Category: Hobbies

Pastimes and other projects.

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A tasty home remedy for sore throat, congestion & more

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In our little lake-surrounded alcove of Ontario, September through June seems to be perpetual cold, flu and allergy season. At least once a year the young son and I each ice the health cake with some sinus infections. (July and early August are typically fantastic though!) This year I decided after much recommendation to try turmeric lattes to soothe my sore throats. Turmeric lattes are sometimes referred to as golden milk. After constantly forgetting to buy the dry spice forever, one day I noticed a … Continue reading

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When to use a knit foot instead of a walking foot

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A while ago I wrote a post on the 32 piece presser foot set that’s full of all kinds of cool feet to help you sew many different types of projects without going for broke. We love Amazon Prime at our house because we’re ‘last minute’ people. We run out of stuff at the last minute, we break stuff when we need it most; basically… we’re a family. I recently noticed that the 32 piece presser foot set is no longer offered with Prime but … Continue reading

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DIY: Upcycle your old t-shirt into a kid’s raglan!

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Sew a kid's raglan with this free pattern!

Here’s a free, fun project for you and your sewing machine/serger! But first: Are you having a great summer? I hope so. I love this time of year for so many reasons — walking on the beach with your feet in the warm sand, hiking, gardening — and not needing to bundle up to enjoy the outdoors! (That last one’s really all I need.) Another great part about August is it’s peach season in Southern Ontario! Peaches are probably the fruit I look most forward … Continue reading

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The ONE kit you need if you love to sew

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32 piece presser foot set for sewing machines

Recently a friend of mine asked me what he should know in order to take up sewing. Well, that’s a can of worms. It got me thinking of all the stuff I wish I’d known when I first began sewing. Things like: Do not try sewing Velcro onto your very first project without the right needles, or they’ll turn to shrapnel and you could lose an eye Do not attempt to start and finish your first project halfway through the evening before you plan to … Continue reading

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2 easy ways to grow your own spider plants — no green thumb needed!

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Not long ago in my post about making cute ombre plant hangers I mentioned my love for spider plants. Well, today I’m going to finally make good on my promise to teach you how to cultivate baby spider plants and grow them into big mama spider plants! Spider plants are excellent air purifiers, removing up to 90% of formaldehyde from the air. The fresh air provided by a spider plant promotes better sleep, so they’re great to keep in your bedroom. The reason I chose … Continue reading

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DIY: Make a rug into a cute beach tote!

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Upcycle a small IKEA rug (or any rug!) into a cute beach bag!

Hey there! I hope you’re doing well. Here’s that beach tote DIY I promised you. This post contains affiliate links. I earn a small commission from products purchased, and that helps keep my blog alive.  The admittedly mild winter and chillier than usual spring had me dreaming of summer early on this year. That’s why, I assume, when we went to our local IKEA during one of winter’s last blasts, I saw an unlikely item and thought “Hey, that’d make a cute beach bag!” And … Continue reading

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DIY: Add some colour with dip-dyed ombré plant hangers!

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ombre plant hangers

Oh hey! How are you? I hope you’re well. The weather is warmer, we’re nearing the end of tree pollen season here in Niagara, and it’s nice to enjoy warm fresh air without the sneezing again. Today I wanted to share with you a colourful little process I used recently to punch up my plant hangers. Our spider plants in particular have been sprouting babies like wildfire, if wildfire could sprout babies. If you’ve never had them, you should know spider plants are wonderfully hardy, cat-friendly options. And … Continue reading

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Throwback Monday: DIY Pallet Headboard

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DIY headboard progress

Wading through some older entries (because having a toddler puts a bit of a damper on the upcycling time) and having fun reliving the olden days that I hope to soon revisit. Wanted to point out that our DIY pallet headboard has held up wonderfully! The only thing I’d do differently is sand the very top of it completely smooth before staining to make it easier to dust. And maybe I’d seal it, if I could find one that wasn’t too glossy. It’s a great time of year … Continue reading

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DIY Inspo: Soft storage bags

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As you know, I love to upcycle. Naturally, I need to make these super cute storage bags by Style at Home! Looks like you could make them from old denim or any thicker decor fabric you have on hand if you’re a bit more experienced with your sewing machine. Click on the image above to find out how to make ’em! Have you made any soft storage bags? What’s your favourite material to use? Let’s talk in the comments! Share the post “DIY Inspo: Soft storage bags” FacebookXShare… Continue reading

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3 (+2) chalazion treatments that really helped

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[UPDATED December 16, 2020: Fixing links; recommending against using Johnson & Johnson baby shampoo and using Live Clean instead; fixing some words here and there because this post is quite a few years old now. Our kid is possibly starting to get another chalazion after years of having none, so we’ll see how this pans out.] [UPDATED May 19, 2016: Have you been here before? I’ve added new stuff to this post. Scroll to the bottom for my favourite chalazion-busters yet.] When our little guy … Continue reading

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