Getting ready for The Babe

I do think it's high time for an update don't you?!?

So happy to report that we are now 38 weeks along and doing great! I am gearing up by doing lots of sewing and crocheting for this little one....here is what I have so far....

We are cloth diapering again, so most of the crafting has been diaper related

Here are the crocheted bits so far, two wool soakers/diaper covers. I used the Tickle Turdle Wrap Pattern



I am converting 20....yes 20...prefold diapers into fitted diapers....



I found the best little Kimono Wrap by Habitual, and thought it would be perfect paired with some wool longies for The Babe's first outfit!

(The Kimono is an upcycled pillow case....very soft....and the longies are an upcycled merino wool sweater!)



My very own version of this sleeper (also made from the same upcycled sweater as the longies!). Do I see a tutorial in the very near future?!?



We have gotten all our supplies together for our homebirth as well, here we are trying out the birth pool (ok....its a kiddie pool...but it'll work!)




More on the Henna and Belly Art later!

Sewing for Kiddo (Boys Tank Top Tutorial)

Can I tell you how hard it is to find tutorials for cute boys clothes out there!! I had an urge to make a simple tank top for the kiddo after work, and I only found ONE! and to be honest.....I had a hard time understanding the sizing....hmn

Sooo I decided that I could do this on my own!! I know I am very empowered right :D

Here's my process.....any suggestions will be well received!

I started out with a favorite tank of kiddo's, folded it in half, and cut around (the fabric is a thrifted pillow case)



With extra cut at the bottom and sides for seam allowance



Cut two of those on the fold (and cut about 1/2 an inch more out of the neck line to leave room for the bias binding)



Make bias binding for neck and arm holes, mine turned out to be 2 1/2 in x 18 in

**Edit for the bias binding**

I was corrected by my mother.....bias binding should be cut at a 45 degree angle...thus making it "on the bias" so that it will stretch! Like this or this

Thanks Mom!! I was wondering why it was a tight squeeze over his head!!



Sew the right sides of one of the shoulder seams together (just one!)



Pin RIGHT side of binding to the WRONG side of the neck hole and sew together
(I dont have a fancy binding maker and this way works out best for me)

Here is another explanation



Once that side is sewn, flip the garment over, then make sure the bias binding is folded so you can see the wrong side facing up. Fold the binding in half like so



Fold binding again, this time over the seam, and pin all along the neck hole (covering the exposed seam)





Top stitch close to edge of the binding (sewing through binding and garment fabric

Repeat this binding process for the arm hole under the shoulder seam already sewn together



Sew the other shoulder seam together and repeat binding process for that armhole



Sew down the sides of the garment (I like to start at the arm hole and sew down)



Fold over the bottom edge 3/8 in and then fold over again 1/2 in, pin, and sew



(funny how the light changed on this last photo....its a totally different color!)

Enjoy watching your little one play in their nice, cool, summer top!



Let me know if you try it :D

The Color of Home - Kiddo's Room

Taken early this morning, while he was still in dreamland ;)

I never thought I would paint my boy's room blue.....but it matched his recycled denim quilt so well. I even made the quilt years before he was born (so I didn't know he would be a boy!). I pieced it together by hand while we lived in NYC (no machine then), with blue jeans collected from our stash and friends! ....aaaand I even took it while we traveled, that quilt has been to Brazil, Bolivia, Peru, Ecuador, and Mexico! toot-toot!

So blue it was!



The painting is a piece by his big cousin Patience when she was only 9 :) and the records painted one fall afternoon with his daddio!





It is quite a peaceful blue, don't you think?

15 Minutes

Let me be honest....I have be quite overwhelmed lately....so I snuck in 15 minutes of quiet by the fire last night.



Ahhhhh, that helped.

My brain swirls with ideas sometimes....so maybe you guys won't mind me dumping some of them on you!

We are in the process of buying a house.....oh so exciting! but if you have bought a house you can sympathize, it takes over your whole life!

Here are some things that have been inspiring me (and keeping me up at night!)

I want these for my countertops....but they are pricey (maybe I can ask my dad to make some.....ehem, dad??)

Pegboard....I'm all over it!

Loving this space saving DIY bookshelf

Look at this simple idea!

I am going to try using (or maybe making?) Milk Paint :)

Along with all that....my first craft fair is coming up! Woah....what did I get myself into?? Although I found some fabulous fabric at the thrift store this weekend......can I tell you....I have a new obsession for pillow cases!




Whew! Thanks!

Whats inspiring you lately?

