Berry Fun - Berries and Chocolate for Breakfast

Early summer or late spring is the time for fresh berries. How about making something simple like pancakes or a bowl of oatmeal into something special by adding chocolate chips and fresh berries on top? These are so good you could practically serve them for dessert, but no one will complain of an extra special breakfast. :-) Make sure the pancakes or cereal are very hot when you put the chocolate chips on in order to get that yummy melted chocolate effect. Besides tasting delicious, this is also a very pretty breakfast!

Berry Fun Friday - Tutorial to Crochet A Cute Strawberry Stitch

This strawberry stitch is just the popcorn stitch done in two different colors. It does look cute, though. Enjoy! :-)

Berry Fun Friday - Free Printable Strawberry Theme Labels

Here are some very cute and fun printables that JES from Strangers and Pilgrims On Earth posted a couple of years ago.  And they are FREE - which makes it even better. :-)  Strawberries are a favorite motif of mine and have been since I was around 10 years old.  I have quite a few things in my kitchen...and around the house...with strawberry decorations.

Strawberry "Mason Jar Labels and More" Gift Kit ~ Free Printable

Tell you what I like the best -
'Long about knee-deep in June,
'Bout the time strawberries melts
On the vine, - some afternoon
Like to jes' git out and rest,
And not work at nothin' else!

- James Whitcomb Riley

Berry Fun Friday– Free Printable Strawberry Boxes

 

Here are two different ways to make small strawberry boxes These  boxes would be perfect for small candies or perhaps a little gift of special buttons or other small craft or sewing items.  They would also make cute party favors.

Photo property of Oh Happy Day.

This free printable by Kate Lilley of Oh Happy Day gives you a fully colored strawberry and top.  If you have a color printer you can just print off the PDF file and then put it together according to the directions.

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Here is a PDF file with a template for another strawberry box. This one is a template which you will trace onto the paper of your choice.  This project comes from the Oriental Trading Company.

I wonder if it would be possible to cut the pieces from sturdy white craft paper and then glue fabric in the appropriate colors to the outside before folding and putting it all together.  Just a thought. :-)

Berry Fun Friday– Free Strawberry Gift Tag Printables

 

Here is a link to download and print some cute strawberry gift tags.  Actually, you could also use these on a greeting card as well.

Strawberry Gift Basket Labels and Idea

Melissa at Polkadot Chair also shared a nice idea for a gift basket.  You don’t need a ceramic dish like she used to do this.  You could use a small woven basket or even a paper or plastic strawberry container (make sure it’s clean).  Along with the candy, you could add other strawberry items – a grocery bag in a pocket (like she used), some magnets, a strawberry tea or dish towel, a strawberry handkerchief, a strawberry pin cushion, etc.  It would make a cheerful summer gift for a birthday, anniversary, and even a small house warming gift.  It would be especially nice for any lady who has a special liking for strawberries. :-)

Berry Fun Friday– Fun Facts About Strawberries

Here’s a fun post about strawberries from Jo at Finding Joy In the Everyday.  I hope you enjoy the fun facts she shares.  Please leaver her a comment to let her know how you got there. :-)

Random Tuesday #6 – Fresh Strawberries

Berry Fun Friday- A Can of Berries Craft Project

 

Photo from The Enchanting Rose

Stephanie at The Enchanting Rose posted this cute strawberry project in March.  Her instructions on how to make the strawberries are quite simple.  You don’t have to have the exact supplies she used to make your own can.  “Shop your own stuff” to come up with something that will look nice for your décor – fabric scraps, trims, etc.  Also, search online for a pretty picture to print for the front of the can.

A Can of Strawberries

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A few links to strawberry graphics:

Vintage strawberry label from the Graphics Fairy.

A simple one at the Graphics Fairy.

Strawberry cluster from the same site.

Vintage Strawberry seed package label.

Berry Fun Friday- Crochet A Strawberry Brooch

Here is a tutorial for a pretty strawberry brooch.  I wonder if I’ll ever get around to making one?  It doesn’t look like it should take too long.

Strawberry Brooch

Photo property of cynalune on Craftster.org

Berry Fun Friday – Strawberry Barrettes

 

Here’s a tutorial at “Pink Tea” blog for some cute little barrettes that feature strawberries made from ribbon.  They would be fun for a little girl and also for a “bigger” girl’s craft project.  The last step doesn’t quite make sense to me as it wasn’t clear how far the wrapping was to be done on the inside.  However, just keep in mind that you want the ends tucked in and the barrette still able to be closed and hold the hair.

Photo property of “Pink Tea”

Berry Fun Friday – Strawberry Shopping Bags

 

Photo courtesy Ikatbag.com

Here’s a link for a tutorial on how to make these cute shopping bags that “fold” away into one corner of the bag for easy storage.  I have some similar bags that I use for shopping, but they are plain, not decorative.  Still, they are very handy.  I recommend adding an inexpensive carbineer clip to the string to make it easy to clip onto your purse or another tote bag.

