FLY ME TO THE MOON

Do you by any chance remember this? It's my "I can't believe I actually made a placemat purse." (I've also posted about here). Well, it was quite a while ago, but I had entered this in a contest or something at Martha Stewart. And, although I haven't actually heard anything about the entry, I just found out that this purse has been selected as one of thirteen favorite bags and purses (that's out of 700 entries). You can see it here. What a nice surprise.

S.W.A.K.

EVERYDAY (FOOD)

Frannie met up with Martha again this past Thursday during a book signing at the Norwalk Costco. Frannie chose the Everyday Food book - Great Food Fast. She's working up a collection of autographed recipe books. I'm trying to include a photo of Frannie with each author so they can be put inside the front cover of each of her books. Frannie chose to wear her French bulldog shirt because Martha has two of them, and one of them is named Francesca (that's Frannie's real name). If you check out The Martha Blog, you'll see a photo of the two of them. Several others were taken of Frannie by Martha's photographer. (It seems as though a purse I was carrying, and had made, attracted a little attention and they took photos of it while Frannie held it.)

Of course, we couldn't go empty-handed, so Martha was given a copy of Frannie's Favorite Recipes as well as some handmade knitting needles.

S.W.A.K.

MARTHA MY DEAR

I can hardly contain my excitement! I just found out that two of my Valentine ideas are listed on Martha Stewart's website under Your Best Valentines - Yes, that's right - I said TWO - Woohoo! And the best part is that there are only 13 (actually 12) picked as the best ones - so that makes it even better - I've got 2 out of 12 listed! Wait, wait - there's even a link to my blog in the bead-knitted purse description!

Here are the two links to her site where my Valentine ideas are - Valentine Heart Lollipop Flower Basket and Have A Heart Bead-Knitted Purse.

Thanks for listening - I just had to tell someone!

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - I'm going to be having a Valentine giveaway - so check back soon and I'll let you know what it is going to be.

P.P.S. - Last year Frannie presented this bead-knitted purse to Martha when she visited Stew Leonard's in Norwalk, CT for a book signing.

THERE SHE IS...

There She Is, Miss America

Move over Martha Stewart, in step Miss America. Today, at Stew Leonard's in Norwalk, CT, Kirsten Haglund, Miss America 2008, made a special appearance, and who was there to meet and greet her? None other than Frannie.

S.W.A.K.

P.S. - Don't fret Martha, Frannie still considers you to be one of her close friends.

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE!

HEY, THIMBLEANNA, COME ON DOWN!
Okay ladies, here's your chance to win your very own bead-knitted purse. Take a look at those four pictured on the right - that's right - you could be the lucky winner - except that yours will be made out of crystal clear beads and white thread (I'm thinking ice and snow). I'm also going to add a little charm to the side, but I haven't decided which one yet. You know you want one! (Even Jennifer Paganelli and Martha Stewart are the proud owners of one.)

Here's what you have to do to enter:

1. Leave a comment telling me what your New Year's resolution is. You must state a resolution or you won't be entered. If you don't have one, make one up.

2. If you don't have a blog, you must leave an e-mail address so you can be notified if you win, otherwise, you won't be entered.

3. Open to U.S./Canada residents only.

4. Keep it FUN!

Now go on over to the Whirl Into Winter giveaway event hosted by Quilting With Debi and enter all those other contests. On January 15th, at 8:00 PM eastern time, Frannie (who else?) will pick the winner.

You know I'm a sucker for a good song, so here are the lyrics to Baby It's Cold Outisde (my favorite version is with Tom Jones and Marianne Faithful):

BABY IT'S COLD OUTSIDE
Words and music by Frank Loesser
As Performed By Tom Jones

I really can't stay
But baby, it's cold outside
I've got to go away
Ah, baby, it's cold outside
This evening has been
Been hoping that you'd drop in
So very nice
I'll hold your hands,
they're just like ice
My mother will start to worry
Beautiful, what's your hurry
My father will be pacing the floor
Listen to that fireplace roar
So really I'd better scurry
Oh beautiful, please don't hurry
Maybe just a half a drink more
Why don't you put some
records on while I pour
The neighbors might think
Oh baby, it's bad out there
Say, what's in this drink
There's no cabs to be had out there
I wish I knew how
Your eyes are like starlight now
To break this spell
I'll take your hat,
your hair looks swell
I ought to say no, no, no, sir
Mind if I move a little closer
At least I'm gonna say that I tried
What's the sense of hurting my pride
I really can't stay
Baby don't hold out
Ahh, but it's cold outside
I simply must go
Oh, baby, it's cold outside
The answer is no
You know it's cold outside
This welcome has been
I'm lucky that you dropped in
So nice and warm
Look out the window at that storm
My sister will be suspicious
Oh, your lips look delicious
My brother will be there at the door
Like waves upon a tropical shore
My maiden aunt's mind is vicious
Eww, your lips are delicious
Well maybe just a cigarette more
Never such a blizzard before
I've got to go home
Ah, baby, you would freeze out there
Say, lend me a comb
You know it's up to your knees out there
You've really been grand
I thrill when you touch my hand
But don't you see
How can you do this thing to me
There's bound to be talk tomorrow
Making my life long sorrow
At least there will plenty implied
If you caught pneumonia and died
I really can't stay
Get over that old out
Ah but it's cold outside

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

S.W.A.K.

