Nap Time Crafters

Just a Peek: Sweet Smiles

2012-05-27T08:13:00.002-07:00

KK Children Designs Giveaway

2012-05-26T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week's giveaway is from my fabulous sponsor KK Children Designs! Home to simple, elegant, handmade children's clothing
I LOVE the sweet simplicity of all of their designs- here's a few of my favorites... Gorgeous right???
And you're in luck because 1 reader is going to win a $40 gift card!Ready to win? Enter below:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

and last week's Old Barn Rescue Winner is:Entry #42Tina S.

Friday Favs Party: #64

2012-05-25T07:21:00.000-07:00

It's Party Time!

Happy Friday and welcome to the party!

the most viewed link last week was...

Criss Cross Dress by Melly Sews
Super cute and she shares a free pattern!

And my other favs this week...

T-Shirt Cardigan by Keeping it Simple
What a fun way to update your wardrobe- perfect for spring!

$150 Nursery Makeover by Confessions of a Semi-Domesticated Mama
Love the color scheme- so bright and cheery!

Summer Fun Kit by Crazy Little Projects

You'll probably be buying all of this anyway so why not make it into a fun surprise?!

Were you featured? Go ahead, grab a button:)

Are you Ready to Party?!

Just grab a button & display it anywhere on your blog, link up, & enjoy the party by checking out some amazing ideas!
And of course I love new friends, so go ahead and follow along too:)

Guest Post: New Mama Must Haves

2012-05-24T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello there Nap Time Crafters friends! I am Kirstin, half of the sister team that blogs over at kojodesigns, and I'm thrilled to be here today.

For our Bundle of Joy post, my sister Jordan and I thought we'd put together a list of New Mama Must Have's. These are the things that we (and our friends and blog friends!) found to be indispensable in those foggy newborn-baby days. A quick disclaimer before we start- not all of these items were helpful with all of our babies (there are five little ones between the two of us), because, you guessed it, all babies are different. But if we had to buy everything again, this is where we'd start.

1. Nursing cover (by Ninnie's Nappies, shown- several tutorials for making your own here).

2. Boppy.

3. A supercute, could-be-mistaken-for-a-purse diaper bag. I made a diaper bags for both of my sisters and myself and would highly recommend this tutorial.

4. Soothies Gel Pads (for that beginning part when breast feeding is less than enjoyable).

5. Wipes case/changing station (this one's by JJ Cole). If you want to make your own, our changing pad caddy tutorial is here.

6. Kiddopotamus (swaddler for dummies). Just FYI- Jord swears by blankets with a little stretch, but I am less than proficient at swaddling, so these things saved my life.

7. Soothies pacifiers.

8. Phil and Ted Stroller. If I had to choose just one New Mama item, I think this would be it. The number of walking and running miles put on this stroller must be in the hundreds by now- plus it is a double stroller that fits in the trunk of my car (not SUV, car). Love.

9. Bjorn/Hot Sling (pictured).

10. A whole pile of burp rags and receiving blankets.

11. Open bottom layettes (this one is by Baby Star... cute, right?).

12. Medela Breast Pump. Getting Burke enough food that first month was, how do I say this, tricky. Much trickier than I'd anticipated. And the Medela was a life saver for me.

13. Sandra Boynton board books.

14. Nursing tanks- lots of them (the one shown is Glamourmom).

A few other things that we haven't tried, but our friends swear by-comfy gown with easy access, wine, chocolate, coffee, a nightlight, a Moby wrap, Lanolin cream, baby swing, video monitor, and a Maya wrap.

What about you? What was indispensable to you in those foggy brand-new-baby days?

What a fantastic list! Thanks so much ladies!

Guest Post: Chalkboard Table & Chairs

2012-05-23T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi there Naptime Crafter readers!

We are excited to be here today to share Kristi's latest piece in her sons playroom, the striped chalkboard table & chair set:

Before we share the makeover on this cute piece, let's introduce ourselves:

We are twin sisters Kelli & Kristi of Lolly Jane, an eclectic DIY blog filled with craft tutorials, home improvement projects, home decor how-to's and even a tasty recipe or two. We would love for you to stop by our little corner of Blogland :)

Now on to the fun stuff!

I found this weather-worn Nantucket table & chair set {retails for $179} at a garage sale for a whopping $10:

When I brought it home, my husband told me I got ripped off! LOL

Yes it was multi-colored, yet it was beaten up, yes it was chippy as it had been rained on, yes it was stained, yes most of the joints were loose and yes it had seen better days BUT, it was also the perfect size for my toddlers reading nook in his play area. I had to try!

After a thorough scrubbing {as well as peeling off stickers & nail polish from the surface,} I spent a good hour tightening each of the screws and bolts so the piece ~~could withstand a busy 2-year old~~ was sturdy. For under $20, I snagged a few cans of white/gray spray paint, a can of chalkboard paint and a roll of painters tape from the local home improvement store and I was set. I first gave the table a fresh coat of white paint, then sprayed the seats of all 4 chairs white:

Once dry, I taped off each chair seat every 2" to create stripes. I then gave each chair a thorough spray of gray paint and slowly peeled away the tape to reveal a fun nautical striped pattern:

I decided to maximize the play/use for this cute table as best I could... my sons reads on it, has snack time on it, plays with his cars/puzzles/toys on it, colors on it, etc., so I thought, "Why not color with chalk on it, too?" :)

After applying 5 thin coats and letting it dry, I sanded down the edges of the table and all 4 chairs to give it the distressed look you will see on most of Lolly Jane's projects:

To finish off the set, I whipped up the numbers 1-4 in a coordinating nautical-ish font, cut it out to use as a vinyl stencil, and applied a quick coat of black acrylic paint that I had on hand:

I now had a set of 4 cute chairs, personalized for pennies and labeled 1-4:

I have a feeling the labeling will come in handy in a few years when toddler & baby start fighting ;)

As you can see, my little one is LOVING his revamped set- especially the chalkboard paint:

...and I am loving how EASY PEASY it is to clean up!

For around $30, I salvaged a set that works great in my home. Don't let ~~husbands~~ critics sway you to not try something new... I am sure glad I went for it and made my hubby eat his words when the set was completed and he told me it didn't even look like the same table or chairs and he was glad I kept it.

I am always amazed what a little elbow grease + spray paint can amount to!

Be sure to pop by our site for more furniture transformations or feel free to chat with us on FB, Pinterest or Twitter. And of course, a BIG thanks to Amy for letting us be her guests today! Hope you are loving on those sweet baby cheeks and enjoying each blog-free moment ;)

XOXO

WOW! Now I just need to find a s

Guest Post: Making Messes & Memories

2012-05-22T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi there! My name is Bri and I blog at Googly Eyes & Glitter about cute crafties and the crazy adventures as a mama to my two sweet little girlies (age 2 & 4). I'm so excited to get the opportunity to guest blog here at Naptime Crafters whilst Miss Amy takes some time with her new little bundle!

