Home Sweet Homebodies

eBook Review: Unbound Birth

2012-01-31T14:20:00.002-07:00

Pregnancy, labor, and childbirth... women love to talk about it, whether it's comparing notes on aches and pains, reflecting on our deliveries, sharing hospital horror stories (have you ever noticed when someone announces they are pregnant, the nearby women start topping each others' crazy childbirth stories?!), or just plain amazing stories (like my friend who had her baby in the car). Or maybe it's the great debate between proponents of unmedicated childbirth and those who love their epidurals. In fact, I can't count the number of times I have been conversing on this very subject and someone says something along the lines of "Well, you don't hear of too many unmedicated births in hospitals, and I would never have a home birth, so I guess "natural" childbirth isn't for me." In some ways, I have to agree with them, in spite of myself. Let me give a little background... with my first son, I had planned to have an unmedicated birth, but complications arose and plans changed. I had a very difficult and painful recovery and felt sad for quite a while about how things went. With my second son, I knew I wanted to try for an unmedicated birth again, but I knew how easily things could change. I prepared myself as best as I could, hoped for the best, and felt blessed to be able to deliver a nine pound boy (I'm just over 5 feet) without an epidural. There was a huge- positive- difference in my recovery afterwards, and although it was one of the hardest things I have ever done, I felt strongly that doing it that way gave amazing benefits to both me and my baby (My doctor agreed, but that's another post). I was pretty convinced that this was the best way for me personally to birth my children, but I also knew from my four months as a nurse working on a labor and delivery floor (it was my nursing residency, right before I graduated) that things pretty much have to go perfectly for a mother to be allowed to deliver without many interventions pushed on them (that's also another post entirely...). I considered home birth, but felt unsure about it given some of the complications my babies and I had experienced.

Maybe those of you who are mamas or anticipate having children someday have been in a similar boat- having the seemingly impossible goal of an unmedicated childbirth- in the hospital.

Enter Jennifer Yarbrough and her new eBook: Unbound Birth: How to Have a Natural Birth in the Hospital. This is an awesome resource for expectant moms, first time or sixth time, who would love some support in achieving that now-not-so-impossible goal of natural childbirth in the hospital! I was able to review Unbound Birth, and I was happy to discover valuable pregnancy and childbirth information in an easy-to-read format- as if I were just listening to another mom talk. Jennifer (who also happens to contribute to the crafty blogosphere over at The Southern Institute) shares her own natural birth stories, and she details information that is really good on a variety of subjects, including childbirth education, using a doula, tips on relaxation and pain relief during labor, and how to help your baby stay in the optimal position for birth (anyone who has had a breech or posterior baby knows how difficult and sometimes impossible it is to go through labor normally). Jenny also covers creating your own birth plan, and gives tips for good prenatal nutrition and exercise. Unbound Birth is all about empowering you to be able to have the experience you want, and it is packed with great information to know if you want to give yourself the best chance possible to birth naturally in the hospital!

In case you're wondering, the eBook is about 60 pages (it is a quick read) and it costs under $5- not bad! If you're thinking of buying it, it is available as of today, and you can get your own copy by clicking here. (Also check out the Unbound Birth website or follow Unbound birth on Facebook and Twitter.)

I learned long ago that everyone has the right to choose what kind of experience they want while giving birth- and there is no right or wrong way to do it as long as everyone ends up healthy. If you decide that unmedicated childbirth is right for you, and you have concerns, then I suggest checking this book out, and best of luck to you!

Car Seat Protector Pads

2012-01-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

A while back I posted about some projects I was finishing up, and one of them was this car seat protector pad. It really has been one of the most useful things I have made recently. I made it because I was potty training my son, but believe me, I wish I had made it long before.

Let me tell you a story. This is not for the faint of heart (or stomach). One day when I was pregnant with my second child, we were driving Marissa and her husband Richard up to the airport. I was sitting in the back seat- in the middle, next to my one year old in his car seat. That alone was uncomfortable. When we got to the airport, we found out that not only was their flight cancelled, but my son was... really sick to his stomach. I'll spare you the really nasty details and only share the fairly nasty ones. I'm considerate like that. :P His car seat was a mess, and after dumping it, we really had no way of cleaning it. He had to sit, practically naked at that point, in a nasty car seat all the way home. Remember who was sitting next to him? That was 5 months pregnant me. Enough said. Once we got home, we had to figure out a way of getting the car seat clean. This seems crazy to me now, but I think the tag on the car seat cover said you couldn't machine wash it. What?! Or at least I was convinced of that. So guess who ended up washing that dang seat cover in the bathtub? My husband, of course. ;) I helped. Most of the mess was right in the bottom of the seat.

This whole nasty scenario could have been largely avoided if we had been using a removable pad. That said, you never know where kids are going to be... um... aiming... when they get sick, but this is a pretty good start. In fact, that same son tossed his cookies in the car last week, and I was able to keep his seat cookie-free, thank goodness. This pad has also kept his seat easy-cheese and chocolate- free on a road trip, and kept it dry when he fell asleep and we forgot to put a pullup on him first. I know some of you have been in that same boat!

Ok, I promise I'm getting to a point here. Last time I posted about this, some of you asked for a pattern for such a pad, but I just kind of "winged it" ("wung it"?) when I made it and didn't have dimensions or directions. This week I made another one for my youngest son's car seat, and partway into it, I realized I should pay attention to what I was doing so I could share it here. You'll have to forgive the lack of pictures on the first few steps until I made that realization.

My sons both have the same-ish car seat- I believe it is the Alpha Omega Elite. I think this tutorial will work for most similar car seats, but you can definitely tweak it to meet your needs. It will at least be a starting place.

Car Seat Protector Pad {Tutorial}

Materials Needed:
Cotton flannel for the top layer, or any other absorbent material you choose (all fabric should be prewashed)
Rubberized flannel, PUL, or other waterproof material for the bottom layer
Batting or high quality fleece for the middle layer
Serger or sewing machine
2 small pieces of velcro (optional)
Thread

Cut one rectangle about 18"x 20" from all three pieces of fabric. (These dimensions can be easily altered based on your car seat. These are the dimensions I used, but you can make it square if you want- customize it for the perfect fit!)

If you have a serger, layer the fabrics with the batting in the middle, and the flannel and PUL on either side, right sides facing out. Serge around the whole thing, rounding out the front two corners. Cut straight slits (these are for the car seat straps to go through) that are 4 1/2" long, 5" from the back (the longer side). Serge those edges too.

If you are using a sewing machine, you'll have to do this a little differently. Layer the fabric with the flannel and the PUL right sides together, and the batting on top. Pin it all together, and cut each of the slits the same as described above, 4 1/2" long and 5" from the back. Now sew all around the whole thing, leaving an opening on the back edge about 6" wide to turn the whole thing right side out. Round out the front two corners to make it look nicer. Clip corners, and turn it all right side out, and topstitch the back side.

Now you should have something that looks, more or less, like this:

In order to contour the pad to the car seat's shape, we need to add two darts. Make a small mark 3" from the edge, and another 7" from the edge. Repeat this on the other side.

Fold the flaps in, matching up the little marks you just made. Pin in place. Draw a straight line from the mark at the top to the edge of the fold.

Sew along the lines you just drew. If you want, serge along the lines to reinforce and remove excess fabric.

So far so good!

To make the buckle opening, draw a line which is 2 1/2"- 3 1/4" wide depending on the size of your car seat buckle. This line should be positioned in the center, 9" from the back. Now, depending on your car seat, you might just want to ignore my measurements and lay the pad down on top of it, and mark where the buckle actually is to get a custom fit.

Use the buttonhole setting on your sewing machine to go over the line, then open it up with your seam ripper.

Check to make sure the buckle fits through the slit; if not, just make the slit longer by adding length to the buttonhole on each side, again with your buttonhole setting and seam ripper.

You can be done now if you want, or you can add velcro which will help keep the pad in place. You don't need much- just two small square-ish pairs.

Sew the pieces of velcro on the corners as shown. The lower corners should be the loop velcro (soft), with the velcro on the top of the fabric. The top (angled) corners have the hook (rough) velcro, with the velcro on the underside of the fabric.

Here's another view of what the velcro should look like once sewn on:

Slap those pads on the car seat, stick the velcro together around the straps, pull the buckle up through the slit, and you're in business!

Here's crossing my fingers that we can just avoid any more cookie tossing in the car from here on out! (But now you're prepared, just in case!)

Any crazy car- mess stories out there?!

Toilet Paper Roll Saver

2012-01-17T16:00:00.000-07:00

Got small children? Got pets?

