Sunshine Strawberry Punch

Happy New Year's Eve! Do you have big plans for this evening?

We're staying home this year and planning a fun party. The little ones are excited and attempting to stay awake until midnight for the first time. This afternoon has been a flurry of crafting as they are creating hats for the kids, party favors and games.

I'm including one of our favorite non-alcoholic punch recipes. Fast, easy and the kids (adults, too) love it!

1 (2 ltr.) bottle of Strawberry Soda

8 oz. Pineapple Juice

1 can (16-oz.) frozen Orange Juice concentrate; thawed (I've also made this with fresh OJ)

1/2 gallon of slightly softened vanilla ice cream

Fresh Strawberries, Pineapple and Orange Slices for garnish

Mix the first four ingredients in a large punch bowl. Add garnish on the side of the bowl and float a few slices in the bowl. Voila!!

Happy New Year!

Organize Your Fabric

Whewwww, what a hectic holiday season! All orders were completed and delivered by Christmas. Thank you to all the wonderful customers that made The Crafty Panda a part of their holidays!

Now that the New Year is rapidly approaching, I'm determined to reorganize my studio to make working on new bag designs a little easier.

I purchase most of my fabric by the bolt and it arrives neatly wrapped on cardboard forms. However, there are times when I come across a beautiful piece of fabric in a yard or two or have small amounts remaining from projects or upcycling. I need a handy way to store these fabric pieces on my shelves.

If you're like me and inspired by seeing your beautiful fabric neatly displayed, check out these fabric organizers.

These organizers are made from durable corrugated plastic. The large size can hold from 1/2 to several yards; the small size is perfect for smaller yardages, strips and fat quarters. Each organizer is made of a lightweight, acid-free plastic and includes tabs to hold the fabric. They easily fit on a standard book shelf, plastic bin or in a file-cabinet drawer.

Purchase them direct from  http://www.thefabricorganizer.com/ and start the New Year admiring your beautiful and organized rows of fabric. It's almost like having your own mini-fabric store and no more searching for scraps, trims and more!

Do you have a great idea for organizing fabric? Please share. I'd love to hear your ideas!