June 23, 2010
Homemade Yogurt...You don't have to be a crunchy
to make it!

Yup. Homemade yogurt. You are thinking I am crazy right?
Well, I'm not and it's EASY. Really easy. Ridiculously easy.
All you need is a half gallon of milk and a crockpot. MMhmm,
a crockpot. Oh and yogurt cultures. I know. I remember hearing
of someone who made their own yogurt and I thought they
were weird! I mean, I figured they were really crunchy granola
people. Then I learned about how simple and delicious it is,
so I had to try it.

So here we go. Don't knock it till you try it, you will surprise
yourself and then you can shock people when you tell them
you make your own yogurt. Haha.
 
This is how much it makes, plus another small Ball jar (which
we already had eaten by the time I took the photo). Oh, notice
that jar on the far left? Well, I had to toss that one. Turns out
using an old Roasted Red Pepper jar isn't such a great idea.
Unless you like the sound of mexican yogurt that tastes like
beans. LOL! It was the lid that was the problem.



Ingredients:

1) One half-gallon of milk (8 cups).
We use organic whole. (which is part of the reason I love
to make it, SOO much cheaper than organic yogurt!) But, you
can use whatever milk you want. I would suggest at least 2%.
When you use whole, it comes out the consistency of low fat.

2) 1/2 cup PLAIN Yogurt.
I know, you need yogurt to make yogurt. But you need it for
the cultures. I use plain whole organic. You could also buy the
cultures but that is more expensive and annoying. Once you make it
once, you can then use your yogurt as the starter for
subsequent batches (which there WILL be).

3) 1/2 cup Dry milk. This one is optional.
It just thickens it up more. So, if you like your yogurt very
thick and not as runny, try this. I am fine without it. If you do
want to use it, it is about $6 for a bag of organic at Wegmans.
It is big enough to last awhile. Oh, I have also heard of using
gelatin to thicken it more. So you could try that too.

Directions:

1) Turn crock on LOW & pour in milk (dry milk too if you're using it).
2) Heat on low for 2 hours and 45 minutes.                                         
3) After, turn OFF and unplug. Let cool with lid on for 3 hours.            
4) After, remove 1-2 cups of milk & place in a bowl.                           
5) To the bowl, add 1/2 cup of yogurt & whisk WELL.                        
6) Return mix to crock & whisk thoroughly.                                        
7) Cover & wrap crock in a big bath towel (to insulate).                       
8) Let it culture for 8-12 hours. Usually I do 12, it makes it thicker.      
9) Scoop into jars/containers (I use Ball canning jars).                         
10) Refrigerate at least 6-8 hours for best texture.                                 

That's it! I know it takes an entire day, but the amount of
actual work you do is about 5 minutes. The rest it does on
it's own. I add flavor to it before serving. Usually we use
homemade jam but there IS a lot of sugar in jam. You can
use fresh fruit, honey, plain 'ol sugar, vanilla extract (TEENY),
or whatever other flavors you like!

I'm not sure how long it keeps because it never lasts all that long
here. We all LOVE it and I tend to give some away to friends,
family or neighbors. Just because it is SOO delicious. It has such
a wonderful fresh taste. Definitely worth the time! Oh, but I think
it would last at least 7-10 days.

If you try it, let me know!! I promise you won't regret it. OH, and
don't forget to save enough for your next batch.

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May 6, 2010
Thanks!

Ok. I am sorry I made so many of you fellow mama's cry last night! I went back
and re-read the post, and it made me cry too. I guess I was just really emotional last
night. That's ok. Thank you so much for the outpouring of love though! I don't usually
write too many posts on my thoughts or feelings, so it was nice that it was well received.

ALSO, I had a LOT of people email me about the kitchen and how to make one. The
link I provided in the original post has some basic how-to, but I have another link! I
found this site the other day when I was perusing through photos of other kitchens. This
woman makes them and sells them so she has gotten pretty good at making them.

SO, she provided a 6 post series on how to make one for yourself. Rather easily too!
She even has a no-tools version. I think she finished it in 4 parts actually. So here is that
link for you:

http://outofthecrayonbox.blogspot.com/2009/11/build-with-me-lesson-1-supplies.html

I think it is a very helpful place to start if you are thinking of making one yourself. Also,
please feel free to shoot me a comment if you have any questions for me (or Steve!).

Hey, while I'm thinking about it, add us to your favorites/bookmarks while you're here.
Since we create our site on our own and don't use Blogger or WordPress, we don't have
the Google Follow feature, sadly! I like to keep our site simple and free of clutter so that
it is easy to read, but that cuts down on a lot of fun features.

