friendship necklace technique is really easy

 You could easily use this same string technique to make a friendship bracelet, an embroidery thread anklet, or even to wrap your hair in beautiful colored embroidery floss for a carefree summer look.

What You Need:
Embroidery floss or yarn in different colors

Cotton twine or something similar to use as a base for wrapping
Scissors
Cardboard bobbins or pieces of cardboard
Optional: Brass nuts and washers


Instructions

How to Make a 2-Tone Necklace:
Step 1

Take each of your chosen embroidery thread colors and wrap them each around its own piece of cardboard. This makes them easier to manipulate and cuts down on tangling.
Step 2

Cut a long piece of cotton twine or rope, and tie the two colored threads to the rope leaving at least 3 inches of slack.
















Step 3

Tape down the slack to a flat surface or safety pin it to something that will help keep it in place.
Step 4

Lay the color that isn’t being used (shown here in purple) in your left hand, along with the rope, and hold them taut.
Step 5

Take the active color (shown here in red) in your right hand, pass it over the rope, loop it under and back through the opening. Pull up and to the right to tighten.

Step 6

Repeat the knots until you are ready to switch colors.
Step 7

Switch colors by putting the inactive color (red) in your left hand and the new active color (purple) in your right. Repeat the steps. If you're a lefty, of course do the switch up and use opposite hands.

Step 8

Once you’re done knotting with the floss, if you'd like, you can add a few nuts and/or washers to the necklace. Undo the large starter knot and tie both open ends together, creating your very own friendship necklace! Trim any extra rope and tread. Done!
More Friendship Ideas...

Use this knot for Friendship Bracelets and Friendship Hair Wraps

Now that you know how it's done, you can use this easy knotting technique to wrap just about anything cylindrical. Try with a length of your friend's hair, or make bracelets...

Fashion Idea: Make a ton of these friendship necklaces at different lengths, using any color combination and wear a whole bunch at once. A great summertime look.

how make nice HAWAIIAN LUAU CANDLES

SUPPLIES NEEDED:
Coconut Shells
Wick
Scent
Blue Candle Coloring (Blocks or Liquid)
Artificial Flowers
Glue Gun or Glue Dots
Votive Wax
Vybar 260 (optional)


Step 1
Attach the wick to the bottom of the coconut shell with either hot glue or glue dots.
Step 2
Heat the wax to 180 degrees and add the scent and coloring to the wax. Pour the wax into the coconut
shell until it is within ¼” from the top of the shell so it will not overflow. (To get a ripple affect in the wax to
look like water you can add more vybar to the votive wax).
Step 3
After the candle is cooled you can decorate the coconut shells with the flowers you have picked. You can
glue them to the front of the shells with the hot glue or the glue dots. Make sure they are not hanging over
the coconut shell near the wicking. This would be a fire hazard

learn make Felted Red Cherry Earrings

Such fun to wear, light as air and so easy to make.
Step 1

Use 18.5 micron Superfine Merino wool to make the felted beads in a size to suit, about a 1/2 inch diameter works well.
Step 2

Tie a firm knot in one end of a length of waxed cord, thread on one bead, then pass cord through the earwire loop.
Step 3

Tie a loose knot and add the second bead and then tie off with another loose knot.

TIP: Do not firmly tie the last two knots until the earrings are equal in length.

learn make Orange Bowl Candle

Supplies needed:
Wax Orange Bowls
Pre-tabbed 5” wicks
Candle Gel
Fruit slices scent
Wax fruit salad assortment
A melting pot for wax
A thermometer
A stove or hot plate
A suitable work area lined with
aluminum foil or wax paper


