bluebird & the boy

{we interrupt this parade}

2012-03-02T10:15:00.003-05:00

...for another sick child. Fever's going down, though, so here's hoping this clears up before the weekend...

{parade of pants: rae's big butt baby pants}

2012-02-28T22:26:00.003-05:00

Okay, I don't know if it's because the fabrics came together so well, or because they were the first thing I sewed with my new machine, or because the hems look so darn nice (amazing for me), but....

I. LOVE. THESE. PANTS.

My boy looks adorable in them, toddling around, and the pattern was nice and easy to follow! If you've got little ones in diapers, give these a shot...who doesn't love an adorable little baby bum??!

the "big butt" fabric is michael miller

the main fabric is a denim-looking flannel
super soft and snuggly

{parade of pants: simple fleece toddler pants}

2012-02-28T15:15:00.000-05:00

While folding laundry recently, it came to my attention that I have made a fair amount of pants lately. Mostly for my boy, but a little something for the girl, too, as spring approaches!

Now, today it's about 70 degrees here. But I happen to know that in Minnesota, they aren't quite there yet...so I thought I would take a quick week to post my long legged garments before it's full-time shorts around here!

I'll begin with a this very simple pair of fleece pants I made for my son back in November (yep. Posting procrastination.) The color was picked out so that the kids would compliment each other in their Christmas photos. But the joke was on me: he didn't even wear pants for the shoot! (We did it here at home...casual is encouraged.) I didn't mind too much, though. Other than some patch and pocket detailing, the pants were as easy as they come. And they're super comfy for him to lounge around in any time.

If you're interested in making your own pair, just google your favorite pants tutorial, grab some fleece and begin!

nothing fancy, just a good old zig zag stitch for the patches.

hurray! no hemming!

simple single pocket on backside

A quick, easy pair of pants to round out those winter days!!

{all about the mustache: toddler tee and pants}

2012-02-22T21:12:00.001-05:00

My son has crazy beautiful hair. Curls in the back, and of course, still soft and silky. I know it won't be this way forever, and I am loathe to even hint at cutting it. Luckily, my husband is awesome and amazing, and fully supports keeping it as is until we're both good and ready for the first hair cut.

So I get to keep my "baby" a bit longer...and we get to come up with super cool nicknames for his 'do in the meantime! The front runners are Doc Brown and, more recently, Einstein. So I decided to use some fabric paint and the old Silhouette to make an appropriate shirt for our boy.

In the meantime, while perusing the Target clearance section recently, I stumbled upon a men's tee that read "A Mustache Means Business". The price tag? $2.98. (I love you Target clearance!)

And an outfit was born.

I used the Kickin' Back Sweats pattern from my Sewing For Boys book. I just kept it super simple, wanting the pictures on the pants to speak for themselves.

The font and mustache on the top were both from the Silhouette store.

I love those pants! They're a little big right now, so I'm counting on him getting some use out of them for awhile, long after he's outgrown the onesie and the hair!

{mini boden inspired shirt}

2012-02-20T00:00:00.000-05:00

So awhile ago, my blogtastic friend Georgine brought to my attention some adorable shirts over at Mini Boden. Being the inspired, crafty women that we are, we said, "Hey. We could do that!" So we did.

Based on this shirt, here is my end result:

I used my Silhouette for the shapes, and attached them with embroidery floss. I love the red and blue together! The shirt was one I got on clearance at the end of last season, so the whole project cost me less than $5. Hurray!

If you like this, you should hop on over and check out Georgine's Boden inspired tee, too. It's wonderful, complete with glitter!! I have to get up my courage and give her technique a try!

{sick}

2012-02-19T21:42:00.002-05:00

so very sick. all of us. on a rolling basis.

hoping tomorrow we'll be back on track!

(on a side note, i did muster the energy to purchase a few oliver + s digital patterns!)

{checking in}

2012-02-15T13:01:00.000-05:00

yep yep. I'm here. I'm around. Lurking at other's blogs, trying to be inspired. I had a birthday, we took a mini vacation and I've been a bit under the weather. But I'm hoping to get back into the flow here soon. I have made my daughter some shorts, and I have LOTS of ideas floating around...

Just waiting for them to take root.
Thanks for being patient with me!

{valentine's embroidery by imagine gnats}

2012-02-06T23:40:00.000-05:00

Recently, I was thrilled to be able to participate as an embroidery tester for Rachael over at imagine gnats. She designed two adorable Valentine's Day patterns, which are currently listed in her shop, and asked for some reader testing...I couldn't believe how fortunate I was to get in on this!

I lean more towards the novice side when it comes to embroidery, but Rachael's directions are so clear and concise that I had no problem embroidering both images within a couple of days. Her images are whimsical and clean, and are open to a range of interpretations. You'll find mine here:

Aren't these so sweet?? I love them! You can check out Rachael's flickr group to see other completed versions of this pattern...or better yet, hop on over to her shop and grab your own! Then, swing on over to Rachael's blog and check out the other projects she's been up to...you'll be glad you did!

{over the rainbow kind of (birth)day}

2012-01-31T21:30:00.001-05:00

Today, my little girl turned 5. How quickly it seems to go. I miss her "baby-ness" so much, but also love the little lady she is becoming. She is witty, smart, and has a beautiful, kind heart! She fills me with pride every day!

Her Over the Rainbow party went off without a hitch this past weekend, and it was a lot of fun for all of the kids! Here are a few pics of the projects I created for the day...but honestly, I didn't take nearly as many atmosphere shots as I thought I would...I was too busy trying to catch her joyful little face at every turn!

goody bags using rainbow licorice

rainbow cupcakes! a bit tedious, but a big hit!

a birthday hat of many colors...and glitter!

rainbow skirt and shirt

matching rainbow headband

{change of pace}

2012-01-25T23:13:00.001-05:00

I'm busy busy busy pulling together the rest of our Rainbow party. Big day's just around the corner!

ALSO, I am so pleased to have found a fun new blog to add to my "Inspired to Create By" list! If you get a chance, please hop on over to Imagine Gnats. Rachael is talented, sweet and funny! And I'm honored to be among her embroidery testing team!

So even if things seem a bit low key around here for a day or two...behind the scenes it's all a-buzzin'!

{birthday skirt turned play skirt}

2012-01-22T11:33:00.000-05:00

Awhile ago, I bought some taffeta/satin with the intention of making my daughter a sweet, dressy outfit of some sort. I finally pulled it out, and free handed a pattern for a full skirt with an apron overlay. It fit her...but barely. (I had under-measured the waist). But she loved it, so I was content to use it for her upcoming birthday.

Fast forward to two days ago: when she tried it on, it ripped down the back!! She had grown enough to make it a pure struggle to get into, and the skirt couldn't take it! Because the fabric had been inexpensive, and because I was kind of just done with the whole thing, I threw up my hands and declared it a dress up skirt.

She's thrilled.

You win some, you lose some. I figure, it was a learning process for me, and a big gain for her! She's a girl who does love a good twirl.

{leah tunic sew along}

2012-01-21T14:08:00.001-05:00

One of the things that makes me fall in love with a blog is their willingness to share tutorials of the awesome things they've made! Don't misunderstand me - I totally appreciate the fact that so many items from blogs are pattern worthy, and I have no trouble paying for a good, solid pattern either. But when you stumble across a blog that is so diligent about providing detailed tutorials for darn near anything, it's like your birthday! In my opinion, Craftiness Is Not Optional is such a blog.

I have been keeping an eye on the blog's sew-alongs for quite some time, and I finally decided to give the Leah Tunic a shot. I'm pretty pleased with the end results, too!

I used one yard of fabric for my (almost) 5 year old, and that worked pretty well. The fabric I found at Hobby Lobby on sale for $3/yard (I know, I know, it wasn't on hand, BUT the bias tape and thread were!)

I love the shirt's details, like the little cap sleeves and the pockets.

The tunic seems to run a bit large on her right now, but that's okay. Despite our 70 degree weather, it is still only January, so I'm hoping this will take her well into summer!

I'll definitely be making another of these in the future. Maybe when I get brave enough to try my hand at making my own bias tape, too!

{be prepared...}

2012-01-18T14:04:00.000-05:00

...to be inspired, to bookmark or pin, and to lose a couple hours to your computer screen:

http://random-tutorial.com/

{sewing for boys: treasure pocket pants}

2012-01-17T23:18:00.000-05:00

One of my favorite Christmas gifts this year was this book. I have had so much fun brain-storming for The Boy!

My first project from this book was the treasure pocket pants. I love them! He looks so cute in them! See?:

I snapped a few pictures of him playing on the bed, but for some reason, when I wanted him to stand up, he wouldn't. (When I don't want him to, he will. Of course.) So you'll have to make due with cute sitting poses.

