Sewing for Oliver!

Well that took slightly longer than I thought.  The biggest reason - our internet wasn't working!  Well I got that fixed today so here is the sewing projects I told you about. 

First I decided that since I cannot ever find "binky leashes" that I like I would just make them.  I ordered the suspender clips of Amazon a while ago (got to LOVE amazon prime).  These need almost no fabric to make and I didn't have any boyish fabric that I liked.  This gave me an excuse to go shopping at the fabric store.  Here is the finished product:

Basically I took a piece of fabric 4 in x 12 in, ironed the short ends in about 1/4 in, pressed it in half, then open it up and press each side into the middle and then in half again.  This hides the raw edges.  Then I added a piece of 1/4 in ribbon about 6 in in length folded in half between the layers on one end.  Then I topstitched all the way around.  I stitched over the ribbon several times to reinforce that area.  Then I slipped my suspender clip over one end and folded it back about 1.25 in and stitched to secure.  Add the binky and you are done.  You could also follow the tutorial here.

 

Since there is over 4 years between my youngest two babies there are things that are out now or at least more popular now then they were when my middle babe was born.  One of those things is the car seat canopy.  I had a variation on this given to me for my first but it is something that cannot be left on the carrier when not needed.  Well you can get one in one of three ways:  Buy one for about $50, get a coupon code and get one for free, or make one.  Well I looked into the free one and all the patterns that I liked they didn't have in stock.  :(  So I decided to make one!

Here it in on O's carseat.

With the front flap up.  I used the tutorial I found here.  It is great and easy to follow.  The only thing that I think I will do differently next time is make the straps slightly shorter.  And then last week it was really put to the test when I was going into a store and a lady that I didn't know tried to reach it, I believe that they only thing that stopped her is that she couldn't see him cause he was covered.  Also keeps rain sprinkles and the sun out of his eyes.

 

Then I thought, what do I do with the left over fabric?  Well I decided to try a wet bag.  What is a wet bag you ask?  A bag that holds wet things and doesn't leak.  This would be really handy for accidents and or bathing suits.  They are really popular among the clothe diapering crowd.  For this one I used iron on vinyl because I couldn't find white PUL.  I will give you a comparison of the two after I finish the second bag.  :)  Here is my first attempt.

 

The dimensions are approx. 6.5 x 11.5 inches.  The strap should be angled the other way and during testing the only leak I found was at the zipper.  I am going back to the drawing board on this and will let you know how it turns out.  I followed this tutorial for putting the bag together.

 

This is what the inside looks like.

 

That is it for now!  Mother's day layouts coming soon!

 

Happy Crafting!

Shower Banner and more to come

Wow! When I thought that I should post something today I did not realize that the last time I did was January!  Since then there has been a lot going on here.  February is a short month anyway, and with all the snow days, where my job is to wrangle the kids, along with being EXTREMELY tired all the time - all the free time I had I was napping.  I did get a couple crafting things done = I made the banner and favor tags for my friends baby shower in the middle of the month.

Here is the whole thing hanging in my new craft space.

Details!  It all turned out so awesome and cute!  She even ended up hanging it in the baby's room after the shower.  I used chipboard for the pieces and covered them in chocolate, large circle is sorbet (I think), then white daisy.  letters and in sorbet and then shadowed with chocolate, added small pearls and owls from the Artbooking cartridge to accent.

  

This is the tag for the favors!

 



Then the beginning of March was taken up with sleeping (yay) and getting my plans ready for a long term sub in my classroom until I go back to work in May.  Then on March 19, Oliver Logan joined our family.

He looks like he has a black eye because he was breech and wedged up under my ribs and they had to manually push him out.  This was at about 12 hours old.

He is a great baby, and while it took about 1 1/2 weeks to get back on my feet, the recovery wasn't too bad.  I have completed a couple of sewing projects since but I need to get pictures.  I will try and post about them early next week.

Happy Crafting!

Christmas Card Album

Happy Snow Day!!

I tried and made good creative use of my snow day today but I didn't get anything finalized.  :(

However, I thought that I would share photos of my Christmas Card Album with you.  This is made using the CTMH Pocket album (Z1870) and some scraps of the Pear and Partridge paper that I had lying around.

 

LOVE the cover!  I added accents in white daisy, cranberry, topiary, and honey.  On the inside I placed all the photo cards that we received this year.  My ultimate plan is to make a page per family and then add the cards as they come in each year.  This will let us see how their families grow and keep the Christmas letters all in one place.

