Feet Warmer Tutorial

The following may save your marriage...

Lately I have been receiving several complaints regarding the temperature of my feet at bedtime. Mind you we live in a house that was built in 1917. I can feel wind blowing through the walls at times, so technically it's not really my fault. But I will admit, even as I'm sitting here typing this, my feet are really, really cold.

I discovered this cute little tutorial while clicking around one day . A couple nights ago in the midst of my nightly routine of sticking my feet in the bend behind Mr. Sabbe's knees...I thought hmmm, could be worth a try.

Behold... the bedtime feet warmer!

It's basically one big rice-filled bean bag. And it's warm....it's really warm. I may never need the back of Bryan's legs again.

Here is how you can make yourself one, all with stuff you probably already have at your house.

You'll need:
1/4 yard of fabric
1 lb. rice

Optional:
Velcro
Muslin

Cut a rectangle: 36" long x 8" wide

Fold in half, tuck the raw edges in. Sew down three sides, leaving one long side open.

Fold and iron to make crease marks, dividing the long panel into short panels.

Open and sew down the creases, making 8 or so pockets.

Grab your rice. I literally used what we had in the pantry (desperate times call for desperate measures) I would probably experiment with different types of rice if I make another one. The tutorial I linked above mixed her rice with oils that made it smell nice. I didn't have any, but I think that would have been a nice touch.

Pour out of one of these, makes for a much neater process.

Fill your pockets, one at a time. Sew each pocket shut after you fill it.

Microwave for 3 minutes.

Lay in the foot of your bed. Go brush your teeth and wash your face and tuck those toesies into a nice warm cozy bed. I literally think I heard the hiss sound that happens when you pour cold water on a hot skillet last night.

The same design can be used to make a heated scarf. See my lovely model below.

But you must choose, warm the feet or warm to neck and face. Don't use one for both. That's gross.

Again, if you refer to the attached tutorial, she shows you how to make the cover removable and washable. So follow her directions with these dimensions. That's where the muslin and Velcro would be utilized.

Happy Feet Warming!

P.S. Mr. Sabbe did say "smells kind of like P.F. Changs in here" upon which I replied..."hey buddy, pick your poison"

Trick or Treat

Last year we were the Flintstones. Ashley and I made the costumes ourselves. Don't you love how I obviously thought my husband was a big burly man and Ashley thought hers was, well...more Bryan sized. Making the costumes was almost as much fun as the party.


This year Bryan made early claims to a more clever costume.

No cartoon characters this year.

I have managed to make a craft out of it. After work I will be dyeing head and arm bands for my husband and creating a comfortable, dance friendly pregnant belly for myself. Any guesses?

I gave too many clues didn't I!

All I Want For Christmas

My friend Wendy posted this on her blog and I had to share. Makes you think huh?!

What if we took all the money we were going to spend on Christmas one year and gave it all away...to maybe someone we don't even know...to maybe someone who didn't even know us and therefore couldn't even praise us for our kind act. Wouldn't that be awesome!

When I grow up...

I want to be a Ballerina!

Yesterday,on my lunch break, I was able to attend a rehearsal for Ballet Memphis. They allowed a free public viewing to promote their new show at the Orpheum. The show is called Firebird. Another great thing about the rehearsal was that it was held in a newly renovated space (in the process of being newly renovated) on the corner of Main and Union, it will be the Radio Center Flats. Memphis is getting so cool I can hardly stand it.

The show has an animal theme. These dancers were imitating a team of fish.

And this little bit was a bumble bee.

Ta- da.

And I've saved the best for last. They've held several rows for this show to be $5 seats. That's right $5...normal (back row) seats are $70. Get them while you can! He doesn't know it yet, but Mr. Sabbe and I will be at the Saturday night show. See you there....

New Bag

I like it. I like it alot. But it's not for me.

Rick rack really makes me happy. You too? I want to put rick rack on everything.

I spy our favorite craft critic. See her? I seriously try to get her out of the pictures. I feel like I'm definitely portraying myself as a crazy cat lady. But the cat will not leave me alone. I think she feels she should get some credit for sitting with me during the entire process.

This scene is from a previous occasion, Mr. Sabbe was our paparazzi. She's my #1 Assistant, that's for sure.

Mr. Sabbe Comes Home Saturday!!

T-Shirt Quilt

I haven't posted a good craft this week and I'm thinking I may have to work this weekend. So here's a sneak peek of my most recent project.

This has been one of my most fun projects ever based on the fact that every shirt sparks up such a fun memory. Ohhh, to be 18 again and the biggest worry of my week is who am I going to bring to date party? As you can see I was a Phi Mu and Mr. Sabbe was a Pike. I hope to get the backing put on this weekend. I made it the size of and extra-long twin bed just in case I have a daughter who may go to UT, pledge Phi Mu, and think a quilt made out of her mom's old shirts is cool . I'm guessing all those just in cases might not happen, so my Plan B for the quilt is that I want it to be on my Nursing Home bed. I'm serious! Wouldn't that be fun when you're 85 to go to bed with memories from your twenties every night. I think I'm actually looking forward to it.

Note who's already got her eye on it. If I've said it once, I've said it a million times. The cat has an eye for good crafts.

Baby #2

So my friend Kelly told me that her Baby Maker kid looks just like mine. Now I have three theories about this....

#1 : We're related, which I kind of already know we are because her mom and I have the same maiden name....still trying to get my Frye Family Reunion pencil.

#2: Bryan's not really in Chicago, he's in Lebanon....

#3: The baby maker is not real.

My friend who sent me the link pointed out today that the sliders at the bottom of the pictures allow you to make it more like one parent than the other. So supposedly the first one looked most like me....this one is supposed to look most like Bryan.

Ha! I always thought Bry would make a cute baby, but this one kind of scares me. Honestly if this came out of me I think people would be wondering who the real dad was.

So be warned...the Baby Maker has a mind of it's own.

Baby Makin'...

This is what you get....

When you mix this....

Plus this...

Get excited Grandparents! This kid is way cuter than what came out of the Gene Machine a couple of months ago at Jillian's. We had basically put reproducing on the back burner after we saw that:) Poor kid definatly looked like it had a little fetal alcohol syndrome.

Want to see what your kid would look like?

Belated Chicago

Lovin' by the Bean

I kick and I stretch because I'm 27 years old

I see London, I see France...

In Your Face

Stop at a cross walk, drop sunglasses, both lenses fall out...keep wearing them to entertain the husband.....it's his birthday afterall

We loveth the Corn Cobs... would live in one if I could

You know you married the right one when he lets you craft shop in Wicker Park on his birthday.

While missing Miss Zoe we visited some other cats in the Lincoln Park Zoo (it's free....everyday!)...best city ever, I'm telling you.

View of the city from Lincoln Park

Mom got us tickets to this Tommy Guns Garage Show....thanks Mom! It was really fun...and kept us feeling very young at our older ages....you'll see why later.

Bryan wasn't scared

Note the man behind the birthday boy..he, along with the rest of the crowd, celebrated his 28th birthday 50 years ago.

The next day I led a tour of the Frank Lloyd Wright Houses in Oak Park.

I bought the book and volunteered to lead the tour...can you tell I really wanted a flag...can you tell I'm thinking this might be my second calling?

And look who we ran into! Mr. and Mrs. Watson.

And we all headed down to the Navy Pier.

No one would ride the Ferris Wheel with me.

But there were fireworks.

Then we headed to the top of the John Hancock Tower.

And devoured another birthday celebration treat.

Millie's church was one block from this little ball field.

I rang in my birthday (a now very historical date) in the airport...