Jenny Two Tries

Melissa's 30th Birthday

2010-12-10T11:47:00.000-08:00

Ok, I have both kids asleep. I'm going to hurry and make a post before one, or both wake up.

My great friend Melissa turned 30 this November. Luckily, I'm younger than her, but still panicking a little because 3-0 is coming up for me next year. I'll deal with that later....

I wanted to make her a cake because I haven't made one in awhile and there was something I wanted to try. I know that her favorite color is blue and her favorite flavor is pumpkin. Ok, a blue cream cheese frosted pumpkin cake. Not the most popular flavor, but hey- it's her birthday!!

I liked how it looked. I had trouble frosting it and ended up with waaaay too much cream cheese on it. Next time, I'll make sure my cake has more time in the fridge first.

Isn't she cute??

Holiday Wrapping Paper

2010-12-06T19:13:00.000-08:00

I am lucky enough to be home with Jake and Max 4 days a week. Because of my goofy schedule, I am actually home with them for 6 days in a row. It works out well because by the time the 6th day rolls around, I'm ready to send them to "school." : )

We need something to keep us busy during the day so someone (who will remain anonymous (JAKE!)) stays out of trouble. This week we made Christmas wrapping paper for our friends' gifts.

I saw the idea on some random website, but instead of using white paper (I have none) we used grocery bags. And instead of hanging the pictures on the fridge, we used it to wrap gifts. The idea was to use pine branches as paint brushes. So I ran out in my pajama pants and slippers and clipped two little branches off our poor little tree.

This was fun, cheap, and kept him entertained for oh, about 15 minutes. That meant enough wrapping paper for 3 gifts (only finished 2 for the picture). But that's perfect for what we need. I love that he's proud of the wrapped gifts under the tree. He points to them and tells everyone he MADE it!! That's my boy!

Peek A Boo Bags

2010-12-06T18:14:00.000-08:00

This is not a new idea by any stretch of the imagination. I have seen a ton of tutorials for these bags and never really thought I wanted to make them. But while in Seattle, I bought one for Jake. They are actually really neat little bags! There is a list of items, and you sift the bag from side to side looking for the object. You can play little games like find three objects that start with A, or race to find things first. Since it is a quiet toy, it is great for car rides and church. Heck, I've even sat and played with it!

So of course I had to copy it. I made 5 bags total to give as gifts. The necessary components were pretty easy to come by. Sturdy fabric (I used corduroy- some use fleece so you don't have to worry about fraying), vinyl (a shower curtain liner), charms, white pellets, and matching thread.

The bags themselves were easy to cut and sew. I double stitched the edges so the contents won't end up in a little throat! The pellets were in the doll section of the craft store- I'm not really sure what they use them for. The charms were harder to find for a reasonable price. I ended up using little erasers from Nobbies. They came in a huge bag which worked out well for all of my little bags.

I stitched in strings to tie the instruction card to. For that, I took a picture of all of the objects in the back, shrunk it down, and printed instructions on the back. Office Depot did a fine job of laminating them for me. I'm pretty pleased with how the cards came out. I can't believe they only took me one try!!

I'm very happy with the bags and I think they will make great gifts. I guess we'll see...

Oh, and this is what happens when you leave a camera laying next to your project. A two year old finds it!

Happy Halloween 2010

2010-11-19T19:00:00.000-08:00

The theme this year? Wizard of Oz!

It all started when Suzanne found a lion costume for Zoa. Well, I remembered that I had a Dorothy costume given to me, that I loaned to Lilah. Emelia, all of a week old, was Toto. This left my boys to be Scarecrow (Max) and Tin Man (Jake).

The scarecrow costume is what I started first. I had this great idea to make the shirt from scratch. Yeah. That didn't go well. I was a little upset. I sewed a collar in, elastic, a zipper into not one but TWO shirts. I gave up and bought a used green sweatshirt at a consignment sale. Sizing is not my strong point. The hat went similarly. The one in the picture (a little too big still) is my third attempt. I'm really proud of the headpiece. Not only did it fit well, but it kept is fat little cheeks nice and warm!

Jake's outfit is the second attempt. (I'm not Jenny Two Tries for nothing) I found some metallic fabric and thick interfacing to make body piece. The pants were simple and quick (thankfully). I had a grey sweatshirt for underneath already and I spray painted a funnel for his head. Mom supplied the hatchet which we trimmed down and spray painted as well.

The "coat" stayed together with hot glue and velcro. I had these grand intentions of sewing every piece together, but I'm glad I decided not to. I would have been very very frustrated. I'm happy with how he looked, but at times he was so uncomfortable. The thing didn't really bend well and certain embellishments started to fall off. Next time I design a costume, I'll have to take his activity level into consideration.

They were so dang cute! Max only made it to a house or two before he needed another meal, but Jake went up and down the whole block! I think he had a great time. His favorite part was ringing everyone's doorbell!

All Time Favorite Project

2010-11-19T18:51:00.000-08:00

We have a very cheap table. There is no sugar coating it- it was a Rod Kush Special. It took several hours to assemble from about the size of a shoe box. BUT, it is an awesome sized table and it works for what we need it to. Besides, we knew we would have kids and they would destroy all of our belongings.

Well, the cushions are cream colored and Jake is now a toddler. A bad combination. I did plastic covers, I did towels, I tried lots of stain removers, but these cushions are showing their wear. Not to mention, we have lots of friends with children and it doesn't seem like that trend will slow down anytime soon. Stains are bound to happen.

My solution? Recover the chairs with cream colored vinyl. Heck yeah. I know that your legs might stick to it in the summer, but man oh man- it is so easy to clean!!

Can you tell the difference? Neither can the people who visit. Until they go to clean it of course...

Every day that my son spills something on those chairs I exclaim, "Best project ever!"

Gone So Long

2010-11-19T18:43:00.000-08:00

I know- I have not posted in quite some time. What bothers me the most about this is that there are two people I know that regularly check back to see if I have posted- I'm so so sorry!!!

In my defense I had a baby, finished another semester of school, and went back to work. Adjusting to life with two kids is much more of a challenge than I anticipated. I'm lucky they happen to be such great kids. Life has again found some sort of routine and Mike and I are settling into life as a family of four.

