ http://rtheyallyours.blogspot.com/ http://diyhshp.blogspot.com/ http://sewhappygeek.co.uk/ http://www.mommaskindacrafty.blogspot.com/ http://allthingsfee.blogspot.com/ http://singingthreelittlebirds.blogspot.com/ http://bluebirdsews.blogspot.com/p/eat-grow-sew.html http://www.thegirlcreative.com/ http://www.beneaththerowantree.blogspot.com/ http://ppp-makeitmonday.blogspot.com/
----------TUESDAY----------	----------TUESDAY----------
http://thecreativeitchboutique.blogspot.com/ http://www.sugarbeecrafts.com/ http://linda-coastalcharm.blogspot.com/ http://allthingzrelated.blogspot.com/ http://amy-newnostalgia.blogspot.com/ http://www.hopestudios.blogspot.com/ http://imtopsyturvy.com/ http://www.myuncommonsliceofsuburbia.com/ http://mycraftielife.blogspot.com/ http://vintagewannabee.blogspot.com/ http://funkypolkadotgiraffe.blogspot.com/ http://www.notjustahousewife.net/ http://ladybug-blessings.com/	http://sassysites.blogspot.com/ http://angieasplund.blogspot.com/ http://www.tipjunkie.com/ http://www.reasonstoskipthehousework.com/ http://littlebirdiebaby.blogspot.com/ http://runwithglitter.blogspot.com/ http://athomewithk.blogspot.com/ http://www.cherishedbliss.com/ http://carolynshomework.blogspot.com/ http://bouffeebambini.blogspot.com/ http://www.homemakeronadime.com/ http://quiltstory.blogspot.com/ http://blackberryvine.blogspot.com/ http://caribbeanmissionarywife.blogspot.com/
-------WEDNESDAY--------	-------WEDNESDAY--------
http://crystalscraftspot.blogspot.com/ http://www.domestically-speaking.com/ http://www.creationsbykara.com/ http://733blog.blogspot.com/ http://www.bargainshoppingparadise.com/ http://www.bluecricketdesign.net/ http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/ http://www.thethriftyhome.com/ http://tearosehome.blogspot.com/ http://www.mybackyardeden.com/ http://wearethatfamily.com/ http://thetrendytreehouse.blogspot.com/ http://sewmuchado.blogspot.com/	http://www.lilluna.com/ http://somedaycrafts.blogspot.com/ http://twindragonflydesigns.blogspot.com/ http://oliviarenn.blogspot.com/ http://www.freeprettythingsforyou.com/ http://www.etsymadness.com/ http://nightowlcrafting.blogspot.com/ http://www.passionatelyartistic.com/ http://www.womenwhodoitall.blogspot.com/ http://www.popartminisworld.com/ http://sweetpeasandbb.blogspot.com/ http://www.handymancraftywoman.com/ http://gingersnapcrafts.blogspot.com/ http://day2dayjoys.blogspot.com/
--------THURSDAY--------	--------THURSDAY--------
http://www.suzyssitcom.com/ http://www.paisleypassions.blogspot.com/ http://firefliesandjellybeans.blogspot.com/ http://www.somewhatsimple.com/ http://733blog.blogspot.com/ http://www.houseofhepworths.com/ http://lbratina.blogspot.com/ http://www.thevirginiahouse.blogspot.com/ http://www.yesterdayontuesday.typepad.com/ http://alliemakes.blogspot.com/ http://www.momnivores-dilemma.com/ http://www.frugaliciousme.com/	http://savedbylovecreations.com/ http://rhinestonebeagle.blogspot.com/ http://bornagaincrafter.blogspot.com/ http://thriftydecorating-nikkiw.blogspot.com/ http://www.aglimpseinsideblog.com/ http://brandyscrafts.blogspot.com/ http://christinasadventures.com/ http://365days2simplicity.blogspot.com/ http://acreativeprincess.blogspot.com/ http://www.frugaliciousme.com/ http://www.thequiltladies.com/ http://tanyaanurag.blogspot.com/ http://mineforthemaking.blogspot.com/
----------FRIDAY-----------	----------FRIDAY-----------
http://www.findingfabulousblog.com/ http://romantichome.blogspot.com/ http://litandlaundry.blogspot.com/ http://chiconashoestringdecorating.blogspot.com/ http://ourjourneytoasimplerlife.blogspot.com/ http://tidymom.net/im-lovin-it-fridays/ http://www.mommaskindacrafty.blogspot.com/ http://shabbynest.blogspot.com/ http://www.fingerprintsonthefridge.com/ http://funtocraft.blogspot.com/ http://simplydesigning.blogspot.com/ http://thehillsarelivin.blogspot.com/ http://punkinseedproductions.blogspot.com/ http://becca-homeiswheremystorybegins.blogspot.com/ http://www.remodelaholic.com/ http://amysfinerthings.com/ http://www.alittleknickknack.com/ http://creationcorner.blogspot.com/ http://iamalongfortheride.blogspot.com/	http://trulylovelywiththelaneysisters.blogspot.com/ http://www.simplysweethome.com/ http://sassysites.blogspot.com/ http://www.lovelycraftyhome.com/ http://thespeckleddog.blogspot.com/ http://www.504main.com/ http://itsahodgepodgelife.blogspot.com/ http://youngancrafty.blogspot.com/ http://www.myrepurposedlife.net/ http://www.soyouthinkyourecrafty.com/ http://naptimecrafters.blogspot.com/ http://www.theinspiredhousewife.com/2011/03/change-your-world-fridays/ http://joyfulstamper.blogspot.com/ http://bestpartofbelieveis.blogspot.com/ http://www.stuff-and-nonsense.net/ http://smilemonsters.blogspot.com/ http://bacontimewiththehungryhypo.blogspot.com/ http://www.happyhourprojects.com/search/label/Freestyle%20Friday
--------SATURDAY--------	--------SATURDAY--------
http://www.iamonly1woman.blogspot.com/ http://nv-craftenvy.blogspot.com/ http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/ http://tatertotsandjello.blogspot.com/ http://www.whilehewasnapping.blogspot.com/ http://thecreativecrate.blogspot.com/ http://sixsistersstuff.blogspot.com/	http://muralmaker1.blogspot.com/ http://www.bedifferentactnormal.com/ http://www.lovelycraftyhome.com/ http://kimskandykreations.blogspot.com/2011/02/shindig-saturday-party-blog-hop.html http://nikkisniknacks.blogspot.com/ http://www.annemariesbreiblog.blogspot.com/
----------SUNDAY----------	----------SUNDAY----------
http://www.iheartnaptime.net/ http://www.creativejewishmom.com/ http://lambaround.blogspot.com/ http://thetatteredtag.blogspot.com/ http://niftythriftythings.blogspot.com/	http://bluebirdsews.blogspot.com/p/eat-grow-sew.html http://www.homemakeronadime.com/ http://preschoolteacher81.blogspot.com/2011/08/storytime-sunday_21.html