This child wears 24 mos/2T, so I cut the pants accordingly, but they were a shade too long. I am hoping that means they'll hold out long enough for him to get some good, solid use out of them!

(His treasure of choice is our TV remote.)

And one more gratuitous baby toe shot!!

If you have a boy, and you like to (or would like to) sew for him, this book is worth checking out. And now that I think about it, my daughter might be getting some treasure pocket pants next!

{over the rainbow party: invitation}

2012-01-15T21:03:00.000-05:00

We had a blast with our visitors...but all good things must come to an end. Otherwise, how could we ever get to the next good things??

So, as promised, here is a peek at our Soon-to-be-Five-Year-Old's birthday invite!!

It's bright and colorful, just like the girl herself! On the back, I added some extra details, such as a map. My Bluebird addressed the envelopes herself, and on Wednesday, will tuck them into her little backpack to deliver to her school friends.

Now, we're working on goody bags!!

{lucky us}

2012-01-10T12:32:00.003-05:00

Yay! My parents have come to visit us for the week! Second Christmas and lots of family time...posting will be at an extreme minimum. But no worries...I will return!

{gap kids inspired batman jeans}

2012-01-06T09:35:00.000-05:00

This post could also be titled "Jeans-I-love-but-am-not-willing-to-pay-$40-for-for-my-18-month-old."

These jeans were inspired when I found these online. I love them, and to be honest, if they were to go on (a big) sale down the line, I may buy them in a bigger size for later. Right now, though, I couldn't justify shelling out the money, so I decided to make my own version.

Supplies were simple:

jeans were only $5 at target

Then using original placement as my guide, I switched up the wording a bit, and used the bleach pen on the front. The length you let your bleach sit will depend on the look you want. For these, I let it set about 15 min.

After I washed and dried them, I ironed on my patch on the back pocket, and they were ready to go! I think the total for these put together (including supplies) was less than $10. That I can justify.

{over the rainbow party: cupcake toppers}

2012-01-05T15:24:00.001-05:00

I know every parent says this, but I can *not* believe my little girl is turning 5. Truly. In this past year alone, her face has gotten more defined, her thoughts have gotten more eloquent, and her personality...well, that's constantly growing by leaps and bounds!

Last year, after I made her Tink cupcakes to take to school, she surprised both her father and me by announcing she wanted "all white" for her family party. White cake. White frosting. White candles. White milk...you get the drift. And since it was her birthday, she used a white napkin while we used up Tink.

This year, she announced early on that she wanted rainbows. Yay! Since it's coming up quickly, we've already started on a few of the odds and ends.

First up: Cupcake toppers.

I used the print/cut option on the Silhouette for the rainbows, then decorated half with the glitter glue, to give them a little sparkle.

When the glitter was dry, I simply used double stick tape to sandwich a colored toothpick between two rainbows, one glitter (the front) and one plain, until we had enough to top a couple dozen cupcakes.

They look sweet and I used up materials on hand! Take that, New Year Resolution!

Next Over the Rainbow post: The invite!

{abbey jacket}

2012-01-01T23:57:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year! I am excited to begin 2012. I have set some realistic expectations for myself this year, and am ready to go. My biggest one (crafting/sewing wise) is to use up materials already on hand! I have already accomplished that with a few projects, and will be sharing those soon.

Also, as a head's up to followers (silent or otherwise), I am planning a small segment later this winter on something that is very near to my heart. It's personal and important, and deserves it's own post, so be on the look out for more information down the line.

Meanwhile, not too long ago, I found this Abbey Jacket pattern by Shwin Designs, and loved it. Loved it so much that I even ended up mimicking the color scheme in their pattern cover (although, in my defense, I already had red fleece on hand, and my daughter picked out her own coordinating details!) And I love love those colors together...remember my children's stockings?

But I digress.

This little coat is perfect for us down South. It's only been marginally cool, and having a sweet fleece to throw on is perfect. It was pretty easy to sew, too. Bonus! I do enjoy an easy project! I wish I would have put a little tag inside the collar for her to use to hang it up at school, but other than that, we love it!

{a merry christmas to all}

2011-12-23T13:05:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas
Happy Hanukkah

Happy Holidays to All!

See you next year!

{pants}

2011-12-21T13:45:00.001-05:00

inspired.
So from time to time, I whip up a pair of pants for The Incredible Growing Boy, using an old pair of his as a template. Well. The other night, after discovering he had grown out of three pairs of pants (including, but not limited to, his Christmas overalls) and putting him into a pair of 2T pjs that fit just fine, thankyouverymuch, I decided we were at a point where I could use the pattern over at MADE to sew him some new pants.

I repurposed an old pair of curtains to make these:

You can quickly tell that, even after some hemming, they are still a bit long. That's okay. We just roll them. The cool thing about using these curtains was that the bottom was already hemmed to begin with. After I turned them up to hem them originally, the hem was on the inside, at the top. (Follow me? No? That's okay. Just skim then.) So then when I rolled the pants up for current wearing purposes, the curtain hem is now again at the bottom, SO it looks like I cuffed them with a hem! (When they stay rolled up, that is.)

"No, Son, we don't play in the dog's water..."

So, to recap: Boy growing, new pants made, 2T pattern long, but serviceable with room to grow, pants adorable. And the boy?

Also adorable.

{last minute gift - in a jar}

2011-12-20T21:36:00.000-05:00

create.
I needed something quick and fun for my daughter's gym teachers. Using materials on hand, I was able to pull together this:

I used my Silhouette for both the vinyl gym name on the jar and the tag, but any easy embellishments would work for this. I stuffed the jar with hot cocoa mix and some reeses cups for the staff to keep on hand for those sweet cravings, and it was ready to go.

Nothing fancy, but sincerely gifted, just the same!

{christmas countdown - and some santa pants}

2011-12-16T13:39:00.002-05:00

create.
There is a bowl of cookie dough that's been chilling in my fridge (fortwodays, ahem) that I need to make cutouts from.

There are a pile of presents waiting to be wrapped.

There is a tree in our living room begging for ornaments.

I discovered today (or at least, my husband did) that my 17 month son outgrew the length of his Christmas overalls.

BUT, I have made, and used a few times over, these awesome Santa Pants from a retro repro tablecloth for my children!

inspired by a similar pair for sale a couple years ago.
I'm afraid I can't find that link now.

ironically, my son does not "heart" Santa.
At all.

I also watched my daughter perform in her Christmas pageant as a (slightly irritable) shepherd. No matter if her shepherds outfit was too hot and heavy, she sang like a little angel, and we were all so proud!

The other stuff will get done...the memories in between are the most important things of all.

{felt stamped ornaments}

2011-12-10T21:36:00.000-05:00

inspired
Recently, I came across this post while searching for teacher gift ideas. Simple and sweet, classic. So I pulled my materials together, and got to work.

At first, I stamped out Christmas themed words, ones that spoke to me about the core meaning of Christmas. But then, I got the idea to do some personalization, and I had a lot of fun with that, too.

Among the names, I made one special ornament for a very special boy in my life who is currently learning braille. Under his stamped name, I added his name in braille using puff paint. I hope he gets a kick out of it!

These will make fun little gifts, and although I did most of the creating, I have to give credit to my daughter, who very carefully and diligently put the stuffing in each little ornament!

{this year's stocking}

2011-12-07T13:03:00.000-05:00

create.
Remember this post from last year? Well, this year, it's my son's turn.

Both of my children had a special stocking for their first Christmas with the family, but the intention was that I would make them each their own to use for...well, as long as they want to!

I'm pleased with how this one turned out, too. It coordinates with his sister's, and was put together with items I already had on hand (which ties in nicely with my continuing goal to put a dent in my craft hoard.)

And his opinion of it is...well, he did enjoy jingling the bell on the toe. Then he was immediately distracted by free access to his sister's toys while she was in school! Such is the life of a 17 month old.

{christmas outfit}

2011-12-04T14:01:00.000-05:00

create.
Back in October, I found this fabric and fell in love with it. I knew that somehow, my daughter would be sporting a frock made from this come Christmastime, I just wasn't sure which one.

I had also been eyeballing this pattern by Heidi and Finn for quite some time, but hadn't yet found the perfect fabric. (You can see where this is going, can't you?)

Peanut Butter, meet Chocolate. Chocolate, Peanut Butter.

I got to work. The pattern was so easy to follow, and the dress came together quickly. I used some aqua shirting material for the lining, and it's flowy and comfortable.

Perfect for dancing.

I had some odds and ends laying around from a bag of buttons I had purchased years ago. I used two little candy canes to pull up the sides of the dress (where the pattern had pictured bows.)

In that bag, I also had one turquoise/gold button, which to be honest, I never thought I would have use for, but works perfectly with this dress!