MELLOW YELLOW

(It even has a an adorable little slice of cake charm attached.)

Donovan
Mellow Yellow
I'm just mad about Saffron
Saffron's mad about me
I'm just mad about Saffron
She's just mad about me
{Refrain}
They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow
I'm just mad about Fortean
Fourteen's mad about me
I'm just mad about Fortean
She's just mad about me
{Refrain}
Born high forever to fly
Wind velocity nil
Wanna high forever to fly
If you want your cup o'er fill
{Refrain}
(So mellow, he's so yellow)
Electrical banana
Is gonna be a sudden craze
Electrical banana
Is bound to be the very next phase
They call it mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow
(Quite rightly)
They call me mellow yellow
Saffron -- yeah
I'm just mad about her
I'm just mad about Saffron
She's just mad about me
{Refrain}
(Oh so yellow, oh so mellow)

S.W.A.K.

It's alright, all night, it's alright
It's okay, all day, it's okay
You'll learn to do this, the Peppermint Twist
Yeah, yeah

If you don't want to make a Cookie Swap post, why don't you e-mail me your favorite Christmas cookie recipe and I'll copy it into my "The More The Merrier" Christmas Cookie Swap. I know you've got a favorite! (CuteStuffInside at hotmail dot com - and please be sure to fill in the subject line with "Cookie Swap").

THE MORE THE MERRIER!!!

P.S. - Get on over to Jennifer Paganelli's blog and check out her Christmas Trees post - you'll see a great holiday card holder made by Marnie out of Sis Boom fabric - notice the photo in the holder on the table (yep - that's Frannie peeking out at you!).

AMERICAN IDOL(S)

What a star studded week the last one was! As I mentioned in a previous post, on Thursday I had the pleasure of attending Sis Boom's Annual Holiday Show hosted by Jennifer Paganelli, herself. She is not only extremely creative, she is also a very lovely person, inside and out.

Martha and Frannie

Then, on Saturday, Frannie and I attended a book signing with Martha Stewart. This event was held at Stew Leonard's in Norwalk, CT. We live within walking distance, so we took a nice little stroll down to the event, and it's a good thing (no pun intended) because there wasn't a parking space to be had. Yes, the book signing line was very long, but Frannie was a trooper and I didn't hear a single complaint from her. We only purchased one copy of her new book, Martha Stewart's Cooking School, but it seemed as if the majority of people were purchasing a half dozen copies each. Although not personalized, Martha did sign each copy while chatting with each person in line. Martha's two French Bulldogs, Sharkey and Francesca, also attended the event, although Francesca did manage to escape for a moment or two. Everyone was yelling, "shut the door, shut the door," so she couldn't escape, and her handler finally managed to catch up with her. Those two puppies are awfully cute. Martha and Frannie even had a little discussion about Francesca, because they share the same name (Frannie is short for Francesca). I was even allowed to photograph Frannie and Martha together. Martha Stewart was very gracious and even invited all those attending with small children to come to the front of the line. Kuddos Martha!

Santa and Frannie
(How About That Hat? - I mean Frannie's!)

We couldn't leave Stew Leonard's without paying a visit to Santa. Frannie wanted to be sure he knows exactly what she wants for Christmas.

S.W.A.K.

It goes round and round, up and down
Round and round, up and down
Round and round and a up and down
And a one two three kick, one two three jump

Don't Be A Scrooge!
THE MORE THE MERRIER!!!

FRONT AND CENTER

Here's a photo of Frannie's class getting ready for their school's annual Halloween parade. Can you guess which one Frannie is? Now, I won't tell you that I love sewing tulle and slinky fabrics, but I do think it was worth the effort. That crown and scepter look especially grand, if I do say so myself! Those two items were a lot of fun to make.

Apart From The Crowd

I think Frannie made a great costume selection. She received quite a few compliments on her costume while out trick or treating on Friday evening. She was very proud!

Now scroll back up and take a look at the first photo. Do you see the paper owl, cat and pumpkin hanging up on the front board? I used the instructions provided in the Martha Stewart Living (October issue) and taught the children how to make these. They did a great job!