Source: http://imgfave.com/view/1637210

If you just can't stand the toilet paper being completely unwound one more time, then this project just might be for you! >Insert crazy laugh here<

My three year old and 20 month old are usually pretty good about leaving the toilet paper alone, but they have each independently unrolled entire rolls of TP, shredded quite a bit of TP all over the floor together, and even dropped whole rolls in the toilet. I was going nuts one day... well, ok, not just one day, but eventually I just had to come up with a quick solution or completely lose it. I have seen contraptions like this online, which I'm sure are awesome but I didn't want to spend $10 or wait a week for it to arrive. So, I came up with my own version. It was fast, and cheap (even if you count the whole pack of dowels and beads, which I don't).

This TP Saver is easy for adults to unfasten, and not so easy for little fingers and paws to undo. The elastic enables you to use this solution for any size TP roll, whether it is a full or partial roll. Ready? Go!

Toilet Paper Roll Saver

Materials needed:

Button hole elastic (white is best, and in a pinch, just use regular elastic and cut your own slits)
Sewing machine and thread
1 Wooden dowel (3/8" works well)
2 Wooden beads with a hole the same diameter as the dowel (I found these at Hobby Lobby)
Miter saw or something to cut the dowel down to size with
Hot glue gun
Pencil
Ruler
Paint (optional)

First, prepare the elastic.
Measure the elastic and cut it to 8 1/2 inches long. Make sure to leave extra elastic beyond the button holes on each end (meaning: don't make your cuts right in the middle of a button hole).

On one end, carefully cut straight down the middle of the elastic to join two button holes.

Repeat this for the next two button holes so your elastic looks like the picture below.

Fold the end of the elastic over onto itself so that the two large button holes you just made are lined up. Pin the elastic in place. The two purple lines below show where the stitches will need to go in the next step- they aren't necessary for you to draw if you don't want to.

Sew a zig- zag stitch on either side of the large buttonhole, as marked in purple.

Next, prepare the dowel.
Cut the wooden dowel to 6 1/4 inches long. If you want to paint it to match your bathroom fixtures or colors, now is the time. Remember to also paint the beads. You'll have to add dry time- or just skip painting it and go au naturel.

Grab your elastic band...

...and poke the dowel through the small hole in the elastic at the opposite end from the large button hole. Make sure that later on, when you glue this end of the elastic down, the side of the large button hole with the raw edge will be facing in towards the TP. It's not a huge deal, but it will look better.

Put some hot glue on the end of the dowel and slide a bead on.

Dab a little glue on the bead and glue the end of the elastic in place.

You're done! Really, that's it. The only thing left to do is "install" it!

"Installation"
You can leave the toilet paper in the holder- no need to take it all apart.

Just push your TP Saver through the tube, with the glued- on elastic- end furthest away from the toilet.

Pull the elastic out and wrap it around the outside of the toilet paper. You want the side that fastens to be facing the toilet- trust me.

Hook the large button hole over the bead. Done! (This is what I meant before about it looking nicer if the raw edge of the elastic isn't showing on this side- you really can't tell it's there.)

Let's not have any more crazy toilet paper messes, alright?!

What is the worst thing your kids/ pets have ever done with toilet paper?!

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-22T16:41:00.000-07:00

Are you all ready for Christmas?! It seems like no matter how early I start preparing for Christmas (and believe, me, I've been at it for months now) I just keep adding more to my list of things to make/ do. Oh how I love Christmas time! I've tried to not completely over-schedule myself, wanting to keep in mind the reason behind the Christmas celebration- which for me is about remembering Christ and also filling my heart with compassion and love and then acting on it. I am touched by all the kindness I have witnessed or heard about this season. That warm fuzzy feeling is the reason I decided to try an experiment over this past year: a series called Making the World Sweeter. My hope was that (as Ebenezer Scrooge said in Charles Dickens' A Christmas Carol), "I will honor Christmas in my heart, and try to keep it all the year." My original goal was to incorporate into my giving a monthly crafty project for charity other worthy project- and invite all of my readers to participate. I did participate in some sort of giving each month and I was able to join and blog about eight projects- many of you also participated, which was awesome! I have to say, I have felt good this year! Although I wasn't able to do a project every month, I feel like I stayed with my goal of being mindful of others and mindful of my giving. I think an added bonus that I wasn't expecting was an increased feeling of contentedness and gratitude for what I have.

Many of the projects in this "series" (which you can see if you click on the "Making the World Sweeter" link above) cost very little if anything, but had the ability to affect someone's life profoundly. Quite a few of the projects are ongoing, so if you are interested, take a look at some of the projects and you can still participate! (Some of the projects include knitting or crocheting hats for newborn babies, making sanitary pads to help girls stay in school, sock monkeys for kids displaced by fires, and ideas for "drive-by" giving (for the homeless) to name a few.)

Anyway, I hope it has been a good year for all of you, and that you are enjoying this wonderful Christmas season! I wish I could wish each of you a Merry Christmas and hand you a plate of cookies, but just know that I am sending goodwill and happy thoughts your way- yes you!

P.S: Because I like to be helpful, and I know that some of you might still need to come up with a few gifts for various people in your lives, here are a couple of ideas that might be of use: :-D

I made these crocheted stars found at Jellywares and I think they make sweet ornaments (thin yarn and small hook) or drink coasters (thicker yarn and medium hook).

Cinnamon ornaments/ gift tags are a lovely gift or package topper.

These pop top cans could be filled with Christmas goodies for a fun neighbor gift.

You might find some inspiration in our "Tutorials" section, fun things like:

Infant Scratch Mitts for the wee ones...

...Easy Shower Caps (a colorful and unique addition to a spa- themed gift pack)...

...Or these Chocolate Hazelnut Truffles- trust me, they are divine!

Wishing all of you the Merriest of Christmases! See you next year!

Origami Tree Tutorial and Christmas Party Decorations

2011-12-08T14:46:00.000-07:00

Don't miss the tutorial to make one of these lovely trees at the bottom of this post!

This Christmas season has gotten off to a roaring start! Last Friday we made it to two of the three parties we had scheduled (!) - I guess everyone is trying to get their parties over and done early. I was put in charge of decorations for our church Christmas party that we had that evening. Luckily I didn't have to do it alone- my friend Becca and I decided we make a great creative team despite a budget that did not support our ~~delusions~~ visions of grandeur and working with seating for 220 in a small gym.

The seating arrangements were tough. Our church has a few long rectangular tables, but mostly round tables, and not enough to seat everyone, so we ended up borrowing rectangular tables. We arranged two long rows of the rectangular tables, banquet style, and filled the rest of the gym with round tables. I think almost every seat ended up being filled. It was cozy- that's for sure!

To keep our costs down, we made a lot of the decorations ourselves, and used things we already had. For example, we folded dozens of green origami trees- with the help of friends and family, thankfully! I bought about $3.00 worth of green butcher paper, measured and cut it into different sized squares, and went to town using an origami pattern my mom shared with me. I think in total we folded about 20 trees and made several coffee filter wreaths (a big thanks to Marissa, Cara, Becca and Lindsey who all accepted jobs in my Christmas sweatshop). Aside from the tablecloths, I believe we spent between $10-$15 for the whole thing.

Becca folded probably dozens of silver and gold stars too, which we taped to the accordion doors behind one of the buffet lines.

On the wall behind the buffet tables on the other side of the room, we hung strands of white Christmas lights, 6 wreaths and a few large silver doilies. Down the long walls on either side were hung small white doilies (as snowflakes), and we hung a few wreaths on the doors.

The tables were covered in red, white, and green tablecloths, and some of them had a contrasting color of tissue paper or napkin in the center. As centerpieces for the round tables, we used our lovely origami trees and mason jars with assortments of pine cones, Epsom salt, fake red berries, electric tea lights, and jute/ tulle tied around them.

On the banquet tables we put "bouquets" of fresh greenery tied with ribbon, laid end to end and with pine cones and electric tea lights here and there. We also used a few of the origami trees and some book trees, and long cinnamon sticks tied with ribbon. Each table was a little different.

I am lucky enough to have fresh fir tree branches at my disposal- for free! My family lives on a Christmas tree farm and my mom sent me loads of heavenly- smelling greenery by way of Marissa who drove out for Thanksgiving. (Thanks Mom and Marissa)!

As a decoration for the food table, we used a large vase and arranged silver and gold spray painted branches inside, with a few glass ball ornaments hanging.

The dessert tables had large tree boughs around the backs, and tomato cage trees. We put two more tomato cage trees along one of the side walls. Thank you Pinterest for that idea!

Three of our wreaths; the one on the left is a coffee filter wreath and the one on the right is a book page wreath.

I think it all turned out beautifully and we had so much fun! (PS- Thank you Becca for taking most of the above photos!) Now, on to the origami tree tutorial. My disclaimer: I am not an origami pro, and I really don't know all the technical names for folds. My folding isn't perfect, and after a while, I'm not so much of a perfectionist anymore! My only recommendation is to make a sharp crease when folding- use the back of your nail, and try to line up corners evenly as best you can; other than that- it is what it is! These are not difficult folds once you get the hang of them, but it can be time consuming if you want to make multiple trees, since you will probably need to fold 4 separate papers for each tree.