I didn't stop all of my projects- so there are some that I will share with you hopefully over the next week. Enjoy!

Max's Place

2010-05-07T19:35:00.000-07:00

Here are a final few shots of the nursery all ready for Max. I have two months, but I nest early I guess. Not to mention, there are several other projects that need to get done before his arrival. Hope you like it.

That last one is the Max doll from the movie Where the Wild Things Are. Jake calls him "Baby Max." I'm so excited!

Ahhh, the artwork!

2010-05-07T19:29:00.000-07:00

Did you know my husband was an art major in college? He was. He liked installation art and painting, but he realized that there wasn't much of a future in creative art and graduated with a graphic art degree. Much more reasonable, although he doesn't use it. Go figure.

The awesome part of this is the free artwork for the house. I request it, sometimes it gets done. The problems arise when I request a specific piece of artwork. Something like what I had planned for the nursery. You would think he'd be all over that, but sadly no. It takes a lot of coaxing and work from me as well.

I can't say he didn't help- he did. In fact our friend Maria helped too. So here is what I came up with- not Mike- but he helped me execute it. So THANK YOU, HUNNY!

And his name is...

2010-05-07T19:11:00.000-07:00

...Maxwell "Max" David Kolker

We will now have a Jake and Max in the house. When trying to decide on another boys' name (remember, we had all girl names chosen) we went back and forth. We tried out a few, taught them to Jake, and listened to him say the names. It was hilarious! His obvious favorite was Max- he said it all the time, and without prompting. So "Baby Max" it is.

Here is his new crib and bedding. I made the crib skirt from this awesome seahorse fabric I bought online. We did a "fish/underwater" theme for his room mostly because I loved Heather Ross's collection of fish fabrics. Too bad she retired her prints- they got expensive! So rather than the goldfish I first wanted, we ended up with a variety of sea creatures!

The crib sheet is flannel that I washed, dried, serged around the edges and put elastic on the ends. I didn't even make a casing for the elastic, I pulled it tight as I zigzaged down the middle. I had no idea how very very simple a crib sheet it. If you need a quick gift, this is an easy one!

The Chinese lanterns above his bed are supposed to be reminiscent of bubbles. I stole that idea from the Internet, and I like how it turned out. A non traditional mobile! The crib mobile is an aquarium themed one, and thanks to the awesome consignment sales I got this one for $6! It plays ocean sounds, can light up, and the fish move and blow bubbles. Jake thinks it's awesome, so that's a good sign.

Next post- more nursery....

WOW...it's been awhile.

2010-05-07T19:00:00.000-07:00

I admit, I've been a little overwhelmed with school. HOWEVER, the semester is OVER!! Yea! Here's what we've been doing, that I haven't posted on.

After visiting a wonderful daycare that had a direct nature focus, I realized that I needed to get Jake involved in some of the things I grew up with. I take for granted that I was raised on a farm, and I wish we had the luxury of exposing him to the outdoors on a daily basis, but the reality is we have to make do.

Our first step- a garden! Since I don't really have the space for a planted garden, we did a container one. I decided on green beans, lettuce, strawberries, cherry tomatoes, mint, cilantro, and green onions. High reward foods. I'm hoping that if he grows it, he'll eat it. He already loves cherry tomatoes and strawberries, and I'm hoping he loves the rest too.

He loves loves loves spraying the plants with his "waterer." It keeps him busy for a good half hour. I didn't even know that some of these things could be grown in a container. I hope they turn out. If anything, Jake has gotten a lot of fun out of the experience.

My Very Own Nursing Cover second try

2010-03-15T20:07:00.000-07:00

I fell in love with this fabric. I had no idea what to do with it- I originally thought it would be an outfit for a friends baby, but selfishly, I kept it all to myself.

One item I could not live without with Jake was my nursing cover. I found an awesome tutorial at Make it and Love it (see first try post) and put my own spin on it. Then, I made a cute burp cloth to match. I'm very pleased with how they turned out.

This one is not reversible, like the tutorial I looked at. It's pretty lightweight too. The one I made for a shower gift was very heavy, but appropriate due to her having a fall/winter baby. My summer baby and I will be nice and cool under this pretty cover. It also takes up less room in my diaper bag.

Why the purple diaper bag you may ask? Because since I have to carry it around, I wanted a bag I liked. Boy or girl makes no difference- it is essentially my purse anyway. I love this Timi & Leslie bag- Mike got it for me for Christmas. Don't worry. The boys will get the therapy they need! : )

Bibs for Boys!

2010-03-14T20:35:00.000-07:00

I needed to make a cool boy project to get myself psyched for a house full of boys. While at the fabric store I found the sweetest food material- on sale! I originally saw them awhile ago, but decided not to buy. I never stopped thinking about what great bibs they'd make so.......

I made 8! Yes, 8 in one day! Mike occupied Jake for me- I think he knew I needed some good crafting therapy. Thank you Mike.

Again, Jake refuses to pose so his stuffed rat, Mousey, inherited the job. Disgusting? Yes, but the little guy just LOVES Mousey!

Cotton Gauze Swaddle Blanket first try

2010-03-12T08:30:00.000-08:00

Know a very trendy baby gift? Muslin Swaddling Blankets. Aden + Anais sells this set for around $38.99.

Ridiculous, right? I agree. I love them though- breathable, soft, large, and good for just about anything you would need a blanket for. Lucky me I found the fabric (cotton gauze= muslin or pretty close to it!) on sale at Hancock fabrics. So, for $3.50, I bought the fabric and segered the ends.

See how lightweight and breathable the fabric is?

The first time it was pink (see previous post), but by switching the thread to blue I was able to salvage the project nicely. They did have prints at the store as well, but not many I liked. I decided to stay with the plain white. If a person wanted to dye it- I assume it would be a very simple project.

My son was NOT a willing model, so his poor Ugly Doll had to stand in.

