By Quiet Waters

Embracing the Full, Hard and Good Life, While Pausing Often by Quiet Waters

MadeOn Skin Care

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Over the years my husband and I have just about replaced all of our skin care products to ones in the MadeOnSkin care line.  These products are simple and wholesome, made with Beeswax, Shea Butter, Coconut Oil and essential oils.

Builder uses the Bug Block year round, so I always have to stock up before the season ends.

And I use several different products, but especially love the lavender lotion bar, goats milk soap and roll on.

When 2 of my daughters worked as lifeguards, they used the citrus and lavender hard lotion bars on their feet, to heal the chaffing from water sandals and chlorine.

I can’t say enough about how lovely and healing these products are.

Today!!!!  Renee at MadeOn Hard Lotion is offering a special 12 days of Christmas deal:

 

Buy 3 Scented Lotion Bars Get 1 Free.  This is a good deal, especially as some of the scent are seasonal and wont be available after Christmas, for a time.

 

 

MadeOn Hard Lotion

 

 

 

This is my affiliate disclosure.

Tic Tac Toe Anyone? A Quilted Gift Idea

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Some weeks ago I was in Joann Fabrics and passed by the display advertising upcoming classes.  A cute quilted Tic Tac Toe board caught my eye, and as you can guess, I went home and created one!

This project was pretty simple, and inexpensive.  I used fabric from my stash, using purple fabric designs  and a cute black cat print as well.  I cut the fabric into 5 inch blocks, using 2 coordinating prints for each board.

Tic Tac Toe

Then I pieced each board, row by row, and then stitched the rows together.

Tic Tac Tow Quilt

Then I laid the backing, right sides facing, on top of the pieced game board.  I stitched all around, leaving about 3 inches open for turning.  Once that was completed, I turned the game board right side out and pressed it all just right.  Lastly, I top stitched along the rows and around the board, closing the opening.

For the X and O pieces I asked my 15 year old for help.  She printed an X and an O template for me right out of Word.  I then used the templates to cut out 5 X and 5 O pieces for each game board.  I used stiff sparkly white felt squares for the X and O pieces, that I purchased from Joann Fabrics.

 

Tic Tac Toe

These game boards look so cute, and I hope that my grandkids and their parents have a little fun connecting over this tactile version of Tic Tac Toe!  Here is the set that I have placed on a table in our living room.  A little “invitation to play” as we relax after full and crazy days.

Tic Tac Toe

 

Using many different fabric combinations, you could make these as party favors, waiting room gifts, and of course little surprises in the mail for kids you love.

 

A cute quilted Tic Tac Toe board you can make in an afternoon. Make in any combination of colors, for an everyday or holiday addition to family fun.  This idea was inspired by Joann Fabrics, but the details here are all my own.  Enjoy!

Pencil Bag from Old Jeans

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Hello!  and Merry Christmas!!

These pencil bags were very easy to make.  I used an old pair of jeans that passed between my daughters when they were young.  For one bag, I cut a section from the pant leg, that had the decorative stitching.

Recycle Old Jeans for a Pencil Bag

For the second bag, I took an area near the pockets.  Using one side and keeping the pocket, I carefully cut a different pocket from the other side of the jeans to make an interior pocket.

I think the pink zippers add a perfect little touch, don’t you?  This was a fun and simple project that turned out super cute, and perfect for keeping a young girl’s pencils and pens together!

What little diy or recycle projects have you been up to?

“Frozen” Invitation to Play

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Busy Bag Inspiration

I found some FUN Frozen inspired ideas for a toddler or preschool busy bag on the Disney Family website.  My wheels are often turning for the different ways to keep little ones busy and this printable was a great find. 

Quick and Easy

Using this Frozen printable, I created quick and easy invitation to play.  After printing the template, I roughly cut each piece out, then laminated the set. (I use this Scotch laminator)  Then, I cut out each of the pieces again.

Olaf Magnets

 

Olaf Magnets

Olaf in laminated pieces

Applying adhesive magnets to one set, I instantly had an activity for the refrigerator.  I popped on the magnets and designed an invitation to play right there on the fridge.  And that invitation might well extend to older members of the family.  Seems “big” kids find magnetic characters too tempting to resist.

Olaf Magnet

 

Olaf Magnet

The second set of laminated printable went into a ziploc bag and is sitting in the “busy bag” tote for kiddos to find.

Super easy, fun little Olaf magnet and Snowman play forms provide an invitation to play.  

Do you reserve space on your fridge for grandkids to play?  Check out the Imagination Tree for Invitation to Play inspiration.

 

Affiliate Disclosure

February Fringe Hours

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February fringe hours have been spent mostly in the laundry/sewing room this month.  After all the Christmas quilt creating in the fall, I set aside the red and green for awhile.  There are more Christmas quilts to be made, but that will likely start back up in the summer.  I might run out of daughters and grandchildren to give these too, before the fabric is all sewn up!

Christmas Quilt

For now beautiful sunshine yellows are making their way into a quilt for my youngest.  My youngest daughter says she will decorate her entire home in yellow when she is grown.  Now I cannot picture that, but making her bedroom a warm sunny yellow retreat is in progress.  Cutting this quilt is taking more time than any of my other endeavors, this will be my most complicated quilt so far.   I am pretty excited about it, but  when Valentine’s was approaching I got an idea for some quick projects that would give some instant gratification.

First I made these darling Valentine pockets.  I filled each of them with a couple of gift cards and a little candy, then hung them on the bedroom doors of each of the kids.   The live action Beauty and the Beast is coming out in March so we gave each of the kids theater gift cards and a gift card for lunch or dinner.

Valentine's

While making those pretty little pockets, I started a Valentine’s table runner.  It wasn’t finished in time for this year, but it will be a lot of fun to pull it out of the tub next January!  Kind of like the placemats I made last winter, and got to enjoy all Christmas season in December.

Now I am a little ahead of myself, with this St Patrick’s table runner that is nearly completed.  I should have it on the table by March 1, to enjoy all month long.  This is a French braid pattern, that instead of making blocks, I just made into a long braid.  It will be backed with the green cross fabric, and the binding will be the black with shamrocks.

Having these little and big projects to work on has helped this month just fly by.  Spring is just around the corner, right?

What have you been enjoying in the fringe hours?

Busy Bags, Keeping Little One Positively Busy

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busy bags keeping little one positively busy

Busy Bags, for Toddlers and Preschoolers

Keeping little ones safely occupied for 10 or 15 minutes can be difficult.  When my children were toddlers and preschoolers, I didn’t know anything about “busy bags”, but I am thrilled to have a basket of busy bags for my grand-daughter.  They keep her attention for 15-30 minutes, and many times longer, depending on the activity.  The activities in busy bags help to promote reading readiness, number awareness, fine or gross motor skills and creativity.  It is not uncommon at all for these activities to lead my grand-daughter, Miss Joyness, into more creative play.

Today I’m going to share some of the ideas with you.  These ideas are for the younger crowd, but might still be a little fun for a preschooler.Continue Reading

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