Origami Trees
These are not difficult folds once you get the hang of them, but it can be time consuming if you want to make multiple trees, since you will probably need to fold 4 separate papers for each tree.

You can make this tree on a really large scale, or a very small scale, and it looks great either way. If you want to make 10" trees (approximate measurement) like I did for the Christmas party centerpieces, you will need square papers of the following sizes: 12", 10.5", 9", 7.5". Or, if you want to customize your tree size for your own needs, a good rule of thumb is that each paper size should decrease by about 1/8.

Let's start with the "Stacking Tree Bases" for lack of a better term. You will make three of these in total, in descending size.

1. Start with your square paper. You actually want to turn it so the pattern is facing down before step 2.
2. Fold the paper in half diagonally (bottom to top) to make a triangle- pattern facing out.
3. Open up the paper.
4. Fold in half diagonally again, the other way (right to left), so that the folds look like an X shape.

5. Orient the paper so the triangle point is facing downward. Put your finger next to the crease to hold the left side in place, and with your other hand, separate the layers of the right side.
6. Pull the right corner down on top of the bottom corner.
7. Give the folds a nice sharp crease. You should have a square on top of the triangle now.
8. Fold the left side of the square up diagonally on top of itself.

9. Repeat the same fold from step 5- separate the layers of the left corner a bit. Use your other hand to stabilize the bottom corner while you do this.
10. Fold the left corner of the original triangle down to the bottom point.
11. Crease the folds sharply.
12. Fold the triangle flap from step 8 back over to the left.

13. Fold diagonally so the the bottom corner of the square matches up with the top corner. Fold the top layer of right side of the square over diagonally to the left corner. Fold so the bottom corner matches up with the top corner again. Repeat until all the squares are folded diagonally (bottom to top).
14. You should have a triangular shape that looks like this.
15. Take the top corner that you just folded and pinch it together, then start pulling it down towards the left corner.
16. Line up the corners and pinch in place. Grab the right corner and fold it over so that it matches up with the left corner, and the top corner is folded down and sandwiched inside. Press together, making sure to crease the folds on the paper sandwiched inside. This picture shows what it looks like when you open it back up a bit.
17. Repeat steps 15 and 16 on the next 3 sides.
18. After you have done this for each of the 4 sides, it should look like this. You are now done with the base of the tree- you need to make 2 more just like this with the smaller pieces of paper.

On to the "Tree Topper"!

Use the smallest paper for the topper.

1. Start with the same square you made for the Stacking Tree Bases (steps 1-12).
2. Grab the top layer from the right corner, separating the two layers, and hold it straight up at a 90* angle.
3. While stabilizing the bottom corners, push the center fold straight down so it lines up with the folds below.
4. Crease the folds sharply.

5. Repeat steps 2-4 on each of the 4 sides. so you end up with a kite shape like this.
6. Fold the top layer of the right side over to the left, so the kite shape is closed like this. You should apply glue on the patterned area of the paper that is shown in step 5, and then do this fold.

Put it all together!

1. Take your bottom base piece and turn it over- this is what the bottom looks like.
2. Pull the pieces slightly apart and apply glue, then squish it all together so all 4 corners are touching in the middle.
3. For the next two stacking base pieces, you want to put the glue far away from the corners that meet in the middle, so that it holds its shape, but still has room to fit over the top of the other pieces.
4. Here's what it looks like from the top.
5. Place a dot of glue (I used hot glue) on the top point.
6. Quickly stack the next biggest piece on top, making sure the glue holds it in place. Repeat for the next two layers.

Tree with three layers- you really could be done here if you wanted.

Here's the finished tree!

As always, if you have questions (or if you liked the tutorial), leave a comment below or email me at rochelle@homesweethomebodies and I will do my best to answer your question. Happy folding!

A Perfect Cold Weather Beverage- Wassail

2011-11-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Every autumn, I start getting excited about making cocoa, hot apple cider, and especially wassail. It smells heavenly, and I'm sure that if you could make an elixir containing all the joy, excitement, and coziness of the holidays it would taste exactly like wassail.

Sometimes my husband and I like to just make it a cup at a time and heat it in the microwave for a cozy evening in, but the honest-to-goodness best way to enjoy it is to simmer it slowly on your stove-top or in a crockpot and savor the smell and perfectly blended flavors. I will share my recipe for both ways so you can enjoy it any way you want, though.

Wassail for One:
Pour your cup about 3/4 of the way full with apple juice, then fill the rest with orange juice. Add a squirt of lemon juice (optional). Add 1/8 tsp. cinnamon, and a pinch each of ground cloves, nutmeg and ginger (optional).
Microwave on high for about a minute and a half, and let it sit for a few minutes before drinking. Feel free to strain off the floating spices or drink it in all its delicious glory!

Wassail for a Crowd:
2 quarts apple juice or apple cider- "no sugar added" juice is best in my opinion, but use whatever you have!
2 1/2 c. orange juice
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
12-14 whole cloves
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
pinch of ground ginger

Heat everything in the crock-pot on low heat for 3-6 hours. It is ready after it is piping hot and the spices (besides the cloves) are mostly incorporated into the wassail and no longer floating- you may need to stir it a couple of times. Your home will smell heavenly! If you are in more of a hurry you can also heat it on the stove-top over medium heat for maybe 5-10 minutes and then turn it down to low heat! If you leave it on higher heat on the stove-top it will thicken and eventually caramelize- good for syrup but not so good for drinking. (Don't worry if it does thicken a bit, just take it off the heat and let it cool down for a while- maybe even add a little bit of water- and it will thin mostly back down.)

Mmmm!

I hope you are all finding joy this holiday season!

PS: For anyone who is new to Home Sweet Homebodies since last year, check out my recipe for the best Thanksgiving Crescent Rolls ever, or get some ideas to dress up the holiday table with my post on napkin folding. Happy Thanksgiving!

DIY Guy Gifts : A roundup of my favorites

2011-11-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Let's face it: It's easy to come up with fabulous handmade gifts for girls and women, and there are even quite a few great handmade gift options for little boys, but thinking of things to make for the men in our lives is... not easy. I was talking with my friend Danielle about this last week, and after thinking of the things I have already done or have bookmarked to do, and doing a little research, I have come up with a list of my favorite DIY guy gifts.

There are actually a whole bunch of ideas for handmade gifts for men out there, but I've found many of them lacking... I realized that I have a few "requirements" that must be met any time I consider making something as a gift for someone. If these requirements aren't met, there's a high probability the gift I lovingly toil over will end up at the thrift store, or in my craft stash, never to be finished. So to be considered by me, any and all handmade gifts must meet these three requirements: 1. Must be useful or attractive; 2. Not a knick-knack; 3. Must be realistic. Also, big points for not having to spend big bucks.

So with that in mind, I am ready to share my favorite DIY guy gifts and the source you can go to for the free tutorial!

Sew

The Best Men's Tie Pattern @ Puking Pastilles
Neckwarmer Tutorial @ Skip to my Lou
Flannel Shirt Lunchbag -right here @ Home Sweet Homebodies... tutorial to come!
Emergency Car Kit @ Holidash

Sewing Honorable Mentions:
Baseball Applique Pillow @ Better Homes and Gardens
Monogrammed Neckties @ Martha Stewart
Fabric Luggage Tags @ Skip to my Lou
Great Outdoors Fishing Vest @ Sewing.org

Crochet/ Knit

Brain Waves Beanie @ Playin' Hooky Designs

Crochet Mens Slipper Pattern @ Simply Home Made
Extra Warm Men's Scarf @ Cotton and Cloud

Cook

Spicy Terriyaki Beef Jerky @ FOODjimoto (By the way, jerky can be dried in the oven too.)
BBQ Spice Rubs @ Kojo Designs
"Dessert of the Month" or "Breakfast in Bed" Coupons -see ideas @ Spray Paint Queen

Craft

Lego Belt Buckle and Tie Tack @ Kojo Designs
Car Shirt @ The Blue Basket
iPhone App Magnets @ Infarrantly Creative
Rolled Paper Chess Set @ Paper, Plate, and Plane

Crafting Honorable Mentions:
Upcycled Bicycle Handlebar Bag @ Giver'sLog
DIY Monogram Mugs @ Design Mom

Here are two more great ideas: The first is from Charmed Goals, and she writes about "Boy Balm and Leather Food"- a beeswax & olive oil blend scented with manly essential oils that can be used for lips, dry skin, and polishing leather. The second is from Fortuosity, and it is too late to do this year, but you could plan to do this for Christmas 2012: "A year in the making"- this awesome wife bought a hardcover planner and filled it with pictures, mementos, recognitions, and notes all year long for her husband, and presented it to him at Christmas time. There's a lot of love behind a gift like that!

