i---Create

what have I been up to?

2012-02-29T20:01:00.001-06:00

Lately I've been kinda busy. I am involved in FFA and my winter contest is ag sales. I love it! We go into a room and mock sell whatever product we choose to a couple judges. It's very fun and i enjoy getting to know other members from all over the state.

I'm going to start doing some more blogging again. I kind of hopped off the train a few months ago, but now I miss it. Coming up next is a recipe for chili and enchiladas. mmmmmm

P.S. If you're wondering which one I am, in the first picture I'm in the middle and in the second I'm on the right. In the last one I'm second to the right.

Today I'm inspired by:

2011-11-16T20:36:00.001-06:00

I stumbled upon this blog where the lady took a picture of one of her collections every day for a year. Here are some of my favorite collections:

Craft Room inspiration

2011-11-13T09:13:00.000-06:00

My craft room is a little lacking in the beauty department. It's very functional, but not mouch more than that. I would like to create a beautiful craft room on a small budget. Do you know of any blogs who have done this?

I love the simplicity of the both of these rooms. The one on the right looks so functional!

These aren't sewing rooms, but they sure are neat. I love the storage on the right. It has the right balance of rustic and functional.

11-11-11

2011-11-11T11:11:00.000-06:00

It's 11-11-11. This won't happen again until 2111, when most of us won't be around. I find this day so exciting because it's veterans day and it's 11-11-11!

Please remember all of the soldiers, the ones who have returned, the ones who are serving, and especially the soldiers who have paid the ultimate price.

When it turns 11:11 remember to make a very important wish! What will you be wishing for?

Weekend Recap

2011-10-24T20:32:00.000-05:00

What have I been up to this weekend? Mostly relaxing and getting ready for the 5 day week coming up. I have my last volleyball game on Monday so then I'll have more time to craft and blog!

Today I made a few bows...

I planned on only making a couple

but then I saw some really cute prints!

I also started painting some frames. I am planning on hanging them up in my room once I get new bedding and the walls painted. The colors are so beachy and fresh!

P.S.I used my hair bow tutorial.

Perfect Pencil Pouch: a Tutorial

2011-10-17T12:01:00.001-05:00

Here is a tutorial one of my favorite pencil pouch! I use it every day at school to carry my pencils, pens, and calculator from class to class. It would be great for stashing things in your purse to keep them organized.

Materials:

denim
striped fabric
a zipper

To start determine how big you want the pouch to be. I suggest 6"x8" for a standard pouch. This will fit a calculator, pens, and pencils. You can switch up the sizes for fitting different things.

Cut out the pieces: 2 of each.

Pin them wrong sides together and make sure the sides match up.

Sew lines down the stripes. Make sure to be careful to go straight--the stripes can be kind of an optical illusion after a whiel! I suggest about 5 seams to hold it in place. Repeat with the other set of denim and fabric.

Pin the zipper on upside down to the striped fabric. Sew a 1/8 inch seam. This is to hold it in place for the next step.

Flip it over and pin the panel up onto the zipper. Sew along the zipper on the fabric.

This picture shows the nice piping effect you get from sewing the zipper on this way.

Turn it inside out and pin. Make sure to open the zipper up 1/2 way so you can flip the bag inside out when we're finished. The bottom seams should match up so you can sew a 1/4 inch seam along the bottom.

Next pin it so the zipper and bottom seam match up. Sew the short sides.

Flip it inside out, trim any extra strings and there you have it, a perfect pencil pouch!

Do you know your ABC's?

2011-10-09T06:30:00.000-05:00

Here are the ABC's of me :) Most of them are favorites but a few are facts about me.

Age: 16

Breakfast: Baked Oatmeal (I'll have to share the delish recipe sometime!)

Color: Turquoise, white, gray, and coral

Dessert: ice cream! (cookie dough to be exact)

Essential Clothing Item: a simple necklace

Food: Ham and tapioca pudding...not together of course

Gold or Silver: Silver

Height: 5'11"

Ice Cream Flavor: Cookie Dough

Job: babysitter and uh blogger if that counts :)

Knick-Knack: A glass seahorse we got on vacation

Least Favorite Chore: Dusting...it isn't very rewarding

Movie: Food, Inc.

