Fabric Covered Bible

I was stocking up for the up-coming MOPS year at Hobby Lobby this morning when I spotted the prettiest fabric ever! And so I bought a yard! Those that know me know...I HATE sewing. I love the idea of it. And I come up with millions of projects that I usually have to have my mother-in-love help me execute. I have a machine. I can sew pillows and simple things, but I usually finish the project so angry. I am a bigger fan of hot glue!

I am proud to say that I was able to use that fabric during nap time on the same day that I bought it! Other yards of fabric are still folded neatly in a stack in my craft cabinet.

My parents had given me this New Living Bible with wide margins for my birthday. It has some adorable illustrations for key verses already drawn in. I am loving it! I can write devo notes in the side or even sermon notes. Even though the cover is cute, it just didn't feel like "me."

Following this simple No-Sew Fabric Book Cover Tutorial, I put my hem tape and iron to work!

The Bible slipped into the cover easily -  I love that it's not permanent. So, the next time I walk through Hobby Lobby and spot more fabric that I "just have to have!" I can make another cover!

And there's no zipper or buttons or handles to get in the way during a Sword Drill (anyone remember those?).  I never wanted a Bible cover growing up because it slowed me down. My Sunday School teacher even had these pads that sat on our chairs and would indicate who stood up first. It was a serious thing! 

I might even make my journal and ipad match! One yard of fabric would easily have covered 4 of these sized Bibles. 

Bacon Cheddar Ranch Cheeseball

I love bacon. I love cheese. I love cream cheese...So, it's no wonder that I also love this new cheese ball recipe my neighbor/BFF introduced me to.

I try to provide a different/fun snack each week for my Bible study girls on Monday evenings. Last night, they got to be the guinea pigs for this yummy treat. 

Martha Stewart once said that the reason you set your table is to make your guests feel special and appreciated. We may meet in the lobby of the girl's dorm, but with a fun table cloth and some yummy snacks, I hope that the girls feel that I treasure my time with them each week.  

Since the snack was a hit last night, I decided to share the recipe for you to enjoy as well. 

INGREDIENTS:

1 8 ounce package of softened cream cheese (I used the low fat kind)

1/2 packet of Ranch dip mix (I used 1 1/2 Tbsp of Ranch mix from the recipe mentioned below)

Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Cooked Bacon - crumbled (I think I made 6 pieces...5 to cover the cheese ball and one for me to eat on the spot. It was too hard to resist.)

I tried a new recipe for the Ranch dip mix rather than purchasing the packet. I had tried this one before, but I was not completely satisfied with the end result. This time, I tried the recipe found here. I loved the taste it gave to the cheese ball. It may become my default recipe from now on. 

Simply combine the ranch mix, cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Once the mixture is consistent, form into a ball. Cover the ball with the crumbled bacon pieces. Enjoy!

I provided an assortment of crackers for my girls to choose from. I also sat out my craved Wasabi Peas and some dried apricots for some variety (and in case they girls didn't care for the cheese ball). 

I should have taken an "After" picture to show how we demolished the cheese-ball. It was that good! 

This recipe would be super easy to double if you were planning to take it for a larger group to enjoy. 

What easy but delicious snacks have you used for your gatherings? How do you like to make your "guests" feel welcomed and special?

Last week, I popped popcorn on the stove for the girls.  It is such a cheap way to pop corn - I now have a hard time justifying paying for the microwave kind. Plus, I think the stove top tastes more fresh and requires less salt. 

After giving them each a paper bag, the girls were able to season the popcorn according to their liking.

 Some used just salt. Some garlic salt. Some cinnamon and sugar. 

I've found that it doesn't require a lot of effort to let someone know you care. And if bringing a few funky dishes, a quick snack and a tablecloth will make my girls a little more excited about Bible Study - then I'm all for it! 

Coaster Remake

On Monday night, I started a Bible Study with some great ladies. We are going to study and discuss the book "Becoming a Woman of Influence" by Carol Kent. It focuses on intentionally influencing others by mimicking the characteristics of Christ.

We meet in the dorm lobby - since it's not the prettiest environment, I decided to bring some decor of my own. Everyone deserves to be surrounded by fun things. I thought it might make the girls feel special as well. It also seemed to be a bit of an advertisement for our study. Several girls saw the tall branches (find the tutorial here) and asked "What's going on here?" We may have a few additional people join us next week. You never know what a little decoration can do!

I  brought mason jars for us to sip our sweet tea from. I think mason jars are so fun to drink from. But - since glass sweats, I knew I needed some type of coaster.

We also snacked on Pumpkin Chocolate Chip muffins (see my recipe here) and wasabi peas (pregnancy craving...ha).

I have an idea for some permanent coasters, but needed something to use immediately on Monday. Knowing I wanted to use supplies I had on hand, I dug through my hutch drawers to see what was available.  I had quite a number of coasters left over from our wedding. They were simply cardboard squares - but the printed message didn't seem Bible-Study-appropriate.

Taking some wrapping paper and old book pages, I simply decoupaged some different patterns  onto the existing coasters.

Just as I assumed, the paper got soggy and water-marked as they were used. However, it provided a free coaster for our study Monday evening.

Have you make any quick crafts lately - using items you already had on hand?