Bluprint Bags & My Friends Martha & Rachel

Got an email from sister #2 this morning, telling me how fantastic her scarf bags turned out that she made from the new Martha Blueprint magazine. So I decide this will be a great thing to blog about so I therefore, hop on over to Martha’s website to se if she’s put the directions up there so I could send you all there since I haven’t actually tried this one myself. And then I decide to check out which re-runs will be playing the remainder of the week on her show (seriously, PLEASE start the new season already!).
Click on “The New Martha Show”
Then I see…
“Be on the Show”
Click.
“Be a guest on the Martha show?”
Uh, YES. Click.
So I scroll down and read all the great topics she’s obviously going to be having on her show when the new season begins. And then I see it, and it’s as if I can hear the Alleluia Chorus LIVE in my living room, and it says:
People Call Me "Martha Stewart"
Do your friends and family say you are just like Martha? Are your recipes, crafts, and other creations award-worthy? If so, now is your chance to show off. Send us a videotape telling us why people call you Martha Stewart and display your very best decorations, recipes, crafts, Good Things, and anything else that is "so Martha," and we may broadcast your video on the show, or even invite you to be a guest.
YES YES YES. Why, that’s me, right? Although, honestly, I really don’t want to do a video tape. So I keep scrolling down and I see another show topic that says:
"Your Good Things"
Do you have a useful tip you’d like to share with Martha? Maybe you've figured out the perfect way to get your kids to pick up their toys, to turn old Christmas cards into ornaments, or to make a delicious treat for your pet. Martha would love to hear the things that make your life better.
Well, hellloooo! How about my monogrammed galvanized bucket? I think that’s a pretty good thing. Or my silhouette art? Or my shelf liner idea, burp cloths, monogrammed canvas, or headbands or my cute little painted lobster shoes. Labels, shower curtains, Bermuda bags, and stationary? I mean, I dyed a chocolate fountain blue for the 4th of July in the name of Martha and all things domestic! Take your pick, JUST. PLEASE. PICK. ME! Ughh. I’m exhausted now. But not too exhausted to check out Rachel Ray’s new Martha-esque show that’s coming to TV and we all know that the big “O” is behind her so it’s going to be a big hit. So when I pop on over to her new show site, I see…
“What’s Your Story?”
Click.
And then a whole list of show topics opens, much like it does on Martha’s site.
“FYI: DIY’s WANTED!”
Click.
FYI: DIY's wanted!Do you walk around looking at stuff and thinking, "I could make that myself?" Do the clerks at your local craft store or building supply store know you by name? Do your friends go to you when they need a glue gun or miter box (and do you end up helping them make whatever they were trying to make)? If you love "projects" the way Rachael loves cooking, you're a do-it-yourself-er we want to hear from! Email and tell us what you make/create/build (what's been your best success? biggest disaster?), and why you love to do it!
Uh, Ok. So are all these shows made for me or what? So with a little convincing from a very good friend, I DID end up signing up for Rachel’s show. Of course, she made me swear I would take her on the actual show with me and have her sit next to me if they actually picked me (I guess she could be like a Vannah White or Barkers Beauty and showcase the projects, although I don’t think I’d make her wear an evening gown). And if you want to see what other tricks monogram momma can pull out of her hat, then go email them here and tell them to have me on their show too, and I will be forever in your debt. But while you’re at it and you’ve got all this free time on your hands, please hop on over to Martha’s Show Site and also tell them I will PAY THEM to let me be on her show. I mean, I will even sit on the side and walk her dog, or clean up the set after the show or run the vacuum or WHATEVER just PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE let me do a few projects or bask in the creative glow of Martha so I can refresh my creativity with some fabulous new monogramming ideas! So now I’m truly exhausted and I still haven’t figured out what re-runs she’s showing this week. But I suppose it doesn’t really matter since I TIVO her show everyday anyways. And if you’re wondering how those scarf bags turned out from my sister, well, here they are! I’m in awe of her beautiful Blueprint bag, and since I thought you may be too, here’s what you need to get started.
Supplies:
-32” square scarf or 45” square tablecloth
-That’s it!!
While there are three different types of bags you can do in the Blueprint magazine (also shown on Martha’s site as well), my sister chose the knotted bag. So here’s what you do. First, lay the scarf facedown. Pull one of the corners through your hand to make a sort-of pony-tail, about 1/3 the way down, tie a knot, and then repeat the same pony-tail knotting on the remaining three sides. To make the handles, tie the upper two pony-tails together in a square knot (right over left, left over right), and then repeat with the other two tails so you end up with an adorable scarf bag with two knotted handles. I’ve included Martha’s diagram, and you can see for yourself that even if you don’t fancy yourself a domestic goddess, it looks very simple to make. And I'm sure there are plenty of you who have one or two Lilly scarves that this would look adorable made into. Now, as a little side note, if you are also looking for a few cute little accessories to accompany your new Blueprint knotted scarf bag, my regular run-through on some of my book-marked shopping sites turned up a 10% Summer Sale at Three Chickadees when you enter the discount code “Summer” at checkout. Of course, don’t forget the summer sale I mentioned last week at Rita Wilcox either. As for me today, I think I’m going to go sit by the phone and wait for my good friends Martha or Rachel to call me. I’ll let you know how that goes, although not to worry, I’m certainly not holding my breath!