Name: Abby (no, my real name isn't Abigail. it's just abby)

Overnight Hospital Stay: The answer is no and let's hope it stays that way.

Pop: Don't drink pop. I like water though!

Quote:

Righty or Lefty: Righty

Siblings: One sister and one brother, both younger

Time you wake up: weekdays 6:20 weekends around 8:00

Under your bed: An extra leaf for our dining room table.

Veggie you like: Beets and asparagus are my favorite

Why do you run late?: I usually don't. I go by the FFA motto: "Early is on time and on time is late"

X-Rays: Just for dental stuff

Yummy food I make: Tapioca pudding and chocolate chip cookies :)

Zoo Animal: Giraffe

Please do this tag too! Let me know if you do it because I would love to read yours.

tutorial tuesday: my favorite coaster tutorials

2011-10-04T07:00:00.000-05:00

I was looking around the purl bee blog when I stumbled across these adorable citrus coasters! Although they remind me of springtime I still think they are adorable. I think these are going on my crafty to-do list :)

{source}

I also saw these fruit inspired apple coasters. They would be perfect with a glass of warm cider on a crisp fall day!


{source}

These coasters would be perfect for all year round. You can change the paper to match the style of your house or the colors of a certain room.


{source}

Which of these tutorials are you going to try?

i---am busy!

2011-10-01T13:58:00.000-05:00

So what have I been up to? Quite a bit, actually! I am going to walk you through what a day in my life is like.

6:15 am - Wake up and get ready

7:30 - FFA Parlimentary Procedure practice at school

8:30-3:30 - School

4-6 pm - Volleyball practice

6-6:15 - Drive home

6:15-6:30 Eat Supper

6:30-8:30 Homework

8:30-9:00 free time!

9:00-9:20 mandatory reading for english

9:20-9:30 Get ready for bed

9:30- Go to bed

As you can see I am quite busy during the school year. Not to mention every Friday night I take statistics for our HS football team. I am in no way complaining because I love being busy -- to an extent. Just last night I sewed a zippered bag and I realized how much I have missed sewing. It was the first sewing project I have done since school started! I think I have been going too fast so I am going to slow down and enjoy life--after all isn't that what we're supposed to do?

I haven't taken the time to blog but I think it is time for me to get back in the swing of things now that I've been in school for about a month and have a schedule established. My goal is to publish one blog post a week.

Giveaway! Mums the word prints

2011-09-29T22:20:00.000-05:00

I have a very exciting giveaway for you today! A very darling shop on etsy has offered to give you one print with free shipping. Here are a couple of my favorite prints from her shop.

Wouldn't this one look great in a baby's room?

Want to win!? The rules are simple.

Mandatory: Be a follower of i---create

Follow Mums the word on Facebook and comment back here - 1 entry

Go to Mums the word print's shop and comment on what product is your favorite - 1 entry

The giveaway will close on October 6th at 6:00 pm central time and I will announce the winner shortly after.

Good luck and let the entering begin!

i---Pin: Camping

2011-07-19T07:15:00.000-05:00

This week I am on a canoe trip with our church youth group. It is 6 days in

the woods away from civilization. It should be really fun! I won't have very good

pictures because I am just using a disposable waterproof camera. Maybe in a few weeks

I will post pictures from the trip. For now, I'm off to paddle my canoe!

i---create Granola

2011-07-18T07:15:00.000-05:00

Today I am sharing my ~~famous~~ recipe for making granola. Okay, okay, maybe it isn't famous, but it sure is delish!


Doesn't it look good?

