One-Yard Wonders and a GIVEAWAY!

Photographs © John Gruen from One-Yard Wonders by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins, 
used with permission from Storey Publishing

Author: Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins

Photographer: John Gruen

Storey Publishing

2009

Specs: 304 pages, 8 x 8.5

ISBN: 978-1-60342-449-3

My Review: Exactly what the title says, "One-Yard Wonders".  I bought this book from Amazon to enjoy quick and simple projects. This book is about creating and sewing projects with one yard of fabric.  The book is divided into 11 chapters: Sewing Fundamentals, Dwell Redux, Household Affairs, Craft Organization, On the Go, From Head to Toe, Carry it All, Outfit your Small Wonder, Accessorize your Little One, Playtime and your Furry Friends.  There is also an envelope included with pattern pieces, a glossary, resources and applique pieces section.  Did I mention the the book is spiral bound? I just love when a craft book goes above and beyond and makes my life easier by laying flat.  This book truly includes it all.

I love this laptop cover & will be making one...to keep!
Photographs © John Gruen from One-Yard Wonders by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins, 
used with permission from Storey Publishing

The publisher would only let me share with you 3 photographs. Trust me, I wanted to share a lot more. There is so much in this book I want to sew and give as gifts. There is so much in this book I want to sew and keep. How many times have you gone into a fabric store and shopped the remnants for bargains or what about those left over fabric yards from other jobs?  Not only do you save money with these projects only using one yard but it opens up a whole new world for all those left over fabric scraps.

So cute! The book has lots of cute toddle clothing items.

Photographs © John Gruen from One-Yard Wonders by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins, 

used with permission from Storey Publishing

They say that the best reviews are short and sweet. That after about 200 words people lose interest.  So let me get to the point.  Buy this book for the following reasons and you will not be disappointed: the projects come with easy to follow instructions, the projects are fast to complete, the projects are simple,  the projects will save you money on materials, the projects make fantastic gifts (& keepsakes), there is a project for just about anyone included in this book. Buy this book.

I have a friend that I will make this leash for. I will also include a matching dog coat from the book.

Photographs © John Gruen from One-Yard Wonders by Rebecca Yaker and Patricia Hoskins, 

used with permission from Storey Publishing

Projects of note that I can't wait to complete: Clothespin Apron (pg. 51), Origami Organizer (pg. 88), Toddler Pinafore Smock Top (pg. 188), Toddler Art Smock (pg. 214), Dog Walking Coat (pg. 272), Feline-Friendly Tepee (pg. 276). There are over 100 other items to choose from. What will you be sewing?

5 out of 5 stars

From the Publisher: Look at all you can make with just one yard of fabric! 101 fun and stylish sewing projects range from clothes and accessories to toys, home decor, baby items, pet beds, bags, and much more. All projects require no more than a single yard of fabric, and most can be completed in just a few hours. Simple step-by-step instructions, plus templates and pattern pieces where needed, make it easy to create something wonderful!

Amazon

Barnes & Noble

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Giveaway Time!! 

Leave me a comment with your contact information & one lucky person will win a copy of "One-Yard Wonders".

Contest ends Monday, Jan 8th.

Limited to US & Canada only.

&
Click the picture to enter Storey Publishing's Yard of the Month Contest. Win free fabric for a year!

XOXO-
*Special Thanks to Alee from Storey Publishing for allowing me to review and giveaway a copy*

My 2010 Gotta Do List

1.  Buy something off Craig's List. Yes, some of you seasoned Craigers are probably laughing, but I am so intimidated. I hate calling and I dread having to drive to some strangers house to pick up an item.

2. Refinish Furniture. This one goes hand-in-hand with #1.

3. Go to Church Regularly and join a Sunday School class.

4. The Couch to 5K Running Plan.

5.  Learn Upholstery.

6.  Take a Wood Working Class.

7.  Enroll Max in Chef's Academy Classes.

8.  Buy or Make a Rain Barrel.

9.  Learn to make Handstamp Jewelry & Glass Pendant Necklaces.

10. Buy a Piano (again #1).

11. Refinish a Piano (#2).

12. Buy Bunk Beds and Re-do Max's Room.

13. Buy or Create a Chore & Behavior Chart for Max (AbbiesHouse, MsBeehaveDesigns or MadeByMommie).

14. Financial Peace Jr. for Max.

15. Read 31 Days to Build a Better Blog.

16. Read Visual Poetry.


**Sorry I have been absent the last couple of days. The holidays, vacation and Max have finally caught up with me and I have not had time for any "computer time".  BUT don't worry, I have lots of fun and inspiring ideas ready to post.  Max goes back to school tomorrow (Yippee!).**

Happy New Year, Friends!!

XOXO

Store It! Where to Put all the Things you Need to Keep

Photo Credit: Eric Roth, James Yochum, David Duncan Livingston, John Gould Bessler, Courtesy of Filipacchi Publishing.

Author: Mervyn Kaufmann
and the experts at www.pointclickhome.com
Filipacchi Publishing
September 2009
Specs: 144 pages, 250 color photos
ISBN 13: 978-1-933231-59-4

**All Photos Courtesy of Filipacchi Publishing and Are Granted For One Time Use**


My Review: This is a great book for getting organized in the new year. Store It! is full of useful information from top designers. Most of the ideas can be adapted to fit any space, big or small and are practical for every budget.

Photo Credit: Matthew Millman Courtesy of Filipacchi Publishing.

I love how the corner fireplace was used in this space. What great storage in the window seat and the books around the TV help to balance the space. 