By the way, Kojo Designs is also doing a Gifts for Guys series this month, so head over and check out some of the other ideas they are featuring.

I hope this was helpful for those of you planning to handmake gifts for the men in your lives! If you've got a great idea to add to the list, leave a link in the comments so we can all check it out!

Sock Monkeys for Texas

2011-11-03T16:14:00.000-06:00

For Making the World a Little Sweeter this month, we are going to do a Craft Hope project. If you haven't seen the Craft Hope website, check it out. It is a site that encourages readers to do a craft project about once a month that will benefit folks with a need somewhere in the world.

Image from http://www.crafthope.com/2011/10/stitching-sock-monkeys/

The current project at Craft Hope is sweet sock monkeys. The recipients? Kids in Texas who have lost their homes this past summer in fires. Read this post to learn more, but basically 1,600 homes burned down during the record- breaking summer heat Texas experienced this year. Many of those were likely homes for young families, and that means that there are a lot of children who have lost the homes that were familiar to them. That's where Project 15, Sock Monkeys for Texas comes in. All of the sock monkeys that are collected will be given to children who have lost their homes during these fires. I made my first-ever sock monkey this week in an afternoon's time. Would you care to join me in participating in this project? Here's how:

1. You need a pair of socks, stuffing, and a few sewing notions. I found these brand- new socks for a dollar at D.I., and I had planned another project for them, but after I read about Project 15, I knew what their ultimate destiny would be. (Ooh-ooh-ooh-ahh-ahh!)

2. If you've never made a sock monkey before, check out these super- useful tutorials:

Craft Stylish (Download the pdf file. This tutorial has a nice diagram that helps when you are cutting.)
Craftbits (This tutorial gives great step-by-step instructions with pictures and I found it really helpful for explaining how to put the parts together.)

3. Sew up your monkey. :D You can make it as simple or as fancy as you like. Some cute kid is going to love it either way.

My skewompus but lovable sock monkey friend.

4. Mail your monkey and feel warm fuzzies. Here's the link again for the original post which if you scroll to the bottom contains the address to send it to.

Did I mention there is a deadline? No, I guess I didn't... but Jade Sims (Craft Hope founder) needs the monkeys by November 24th- that's Thanksgiving.

I'm mailing my monkey tomorrow. Will you join me in this monkey business?!

Toasty Hands Trick-or-Treat Bag

2011-10-24T07:00:00.000-06:00

The Toasty Hands Trick-or-Treat Bag

We never know what weather to expect on Halloween night out here in our neck of the woods. Occasionally it's balmy, but more often than not, blustery. I recall more than one Halloween with inches of snow on the ground. Of course I don't want my cute little puppies/pumpkins/monkeys/cowboys to come back as popsicles, so I try to layer clothing on them under their costumes. That still leaves their paws uncovered, and of course we can't degrade the authenticity of the costume with gloves or mittens! So what's a puppy/pumpkin/monkey/cowboy to do? This was the question going through my mind as I sat down to sew a trick-or-treat bag for my oldest son last week, and the Toasty Hands Trick-or-Treat Bag was born!

Since he is going to be a cowboy-on-a-horse this year, I figured it would be fitting for him to carry a saddlebag-looking treat bag. It has a strap that he can wear around his neck or slung across his chest. I sewed on two hand pockets that give plenty of room for wiggly fingers to stay toasty warm. He can hold the bag open easy as can be, and if he decides he wants to take his paws out to encourage ol' Trigger into a gallop, why, he can rest easy and just let it settle. Giddyap! (Imagine I said that in my best Roy Rogers voice.)

Seriously, though, I am really excited to use this bag! -Er, have my son use it. It was easy to make, too. I sewed it from scraps of tan fleece and some strips of brown felt. I made it very simply (left the edges raw), and finished the whole thing during naptime.

The view from the front.

View from the back- the only thing I'd change next time is to not put the pockets quite so close together.

Side view with my son's cute little arm.

There's no tutorial or pattern because it is pretty self-explanatory, I think. But if you have questions about dimensions or anything, leave a comment or email me, and I'll give you whatever info I can. Have fun Trick-or-Treating!

Pinteresting

2011-10-13T07:00:00.000-06:00

A few months ago I jumped on the Pinterest bandwagon. Like everyone else, I'm hooked, but what a way to surround myself with beautiful things! Many of you are probably already using Pinterest, but for those that aren't, and wonder what it's all about, it is basically an online catalogue of things you like. You bookmark, or "pin" things onto your designated pinboards, and then it is accessible from anywhere.

No more worries about that project link you bookmarked on your browser, with no way to retrieve it (and at that critical moment when you're away from home, trying to show your crafting buddies just what you're talking about). You "follow" other pinners and get a picture feed of what's most popular in any given category (fashion, DIY, sewing, decorating, photography, humor, etc.) and when you find something new and amazing, you "pin" it with the pin marklet button that you download onto your toolbar. I'll be honest... it's definitely habit forming (as if anyone needed more reasons to waste time on the internet). But if you like crafty and DIY projects, it is a mine of creative deliciousness.

Need proof? Here's my "Baking Lovelies" pinboard (doesn't it just make you want to jump up and preheat the oven?)

And this is my "printables" board where I keep track of all the awesome graphics people share for free personal use.

A girl's gotta have dreams, right? So I've pinned myself a virtual luxury home under "my someday home".

A cool feature of Pinterest is that if you want to follow only selected boards of a pinner, you can follow only those boards you're interested in, and skip the rest. Also, you can invite friends on Pinterest to collaborate with you on specific boards. Now, if you're a curious sort, and wonder how many people are following your specific boards (not just your total number of followers, but how many people are following your board "Best crafting "mistakes" in the universe"), you can tell by clicking on the board and checking on the top right. Below is an example.

"Sensational Centerpieces" is a pinboard I started a couple weeks ago when I was brainstorming for the centerpiece for the luncheon honoring women battling breast cancer which I posted about earlier this week. As you can see on the left, Marissa and I are the contributors, and on the right, 42 people started following this particular pinboard.

So you found something you want to remember on a website? Pin it. Decide on the picture you want to pin to remember what the web page is. Make sure you aren't just on the general web or blog home page, but on the specific page for that post.

Now, here is a little optional tip that speeds things up a bit- highlight the text of the title, or some explanation that is already listed next to the picture (see below).

Click the "Pin It" button on your toolbar...

...and whatever you highlighted will show up in the description box. You can of course skip the highlighting step and just type in whatever description you want, but this makes it go a little faster. You choose your pinboard and click the red "Pin It" box and you're done!

Do you have a Pinterest account? What do you like most about it? What drives you crazy?
(Want to follow me on Pinterest? Click the red button on my sidebar. Don't have an account and would like an invite? Email me at rochelle@homesweethomebodies.net)

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2011-10-10T20:00:00.000-06:00

Source: http://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/

Breast cancer awareness... a matter close to my heart. Besides having more than one family member who has battled breast cancer, I am a public health nurse at the local health department, and one of my main functions is to screen for and educate about breast cancer.

These are the lovely ladies I work with. I truly couldn't have better coworkers. I am on the bottom right in this picture.

We just had a health fair honoring breast cancer survivors and we put on a luncheon for a few women who have come through our clinic and who are being treated for cancer.

My boss put together a beautiful lunch for these women. Yours truly was assigned to make the centerpiece. I used my anthropologie-inspired cake platter/ cupcake tower, some beautiful rose cupcakes (that Marissa mostly frosted), fresh fruit, and rainbow tissue flowers as accents. I think it turned out pretty good!

Important breast cancer information:
If you are at least 20 years old, you should be doing self breast exams. I know you may feel uncomfortable, or it may be difficult to remember, but do whatever you have to do to remind yourself! Put a note or sticker somewhere you will see it, or choose to do it on your birthday- date each month. If you are at least 40 years old, you need a mammogram every 1-2 years (every year after age 50). Men, please encourage the women in your lives to do this- it may save their life. When breast cancers are detected early, women have an excellent chance of survival. If you need a reminder on how to do a self- exam, check out this link that has step- by- step instructions.

I like to tell the women I screen that doing a breast self exam isn't really about following a rigid set of instructions or searching for cancer. Thinking of it that way can cause anxiety that may cause you to avoid even thinking about it. I recommend being aware of your body- becoming familiar with what is normal for you. Think of it as a way to have peace of mind. If you do notice a change, whether it be a lump, a change in color or texture of the skin on your breast, a change in shape or appearance of any part of the breast, or anything out of the ordinary that persists and doesn't resolve, you should have it checked immediately by a health care professional.

As women, we put so much of our energy into taking care of other people that we sometimes neglect to take care of ourselves. Please consider that you can best care for those you love by keeping yourself healthy! What I'm saying is that there really isn't any good excuse for not giving your health the attention it deserves.