Thank you, Sharon of Red Geranium Cottage. Frannie just loves her Halloween purse and all the goodies that were stashed inside. It was such a wonderful surprise! Not only that, do you see the fabric that was used in the center panel? My sister, Ellen, just brought me a yard of that the weekend before your giftie arrived. I just love it! I asked Frannie if I might borrow her purse (yes, I would) and she said I could use it as soon as Halloween was over! Isn't she something! I don't blame her.

Now I want to tell you about something exciting and fun - I was just notified today by The Woolie Ewe that I won their contest. I entered a name for their newest knitter, Woolamina, and I won a $100 gift certificate to their on-line knitting store. I can't wait to shop. They have all kinds of yarns and patterns, so if you're a knitter, go on over and check them out!

Jen, thanks for boo-ing me!

S.W.A.K.

SERIOUSLY CUTE STUFF

I made this clothes tree for Frannie when she was just a baby and she hasn't outgrown it yet. I went to one of those big box hardware stores and purchased an unfinished newel post with a ball cap. My husband, Frank, made the base for the clothes tree. The pattern for the base came from the Martha Stewart Magazine way back in 1999, and the pattern is still available today here. They are actually supposed to be wall brackets, but we did our own thing with it. I enlarged the pattern to the appropriate size and Frank traced it onto some wood and cut it out with a jigsaw and sanded it down. He also attached them to the newel post for me. I did the decorative part. Of course, it's Folk Art baby pink, to match the rest of Frannie's room, with yellow, white and black accent colors. I decoupaged tiny black and white striped pieces of paper around the different sections for a little extra zing. Mary Engelbreit paper doll clothes were decoupaged on both the top and bottom. These doll clothes were from her magazine, a new set of clothes is included in each issue - I've kept them all - you never know how you will use these things. I've also used them to decorate a clothes hamper, but that's another post. At the top, Frank attached a clothes hook right over each outfit. I am really happy with the way it turned out and Frannie just loves it! So here are lots of pictures so you can have a really good look at it.

Side 1 - Complete

Side 1 - Top

Side 1 - Bottom

Side 2 - Top

Side 2 - Bottom

Side 3 - Top

Side 3 - Bottom

Side 4 - Top

Side 4 - Bottom

Did I mentioned that there are polka-dots on the top? :)

S.W.A.K.

IT'S 10 PM - DID YOU ENTER YET?
ONLY 6 GUESSING DAY LEFT

RED GERANIUM COTTAGE CUPCAKE SWAP - MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

Sharon, over at Red Geranium Cottage, has finally received my package of goodies for the cupcake swap, so I think it's safe to reveal what I sent to her. I wanted to give her a cupcake party in a box, and she received the following: Funfetti cake mix, Funfetti frosting (I wanted to send her the pink one, but I could only find vanilla, so I had to settle for that), pink cupcake wrappers with pink polka dots (can't send out something without some polka dots involved somewhere now can I?), a small Martha Stewart cupcake take-out box (in case Sharon wants to give a few of those cupcakes to her neighbors), four adorable little cupcake candles to light up her party, a cupcake banner, and, last, but not least, a cupcake hat (you can't have a party without a party hat now, can you?), and I knew Sharon would be brave enough to wear it, at least once! She didn't disappoint me either. Take a peek at Sharon's blog and see how fab she looks in it!

Cupcake P-A-R-T-Y Banner

This is made from a 4-ply paper for the backing which I traced a whole cupcake pattern on.to Next, I cut out various papers with stripes to resemble cupcake wrappers. Polka-dotted (there's those pesky polka-dots again) and glittered papers were used to look like frosting with non-pareils and sugar coating. Of course, you can't have a cupcake without a cherry on top - those were made with red foil holographic paper. The frosting part of the cupcake was also outlined with silver glitter just to add a little extra sparkle. Letters were printed off the computer and backed with a crepe paper streamer that I gathered up on the sewing machine. I used spray adhesive to attach the papers and then weighted it down with heavy books for a couple of hours to make sure it was going to hold. It's a good idea to put a sheet of waxed paper between the paper and books to make sure they don't stick together. When it was all done I put paper tabs on the back and strung a ribbon through. It can easily be folded flat for easy storage. I do love to make banners, and it this was a lot of fun!

Cupcake Hat

Now on to the hat! Believe it or not, I purchased just about everything I used to make the hat at Walmart. This included an 8" round kraft box, lots and lots of pins with white tops on them, paper in various shades of pink, a Martha Stewart hydrangea punch (I also use her glitter because it's really good and comes in lots of nice colors), and an 8" half styrofoam ball for the frosting. The cupcake wrapper, lining, foam cushion, and ribbon were out of my stash. The cherry on top is made from a styrofoam ball, painted red, glittered and attached with a piece of floral wire. The wrapper is made from several strips of paper that I accordian folded. I'd tell you exactly how to make this hat, but I'm afraid I would bore you to death, so if you really want to know, just ask. I've made lots of hats and crowns, each one different, but all are great fun to create. Just let your imagination go wild!

S.W.A.K.