It’s no secret that I love making treats and snacks myself for my dogs. I love knowing exactly what’s going into the treats, and by adding certain things that I know my dogs love, I know they won’t go to waste either.
In this series of videos, Melinda Cerritos of Four Paws Pantry in Virginia goes over the basics of making her doggy trail mix. She uses dry breakfast cereals, carob chips, butter, cheese powder, Pupperoni, and brown gravy mix. None of these are terribly healthy for your dog, so you wouldn’t want to feed this constantly — it’s a …read more

Ferrets are one pet that I’ve always wanted to have, but that I’m aware that we wouldn’t be a good match! Though they’re as cute as can be and have great personalities, we’ve had the opportunity to pet sit for them, and know that they’re not the kind of pet we’re able to take commit to.
My husband, who has owned two separate ferrets at two separate times when he was a young adult, loves them but says the biggest drawback that he found was the smell. Even with both of them having been neutered, he said they still have a …read more

Have you ever been inspired to sing about your sewing machine?
Does your sewing machine affect your social life?
How about your energy at the end of the day?
Well, even if you haven’t, this clip of Betty Hutton singing “The Sewing Machine” is sure to make any seamstress (sewer just doesn’t look right, somehow) smile or even laugh…
Admittedly, I don’t get out and do a lot of dancing these days, but it’s still a fun little bit of sewing humor

Ten years ago dandelions would have been one thing on my list of things I’d never have considered eating. I mean, who eats weeds, right?
With the popularity of home cooking shows, celebrity chefs and a huge amount of information about them on the internet, , though, I’ve become a little more accepting of the cute little yellow pests as a form of nourishment. This doesn’t, however, mean I’ve tried them yet!
So when I came across the video series at MonkeySee about making your own dandelion wine, I was intrigued. I’ve heard of it before in more a passing kind of …read more

Bias tape is one of those sewing notions that can make people…
Grumpy.
It can pull, twist, wrinkle and generally be a pain to deal with it.  But honestly, it really doesn’t have to be.  Amy from Angry Chicken , has put together a little instructional video for working with bias tape – and how can you resist a sewing tutorial with puppets?
I personally prefer to pin my bias tape, especially if I’m sewing a long strip of it.  If you have a walking foot, they can also be very handy for bias tape stitching.
So now you can finish binding your blankets, …read more

Do you need a giggle to get your long weekend going?
Comedian Leslie Hall is known for her over-the-top embellished sweaters (check out her tongue in cheek gallery on her website)  In this video she celebrates the creation of the "worlds largest gem sweater"… complete with backup knitters!
Put down the beverages while you watch though…
See, isn’t a little laughter a good way to start the day?  Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go make something sparkly

I have a soft spot for thrift and second hand shops – it’s like a treasure hunt!  You’ll never know exactly what you might find…
The team from Threadbanger have come up with a great way to breathe new life into an elderly wool sweater.  Just make sure your sweater is actually wool, because it won’t felt otherwise.
There are so many options for making a felted wool sweat your own – the sky really is the limit.  So have fun, don’t be afraid to be creative and explore your notions cupboard

Devore is a process of using chemicals to dissolve natural plant fibers (like rayon, acetate or cotton) but leaving synthetic or silk fibers behind.
The plant fibers dissolve, leaving a sheer mesh of the synthetic – creating a lacey, elegant fabric.
Here are two different videos explaining some basic devore techniques.  In the first one, fiber artist Dionne Swift explains the basic process, and the fabrics used:
The second video shows how to use devore to create a cutwork piece.
Just remember, any time you’re using chemicals in your studio – take the appropriate precautions!

Prom season is in full swing, and with sewing becoming so popular these days, lots of teenagers are looking to create their own unique look.
Threadbanger has a great how-to video for transforming a dated 80s dress (save money and hit the thrift store!) into a dress that will wow the crowd today.
This is still a pretty challenging DIY project, but it’s a great way to save some $$$ and create a unique dress – all at the same time!

While I’m on a fabric dyeing kick, I thought it would be fun to share this great video on using foods and spices to dye fabric.
I once dyed some raw mohair (from my own goats) using onions.  It produces the most gorgeous deep golden yellow!  Unfortunately, it smells incredible…
And not incredible in a good way!
I’m not sure if it was just the combination of goat and onion, but I’d highly recommend dyeing outside, or in a well-ventilated area.  I just don’t think my family appreciated the odor…
The fiber was amazing to work with though!