With Summer right around the corner, I've been trying to collect supplies and ideas to have on hand for a whole slew of fun activities to entertain my kidlets now that the temps are rising. Today I'm going to share 3 of my favorite toddler/preschool friendly activities with you. These are all pretty quick, cheap and easy on the prep. They are also, however, 3 of the messiest activities you can do with your kiddies. But the freedom to be messy is just another awesome bonus of summertime: there's little that a good hosing off or a couple laps through the sprinkler can't clean up!

The supply list needed for all three of these activities:

Shallow plastic tote

Cornstarch

Food Colors

ChildSafe Paints

2-3 packages of Cheap Spaghetti

Large Cut of Paper (not pictured)

Paper Plates (not pictured)

1. Cornstarch Goop

In a shallow plastic tote, mix cornstarch and water (add food color for pizazz!) until a fun goop is formed and let your littles have fun squishing around in it! Once their all squished out, you can add more water and food color, give them a paint brush and let them go to work on your sidewalks!

2. Footprint Masterpiece

Prepare as many paper plates as you have colors with a thin layer of child safe paints. Lay out a large piece of paper, pin down with rocks or something heavy at the corners to keep in place. Then instruct (or better yet, model!) how to step in the paint and then walk across the paper! *You don't have to stop at feet (in fact, I'd like to see you try!), they can try hand prints and even cut fruits and veggies (apples and the bottoms of celery bunches are my favorite!).

3. Rainbow Spaghetti Play

Did you know you can easily color your pasta simply by adding food color to the water you cook it in? It was news to me, and now that I've seen how cute it is, I'll find myself hard-pressed to make boring ol' plain colored pasta again. Prepare spaghetti in separate bunches, adding a generous blob of different colors to the water while cooking each time. I used about two and a half packages of spaghetti to fill my tote and let them at it. They especially enjoyed playing with their play pots and pans preparing food for Daddy & I.

Hope you have heaps of fun making messes/memories this summer! I'd love for you to hop on over to my blog to check out more fun activities to do for and with your little ones! Thanks so much to Amy for having me!

Bri

Thanks for all the fun ideas!

Guest Post: Baby Mobile

2012-05-21T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello Nap Time Crafters! My name is Cherie and I have a lil blog called you & mie where I blog about sewing and crafting, an occasional recipe or personal story, but mostly about my current passion, kids clothing.

I'm so excited to be here with you with you while Amy is on maternity leave. Projects for newborns have a special place in my heart because the arrival of my daughter is what really catapulted me into the world of sewing. And now I can't imagine my life without either! Today I'm going to show you how to make a stimulating Black and White Mobile for your baby's changing table.

Out of aaaaall of the things that I made for my daughter when she was an infant, the one that was the most loved and the most used was a mobile similar to this. She. Loved. It. She was so mesmerized by the high contrast designs - we actually called it "the babysitter" for awhile because she could just lay there and stare at it forever!

Not a newborn anymore, but the only model I had on hand - and she was still pretty intrigued!

Studies say that newborns can best register black, white and red in high contrasting patterns. These designs stimulate their eyes and promote brain development. This is probably most beneficial during the first 3-4 months of life, though my daughter loved hers well past her first birthday (we had to keep adjusting the height so she couldn't reach it)! Because these designs stimulate (not soothe), this mobile would be best
placed over a changing table or play area as opposed to a crib.

So let's get started! Here's what you'll need:

An embroidery hoop (10 inches)

Paint and paint brush

White and black felt (I like wool or wool blend)

Embroidery floss

I bought this 10 inch hoop at Joann's and at full price it was $1.50. You can use polyester felt, but I prefer wool or wool blend felt because it's thicker and will make the squares stiffer.

I bought 1/8 of a yard in white and black. Luckily I had the rest of the supplies at home already, so between the felt and the hoop (and a couple of coupons), I only spent about $3.50. Not bad . . .

So the first step is to separate the two hoops. One has some hardware on it and you can toss that in your "stuff I swear I'll find a purpose for someday" pile (please tell me you have one too). The other hoop should have nothing on it. Paint your hoop with acrylic paint or spray paint. A couple of coats will ensure a nice opaque finish. I went with black because I thought the dark circle against the white ceiling would add another visual element of interest. But you can paint it whatever you color you want!

Set the hoop aside to dry and cut your felt into 4x4 inch squares. You'll need 6 white ones and 4 black ones.

Let's also cut your embroidery floss. The lengths I give here are based on what I needed (determined by the height of my ceiling and my changing table), so you may need to make adjustments. I used one piece that was 90 inches and 4 pieces that were 50 inches.

Sketch out some designs for your mobile pieces.

These were my original sketches, though some of the designs came out different. I'm going to walk you through the 5 designs I made, but you can be as creative as you want!

1. Cut out strips of white felt and lay them down diagonally on a black square.

2. Cut a piece of white felt 4 inches long. Draw 4 wavy lines, cut them out and lay them on a black square.

3. Draw nine circles on some black felt (trace a coin). Originally I made them all the same size, but before I sewed them on I decided to make 4 of them smaller. A nickel and a dime might be about right.

4. Draw concentric circles about 1/2 inch apart on black felt and create a target design on a white square

5. This is probably the most complicated one. First cut two black 2x2 inch squares. Keeping in mind that 2 of the sides of the square will be part of the seam allowance (dashed line), draw a small square in the "middle." Carefully cut the square out, repeat with the other black square and arrange as shown. Don't forget that you'll lose a 1/4 inch on all four sides!

Now top stitch all the felt designs on and trim anything extra felt hanging off the edge of the square. Take your time with the circles and curved shapes.

Here's what they should like at this point:

(Notice the change I made in the 9 circles design)

Put those aside while we prep the other 5 squares, which will be the back pieces. Felt doesn't generally have a right and wrong side, but I've labeled them just in case you're using something that does.

Use a ruler to find the center of the square and mark it on the wrong side. Measure about a 1/2 cm to either side of the center to make a 1 cm line.

You'll need to decide which of the designs you want in the center of the mobile. That design will get the longest (90 inch) piece of thread. For the other 4 designs you'll use the shorter pieces of embroidery floss.

Thread your needle and enter from the right side on one end of the centimeter long mark and then push the needle back through at the other end of the centimeter long mark (geez, did that make sense?).

Now pull the threads till they are even lengths and the felt square hangs parallel to the ground. Flip the square over and tie a simple knot close to the square. You don't want to tie it so tight that the square puckers. Make sure that it lays flat and it's ok if there is a little sliding room

Wind up the thread and lay it in the center of the square so it'll be out of the way when you sew the two sides of the square together. Repeat with the other 4 squares (remember to use the longest piece of thread for your center square)

To sew the square front and back pieces together, lay your patterned squares on top of the back square pieces, right sides together. Pin and sew them together with a 1/4 inch seam allowance, making sure to leave an opening on one side.

