Crafting a Handmade Home
Customize coffee mugs with Cricut Mug Press and get professional looking results! Plus dishwasher safe, no-peeling and perfect results! Cricut just announced today that it will be releasing a brand new machine – the Cricut Mug Press beginning March 11, 2011! It’s actually another type of heat press machine that was created specifically for use with mugs. But, not just any mug will do! If
Download this free set of 10 Rae Dunn inspired spring SVG files for use with your Cricut or Silhouette cutting machines. Whether you use these fun Rae Dunn inspired spring SVG files to create modern customized mugs, pillow covers, kitchen towels, t-shirts, or even onesies, they’re sure to add a whimsical touch of spring to your morning cup of coffee, home décor, apparel or handmade
An important key to mastering sourdough starter baking is understanding sourdough starters. What is a sourdough starter, you may be asking. Learning to make your very own sourdough starter doesn’t have to be confusing or intimidating. Armed with a good understanding of sourdough starters will go a long way towards making your baking experience with sourdough an enjoyable one! Understanding Sourdough Starters One of the
Learn how to crochet textured stitch dishcloth! This pattern creates lots of texture – perfect for dishcloths, washcloths or hand towels! This blog post originally appeared April 14, 2017 and has been updated February 22, 2021 to include new photos and updated instructions. I have been crocheting for as long as I can remember. It’s one of the first crafts I ever learned how to
Learn how to crochet the Crunchy Stitch Dishcloth using the crunchy stitch. Crocheted dishcloths are easy to make and make for thoughtful handmade gifts! This blog post originally appeared May 1, 2017 and was updated February 22, 2021 to include updated photos and instructions. Learn how to crochet Crunchy Stitch Dishcloth! Like I shared before, I have been crocheting for as long as I can
In the essential sewing supplies list we will cover all the basic sewing supplies needed to get you off to a good start as you learn to sew. Are you thinking about learning to sew? Or maybe a little overwhelmed with where to even begin? Then this sewing basics series is just for you, my friend. You see, sewing doesn’t have to be intimidating or
If you’ve ever wanted to learn how to make your own sourdough starter, just wait until you learn how easy (and delicious) it is! Like I mentioned when I shared my recipe for Garlic Parmesan Sourdough Bread, I was gifted my first sourdough starter over 30 years ago. It seems like an entire lifetime ago, but that’s another story. I LOVE the aroma, taste and
With these 25 DIY Heart Sachets to make for Valentine’s Day ideas, you’re sure to find a heart sachet to sew, crochet, knit or no-sew to make for your Valentine! No Valentine’s Day would be complete without hearts. Heart cupcakes, heart Valentines, heart printables, heart-shaped boxes of chocolate or this collection of 25 DIY heart sachets. One of the top 10 blog posts on Ideas
Use this free project file for Cricut Design Space to create fabric heart cutout cards with envelopes – perfect for Valentine’s Day! I was browsing online one day when I stumbled across some adorable little Valentine’s Day cards that had these cute little cutout hearts. Behind the heart cutouts was red fabric. When I saw these cards, I had an aha moment. “Hey, I bet
Eating low carb or Keto doesn’t have to be complicated. Learn what we eat on our low carb Keto diet and maybe you’ll find a new favorite dish. My husband and I first started eating low carb way back in the late 1990s. We followed Dr. Atkins plan, which came to be known as the Atkins Diet. We read his books and cooked his recipes.
These top 20 sewing tips will give beginner, intermediate and even advanced sewists the best results and take some of the frustration out of sewing! No matter if you are a beginner or have been sewing for a couple of years or more you’re bound to find something useful in my top 20 sewing tips. But, before I share my sewing tips, I wanted to
Use Cricut Design Space to add some Valentine’s Day charm to t-shirts, bags, mugs and more with this shared Valentine Gnome project file. Valentine’s Day is just around the corner and you have plenty of time to create adorable Valentine Gnome themed t-shirts, bags or even pillows! Add your own personalized text, if you want. Gnomes are all the rage these days and this set
Learn how to make this easy to sew tissue holder using fabric scraps. Tissue Holders make for thoughtful gifts and stocking stuffers! Every year for Christmas I try to think of thoughtful, meaningful and useful gifts to make our adult children and grandchildren for Christmas. This year, they’ll be receiving these easy to sew Tissue Holders. Sew a Tissue Holder The tissue holders seem like
How do you know if the Cricut Explore Air 2 is the right cutting machine for you? Learn all about the functionality and cost to help you decide if the Cricut Explore Air 2 is right for you! I originally shared my Cricut Buying Guide in my “Which Cricut Cutting Machine is Right for You” blog post to help you determine just which Cricut Cutting
Never be caught without Christmas gift tags again when you learn how to recycle Christmas cards to make gift tags! What do you do with all the Christmas cards you receive every year for Christmas? I thought it would be fun/cute/practical/thrifty to make Christmas gift tags out of recycled Christmas cards. The fun part is the cute ornament shapes. The practical part is, well, because
How do you know if the Cricut Joy is the right cutting machine for you? Well, don’t be fooled by the Cricut Joy’s compact size. I recently shared a blog post titled, “Which Cricut Cutting Machine is Right for You“. There is a LOT of information in that blog post. So, I thought I would break it down for you into bite-size chunks. In this
Explore the top 10 most popular sewing, crochet, printables and recipe ideas for a handmade home from The Birch Cottage in 2020. As we usher in another New Year, I always enjoy taking a look back at the past year on The Birch Cottage blog. So, grab yourself a cup of coffee, settle in to your favorite comfy chair and take a little trip down
This free to download Christmas Cookies Cookbook in PDF format contains over 60 recipes from the 1st Annual Virtual Christmas Cookie Exchange. This blog post, Free Christmas Cookies Cookbook Download, originally appeared December 2, 2019 and has been updated with current pictures and links. I am so excited to make available the first ever Christmas Cookies Cookbook by The Birch Cottage. This cookbook is the
Download this free set of printable Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas gift tags. Perfect for all your Christmas gift giving! How’s your Christmas gift wrapping going? I’m deep into wrapping! I can’t decide if I prefer to wrap presents as I finish making them or buying them or if I like saving all the wrapping to do at one time. Truth be told, I’d
A collection of 25 plus handmade gift ideas for men to help you with your holiday (or any occasion) gift giving. This blog post originally appeared on The Birch Cottage blog on October 16, 2017. It has been updated to current links and images. I have a pretty easy time of coming up with handmade gift ideas for the girls in our family. The boys,
