New Snack Bags

Over a year ago I had made a bunch of snack bags for Mae and for me to use to get my lunch to school. Unfortunately they had seen their better days and were super stinky and in need of replacement. I finally got around to tossing them which was the motivation I needed to sit down and make  new ones.

Last time around I had used a waterproof liner, which was wonderful to make the bags usable for carrots and fruit. However I think that they got stinky because of the liner; I don't think it held up very well in our washing machine. This time I made both the bag and liner out of cotton and after being washed a few times they seem like they will hold up better in the long run. Another change I made was to move the velcro down a bit so there is a half inch lip on the bag allowing Mae to open them easier.

Mae specifically asked for the fire truck fabric as well as the dump truck fabric, not a surprise. I should probably make one more for myself but struggled deciding on which fabric to use.

Someone was pretty stoked!

Diaper Clutch

Another gift for the baby shower. I have one of these that was passed down from my sister that I have used with both boys. More with Mae than with Case because we are trying to use cloth diapers with Case. That being said, I was just in Texas and used disposable and was reminded how wonderful these diaper clutches are. Its nice to be able to grab from your bag for a quick diaper change.

I used this tutorial that I found online and although it resulted in a completed project I will definitely change some things next time I make one. It would be  nice if the flap was a little longer and I should have turned the velcro vertical instead of horizontal on the flap. I love the little girl fabric though! Such a nice change from always sewing with blues and greens.

Baby Towel

One of my best friends is pregnant and the baby shower is coming up quickly. The best part is she is having a girl! Although I come from a family of four girls and one boy there are only five grandsons to date. Not a single girl baby! So being able to sew for a baby girl is very exciting!

I made the bias tape this weekend for a towel project that I was wanting to try. I had purchased towels for Case before he was born and have really like them. Looking at his towels though I knew they could be easily recreated with much cuter fabric.

I used Case's towel as a pattern for the size and then cut out the hood pieces. I put the bias tape on the edge of the hood and then all the way around the outside. Should be perfect for a sweet little baby come March.

Bias Tape

Bias tape is one of those things that I see all over the craft world but not something I have ever really used. Awhile back I had seen this tutorial over at MADE and was definitely intrigued. So I bought the bias maker tool but never got around to trying it. That all changed this morning!

I had a project for a baby shower that I was making and needed to go to the store to buy some bias tape. However, with snow still on the ground and my lack of snow driving skills I figured this could be a good time to try my own.

It was actually quite easy and definitely something I will do from now on, instead of buying it. The patterns and designs are just so much more fun when you can pick them yourselves.

memory

One of my all time favorite games, memory. As a kid my siblings and I spent multiple hours playing the old school Milton-Bradley version. I loved it! As Mae started to get old enough for games I couldn't help but go out and buy a version for him. However, I soon realized that a two year old not only lacks the attention span for a very long game but also the cards were bent and twisted in a short amount of time. So last September as his birthday approached I thought I would create a version that could stand up to a two year olds wear and tear.

With inches of snow in the city we are stuck mostly inside and found this set of cards dejected in the bottom of the duplo bin. It must have been tossed aside for all the trucks and other toys he received for his birthday and soon after Christmas. And honestly I forgot about them! With their rediscovery today Mae was so excited and we have played many rounds this morning.

The truck fabric is actually from a queen sheet that I bought at Goodwill assuming it was a twin. (Really who would need a queen sheet with this print? Maybe why I found it at Goodwill.) I cut the sheet down and finished it for Mae's twin bed and saved the extra knowing I'd find a use. I cut out two of each truck, a spotted backing, and a batting piece to make them a bit thicker. Sewed right sides together, turned inside out and topstitched all the way around making sure to close the opening. They came together fast and are definitely durable.

I see many games of memory in our future. What is scary is Mae is really good.

out and about

This little man and I made the journey down to Texas to visit my college roommate late last week. It was a blast! Tons of great conversation, good weather, and yummy food. We got to enjoy Chick-Fil-A and Case went in a swing for the first time. It was hard to say good bye.

We came home to snow and then even more snow. There were brother kisses shared and we are slowly getting back into the routine. 

Known as B

It was a year ago today that we had to put down our first dog Wilson; also known as Bubba (B).

Shortly after my husband and I got married I saw an ad for dachshund puppies and convinced my husband to 'just go look'. For any of you that have ever gone to 'just look' at any kind of puppies you know how this story ends. Of course the same story was true for us.  It was only after the seller commented that her litter of pups 'were no more than a new set of tires' that Wilson's fate was sealed. Regardless of his severe malnourishment and body full of fleas he made the ride home with us.  With hopes of a better life for our little man we drove home passing Wilson Road, giving our pup his name.

That dog meant the world to us, he was truly our first child. He loved the snow and to run. He chewed a baseball size hole in our flat drywall bedroom wall.  Although he never raced we're pretty sure he could have won any wiener dog race.  He was more loyal than any dog I have ever owned.

As is common for wiener dogs he hurt his back and after the third injury Wil let us know it was his time. Mae had recently turned one and we didn't yet know I was pregnant with Case. The decision was by far the hardest I have had to make to date and the night prior the most difficult.