Trim the corners and flip them right side out. Use a chopstick to poke out the corners and press. Top stitch all the way around with a 1/4 inch seam allowance making sure to sew the opening shut. As you top stitch, make sure to move the embroidery floss aside so you don't sew over it.

Now you should have 5 felt coaster-like squares with thread coming out the back side.

Decide how long you want each square to hang from the hoop and tie a simple knot at that mark.

Separate the two pieces of thread and place the hoop in between them.

With the two pieces of thread back together, tie a knot above the hoop as close to the hoop as possible.

Now repeat this with the other 3 squares that will hang from the hoop. Place them exactly 90 degrees apart from each other. Pull all the thread to the center above the hoop in one hand.

For the center square, add the loooong threads to the bunch in your hand and adjust the length of the thread depending on where you want the center square to hang. Make sure the hoop is parallel to the ground. If it is tilted, you need to adjust the lengths of the thread. Tie a knot with all of the strands of thread about 6-7 inches about the hoop (the thread should measure at least 8 inches from the hoop to the knot - this will help for the next step).

Trim the

short threads to a 1/2 inch above the knot. Be sure not to cut the two
long threads!!! You'll need those to hang the mobile.

Cut out 2 circles about 1.75 inches in diameter.

Place them wrong sides together and top stitch around half of the circle.

Slip the circle over the knot and top stitch the rest of the circle making sure to sew over the thread so the circle doesn't slide up and down. If you can't machine sew this because the hoop gets in the way, you can hand stitch it.

And you're basically done!! I just tied a loop at the end and used a ceiling hook to hang it.

Done! Now give it a little spin, sing a song and watch how your baby becomes mesmerized by these handcrafted designs. Can you see the synapses firing?? Well, maybe not, but I'm pretty sure you'll see the intrigue in their eyes.


Baby's eye view

Again, I used my toddler in these pictures because I didn't have a newborn on hand. I don't actually recommend this (or any) mobile over a changing table for toddlers, mostly because it'll end up looking something like this:

Sort of like King Kong vs. airplanes?

Anyways, thanks for letting me share this tutorial with you. I hope you give this project a try and that your little one loves this mobile as much as mine did! And please come and say hi over at you & mie some time!

Thank you, Amy, so much for having me here today. It's such an honor to be sharing with your amazing audience. I hope you are having a wonderful time with your family, especially that new little cutie pie.

Hope you all have a great week!

What fun mobile! And such a great idea to hang it over the changing table. Thanks Cherie!

Just a Peek: Toddler Heaven

2012-05-19T21:22:00.000-07:00

To reward our girly for conquering her free of public toilets (thank you fb fans for all the tips!) we headed to the zoo

Turns out the goats are the absolute best thing in the world:)

And don't worry little man and Elmo had a great time too

I think we'll have to make a repeat trip later this summer:)

Old Barn Rescue Giveaway

2012-05-19T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week's giveaway is from my fabulous sponsor Old Barn Rescue
I love all of their upcycled items! And their vinyl can add such a great finishing touch to your home(perfect for renters like me!)
This week 1 Lucky Reader is going to win this Vinyl set: and they have over 60 colors for you to choose from!
Ready to win? Enter below:a Rafflecopter giveaway

and last week's Heart to Heart Fabrics Winner is:
80 Katie O'Keefe Krohn "Like" the Blog Post

Friday Favs Party: #63

2012-05-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's Party Time!

Happy Friday and welcome to the party!

the most viewed link last week was...

Wood Pallet Round-Up by The Crafty Blog Stalker
Head on over to check this out for sure- lots of amazing ideas!

And my other favs this week...

Paper Tube Gift Card Holder by Handmade by Stacy Vaughn
love this! And I bet you all have the supplies on hand:)

Paisley Stencil by Domestic Imperfection
Looks fantastic! I'd love to have this in my kitchen

Sound of Music Dress by Homemade by Heidi

cute, cute, cute!

PB Knockoff Bookshelf by Sew Sweet Cottage
Little Miss is a huge book junkie and would go nuts over this! I love how you can see all of the covers

Lens Scrunchie by Bear Rabbit Bear
Adding this to the to-do list! Sometimes our girly is not so cooperative for the camera- maybe this will save the day!

Were you featured? Go ahead, grab a button:)

Guest Post: 15 Newborn Essentials

2012-05-17T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone! I'm Krista and you can find me over at While He Was Napping. In a nutshell, I'm the young, twenty-something wife to My Mr Right and momma to our two boys. My Mr Right is the love of my life and best friend. I'm a lucky girl like that. We have a super cute toddler, Little Monkey, that keeps me incredibly busy and on my toes. He has more energy than I could even dream of. We also have a growing Little Gator. He joined our family in February 2012. These boys are the inspiration behind the title of my blog, as I only seem to get things done when they are asleep.

I have always been a creative girl and can't remember the last time I didn't have some sort of project going on. I am a ~~Jack~~ Jane of all Trades. I like to try new things and have a nice stubborn streak, which is a blessing and a curse sometimes. Occasionally, things don't turn out like I'd hoped for, but that's where My Mr. Right comes in. He's the brains of a lot of my projects, especially the big ones.

While He Was Napping started out as a marketing tool for my Etsy shop. Life happened and I all but abandoned both my shop and blog. About a year and a half ago I decided to give it another go. While He Was Napping has quickly become a collection of my domestic life. There's a little bit of everything: crafts, recipes, freebies to print, cleaning and organizing ideas, fashion and beauty tips, blogging tutorials, giveaways, things for kids and ideas for date night and romance. I'd love for you to come over and visit!

I'm tickled to be here while Amy spends some time with her family. I just had our second little boy back in February, so I know just how much time a newborn takes... and how little sleep new mommies get! Congrats, Amy, on your new little bundle of joy!

Those first few weeks with a newborn can be incredibly rough. Physically and emotionally. My youngest little munchkin is about three months old now and the rough times were plentiful and not so distant. So... here are my top 15 Mommy/Newborn Must Haves:
1. Comfy Clothes. Whether you prefer sweat pants, yoga pants or no pants (although that probably won't be the case...), something loose, easy to move around in and something you don't mind getting ruined is probably a good idea.
2. Burp Cloths. We use cloth diapers with our kiddos. Not on their tushies, but as burp rags. They work phenominally. And newborns seem to be a constant leak of just about every bodily fluid imaginable... ever changed a breastfed baby's diaper? 'Nough said.

3. Baby Hair Brush. My kids have both had cradle cap something fierce. It's gross and annoying, but that's just Momma's stand point. It doesn't bother that precious little one at all. However, my two and a half year old loves to have his hair brushed... getting ready for church is a piece of CAKE! And I'm going to tell myself that it's because we started brushing it early.

4. Waffle-knit Thermal Blankets. These things are heaven-sent. We use them to swaddle. They have just the perfect stretch to hold those wiggly little arms and legs tight without being constricting. We snagged some from the hospital where we had Little Monkey two and a half years ago. They are a little longer than the ones I found on Amazon, but both work. This is definitely something I wouldn't go without.