Also, you can subscribe to our site by adding your name and email in the form at
the top of the page. They get sent right to my address book so no worries. No spam, no
selling (of course) to anyone. HAHA! Also, if I update more than once a day (which is rare),
I only send one email. This way, you won't have to miss any new posts and you don't have
to worry about checking so often. OH, be sure to check your junk mail folder if you
haven't received an email. I've been told that for a bunch of people the emails go
straight to junk.

Be back soon, thanks for your support!

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May 3, 2010
TA - DA!!!!



Our latest project has been a play kitchen for the kiddos, made from a nightstand!

This is BEFORE:


And here are some more after shots:



Let's take a peek inside, and at some more details!

As you can see, it has a refrigerator and oven.
 

A closer look:


Some details:


The ADORABLE window!


This project has been in the works for a while. I first discovered nightstand kitchens
a few months ago on a blog (http://vintagesongbird.blogspot.com/2009/12/diy-is-fun.html).

I knew instantly, I had to make one!

Then I started looking at tons of other kitchens people have made. Jane Little has a great
photostream which you can get to from the last link up above. I pulled bits and pieces
that I liked from all over the place!

I told Steve I was going to make one of our own.

So, I scoured Craigslist and family houses for a nightstand that would work. I couldn't
find the exact style I was looking for (one with 2 drawers), but I did find a useable one
at my father in laws. He wasn't using it and let us take it!

Unfortunately, because it didn't have 2 drawers, we had to do a bit more creating than
I had planned. That meant that Steve was going to have to take on a pretty big
role in "my" project. I suppose he assumed that was going to happen...

So, I got to work finding all the supplies we were going to need. Here is a list of all
the materials we needed, and the price we paid for each. It took me about a month
to compile it all.

-Spray Paint (white/silver/red/blue/black) $8

for white primer/paint, the rest we had

-Chalkboard Paint $4

-Wooden J for faucet $2

-Wooden trivets (4) $4

-Plexi-glass for fridge shelf $3

-Oven Handle  $4

-Fridge Handle $4

-Cabinet Hinge for oven $6

-Shelf (cutting board we had)

-Wood for back & front (Ikea as-is) $5

-Hooks for side $2

-Hinges for Fridge $1

-Magnetic Closure $2

-Support Brackets for back $4

-Towel  $.50

-Wire for curtain "rod" (had)

-Curtain (had fabric)

-6 Knobs (had)

-Stainless bowl (from my dad)

-Cookie cooling racks (2 that we had)

-Gorilla Glue (had)

-Screws (had)

-Photo for window (scoured through books for one we had!)

 

So, as you can see, the total was just about $50 for everything. We could have

made it even cheaper since we had handles, but we opted for nicer ones that fit better.

 

Once we had all the supplies, we got to work!

 

I spray painted all the accessories, as well as primed the nightstand.

 

Steve then cut the sink hole and figured out a way to make the fridge and oven.

We were originally only going to have an oven, since that is what I had seen in

other kitchens. As we started working though, Steve, being the smarty-pants he is,

added a fridge! We also added the oven window along the way. Steve is just so

handy! It took him about 5 nights of working on it, so it was no small feat. I could have

done it in half the time, but it would have been half as nice, and half as cool!

My final contribution was sewing the curtain.

 

Some of the neat details:

 

-The window with a view (a page from the Golden Book "Wonders of Nature")

-The groove in the fridge that we cut and painted to look like it has 2 doors

-The oven window with plexi-glass

-The painted heat coils on the burners and in the oven

-The cookie cooling racks for the oven shelves

-The adorable birdie fabric for the curtain

-The cute slice & bake cookie set (with removable frosting) & baking sheet

-The chalkboard menu on the side

-Knobs that really turn

-The upside down letter "J" for the faucet

 

For all the food, I bought Melissa & Doug wooden sets (cutting food, food groups, &

cut & slice cookies). The pot & pan are also wooden and from Melissa & Doug.

The wood utensils, bowls, and plates are from Plan Toys. The coffee cups and saucers

are vintage porcelain ones from the attic of my father in law, and the cake pans

are tin pieces I found at my fav antique shop!

 

The entire kitchen is made from non-plastic materials. Oh wait, the oven window

and the shelf in the fridge are made from plexi-glass. Other than that, everything

is either wood, metal, glass, or fabric.

 

The grand total for EVERYTHING- the materials & the play items, was $100. I

bought the Melissa & Doug food at AC Moore with 50% off coupons, which made

them reasonable. The Plan Toy set was from gap.com (I know, weird), and the pans were from

Toys R Us (with a coupon and on clearance!). I think that is a VERY reasonable

price for items that are going to last MUCH longer than plastic things, and that

are much higher quality. Plus, they are infinitely cuter!

