Play It Again

When I was young I can always remember any interest I had in sports, music or whatever it was that cost money. My father would say," If you want to learn to play that instrument and I pay for it, you better be willing to practice hard enough to become a professional. They couldn't afford the let us try everything till we got the right one.

Today they have a store for that. If you have one in your area take advantage of it. It is "Play It Again Sports" stores. They have new and used products for parents of children who try sports but decide after only a few times that it is not what they want to do. You can choose to buy new equipment or buy used equipment. If your child changes his mind you can sell it back to the store and retrieve some of your money.

They buy used sporting equipment and they buy new equipment. If you ask them, they can recommend which would be best for you or your child.

Play it Again Sports is a Franchise so all the stores are independently owned, but they all work in the same way. The stores are small business owners with minimal stock inventory. Call your nearest store and ask if they have what you need and always ask what kind of discounts they offer.

Shameless Plug Week

This week I am going to plug all my bookkeeping clients and any product that I have used I think should get a shout out. These are small businesses that need endorsements in these economic hard times.

Cebe Soap www.cebesoap.com is a small San Diego based company. She makes wonderful soap that leaves your skin feeling soft and moist. Her Avocado soap is her best seller and it is wonderful. This soap would make a great stocking stuffer along with the mice sachets (tutorial below). Or a great gift bag for under $10.00.

You can also e-mail Cheryl and ask her if she has any specials or a group of you go in together and buy a batch (60 bars). She does have gift baskets and gift bags, but you will have to e-mail her for what is available.

Finished Product

They are ready for Christmas.

MICE TUTORIAL

Materials needed
PINK FELT. SCRAP FABRIC
EMBROIDERY THREAD RED, BLACK AND WHITE OR CREAM.
BEAD ( FROM A BROKEN NECKLACE). SCRAP LACE
12 INCHES OF RIBBON.
LAVENDER AND PILLOW STUFFING

4 ¼ “ X 3 ½” HEAVY CARD STOCK. I USED THE INSERT FROM MY CAT FOOD BOX.
DIAMOND, POINT TO POINT LONG 4” --- POINT TO POINT WIDE 2”.
CIRCLE IS THE SIZE OF A SPOOL OF THREAD.

CUT THREE DIAMONDS ONE 4 1/4” X 3 ½ PIECE OF FABRIC. A 5” PICECE OF LACE A 12" PIECE OF RIBBON AND ONE CIRCLE.

SEW ONE END OF ALL THE DIAMONDS. WITH A RULLER OR YOUR FABRIC PATTERN CUT A STRAIGHT LINE ACROSS THE STICHED DIAMONDS.

PLACE RIGHT SIDES TOGEHER AND SEW. TURN FABRIC AND SEW LACE TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF FABRIC. SEW RIBBON TO THE LACE AND THE FABRIC , BUT LEAVE ¼” UNSEWN AT EACH END.

SEW REST OF THE DIAMONDS TOGETHER. PUSH RIBBON TO THE MIDDLE OF THE FABRIC AWAY FROM THE STICHING TO SEW UP THE REMAINING FABRIC.

TURN FABRIC TO RIGHT SIDE. USING EMBROYDERY THREAD RED FOR LIPS – BLACK FOR EYES . WITH PLAIN THREAD SEW ON EARS ( TWO TINY SCRAPS OF FELT TRIANGLE SHAPE WITH ROUNDED TOP) AND BEAD NOSE.

NOW STUFF A LITTLE STUFFING INTO THE HEAD OF THE MOUSE. ADD LAVENDER AND A LITTLE MORE STUFFING. YOU WANT HIS BODY TO BE STIFF, BUT NOT STUFFED. THE BODY OF THE MOUSE IS FILLED WITH LAVENDER AND ADD MORE STUFFING AT THE END BEFORE YOU SEW THE CIRCLE TO THE BOTTOM.

HE SHOULD BE DONE EXCEPT FOR THE WISKERS AND MAKE SURE YOU TIE THE WISKERS ON THE OUTSIDE SO THE THREAD CAN’T BE PULLED THROUGH.

THESE ARE MY FIRST INSTRUCTIONS AND I HOPE THEY EXPLAIN EVERYTHING. I DO HAVE SOME EXTRA PATTERNS CUT OUT IF YOU E-MAIL ME YOUR ADDRESS I WILL SEND THE PATTERN TO YOU.

Say it ain't so

I said I would never create a blog, but here I am. As soon as I figure this out I will put up a tutorial for mice.