A BLUE nursery

2010-03-12T08:12:00.000-08:00

Well, I was waiting to post to tell you all how excited I am to have a little girl. I can't. I'm having a dear little boy! And yes, I'm a little sad. Maybe that's not PC, but I don't think we will be having any more children and I'm feeling a little sorry for myself never being able to sew and bake with a little girl. I would have been a good mother to a little girl, but I will be a great mother to two boys. Below are flowers from my mother. She knew I was disappointed, but didn't exactly know the right things to say. (She had a girl after all)

Since I work at a hospital, I had the opportunity to "peek" with the ultrasound machine in the department. Four ultrasounds said girl, so I was pretty surprised when the last two said boy. And let me clarify here, it is a BOY for SURE. This means I have to take back the beautiful fabrics I had boughten the weekend previous, sew new crib sheets, and change the trim on my swaddle blanket.

It's ok. I'm getting used to the idea of two boys. I even have a new plan for the nursery. And with the practice I did on the crib sheets- the tutorial I am going to make will be fantastic!!! (I'll never buy crib sheets again they were so easy!)

So stay tuned. I'm going to have to become very creative on my sewing projects for boys. I've done quite a few in the past three days as a way to psych myself up. I've very happy to share them. In the words of MADE and Made By Rae: Celebrate the Boy!

My Little Cupid

2010-02-14T19:01:00.000-08:00

My little Valentine....Jake. He happens to turn 2 today, and it will be a Valentine's Day I remember for the rest of my life. We had a great party for him. It was a little hampered by the weather- I wish all the family could have made it, but he had a great time.

Hot dogs were the dish of the evening- Jake's favorite (not Mommy's). Monster cupcakes were for dessert to match his new monster themed "big boy" room. Since the cutest (easiest) cupcakes I could find were Cookie Monster, that's what I went with. The recipe is here.

His room turned out great. I'm disappointed in the wall sticks. Not because I don't think they are adorable, but because they didn't stick very well. I'm going to attack them with some spray adhesive tomorrow (don't tell my husband). For what I paid WITHOUT a coupon they should stick without issue....

Of course, he needed an actual present. So he ended up getting an electric motorcycle. I found it at a consignment sale for $5! It didn't work but my handy brother figured out a wiring issue and now it runs with no problem. Yes, it is used and doesn't work perfectly, but he loves it just the same. I love this age- he cares not if the toy is new or used!

He looked so small in that big bed! Oh how I love you boys.....

Shave and a Haircut...well, not a shave

2010-02-02T18:06:00.000-08:00

We've had a miserable time trying to get Jake's haircut. He started off as such a good little boy- you could feed him a few fruit snacks and he'd sit there patiently. Since about 18 months it has been going steadily downhill. The last trip we made was to a family oriented hair place. There were cars to sit on while he got his haircut, videos to watch, toys to place with and it STILL took 2 people plus mom to give him a haircut.

I know he's a better boy than that, but I refuse to endure another trip like that. Not to mention the ridiculous price I paid for all the extra kids spoiling. So, I did what most cheapskate moms do. I bought some clippers and decided to do it myself.

Why not. He's too young to complain yet anyway! : )

Turns out, I'm not bad at this. At least, I don't think so! Plus, Jake was pretty good. He wasn't happy at first, but he had popcorn, iPod movies, and dad to keep him occupied. He sat STILL, he didn't SQUIRM, and he let me cut as long as I wanted.....

I am so stinkin' happy. Not to mention I saved money!

So enjoy the pictures, and if anyone would like to know what sizes I used on the clippers, or what went into it I am happy to share. For now, I will bask in the glory of my handsome dude's stylin' haircut....

Curtains!

2010-01-29T08:58:00.000-08:00

Not just any curtains, special blackout IKEA curtains! And I love love love how they turned out. I can't believe that what I wanted in my head translated into what I made. I'm used to things not quite working out how I plan so this is a little unsettling. Could I actually design something that works? Hmmmmm?

The fabric is from Ikea. It is thick, it is wide, and it has a crazy design on it. I bought 6 yards. I was able to cut a 3 yard section in half and use those on either side of the windows. (Rather than buy another 3 yards at $6.99 a yard). And the total amount covers both windows- yipee!

The only problem with this room is the amount of light. In fact, it's actually a bonus. Beautiful light comes through every morning. BUt I have a toddler that needs to nap during the day and sleep past 5am in the mornings. So I checked with Hancock Fabrics, and they have this stuff called "blackout lining." It's very heavy and a lot like vinyl. I bought 6 yards. No ifs ands or buts- this will block out the light.

It nearly killed me! The fabric was so heavy, and such large pieces! It took every pin I had in the house (which annoyed me) and a lot of time. And after I broke a needle on the serger, made a nighttime trip to the fabric store, and spent a large amount of time trying to get Jake off of my fabric, I finally finished. TA DA!!!!!

MIA

2010-01-29T08:43:00.000-08:00

Hmmmm, "where have you been?!" you might ask. Well, there are a few places that I've been hiding. Since news that I was pregnant, I was EXHAUSTED. I mean, sit on the couch and stare at the blank wall exhausted. Jake didn't care. Sigh. So a few things got moved to the bottom of the priority list.

Christmas was great, but Christmas was a lot of work too. Everyone liked their homemade presents which made me very happy. It was almost like letting my children go.....kinda hard to watch them leave my house.....

And then there was school. School came to a close around the second week of December and it was DIFFICULT. So much so that I decided to just take things easy for awhile.

Of course, for my birthday I wanted to take a much needed trip to IKEA with friends. Maria, Suz, and Tricia helped me shop and eat. It was glorious! I spent a lot of money, but not on myself! Oh no, always on Jake. Yep, he got a lot of new furniture for his big boy room.

So that's what I've been doing. I'm working on turning our former guest bedroom into Jake's new room for his birthday, Feb 14th. Stay tuned for new posts!

Reindeer Hay

2009-12-22T10:47:00.000-08:00

There is a lady I work with that gives out Reindeer Hay to all the staff members with kids. This is the first year I qualify! It's a really sweet idea. Santa gets milk and cookies, so the reindeer get special hay.

I always wondered what was in the brown paper bag and I finally got to dissect it. The contents include a handful of dried grass, a little bit of rice crispies, and red glitter. Magical!

Feel free to copy and pass to the young kids you know. We really had fun with it. Jake is a little young, but next year he will love it!

Check This Out

2009-12-17T12:06:00.000-08:00

What a fun idea! You can find links to all kinds of crafty projects here...

A "Second Try" Project!

