happy blogiversary to me!

::THE GIVEAWAY IS CLOSED::

Today is my first blogiversary! I started this blog because I felt out of place posting my projects on my family blog. So the Sutton Grace blog was born. Named after my daughter Sutton because I just really like her name! I didn't expect anyone to read it, that has been an awesome surprise. You guys make blogging so fun!

To thank you all for reading and commenting and just being plain awesome I am having my first ever giveaway! In an effort to spread the love there will be three items given away:

Giveaway item #1- Apron.
I LOVE this apron. I have made many aprons in my day but this
one is my favorite. Once it was finished and I tried it on I was tempted to
keep it for myself. I won't. But I will be going back to IKEA and
getting more fabric to make one just for me.

Giveaway item #2- A set of lavender sachets.
These smell SO good! Perfect for your car, closet or your 'unmentionables' drawer.

Giveaway item #3- Yellow ruffled wristlet (maybe I am in love with this fabric).
It is just the right size for your phone, keys, small wallet and a lip gloss
or use it to corral small items inside a bigger bag.

HOW TO WIN:
1. Leave a comment on this post. Please make sure there is a way to contact you (email address linked to your blogger profile or leave your email address in the comment) I would hate to not be able to contact the winners!

2. Become a follower and leave an additional separate comment telling me you did so. Or, if you are already a follower leave an additional separate comment telling me so.

3. Post about this giveaway on YOUR blog, then leave another separate comment with a link.

The winners will be randomly chosen next Friday, February 5th.

GOOD LUCK and happy weekend!

butterflies, polka dots and ruffles- oh my!

We have had the same pillows on our couch for a few years now and I was needing a change. I am not usually a butterfly kind of girl but when I saw Canyon Butterfly by Alexander Henry I decided maybe I will be a butterfly kinda girl. The orange polka dot pillow cover came from Target (only $4!!).

We also hung curtains recently (it's about time, we have lived in this house for almost 5 years!!)

On the other side of the room we have my most recent labor of love:

I saw this pillow on the Dear CJane blog and it has been floating around in my head for awhile. I was glad I chose to make it a small pillow it took a ton of circles to cover the whole thing. I also spent a lot more time then I usually do when making pillow covers. I do love it though, so it was worth it.

a surprise for me

Yesterday, I got a package in the mail. Marcy from Pine Creek Cottage sent me some vintage notions that she inherited from her husband's mother and grandmother.

Rickrack, needles, embroidery floss, a heavy duty pair scissors and pinking shears...

and a tin full of BUTTONS! Liam and Sutton spent about an hour digging through the tin and ooh-ing and aah-ing over all the different kinds of buttons.

Marcy, thank you so much! I love all of it. Thank you for thinking of me. I can't wait to create with all these goodies!

chore charts

Go here to download the chore chart!

In December Liam, my oldest, was begging me to make a chore chart. Strange, I know. I finally got around to it a couple of weeks ago.

I found this one at ModEcoKids.com that I love. I love it because it is free, it is customizable, it is simple and it is cute. I copied the polka dot design (I LOVE polka dots) to spruce up our Family Rules page.


I made one for Liam and one for Sutton. Their chores are not identical (they are better at and enjoy doing different types of chores) but they are age appropriate. I wish I had left one line blank for extra credit type things. Like last week when Liam surprised me by cleaning his bathroom. After printing the charts I used self-laminating sheets to laminate them. Now we can make check marks with a dry erase marker and re-use the charts each week.

Um, I just realized that I spelled vacuum wrong. Please don't mock me! :)

Michael and I deliberated whether or not to pay them for their chores. On one hand we felt we didn't need to pay them for helping out around the house on the other hand we thought it was a good opportunity to teach them about saving, spending and giving money. In the end we decided that the kids will earn $.05 for every check mark at the end of the week. Not much, the most they could earn in a week is $2.80, but it is enough to get them excited. And they are! These charts are working better so far than any chore system we have tried before.

UPDATE: This is for you Celeste! Our family rules and daily expectations. (Click on the photo to enlarge)

 Go here to download the chore chart!

ruffle collar t-shirt tutorial

Today in Charlotte it was 60 degrees! I celebrated by wearing some spring clothes. I made this shirt yesterday afternoon, it feels fun and spring-y. I am so excited for warmer weather. I know it has been much colder in other places but I was raised in the desert, I can't help being whimpy when it comes to cold weather!


Before: Two (only one pictured) soft aqua t-shirts from Target. Purchased for $2.48 each.

Oops, I forgot to take a picture of the first step Here is a lovely little diagram. Cut one side seam and shoulder of the shirt. Lay it flat. Trim top (shoulder and neckline end) even. Cut 3.5" strips. Note: I am a sucky artist!

Sew strips together and gather top edge.

Pin ruffle to neckline.

Sew all the way around.

Sometimes the raw edge of a ruffle can look nice but I think it looks a little messy here.

To make the shirt have a more finished appearance, fold the neckband over the cut edge and pin.

Sew very close to the edge.

Much better!

And now more of my awkward modeling...



