Sew Liberated Book GIVEAWAY!!!!

Sew Liberated Book GIVEAWAY!!!!

Fa La la la la !!!

I finally finished her dress. I started this thing in November. I had to make a pattern, test it, tweak it, then do a practice run at it so I would ruin the pretty fabric. The fabric by the way is burgundy taffeta originally meant for curtains or home decor, but I don’t follow the rules on stuff like that. It was on sale for $5.50 a yard and I only needed one yard. I used gold satin ribbon for the trim and I sewed in an invisible zipper in the back, but I wont be showing you all that because I totally did a bad job. Whipstitch has an awesome tute on how to do one. For the most part I like how it turned out and please pay no attention to the bottom of my tree. I have no tree skirt and the kid’s mess with the bottom, so I covered it up in hoping they would leave it alone.

Nativity Craft

This was one of the cutest Christmas crafts I've done. It was also 2 lessons in one- a great lesson on shapes and The greatest story ever told.


To make this you'll need -

construction paper or craft paper

popsicle sticks

glue

and cardstock paper (I used construction paper but I recommend using cardstock for stability)

Then you cut out 1 small triangle for Mary, a larger one for Joseph, rectangles for the 3 kings, circles for heads, smaller rectangles and octagons for the "gifts", triangles for the star, crowns, a trapezoid for baby Jesus’ crib (that’s what the kiddos were calling it), and a half circle for baby Jesus. Then arrange it to look like a nativity scene.

Once the shapes are glued down, glue on the popsicle sticks and you're done!

Fat Quarter Skirt Tutorial

It's here. After a few weeks of procrastinating and Christmas shopping, I finally managed to get this posted. This should fit a 2t-4t, but you might have to adjust measurements for the 2t. So here we go.


1st gather your materials

1 fat quarter

about a half a yard of coordinating fabric for waist and and trim pieces or another fat quarter

1 inch wide elastic



Because my camera got the swine flu and only seems to wanna work when all of the lights are off, there are few illustration and they're made my Microsoft paint.



OK now you cut your fabric. A fat quarter is usually about 21-22 inches that will be the width of the skirt. Now cut your fabric like this.

Now with right sides of the fabric together, sew the waist pieces, the skirt, and the ruffle together. Either serge or use a tight zigzag, the raw edges and press your seams.

Next, using your favorite form of gathering, gather the skirt to the width of the waist and the ruffle to the width of the skirt.
Then sew them all together and serge or zigzag edges and press seams. Now with right sides together sew the side of the skirt and once again serge or zigzag edges along with the top of the waist.

Next fold the waist piece in half, press it down and then top stitch leaving an opening large enough for the casing.

For the elastic casing your want to use a piece about 21-22 inches long depending on your child. I have a tubby toddler with a belly. She likes to wear things below it so sometimes I need a snugger fit. OK, now attach a safety pin to the end of the elastic and feed it through. Sew elastic together, top stitch the opening closed and lets hem the bottom.

The bottom of the skirt can be done whatever way you like it. You can hem it, serge it, lettuce edge it, whatever you like. Then you're done!!!

Sorry for the lack of pictures. Once I get a new camera I'll update the tute. If you have any questions feel free to ask.

I won !!!

I've entered tons of give aways and I never even thought that I would win. This time I did and its from my favorite blog Vegbee's  Blueprints. I helped her name her latest pattern the "Birdie Britches". How exciting. I won a pattern from her Etsy shop. I think that I'll pick the "Birdie Britches". My tubby 2 year old is months out of the highest size the pants go to (24 months) but its a cute pattern. I also know plenty of little ones I can sew for, and maybe one day I'll have another pumpkin of my own. If you haven't already checked out her blog you should.

First Step Photo Vinyl Wall Art $50 Gift Card GUEST GIVEAWAY

First Step Photo Vinyl Wall Art $50 Gift Card GUEST GIVEAWAY

My last Fair Weather Jacket

I hope this is the last one of these for a while. This one is her winter Fair Weather "Coat". There's 3 layers. Cord for the shell, and fleece between that and the flannel lining. It wasn't very hard, I just cut the fleece about an inch shorter all the way around and used the iron on kind. Its pretty warm too.

I love Vintage Fabric

During the summer I got an awesome supply of vintage plaid fabric. Oh, how If dreaded cuting into it. I was fearful that I would  messed up. So I kept it simple, and did not cut a thing. I sewed it into a tube hemed the bottom and gathered the top, them attached it to a bodice. TA DA!!! I call this the "Play Date Dress", hopefully soon I'll make enough to sale in my own store. The problem is that everything I make, I dont want to part with. I'd rather keep it for my pumpkin.