Here's the recipe:

i---create Granola

8 Cups Rolled Oats
1.5 Cups Wheat Germ
1.5 Cups Oat Bran

5 Cups of any mixture of the following:
Soy nuts
sunflower seeds
finely chopped pecans
finely chopped almonds
finely chopped walnuts
coconut
any type of nuts really

1.5 tsp salt
3/4 Cup Brown sugar
1/2 Cup Pure Maple Syrup(the fake stuff works, too)
1 Cup Peanut Butter
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
2 TBS ground cinnamon
1 TBS vanilla
2 Cups Craisins or raisins (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Combine the oats, wheat germ, oat bran, soy nuts, pecans, almonds, walnuts, and coconut in a large bowl. Stir together the remaining ingredients (except for the raisins) in a saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, then pour over the dry ingredients, and stir to coat. Spread the mixture out evenly on the baking sheets.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until crispy and toasted, about 20 minutes. Stir once halfway through. Cool, then stir in the raisins or cranberries before storing in an airtight container.

Tips and tricks
*you don't have to use the exact amount of nuts shown. I sometimes use more than needed if I want to use up a bag.
*To finely chop the nuts, just stick them in a food processor! Works much better than chopping with a knife.
*Take the granola out of the oven when it is still a little bit wet. Keep in mind that it will clump together when it is out of the oven.
*For storing I put it in 2 ziploc bags. I freeze one and leave the other one out to eat.
Granola is perfect for snacks and breakfast. I enjoy mine like a bowl of cereal: with milk in the bottom! I also drink a glass of orange juice. This granola keeps me full until lunch time with all of the protein it contains.

And the winner is...

2011-07-14T20:13:00.000-05:00

So much suspense! Who will win these beautiful magnets?

Comment #11
Ruby Taylor said...Love what I have seen on your blog...I am now a follower and gladly placed your button on my blog!! http://rubyinga.blogspot.com

Please email me within 48 hours so I can get these magnets shipped! If you don't I will choose a new winner.

Hair Bows

2011-07-14T07:15:00.001-05:00

Today I am showing how to make hair bows! These bows can be whipped out very quickly and look adorable.

Step 1: Cut a 4x6 inch rectangle of fabric. Fold it in half the "hotdog" way.

Step 2: Sew along the short side and 1/3 of the way into the middle. Repeat so both sides are sewn.

Step 3: Turn it right side out and tuck the hole in. (you may need to iron this)

Step 4: Take a 1x2.5 inch piece of fabric and iron the sides under 1/4 inch.

Step 5: fold the sides in and wrap the small piece of fabric around. I use fabric tack glue to secure it, but you can hand sew if you like.

You're done!

I attached a barrette to the back of the bows so I can wear them in my hair.You can attach them to bobby pins or safety pins. There are so many options with bows!

What would you attach these adorable bows to?

i---Race: Turtle Races!

2011-07-12T15:34:00.000-05:00

This weekend we picked up a few friends and headed off to the turtle races. I

thought this turtle portrait was too cute!

i---Guest: MD School Mrs

2011-07-12T14:47:00.001-05:00

I have a guest post on MD school Mrs. today! I am showing how to make i---create granola. It is my favorite recipe of all time and looks delish! Wouldn't you love a bowl of this for breakfast!?

i---Pin: Peony

2011-07-12T11:02:00.000-05:00

I love peonies! There is no doubt about it. They are elegant, modern, pastel, delightful, and the list goes on and on and on and on...

This picture is so relaxing....I just love it!


This is the most beautiful wedding bouquet I've seen.

What flowers are you loving this summer?

Dear 16 Year old me

2011-07-11T13:20:00.000-05:00

I found this video on youtube and think it has a pretty powerful message. As you are heading out to the beaches, make sure to wear sunscreen and protective clothing! You will be glad you did.

i---Guest: Pink Lemonade

2011-07-07T09:11:00.000-05:00

I have a guest post on Pink Lemonade today! Isn't this exciting :) I show how to make hair bows. Very cute, easy, and fun!

i---Give!

2011-07-06T15:44:00.001-05:00

I have a super fun Giveaway going on right now. I am giving away these charming magnets! Aren't they adorable?

Here are some smaller, but equally snappy magnets.