5. Breast pump. I wasn't able to nurse Little Monkey, but have had better luck with Gator this time around. I found... ok, my husband found... a screaming deal on an electric dual breast pump before Little Monkey was born. It was pre-owned, but in great condition and has been fantastic. Can't afford an electric dual pump? I also have a manual pump that gets quite a bit of use and you can find them for about $30-40. Why a breast pump? Because you will reach a time when you NEED to be away from your baby for more than just a few hours. Whether it's that first date night after baby arrives or work or whatever, it will be incredibly nice to be able to pump a bottle and let someone else feed your child every so often. I don't love breastfeeding, personally, so I'm working on building up a supply so I can quit sooner rather than later. (Side note: I exclusively fed Little Gator from the breast for just over a week. That seemed to be long enough for him to figure out breastfeeding and to switch back and forth between a bottle and breast easily.)

6. Baby nail clippers. Good grief! I don't know if my kids have the fastest growing nails ever or what, but it seems like they need their nails cut once or twice a week. Ever tried to cut a wiggly toddler's nails? You'd think a newborn would be fairly easy to groom. Ha. My newborn fights it more than my two and a half year old. We tried about four different kinds of nail clippers and I think you just have to try a few sets to find what you prefer. Unfortunately, we got my favorite pair when Little Monkey was born and they are incredibly hard to find now. Lame.

7. Footed Sleepers. Our kiddos literally live in these outfits for the first one to two months. I love that they keep their feet covered and warm. A lot of the little-bitty ones have the mitten cuffs you can pull over their hands, minimizing the time you spend cutting those crazy-sharp nails. They are one piece, easy to put on, take off, and work around while changing diapers. And, let's face it, you change A LOT of diapers in those first few days. Bear face feeties not required, but they are awfully cute.

8. A good water bottle. I often found myself thinking... "how long has it been since I ate last?" When you're feeding your baby every 2-3 hours for 20-30 minutes at a time (and that's a quick feeding session!), you don't have a lot of 'free time'. If you don't eat regularly, at least keep yourself hydrated. Lots of hospitals will send you home with one. My last one did not.

9. Stool Softener. Start taking these as soon as they bring you your first dose of pain meds. Request them if you have to. I promise that swallowing those little pills will be so worth the alternative. That first time after delivery can make you cry for another epidural, especially if they start pumping your system full of iron.

10. Dibucane ointment. You may also know this as Nupercanal or hemroid cream. Both my boys were medicated natural deliveries. Delivery is messy and brutal. Your poor body suffers some serious trauma and then they wake you up every two to three hours while you're in the hospital, where you're supposed to be healing ironically, denying you the rest you so desperately need. With Little Monkey, I was given the spritz bottle, the container of tucks and a tube of dibucane ointment. I got the same things with Gator, minus the ointment. I was so uncomfortable, I Google searched the stuff and sent My Mr Right out after some at midnight one night. The ointment seems to help keep any stitches from pulling, as well and keeping those after-delivery diapers from rubbing on your poor, sore lady parts. Your local drugstore should carry the stuff.

11. A Good Night Light. You will see hours of the day, er night, that you'll never want to see again whilst navigating those first newborn weeks. If you go with a night light instead of the overhead lights or even a lamp, you'll be able to see what you need to see, but your baby won't be wide awake and, thus, easier to get back to sleep. I actually use the camera flash light on my cell phone.

12. A Nursing Support Pillow. If you choose to nurse, I highly suggest a support pillow. At least for the beginning. Nursing may be natural, but that in no way makes it easy. Most babies figure it out pretty quickly, and there are nurses you can ask for help if you need it, but the nursing support pillow just gives you one less thing you have to hold on to while trying to juggle baby and breast. Set your little one on it and your hands are free to do any necessary guiding.

13. A nursing cover. I suggest taking this to the hospital. You can nurse while you have visitors without hanging the girls out for the world to see. After delivery there will be a plethora of people checking out your bruised and battered body, but I think there are just some things my father and brother don't need to see... You can buy these online and in baby boutiques and they are relatively easy to make.

14. A Camera. Or two or three. Digital is awesome (who doesn't have digital at this point, anyway, right?) because you can snap and snap and snap and then delete the ones you don't want. Babies grow ridiculously fast the first few weeks. You will want to capture every moment you can while it's still happening. The first couple weeks will yield a lot of sleeping baby photos, giving you the chance to focus on all the little details. The hands, feet, ears, toes, nose, baby eyelashes and cute little belly button (once the cord stump falls off). Take the chance to get those details on camera because once they start moving and discovering their hands and feet, your photos turn into one big blur after another.

15. A Baby Book or Journal. Write down the good and the bad. Or at least talk about it with someone. Hormones after delivery can mess you up something fierce. With my first baby, I felt so lost and clueless. My mom was there to help; but, in some weird hormonally twisted way, I felt like all the help she was giving was actually her telling me I was doing everything wrong. I know that wasn't it at all, but I struggled after my Little Monkey arrived. I felt incompetent and bitter. I was always so exhausted and felt like I was nothing more than the dairy cow, pumping every two hours. I felt tied down and confined to our house because I had to spend so much time and effort trying to feed my baby. Wasn't this supposed to be one of the happiest times of my life? Hello, baby blues. Or was it a little post-partum depression? I don't know, but I had a great circle of people that were keeping an eye on me to make sure it wasn't something serious. Baby blues and post-partum depression are nothing to be ashamed of. You've just been through a monumental change and it's totally ok (and normal!) to feel overwhelmed. However, postpartum depression can be serious too, so just keep a watch on it.

There is nothing quite like becoming a parent, whether it's for the first time or the fifth time (I assume, anyway. I've only done it twice so far). There is something so sweet and innocent about precious, brand-new babies that you can't help but reflect on life. It's an amazing miracle. Write down your musings, because when they are two and driving you crazy because the only word they say is "no" all day long or they are pulling things out faster than you can put them away, you'll be grateful for the gentle reminder that your little ones are sweet and precious, it just might be hiding under a thick layer of mischief, curiosity and testing the limits sometimes.

_______________________________________________

Congrats on your little bundle of joy, Amy! Enjoy the snuggles and cuddles and all the other fun things you've got going on, you busy woman. Thanks for letting me visit! I'd love to see some of you over at While He Was Napping. Come hang out and kick back for a while - at least until they wake up.

Thanks for sharing these amazing tips with us!

Guest Post: Summer Incentive Program

2012-05-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

We want to first thank Amy for letting us guest post for her while she enjoys her new baby and surroundings.

We are the girls from {Junk in their Trunk}

Here we all are with our momma. She's a saint. I mean she raised 9 kids. Can you tell who the sister in laws are? They kind of fit right in with the family don't they.

Today we are sharing with you a fun Summer Incentive Program you can do with your children. Since school ends soon for most of us, we thought this would be a great time to share with you this fun, little program.

When my children were younger, there were 2 reasons why I hated summer!

