Fun in Nature

I can't believe that my kids are getting so old. Louie is in kindergarten this year! As they get older (especially Louie), their minds have the ability and the need to learn so much. I mean, Louie is doing great in kindergarten and Leo and I have fun at home with arts and crafts, music and Nick Jr., but they need more and their little minds can handle so much more than I am usually organized enough to offer them. So when I saw the advertisement for the Wonderbox, and the discounted first month from being a Wittlebee member (this is cool, but I suspended my subscription because I am WAY too picky about clothes to have someone else pick them out every month), I was very interested in it. Each month you are sent a different box full of 5-6 projects based the subject that month, and suggestions for other activities related to the subject, including what to do with the box itself! How cute! This month (our first box) was nature related. It has supplies for making sun prints, going on a nature hunt and decorating your canvas bag, making a balloon greenhouse, and a few more. Friday it was so beautiful outside that we decided to do the balloon greenhouse since it seemed pretty easy and fun for the kids to do outside during that time between after school and dinner (which tends to become a bit chaotic!). They had to put dirt in a balloon with a funnel (which they thought was so cool), then we added seeds and water, blew up the balloon and hung it from the curtain rod (where I still have no curtains because I still haven't finished sewing them!), and now we wait. Which Louie was a bit upset about...by this point Leo didn't even remember what we were doing. LOL

And here they are hanging up.

Louie was very focused and interested, Leo just liked the idea of playing in the dirt. :) The ages for the projects are 3-6, since Leo is just barely old enough, not every project will probably hold his attention. This week we are planning on doing the Sunprints, which I am super excited about (maybe more than the kids!). I will post how that turns out. Very excited for the other activities from the box, and to see what this next box has in it! The way everything is put together is very simple and organized and all the packaging is so cute too! And a great value, it's only $20/month. I had a discount for the first month too since I was already a Wittlebee customer so we got it for only $10! I am so glad that we tried this. The kids are learning so much AND it is helping to keep them occupied so they don't get bored and start wrestling or running back and forth through the house (it happens...all the time)!

Crop Jacket

It's been so long since I posted something that the format for a new post has changed...LOL. Well I've been a little bit busy with the addition of our new baby girl, Bayla Rae. Or should I say our now almost ONE YEAR OLD girl! Geeze, time has flown by this past year.  

If you all remember, back when it was just the boys and I, I was itching for a girl to make beautiful little things for. And then I got one!! While I could not be happier that I have this sweet little baby girl, I was sort of drowning in diapers (2 in diapers all the time, and my oldest at night still), feeding the kids, keeping our house as reasonably clean and organized as possible, and still trying to enjoy these wonderful little kiddos! And they really are wonderful! I've been making things since my last post, however it has just seemed like such a big task to post anything about it, let alone make a tutorial about it. I know, I'm the worst! 


I posted a few of my other projects I had made for her last year before she actually arrived. However, what I was really looking forward to was making her clothes!! I don't really regret not making much her first year, because let's face it, they wear things all of one or two times, especially those special items, before they grow out of it or stain it with spit-up or poop! So I made her a cute top (not my best work, but successful) for Easter this year.


Here she is with my beautiful mom!


 So now that she's getting bigger, about to start walking, and hopefully wearing things for a bit longer, I decided to use some of the great fabrics my mom had given me and tweak some of her patterns she had lying around from when they were $0.99 at JoAnn's. The pattern was just for the jacket and was supposed to be a simple cotton with a ruffle and a ribbon to tie together...not my style AT ALL. So...I changed the hood by adding this fabulously huge bow and the big buttons in the front. I was inspired but some of the beautiful jackets that Shwin and Shwin have made!

I would love your feedback! Thinking about creating a pattern for the bow...?

Layered Fabric Flowers

So I looked at a million tutorials for how to make these. Basically you are cutting three layers of rounded edge squares and melting the edges. They have to be synthetic fabrics in order to melt and not catch on fire! I tried using a fireplace lighter on them, but it worked so much better to hold over a candle flame and let the edges melt. Then I just did a couple of stitches in the center and tied it in back. I hot glued the rhinestones in the middle. The only synthetic fabric I had was this white and turquoise, but I plan to make a million more of these in other colors for hair clips, headbands, hats, pillows and clothing clips for me or the baby! :) She is going to be very well accessorized!

Fabric Hair Clip Board

Yesterday I came across a hair clip holder that was made out of a frame and some ribbons, so I went to look for a cool vintage frame today at Hobby Lobby but didn't love any of them. I remembered the Fabric Photo Board that I made with canvas and fabric and decided to replicate it as a hair clip holder in a smaller size. I used a piece of one of the fabrics I bought for the baby's bedding I plan to make soon.

I also threw together a couple of ribbon hair clips from this tutorial to put on the board and get it started, I love it!! Ribbon by the spool was half off at Hobby Lobby so I was able to get a bunch of really cute ribbon for a $1 a spool. There are so many ideas for hair clips out there, I'm sure that this is going to fill up fast!

Boppy Cover

We found out last week that....IT'S A GIRL...and I am so excited I can't even stand it! I have two boys and can finally do all the fun girly sewing and crafting that I've been drooling over. First thing was my trip to JoAnn's because I had 50% coupons, which ended up not even using because all the fabric was either already on sale or a red tag fabric. I found all the fabric to make her bedding, including coordinating solids for making my own crib sheets! I also found three really cute flannel fabrics that I picked up in the red tag clearance section that I knew would be perfect for a boppy cover and they will coordinate well in her room with her bedding. What I have leftover from the boppy cover, I will use as receiving blankets or for little stuffed animals. :)

I thought I would just wing it on the boppy pattern, but double-checked on line for a good tutorial. I came across this "quick and dirty" tutorial that was basically what I was planning to do myself. The funniest part was she used the same fabric that I had planned to use! :)

Here's the final result (the other side has a cool red and dark pink tight polka dot pattern but it is not photographing very well):

It turned out great, and I feel so excited to have one item done from my list of MANY projects I want to do before she gets here! Best part was the cost was about $4.50 including the zipper!! That's cheaper than what I could have found in the store, especially with a unique pattern!

Much more to come!