I Made Cuter Cutoffs

I saw something similar to this on Pinterest but of course being me, I had to kick it up a notch! (The one on Pinterest only had a fabric waistband.)

So basically what I did was remove the waistband from some jean cutoffs and added a fabric tie-front waistband and matching trim around the legs.  It only took about one and half hours total and a half yard of fabric.  In other news, my thread did not break even once whilst sewing these babies.

So first I used a razor blade knife to remove the waistband from the cutoffs.  If I would have taken my time, I probably could have "properly" removed it but whateves.  It wasn't perfect but any imperfections were covered up by the fabric I added.

Then, I took the yard of fabric and folded it in half length wise and pressed it.  Then I folded it over again length wise and pressed it.  Then I cut along the creases into four relatively equal parts/strips.  (In the next paragraph, I'll try not to start so many sentences with "Then".)

I took each strip and folded it in half and pressed.  After pressing I folded each half again inwards towards the crease and pressed. 

After all four strips were folded and pressed, I first pinned to the leg openings, cutting off the excess and overlapping the leg trim just slightly.  Then I pinned to the waistband starting from the center back and working my way to the front.  I trimmed the selvage ends off and made a little tuck on the ends, creating a triangular-shaped end. 

Using a straight stitch I sewed the trim on the leg openings, folding under the overlapped portions before sewing.  The waistband was next.  I started from the place I started pinning from and stopped where the zipper area of the jeans started and picked up again where it stopped, stitching up the rest of the "ties". 

That's it.  I accidentally sewed one of the pockets into the waistband which I found out after I put them on.  Big whoop, I just cut the pockets and I'll stitch it closed later.

I plan to do more of these, I see a trip to Joann's in my future!

I Made Crazy-Delish Cheese Enchiladas

Made in Brandiland is back in session for the summer (at least).  Kickin' it off with some comidas Mexicanitas!

Asked my husband what he wanted for dinner.  He didn't know.  Sitting at a stoplight, it comes to me.  Cheese enchiladas, some like the ones that they used to serve at Pancho's.  They were so good my husband who is a beef enchilada die hard loved them and asked for seconds!  Here's how the magic happened:

Ingredients:

10 yellow corn tortillas
at least 8 ounces Longhorn Cheddar cheese (shredded)
one 15-ounce can of Rico's Aged Condensed Cheddar Cheese Sauce
Enchilada Sauce (I used this recipe and it was AWESOME--http://allrecipes.com/recipe/ten-minute-enchilada-sauce/)
cooking spray

1.  Preheat your oven to 350°.  Spray a 1 ½ quart baking dish with cooking spray.
2.  Using a fork or small whisk, combine the condensed cheese sauce and water (fill the cheese can halfway).  Heat it up on medium heat and continue whisking until it comes together and smooths out.  Allow to continue to heat until it starts to bubble then turn it down to low.
3.  Dip a tortilla in your warm enchilada sauce, coating both sides.  Place desired amount of shredded cheddar in the middle and roll up the tortilla.  Place seam-side down in the baking dish.
4.  Repeat step 3 until you roll and place all 10 tortillas .
5.  Give your cheese sauce a quick stir and then pour it all over the top of the enchiladas in the baking dish.  Use a rubber spatula to spread it out and make sure it coats EVERYTHING.
6.  Sprinkle any remaining shredded cheddar cheese on top and pop the baking dish into the oven for about 12 to 15 minutes or until cheese on top is very melty and blends in with the cheese sauce.

Here's a pic I took after we'd eaten...

I Made... Barrett's Birthday Party Invitations

I caved and decided that if I'm going to have Barrett's birthday party at Gattitown, then I can at least give the kid a Titanic-themed party like he wanted. My main concern was the cake and I think we've come to an agreement on that. I had a stroke of genius when it came to the invitations though.

My original idea was to make them look like boarding passes to the Titanic. I looked through Barrett's Eyewitness: Titanic book and couldn't find a good picture of one. But I did find a poster advertising what would have been the Titanic's second voyage and decided I could replicate it on word and make changes to promote Barrett's birthday party.

I was able to use fonts already installed on Word to create this document. I did download a font called "Titania" from http://www.dafont.com/ for one or two parts of the invitation.

