Sister's Birthday Gift

My sister's birthday is January 12th...which also happened to be her baby girl's birthday now. Two of my favorite people in the world now share the same birthday!! How neat is that?

If you are new reading my blog my personal goal for 2010 is to make all my gifts homemade. Back in early January I had posted this picture to tease my sister to see if she could figure out what I had made. Any guesses?

Last weekend I was able to give my sister her gift. A new "sexy" apron. Being a Domestic Diva can be fashionable...

I really like the back!

This pattern is from McCalls 5997.

I also gave her this cookbooks called "The One-Armed Cook"

Sister- Welcome to Motherhood and being a Stay at Home Mommy!! Enjoy!

This is the last of the January Gifts...for the first month of my challenge I have accomplished all of my goals. Wow, that feels good! Go here to check out all of the gift I have made in January!

Valentine's Day Recycled Crayons

Does your crayon box look like this? Way to many broken crayons!! I was about ready to throw all these broken crayons (since we got new ones for Christmas) but I thought...

What if I make VALENTINE'S CRAYONS?




My daughter and I sorted all of the crayons by color family. (I suggest sorting, I have seen some posts were people don't and they don't look too pretty)




I should be honest about right now! The only silicon pan I own is heart shaped, therefore this became a Valentine's Project, but any shape can work.


Mom or dad, place crayons in a 200 degree oven for approximately 20 min. Here is what they look like coming out of the oven.





Wait until they are completely cooled before you pop them out. This is the underside of the heart crayons.

My daughter drawing with them for the first time! She loves them!!

Kid tested, mother approved!! All for zero dollars!

Today I am participating in Lori's Get your Craft on Thursday. I should also add that I won her giveaway... so she is my new BFF Blogger Friend!!

Restyled Boy's Romper

At Christmas time I made my son and my daughter matching outfits. I was so proud of their outfits. I loved my son's romper particularly because I made the pattern from an outfit my husband use to wear (as a child) that his grandmother made.

Here is my son in his Christmas Outfit. BTW- He is the "Worker Man"


To give this romper some more life in the late winter early spring, I changed up the pocket and added a new applique. The dinosaur was on printed cotton that I added interfacing too and cut out.

To show you that I don't always get it right....I started off with black thread. SCARY!! Looks like an aardvark. Not a good combination.

Awww...much better! Now my son's Christmas outfit will be worn until the spring!! I think adding an applique to a pocket that can be changed out is a Great Money Saving Idea!!

On a side note: Why is it that I try so darn hard to save money and my children proceed to always flush money down the toilet???

Pottery Barn Inspired Heart

Last week I got the Pottery Barn Email and the first thing I saw were these incredibly cute hearts. So cute…$29.00 for Heart Garland…not so cute…


Being the cheap mommy I am, I went digging through my scrapbook material to make my own. Cut out 4 hearts all the same size.



Paste 1 half side to another to make this shape. Then I borrowed my daughter's sewing needle to string thread/ribbon through.


My heart hanging over my breakfast table that cost ZERO dollars and inspired by Pottery Barn. So cute! If I had more scrapbook material I would of made lots more.

Today I am participating in Skip to My Lou's

The Girl Creative...Something I Whipped Up Monday!

Also, I wanted to share my Valentine's Wreath inspired by Cindy at Skip to my Lou. Great instructions here. Instead of burlap I used Painters Drop Cloth. Thanks for the inspiration!! Cost me zero dollars!!

Feeling the L-O-V-E Pillow

I am feeling the LOVE!! This year I am especially excited about Valentine's Day. And Why not!?! I have an awesome husband, 2 wonderful kids and lots of family and friends who love me. Why not be excited! Normally I do not decorate for Valentine's Day (because I am still on a Christmas Decorating Hangover) but this year is different!!

I do not have any money in the budget to buy Valentine's decoration so I have to be creative. I decided to look through my material to see what I could come up with and here it is. A L-O-V-E Pillow. Made with leftover drop cloth material from this project, red felt, ribbon and extra buttons.



To Make:

1. Cut out 2 pieces of material 9X18" you can pick any size. I love bolsters sizes!

2. Print off letters on the computer. I printed the L-V-E in Consolas Text 320 size. Be sure to print off in Quick print. (No need to waste ink)

3. Place fusible interfacing on top of letters, fusible side facing up (shiny side) and trace the letters.



4. Iron fusible interfacing onto red felt TIP: When working with felt be sure to use a handkerchief or cotton material to protect felt. Felt burns VERY EASILY!! Take my advice

5. Cut out letters from felt

6. Draw a heart the size of the letters on the fusible interfacing and follow steps 4 & 5

7. Place letters & heart on cloth. I did not do an applique stitch. I shortened my stitch and sewed around the edge of each letter. You can use a contracting thread if you like.

8. Add any embellishments of your choice at this stage or leave "as is." I added ribbon, bow and a button (pictured in final picture).


9. With right sides together stitch around all sides living an opening at the bottom for stuffing.

I have no L-O-V-E for this pillow and only bought it ($1.00) for the stuffing!! Cheap way to get high quality stuffing!

10. Stitch up the bottom and enjoy your new pillow! I placed mine on my bed!!

Enjoy!

Today I am Getting my Craft On at Life as Lori! She is also having a giveaway. Check it out here!

Valentines Picture Pillow~ Recycled

Aren't they cute?

Made with painters drop cloth material 13X13. A heart cut out of felt and recycled plastic (you can find thes on a lot of bedding products too.)

This use to contain a Tonka Rug and toy bulldozers!! What a waste to throw it away!

Now it frames a precious picture of my kids!

L-O-V-E!!!

Today I am participating in Trash To Treasure at Reinvented.

5 year old Birthday- Barbie Tote

My daughter was invited her friends 5 year old girl birthday party this past weekend. I remember being 5 years old and going over to my friends' houses to play Barbie all the time. Oh, the hours we would spend pretending we were going to a fancy ball or zooming around with Ken in my convertible. Remembering all these good times, reminds me of my favorite Barbie Peaches n' Cream. Oh, she was SO Beautiful!!

Okay, back on track...

Hoping for my daughter's friends the same joy and fun playing with her Barbies. I decided to make the birthday girl a Barbie Tote.

Here is the finished product.

This was a fun project and one I plan on making my 4.5yr old daughter for her 5th birthday. I am writing the dimensions down so I remember this spring!

Material Needed:
4 pieces of material 13"X18.5" (2 for outside and 2 for lining)
1 piece of material 13"X 12" (barbie pocket)

2 pieces of material 20"X4" (straps) Interface straps with interfacing

Tip for straps: I hate turning stuff inside out. Too much work!

The way I construct straps is fold the width in half and iron. In other words the dimension once ironed is now 20"X2"

Then open up and fold in raw edges to touch the crease in the center. Do this on both sides.

Then fold in half using the original crease. Sew 3/8" on both sides of strap. And you have a Perfect 1" straps.

To create the pocket, I found this gerber daisy material and sewed on the line. It ended up being 3 1/4" apart.

Back side.

Here is the Barbie Tote with her Barbie doll in the side pocket.

ENJOY!!

Trash to Treasure- New Daddy Diaper Wipe Case

If you haven't heard, I am a new Aunt. I have gifts for the mommy and baby, but it wasn't until yesterday that it hit me like a bolt of lightening that the new daddy needs a gift too.



I've had this cloth from Carolina Plantation Rice, since Thanksgiving in my craft pile. (I can't bring myself to throw away material) I realized it was the perfect size for a Diaper Wipe case for the new daddy who loves unique gifts.




Here is the new daddy's diaper wipe case. Unique. Recycled. Reinvented. Perfect for the Carolina Boy!

The back side is made with drop cloth material, the inside is scrap material and the button is leftover from a jumper I made. A perfect gift for $0. Instructions to make a diaper case are here.

Will has TOTALLY embraced fatherhood! He even has a daddy diaper bag!!

SO PRECIOUS!!

Today I am participating in Kimm's Reinvented Tuesday.

Chick-fil-A 2 year old Birthday Party

This weekend we were invited to our friend Katie's 2nd Bithday Party which happens to be at a

Katie's mom knows I love to sew and knew my gift to Katie would be homemade, so she put in a special request! She asked me to make Katie a tunic top to wear at the party. Wow, the pressure was on!! 1) To make a special request dress 2) She is going to be wearing it on her BIRTHDAY and LOTS of pictures will be taken of her and her attire.

Here is the finished pillowcase tunic!

I could not find cow print material so I made my own. I decided to use Heat n' Bond sheet instead of appliqueing the cow pattern. Katie, from Katie's Nesting Spot, this was my first time using this stuff! TIP: the final product is pretty stiff and I am not so sure how long it will stand up to normal wear and tear. However, for this purpose I think it will be fine!

The Other side...

Katie's mommy was happy with the dress! Music to my ears! Here is the Sweet Birthday Girl with the Chick-fil-A Cow! So stinking cute!!

Happy 2nd Birthday Katie!

Today I am participating in The Creative Girl "Just Something I whipped Up"