STEP 1
Prepare your work area – gather your materials. Place your gel into an electric melting pot, with a
temperature control or directly on you stove burner on med/low heat.
NOTE: Presto makes a 6-quart pot with a control and it sells for under $30.
STEP 2
Attach a pre-tabbed wick to the bottom of the wax bowl with hot glue or pour a bit of melted gel in the
bottom over the wick tab. Arrange the fruit salad in each orange bowl keeping the pre-tabbed wick
straight and centered in the middle of the bowl.
STEP 3
Heat gel to 250 F and keep it at this temperature until the gel appears as a clear liquid. Add your
scent, stir well (then stir again) and allow the gel to cool to 200 F.
STEP 4
Pour gel at 200 degrees in a circular motion around the fruit. Watch your gel temperature carefully on
this step because pouring your gel too hot will cause your wax pieces to melt and streamer to the top
of the candle. This takes practice and patience!
STEP 5
Enjoy your candles! Watch them burn and enjoy the fragrance that you picked. Handmade candles
also make great gifts. Your friends will enjoy receiving something that’s handmade and if the directions
are followed properly you will have made candles that are a better quality than what you can buy
in most stores!

learn how Make a Hemp Bracelet with Ceramic Beads

what need

12 feet of Hemp twine, 20 lb. test (~1mm thickness)
8-10 ceramic beads with large holes (large enough for two strands of twine to pass through at the same time)
4 small leaf shaped charms or leaf shaped beads with wire-wrapped loops (optional)
Measuring tape
White glue

how step by step

Step 1: Measure around your wrist (or the wrist of the person you are making the bracelet for) using a measuring tape. We'll call this your WM (wrist measurement).

If you've printed out these instructions, write your WM here ______

Step 2: Cut two 6 foot lengths of twine.

Step 3: Fold the cords in half. Make an OH to form a 2 strand loop just big enough for your closure bead to pass through. You should now have a bead-sized loop, a neat, tight knot, and 4 strands of twine.

Step 4 : Make 2 SK's.

Step 5 : Thread a ceramic bead onto your filler cords. (See the picture on the right).

Step 6 : Make 2 SK's, then thread another bead onto your fillers. Continue alternating 2 SK's and beads until the bracelet is your WM long. Measure only from the OH knot on the loop, not the end of the loop. End with 2 SK's.


The picture on the left shows a detail of the beads alternating with 2 SK's


Step 7: Make one more SK, then thread one more bead onto your fillers. This bead will slide through the loop closure.

Step 8: Make a tight overhand knot at the base of the last bead, using all four strands of twine. To end the bracelet here, cut off the excess twine and dab some glue onto the knot for safety. Let dry. To attach the bracelet to your wrist, slip the closure bead through the closure loop. Done!

Step 9 (optional): Try tying some leaf charms onto the ends of your twine before cutting off the excess. I had some leaf charms that already had wire loops on them so the twine passed easily through the loops. Tie each charm using a simple OH, then cut off the excess. Dab a bit of glue on each knot for safety and let dry.

Note: Adding charms onto the bead closure will make it harder to take the bracelet on and off because the charms have to pass through the loop too.

learn Make a Bead Lizard

Creating a bead lizard is easy and fun - anyone can do it! 

You Need:
1⁄8" (3mm) wide ribbon, cut to about 40" (~102cm)
(You can find this at Michael's - 50 cents for 10 yards, last I checked.)
30 primary color pony beads (I used black - we'll refer to these as #1)
Note: Pony beads come in a variety of sizes. I used 9mm, but 7mm would work, too - it would just make a smaller lizard.
20 secondary color pony beads (I used orange - we'll refer to these as #2)
2 pony beads for the eyes (I used glow-in-the-dark beads for this - we'll refer to these as #3)
Optional: Keychain, lanyard hook or other object to hang your lizard on. Please see the bottom for instructions on how to do this.

Step 1

String 3 #1 (black) beads. Let one of them drop down to the middle of the ribbon, and hold the other two together, an inch or so from the end.
Step 2

Take the other end of the ribbon and string it through those two beads in the opposite direction, so there's a ribbon end coming out of each side of the two beads.

Hold the two ends of the ribbon flush with one hand and pull the two beads down to the center of the ribbon with the other.