I think that my favorite part of this dress, though, is the big bubble skirt! I absolutely love it!

Paired with some white tights and her red patent mary janes, she is one stylin' girl this season! I used some fleece and coordinating fabric to make a pair of pants for her brother, but alas. On this particular day, I was only able to convince one child to cooperate! I'll try to get those added soon!

{felt flower headbands}

2011-12-01T22:54:00.000-05:00

inspired.
There are several tutorials for felt flowers out in the craft blogosphere. I used this tutorial (including the elastic supplier to make these for daughter and friends, but I know that Craftiness Is Not Optional is hosting a whole felt flower week!

Go, be felt-inspired!

{little drummer girl diy}

2011-11-30T16:16:00.000-05:00

create.
My daughter brought home an empty oatmeal container from school last week.

Mommy: "What's that for, Honey?"
Honey: "I don't know."
Mommy: "Did you get it from your teachers for some reason?"
Honey: "I don't know."

(Side note...it's gonna be a LOOOOONG set of school years with answers like this!)

Anyway, fast forward to me finding the accompanying note regarding said container, asking parents to help their children turn it into a drum for their Christmas program. So we did just that.

Easy enough for you to do with your little drummer, too! We used construction paper, glitter glue, jewels, beads, markers...but of course, they sky's the limit with this!

My daughter decorated her paper with markers and glitter glue, and I hot glued it onto her oatmeal can. Then I hot glued on the embellishments at her instruction. (She impressed me with her pattern placements!)

I used a hand held hole punch to make places for her ribbon to go, so she could wear it and drum with both hands.

This project was easy enough, and as she drew and glittered, I played Christmas music on Pandora until, sure enough, The Little Drummer Boy came on. So we talked about the song, sang a little of the song, and just shared our thoughts on Christmas in general. When it was all finished, she gave it a couple of beats before we tucked it back into her book bag, school-bound.

So, like I said, certainly nothing that's earth-shattering and new as far as Christmas fun goes, and yet, doing it with my little girl for the first time, it was new, and it was special.

And I hope these are the sweet moments in time that she will carry for many Christmas' to come.

{thanksgiving images}

2011-11-26T11:01:00.000-05:00

A few to recap our day...
It was quiet, it was just the four of us...
And as I looked around the table at my beautiful family, I couldn't have been more thankful for the gifts in my life.

I hope your day was just as special.

{sparkles}

2011-11-25T09:39:00.003-05:00

Just (finally) ordered some rhinetones for my Silhouette! I'm picturing various sparkling Christmas themed articles of clothing in our near future...!!

{ruffle fabric pants}

2011-11-23T14:29:00.000-05:00

create.

So, my model has been more than a little unwilling to participate in any photo shoots. Especially if they require warm weather clothing (it's been in the 70s here), or interrupt with her play time. All of which, at this point, will.

So I took a quick shot of some easy ruffle pants I made her a couple weeks ago. I had wanted to board the Ruffle Fabric Train awhile go, and had some fabric tucked away since this past May. I finally decided to pull it out. I used a pair of her pants as a guide, and some wide black elastic for the waist. They turned out to be sweet on her (wish you could see!) despite a couple ruffles that got caught "going the wrong way". Plus, they're easy for her to wear on a dressier day, while still giving her the freedom to run and play and be a little girl.

So, tomorrow it's all about turkey and pumpkin pie! I wish you all a beautiful Thanksgiving day. I know I'll be counting all my blessings here!

{time for a photo shoot}

2011-11-17T22:32:00.000-05:00

I've had fun with some PDF patterns, and have grown my daughter's wardrobe by three garments.

Now, it's just gotta get cool enough so that I can photograph her wearing them!

{diy itunes gift card holders}

2011-11-14T12:59:00.001-05:00

create.
Deciding to go with a gift card doesn't mean the wrapping can't still be quirky and fun! Take, for example, these felt holders I put together to get ready for some Christmas gifts:

Simple, quick, and a unique way to present iTunes to your favorite music lover!
All you need for this project are:
*felt
*embroidery thread
*pinking shears (optional)

I traced around a gift card, then cut my felt to size. I eyeballed the face embellishments, and attached/personalized/decorated them using my embroidery thread before sewing the two main pieces together.

(my stitching isn't perfect, but I think that adds to
the uniqueness! At least...that's what I told myself
to keep from pulling out stitches and re-doing. Again.)

Once your done, slip your gift cards inside, and get ready to showcase!

{a one year old princess}

2011-11-13T12:32:00.001-05:00

create.
Just a little onesie pulled together for a little girl's big day! Our sweet friend Miss A. will be celebrating her first birthday with a princess party today, so this is our royal gift...

Though it didn't photograph that well, the applique is in silver. Love that Silhouette!

{diy milk glass pumpkin}

2011-11-09T13:17:00.001-05:00

create.
So as I've said in the past, I am trying hard to use up materials I currently have in the house. It's getting a wee bit crowded in my crafting closet--er, I mean, daughter's closet, so I need to clear out or use up.

Likewise, I took the opportunity this year to pare down my Autumn/Halloween decorations. You know, not putting out the things that no longer speak to me. Such as the glass pumpkin that I've had for years. You know the one...you've had one yourself, or maybe your mom did. And now you can find them anywhere...including thrift stores, where mine was destined to end up.

Until I had a brainstorm, allowing me to both A) Use up some old acrylic paint & B) Repurpose the pumpkin into a decoration that I loved (again).

Enter Milk Glass Pumpkin!

I won't bore you with tutorial details, because googling "milk glass tutorial" will yield you plenty of well done, informational instructions, but I will say that I did use acrylic paint (cream) and a little bit of water with mine, and I am pleased with how it turned out.

Already brainstorming for Christmas milk glass ideas...

{falling leaves tutorial}

2011-11-07T14:37:00.001-05:00

create.
I hail from a land where Autumn strikes quickly...leaves turn a multitude of glorious colors, fall daily to the ground until only those last die hards are left clinging tenaciously to bare branches, spotlights of red and amber.

I currently reside in a land where it is still getting up to 70 degrees, and today a bumblebee successfully spooked my daughter by flying directly in her line of vision. A bee. In November. And the leaves will turn, and be glorious, but it's happening too slowly for me...

...so I took matters into my own hands.

The great thing about this tutorial is that it can be as involved (or uninvolved!) as you'd like!

You will need:
cardstock
felt in your colors of choice
scissors
tracing marker (I used a Sharpie. Very professional.)
Optionals:
embroidery thread
clear thread

First, I used my Silhouette to cut out my leaf patterns on cardstock. The same result could easily be achieved with printing out leaf shapes you find online, too!

Using aforementioned Sharpie (turquoise, btw), I traced several copies of my leaves in two different sizes onto five colors of felt.

As I began to cut, I gave my daughter the cardstock patterns to color, and they will soon adorn our windows!
She finished her coloring as I finished my pile, and suddenly, we had Autumn in our kitchen!!

Now, for all of those optional materials. Because I had two different sizes of leaves cut out, I used embroidery floss to sew two colors together, embellishing with different sized stitches and colors, to give each leaf a chunky, hand sewn look. (this bunch of 9 took me about one and half episodes of Castle to complete!)

Finally, because I wanted them to be "falling", I attached a string of clear thread to each one and hung them from our mantle.

And now, in the middle of 70 degree weather, we have our falling autumn leaves!

(If you do your own variation, I'd love for you to share with me!)

{my other other job}

2011-11-04T10:32:00.000-04:00

My job is to be a mother and a wife. And I love it. And I think I do pretty good work.

My other job is to make our house a home. And I love that, too. It allows me to tap into my crafty side, and I get to share that part of me here.

But my OTHER other job is to keep our family on a healthy budget, so that I can continue to be blessed in my position as a stay at home Mom.

Why do I tell you this? Simply to explain that if I'm off the radar for a day or two (or week), it's probably because I'm researching bargains, cutting coupons, and planning grocery lists (in between breakfasts, school drops, lunches, school pick ups, day to day housework and the like.)

(a sample of the day to day silliness that ensues in
GiffordMommy Land.)

But I'm always brainstorming my next creative move...so please don't forget to drop by once in awhile to check in! You may catch me on the perfect day!

{halloween happiness}

2011-10-22T22:41:00.002-04:00

(image source)

You know how you have all these really great ideas to decorate your home for a holiday?

And you know how you manage to somehow squeeze almost all of them out? And you're so impressed with yourself? And you think you should blog about them? But somehow, you never find time to grab your camera for that one last picture before you head out on a much-needed vacation?

Yeah, me too.

So instead, I leave you all with a Happy Halloween, and a See You In November (which I personally find scarier than Halloween--almost November??!?)

Good luck with your haunting and treats, and I'll be back when we return from the beach!