Wouldn't they look fantastic on your fridge! I can only imagine the to-do lists they would hold up.

Want to get your paws on these?

1. Follow my blog (mandatory)
2. Add my button to your page
(leave a comment if you do any of the above please!)

Good luck and let the entering begin!

*Giveaway closes Thursday, July 16, 2011 at 6pm Central.
**Make sure to check back BEFORE Saturday, July 18, 2011 to see if you won. If the winner doesn't contact me within 48 hrs I will choose a new one. :)

Polymer Clay Watermelon Magnets

2011-07-06T09:07:00.000-05:00

I made these watermelon magnets yesterday out of polymer clay. They were pretty easy to form and then I put them in the oven to bake. After they cooled, I attached magnets to the back with hot glue.

*photo taken with instagram

Ruffled iTouch Case Tutorial

2011-07-06T03:15:00.000-05:00

This tutorial is how to make an iTouch case. I have been wanting a case for my iTouch for a while, so I finally bit the bullet and made one myself! This case takes about 1 hour to make and it will protect your iPod from many dents and scratches. You can adjust the dimensions if you are going to use it for an iPad or iNano. It will work for any device as a matter of fact.

Let's get to it:

Step 1: Cut your fabric. The outside, lining, and batting should all be 6.5x5 inches. The ruffle fabric should be 3x8 inches.

Step 2: Sew the outside and batting together. Measure up 1.5 inches on the top and bottom and sew a line. This will help keep the batting in place when you use the case.

Step 3: On the ruffle fabric iron the long sides in 1/4 inch.

Step 4: Sew on the ruffles in the center of the outside fabric.

Step5: This is where it gets a little tricky! You are going to make a sandwich with the zipper on the inside. Place the outside fabric face up and lay the zipper face down on the top of it. Then add the lining fabric face down and sew a 1/4 inch seam along the edge of the zipper. Repeat with the other side.

This is what it should look like after you have both sides done. Make sure to open the zipper about halfway.

Step 6: Fold the case open like so. Stitch around all sides leaving a hole at the bottom so you can pull it right side out.

Step 7: Fold it right side out and stitch up the hole in the bottom. There you have it!

i---Pin: Caffeine Overload!

2011-07-05T22:16:00.000-05:00

I am starting a series called i---Pin and I will post a pinterest collage every Tuesday. This weeks theme is caffeine overload! Hope you enjoy the caffeinated pictures. :)

Truffles
coffee owl
Pouring Coffee
Many cups of coffee
Heart Hot C hocolate
Turquoise Chocolates
Chocolate Coconut Bars
Geometric Pattern Chocolate Bar

Eye Chart Print.

2011-07-05T19:51:00.000-05:00

I saw a print like this on etsy and I knew I had to have it! The only problem was that it cost $15(no frame included). So I decided to create one. It was pretty simple. I just opened a word document and started messing around with fonts and text sizes. After about 1/2 hour, I had it perfect! I printed it on computer paper and put it in a $3 walmart frame. I am very happy with how it turned out!

i---Love: Turquoise and Coral!

2011-06-26T21:15:00.000-05:00

Here is a collage of my favorite turquoise and coral pictures. I am loving this color combo right now.

Ruffled Apron

2011-06-26T13:45:00.000-05:00

My mom had bought some adorable fabric from a quilt shop for an apron. I have been looking at apron patterns for a while, and I finally found a pattern I loved! The instructions aren't that clear for a beginner like me, but I figured it out after a while. I am going to enter this adorable apron in my 4H fair (aka Achievement Days).

Aren't the patterns adorable!?

If you want to give this pattern a go, here is the pattern: Ruffled Apron.

MIA

2011-06-07T09:54:00.001-05:00

Hey everyone!