My first store bought pattern

I know that it’s been ages since I've posted. It’s been a busy month in day care. We had a pig funk scare (H1N1, aka Swine Flu), and I’m so sick of hearing about it. Every one of the parents of the kids I care for was scared and worried and that was all any one talked about. In all the stupid mass hysteria of the last month or so I managed to whip out this little dress. It was the fist time I used a pattern that wasn't free off the internet, someone’s tute, home made or created by Vegbee. It's Simplicity 5478 and totally vintage, just my style. I'm not a fan of the yucky, brown, flimsy paper in the store bought patterns for the very reasons that I've just stated. It turned out ok. There was a little tweeking here and there. The collar was a bit tight. This was also the first time that I sewed in a zipper. It wasn't as hard as I thought and it was a hell of a lot easier than buttonholes.


I love the color combo of navy and red like on the Yes Man Jacket, also created by Vegbee. I have no clue what she doing in the picture.

I know that I promised a tute on the fat quarter skirt. I think my camera got the pig funk cause its not working right. As soon as I can address this issue there will be a tute on the skirt and maybe a give away.

The Last Minute Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!! (with free bonus pattern in post)

The Last Minute Frock GROSGRAIN GIVEAWAY!!!! (with free bonus pattern in post)

Rae Gun Ramblings

Rae Gun Ramblings
super cute go check it out

Shabby Apple Dare to Design Limoncello Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Shabby Apple Dare to Design Limoncello Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!
for the mama's

Shabby Apple Dare to Design Lawn Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!

Shabby Apple Dare to Design Lawn Frock GIVEAWAY!!!!
foe tha mama's

Aunty Ollie $100 Gift Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!

Aunty Ollie $100 Gift Card GUEST GIVEAWAY!!!!
check it out

The Handmade dress give away

if you haven't already seen the wonderfully awesome dresses on the handmade dress you need to. Grossgrain is doing a give away of one of the dresses HERE

Arrrrgh!

The Pumpkin and her buddy Banana wanted to be pirates for Halloween, so I made the girls matching pirate costumes. Whew!!! Thank goodness I'm done and don't have to worry until next year. I was in shirring hell. The backs of the faux corsets where shirred ... never again. I guess in the end they turned out cute. The skirts have 3 layers and they're poofy, thanx to a layer of tulle, and they're also twirly. I also made the Pumpkin a peasant top to wear underneath with fun flared sleeves. I didn't have the time to make the Banana one too. :(

Posing for Boo Fest at her Daddy's work.

Enjoying Trunk or Treat.

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

People must like giving me their stuff. About a week or so ago my husbands uncle brought me a box of apples. Lucky me! I've made a few pies, and they turned out ok, but the greatest creation of mine had to be Apple Cinnamon Pancakes. They where the perfect morning treat . So lets get started.

First you will need to gather you ingredients.

Apples about 4-5 cut up

Cinnamon

Brown sugar

Pancake mix

Butter

Syrup

My Raspberry Bliss Recipe

Second, we make the yummy apple topping.

This is very simple. Use the raspberry bliss recipe but substitute apples for raspberries ( of course), brown sugar in place of white sugar and add a few shakes of cinnamon. You need to let it simmer until the apples are soft but not mushy. If the skin of the apple looks kinda shriveled up then you cooked it too long. Set the apples aside.

Next, prepare pancakes according to the instructions and add a couple shakes of cinnamon to the mixture.

Last, pour apples over the pancakes along with your favorite syrup and maybe some whipped cream and enjoy!

Fat Quarter Skirt

My obsession for all things purple, led me to the purchase of of 2 fat quarters, for a buck each at Wal-Mart. Once I was home I then realized, what the heck are you going to do with 2 purple fat quarters. That then led to the creation of the fat quarter skirt and matching top.

I apologize for the poor quality in the pictures. I am, how ever working on a tute for the fat quarter skirt and it will be up soon.

Our first Snow

I woke up Monday morning to a light blanket of snow covering my backyard. I cant believe this, its only October.

A Classic that never gets Old

I don't even need to give instructions on this one. I think everyone at some point in their life has made stamp art with either apples or potatoes. You can even use oranges, broccoli and corn on the cob . Its an easy art project that kiddos of all ages love.

Fall Fun

Fall is here. The kindos and I have enjoyed spending long mornings and afternoons outside. There's leafs and sticks that have blown off the trees and how cute are munchkins when they're all bundled up. I love it. The pumpkin loves her new jacket too. I saw the awsome jacket that Zooey Daschanel wore in Yes Man and I knew that the pumpkin would have one too. I think that I'll try to make a matching one for myself. I used Vegbee's Fair weather Jacket pattern but ditched the front belt. I think that it turned out great. The best part is that it cost me less than 10 bucks to make. I got 2 yards of navy blue linen for the shell at $ 1.97 per yard and the flannel lining was $1.98 a yard for 2 yards. YEA!

The inspiration for the jacket.

My version made for a 2 year old.

Chasing the neighbors dog through the fence.

