Framed Recipe Keepsakes

So here’s the deal. Come October we will have lived here for TWO years and I still have LARGE blank walls. When you’ve lived in a house six months, that’s understandable, when you’ve lived in it a year, you still have an excuse but alas, I feel I have reached a point where people are going to wonder WHY in the world I haven’t thrown something up on the wall.

The truly sad thing? I have plans for every. single. blank. wall. Really, I do. There are problems associated with each project though.

Case in point. This blank living room wall.

Before we were halfway through the building process I knew EXACTLY what I wanted to do on this wall. It hit me one morning in Sunday school class. (I promise I was paying attention.)

My plans for this wall is to frame Bible verses in the shape of a cross in five larger frames and then have smaller frames around it with pictures of our family. I think of it as being my “witness wall.” I even measured the large console table under it and designed placement everything in Photoshop. The problem? 1. Mainly, that I don’t have the Bible verses ready that I want to frame. I want to design them myself. I do have two out of five done though. 2. The cost of all the frames is an issue too. I do not typically buy expensive frames or custom frames but I do want nicer ones for this and I can’t decide if my larger and smaller frames should be the same style or if I should mix them up. The frame issue is not my immediate problem though - having something to work with is.

Another area I already had plans for was in my kitchen. I had seen the various ideas online of framing a recipe of your mom’s or grandmother’s or someone special for your kitchen. I loved the idea. I wanted to do it. I hemmed and hawed over the “right” recipe though – I wanted one I remembered or had some story or significance. Then I had decided I wanted to include a photo of each of my grandmothers so that meant lots of contemplation over the perfect photo. *sigh*

Do you see my problem? Perfectionism sabotages my best laid plans so often. I want the perfect quotes. Or the perfect frames. Or the perfect photos…..I have struggled with this beast for many years. Plus, I want decoration in my home that tells a story or tries to define who our family is.

BUT TODAY! Today, I have shed the perfectionism robe or is it a cape? Probably more like a straight jacket!! Anyways, today I am sharing with you a completed project and I promise I will not point out any flaws. Please do not point out any to me either, okay?

Really this was eaaaaaasy. And fairly cheap. It just took time in searching for the right recipe (or receipt as you’ll see on my nannie’s) and picture. That was the most time consuming part for me so if you know already what you wanted to use then you could have this done in thirty minutes probably.

Cut your burlap to fit your frame. I used an 8x10 opening so that is the size I cut mine. (See my burlap tip in this post for the cutting instructions to get a straight edge.) Make sure you iron your burlap (no steam). I also used starch to make sure mine was nice and crisp. I adhered my burlap to the thin cardstock in the frame for the exact measurement using thin glue dots (Glue Dots Ultra-Thin found here). When adhering burlap to something like this you want an adhesive that is thin and clear so you do not see it through the porous cloth. Hot glue, glue sticks, and tape will not work. I cut off any excess burlap that hung off the edge.

Then you must decide the placement for your recipe and photo. I could have done it either of these ways and ended up adding the ribbon and liking it:

Before you adhere your recipe and photo to the burlap, you need to see how the burlap will fit in the frame and what is hid around the edges to make sure what you want seen is seen.

Once everything is in the right position then adhere it to the burlap using the glue dots mentioned above. I did use tape where my recipe and photo overlapped to each other.

Make sure your glass for the frame is clean then insert your burlap with adhered items, close up the back, and mount to your wall. I like to use 3M Command Picture-Hanging Strips for mounting my pictures. Finished project! Yay!

This blog has been fantastic at getting me motivated to get some projects started AND done. Thanks, readers! <3

Expanding on this idea...
* Other fabrics would look great for this project - linen, even patterned fabrics, striped ticking, etc. Even scrapbook paper would be a great alternative.
* There are other keepsakes you could frame in this manner too such as old letters, postcards, baby's foot/handprints, etc.
* I had thought about leaving the glass off and using some decorative brads for some of the edges for added embellishment. You can add something like that (put the photo on with Glue Dots with dimension, add ribbon, etc.) for a more textile quality if you want.
* If you were just framing the recipes themselves then you could use 5x7 frames and arrange them symmetrically or mix up the frames and get a true gallery look by hanging them at different heights but about the same distance apart from each other.

Note: It may be best to scan a copy of your recipe before you use it for this project. In fact you may prefer to use a copy of your recipe instead of the original. I scanned mine and opted to use the originals. You can use photo safe materials but the burlap is not photo safe. Over time it could transfer color to your recipe/photo. If you prefer a photo safe method then back your recipe/photo with acid-free, lignin-free cardstock.