{costume debut}

2011-10-16T01:01:00.001-04:00

This weekend, Peter Pan and Wendy Darling made their debut at a local Halloween event.

Both were a hit! And Peter even kept his hat on for at least a fourth of the evening! (with some bribing in the form of yogurt drops.)

We are officially Halloween ready!

(If you are interested in any information regarding the details of either of the kids' outfits, let me know! I'll be happy to share!)

{peter pan & wendy tutorial, info}

2011-10-13T16:08:00.000-04:00

"All this has happened before, and it will all happen again. But this time it happened in London. It happened on a quiet street in Bloomsbury. That corner house over there is the home of the Darling family. And Peter Pan chose this particular house because there were people here who believed in him."
create.
The years in which I get full say as to my children's attire are quickly drawing to a close. In my daughter's case, they've long since been at a close, but she is willing to be talked into a certain look here or there.

So, I worked with my daughter to squeeze out at least one more year of coordinating costumes between for her and her brother. (Last year she was Bo Peep, he was the sheep.)

We narrowed it down to Peter Pan and Tink...but a four year old is a four year old, and she changed her mind at the very last minute when she was reminded of Wendy Darling's looooong nightgown. She loves a good, long dancing dress, this girl!

So the fabric was purchased, further mind changes were nixed, and the sewing began.

Wendy Darling

A nightgown. Nice and simple! I researched Wendy's different nightie looks, and settled on a simple peasant style gown. I used this tutorial, lengthening it considerably. My daughter tried it on, and informed me that it still wasn't quite long enough. So I added the ruffle at the bottom, which not only made it longer, but a bit softer, little girl-ish, too.

A few notes: The sash is not sewn onto the gown. I wanted her to be able to use it as a nightgown after Halloween, and I figured that a sash would not be conducive to sleeping. Or safety. So I will tack it on for costume use, tuck it away once it's for nighttime use. In this same vein of thinking, I used a soft flannel material, knowing she would be warm and comfortable sleeping in that. Because it's fairly light, it still drapes nicely when on her.

I still have some details to add...I will be making Wendy's hair bow out of the flannel, and I am debating putting a small button on the front of the gown, although my daughter insists that Wendy does not have a button. At all. Thankyouverymuch. I'll keep you posted as to how that one plays out.

Peter Pan
I think I'm a little bit like Sandra Lee (of Semi-Homemade) when it comes to costumes. I want to make the kids' costumes, but I also want it to be as simple as it can be! For my son's Peter costume, I looked up a few existing tutorials online, then combined all my favorite things about them to get his tunic.

I used fleece, simply because it required a lot less hemming from me. (as in, none!!) To begin, I laid out a shirt that was a bit baggier on him to use as a cutting guide. When I cut around the side, I added an extra inch or so for seam allowance, and at least three inches on the bottom for cutting the triangle pattern. (I know, these measurements are far from precise...but I really think eyeballing it according to your child will work better than exact measurements.)

Okay. Have you noticed that I keep mentioning words in this post like "easy" and "simple"? To that end, I cut half of my tunic, and to make it match up, I folded the fabric to use as a guide on the second side. (Picture below)

Lazy? Yes. Easy? YES. So, once my tunic was cut out, I cut a small vee in the front, and a small collar in the back. (Again, using existing shirt as a guide). Then you pin the sides together...

...and begin to sew! I didn't take any shots of this, because...well, because I was sewing and entertaining the kids. I forgot. I'm sorry. But you've seen beautiful pictures on other blogs of seams much lovelier than what I come up with...so imagine one of those here.

And once your sides are sewn, it's onto the fun part! I cut small triangles out of the arms and bottom (start small, you can always increase the size if you need to!) Hello, Peter!

A few notes: The belt is made using one sheet of felt, which I pieced together, and tied on in the back. However, I may have found a more toddler friendly belt idea...we'll see.

Peter's sword was made using this wonderful tutorial.

I am planning on using her hat tutorial as a guide for mine, too.

So, there you have it. While accessories are still in the works, the majority is finished, which is a great feeling! And timely, as we're beginning our Halloween festivities this weekend!

{wendy darling}

2011-10-13T15:21:00.000-04:00

Truly truly...tutorial and accessories coming!

{the boy who never grew up}

2011-10-12T17:24:00.003-04:00

Just a quick peek at my son's costume...tutorial (and hopefully a hat!) coming soon!

{baby shower invite}

2011-10-09T23:03:00.000-04:00

create.

Remember that new nephew I mentioned a few posts back? Here's a quick peek at the baby shower invitation I made for his Mama.

Since I'm (way) out of state, this was my contribution to the event, which was hosted by my mom and my sister. It sounds like it was a success...and I know my new nephew is!!

Welcome home, Logan! We celebrate you!

{ghost feet art}

2011-10-07T10:15:00.000-04:00

create.
A fast and easy idea for the weekend: create your own ghost art by painting your child's foot white, and having them step onto your pre-painted canvas!
I used acrylic paint and added some extra decorations with stamps and scrapbook paper (and my daughter's suggestions/help!)

"ghosties, ghosties big and small
oh, but how we love them all!"

I pulled this one out this year, and got a little misty looking at how much those two sets of feet have grown in the past year! Cute for the season, and a capture of time for years to come!

{poe pumpkin tutorial}

2011-10-04T22:26:00.000-04:00

create.
A few years ago, my sister and I were flipping through a magazine and saw a gorgeous pumpkin covered in the words of Edgar Allan Poe with a large raven perched on top. I promised my sister I would make one for her...and a few years later, I finally have!

What you'll need to create your own Poe Pumpkin:
*Fake pumpkin (I used white to avoid any orange showing through)
*Favorite lines from "The Raven" typed and printed
*A raven
*decoupage
*glitter
*glue gun

I tore my poem lines into strips, and began to decoupage them on in random order. I actually used a tinted decoupage, to give the finished pumpkin an aged look. I like it, but I think it would look really sharp with regular decoupage, too. Or tea stained paper? Endless ideas!

Once I had finished placing the poem, I sprinkled some fine glitter over the top to give it a little sparkle...but this step could be skipped and still garner great results.

Once everything has dried completely, I used a hot glue gun to attach my "raven" to the top of the pumpkin.

Then display and enjoy! (Or, find a box large enough to ship said Poe Pumpkin to your sister, so she doesn't have to wait yet another three years to actually see her finished pumpkin!)

"Tis some visitor," I muttered, "tapping at my chamber door-Only this, and nothing more." ~EAPoe

{autumn canvas #2}

2011-09-26T15:14:00.001-04:00

create.
So with a little help from The Graphics Fairy, and using the same base painting technique as laid out here, I have created my second piece of autumn art!

Images printed on regular printer paper,
then held in place with decoupage.

And isn't this mercury glass owl just
perfect? I love a good, inexpensive
TJ Maxx find!

This was a nice and easy project to finish. (I'm all about instant gratification in my life right now, as other areas I am left struggling with patience.) And in another couple of days, I'll post an easy and perfectly atmospheric Poe Pumpkin tutorial! After all...it's almost officially the month of Happy Haunting!

{baby legs}

2011-09-15T20:34:00.001-04:00

I have been soaking in some quality family time, so while I have projects on the burner, it's the back one.

"A goat, you say? Hmmm..."

Meanwhile, how much do you love these chubby little baby legs? Makes me wanna scoop him up and hug him to me no matter when I see this picture!

He's growing so quickly...yet he remains my baby boy.

{oliver + s skirt}

2011-09-14T11:20:00.001-04:00

If you get a chance, please hop on over to my friend Angie's blog, daniKate designs. Angie is a very talented seamstress, and recently we did a "talent swap". I found some adorable, vintage-feel fabric and she used one of her oliver + s patterns to whip up a skirt for my girl. In turn, I did some photography to showcase the sweet, personalize burp cloths she makes.

You can check out the skirt details here.

And you can get more information on these great burp cloths through her blog, too...including some gorgeous new fabric options!

Thanks again, Angie!
And thanks to everyone else for stopping in!

{autumn art tutorial}

2011-09-13T21:13:00.002-04:00

create.
This past weekend, as I took stock of my overflowing crafty stash, I challenged myself to use up what I have on hand before purchasing anything new.

(Unless, of course, I absolutely need it to make something specific.)

(Or it's a really really good deal.)

(Or I want it. Really really badly.)

BUT, other than those mitigating circumstances, I am all about using that which I have at hand! I have had a couple sets of canvases staring at me from the corner of my room since, oh, about Easter time, and I decided to put them to use.

You can easily modify this project to meet the needs of what you have on hand, but for this piece, I used:

*one canvas

*two complimenting shades of paint

*paintbrushes

*vinyl

*glitter

I painted over my canvas with two light coats of a metallic gold. Using my Silhouette, I cut an acorn shape from my vinyl, and once the canvas was dry, laid it on top. (You do not need a Silhouette for this, though...a pair of scissors will do, as well!) I then painted over my vinyl with my contrasting color (in this case, brown). While that paint was still wet, I sprinkled a fine layer of glitter over it.