 

Hopefully this will last through all our children, and maybe even be passed on to

the next generation!

 

All in all, I designed (mostly), shopped, sewed, and helped paint. Steve did ALL

the building, helped with the design, and did the top coats of white.

 

I think it was a pretty collaborative effort, but I have to give Steve the credit for

the actual construction- he was in the garage for HOURS! The kids absolutely

LOVE it and have been playing with it non-stop since we finished it. That

definitely makes it worth all the time and effort!

 

 

Sorry some of the photos are blurry, I had a baby in my arms!

 

Thoughts??? Questions?? Comments???

 

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March 10, 2010
Heirloom Silhouettes

Tonight I am going to tell you how to make your own custom silhouettes! I always thought they
were so beautiful, so when I had my own babies, I thought it was the perfect time to make my
own. They are so classic looking, and make wonderful gifts. Actually, I made all the grandparents
one for this last christmas. They were a hit! Surprisingly, they don't take too much time to make
either. I think it was just under an hour total to do one. Follow along and learn with us!



SUPPLIES:

-Profile photo. You can use a face or really any photo with good edges!
Take your profile pic in front of a window. That makes the contrast the best.
You want the edges to be nice and clear.

-Black cardstock. Make sure it is acid free.

-Sheet of scrapbook paper, or any other acid free paper you like, for the background.

-Super sharp, fine tip scissors.

-White paper (optional)

-Printer & paper. (optional)

HOW TO:

1) Take your profile photo. Either have it printed somewhere (in the size you want the silhouette
to be), or just print it on your home printer. That is what I did. I was low on color ink, which
is why it looks green, but it doesn't matter. Black and white is fine. Printer paper is fine as well.

Here is the photo I used for Noah:


See how I did it in front of a light? That makes the profile a lot easier to cut out.

2) Once you have it printed the size you want, cut around all the edges, VERY carefully. Make
sure you add eyelashes and little wisps of hair. You don't need to use all the hair, just a bit.
Also, if it is a photo of a girl, try a pony or at least make sure her hair is noticeable in the profile.
You know with curled up ends or something.

Here it is all cut out, with Oliver's too:


While your cutting, it helps to turn it over & look at your work.
You can more easily see the detail that way.

3) Now, using a pencil, trace the photo you just cut out onto the black paper. Be sure to use a
sharp pencil so you can really get into the grooves.

4) Cut out profile, same way as before.

5) Now that you are all cut out, mount onto your paper using acid free glue. Glue sticks work
the best. You can either mount it right onto the paper or you can use white paper as a frame
of sorts, before mounting.

Here is one I did of when I was preggo-mego with Oliver. This is not the final version, as
you can see, the white oval is not perfect, this was just my rough draft.



6) Add embellishments and frame! You can do so much with these. You can do multiple
layers of paper, incorporate their name on it, or even cut out the oval with funky scissors.

Here are the ones I did of the boys for christmas, see how I added wisps & lashes?





I also wrote their names and ages in pencil at the base of each profile. Just for reference.

My next ones will be much cooler. These ones were pretty simple since they were my first.
 I have a bunch of really neat ideas. I have been thinking of maybe opening an Etsy store and
selling custom ones. We'll see!




March 9, 2010
This is gonna be a whirlwind!

So, I haven't had time to post in the last few days. Steve was working this weekend, so I had my
hands full. BUT, I have a LOT to post! I will start with this project, and in the next 2 days I will
catch up on everything else. So expect several posts today and tomorrow.

I'll begin with the next furniture project. I had a few requests for another one, so here you go!

BEFORE

(Solid but ugly, well, not my style)

AFTER
     
(Sorry the photos aren't great, I had my 50mm lens on and was too lazy to switch it!)

So. As you can see, it is much more my flavor! White. Of course. We found the hutch on Craigslist for a great
price (under $100). It is Ethan Allen and was in wonderful condition, very solid.

For the transformation, we did a few things. First, Steve removed the top scallop and the rail. I like straight lines
for my furniture. This one wasn't exactly right since the edges of the shelves have curves, but that's alright.
The price was right, so I compromised there!

Then, we sanded, primed, and painted it (with Steve's sprayer). We removed the back piece and painted that New England
blue. I originally wanted to line the back with this beautiful wallpaper, but it was $50, so I figured I'd save the
money and just go with plain blue. We painted the main part a lovely bright white. We used ProClassic Interior
Acrylic Latex paint in Satin so that it would withstand all our use.

Finally, we replaced the knobs! Steve found these pretty white ones at ReHouse (the local salvage place). I would
love to buy knobs like THESE (or any of their glass ones for that matter), but at $8 a piece, I'll wait!

After everything was finished, I arranged all my favorite white and pink antique plates until I was happy with them.



