Thinking Thursday #2 -or- Get Lost in a Book

Today I have compiled a list of some of my favorite books in various genres. If you're looking for a good read to get lost in, check out one of these and I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

This middle-reader fantasy is based on Chinese fairy tales. It took me a while to get into this book, but once I did, I was hooked. It is unlike anything I have ever read before and I loved it! Great for kids and adults alike.

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

Another middle-reader, this one is science fiction. Throughout most of this book, you are not really sure what is going on, but it all comes together at the poignant end. I can't wait to read it again!

Austenland by Shannon Hale

If you're a fan of Jane Austen or just fun chick lit, this is a great read. It is light and funny fiction with a little romance thrown in for good measure.

Instruments of Darkness by Imogen Robertson

I love a good mystery. I have really enjoyed reading Imogen Robertson's Crowther & Westerman series, of which this is the first installment. Historical fiction meets murder mystery. Right up my alley!

Traveling With Pomegranates: A Mother-Daughter Story by Sue Monk Kidd & Ann Kidd Taylor

This mother-daughter memoir is a wonderful read for anyone who is trying to discover (or re-discover) their place in the world. It seems I'm always doing that, so I really enjoyed this book.


{Linked on Somewhat Simple, Be Different...Act Normal, The Wondering Brain, I Should Be Mopping the Floor}

Quilt Along - Cutting

As previously mentioned, I am participating in a Quilt Along organized by Jill at Create.Craft.Love and Sarah at Becoming Martha. If you're interested in the details, click here:

This week, we started cutting. I have never been so grateful for a rotary cutter than I was as I cut the pieces for this quilt. I sure hope people are being honest when they say that cutting is the worst part. It took a lot of time to cut all the pieces, but once they were cut, I got to have a bit of fun figuring out what order I want them sewn in. Here they are, laid out how they will be sewn together (except I had to fold them and overlap them to get them all to fit on my table):

My borders and sashing are green. The patterned blocks are from Riley Blake's Dress Up Days collection. There is a small orange piece between each block and the back will be purple. Next week, we start sewing, so wish me luck!

{Linked on Content in the Meantime}

A Wired Headband Tutorial

I have a confession to make: My head is oddly shaped. I have never been able to wear headbands because of this. Hard headbands are too round for my square noggin. Elastic headbands will never stay in place.

This is bad because for most of my life I have been a short-haired gal. I love having my hair short, but not being able to wear headbands severely limits my styling options. I go through bobby pins like nobody's business.

Then I discovered wired headbands. In my opinion, these are the best things since sliced bread… or remnant bins… or hot glue guns. And for those like me walking around with a wonky head, these are a life saver! I got my first wired headband from Mod Cloth and since then, I have been working on replicating this fantastic invention. And now you can, too!

Supplies

Fabric of your choice
Floral wire, nice and bendy
Needle & thread (or sewing machine)
Iron
Pins

Tutorial

Step 1 - Measure & Cut

Measure your head where you want the headband to lay. Ask for an extra pair of hands to help you make sure your measurement is accurate. Add six inches to your measurement and cut your fabric length. Test it out on your head to make sure it is long enough, but not way too long. Remember to allow for seams on the ends that will shorten it 1/2 inch or so.

The width will depend on how wide you want the headband to end up. I like my final product to be 1.5-2.5 inches wide, so cut the fabric twice as wide as you want the headband to be.

Step 2 - Iron & Sew

Fold your fabric in half, right sides together, and iron the fold flat. Stitch the long edge.

Step 3 - Prepare Your Wire

Cut your wire approximately 4 inches longer than your fabric strip. Loop the end and wrap the cut end of the wire around so that no sharp parts are poking out. Do this to both ends.

Step 4 - Flip & Iron

Flip your fabric tube right side out. Iron it flat with the seam centered on the back. Place your wire into the fabric tube, making sure the length is right. Remember to leave some space for a seam allowance on the ends.

Step 5 - Final Stitches

Make sure your wire is as straight as possible inside the fabric tube. Place a few small stitches to secure the wire loop on each end. Fold each end of the fabric into the tube and stitch across, closing the tube on both ends. Embellish as you like.

I added small rick rack along the edge of my headband. I did the stitches by hand so they wouldn't show.

Step 6 - Style and Rock It!

The best thing about wired headbands is their versatility. You can wear them many different ways. This is my current favorite:

Place the middle of the headband at the base of your head, then bring the ends up to the top. Wrap them around each other a couple of times, tuck in the ends, and you're ready to go! This is my favorite way to wear my hair ever since I got my blunt bangs.

 

{Linked on Coastal Charm, Cedar Hill Ranch, Ladybug Blessings, Naptime Creations, Adventures of a DIY Mom, Inside BruCrew Life, Ducks 'n a Row, Today's Creative Blog, The DIY Dreamer, My Uncommon Slice of Suburbia, Daisy Cottage Designs, Lil' Luna, My Girlish Whims, Someday Crafts, We Like to Learn as We Go, Life With the Crust Cut Off, Crafty Blog Stalker, Easy Living Mom, The 36th Avenue, Seven Alive}

Dining Table to Makeover

Dave and I have been using a cheap pressboard table from Wal-Mart for the last 9 years. It can fit four placemats and nothing else because it's too narrow. It served us well until we added Violet to the family and suddenly it was just too small. We have been contemplating an upgrade for some time and both love the Terra dining table from West Elm:

The problem is that we hate spending money on sensible things and really don't have $500 to spend on a dining room table right now. So I decided to start checking the classifieds to find something that would work better for our family than the old Wal-Mart Special, but not break the bank.

Presenting our new table...

Dave and I both loved the unique look of the chairs. When they turned out cool and comfortable, we were sold. The larger table (with leaves!) was just a bonus for us.

Now I know this looks like something that your grandma might have purchased in the early '70's. But never fear! I have big plans for this table. After all, as I said to Dave this evening, "you can't call yourself a crafty blogger if you haven't reupholstered something." So I plan to recover the chair cushions with a more modern fabric and we plan to paint over all the wood.

Of course, I'll be posting updates as the project progresses. But first I need to do some fabric shopping!

I'm a Sponsor!

I am excited to announce that I am a sponsor for One Artsy Mama's One Crafty Contest this year! Check out her page to see how to enter the contest and to see all the other great sponsors. I will be donating a free wreath as one of the prizes. I'm also thinking of entering the contest, but I'm waiting a couple of days to size up the competition.

Either way, it should make for a fun month and I can't wait to see all the projects people submit!