End of the Season

Labor Day weekend usually ends the summer and opens another chapter in the crazy seasons that we have up "nort" here. Yes, I said nort, its a Wisconsin thing I guess. Well this year someone forgot to tell mother nature that. September is usually a month of dusting off the plastic tubs full of jackets and coats, along with mittens and scarfs, raking up leaves and preparing for the long cold winter to come. I usually have a plethora of fall crafts planned for the kidos, that coincided with many walks through the leaves and running through the fall wind. Not so much this year. The leaves changed yet the heat stayed, and the bugs were bad. Sure it was nice at the county fair, that is also Labor Day weekend. It was four days of cotton candy, livestock and deep fat fried cheese curds, YUMMY!!! I grew up in Las Vegas, NV where there are 2 seasons. Hot as Hell and kinda cool. The changing of the seasons is something of beauty to me and I guess I'm just excited to see it.

The county fair. Pumpkin called it the "fairy".

She was so excited to ride the train, until she realized that I wasn't with her. Of course she cried until I sat on the train with her. The pumpkins favorite thing had to be the animals. There was a petting zoo with camels and ponies, they even had a lemur. In the tent of champions there was pigs, sheep, goats, and a cow. Pumpkin even got to pet the pigs. As for the cow...

she wasn't too sure about that.

The girl and her boots

I found the pumpkin a cute pair of boots at the thrift store here in my town. They're purple and chunky. I've always thought that it was cute when little girls in wear chunky boots with dresses or skirts . Apparently the pumpkin thinks so too because she wants to where them with everything.

4 wheeling.

Striking a pose.

Teachers Pet Cardi, Simple Tee and Poppy Skirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Teachers Pet Cardi, Simple Tee and Poppy Skirt GIVEAWAY!!!!
this is another cute outfit. her stuff is so awesome.

Indian Summer Shirt and Skirt GIVEAWAY!!!!

Indian Summer Shirt and Skirt GIVEAWAY!!!!
I love this skirt! you should check it out.

Green Pretend Food

I am constantly seeing tutes on how to make that cute felt food. I am also saying to myself that I should make some. Why not? I run an in home daycare and the kids would love it. Between the massive stack of started and not yet started sewing projects, and the fact that my life can be some what busy at times, I just have not gotten around to making some yet. Not to mention that I've been to Hancock's about a billion and one times, walked right on past the felt, and did not even think to buy some. So, what I do have is garbage and green play food takes very little time.


Your basic pretend juice and milk. Iwrote "Pretend Milk" on the milk because some one would think that it was real.

Some take out. I thought that the take out was awesome but the kids just called it a bucket and tried to open it.

Making green play food is very simple.
1st find or just wait until some one finished the milk or juice, make sure that you clean the container out really good. Just take my word on this.

2nd add water, you should fill it about a quarter to half way with water. Remember that children will be playing with these and you don't want their little piggies to get hurt when they accidentally drop it.

3rd add color, for apple juice you use about 2-3 drops of yellow and about 1 drop of red. If it looks like some one went to the bath room in it just adjust your color combo.
For milk I just added some white paint, and for any other kind of juice just play around with the color combo until you get the shade you were looking for. If you are making orange juice I suggest you use paint for a more authentic look.

4th glue your lid on with supper glue or a hot glue gun like I did.

Pretend juice isn't the only thing you can make. You can use cereal boxes, pasta boxes or any food box. You can use junk mail, news paper and plastic grocery bags to stuff the boxes so they wont get too smooshed. Then tape the box shut on box ends with some packing tape. I save the empty spice bottles and fill them with a little rice and glue the lid shut. It makes it feel a little more real to our little ones when they get to play with something that looks like the real deal. Not only that, its a great way the recycle and reuse what is basically garbage.


This is some of our loved and gently used pretend food, and when they get too beat up, I just stick them in the recycling bin and wait for some more trash.

Vacation

In July the pumpkin and I went to visit my grandmother in Louisville Kentucky. My mom even flew in from Las Vegas to visit. Now I'm finally posting pictures of the vacation. She enjoyed tearing up her great grandmothers house. Of course she let her do and my grandma just laughed in joy. I got to see the church my mom grew up in and it's also the place my great grandfather was a minister at. It was amazing to me to be in a place that was full of so much of my families history. We went to the Louisville Zoo while we where there. The pumpkin loved all of the animals. When we where at the lemur habitat she sang "the move it, move it" song from Madagascar. Her favorite was the monkeys, but I think that all of the children like the monkeys.

She felt so grown up on the plane. The flight attendant gave pumpkin her own juice in one of those small plastic clear cups. She would even set it in the cup holder on the tray table.

Here she is tearing up great grandmas living room. She has or shall I say had the kind of living room that you walk by but don't sit in. That kind of space does not exist to the pumpkin.

She loved the zoo. It was something to see. Just about everything there grabbed her attention. That quite a feat. My daughters attention span is about as long as her pinky finger.

EWW! yuk here's a bad picture of mama and the pumpkin. ALL pictures of me are bad.