You should now have two (very short) rows of beads.
Step 3

Next, string on one #3 color (the eyes), one #1 color and another #3 color, in that order. Put the other end of the ribbon through them in the opposite direction and pull them down to the center of the ribbon, as before

You should have a little "triangle" now.
Step 4

String on a row of two #1 beads, and then a row of multicolor beads, in this order: 121

Make sure you're going through the beads with both ends of the ribbon in opposite directions for each row, and always pull tight.
Step 5

This time, we're only going to use one end of ribbon. On that end, string two #1 beads and three #2 beads.

Next, you're going to use that same end of the ribbon to go back through the two #1 beads, without going back through the three #2 beads.

You might have to rearrange the 'claw' a little bit, but you've just created one leg!
Step 6

Repeat on the other side, so you have the two front legs completed.
Step 7

Next you're just going to continue as before, stringing row by row, like this:

121
1221
121
Step 8

Leg time again! Make two legs, one on each side, just like in Steps 5 and 6.
Step 9

Almost done. String on a row of two #1 beads, and then you're at the tail.
Step 10

For the tail, you're just doing one bead per row. I like to alternate between the #1 and #2 beads, starting with #2. You can make your tail as long as you want, though the 40" ribbon won't go far past eight or nine beads.

My lizards usually have six beads in their tails. ;)
Step 11

The final knot to secure your bead lizard is really easy with ribbon - you just need to tie two overhand knots. Sometimes, I tie two knots, then slide the ribbon ends back through the final bead, then finish with two more knots, just to make it extra secure.
How to Attach Your Bead Lizard to a Keychain or Lanyard Hook

Basically, all you have to do is tie the ribbon on the keychain/hook using a Larks Head Knot. You then skip that first row and start with two #1 beads.
 

floral garland:

How to make a floral garland

1. Allow the flowers to stand in a preservative solution in a cool place for several hours.

2. Measure a piece of floral wire to fit the size of the persons’ head. Allow a little extra at each end. Coiled wire is better for head garlands, because it takes a circular shape. Make a

hook and eye at the ends of the wire. Bind the wire with stem wrap floral tape.

3. Wire and tape the individual flowers and leaves.                                                            

See stem wiring instructions

4. Tape the individual flowers and leaves to the taped wire.

5. Add ribbon streamers down the back.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Flower Brooch

Materials:
150cm fishing line,
100 gold size 8/0 hex beads (also known as 2 cut beads)
200 red size 8/0 seed beads
35 black size 8/0 seed beads
1 ivory 6mm imitation pearl

Ball base:  Start with 5 beads, crossover on the last one (bead 5)

Add beads 6, 7, 8 and 9 onto the blue thread.  Cross through bead 9 with the green thread.

Add beads 10, 11 and 12 onto the green thread.  Cross through bead 12 with the blue thread.

Add beads 13, 14 and 15 onto the blue thread.  Cross through bead 15 with the green thread.

Add beads 16, 17 and 18 onto the green thread.  Cross through bead 18 with the blue thread.

Pass the green thread through beads 1 and 6. 

Add beads 19 and 20 on the blue thread.  Cross the green thread through bead 20.

Pass the blue thread through bead 7.

Add beads 21, 22 and 23 on the green thread.  Cross the blue thread through bead 23

Pass the green thread through beads 8 and 10.

Add beads 24 and 25 to the blue thread.  Cross the green thread through bead 25.

Pass the blue thread through beads 11 and 13.

Add beads 26 and 27 on the green thread.  Cross the blue thread through bead 27

Pass the green thread through beads 14 and 16.

Add beads 28 and 29 to the blue thread.  Cross the green thread through bead 29.

Pass the blue thread through beads 17, 19 and 21.

Add bead 30, and cross over.

Take the blue thread and pass through beads 28 and 26.

Take the green thread and pass through beads 22 and 24.

Tie off, but leave the thread.  The base is done.  It should look like a ball with lots of holes.  Now you will add the petals.

