~chair re-do~

I've always wanted to re-upholster something to see
for myself how difficult it is.
Jay D's Grandma has a chair in her basement that
I have loved for years and years.
I told her quite a few years ago that if she ever
decided to get rid of it, I would love to have it.

Jay D brought it home about a month ago from
one of his almost daily visits with her.
I was SO HAPPY!
It is simple and small and I thought it would
be a good starter for that re-upholster project
I've been wanting to tackle.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any before pics of it put together.
I told Jay D I got the materials for it and he immediately
started taking the chair apart before I could get a pic.
Once he got it dis-assembled,
we had to take pictures of it before we took off the fabric
to remind ourselves how it was put together.
Here is one of those pics so you can see the material it was.


Here it is now.
I love the final result.
It's EXACTLY what I had in mind.
I got the fabric at Joann's during a 50% off sale.
I splurged and got the fabric I really wanted instead
of a cheaper one I had picked out.
I figured if I was going to put the time into it
then I should make it nice.
The fabric was about $50.....
I totally tapped into my mad-money funds for this.
The paint for the legs was some we had on hand.

I do wish I would have been able to
pull the fabric, pleats and buttons tighter
but I figure that will come with experience.
For now, I'll be satisfied as an amateur.

And I'm pretty sure I'll stay an amateur.....
let's just say this was a beeeeyotch of a project.
Next time I get the inkling to do something like this
I hope my hubs will remind me NOT TO!

~message center~

I've been working on some projects for my house
that I want to show you.

Keep in mind a couple things while viewing
any pictures I may post of my house and things in it:

A) I am not a professional interior designer.
(as you'll obviously see-go easy on me)

B) I know there are tons of blogs where people
show their extravagant homes and projects they
do in them.....this isn't one of those blogs!
I prefer to "keep it real" (so does my wallet).
My house is not a magazine photo...it is real
and we have to live in it.

OK-now that I've got that disclaimer out of the way....
let me show you the new "message center" I have made for
a small little wall between our living room and kitchen area.
In the past I've had a dry-erase/cork board hanging here.
I saw an idea similar to this in a magazine a few months
back and wanted to do it. In the magazine the boards
were actually made out of cookie sheets.
I wanted something smaller than cookie sheets
and I found some clearance magnet boards at
The Wood Connection for $3.46/board.

WITH THE NAKED EYE YOU CAN'T SEE WHERE THE MOD PODGE
UP TOP STOPS AS PROMINENTLY AS YOU CAN IN THE PHOTO.
IT MUST BE THE FLASH.
IT'S DRIVING ME NUTS IN THE PICS SO I WILL GO AND
SWIPE THE MOD PODGE UP TO THE TOP OF THE BOARD SO
YOU CAN'T SEE WHERE IT ENDS.

Anyway, I mod podged some scrapbook paper onto two
of the magnet boards and painted the other one with
some chalkboard paint.
The decorative wood pieces are from a
secret treasure store of mine.
I have had the wood pieces and the chalkboard
paint for a long time so the only thing I had to
buy for this project were the magnet boards
and the spray paint for the wood ($3).

Here it is with all my junk on it:
Did you notice the saying about discipline on the board?
I have to remind myself of this on a daily basis lately.
Three year olds are tough.

~aprons on the cheap~

There comes a point in life when you become
too old for logo tee-shirts.
It's a harsh reality especially when you
like the logo or the message of the shirt
or it reminds you of that crazy concert you attended
in younger days long, long ago.

And come on, we all have those clothes
that are designated specifically as
"housework only" attire. For me, the logo shirts
end up in this particular drawer......
like the David Bowie shirt that hasn't fit me properly
since I had my first baby
(just because you can smash your body into something doesn't mean it fits people),
or the jeweled "Aquarius" shirt,
or the glitzy Playboy bunny raglan tee (don't ask).....
YOU GET THE POINT.

After going thru a friend's D.I. bag last year,
I found some cute logo tees and thought I could
do something cute with them for some sassy women I know.

Check it out:
Who says you have to wear pearls to make an apron look good?
I cut up the tees and used them to embellish an apron that
I made (again from fabric I had on hand).
I thought it was a good way to still wear those
logos that we love without:

A) having to smash into them.
OR
B) wearing them in public either accidentally or purposely.

Good News.....they can expand with us now!

Here is my friend, Jolie, demonstrating how wonderful
the apron makes her feel....it just makes her want to cook....
which we all benefit from.

