Topsy Tizzy

Baby Legs!

2012-05-18T13:27:00.000-05:00

So, as promised, here is another baby gift idea. These things are so awesome! I did not use baby legs with my first two kiddos, but I did with my little girl - they are so great! For those who aren't familiar with these staple items, they are essentially leggings for babies without the butt - so like 80's leg warmers.

You can change a diaper without completely undressing the bottom half of baby. This is great for the Midwest where there are actually chilly times. Here in Texas, they are great knee protection for crawlers and you don't have to wrestle pants back on after diaper changes! And, since they are made from adult knee socks (or child knee socks for the newborns), your options are almost endless!

There are tutorials everywhere on the inter-web, so I won't bore you with the how-to. I will, however, save you the time - mine are $9/ pair (shipping included) or 3 for $21! Email me at
topsytizzy@gmail.com.

Babies, babies, babies!

2012-05-16T10:43:00.001-05:00

Everyone is having babies right now! (Thankfully that does not include me - my cup currently runneth over.) Anyway, I have several baby gifts to give and I am always looking for something unique and homemade. Because of this awesome little baby boom, I will be posting a variety of baby gift ideas in the near future.

I saw these little tag blankets at a baby boutique recently. They were charging a lot for what I knew I had on hand in my craft closet. Aren't they cute? My little one loves chewing on and playing with the little ribbons and then cuddling with the softer part.

I am charging $15 (including shipping) if you are interested in one of these little blankies for a gift or your little one! Email me at topsytizzy@gmail.com.

If you are interested in purchasing one of these little gems, they are $15 (shipping included!). Email me at topsytizzy@gmail.com!

Baby bloomers

2012-04-29T22:25:00.000-05:00

After having two boys, I finally got my baby girl. She is such a doll and I just love dressing her in all those cute baby girl clothes! Recently, her grandma bought her several cute summer dresses from this great resale shop -the only problem is that they were lacking the diaper covers. I just love the little bloomers, so I was a little disappointed that they were not part of the outfit. I did a little research and found this tutorial. There is actually a lot of cuteness on this site!

After reading this tutorial, here is what I came up with! One (or two) for every outfit maybe?

Then I added ruffles, because... well, why not?

Cutest little ruffle bum I have ever seen!

Barn Door

2012-04-26T22:46:00.006-05:00

I have mentioned in my previous posts that my Hubby is awesome. I am so blessed that we work together on most of our furniture projects. There is nothing more fun for us than taking on a project together. However, this is a post showing off his handy work. I can't take credit for any part of this and I am so proud of the finished product!

When we were looking for a good option to close off a gameroom from an entry way, Hubby found an old barn door on sliders. Well, these actually go for thousands of dollars and we weren't about to pay that. So, off to the hardware store he went and came home with the lumber and stain. Then he ordered the parts for the slider online. Here is the final product. Its beautiful!

Ruffle Bag

2012-04-23T23:05:00.000-05:00

I find that I am forever on the hunt for the perfect bag. With three kiddos, we have a lot of stuff to bring anywhere we go. Diaper bags are great, but they just don't contain it all. I know I am not alone in this. All moms just carry more than the average person. Diapers, clothing changes, jackets, hats, sunscreen, camera, toys, snacks.... where did Mary Poppins get her magic? And the icing on the cake... it actually has to be cute to carry. The oversized black duffle just doesn't do it for me.

Solution: Make my own! You can find tote tutorials all over the internet. So, I made a large canvas tote and then covered it in ruffles. I am in a ruffle mood lately and I cannot get enough - so this is so perfect!

The Wow Factor

2012-04-16T17:00:00.000-05:00

Recently, Hubby and I took on a project. We are helping our family face-lift their house. (Check back for pictures and how-tos.) This dresser, however, I felt desereved it's very own post. In every home project, there is the Wow peice that turns out better than you even expected it too. This dresser was a $50 Craigslist find. It was in desperate need of some TLC.

Here is what we did... First, a major cleaning. It had been in a storage unit for a while and was very grimy. After, we used this orange paint. Leaving the top unfinished,we brushed the paint on in a criss-cross fashion, making it look a little more worn and weathered. Once the orange was dry, I used a product called Stain and Seal on both the unfinished top and on the orange. I painted it on with a brush and then wiped it with a cloth. The idea is to wipe it off more in some areas than others, creating the old weathered and dirty look. Some great hardware and this dresser looks amazing!

Pillowcase Dress

2012-04-06T17:00:00.000-05:00

I just love pillowcase dresses. They are so light and dainty. I love that you can layer leggings and long sleeved shirts under them in the winter and have a cute little summer tunic. They are really easy to make and you can find a tutorial for them on almost every craft site on the web. I made these for my sweet little cousins to wear on the beach.