2009-11-18T18:51:00.000-08:00

This is a fun post, blog world. I'm going to have a new little person to sew for!!!

Homemade Christmas- boutique towel first try

2009-11-18T18:42:00.000-08:00

This is a great gift! A warm, snuggly towel for a toddler. The baby hooded towels are great, but man- they don't last long enough! My child (who is taller than average) was done with those in a few months.

This towel has flannel monkeys on the outside with yellow terry cloth inside. I used the leftover terrycloth to make a few matching wash clothes. (gotta love that serger!) I found the neatest Curious George "bath book" and toy to go with it.

This towel is not perfect. By ANY stretch of the imagination. I learned a lot about measuring correctly....the first time. Though it was not as simple as I thought it would be, I'm still pleased with it. I think it was appropriate for any beginner/intermediate level sewer. Thank you Crap I've Made! Your tutorial rocks!

Tuxedo Boy

2009-11-18T18:40:00.000-08:00

I've been meaning to freezer paper stencil this for awhile. I think it turned out pretty cool. Gotta love the tuxcedo shirt- it says, "I wanted to dress up for the event, but I'm still casual."

Gummies

2009-11-18T18:31:00.000-08:00

Wow. It's been awhile since I posted, but there are some very good reasons for that. Well get to that another day....

For now, check out these gummies! I was so excited to try Not So Idle Hands's gummy making post. I thought this looked simple and original and I was RIGHT! What a simple thing to do! There are only a couple ingredients: gelatin and Jello. And as long as you have a glass measuring cup, pot, and candy molds, you are set!

Now, they don't taste quite like real fruit snacks- more like gummy jello. Still good. And did Jake love them- you betcha!

These would be great for birthday favors or treats. I plan on making these for Christmas. Adults will get the adult Christmas treats, and kids will get the gummy candies in four different flavors! : )

Bibs, Bibs, and more Bibs! second try

2009-11-01T20:21:00.000-08:00

After I made the matching bee bibs I noticed that Jake was desperately low on bibs himself. This is a problem I know how to solve now! After a great holiday weekend, I pieced together some scraps to make a few bibs for Jake and try out applique.

I've wanted to try out appliqueing things for awhile, but tonight I actually sat down to do it. It wasn't as hard as I thought it would be! And thanks to Grandma's sewing machine, I have a great zigzag to edge around it. I'm very pleased.

That's terry cloth on the back to use as a washcloth for the messy little guy. Originally I was going to give one of these away as a gift, but now I'm thinking..... naaaaaaaaaa!

Handmade Halloween

2009-11-01T19:54:00.000-08:00

When I was little, my Grandmother made all of my Halloween costumes. I'm not talking a simple outfit here, Grandma Jessen would help me with whatever my heart desired. One of my absolute favorite was a monarch butterfly- she didn't know how she was going to do it, but it turned out incredible. My brother and I NEVER had store bought costumes, and we knew how cool that was. I'm so excited to give that to my kids. Starting with this one....

A while ago I posted Jake's Halloween costume, but I thought you'd want to see the full finished effect. Luckily, we had perfect weather, but because his whole costume was fleece, we were prepared. The other two beautiful babies are Lilah and Zoa.

Lilah is Princess Leia and Zoa is an Ewok. Yeah, we're dorks, but we're ok with that. My husband decided to be Luke Skywalker (notice the one black glove) and Lilah's dad, Watts, was Darth Vader. I know that someday we will be an embarrassment to our children, but maybe when they have kids they will understand.

I decided to be a ballerina. Every little girl knows why. Thanks Treasures for Tots for the simple tutorial. I'm sure no one ever intended a person to use that much tulle on one skirt.....

Washcloth Bibs first try

2009-11-01T19:42:00.000-08:00

My good friend Blair is pregnant with identical twin girls. (insert joyous squeal) I was craving a REAL craft project so I pulled out my fabric bin and just started thinking. I love this. I really do. I get so many ideas of what I can do with all this fabric, but it's hard to focus and just pick ONE project. My list of projects gets longer and longer....

So I settled on bibs. I've never tried them, but they seem simple enough. Not to mention useful. The fabric I used are bees. Blair and Bryce (mom and dad to be) BOTH come from families where all of the children have "B" names. And their siblings are carrying on the tradition. Now, Blair and Bryce have not said if they are going to give these little girls "B" names, but I'm prepared.

Get it....."Bs".......I might fabric stencil on a letter B yet...we'll see.

Halloween 2009

2009-11-01T08:33:00.000-08:00

Happy Halloween all! I'm too excited about this year to wait until I have time to put a quality post up- here are some pictures! Explanation to follow!

And yes, these costumes are homemade! : )

Family Pictures

2009-10-22T12:18:00.000-07:00

Aren't we adorable??!

My friend Maria at MJWatts Photography really has an eye for photos. She does some wonderful newborn and family photos that I am proud to post. Not to mention our child was crazy and exceedingly difficult to photograph as the day went on. We are lucky we have ANY family shots let alone good ones! He just loved the squirrels......

These were shot at the Jesuit Gardens at Creighton University. I love that place- makes me feel like a student again (I know- I'm still a student, but you know what I mean). These are my two favorites....

Thank you Maria!

Toddler Hat and Scarf second try

2009-10-16T20:04:00.001-07:00

I was happy and sad all at the same time today.

The Land's End jacket I ordered for Jake arrived. It's so cute! Goosedown, sweet little pockets, spice brown, and on sale for $19.99! (originally $60! and free shipping!) What I didn't expect was the RED lining. Not blue. Not blue like the scarf I had already made to match. *sigh* Time to run to the fabric store again....

Well, I needed a hat too. My husband thinks the one I made is a little girly. It's not. It's so cute, but you will have to take my word for it. Jake is asleep (I craft at night) and he is not really happy about wearing it in the house. Again, I will have to post another picture later.

The scarf was not quite long enough (I was running out of minky) so I improvised with the brown tails. I still need to figure out how to put a big red button on there to hold the scarf on his little neck. I'm going to ask a girl at work about how to make button holes...or maybe ask her to do it for me! : )

Happy crafting all! Back to homework....

Nap-time Gift!