Total cost of apron: free ninety-nine.

Total time it took to sew and embellish: about 2.5 hours.

Total pounds I've gained since I made it for Jolie: let's just
say I no longer can even smash into the logo tees of mine
that I haven't had the heart to cut up or D.I. yet.

~quiet book~

When my Mom would bring a new baby home
from the hospital she would be sure to
have a special gift for the rest of us kids.
These gifts were always hand made.
To this day I remember what they were and I
still have one of them.
It's a stuffed dog named Fido.
It's got a stitch mark going
around it's entire head because my older sister
ripped his head off once when she got mad at me.
Mom sewed it back on and it has looked like a
post-surgical patient ever since that day.

I wanted to carry this tradition over for EJ
when we bring the baby home from the hospital.

I decided to make him a quiet book.
Had I known the amount of time and work I
would put into it before I started,
I most likely would have gone with something else entirely.
TONS OF WORK!

Turn the pages and have a look:
Keep in mind a couple things....
1) I do not claim to be a professional photographer.
2) This was my first time working with fabric paint
and the first quiet book I have ever made.
3) In some of the pictures the pages look crooked,
they aren't really...it's from the thickness of the book once
you start folding out the pages.

Here is the front of the book....obviously.

First page: I blurred his name in the pic
for privacy but I think you can tell it's blocks
with the letters of his name that he can take off
and put back on to spell his name.

2nd page: pizza he can build and take apart.
I think this will be one of his favorites!

3rd page: a little doll he can dress.

Mom and I may have gone a bit overboard on the wardrobe.
Thanks for your help with these Mom.

4th page: a clock with hands that move.

5th page: a rocket that goes to the moon with "Lunar Jim".

Lunar Jim and Rover come out of the rocket too.

6th page: a mailbox with letters for him.

He can take the letters in and out and put the flag up.

7th & 8th page (the center of the book): a train track

The train can go through the bridge and the signs stand up.
The little pouches hold the trains.

9th page: a fishing pond.

The little fish eyes are metal hooks and I
attached a small magnet to the end of the "fishing pole"
that picks up the fish.

10th page: a Christmas tree to decorate.
The ornaments come on and off.
This was the very first page I did....
I know the writing is sketchy.
My Mom insists this is what gives the book
character and makes it special.
I think I agree.

11th page: build-a-bot.
robot body parts that allow him to build
different types of robots.
These were from a sticker book that I took
and laminated each individual sticker and
put Velcro on the back of.

12th page: a tool box with tools.
I wish I would have moved the tool box
down a bit. Initially I thought I was going
to put writing on the bottom too but decided
against it. I still might.

The tools come out and the pliers even open and close.

13th page: pictures of our family.
I left a spot for the baby's picture and a
family picture of all of us once the baby arrives.

He can take the laminated pictures off and put
them back on according to shape. I thought this would also
be a good way to get him familiar with the
way our names are spelled.

14th page: a pocket with some sticker books and/or
a tablet and pencil/color crayons.

The back cover of the book.
I traced his hands on a separate sheet of paper, cut them out
and then traced with fabric paint.
I thought this would be a cute way to document how
small he was when I made this and also help him
to learn his right and left sides.

I was hoping that the book would be thin enough
to just make a cover that was self binding in some way
(zipper, Velcro, etc.) but once I got the pages all together
and put the Pellon in between each page.....
it was way too thick!
So-I made a bag for it....messenger style
with his initials on the flap.
The bag is made out of some red corduroy that
I've had for years (and years and years) and
the strap is made out of denim, which I've also
had for years (and years and years).

I think EJ will love it and I CAN'T WAIT to give it to him.
Truth be told, I had a blast making it.
Once I started thinking of page ideas, I went wild and
couldn't stop. I have enough ideas to make about 2 or 3
more books....but I probably won't.

~boy outfit~

This is the little outfit I made for my S.I.L. who
is due to have the boy next month.....
who we're betting will actually make an appearance
sometime this month.

Comfy little appliqued onesie,
soft little romper pants w/applique on bum
and some little shoes to go with it.

I can't wait to see his little bum with these stars on it.

~giddy-up horsey~

For about the past year EJ has been using any
mop, broom, duster, etc. as a "giddy-up horsey".
Although I can go up to the dollar store and buy one
for a buck, I thought a home-made horsey would be
much cuter and probably more sturdy....
and also a good birthday gift for his upcoming birthday.

