Klebfest Craft Show in the Spring/Klein area

Klebfest
Kleb Intermediate School, Klein ISD

7425 Louetta Rd., Spring, TX, 77379

Saturday, December 1, 2012
10:00-4:00 pm

There will be inflatables, food (Chick-fil-a, frito pies, cotton candy, and more), photos with Santa, cake walk, and lots more fun!

I'm doing my second craft show ever this Saturday.  If you live in the area (Spring/Klein) northwest of Houston, Texas, and you like the stuff that I make, I recommend you come because I am selling them for a lot lower than I would on etsy.com!  People haven't been going to the area craft fairs as much, and I think it's because of the economy.  So, I've reduced my prices a lot (just for the fair.)  Plus, not everyone is in the market for head jewelry.

www.idealeon.com

Simple Half Circle Skirt for Children

New Skirts

Simple Brown Skirt

A few months ago I did a tutorial on how to make a simple brown skirt.  I used the same method to make a couple more skirts for one of my daughters.  I did try something new- putting a 'bustle' type piece in the back.  I don't think I'll do it again with the same type of fabric, but it was a good learning experience.  Here are a few pictures of the process, but if you want more details on how to make it, please see my original tutorial on this blog here.

Brown skirt's method of measuring

The Best Homemade Pie Crust for Thanksgiving Easy

Here is the recipe for a pie crust that is the best I've ever had. Whenever I've made this and have seen people leave the crust as habit I feel that I have just experienced cooking blasphemy. This crust is light and flaky- not hard or crumbly!

The crust of the pie is half of the reason I even EAT the pie! Here is the link and website to the recipe shown below. (**By the way, you have to use Crisco brand shortening for it to work the best.) I would also recommend the Apple Pie recipe that I have- but first I need to find it. It is also the best apple pie I have ever tasted. It has lemon juice and fresh apples in it! Mmmm....

From PANTRY COOKING by Cheryl Driggs

PIE PASTRY

1 cup flour
Heaping 1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
2 tablespoons water

Stir together flour and salt. Cut in shortening until it is the size of small peas or smaller. With a fork, stir in the water 1 tablespoon at a time until well mixed. Using hands, gently squeeze the pastry together until it adheres in a ball. Flatten the ball on a sheet of waxed paper. Cover it with a second sheet of waxed paper and roll it out to the desired size. Peel off the top paper and turn the pastry and the bottom sheet of waxed paper over into a pie plate. Carefully peel off the paper. Push the pastry gently to fit in the pie plate. Trim edges to 1/2-inch from the pie plate edge and fold the pastry under so that the fold is flush with the pie plate edge. Crimp or flute edges. Fill and bake according to the pie recipe, or prick the bottom and sides with a fork and bake at 425o for 8 to 10 minutes. For a two-crust pie, double the recipe. Trim the bottom pastry to the plate edge. Trim the top pastry to 1/2-inch from the edge and fold it under the edge of the bottom pastry. Crimp or flute edges.

Handkerchief Shirt to a Princess Dress

I made another shirt from a pattern that my daughter really liked.  I posted it and a photo of the pattern before here.  I altered the pattern by simply adding length to turn it into a bright pink princess dress for my younger daughter.  It's a very easy pattern if you have experience sewing.  The skirt is a full circle, perfect for twirling!  I originally bought the purple and yellow patterned fabric for nursing shawls, but it was also perfect for a shirt in hot summer weather.

www.idealeon.com

Gypsy Wedding Jewelry

 I made a variation of one of my head pieces and wanted to share (I think its one of my prettier ones).    The new one is the one with the pearls.  The first one I made is the one with the coins.  If you would like this one, you can find it here.

www.idealeon.com
Idealeon etsy shop

Ballerina Sock Monkey

My daughter was given a home made sock monkey at church (a reverent monkey that folds its arms.)  It was looking kind of naked to me the other day, so I decided to make a skirt and shirt for it.  It consists of gathered rectangles and elastic- super duper simple.  She pays more attention to the monkey now!

 

www.idealeon.com

 

Cinco de Mayo Tissue Paper Flowers Tutorial

My mom lived in San Antonio when she was younger.  In school, they would make tissue paper flowers for the Mexican/Texas culture.  They would actually use a box of facial tissues.  You can use gift tissue and pipe cleaners.  They are very easy and inexpensive.  We used this craft for a non-messy and cheap and satisfying craft for Valentine's Day Party for my child's school class.

Cut the tissue sheets in 4 or 8 sections, depending on how large you want your flowers.
Stack at least 8 sheets of paper.  
Start on the short side and fold them back and forth like a paper fan.

Wrap a pipe cleaner around the center and twist tight like a bread bag twisty.
'Fan' out the paper and carefully pull each layer upwards close to the center pipe cleaner.

Make sure you do the layer on both sides before doing the next layer.

Do this all the way until the last layer, being careful not to rip them.

You can make all sorts of beautiful color combinations.  Have fun!