Pin board in a frame

I needed to make something to get all my business cards and things I wanted to keep sorted in my office.  Until now they have been pilling up on my desk and it's just been a big mess.  I then took an old framed print and gave it new life and it sorted out my office problem :-)

What you need: 
Frame with hardboard inside
Material {5cm larger than your hardboard all around}
Coloured elastic {I used 10m on a 65 x 80cm board}
Buttons
Embroidery thread & Needle
Staple gun
Some push-pins
Batting {at least 135g} 2 times the size of your hardboard



Start by cutting two sheets of the batting the same size as the hardboard. {Not bigger! Cause when you fold the material over it will go over the edges and the hardboard wouldn't fit into the frame when you want to put it back}

Then cut the material so that it is about 5 cm bigger than the hardboard in circumference.

Using the staple gun, fold the material over the edge and staple it to the back of the hardboard. Remember to keep the edges neat! :-) And pull it quit tight as you fold over {not too tight}.

Now you have a beautifully covered hardboard :-)

Then comes the adding of the elastic to the board.  Most material shops have coloured elastic, you can use any colour - even make it a colourful board by adding different coloured elastics.  But I decided to keep it simple, white and grey.

 Firstly mark your lines, and pin the two elastics crossing each other from corner to corner.

Then using some push-pins mark every 10 cm from the centre of the board to the outside.  Using the line of the crossing elastic place an elastic every 10 cm. {I first use push-pins to put all the elastics down, to make sure I have all the angles correct}

Pull the elastic slightly and secure behind with the stable gun. {If the elastic is secured to loose your elastic wouldn't hold your business cards and papers they will just slide out}

Once you are done you have a beautiful pattern.

To add some colour I used buttons every now and then at the cross of two elastics.  First place your buttons on the board to see how you would like to sew them on.

Using embroidery thread in different colours sew the button to the two pieces of elastic crossing each other. You can end off by knotting the starting piece of thread and the ending piece and cutting it off short.

You then need to place the board back into the frame... and start sliding in your notes, business cards, invites and just everything lying around.  You can use push-pins and peg to hold things in place, but the  elastic should do the trick by its self.

Homemade ice-cream {basic}

Adri, a friend of mine has been "bragging" with her easy but delicious ice-cream recipe for a while now.  So I made it over the week-end.  I gave my boyfriend a taste and said "what do you think..." and his answer was "more please" :-)

Warning: Don't start this in the evening... you need at least 4 hours till it's done!

So here it is

What you need:
1 tin Condensed Milk {sweetened}
1 tin Evaporated milk
250 ml Fresh Cream

Whip the cream until stiff.

Fold in the evaporated milk and the condensed milk {until well mixed}

Place in freezer for 1 hour, then remove, mix and place in the freezer for another hour {repeat every hour for 4 hours}

Then your ice-cream is done!

Serve as is, or with your favourite sauce :-)

Enjoy

baby slippers

Are these slippers not absolutely gorgeous?

I found the pattern on Purlbee and made it for a friend having a baby...

What you need:
A piece of felt
Embroidery thread
A needle
A small piece of elastic
The Patern :-) {http://www.purlbee.com/felt-baby-shoes/}

They have a step by step "how to" on the website, they even have a chart so that you can adapt the pattern for older children! What I did was cut a piece of the red and white check to put on the inside of the sole of the foot.  It gives it a bit more steadiness and looks beautiful!

Homemade Muesli

Visiting my sister {Leigh-Ann in Europe} we had homemade muesli every morning and I just had to share her recipe with you. It's a bit more effort than buying the muesli, but it's sooooo worth it!

What you need:
850 ml Oats
200 ml Almonds
200 ml Sunflower seeds
200 ml Pumpkin seeds
75 ml Sesame seeds
1 tbs flax seeds
125 ml Apple juice
200 ml Honey
4 tbs olive oil


Heat the oven to 160 C

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and stir it carefully.  Using baking paper to line the baking pan, spread the mixture evenly.

Bake for approximately 30 min {until golden brown}. And stir occasionally while baking {gently}

Allow to cool down and store in airtight container once cooled down completely

Serve with yogurt and berries :-) or with some milk

And I assure you you'll have a good start to everyday!

Button and ribbon rosette

I made these to stick on the wall behind a Candy Table I did a few weeks ago.  But they are lovely to use anywhere that you feel that you need some colour.  You can even use them as buttonholes for your wedding, or just a brooch to wear on your jacket.

What you need:
A button {covered or a normal one}
3 x 15 cm pieces of ribbons
glue gun {or needle and thread}

Fold each if the three pieces of ribbon to the centre and glue {or sew} it down

Fold the other end to the middle as well

Place 2 of the "looped" pieced in a cross on top of each other.

And the third one straight on top

Glue {or sew} it in place and add the button on top... If you want to make a brooch out of it use a brooch pin and sew it to the back of your rosette.

The heart in the flowers

I made these small bouquets for a baby shower in egg holders using baby's breath.  They looked so cute.  To add some colour I added these material hearts.

What you need:
material of your choice {a very small piece will do the trick}
glue gun
florist wire

Cut out your hearts, two per wire.

Then using the glue gun stick the hearts together with the florist wire in the middle.

And there you have your material heart.  They also look very cute in cup cakes. :-)