 

I haven't yet but you could decorate the outside of each pocket with something that reminds you of each family and with their family name and the years of cards that are there.  Maybe even return addresses in little pockets outside of the big pocket.  The options are endless.

 

Happy Crafting!!

Shower Invites and A New Idea Book

It is snowing outside and the schools are out for the day. 

While I am not spending my snow day crafting (too much school papers to grade), I have found some time in the last couple of weeks to make the invitations to a good friends baby shower.  I found the idea on the Cricut idea center here.  The theme is Sugar and Spice so I changed the colors to pinks.

 

There were 38 of them when I was finished!  I couldn't have done it without my Cricut!

 

I printed all the info on the insert using my regular laser printer.  You just have to make sure that the card stock is lined up exactly right.

 

A close-up of the cutest shoes on the front.  And while intense to put together, I was very happy with the results.

 

As an added detail I also stamped the envelope!

 

For colors I used blush and hollyhock ink and white daisy, topiary, blush and smoothie cardstock.

 

I have a CCR file, if you want it let me know.

 

In other news the new idea book is here and you too can get one!  Orders can start Feb 1!  Go to my webpage starting on the 1st to see all the great new products!

 

Happy Crafting!

Layouts for the Grandmas!

Happy New Year!

2014 promises to be an extremely busy year!  But until then there are some new classes for you to check out!  In January we will be making a Christmas card album, 6 Baby cakes layouts, and a wall hanging for your home.

I hope that your Holiday was relaxing and filled with family and love.  Mine was!

I do have two new layouts to share with you.  You may or may not know that I have made albums for the Grandmas.  I give them layouts for presents like Christmas and Mother's day and sometimes for no reason at all.  They have a 12 x 12 wall frame that they put the layout in until they get the next one and then they move the layout into their albums.  The goal is that by the time the kids are grown they will have a complete album of them growing up.

Below is this seasons layout that the Grandmas got for Christmas ( I believe that they look forward to these layouts more than their actual presents).  Yes they are very similar but that is mostly because I use the same pictures and theme for both.

 

I am extremely pleased with the way that these layouts came out.  The pictures do not do them justice.  Want to know more about my "Grandma Album" process?  Let me know and I will get you started.

Happy Crafting!

Christmas Trees

Happy Thanksgiving, Everyone!

I hope that you are looking forward to lots of turkey and fixings tomorrow, and that you are lucky like me and someone else likes to do the cooking.  I have several things for you today.

First, I have updated my classes for December, please check them out on the Classes tab.

Second is a reminder to order your goodies out of the holiday catalog soon because you can only order through the end of December.

And Third, I have a quick rundown on how I made this fabulous tree featured on the front of the new catalog.  Warning:  this isn't an in depth tutorial!

 



Basically I followed the tutorial here with minor changes.  I used my Cricut Craft Room to cut down the width of all the pieces instead of doing it by hand.  I have the CCR file if you would like it.  Then I used the CTMH sparkle paper to do the snowflakes, and I made the star with washi tape and some stamping.  A foundry pin clip is holding the star on.  Here is a close up of the star. 

It takes a full 3 sheets of the sparkle and shine paper and 1/3 sheet of the sparkly paper and a sheet of white daisy.

I hope that your Thanksgiving is full of food and Family and time for Crafting!!!

New Constant Campaign

Hello!

It has been a busy month!  And I have done a lot towards the album I am working on but I haven't had time to get pictures taken so you will just have to imagine the fabulousness of the layouts  :)

I also found time to make the invites for Son's 4th birthday and I did take pictures, but my New (less than 1 year old) computer had to go on a trip to get a new motherboard.   So I will post them later when I have access to the pictures.  Oops!

I have posted new classes for November.  Please let me know ASAP if you would like to join me.  Lots of Holiday joy in the making!

Close to My Heart has a new incentive for anyone willing to join my team.  Sign up to be a new consultant this month (until December 15) and you get a great new product for free that is not even available to ME! until January. 

 

 

Lastly,  I wanted to share the news with you now that we are 1/2 way there.  The family and I are expecting a new addition in March.  I am 20 weeks this week and we have just found out that it will be a boy!  We are very excited.  So if you have been wondering why I have been out of the loop it isn't just school work that is keeping me busy, I have been really tired with this one!  I view it as another excuse to scrap baby pictures.  :)

 

Happy Crafting!!!