No. 1—my kids got out of school and seemed to go into lazy mode—killing brain cells in front of the TV or flapping their mouths to tell me how bored they were.

No. 2—end of summer shopping for clothes and school supplies (which lists are exhaustive and kill my wallet).

What I finally came up with to solve these two gripes was this summer chart.

Since there was no getting out of Gripe No. 2—shopping—I decided to make my children earn it (instead of letting it be a right). They’d be paid to read all summer and do chores to develop their talents, but would become responsible for buying their own school supplies and clothes.

This solved my 2 biggest summer stresses. My kids became consumed with filling out their charts and started spending hours a day reading. Besides reading, I encourage and pay them to do other things: music practicing, scout goals, art/writing portfolios, book reports, & school workbooks. Whatever you need your children working on anyway, put it on a list so that they become responsible for earning $$$ for supplies/clothes.

Great things have come from using this incentive program. Besides giving my children something to do, they’ve learned a lot about budgeting and wants vs. needs. For example, my kids used to think they needed a new backpack each year. Now that they’re in charge of buying them, it’s amazing how their old backpacks have become good enough to use again for another year. My son’s backpack has been used for 3 years now and sadly, must be trashed this summer (he’s used it to death, I’m afraid).

This ‘earning’ power has made them a lot more budget conscious and responsible.

***Remember!!!

If your kids make poor choices and buy the expensive clothes or supplies, don’t bail them out. Let them learn from their choices so they feel ownership over their choices and grow in responsibility. Sometimes the hard love lessons teach kids the most (and being called a ‘mean mom’ is the best compliment you can get. Kids raised by mean moms turn out best).

What you basically need to do to make your own chart is to figure out what you’d spend normally on your budget for school supplies and clothes. Then work out that price into a chore/reading chart. If they really want the nice new clothes, then they’d better do their part to earn them by working hard all summer on their charts.

I am sharing my printable with you today. Just click and download and print off at home.

How easy is that!

Summer Reading Incentive

My kids are all junior high age or older now, but still beg me for weeks before school ends to get the summer reading/chore chart printed out so they can be ready to start the minute school ends. It gives them a lot to focus and work on all summer!

We hope that you will be able to incorporate this fun program into your summer, and that it will eliminate the phrase, "I'm Bored" over the summer.

Also if you are looking for fun teacher appreciation gift ideas click here to see some of the things we have done in the past.

What a fantastic idea! I'm definitely using this when my kiddos are old enough

Guest Post: Kids Travel Tips

2012-05-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi there, my name is Katie and I blog over at Little Becky Homecky.

I am so excited to be here at Amy's blog today!! I have been a follower of hers for quite some time so this is very cool for me. Here's a little bit about me: I am a mom to a beautiful little girl, Miss M, who is 5 years old and a wife to an extremely patient and caring man. His job has led us to live in Germany for a few years. Not too bad of a deal if you ask me. I stopped working when we got here and I have found myself slightly obsessed with crafting and baking so that is what you will find over on my blog. Since we travel a lot as a family back and forth to the U.S.A. and all around Europe, I am going to share some of my best travel tips when traveling around with little ones. They are divided in the airplane and car tips.

First, let's start with the airplane tips.

1. When traveling with an infant, use one of those front facing backpack type carriers that you can find at any store that sells baby items. Super lifesaver! The first time I traveled with Miss M, she was about 5 months old and I was doing it all by myself so I didn't want to have to struggle with a stroller. That thing was amazing....she sat there content, was easy to feed, and I knew she was safe with me.

2. If you child takes a binky, (pacifier), this is a great time to use it. Their little ears tend to hurt going up and down on the plane and having that to suck on always helped us.

3. Be sure to change your baby before you get on the plane. This way you don't have to worry about being "that guy" on the plane with a stinky little butt sitting on your lap.

4. If possible, try to book your tickets around nap time. Obviously, this is not always something that can be arranged, but if you can, do it. They will be used to sleeping then and the light vibration of the plane will help them.

5. Entertainment- I cannot stress this enough. As they get older, you need to have something to distract them with. Miss M would have a separate bag with her favorite stuffed toy, a book or two, and as she has gotten older, her DVD player or DS. It has been a life saver. You can only go through Sky Mall so many times before they get fidgety.

Now on to the car tips.

1. As with the airplane times, try to leave when they are still sleeping, or if you can drive through the night, do it! It will be the quietest hours of your life...:) We drive a lot because there are so many great places around Europe that are so quick to get to by car. We tend to leave early in the morning when she is still out of it and just let her stay in her pj's so she's comfortable.

2. Entertainment- Sure I would love to have a DVD player built in to my car, but let's be real, I'm not loaded....so....she brings hers along if it's a long trip, but lately she's been into books. Pick something that will keep them busy.

3. Snacks- No liquids! There is nothing worse than having to stop every three miles because you have a child in the back who decided to drink a juice box in 30 seconds flat! Goes right through them!! Just pack light snacks that they can eat as needed....fresh fruit, pretzels, etc. Nothing too messy, you'll regret it;)

4. No matter what you do, most likely, you'll have to stop at a rest area or gas station to use the restroom....Now, this is where the tricky part comes in. If you have a child who can stand on their own....you can change them standing up. Seriously, I have done it so many times it's not even funny. There is something about the changing tables in those places that makes me want to die, so I just have her stand on the counter and I would change her diaper... Pee diapers, super easy, poopy diapers take skill...practice at home;) It's worth it!! Driving through Europe I have seen some of the nastiest rest areas I have ever been to in my life....and if they are potty trained, they need to learn the hover quickly... Boys...super easy, girls not so much! Best case scenario, use a pull up....just in case!

5. Bring a change of clothes for the child. Miss M tends to get car sick some times so we always have a change of clothes just incase something happens. Better safe than sorry.

Thanks for having me, Amy!! I'd love for you to visit my blog, Facebook page, or follow me on Twitter.

Thanks so much Katie! We always do a ton of road trips and I love hearing new tips and tricks. Too bad little miss will NEVER sleep in the car- hopefully little man will be better:)

Guest Post: Knit Baby Jumper

2012-05-14T06:00:00.000-07:00

First of all, I am so excited for Amy to be having baby number 2! And when she asked if I wanted to guest post, I knew exactly what I wanted to share.

You see - I have a bunch of friends having babies right now. The amount of baby showers / announcements I get in the mail is downright funny. Being the avid sewist that I am, this means I get to make clothes for all of these little cutie patooties.

Lately I have been on a knit kick. And after checking out my large stash of thrifted T Shirts sitting in the corner, I knew exactly what I could make for baby for the Summer. The Knit Jumpers.

You can whip out a bunch of these in very little time, which makes it ideal for gifts! And by using T Shirts - they are extra comfy for baby's soft skin.

To make these quick and easy rompers, you will need the pattern found HERE. (Size 6 Mo.)

Once you have it printed out, cut out the pattern pieces using a T Shirt. Be sure to line up the bottom of the pattern with the T Shirt hem bottom. If you want it to be capri length, simply line up the hem of the shirt shorter than the pattern (like in the photo below).
If you want a more bubble looking romper...