The diagram shows where the petals need to be added, basically there will be 3 rows on the beaded base.  The first and last rows will have 5 beads, the middle row will have 10 beads.

For the first row, just pass ONE thread through the bead next to it.  You will be working with this thread only for now.  And you will be working on this circle of 5 beads, which will be outer row of petals, and is highlighted in yellow.

Thread on 20 gold hex beads, and then pass the thread back through the bead on the base where you started, to create a loop of beads.  (The thread path for the first row of petals is shown in the diagram).  Pass the thread into the next bead in the circle, add 20 gold hex beads, and loop it back through again.  Continue this all the way around the circle of 5 beads on the base.

At this stage I like to add a brooch back, if I’m using one, then tie off the thread.

Now pick up the other thread and pass the it through to a bead in the next row. This second row is highlighted in pink, and will have 10 beads in it.  Note:  this row of beads doesn’t sit perfectly straight, but has a slight zigzag pattern to it.

This time add loops of red size 8/0 beads, I used 20 because the seed beads are smaller than the hex beads,  but play it by ear these loops should be a little smaller than the loops in the last row.  Make this row like before, passing through a bead, adding the beads for the petals, and passing back through that bead, then pass into the next bead.  Continue all the way around forming 10 overlapping petals.

Now you’ll be up to the last row, which will have only 5 beads in it again.  This row is highlighted in green.  This time add only 7 black seed beads to each of the five beads on the base.

To make the flower centre, bring the thread from the bottom of the work up through the centre of the base, add the pearl bead, and cross the other thread through the pearl.  Pass each thread through a bead near it, as in the diagram.  Weave the threads through some beads until the threads meet.  Tie off and cut.  Your beaded flower is now finished!

Turtle Treat Box

Fill it will a surprise for a fun favor the kids can make themselves.

You need:



Round Paper Mache Box

Assorted Woodsies

10mm Wiggle Eyes

Tacky Glue

Light and Dark Green Acrylic Paint and Brush

Small Treats and Filler (Optional)

Instructions:



Select woodsie pieces for turtle head, feet and tail. You can use round oval or teardrop pieces. Select from the leftover pieces for the spots on the turtle back. Paint all pieces dark green. Let dry. Paint the paper mache box light green let dry. Glue on head, feet and tail to bottom. Glue spots to top. Glue on wiggle eyes.

Turtle Bag

This turtle can be glued with fabric glue or stitch up with a needle and thread.



You need:

1 Piece of Lime Green Felt

1/2 Piece of Green Felt

Lime Green Pattern and Regular Green Pattern

Fabric Glue (Fabri-Tac is the Only Kind That Really Works)

Toothpick

10mm Wiggle Eyes

Beanbag Fill (You can make 5 turtles with one bag)

Scissors, Tablespoon and Stapler

Polyfill (We sometimes have scrap filler. When placing your order indicate you would like some and when available we will include it with your package.)

Instructions:

Print patterns. Staple all around the outside lines to felt. Cut out. Dab fabric glue all around the very outside edge of one of the lime green circles leaving 2" without glue. That will be the side of the turtle where the stuffing and beanbag fill are added. Place the legs, the head, and the tail in position as shown in the diagram at right. Dab glue on top these parts so your turtle won't leak filler. Place the other large lime green circle on top, lining up the edges. Press edges together. The head, tail and feet will be sandwiched between. Let sit five minutes. Spoon 4 tablespoons of beanbag in the opening. Place a few tufts of polyfill inside to puff the shell up. Dab glue on the open edge. Press together. Glue circles to top of shell of shell.




To make a pocket on the bottom of your turtle, dab glue around the outside edge of three sides of the lime green rectangle. Press onto the bottom of the turtle.

Iris folding card

Materials used

Textured ivory double-fold square aperture greetings card 100 mm (3¼ in) square.

Iris folding strips in five clours of your choice.

Adhesive tape

Craft knife

Cutting mat

Metal edged ruler

Method

The design is placed on a layout pattern showing the position of the folded strips of paper.