If money or lack of insurance/ underinsurance is an issue, there are programs that offer free or low cost mammograms to women over 40 each year if you meet certain income requirements. The clinic I work at is one of these programs, and there are programs like this all over the U.S. You can check out the CDC’s website to find out if you qualify.

What can you do to help?
1. Get yourself screened.
2. Spread the word and encourage someone you love to get screened.
3. Show support this month for breast cancer awareness and those who have battled breast cancer by wearing pink or the BCA ribbon.
4. Raise money for breast cancer awareness by participating in or supporting fundraisers.

Make the world sweeter this month by doing as many things in the above list as you feel you can!

Welcome!

2011-10-08T15:51:00.000-06:00

If you see this post, it means you are still subscribed. And, by the way, if you type in our old blog address, you'll be redirected here, to http://www.homesweethomebodies.net.
Have a great weekend!

Our blog is moving to a new address!

2011-10-08T15:01:00.000-06:00

This has been in the works for quite a while, but later today we are moving over to http://www.homesweethomebodies.net. After we finish moving it, we will make another short post welcoming you to the new address- if you don't get that post, you'll need to redirect your feed to continue to get our posts. This won't be an issue for most of you, especially if you are a fairly recent follower. If you are having trouble getting the new feed, feel free to email me at rochelle@homesweethomebodies.net and I'll be glad to help you as much as I can. Our site will look the same after the switch, but look for some changes in the future! Thanks everyone!

Memento Pin Boxes

2011-10-07T07:00:00.000-06:00

Here's another of my half-finished projects that I finished recently. It seems like we pick up little knick-knacks here and there over the years, and while some of them just end up in the garbage or are given away, others are precious reminders of achievements or events that were important in our lives. We tend to collect pins as mementos of our travels and accomplishments, but our pins were stored rolled up in a towel, inside of a box- not a great way to keep the memories alive!

I randomly got this shadow box at the dollar store a while back, and I realized that this would work well for my pins to go in, if I could find a way to add something to the back that they could be pinned to.

My husband had a lot more pins though, so I counted my lucky stars when I found this larger shadow box on sale at Michael's.

I pulled the backs out and measured them. At this point, I lost steam and let them sit for a few weeks (not recommended).

I came back to it, re-measured, and pulled out some fancy fabric and some batting, and cut squares.

I just sewed the batting and the fabric together, and pinned my pins in. Then I hot glued the top of the fabric to the top of the cardboard frame back. It popped right in to the frame, and I decided I liked it standing on my desk shelf rather than hanging it on the wall.

At this point, I lost steam again, plus I couldn't find my husband's pins, so I let his frame sit under the futon in the office for 3 months (also not recommended). A couple weeks ago, I serendipitously found the pins, so I was motivated to go digging under the futon to find the parts of the frame and put it together. Alas, I could not find the back, until after 20 minutes of searching led me to the depths of the closet, where I found the frame back wedged between the wall and the storage bins. Whew- disaster averted! Ten minutes and one hot-glue-burned finger later, it was finished, and I proudly hung it on the wall.

Ta-da!

Finishing Half-Finished Projects

2011-10-04T16:45:00.000-06:00

A while ago I talked about my procrastination problem- I mean the fact that I start tons of projects but don't finish them. Ever since then, I have been trying to finish up projects that I started or had the supplies for but hadn't completed. Here are a few:

1. Bibs. I bought a cheap pack of bibs a long time ago and intended on decorating all of them but most of them just sat in my closet for a long time... until this week! I used scraps of fabric from past projects and vintage sheets to add some interest, and even gave a few away.

2. Burp cloths. I had a template at one point that I had used to make burp cloths before, but I couldn't find it when I went to make these burp cloths out of flannel scraps, so I drew up my own template. These were really quick to make; I just sewed them with right sides together and a little hole for turning them right side out, then I top stitched them together.

3. Marble maze game. I first saw this idea over at Serving Pink Lemonade. Again, I just used fleece scraps and marbles I had lying around. This would be a good activity for preschool and school aged kids to stay busy while traveling, at church, at the dentist's office, etc.

4. Glass etching. Between Marissa and I, we had everything we needed for this project months ago, but we never got around to it, and she went to Africa. But now that she is back, we decided to give it a try. We followed this tutorial from make it and love it. Here are a couple of things that I made.

We used the Silhouette to cut out the letters. I didn't have any vinyl, so we just cut contact paper to an 8 1/2 x 11 size and ran it through. It worked pretty well, although it didn't want to stick on the carrier sheet very firmly. Our etching cream seemed to work ok, although we had to leave it on for more like 30 minutes to get the desired effect.

5. Car seat protector pad. I had seen the piddle pads that you can buy but I wanted something that would cover more of the seat. I made it when I started potty training my son, but planned to continue using it after we finished potty training. It has been really useful so far... it has kept me from having to wash the seat from potty accidents, spilled drinks, ketchup and cheese, all all sorts of other icky stuff. It was easy to make... I just cut a slightly trapezoidal shape, put it in the car seat, and marked where to add the darts, make slits for the straps on the side, and a long button hole in the middle for the buckle. I used flannel and part of an extra waterproof crib pad on the bottom. I am going to make another one for my other son's car seat, and I think I will add a layer of batting to make it even more absorbent, and cushy.

I think those are enough projects for one post, but there's more, believe me! I will share a few other projects that I have finished in the next few days. What projects have you all been working on? Leave a comment with a link to your latest and greatest, and I will be sure to visit and comment on your blog too!

Faux- Metal (TP Tube) Wall Art

2011-09-12T12:00:00.000-06:00

Were you all as inspired as I was by this faux- metal wall art on Suzy's Artsy Craftsy Sitcom? If you haven't been over there, you should really check it out- there are tons of great projects. Anyway, I saw her project and thought that I could totally do something like that, and besides, I have a bag of toilet paper and paper towel tubes I have been saving, much to my husband's chagrin, for some time. So I picked up some bass wood from my local craft store, and a can of bronze hammered metal spray paint (I already had black and clear), and got to work. I don't really need to give you the step by step- Suzy has already done that, but I might add a few notes...
- A smooth round pencil does a great job of "curling" the cardboard strips.
-Use hot glue- it dries way quicker than wood glue, although you will have to then pull away all the little strings.
-Spray paint first with black and be careful not to saturate it- it will fall apart. :( Paint light coats, let dry for 5 min in between. After the black, find a metallic type paint and spray just enough to give it the look you want.
-When you spray paint, if you use some sort of protective material behind your art (because, you know, a big black spot on the lawn is not going to please certain other people you live with), use paper (like a big paper shopping bag) or fabric. Do not use plastic, because it will stick, and you will be sad when it falls apart when you are peeling it off, and you have to re-glue it. Not that I would know that from experience... Anyway, I also sprayed mine with a clear coat to protect it and keep any paint from rubbing off onto the wall. Since the finished art is so lightweight, I just hot glued black ribbon loops to the top and hung it with a push pin.

This faux metal art went very nicely with some frames in my living room (you can kind of see the reflection of those in the picture frame in the center) but this wall was pretty plain, and these really helped tie things together.

I kept the ends of the wood that I trimmed when I was making my large faux metal art, and made two small pieces for my bedroom.

Below are the small pieces, on either side of my fabric-covered-foam picture wall art. (If you are new and didn't see my tutorial in February on how to make these, click the link above for the tutorial).

A few people have commented on my "new wrought iron wall art" and have been surprised to discover that not only is it not metal, but it is made from toilet paper tubes. Haha. I should probably stop telling people my secret...

By the way, I posted a tutorial on how to make these natural home decor balls (above) earlier in the spring, but now is the time, if you have access to these materials, to harvest and start making them- check out the tutorial!

Easy- On Potty Training Pants: Tutorial and Pattern

2011-08-29T14:10:00.000-06:00

Yes, it's here! (WARNING! Picture heavy post ahead!)

To those who knew me in my pre- nursing school college days: These underpants were made from the back side of my Beanstock 2005 T-shirt. :-D

This tutorial is for size 3T potty training pants with 2 seams that go front to back, instead of a seam at each side- this allows for easy addition of padding in the middle section (which really is a must if you don't want to be cleaning up tons of puddles off the floor during potty training). You are welcome to resize the pattern for your needs, but if you use stretchy fabric and adjust the elastic in the waistband for your child, this pattern will fit a somewhat smaller or larger child comfortably. In addition, these underpants are designed to be roomy, and have plenty of wiggle space in the leg holes, making it easier for kids to pull pants up and down. Again, use a soft, stretchy knit fabric, the stretchier the better.

Let's get right to it, shall we?

You will need:
-Easy- On Potty Training Pants pattern- print all 3 pages, cut out, and tape pieces A and B together as marked on the pattern.
-Soft stretch knit cotton- try re-purposing a soft old T-shirt to make this a really frugal project! If it is new fabric, prewash!
-Batting, heavy fleece or other absorbent material
-1/4 or 5/8" elastic
-Your regular sewing supplies- sewing machine, serger (if you have one, don't sweat it if you don't), thread, scissors, pins, etc.

