Winner!

Thank you to those who participated in my first blog giveaway. I had fun reading your strategies on child rearing.

This morning I wrote down the number of comments on paper

 Found a box

 Put the numbers inside

 Found a lovely assistant

 And she drew out a number

 And the winner is . . . Amy my fourth commenter

 Amy is now the proud owner of a custom spicy brush holder-wrap-roll

 Which I will mail out tomorrow.

Thank you all for playing and check in again for another giveaway soon.

~And So That's What She Did.



Wills and Won'ts

We are down to one dog at our house. Our beasts went out for a run a few nights back and only our dear Penny came home. We drove around and didn't see any signs of Riley on their normal drag so I am assuming that he was taken in. Penny won't go to anyone but Dave or myself, Riley on the other hand wasn't quite as wary. To be honest my emotions on the subject are rather shocking. I am relieved. As my husband said it is better to take good care of one dog than mediocre care of two. We didn't have the heart to give him away and yet I never felt like he got the attention he deserved. So with that in mind here is a list of things I will and won't miss about Riley Rascalion:

I will miss seeing him all cuddled up on the floor or in the sand box with Penny.

I will not miss his puppy behavior. ie. chewing, digging and generally tearing our gate apart to get to Penny who likes to jump the fence.

 I will miss how he insisted on sleeping on my side of the bed if Dave was gone over night.

I won't miss his aparent blind spot for the kids. He always took the route that would be the tightest squeeze to get through, generally knocking down a child in the process.

On the other hand besides occasionally running them over he was very good with the girls. If he got fed up with what they were doing he would get up and leave.



As a side note this is an interesting picture. I had taken Riley to the park with the kids but couldn't take both dogs. When we were a block away from the house I heard someone running rapidly behind me, I turned around and Penny had jumped the fence to come join us. So I had to loop them onto one leash since it's all I had.



And finally there will no longer be a 2 foot high ring of brown dealth on all of the plants in our yard.

Mostly I am sorry that Penny has lost her friend. He was a good dog for us and I am sure he will make some family very happy, once he becomes old and lazy like Penny.

Goodbye Riley, I hope you have found a kind, happy home.

Songs Around the House + Something for Free(Winner Announced)

Around here we sing for everything and nothing.

We sing because we're happy, we sing because we're freeeeeee . . .

Sorry.

There are a few songs I have made up in order to teach fundamental hygiene that I thought I would share with you.

While brushing the girls teeth I sing:

I love to say AAHH so mom can brush my teeth,

I love to say AAHH so she'll make them nice and clean.

(This causes them to open their mouths wide so that I can get in there)

Spit

I love to say CHEESE so mom can brush my teeth,

I love to say CHEESE so she can make them nice and clean

(Time to brush the front)

Spit, and repeat.

For the cough that never gets covered:

Cover your cough, Cover your cough

If you please cover your sneeze

Cover your cough, Cover your cough
Don't spread germs around.

Thank you! My album of children's songs will be out this fall . . . not really

**Giveaway**

What are your fun tips for teaching obedience, hygiene etc. Comment them here, and on Friday I will draw a number out of a hat and that commenter will get a homemade prize.

~And So That's What She Did.

Makeup Brush Holder-Wrap-Roll

I was scrambling for a gift for my little sisters 14th birthday. I wanted to get her something practical but flashy. Something you might find on a vintage Hollywood vanity. Something to remind her of me everyday.

I was thinking a holder for her makeup brushes. Something simple that could be spiced up. I decided to sit down and make her one.

I figured I could use scraps from the numerous nursing covers that I have made. But I really wanted to use orange fabric and knew I hadn't made an orange nursing cover . . . EVER. So I thought perhaps I would have a chance to run to the fabric store and pick up a little something pretty. But as the days went on and my schedule refused to release me even for a moment I decided to go with what I had and I think it turned out pretty darn cute, if I do say so myself.

I procrastinated until the day before her birthday party and finally decided to get to work. First I pulled out my own holder or perhaps I will call it a wrap hmmm I'll think about that. . .

 

 Then I scrounged around my scraps and notions to find a few fun items for ideas. I chose a zebra print for the inside because I feel that it fits Banany's inner spirit. However the subdued feminine subtle floral green made total sense for the outside. A fiery red ribbon and perhaps sparkly buttons hmmm maybe green ribbon . . . as Emy would say "We'll see"

 Next I measured my roll (I researched it and that's what "they" are calling it)

 Both sides you know.

 Then a little math to add seam allowance.

 Measure the pocketoes, (it's spainglish try to keep up)

 and the little flap that keeps your brushes from falling out.

Then I cut out my fabric.

 

 Lay it out, just to be sure I cut everything right.

Now it's time to start on the pocket and flap. Turn the fabric right sides facing and stitch up the sides. No need to go across the long open side, it will be in the seam anyway. And why do extra work that doesn't matter?

Trim your corners to reduce bulk

Iron the seams flat

Still ironing

Ironed fabric makes me giddy.

I like my seams to be nice and tight so I came up with this idea to place a knife in the seam to hold the fabric at its limit while ironing the seam.  I don't know if I came up with it but I didn't know it existed before this day.

Iron it.

All ironed out and lookin' good.

Measure for the pockets

I find that drawing them in is the easiest way to get a straight stitch. Perhaps those of you who are more advanced can do it with a few notch marks but not this novice.

Stitch your pockets

I like the green thread as an accent, just a touch of citrus.

 All pocket seams sewn. Be sure to do a little reverse stitching on the top and bottom of these since they will get a lot of wear.

  

Position the flap

Lay the inner and outer fabrics wrong sides facing.

 I trimmed the corners but I'm not so sure that was a good move. I ended up with a little fraying when I was done so that's up to you.

 Make your first fold and iron

 And your second

 Now place the ribbon where it belongs, if you are choosing to use a ribbon.

 Stitch around and call me happy.

 Testing it out with my brushes. Auntie Gus-Gus, or should I be calling her Sister Gus-Gus in this case, bought her new brushes.

 Also could be used for crochet hooks.

 I had a bit of a dilemma as to how to close it. at first I wanted to use the sparkly button and wrap the ribbon around it but I couldn't get that to stay closed and if I had been thinking I might have just made it a button closure but then I would have missed out on the pop of red on the outside and I think it really needed it. So I ended up doubling the ribbon in the seam and wrapping it around the folded roll. It works nicely but I think I want to play with that a little next time I make one.

Here are a few finished product shots, still with my brushes.

I enjoyed making this and I completed it during the girls nap time. So it is an easy, quick project for a rainy day . . . or to blaze through only hours before you have to leave for a party.

Not that I condone that sort of procrastination.

However, that seems to be my way of giving gifts to this sister I remember the year I started crocheting I tried to make her a coin purse the day before her party. She got a crochet bookmark.

Eh it's from the heart.

And So That's What She Did. . .