LOVE the way it came out! The hydrangeas just topped it off.



I'll be posting more later today!!





February 28, 2010
Toss Me a Pillow!

Ahhh, another home project! I had these throw pillows that were SO drabby. Oh man, they were just depressing.
If a pillow can affect your mood, these ones did! Take a look at them before:



YUCK. See what I mean? Just not at all pleasing to look at.

So, I decided I would make them over! Before I show you how I did it, here is the end result:



Boy oh boy, do I LOVE them! Aren't they so cheerful? They really add a punch of color to the room.
If you remember, our living room is chocolate brown (which I adore) with lots of white. So I wanted to
add a bit of fun where I can. Here is how I did it:

First, I'll preface this with my famous term- EASY. haha! But really, I don't really attempt projects
that take longer than a couple hours (max). I don't like to leave things on the dining room table for days,
and although we have an office/craft room, it is challenging to hole myself in there with 2-3 kids running
amuck! To say the least. Therefore, I do easy, quick projects! Hmmm...unless you don't have a sewing
machine. Then maybe they aren't the quickest. Sorry!

OK ok, back to the pillows!

Supplies:

- An old throw pillow
- An old sham/cover for said pillow (or see below)
- 1 fat quarter of fabric for the front. 2 fat quarters if you don't
have an old cover, or if you don't like it at all. I bought my fabric from:
The Fabric Shoppe (I LOVE Michael Miller fabrics!)
- Zipper if you are making a totally new pillow cover (optional)
-Thread

How to:

1) Remove pillow cover.
2) Turn inside out and cut apart the 2 pieces. I cut as close to the edge as possible and also left the zipper.
So, I used my seam ripper to remove one side of the fabric.
3) Using the old pillow cover as a pattern, cut a new front from your fabric.
4) Pin the right sides together (inside out).
5) Sew along the zipper first (while zipped), and then unzip.
6) Sew all the remaining edges.
7) Inside out and stuff pillow form inside!

Now, I used the old pillow covers for the back, since I used designer fabric that I ordered & only had 1 fat
quarter of each. Really though, it would be a lot easier just to start from scratch. Then you can either use a
zipper on one end, or just sew up the opening by hand once you stuff the pillow in. I like to use a zipper so
that you can toss them in the wash when you need to. Plus zippers are really easy and pretty cheap, so why not?

Look at how great they are now!

       

Here is another quick idea for you. When I made the jumper & horse for Charlotte, I thought I would
make a quick card for her. This was so quick, I did it in the 5 minutes before she got picked up!



All you need is a card, scrap of fabric, button, and your machine! I did it super quick and liked the
not-so-perfect look. Oh, and remember all that lace fabric I have? I used a little square to wrap her
gifts in! A totally 100% homemade gift. Sweet!




February 26, 2010
Anyone have the time?

So I have been making quite a few things out of felt lately (don't even ask about felt food!). This project is
one of my favs! It can be challenging finding cool things to make for boys, so this one is pretty neat. Also,
as always, it is quick and cheap. It took me less than an hour while I sat on the couch watching the Olympics!
I had everything I needed too, which is always great.



It's an awesome felt watch! Here is how to make one for your cool dude.

Supplies:

- 3 colors of felt (.29 at Joann's)
- Embroidery Floss in a contrasting color and black (.35 at Joann's)
- 2 buttons
- Needle
- 2 snaps or a piece of velcro

Recipe:

1) Measure the little man's wrist and cut a 2 inch wide strip, adding about an inch in length.
2) Cut out the other 2 pieces. I did it freehand and it was pretty easy. Just estimate the size based on
the size of the strap. Make them each a little smaller than the last.
3) Now, using the floss, stitch around the strap. I was thinking it would have looked cool if I had yellow floss, but I didn't.
4) Stitch the clock backing onto the strap, all around the edge.
5) Starting with the hands, stitch the clock on. Then, using a marker, make a dot where each hour should be. Stitch.
6) Sew the buttons on. Mine don't match exactly, but that's what I had!
7) Now, you attach either the snaps or velcro. I used snaps because I figured it would be better. Noah can snap
them but they hold better than velcro. Plus, I thought the velcro might stick to the felt.

See?? Easy. It doesn't have to be perfect, and actually, I like it to look handmade and unique. I think
I'll be making a couple more in some different colors!



Here's a couple quick shots of Oliver, learning to sit and using the highchair for the first time!

              

I think I'll be putting up a new HOME project this weekend!





February 25, 2010
Anyone for some easy projects??