Right now I am sitting in a coffee shop drinking a raspberry italian soda with cream... Yumm! I am going to be MIA this week because I am at state FFA. I brought along fabric, needles, and a scissors. Can you guess what I am missing? Thread! Kind of bummed out, but I am going to be really busy. Have fun and wear sunscreen this summer! :)

Satin Hair Flowers

2011-06-06T08:17:00.000-05:00

Have a little extra satin laying around? I have the project for you! These hair flowers are easy to make and super duper fun. (insert cartwheel)

Let's get to it:

Supplies:

Satin ( I bought 1/8 yard at Hobby Lobby for $0.37...steal!)
thread and needle
fake pearls
candle and matches

Step 1

Cut small rounds out of the satin. They should be four different sizes (SM, MD, LG, XL)

Step 2

Light the candle and burn the edges of all the circles. They will shrivel up because of the plastic in the fabric. They will curl and take on the shape of a petal. (this is the fun part!)

Step 3

Stack the petals on top of each other in size order. (ie large on bottom small on top)

Step 4
Stitch a couple stitches in the center to secure the petals.

Step 5
Add pearls to the center as if you were sewing on buttons. You could add beads, buttons, or anything else you can think of to the center of this flower. It is very versatile and easy to experiment with.

Step 6
You are at the final step. Hoorah! You can add a pin, alligator clip, or barrette to the back. I chose to add a barrette as I am going to be wearing this in my hair.

TA-DAH! all done! like my modeling skills? hehehe

i---Shop

2011-06-05T17:28:00.000-05:00

I took a trip to my favorite craft store! I picked up some items for upcoming tutorials and just for fun. How they arranged the colors in the store amazes me...they look like giant rainbows!

Here are some of the fun rainbow pictures:

I bought two sets of napkins to make napkin magnolias. Stop by Hannah Handmade in the next week to check out the guest tutorial. FUN!

Our final stop was in the fabric section. Ahhhhh! I was so inspired by Hannah Handmade's satin hair flowers, I just had to make them! I bought three colors of satin and pearls. The tutorial will be up later this week. I bought 1/8 yard of 3 different fabrics and got them for little over a dollar. Now that's a steal!

Thanks for shopping with me and I have a question for you. What is your favorite craft store?

Cinnamon Rhubarb Muffins

2011-05-25T17:15:00.000-05:00

Our rhubarb is in full glory in our backyard and we have been giving it away and using it. We already made a pie, so why not make muffins? These muffins are perfect for breakfast. They are buttery, cinnamony, and all around delicious.

Let's get to it:

Ingredients
1.5 cups all purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1.5 cups packed brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups finely chopped rhubarb
For Topping:
.5 cup sugar
2 TBS butter, melted
2 tsp ground cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine the first five ingredients. Combine egg, buttermilk, oil, and vanilla; stir in dry ingredients just until moistened. Fold in rhubarb. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups about half full. Combine topping ingredients; sprinkle over each muffin. Bake at 375 degrees F for 16-18 minutes or until muffins test done.

Friendship Bracelets

2011-05-23T20:48:00.000-05:00

I love to make friendship bracelets in the car and at home. They are fun to make and even more fun to give away!

Let's get to it:

Supplies

Embroidery Thread (4 of any colors)
Scissors
Tape

Step 1:

Cut the threads to about 24 inches and tie a knot 2 inches from the top. Then tape it down to a hard surface. (You can also use a clipboard if you are in the car, etc)

Step 2:

Now it is time to begin the knot. It is tricky to get the hang of at first, but with a little practice you'll be a pro in no time.

Make a 4 shape with your first string and leave the 3 other strings down.

Step 3:

Pull the tail of the "4" underneath the 3 strings and up through the body of the "4"

Step 4:

Pull the string tight and up to the knot at the top. Repeat steps 2-4 about 15x with the blue color.

Step 5:

This is what it should look like after you have completed the blue color. Continue with the next color string (purple) and tie 15 friendship knots again. Do this with all of the colors until it reaches a desirable length.

Step 6:

When you have finished the bracelet, tie a knot on the end. You can give this bracelet to a friend or keep it yourself. To fasten to the wrist, just tie both ends together.

Here is what it should look like when you are all finished.

You did it! :)