As I sit here one year later it seems only fitting that there is snow in the city; a testament to me that Wil is up there. Although there are still occasional tears shed I hope he knows how much he influenced our relationship and how thankful we are for him.  My husband and I often say that we began with B.

Bowling

Today is one of my good friends sons' birthday, he is turning two. Although I will be out of town for the party this weekend I wanted to make a gift that my husband and son could take along. As I browsed my bookmarks and the Internet for a good gift for a two year old boy I came up with nothing! I saw tons of cute ideas for clothes and accessories but having just had Christmas with a two year old I realize clothes don't mean a whole lot at that age.

I began to admit defeat and headed to the website of our locally owned toy store. I came upon a list of top selling toys, one of which being a bowling pin set. As the gears turned in my mind I knew this was perfect- I could create my own. I had seen this tutorial over on Ruffles And Stuff for a monster faced pillow and loved the faces and thought I could maybe use the idea. Monster face bowling pins? So I set to work. Here is how they turned out.

   

Their bodies are made from felt that has been sewn together and stuffed with poly fill and rice to help them stand. Then I hot glued their felt faces and they are ready to play. I contemplating making a ball but decided to buy one because the pins need the weight to tumble and fall.

*I must thank my husband for his part in creating some of the faces. By far my favorite is the snowboarder which truly resembles him most weekends of the winter.

Old to New

My favorite fabric to create clothes for my boys has become adult clothing- especially old shirts. There is just something wonderful about getting to skip hems and instead lining up patterns to maintain the previous hemline. Not only does it save time but it allows me to almost always use white thread in my machine as well as my serger because all the stitches are found inside the garment.

So a few months ago while visiting my parents I received a bag full of shirts my dad was planning on donating.  I was beyond ecstatic. The thing about my father is he is a tall guy which means his shirts are big which of course is wonderful when you want to cut them apart to use the fabric. My favorite of the bunch was the polo below. I have been contemplating different uses for the shirt but when Mae outgrew all his long sleeves but one in the last month, the polo suddenly had a purpose.

Last July I had drafted a pattern for a baseball tee using this tutorial over at Make it and Love it. However the three tees I had made based on this pattern have long been outgrown. Not wanting to redraft the pattern I just cut the shirt out, adding a quarter inch all around, crossing my fingers it would be big enough. Not having used a polo for a tee shirt before I wasn't sure what I would use for the neck. However, since the shirt was an XL the sleeve binding from one side was just long enough to use as ribbing.

I had bookmarked this tee over at mer mag and started cutting out rows of triangles just to get about 9 triangles in before I was over it. I realized I had a star punch (meant for paper) which would be perfect to speed the process along. I used the freezer paper tutorial found here at Made.

There is a sense of a classic crewneck pullover to this tee that took me by surprise as I photographed the final product. This being said, I love the way the tee turned out and am glad that the old polo found a new life.

Dad

My understanding of a parent has really changed over the past two years as I have become the mother of two boys. The dedication, unconditional love, and selflessness it takes to be a parent continues to surprise me daily. How is it that my own parents made it look so easy? When it most definitely is not. Even still they swoop in to love and support not only me but now my husband and sons as well. I feel these pictures tell the story better than I can write:

So Happy Birthday dad. Thank you for loving me through everything. Thank you for being willing to offer help, give advice, provide reassurance and even buy doughnuts with chocolate milk. I love you.

Cowl

All winter I have seen numerous scarves and cowls popping up all over blog world. Some of my favorites are this, this, and this. However I wanted to create something that was more a cowl than a scarf. Something that was warm but not bulky and something that would stay wrapped. With a rough idea in mind I set to work and came up with this:

I used cotton fabric with flannel backing and the felt flower tutorials by Jess at Craftiness is not Optional. I sewed on velcro for a closure and then sewed and hot glued the flowers in place. They were so quick and easy I even made a few for Christmas gifts.

Present

I ran across this wallpaper at Oops, I Craft My Pants. How easy it is to be distracted. How easy it is for time to get away. A simple reminder to put my phone down and instead love on my boys.
Thanks Erika!

Easy Linen Shirt Edit

A few months ago I ordered Sewing For Boys after reading its praises on many different blogs. The day it arrived in the mail I quickly tore into the package to find that the book seemed to be all it was promised to be. A fussy baby prevented actually getting a project started.

As December dawned and our family pictures loomed in the near future I cut out the pattern for The Easy Linen Shirt. I pulled out a bag of old dress shirts my dad had given me and had Mae weigh in with his fabric choice.

The pattern was easy to use and came together quickly. I made a size 2/3 but had to size it down a bit to fit Mae who usually wears a 2T. The biggest edit I made was to skip the collar and instead add a hood giving the shirt a more casual look.

Love the way it turned out and will definitely make another. This time maybe with fleece?

Case

Late last week this sweet little man turned three months. My how he has grown! He changes just a bit each day and is a tremendous joy. His 100 day Korean party is Saturday and this time around I clearly see why we celebrate his life at 100 days. In the past week Case is laughing and cooing more than ever. He is holding onto toys and interacting with his environment. It is like a different baby- a real human being.

Happy New Year

I have decided to take on a challenge from Rachelle at tinkerlab . One of her resolution ideas for making 2012 a more creative year was to start a blog. Not only create a blog but the challenge comes in posting often. So here goes nothing...