Beautiful Bibs

Today I'm going to tell you about my latest obsession.
They're these fashionable bib necklaces:

Found at Anthropologie

Found at Anthropologie

Found at Anthropologie

Found at Urban Outfitters

I'm falling head over heels in love with these babies! They can really dress up a plain shirt & jeans or a simple cocktail dress. Then I thought, "Why not make one myself?".

Using a bunch of beads from my bag of scrap...

And some fancy buttons I got on sale...

And some felt & a yard of ribbon...

I think it's slowly taking shape!

I sewed on the ribbon to serve as the strap.

Tada! A homemade bib necklace!

Made from simple materials & scrap.

Hope it makes you as happy as it is making me!

Locket Love

I bought this bag of scrap at a flea market:

It contains the ingredients for a number of Tada! accessories!

All you need is a little imagination.

From the many choices, I picked out the lovely gold
locket (lower right) with a tiny cameo.
Isn't it pretty?

Then I added this to the other lockets I collected

over the years and attached them on a chain.

It's a wonderful way to keep photos of people (or pets) that you hold dear and you can take it with you wherever you go, like a little brag book on a chain.

It also makes for a nice milestone gift for a daughter
or best friend, with LOVE written all over it!

See you again tomorrow so I can show you what else
I made from my bag of scrap.

The Bold & the Beautiful

This week on my blog, I'll be showing you the Tadas! I made
from the blahs found in this bag of scrap.

Here's a peek at what's inside.

Today I'll be working with the gold brooch & faux pearls
and I added a chain to the mix (purchased at a craft store).

Glue the pearls on the brooch &
attach the brooch to the chain...

Tada! a beautiful necklace delivering a bold statement!

The Bag of Scrap

Happy Monday Everyone!

Let me tell you about what I found at a one of my favorite New York City flea markets. I found a vendor selling bags upon bags of scrap! Yes, that's excitement in my voice alright! Only you fellow crafters can truly understand what the value of a bag of scrap means to me.

Here it is, my two dollar flea market find!
I quickly opened it and segregated my treasures.

A brooch, pendants, buckles, faux pearls,
beads, buttons, loose chandelier parts,
a bunch of findings & earrings without a pair...

...and even more beads in fun colors & sizes.

I picked this little mouse for my first blah to Tada! project
from this bag of scrap. Some rubbing with a soft cloth
made him shiny & new.

A hook below its mouth tells me that this is a buckle.

And a belt buckle it will be!
I bought myself some stretchy
velvet ribbon and a gold connector.

I cut the ribbon to the ideal size,
attached the mouse buckle on one end &
the connector on the opposite end by hand stitching.

Tada! I have a quirky, cute belt
to liven up a simple outfit!

Little Decorator

We're keeping these honey bear containers from the trash bin and using them for creative pursuits. How can you throw away such cuteness anyway?

Once a blah, now a Tada!

Re-purpose your honey bear as an icing dispenser.
Use your favorite frosting recipe and
tint it with your favorite colors.

Oh what fun the kids will have decorating cupcakes,
cookies & birthday cakes!

Parental supervision & creative inspiration
provided by the honey bear!

Decorate your cake & eat it, too!

Have a spectacular Tada! weekend!

Sweetie Buddy Bear

Happy Thursday Everyone!

Have you ever tried condensed milk before? By itself it tastes like very sweet, thickened milk. It's used in many recipes like flan, tres leches cake, banoffee pie and can be cooked to make dulce de leche.

Condensed milk has a pretty long shelf life so if you can't use up the contents of an entire can in a recipe, transfer the remaining milk in a small bottle or plastic container (storing it in the can isn't safe).

May I suggest using an empty honey bear bottle?

Tada! Milk in a bottle!
Label the bottle, store in the refrigerator and
take him out once in while.

I would use it to make Vietnamese coffee.

I'd also use it to sweeten a tall glass of iced coffee.

And even drizzle it over a fresh fruit salad.

I wish you a sweet, sweet day!

Berry Syrup

If you like honey, then you've met these bears already:

I think they're too cute to throw away.
Let me show you how they can go from blah to Tada!

Grab some of your favorite berries...

...then cook them down to a syrup.

Cool and pour into a clean honey bear bottle.

Tada! Homemade berry syrup!

Perfect for a stack of pancakes, crepes or even ice cream.

Enjoy your day & see you tomorrow!