Now, I have to admit, with Lunchtime for Little Ones looming, I was anxious to move this project off the table, and peeled my vinyl off while the top coat was still wet. And while I don't hold that move completely responsible for the bleeding edges, it probably did contribute. (My vinyl didn't stick to the base coat on the canvas as well as I hoped, either.)

So after a few touch ups on the lines of my design, I painted the edges of my canvas in the same shade as the acorn, and then let the whole thing dry.

And there you have it! Instant, inexpensive autumn decor! Hang and enjoy through the season!

So...one canvas down, three more to go!

{summer catch-up post}

2011-09-09T21:09:00.001-04:00

It occurred to me that I never put up any pictures from my son's 1st birthday this past June. We ended up celebrating his sister's "Half Birthday" as well, since she had not had the opportunity for her own family party, what with us living out of state and all.

So, without further ado, a few pictures from our "Birthday and a Half"!

The Birthday Boy in his party-hard outfit!
(Diaper cover and tie onesie Mommy made)

The birthday hat his Mommy made that he left
on his head for at least 30 seconds!

Photo banner from 1 month to 11 months. 1 year photo was
set up as guests walked into the party.

The Half Birthday girl in her matching
pillowcase-dress-styled tunic. Easy
to jump and play in. Instead of two
shoulder ties, just ran ribbon around
to one side, which didn't bother her the
way two shoulder ties do.

{nui organics inspired dress}

2011-09-08T09:05:00.003-04:00

Today, I am excited to be linking up to:

The theme this week is "Knock-Offs", and in that spirit, I will be re-posting my Nui Organics inspired dress.

Using this picture as inspiration,

I came up with this for my daughter:

If it hadn't been 90+ degrees out, we
would have modeled with cute leggings
and an undershirt!

Overall, it is a versatile and adorable addition to her wardrobe -- and I really love the fact that my price tag for this project was under $3!! (Knit remnant and materials already on hand) versus the $40ish price tag on the dress above!

(She looks so cute in it, too!)

For more information, including simple instructions for making your own, please click here for my original post.

Thank you so much for stopping by today...feel free to browse my older posts to see if there's something that inspires you!

{things}

2011-09-01T22:34:00.001-04:00

Things to Do:

*Begin the Halloween costumes

*Make photo session pieces

*Figure out (then implement) the Boy's Christmas stocking design

*Plump the kids' Autumn wardrobes with homemade pieces

What I Have Done:

*Sewn a NICU-friendly smock for my new nephew, who was born 11 weeks early (but who is amazing and strong and progressing!)

My 2nd list trumps!

{fabric kindle cases}

2011-08-23T22:10:00.004-04:00

*While I have company in town, I'll be posting a couple projects that I completed before I began this blog. (Yup. You read that right. Completed before I began.) Anyway, I may not be able to link directly to the exact tutorials I used at that time, but will do my best to point in the right direction!*

Within days of purchasing our first Kindles, one of us (MyHusband) managed to both drop and get baby spit up on his. It was quickly evident that our need for protective coverings was necessary!

I found this tutorial online, and quickly put these together:
*update: this link no longer seems to be working

Soft flannel lining

Pockets on the flip side for storing odds and ends

They've worked nicely, and I have since made one as a gift, too. Easy and effective...my kind of project!

{car seat cover}

2011-08-22T08:34:00.001-04:00

As far as tutorials go, googling is your best route...you're sure to hit on many tutes and ideas!

{upcycled sweater dress}

2011-08-20T23:15:00.000-04:00

It's certainly not cool enough to be pulling out winter clothing quite yet, but the beginning of school always seems to signify the preparation of a warmer wardrobe. So in that spirit, I give you my version of the Upcycled Sweater Dress!

There are several tutorials out in the blogosphere for completing one of these...my advice is to pick one that works with your style, and go for it! I did mine without a serger, and was even able to use leftover material to add a cute headband to the outfit.

So sift through those old sweaters and start sewing!

{gathered peasant dress}

2011-08-19T23:19:00.002-04:00

Recently, I had the privilege of meeting (via email) a fellow online blogger, Georgine of Life on James Street. Not only is she talented and willing to share helpful tips, she is amusing, too! With a couple of nudges and a lot of encouragement from her, I decided to tackle another knit project.

(knit intimidates me.)

My inspiration was this image:

and this peasant blouse tutorial.

The result is this:

(two skinned knees. what a day.)

Obviously, this is a garment she'll wear with some kind of leg covering. And while I like the overall turnout of the tunic, because I utilized materials on hand, I'm not too pleased with the elastic size. I'll enjoy letting her get good use out of this, but it's also something I'll be tempted to retry with some tweaking in the future.

But I tackled knit (thank you, Georgine!) and feel that much more confident for it.

{large scale silhouette design}

2011-08-19T09:31:00.000-04:00

My first attempt at piecing together a Silhouette design to utilize a larger space.

It reads "Always & Forever" (I know the blue doesn't show up that well on the picture). It looks so nice, though, in person. And I love that I can decorate the walls in a place we rent without using a hammer and nails!

{back-to-school days shirt}

2011-08-18T19:17:00.001-04:00

inspired.
My 'big girl' started preschool again this week. (Where has the summer gone?) I miss seeing her explore and discover the world around her all day long, but I celebrate the independence she has in a safe place to spread her wings. It also gives me some one-on-one with the baby boy, too.

To bookmark the start of her big day, I used this quick tutorial and my silhouette to pull together an easy, comfortable shirt for her. That, her new "pack pack" and her Twinkle Toe shoes (*sigh*) and she was ready to go!

It's a big wide world.

{decoupage stepping stool}

2011-08-16T09:40:00.002-04:00

create.
Just a peek at a project I did while waiting for my first child...I knew enough to use lots of pinks and purples!

I used an unassembled step stool from Ikea, then used randomly torn scrapbook pages and decoupaged them all over the stool. Once it was dried, I assembled the stool, and then waited anxiously for the little feet that were going to be using it!

And as you can see, it does get used!

{personalized toddler tee}

2011-08-14T20:59:00.002-04:00

create.

This is another Silhouette based project. I can't help myself! I've had this idea brewing for awhile, and finally had the right color combos to pull it together. I was really excited to put a couple of heat transfer colors into one image! (I know, I know...old news for most, but new for me!)

I wanted to jazz up the front pocket a bit, too.

One more shot of the back...hard to get because he was
MOVING AROUND SO MUCH!

The Boy is a Good Boy, but he is a toddler, and is on the go, so I find this shirt quite appropriate!

{beach robe pattern from MADE}

2011-08-11T00:02:00.001-04:00

*All opinions in the following post are mine. I purchased and used this pattern simply because I wanted to. Just thought you'd like to know.*

inspired.

One of the blogs I frequent the most is MADE. I am constantly inspired (and, to be honest, intimidated) by the wealth of creativity to be found there. I have tried my hand at some tutorials in the past (check out the second image in this post), and I have found them well documented and easy to follow -- with heart! (Several others are currently residing in my mental "to do" list.)

When I found out that Dana from MADE had posted a beach robe pattern for sale, I decided the timing was right for me to give it a shot.

And here is the result:

I found the pattern very detailed, illustrated nicely, and easy to follow. The options for personalizing the robe were numerous, too, which makes it fun! And my little Bluebird has used her robe A. LOT. since I've finished it. Beach? Yes. Pool? Yes. Bath? Yes. She will actually whine a little if it's not available, due to laundering.

I have some more, girlier terry cloth in the wings to make a second one, and perhaps I'll pull one together for the Boy, too. (But honestly? Right now I just love to wrap him a towel and snuggle his little babyness to me for the 3 minutes he'll allow it. In fact, it would take more time to put him INTO a robe than it would for him to air dry. Those busy, busy toddlers!)

Back on track, though. I'm glad I went for it with this pattern. It was a solid purchase that I feel sure will serve me well for quite a few years to come.

{banana muffins for baby}

2011-06-21T22:55:00.002-04:00

(and Daddy, and Mommy, and Big Sister, too!)

Updating nail care has jumped to the top of my to-do list
after seeing those little fingers in pictures!

While researching an egg-free recipe for my son (whose pediatrician has requested we hold off on all eggs until he is at least one), I found a quick and simple recipe for applesauce muffins, with different egg substitute options. I used banana as our egg substitute, and the results were met with great success!

By us, at least. My son? Not as much. I think it's a texture thing. Oh well...we'll keep at it, and when he finally does let it sit on his tongue for more than a nano-second, I'm sure he'll love them, too!