Today I have 3 small projects I thought I would share. I have been sewing a LOT this week since it is just the
two boys and I here. I feel like I have SO much more time without having Charlotte here. I love having her, but
goodness, I have a lot of free time! I have been sewing/crafting, cooking, baking, cleaning, organizing, reading,
and also PLAYING! The boys are really enjoying the one on one time. Oliver is sitting up pretty well now, I
put the Boppy around him just in case still, but he is strong! He is also working on crawling. He seems to be
able to scoot backwards a little already! Noah has such an imagination lately. He pretends all day! So sweet.

OH, I also wanted to throw a great link out there. I ordered a sterling silver ring from this seller on Etsy and
I love it so much, I figured some others might too! It is beautiful. Very dainty and SHINY. The best part is,
it was only $7.50 including shipping! I think that is a bargain. So here is that! Be sure to check out all the
things he has in his shop, there are a few other rings that are cute too.
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=40169114

Finally, we are gearing up for a mild storm here in the next couple days. Spring will be here someday, right??

A King's Crown
   

This is a great easy craft for a little man, or girl of course! You could switch up the colors
to suit a princess. What kid doesn't love a crown?? I was inspired to make this by a Burger
King crown that Steve brought home for Noah. Noah just loved it, but unfortunately they are
made of paper, so it didn't last long. You could make it much more simple than I did, but really,
it didn't take long at all!

Supplies:
-Felt. I used 2 of the sheets that are .29 at Joann's
-Iron On Adhesive or interfacing
-Elastic (optional)
-Gold puffy paint
-Jewels

Recipe:

1) Iron on the adhesive to one full piece of felt. Iron the other felt to it. They should now be attached.
2) With either a BK crown, or freehand, trace the pattern onto the felt. Start right at the bottom edge.
You can get both halves of the crown from one sheet of felt if you position it right.
3) Cut out.
4) If you are going to use elastic on the back do that now. All I did was lay the elastic where I wanted
it on the bottom edge. Then I sewed a casing for it in between 2 layers of felt. BUT that is because
I did not iron the back pieces together, since I hadn't thought of that marvelous idea yet. So, what you
can do is just attach the elastic to the back of the inside of the crown. Just sew it at the ends to attach. Or
you can just make the crown the perfect size and not use elastic. Whatever! (was that confusing?? sorry.)
5) Now you need to sew the 2 halves together to form the crown. I used my machine of course but you
could VERY easily hand sew the few stitches.
6) I also stitched around the entire perimeter of the crown, but that is totally optional.
7) Decorate! I happened to have these jewels from a shirt that I did NOT like them on. So that was nice!
8) Watch in delight as your little king enjoys the fruit of your labor!


An Adorable Pincushion!


If you have a sewing machine, this is SO fast. I think 20 minutes? I didn't have a pincushion previously
so this was a necessity for me. This could be a great gift for someone who sews. If you don't have a
machine, again, it wouldn't take long to hand sew since it is so little. It is cute and I used scrap fabric
I had leftover! Perfect.

Supplies:
- 4 to 5 inch circles of 2 fabrics you like. I used a cotton top and a felt bottom.
- Embroidery Floss & Needle
- Stuffing. I used quilt batting since I had some, but you can use FiberFill or
even just stuffing from an old pillow OR even cotton balls! Use what you have!
- Thread
- Button

Recipe:

1) Find something circular in the size you want. I happened to use a plastic lid for Pyrex. Use that to
trace 2 circles out of your fabric.
2) Place them right sides together and sew the edges together. Leave a 2inch or so opening.
3) Inside out through the little hole. A pencil or chopstick is helpful for that.
4) Stuff. FULL. You want it to be really plump. I think I could have used more actually.
5) Hand sew the hole closed.
6) Using a LONG length of floss, pull the needle through the middle from the bottom. Then go
over the cushion and back up through the bottom. Pull tight.
7) Repeat around the cushion, pulling tight as you go.
8) Tie a knot but don't cut the floss.
9) Find a cute button and sew it on right in the middle, pull the floss tight and PUSH the button
down.
10) TADA! Easy, adorable, and cheap. LOVE it.


The last thing I am going to show today, takes 2 minutes and is (for me) very helpful! We got a new
stove recently, and the handle for the oven goes out wide. So, the hand towel slips off ALL day long.
Between the 3 kids and the 2 cats, it is always on the floor. This quick fix really solves that issue!
Can you see what I did??



All I did was buy some velcro (not SUPER strength stuff, you don't want the kids to be able to
open the oven by pulling the towel hard), and sew it to the edges of the towel! Make sure you sew
it on so that it forms a loop. So, on opposite sides. That's it! I can't tell you how that tiny little project
brightens my day! No more wet towel on the floor. So nice.