Final project tally ~ It took me about 45 minutes total plus maybe 5 to 10 minutes of hanging time, but I wasn't consistently working on the project in one sitting. My costs in this was $28 plus tax for the two frames. The rest of the supplies I used I already had. I found the frames on sale for the Labor Day weekend sale at Michael's plus had an extra 20% off my purchase.

Do you have a favorite recipe from one of your grandparents or your mom? Maybe it's even one that a close friend or your sister shared? Take that special memorabilia in your life and display it!

Stainless Steel Cleaner

Today’s post is going to be short and sweet. I’m sharing with you an easy way to clean your stainless steel appliances. 

Until a few months ago, the only stainless steel I had ever had in my kitchen was a sink. I never gave much thought to cleaning it. I just got in the habit early on of wiping the sink and faucet dry with my dish towel each day after doing dishes. Occasionally, I would get out the Brillo pads and give it a good scrub, but that was it. 

I had heard people complaining about fingerprints on their appliances, but paid them no mind. How hard is it to wipe off a refrigerator??? Well, it is hard. I very quickly lost interest in keeping it nice and shiny because it was impossible, and I knew if I kept trying I would be institutionalized within the year. I would swipe at it throughout the week and on Sunday afternoon as I prepare to host a life group at our home I would wipe it off best I could and turn off the lights in the kitchen so nobody could see the streaks. Just kidding about that part. Our group shares a meal together each week so we’re all in the kitchen and there is no way to hide them. Fortunately they come to talk about Jesus, not to look at a shiny refrigerator, so nobody but me notices or cares.

BEFORE:

I asked around to see what my fiends friends use on their SS appliances, because I’m the newbie and they've been fighting this battle longer than me. I got a variety of replies ranging from misc. brands found at the grocery store, straight vinegar, DIY cleaners, essential oils, and plain ol' oil. I knew I did not want to spend the money on a commercial product because of the chemicals. I tried using straight vinegar. That worked pretty well. I made a spray bottle that contained a blend of vinegar, dish soap, and water and that was okay. I fixed up a little travel bottle with distilled water and lemon essential oil and that worked better. I used a variety of cloths with each method to see if that made a difference. 

What I found was, with enough elbow grease, all the methods could be effective at removing smudges, fingerprints, and greasy forehead circles above the water dispenser. (Apparently thirteen year old boys get pretty tired while waiting on their glasses to fill and have to lay on the refrigerator. Trust me, I was as shocked as you are.)

They all worked. For five minutes. Then more smudges, fingerprints, and greasy forehead circles mysteriously appeared in the same places. I knew it couldn't be my three precious cherubs making all these marks, so I called Ghostbusters. They said we didn't have any ghosts, so the only other logical explanation is that the neighbors break in and use our refrigerator when we’re gone or sleeping.

All right. I’m sorry. This post isn't that short after all is it? My bad. I’ll get straight to the point. I DID find a solution. It is the only one listed above that I had not tried. Plain ol' oil. In actuality, it was OLIVE oil. Leslie suggested it to me originally, but it sounded like a stupid bad idea to me. The last thing I needed was more oil to smear around when I cleaned it. Finally, out of desperation, I decided to try it. After all, Leslie is pretty particular about keeping her house clean and if she used it, maybe it would work. Well, lo and behold, it did. It worked! <cue angelic host>

AFTER:

I put a tablespoon or so of olive oil on a microfiber cloth and started working it into the metal going with the grain. The fingerprints came right off. I went back over it with a dry microfiber cloth to absorb any excess oil. Easy peasy, lemon squeasy.

The best part is that not only does it REMOVE smudges easily, they don’t come back! Even after several days, the fridge is nice and shiny like a baby's hiney. It looks like we won’t have to host our life group in the dark this week. I guess that means I have get to mop now. Great. I guess it will take something else to get me locked up in a padded cell, because I’m calling this battle officially OVER and I won! Please excuse the melodrama. I have a tween and a teen in my house so that’s just how it is around here these days.

Speaking of drama, please say a prayer for my husband. As you know, college football has started back. By the time you read this the outcome will have been determined, but my husband's team is playing and from the sound of it, they're not doing well. I'm worried he's going to bust that big vein in his neck. 

 Kristy~

Painted Burlap Fall Decor

Happy Labor Day! I hope all of our readers who are reading this on post day are getting to have the day off and are either having some alone time or family time – whichever you prefer. ;)

With it being September 1, I start to get excited about fall being just about here. I LOVE to decorate for fall. It's the colors and the crisp mornings and evenings that make me happy. As soon as the first of September comes, I haul out my fall décor. That's what I started over the weekend and am still working on today.

A few of my friends – if you remember – may know that last year I painted a leaf on a piece of burlap for some fall décor. It was a Pinterest-inspired craft. I really liked how it turned out. (Ignore my reflection in it, please.)