Then starting with the back pattern piece...

Then add the front pattern piece right sides together, at the legs and other half of crotch piece...

Optional Bib front...

Add bias trim to top of neckline on front and back piece...

Line up the front and back pieces right sides together, and sew along outer edges...

You will want your bias tape to be longer that what is in the image below, so you can tie them up in cute bows at the shoulders...

I would recommend 10" straps for easy tying.
And that's it, a super cute knit romper for baby! With the way these babies go through clothing, these are worth stacking up on. HA!
Thanks so much for having me Amy, and good luck with your second baby! I cannot wait to meet her (or is it a him???).
And for all of you Naptime Crafter readers, I hope you will consider stopping by Me Sew Crazy sometime and saying hi!
Thanks so much for stopping by, and until next time...
Happy Sewing! Thanks so much Jessica!

Happy Mother's Day!

2012-05-13T06:00:00.000-07:00

Happy Mother's Day!I hope you are all having a fantastic day and enjoying a lovely breakfast in bed:) source: Printable Decor
Little Man is 1 month now- wow has the time flown! Sure love my babies!

Heart to Heart Fabrics Giveaway

2012-05-12T06:00:00.000-07:00

This week's giveaway is from one of my fabulous sponsorsHeart to Heart Fabrics Home to Moda, David Textiles, Quilting Treasures and more! This week 1 Lucky Reader is going to win 2 Moda Scrap Bags!

These bags are packed full of coordinating Moda scrap pieces- over 1/2 pound in each bag!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Ready to win? Enter Below:

Last Week's winner is...

AND THE WINNER IS...

results powered by Random.org

Entry #28Robin M.

Help for the Hansen Family

2012-05-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

I'm sure many of you know Heidi from Honeybear Lane- she is fantastic! She reached out to me asking for help with a tragic family situation. Having just given birth myself I can't even begin to imagine the heart wrenching pain they are going through. This young family lost their wife and mother after the birth of their 3rd child. Please help if you can

The loss of a loved one is a strange surreal reality. Life is completely normal except for one large, gaping hole. Each day the pain seems to become more real and defined as the actuality of what has happened sinks in.

Heidi of Honeybear Lane, lost her sister-in-law, Alice Hansen, this week to complications following the birth of her third baby. She fought a hard fight to stay on this earth with her husband and three little children who love her dearly. But God wanted her with Him and there is none who can stop Him. Her husband, Heidi's brother, was left behind to take care of their two little boys and newborn daughter.

Heidi's family opened a donation account for Alice and her family. This money will go towards funeral costs, residual medical expenses, and the costs of raising children without a mother or a job. Her brother is going through a very difficult thing and while nothing can replace the ache of losing his sweetheart, any sort of donation will help to ease the burdens a little.

If you would like to donate money directly, please visit Heidi's blog Honeybear Lane. You can donate easily by clicking the "Donate" button on the right sidebar. You can donate through Paypal, credit card, or e-check (a check directly from your bank account.) Any and all donations are appreciated.

Please also spread the word by sharing any posts you see about it. You may use any of these beautiful printables that the talented Lara made for Alice. These printables represent the music that Alice made in her life--being a PhD in music. In addition to being a wonderful wife and mother, she was a very gifted pianist who traveled the world before getting married and having children. She shared that passion with her husband, also a pianist. Music brought them together.

Music was her passion. But her family was her life. She figuratively and literally gave her life for her children. "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

Message from Heidi: From the bottom of our grief-stricken hearts: Thank you.

Friday Favs Party: #62

2012-05-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

It's Party Time!

Happy Friday and welcome to the party!

the most viewed link last week was...

Jump Rope Dress by You & Mie
Cuteness overload! I feature this blog almost every week it seems, so if you haven't hopped on over there yet you better go take a peek:)

And my other favs this week...

Teething Guard by We Like to Learn as We Go
Little miss never went through this phase but if your kiddo chews as bad as this cutie you better check this out:)

Penny Countertop by Domestic Imperfection
How neat is this?!

I Spy Taggie/Toy by Life Made Simple

This would be perfect to throw in your diaper bag for church, Dr. offices, etc.

Stenciled Lampshade by Simply This and That
Great repurposing project! The darling stencils are from Michaels

Photo Board by 413 Sparrow Lane
LOVE this! I change my pictures out all the time so this would be perfect!

Were you featured? Go ahead, grab a button:)

Are you Ready to Party?!
Just grab a button & display it anywhere on your blog, link up, & enjoy the party by checking out some amazing ideas!
And of course I love new friends, so go ahead and follow along too:)

NEW from Martha Stewart

2012-05-11T05:55:00.000-07:00

Have you seen the Martha Stewart spring line???

It's gorgeous! Maybe you still need a gift for Mother's Day? Or maybe a little gift for yourself?

I tried out a few things courtesy of EK Success Brands and I loved them all!

I'd never done paper piercing before but it was so much fun! And the kit comes with everything you need to get started- embroidery floss, needles, a piercer and mat, and templates!

I used it to make a fun little card- now I just need to hurry and get it in the mail!

I love the added little detail it gives

In fact I loved it so much that I just had to make one more...

And the embellishments are all so cute! And since everything coordinates it's super easy to whip out a project

I used a couple of the birds to make some thank you cards. They paired perfectly with their peel and stick embellishment borders

Make sure you check out all of the fun new stuff from Martha Stewart!

Guest Post: Best Baby Books

2012-05-10T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi and Happy Mother's Day to all the Nap Time Crafter readers! I am delighted to be guest posting while Amy is spending quality time with her new little one. Congratulations, Amy! I've been a reader of Nap Time Crafters ever since I began my blog, so I am super psyched to be here! I'm Melanie, and I blog over a bear rabbit bear. It's a little place where I blog about a blend of faith, crafts, and DIY. Oh, and should I mention I usually have awesome give-aways?? :) Anyway, I hope you'll stop by bear rabbit bear soon and say "Hello!".

With all the talk of Amy's new baby, it made me think of the time right before I had my Princess. As a first time mom, I remember being so nervous about absolutely everything. Would I go to the hospital at the wrong time? Did I pick out the right mattress? Could I really hang in there and breastfeed for six+ months? I'm a reader, so I grabbed for every pregnancy and parenting book that I could find. Of course, the most recommended book was What to Expect When Your Expecting. I didn't like that one at all. I didn't like the format, and I thought it was a little dated. The only thing that book did was scare and confuse the heck out of me. Luckily, I discovered many other books and resources that were so invaluable I've saved them for the next time around..and I want to share them with you!!

Best Pregnancy Book

My replacement book for What to Expect When Your Expecting is this awesome book: Mayo Clinic Guide to a Healthy Pregnancy. I actually lucked out and received this book for free from my health insurance company.

