Bird Seed Tote Bag Tutorial

Good Tuesday to you!! I've a new tutorial for you! I go through plenty of bird seed for my many bird feeders. I get the seed that is in those bags that are made out poly canvas. I just can't throw them away. There just seems there is something you can do with that durable fabric. So I googled tote bag tutorial and found this blog, Craft Buds with really easy to follow directions. So I made up my own tutorial for a Bird Seed Tote Tutorial!

This bag I made was from a 20 lb. bag of seed. I get the 50 lb bags now if my hubby is with me. On Craft Buds blog she gives you 2 different size bags you can make I used the small 15" size for my bag. I cut mine just a little bit bigger as the front of the bag was almost 16" folded flat.

Now cut a square 15" from the front of the bag and the back of the bag. With both layers together cut a 3" wide x 2 1/2" tall square out of each corner.

Then with your right sides together stitch a 1/4" on both sides and across the bottom of your tote.

Then take your corners and pin them together and stitch.

Then I took the sides that I cut off from the seed bag, which were 15" long by 4" wide and made straps for my tote.

I just folded them length wise with raw edges in the center and stitched down the open edge a 1/4"

Before sewing your straps on, turn over your top edge of your tote under and stitch along that so you don't have a raw edge at the top of your bag. Now find the center of your bag on one side. I just fold it over and make a crease. Then measure 2 1/2" from that center mark and mark with a pen. Then lay one end of the strap up next to the mark so your strap is to the left of the pen mark on the left  side and for the right side of the strap, to the right of the pen mark. There should be a 5" space between the straps in the middle. Sew a square and then a X to secure your straps. Do the same on the other side of your tote.

Then turn your tote right side out and there you have it!!! I will be making a bigger bag with my 50 lb. bag that I have saved. I need something to carry my fiber fill in when I'm stuffing dolls. One of my kitties like to rip up the plastic grocery bags that I normally use. Don't think they will be ripping this bag up!

In other news, I now have a pattern for my new Primitive Mamma Rabbit Bunny and Baby Doll!

The pattern can be found at Pattern Mart, My Etsy shop, Here on my blog and my website, Rock River Stitches. There is a link to Pattern Mart for a instant download over on my right hand column.

And I forgot when I was out taking pictures of the beautiful snow we got last week, I wanted to tell you about this really neat app I got for my iphone. It's called Photosynth. It lets you take panorama photos. You take several photo shots and then it hooks them together as one! Very cool! Here is one I took of my backyard. It's made up of 4 photos "stitched" together as they call it!

Just go to your App Store on your iphone and get Photosynth, its FREE!! Got to love those free apps!

And one last thing, I have a bunny doll that will be ending tonight on ebay! Just click my Ebay link at the top right hand column of my blog.

Have a Wonderful evening my blogger friends!!

New Mama Bunny and Baby Doll

Good Evening my blogger friends! The weekend is here!! Just letting you all know that I have another Bunny Doll for sale and just listed her in my Etsy Shop a little bit ago!

Will start working on a pattern for her tomorrow!!! This doll is a little larger then the one I have listed on my ebay right now.

This morning woke up to the most beautiful sight! We got around 3 inches of beautiful fluffy snow that stuck to everything! I was up at 7 a.m. and out the door at 8:00 to take some pics. I wanted to get some great shots before the wind blew all the snow off the branches. So now that we got some beautiful snow.... Spring can move in now! LOL

Birdhouse that the squirrels live in.

Sun coming out and peaking through the trees!

Made a trip to Black Hawk State Park

Snow covered pine tree at Black Hawk Park

Then made a trip to Riverside Park and then back home again to get some breakfast.

Tufted Titmouse

House Finch

Have a Wonderful Weekend!!!

New Primitive Bunny Doll

Good Morning my blogger friends! We have a cloudy in the 40's kind of day today. I've been busy making rabbit dolls and just have to share with you!

This sweet gal and her baby are listed on ebay right now. Click on My Ebay link over on the right hand column.

Here is my first bunny I made. She will be staying with me for the time being.

I will be working on a pattern for this sweetie this week. I'll let everyone know when the pattern is ready on here.

Here's a few photos I've taken over the last month. I am so ready for the warmer weather so I can get out and take more pics of things growing!

Gorgeous Bluejay!

Little Chickadee friend

Dark Eyed Junco

Mr. Cardinal loves his Safflower seed!

That's about it for now. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Hiking in North Carolina

I recently was in North Carolina visiting my daughter and her family. We were there to celebrate my grandson's first birthday which I didn't want to miss. We all had such a good time! On Sunday (Super Bowl Sunday) we decide to take a hike as the weather was beautiful, close to 60º. We drove to the Blue Ridge Parkway to see, one of the many falls called Skinny Dip Falls. And to also see Looking Glass Rock which was amazing!! I got my exercise that day!! And what a beautiful place to do it at!!

Blue Ridge Parkway

Looking Glass Rock

 ^ Click on the pic to read ^

Daughter and grandson in tow. Just about the whole trail look like this with rocks and tree roots. It was about a 1/2 mile hike.

This was a very interesting the way this tree was growing. I guess they call it the reindeer tree.

I loved the moss growing on everything!

Fungi growing on a tree

My Son in law and granddaughter peeking out from inside a hollowed out tree stump!

Made it to Skinny Dip Falls. And...no... there were no people skinny dipping! LOL

I just love this photo of my daughter and grandson!!!

Son in law and granddaughter climbing rocks

Cora the rock climber!

A little stream I found walking back to our car.

Dead mossy fungi tree

A lot of the trail was like this!

Loved the moss!!

So that was our hiking trip and I'm ready to go back and find another falls in the mountains of North Carolina. I guess there are many to be seen!

Birthday Party Time!

We had a celebration for my grandson who turned 1 and his great grandfather who just turned 93. They have the same birthday, February 1st !!!! My daughter always makes a fruit tower for her kids. A more healthy way to celebrate birthdays. We did have gluten free brownies for great grandfather and it was yummy! The best brownies I've ever had!

And another fun thing we did was go roller skating!!! It was my granddaughters first time on roller skates. She wasn't to sure about the whole thing first. But she finally got the hang of it later. It was so fun! Been like 20 years since I had put on some skates! I loved roller skating as a kid!

Cora with Robin who is a Roller Derby Mama!!! She is a friend of my daughters.

My daughter, Robin and granddaughter.

Fun times....I'm ready to go back to North Carolina, but I don't think it will be for awhile.

A few of my vintage feed sack birdies that I have for sale on etsy and ebay right now!!!