Click this picture to go to the Google Doc PDF. Click "file" and you can download and/or print.

Don't worry- your pattern pieces will look much nicer than mine- this is what pattern development looks like...

Lay out your pattern pieces and pin them to the fabric. It is important that for each piece, the grain is running up and down, or in other words the stretch goes from side to side. Make sense? If the grain runs the other way the underpants won't stretch properly or be nice and roomy. That would be sad. :( (I really must have potty training on my mind because I sound like I am talking to my little guy that I am potty training... "Are you going to keep your pants dry today? Good boy. No wetting pants, ok? That would be sad.")

After you cut your fabric pieces (2 of piece AB and 2 of piece C- just make sure you cut with right sides of the fabric together if there is a print. If the fabric is the same on both sides, then you don't need to worry about it.) you need to cut the padding. Use whatever type of batting you want, or heavy weight fleece, or whatever you have on hand that is absorbent. Fold pattern piece AB on the dotted lines and cut it out. Cut one or two- depending on how much absorbency you want. I want enough absorbency that I don't have to clean up puddles on the floor, but not so much that it acts and feels like a diaper to my child.

I bet you thought you were done cutting fabric, right? Wrong! You need to cut some fabric strips to bind the waistband and leg holes. You can use ribbing that is bought from the fabric store, or you can cut up an old ribbed shirt or tank top, or just use the exact same fabric you're using for the rest of the underpants- it works great either way. I found the easiest way to do this was to use my rotary cutter with the ruler- it saved me tons of time, but that doesn't mean you can't do it with scissors. You just need a little more patience. Cut strips that are 2 or 2 1/2 inches wide- your preference. You could do all the same, or 2" for the legs, and 2 1/2" for the waistband. It really is whatever you want. The approximate lengths you will need are 22 inches for the waist, and 16 inches for each leg. It may be more or less depending on the size of your child and your sewing preferences. More on that later.

Sandwich the batting between the two long pieces (piece AB) so the curves line up as closely as possible. If your fabric has a pattern or "right" side, make sure the right sides are facing outward. Pin the layers together. You can skip this next step if you want, but it makes it easier and faster if you take a fabric pencil or pen and a ruler, and mark a line that goes across the fabric the "skinny way" right below the edge of the batting. Do this on both sides. Then sew the layers together in a straight line on each edge, making sure that you're catching the batting as you sew.

Now pin the side pieces to the front only (the top) of the middle piece (AB), with right sides together. Check the pattern pieces to make sure you're lining up the correct edges. The pattern pieces are labeled in each corner to help ensure that the fabric is pieced correctly. So, on pattern piece C (the side piece) you will see in the top left corner "R1/L6" which means that when you are sewing the Right side of the underpants on (the child's right), that corner should match up with corner 1 on piece AB, and when it is the Left side, it should match up with corner 6 on piece AB. Each corner is marked similarly- just check that the numbers match up when you pin it together. Once you actually start doing it it will make sense. See the picture 2 pictures down if you need a visual on what this should look like after it's sewn. Serge or sew the edges. Serged edges give a nice, polished look to the finished product, but you can definitely sew, zigzag for reinforcement, and trim.

Now you have a piece that kind of looks like an elephant head (see the ears and the trunk?!). The next step is to take the binding strips you cut earlier and cover the raw edges of the leg holes. This will work basically like bias tape. Pin right sides together, starting from the edge of the curve on the side piece to the end of the curve in the middle of the long piece (see picture below). If you want the leg holes to fit a bit more snugly (but not tight), then just stretch the binding a bit as you pin it- making sure not to stretch the other piece of fabric.

Here is the same thing from the other side- this is the "wrong" side, and you can see where the fabric is pinned together. Baste together (~1/2" seam), and repeat for the other leg hole.

We are going to fold the binding around the leg hole just like we would with bias tape, only we aren't going to mess with ironing. It is not hard as long as you pin well! Here are the steps: 1. Start at the edge- either edge. 2. Fold the sewn edge into the middle of the binding strip. 3. Fold the other edge into the middle of the strip, so the two edges meet. 4. Sandwich the folded strip over the raw edge of the leg hole. Look at the pictures below for a better idea of how to do this.

Do this all around the leg hole. I would pin every inch or inch and a half or so. Check the other side and make sure that the raw edge is fully encased. Do the same process on the other leg hole. It sounds laborious, but it probably only takes 5 minutes total.

Carefully topstitch over both leg holes. The idea is to sew close to the folded edge, but not so close that you don't catch the fold on the back side.

Now fold up the back piece (the part that looks like the elephant's trunk) so that right sides are together, pin, and serge (or sew and zig zag) one side piece onto the back piece. It doesn't matter which side, just so long as you only sew one. Pull the fabric or make whatever adjustments you need to make sure the the leg hole ends meet up evenly. It might look a little wonky in 2D, but it will work out when your child is wearing it.

Now the waistband is one long piece, so you are going to repeat the binding process you did for the leg holes on the waistband. Pin right sides together, stretching the waistband binding very slightly as you pin. Baste together.

Fold the waistband binding as shown above for the leg hole binding, and pin.

Topstitch all the way across the waistband to match your sewing on the leg holes. These are really starting to look like training underpants- yay!

Thread your elastic through the waistband using a safety pin. Tacking the ends in place once you are finished will make things a lot easier, but it is not essential.

Now, turn the underpants inside out, and pin the remaining raw edges together, right sides together. Serge edges, or sew/ zig zag.

If you want, stitch the seam allowance down on the waistband binding (where the ends and elastic are poking out- see below on the picture). This makes the underpants more comfortable to wear. You could do the same thing on the seams on the leg holes if you want.

Ta- da! You have a very nice- looking, comfortable, and of course functional pair of training pants!

Hopefully you can use things you already have (fabric scraps or old T shirts) and save money you would be spending on more expensive cloth training pants or disposables.

Add variety to your child's training pants collection by using different fabrics, or contrasting color trims, applique designs, or contrast stitching. Do you have questions, comments, corrections? Email me: rochelle@homesweethomebodies.net.

If you like this tutorial, or if you use my pattern, I would love it if you would leave a comment below. As always, my tutorials and patterns I share on my blog are free for you to use for personal use because I want to share with you! Please don't redistribute, copy, or sell items made from my patterns without written permission from me. I love features, and you are welcome to use one or two pictures from my tutorial with a link back.

Good luck sewing (and potty training)!

Good News!

2011-08-23T20:59:00.000-06:00

I have been working on finishing projects that I have started but never finished.... and I have made lots of progress! I finished some wall hangings (pictures to come), a few sewing projects, and (drumroll please!) my pattern for potty training pants. Yay!

This project has taken quite a bit of time to get it just how I want it, but it is finally done! I still need to write up the tutorial, but I hope to share it with you all in the next week or so- so check back soon, and if you don't already follow or subscribe, consider doing so over on the right sidebar to get the pattern when it comes out! Thanks!

Green Beans and Veggies on the Grill

2011-08-08T14:50:00.001-06:00

This summer we are loving dinners hot off the grill. Hamburgers, hotdogs, and BBQ chicken are the usual fare, it's true, but fresh veggies and fruits cooked 'til tender, with a slightly smokey taste... well, that's divine! We have loved roasted Mexican corn (Elote), grilled pineapple, and tender french beans this season. Ahh, makes my mouth water just thinking about it. The grilled french green beans are probably my current favorite. I've been playing around with a recipe, and each time I make it, I tweak it a bit more, but it is fabulous as-is, so I am going to share it with you! Grilling veggies on a traditional barbeque/grill is made so much easier if you have one of these babies, but even if you don't you can grill your veggies in foil.

I found my grill skillet at Bed Bath & Beyond for about $7, but I'm sure other stores like Walmart etc. would carry something similar.

First, you want to preheat your grill to med-high heat. Then you can prepare your veggies for grilling.
You will need:

~1 lb french green beans- leave them whole, or snap off ends, whatever you prefer
1/2 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 white or yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2-3 green onions, also coarsely chopped
1-2 c. white mushrooms, chopped (these will shrink down quite a bit, so if you like mushrooms, add more than you think you will want, because it will end up being less than you thought)

Now you will want to pull out your spice rack and the olive oil and really give these veggies some flavor! Here's what I added:

~2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2-3 heaping teaspoons minced garlic (I'm sold on anything with garlic or onions, bonus points if it has both!)
~2 tsp. rosemary (or to taste)
2-3 twists of fresh ground pepper from the pepper mill
Celery salt or sea salt to taste

Combine all veggies and toss with the oil and spices. Pour everything into the grill skillet. It helps to have a dish under the skillet while you transport it to the grill so you don't spill oil on the floor on your way out.