I think it came out super cool. Barrett actually walked in while I was making (after I'd already put him to bed like three times) and got so excited he didn't go to sleep until after midnight. I was so excited about it I had to do something else to get my mind off it and didn't go to bed until about 3 A.M. I think I couldn't sleep because I felt that the invitations were incomplete because I didn't have any cream colored printer paper to print them on.

I got some at Walmart today though and printed those bad boys out! I wanted to share their awesomeness with the world because I think they are supercool. Please note that just because it's posted for all the world to see doesn't mean the whole world is invited. If you receive a hard copy, you're in. Otherwise... no. And I'll be able to spot any counterfeits. ;P

I Made... Alphabet Blocks for Amanda's Baby

So Joann.com posted a project on Facebook the other day for these alphabet blocks. Basically, they were three blocks made from fabric with an A on one, a B on another, and a C on the last one. I thought they were really cute and quickly skimmed the project instructions to get the gist of the materials needed and dimensions. Then I shared the project on my Facebook wall stating that someone needed to have a baby so that I could make these. I had to turn the waterhose on my dear friend Annie who suggested that I needed to have another "cub" (direct quote). Later on in the dialogue, my high school buddy Amanda reminded me that she was with child, and BOOM! Another project was born. (Bah-dum-bump!)

I decided to make alphabet blocks using the letters of Amanda's baby girl's name which will be the beautiful and sophisticated "Isla". Wait! Stop the presses! Amanda, you have to learn the lyrics to Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" and make it her own personal lullaby. Even though, I'm thinking that her name will be pronounced "Ai-lah" like Isla Fisher, the actress who starred in Confessions of a Shopaholic and is married to Sasha Baron Cohen. Awaiting confirmation on the pronunciation.

So I made four blocks: one with I, one with S, one with L, and one with A. I bought six different quarter flatsfrom Joann's in various pink prints and used felt for the letters. For each block you need six squares of fabric. I cut four four and a half inch squares in each print. Then I put them into four groups of six making sure that I had one of each print in each group. I chose which print I wanted to display each letter and chose a felt color that I thought would complement it.

I cut a three by three inch piece of felt to cut the letter from. Then I just freehand cut the letters out trying to maintain that three-inch size. I used some Aleene's OK to Wash It! glue to secure the letters onto the chosen square. Then I let the glue dry for at least an hour... maybe two.

It must have been at least that long because when I tried to go to bed around midnight, I couldn't. I just kept thinking about working on those blocks! So I got up and sewed all the faces of the square together leaving one edge open to turnout and stuff. I used a slight zigzag stitch, tension level 2. I stuffed them but didn't stitch them completely up. I was still debating whether I wanted to add some embroidery details to the letters or just leave them plain. I also was unsure about how much stuffing to put into the blocks either. I had them pretty stuffed.

But I didn't go to bed just yet. I decided to make the skull pin cushion wristlet that I posted at like 2 A.M. this morning. I don't know why I had to make it right then, I just felt compelled and inspired which for me are pretty much one in the same. Wow, epiphany right there.

So I crashed around 2:30 A.M. Woke up around sixish. Ate a couple of poptarts and drank some OJ. Watched the first season Project Runway marathon that was on Style Network. Fell back asleep after the US Postal Service episode, woke up and it was the finale with Kara Saun getting busted for getting free shoes. Barrett was already up by this time playing on the computer. He informed me around 1030 A.M. that he needed breakfast. I said, "It's almost lunch. Want me to make chicken burgers?" "I want Burger King." "Why?" "Because I want a Transformers toy." "How do you know they have Transformers toys?" "I saw the commercial." "Oh. [long pause] Lemme take a shower."

So we went to BK, no Transformers toys. Apparently their location didn't receive them. Asked Bear if he wanted to go to Joann's, Hobby Lobby, or Michael's to get the craft stuff I needed for today. He said Hobby Lobby so he can get that Titanic model. I told him he wasn't getting it (ages 14+ !) but we went anyway. Titanic model was sold out, but he didn't notice. Got some embroidery thread, some wooden dowels to make talking wands, got some clearance July 4th baking goods stuff, got some mini cupcake liners to go with the mini cupcake pan I got a Wally World yesterday.