Select three different coloured or patterned papers that harmonise together.

Cut your paper into strips 20 mm wide.



Fold each strip in half along its length with the patterned side out. It is easier to fold if you score the paper along the fold line first. The back end of a craft knife and a ruler can be used for this.



Lay your Iris folding pattern on your work surface.



Lay your aperture card over the pattern with the wrong side facing towards you. Fix it to your pattern with tape.

Take a folded strip of patterned paper and place it on section 1 of the pattern. The folded edge should be against the line of the pattern. Trim each end of the strip so that about 5 mm overlap the edge of the aperture at either end. Fix the strip to the card with small pieces of adhesive tape at each end.



Select a strip of another colour and fix this in position 2.



Add a third coloured strip in position 3.



Work around the pattern adding the three different strips in sequence until your design is complete.



The small hole left in the middle of the design can be covered with a flat piece of paper in a colour of your choice.



Mount the finished pattern on the front of your greetings card.

how you can make Charm Bracelet

Gather all your orphan beads, wire charm experiments, some buttons, and anything else you think would look cool. Make a pleasing mix that seem to go well together.






Use headpins and the wrapped loop technique to turn your beads into bead dangles.





Get a 1/4" or 1/8" roll of ribbon in a coordinating color, and a chain link toggle bracelet (commercially made or make your own with a 6 1/2" piece of chain link chain, 2 jump rings or split rings, and a toggle clasp).











Using snippets of ribbon, tie the charms, dangles, and button onto the chain link bracelet with surgeon's knots.





Snip the ribbon ends so that they hang free (about 1/2" long looks nice) and put a spot of white glue or clear nail polish on each end of ribbon if you don't want the ends to fray.

Using snippets of ribbon, tie the charms, dangles, and button onto the chain link bracelet with



Snip the ribbon ends so that they hang free (about 1/2" long looks nice) and put a spot of white glue or clear nail polish on each end of ribbon if you don't want the ends to fray.

strawberry pincushion

What you need

Red cotton/felt


Tiny clear beads or white embroidery thread

Side plate or bowl, or a pair of compasses

Dressmaker's chalk or pencil

Scissors

Needle and thread

Stuffing

Pen and paper

Green felt





What to do

1. Draw around a small plate or bowl on your fabric, or draw a circle with a pair of compasses. Cut one quarter of the circle out.



2. If you use red polka dot fabric, you won't need to add the "seeds". If you just have plain red stuff, make little stitches all over your material, or sew on tiny little glass beads. It's easier to do this now than when it's sewn up.



3. Fold the red fabric in half, right sides facing.



4. Back stitch along the long edge of the strawberry until you get to about 1-2cm before the point. Instead of continuing to sew along the edge, sew a curved bottom on to your triangle, so once you turn it inside out it'll have a nice rounded end.



5. Fill with toy stuffing (or chopped up old tights if you're on a budget).



6. About 2mm from the top edge of the strawberry, do a running stitch all the way around. Now pull the thread so that the top of the fabric gathers together. You should be able to see your strawberry taking shape. Stitch across the top to hold this gathering in place.



7. Cut a few "leaves" from the green felt (I made two: one smaller, one larger), then sew them on to the top. Add a "stalk" and voila! All done.

Jewelry Screen

Main supplies:




Elmers® Foam Board- white

Elmers® Craft Bond™ Tacky Glue

Elmers® Painters® Opaque Paint Markers-Brown, Pink

Elmers® Washable 3D™ Glitter Paint pens- silver, red

White Plastic Canvas Mesh- #10

10” pink rick-rack or ribbon

Basic Supplies:



Elmers® X-ACTO™ knife

X-ACTO ™Self healing mat

Utility scissors

Pencil

Ruler Instructions:




1. With X-ACTO knife, cut two 8” x 10” rectangles from foam board. Mark a 1” border around all sides of both rectangles with pencil and cut out with X-acto knife.

