August 2011 Clicks
Time for some August clicks! These are posts that I found particularly interesting from August…..or else I just read them in August and they aren’t really from August. Either way – it’s August. Got it?
I found this awesome tutorial from I Am Momma Hear Me ROAR on how to stencil shirts and other items. Since I’m not a fantastic sewer, I’m always looking for projects I can actually do without harming myself or small animals. You make your own stencil on the computer, print it, and then cut it out with an Exacto knife on freezer paper (found in the same section of the store with wax paper and foil). I used Script MT Bold font but there are tons of fonts you can use. Just remember that it might look cute, but you DO have to cut it out…..so make it simple and easy to read. Iron your freezer paper stencil on the shirt with the shiny side of the paper down. Now go to work! It was really easy and it turned out great…..it’s actually blue, but it looks like I used black. Now that I’ve done it I know I can make some really great presents this way. And they would be very cost effective since you can regularly find clothing and other things that you could stencil on clearance. WOOHOO! Oh, and I managed to not maim myself with the Exacto knife. It was a banner day.  Annie did get into the paint…..but she only painted a paper plate. Whew.
Here’s something you might not know about me: I’m VERY schedule-oriented……..like, badly. I have a hard time with things that take me off guard or weren’t planned on the calendar. Having a child has really helped me relax in this field, but I still have a long way to go (He’s still working on me). A post at Amy’s Finer Things really hit home with me……when things change, you have to create a “new normal.” Life changes. When you get used to one thing and it becomes “normal,” then something else happens and you have to create another “normal.” Don’t let things get you stressed out or make you have a panic attack. Just embrace what comes along and create a new normal for yourself. When circumstances change things, you can’t always go back to “normal.” And that’s okay. Remind me of that the next time I freak out about something, alright? (I’m talking to YOU Brandy.)
Have you ever made homemade pop tarts? Oh. My. Gosh. You can’t ever eat another “toaster pastry” again. They are fantastic and so much fun to make! You can vary the flavors however you like and make pretty decorations along the side. I’m all about making my food look pretty. Deliciously Organic did a great post on homemade pop tarts this month. She gives you two options – whole wheat or gluten free. I love options. She also gives a great explanation of the differences between wheat flours. It’s a must read. I use hard white wheat and whole wheat pastry flour when I’m baking. I’ve never used this particular recipe – I like the one from Smitten Kitchen which is another favorite site of mine.
I’ve been trying to use my microwave less and less. Yes, I still use it some. Why am I cutting back? Well, I’m just not really sure how I feel about it. Microwaves? Do we really know how safe they are? Other countries have BANNED microwaves. Sounds a little “iffy” to me. I like the convenience of having one, but really it doesn’t take THAT much more time to heat things up in my toaster oven. This post from Lily Of The Valley gave me another nudge in the direction of not using my microwave. She gives you great tips on how to cut it out and how you can heat your food up “the old fashioned way.”
Wow. This might be my favorite post of the month so I saved it for last. Amy from Homestead Revival wrote a post called “Dear Daughter….Keeping Our Femininity.” It’s an amazingly good post about teaching our daughters how to dress and how keep a “feminine” appearance. She quotes scripture and it’s just SPOT ON. I couldn’t ever hope to say it better than her. Let’s look good for our men…..let’s be proud of our gender, and let’s embrace our femininity. Amen Amy.”…but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” I Peter 3:4

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About Stacy

Stacy is the author of Crock On: A Semi-Whole Foods Slow Cooker Cookbook and a stay-at-home mom to her two children, Annie (3) and Andy (newborn). After an “awakening” in March 2011, her family switched to a more natural, whole foods diet. She likes to blog about how to live on less than you make and how to eat good food while doing it. Her passion is teaching others how to save money and she tag teams with her husband in this endeavor. At Stacy Makes Cents you’ll find information on how to save money in the kitchen, how to have fun with your kids, and how to be thrifty in all areas of life. Her passion is teaching others how to live debt free. Make sure to follow her on Facebook and Twitter to keep up with her daily antics.

  • http://impossibleway.livejournal.com Brandy

    That stencil technique looks neat! I might have to give it a go. :-) Maybe Christmas shirts for the aunties. . .

    • Stacy

      Yes! I am going to use it for tons of gifts. :-) I bought my freezer paper at Ingles.

  • Mary Beth Floyd

    Do the stencils stand up well to washing? If so, this would be a great project in SO many ways ~ scan in your grandchild’s artwork and put it on a shirt, etc. Thanks!!!

    • Stacy

      Mary Beth, I didn’t try to use mine more than once….but since you’re using the waxy on the back by getting it hot, it might not work a second time – all the wax might be waxed out. :-)

  • Mary Beth Floyd

    I’m sorry, I meant does the stencil stay on the garmet when washed over and over?

    • Stacy

      Yep….I’ve washed Annie’s a lot. The color fades a bit after several washes – but that might the type of paint I used. I didn’t use clothing paint – I used regular paint that I added the stuff to that makes it good for clothes. :-)

  • Stephanie Roark

    I’d love to try the freezer paper project, but somewhere I missed where paint was used?? How and where was paint used on the project? I’m a little confused as to the reference of paint.

    • Stacy

      Stephanie, I didn’t go over the project in detail because it was from another blogger. If you click on the link for I Am Momma Hear Me Roar that I posted, it will take you to the full instructions and tell you which paint to use. It was just a little overview that I wrote. You use the freezer paper to make a stencil that you iron to the shirt and then you paint it in like any other stencil. :-) Hope that makes sense.