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    Betty Boo Bat—Halloween Sock Doll

    ByHeather Bailey

    FREE Pattern and Sewing Kit! Betty Boo Bat—Halloween Sock Doll—FOUR Designs to Choose From


    CasparBatSockDoll_BettyBoo

    Hello, friends! It’s time for some fall-time fun. I have four ADORABLE Betty Boo Sock Doll Kits in the store this fall: Ziggy, Pumpkin, Trixie, and Caspar. Each bat-doll kit includes a sock, fabric, felt, multiple buttons, embroidery floss, ribbon—AND the FULL SEWING PATTERN! Each complete kit is priced at ONLY $12.95, a great fall project and gift. Collect all four!

    Find all of our popular bat-doll, purse, and pincushion kits in the Other Fun Stuff section of the store.

    PumpkinBatSockDoll_BettyBooWith a purchase of $35 or more, enjoy one FREE bat doll kit which includes all materials (except stuffing) AND the pattern ($12.95 value). Once your purchase adds up to $35 or more, add your choice of bat doll to your cart as well. Enter promo code FREEBATKIT at checkout. The price of one kit will be removed from your total — a $12.95 value.*

    ZiggyBatSockDoll_BettyBooPsst…the promotion info and promo code is also posted on the home page of the store. Please share a link with your friends and family.

    TrixieBatSockDoll_BettyBoo*One FREE kit per customer. This offer expires 10-31-19, at midnight MST, or while supplies last. If making a bat doll for a small child, please make sure all parts are securely sewn together, and that no embellishments present a choking hazard.

    Here’s a link to The Heather Bailey Store. 🙂

  • Wednesday Quilt Inspiration

    ByHeather Bailey

    TrueColors_HeatherBailey_Craftbuds_410b

    At the studio, we are busy prepping for the quilt industry's fall tradeshow. We have a few new patterns coming out, as well as new fabric collection. I cannot wait to share more! With quilts and soft goods on my mind, I am sharing some quilt inspiration today. TrueColors_HeatherBailey_Craftbuds_410a

    This charming clamshell quilt was put together by Craftbuds.com for the True Colors blog hop a while back. I love how the simple, repeating design allows for playful eclecticism with the print combination. And the finished quilt looks great with rounded corners. Shown is a mix of Lottie Da and True Colors prints, along with three solid fabrics. Craftbuds' post lists some tips for assembling a clamshell quilt of your own, including links to an 8" shell pattern and a 12" shell pattern.

    I've been quite sick for the last few weeks. Feeling much better today, the first thing on my list is to visit here for a hello. I have big plans for this fall, with lots to share, including new fabrics, patterns, tutorials and tips. Expect to hear from me more regularly.

  • Watch Me on PBS

    ByHeather Bailey

    I am guest-hosting an episode of Sew It All on PBS
    this spring. Every PBS affiliate has a different schedule, so I can't
    give you an exact date. BUT, the episode should be airing very, very
    soon. So, visit PBS.org to
    check the schedule in your local area. Sew It All slated this as
    Episode 4, but from what I hear, the episodes can be shuffled around by
    the PBS program directors. And different areas will carry different
    shows. Very interesting stuff.

    SewItAll_HeatherBaileyBW_BabyBib

    Anyhow, we're making baby bibs. Here are Sew It All host, Ellen March,
    and I holding up a baby bib together—it must have been very
    heavy—weighted down with cuteness. I'll post about the free pattern next
    week, along with a little monster you can applique on the bibs—or on a
    kid's tee shirt or bag, etc.

    The fabrics shown above are laminates from my Nicey Jane collection—I LOVE them. They are so fun to work with!

    Chances are, you'll see the episode before I do. Stop back by and let
    me know if you have any questions afterward. We filmed the show in one
    take. One, long 30-minute take. Can you believe it? No pressure, right?

    It was a blast.

  • Mmmm, Breakfast

    ByHeather Bailey

    BreakfastBuns

    Breakfast, my one weakness.

    Here's a fun breakfast recipe. Make an omelet inside of a
    roll—sourdough rolls are the best. And bake them in the oven till the
    eggs are set.

    Yum. But what to call this deliciousness? It's begging for a cheeky
    name. Egg in a Nest. Bird in a Basket. Eggy-Breadlets. What would you
    call an egg in a nest that didn't result in a bird, but a delicious
    breakfast? Or is that gross?

    These are things I should probably work out before posting. I should
    just declare the recipe name with bravado. Chick in a Tub. Chub in a
    Tub. Chubby Tubbers. Ranchy Scramblers.

    But I have better things to do than deciding recipe names—like brainstorming
    recipe names. Brainstorming is much more fun than deciding. On-a-Roll
    Breakfast Breads. Rockin' Rolls. Rolly Pollos. Huevos Nuevos.

    Fun in a Bun. Egg in your Face. Ooo, I like that one.

    Saucers. Disks. Pucks. All good words to build on…

    …while I snarf down another Scram-bowl.

  • Easy Gourmet Cupcakes – Recipe

    ByHeather Bailey

    ChocolateCupcakeRecipe

    Easy Gourmet Cupcakes
    1 box cake mix  – any flavor
    1 small box pudding mix
    4 eggs
    1 C. sour cream
    1/2 C. water
    1/2 C. oil

    Choose a cake mix and a pudding mix with compatible flavors.  Mix this stuff all together and bake as instructed — till toothpick comes out clean.  Cool on a wire rack, then add frosting.  Easy peasy.