I retrieved most of these links here:http://www.suzyssitcom.com/p/links.htmlLet me know if you don't see your blog's linky party listed.I made the table using this easy tutorial:http://www.sewlavie.com/2011/08/how-to-put-pictures-or-buttons-side-by.html 

Shopping Bags I've Sewn...

I have made a ton of these lined shopping bags. I originally saw this pattern on burdastyle.com. You can find it here. Being new at sewing, the instructions were intimidating at first. But once you get the hang of it, you'll love it. It is so clean and neat to have all the raw edges hidden. The bag is reversible so you can really play around with pockets and patch-working to create a lot of different looks in one bag. I also had fun upcycling things around my house to make these.

Some people, myself included, spend a fair amount of their online time on facebook. While you are there, please check out my Ricochet facebook page. You can peruse my albums and look at nearly every bag I've ever sewn.

I also have a profile set up at burdastyle. If you're not familiar with Burdastyle, it is a German fashion and sewing magazine. The website offers many free or inexpensive downloadable patterns. People from all over the world have set up personal profiles where they can showcase their latest projects, post tutorials, and get feedback. I use it as a testing ground for my new ideas. If I get a lot of feedback from a project, I can guess it is a universally sound design. So please take a peak at my burdastyle profile as well.

If you would please check the Retro Pillow Challenge that I am co-hosting with Keren from sew la vie, I would be so grateful!  It is really coming together and I am enjoying what all the participants (from all over the world!) are bringing to the table.  Press this button and visit our homepage:

Happy crafting and big hugs from Montana!

The Retro Pillow Challenge Begins!

Today marks the first day of the Retro Pillow Challenge (RPC)!  I am celebrating by adding a "quilted" background to my blog.  I just love the pretty fall colors!  I am totally pumped to make a quilted cover to hide one of my ratty sofa pillows.  My only obstacles are that I have never attempted the following:

1. Quilting, by hand or otherwise
2. Regular applique.  Yikes!  My forte has always been reverse applique.
3. Patchwork.  Well, this t-shirt bag, but that was a headache!

The ratty pillow!

I will mostly likely be tearing my hair out, but I am going to attempt to do all 3 in one pillow.  I'm not sure how it will turn out, but anything will improve the look of my sofa!  The point here is to LEARN something NEW.  I'm really excited to see how my new skills will translate into my bag-making.  It will definitely be an adventure.


Before I blabber on any further, I should give you RPC virgins some back story.  This is the brainchild of fellow stitch-lover, Keren (sew la vie) and myself.   Keren and I met through BurdaStyle and eventually started emailing each other.  In the beginning, we wanted to do a project together that involved sharing/learning new sewing techniques.  This idea grew into the Retro Pillow Challenge that is starting TODAY!!!!

I recall Keren saying something like, "...because everybody loves retro, and everybody loves a challenge, right?..."  Simple ideas, but really poignant, don't you think?  Retro encompasses many decades of style inspiration, from the 40s to the 70s usually.  That is a vast pool to draw from, so you are bound to find some aspect that speaks to you.  As for the challenge part, that's a no-brainer.  Making and achieving goals is how we improve and feel better ourselves. 

We have 13 very talented participants:

Becky of Buzzy Bee Creations

Kasia of Designs by Kasia

Kadie of Seven Alive

Lauren's BurdaStyle Profile

Emily Fish of Domestic Deadline

June of Creations by June

Adrianne of Happy Hour Projects

Kate Walker of Kate's Curios

Lakshmi of Adithis Amma Sews

Amy Lauritsen of MoMomma

KatieB of Crafted by KatieB

Plus, Keren and myself!

We have participants from all over the world!  That fact alone makes this challenge very exciting for me.  I mean, I've never even been east of the Mississippi, and here I am, meeting wonderful women from all over the planet!  I hope you'll take the time to visit their blogs and get to know them better.  I hope you'll visit our RPC homepage and grab a button to show your support. 

Happy crafting and big hugs from Montana!

P.S.  Could you please head on over to Creating my way to Success! and vote for my link?  It's number 3, Ruffles gone Wild!  Thanks so much!