Cut one piece 1 ½” x 8 ½.” Set piece aside



2. Cut 1 ½” circle from cardstock. Mark a line down center with a pencil. Using the circle as a template, mark scalloped around the opening edge of one rectangle by lining up the marked line with the opening. Mark scallops on both long sides and one short side.



3. Use paint markers to color the scallops pink and the remaining space brown. Color the 1 ½” x 8” piece solid Pink.



4. Use glitter pens to make dots in center of each scallop. Alternate silver and red colors. Alternate colors for smaller silver dots and larger red dots on solid pink piece.



5. Assemble the screen. Cut plastic canvas sheet to 8” x 10” by lining up edges with one rectangle and cutting around edge with scissors. Sandwich plastic canvas between foam board pieces and adhere with glue. Fold rick-rack/ribbon in half and glue to top of screen. Glue solid piece over ribbon to top of screen.

how to make Fancy Birdhouse

Main supplies:

Paint: turquoise, pink, orange, lavender, light green, black, white



Brushes: ¾” flat, #8 flat, liner brush, checkerboard brush



Basic Supplies:



Wood, hammer and nails



8” light weight chain and screw eyes for hanging



8” ¼” dowel

Tin can 4.25” tall
 
 
Birdhouse detail:


2 roof pieces – Using 1” lumber, cut 2 roof pieces – 6.75” X 3” and 6.75” X 3.75”. Cut the front and back 5.5” tall at the peak, 3.75” wide, and 3.5” to the roof slope. The front needs a 1” hole and below it, a 3/8” hole. The back needs only the 3/8” hole. See photo for placement. The ¼” diameter dowel needs to be 7.75” long. The tin can is a regular 13 to 14 oz vegetable can.



Painting directions:



Basecoat:

Roof – light green

Front & back – lavender

Roof edges – orange

Inside walls and edges, can – turquoise

Dowel – pink



Paint dots on the roof with the #10 flat brush using pink.

Use the liner brush with black to paint a wavy line on the roof edges. Embellish with brush tip dots in lavender.

Use the checkerboard brush to paint stripes across the back and checks on the front with white. Line them with double rows of black.

Ring Pillow

Items needed for ring pillow:


Ring pillow in color and shape of choice

String pearls in color of your choice

1/8" ribbon in your wedding colors

Silk flowers to coordinate with you wedding colors

ivy

2 metal craft rings in silver/gold

Hot glue gun or craft glue



Directions:



Shape and glue on ivy in an "S" shape to center of pillow, glue your main silk flower to top center of ivy and pillow, add smaller flowers down the ivy until desired look is achieved, make a bow with ribbons leaving long trails and glue ribbon and pearls at base of pillow. Add the metal rings to the bottom of the ribbons and you will have your finished Ring Bearer's Pillow

wedding toast.

Materials Needed






2 Paper Roses – two different colors

Plastic favor champagne glass

Seed pearls

™Hershey Kiss

Tacky Glue


Take your champagne glass, turn it over so the base is facing upwards, and cover the stem and top with very small dots of glue. Put a pearl on each dot of glue. Let Dry




Take your first rose ( these are the medium sized paper roses) and open it up by pulling the petals out. Open it as far as you can without pulling off the petals. Take the second flower and pull it apart completely.



3.Put tacky glue on the top ( new top) of the glass. Then glue the first flower on it. Let Dry. Make sure to press the petals down so they will stick. Pull out the leaves so they can be seen on the edge.



2.4.Take the petals of your other rose and glue them around the flower to fill in empty spaces on the base of the glass. Let Dry.



5.Place a small dollop of glue in the center of the flower and place your Hershey Kiss on top. Let dry

Bees Wax Tapered Candle

matrials

Bees Wax Sheeting
ScissorsCandle Wick

For this project we are using beeswax sheets, which come in a variety of colors.
The candle wick we are using is a medium thickness suitable for our candle dimensions. Sheet wax works best when you are in a warm environment or the sheeting may crack.

