Gathered Clutch

This was one of my favorite on-line tutorials --- and once you make the first one and figure out how to do it -- you can whip these up pretty fast! Here's a view of the insides and their lining.

Want to make a few of your own --- click here for a great picture tutorial!
This post linked to:
Strut Your Stuff
Thrilling Thursday

Purse #1

Finally finished up a purse that I've been working on for two weeks.  Not that it takes that long to make it.....just have so many other duties that call my name.
Anyway -- I used the tutorial from My Patchwork..... though I altered it a bit.  My squares are not charm size (5 inches) but rather 4 inches.  I didn't want to make a tote, but a purse.
I also added pockets all around the interior (an idea I picked up from the homemade purses at a local quilt shop)....kind of like a purse organizer only you can't take them out!

Here's a view of the inside

I turned the purse inside out so you can get a better view of the pockets

Fits lip gloss, hand lotion, my keys, and pens...

...or perhaps hand sanitizer, a cell phone, my sun-glass clip and gum!

The pockets are a great way to keep all those little things in your purse from disappearing just when you need them most!

Oh I almost forgot the button....

Fabric covered button thanks to the 2 packs (with 3 button in each) of "Make to Match Buttons" I picked up in the Michael's clearance aisle.
BTW- Now I remember why I don't make/buy too many gifts ahead of time and "stockpile" them....a friend stopped by just after I finished this on Monday -- she liked it and guess what --- I sent it home with her! So purse #1 is already given away - so much for making Christmas gifts ahead of time!
 This post linked to:
Whatever You Want Wedensday

Ice Cream Cone

A little while back we were eating sugar cones for dessert.  My 8 yr. old daughter "disappeared" for a bit and then returned with the above card.  She'd gotten the bright idea to use the cone wrapper as a template and make an ice cream cone card out of it.  I did not help her at all, in fact I didn't even know what she was doing till she "reappeared."  I thought it turned out so pretty and wanted to share the templates I made for the cone (and also a scoop of  ice cream template).

You can use this template two ways:
1. Cut out the sugar cone and fold in half using the cone as a card (as my daughter did)
2. Cut out the sugar cone/fold in half/glue down the right side and use it as a pocket for the tag (illustration below)

Either way it makes a fun summer card and I'm glad my daughter thought of it!
This post linked to:
Craft Catwalk
Made With Love Monday
Whatever You Want Wednesday

Fried Bread

So I'm wondering how many of you have ever heard of Fried Bread?  NOT Navajo Fry Bread like you'd make for tacos (I love that too), but Fried Bread. I'd never heard of it till I moved to the South 6 years ago, and I'd never made it or tried till just last night! Some friends of our picked fresh strawberries last week and kept talking about eating them for supper on top of Fry Bread.  Well, we weren't able to go strawberry picking till yesterday morning, and you can guess what I kept thinking about as I sliced up those fresh strawberries and sprinkled a little sugar over them....Fried Bread.
Now I'm hooked -- I even think it's better than the usual Strawberry Shortcake -- and it's definitely easier and faster to make!  I'm thinking it would be good with other topping too --- really almost rather have it than my usual pancake recipe! I looked it up online and only found one recipe for it, and I tweaked that a little and came up with the following:

Fried  Bread

 1 cup flour

1 cup Bisquick

1 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

2 T. sugar

1 egg

1 cup milk

Mix all ingredient together in bowl

Melt some butter in your skillet

Pour 1/2 cup of batter into skillet (more if you want it bigger, less if you want it smaller)

Fry till light brown on each side

Top with strawberries/cool whip 

ENJOY!

Yes it really is as light and fluffy as it appears!
BTW- I tried them this morning as pancakes and there's no looking back! Absolutely the best tasting "pancake" ever -- it literally melted in my mouth.
This post linked to:
Sweets for a Saturday
Fun With Food Friday
Strut Your Stuff 
Sweet Treats Thursday 
Recipe Round Up