I spent about a month just looking for a pattern,
thinking one would be easy to come by.
Good Luck with that!
My Mom made us some when we were kids and
I was hoping she still had the pattern lying around somewhere.
She didn't.
Fabric store didn't have a pattern.
I went with the next best option.....
the Internet of course.

I found the instructions on the Family Fun website
and this is what I came up with.


It's made out of an old pair of my jeans.
Super easy.
Cheap....used supplies I already had (felt, jeans, stuffing).
yarn ($2), a dowel ($1), rope ($2).

I decided to make a gun holster for him to go with it since
he is always just sticking his toy guns in the waistband
of his little underwear or pants.
The holster was also made out of material that I have
had in my stash for years and years.
I totally winged it....just traced his toy guns
and went to town with the scissors.

I borrowed my friends daughter for the pics but
I'm pretty sure it will look just as cute on a boy.
I can't wait to give it to him....I think he's gonna like it.
Plus-not bad for $5 eh?

You can find the instructions for this here.




Linking up with Positively Splendid
AND
Kojo Designs

~car seat blanket~

My SIL is going to have a baby next month
and I didn't want to make her another plain
blanket because I know she already has a ton of them.

I saw something like this a couple years ago and have
been wanting to make one ever since.
It's the perfect solution for people who live in
colder climates and have winter babies.
I made this pattern myself but I'm certainly not
the first to make one because as I said, I saw one like
it awhile ago. If I knew who made the original, I would
reference them here.
This is my knock-off version.

The car seat blanket.
It has cut-outs in it that allow for the straps
of the infant car seat to be exposed.
That way you can just leave
the blanket in and swaddle the babe after you
get them buckled up.

Here's a demonstration with EJ's little baby doll:

Seriously! How awesome is that?

It's made out of flannel and is sure to keep the babe
warm this winter. Worried about the babe heating
up once you get in the car?
Just un-swaddle and then cover back up
when you arrive at your destination.

How much would you pay for this blanket?
I'm really interested to know your opinion
in case I decide to sell these on Etsy.
Don't be shy, be honest.

~leg warmers~

You know I'm a sucker for baby leg warmers.
Maybe it's because I wore them so often in the 80's.
I vividly remember my favorite pair;
maroon and white striped. I wore
those as often as my Mom would let me.
I would be lying if I said I got rid of those
before the turn of the millennium.
I held on to them telling myself that
they would come back in style one day.

Question to self: Did I actually think the
leg warmers that fit me in 2nd and 3rd grade were
going to fit me now as a grown woman?
Apparently I forgot about that fact for many years.
Like I said, eventually I realized I was being
ridiculous and I donated them to the greater good.
D.I. (Deseret Industries Thrift Store)

I do have a point here....STAY WITH ME.

A few years ago when I first started seeing
babies in leg warmers, well, let's just say
that I was thrilled! It's the only acceptable
time when a person can have fat rolls and dimples
hanging out of their clothing and people actually
think it's cute.

I've been waiting for someone I know to have a girl
so I can try my hand at making them.
Little did I know, several people at the same time would
be having girls (including me) and I would have
many opportunities to give them as gifts.

Here's a look at the gift I made for a friend
a couple weeks ago: I embellished a plain pink onesie
from Walmart and made a set of
leg warmers from little girls knee socks.

Every little girl needs ruffles on the bum.
The diaper makes the bum look big anyway....
what's a couple ruffles going to hurt?

Can't you just imagine a little set of chubby legs
cruising around in this outfit?

Here is a close up of the embellishment on the front.
A diva crown.
I've only done about 5 of them so I'm still in the beginning
stages of weeding out the ways that work
and the ways that don't.

What I want to know from you is this:

How much would you pay for something like this?
I really have no idea what to charge and I'd
love some input from you on this.

~beginning again~

Here I am starting another blog.
I have been wanting to start a blog dedicated
to my "special projects" (as EJ calls them)
that is public and not private like my family blog.

I'm hoping to accomplish two things with this:
1) showcase what I love to do
AND
2) connect with people on a personal level

OK-so I also have an ulterior motive...

3) I'm hoping to open an Etsy shop in the very near future
selling things that I make and love.

I thought I would give this a go in blog land
first to see what you all think.

I have to admit....
I feel a little vulnerable doing this in
a public forum. I've become very comfortable
with my private blog. I will not use
first and last names of anyone on this blog
so if you choose to comment please keep that in mind.

I hope you stop by often.