Fresh in the Shop

 New burp cloths are now listed in my Etsy shop in cutie Michael Miller, Riley Blake, and Alexander Henry fabrics.  They are backed with creamy minky fabric making them so so soft and very absorbent for soaking up those emergency spills or spit ups.  These burp cloths are so much nicer than those cheap packages(of 6 or 12) you can get in any store with a baby aisle, these cloths continue to keep baby trendy and in style even after 100 trips through the washing machine.  I have been busy making a stock pile of the gender neutral prints for when our new bundle arrives, I can't wait to be able to throw a couple in the diaper bag and show them(and the baby) off. 

Pair a couple burp cloths with a bib(below) and make a really great baby gift.  Visit the shop for more deets. 

Weekend DIY - Crochet Doily Bunting

I have been wanting to make one of these for a while, because they're just so pretty!!!  This weekend I decided to go for it!  And while I was at it I decided I might as well take photo's so I could make a tutorial to share.  It was an easy peasy project, and it didn't take me long at all.  I was able to make the bunting and photograph it all while Brady napped.

You will need: 
- Doilies, I was lucky enough to find 3 matching ones at our local thrift store.  Of course they don't have to match, get a whole bunch of different shaped ones, use colorful ones!  Make your bunting anyway you like!
- Extra wide bias tape, which I also found at the thrift store, score!
- And the usual: pins, scissors, thread, bobbin, iron, and a sewing machine

Step One:  Cut your bias tape to your preferred length, or just leave it.  I cut mine to 48 inches.  Then give your bias tape a quick once over with the iron, just to get rid of any bumps it may have gotten from being packaged.

Step Two:  I ate a bowl of cereal, you can omit this if you like.  I also ate a cookie.

Step Three:  Cut your doilies in half, I folded mine in half and cut along the crease.

Step Four:  Find the center of your bias tape(mine is 24"), place your first doily there and pin.

Pin the rest of your doilies in place, working your way out.  It helps to have a big working space for this step, I used my ironing board, there is never ever any room on my desk to work.  

Step Five:  Time to sew!  I left some space on the ends of my bias tape to use as ties, that's where I'm going to start to sew, right at the start of where my doilies are placed. 

Very carefully sew your bunting together, makeing sure you are stitching through both sides of the bias tape and the doilie in the middle.   Very tricky, but if you have pinned everything well you shouldn't have any problems.

Step Six:  After sewing your bunting together, run the iron over the bias tape one more time.  Then you're done! 

Right now my new bunting is prettying up my kitchen, but if I happen to have a baby girl in September maybe I'll hang it above her crib :)

The Great Sunflower Challenge

 

Today at our Mommy and Me/reading group one of the girls brought in these adorable sunflower growing kits.  One for everybody.  The idea is to have a contest among the moms and our littles to see who can grow the tallest sunflower,  she even started a blog so we can share our progress(or to check out the competish) over the summer.  Our contest is mostly for the kids, so they can help plant the seeds and watch their plants grow, but I think I might be a little more excited than they. 

Day 1: Team Brady planted the seeds.  

We actually planted 3, Seed A, B, and C, just for good measure.

I did most of the dirty work while Brady napped.  He woke up in time for the watering.

I hope we didn't drown them.

Bump Watch 2011

We are expecting our second baby in September and I am just starting to show at 24 weeks(I shouldn't complain, I can still fit into my blue jeans), I thought finally I could share some bump photo's(not that you can even see any roundness in this picture, it's there, I promise!  Next time I'll make it a side view).  Everything has been going great and we are very excited.  

If you look below Brady's dirty pant leg you will see a white and gray stripe layer under my t-shirt, that's my belly band!  I ordered it from a shop on Etsy called Run System 63 and it is the best thing ever!!!  One of my biggest pet peeves is seeing a pregnant ladys belly unintentionally peeking out from the bottom of her shirt, it makes me crazy, but this totally solves that problem.  It extends the life of your normal clothes so you don't have to rush out and spend hundreds of dollars on expensive maternity ones.  I bought an extra long belly band(can be worn as a tube top too) and I'm glad I did, I wear it folded in half and I feel comfy and supported.  When you get to that point where you just can't button your jeans up any more, don't, just put a belly band on!  I have pants and shorts in my closet that I haven't been able to wear for years because they are too small, well guess what?  I can wear them all now(so long as my butt doesn't get any bigger, lol) because I don't have to button them up.  I plan on wearing my band even after the baby comes, it's a pregnant lady must have.  I'm in love my belly band and I don't care who knows it!

Go! Jets! Go!

This is me and my brother at ages 6 and 4. 

The current news happenings made me think of this old photo, I had to dig it out and share.  Since 1996 there has been an empty space left in my heart and just recently that tiny space has been filled with hope.  Soon, maybe this week?  We are expecting an official announcement from the NHL that a team will finally be back in our city.  I get a little teary eyed thinking about it and I fantasize about the day I can take my son to his first game.  Until then, I patiently await.

Fresh in the Shop

A zebra print pacifier clip/toy leash.

 

Burp cloths for baby.

And a bib.  

The burp cloths and bibs are totally brand new additions to my Etsy shop, and I'm very excited to finally show you what I've been working on.  I'm still busy uploading and listing so if you'd like to see more keep your eye on the shop ;)

Birthday Applique T-Shirt Tutorial

 

 My son turned one back in February and today I decided that I needed to finally get this tutorial done, lol.  I wanted a shirt for Brady that was cute, matched his party theme, and that would be a special keepsake.  I searched and searched Etsy but I just couldn't find the "perfect" shirt or one that wasn't unreasonably priced.  I finally realized that I could just make Brady's birthday shirt myself, duh!   It was so easy to do and you can customize it to whatever you like, not just for birthdays.  

What you will need:  

 -a plain child/toddler sized shirt, the one I used was size 12-18months, just a simple brown one we had received as a hand-me-down.

-fabric that you will create your applique out of, I used a strip that was approx. 3" wide by 17" long.  You'll need more or less depending on how long your word is, or how big the object is.

-scissors

-sewing machine, thread, and bobbin

-fabric pen

-computer and printer

Step one:  On your computer open up a new Word document, this is where we will create the pattern for your fabric applique.  Type in your word of choice, my word was 'ONE', and pick your font type and size.  It's hard to see in the screen shot but I used the font type Gil Sans Ultra Bold and size 360.  When you are satisfied with your word, print and cut out your letters.  Arrange your cut out letters on the shirt to make sure they fit nicely, I printed and cut out letters three times before I got the size and look that I wanted.  If you can draw(unlike me) your letters or object free hand, then you can skip this step.   

 

 Step two: Place your paper letters on your fabric and trace with a fabric pen.  I realized after that I should have traced my letters onto the back side of my fabric, lucky for me, my fabric pen is erasable.

Step three:  Place your fabric letters onto your shirt and pin like crazy so that they stay in place.  Make sure you are pinning the letters to one layer of the shirt. 

 

Step four:  Very carefully with your sewing machine straight stitch around the outer edge of your letters.  I did try a zig-zag stitch around the letters but ended up ripping it all out because I didn't like the look, use whichever you prefer.  Once you've stitched all your letters on - Volia!  You have completed your appliqued shirt!

 

Hope you enjoy your new shirt as much as we loved ours.  Brady's even survived a run through the washing machine.