Baby's Own Banana Muffins - Adapted Recipe

1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 large banana, mashed
3 oz applesauce
1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/8 tsp cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 390 degrees
Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl until light.
Beat in the banana.
Beat in the applesauce.
Stir the dry ingredients together and add them to the bowl, blending just enough to moisten the dry ingredients.Spoon into greased muffin tins and bake for around 18 mins, until golden.

Yield-about 9 muffins

We (three of us, at least) love these muffins, and I plan on making a batch of minis to take on the road with us as a healthier snack option in between meals.

To check out this original recipe (and others), you can find it here.

{fourth of july - toddler tee}

2011-06-20T00:08:00.001-04:00

create.
Last year, when my son was just mere weeks old, I happened upon a toddler-size white tee clearance sale at one of my favorite stores! (read: Target) So, even though my itty bitty boy wearing a size 12 months seemed light years away, I grabbed a handful of white shirts in various sizes, knowing they'd come in handy someday down the road...

...and now we're here. The Fourth of July is rapidly approaching, and last year, I made my son his first 4th of July onesie. He was four days old. So this year, I wanted to cement the tradition by making him another one...size twelve months. It seems like my daughter has so many choices in patriotic wear, with shirts and dresses that are tasteful and not over the top with graphics. I wanted something similar for my son, so this is what I came up with:

I removed the pocket from the tee, and took some of my jersey knit scraps to sew on a simple flag design.

When I washed the shirt, the edges of the flag curled up, just as planned, giving it a rough, vintage look. I love it, he'll look adorable in it, and the tradition continues!

{we love minnesota}

2011-06-14T22:54:00.000-04:00

"Home" is where ever we are together as a family. But home home-the place we hail from, the place all of our extended families live, and the place we will someday return to-is Minnesota.

So in the meantime, said families help pass the time by finding ways to visit us, and we in turn try to get up there as much as we can. Last year, what with having a new baby and all, we only made it up for Christmas. But this year, we're eagerly preparing to road trip it up for our son's first birthday! (and as much time on the Mississippi river as we can squeeze in!)

In preparation, I used a popular Silhouette idea to create matching tees for the babes, so that they can share with the world their Minnesota-love! Our hearts encompass pretty much all of Southeast Minnesota...and we can't wait to get home!

{getting ready for a year:part ii}

2011-06-07T00:21:00.000-04:00

A glimpse at The Boy's 1st birthday ensemble.

I used this tutorial to make his birthday tie...

and this tutorial to make a diaper cover:

A couple steps closer to being ready for those photo ops!

{getting ready for a year}

2011-05-29T22:20:00.000-04:00

I could easily turn this whole post into a novella on my feelings regarding my baby turning one in a month. (In a word-- already??)

But I'll refrain for now, and stick to the crafting side of his impending birthday.

The upside of the milestone is that we get to plan a party..and I'm having fun getting ready!

We are going with a Dr. Seuss theme...it's whimsical, sweet, and lends itself to lots of party potential.

To decorate, we're trying to keep it simple and "made with love"...so in that spirit, I've used this post to create some extra-fancy streamers! Easy, fun, adorable!

As the month progresses, look for me to post more of his party paraphernalia, and the tutorials I've used to create them.

{the best laid plans}

2011-05-26T23:01:00.000-04:00

The kids were in bed early tonight. I was certain I'd have time to sit down, craft, update the blog, and more!

Then I heard that tell-tale squeak over the monitor.

I think you can guess how the night ended up.
(If you guessed me standing in the hallway between two bedroom doors with two crying children while the husband tried to catch a nap before his night shift...well then, you are correct!)

{mini maxi dress}

2011-05-16T20:09:00.001-04:00

Summer is a time for breezy, easy to wear dresses! It's also time to sort through those summer clothes, and see which adorable items your child has too quickly outgrown!

This year, we lost three beautiful tank tops (but gained about as many inches in height!) I decided to hang on to them, knowing that I would want to repurpose them in some way for the summer.

My Mother's Day present this year (and bear with me, this does all tie together) was an out-of-town trip to our nearest Hobby Lobby so that I could pick out fabric and other HL goodies. While there, my little mimic picked out some fabric that she loved, and I began to formulate an idea...

Using one of her now-too-short tank tops, and just under a yard of her jersey knit fabric, I pulled together a very easy, very fast mini maxi dress. And because I wanted it to stay easy and fast, I didn't even hem it!

I love that we were able to get at least one more summer out of her cute tank, and she loves her new "dancing dress"

...so it's a win-win! (I love those moments!)

{in between the busy}

2011-05-15T17:49:00.001-04:00

I have been doing a project here or there, even if I haven't been up on posting!

I made a skirt/matching shirt for my cousin's beautiful daughter, but can't find the picture. Grr.

I made some onesies for my impending niece/nephew, but can't post pics lest I ruin the surprise.

I did make a shirt for my friend's son's birthday, based on my previous lego shirt. I used green this time, and I think it's really sharp looking!

I did also find a wonderful link online that let me print out some cute bookplates for an end-of-year teacher's gift. I used my silhouette (of course) to create some cute packaging and complete the look.

I hope to find some more time now that summer approaches to do some more creative work...especially sewing. Fingers crossed!

{small contest: take one} CLOSED

2011-04-06T00:02:00.002-04:00

Okay.
I'm going to give this a shot, because:
A) I really would like some great ideas
and
B) I really would like to thank you for taking the time to indulge me!

So here's what's going on. I have this gorgeous antique sugar mould that I want to display in my house

...but my creative well regarding said mould has run dry. It's got these great little cone shapes that I've used to put the following in:

Easter eggs
flowers
candles
votives
But I refuse to believe that's all it can be used for!

Enter: you! Can you help me out? Can you throw me an idea (or two) on how to utilize this piece of decor? If I chose your idea as the most unique/intriguing, I'll send a little thank you your way in the form of an elastic headband (similar to the ones the Bluebird has been modeling on this page!)

**Please leave all suggestions by Monday, April 11.

Thanks again!

{legos and dinos: t-shirts}

2011-04-05T17:37:00.000-04:00

Birthdays and boys. That's what we've got going on around here! It's a fun change of pace to pull together something a tad less frilly/ruffly/pink for a gift! And with t-shirt weather either approaching or upon us (depending on your part of the planet), I've enjoyed pulling together a couple of shirts to reflect the young men they will be gifted to!

The kids and I went shopping, and I let my trend-setting color team (read: my Bluebird) pick out a couple of tees for the boys (turns out orange is in this season!), and then we put them on the company's charge card (read: Mommy's) and headed home to pull things together!

First up: my nephew--and beautiful godson--is into legos. (So we hear. We still live way too far away to know that first hand :-(
So I came up with the following for him:

And to add a little something extra, the back looks like...

This, along with a subscription to the Lego magazine, will hopefully be a birthday hit!

And then, for my daughter's "best friend" (you can never have too many!), who will be turning 4 this weekend, I put together this shirt:

His party is dinosaur-themed, so it seemed appropriate!! And once again, to add that extra touch, the lower back of the shirt is:

Fun to make...hopefully just as fun to receive!

{simple spring banner}

2011-03-29T10:50:00.000-04:00

Using some pretty scrapbook paper and some inexpensive ribbon, I strung together this banner to welcome in the warmer weather!

Next up to work on: a fresh, spring mantle!

{let's hear it for the boys contest entry}

2011-03-25T09:46:00.004-04:00

create.
Throughout Blogland this past month, boys have been celebrated with crafts, gear and tutorials aimed specifically at them!

In this spirit, I Am Momma-Hear Me Roar is hosting a boy's shirt contest! All entries are linked up through her website, with voting by other blog authors to follow.

I wasn't sure I would enter, as I know there is going to be some mad talent coming out, but I just love this little onesie I whipped up for Luke so very much, that I had to at least put it out there!

I'm not sure it will go any further, but it makes *me* smile every time I see it. (And then I get the song stuck in my head for the rest of the day...)

At any rate, let's hear it for the boys!

{extra easy easter plate tutorial}

2011-03-25T06:04:00.003-04:00

create.
It's Spring! Although it's a month off yet, I'm ready to start welcoming Easter in, and anxious to add those pops of color to our home!

I was inspired to get started by a simple yellow plate at Target (which had the added benefit of the simple red clearance tag!) At forty-eight cents, I couldn't pass up the muse!

While I made this project using my Silhouette (of course), it would be a simple project to do with a little extra tracing and some scissors, too.

To get started, I simply needed my plate, and some vinyl. I chose a simple bunny shape and one "Spring" type word to fill the space. After the shapes were cut out, I simply adhered them to the plate, and voila!

extra extra easy Easter!

The best thing about this is, you can reposition your image as often as you deem necessary to achieve the look you desire (and I did).