If you don't know how to sew. I'm sorry! I have been doing so much of it lately. BUT, if you don't
sew, you should really consider taking it up. I'm not saying you need to start producing your own clothing
or anything. It is just so fun (and addicting) to create things from nothing! Sewing is nice because as opposed
to knitting and crocheting (which I love), it is FAST and easy. With a small investment in a machine, you can
do so much! SO, consider it. Curtains especially are easy. The possibilities are, as they say, endless!

February 17, 2010
My VERY Basic Sewing Projects

I consider myself a beginner sew-er (haha). I have made some baby quilts, curtains, kids things, aprons,
and that is about it. Nothing too challenging or complicated. So when I saw these adorable projects, I
just had to try them! Let me tell you. They are EASY. I seem to say that a lot don't I?? Well, they are
quite basic and if you own a sewing machine, I think you are qualified enough. Let's take a peek at what
I am talking about.

      

A girls jumper & a stuffed horse/giraffe!

I made them for Charlotte's (the girl I babysit) 1st birthday. The jumper was so
astonishingly easy, I made FOUR more today for my nieces! Also, they are so inexpensive!
I paid less than a $4 a piece. Want to see how you can make one for yourself?? Well, let's go!

Supplies:
- 1/2 yard of fleece. Joann's has SO many choices. I paid (with a coupon) $12 for 2yds.
Now that I have made them, I really needed less than 1/2 a yard, but it depends on the size.
-2 Buttons. I used 3 different kinds since I couldn't make up my mind!
-Scissors, sewing machine, measuring tape, & thread

1) First start by measuring the little one. You need to measure her chest & armpit to knee.
Add about an inch to the sides to account for the seams. The great thing about fleece is
that it does not fray! So, you don't have to hem the top & bottom if you don't want to.

2) Cut your fabric. Fold the fabric in half so that you cut both sides of the dress at the same time.
That way you know they are the same size.
You are going to cut it into a triangle of sorts so that it flares out at the bottom.



This one was for a 6 month old. The one I made for the 2yr old was 11.5" at the top,
17" at the bottom, and 17" long.

2) Now you need to sew the long edges. Make sure you have the right sides facing IN.
Basically, sewing it inside out. I used a triple stitch to make sure it was nice and strong.

This is the machine I have, if you are in the market for a FABULOUS beginner machine.
It is a HuskyStar by Husqvarna Viking. It does everything I need it to do at this stage.



3) Next, cut the straps. I made the one for the 2yr old, 8 inches long and about an inch wide.

4) Find where you want to place them. Make sure they are not too close to the armpit.
 
5) Sew them on the back of the jumper, while it is still inside out. Make sure you separate
the front from the back so that you don't sew them together! Sew them on with a little
rectangle or square.



6) Attach your buttons to the straps. Don't sew them too close to the bottom.

7) Finally, cut a little slit for the button holes (easy huh?). Make it about half the size of the
buttons. They tend to stretch a bit and you don't want them to be too big. ALSO, make sure they
are at least an inch from the top of the jumper. I made that mistake of making them too close to
the top and once it was buttoned, it nearly ripped the fabric in half! I had to stitch around the hole
to secure it.



TADA!!! That's IT! Now, was that easy or what?! Here are a few more final shots.





I found both the jumper & horse at an awesome blog called Smashed Peas & Carrots.
Here are the links to the JUMPER & the HORSE/GIRAFFE/LAMA.
You really should browse around her site, it is FULL
of really great ideas!

February 13, 2010
Noah's Fancy Shirt

Here is a fun shirt for when your little man needs to look his Sunday best!



It is another pretty easy one, but it does require a sewing machine. Although, I made a shirt like this before
and I hand stitched around the edges with thick embroidery floss to give it a cute touch. So, you wouldn't
need a machine if you don't have one. This took me about 30 minutes & again, I had all the materials.
 This is the first one I have made so it is not perfect. But that's ok! The next one I make will be with a striped
tie, made from one of Steve's old dress shirts.

Here is what you need:

- A plain shirt
- Another shirt for the tie (or any fabric you like)
 - Iron on adhesive (they sell it at Joann's for pretty cheap)
-Thread (or floss if you do it by hand)

1) Draw the pattern for the tie on a piece of paper. I used a crayon and a page from Noah's Scooby-Do coloring book.
Hey, you use what you have!

2) Cut a rectangle a little larger than the tie out of the fabric and adhesive. Follow directions on the package to iron
them together. (2 seconds on low with paper side up)

3) Cut out tie.

4) Iron on tie to shirt (Remove paper, iron 10 seconds).

5) Sew a zig-zag around, or hand sew a straight line around. You can hand sew stitches either vertically or horizontally.

That's it! Really easy & quick & super cute.

These would be SO adorable on a onesie for a little guy!

February 12, 2010
Who plays Scrabble anyways??