Came home, determined which color thread to use for which letter. Did some stitching on those while watching Jem and the Holograms and Fraggle on HUB Network. Never realized when I was a kid how many near-death experiences Jem had. Restuffed the blocks with much less stuffing that I had originally used, and they look and feel and sit SO much better. Stitched them closed while watching a recorded episode of How Do I Look?. OK, the mark in this episode was this chick who DJs weddings as a hobby, she's like in her mid-forties probably, and dresses like she just stepped out of a Great White video. She idolizes Rick Springfield to an unhealthy degree (and all I was thinking was, isn't that the dude that had a cameo in Californication for a few episodes?).

And one of her four children was an accomplice. Her daughter's name was... wait for it... TAWNY! Of course, she spelled it Taunie, but still. Really? Really? I am dying to know what her other kids names are. Coverdale? Brett? Nikki? Dee? Bon Jovi? It was quite an episode. But she did look very fabulous in the end. And Rick Springfield came on the show and gave her tickets to go on the Rick Springfield and Friends Cruise. I can only imagine what that would be like, but at the same time, I just don't think I WANT to imagine what that would be like. Especially after being scarred from his Californication appearances. Ack!

I Made... a Skull Pin Cushion Wristlet

I skimmed through craftgawker.com earlier and saw a picture of some fancy-schmancy ladylike pin cushion bracelet. So after I finished working on a sewing project (which I hope to finish sometime today and post later), I decided to bust out my own version of a pin cushion bracelet.

With my plethora of felt, I cut out a simple skull shape in bright green (two of them) and a couple of eye sockets and a heart-shaped nose in purple. Then I used black embroidery floss to stitch the eyes and nose on. I ran out of black, so I used red for the teeth. I had a small length of elastic, so I measured my wrist and stitch that on the back skull piece. I popped the face piece on top and sewed it all up with a pink zig-zag stitch, stuffing it with the polyfil before sealing the deal. Stuck a few pins in for good measure. Instant Brandification. :)

I might make another, just because this one was so quick and easy. Literally took me about fifteen minutes to make it. It's not perfect, but that's how I like it.

I Made... an Aja Peg Person

Ever since I hurt myself, I've not been in the mood to create much. But, I forced myself to make something today. Last night, I saw the sickly pallor of my kiddo a result of too many computer games because Mommy just didn't feel well enough to entertain him and decided that we must absolutely do crafts today. So we did some peg person painting.

While persuing the random geekery section in Etsy at the beginning of summer vacay, I came across these cute little hand-painted peg people in some of my favorite characters. I posted some of them on my FB wall (Dr. Who, Ghostbusters, LOTR). I decided that I need to make a Jem and the Holograms set. With access to my beloved childhood fave on the HUB Network, I became especially fired up about all things Jem.

I sketched out the Jem and the Holograms characters on my Fashion Girlz sketchpad the other day and decided to start with my fave Hologram, Aja (pronounced AH-JZAH). I've always been drawn to her Asian look. She's probably one of the reasons I am so into Asia's style and aestethic in general.

So I found some Aja pics online, sketched her up, and painted her up as a peg person. Is it my best? Nah. My hands and arms are shaky due to my pain but not bad. The great thing about paint is it can always be painted over again.

Aja is currently perched amongst my nail polish collection in the Bran Cave. I think she looks marvelous betwixt the rainbow-colored bottles. She is anxiously awaiting her bandmates!

I Made... a Dr. Seuss Spoof

At the beginning of summer vacation a funny idea zoomed into my head at warp speed. I'm just now getting around to bringing it to life... it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. Popped this baby out in less than an hour.

I am a huge fan of Top Chef. I am also a huge fan of Dr. Seuss. I realized that Carla's hair looks a lot like the puffball that Horton carries around. There was also an episode of Top Chef in which the viewers learn that while grocery shopping, Carla and her husband use a primitive tracking device called the "Hoodie Hoo". When they are trying to locate each other, one says "Hoodie" and the other answers back "Hoo". It's like Marco Polo for the supermarket! Needless to say, after a cranial lightning strike, Horton Hears a Hoodie Who was born.

Quickly I found a reference picture of Horton and Carla online, printed them out and let them simmer on my desk for about two or three weeks. One boring night (tonight), I warmed up ol' righty and busted it out. I LOVE it!

I'm going to be brave and submit it to TeeFury to see if they'll print it on shirts. That would rock so much if they did!