So bring on the color!

{food for the boy}

2011-03-24T10:39:00.003-04:00

inspire.
So for Christmas, I received a food processor! My ultimate goal was to be able to make my own baby food for my son, and I've finally gotten around to doing so!

I did some research, and checked out some cookbooks, and the one below is the one I decided to go with. I thought it could serve me well into his toddler years. The recipes are quick and simple (which I like) and the authors are very down-to-earth (which I like). For me, this was the perfect book to get started with.

So far, I've made my boy his own food using carrots, mangoes, plums, peaches and apples. I have, on stand-by, peas, edamame, green beans, and an peach/strawberry/banana mix. After I've frozen them in the ice cube trays, I've been using my Seal-A-Meal to store them for future use.

My boy has happily eaten everything, and even his sister got in on the fun, with a peach "Popsicle" right out of the freezer (after she repeatedly assured me that she normally doesn't eat baby food, and I repeatedly assured her that it wasn't "baby" food, it was peach in a different form). It's less time-consuming than I thought, and these recipes are a good start for me to build on!

*this is a personal review. I am in no way affiliated with
the authors or publishers of this book.

{gifts}

2011-03-21T19:49:00.000-04:00

A couple more projects to honor a couple birthdays!

{inexpensive headbands}

2011-03-07T10:00:00.001-05:00

create.
With a few Dollar Store headbands, some felt and other embellishments, it's easy to dress up any look!

{silhouette...yes, more}

2011-03-05T22:50:00.001-05:00

create.
I love it.
I love it I love it I love it.
So I play with it whenever I can!
Have a look:

For the hair necessities!

Pretty gifts for little friends.

Getting ready for our trip to Disney World!

See below for the inspiration!

Seriously, so much fun! I'm sure the Silhouette will dominate my world for awhile...

(Click here for more information on the final shirt pictured!)

{vinyl madness}

2011-02-17T20:11:00.001-05:00

create.
After the kids are in bed, here is what I've been doing with my time (and my new Silhouette!)

Fun fun fun! So many ideas, so little vinyl! Can't wait to get my other supplies, and get cracking on my other projects!

{silhouette}

2011-02-16T22:21:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to me! I'm still singing it days later, as my amazing husband surprised me with my new Silhouette SD!

I'm having fun with vinyl as I type this, and will hopefully have some Silhouette-inspired projects to show off soon!

{tinkerbell cupcakes}

2011-01-30T11:13:00.000-05:00

If it's not one, it'll be the other one. It's been a busy couple of weeks of wiping noses, soothing sore ears, covering coughs...etc.

In the meantime, however, we've also been in Birthday Mode! My little girl had her first preschool birthday celebration this year, so I wanted it to be extra special for her! With her input, I pulled together these cupcakes:

They turned out pretty cute, and were well received! I used this recipe for the Disney website.

I'm looking forward to the family celebration-Daddy's making that cake!

{lull}

2011-01-21T22:19:00.001-05:00

I have plenty of ideas, plenty of creative goals, but not as much drive right now. We're kind of doing tax housekeeping around here, and loving on a sick little girl.

I'm hoping that I'll be able to get into "go-mode" again soon here!

{misha lulu inspired dress}

2011-01-11T14:30:00.001-05:00

create.
I have to admit-I am pretty proud of this dress. It is the first time I've taken and created my very own pattern, and sewn from that.
I got the idea when I ran across this Misha Lulu dress online. I loved the idea with the style and contrasting fabric (but I didn't really love the fabric they had used...or the price!)
So, using an existing dress as a guide, and a little trial and error, I created my own pattern, and this dress.

I'm hoping to engage my little model for a photo shoot at some time. This dress will for sure be featured in her upcoming birthday photos!

{coffee filter winter wreath}

2011-01-08T12:41:00.002-05:00

inspired.
There are many tutorials out in the crafter world for a coffee wreath tutorial. It's an easy, inexpensive project that has limitless potential.

So I won't bore you with an already-done tutorial, rather show you the wreath I put one together for the next couple of winter months. I used a heart shape so that I can easily add some additional Valentine detailing to it a little closer to February. Until then, I will use it as is.

I will, however, add the following suggestion: watching a couple episodes of Imagination Movers with your daughter while hot-gluing the filters on will help speed up the process!

{family memory jar tutorial}

2011-01-02T16:37:00.001-05:00

create.
Happy New Year! It's been crazy around here, getting back from our wonderful-but whirlwind-Christmas vacay.

(I may or may not be still unpacking. You guess.)

Anyway...I'm a little slow on the crafting side right now. But lately, as my boy delves more and more into solid foods, I'm looking at those empty glass baby jars, and thinking "Hmmmm...."

So, using one of those empty jars, here's a quick and easy tutorial to wrap up family favorite memories from 2010!

First of all, gather your supplies. I used a baby food jar (although, any jar or container will do), stickers/rub-on phrases, scrap paper, and mod podge.

I simply traced the lid onto my scrap paper, cut out that circle, and mod podged it to the top of the lid. I also laid a strip of paper around the inside of the jar to add color. On the outside of the jar, I used my rub-on phrases* and stickers to label it as our 2010 family memory jar.

*Please note: using rub-ons on a circular jar while holding an eighteen pound baby does not always yield professional results.

Then I gathered the top three memories* from 2010 from each of our family. Once I typed it out, I cut each person's into it's own strip.

*Please note: an almost-four-year-old will most likely pick three memories that have occurred within the last three minutes, and may need a little prod to dig deeper.

I rolled each strip up, and tucked it into our jar. Add the lid, wrap with a ribbon, and voila! Instant time capsule! My family will continue to add a new jar every year, and it will be fun to pull this one out next year, and see what a year has done!

So 2011, let the memory-making begin!

{a long winter's nap}

2010-12-20T14:00:00.000-05:00

I am out of time.

Packing, children, and general get-ready-to-fly-home-for-Christmas chaos is ruling my world right now.

And it's crazy, and it's madness, and it's magic!

So while I certainly won't be napping, I will be off the radar. If you've quietly been following me, I wish you a Merry Christmas!

I leave you with visions of sugarplums to dance through your heads!

{christmas can-do, too}

2010-12-12T15:47:00.000-05:00

The Christmas crafting continues. Just when I think I'm getting to the bottom of my list, I'll remember I'd like to give something to the teachers...or, I'll be perusing the internet, and run across another fun, cute tutorial! What I really need to do is to stay off my favorite websites altogether, until I'm all done with what's on my crafting plate.

(and pack.)

((and clean.))

Anyway...I have been able to put together some more quick, easy, and cute projects using some great tutorials! Check them out...you could easily do this, too!

First of all, those teacher gifts. Using these quick directions from "made", I put together a couple sets of notecards for my little girl's preschool teachers. A set of five, tied with a little bow, and topped with a mini cookie cutter, which my bluebird helped me paint with craft glue, and shake it up in a bag of glitter. Cute. And just as important: fast and simple!

I've been making messenger bags/purses for my nieces this year. For the younger girls, I used this tutorial from Diary of a Quilter. My daughter had fun helping me pick out the fat quarters, and it was great to get two bags out of each quarter!

Each bag will have little trinkets stuffed inside upon Christmas delivery, such as these:

or these:

And, of course, I didn't forget my nephews! In keeping with my messenger bag theme, I was so happy to stumble across this tutorial from Ambrosia Girl. I love how she described this as a Semi-Homemade craft, similar to Sandra Lee's Semi-Homemade Cooking! The bags were a great price, and the fabric painting was fun!

Finally, I had to use the fleece hat tutorial one more time for one last boy's gift.

And the crafting will continue! I'm all about personal homemade gifts this year.

And I'm really all about easy-to-pack gifts!

(If you give these a shot, don't forget to show me what you've got!)

{christmas can-do}

2010-12-07T15:37:00.003-05:00

I've been busy putting together gifts for the family--we leave for our Christmas vacation in 2 weeks.

(deep breath, fight panic here)

Anyway, I can't post too many of the gifts I'm creating, because the few readers I do have I want to remain surprised! (Hi, Mom!)

But in between gift crafting and making lists of to-do, I've pulled together a couple cute, easy projects for our family. With these great tutorials, you can easily do them, too!!

First of all, I used this tutorial from Ruffles and Stuff to make my girl an adorable, winter season dress. Take a look:

It was a bit warmer out when we snapped
these shots!

I repurposed some old leggings that no longer fit for her scarf. I love how it wraps around the back and shoulders! So cute!

"No, honey, you can't eat the berries."

I was inspired by many tutorials out there to make a new Christmas wreath for our home. Especially after discovering that ours was somehow misplaced in our move earlier this year. So, after gathering tips here and there, I purchased a wire wreath frame, some ornaments and flowers from the Dollar Tree, got out my hot glue gun, and put together this:

I love the neutral colors. I hope it keeps
this wreath elegant and classic.