Ok. Well, we DO play Scrabble, but I thought this was a much better use of the game!
Today's project is SO fast and easy, I mean, it took me all of TEN minutes to make both.
Seriously. Take a peek before we get started:


Cute huh?
Here is what you need to gather. Mind you, all the materials I used I already had!

-Frame. Any size and type you like. I have had these tin beauties for FOUR years,
just waiting for something spectacular to do with them.
-A piece of scrapbook paper. Or any other background you like.
-Scrabble tiles
-Some sort of adhesive. I used photo mounting squares but you can use glue, Zots, etc.

Now all you do is remove the glass, cut the paper to shape, replace glass BEHIND the paper,
and then artfully arrange the tiles in any way looks best! It would be really cute to do them in
such a way to make them look like they cross, like words do in the game. But, these frames had
openings much to small to do that. If it were larger, the L's could have intersected, or even the O's.

That's it! I like to have a good mix of larger projects and smaller ones, so as to please all!

Oh and isn't that tree paper just darling? Love it.

February 7, 2010
Where to put all those earrings??

If you are female, I am sure you have a bunch of dangly earrings. If you do, I bet they are in a tangled
mess. When you find one to wear, you wonder, where is the other one?? Then you proceed to dig through
the pile thinking, there must be a better way!!

Ok, so maybe that is only me. BUT, this is a really pretty way to display and store your favorites! It is
very easy to make and will result in a decorative way to have your earrings conveniently located.

   

This is such an easy project! Really. Easy.

First, you need to pick a couple things:

1) Frame. It can be any kind, color, or size. I wanted a thick white frame but I had this, so I used it.
I think this one is 10x14.
2) Background. It can be fabric or paper. I used a piece of scrapbook paper.
3) Lace or Mesh. I have a HUGE bolt of this pretty lace that I snatched up from Ikea a few years ago.
If you ask nicely, I can even send you a piece, I have A LOT. It folds small so it would be cheap to mail.
4) Frame mat. You don't need one but since I used a thinner frame I thought it looked better with it.

Then, all you do is remove the glass and wrap the paper/fabric and lace. Then place in frame and hang!

I told you it was easy didn't I?? I didn't have to purchase a single item. You know you have a piece of
tulle or an old sheer curtain or SOMETHING like that hanging around. Now you just stick the earrings
through the lace and you're good to go! What a pretty little thing to hang in your bedroom or closet.

What do YOU think???

February 3, 2010

Here is my next home "project" idea. This one is SUPER easy. It is a blanket rack made from an old
ladder! It is very handy and looks nice in contemporary-country style. Think, Pottery Barn.
That is generally how I describe my house. I like very clean, simple, vintage inspired, antique, and
WHITE. Can you tell already?? Mostly I am pretty anti-clutter. Plus, lately I have become quite bold in
my wall color choices. To make up for all the white accessories and furniture I use. Recently we have
painted dark chocolate brown, a deep poppy red & New England blue. Our next painting project is going to
be a terra-cotta orange! I think we might even attempt extra-wide stripes for our stairs and hallway. We'll see.

Hmm. How did I get that far on a tangent? Anyways, here is a view of the ladder we have. We actually
got really lucky. I had been wanting to do this and when we moved into our (100 yr old) house, this ladder
was in the garage! It is super old and covered in splats of paint and stain, and has lots of wear on it. I love
it! It really has so much character. I have received countless compliments on it in the 3 years we've had it.

   
(Oh, and see that beautiful quilt?? My baby sister Hollianne made that for us. Thanks Holli!)

All you do is find an old wooden ladder (garage sales, antique stores, auctions, barn sales etc) and cut it to the
size you like. I had Steve cut ours from floor to the very edge of our crown molding. Then, we just braced it
to the wall with some small brackets. Actually, we didn't do that part until last year, when Noah become mobile.
Figured it was safer. But it is also nice because you can PUUUULLL the blankets off without it falling over.

You could also use a new wood ladder and paint it. Beat it up with something maybe. Chains? Hammer?
I don't know, I'm just shooting some ideas out there. Does anyone have any chains just hanging around
anyways?? Probably not. Oh, I also have one ladder left over. It isn't quite as nice as this one, but it is still
great. If you are local and are interested, you could have it! Just throw me a quick note and I'll let you know
if it has been claimed or not.

Keep an eye out, tomorrow I will be posting another fun idea!




January 30, 2010
A UNIQUE SPOT TO SIT

Somehow I managed to forget all about posting this yesterday! Must have been the fact that
it was my beloved first born's birthday! So, here it is today.

This project is one that I have had a bunch of requests for. It can be very inexpensive (we spent
about $25) and it is moderately easy, if you have a drill and saw (or you can have them cut the
wood at the store).



