Beaded watch bands and Spaghetti Sauce

This post is two craft/projects that I have done this past week. The first one is beaded watch bands. My SIL Andrea bought some of these and a watch face off a website (not sure which one) and my SIL Tonia ordered a watch face and then made her own. I took my cue from her because I figured I could do it cheaper myself and I was looking for an easy project to do. I ordered the watch face for like $6.00 and then bought the beads from Joanns. I have a couple more to make but here are the first two. They are so easy and it only took me like 15 minutes (or less) to make each one.

The next project I did yesterday - and it took all day I swear. I bottled spaghetti sauce. I actually got more than when I bottled the chili sauce so it was a success. I got 19 pints (21 if we hadn't have had spaghetti for dinner - the sauce smelled so good we just had to use some). It takes up a whole day but I love seeing the end product all bottled and ready to store away. I'm hoping to keep it up until the garden stops producing.

Chili Sauce

Okay, so I'm not sure if this qualifies as a craft or not but I did make it. It took me an hour to chop up all the ingredients and add all the spices, then it had to cook for 3 hours, then I had to bottle it. So it basically took up all of my afternoon yesterday and I only got 8 pints. On the plus side - I didn't have to go to the store for any of the ingredients. The tomatoes and green peppers came from the garden Aaron has so dilligently taken care of and the rest of the stuff we already had around the house. This is the first of hopefully many things I want to bottle this year. My dad requested chili sauce because he is on his last bottle and he puts it on most everything. Hopefully this will be enough to get him by. When the next group of tomatoes is ready it will be time for Spaghetti Sauce!

Two projects

It's been a while since I updated this blog - hopefully I will get back into the crafting scheme of things and update more often. Anyway, this first pic of a picture frame thing I made - so easy to do. It's made out of chipboard (AKA cereal boxes) and scrapbook paper. I think it only took me like an hour from start to finish. I made it a while ago so I can't really remember.

This next thing is one of my "old woman crafts" as Aaron so lovingly calls them. I started this doily months ago and finally got the time to finish it. I'm not sure what I'm going to do with it yet - the possibilities are endless.

Birth Record

I finally got Kaden's birth record finished. I started this before he was born and then finished it the other day. It's definitely hard to find time to cross stitch when you are trying to take care of 3 little guys! It turned out really cute - Aaron says its his favorite of the three I have done for our boys. The picture makes it look like it is crooked in the frame but I promise it is in there straight.

Nothing Fancy . . .

but definitely useful.




This week my project was a knitted dishcloth. My mom got some of these for her birthday from my aunt and since then has asked me to make her some more. I finally got around to finding a pattern and this is what it turned out like. I taught myself to knit like 4 or 5 years ago. I bought a teach yourself to knit kit. I've only ever knitted beanies and booties and the such. I think it turned out pretty good. My mom was very appreciative. I'm sure I will be making more.

Kaden's Baby Blanket

I have been making these types of quilts since I was a Senior in high school - so 10 years now. I'm not sure how many I have made: I've made them for most of my neices and nephews and a few of my friends' kids. My own kids each have one and this one is the one I made for Kaden. He loves to just lay on it and watch the world (Ben and Jacob) run past him. They are pretty simple to make, once you get the hang of it.

Exploding Box

I found this idea online while I was looking for a new simple craft to do. It seriously only took me an hour to make it - including cutting and putting the pics in. It will hold 12 - 20 pictures, its up to you. This one has 20 in it. I had all the supplies on hand - except for the ribbon. It takes 4 sheets of double sided cardstock or scrapbook paper and then whatever embellishments or pics you want to put in it. It is really easy to make.