2009-10-16T19:52:00.000-07:00

This is a first birthday gift for a very special little lady. I know her mom frequents the blog-world, but maybe this one will escape her...

The owl is felt. I googled owls and found lots of different ones to pattern. I'm surprised how easy this was to do- I might have to make more creatures (monsters?!) for Jake.

The blanket is made from the prettiest cotton fabric I could find at Hancock Fabrics. The ladies that cut my fabric and checked me out kept saying how great it looked. The inside is crushed penne. I love how the deep purple looks, but man oh man do I hate sewing with this stuff! It is slippery, silky, and as Grandma Schwartzer would have said "gutty." It started as a much bigger blanket, but ended up a decent size. I love it though- so pretty!

The third item is a set of Old Navy birdie pajamas. Those pjs rock. Jake has quite a few pair- you can't have to many. There is something about a little toddler running around in their "jammies" that just warms my heart!

Going to be a great first birthday! Wahoo!

Toddler Scarf first try

2009-10-16T19:43:00.000-07:00

Well, it snowed here in Nebraska. In October. EARLY October. *sigh* Looks like this year is going to be a long winter. So while I wait for the coat I ordered Jake online, I thought I'd make him a scarf for the cold winter days that are approaching.

This scarf is made of blue fleece and brown minky. THe minky is so soft I thought he would love it. Yeah, no. He'd rather play than let mom try on his new scarf. I'll have to post pictures when he is actually wearing it.

If you are confused, the second scarf is really my second try. The first one was complete while I had quite a bit of wine with my girlfriends. Wine and zig-zags don't mix people. So I started over...

Can't wait to show you more!

Homemade Christmas- crayon roll second try

2009-10-10T15:30:00.000-07:00

You can get a LOT done in five hours. For instance, I was able to clean my house, catch up on emails, do some school work, finish Luke's gift, make Jackson's, and work on Jake's. Yep you heard me. I got all that done in five hours.

So I want to take this moment to thank my tired toddler. Thank you Jake. That miracle nap was super productive. We could do that once a week and I wouldn't mind at all.....

This crayon roll went super fast. Having one under my belt really helped it work a lot smoother. I ditched the close-together crayon spots because of the curling problem I had earlier. Best to leave well enough alone. I think it makes a cute little gift with the crayons, stickers, and coloring books. Hope he likes it!

Congratulations Beth!

2009-10-10T15:22:00.000-07:00

I don't know if you remember previous posts, but my first nursing cover, pacifier clips, and burp cloths went to Beth for her little boy. I was one of the hostesses and got to make the cake too. I'm not super excited about how it turned out, but it looked ok-good and tasted better. Thanks to my mom for occupying Jake while I baked & decorated.

The girls are (from left to right) Melissa, Beth (mommy), and Becky. GREAT friends from college.

My husband suggested this one

2009-10-10T15:14:00.000-07:00

Yep. I'm a messy crafter. I like to think of it as an environment of creativity. But, with a toddler running around, I can't leave all my pins just laying around. Sooooooo, inspired by Make it and Love it's pin cushion design, I picked up a tea light holder at the dollar store. Then, I took some super glue, a scrap of white fabric, some stuffing (I have BAGS of it for the felt food), and about 10 minutes out of my day to throw it together.

I think it turned out pretty good. Not to mention, I know where all my pins are now. How handy!

Sock Ninja second try

2009-09-29T19:56:00.000-07:00

Hiya!!! Meet Mr. Meesocky the Sock Ninja. My husband wanted to call him Ryu and I wanted to call him Master Splinter. Whatever. He's a Ninja. He has Ninja Throwing Stars. He rocks.

It was also a very simple project. I got the tutorial from here. The original instructions are for a doll (which I might still make), but I had to "boy it up" for Jake. Cost of this project? FREE! I just had to get Mike to part with a pair of dress socks.

I highly suggest making your own doll/ninja. It is a lot of fun- especially when you see the finished project. I think he might sleep with me tonight....my own little ninja bodyguard.....

Sock Ninja first try

2009-09-28T20:56:00.001-07:00

First try didn't go so well.....I've got big plans for try #2.......

Homemade Christmas- Chef Set first try

2009-09-28T20:42:00.000-07:00

I'm so (sew ha ha!) happy that I got this set done. By now it is obvious that we have a kitchen "theme" going on at our house. I found a great wooden, handmade kitchen at a consignment sale for $25! Everything has been constructed around that. I love kitchens- they teach about foods, healthy eating habits, let kids be creative, and work for both boys and girls.

To all of you who say that kitchens are for girls- have you ever seen Rocco Dispirito?!? Gorgeous!

So besides the felt food (which I have lots to do yet), Jake needed a Chef's hat (my husband suggested that one), an oven mitt, and dishtowel. I found some cheap dishtowels at the dollar store and repurposed them into this set. I'm very pleased with the Chef hat- the tutorial was found here. I loved the detailed directions- it was simple and turned out great. Even for a first try!

The oven mitt was another story. It was the last of my projects, 10pm, and not real thought out. It will work for a play oven mitt, but it might be a little tight at the wrist! : ) Oh well, it will have to do for now....

Hope you enjoy. More felt food/ bean bags are coming up. A stuffed owl is almost done. Also a second try at that sock ninja....

Homemade Christmas- Felt Food lots of tries

2009-09-25T11:09:00.000-07:00

I know, I haven't posted in quite some time. School has reared it's ugly head and I am forced to take care of business there first. I did pay for it and all.....

I jest, I love school! Someday I will take a picture and post my finished papers. They are like finished craft projects to me. Plus, they teach me all kinds of new things that can be applied here. I am loving my technology course. I will be so savvy when I'm finished ! : )

But while I've been away, I have been working on quite a bit of felt food. This is just a smattering of what I have done. I love how simple and creative you can be. It makes sense that so many people are addicted. What sucks is that there is a lot of hand stitching and I have little time to spare. So now I have about 18 projects started and none finished. The only truly complete set is breakfast. Check it out......

You might notice the brighter crisper pictures! TA DA! We got a new camera! The last was was destroyed by someone who will remain nameless......

I know, so hard to guess. While still a point and shoot, it takes much better pictures and soooo much faster. I am actually able to catch the little man in action. Enjoy!