This Mayo Clinic Guide takes readers month by and month during pregnancy and has simple, easy-to-understand explanations. My husband and I used several of the recommendations in this book to make birthing plan decisions. Knowing what I know now, had I not received this book for free, I would have definitely purchased it.

Best Newborn & Toddler Survival Guide

In case a new parent needs help in feeding, bathing, determining when a child is sick- basically anything that has to do with keeping the new kiddo alive and healthy- the American Academy of Pediatrics Complete and Authoritative Guide to Caring For Your Baby and Young Child is invaluable. Hey, the title even says that it's complete and authoritative. Doesn't get much more descriptive than that. This book also has sections that go through each week of a newborn's life (since so much change is happening at this point!) and gives tons of helpful information and tips.

There is also a condensed version of the book that only covers the first year for those trying to save money or do not need/want the entire book.

Best Book for Keeping a New Parent's Sanity

Harvey Karp's Happiest Baby on the Block can best be likened to Caesar Milan's dog whisperer ideology. This book explains the reasons babies cry and how we as parents can help them adjust to their newfound environment.

I will say that I am not a fan of his second book, The Happiest Toddler on the Block, because of all the evolution references in the book. However, The Happiest Baby on the Block doesn't focus on the origin of babies as much as how to soothe crying newborns.

Best Baby Food Book

I made most of my own baby food- including the meats. The Top 100 Baby Purees by Annabel Karmel is excellent! She gives an overview of making your own baby food, followed by an entire book full of recipes. She also explains how to transition your own meal that you've made for the rest of your family into a healthy puree for your baby.

Annabel Karmel also has a few other baby food books on the market. I recommend them all to anyone who is making their own baby food.

Best Book for Baby Sign Language

We did baby sign language for our Princess, and the only regret I have is that we had started earlier with her and taught her more words! I ordered this Sign with Your Baby kit by Dr. Joseph Garcia from eBay.

The kit came with a DVD, a book, and a chart. Before Princess could even talk, she could express to her a few basic things that she wanted through sign language. Even now that she is two and talking as fast as a teen girl, she still uses the signs in addition to her words when she gets excited!

I hope you'll check out a few of these books! They would also make great gifts for new mothers at baby showers. What are your favorite baby books? Leave a comment if you have one to add to the list!

Thanks again, Amy, for letting me share with her readers today! I hope to see you around bear rabbit bear soon- maybe for my Things I've Done Thursday link party? Here are a few more things you can find when visiting bear rabbit bear:

You can also find me on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, BlogLovin', and Hello Cotton~I'd be honored if you'd follow along, and if you do, leave me a little note and I'd love to check out your pages, too!

Thanks so much Melanie! I'm definitely adding some of these to my library book list

Guest Post: Ruffled Shorts

2012-05-09T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!

I’m Sumo! (Or Summer if you wanna get formal).

I blog over at Sumo’s Sweet Stuff.

It’s a little place you can come to find sewing and crafting inspiration. Sewing is my favorite creative outlet, but I’m not afraid to bust out the paint and Mod Podge when the mood strikes. I also like to host giveaways, post reviews, and feature other amazing bloggers! In addition to that, you might catch me professing my love of Target, talking about my relationships with Lucy (Cameo) and Veronica (sewing machine), or bragging about my three beautiful girls. I have an extreme fondness for Diet Coke, my minivan, and most sweets.

I’m so excited to be over here helping Amy out while she snuggles that new, sweet baby of hers. My baby is about six months old, and it just goes so fast!

I wanted to share these ruffle shorts with you today.

I saw that rainbow-y plaid fabric and Hobby Lobby, and it basically said, “Buy me, I must come home with you!”

So I did. And it did.

Here what you need:

- fabric

- buttons (optional)

- sewing machine/accessories

- elastic thread

- fabric marker

- pair of shorts to use for pattern, or other shorts/pants pattern you can alter

I started off by taking a pair of my daughter’s shorts and measuring the length on them.

Then I cut two pieces of fabric – I added 2.5 inches to the length to account for my hem and waistband. I measured my daughter’s waist across the front, and cut the width of the fabric about 1.5 times my measurement. You could also use a shorts pattern you have already, or a pants pattern you already have and shorten the length.

If you have a pattern, you’ll have pattern pieces for this part. Take your shorts, and fold them in half. You can see how when folded, the shorts don’t stay perfectly straight. Line the shorts up on each of your pieces of fabric, with the fabric folded and the shorts lined up as shown against the raw edges.

Cut along your shorts lines.

Hem up the bottom of each of your pieces of fabric.

Now it’s time to shir! Don’t be scared if you’ve never shirred before. You need to hand wind your elastic thread in your bobbin. Don’t do it too tightly! Leave your regular thread up top. Set your sewing machine to your longest stitch length. Sew along the length of your hem, back stitching at the front and back. I did two rows. If it doesn’t start to shrink up on your own, you can hold a steaming iron over it and watch it magically shrink up. It’s very satisfying.

Set your two pieces aside. It’s time to cut some fabric for your ruffles. I wanted my ruffles to be about six inches long (this is for size 4t). So I cut the ruffles twelve inches long. My width was about four inches. You can really make these as big or small as you want!

Hem up the bottom of each ruffle. I also zig zagged the top edge and side edges, though you could hem these up as well if you want that look.

Take out one of your shorts pieces, and figure out how far down you want your ruffle to be. Remember, you’re going to be folding down the top for your waistband, so take that into account. I measured down about three inches for mine. I folded the piece in half, marked the middle, and then used my fabric marker to draw a six inch line. You can kind of see it – it’s purple, but tricky to see with this fabric!

Run a gathering stitch along the top edge of your ruffle. Pull the bottom thread gently to gather your ruffle. Pin it in place where your line is drawn.

Sew your ruffle to your short piece.

Repeat with the other piece and ruffle.

Take each piece and match up the bottom hem. Sew together the small part up to where the pieces are going to meet. Finish the edge. Do this for both pieces.

Turn one piece right side out, and place it inside the other piece with the right sides together. Pin around where you will sew them together.

Sew around and finish the edge.

I’m not really sure why, but I didn’t take pictures of this next part!

Turn your shorts inside out, zig zag along the top, then sew a casing for your waistband, leaving a two inch opening.. The size of this will depend on the size of your elastic.

Measure your little cutie’s waist, and cut a piece of elastic that length. Use a safety pin to guide it through your casing. Sew up your opening.

Cute, but not quite finished! Grab some buttons and hand stitch them on.

Better, right?

And absolutely adorable!

Put them on your little lady, and head outside for some modeling and bubble blowing.

Stinking cute, isn’t she?

I just love ruffley, girly things!

They would be super cute in just plain jean or khaki as well!

Perfect for all of the fun activities that come with warmer weather!

And nice and comfy for running around!

I hope you love these as much as I do! Thanks again for letting me visit today. I hope you’ll come on over to Sumo’s Sweet Stuff!

Darling! Thanks so much Summer!

Guest Post: Kids Party Planning Tips

2012-05-08T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi Naptime Crafters readers! I am Trish from the blog, Uncommon and am so excited to be here today!