Set the skillet on the heated grill, and let it cook for about 30 minutes- depending on the grill, stirring occasionally. Our particular skillet has a removable handle which is nice, but regardless, you want to have a couple of hot pads ready when it is time to stir or remove the skillet from the grill. No burned hands please! In my opinion, the veggies are done when they are tender but still a bit crisp- no soggy beans for me!

We had these grilled veggies last month for my birthday (and also 2 other times that week, haha), and my husband was nice enough to grill outside even with a storm brewing. Does that happen to anyone else? It seems like at least 60% of the days we decide to grill, end up having terrific lightning and pouring rain for the hour we are grilling, then things calm down.

That day was no exception. This is the view we enjoyed while eating our grilled veggies, pineapple, and chicken. Lovely!

Recipe:

Green Beans and Veggies on the Grill

Preheat grill to med-high heat.

Prepare veggies:
~1 lb french green beans- leave them whole, or snap off ends, whatever you prefer
1/2 green bell pepper, coarsely chopped
1/2 white or yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2-3 green onions, also coarsely chopped
1-2 c. white mushrooms, chopped

Add seasoning:
~2 Tbsp. Olive Oil
2-3 heaping teaspoons minced garlic
~2 tsp. rosemary (or to taste)
2-3 twists of fresh ground pepper from the pepper mill
Celery salt or sea salt to taste
Once combined, pour everything into the grill skillet. Set the skillet on the heated grill, and let it cook for about 30 minutes- depending on the grill, stirring occasionally. Remove when veggies are tender but still have a slight crunch.
Enjoy!

What are your favorite grilling recipes this summer?!

I have a problem....

2011-08-01T10:00:00.000-06:00

Yes, I have a problem. It is called "I-start-too-many-projects-and-get-overwhelmed-and-don't-finish-them-until-many-months-later-if-ever." We can just call it procrastination for short. I have so many ideas, and some of them I just don't realize how big they are until I am in the middle, and then you know the rest. It's a very sad story. I have an adorable apron pattern and project which I mostly finished- in March, like maybe 75% of the way, and then stopped. I have been working on sewing and making a pattern for toddler training pants (for potty training) but temporarily lost steam on that too. I have some yummy summer recipes I would love to share, I just need to write them down. I intend on finishing all these projects, but when? Who knows, right? So I am telling all of you so I have some accountability. Hopefully by stating my intentions here, I will be motivated to finish projects I have already started! Ok, but now I feel a little insecure (haha) because it sounds like I haven't finished any projects at all (besides what I have already blogged about). Well, I have, but they are kind of little things, and don't necessarily deserve a blog post all of their own. But here are a few things I have worked on and actually finished over the past couple months:

Noah's Ark cake for my baby! Marissa and I did this together before she left. We used marshmallow fondant to make the animals and cover the cake.


First pair of potty training pants- adorable, but a bit too small. Still working on it! I also made a car seat protector pad, but no picture. Look for more on this!

I got to help prepare a gorgeous tea party as per tradition for my mom, aunt, sisters, and some of my cousins.

Just to prove I was there this time... (I am on the left)

I helped my mom re-cover the window seat cushions. This was NOT a small job! We worked on it in March when I was visiting, and finished it the last time I was there.

The other cushion. Yeah, I know it is pretty much the same, but you know, it has to be representative of the amount of time spent on it and all.

I bought this girly chair at a garage sale last summer for $2 and finally got around to re-covering it this year for my son's Thomas the Tank Engine- themed 3rd birthday.

Ok, I am getting to work!

PS- If you are new to our blog, and would like to be among the first to be able to get new patterns and tutorials (once I actually finish them!) please follow or subscribe to our blog! :D

Gratitude, and a free printable

2011-07-25T14:45:00.004-06:00

Making the World a Little Sweeter this month is all about gratitude.

Ah, Gratitude: a virtue too often overlooked, when it should be a fundamental part of our way of thinking, no?

“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” – Cicero

You may already know that when you have an attitude of gratitude, you tend to be happier and more content with life, but did you know that making gratitude a habit actually improves your physical health and brain function? (according to research done by Daniel G. Amen, MD) Of course, expressing that gratitude has the potential to lift and inspire others. Think of a time when someone thanked you for something you did- even if you were not expecting anything in return. You were probably surprised and touched, right? So by focusing on gratitude- and expressing it- we are going to feel great and help others feel great too.

First- on cultivating an attitude of gratitude, I suggest starting a gratitude journal. This is something I have done in the past, and it really made me think every day about the good things that happened. I have enjoyed going back and reading things that I wrote way back in the day. If you want to start a gratitude journal, all you need is a notebook or a scrap of paper, but if you want to motivate yourself with something cute, why don't you check out this tutorial with free printable pages from Small + Friendly.

Second- We have so many opportunities to uplift others by simply saying thank you. Most of us are probably on our best behavior much of the time, and we say our pleases and thank-yous when we should- mostly. But I would bet that if you think about it, you will be able to come up with someone who you'd still like to thank- or at least thank better. At first, when I started thinking of people who deserve my thanks, I realized there wasn't really any dramatic instance where someone saved my life, or did something that changed my whole life, but there were so many people who performed small acts that really did change my life in small ways... The woman whose friendship meant the world to me at a time when I was a newcomer with no friends and few acquaintances. The youth leader who listened to and encouraged me during my painfully shy and awkward adolescence. The first friend I made as a student in a foreign country, who opened her heart to me, and who is still in my heart these years later. The boss who wouldn't let administration cut my part time job, and who supported me in wanting to be a mother first and foremost. The casual friend I didn't know too well, but who let me cry on her shoulder during a tough time, and then called me up later to find out how I was doing. All the people who have genuinely cared about me when they didn't have to. Whether they knew it or not, they all left positive impressions on my life. Some of these wonderful people I have thanked recently, and some I still need to seek out.

My challenge to you this month is to thank someone in your life- either someone from your past, or someone who is making a difference to you right now. Could be a friend, family member, or acquaintance... anybody who has done something positive for you, or for your family. You could surely send a thank you card, write a letter or quick email, make a phone call, or drop off a plate of cookies to that person who has made your life a little sweeter.

And, dear readers, I must thank you. I appreciate your sticking with us, reading, and commenting. So, just for you, here is a free printable- a thank-you checklist style card- just click the picture below, and it will open a google doc that you can then print from or download the card. I hope you enjoy it (and use it)!

PS: You can make an envelope by trimming and folding a 12x12 piece of scrapbook paper to fit around it. As long as the finished dimensions of any envelope are less than 6 1/8" x 11 1/2" and it weighs less than 3.5 oz, you should be able to mail it with one stamp- currently $0.44- in the U.S. You don't necessarily have to put it in an envelope though; you could punch a hole and thread some ribbon through it and attach it to a door, or a treat to give away. Any other ideas out there about presentation?

Easiest Shower Cap (and so cute!)

2011-07-13T11:00:00.002-06:00

When I was a teenager, I believed you had to shower every day. Well, since I put it that way- I still do, but after my first son was born, I found it was too much work to wash and blow dry my hair every day, and in our arid climate, my hair was getting dry and brittle. In order to save myself time and energy, and to help my hair get healthier, I decided to stop washing my hair as frequently. Of course, trying to just shower without getting my hair wet at all was impossible. My hair would become limp and frizzy and I would have to style my hair all over again. Shower caps were the natural solution, and for a while I used the disposable shower caps you sometimes get in your hotel room. But those can easily get holes, or the elastic stretched out, and let's face it- they're just not cute. Naturally, I decided to make my own. I wanted a simple solution- I didn't want to layer fabrics, or plastics, or have to spray scotch guard. I didn't want to hem. Or iron. So I took a vinyl table cloth that was too long for my square kitchen table. And I cut it into a circle, and I sewed elastic around the perimeter. Done. It worked wonderfully, and I even gave some out as gifts a few Christmases ago. Now, I am ready to make more- I really need one in each bathroom, and I would like to be able to give more as part of a spa- themed gift. I promise this is easy.... here are the particulars, tutorial style:

Gather:

Flannel-backed vinyl tablecloth, scissors, pen, newspaper, pins, 1/4" or 3/8" elastic, ruler and/or tape measure, sewing machine.

1. Make your template.
Easy Way: pick a diameter for your shower cap circle (measurements below based on "average" head sizes, perhaps 21 or 22 inches):
     18" diameter (9" radius) is snug, good for short hair.
     19" diameter (9.5" radius) is roomy, good for medium- long hair that needs to be clipped up.
     20" diameter (10" radius) is quite spacious, perhaps for large hairstyles.
     22+" diameter is for your bouffant hairdo needs. :-D
FYI, my head measures 22 inches and an 18.5" cap diameter is perfect for my head.

Hard(er) Way: Measure your head circumference around the largest part. Let's call the number you get "A". Now divide A by PI, or 3.14, then multiply it by 2.65. That gives us the diameter, or "D". Divide D by 2 and there you have your radius ("R").
     A/ 3.14* 2.65=D    D/ 2= R
     R is the number you need to make your template.

