Happy Birthday Tutorial

  Sometimes I wish I had a personal jet. It's my friend's birthday today, but since she lives in Ohio, I will be celebrating with her in spirit. My son had a great idea to have a cake in her honor, and she requested carrot cake. So carrot cake it is.  Hopefully she'll receive her present in the mail before seeing it here. I tried embroidering some pillow cases (inspired from here) for her and made a couple of bookmarks. She's a writer  who, of course, also loves to read. I found this fabric with letters on it, which made me think of her.

I made the lettered bookmark by simply cutting out two identical shapes (you could make a tie for dad or flower for mom-lots of options). I then cut interfacing about 1/4 inch smaller to fit inside the shape. Be sure to follow the instructions on your interfacing. Cutting about a 7 in. piece or rickrack, I folded it in half and tucked 1/2 in. of the open end between the top part of the bookmark before sewing the top together. I left my edges raw and sewed around the outer edge, careful to catch the interfacing.
 For a finished edge, you could lay the bookmark flat, right sides together, and sew 1/2 inch seam, leaving a 1 in. opening along the bottom. For this option, pin the rickrack between the layers, the large loop tucked inside, before sewing right sides together. Then turn right side out, iron, and sew about 1/4 seam along the outer edge, sewing the opening shut.
 For instructions on making a yo-yo for the second bookmark, check out this helpful blog. I sewed ribbon onto the back of the circle before making the yo-yo. Very simple and quick. These are great projects to do with you kids. They can help you design their own bookmark and enjoy reading all the more! Send me pictures of your own bookmarks. I would love to see them!