Store It! is divided into 8 main chapters: Entrance, Welcoming Spaces, Kitchens, Kitchen Extras, Work-Spaces, Bedrooms, Bathrooms and a section called Out-Of-The-Way Places. There is also a resources section to help with shopping and product research.

Photo Credit Jamie Hadley Courtesy of Filipacchi Publishing.

I love the use of a closet to house a child's bed. This is such a cute idea. What a lucky kid!

I enjoyed several of the rooms and found myself marking 5-6 different photos for reference.  Several of the photos looked staged and not practical (closets and garage) but overall I walked away with some practical organization ideas. Be sure to read this book. The book offers very smart tips and advice for saving time & space when it comes to organizing everyday items. What I did not get from this book was anything new. I felt like most of the organizational applications had been done before- a real been there, done that moment.  I wish there had been more instructional How-To and Do It Yourself tutorials.  Most of the shelving and organizational tools looked custom but might be a good starting point for Do It Yourselfers to copy.

Photo Credit Alex  Hayden Courtesy of Filipacchi Publishing.

This home office is set-up in a kitchen. I love the chalk board backsplash and galvanized bins used for storage. I also believe that small home offices in the kitchen are a great idea. Where else would you find a better space to conduct home business but in the heart of the home - the kitchen!

Photo Credit Eric Striffler Courtesy of Filippachi Publishing.

I thought that this was a very practical storage for a closet laundry room. So many of us have our laundry rooms behind louver bulky doors. Removing the doors and installing a curtain really helps with this space. Also, the adjustable shelves come in handy for the different sizes of detergent bottles.

If you are trying to get a handle on your current clutter, are downsizing or building a new home, then this book could provide some simple storage ideas and inspiration.

3.5 out of 5 stars

From the Publisher: The comprehensive guide to making, finding and organizing space in your home from the entryway to the attic.


After pulling everything you own off of shelves, and out of closets and cabinets - and disposing of what you don't need and won't ever use - your next task is figuring out how to store what you've kept. Mervyn Kaufman, author of Store It!, leads you through every corner of the house, from entry to attic, exploring ways to expand storage and eliminate clutter.


You will see how consoles with drawers and benches with bins can help you hide essentials. Kaufman will show you how a wall of shelving can let you store all your books or collectibles and how discreetly positioned cabinets will keep platters, big bowls and table linens where you need them but out of sight.


Kitchen storage can be amplified, even in tiny rooms, and that goes for bathrooms too. Kids' rooms, like home offices, seem to invite clutter. This book will show you how to contain it so it won't overflow elsewhere. Last but not least, bedrooms and closets get a thorough examination.


Store It! offers space-stretching ideas from gifted designers. What you see, and are invited to adapt, will vary in scope and complexity. But all of it is focused on one goal: to make your home comfortable and uncluttered, so everything has its own accessible place.


Visit pointclickhome for more ideas.

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I am giving away my review copy of Store It! All followers are automatically entered in my book giveaways. If you would like an additional entry, leave me a comment with your biggest organizational challenge. Winner will be announced Wednesday, Jan 6th.

XOXO-

**Thank you Robyn from Filipacchi Publishing for the opportunity to review**

**Contest open to US & Canada Only. **

Peace & Happy New Year

~XOXO~

Happy Birthday MOM

Top 10 Home & Garden Books For 2009

This list was compiled by Amazon and ranked by customer orders. Not really what I thought would be on the list.  Do you own any of these books?

1. Animals Make Us Human: Creating the Best Life for Animals by Temple Grandin


2.  Martha Stewart's Encyclopedia of Crafts: An A-to-Z Guide with Detailed Instructions and Endless Inspiration by Martha Stewart Living Magazine


3. Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities by Amy Stewart


4.   Inside of a Dog: What Dogs See, Smell, and Know by Alexandra Horowitz

5. Sock Innovation: Knitting Techniques & Patterns for One-of-a-Kind Socks
Cookie A.

6. The Winter Harvest Handbook: Year Round Vegetable Production Using Deep Organic Techniques and Unheated Greenhouses by Eliot Coleman


7. The Backyard Homestead: Produce all the food you need on just a quarter acre! by Carleen Madigan


8.   Socks from the Toe Up: Essential Techniques and Patterns from Wendy Knits and Wendy D. Johnson


9. Not So Big Remodeling: Tailoring Your Home for the Way You Really Live by
Sarah Susanka


10. How to Raise the Perfect Dog: Through Puppyhood and Beyond by Cesar Millan

I'd say there was a lot of naughty puppies and cold feet in 2009!

XOXO

Tahoe or BUST!

I am off for a little of this...

Max gets to do A LOT of that...

I will be partaking in some of this...

Peace Out & Happy New Year

XOXO

Potato Soup (Easy, Peasy)

3 cups milk
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) condensed cream of potato soup
2 cups frozen Southern-Style hash browns
1 cup Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
4-6 slices Bacon, cooked, crumbled
2 green onions, thinly sliced

MIX milk and soup in large saucepan. Stir in hash browns. Bring to boil on high heat, stirring occasionally; simmer on medium-low 10 min., stirring frequently.

SERVE topped with cheese, bacon and onions.

**Modifications
Add as much bacon as you would like. I use the pre-cooked stuff and I chop it up.  Also, I add the bacon, soup, milk, onions and hash browns all at the same time. Add the cheese right before serving, stir and then top each bowl with a little extra cheese. I also like to serve this soup in a bread bowl. Yes, carb overload but it's good. Don't judge.

The last time I made this recipe, I put everything in a crock-pot (except cheese) and let it cook for several hours. Just add cheese at the end like described above.

~KRAFT~

XOXO