(oh! I just realized I need to change my banner o_0)

Paper Mache Dinosaur Tutorial

So you all should know that kiddo is obsessed with dinosaurs! He knows so many names (its pretty hilarious to hear a 3 year old sing about Giganotosaurus, or stumble on Parasaurolophus). We support this obsession in many ways, books, documentaries, models....etc....

So in keeping with this, kiddo and I made some Paper Mache Models of our own! Here is the tutorial! (bear with me, I am still learning how to create these!)

Start by watching this video from Martha Stewart that gave me the basic structure idea

So cut out the basic body shape of your favorite dinosaur from cardboard, with out the extras like legs, horns, spikes, etc...


(these have the legs glued on already, but imagine them without)

Cut out legs and two small round disks for each leg. Have a kiddo help you glue the disks together - so you end up with 4 stacks of 2 disks each. (hint: Triceratops and Stegosaurus have longer back legs than front, but Brachiosaurus has longer front legs than back!)



Glue the legs on placing them on top of each disk stack...



The disks make the shape 3-D!

After the glue dries, you will want to prepare your paper mache "goop" (a kiddo term). I use flour and water (+a pinch of salt), mixed to create a liquid consistency (not too watery). You can also use a glue and water mixture, but again, not too watery ;)

In the video they use a pre-made paper mache powder, but if you are like me with newspapers lying around, they work just as well. I tend to like the texture they provide also :) If you use newspaper, rip it up into 2 in wide by 6 in long strips (approximate!!)

Start by securing the leg joints by wrapping the disks first....use a few layers....



Let that layer dry....and then start adding the bulk of the body...dip a strip of newspaper into the "goop" and make it into a ball, this adds bulk quickly...




Let this layer dry while you cut out all the extra parts, (a collar for Triceratops, plates for Stegosaurus). Horns and spikes can be made with the paper mache itself.

I glued the plates on....but stuck the collar of the Triceratops into the paper mache...




After this bulk layer dries wrap the whole dino in one last (flat) layer of paper mache to make it smooth...



Last step! Have a kiddo pick the colors and paint paint paint!



Done :) Yay!!

Show and Tell (Part Two) & Recycled Legwarmer Tutorial!

This ones for the sista's! The sister in law had a big trip coming up to attend cooking school in Italy (ooohhh) so I wanted to make her something travel related, and small......and what did my search reveal? A perfect little set of a lingerie bag, shoe bag and passport cover, in (to me) Tuscany style ;)



Originally got the ideas here and here...

and for my littlest of sisters.....some coziness for the rest of the winter!

Re purposed sweater sleeves, into legwarmers!



Looks like a couple of happy customers to me :)

Here is a quick tutorial for the legwarmers...

Cut a strait line starting right at the underarm seam,



then fold over and zig-zag stitch the cut side (I do two rows of zig-zag because I am paranoid about unraveling :P). Its also helpful to scrunch the knit as you sew, otherwise you will end up with a splayed out cuff! (unless that is what you are going for...)



that's it! I told ya it was quick ;)

Show and Tell (Part One)

Ahhhh.....the week after Christmas off of work....gives me some time to catch my breath after the holiday madness...we have been hanging out in our jammies all day, feels good!

Last week there was no time for blogging, my house was covered in cardboard, yarn, glue, contact paper, you name it.....I badly wanted to give you all a sneak peek of all that madness, but I just couldn't pull myself away.

So now, the show and tell begins, I can't wait to pass along some of the great ideas I found!

First up.....Kiddo's Cardboard Kitchen!!!



Complete with cotton yarn burners, and a thrifted bowl for the sink....



an oven too!



I still have to finish off the edges, and add a faucet.....of course!

Thanks so much to Anna at Forty Two Roads for her incredible work on the tutorial available on Etsy!

This tutorial is easy to understand but make no mistake....it takes some time and will buff up your arms with all that cardboard cutting!!

Kiddo loves it, but I get the feeling he still prefers the real thing!

Pea Pod Purse

Remember this pretty fabric? Well I finally turned it into something!

I am proud to announce my first blog contest winner, AnnMarie, received this pretty spring/summer purse.



The pattern is the Pea Pod Purse from Ottobre Design! Thanks!



Made from reclaimed fabric, this purse is very "green"....it includes a zipper pocket on one side and two sizes of open pockets on the other.





I gained two valuable sewing skills during the process, how to sew binding and invisible zippers (on a curved seam mind you!)




No worries Jessica....yours is coming soon!!