5 Tips to Keep Edges and Seams Aligned When Sewing

Lately I've been trying to sew a lot using fabric scraps (to use up what I already have at home instead of buying new fabric) and I have realized that few things are more frustrating than reaching the end of a seam only to discover that the fabric edges no longer match. One layer has crept ahead, a corner is slightly off, or what started as a perfectly straight seam has developed a mind of its own. 

The good news is that accurate seams don't require magic (or a lot of it, anyway). A few simple habits (and the patience to engage in them instead of plowing ahead to save a couple of minutes) can make a noticeable difference.

Here are my best tips (most of them learned the hard way):

The Power of the Blank Slate: Why You Should Set Goals for the New Year

The turning of the calendar page from December to January feels like a blank slate, a chance for a "Fresh Start Effect". This annual moment of reflection and renewal makes the New Year the perfect time to set meaningful goals that can shape the next twelve months and beyond. But why is setting goals so important, and how can you make sure they stick?

Here are the key reasons why you should embrace goal-setting at the start of  2026:

Inexpensive gift tags with stickers

Hello, and welcome! Since cute and inexpensive do not need to be mutually exclusive, today I'm sharing here a great way to create original gift tags for the holidays at little cost and using materials you probably already have at home.

 

Making the Most of Your Holiday Travels

The holidays season is a wonderful time for connection, celebration, and, for many people, travel as well. Up until recently, I wasn't a fan of travelling over the holidays, except for mandatory family visits. I'll always dislike holiday crowds, but a quiet escape for a few days? Now that the kids are older, I'm starting to see some real benefits (less stress, less work, a break from routine...).

In any case, whether you're jetting off to a bustling city or a serene getaway, a little planning can go a long way in ensuring a smooth and enjoyable experience, so here are a few tips to help you with your holidays travels.

Deck the Halls: A Basic Guide to Easy and Inexpensive Holidays Decor

Hello, and welcome! I almost never change our home decor from season to season other than maybe using a few printables here. The only time of the year I really make an effort to decorate for is Christmas. 

And even then, although holiday season is a magical time and some people feel that nothing sets the festive mood quite like beautiful decorations, I rarely go all out. 

But even without going over the top and wasting a lot of money on stuff that you are going to use only for a few days a year, there are many ways to create an enchanting holiday display that reflects your unique style.

Upcycled: pretty gift tags from cosmetic packaging boxes

Hello, and welcome! Today I'm popping here quickly to show you some pretty amazing gift tags I made using a perfume package box. This kind of boxes are usually colorful and full of embellishments and therefore perfect for these little projects.

Tips for a Budget-Friendly Holiday Season

The holiday season is a time for joy, celebration, and connection, but it can also be a financial burden. With a little planning and some smart strategies, you can enjoy all the festivities without breaking the bank. 

So here are a few tips to save money during the holiday season:

What is a Mood Board and How to Make One

A mood board (sometimes also called a vision board) is a collection of items (text, images, colors, textures, etc) that revolve around a particular theme. It's used to organize your inspiration for a project - any kind of project, really, and not necessarily craft related. 

When I was younger my mood boards were mostly a collection of notes, ideas and images (usually ripped from magazines) and placed into folders or a binder. I still use a binder here and there, but these days my mood boards are mostly digital. 

You don't need to be a professional designer to create and use great mood boards. Mood boards are for everyone. 

10 ways to save money and the environment while doing your laundry

Hello, and welcome! Today I'm sharing here a few tips to make your laundry days more efficient - both for your home budget and for the environment: 

Check them out below: 

Why (and when) you should review and re-edit your old blog posts

The first blog post is always a huge leap of faith. Are my ideas good enough to show to the world? Am I doing this right? Am I conveying my message? Is anyone actually going to read my posts and follow my blog?

After a while, it gets easier, you start to get a feel of what your readers prefer to see - and what you prefer to write and share, what images work best and what kind of common structure you want for your posts. You add buttons, a signature, change the colors and the layout - and your first blog posts, no matter how good they were, are probably outdated by now. 