Strawberry Bag Tutorial at Ikatbag.com

These would make such cute gifts. :-)

Photo courtesy Ikatbag.com

Berry Fun Friday – Fun Strawberry Fabrics

 

[In order to keep my posts on Saturday from piling up, I’ve decided to move the sewing and strawberry posts to Friday.  This will also give my readers the opportunity to do some of the projects over the weekend, if they want to.]

Here is a small collection of fun strawberry fabrics that are available now.  I have some of them and other I just think are quite cute.  (This post is not subsidized by Fabric.com, nor requested by them.)

As far as I can recall, this is the most recent strawberry fabric that I’ve purchased.  The strawberries were bigger than I thought because I didn’t pay enough attention to the ruler, but I like it and it will make some fun small project.  (source)

This flannel is very cheerful and would make cute winter things for little girls, or playful detailing for a ladies’ garment. (pink & white)

I have some of this fabric too.  It’s so pretty and bright.  At first I thought I’d make an apron, but I realized all that white would soil very easily.  I have at least one project in mind where I want to incorporate some of this.  (source)

Although these last two fabrics don’t appear to match in color in the pictures, they are from the same set and do go together.  I have some of this also and have at least one project in mind for some of it.  (source)

If when I get some of these projects done I hope I’ll remember to share some with you. :-)  In the mean time, you can enjoy the eye candy or even purchase some for to work with yourself if you like it (provided they aren’t out of stock).  (Once the fabrics are no longer offered by fabric.com the pictures will disappear.)

Berry Fun Saturday – DIY Projects for Kids (and You!)

 

Photo from Kiwi Crate, property of Melissa Allen

Walnut Strawberries

This project makes ordinary walnuts (in the shell) into cute little strawberry décor/play food for kids.

DIY Strawberry Treat Cups

Here is a link to some cute strawberry “baskets” made from red paper cups.  You and/or your kids could make these for a summer birthday party or other event. 

Berry Fun Saturday – Strawberry Protectors

 

Here are some instructions for making strawberry protectors from rocks.  After painting these little pretties, the idea is to place them in your strawberry beds around the plants so that they look like real berries.  The writer didn’t know why they would work, but I’m thinking that with birds, at least, the trick is that when they try to take a bite they realize that it’s fake and then leave the rest of the berries – real and fake – alone.  I’m not sure it would discourage the pests that eat our strawberries, which seem to be primarily bugs.

However, I thought this idea would work equally well for decorating.  If you can find some nice strawberry shaped rocks and you have some craft paint on hand it would be a fun and inexpensive summer project.  Just make sure you don’t take someone’s paid-for rocks without permission!  Perhaps you could make fridge magnets or a rustic basketful of “berries”.  :-)

Berry Fun Saturday – Knitting Projects

 

Here are two links for strawberry knitting projects for this Saturday’s dose of berry fun stuff.  I’m not a knitter, but for my readers who may be, these look like really cute ideas.

First, you can make these little strawberries which can be used for decorating all kind of things. 

Next, maybe you’d like to make a strawberry tea cozy for yourself or a friend!  It’s very cute and will keep your tea pot quite warm. :-)

Berry Fun Saturday – Strawberry Slippers!

 

I think these strawberry slippers over at Ema’s Decorations are so fun and cute! :-)  I am thinking that I might actually try to make these myself sometime.  I have been trying to work more strawberry theme into my clothing of late. 

What do you think?  Are you a strawberry lover?  Would you wear slippers like these?

Delicious Strawberry Slippers – a crochet pattern.

Berry Fun Saturday – A New Idea

 

I have had a great liking for strawberry motifs since I was around 11 years old.  I started “collecting” strawberry themed things then - some for my room, some for my hope chest.  I am working on a strawberry theme in my kitchen and have included a little in the dining room.  Some of you may remember my post about my old strawberry cookie jar.

I was poking around looking at strawberry things online and it occurred to me that it might be fun to mix up our Saturdays a bit and throw in some strawberry themed crafts and sewing projects.  I’ll give it a go and see how it works out.  Some of these will be things that I actually make myself, but probably a lot of them will be things I would like to make, or just a starting point for another idea.  I hope you enjoy my little side hobby.  (I have a niece who also likes strawberries, so I’m thinking at least she will find this interesting.)  :-)

For something pretty and easy I simply sewed strawberry ribbon onto a red hand towel that I use in the kitchen.  I pinned on the ribbon and sewed carefully down one side, removing the pins.  Then I sewed the other side.  Before I started sewing the ribbon on, I folded the ends under so that I could catch them as I sewed from the front, but I missed one side on both ends.  It was a simple matter of sewing them down by hand, though.  If you try this, make sure you use washable ribbon.