It is a unique, fun bench!
What you do is find a set of 3 or 4 chairs you like (and really, you can make it as long as you
want). We found a set of 4 at a garage sale for $10 a few years ago. They sat in the basement
for a good 2 years, you know, aging to perfection. ;-)

Then you remove the seats. Now, this would be a LOT easier if you did not choose spindle back
chairs, like we did. We had to remove each spindle. That was much more time consuming than if
you chose a set that was, say, ladderback. Also, the original bench we saw, did NOT remove the
seats. All they did was remove the backs and placed the wood on top of the seats. You COULD do
that if the original seats are flat. Although I think it makes too high and not as nice.

Then, you cut a board of plywood/MDF/pine/whatever piece of wood you can find. It looks really
cool if you can find a piece of old wood. You line up the chairs and cut the board the length of the
chairs, plus a couple inches on all sides. What we did, was remove the seats and place them all on the
piece of wood in the layout of the bench. Then we traced around the outside of the seats.

You can either just cut it in a rectangle shape, or you can
do a more decorative scallop like Steve did around the sides and back. Either way it looks great.

Next, sand the edges a bit to make them nice and smooth.

Now you have to mark where the bottoms of the chairs go. You set them up on the board (flipped
over) and then mark a spot where you need to drill. Or, how we did this, was to clamp the original seats
down and then drill right through the original holes to make a mark on the board.

Drill the holes where you marked, for the bottoms. Make them just a tad smaller for a nice fit.

Put a dab of glue in each hole and pound the legs in.

Repeat the process for the chair backs.

Now, depending on what color chairs and board you used, you can either keep it as is, or you can
spray paint the entire piece. That is obviously what we did.  A nice satin sheen. Choosing a more
glossy paint will help it withstand cleaning and such.

VOILA! Your finished! It really doesn't take long and you have quite a few options for the design.
You can go for a more antique look by using beat up, paint worn chairs/wood, or you can make
it look nice and new.

For our bench, Steve used the 4th chair to make arms. He used the spindles from the 4th chair
and then cut 2 pieces of wood for the top of the arms. He also used used the extra chair to
replace broken spindles when doing the back.

If you give them a try, or any of the projects for that matter, be sure to shoot me an
email with a photo! If you have any questions, feel free to email or leave a comment.




HOME PROJECT #2

So today's project is a lot easier and even more inexpensive. I think it took about 3 minutes and maybe $5.
It is a clothes hanging chain! We did this because Steve's closet used to be in the nursery (sorry babe!) and
he couldn't go in after Noah went to bed. So, he would pick his clothes out and bring them in our room. Well,
were do you put said clothes?? They couldn't fit in my closet because I have 2 rods, so they are too short for
his things. This is a great solution! Not only is it a great place to store an outfit (or 3!), they don't wrinkle. I
have used it many times myself!
So, all it involves is a trip to Lowes (you know you are there every week anyways!) to pick up a hook, and a
length of chain. We picked ones that were already white so we didn't need to do anything to them. Then,
we just screwed the hook into the wall and slipped the chain onto it! Then we hung it behind the door so that
was out of the way. So easy and so useful!

   

Also, someone asked me if I scraped the old paint off the tin before painting it. All we did was scrape off the
big chunks and then went over the rest. I liked how it left the antique look of the tin. Here is a close up:



Be sure to stop by tomorrow for another project!




January 27, 2010
HOME PROJECT #1

Ok, so last night didn't happen! I forgot to take a picture while it was still daylight. But, here is the first
project I'll be showing you! This one is one of my favorites. It's not too large of a project and the
materials are pretty inexpensive and easy to find. It is a mirror framed with tin! All we did was buy a panel
of antique tin ceiling from ReHouse (they sell reclaimed house parts and antiques) here in Rochester on
East Main St. I think it was $12 for a large panel, you could make 2 mirrors out of it. Then, we found an
old wall mirror, actually we got it at a yard sale when we were vacationing in Old Forge NY. I think it was
$5? Anyways, then Steve made a wood frame the size of the tin squares. He cut out the tin and attached
it to the wooden frame. He pounded the edges down around the frame, although you could leave them
straight. Then you spray paint it the color you want and attach it to the mirror! Although it didn't take too
much time, I guess this wouldn't be SUPER easy unless you have a willing husband! He is too sweet to me
and always humors my requests for new projects! This is a fairly large one as well, about the size of our
dresser, so it looks great above it. Oh and when we chose a mirror, we wanted one that was old so it would
match the antique feel of the tin. Now this piece is one of my absolute favorites we own!

Be sure to stop by frequently, I plan on showing a new project every day this week. Some will be easier
than this, and some a little more challenging!