There is a whole different reason to love these dresses. Little Dresses for Africa is an organization that pulls on my heart strings. These little girls in Africa have nothing, much less something pretty to wear. This organization sends dresses made here in the USA with missionaries to give out to these precious children. I am working on a challenge later this year to encourage those who are sewing savvy to join me in sending dresses to these girls so that they may feel pretty and loved. More on this later.

Texas Pride

2012-04-05T18:00:00.000-05:00

Hubby and I tried a new look and painted our outdoor table with a Texas flag on it. We liked it so much, we are painting flags on all kinds of things. Texans love our flag and will display it everywhere we can.

The original outdoor table...

Then,

On a dresser....

On a wall...

On another table...

Ruffled Apron

2012-04-04T18:00:00.000-05:00

I am always looking for a cute gift for hostesses, teachers and anyone else who needs a little love. Aprons are great because even those who don't cook can find something to use them for! After seeing a similar design, my Nanny asked me to make her a few of these darling ruffled aprons for gifts. The under layer is a dish towel which is so great for wiping your hands while cooking - or crafting or whatever. A great online tutorial can be found here at A Little of This, A Little of That. . What a cute gift! Check my etsy shop for listings.

Master Retreat

2012-04-03T17:30:00.000-05:00

We took this master bedroom of the condo and turned it into a master fit for a vacation retreat.

We started with a fresh coat of paint and new blinds in the window. Then, because of the room size, we decided to take the closet doors off and open up that area. We also refinished the headboard, side tables and dresser. The end result is so inviting, don't you think?

Something old, something new

2012-04-02T18:30:00.000-05:00

As promised, here is another condo post! Since we were updating the condo with vacation rentals in mind, we wanted to stay on a budget and use as much of the existing furniture as we could. Here is an awesome before and after, thanks to my awesome Hubby.

He took the iron table base and chairs and painted them black. Then he replaced the dated and impossible to keep clean glass top with this beauiful wood top. I reupholstered the chair cushions, and ta-da :)

Retro Love

2012-04-01T22:13:00.000-05:00

Another fabulous Craigslist find. (Yes, we love Craigslist!) People just don't realize what they have. Now, this piece was found for my sister in law, who needed a cabinet for under their mounted tv. It screams a little 1960's but is so unique. After we loved on it a bit, it's pretty awesome - even if I do say so myself.

Old frame, new trick

2012-03-11T10:33:00.000-05:00

The previous owners of the condo left behind some pretty generic artwork. The pictures did not go with the general look wewere going for, but they were framed in these really nice, solid wood frames. After popping the artwork out, you can see the frame below.

After some paint, it made a huge difference. Then, we found these beachy hooks. I think its a neat way to add interest to a wall while maintaining the functionality of a rental property.

Great Headboard Idea

2012-03-08T10:40:00.000-06:00

We just returned from a whirlwind trip to Corpus Christi where we gave a beach condo a much needed overhaul. It had tons of potential and with a few coats of paint and some creativity, the place is looking like new. I promise to post the entire before and after very soon, but until then, I will post tidbits of what we did.

These gates were a total steal at $5.00 for the pair on Craigslist! I know, at first glance they look like, well, old fencing. Exactly!

So, my awesome Hubby hosed them down and cleaned them with bleach (getting rid of the funk of being outside forever). Then we painted the fence with a whitewash solution using equal parts white latex paint and paint thinner.

I think they are just awesome for that "beachy" feeling! They would be great for a kids room too.

2012-03-01T15:58:00.001-06:00

Easter Baskets!

Easter is on its way! This adorable basket is a must for eggs hunts and would be just adorable in pictures! I am taking orders until the March 20th. Please email me at topsytizzy@gmail.com for pricing and color choices.

Embellished clothing

2012-02-29T22:13:00.001-06:00

I love ribbons, bows and embellishments of all kinds. I recently had some fun with some of Baby Girl's clothing, turning plain denim into oh-so-cute! The jean jacket gets compliments wherever we go. For more information, visit my Etsy shop!

Furniture Up-do

2012-02-17T20:29:00.000-06:00

My mother-in-law came upon this fantastic find... The piece was so beautiful but had been in a house fire and had soot and heat damage. So, after a good sanding and an even better cleaning ( thanks hubby ), this armoire was ready for its up-do.

We started with a couple of coats of Kilz primer. Their low odor, fast drying version with the green label is my preference. Then on to the paint. Though you could make this so amazing with any color, my new favorite is called Cream in My Coffee by Valspar. It just sounds great. Anyway, after the paint was on, we were able to sand the right spots to give it that lovingly used look.

The wood was so beautiful, so we were able to leave some of it showing (the top and the drawers) which only added to the rustic feel. A little beeswax coat over the entire piece gave it the polished look. I love hardware and luckily, the hardware on the armoire was so fabulous to begin with. So, a once beautiful wood peice becomes a painted up-do!