Pinned Down: No-Sew Ruffled Tote Bag

So I've been seeing several versions of ruffled tote bags on Pinterest, and think they are the cutest. With a little one, even though I don't generally bring a diaper bag anymore, I still have to carry around wipes, clothing changes, snacks, random toys and found objects . ..  you know, preschooler "stuff."

After seeing several versions, all varying in complexity, I decided to make my own no-sew version of a bag. I have a sewing machine, but it usually just ends up frustrating me, especially when I'm trying to do ruffles.

To make my version of the bag you need:
Plain canvas tote bag (I got one at Hobby Lobby for about $3)
4 different, coordinating fabrics, cut into 3" x 24" strips (I used De-Lovely, from Cosmo Cricket)
Hot glue gun

After cutting the fabric using a rotary cutter, I "hemmed" the pieces using the glue gun. I folded over the short ends and adhered with glue, and then folded over about a quarter inch on one of the long sides and adhered with glue.

Starting at the bottom, I added a line of glue about 3-4 inches long (don't work too far ahead, since the glue will cool and harden). I adhered the unfinished edge of the fabric along the glue, gathering every few inches to make the ruffle. Continue to glue and gather across the bag, until you have a full ruffle.

Repeat the same process with the remaining fabric strips, hemming and gluing, overlapping each layer. At the top, I covered the unfinished edge with some recycled twill tape, and embellished with a rolled fabric flower. The whole thing took about 45 minutes.  In fact, it was so easy that I think I'll make a few more to give as gifts. They would be so cute as an alternative to gift baskets!

Until later . .. happy pinning!

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My Obsessions this Week

Happy Sunday! Hope everyone is having a super wonderful weekend -- I got to spend some fun family time yesterday, and we're headed to a snow tubing park today to take advantage of the foot of snow that fell the other day. Fun!

So here are my obsessions this week . . . and two of them are actually rather housewife-y. Go figure.

Purex Crystals

So I have a front loader washing machine, and if you have a front loader, you know about "the stink." Something about the design of the machines makes it easier for mold and fungus to grow in the machine (eew) causing the machine to stink -- which makes your laundy stink too. I clean my machine every other week with bleach, but I still notice an aroma, particularly on my towels. Maybe I'm just super sensitive?
Anyway, these little miracle crystals have pretty much solved the problem. A capful of these babies tossed in the wash (in the drum -- not the fabric softener or soap dispenser) makes everything smell nice -- and it lasts. Love!

Big Oven

Have you discovered Big Oven yet? It's kind of like AllRecipes.com, another favorite. Users submit recipes, other users rate them, you can store your favorites . ..  it's a super resource when you're like "What the heck do I do with this chicken?" I found a meat loaf recipe there last week that was A-mah-zing (as Penny on "Happy Endings" would  say)  . ..  especially considering I don't like meat loaf.

Switchflops

Considering the amount of snow we got this week, flip-flops might be a bit premature, but I don't care. I'm a flip-flop girl, and as soon as it gets near 50 degrees, I lose the socks and clogs and bust out the flops.
Last year I discovered Switchflops, and my life was changed. I probably have about 30 pairs of flip-flops (I'm not exaggerating) but with these, you really only need one pair. The straps are Velcro, and you can switch them whenever you want to match your outfit or your mood. And the straps are adorable (I have my eye on Carlouel -- it has a mermaid on it!) and vary from super simple to fancy-schmancy. Lindsay Phillips, the genius designer, has created several styles of shoes that all take the interchangeable straps, but my favorite are the Lulu. They are actually comfy -- I wore them for hours walking around Epcot last summer and didn't feel like I was going to die. I definitely plan to pick up a few more pair this year!

So those are this weeks obsessions . .. what are you loving this week?

My Obsessions This Week

So with the kids home for February vacation, and other life emergencies, I haven't keep up with things as much as I like. Hate it when that happens!

Anyway, I'm back on track now, and here are the three things I'm obsessed with this week:

Benefit Bella Bamba

When I saw this pink blush in Sephora, I was like, no way . . . too pink, too sparkly. But then the super helpful salesgirl convinced me to try it, and I am SO glad she did. This stuuff is awesome . . . the perfect pink, not too bright at all. Plus it smells like watermelon, which is kind of cool.

Yankee Candle Beach Flowers

When I was a kid, we lived for a short time in this really cool house on a cliff overlooking the ocean. While that was cool in and of itself, one of my favorite parts of that house was the fence in the front yard, which was hidden by beach rose bushes. All summer long, I could smell those roses, and to this day, the smell of beach roses is one of my most favorite in the world.
This candle is one of the closest to that scent I've ever found. I don't usually like Yankee Candle's floral fragrances -- too overpowering, and I usually prefer basking and/or fruit scnets -- but I just love this one.  I bought several, since YC has a tendency to discontinue the scents I actually like.

Fishtail Braids

So this is one of those deals when I went, well, duh! I've been seeing fishtail braids everywhere, and thought they were super complicated. Glamour magazine had a tutorial in this month's issue, and I tried it out on my stepdaughter the other day. It's actually easier than French braiding, and looks so cute. Now I wish I hadn't cut all of my hair off a few weeks ago . .. sigh.

Here's another easy tutorial if you want to try it.

Have a great week! Until later!

Pinned Down: Endless Green Onions

Have you ever seen something on Pinterest and gone, "Well, duh!"

When I saw the idea of putting green onions in a jar of water on the windowsill, I literally did a facepalm. See, I'm ALWAYS either forgetting to buy green onions, or throwing half of them away because I don't need the whole bunch.

So having an endless supply right there? Yeah, I'm all over it.

It's quite simple. Just take a bunch of green onions, trim them down so there are just a few inches of green above the white and put them in a jar. Add enough cold water to just cover the white part, and they will grow back. Simple. And they grow fast, too.

Here's a picture of mine:

I've had these for about 6 weeks now. You have to remember to change the water every few days, or it gets icky, and a few times I've had to trim some stalks that get too long before I've had a chance to use them. But this actually worked -- yay Pinterest!