    Spread the frosting.  Spread the word.  Spread the love.

    ChocolateCupcakes

    Shall we move on from Christmas? 

    Perhaps.

    I swear, you’ll never hear from me much at the new year, regardless of my well-meaning resolutions.  I not only have Christmas and New Year’s to recover from, but my wedding anniversary and both of my children’s birthdays are mixed in there as well.  Elijah’s LAN party was a week ago and Charlotte’s party is this weekend.  Her requested theme: Legendary.  She wants to have a “Legendary” party. 

    Who doesn’t, right? 

    So, Legendary, it is.  Sounds like a tall order.  I guess that’s what you get from a kindergartener with a crazy vocabulary.  However, I do believe her 5–year-old imagination is conjuring dragons and elves, not preeminent perfection.  Thank goodness for that.  Have I ever mentioned that her first word was “dignity“?  No joke!  She was only nine-months-old.

    Gooey chocolate cupcakes were a big success at Elijah’s party — truly, the easiest way to serve birthday cake.  So, I’m going for cupcakes again for Charlotte.  Above is my easy solution for exquisite cupcakes.  Isaac’s sister, Evie, shared this trick when she visited a while back.  Always a big hit.  The cupcakes, and Evie.


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    Holly Day Girls

    ByHeather Bailey

    I have a new 'job' at my church.  I've been asked to teach the
    10-12-year-old girls crafting skills, and to organize service projects
    with them.  Sure! I can do that.  Today is our first activity.  We're
    making holly pins from yo-yos & felt.

    HollyPin470
    Over
    the next few meet-ups, I'm going to help the girls put together their
    own sewing kits, teach them to crochet, develop babysitting kits, learn
    emergency skills etc.  I want to find a senior center we can visit as
    well. 

    They're the sweetest group of girls.  It should be big, big fun.

  • Smarty Girl

    ByHeather Bailey

    MEHC_SmartyGirl

    While I'm busy finishing up a jazzy slideshow for Nicey Jane, I thought I'd pop in and share another bit of news.  Who recognizes this photo above? It's from the cover of Mary Engelbreit's Home Companion back in May 2008. 

    SmartyGirl
    I hadn't originally planned to publish a pattern for this book bag. 
    However, after hundreds of requests for it, I finally got a clue and
    did the work. The Smarty Girl book bag mini pattern arrives at the studio on Monday and will start shipping out on Tuesday. 

    I
    use my Smarty Girl to carry a sketchbook and pencils. Charlotte has a
    Smarty Girl for her coloring and activity books. It's a simple sew,
    perfect for holiday gifts and birthday presents. You could make one for
    your child for Christmas and fill it with activity books.  With a
    coordinating baby quilt folded up inside, it makes a great shower gift.
    Then, of course, you could do a sketchbook & pencils — my personal
    favorite.

    (Pattern cover features my new collection, Nicey Jane!)

  • Frozen Bozo

    ByHeather Bailey

    This photo cracks me up.  Can anyone guess what my concept was here? 
    That’s right, it’s a dessert interpretation of a 70s clown.  You’re not
    afraid of clowns are you?

    BananaSplit470
    My new ice cream recipe
    from Father’s Day this year is Double-Chocolate Banana Split ice cream,
    newly coined “Frozen Bozo,” presented with a waffle cone hat, a cherry
    nose and a doily ruff.  It’s interpretative.

    The ice cream isn’t just chocolate either.  It has bananas, cherries and brownies in it.  A fool-proof mix <3:o)

    Also, I’ve drawn up a list of tutorials I’m eager to post. Without
    revealing the specifics, where would you like me to start:  jewelry,
    paper craft, sewing project, home decor?  Lots of plans.  What are you
    in the mood for first?

    Ingredients470a

    Frozen Bozo – Chocolate Banana Split ice cream

    Chocolate Ice Cream Base
    6 C. heavy cream
    2.25 C. sugar
    3 T. pure vanilla extract
    3 C. milk or half ‘n’ half
    16 OZ. bittersweet chocolate

    Mix Ins
    1 C. sliced bananas
    1 C. maraschino cherries
    2 C. chocolate chip brownies (prepare in advance, then
           cut into bite-size pieces and chill)

    Prepare Ice Cream Base

    Icecream308
    Heat cream, sugar, vanilla, and half ‘n’ half mixture to near boiling.
    Meanwhile, heat bittersweet chocolate in microwave-safe bowl at 50%
    power for approx. 3-4 minutes, or until the chocolate is mostly melted.
    Remove chocolate from microwave and stir till all chocolate is melted.
    Next, remove cream mixture from heat and fold in melted chocolate. Stir
    until combined. Refrigerate mixture until thoroughly chilled.  Transfer
    chilled mixture to an ice cream maker and process following
    manufacturer’s instructions.

    After ice cream has reached soft-serve consistency, place ice cream
    cylinder in freezer, or leave in ice cream maker (if there is still
    sufficient ice) to harden for about an hour. Meanwhile, prepare mix-in ingredients as directed below.

    Mix-in the Good Stuff

    Chill
    a large bowl by placing it in an ice bath, or in freezer. When ice
    cream has chilled for about an hour, scoop it into chilled bowl.
    Immediately add all mix-in ingredients and stir till just combined.
    Return ice cream to cylinder or a prepared container of your choice*.
    Place ice cream back in freezer to harden overnight.

    *Try a new, food-safe paint can from your home improvement store, cleaned with bleach-water.

    Enjoy!