Pimp Pants second try

2009-09-02T19:51:00.001-07:00

Using this tutorial provided for boys pants (by Dana at MADE) I whipped up these wide leg pants for Jake. I stopped at JoAnn's fabric (when I shouldn't have) and found suiting at 50% off. I couldn't resist this plaid fabric with a little orange in it. For about $3, Jake now has a bottom half for our family pictures.

Yes, some things did go wrong, but overall, this was a pretty problem free project. Completed in an hour and a half no less! That's also why the waist is a little tight. I couldn't wait for him to wake up from his nap to fit the pants- I just went off of another pair that fit him well. Hope he doesn't gain before Maria takes our pictures.

This was my first attempt at pockets, and rather than work harder for functional pockets he won't use, I just sewed on the shape. Also, this fabric frays fast! I serged wherever I could. My serger was so well behaved and gave me nice, clean, well-protected edges!

I hope he looks as cute as I think he will- I want to find a nice white or black polo to go with. If I have time, I want to try and make a matching hat. Don't hold your breath for the hat! Once the pictures are taken (in October) I will post.

PS Sorry the pictures are so bad- it's late and I really should be asleep!

Homemade Christmas- Beanbags first try

2009-08-31T05:47:00.000-07:00

Wahoo for the tutorial at Little Blue Boo! I now have 25 of these alphabet beanbags done for Jake. What's that you say? There are 26 letters in the alphabet? Well, yes, I know that. But somehow wither M (or W) did not end up with a stencil. And until I refill the printer cartridge so I can print another M (or W), the alphabet will remain incomplete.

What great about this project is that I did not cut the squares. I just ordered 5" precut squares from Ebay in a quilters charm pack. The colors all coordinate and it cuts down on work for me! And aside from a slight fabric paint/ pool table cover incident, the project went really smooth.

Yes, I know Jake is too young to spell, but he will have fun trowing them at things until that day. Now on to more Christmas presents!

Little Yoda

2009-08-22T14:25:00.000-07:00

Adorable he is.....

I'm so happy with his Yoda costume. It fits (and I hope it still does in 2 months) and will allow him to wear a coat as well. It's totally made of fleece and will keep him warm. I'm going to look for some green mittens and a walking stick to go with it. I love it- can't wait for Halloween!

Nursing Cover first try

2009-08-17T15:33:00.001-07:00

I was so excited for this and I am happy with the results, but I learned a few things too....

I was going to follow the tutorial from Make if and Love it, but I got lazy. Instead, I just wung it and wound up making more work for myself than necessary. I'm still happy with it, but there are some things I will change next time....

1. Thinner straps, different lengths. I dislike that the clasp is behind my head now. That one will be shorter.

2. Next time I won't line it/make it reversible. I think it is too thick and could get hot. It will be nice for the recipient though- she is having a boy in the fall/winter!

I have some awesome fabric for me that I bought for a nursing cover. I don't HAVE to wait until preggers for it! : ) In the meantime, check out this awesome baby shower gift! Jealous much?

Pacifier Clips first try

2009-08-17T15:26:00.000-07:00

Again, another tutorial from Make it and Love it.

This was sooooooo easy- it took about 10 minutes. I did cheat and instead of buying snaps and pounding them in myself, I just hot glued the part of the badge clip I tore off. Worked really well!

Plus, these are for a boy so instead of the ribbon in the button, I hot glued a stick-on from my scrap booking pile I rarely touch. It is hard to see, but one says shy (my options were limited) and the other is a star.

Burp Cloths second try

2009-08-17T15:21:00.000-07:00

Ooooh I got these right!

This time I skipped the wonder under- yes, they are a little less stiff and I didn't get any gapping like I was afraid of. I also skipped the cute design. My serger just can't take curves and I needed to use it for the terry cloth. If I wasn't using terry cloth I would definitely do the curved design again. A little topping stitching and presto! I'm very very happy with the final result. See? Two Tries.......

Halloween here we come!!

2009-08-16T07:30:00.001-07:00

Alright- I am totally inspired and I have made my FINAL DECISION on Jake's costume this year. Are you ready for this? YODA!!!

This hat found at dollarstorecrafts (a cool site BTW) got me super excited to do my version of it. This will probably be the last year I get to choose his costume so I'm making the most of it. And now that I've blogged about it, it's final.

Little Girls Top

2009-08-16T07:05:00.000-07:00

I admit, I love this little shirt. It was originally made for Zoa for Christmas, but due to my problems with sizing, there is no way she will fit in it by December. Plus- what fun are clothes on Christmas? (unless they are for me)

It is a peasant top and is one of the very first things I made when I dusted off my sewing machine. I found the pattern at make-baby-stuff, but I don't think it is there anymore. Look around though- lots of simple crafts that are great for first time sewers like myself.

There are fabric yo-yos on the front of the shirt that give it great texture (even though it is hard to see in the picture- I hope I'm getting a camera for Christmas). And there is a matching hair clip to boot. I really love it and hope the little girl who wears it someday looks as cute as I hope she will. As long as you don't look too close at the seams....

PS Ignore the white bow- it is part of the hanger.

Crayon Roll first try

2009-08-16T06:55:00.000-07:00

There are lots of crayon roll tutorials out there (with some very good ideas I might add), but I had a purchased one for Jake that I wanted to make. I liked the felt part on the front and thought it would be simple to recreate. (recreate is the polite word for copy)

I learned some things.

1. My serger is evil and hates my projects. It's mission is to destroy them. One day, when I figure out what that blasted machine wants, my projects are going to look sooooo awesome.

2. The reason the gaps were so big between crayons on the original roll was because if they are too tight, the fabric gathers. That's why it is a little "rolled" even when open. I'm going to have to look into that. I like that the crayons in my roll do not fall out, but it would be nice if it laid flat.

3. You cannot iron felt. I already knew this, but did not think and there is the slight impression of iron on the felt. Also a lot of orange on my ironing board. Oh well.

I still think the roll came out great. There is a pocket for paper and stickers that I incorporated as well. I'm sure my second try (Jackson's Christmas gift to be) will be awesome.

STAY TUNED!