This year I wanted to show on our blog how I did it and add a couple more pieces to it to create a grouping. Using classic fall motifs, I thought I would add an apple and some pumpkins. Finished project:

You will need burlap, craft paint, foam brush, freezer paper, an iron (and ironing board), die cutter (or be a patient saint and cut out the shapes yourself), and a frame. I used frames I have had for a while (cheap 12x12 frames I bought at Hobby Lobby on sale plus a wood one I swap out for various décor items).

I have both the Silhouette and Cricut die cutters but am using the Silhouette for this project. Looking at what frames I had available for this project I sized the images allowing for white space around it, because I did not want my image right to the edge of the frame. This is on my computer where I was designing in the Silhouette software program.

Placing my freezer paper shiny side down on the cutting mat, I chose the correct settings and let my machine do the work. (For a Silhouette, choosing "vellum" paper works great. For a Cricut, set blade to 4, speed to 3, and pressure to 3.)

Why freezer paper? Some of you may know this. Some of you may not. BUT freezer paper is amazing when doing stencil crafts on fabric. Why? Because freezer paper is not only good for covering raw meat for the freezer, it also can be ironed onto fabric making it perfect for making stencils! Using a die cutter or scissors to hand-cut the design (shiny side down), you then iron the freezer paper with the steam turned off onto your fabric where you want it (shiny side down!). It becomes a temporary iron on and will easily pull off after you are finished painting. Plus, you can reuse the design until it will no longer iron on or gets too gunky with paint to use. (Here's the freezer paper I use, but I bought mine at Wal-Mart.)

Back to the project...

After my design was cut, I slowly and carefully peeled it from the cutting mat, making sure not to tear the paper. I used the negative image of the design for this project - meaning what's left when you remove the image that was cut out. It tends to roll up after you pull it off the cutting mat. I cut excess off around the stencil leaving about an inch around the design for better placement on the fabric. Then it was time to cut the burlap to fit in my frame.

*BURLAP TIP* When you buy burlap at the store, you will have raggedy, frayed edges. You want to make sure you cut the burlap straight. To do so, find one of the strands along the edge of the fabric that runs the entire length (or width). Carefully pull that strand out. You can use a pin to help pull it out along the way if needed. Cut along the line where you pulled the strand out. Once you have done this, you will have a straight line to use for measuring and cutting. This keeps your fabric from fraying too. Do the same for the other direction you will need to cut.

I ironed my freezer paper to the burlap next. Remember to have the steam turned off on the iron. 

Make sure there are not any folds in the paper especially in the corners. In the end I wish I had grouped my pumpkins and text closer together. Think about things like that when you are planning.

I didn't want the leaf on my apple so I cut it off the shape and ironed it in the gap.

I wanted to have a little edge on my burlap so I pulled out some extra strands on all four sides. This can be done at the end of the project if you want also. It's a good trick for if you do not center your images very good. Then you can just center your burlap on a background piece of cardstock as a mat.

I squirted several dabs of color on a foam plate for mixing for painting my apple.

Obviously, burlap with its holey nature is extremely porous so I made sure my workspace was covered before I started painting. I found papers in the trash can in our school room to use. Go me for upcycling....or is that recycling?!?

Carefully dab the paint on with the foam brush. Do not use large amounts of paint along the edges or it could possibly seep under the freezer paper. Applying light coats is best to cover the edges. The freezer paper gets damp as paint gets on it so be mindful of that.

Layering paint for dimension and added texture is easy to do when painting fabric like this.

Freezer paper pulled off:

For my pumpkins I needed to layer the design. After my first layer dried, I ironed on the stems and painted that area.

Let the paint dry. Remove the freezer paper. Place in frame.

Enjoy!

This project was a freebie for me because I had all the supplies in my craft room already. It took no more than an hour and a half start to finish (and that was with a couple of interruptions). The paint dries quickly on the burlap which helps to keep the project going.

You could use this idea for any time of year. Think ornament, tree, and gift for Christmas or do three separate shapes of the main figures of the nativity (baby Jesus, Mary, and Joseph). Then there's other celebrations: St. Patrick's Day (shamrocks in various shades of green), Easter (eggs, bunny, or cross), weddings, and even birthdays (gifts, cake, candle, or the year you're celebrating). They would make the PERFECT gift anytime of year when you put one in a frame.

Here's a simple envelope pillow cover I made one Saturday last year using this technique. I used painter's drop cloth for this project. Super easy, lots of possibilities, cheap, and fun!

Does this get any of your creative juices flowing? Let me know of any ideas you have for this technique!

DIY Purse Organizer

Today’s post is getting personal. I’m letting you peek in my purse. I’m going to show you how you can make an organizer for your purse that is customized for all the little things you carry with you. And it’s quick. And easy. And cheap! The trifecta!!!