There is no organization to ornament or
flower placement. Just scatter about at will!

Finally, using this tutorial by Made by Rae, I used some fleece remnants on hand to whip up a new winter hat for our bluebird. I hear it's cold where we're headed, so I'm thinking an extra hat will come in handy! (Plus, it matches her new snow coat...so there's that, too!)

I love the flower detailing. This hat is
so feminine...perfect for my girl!

Petals! Brilliant!

So, there you have it! If this inspires you to create your own variations, I'd love to see them!

{stockings were hung -part two}

2010-12-02T13:15:00.002-05:00

create.

Here it is! My daughter's finished stocking, as well as a brief review of how I went about constructing it.

Grace's stocking is based on my childhood stocking, which my mother made for me. I love it, still hang it...I never want a new one. I'm kinda nostalgic like that!

the charm of this stocking is rivaled only
by the charm of the stockings she also
made for my brother and sister

So when I set about making one for my own daughter, I knew I wanted to use mine as the pattern. So I traced my stocking onto white felt, using those two pieces as the stocking base. I kept the color palate simple and bright: reds, pinks, blues.

I cut out my trees using two different basic shape patterns, but freehanded all of them, so that they wouldn't be totally uniform. Then I attached them with a simple embroidery stitch using contrasting floss colors. Button tree toppers in two different sizes and blue ric rac up the sides added a simple touch while also mimicking my stocking.

Finally, I used chalk to trace out her name and to act as a guide as I embroidered her name on the top piece. I used a blanket stitch to hold the nameplate in place top and bottom, again in the contrasting thread color.

A bell on the toe, and it's ready to go!

I hope this simple stocking will come to be something she still treasures from her mom...even 33 years down the road!

{stockings were hung - part one}

2010-11-30T00:56:00.002-05:00

create.
I finished my daughter's stocking tonight! Pics - and a very simple tutorial - to follow once I get my house (or at least my fireplace) decorated!

{shutterfly + my photos = merry & bright}

2010-11-30T00:36:00.000-05:00

I. Love. Christmas.

I love the decorating, the baking, the music, the goodwill...and the Christmas cards! There is nothing better than opening up your mailbox to find a hand-written envelope with a colorful stamp peeking out in between the catalogs and the bills that those catalogs lead to...

And I love being a part of the fun mail movement! Especially now that we have two charming models under the age of four that photograph exceptionally well (if I do say so myself!)

Now that's officially the Christmas season, I get the pleasure of planning out our family Christmas card. There is so much joy for me in creating our holiday greetings. I dream and scheme long and hard (some may say obsessively!) over the perfect layout for our photo cards. Once the I've finally found the look, and I've placed the order, I can hardly wait to get the hard copies in my hands!

Thanks to Shutterfly, I don't have to wait long-they keep me up to date as they process my order (ideal for someone like me, who is in a constant struggle to achieve patience!) and promptly ship my order to me as soon as it's ready.

And oh, their photo card layout choices! There are 803 options. EIGHT HUNDRED AND THREE. When I first began to plan our card, I was downright giddy with choices! (That's right...giddy.)

First of all, I am in love with the modern design options, including (but certainly not limited to!) these:

it seems that I am really digging the monogram look

I also love the whimsical choices, such as:

I kinda want to recreate the baby bath scene with my son...

and, of course, there is always such elegance in a classic look:

timeless

Honestly. I can't even begin to narrow down my favorites. Check them out for yourself by clicking here...you'll have the same problem, I promise! Eight hundred and three choices!

While I'm at it, I'm thinking I'll order some thank you cards, too. I love being proactive, and I love that I can also personalize these with the kids' pictures.

who doesn't love knowing how much the thought that went into the gift meant to you?

And not to ruin the surprise, but I've already got a couple of personalized calendars under my belt, too! I created these last year for my family, and they have been requested (demanded) again for the upcoming year! This year, Shutterfly has added the option to personalize dates with an event and a photo--such a simple touch, but it makes it that much more meaningful!

I'd love to show you the one I'm working on, but my mother reads this blog,
and I want there to be some element of surprise to her Christmas present!

Honestly, I'm so excited about Shutterfly's holiday options...from cards to gifts, the choices are many!

And there's nothing as special as personalizing your life.

{j. crew inspired girl's dress}

2010-11-27T20:38:00.003-05:00

Isn't her hat also darling?? My talented cousin knit it!

inspired.
Not so long ago, while online window shopping, I ran across a cute girl's dress at J. Crew. I simultaneously thought "How simply sweet!" and "I bet I could do that!"

Now, I in no way consider myself an expert sewer. I have a basic machine, not a serger. I have (too) many moments where my machine and I exchange words of mutual dislike.

I am, however, good at following directions. (Oldest child syndrome!) So when I find a tutorial that's well done, I will very confidently use it.

So J. Crew dress online (which has since sold out, so I can't link to it) + easy peasant blouse tutorial from indietutes = homemade J. Crew inspired girl's dress!

I used a remnant of jersey material that I picked up at Hancock's for a steal! Because I wanted her to get a lot of use from the dress, it's short sleeved (easy to layer for cooler days, cool enough for warmer days.)

Like I said, I'm far from expert, but I will say that when a project comes together, my simple sewing machine and I are the best of friends! And I consider this a success...but to be fair, my daughter looks adorable in anything (says the non-biased mama.)

{autumn paper pumpkins}

2010-11-02T23:36:00.000-04:00

inspired.

I had seen a couple of different blogs post tutorials for creating these simple and sweet paper pumpkins. Most recently, I was inspired by this post.

I thought these would be perfect Halloween tokens for my Bluebird to give to her preschool teachers...and, they were easy enough for her to put together (with limited help from Mommy!)

With the right paper choices, you could easily create an autumn paper pumpkin harvest!

{begin}

2010-11-02T23:18:00.000-04:00

create
cre·ate: tr.v. cre·at·ed, cre·at·ing, cre·ates

1. To cause to exist; bring into being.

2. To give rise to; produce:

3. To invest with an office or title; appoint.

4. To produce through artistic or imaginative effort

This blog begins as an outlet for me to post my creative efforts, based on the many inspirations I find throughout any given day. Perhaps I will get some feedback on these crafts. Perhaps I will meet some other crafty blogging buddies. Perhaps I will be the only one who visits this site.

Any of the above is fine.

I hope that, if anything, I will inspire just one person along the way. Even if it's simply myself!

bluebird & the boy

{we interrupt this parade}

{parade of pants: rae's big butt baby pants}

{parade of pants: simple fleece toddler pants}

{all about the mustache: toddler tee and pants}

{mini boden inspired shirt}

{sick}

{checking in}

{valentine's embroidery by imagine gnats}

{over the rainbow kind of (birth)day}

{change of pace}

{birthday skirt turned play skirt}

{leah tunic sew along}

{be prepared...}

{sewing for boys: treasure pocket pants}

{over the rainbow party: invitation}

{lucky us}

{gap kids inspired batman jeans}

{over the rainbow party: cupcake toppers}

{abbey jacket}

{a merry christmas to all}

{pants}

{last minute gift - in a jar}

{christmas countdown - and some santa pants}

{felt stamped ornaments}

{this year's stocking}

{christmas outfit}

{felt flower headbands}

{little drummer girl diy}

{thanksgiving images}

{sparkles}

{ruffle fabric pants}

{time for a photo shoot}

{diy itunes gift card holders}

{a one year old princess}

{diy milk glass pumpkin}

{falling leaves tutorial}

{my other other job}

{halloween happiness}

{costume debut}

{peter pan & wendy tutorial, info}

{wendy darling}

{the boy who never grew up}

{baby shower invite}

{ghost feet art}

{poe pumpkin tutorial}

{autumn canvas #2}

{baby legs}

{oliver + s skirt}

{autumn art tutorial}

{summer catch-up post}

{nui organics inspired dress}

{things}

{fabric kindle cases}

{car seat cover}

{upcycled sweater dress}

{gathered peasant dress}

{large scale silhouette design}

{back-to-school days shirt}

{decoupage stepping stool}

{personalized toddler tee}

{beach robe pattern from MADE}

{banana muffins for baby}

{fourth of july - toddler tee}

{we love minnesota}

{getting ready for a year:part ii}

{getting ready for a year}

{the best laid plans}

{mini maxi dress}

{in between the busy}

{small contest: take one} CLOSED

{legos and dinos: t-shirts}

{simple spring banner}

{*let's hear it for the boys* contest entry}

{extra easy easter plate tutorial}

{food for the boy}

{gifts}

{inexpensive headbands}

{silhouette...yes, more}

{vinyl madness}

{let's hear it for the boys contest entry}