1: Cut your wax on a diagonal to get a tapered effect, this piece is half way across our sheet and around 2 inches in from one side. Using your Scissors cut along the edge. You can vary your measurements just take note of them if you wish to make more than one candle the same size.

2: next start by cutting you candle wick to length. It needs to sit flush at the bottom and over hang around 1 inch at the top of the candle , remember you can always trim the lenght later. You are rolling your candle from the largest/widest end to the smallest so the wick goes at the biggest end.

3: Press the wax tightly around the wick, this insure that your candle will burn correctly by providing it with an even source of wax for fuel.

4: applying a firm pressure roll the candle up, making sure to keep your bottom edge even so that it will stand up.

If you make a mistake just unwrap it and start again.

5: Once you get to the end of your candle press the end firmly into the candle to stop it unrolling.

Its now ready to burn. You can embellish your candles with ribbons, raffia and even cut out shaped of different coloured bees wax.

'Icing Friendly' Cake Recipe

There are thousands of cake recipes in the world but some types of cakes simply have the buoyancy, mass and support that is needed to support fillings and icing.




Here's a traditional and fail-proof recipe for an Icing Friendly Cake...



Butter Cake



This is the classic recipe that is used to create tiered confections for wedding cakes.



Butter cake has a firm, moist texture that makes it perfect for tiered designs.



The almond extract is optional but if you are making a wedding cake it is a very traditional additive.



You could also add extra vanilla, rum flavoring, cognac or brandy, orange blossom water or rosewater instead of the almond flavoring if you prefer.



1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature

2 1/2 cups granulated sugar

5 eggs

1 teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract

3/4 teaspoon Almond Flavoring (optional)

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup milk

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray pans with vegetable pan spray or grease pans.




In mixer bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.



Mix in vanilla and almond (or other) flavorings. Mix in flour with baking powder and salt.



Add flour mixture alternately with milk, starting with the flour.



Pour into prepared pans. Bake until toothpick comes out clean. Cool ten minutes in pan. Loosen sides and remove.



Cool completely before decorating.



Makes 7 1/2 cups batter which will give you either two 8" round cakes or one 6" and one 9" round cake.

Crafts with Fabrics

Cool autumn days offer the perfect chance to invite a child to share your favorite hobby. We all got started one way or another, but lucky are those who can say, "My mom (or my dad) taught me how!" Remember the thrill of learning to use a sewing machine for the first time or how exciting it was to make something as a child that the whole family took notice of – perhaps even cherished forever. With a little enthusiasm and ingenuity, you can make this craft activity the best ever and spend quality time with your child, too.



When playmates are scarce or the chilly autumn air sends you indoors, get your fabrics out and see what you can whip up together. It doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult – in fact, it’s better if it’s an easy project that allows time for talking, laughing and dreaming. The idea is to have fun together so take the stress out by choosing a project that you will enjoy also. Here are three simple choices right for any age.



Cut a square of fabric and fill it with fragrant lavender buds for a sachet. Draw the edges up and tie it off with ribbon or raffia. Several of these can be made up in an hour; one for grandmother, one for sister, and so on until you have a basket full of sweet gifts.



A 4" strip of fabric cut with pinking shears will fold in half lengthwise for a first effort on the sewing machine. Sew up the side, tack on a fancy button and it becomes a treasured bookmark for back to school.



A half yard of a pretty cotton print makes a no-sew table runner for the kitchen table. Let your child draw some flowers or shapes to cut out of a contrasting fabric backed with iron-on adhesive. Then you can apply them right to the fabric runner. (Certainly consider sewing them on instead if your helper is interested in trying that.) Finish by fringing the edges of the runner and put it on the table for dinner that night. If there is enough fabric and time, you might want to make napkins and use the contrasting fabric for a little decorative design on each corner. Maybe your child will be more interested in using this technique to make a banner for the wall in her room.



Whatever you do will reward you with precious memories of the time spent together, and you never know exactly how important that effort will turn out to be. Look what it did for me.