Homemade Fabric Kindle Cover

I finally made the Kindle cover for my Grandmother! I ordered the pattern from Birdiful Stitches on etsy probably well over a month ago. Didn't want to rush into anything. I was surprised at how quickly it went together. It took maybe about an hour or an hour and a half. Wonder of wonders, I didn't mess it up, or have to rip anything out! Must be a testament to the quality of the directions.

I am not a Kindle connoisseur, so I had to email Berritt, the woman behind Birdiful Stitches with a question about which pattern piece would be the correct one to use for my Grandmother's Kindle. She got back to me right away.

The fabric that I used was very pretty with roses on it, made by Moda. The coordinating fabric, also by Moda,  had polka dots on it. I got them both last summer at a yard sale. That sale had lots of pretty fabric that I snatched up. I had no idea what I was going to use it for, but I knew that I liked it, and it was coming home with me. I think that the fabric suited Mom.

No, she's not "Grandma". When I was very young, we would pack up the station wagon and spend the summer at a nearby lake. There were about six or seven cottages grouped on a peninsula of land. My parents and I (and eventually my sister) stayed in one cottage and my Grandparents, aunts and uncle would stay in another. I was told that as a toddler, I'd follow my mother around, while she was spending time with her Mother. I heard my Mother and my aunts and uncle, calling  their mother "Mom", so I guess I figured that must be her name. So, I grew up calling my Grandmother, "Mom". The name stuck, and now all of the grandchildren call her "Mom".

The button that I used was one from my stash. I have no idea where it came from; I collected it from somewhere along the way. It's most likely vintage, and I loved its design. 

If I make another one, the only thing I'd do differently would be to stitch a little closer to the edge when doing the top stitching. And, I'd probably take the time to prewash the fabrics. It was a tight fit. I had to very carefully stretch the fabric to get the Kindle into the cover. When I was making the cover, I didn't have an actual Kindle in my hands to use to see how it'd fit before I did the top stitching. On the plus side, that Kindle will not fall out of its cover, that's for sure.

Overall, I am very happy with the way the cover came out. The pattern directions were easy to understand, and I liked that when I had a question, I got an immediate response. So, if you are thinking about making an e-reader cover, head on over to Birdiful Stitches to purchase the pattern.

Creative Gift Giving From The Heart (And The Kitchen)

It's very busy around here, as we are getting ready for Christmas. Lots of baking and creating going on. Many years back, we decided to pick names to exchange gifts rather than getting everyone in the family a gift. The family was getting bigger and money was getting tight. It was agreed upon that if you wanted to give something to another family member that wasn't your "pick" then you had to make it. This inspired most everyone to get creative. Now, every Christmas we look forward to seeing what everyone has come up with.

I usually put together gift baskets or bags of things that I have made in the kitchen. Jams, breads and cookies top the list. Sometimes I get creative with what I put the items in. There was one year that I collected several cardboard boxes from the restaurant that I worked at. Then I wrapped the boxes with wrapping paper and put all of my creations in the box. Last year I bought plastic snack bowls and put the goodies in those wrapped up with cellophane. One year I bought plain brown paper bags with handles and adhered fabric to the bags to decorate them with. This year I'll probably use standard gift bags.

Delicious Pumpkin Bread

This year I'll be giving Double Fudge Brownie Mix, Apple Butter, Blueberry Jam, Cherry Jam, Pumpkin Bread,  Oreo Pops, Caramel Filled Chocolate Cookies, Double Chocolate Rum Fruitcake Cookies, and Fudge Puddles. I'm going to try making Eggnog Fudge, Cinnamon Fudge, and Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge for a few special people on my list. It sounds like a lot of stuff to make a mere 4 days before Christmas, but I've already made the jams and the Apple Butter. The jams were done in July, and the Apple Butter was made in September. So, it's not as bad as it seems.

Well, I have a lot of creating ahead of me, so I'd better get back into the kitchen. Good luck with all of your creative gift giving this season!

It Sure Smells Good Around Here! Great Last Minute Gifts

I just made up about 25 bottles of room spray. Scents I have available are:

Apple Jack and Peel  

Banana Nut Bread

Blueberry Cheesecake

Caramel Latte

Christmas Memories

Christmas Wish

Cinnamon Buns

Fresh Laundry

Lavender

Nana's Kitchen

I'm selling them for $5.50 a bottle. They come in a 4 oz, amber colored, spray mist bottle, with a kraft paper label and a fabric accent tied on the neck of the bottle. You can either buy them at Aunt Lizzie's Whatnot Shop, the only shop that carries them, or through me. I would even be willing to ship. They make great stocking stuffers, teacher appreciation gifts, last minute gifts, or something to give yourself. They smell nice, and look good, too!