Felt Hair Clips

2009-08-15T08:48:00.001-07:00

I have found some absolutely wonderful blogs that I follow daily. Make it and Love it is one of them. You will see many of her items tried out on this site as I continue my "only homemade" Christmas present pledge. Check out the hair clips I made for a girl child I don't have using this tutorial.

Originally, the idea was to make a shirt with three coordinating fabrics, but clothes for Christmas? Yeah, if I were a kid I'd be disappointed too. So now I have the clips and I'm not sure yet where they will go. Some lucky girl....

If you can't tell, the first is a owl, followed by a fabric yoyo, followed by a bird. Yeah, they were practice. My second try will be must better (and true to form).

Homemade Christmas- Reversible Child Apron first try

2009-08-15T08:07:00.000-07:00

First, you need to know that this year I have pledged to MAKE all child Christmas presents (along with most baby shower gifts). That directly involves 5 children, plus my own. He will have a good helping of made gifts, but also a few purchased ones as long as grandma is around...

My first completed gift? Scotlyn's apron! You might remember from an earlier post that I made matching Mommy and child aprons for Maria. They turned out great, but then I found this tutorial from LangLangCreations. I LOVED it! I couldn't be happier with how it turned out!

I didn't do the crayon detail, and the front is the same as the back, but I sewed it just like they suggested. I already had the floral fabric cut out for an apron, but it would be too small for a 5 year old. So I found some brown fabric that matched and some cute ribbon to stick in there and it looks better than I planned. I did run a really thin line of fabric glue inside the bias tape just to hold it in place. It won't hold a lot- I just wanted something to keep it together.

And since Scotlyn is five, I doubt she will check this blog. Her present is safe. The only problem now is waiting until Christmas to give it to her.

Baby Burp Cloths

2009-08-15T07:56:00.001-07:00

I have a cousin I rarely see coming into town on Tuesday, so I am attempting to whip something up for their 'baby in the works' and son Oliver. I have never met Chris's wife either, so I'm really looking forward to this trip.

For the baby, I thought about some cute burp cloths I had recently seen. I love the idea of the shape that fits on your shoulder. Also, at a trip to Hobby Lobby I saw the large terrycloth section. With my serger in my repertoire, I thought terry cloth would be a cool back piece. Wipes up puke nicely.

I had a great way to make a pattern- fold up a newspaper in fours and draw on the basic shape. That way, all curves will be equal. Then, once I had everything cut out and the pattern traced on with pencil (it washes off easily) I ironed them together with Wonder Under. I like that they are one big piece, but my husband thinks they are a little stiff. User preference I guess.

I serged all the way around and learned some not so fun things about my serger. For that reason (and that reason alone) They shape did not come out as perfect as I wanted. But still, I like them. I even freezer paper stenciled a J (last initial) on the burp pads and I love how how they turned out. TIP: don't slop on the paint- a even coat will do.

So I hope she likes them. I'm really looking forward to seeing what my grandma thinks- that serger will fill hours of conversation! I can only guess what projects of hers it ate.....

The Serger: My best friend and worst enemy

2009-08-15T07:49:00.001-07:00

Ok, I am so fortunate to say that I have a serger! While visiting my grandmother, I mentioned that I would be asking for one for Christmas. She said she never used the one she bought, and thus, I now have my very own overlock machine! As I drove home with the thing, my eyes glassed over with dreams of the things I would serge. I excitedly called my husband to tell him I would no longer buy clothes! The serger could do it all!!

In reality- that machine can do a lot, but it is trying to kill me in the mean time. I spent 2 hours learning the ins & outs. Threading and rethreading and then screwing something up and rethreading again. For those without a serger- threading requires patience, a steady hand, and tools.....I rarely use a pattern and you think I have the patience to use TOOLS??!

It ate my first attempt- a green pair of pants for Jake made from a $1 skirt at Goodwill. It was so cute, but in hindsight, itchy material. The pants just kept getting smaller and smaller so I just threw them up into the air and sacrificed them to the failed-sewing-attempts-god. Luckily (or stupidly) I didn't give up.

I practically spent all day yesterday making things. Pretty much a dream come true if you ask me. Enjoy the next few posts!

Felt Food Rocks My World!

2009-08-09T17:58:00.000-07:00

Sweetie Pie Bakery Felt Cake GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Oh my gosh I'm in love with felt food- how cute are these!!!! I feel a Christmas gift coming on....

We're Gonna Party Like it's Your Birthday

2009-08-09T11:26:00.000-07:00

Yes, I am aware that Jake is 18 months now, but his birthday cake was my favorite one that I have made.

A little background:

My mother-in-law used to work for Hallmark and ended up with a bunch of throw away items- like first birthday items! So, because it was overwhelmingly Winnie the Pooh, Jake had a Winnee the Pooh themed birthday party. We had a good turnout- this kid draws a crowd!

For his cake, I made him a beehive with fondant hunny bees. I wanted to make about 50 fondant bees for the cupcakes, but I got too tired and ended up making the cupcake bees out of milk duds, almond slices, and frosting stripes. I love them! Jake had all cake for dinner- his first real dessert so I eased up on the nutrition rule. What a day. If you want to make a cake like this search YouTube for "beehive cake." They have some great pictures and hunny bee tutorials.

Can't wait for 2!!! Thanks Maria for the first and last photo on the post- you make us look good!

Zoa's Baptism Part 2

2009-08-09T10:57:00.001-07:00

Wow, part two took a while to get here, but the quality of the pictures is MUCH BETTER! I am lucky enough to have a good friend who now does photography. Maria Watts is a great family photographer and has an eye for details. Check out her website at mjwattsphotography.com. You won't be sorry.

Of course, you can see a smattering of her pictures here. Notice how much nicer the cakes look! I love the little ones of Zoa, but I wish I had a picture of the bloomers that went with the outfit. Once I find a full body picture I'll have to post it. I never remember to take pictures.....dang!

The bloomers were very simple and made out of a pillowcase. I got the tutorial from here at Reclaiming the Home. My first attempt did not fit over her bum at all. I think she seems so much smaller in my head- hard to believe that her bum takes up that amount of space. The headband she is wearing I threw together at the last minute.

