Upcycling a dress into a tote bag

The photograph above shows you how I transformed an unwanted girl's dress into a lovely tote bag.

The dress belonged to my daughter and to be honest she never really wore it that much. The design had a faint circle in the middle which I wasn't really keen on! It seemed a shame that it wasn't being used so I decided to make some other use for it.

Mini Tutorial on how I transformed this dress into a bag/tote

• I unpicked the dress at the seams and cut the length I needed.
•  I sewed the denim into a pocket shape.
• I also sewed a matching size pocket shape made with spare fabric I had spare from another project to make a lining for the tote bag.
• I also added a pocket to the lining of the tote, using the denim from the front part of the dress.
• Then I placed the lining into the denim tote, then I sewed them together at the top.
• I used the original bias tape from the dress to go all the way around the top of the tote.
• Then I used the spare frill to make a strap (i used some filling to bulk it up).
• I made a fabric flower with the frill and denim and added a button and sewed this to the front.
• I then decided afterwards to add a zip fastening.

  This project didn't take me long and I finished it in one night.  My daughter loves her new tote bag and she can keep her things in it nice and safe too because of the added zip closure!

This week I am linking this post with the following link parties / blog hops:

  

Extreme Muslimah Bloggers Award

This is the time for awards for me, my previous post was also about an award I recieved! I am so happy to have received the 'Extreme Muslimah Bloggers Award' from the lovely blogger fun-to-blog

As far as I can gather I think she was the first to send out this reward, so this is a newby! There are no rules attached to this award except that it would be nice to pass it on to other fellow muslimah bloggers. I guess it would also be nice to notify the bloggers that you have given the award to them so that they are aware of this award.

Here is my list of fellow muslimah bloggers who I am passing this award to, some are blogs I have followed for quite a while, others are blogs I have only recently started following.

http://www.delusionalmom.com/
http://oldmuslimwomanintheshoe.blogspot.com/
http://www.princessliya.com/
http://www.creativemind-zeshuregi.blogspot.com/
http://www.dubaicraftermom.blogspot.com/
http://www.hijabisews.blogspot.com/
http://www.themoonsmile2.blogspot.com/
http://www.anaashad.blogspot.com/
http://www.sewchicandunique.com/
http://www.muslim-wife-kitchen.blogspot.com/

It would be nice for the awardees to pop by the other blogs and show some support. The blogs above are a bit of a mixed batch, some are humourous, food related, craft/sewing and personal.

I received the Blog On Fire Award

Yeah, I have just received the 'Blog On Fire Award' from the lovely Mrs J from http://www.modernwivelyhood.blogspot.com/ This is another new award to add to my collection, I am feeling very honoured lately from all these amazing bloggers linking up with me.

I will now forward on this award to some of my newest blog followers to show them some love:
http://www.creativitymypassion.blogspot.com/
http://www.chicinflipflops.blogspot.com/
http://www.mementomori5.blogspot.com/
http://www.artsurroundsus.blogspot.com/
http://www.tootsabellarose.blogspot.com/
http://www.thebartonlife-est1995.blogspot.com/
http://www.airforcefamilyadventures.blogspot.com/
http://www.o-alouette.blogspot.com/
http://www.terriekwong.blogspot.com/
http://www.smileandmamawithme.blogspot.com/

It sure would be nice if the recipients then forward this award onto some more interesting bloggers. Some award givers like you to write something about yourself but I am passing on that one, but if the recipients want to do this then write away. If passing on the award it would be nice to notify the bloggers as soon as you have awarded it to them.  It would be nice also if some of my followers popped by and showed these bloggers some support.

Watermelon Men

Above is a photograph of my latest little project I did with my children, Watermelon cut out with cookie cutters!

I saw a photograph on Pinterest of some Watermelon shaped into stars and thought what a great idea for kids healthy snacks! I will give credit to the blogger who gave me this idea, their link is thislittleproject.blogspot.com The photo that inspired me is below, don't they look great!.

Here are my instructions, which are very simple to follow.

Step1:  Slice the watermelon so that they are just the right thickness for your cookie cutters, a lot of cutters have different depths!

Step 2: Press your cookie cutters into the slices and then remove the cut out pieces.

Step 3: Don't waste any of the remaining watermelon, either use some small cookie cutters for other shapes or just cut the remaining parts into small pieces and serve in a bowl.

Step 4: Eat and enjoy!

I hope you enjoyed this fun post, this is great for even the youngest children to do, my 4 year old was able to cut out the shapes easily and really loved joining in with me and her siblings. The children had much more fun eating the watermelon cut into shapes!

So go and make some use of all those cookie cutter shapes you have, I am sure the children and adults will love this as much as my children did. This would be an ideal project for any parties you have planned.

This week I am linking this post with the following link parties / blog hops: