Wednesday, March 31, 2010

today...

- packing for a quick trip to Utah. wish we were making the trip for a different reason
- spent the evening with my mother-in-law. love her!
- baked banana bread with the kids
- had a conversation with bug about "simon says" and drawing on your body with ink can't be included in that game...
- washed a pb&j out of bug's bedding (hubby was watching the kids)
- started a new knitting project
- went on a walk... but didn't make it all the way to the park. So close but yet so far!

Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Welcoming with Love...

our new baby Brother!
I am soooooo excited about this! It was pretty much torture waiting four days for it to be delivered. I cut out five dresses and several other "refashion" projects to keep me occupied... and when it came yesterday, I broke it right out and went to work.
I made a couple matching dresses for the girls - Moo picked out the butterfly fabric and I think they turned out adorable. I still can not get enough of the Sienna dress pattern. Even my hubby is wondering when the addiction will ease up. Maybe never? I'm okay with that. Moo was far too busy running through the 'rain' falling off the garage to stop for a photo shoot. Love that kid!
Feeling Lucky? I absolutely adored Care Bears when I was younger (and even dressed up as one for Halloween one year) so I thought this one was cute. Not so much cute for an adult, so Bug got it. In hindsight, this would have been perfect for St Patrick's day. Finally... another Sweet Dress, this time made out of a men's dress shirt. I am dying to put a 'belt' on it {like this}, but hubby and Bug gave that idea the boot, so maybe next time.

Thanks Aunt Fishie for helping with our photo shoot!

Sunday, March 21, 2010

ponies, toys, dolls

I have been very happy with our purchase of the toy shelf, but very quickly I realized I needed bins for organization. We picked up a couple at Target, but I wanted them to have specific contents. With a little fusible interfacing, some cotton, a ribbon and fabric paint, I came up with this:
Now if only the kids could read!

Friday, March 19, 2010

{sailor skirt}

I have been sorting through closets in an early spring clean, and I got as far today to find one pair of capris that are just too wide in the leg... so I got the sewing machine out for a quick refashion. I got these brand new with tags from Anthropologie at our local thrift store last year for $8. Score! The legs were just too wide and I felt silly wearing them. Inspired by {this skirt} I set out to make matching skirts for the girls. Here's how I did it!
I started with really wide leg pants, but from scratch would be really quick too. (Please ignore the strange way I am standing... Moo would not stay out of the picture so she's on my shoulders. Life with a toddler.) I cut 12 1/2" for a 3t, and 11" for a 2t.The original hem is what I used for the bottom hem, so that's done already.
Turn the top over to wrong side of fabric by 1/4" and stitch.
Fold over again by 2 1/4", pin and sew again using your original seam as a guide.
Take a seam ripper and take off original belt loops. Mine were big enough I cut them in half and was able to use the five originals between the two skirts.
Place two on the front - mine are about 2 1/4" in from the side seam - and three in the back. One centered, the other two about 1 1/4" in from the seam towards the back so they were all evenly spaced. Using a zig-sag stitch, sew them in place.
After I stitched the belt loops in place, there was about 3/4" that I had to put a belt through. This will just depend on what size your loops are. For mine, I cut a piece 2 1/2" x 34". Iron in half, with both short ends ironed in. Fold both long sides towards the center, and iron again.
Stitch close to the edge of your belt. I used a contrasting thread and love how it looks. Thread it through the loops and enjoy!
The girls were unusually cooperative for the photo shoot today.
It went a lot better than our last joint picture attempt.
So cute! I want to make another one with pleats as well as the belt for a fuller look at the bottom.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010

dress refashion

I feel guilty sometimes cutting up perfectly good clothing in an attempt to make something else. I just hate to waste. So, I struggled with cutting this dress up, but it's too small for both girls and wasn't the right season when they wore 18 month clothes. Since I really did love the print, I decided to go for it.
Glad I did! Bug was very pleased, and super cooperative for a photo shoot. Since it got as warm as 42 degrees today, I let her go out without a jacket. Heatwave!
It has a pink band on the top, since I botched the original one. I actually liked it better in the end!

Monday, March 15, 2010

wow. me? an award?

I was totally blown away when I got a comment from Jess {craftiness is not optional} giving me this award! Wow! Seriously. I totally admire her, and I am honored. Thanks, Jess!
The rules...
1. Thank the person giving you this award.
2. Copy the award to your blog
3. Place a link to their blog
4. Name 7 tidbits people don't know about you from reading your blog
5. Nominate 7 bloggers
6. Place a link to those bloggers
7. Leave a comment letting those Bloggers know about the award

So Congratulations to:

{Seven facts about me}
1. I work at the same hospital I was born at, and have since I was 16.
2. I had a huge crush on my hubby in high school. He only knew me as "Noah's little sister." Eight years later we started dating, and a month later were engaged.
3. I had my 18th birthday in Kathmandu, Nepal.
4. I learned to sew in second grade on my mom's Bernina, and have always loved it.
5. I was named after both of my grandma's - Lila and Jo. I love my name.
6. Most of the time, I really do call my kids "Bug" and "Moo" instead of their names.
7. I hate being late. I would almost rather not go to an event than be late for it.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

Kids Crafts: Week five

We welcomed this beautiful little goldfish tank into our home last weekend, and Moo has decided they are "dolphins." So adorable. She asks to see her dolphins and says "Ooh, Ooh, Cute Dolphins!" So, in honor of our new additions, we did ocean week! Painting the Ocean
Bug requested we pain the ocean, so we got our watercolors out and painted away! It was a little dark - black may have gotten mixed in with every color - so we did a little salt to break it up.
Mermaids
We downloaded this coloring page (I also bought the mermaid party kit for Bug's birthday. So cute!)
Paper bag puppets
My sister-in-law got this book for Bug on her birthday, and this is the first time we have used them. They had a great time coloring, but I tried to have them assemble onto the bag right after naps, and it didn't go over so well. Lesson learned in timing projects. See how happy both kids look?Folding Kissing fish
Bug did not like this one at first. She thought it should be a cutting project, but it was folding, and we hadn't done folding before. Maybe I need to add {this cutting book} that's like {this folding book} we have. By the time daddy got home, she was ready to show it off.
Hopping frogs
This one was so much fun we got the whole family involved. I got it at Big Lots in the Easter section for $2. They are impossible to aim, so we made them jump and Moo would tell us "yeah, mommy!" and go pick them up. Hilarious!
Ocean puzzle
Yet another thrift store find! I really am trying hard to keep Moo involved, but most of our projects are not age appropriate for 18 months. This kept both girls interest, and we worked on teamwork as we sang "What's going to work? TEAMWORK!" Thanks, Wonder Pets.

Monday, March 8, 2010

{for aunt kate}

I bought {this great pattern} last March with hopes of making it for my sister-in-law's birthday in June 2009. Well, I am a couple months late... hope she doesn't mind! I love how it turned out, the colors (which I don't usually go for) and the pattern just came together perfectly.
The fabric I cut for the back wasn't quite big enough, so I pieced the length of the back with extra fabric from the front and I think it's really cool. I almost want it to be the front of another quilt.
Update: She came over to pick it up and loves it! Hugh relief. Yeah! {She didn't even mind it was a couple months late. Love her!}

Friday, March 5, 2010

Hopscotch - tutorial!

So... it took me all week to get this together, but here it is!
Supplies:
Fabric - 1 yard main print, 2/3 yard secondary color, and 1/3 of border color,
Heavy cotton fabric for back- 1 1/4 yards
Rotary Cutter and mat
Freezer paper
Xacto blade
Fabric paint & brush
Iron, sewing mchine, thread, etc.
I recommend pre-washing all fabric.
Cut ten 10" squares from your main fabric, twelve 5 1/4 x 10" pieces of secondary color, and six 1 1/2" pieces for border. I also used my rotary cutter to cut twenty 9" squares of freezer paper. I used a Tahoma small cap font for my numbers (1-10), and they are all about 8" tall... give or take. I don't remember what size I had to print them at. Trace the numbers onto the matte side of the freezer paper and cut out with your xacto knife.This is a lot of cutting, I used a new blade and that helped it go a little smoother. Make sure you keep all the 'inside' parts to the numbers.
To keep the paint from bleeding through the fabric too much, lightly iron (2-3 seconds) one solid piece of freezer paper onto the back of your fabric. Turn it over and place your number on the front and iron. Repeat with all ten numbers.

I used Tulip brand paint because that's what was available to me. Do 2-3 light coats of paint, letting dry between coats. I left them for maybe half an hour between coats, then set them out overnight to dry. You might get a few bubbles if the paint is too thick, lifting it from the freezer paper in the back. Don't worry, just iron it upside-down (with no steam) and the bubbles come right out.
Once you are all ironed, sew the 4 and 5 together, and the 7 and 8 together. All other numbers get a solid on either side. Sew with right sides together and 1/4" seam allowances. Iron seams open.
Sew rows together in numerical order, iron seams open again.
Sew two of your 1 1/2" strips together, sew right sides together on long side of mat. Repeat for the other side. Finish with strips on top and bottom, again iron seams open. I used a heavy cotton for the back, and pieced it to be big enough. Sew with right sides together, leaving a 8" opening to turn through. I laid it out and pinned it because, well, I am a pinner. I can't help it. Turn right side out and topstitch. This gives it a little stability and reinforcement around the outside seam. I think it also helps it lay nicer. Enjoy!