Want to know a secret? It was made out of underwear! HA! Not used underwear, of course. But the elastic band was the perfect silver match and the strap was adjustable so it would fit her for longer. (Not really, because again, I made it too small. I'm terrible with sizing!) The little frilly part was a ruffle I cut of and whipped together in a circle and sewed a cross on that was a necklace charm from a loooooong time ago. She looked good...as you can see for yourself.

Oh, and here is my little monster all decked out in his tie (while holding my shoe).

Death to Your Twenties

2009-08-04T19:25:00.000-07:00

No, not MY twenties (thank heavens!) but my husband's. We had an amazing birthday weekend to prove it too. Friday, his actual birthday, we had a large party at the house and I got to try the carrot cake recipe I've been wanting to bake. It is his mom's, and unfortunately, my husband still thinks her version is better. I guess there is always something about how your own mom makes things...

Mine was pretty at least. And I'm going to go out on a pretty sturdy branch and say they party-goers enjoyed it. And after we got back from Kansas City's Power and Lights District and Oceans of Fun, it tasted awesome with the other leftovers. Ahhhhhhh... leftovers!

Here is the recipe for all who are interested. And yes, that is baby food in the recipe- it makes the cake so moist!

Carrot Cake:

3 jars of carrot baby food

4 eggs

2 cups sugar

1 tsp salt

2 tsp soda

1 cup oil

2 cups flour

Combine ingredients and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cream cheese frosting:

8oz pkg of cream cheese

1 stick melted oleo

3 cups powered sugar

1 tsp vanilla

Combine and frost! That's it.

And here is a picture of me yelling, "Who wants cake!"

Toddler Room Wall Decorations

2009-07-26T07:24:00.001-07:00

This project is not new by any stretch of the imagination, but I thought I include it because it was an original craft- not an online tutorial.

Jake outgrew his "baby room" and I needed some kind of decoration for the walls. Not wanting to pay very much, I bought a yard of fabric at IKEA, and cut out the shapes I liked for the wall decorations. Using some solid fabric I already had, and some iron-on fusing, I put the shapes on the colored circels and streched them around a wodden hoop.

The wodden hoops were on sale- less than a dollar each! I didn't sew anything because I figured they are just going to be on the wall. Not really a candidate for wear and tear. I painted the top screw to match the wall color (yellow because we didn't know if we were having a boy or girl). I also stiched up a quick curtain to match.

They are not perfect, but a nice, cheap wall decoration that brightens up the room. Considering that once we have another child on the way this room will all be changed again, I am happy with how it turned out.

Notice the Ugly Dolls on his bed? His next room is going to be monster themed! I'm already excited for it. And if we are expecting a girl, I am DEFINITELY making this bird mobile from Homemade by Jill and modeling the whole room after it!

Zoa's Baptism Part 1

2009-07-26T07:05:00.000-07:00

Happy Baptism little Zoa Mae! I was happy to be asked to bake her baptism cakes. I've been trying my hand at fondant cakes solely based on teaching from YouTube videos. I guess I never realized how much you could learn from YouTube! Fondant is a funny kind of frosting and it can be temperamental, but luckily, I had no problems with these cakes.

The daisies are just fondant cut outs and the centers were made from a mold. I turned them over and laid them on things so that the petals would curl up. You can't really tell with these terrible pictures. Thank you Dairy Queen for my cake writing skills, as I was able to write in one fail swoop and not pee my pants with anxiety over ruining the cakes.

I'm hoping I get some better pictures at the baptism today. I took the cakes over to her house first thing this am so my toddler could not turn them over and my anxiety level could return to normal.

Whew! Big day today....see you later....

GQ Little Man

2009-07-26T06:55:00.000-07:00

I'm always looking for little boy projects and I found this great pattern here for a tie. The site also gives a great tip for getting your fabric cut on the bias without much effort. I like little effort!

Next time I will use a more satin-y fabric. I think when I do this next I will buy two ties in the store (for cheap, of course), take apart one, and refashion it into a little tie. That way I can have matching ties for my boys!

Look for that closer to the fall- when we do family portraits. I also plan on having a shirt that fits him by then. Notice how the sleeves are rolled? Yeah, no button up shirt that fits my little chunker right now. We have plans to make it work though....

Jake will be wearing this at Zoa's baptism today....see "Zoa's Baptism Part Two" for pictures.

Mommy and Me Napkin Apron

2009-07-24T14:34:00.000-07:00

There have been a lot of really cute aprons out there lately. Sadly, my lack of cooking skills usually means I have little reason for an apron. Or that all of my clothes get dirty while I cook.

Anyhoo, my good friend, Maria, is an AMAZING cook. She can usually do so while using all organic ingredients including produce from her garden. Mmmmmm, Maria's cooking! Well, hopefully she won't check this blog, but for her birthday this August I have tried my hand at sewing an apron. One for her, one for her daughter- matching of course! How cute!

The napkins I used were only $3 at Pottery Barn and the ribbon was 1/2 off. For the adult apron I followed the instructions from here at CraftStylish. For the toddler one I used one napkin and just folded over where appropriate. I tried to match the shape to the "mommy" apron along with details. For a pattern, I traced the shape I wanted onto newspaper, and measured it against my son.

I'm sure he'll hate me for this someday, but he is a great little dress form!

Maybe he'll be a famous chef someday and we'll have a good laugh about this!

TIny Pillowcase

2009-07-24T13:29:00.000-07:00

My mother has a tiny pillow that she takes camping, and has affectionately now dubbed "Jake's Pillow." But of course, it needed a case (toddlers are not neat- even while they sleep). So I found a great online tutorial at PlanetJune.

True to form, I needed a couple tries at some of the sewing, but hey- I'm still learning! If you need a fast, simple pillowcase, try this. There is minimal cutting, one piece of fabric, and is great for beginners like me. I didn't even use a pattern and I still got it done while Jake napped.

Oh, and I found an awesome model for the pillow! : )

Hello Cyberspace

2009-07-24T13:09:00.000-07:00

I'm not really sure why I decided to create my own blog. Probably because now I can keep a record of the things I try to make. My husband keeps reminding me to take a picture before I give them away, and I never really saw a point in it. But now, being a faithful follower at so many other bogs, I see the point in inspiring others and sharing your twist on a project.

So here it is, cyberworld. A log of things I've created. I hope you can put a little bit of inspiration to good use! Happy making....