I am linking up to Made it Mondays at The Persimmon Perch, DIY Day @A Soft Place to Land & Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative

embellished dish towel tutorial

I could have sworn I saw and bookmarked a tutorial for embellished dishtowels with snaps but when I went to look for it I couldn't find it anywhere-- perhaps I dreamt it?. If you have seen that tutorial (and know where to find it) don't be shy, let me know in the comments. After many months the original tutorial has been found!! I knew I hadn't dreamt it. It is by Jess of craftiness is not optional. Thanks for the inspiration Jess!

Here is my (possibly inferior) tutorial:

Cut a piece of pre-washed fabric about 1/2-1 inch larger than the width of the pre-washed towel and your desired height (mine was about 5" tall).

Fold and iron the long edges and the short edges.

Pin it on top of the towel making sure the width fits to the edges on both sides, adjust your folded edges if needed.

Sew all the way around your fabric rectangle being sure to back stitch when you start and stop.

Following the package directions attach your snap fasteners (not sew on snaps) to your towel. Two stud snaps just inside the seam in each top corner and two socket snaps about 7.5" straight down from the top snaps.

(please ignore the wrinkles!)

Snap it on to your stove handle and you're done!

My dish towels are forever falling on the floor... or being pulled off the handle by little hands... or used and then tossed onto the counter far away from the sink... can you tell that I hate loosing my towels? I love that this one stays in place. Plus it looks pretty. I need to make lots more.

I am linking up to Made it Mondays at The Persimmon Perch, DIY Day @A Soft Place to Land & Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative

monogrammed coin purses

I made these little coin purses for my nieces that live in Alabama- Eliza, Sarah Abbigail and Leah (Sarah Abbigail goes by Sarah or Abbie so her purse has an "a" on one side and an "s" on the other).

The coin purses are very easy to make. They are similar to these only smaller- about about 3.5"x5.5". I used scraps left over from other projects and zippers I already had on hand.

The girls were very excited about the purses. They gave me lots of hugs said "Thank you Aunt Erin" several times in their cute southern accents. I love those sweet girls!

I am linking up to Made it Mondays at The Persimmon Perch, DIY Show and Tell @ The DIY Show Off, DIY Day @A Soft Place to Land & Just Something I Whipped Up at The Girl Creative

the fifty-cent cardigan make-over

It doesn't get cheaper or easier than this:

One cardigan from Salvation Army (on their 50% off day): $0.50


Remove buttons add sew on some vintage lace trims given to you by a friend (Thanks again Shanda!)


I don't know if I love the gathers right on the bust but for pocket change and less than 15 minutes time spent, I'll take it!


The same day I bought this cardigan, I scored a super cute pair of trouser jeans for $2.50. $2.50!! I could hardly believe it.

Have a great weekend friends!!

italian creme cake

This is a recipe from my Grandmothers collection of recipes. It's delicious! Make it, you won't be disappointed (even you coconut haters).

cake
1 stick butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 cups sugar
5 eggs
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups coconut
1 cup chopped nuts (pecans or walnuts)

1. Beat butter, vegetable oil and sugar until smooth.
2. Separate egg yolks and whites
3. Add egg yolks to butter, oil, sugar mix and beat well
4. Add soda to the flour
5. Add vanilla to buttermilk
6. Add flour/soda mix alternately with the buttermilk/vanilla mix
7. Add the coconut and nuts.
8. Beat the egg whites until stiff (forming soft peaks)
9. Fold egg whites into the batter.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes @ 350° in three 8" round cake pans

frosting
8 oz. low fat cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick butter
1 lb powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 - 1/2 cup coconut
1/4 - 1/2 cup nuts (pecans or walnuts)

Whip cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla. Frost cake and sprinkle with coconut and nuts.

**UPDATE 1/19/10: I made this cake again for my husband's birthday. This time I used half whole wheat flour and halved the vegetable oil with applesauce. The cake was just as delicious as the first time. Not completely guilt free but a little closer.

thirty-one

me with my birthday cake, italian creme cake, recipe coming soon!

Yesterday was my thirty-first birthday. In honor of that (and in no particular order) here are thirty-one things I would like to accomplish in 2010.

31- refashion at least one item a week.
30- stop swearing. I don't swear much, sometimes I do it only to make my husband laugh. I am not sure when I developed this habit. I used to be such a goody two shoes that I would chastise my mother for swearing (sorry mom, that must have been really obnoxious!). But I really want to stop because one of these days my kids are going to catch on and start using bad words. I would really hate that.
29- Pray each morning and night.
28- lose those last, stubborn ten pounds.
27- read more.
26- exercise three times a week.
25- kiss my husband more.
24- paint the baseboards (they were installed over a year ago and I still haven't painted them!)
23- fold laundry right away- don't let it sit in the basket for weeks on end.
22- be patient- with myself, the children, michael.
21- sew more clothes for myself.
20- learn to control anger.
19- read from the Book of Mormon daily.
18- play with the kids more.
17- get out of bed by 7 am.
16- have a regular date night with Michael.
15- be on time.
14- smile more.
13- stress less.
12- be more financially responsible.
11- waste less.
10- be happy.
9- learn how to french braid.
8- attend the Temple monthly.
7- be more outgoing.
6- care not what others think of me.
5- have a cleaning system- similar to this.
4- make my bed everyday.
3- take more pictures.
2- be comfortable with who I am.
1- re-learn how to crochet.