Should you revamp them? The answer is yes. You should even re-write them if you feel the need to do so. This is something I have been doing for a while (slowly, because my time is limited) and I found that it has improved the overall quality of my blog. 

In this post I'll discuss the main reasons why you should review and re-edit your posts, when is the best time to do it and what you can do afterwards to promote them again. 

So here's the why - and the when - you should review your older posts: 

Effortless Moving: Your Comprehensive Checklist and Essential Advice - with free printable

Smoothly transitioning to your new home requires meticulous planning and organization. 

Transform what could be a stressful experience into a seamless relocation by employing a comprehensive moving checklist, securing the services of a reputable moving company, and implementing invaluable tips.

Ricorumi Spin Spin DK yarn review

Hello, and welcome! Today I'm sharing here my opinions on the Ricorumi Spin Spin DK yarn, that I used for the first time recently when making my triangle bag.

 

Rosarios4 70's yarn review

I have crocheted a lot of bags using cotton yarn along the years, but I recently finished a new one (for which there's a pattern on Etsy) using Rosarios4 70's cotton yarn, and I decided to post a review. 

 

Ham Cooking Guide, Calculator, and Free Printable

If you're an entertainer and love to have friends and family over for gatherings around a bustling dinner table, a fancy ham dinner filled with side dishes like baked asparagus is probably on your list. Whether you're getting people together for the holidays or just because you feel like it, you might be wondering where to start when it comes to cooking a ham for your guests. 

 

 

 
Since there are several different types of ham to choose from, this guide will help you calculate the cooking time for your ham, inform you about the best storing methods for ham before and after you cook it, and the tips for baking it to have a successful gathering with friends and family.

 

3 strategies to help you declutter successfully

When a new year comes around, it seems that everyone is rushing to declutter their homes. Which is just fine, we all need those moments of action - I can totally relate because I've been doing a lot of decluttering myself.

 

But in order to be successful you need to turn decluttering into more than a spur of the moment inspiration – or something you’re doing just because everyone else is.

How to wrap up a gift in a zipper pouch

Hello, and welcome! A couple of weeks ago, when I published the 6 eco-friendly (and budget friendly) holidays tips and ideas, I briefly mentioned this topic and promised I would post more about it. And thren life got in the way (as it always tends to) and I totally forgot about it. But since Christmas is in less than two days and some of us still have Christmas gifts to wrap, here is an easy and useful idea: 

Turkey Cooking Guide - With Free Printables

When it comes to cooking a turkey for your family, you need to make sure you understand the basics. Whether it’s for Thanksgiving, Christmas or a family celebration, you should know how long to cook a turkey per pound. 

 

 

 

 

 

You can use a turkey cooking time calculator or follow our guide below.

6 eco-friendly (and budget friendly) holidays tips & ideas

Hello, and welcome! The Climate Change Conference currently happening in Egypt has gotten me thinking a lot about the environment - and also on the fact that likely any measures eventually approved by our world leaders over these days will probably only be passed as actual laws in the years to come - if ever. 

Which means that it's really up to each one of us to help change the world, one little step at a time. And what better time to start than the holidays season?

So, find below a few of my favorite tips and tricks in order to reduce waste during the holidays, and save some money on top:

Decluttering 101: 6 easy places to start decluttering

I recently shared some tips to avoid bringing home more clutter than you already have - you can read the post here. 

But what about the clutter you already have at home?

Below you will find a suggestion of six easy and quick decluttering projects that will help you get started!

Decluttering 101: Don't Take Home what you Don't Need - with printable infographic

Decluttering isn't easy. Trust me when I say it, because it's a daily struggle at our house. We've been living here for many years, we have a lot of memories from when our kids were babies, we took on a lot of things that came from my mother's and my grandparents' homes, and although we do have a large apartment, it always feels way to crowded. 

For years I have been trying to let go of stuff - and I'm doing a lot better. But I have found that one of the best things to do is just to avoid bringing more clutter home. And so I have laid down a few rules that if even if may not help reducing clutter all by themselves, they at least keep us from getting even more clutter than what we already own. 

 

Read more about them below - or just download the infographic for a quick overview.