Now that you know the radius of your shower cap circle, let's go ahead and make the template. Take a piece of newspaper (or wrapping paper, or whatever you have on hand that's big enough), fold it in quarters, then in eighths, then sixteenths. Then take your ruler, and measure and mark your radius measuring from the pointy end. So, if your radius is 10 inches, then measure 10 inches from the point and mark it at intervals of about an inch. Then connect your marks and cut on the line. It really doesn't need to be perfect. When you open it up, it will look like a circle even if it is a tiny bit wonky.

2. Cut out your shower cap circle.
Pull out the (preferably cute) tablecloth you're going to use. Buy it on clearance, or use one you already have (that could stand to be shortened a bit).

Lay out your shower cap template on the vinyl. Pin it, and cut the whole circle out.

Now remove the pins and newspaper and admire the circle that will soon be a lovely shower cap.

3. Pin the elastic to the circle.
To make this step easier, you may want to mark eighths around the circle with pen or using pins, as I did below.

Take your elastic and cut a length that is about 3-4 inches less than your head measurement (so, with my head being 22 inches, I cut an elastic that was about 18 inches long). Sew the two ends together with a zig zag stitch.

If you want, you can make marks on the elastic to correspond with the marks on the circle. Then pin the elastic in intervals around the circle.

4. Sew the elastic to your circle.
Set your machine to a wide zig zag (just about as wide as the elastic) and start sewing the elastic to the fuzzy (wrong) side of vinyl circle. I didn't get a good picture of this step, but just know that you are really going to have to stretch the elastic, and you'll probably need to pinch the vinyl to make little pleats every inch or two. This is the most tedious part of the process, but it actually goes pretty quick. Finish it up with a back stitch, and you will be set to go.

The cap will look great in your shower, and even better on you! It might even inspire your inner diva, who knows?!

I'm back!

2011-07-13T10:48:00.001-06:00

I have to ask you all to pardon my absence. Between family vacations, birthdays, all sorts of projects, and Marissa going to Africa, it has been a crazy month. By the way, she got safely there, and is working on various projects focused on empowering women... even a crafts group making paper beads to sell. Anyway, today I have a sewing project for you that is easy, cheap and fun, and I have a few more posts planned for the near future, so stay tuned!

Kid's get well kit

2011-06-07T13:54:00.001-06:00

My friend's almost-four year old broke her toe the other day and now my friend has the task of keeping her off her feet for the next few days while the swelling goes down. As you may know, that is the last thing a four year old girl wants! So we thought we would take over a little get well package with some activities that can be done while sitting. And of course, it had to be girly and cute, so this is what we came up with:

Cute, right? Haha. Ok, I'm only kind of kidding. We started with this pop-top can, (we had a case of crushed pineapple that had this type of lid and the non-round kind of bottom) which I had opened from the bottom with the kind of can opener that un-crimps the lid and doesn't leave sharp edges, leaving the pop-top intact.

First step: add snacks. Goldfish are pretty much the classic snack, right?

Cheerios do a double duty: They are of course also snacks, but perhaps too babyish for a four year old... unless you are making a cheerio necklace on a beautiful ribbon!

Don't forget to knot one end of the ribbon and put some tape around the other end for easy stringing. You could use a thin shoelace instead too, or a piece of string or twine.

Some little toys and treats are necessary...

We had the spinning tops and stretchy spiders left over from Easter, and I know from experience that those can entertain a young child for a long time!

Clearly a girl needs her chocolate, especially when she can't be jumping on the tramp with her dolls and trucks.

It all goes in the can.

I didn't go out and buy anything, I just opened the cupboards and found snacks we already had. My kids love these little rice crackers, so we occasionally splurge on them to keep in the diaper bag etc.

It was the perfect size to fit in the top (bottom) of the can.

I hot glued the lid shut (you can use epoxy glue I've heard, but then you'll have the smell when you open the can... icky.)

I cut a rectangle out of scrapbook paper to fit around the can, and a piece shaped like this to go on the top.

Embellishments are necessary, of course. You can make this as simple or as fancy as you can imagine!

And there's a fun get well package... in a "gift can"! I love this type of upcycling project! Have your kids help you fill the can if they're old enough. You can obviously use this type of packaging for all sorts of occasions... it's a great size for cookies, candy, popcorn, small toys, notes, etc. Just remember that whatever you put in first is going to be at the top when it is opened, so plan accordingly if order matters.

Reusable sanitary pads= education opportunities

2011-05-30T17:45:00.000-06:00

For the month of May, we are inviting you to make the world sweeter with us, once again!

We thought that this month we would focus on making the world a little sweeter by doing something about the needs of the developing world.

In about 2 weeks, I (Marissa) will be going to Uganda to do some humanitarian work with an organization called HELP International. While there, I am planning on teaching people about health, and specifically, teaching women about menstruation and how to make their own reusable sanitary pads.

Living in a developed country, I don't think that we typically think about the idea of not having feminine hygiene supplies at our disposal. It is something that I know I have always taken for granted in the U.S. It wasn't until I learned about an organization called Grow. Learn. Give., that it struck me that not all women in the world have access to feminine hygiene supplies. Whether there are no nearby stores that would have the supplies, or because there just isn't the money to buy them, many women and girls in under-developed countries never have the opportunity to use proper feminine hygiene supplies. Sadly, what is used instead is things like old rags, and in some cases, even bark or mud.

Now, this may seem like a trivial issue. What's the big deal? Well, it is a much bigger deal than simply being clean. Often times, girls will stay home from school each month during their period, to avoid the embarrassment and discomfort associated with having a period without the proper supplies to care for it. The result can be very heart-breaking - dropping out of school, losing a job, etc.

The following is a video that talks about this problem. (We are not affiliated with this group in any way, but the first part of the video explains the problem very well.)

Ok, Rochelle speaking here: Every child- girls included- should have the opportunity to get an education. Society in general should have a deep interest in seeing girls obtain an education, because when girls and women are left ignorant, we see families as a whole that have poorer health and education. So, how can we address this problem?

One thing you can do to help is sew reusable cloth pads and donate them. There are non-profit organizations that provide education and sanitary supplies to girls so they can attend school and work.

There are so many free patterns for pads available on the internet, with different designs and pros/cons (Check out Jan Andrea's pattern, and Make Your Own Pads). Our favorite is the type with the base pad with removable top liner. There are many reasons for this. First, when laundering the pads, this type is less bulky so it washes and dries quickly. This is especially important when handwashing and hanging to dry. The second reason is that having a removable liner means that you don't have to deal with changing bulky pads every time- just the top piece. So, for most women, just one pad and three liners (or less) are necessary each day of their period. Third, unlike envelope-design pads with removable liners that go underneath the top layer, you can change the liner and be totally dry- no soiled layer still on top after changing the liner. Fourth- versatility! This design means you can mix and match based on you needs for the day- heavy or light protection.

So where can you find this type of pattern? You may want to start with this very simple pattern on the Grow. Learn.Give. website, or this one from Empower Women in Africa (scroll down).

Marissa and I sat down a couple days ago and made several pads from fabric we already had- old towels, scrap batting, a couple of t-shirts, and an old diaper changing pad for the waterproof layer. Marissa even sewed one by hand just to make sure it could be done, since she is not sure what kinds of resources will be available to the women she'll be teaching in Uganda.

Now, I admit that I heard about reusable pads a couple years ago and I couldn't get past the first "Ewwww", but after taking the time to learn about all the benefits and possibilities of cloth pads, I have to say that I am definitely going to give them a try. Here is a good article to read about how to actually go about making the switch, if you are interested. I am not going to focus this post on converting anyone to cloth pads, but I find it worth mentioning that reusable cloth pads save a lot of money compared to disposable products that you have to continually purchase. Also, reusable pads don't contribute to waste in landfills, and are a nice alternative when dealing with allergies, sensitivities, and yeast infections. Even if you love using disposables, these would be a great addition to your 72 hour kit (eek- ever thought what would happen if you ran out of pads during an emergency and there were none available anywhere?)

Ok- back to business. Would you like to get involved?! Make reusable cloth pads and send them to the Days for Girls International Feminine Hygiene Program (there are actually many programs like this, like Empower Women in Africa, but we really like this particular program as a whole, so for the sake of simplicity we are providing contact info for only one program. Feel free to research other programs if you wish.):

Days for Girls HQ
810 H Street Road
Lynden, WA 98264

Days for Girls will distribute the pad kits in Cambodia, India, Haiti, Uganda, and Zimbabwe. They have a goal to meet over 1000 requests for these reusable pads by the end of June. If you can take an hour or two and sew up a few pads (patterns are also provided on their site), you will be directly affecting the life of at least one girl- and the influence of one girl can be far reaching. Ahhh! Let's make the world sweeter by helping young girls stay in school!