One of my favorite things in life is party planning, and today I can't wait to share some tips for planning children's parties on a budget!

Here are a few steps to help you plan a beautiful party without breaking the bank ...

A Butterfly Breakfast
Location. I know that these days most people do not have their child's birthday party at home, but this is hands down, the best way to save money. In our area, most birthday party places start at over $250 per dozen children and that does not include food, cake, or party favors. If the idea of having your kiddos and all of their buddies inside your home gives you the chills, do it in your backyard, garage, or at your local playground.

A Minnie Mouse Birthday
Decorations. This is my favorite part! So I don't get overwhelmed (or overspend), I usually break decorating for the party into three spaces: the entrance, a main table, and the children's table for seating.

A Butterfly Breakfast

Having a welcoming entrance gets your guests in the mood to party! You could make a sign for the front door, hang balloons on the mailbox, or a customized display like the one you see above. The children's parents will know they are in the right place and the kids will be so excited about the party!

Girls Rock! Party

The main table is where I spend the most of my decorating dollars and attention. It really is quite simple... put a tablecloth over the table, set up a cute display with your cake and goodies, hang something over the table, or use something that has height to anchor the space. For my daughter's 7th birthday, I simply wrapped boxes in black wrapping paper for a super cheap display!

Party Perfect Tissue Poms

If you have ever met me, you would know that I love tissue poms! They are so big and vibrant and are a cheap addition to make your party decor really pop. If you consider that it only costs $1 per pom, it is cheaper to have those than a helium balloon, plus you don't have to pick it up the morning of the party! For a tutorial on how to make various poms, click here!

A Minnie Mouse Birthday

The table where the children will sit is the final part of the decor equation. To save some money here, I will usually incorporate either the craft or activity at each little one's place. They just love having something special and fun that is all their own at their seat!

Printables. The final tip for planning parties on a budget is the use of printables. I love hopping on ETSY to see what beautiful collections are out there for parties. One of my favorite shops is, Amanda's Parties To Go. For one low price you can purchase a customized pdf for invitations, cupcake topper and wrappers, party favor tags, and so much more. You simply print it off at your local office supply store and you have a beautifully coordinated party. Aside from the printables themselves being very affordable, you can really save on your cupcakes and party favors too. Simply putting a cute tag on candy, or a dollar section toy can make it look so cute. In the same sense, I can buy solid colored cupcakes from my local superstore and put a cupcake wrapper around them with a cute pick and pay considerably less than a decorated cake. The same goes for invitations!

Amy, thanks so much for having me today and I hope you are enjoying your time with your sweet baby!

We would love for you to come visit us at Uncommon! You can also find us on Twitter and Facebook!!

Take care!

Trish

~Trish and Bonnie~

follow us at... www.uncommondesignsonline.com

Join us each Wednesday for our "Uncommonly Yours" link party!

Awesome tips! Thanks Trish!!

Guest Post: Paper Jewelry

2012-05-07T06:00:00.000-07:00

Hi y'all, my name is Lori and I'm so excited to be here at Naptime Crafters. Amy was so sweet to invite me to share with you while she is taking her maternity break...Congrats Amy! So, a little about me...I'm a southern girl living in California with my DIY husband, clever daughter, and crafty mom. I blog over at Bleak 2 Unique where I love to thrift shop, craft and do all things DIY. If you want to learn more you are welcome to visit anytime.
I have to tell you that I was just a tad nervous about guesting since I am a "baby blogger", but my sweet hubby said, "Go for it!", so here I am. Today I'm gonna share a craft using old paper, which is my daughter Amelia's favorite...paper jewelry.
First of all let me just say that I just love pretty paper. I'm a paperaholic at heart, but my budget just doesn't have an open spot for a paper category right now....a girl can dream, right? So, imagine how delighted I was when I discovered that you can make beautiful things from old paper and magazines...really? I was a little skeptical at first, but "what to my wondering eyes should appear?"...Pinterest love like these..

via minieco.co.uk

via astorybooklife.com

via Apartmenttherapy.com

Aren't these adorable? I was sure I could do paper beads, so I grabbed my supplies.
Supply list: old magazines or colorful paper, glue, toothpicks, exacto knife or scissors, jewelry cord, styrofoam or cardboard lid to stick toothpicks in, extra beads if you like, and patience. First I needed colorful paper from magazines like these...

Colorful Magazines

Try to pick pages that have solid pics and not many words...and lots of color! I like blue, so I tore out a blue page. Next, with the page turned lengthwise, mark the page in 1/2 inch increments...like so....

Mark off every 1/2 inch

Mark off both sides of page

Once both sides are marked then use a ruler and a exacto knife..or scissors, to cut 1/2 inch triangular strips. Line the ruler so that the wide side of the triangle starts at the first dot on one side of page, and extends to the edge of the other side of the paper. The next triangle will be cut from narrow side to wide side (similar to a zig zag)...like so...

Cut across entire page

Narrow to wide...then wide to narrow across page

Once all strips are cut it is time to make a bead by wrapping the paper around a toothpick, starting with the wide end. Wrap strips tight, but not too tight or the paper will rip. This takes practice, or at least it did for me. I tore the paper the first 6 tries, but no way was I giving up...not after investing time cutting all those triangular strips! Wrap each strip like this...

Bead Seeds

Wrap strip tightly around toothpick

Once the strip is wrapped, glue the end...now it's a bead! I stuck the toothpick in a box lid to dry, but you can use a piece of styrofoam or whatever you have handy. Now, keep on rollin' until each strip has been transformed into a bead....

Glue end to save your bead

Beads drying

After the glue dries, you can add a coat of clear coat nail polish, urethane, or whatever clear sealer you may have...I like nail polish. I made 16 beads which is enough for an average size bracelet if you are adding spacer beads. Once the beads are dry it was time to assemble my bracelet...Like this...

Finished paper beads

Jewelry cord

Extra silver beads for bling

So Cute!

Love it!
Hope y'all enjoyed my paper jewelry craft as much as I loved sharing. If so, you may like these too...

Song Birds

Thanks again to Amy for allowing me to visit here today. Enjoy your crafts, Lori

Thanks so much Lori!

Just a Peek: Sweet Success!

2012-05-06T06:00:00.000-07:00

Little Miss is potty trained- hallelujah!

You may remember that we tried just after she turned 2 back in January (more on that here). She definitely wasn't emotionally ready for the change so we quit after 2 days.

This time around we just ditched the diapers and went straight to panties. She had less than 10 accidents and is now doing great day and night- we're so proud of her!

Of course I still give reminders and she needs help getting her pants off and washing her hands so it will be awhile before she's independent, but we're at a happy half way and I'm great with that

And I'm sure we still have some accidents in our future, but for the most part we're there!

Nice to be back to one in diapers instead of two:)

Cinco de Mayo Pattern Event

2012-05-05T07:17:00.004-07:00

All clothing patterns are

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