Happy Birthday Banner

Last month I made this happy birthday banner for my step grand-son, I enjoyed doing it and the colors were just right for a boy.
Cheers,
Erika

Long time not see you

Yes I am still here, this is the first time I have been gone for so long. but hey tomorrow fall starts so officially my summer is over LOL.
We had a great summer family visit us from all over and miss A started K school! She is loving it and her sisters are slowly adjusting to the big change.

Miss A loves school
meanwhile miss G and miss K are bonding...
and wishing they could go to school too Cheers,
Erika

Vanilla Extract

Picture from here

I have been quite busy this summer and right now we are enjoying Monika and her family visiting us. Lots of Japanese cooking (she is half Japanese) I learn a lot and talking to her she shared a way to make my own vanilla extract, so I thought to share it here.
This is according to her friend Sarah F. K.
Vanilla is way easy to make. You just need vodka (at least 40%) and vanilla beans. I ordered bourbon Madagascar beans from amazon, and have not been disappointed! I've found different recipes say different numbers of beans, so I just used 15 beans, cut them in thirds and put them in the vodka bottle. Dump a little out first so the beans have room. Put somewbere relatively dark or wrap the bottle up and let it do it's thing for at least 2 months, shaking the bottle a couple times a week. Use a coffee filter when you pour it (into smaller bottles if you want) because of the vanilla seeds. And the same as they say wine gets better with age, so does vanilla. :)
So here you have it if you already new it sorry, if not You learn something new today!
Cheers!
Erika

More about vanilla here

My Craft Channel

Kim and Kris from the DIY Dish are joining My Craft Channel which is giving away 20 Cricuts in 20 days! go and visit them to get a chance to win.

Crayon Clay

Sandy from Portabellopixie has this wonderful tutorial. I will try to make them for my kids.
Have a great day!
Erika

Do you like to stitch?

Helen form Hugs'n Kisses is going to start giving stitching lessons on her blog. Starting next Sunday she will give a tutorial or lesson. She is wonderful do not miss it.
Helen de Hugs'n Kisses va a empezar clases de bordado en su blog. Empezando el proximo Domingo ella empezara a dar tutoriales o clases. Ella es muy buena, no se lo pierdan.
Erika

Miss G

Miss G turn 4 this weekend. Last Friday I started sewing a Hat for her using this tutorial. I bought enough material to make for all girls using Sweet Water fabric; the other material was a repurpuse a kaki skirt that I ruined with a highlighter. Miss G saw the material and asked me "mommy are you making me a dress too" So I felt very obligated to make her a dress. so here is the result:
Miss G cumplio 4 anos este fin de semana. El viernes pasado empece a hacerle un sombrero usando este tutorial. Compre suficiente tela para hacerles a todas sombreros, use tela de Sweet Water un rosita muy lindo con estrellas, la otra parte del sombrero es tela que reutilice de una falda de lona que se me aruino con un marcatextos. Cuando Miss G me vio cosiendo me pregunto si tambien le iba a hacer un vestido. asi es que me vi obligada a sacrificar mi projecto para hacer a una linda nina feliz y esto es lo que salio:

I love the picture Miss G had no problem posing for me!

Me encanta la foto Miss G no tubo problema en posar para mi!

Have a great day!
Erika