Here’s my position on purses. I like small purses. I particularly like small purses that have a lot of built in pockets, like a place for your debit card and license, pen slots, a place for your phone and several zippered pouches. Until recently I carried a purse like that. I carried it so long that one of my daughter’s friends got in my car the other day and said she liked my new purse. I was surprised she even knew what kind of purse I had, but since I’ve been carrying it for a couple of years I guess everyone recognizes it. It was red after all.

With little purses you can’t carry a bunch of crap around. They force you to purge regularly. But, since I have started using essential oils, I have found that I need a bigger purse. It’s not that they are big, but I want them ALL with me ALL the time! I never get headaches, but I want my headache blend with me anyway, just in case! I guess you could say I’m addicted. (I wonder if I should use Black Pepper essential oil since it is good for addiction.) And I don’t want to leave them in my car because the heat could affect the medicinal properties.  So, I had to go to a bigger purse. (Kinda like when your husband has to play golf.) I didn't run out to the mall and pick up a new one. I went to my closet and pulled out an old one.

One that I had previously retired because it was too big and all my little stuff always found its way to the bottom and it got too heavy because I had too much stuff in it. I probably still had one in diapers the last time I used this purse. It isn't too messy yet because I haven’t been carrying it long enough to accumulate much junk, but I want to PREVENT the chaos that I know will come. Already I find myself searching for pens in the bottom. I've seen purse organizers you can purchase online like this one,

but right now I have other things to spend my money on. I decided to make something so I dusted off the sewing machine and got to work. I didn't come up with this idea on my own. There are several tutorials on Pinterest, but when I saw them being made from placemats I knew I had found a winner. You see, several years ago I got an embroidery machine and monogrammed everything my daughter owned at the time and also made millions of purses from placemats. I sold bunches of them and would look for placemats wherever I went. As is often the case with me, I soon tired of making the same thing over and over and packed up all those placemats in TWO boxes. I STILL have about forty placemats waiting to be transformed into something fabulous. It is shameful. Unfortunately, I only have one or two of most colors and patterns so they’re not going to be useful as placemats unless I get a whole lot less particular than I currently am and don’t care if they’re all different.

To get started, you will need two matching placemats. I have purchased this style of placemats at Wal-Mart, Target, Stein Mart, and TJ Maxx. They’re pretty easy to find and are only a couple of dollars each.

Start by sewing two of the short sides together so you have one LONG one.

Then you will fold the top part down about 1/3 and the bottom up over that. You want something that is about 4 ½ total inches tall with the top of your pocket being about an inch below the top fold. That sentence will make more sense if you look at this picture.

If you haven’t already, now is the time to consider what you want your purse organizer to hold. I have a bunch of cards that I am always searching for. I know there are Apps you can use, but a lot of them are punch cards and insurance and all that jazz.  I also wanted slots for pens, my lip balm, my phone, business cards. Consider all the little things you carry around. Think of the things you are always digging around the bottom of your purse for. Take a few minutes to lay them out and pin around them. Allow enough room to get the item in and out easily, but make the pockets small enough to hold them snugly.  You don’t want your smaller items falling out.

Also note if some items will need to be sewn across the bottom to shorten the length of the pocket. I did this with the card slots and lip balm. Otherwise they might slide all the way down and be hard to remove easily.

Simply sew straight lines where you’ve pinned and trim your loose threads when you’re finished. I used a contrasting thread so you could see my stitching, but I recommend matching your thread to your placemats so it will blend right in.

The advantage to this type of organizer is that it curves around the outer edge of whatever purse you’re using and can easily be moved from one purse to another if you change your purse more often than I do. It can overlap itself if needed, like mine does.

I also made an organizer to hold my essential oils using the same method. The only difference is that I only used one placemat. I cut it in half and then folded the half in half. I used the raw edge, as hemming it would have added more bulk than I wanted. I trimmed the loose strings off with a pair of sharp scissors.

Another idea is to use fabric instead of the placemat to make your organizers. With this one, I used a piece of fabric that was 12” wide and about 20” long. I ironed a 6”X20” piece of fusible interfacing down the center and folded it in half and then folded the outer edges in to the center. Then I sewed the vertical lines just like I did for the first one.

To hold these bottles of essential oils, sew your lines 1.5 inches apart. I was able to get ten pockets, and I put it in this old thirty-one pouch that I've had for several years. It was the right size, but when I put them in without an organizer, the bottles kept falling over and it was hard to find what I was looking for. Now I can easily take this bag in and out of my purse and have all of my favorite oils together.

I consider this project a beginner sewing project. It only took about thirty minutes start to finish, and I was able to use materials I already had so, for me, the cost was zero.

As always, if you attempt this, please let me know how it turned out or if you have any ideas to improve it. I would love to see pictures.

Kristy~